Ryoma's steps suddenly faltered as he abruptly remembered something.
Something he had almost completely forgotten.
That old witch from the Eye of the Midnight Sun, whom he had trapped in an Eternal Ice Coffin.
Before he was teleported away, he seemed to have casually left the Ice Coffin there, entrusting it to the other Magic Knights to handle.
But he didn't seem to have actively dispelled the magic.
If Ryoma didn't actively dispel his ice magic himself, it wouldn't be easy for others to forcibly break it.
Which meant... the old witch was very likely still frozen in a block of ice like a specimen.
Ryoma's lips twitched slightly.
This wouldn't do.
She still needed to be sent to the interrogation room. They couldn't just send her over while she was frozen, could they?
In a frozen state, let alone interrogation, even life signs couldn't be detected.
Ryoma knew in his heart that these members of the Eye of the Midnight Sun had all been subjected to powerful mental protection magic, and were completely brainwashed fanatics. It was almost impossible to extract useful information from them. But the procedures still had to be followed.
He carefully sensed the residual mana he had left scattered throughout the Royal Capital, and soon he captured the corresponding mana fluctuation.
Following the sensation, he weaved through several turns and quickly arrived at a secluded corner.
The area was equally in ruins, but amidst the wreckage, a crystal-clear Ice Coffin stood out remarkably. At the center of the Ice Coffin, an old woman with a terrified expression was firmly sealed within.
At this moment, seven or eight mages were gathered around this "artwork," each looking distressed and helpless.
"It's no good, completely indestructible."
A mage tapped the ice surface, producing a crisp "clang, clang" sound.
"It's harder than steel."
"My Fire Magic is useless too. The flames are absorbed as soon as they get close, not even a drop of water has melted."
Another knight skilled in Fire Magic wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"What kind of magic is this anyway? It's too ridiculous."
"We can't just move the entire block of ice to the interrogation room, can we? It's too big."
Everyone discussed, at a loss.
Just then, Ryoma walked over unhurriedly.
"Excuse me, please move aside."
Hearing his voice, everyone turned their heads, and upon seeing Ryoma, their faces immediately showed surprise and awe.
"You've arrived."
They had personally witnessed the large-scale Ice Magic Ryoma had unleashed on the battlefield. This intractable problem before them was precisely from his hand.
Ryoma nodded, acknowledging their greeting.
He walked to the Ice Coffin, extended a hand, and gently placed it on the cold surface.
"My apologies, I was in a hurry earlier and forgot to unseal it for you."
His tone was as calm as if he were speaking of a trivial matter.
The surrounding mages exchanged glances, their hearts stirring.
Forgot?
Such a powerful magic of this caliber, and he just forgot about it?
Buzz!
Accompanied by a faint mana fluctuation, the indestructible Ice Coffin instantly transformed into countless tiny ice crystals before everyone's eyes, then silently dissipated into the air.
Thud!
Catherine, deprived of support, slumped softly to the ground.
"Alright." Ryoma clapped his hands. "The rest is up to you."
"Yes. Thank you for your help." The leading mage immediately stood at attention and saluted.
Ryoma waved his hand and turned to leave.
Although he knew the interrogation wouldn't yield results, the necessary procedures still had to be completed.
—
After bidding farewell to the group of mages, Ryoma wanted to find a place to rest for a bit first.
As he passed a river flowing through the Royal Capital, a familiar loud voice suddenly reached his ears.
"Hey! Yuno! You jerk, properly greet people! You idiot!"
That voice...
Ryoma looked in the direction of the sound.
He saw Asta, hands on his hips, vigorously waving and shouting towards a higher position on the opposite bank of the river.
Noelle and Charmy stood beside him.
On the opposite bank, on the edge of a higher platform, Yuno and several members of Golden Dawn were standing.
"Greeting is the most basic etiquette in this world!"
Asta was still shouting relentlessly from below.
Ryoma couldn't help but find this scene amusing.
He truly is full of energy, that little runt.
He stopped with interest, leaning against a nearby broken wall, ready to watch the interaction between these fated rivals.
Yuno, from above, merely glanced at Asta after hearing his shouts, not saying a word. He slowly walked a few steps forward, reaching the low wall at the edge of the platform.
Then, under the gaze of everyone, including Ryoma, he opened his grimoire. Emerald green light glowed, and immense wind elements began to gather.
"Oh?" Ryoma raised an eyebrow.
Is he going to "greet" them with magic right away?
The next second.
Screech!
Two sharp eagle cries echoed through the sky.
Two giant eagles made of swirling wind flapped their wings and flew out from the grimoire, carrying an astonishing momentum.
One swooped down towards Asta below, while the other curved in a strange arc in the air, heading straight for Ryoma, who was watching the show.
"Huh?"
Ryoma's smile instantly froze.
There's one for me too?
What is this? Undeserved calamity?
He was just passing by to watch the fun.
Asta below was startled by the sudden attack, but his reaction was extremely fast.
"You bastard!"
With a roar, he fiercely drew the demon-slayer sword from his grimoire and, with all his might, cut the giant wind eagle that was rushing towards him in half. The strong winds burst apart, making him stumble and fall onto his backside.
On the other side, facing the giant wind eagle charging towards him, Ryoma gently raised his right hand, fingers spread.
"Hoarfrost Prison."
Before he even finished speaking, streaks of ice-blue light appeared out of thin air, instantly weaving into a massive, spiky ice cage in front of him, encasing the entire giant wind eagle.
The wind eagle frantically crashed within the cage, stirring up violent air currents, yet it could not budge the ice wall in the slightest.
Ryoma slowly clenched his fingers.
Crack!
The ice cage instantly contracted inwards, countless spikes piercing into the wind eagle's body, completely compressing and crushing it.
The incredibly powerful wind eagle thus silently transformed into the purest magic particles and vanished without a trace.
"Is he an idiot? Is he trying to kill us?" Asta, still shaken, sat on the ground, shouting loudly.
However, the next moment, the wind elements he had shattered did not completely dissipate, but re-converged in front of him, forming a line of arrogant text.
"See ya, shorty Asta."
"You bastard!!!"
Seeing this text, Asta's anger instantly ignited. He leaped up from the ground, pointing at Yuno on the opposite bank, fuming.
"If you dare, come down now! Let's have a showdown!"
However, Yuno on the opposite bank seemed to have heard nothing, as if nothing had happened.
He merely coldly withdrew his gaze, closed his grimoire, and turned to leave.
As if those two incredibly powerful attacks were truly just a casual "greeting."
Ryoma watched this scene without getting angry. He just shook his head somewhat helplessly.
However...
With that attack just now, he clearly sensed that Yuno's magical power was more than a notch stronger than during the entrance exam.
Ryoma's gaze followed Yuno's retreating back, his eyes narrowing slightly.
The moment Yuno turned around, he keenly caught a detail. There seemed to be a small green figure on his shoulder.
What was that?
A term flashed through Ryoma's mind instantly, and his pupils contracted slightly.
So that's it...
Is it a wind spirit?
No wonder his magical power had increased so dramatically.
The man chosen by one of the Four Great Spirits.
Has the plot already started to accelerate?
(End of Chapter)
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