Chapter 7: Strike First, Win First. An ancient saying that if you squeeze the juice first, you shall surely prevail.
Strike First, Win First. An ancient saying that if you squeeze the juice first, you shall surely prevail.
"Thunder Knight—!! Another overwhelming victory today—!! No challenger could ever hope to surpass him—!!"
"WOOOOOOOAHHHHHHHHHHH—!!!"
CRASH—!!
The champion, Thunder Knight, raised his right arm toward the sky as if responding to the crowd's cheers.
"............."
"Bella. I don't think this is it. Let's look somewhere else."
Siv made the suggestion to Bella, who was wearing a thoroughly disgusted expression.
"Even if you say it's disgusting..."
"KEHAHAHAHAHA—!! I'm just too damn strong—!! Undefeated, baby—!!"
"His strength is the real deal."
WHOOSH—!!
At that moment, Bella suddenly leaped high into the air and landed right in the center of the arena.
BOOM—!!!
"A... a magician?!"
"What the—where'd she come from?!"
The rowdy crowd instantly fell silent at Bella's sudden intrusion.
Swish.
Bella pulled down her hood and walked toward the Black Knight.
Step. Step. Step.
"The hell's this bitch? Didn't you see the sign? No magicians allowed."
"I don't have time. Can we talk outside first?"
Bella asked the Black Knight nervously.
"Fuck off. Nobody stops me. If you wanna drag me out, try forcing me."
BOOM—!!!
The Black Knight stomped the ground with his right foot, sending a shockwave reverberating through the entire arena.
RUMBLEEEEEEE—!!!
"AAAAHHHH—!! Thunder Knight—!! Has accepted the duel challenge from a new contender—!! And the challenger is none other than a magician—!! The first time in this arena's seven-month history—!!"
"It's only been seven months?"
"That's not the point—!! Why do I have to fight him—?!" Bella shouted back at Siv, exasperated.
"Come at me. I'll let you have the first move."
Tsk. Tsk.
The Black Knight wiggled his index finger mockingly at Bella.
"........ Fine. Guess I'll have to drag you out by force."
Huuuuum.
"Huh?"
The Black Knight looked puzzled.
The magic circles forming in Bella's hands were unlike any ordinary spell formations.
They were inscribed with countless complex symbols, as if lines of computer code had materialized into reality.
"Now this is fucking interesting. Show me what you've got—"
FWOOSH.
"!!!!!!!!!!"
It changed.
The space around them.
They were now standing in the middle of a Stardust street.
"I have zero reason to fight you. All I needed was a place to talk."
"You've gotta be shitting me."
Swish.
Bella extended her right hand toward the Black Knight.
"Please. Save me. Save the world."
___. ___
About a month ago.
I had a conversation with a crazy woman on the shores of Plutoid.
That was when I realized my true nature—I was a delinquent.
And if I was a delinquent, I figured I might as well live like one.
After considering what I could do with this ridiculously overpowered body of mine...
Clank. Clank. Clank.
"AAAAHHHH—!! Is this challenger insane?! He's chosen the arena champion, who boasts an undefeated six-month reign, as his first opponent—!!"
I turned fighting into a business.
And I did it in the city of magicians—Stardust.
I'd visited Stardust many times as a kid with my family.
A four-hour ride from Plutoid on the high-speed train.
With this absurdly strong body that never tired, I ran there in just one hour.
Not to mention, this body was undetectable by magicians' surveillance, so slipping in was a breeze.
This place was now my home.
The high school student from Terra High was no more.
I was ready to live my new life, but...
"Out of all the bullshit I expected, this takes the cake."
The Black Knight scratched the side of his helmet irritably.
"I know it's hard to believe. But I'll explain everything."
"Not my problem."
Swish.
The Black Knight turned to walk away from Bella.
"Wait—!! The world is going to end—!!"
"And? Since when is that my problem?"
"Wha...?"
"If it ends, it ends. Don't drag me into your mess."
"How... how can you say something like that—?!"
Bella's shout drew the attention of passersby on the street.
"Bella. You two look like a couple having a fight."
"We're having a serious conversation here—!!" Bella snapped at Siv.
Clank.
The Black Knight suddenly stopped walking, and Bella gasped.
"You'll listen?!"
"Magicians are all the same."
"Huh...?"
"A bunch of parasites who only know how to use others. Every single one I've met was like that. And you're no different, you airheaded brat."
Swish.
The Black Knight turned back, glaring at Bella with murderous eyes.
"I... I wasn't trying to use you—!"
"Then why the hell does it have to be me? I just found my place. Don't ruin it."
At the bitterness in the Black Knight's voice, Bella...
Thud.
"Ugh... uuuuuuh..."
".........?"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH—!!!"
She collapsed to the ground, bawling her eyes out.
"Wh... what the hell are you doing...?"
"JUST LISTEN TO MEEEEEE—!! WAAAAAAAHHHHHHH—!!!"
It was a line that clashed horribly with her cool appearance.
Like she was finally letting out everything she'd been holding in, she screamed at the Black Knight.
"I HATE THIS TOOOO—!! WHY DO I HAVE TO DO THIS—?! MY BROTHER'S GONE—!! NOBODY EVEN REMEMBERS OUR CITY—!! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DOOOOO—?!"
".............."
The Black Knight fell silent for a moment, watching Bella break down in an almost pathetic way, before...
"Tch. Damn brat. Let's move."
Clank.
He started walking away from the crowded street, where too many eyes were on them.
Sniff... Hic...?
"Fine. I'll hear you out. Guess the ancestors weren't wrong—strike first, win first."
___. ___
Sniff...
The place Bella followed the Black Knight into was an empty building.
Most of the shops inside had already closed for the day.
"Make it convincing. Why the hell are you spouting nonsense about the world ending?"
"Hic... okay..."
___. ___
The city of Magical Engineering, Maginova.
A city-state located on a distant northern island.
Its name, derived from 'Magi' (magic) and 'Nova' (the birth of a new star), embodied its philosophy—the fusion of magic and science. It was the world's largest hub of magical industry.
Bella was born and raised there, living her life as a magician alongside her friends.
But then...
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—!!
"Emotions are bugs. And I am the antivirus that erases them."
The ruler of Maginova, Chrono Zenohard, went berserk, and everything collapsed.
Right after the death of his grandmother, the former ruler, he seized control of Maginova as if it had all been planned.
All magic books, magical engineering, machine beasts—nothing could stop his tyranny.
Chrono's ultimate goal was to place all of humanity under his control.
In other words, to erase the very concept of emotions, leaving only absolute obedience.
With his power, he mercilessly wiped away the emotions of those who submitted to him.
And he used them as slaves to maintain the city.
But there were those who resisted this madness.
"There's still hope."
Bella's older brother, Bar.
He fully supported the resistance against Chrono, frequently sabotaging his plans.
But... they were slowly being pushed back...
"Please, Bella. You have to save us."
Thanks to the sacrifices of her comrades, Bella was the only one who managed to escape Maginova.
Once out, she sought help from magicians in other nations, but...
"Maginova? Where the hell is that?"
"Eh...?"
No one remembered her city.
A major exporter of magical engineering products—yet no one knew of it.
Bella couldn't understand it.
At first, she thought they were ignoring her on purpose, but...
"Is this... Chrono's power too...?"
The entire world had forgotten Maginova's existence.
Its memories, its records—nothing remained.
The only thing left for her to do was...
"Non-magicians... he can't control them."
"..........!!"
Chrono's power manipulated the magic power of magicians, bending them to his will.
That was why non-magician men were either slaughtered or enslaved.
But if there existed a man who could rival magicians...
"Wait for me... everyone..."
She was sure he could drive Chrono out.
And so, Bella arrived in Stardust, a city of anomalies.
"My story ends here."
".............."
And met the Black Knight.
"You could resist Chrono's brainwashing. That's why—"
"So what's that got to do with the world ending?"
The Black Knight didn't get it.
How did some brainwashing tyrant connect to the end of the world?
"Chrono's power is growing in real time...!! And his memory manipulation now works on non-magicians too—on a global scale!! If he decides to—!!"
"I remember Maginova just fine."
"Eh...?"
"Parts from there were used in my school. No way I wouldn't know."
"You..."
Bella looked up at the Black Knight with teary eyes.
"Choosing this pervert was the right call, Bella."
"The hell's this AI's problem?"
The Black Knight glared at the phone containing Siv, visibly annoyed.
"You... you really remember...!"
Bella was moved to tears that someone still remembered her homeland.
Tap.
"I had a feeling, but it seems you really did go to the arena, Miss Bella."
At that moment, a voice echoed through the empty building.
Clank. Clank. Clank. Clank.
"Then you'll have to come with us quietly."
Subaru, the guardian magician of the Valentine family, spoke.