"An unstable variable."
The centaur-like Magic God stomped its hooves, crushing runes that emerged on the floor. Its sulfur-scented wings quivered, and it wore a savage look.
"Othinus," from outside the world, stared at the "universe" through her open left eye.
""
She considered whether or not to descend.
Almost every Magic God was provoked in some way by Rei Ao's presence. Only the "High Priest" remained in meditation beneath a bodhi tree. As every thread of fate converged upon a single singularity, the old Magic God simply brushed cherry blossoms off his kasaya.
"All phenomena arise from conditions and are inherently empty.
The rosary in his hand manifested both birth and death simultaneously. One of the mallow seeds slowly turned a jade-green hue.
~~~
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Chapter 686: Aiwass Becoming Human?
Inside the Windowless Building, time seemed to stand still.
Rei Ao stood before Aleister's life-support apparatus, lightly tapping a finger on the glass surface. A playful smile curled at the corners of his mouth, and his eyes glimmered with a star-like brilliancethe eyes of a Magic God that far exceeded human comprehension.
"You know, Aleister," Rei Ao said, his voice resonating like an echo from the depths of the cosmos, "Your painstakingly designed plan is just a child's sandcastle on the beach to me."
In the life-support device, Aleister's eyes went wide. That perpetually emotionless face now showed rare terror. He opened his mouth, but no sound came. Rei Ao had already taken away his ability to speak.
"Don't be hastywe've got all the time in the world," Rei Ao said, snapping his fingers.
Instantly, Aleister's life-support apparatus disintegrated into dust, vanishing into the air. He didn't fall, however, because an invisible force held him aloft.
Rei Ao tapped lightly at the empty air.
"You toyed with so many lives. Now it's your turn to experience what it's like to be a plaything."
At that moment, Aleister's pupils lost focushis consciousness was dragged into an infinite loop world of Rei Ao's making.
There, he would relive all the pain he had inflicted on others: the despair of death, the rage of espers treated like chess pieces, the cries of sacrificed innocents.
Each time he died, his memories would reset, so he could never acclimate to the painalways suffering raw terror anew.
"After ten thousand cycles, maybe you'll grasp the weight of a life," Rei Ao said softly.
[Such a cruel punishment.]
A calm voice echoed from the shadows. Aiwass emerged from the darkness, its pure white figure stark against the surroundings. Rei Ao had not bothered to restrain it. The angel's face showed no sympathy for Aleister's plightonly pure curiosity about Rei Ao.
"I thought you might step in to stop me," Rei Ao remarked, turning to face Aiwass with his hands in his pockets, as relaxed as if strolling through a park.
[I have no reason to interfere,] Aiwass replied flatly, its voice as emotionless as synthesized speech.
[I'm more interested in youthe one who ascended from mortal to Magic God in an instant.]
[It defies all known laws.]
Rei Ao chuckled.
"'Laws'? Those are just limits weaklings impose upon themselves."
Aiwass tilted its head, a strangely human gesture at odds with its inhuman aura.
[You've retained your human memories and emotions. That's unusual. Most Magic Gods discard their humanity as a petty burden.]
"Too bad for themI happen to like human nature. No humanity means no enjoyment."
Strolling over to the room's central console, Rei Ao waved a hand, causing every monitor to light up at once, each displaying live feeds from across Academy City.
"For example, I'm very amused by this theme park Aleister built with such dedication."
"You plan to take over Crowley's city?"
"Maybe," Rei Ao answered casually.
"Depends on my mood."
Aiwass was silent for a moment.
[What do you think of humanity now?] it suddenly askeda rather philosophical question. Rei Ao raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the abrupt inquiry.
"Ants? Toys? Or who I used to be?"
He admitted with a wry smile, "Honestly, I'm still figuring that out. Ascending to a Magic God for a second does leave some mark on one's thoughts, but there's one thing I do know:
"I'd say my behavior is still firmly in the realm of 'human,' not 'Magic God.'"
[I've observed humanity for ages as an angel,]
Aiwass said, its usual emotionlessness tinged by an odd confusion.
[Yet I can't fully comprehend human behaviorespecially emotions, that irrational drive.]
Rei Ao was about to reply when he sensed something. A playful smile curved his lips.
"Looks like we've got a visitor."
At the Windowless Building's entrance, space rippled, and a red-haired girl materialized mid-run. Musujime Awaki clutched the wall, gasping for breath, sweat beading her forehead.
"Damn it why is my teleport so unstable?"
she muttered, straightening to look aroundthen froze at the sight before her.
It defied everything she understood. Her boss, General Superintendent Aleister, knelt limply on the ground, eyes vacant.
A golden figure hovered in midair, watching her impassively. And, most striking of all, a black-clad young man stood at the console. When he turned to her, Awaki felt an overwhelming sense of pressurelike the entire universe was crushing her shoulders.
"I I'm in the wrong place," she stammered, attempting to use her power to flee. But her ability failed entirely.
"!!!"
Fear swept over her. Her legs began to tremble.
"Musujime Awaki, right?"
Rei Ao's voice was eerily gentle.
"'Guidepost'and yet you lost your way at your own doorstep? How amusing."
Awaki's eyes widened. He knows who I am! Rei Ao strode casually toward her, each step pounding like a hammer against her heart.
By the time he stood before her, she realized just how tall he was, forcing her to tilt her head up to see his facea face almost too handsome to be real, radiating an indescribable allure.
"Are you afraid?"
Rei Ao lifted a hand to her cheek, touching it as if she were a fragile treasure.
"No need to beI find you very interesting."
Awaki wanted to pull away but found her body immobile. His fingertips slid along her jawlinean icy-heat that made her shiver all over.
"You're trembling," he murmured.
"How cute."
Aiwass floated a bit closer, seeming curious to observe this scene at close range.
[This is human 'sexual attraction'? You desire her?]
Rei Ao flicked Aiwass at a glance.
"You talk too much. Why are you still here?"
[For a Magic God to keep human biological urges it's contradictory.]
Aiwass droned on, [In theory, a Magic God should transcend such base impulses.]
"Shut up."
Rei Ao waved a hand, irritated.
"If you're so interested in humanity, how about experiencing it yourself?"
A bolt of golden energy shot from Rei Ao's hand toward Aiwass. The angel watched in shock as its body started to shift. Its golden wings faded, the halo evaporating into the air. Seconds later, standing in its place was a woman with long hairidentical to Aleister's late wife.
~~~
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(Bonus Chapter) Chapter 687: Awaki Musujime Submission...
"Me turned into a human?"
Aiwassan angel without gendershould now be called "she." She lowered her gaze to her trembling hands, and for the first time, a strong emotion broke through her normally detached voice. This was a human emotion, not something belonging to an angel.
"This can't be the power of the phase has vanished"
Becoming human meant she'd lost all her power as a Physical Angel.
"Congratulations on your rebirth," Rei Ao said nonchalantly.
"Now go experience that human life you were so curious about."
Before Aiwass could respond
Snap!
He snapped his fingers. In an instant, the newly made Aiwass vanished from where she stood. As to where she might appear in the world, or what she'd go through, Rei Ao couldn't care less.
Whether she lived or died was none of his concern.
Watching this, Awaki Musujime was utterly paralyzed with terror. The power to arbitrarily rewrite someone's entire form of existence was beyond anything she could fathom.
"Now, it's just the two of us," Rei Ao said, his focus returning to Awaki. His fingers played idly with a strand of her red hair.
"Wh-what are you planning to do?"
Awaki forced her voice not to tremble, but she failed.
Rei Ao suddenly leaned close, whispering right in her ear, "Your ability is quite good in Academy City, but you do have psychological trauma, don't you?"
"Every time you teleport yourself, you remember that accidentpicturing how your body got stuck in the wall."
"!!!"
Awaki froze as if struck by lightning, her complexion draining.
"H-how do you know? There's no record of that anywhere"
"I know more than you think."
He nodded toward Aleister. In the next second, Aleister's body started disintegrating from the feet upward into countless particles of light, scattering into the air.
"For instance, I know Academy City needs a new master."
Watching the Superintendent vanish, Awaki felt a wrenching pain in her gut.
"You killed him"
"No. I gave him an eternal punishment," Rei Ao corrected.
"From now on, Academy City belongs to me. You may call me the General Superintendent."
"Why should I listen to you?"
Awaki gathered her courage to retort.
Rei Ao smiled, and that alone made her heart quail. She held no power to fight him.
"I can give you anything you desirestrength, safety, and"
He reached out, lightly brushing her collarbone.
"release."
As Rei Ao's fingertips touched her, Awaki felt a warm current flow into her body. The nightmarish memory that had haunted her for yearsthe horrifying moment she lost control of her power and got stuck in a wallsuddenly felt distant and blurred. In its place was a sense of unprecedented clarity, as if the shackles binding her had been removed.
"With just a flick of my fingers, your psychological trauma is healed," Rei Ao said, making a startling claim.
"Try using your ability."
"???"
Still reeling, Awaki decided to test it. She hesitated, but then activated her ability. Instantly, her body shimmered and teleported a few dozen meters away. No dizziness, no terror, no flashbacks of gore. Her body felt no side effects at all!
"I I can control it now?"
Awaki stared in disbelief at her own hands.
"Not just that."
With a snap of Rei Ao's fingers, Awaki sensed another surge of power within her. The clearest sign was how extraordinarily lucid her mind felt, how her calculations came effortlessly.
"You are now Academy City's eighth Level 5, no longer that half-baked 'Guidepost.'"
"Gah!"
She sucked in a breath. Her heart hammered in her chest. Achieving genuine Level 5 status had always been her dream, because in Academy City, only espers at the top had any real clout.
She hated being stuck as a mere teleportation "Guidepost." And now her dream had come truejust like that, thanks to this mysterious man. Fear and excitement wrestled in her mind.
After a moment's hesitation, she chose not to flee and returned to Rei Ao.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked softly.
Rei Ao tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his cosmic-like eyes.
"Because you're not bad to look at."
His thumb brushed her lower lip.
"You should know I don't waste my time on those who don't catch my eye."
The searing gazelike it pierced every inch of her skinmade Awaki's knees go weak. Initially, she was terrified by his power, his mystery, and the way he upended her world.
But now, after gaining so much from him and understanding his intentions, he wasn't as terrifying. Add to that Rei Ao's nearly inhuman attractiveness, and she felt simultaneously frightened and captivated.
Like a moth to the flame, she was drawn to him.
Logic told her to run or she'd be devoured without a trace, but her body wanted to get closer.
She attempted to rise on her toes to offer him her lips, but was met by his hand.
"Heh, that's not how you pledge your submission," Rei Ao teased.
"Kneel."
Awaki realized she couldn't resist his command. Her knees bent of their own accord, and she ended up kneeling before him. From that angle, she couldn't help noticing
Her face burned.
"You know what to do, right?"
Rei Ao said playfully. "This city's education is quite 'scientific.' Even if you're stillinexperienced, you must have had some sort of biology lessons."
""
Already grasping his meaning, Awaki nodded dully.
"Good. Then let's begin."
"O-okay."
Clenching her teeth, she took a deep breath. Awaki's trembling hands moved forward.
From that moment on, "Guidepost" Awaki Musujime's destiny began to change.
~~~
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Chapter 688: Cleaner, Trade Complete!
Within the Windowless Building, once Aleister's seat of power, everything had changed thanks to Rei Ao and Awaki Musujime's actions.
"You've done very well."
Once known as Aleister's 'Guidepost,' Awaki Musujime now served her new master with total devotion.
"Masteras long as you're satisfied"
Awaki narrowed her eyes slightly, then weakly asked, "Master, shall wego further?"
Hearing that, Rei Ao pinched her nose with a smile. "You little glutton."
"That's for another time. Right now, I'm taking you to see some people."
At the abandoned factory
Mikoto Misaka was kicking at the rubble by her feet, bored out of her mind.
"Onee-sama, you've been staring at that pile of scrap for fifteen minutes," Kuroko reminded her.
Shokuhou Misaki giggled softly.
"Oh? Could it be you're thinking about that mysterious man?"
"Wh-who's thinking of him?!"
Electric arcs crackled in Mikoto's short brown hair.
"I'm just killing time!"
Shokuhou leaned against a rusted steel frame, her starry eyes glinting mischievously.
"Heh, our #3 Railgun's face is red~"
"You trying to pick a fight?"
Mikoto snapped, glaring.
Suddenly, they felt a ripple in the air. In the center of the factory, space seemed to be torn open by an invisible hand, and two figures emerged.
