Project Mage

The colossal explosion erupted in a dazzling display of light and energy. A cataclysmic burst engulfed the headmaster and her Zenith Magic. The force of the blast sent shockwaves rippling through the sky, shaking the very foundations of the forest. Trees splintered, the ground quaked, and the heavens themselves seemed to shudder under the assault.

The blinding light gradually faded. Smoke and dust swirled in the air being remnants of the explosive clash.

Kintovar descended first, her body crashing into the sandy ground, creating a small crater upon impact. She bore the brunt of the fall, absorbing the force of it with her durable suit.

Sybil followed, landing on top of Kintovar in a protective stance, shielding her from further harm.

Haras, still connected to Kintovar, descended on top of them both, forming a protective stack of bodies that absorbed the impact of the fall.

Roselle and Risebelle landed together, with Risebelle underneath Roselle, acting as a cushion to soften their landing. Risebelle's protective instincts kicked in as she shielded her sister from any potential fall damage.

As the dust settled and the chaos of battle subsided, Roselle's worried gaze fell upon her sister, who had cushioned their fall. She immediately noticed that Risebelle appeared somewhat squished beneath her.

Panicking, Roselle exclaimed, "Risebelle! Are you okay? I didn't mean to land on you like that!"

Risebelle responded. She reassured her sister, saying, "Don't worry about me, Roselle. Are you okay? That's all that matters."

Roselle nodded, relief washing over her as she realized her sister was safe.

Sybil let out a sigh of relief, grateful for the "cushion" that had broken their fall. She glanced around at her companions and couldn't help but chuckle.

"It seems this cushion came in handy,"

Haras chimed in with a playful tone, "Yes, very convenient indeed. Who knew Kintovar would make such a comfy landing pad?"

However, Kintovar, who was the unfortunate 'cushion' in this scenario, was far from amused. Her voice came out muffled and irritated as she tried to speak while feeling the weight of her fellow friends ontop of her.

"Get... off... of... me!" Kintovar grumbled with annoyance and frustration, her words punctuated by her attempts to wriggle free from the pile.

Kintovar finally managed to free herself from them, breathing heavily and clearly irritated by her ordeal. She then turned her attention toward Sybil and Haras.

"You two have no idea how hard it is to support the weight of two people on my back like that," Kintovar complained,"I'll be lucky if I don't end up with back pains after this."

Despite her complaints, Kintovar couldn't help but crack a small smile.

As the smoke cleared and the aftermath of their powerful combined attack became visible, Kintovar, Haras, Sybil, Roselle, and Risebelle watched in amazement as the headmaster's form slowly reverted from her overpowering Zenith Magic state back to her regular form. The once-mighty aura around her faded, and her body trembled as she struggled to remain conscious.

The headmaster's was weak and barely audible as she muttered, “I can't believe...defeated by the likes of...scientists..."

Her desire to get rid of these ‘pests’ pushed her to move, but her body refused to respond. She lay there, a defeated figure, her once-powerful presence reduced to a mere shadow of its former self.

Kintovar looked down at her and announced,

“I’ll finish you in a minute, Headmaster Aimathema, don’t worry. For now, you just stay there and look old. Bwaahhahaha!”

With resolve in her eyes, she turned her attention to the fallen form of Becky, who had taken a brutal fall without any protection.

Sybil, witnessing Kintovar's movements, quickly hurried over to her and asked,"Can we help her? Is there anything we can do?"

Kintovar knelt beside Becky, her skilled hands moving gently to assess her condition. She checked for signs of breathing and felt a faint, shallow rise and fall of the girl's chest. It was clear that Becky was barely clinging to life.

With a solemn look, Kintovar turned to Sybil and explained, "Becky's physical condition is stable, but her mind...it's in a state of complete devastation. The headmaster's psychic attack has left her consciousness shattered, much like how mine was before Haras helped me."

Kintovar's tone carried sadness as she continued; however she raised one finger, "I believe there's a way to restore her, just as Haras did for me, but it won't be easy. We'll need to use Haras' Lip-Touch Mind Restorer, but its untested technology. We're going to have to take a chance on it, just like Haras did for me."

Haras stepped forward with a playful grin, "Well, you know, if it worked on Kintovar, doesn't that make it 'tested' technology?"

As she said this, Haras bent her body slightly.

Kintovar nodded in agreement with Haras, a hint of a wry smile crossing her lips. "You're right, Haras. It's a tested experiment, even if it wasn't by choice," she remarked, her tone carrying a touch of humor. "But I would have preferred a much safer testing ground, that's for sure."

Haras leaned in toward Becky's unconscious body. She carefully applied the Lip-Touch Mind Restorer, allowing the specialized nanites to flow from the device onto her lips.

As their lips made contact, the nanites began their work. Inside Becky's shattered consciousness, the tiny machines worked tirelessly, repairing neural pathways and rejuvenating her mind.

Minutes felt like hours as Haras maintained the lip contact. After what seemed like an eternity, Haras slowly withdrew from Becky's lips. Haras explained to the group,

"Becky should regain consciousness in about an hour. The Lip-Touch Mind Restorer has done its job, and we just have to wait now."

Kintovar nodded in agreement, "Thank you, Haras," she said with a nod of her head. "You've truly shown the potential of your technology."

Haras looked at Kintovar with deep appreciation. She spoke sincerely, “Kintovar, you're the real genius here. Without your schematics and your brilliant mind, this device wouldn't have been possible."

With those words, Haras moved closer to Kintovar, wrapping her arms around her in a heartfelt embrace.

Kintovar decided to try and remain focused on her tasks while being hugged. She pointed at the Mana extractor which was now vulnerable without the headmaster's psychic barrier.

"It's time to bring this battle to an end once and for all," Kintovar declared. "Destroy that Mana extractor, and our mission will be complete."

Roselle and Risebelle nodded in understanding.

Roselle summoned her massive cannon, crackling with energy, while Risebelle readied herself to support her sister in this critical moment.

Notification: Roselle's Magic Reserves Depleted

The system displayed a stark notification before Roselle's eyes:

Magic: 0+ 0%

Cannon charge: 0%

Roselle turned to her sister. She knew she had used up all her magical reserves in that powerful last shot. She spoke to Risebelle with a sense of urgency.

"Risebelle, I've used up all my magic. I need you to finish this for me. We have to destroy that Mana extractor."

"Idiot… of course you used up all of your Magic. I guess it all ends with me huh? It’s fitting considering the bullshit these filthy humans put me through. I've got this."

The headmaster, her once-powerful form now feeble and battered, watched with desperation as Risebelle prepared to fire her cannon at the Mana extractor. She raised a trembling hand.

"No! Please, don't destroy it! Please!" the headmaster begged, her words strained and desperate. "You don't understand...it's the only thing that...that keeps me alive right now! If you destroy that, I will die!"

Kintovar’s face immediately changed to anger. She grit her teeth and then demanded, "Give us one good reason, Headmaster, not to destroy the mana extractor!"

But before the headmaster could provide an answer, Kintovar interrupted by raising one hand. "Actually, it doesen’t matter. You’ve killed so many scientists and now here you are, begging for your life when the shoe is on the other foot? How many of them begged to be spared? How many of them suffered just because they had no magic? And you expect us to spare you? You really are just an old hag without your power and control. I don’t care what you say, nothing is going to stop me from destroying the very thing that stands in my way.”

Kintovar issued the final order with a face as hard as stone. “Risebelle, finish this.”

The headmaster’s releases an anguished scream

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!”

Suddenly, a man descended from the top of the magical academy school building, his sudden appearance created a whirlwind of sand and dust, catching the attention of everyone on the battlefield. His long purple hair flowed with the wind, and his piercing purple eyes seemed to hold a mysterious and powerful aura.

Dressed in the recognizable Magical academy uniform, he landed gracefully on the sandy terrain, his purple magical aura glowing brightly around him.

He descended from the sky as if he had leaped from the top of the magical academy's towering school building. His long, flowing purple hair billowed around him, matching the intense shade of his piercing purple eyes.

As he touched down on the sand, a brilliant, radiant purple magical aura enveloped him, casting a surreal and captivating glow around his figure. His uniform, adorned with the emblem of the magical academy, fit him perfectly, emphasizing his medium build.

Sybil trembled with fear as she spoke, “This...this is beyond anything I've ever felt. His magical energy is even more overwhelming than the headmaster's in her zenith form. We're all in grave danger."

Kintovar's eyes widened with surprise, her mind racing to assess this unexpected development.

Haras, inside the Quantum Mindsuit, held a boxer stance, ready for whatever this man might do.

Roselle and Risebelle, who had been preparing to destroy the mana extractor were frozen in their tracks.

Sybil, already terrified, seemed to shrink back further.

The headmaster, despite her weakened state, began to laugh maniacally. Her laughter echoed eerily through the forest and blended with the tension in the air.

And then, with a sinister smile, the headmaster spoke, "Allow me to introduce Mystimona, one of our academy's most powerful students. He hasn't really been allowed to play outside in long time."

Mystimona's arrival had thrown everyone into a state of shock and uncertainty, and the headmaster's response only deepened the confusion. As he looked around and scratched the back of his head.

"Wait a minute," Mystimona said with annoyance and confusion. "I thought you said you were eliminating the strong ones. Where are they?"

The headmaster shifted from triumph to something more akin to exasperation in response. "Well, you see, I was just about to do that when these meddling scientists and their creations showed up. They've been quite a nuisance, I must say."

She gestured towards Kintovar and the others, "But now that you're here, Mystimona, you can help me take care of them, and then we can finally continue our grand plan."

Mystimona let out a sigh, realizing that he might have been drawn into something he didn't entirely understand. He looked at the group before him, sizing them up, and then turned back to the headmaster

The headmaster, despite her weakened state, maintained her sinister grin as she responded, "Oh, don't worry, Mystimona. Truth be told, they're right here, and are quite a handful, as you can see."

"I was hoping for a real challenge, not a bunch of wounded pests… Alright, fine," Mystimona said, his shoulders slumping. "I'll help you deal with these guys. But after that, we're going to have a serious talk about what exactly you've gotten me into."

Mystimona cleared his throat and spoke, his tone carrying a sense of authority and curiosity.

"Allow me to properly introduce myself," he began. "I am Mystimona, a student of the magical academy, and I have been entrusted with a mission: to eliminate those who oppose the academy's authority."

He paused for a moment, his purple eyes scanning each member of the group before him. Then, he continued, "But before we engage in this battle, I want to hear your reasons. What drives you to stand against the magical academy? What grievances do you hold against us that have led you to this point?"

His piercing purple eyes swept over the group, his gaze lingering on each of them as if trying to discern the depths of their motivations.

"Understanding your reasons won't change the outcome, but it might make this battle all the more interesting," Mystimona concluded, a faint smirk playing on his lips.