[System Warning]

  Magic: 0%

  Magic Level Critical - Enteriive Range

  ‘I 't let her win, not now! I have to keep going, even if it means going beyond my limits!’

  [System Warning]

  Magic Level Critical - At -25%

  “Project ZAB, we're in dangerous territory here! Going into ive magic levels lead to catastrophic Magical Rupture! We must stop!” the system warned.

  ‘I 't just stop now! I'm so close! Just a bit more...’

  [System Warning]

  Magic Level Critical - At -50%

  ‘Project ZAB, we've reached the point of urn! This is too dangerous! We risk a plete Magical Rupture!’

  ‘I don't care! I won't let her win, NO MATTER WHAT!’

  [System Warning]

  Magic Level Critical - At -75%

  Risebelle's magic plummeted into the depths of the ive. Her body began to respond in arming ways. Vibrations coursed through her, and mini-explosions sparked across her body. Despite this, her lifeforce remained intact at 95%. The Acid Rain attack of Risebelle ceased, and the poison's effects on Dark Whirlwind dissipated.

  [System Message]

  Warning: Magical Rupture Immi

  Dark Whirlwind's sinister ughter echoed through the battlefield. “I told you that you had limits. Teology only take you so far. You will never pare to the power a mage possess."

  Risebelle reverted back to her normal form. Her body, which had been vibrating and vulsing, gradually stilled. The blue energy that had surrounded her dissipated into the air. She took a shaky breath and tried to steady herself.

  Dark whirlwind shouted, "Shadow Tempest! BEGONE! I don't need you anymore!"

  With her and, the swirling vortex of the Shadow Tempest began to disperse. The dark and suffog atmosphere it had created lifted, revealing the destroyed city. Dark Whirlwind stood there, now having one eye covered up with a bed aura.

  Kintovar was on the se the moment the Shadow Tempest dissipated. She stepped forward. Her gaze was locked onto Dark Whirlwind with a cold iy.

  "Ah, Kintovar, you're just in time to withe destru of your precious teology. It seems your creation has reached her limits,” Dark whirlwind said with a smirk.

  Kintovar, with a swift and practiced motion, activated her sungsses, which were equipped with advaeology for reading and analyzing data. She directed her attention towards Risebelle, sing the system information to assess her current status.

  [System Analysis - Risebelle]

  Lifeforce: 95%

  Magic Level: -75%

  Warning: Magical Rupture Immi

  Despite the readings Kintovar saw, Risebelle was moving forward with very weak steps.

  "That is enough, Risebelle. Stand down,” Kintovar said while approag her.

  Risebelle turo see Kintovar. Her breaths were heavy.

  "You're pushing yic too far. If you go any further, you'll be destroyed!"

  Risebelle’s body trembled. Her eyes showed the toll her body was taking. She mao utter, "Must... protect... sisters..."

  Kintovar moved swiftly to intercept Risebelle with . "Risebelle, you o stop! If you push any further, the damage will be irreversible!"

  But Risebelle, driven by sheer willpower, tio stagger forward. Each step seemed like ay to her. Kintovar, realizing that Risebelle wouldn't stop on her own, activated her a cube-like device that made a translut field materialize between them. It ulsating with energy. "I'm sorry, Risebelle, but I 't let you destroy yourself like this."

  The barrier enveloped Risebelle, halting her progress. She pressed against it with trembling hands, but the barrier held firm. Risebelle’s eyes widened with desperation. "No... Must... protect..."

  Kintovar pced her head downwards. "I uand, Risebelle, but you’ve done enough. You've fought bravely. Let me take things from here."

  Risebelle’s body slumped against the barrier. She slid down to her knees. She was breathing shallow. "Sisters... safe..."

  Kintovar took out her Bg-356 and aimed it at Dark Whirlwind with a growl. Dark whirlwind fidently responded, "Y-356 won't have any effee, even if you power it up. You should already realize that."

  Kintovar's eyes narrowed. "How do you know the exaame of my on?" she demanded. “The only way you would know that is if you met someone who knew me."

  Dark Whirlwind chuckled. "Oh, Kintovar… You, unlike yrandmother, think too linearly. There are other ways to gather information." She stepped forward with malevolence. "Or perhaps, I know about your family and the history of the names of your ons."

  Kintovar's heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?"

  Dark Whirlwind's smile widened. "I've been watg you and your precious stists for a long time. You see, as the most powerful mage, it's my duty to keep tabs on those who foolishly believe that teology ever rival the might of magic. Your family, your history, your ons—I've made it my busio know everything."

  Kintovar’s mouth remained wide open for a sed before she said, “You’ve been spying on us, and gathering information to use against us?"

  "Precisely," Dark Whirlwind replied with satisfa ione. "I couldn't allow you to get too fortable, to think for even a moment that your maes could stand against true power. Teology is a crutch, a poor substitute for real magic."

  Kintovar's face hardened." Teology and magic shouldn’t be only mutually exclusive. They coexist, and together, they achieve greatness."

  Dark Whirlwind sneered. "Empty words, Kintovar. Your creation lies defeated, on the brink of destru. What will you do now? How will you save her? your precious ‘teology’ do that?!"

  Kintovar stood frozen. Dark Whirlwind's words caused some seeds of doubt to form. "Think, Kintovar, think," she muttered to herself. Her eyes darted between Dark Whirlwind and her falleion. If Dark Whirlwind knew so much about her, it meant she had to be ing—more ing than ever before. But how?

  Dark Whirlwind’s patience had run thin. "No answer, Kintovar? Well in that case…Die." With a wave of her hand, she formed a bde from pure, dark energy and charged forward with lethal i.

  Kintovar's mind raced. "I have one ce to turn this around," she thought. She reached into her coat and pulled out a cube, beled 'Pulse Reversion Geor.' Without hesitation, she hurled it ihe barrier where Risebelle y.The cube hit the ground and transformed into a small mae with glowing symbols appearing across its surface. "Desperate times, desperate measures," Kintovar murmured to herself.

  The mae emitted a pulsating light, enveloping Risebelle in a soothing glow. Her magic levels slowly climbing out of the ive. The vibrations and mini-explosions that were ing across her body subsided.

  But Dark Whirlwind was closing in, her bde aimed directly at Kintovar. The bde was now mere inches from Kintovar, who stood resolute, refusing to move. "e on, e on," she whispered.

  The Pulse Reversion Geor whirred louder, its light intensifying. Risebelle's magic level was at -30%, climbing, but not fast enough. Dark Whirlwind swung her bde, and Kintovar closed her eyes, brag for the impact. But just as the bde was about to be jammed into her, a burst of energy erupted from the Pulse Reversion Geor.

  Risebelle pushed herself beyond the limits of her weakeate. She broke through the barrier that fined her. Her body, coated in a protective yer of water, straio mitigate the impending damage.

  Dark Whirlwind’s bde pierced through Risebelle’s watery defense, driving deep into her chest. Her magic levels plummeted to -45%, and her life force began to dwindle.

  "No, Risebelle!" Kintovar shouted with anguish. "The device hasn’t restored your energy yet!"

  Risebelle replied, able to speak somewhat steady but still weak. "I …I couldn't let you die, Kintov….Mother…."

  Kintovar's eyes widened as Risebelle's words echoed in her ears. It was the first time Risebelle or any of her creations ever referred to her as "mother." She had always addressed Kintovar with disdain and indiffere was a retionship strained by the csh of teology, magid the depths of a ‘soul’.

  "Risebelle...," Kintovar whispered.

  Dark Whirlwind took full advantage of the momentary distra. She lunged forward and with a swift and brutal motion, she grabbed Risebelle by the throat, lifting her off the ground. The protective yer of water that had coated Risebelle's body spshed and evaporated uhe sheer force of Dark Whirlwind's power.

  "I must admit, Kintovar, you do have a knack for surprises. Your family has always been full of ued tricks. But unfortunately for you, you weren't fast enough to save her."

  "Let her go, Dark Whirlwind," Kintovar demanded.

  "You came here with three inplete robots, expeg to achieve something? You had no idea what you were in for, but while you're here, I'll teach your creations some respect for someoh higher power and knowledge."

  Dark Whirlwind then locked eyes onto Kintovar, “But I believe the ‘respect’ should start from the creator. So I want to hear you say this, Kintovar. 'Teology will never rival magical power.' Because, in the end, due to the limitations of teology, this will always be the truth. The only ones with unlimited potential power are the humans."

  "No way," Kintovar whispered to herself. "I 't... I won't... Saying those words would go against everything I believe in!"

  Kintrowled but once she looked into Risebelle's eyes, she saw an unspoken plea for salvation.

  "e now, Kintovar. Admit it. Teology is just a fleeting dream in the face of true magical power. Say the words, and maybe I'll spare her," Dark Whirlwind said.

  Kintovar took a deep breath, steeling herself against the betrayal she felt she was about to it. "Teology..." she started, "will never... rival magical power."

  Dark whirlwind began to smile malevolently. "gratutions, Kintovar. You've made the right choice. You've just spared your own life and the lives of everyone in this city."

  "But what about Risebelle?"

  Dark Whirlwind's response was chilling. "Oh… Well, I was just kidding about saving her. Risebelle is beyond saving. If you truly want her….”

  Dark whirlwind Paused for a moment. Then, she threw Risebelle up into the air. “You'll have to create her again!"

  Kintovar's eyes widened in panic. She pressed a button on her belt, gaining a gadget, then she unched her grappling hook toward Risebelle, desperate to save her creation. Dark Whirlwind, however, had other pns. She summoned a colossal dark energy beam, aimed directly at Risebelle.

  Kintrappling hook hurtled through the air desperately while Dark Whirlwind's energy beam streaked toward its target. Soured down Kintovar's face. ‘She ’t… She won’t be destroyed… I won’t allow this..!’

  Alden stepped forward, brandishing his Cross of Judgment With a swift motion, he swung the cross directly at Dark Whirlwind, but to his astonishment, it passed through her as if she were a mere illusion.

  "What? How...? What did she...”

  Dark Whirlwind turned her gaze towards Alden. Her bed eye gleamed with a sinister aura. Her power was beyond what he had anticipated, and with a burst of dark energy, he was sent flying back.

  Dark Whirlwind “Foolish priest. Your holy magi’t reach me."

  Alden attempted to get up from the ground, but fell back down to his knees out of breath. He growled in frustration. “The Goddess… she will…stop this…”

  "Really? Then where is your precious ‘goddess’ now, hmm? Has she forsaken you and your pitiful world," Dark whirlwind questioned with a disdainful look. She turned her gaze towards Risebelle, who was suspended helplessly in the air, caught between Kintovar's desperate attempt to save her and the impending doom of Dark Whirlwind's dark energy beam. Alden watched in horror while Dark whirlwind tinued. "This is the reality of your so-called goddess's absence."

  Risebelle, caught in the crossfire of magid teology, fshed back to her own awakening in Kintovar's b. She remembered the chaos, the untrolble surge of power that had wrecked everything in its path. Dr. Haras and her eic self-tried to tain her, alongside Kintovar.

  But amidst the chaos, amidst the cshes and misuandings they had, there had been moments of e. Dr. Haras's persistent kindness, Kintovar's stant belief in her abilities. Slowly, they had begun to chip away at Risebelle's defenses.

  Risebelle recalled the day she ventured out to scout and ensure Haras' safety. Instead of finding her, all she discovered was blood and a torn piece of Haras' uniform. Anger surged within Risebelle, but alongside it, a strange, unfamiliar feeling began to stir.

  Later that same day, she delved into the depths of the forest in search of the perpetrator. It didn't take long before she stumbled upon a se that puzzled her deeply—a young girl with yellow hair, bearing a striking resembo herself, yet slightly shorter. Risebelle's analytical mind quickly cluded that Kintovar had pleted another project.

  The young girl was in a desperate struggle against Thalindra, the guardian of the forest at that time. Seeing her drop to her knees in exhaustion, something clicked within Risebelle. Without hesitation, she summoned her acid rain, unleashing it to aid the girl against Thalindra's relentless assault.

  After the brief intervention, Risebelle swiftly reported back to Kintovar, leaving before the oute of the fight became clear.

  Risebelle eventually learhe young girl's name: Roselle. Risebelle's demeanor towards Roselle was harsh, b on disdain; however, when they faced off, Risebelle began to notice Roselle’s natural fighting instincts and her ability to adapt and learn quickly. Despite ultimately beied in that match, Roselle's sudden activation of her abilities left a sting impression on Risebelle.

  Approag Roselle after the intense duel, Risebelle's usual stern face softened ever so slightly. "You have potential, Roselle. Don't waste it by getting yourself killed by any Human...”

  Risebelle was jolted back to the present moment. A faint smile touched her lips even as the dark whirlwind's beam surged towards her. "Roselle has grown," Risebelle murmured quietly to herself.” Her fidence is blossoming, her strength is not something I look down on... I find myself proud to call her not just a student, but a sister."

  [System Analysis - Roselle]

  Lifeforce: 1%

  Roselle’s eyes slowly opened up. She then looked up into the air. "R... Risebelle?"

  To be tinued...