The convoy of vehicles moved steadily along the winding road, the distant peaks of Mont Blanc looming ahead.
Sunlight flickered through the thick canopy of trees, casting fleeting golden beams over the asphalt.
The rhythmic hum of the tires against the road filled the silence, but inside one of the vehicles, the air carried an unspoken weight.
Ryuu sat with his arms crossed, gazing out the window, though his mind was far from the passing scenery.
Ever since their encounter with Rosalie, a nagging unease had settled in his chest.
There was something about that woman—something more than just her overwhelming strength.
He couldn't shake the feeling that they hadn't seen the last of her.
Beside him, Ryoko remained quiet, her crimson eyes fixed on the road ahead.
The usual sharp glint in her gaze was subdued, her expression unreadable.
She looked calm, but Ryuu knew better. Something had changed since their fight against Keron back on that mountain.
She had grown distant—not just physically, but in a way that made her feel unreachable.
(What happened back there, Ryoko-san? You're not yourself…)
He found himself staring at her, searching for an answer in the set of her jaw, the way she clutched her hands in her lap.
Ryoko stiffened under his gaze, a faint pink dusting her cheeks.
(W-Why is Ryuu-kun looking at me like that!?)
Further back, Seichii rested his chin on his palm, his sharp eyes flickering between his companions, reading the room as he always did.
His gaze occasionally landed on Zanu, who sat quietly between Masumi and Rika.
The little girl had been eerily silent since they left, her small hands gripping the fabric of her coat tightly.
Masumi reached over, gently running her fingers through Zanu's hair.
"Za-chan, you okay?"
The girl gave a tiny nod, but she didn't meet her eyes.
Masumi frowned slightly, exchanging a look with Rika, but chose not to push her.
Up front, Shigeru drove with his usual composed air, his fingers relaxed over the wheel. Beside him, Akiko silently observed the road signs passing by, occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror.
At the very back, Carol sat with her arms crossed, her gaze locked onto Rajin, who remained completely indifferent. It had been ten minutes of this—her intense stare and his complete refusal to acknowledge it.
The heavy silence stretched on, thickening like a storm cloud.
Ryuu exhaled sharply and leaned forward. "Master, you said you had something for us, right?"
Shigeru blinked, as if pulled from his own thoughts, before chuckling. "Ah, I almost forgot." He glanced at Akiko. "Can you press the blue switch on your right?"
Akiko found the button and pressed it without hesitation.
A soft vibration ran through the vehicle.
From the center console, several metallic slabs smoothly slid out, extending in front of each passenger. Upon each slab rested a silver bracelet, polished to perfection, intricate engravings lining its surface. At the center, the word Delian was etched in delicate script.
Everyone stared at them in curiosity.
Shigeru smiled. "Put them on your right wrist."
One by one, they obeyed.
The moment the cold metal touched their skin, a faint pulse of energy ran through them. It wasn't just a sensation—it was as if the very air around them shifted, harmonizing with their magic.
Ryuu flexed his fingers. His magic felt… different. Lighter. Smoother.
"What… is this?" he murmured.
Shigeru leaned back against his seat, a satisfied look crossing his face.
"I've been developing these for years. They're magic control bracelets."
Meiko frowned slightly. "Magic control?"
Shigeru nodded.
"Most weapons and artifacts designed to enhance magic have a major flaw—if you pour too much power into them, they become unstable or even shatter. These bracelets prevent that by stabilizing the flow of magic inside your body. Think of them as automatic regulators."
Everyone glanced down at their wrists, feeling the subtle hum of energy pulsing through the bracelets.
Then, something unexpected happened.
The silver surface of each bracelet began to shift. One half remained silver, but the other half changed, taking on a unique hue for each person.
Gasps filled the car.
Meiko's eyes widened. "Why are they changing color?!"
Shigeru smirked. "This is what makes them special."
He gestured toward Carol. "These bracelets synchronize with your elemental affinity. The moment you put them on, they react to your magic."
Carol looked down at hers. One half remained silver, but the other had turned a radiant golden yellow.
"Since your element is Light, your bracelet changed to match it," Shigeru explained. "Not only will it help stabilize your magic, but it will also allow you to wield Triana more efficiently."
Carol's breath hitched. She looked up at him, stunned.
Shigeru chuckled. "Go ahead. Try it."
Hesitantly, Carol placed a hand over her chest.
A soft, golden glow radiated from her core. A moment later, a radiant trident materialized in her grasp, light trailing along its surface, illuminating the dim interior of the car.
She lifted Triana slightly. Her eyes widened.
"It's… light," she whispered.
She had always needed to brace herself when wielding it, adjusting to the weapon's weight. But now… it felt like an extension of her.
Shigeru smiled knowingly. "That's the bracelet doing its job."
He turned to the others.
"Rajin, yours turned purple. It will stabilize your manifestation ability. It might even extend the time limit."
Rajin inspected his wrist, unreadable.
"Nagamine-san and Kawamura-san, yours turned dark and red. This will enhance your Dual Technique and prevent excessive mana drain."
Meiko exchanged a glance with Hibino, intrigued.
"Ozawa-san, since you're an array deployer, your bracelet refined itself to aid in managing arrays. It will make complex formations easier to control."
Rika adjusted the bracelet slightly, deep in thought.
"Masumi-san, yours turned green. It will allow you to cast healing magic at least five times before needing to replenish your mana."
Masumi ran a finger over the smooth metal, intrigued.
"And Tatsuno-san…" Shigeru paused, a small sigh escaping him. "Yours turned crystal."
Ryoko raised an eyebrow. "Crystal?"
Shigeru exhaled. "Honestly, I'm not sure if it will make a difference. Your ice magic is already too refined."
Ryoko frowned slightly, staring at the faint shimmer of her bracelet.
"Sengoku-kun," Shigeru continued, turning to Seichii, "yours turned white. It should help you use those two high-level spells you've struggled with since the Inter-Division battles."
Seichii tapped his bracelet, thoughtful.
"And finally…" Shigeru turned to Ryuu. "Your bracelet turned crimson red."
Ryuu stared at it. The deep red hue almost seemed to glow under the dim light.
"This bracelet will stabilize your mind and power whenever you use your elemental weapon," Shigeru explained.
Ryuu clenched his fist, feeling the steady pulse of energy beneath his skin.
A quiet sense of anticipation filled the car.
Something told him that this was only the beginning.
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Time flew by as the group adjusted to their newly acquired magical weapons. Each of them marveled at the shimmering bracelets wrapped around their wrists, their minds still struggling to grasp the immense power contained within. The once-ordinary accessories now pulsed with energy, a reminder of the battles that lay ahead.
Breaking the silence, Akiko's quiet voice carried through the crisp alpine air.
"We're here..."
The group turned their eyes forward. Towering before them, the mighty Alps stretched endlessly, their icy peaks piercing the heavens. At the center of it all, Mont Blanc stood like a silent guardian, cloaked in a veil of mist and snow.
RUMBLE!
Without warning, the ground beneath them trembled violently. A deep, guttural sound echoed through the valleys, as if the very earth was awakening from a slumber.
Their car screeched to a halt, and panic surged through them as the shaking intensified.
"Out! Everyone, out now!" Shigeru barked.
Masumi instinctively grabbed Zanu, holding him close as they stumbled away from the vehicle. The ground cracked and splintered, great fissures tearing through the frost-bitten soil.
"W-what's happening?! A-another earthquake?" Shigeru gasped, steadying himself against a tree. "This one's massive, and we're not even close to Mont Blanc yet!"
The mountains rumbled in response, as if mocking his words. Ice and rock began to break free from the cliffs above, avalanches forming in mere seconds.
BOOM!
A monstrous chunk of ice, larger than their car, hurtled from above—slamming onto their vehicle with a deafening crash. The metal crumpled like paper beneath its weight, leaving nothing but a heap of wreckage.
Shigeru's expression darkened. He whipped his head toward Rika, urgency in his voice.
"Ozawa-san! Deploy a protective array immediately! If we don't, we'll be buried alive!"
Rika froze, her pulse quickening.
"But—b-but a low-level protection array takes at least ten minutes to set up!" she stammered.
Shigeru gritted his teeth. "No time! Use the bracelet I gave you—this is the perfect chance to test its strength!"
Rika hesitated, but seeing the resolve in Shigeru's eyes, she swallowed her doubt and nodded.
"Focus on drawing energy from nature into your body," Shigeru instructed, his voice firm but steady. "Channel it through the bracelet. Deep breaths—let the magic flow naturally."
Rika shut her eyes, inhaling sharply. The moment she concentrated, a surge of raw, untainted magic coursed through her veins. The power was unlike anything she had felt before—pristine, refined, and overwhelming.
A strange lightness filled her body, almost as if she were floating. She stretched her hand forward, tracing intricate symbols in the air.
RUMBLE!
Another massive boulder dislodged from the peak above, tumbling toward them with deadly velocity.
Ryoko stepped forward, her ice sword materializing in her grip.
"Ryoko-san, don't! You can't stop something that massive!" Ryuu yelled, reaching out to pull her back.
But she didn't listen. Her eyes remained locked on the descending rock, her stance unwavering.
FSSSH!
A sudden blaze of crimson erupted beside her. She turned her head, startled, only to find Ryuu standing at her side, flames coiling around his body.
"Ryuu-kun, stay back! I can handle this!"
Ryuu gave a small, defiant smirk.
"If you're willing to risk your life for us, then I'll do the same for you. We're in this together, aren't we?"
For a split second, Ryoko's mind blanked. That smile—she had seen it before. A memory, hazy yet familiar, surfaced in her thoughts.
A small smile touched her lips.
"Then let's destroy this 'tiny' rock together."
They braced themselves, weapons at the ready.
FSSSH!
Before the impact, golden symbols illuminated the ground beneath them. A luminous barrier of shimmering yellow light rose around them just as the rock struck.
BOOM!
The boulder shattered into fragments, dust and debris scattering in all directions.
As the dust settled, the group slowly realized—they were unharmed. The barrier had held.
Then—
CRACK!
The protective shield began to fracture, flickering like dying embers. Rika collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath.
"I... I did it... I actually did it!" she panted, exhaustion evident in her voice.
Shigeru's expression softened as he stepped toward her. "See? You deployed an intermediate-level array in record time. That's the power of pure and refined magic."
The group exchanged glances, awe-struck. The bracelets truly were incredible.
However, Shigeru's eyes darkened as he turned back toward Mont Blanc, still looming ominously in the distance.
"But an earthquake of this scale… and we're still so far away." His voice dropped to a whisper. "If Mont Blanc itself shatters... what kind of disaster will unfold?"
Silence settled over them.
Shigeru took a deep breath and turned to the others.
"For now, we move forward. Let's see how the others are doing."
"Yes, Master!"
The group fell into formation, following Shigeru into the heart of the mountains.
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High above them, atop one of the towering peaks, a dark figure stood, his form barely visible against the snow.
A twisted grin stretched across his face as he observed the group.
Behind him, Keron knelt, his head bowed.
"Hmm... Let's see what you'll do next, Aramiya Ryuu," the figure mused, his voice dripping with malice.
A sinister chuckle echoed through the cold air.
And then, in an instant—They vanished.