I can feel the story being added to the book now.
　But it's not me who is spinning it, it's Maria.


"-- Welcome, Kanami. This is (...), these ten layers (...), these ten layers (・・・・・・・), a hundred and ten layers (...). It's the hierarchy of "The One Who Steals the Reason of Fire", Maria. You can think of this place as a hundred and ten layers, not hastily or without permission, but you can think of it as a hundred and ten layers. And I would like Kanami-san to undergo the 'Hundred and Tenth Test' before anyone else.


　A sentence that wasn't supposed to be there.
　I had a lot to say, but I'll point them out one by one.

'...... Maria. There are ten layers here. There is no such thing as a hundred and ten layers. That's the way I made it up.
'But you will continue, won't you, Kanami?　Continue the story.

　Unlike me, who speaks as if being pushed out, Maria's answers are quick but gradual and calm.

It's a routine (epilogue) that continues, not an 'ordeal'. ...... This labyrinth has been conquered (cleared). I've overcome all the 'trials' to the hundredth layer of the Yangtze waterfall, and I've collected all the magic stones. So, it's over. That's just the way it is, Maria.
'I hear ya. Was that kind of thing (・・・・・・) the 'terebi-game' ...... on the other side of the world?　Where's the reason we have to conform to Kanami's self-imposed rules of imitating them without permission?
You hear me?

　Also.
　One piece of information (or thing) that goes beyond "Future Vision".
　After all that 'purple thread' and 'writing', and the beautiful flow, who the hell is that?

I heard from "Rustyala". Kanami-san said it all 'never happened'.
............!

　Maria said it as if it was obvious, but our insides were wildly uncomfortable.

　From "Las Tiara", when and where?
　Rastiara has always been with me.
　There is no "Rustyala" that I don't know about.

　As if to dispel my fears, Maria says, "It's okay (...).

It'll be fine (...). Indeed, tomorrow, the 'duel' between everyone and Kanami-san will begin. ...... but I'm not. I just came to support that, just for flying. I'm sure Kanami-san will be able to overcome the 'ordeal'.

　It was a much more reassuring "okay" than the "okay" I had been saying all along.

.............

　I regain my composure and begin to think about what I meant when I said "It's okay" following the declaration of war, "I want you to take the 'test'", using the skill 'Parallel Thinking'.

　Maria doesn't want it to 'never happened', so she should have come to interfere with it as best she could.
　But was it my ego?
　He says he's here to support me. I mean, Maria is on my side--

　I stare into the blazing eyes.
　In the eyes of the magic flame, I saw my reflection as if I were looking in a mirror.
　There was no mask. My hair was long. The black robes look like the progenitor Kanami. But the burn marks indicate that it is a thousand years later. My eyes are empty, as if I'm looking at the Maria I met when I met her.

　In contrast, Maria's eyes continue to burn and are staring straight at me.

　This is a lie.
　There is no reason to wait here other than to come to stop my "plan".
　Maria is a good liar.
　Like me, I can only assume she's lying.

　But I can't be sure.
　The more I stare into those magical eyes, trying to read their inner thoughts, the more memories of the past come back to me.

　-- "Penetrating Eyes".

　The "innate difference (skill)" that pushed her down into misery and brought her to me.
　Thinking back, have I ever been able to read Maria's mind even once?

　Unconsciously, he was trying to extend the 'Purple Thread' from the cuff.
　My mind had surrendered prematurely to the fact that I couldn't read it without the 'thread'.

　However, the 'thread' was crumbling.
　I can't hold it well in this underground space.
　I managed to focus on just one, and made an effort to connect the 'Purple Thread' to Maria.

　The next one is hot.
　The 10 layers of burning flames are accompanied by magical power, burning and melting the fragile 'thread'.

　Perhaps Maria can't see the "thread".
　Even so, in this burning space, it would be invisible, but everything would be burned away before it could be reached.

　-- unreasonably, strong.

　But this is the girl called Maria.
　To put it bluntly, the biggest source of anxiety in The Plan is her.

　I'm not going to be the only one who has the magic stone of "the one who steals the reason" other than me, so there was a chance for Maria.
　It's the possibility that she can inflict pain (damage) on me right now.

　That's why it's most troubling that Arti's power, the one that steals the reason for the fire, will be used to its fullest extent to exploit an opening in the ritual.
　Nevertheless, I decided to keep Arti in Maria because I genuinely wanted them to be 'happy'.
　I want them to be more and more rewarded.
　The reason why I removed them from the circle of the 'reason-stealer' before we left 'Blood Land' is because it was my wish for them to have an ordinary 'happiness'--.

　--I've left Arti, the one who steals the logic of fire, to Maria by a rule (...) within me, even if it means giving the other side a trump card.

　And yet, the other side's trump card, so important to them, is now here alone.
　There is no Dia next to her.
　There is no Snow in front of you.
　There is no lurking liner.
　The current leader of Maria - Shea Legacy should have proposed to go with Seeno. In fact, that's the best solution. If I were in the same position, I would definitely do the same. As the enemy side, that was the most troubling. That's why I increased the number of our people beforehand.

　Didn't Dea and Snow stop them?
　No, could it be that Dare and Snow are doing whatever they want too?

　Keh, did you get into a fight ......?
　No, we were very close on our last trip to the spa.
　We were close ...... supposedly. My memory is a little fuzzy there, but after the whole process (...) was fixed - was there a gap in my consciousness that I didn't see or read, and there was some consultation?

　If there was.
　There was no way Maria was the only one.
　It's not possible for you to go to the trouble of facing me when I'm well prepared.
　You're going to have to take a chance on the ritual, or I'll be able to use all the magic I want. Even if you try to take them apart, you'll only get each one destroyed. It's not just a real war, it's the most basic thing even in games. No, of course, this is not a game. But this was a game of sorts. For me, who was a game lover, my sister chose a world that was like a game. However, the other world was never a game, but--

　I can't get my thoughts together.
　The voices I hear all the time in 'parallel thinking' are noisy.
　Or rather, I can see them. Right there. Right behind Maria.

Maria-chan!

　There is no more "connection," though.
　Absolutely, "Rustyala" is rooting for Maria now.

　What's more, another world (alone).
　That gaze (...) is also watching Maria intently and expectantly.
　Even though you are in the "other world", why don't you pay attention to me, a "gentile", and that's it.

　The result of pondering in less than a second, using the skills 'Fast Thinking' and 'Convergent Thinking' as well.
　I try not to show that I'm pondering for more than a second, so I mend with a tentative reply.

'-- Let's calm down, Maria. Anyway, it's best to calm down for a moment.
It's Kanami who's calming down. Where have you been looking earlier?　Really, you can't see your eyes anymore ......, can you?

　But the 'penetrating eye' saw through all the mending.

"The eyes can see ......, they can see. What the hell are you talking about earlier, Maria?
The epidermis may look normal, but it's not normal at all. It's a good idea to have a good time with your friends. --That's the Zero Guardian, Kanami-san.

　Solemnly, one-sidedly, the story is told.
　Then, as if concerned for my blindness, Maria stepped forward, speaking aloud.

'Here, in this tenth layer of Mr. Arti, before you, Maria stands...' --and someday (...) is coming.

　A bright red flame gushed out at Maria's first step.
　The stone floor on which I walked melted into a sludge.

　The second and third steps were the same.
　The second and third steps are the same. The marks of the walk have turned into molten rock (magma).

　You could tell by looking at it that it was hot.
　But the floor of the labyrinth was not made to melt at a mere high temperature.

　When I confirmed the anomaly, the flames at Maria's feet grew even stronger, surpassing all the light sources in this room. My shadow, which had been extending in all directions, gathered in one place and stretched far backwards.

'Reapers, please protect that side. Not Noi-san, but that new girl over there. Kanami's new victim is a protection case.

　I turn my face back slightly, and there's a brown girl Reaper from my shadow, leaning against the cleaner.

　And Noi's, whose name was now counted, completely missed the time to escape in my mind. --he was trembling. Like the current reaper, I guess I want to get out too. But I can't take that first step because Maria has firmly captured it as "Noi-san".

　Noi has been watching the various battles from a thousand years ago.
　So I know.

　--If we leave now, we'll be burned to charcoal in an instant.

　The firepower that could frighten even the "Lord of the World" was present in "The One Who Steals the Theory of Fire".
　That's why Arti was a Ten Guardian.
　The reason why he left out all the other logic-stealers and made maximum use of the circulation function of the stars to reduce their power. Does Maria understand this correctly?

I can see you, Maria, I can see and hear you. He can also hear me. That's why I want you to listen to what I have to say. Arti's full attention is really dangerous. Didn't you carve an entire continent out of Palinkron just a year ago, just for peace?　The power of 'The One Who Steals the Reason of Fire' is not a power that the now-grown Maria can use with all her might. It's not going to be an ice age thing.

　I said quickly.
　However, seeing me still trying to avoid the 'ordeal', Maria shows a surprised look on her face.

''Is it Arti-san's full strength ......?　Now I said a hundred and ten layers: ....... The power of 'affinity' is to go beyond a hundred (alone). If you're calculating me now as much as Arti-san in his prime, Kanami-san, that's a bit--

　I was also a little disappointed.
　It was as if she was taking pity on me, who was blind.

''If I become the 'Lord of the World', I will help 'Rastiara' in place of Kanami-san. I will firmly inherit both your sister and Tiara-san. Please don't worry about that. -- 'I promise'.

　In a gentle voice, Maria said 'promise', not 'contract'.
　Somehow it was easy to read that this was the only truth.

　Now, Maria is thinking this--.
　I'm warmer than I thought I'd be. The nosiness is weak. The flow is slow.
　If I win, then that's the time.
　Will I be the new master of the world? It's just the way it is.
　-- With about as light a touch, I take the fourth and fifth steps and try to start the 'Hundred and Tenth Trial'.

　The heat source that will melt even the ground of the labyrinth is approaching, but more importantly, you're going to help 'Rustyala' instead?
　I was unconsciously constructing an icy spell, wondering if I could make it work.

''-- 《Freeze》''
The Flame.

　Without pause, Maria responded.
　Two rudimentary magic clashes.

　A moment.
　The field of ten layers was bisected like a knife between me and Maria.

　Cold air and hot air.
　The two conflicting attributes rubbed against each other to expand their territory.
　A hot wind arises and steam fills the air - no. They didn't cancel each other out, and my "Freeze" had been defeated and swallowed up one way or another, and the cold air had disappeared without a trace.

　In contrast, Maria's flame is not attenuated at all.
　The unextinguished flame (・・・・・) dissolved further without losing its momentum.
　Following the 《Freeze》, even the ground.
　The slabs of stone caught between the ten and eleven layers melted sloppily, like chocolate melting.

　--Ugly.

　Maria had used a flame worthy of the 110th layer, as declared.
　But this is 10 layers.
　The durability of the labyrinth envisioned by the progenitor Kanami a thousand years ago was probably up to ten times that of the guardian (Guardian) Arti.

　That's why the 10 layers of ground couldn't withstand Maria's heat, melting and falling out.
　I lost my footing and I was struck by a floating sensation.

　Immediately, I try to find a way out of the situation with my 'future vision', but it's still hot.
　The sensation of dimensional magic I tried to spread was interrupted, burning as if I had touched a hot iron.

　Quickly, he stretched out about twenty of the 'Purple Threads' from the sleeve of his robe.
　It's not very complete, but any one of them. Just one second is all it takes.
　If I connect them together, the reason for this Maria's extraordinary strength will be revealed.
　She can read through the thoughts, actions, objectives, and principles, and can move through analysis, countermeasures, planning, and execution with instantaneous 'fast thinking'.

　However, if there is a problem, the heat emanating from Maria, who calls herself the 110th layer, greatly exceeds the vibration of the 80th layer of Seldora - and when I felt uneasy, I saw Maria's figure falling at the same height.

　Their gazes met.
　In the same levitation, Maria was holding one hand forward as she released her magic forward.
　As if out of habit, I take the exact same stance.

"'Okore cutting flame'--
"Tell 'em to break the ice...

　The nostalgic 'chanting' echoes.

"'Swallow the stars...'
"'Swallow the stars...'
The flame spell, Midgard's Blaze.
The freezing spell, Midgard's Freeze.

　The magic of the serpent.
　Both of them had magic power that could be built in a size that could make a star go around.

　However, two of the best serpents that could condense and swim through this space.

　In the crumbling and melting labyrinth, an ice snake and a fire snake were generated and floated.
　The magic of the two conflicting attributes faced each other, swimming and biting each other in the air at the same time.

　The magic collided again, causing even more shock and heat to rush through the air than before.

　So, not only ten layers, but eleven layers as well.
　That ground can't withstand the heat, it melts and exits.
　Further down, me and Maria fall down the labyrinth.

　The fall was the signal for the beginning of The Hundred and Tenth Trial.