"This is just your side of the story. What evidence do you have to prove that what you said is biologically true?"
Kanzaki Kaori's expression returned to normal, and she looked at Yuuya with a cool, stoic facade. However, her heart was in absolute turmoil.
'If what the boy says is true, then we were all deceived,' Kanzaki thought frantically. 'I know the Church wouldn't casually allow Index to betray them. But Puritan doctrine strictly forbids such inhumane acts of mutilation on devout believers; otherwise, it would be sheer blasphemy against God.'
"You want evidence? That's easy," Yuuya scoffed. "Index is definitely still under the control of active magic. Aren't you a top-tier Magician? Just go and physically inspect her mana flow yourself. Don't tell me you haven't even bothered to check her body for external spells, have you?"
Yuuya's eyes narrowed. "You've sacrificed a lot for Index, haven't you? But all your sacrifices were built on a lie. You could have figured it out if you had just thought about the biology carefully, yet you blindly followed what the higher-ups told you. How utterly naive of you."
Kanzaki's pupils trembled slightly as she clenched her hands into fists. It wasn't that she couldn't accept criticism, but being so harshly accused before the absolute truth came out made her feel terrible.
"Young man, the full truth of the matter has not yet come to light, and your suspicions have not been confirmed. It is an arrogant act to point fingers at others without absolute proof."
"I'm telling the truth. Come to my apartment at 8:00 PM tonight, and I'll let you see for yourself just how easily a naive Saint can be manipulated."
Yuuya used Spatial Movement, appearing directly in front of Kanzaki in a microsecond. He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a sharp, mocking whisper as his eyes met hers.
"However, I will not be handing Index back to you afterward. I cannot trust the Church that has actively persecuted her. If necessary, you can take my exact words back to your Supreme Bishop."
Kanzaki felt a tremor in her heart as she looked into those clear yet inexplicably majestic eyes. The sheer pressure radiating from him, combined with the breath she felt on her face, made her instinctively take a step back.
"..."
'Although I want to violently refute him, I can't force the words out,' Kanzaki realized. 'If it is true... then I have no right to ask Index to come back with me. Even if Archbishop Laura ordered me to retrieve her, I would refuse. Even if doing so leads to the Church branding me a heretic and hunting me down.'
Tsuchimikado Motoharu calmly watched this exchange from the sidelines.
'So this guy, Takahashi Yuuya, really has such an overwhelmingly domineering personality?' Tsuchimikado thought. 'No wonder he dared to establish a Dark Side syndicate to purge the underground, and dared to directly oppose the General Board of Directors.'
'Although I already suspected that Aleister orchestrated Takahashi to establish his faction in order to create a counterweight to the Board of Directors, the Board won't let it go so easily. Is it really okay for Index and Takahashi to be involved in this kind of massive political web?'
"Phew~" Yuuya let out a breath, stuffed his hands back in his pockets, and walked toward the rooftop door under the watchful eyes of the two Magicians.
"Farewell for now, innocent Saint."
Once the door clicked shut, Tsuchimikado wiped the nervous sweat from his brow and said flippantly, "Oh my, Kanzaki-nee-chin! I really thought you were going to fight Takahashi-chan again! I really didn't expect him to be so incredibly strong. Was he really able to fight you to a draw? At full strength?"
According to the Magic Side's general understanding, the Level 5s in Academy City were supposedly no match for a fully realized Saint. A Saint, when unleashing their full Stigmata power, could easily conquer an entire city. Only the absolute top three Level 5s were theorized to be capable of achieving such apocalyptic destruction, and even then, a Saint's divine speed gave them the overwhelming edge in a duel.
"My intuition tells me that he is dangerous. Very dangerous. He is possibly stronger than me," Kanzaki said, her expression slightly strained. 'That boy seemed to have become even stronger since our fight yesterday. When I looked into his eyes just now, I felt my very soul tremble.'
This was a terrifying sensation she had never encountered before.
"No way..." Tsuchimikado couldn't believe it. He had thoroughly read Yuuya's classified file. Takahashi Yuuya was officially registered as a Gemstone and was strongly suspected of having the ability to perfectly copy or calculate other superpowers. Moreover, most of the abilities he had displayed were Level 5 tier.
'Moreover, he possesses the "Third Right Hand" in this world, wielding a conceptual power similar to Imagine Breaker. It wouldn't be wrong to say he's an anomaly that defies both science and magic.'
"Regardless of what Takahashi's true power level is... if you really have been deceived by the English Puritan Church, what will you do?" Tsuchimikado looked at the silent Kanzaki and asked calmly.
He genuinely did not want Kanzaki and Necessarius to have a lethal falling out; after all, they were close friends and had helped each other survive back in London.
"I... don't know." Kanzaki paused for a long moment, her expression somewhat sad and filled with self-reproach.
Two years ago, to prevent her friends from being persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church because of her status, she had abandoned her leadership of the Amakusa-Style Remix of Church. While being hunted, it was the English Puritans who had generously taken her in and provided her with sanctuary. On one side was Index, her precious friend; on the other was the Church that had saved her life.
'Even if the Church deceived me about her condition, I find it hard to feel pure resentment toward them,' Kanzaki thought conflictedly.
"Nee-chin, don't overthink it for now. If you need anything, just come to me. In Academy City, I'll always have your back, nya," Tsuchimikado said sincerely.
...
When Yuuya returned to the classroom, exactly as he expected, Index had eaten all the remaining food by herself. Index and Fukiyori were getting along very well, with Fukiyori already treating the nun like a cute little sister.
"You gluttonous bastard! You didn't leave me a single bite!" Yuuya raised his hands menacingly, pretending to lunge and grab Index.
"Oh my god—Yuuya was gone for so long! If I didn't eat it, it would have gotten cold and the perfect taste would be ruined! So, in order not to disrespect the chef, I ate Yuuya's portion with tears of gratitude in my eyes!" Index squeaked as if she was startled, then quickly hid behind Fukiyori, peeking out to defend herself.
"You..." Yuuya's lips twitched slightly.
"Don't bully Index, Takahashi," Fukiyori said confidently, placing her hands on her hips like a protective mother hen.
"So I'm the bad guy now?" Yuuya shrugged and chuckled. "Never mind. I was just trying to scare her."
Life had certainly become much more lively and interesting with Index around.
...
However, on the other side of the city, Tsuchimikado Motoharu had infiltrated the heavily guarded Windowless Building to meet the General Superintendent.
Looking up at Aleister Crowley floating upside down in his massive life-support tube, the eyes behind Tsuchimikado's sunglasses became deadly serious.
"Hey! What the hell is going on? How did you maneuver things so that Takahashi and Index would run into each other at the exact right moment? What exactly are you scheming?"
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