The tenth year since the death of the Hero Himmel.
Felled tree stumps, their tops worn smooth, served as seats for the gathering.
This was an outpost on the fringes of Gaderia — Qual's magic laboratory, tucked into a hidden pocket of the forest.
"Qual, why did you create Killing Magic?"
A row of towering Demon Race members sat shoulder to shoulder, and from among them a small hand poked up.
Little Übel swung her two short legs and waved that raised hand, the picture of wide-eyed innocence. Beside the demons seated around her, cold and still as statues, she might have belonged to another world entirely.
A white lab coat, a monocle — human-style dress that still did nothing to hide those dreadful fangs, or that smile.
"Simple. On a battlefield crawling with Humans, insects underfoot in every direction, it is the most efficient magic there is."
Qual's mouth split wide at the interruption. Today he had only meant to teach the Demon Race a new form of Killing Magic; he had not expected this insufferably curious human girl to tag along.
"That's not right. Humans are Humans and bugs are bugs. Although — I think I sort of understand the reason."
Übel showed no temper. She simply fired back on the spot.
"Heh. Amusing little brat."
To Übel's surprise, Qual didn't argue. He only nudged his monocle with one finger, and at the tip of that razor-sharp claw, Mana condensed into a single blue hexagonal plate.
"Human Defensive Magic, deployed in concert with Mana Perception, can pinpoint the firing trajectory of Killing Magic precisely — concentrated Mana canceling concentrated Mana. It is indeed the finest counter to my Killing Magic... however..."
As he spoke, plate after plate came into being, assembling into a small wall like a visored mask.
"It is a waste of Mana. Perfect coverage and interception are impossible. Against an identical Killing Magic, this Defensive Magic squanders more Mana than the spell it blocks."
Qual blew softly, and the Defensive Magic scattered into nothing.
"In theory, given sufficient firepower, Defensive Magic with an inadequate Mana supply can always be shattered."
"Question!"
Übel's little hand shot up again.
Interrupted a second time, Qual raised a hand to give her the floor.
Heads turned. The demons around her fixed those blank, frigid stares on Übel once more, and she showed not the slightest fear or fluster — only a grin as she asked, "What if my attack magic is faster than the other side's defense?"
"Then you would have to exceed the absolute speed limit at which Killing Magic can be released. Casting speed does vary between individuals, granted. But however fast the cast, there will always be a chain of delays — releasing Mana, condensing Mana, structuring Mana, adjusting Mana. The naked eye may not be able to observe that delay, yet with Mana Perception, the shape and flow of an opponent's Mana construction can be predicted.
"Think of it this way. The eye reacts with a delay of 0.1 seconds. Killing Magic has a construction delay of 0.05 seconds, and its flight takes roughly 0.02 seconds. The eye simply cannot catch up to the release — which is precisely why, in the beginning, my Killing Magic slaughtered Humans in an instant, without letting them resist at all.
"But if Mana Perception operates at 0.01 seconds, then a Defensive Magic requiring 0.06 seconds to construct can keep pace with Killing Magic. And those truly skilled in the art of Mana Perception can even raise their defense in advance. All of this, of course, assumes no bonus from a staff or a magic tool. A good staff shortens the lead time before a spell goes off."
"Sorry! I don't understand a word of that!"
Qual had rattled off a small avalanche of words, and little Übel shook her head in protest. "Isn't there a simpler explanation? Something I can picture?"
The corner of Qual's mouth twitched at the human cub's answer. He reassembled his sentences.
"What it means is this: keep your Mana Perception open in a fight, and you can roughly sense the gaps between your opponent's casts and the general direction of the attack, which makes it easier to defend."
"Oh!"
Little Übel nodded hard.
"Then why are you still lecturing about Killing Magic? Isn't Ordinary Offensive Magic these days just Killing Magic anyway? It's been common as dirt for ages."
Experienced as Qual was — he had seen Mages of every stripe, and the great spellcasters of his own kind besides — this human cub and her wandering train of thought stirred a genuine flicker of anger in him. He held down the urge to put a round of Killing Magic through the "little darling."
"Which is why this old man refined a new Killing Magic. One that cuts the 0.05-second construction delay down to very nearly zero."
"That's amazing!"
Übel's flattery came out of nowhere, and it left Qual momentarily at a loss.
"Ahem. This is it."
From inside his voluminous robe Qual produced a black, tube-shaped "cane," with a strange Q-shaped grip where the hand went.
"What's that? A magic staff?"
Übel studied the long black thing with open curiosity.
"No. It is a magic tool. It takes Mana loaded into it in advance and structures and adjusts it directly into Killing Magic, skipping every step that normally precedes the release. With this, one can loose the fastest Killing Magic possible!"
Qual lifted his great invention in one hand, showing it off like a treasure.
"Care to give it a try, human brat?"
The instant the "cane" swung to point at her, little Übel shrank back without knowing why. Her sharp instincts were screaming one thing: she would die.
Only once he saw the flicker of terror on Übel's face did Qual lower the "cane," satisfied.
"Of course, this weapon still has one fatal flaw. It can only release Killing Magic along the direction it is aimed. If an opponent prepares for it in advance, its limitations become severe."
It was at that exact moment that Übel let out a strangled "Whaaa!"
Fate, in the form of a strong and powerful hand, had closed around the back of her neck.
"My apologies, Lord Qual! Übel has been troubling you!"
Yuna hauled Übel up off the stump by the collar of her clothes.
"Heh heh. It's nothing." Qual waved it off. "A noisy little brat sitting in on a lecture now and then isn't so bad."
"I want to learn magic from Qual... let go of me."
Übel squirmed a couple of times, and couldn't break free.
"You."
Yuna looked at the disciple she was raising, at a loss for what else to say.
Perhaps it was that she had grown used to life in Gaderia. Lately Übel had turned mischievous and sly, with a rebellious streak to match.
The little Übel who had once clung to Yuna every day to learn magic now, ever since meeting Nanoda and the Demon Race, kept slipping away to try her hand at demon magic instead.
"All right. I've invited Lord Nanoda — your Grand-Master — to come and teach you."
"Really? Then I'll go."
Übel's eyes slid sideways, and all at once she was docile again.
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