That day, I lost them…
…
2… 3… 5... 13... 23... 41...
Let's count primes. Primes are numbers that no one can divide. They help you calm down quickly.
Half an hour already…
Diego chewed on a piece of candy, watching the two gradually steady their breathing. He left a note forbidding them from revealing Stand abilities in front of ordinary people, then quietly slipped away.
Today there's this inexplicable palpitation…
Is it just an illusion? Or…
On the street, Diego walked aimlessly, unconsciously clutching at his heart, his face clouded with gloom.
No… there's definitely something this Dio overlooked.
His thoughts grew increasingly chaotic, and his footsteps quickened accordingly.
Did their Stand awakening fail? Did something happen to Hori? Was Jolyne attacked?
…
Not long after, Diego arrived at the park where he first met Goto Hitori.
Because Goto Hitori was extremely socially anxious, the park she came to every day was quite remote and rarely visited.
Diego sat on a nearby swing. His left brain kept proposing possibilities for the palpitation, while his right brain kept shooting them down.
Diego's intuition had always been sharp.
During the journey to subjugate the Demon King, it had helped him avoid countless troubles—seeking fortune and avoiding danger, whether evading ambushes and traps or finding lost directions.
He could always make the right decision.
So Diego trusted his sixth sense deeply. This was a sign that something bad was about to happen.
Is there anyone in this world who can threaten me…? No—that doesn't matter. Until this palpitation disappears, it's better to be alone.
Diego took off his hat and irritably ruffled his hair, staring gloomily into the distance.
Bang!
Diego's mind jolted. His pupils involuntarily dilated. In an instant he stood up from the swing.
No—no, the target about to be in danger… isn't me! It's…
Sui!
"The World! Stop time for me!"
The moment Diego received the message from the small dinosaur that Sui was under attack, a bead of cold sweat rolled down his face.
"Seriously… I didn't expect it to come to this point so soon…"
"You've done your job well, my fearsome beasts…"
Thud…
Diego collapsed to the ground. In the instant Serie's attack arrived, his consciousness transferred to Sui's body.
(Story connects to the ending of Chapter 2)
The moment time resumed flowing, Diego assumed a defensive stance.
Boom!
"Let me tell you one more thing: when you lose a teammate capable of standing against the enemy in your party, don't try to provoke an enemy you cannot defeat."
"Elf lady—!"
Diego was struck by a magic that could swat mosquitoes without hands, crashing through the library wall and flying backward.
In midair, Diego continuously dissipated the force until he flew out of the suburbs, snapped several trees, and finally came to a stop.
Several streams of blood ran down Diego's face. He supported himself against a tree stump and stood up. Signs of dinosaurification began to appear on Sui's (Diego's) face.
"Serie, long time no see—and you greet me with such a grand gift! Scary Monsters!"
With a shift of his body, Diego returned to the royal capital library.
"Let me tell you something too, Serie." Diego raised one finger. "When you can't confirm whether an enemy who poses a threat to you is truly dead, don't try attacking the people they care about."
"Switch!"
!!
Her eyes changed—no, she was no longer Princess Elga. The current her…
was Diego Brando!
A ripple finally appeared on Serie's usually placid face. Her vacant gaze gradually refocused, and she pulled into a chilling smile.
Serie—the founder of the Continental Magic Association, standing at the pinnacle of human mages. A great mage from the distant past of the mythical era, whose terror even demons had long forgotten. Flamme's master, Frieren's grandmaster.
Whoosh!
"In such a hurry to avenge your little girlfriend? That intimidation came fast…" Serie glanced calmly at the claw at her throat.
"How rude. If Sui heard you say that, she'd probably be quite pleased." Diego—who had stopped time and flown behind Serie—replied.
"You really didn't die, huh…" Serie propped her chin on one hand, still sitting cross-legged high on the grand hall throne, watching Diego with interest.
As if… she didn't take Diego seriously at all.
"What's going on? Elf lady is… Dio right now?" Mabel looked at the scene in confusion.
"Ugh… my legendary magic…" Frieren drooped dejectedly, poking her fingers together. "If I'd known Dio was fine, I would've asked for a spell to clean clothes perfectly clean…"
Diego ignored the two.
"Don't move. If you dare move, next second I'll pierce your throat. You should know—with my speed, you won't have time to cast any magic." Diego leaned close to Serie's ear and spoke calmly. "Even a constantly maintained defensive spell can't block me."
Serie made no reply. She was simply thinking. Inside, she was far less calm than she appeared.
So fast… I didn't even react before he was behind me.
But…
Why is there no wind…
Every breeze and blade of grass in the royal capital is within my mana detection. I know every move he makes.
Why… no wind? If he moved so fast I couldn't react, I should at least feel the wind pressure from his movement…
Not the slightest wind pressure. That only happens when… in other words, he walked slowly behind me.
No—I get it…
Serie smiled.
『Time』 or 『space』—he has mastered one of them. Terrifying. The strongest warrior in the world now possesses a 100% guaranteed way to close the distance.
"What if I don't comply?"
"I'll claw straight through and kill you—let your brains splatter in front of your disciple. You won't even have time to cast magic!"
"Don't test me. You don't dare kill me." Serie slowly rose. "You can't maintain this state for long. Even if you kill me, what then? Your companions can't escape like you can."
"This is the royal capital…" Serie closed in on Diego, deliberately pressing her head against his claw. "I hear you have a habit of cutting off heads to make sure enemies aren't faking death."
"…"
The dinosaurified skin receded from Diego's body. The claw vanished, returning to a normal human hand. Then Diego slowly raised both arms.
"How much longer can you stay in that state? Keep tangling with me, and you might not have time to say your last words to them."
"Tch… you win, Serie. I really can't make a move." Diego's head drooped. He grabbed Serie's arm. "Let's go outside and talk. There are some things I need to confirm."
"Hm?" Serie paused but allowed Diego to lead her out of the royal capital.
…
A highland plateau with nothing but weeds and rocks. Diego and Serie stood facing each other.
"Serie, now it's my turn to ask. What magic do you like most?" Diego tilted his head slightly and asked Serie with a sidelong glance.
Serie gave a mocking laugh. "Definitely not one that makes flower fields."
"I see. Then we really do need to fight." Diego shook out his hands, clenched his fists until they cracked. "Just a friendly spar. It's been a long time since we fought. Maybe this will rekindle some passion for you?"
"The little Zenin brat has gotten this strong without me noticing…" Serie fired an ordinary attack spell at Diego. Her perpetually cold face finally showed change—enjoyment of battle.
Under Serie's pinnacle magical skill, even an ordinary attack spell carried immense mana density and speed. It reached Diego almost instantly.
Heh…
The corners of Diego's mouth curled into a smile.
Not as damaging as I imagined…
He sidestepped it easily.
If you can dodge, why take it head-on, death!
"Remove your mana restriction. Fighting me while holding back your mana… you'll die." Diego said disdainfully.
"Take your hands out of your pockets first."
…
"The same wound appeared at the same time?! This is…"
She's completely figured me out…
"Precisely because it's her body, you won't do it…"
In the end, it was you—the one without mana—who noticed… my restricted mana…
…
Even now, we still don't know what happened in that battle.
When Frieren and the others arrived, the fight was already over. They only saw Diego and Serie sitting calmly together, waiting for them.
"You're here…" Diego muttered softly. Then he turned to Serie with a somewhat pitiful look. "Make me a candy. You know that spell, right?"
"Tch, what do you take magic for…" Serie glared at Diego, but seeing his expression, she sighed. "Fine, whatever."
In the end, golden light flashed in her hand, and a candy appeared.
"Thanks, Serie." Diego pounced forward, bit down on the candy, and—still holding it in his mouth—continued speaking. "Magic really is convenient. Tastes great…"
"I'm going to talk to Frieren and the others for a bit…" Diego patted Serie's shoulder, stood up, and walked over to Mabel and Alicia.
"Frieren, soundproof magic. Alicia, secrecy magic. Set them up. There's something important to discuss…"
Serie no longer maintained her lofty sitting posture. She stood and walked to the edge of the cliff, facing the sunset, returning to her usual state of complete indifference to everything.
"Idiot. I can still hear you…" Serie conjured a flower with magic and stared at it silently for a long time.
Her thoughts drifted back to that winter years ago.
"Serie-sama, the Zenin family head has sent an invitation to a banquet—for his newborn son's full-moon celebration." The attendant bowed respectfully and handed Serie the letter.
The letter floated slowly to Serie. She glanced at it once and sentenced it to death.
"Boring. Throw it away."
"Yes, Serie-sama."
The attendant took the letter and was about to dispose of it when Serie suddenly called out.
"Wait. I just remembered something. Reply for me—I'll attend." Serie recalled something and showed an interested expression.
"Yes, Serie-sama."
I once went out of curiosity to see that Heavenly Restriction child born into the Zenin family.
I heard the Zenin family produced someone completely devoid of mana from birth. I was very curious.
Because since the first Heavenly Restriction in the mythical era, no one had ever fully eliminated mana—only approached zero—and every such individual had been mediocre without exception.
Their physical strength couldn't reach transcendence, and their mana level was a mess.
What exactly happens when someone completely eradicates mana?
Can magic even recognize a target without mana?
Many questions worth researching on him…
At the banquet, the Zenin family head held his newborn son and began boasting extravagantly, clearly hoping I would take him as a disciple.
Honestly, I couldn't listen at all. It was truly boring. My only purpose in attending was to catch a glimpse of that child.
From afar, my gaze passed over the crowd fawning over me—and I saw the little brat.
And that was the only time in my life someone sensed me standing behind him, observing.
(Because Stands are products of mental energy, even while using Sui's body, Diego could still summon his Stand—but that did not mean the physical strength synchronized. So claiming he could kill Serie was actually a bluff.)