Tokyo Colony 1 had returned to its eerie quiet.
The battle was over.
Young Hana had joined the group after receiving the world's fastest and least helpful explanation of timeline shenanigans.
---
Now everyone simply walked through the empty streets.
---
Yuji glanced at Takeru.
---
"…You feeling okay?"
---
Takeru stretched his shoulders.
---
"…Never better."
---
Megumi sighed.
---
"…I still don't know how that's possible."
---
The group rounded a corner.
---
Footsteps echoed.
Someone stepped into the street.
A sorcerer.
Eyes locked onto the group.
Cursed energy already rising.
---
"…Found you."
---
He lowered his stance.
---
"You're worth points."
---
Yuji instinctively stepped forward.
---
Takeru held out an arm.
---
"…Wait."
---
The stranger frowned.
---
"…What?"
---
Takeru tilted his head.
Completely calm.
---
"Do you know how to say 'domain' in Japanese?"
---
The man blinked.
---
"…Ryōiki."
---
Takeru nodded approvingly.
---
"Mhm."
---
"And how about 'expansion'?"
---
The stranger answered almost automatically.
---
"…Tenkai."
---
Takeru smiled.
---
"Good."
---
The man suddenly realized something was wrong.
---
"…Wait…"
---
Too late.
---
Takeru raised one hand.
Two fingers extended.
Blue eyes glowing.
---
"Ryōiki Tenkai... Muryōkūsō."
---
The world fell silent.
---
A barrier expanded instantly.
White.
Endless.
Boundless.
---
The stranger froze.
---
Infinite information flooded his mind.
Every sensation.
Every thought.
Every possibility.
Everything.
All at once.
---
His body locked in place.
Eyes wide.
Unable to move.
Unable to think.
Unable to even scream.
---
Outside the domain—
Yuji blinked.
---
"…That…"
---
Megumi nodded once.
---
"…Ended quickly."
---
Young Hana looked toward Takeru.
---
"…You just gave him a language quiz."
---
Takeru shrugged.
---
"…He got every answer right."
A pause.
---
"…He earned the domain."
---
Hakari, somewhere in another colony, sneezed for absolutely no reason.
---
The domain dissolved.
The street returned to normal.
---
The sorcerer remained standing.
Completely motionless.
His brain still trying to process an infinite amount of information.
---
Takeru walked past him.
Hands in his pockets.
---
"…Let's keep going."
---
Yuji glanced back at the frozen sorcerer.
---
"…Should we... help him?"
---
Takeru thought for a moment.
---
"…He'll be fine."
Another pause.
---
"…Eventually."
---
The group continued down the ruined street, leaving the bewildered sorcerer behind as the search for Angel continued.
