Two hours after 2-AB got out of hibernation, she swam to the mainland. The nearest country to her was Japan.
Of course, she didn't swim normally, she utilised aether and it propelled her like a jet. The ship was on high alert and they would need to alert the government.
"Sir, we should alert the Japanese Government. Their Mage Association and Magic Council could deal with her."
One of the magi suggested. If her goal was the strongest, 2-AB would go after the four World Magicians in Japan.
Ryunosuke glared at the magus. He clicked his tongue.
"No, this current world can rot."
"But, sir—!"
"Subject 2-AB is what we need to turn over the current hierarchy of the world. Don't tell them. If you tell them, I'll force this ship into its emergency self-destruct mechanism."
They all hesitated as they listened to Ryunosuke. He was happy while they were worried. 2-AB was the new wave that would wash over the world.
·———·
By nighttime, 2-AB reached the mainland. She still didn't know the most efficient way of using aether. The girl arrived in Nagasaki at the edge of Japan.
"Japan..."
She had never been to Japan before but she recognised it. It was like a sense of déjà vu, the difference was that 2-AB had never been to Japan.
Her entire life was on the boat but not even she knew it.
"The strongest... The three World Magicians..."
2-AB was ready to find the three known World Magicians in Japan. Ayato may be considered one but he isn't confirmed to be one. The data installed into her could be called outdated since Ayato's existence was recently revealed to the world.
The first three World Magicians in Japan are:
The Magician of Crimson, Akane Chiori
The Mirage Magician, Sora Futaba
The Magician of Imagination, Kaido Nagisa
Whichever one 2-AB would find first, she would attack. Although, currently, she was faced with other priorities.
There was a faint growl. At first, 2-AB was hostile, ready to take on whatever was growling until it growled a second time. It was her stomach.
2-AB wasn't a machine, although magicians' brains were described as so. The best way to describe 2-AB was that she was a homunculus, an artificially made human. Even so, that still wasn't the best way to describe her.
"Food. That's my first priority."
She rushed over to the city, enhancing her limbs with aether. It was a variation and mix of Reinforcement and Strengthening Magic. Aether worked differently from mana though.
When she arrived in the city, there was barely anyone around. Since it was after midnight, there was no one on the streets. Magicians would regularly patrol as a safety measure.
2-AB broke into a mall. As soon as she broke in, an alarm went off but she destroyed the surrounding cameras with a wave of aether. They were resistant to a certain amount of mana but not aether.
Still, magicians would be alerted of her break-in. 2-AB knew this and still advanced. She wanted a mask and food, but most importantly, she wanted to test herself against the current magicians of the 22nd century.
·———·
2-AB went into a store and ate some cream puffs that were being preserved. She raised her white mask and took a bite into it.
It was nice. It was almost addicting if not actually. She ate five packets of cream puffs. She couldn't resist such a treat.
"So you're the one that broke in? Just a common thief."
The girl put her mask on and turned around. A magician yawned walking toward 2-AB. He laid out his hand.
"Come on. I want to go back home as quickly as possible. I need to get some decent sleep."
"The Magician of Energy, Hayato Hasegawa."
"So, you know me? Then, let's go to the police station as fast as possible."
"You're not strong enough to take me."
2-AB kneed Hayato in the face without hesitation. She scored a clean hit. Or so, she believed.
"Too much! I can't be asked to fight seriously!"
He complained. He had blocked her knee with his hand. From his other hand, blue energy converged. He fired the laser at her but he missed.
She locked her legs around him and threw him to the ground.
"You fucking bitch!"
He released multiple lasers aimed at her. She couldn't avoid them, they homed into her.
2-AB raised her hand and clenched her fist.
The laser clumped together and dissolved, not hitting its intended target.
The girl didn't know how to use aether correctly but it felt like second nature to her. Using her instinct, she used her aether once more.
Her eyes glowed menacingly as she pointed her hand to the sky.
"Vacuum Orbit."
"Ha!"
Hayato fired a laser of energy at her—2-AB tossed a globe of aether at him. It negated his energy, hitting his side.
"...!"
Half of Hayato's body was consumed by the globe of aether. His corpse dropped onto the floor. 2-AB walked towards him and touched his back.
Slowly, the mana that was in Hayato was drained from him. His Magic Seal included. This would usually be impossible and 2-AB knew that it was. But, she knew that she could do it. It was programmed into her.
Now, she could use Hayato's Magic Seal of Energy. She truly was a danger.
"I need more..."
2-AB muttered to herself.
2-AB knew that she would lose to any World Magician currently. She needed to get more Magic Seals. She needed enough to be able to harm a World Magician. She also needed to enhance her proficiency with her aether.
It was all to turn over the current world's hierarchy.
·———·
In the Mage Association, a World Magician arrived at the Head Magician's office. It was the Mirage Magician, Sora Futaba.
The Head Magician, Hiroki Sanada, sighed as he saw Sora.
"You called me?"
Sora asked with a smile on his face.
"Yesterday, the Magician of Energy was killed."
"So? What does that have to do with me?"
"Aether was what was used to kill him."
"...!"
The magician frowned as he listened to Hiroki.
"Are you suspecting me?"
"No, I don't suspect any of the original three World Magicians."
Sora found Hiroki's speech strange.
"Original three?"
"On May 2nd, there was a black fire in Kyoto made of aether. As you know, only World Magicians can use aether."
"So it's the person who set the fire."
Hiroki nodded.
"That's what we believe. And so, I would like you to kill Ayato Kyouya."
"That's a bit of a sour reason to kill someone."
"Maybe, but that's not the only reason. Remember that the most World Magicians that a country can have is 3. This was decided years ago in a UN meeting. We'll have a fallout with the USA at this point."
The magician smirked insidiously.
"I'm legally allowed to kill... Exciting..."