Ether.
A fundamental "magical" energy belonging to the world June resided in since the day of his slumber.
An energy that existed both inside and outside a living being, ever-present in almost every corner of the world.
If one were to take a proper example from other fantasy worlds, think of Mana.
As long as you have the talents, a proper vessel, and an ambitious and genius mind, alongside solid basics, about "anything" is feasible.
Besides all those, since one manifests and controls Ether through their soul of which Ego makes up half, even mundane things such as emotions can affect "magic".
To put it simply, it's a simple magic system that draws branches from what little it possesses.
Through a few hundred years of residence, Ether became an energy more familiar yet far away to June than any normal human.
His soul, faulty and damaged, made it so that basic interactions were his limit.
Every time he tried to go beyond, he would feel the extreme blockage as his body fell from overexertion.
He almost died once or twice too...or maybe he did, only to find himself alive again.
In other words, without the gift called Universal Rune and Divinity to back it up, he was no better than a 10-year-old kid at manifesting Ether.
It's only more bitter that he knew well how to use it, but can't make use of most of his knowledge.
"[Accelerarion]"
He was not keen, but there were no other choices.
Living all those years, he was used to parading magic procured from the runes as Ether magic spells.
It was first not to gather attention from gods alike, but over time, it became a die-hard habit.
Only now, it has become a reality.
A reality where it wasn't a play meant to fool eyes beyond human grasp.
'It's different, yet not.'
It's like you woke up one day to find out you're breathing.
The sensations embedded in the corner of his memories hit like a meteor, sterilizing him for a moment.
Despite that, he kept on running, focusing on his goal.
His Anchor tingled more intensely, covering the progress of the warping circle.
"It appears we don't have too much time."
The circle has finished its 1st phase quite rapidly, recording the information of all those it needed to warp.
Compared to more commonly seen ones, this was way faster.
'It abandoned the conditions in exchange for processing speed.'
Like a program cutting corners to achieve a more immediate yet less desirable result, this warp circle was probably intended for quick teleportation.
'I need to go faster.'
He tried casting another [Acceleration] on himself.
"So it doesn't add up."
Generally, in the old world, just recasting a status spell doesn't add to the initial effectiveness.
What it does is reset the initial value and the timer.
This meant unless the user makes adjustments to the spell, like increased intensity with more Ether expended, you're just reapplying the same status.
It was similar over here.
"What a waste. Oh well."
Doubling the effect with just that would have been nice, considering he needed to preserve his rune magic supplement.
On the other hand, increasing [Acceleration]'s effectiveness is terribly inefficient with his ordinary-looking Ether pool, especially when he can't just refill it with Divinity.
He wanted to keep himself in a proactive position, but it's as he excused in his mind: There was no other choice.
"[Wind Blast]"
WOOOOOOOSSSSSSSHHHHHH!
Phenomena manifested as magic are, in many cases, just natural occurrences present in the world.
In these cases, they will affect their user as much as anyone else targeted by the spell the same way the natural world affects them all.
The difference lies in one's ability to control said manifestation, mainly how one can shape it to one's will.
'I could get used to this.'
June's body, like a paper plane hit with a powerful gust of wind, flew vigorously through carriages.
'By now, I must have made it through more than 10...Hm?'
Woooossssshhhhh---Shik!
In an instant, an ice spear lodged into his abdomen while others grazed or drilled through him, forcing him to land right then and there.
It appears his elevated senses, a result of [Acceleration], made him temporarily lose himself in pleasure for a moment instead.
'It's coming again.'
Boom! Boom! Boom!
His arms, covered in a thin layer of Ether concentration, warded off several high-speed blue fireballs at a time.
'Ooh~'
But of course, bits of his uniform were charred while his exposed skin was subtly scorched.
'A cloaked figure at the other end...'
Before he could take a better look, a huge beam-like fire spell engulfed the entire carriage and flew at him.
Time was already running out and fate was threatening him with possibly actual death...
'What could be possibly better?'
He needed to keep moving and also make sure he dealt with the obstacle while not turning into a complete cripple.
It's simple.
'Just do what's unexpected.'
And that's to break right through.
With that in mind, he leaped into the air and simultaneously cast [Wind Shield] in front with [Wind Blast] from behind, diving toward the huge fire beam like a moth.
***
'Unbelievable. That's who killed Master's Impulsive Ego?'
Ordinary. Utterly ordinary.
The boy, who barely managed to ward off his two simple tier-3 spells, looked like an extra lucky enough to survive this whole ordeal.
And yet, he was the one carrying the last trace before the Impulsive Ego's disappearance.
He was utterly baffled by the nonsense, even doubting his senses.
Baiting the kids and making up a whole act just to go check and encounter this impossibility.
Was he just being played by his master, who was hiding behind that shell?
'Was I doubting Master's strength? To be killed by a kid like that? That's blasphemous! However...'
Just to be certain, he launched a tier-4 [Blazing Beam] toward the boy, one big enough to clear everything in its way.
'If I ruined it for him, I'll just grovel and find a better shell.' He snorted. 'Those kids will do. This one is unfit for his recklessness, anyways.'
That was when he spotted a smirk on the boy's face, soon covered by the beam he manifested.
'That...'
FWOOOSSSHHHH!
In a matter of seconds, something emerged from the intense beams. At breakneck speed his eyes and senses can't follow, it flew past him and hit his gut, sending him rolling on the floor.
'Huh? Something's...wrong?'
A sense of loss overcame him. His mind was spinning, as if drunk.
Cough!
'A hole...on my body? Uh?'
Suddenly, a blurry figure covered his sight, casting its ever-growing shadow over him. Smirking, its eyes locked with his, seemingly amused by the situation.
"I see...You're no longer just human, are you?"
As if it were a staring contest, he felt absorbed into its gazes, keeping his eyes peeled.
'How...'
It was hypnotizingly natural.
It was unfathomably deep and dark, just like the void.
It was spiraling endlessly, inviting him to join all that had fallen to oblivion.
Even if it's not the same, it felt similar to that man, who even Master submitted to.
'...frightening!'
His heart has been charmed and fluttered for a moment, but no more.
He, who should have fallen to his hopelessness, once walked a path devoid of destination.
He, who dreamt of becoming something but didn't know where to head, received a hand from them.
Even if everything will fade into nothingness one day, he will at least fulfill that granted hope to the end.
'You...are not him!'
With his vision now cleared, he began gathering Ether as sneakily and rapidly as possible. Whatever that boy pulled with those eyes, he must have been confident enough to casually...pick him up with his leg?
"You see, there's not enough time so..."
"Naive!"
With barely enough Ether, he quickly formed a concentrated icicle and targeted the boy's vulnerable head.
STAB!
"Good job! You only got one eye though."
The boy, beaming even with his eye stabbed, looked scarier than ever.
As if he already expected it, he pulled the struck icicle out with ease and threw it away, grinning like a perverted maniac.
It's like he doesn't feel pain at all, enjoying this farce all the while.
Is this kid really a student in that prestigious dump filled with sheltered talents?
It wasn't the first time he asked himself such a question, but it might be his last.
'This kid...is abnormal!'
Way more than those tenacious kids he fought.
'At least, that bunch was actually human.'
Schwing!
Right then, his two arms cleanly flew off, as if they detached by themselves. His body rose into the air as his surroundings rapidly spun.
"Ever crash a plane?
"?"
"Me neither. But if it flies, it's not that different right?"
'What-'
CRASH!
Before he knew it, his entirety flew and slammed unforgivingly against a hard surface, convulsing right after.
It was a surprise he hadn't passed out right away, considering all the damage to his feeble human body.
Maybe it was thanks to his modified pain receptors, or the vitality that came with demonic energy, or both for that matter...but even those have started to give up.
"Insa..ni..ty..."
As regrets of his severe underestimation plagued his heart, his mind went blank.