Chapter 145: Episode 3 · Remaining Sense Of Pain (Part 6)
The film's dual narrative continues.
On a battlefield battered by a raging typhoon:
Asagami Fujino, panting heavily, glared at Shiki and let out a shout filled with murderous intent:
"Ryougi... Shiki."
Hearing this, Shiki calmly gripped her knife with her right hand and responded:
"If you had just gone home quietly, none of this would have happened. But now you're just a beast that's tasted blood, enjoying the thrill of killing."
"That's not true. I don't find any of this enjoyable at all."
"Heh, no matter how much you deny it, the two of us are very much alike now. Ah... I really do have to kill you as you are."
With that, Ryougi Shiki launched her attack on Asagami Fujino, her eyes glowing as she traced the lines of death that covered Fujino's body.
Meanwhile, Fujino raised her left hand to cover her face. Through the gaps in her fingers, her eyes shone brilliantly, distorting the space around her to strike back at her opponent.
The battle was about to begin.
...
As the stormy fight raged on, Mikiya Kokutou returned to the office.
Seeing Aozaki Touko, he immediately spoke up:
"Touko-san, I've gathered all the information on Asagami Fujino. She's been diagnosed with acquired analgesia; she was just like any other child until she turned four."
"What did you say? That's impossible. A unique case like Fujino's, with only a loss of sensation, must be congenital."
"But that's the reality. Fujino originally belonged to the Asakami family, but the family declared bankruptcy when she was twelve, and she moved with her mother to the Asagami household."
"And then?"
"It's said that when Fujino was a child, she had the ability to bend objects from a distance, and she could feel pain like any normal person. However, in her village, she was bullied as a cursed child because of this. But when she turned four, both her abilities and her sense of pain disappeared."
"Disappeared?"
"Yes. Apparently, a family doctor was assigned to her at that time. I tracked him down, but he only prescribed medication and didn't know why Fujino developed analgesia. It's said that her father was the one who arranged everything."
"Arranged what?"
"In simple terms, it seems he used a drug to block her sense of pain."
"I see. I understand now."
After a moment of contemplation, Aozaki Touko spoke slowly:
"Fujino's father tried to suppress her abilities by numbing her sense of pain. They're the exact opposite of someone like Ryougi, who desperately tries to manifest her powers. But the tragedy is, this suppression only strengthened Fujino's abilities. It's similar to how some ancient magicians would sew their eyelids shut to trap their magic inside and prevent it from leaking out. Fujino is in a similar situation. The magical energy that's been building up over time must have reached an incredible level. And because of that recent accident, which made her feel pain again, she reactivated the powers within her, turning her into an anomaly!"
"That's so cruel. Not feeling pain was the only thing keeping her normal."
"Yes. Pain is a good thing because it helps humans recognize danger. We pull our hands back when they touch fire not because we've been burned but because it hurts. Without pain, we wouldn't realize the danger of fire until our hands are completely consumed."
As Aozaki Touko spoke, she picked up her coat and continued:
"Fujino Asagami didn't see those boys as a threat in the past, but when her pain returned, she suddenly recognized them as dangerous thugs. That said, killing them was an overreaction. It also proves that the girl never had any physical wounds to begin with."
"What do you mean by that...?"
"I'll explain the details on the way. The biggest issue right now is that Ryougi Shiki has already gone to confront Fujino Asagami."
"What?!"
In an instant, urgency flashed across Mikiya Kokutou's eyes.
Immediately, the scene cut to the intense battle between Ryougi Shiki and Fujino Asagami.
...
While Mikiya Kokutou and Aozaki Touko engaged in lengthy analysis, all the viewers glued to their screens were far more interested in the battle between Ryougi Shiki and Fujino Asagami.
As the scene shifted, the two began their fierce fight amidst the raging storm.
The masterful cinematography, paired with the perfectly timed music, drew excited cheers from everyone watching the battle.
Compared to ordinary viewers who could only shout in amazement, the mages from the Imperial Mage Academy were much more adept at analyzing the battle's details.
"Asagami Fujino's ability is terrifying, especially in terms of its activation speed. Even a Grand Mage couldn't cast such a powerful spell that quickly."
"Yeah, most Grand Mages can't construct spell models that fast, and she doesn't seem to need any incantations at all."
"If mages could cast spells with such efficiency, knights would be obsolete on the battlefield. A squad of mages could just steamroll any enemy force."
"That's insane. It doesn't seem realistic at all."
Most students could only discuss the battle up to this point. Given their limited knowledge, it was hard for them to imagine someone like Asagami Fujino existing in reality.
To truly understand the logic behind this battle, one would have to consult the Archmages at the top of the Alchemical Tower.
"Hmm, I recall there was once an archmage who could do something similar," Hohenheim remarked.
Rosa quickly responded:
"Yes, that was a pioneer in our mental and spiritual studies. He projected his soul into tendril-like forms, using his powerful spirit to directly influence reality. He once appeared on a battlefield during a war between nations, killing thousands of soldiers by himself, setting a new record for destructive power among human archmages."
"That was indeed a famous figure, but his method of casting spells is still different from what we see with Asagami Fujino."
"Of course. Fujino's ability, according to the movie, seems to be linked to some form of telekinesis achieved through intense mental focus. Honestly, it doesn't seem magical at all, and I doubt it can be replicated. Also, the idea that eliminating pain can suppress someone's powers is hard to grasp."
Hohenheim nodded at Rosa's statement:
"Indeed, magic is a unique language. We mages can only tap into the essence of the world by constructing spell formulas. Telekinesis, as depicted here, doesn't exist in our world."
"But isn't it still worth investigating? Whether the mind, when pushed to its limits, can influence reality is a fascinating question."
"Haha, the number of research topics we already have is nearly overwhelming. With so few Archmages each generation, who has the time to study every intriguing question?"
Hearing Hohenheim's words, Rosa suddenly spoke up:
"What if people outside the Archmages, or even those who aren't mages, could conduct such research?"
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind, let's just continue watching the movie."
The discussion between the two ended there.
Clearly, this topic had surpassed their ability to discuss it, and even the top human Archmage were hesitant to make any bold statements on such matters.
Soon, the movie's depiction of the intense battle between Ryougi Shiki and Fujino Asagami reached its climax. The fierce clash between the two was portrayed with gripping intensity.
At this moment, everyone's attention was completely fixed on the battle in the movie, with no one daring to look away.
---------
If you want to read 10 advance chapters ahead.
Visit my patreon: patreon.com/EggZy