The lively atmosphere faded, bright lights dimmed to shadows, and joy turned to dread.
All of this happened in an instant.
The central plaza of the mall was shrouded in darkness as every light was extinguished, leaving only a faint glimmer of sunlight streaming in through the skylight above. Under the threat of firearms, the women and children were gathered in one place, surrounded by armed thugs. Every few meters, a gunman stood watch, each in precise stance, showing signs of specialized training.
It seemed that all the remaining mall-goers had been rounded up. Most of the thugs were concentrated on the first floor, with only a few stationed on the second and third floors to keep watch. The fourth and fifth-floor gunmen had already descended.
Huddling with the hostages, Okita Souji scanned the thugs, noting their precise positioning, which allowed them to surveil nearly the entire plaza without any blind spots.
"They're no ordinary thugs…"
It wasn't just their efficient coordination or the high-end equipment; it was something else…
"Taking hostages in a mall and demanding ransom…why go through so much trouble?"
To Souji, there was a clear disconnect between the group's goals and their actions. She was certain there was a hidden agenda at play.
In a crowd, Swordmasters like Souji didn't stand out, provided they didn't reveal their magical powers or summon their spirit weapons. However, for someone famous—such as Stella, who often appeared on TV as both a student knight and the magical princess of the Vermilion Kingdom—hiding her identity was more challenging. She tugged her hat low, hoping it would help.
Unlike Stella, Souji, Shizuku, and Ayase had less to worry about.
"I wonder how Ikki and Alice are doing…" Ayase muttered, her worry evident. While Shizuku and Stella knew of Ikki's true skills, Ayase's knowledge was limited to the fact that Ikki was an F-rank knight, known as the "Failed Knight."
Souji had explained that, despite Ikki's limited magical power, his combat skills surpassed nearly everyone at the academy. Ayase trusted Souji's words, but words alone couldn't easily counter the world's long-held "truth" about magic, and Souji didn't mind—she was confident Ayase would gain a new perspective on Ikki once she witnessed his abilities firsthand.
Ayase's worry stemmed from genuine concern, not condescension.
But where Ayase had concerns, Stella and Shizuku had unshakable faith.
"Ikki will be fine," Stella asserted, her trust in him stronger than her belief in herself.
"Brother will be alright. Instead of worrying about them, we should focus on what we can do here," Shizuku replied, keeping her composure. In that moment, the two women were like their respective elements—Shizuku's calm like water, Stella's fierce passion like fire.
Stella gritted her teeth. "Only taking women and children hostage… What despicable cowards."
Were it not for the hostages, Stella would have summoned her weapon and slashed through them all. With her unparalleled magical prowess, she was confident that she could melt their bullets into nothing before they even reached her.
Shizuku glanced at Stella, then, as if to soothe her friend's frustration, whispered, "I have a plan. But I'll need some time, so try to stay under the radar until I'm ready."
Shizuku's caution was well-founded, as Stella was the most likely to act on impulse. Even Stella knew her hotheaded nature and, for once, acquiesced. "I'll…try my best…"
Shizuku also cautioned Ayase, reminding her that until everything was in place, they couldn't risk drawing any attention.
Wait… three people?
Noticing something amiss, Stella and the others quickly looked around.
"Where's Souji?"
No one had an answer. Somehow, Okita Souji had vanished without a trace.
None of the other hostages, nor even the thugs stationed nearby, seemed to notice when she'd slipped away.
A strange unease set in. While Souji's disappearance was most likely intentional, Stella and the others had to keep calm; any delay could disrupt Shizuku's plan.
Right now, their priority was saving the hostages from these thugs.
Steeling herself, Shizuku took a deep breath and focused. She needed absolute control for what she was about to attempt.
Swordmasters were born with magical powers, each one possessing a unique ability.
Abilities varied widely but could be divided into four main types:
Physical Augmentation: Enhancing physical abilities. Though magic could boost physical skills, this type was the weakest and often least practical.
Nature Manipulation: Controlling elements of the natural world, generally with a wide range of impact. This was one of the more common abilities.
Conceptual Manipulation: Altering or controlling ideas or rules embedded in civilization and survival, wielding powers that defied logic.
Causality Manipulation: Regarded as the most potent, this power could alter cause and effect in unfathomable ways. Few Swordmasters possessed this rare ability.
Some abilities, defying categorization, were labeled Unclassified.
Shizuku's ability fell under Nature Manipulation, allowing her to control water. With her A-grade magical strength, she could manipulate every droplet and water molecule with precision, making her the polar opposite of Stella, who preferred to overpower with raw strength.
Now, in the dim light, Shizuku prepared to shield the hostages with water, hoping her plan would remain unnoticed in the shadows created by the broken lights.
But plans rarely go smoothly. Life often had a way of forcing one's hand.
"Please, I beg you! At least let my child go!"
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