[41] The Destructive Loli

"It's you guys?"

Nene turned her head and saw the figures of Stella and Shizuku.

At this moment, Shizuku was cautiously looking around, while Stella, wearing sunglasses and a mask, approached Nene with a look of pleasant surprise.

"It's great to meet you here, teacher. With your abilities, can't you just suppress all the terrorists here in one go?"

Stella's voice was filled with eager anticipation.

Although she possessed the strongest magical power in the world, she was still just a student knight, subject to many restrictions and lacking in combat experience. She couldn't compare to a true professional knight in terms of expertise.

If it really came to a fight, Nene Saikyo could instantly defeat Stella.

Not to mention, releasing a hundredfold gravity with her "Jibakujin" would ensure that Stella couldn't move. With Nene's A-rank magic power, a hundredfold gravity was a routine operation for her.

"My abilities are too destructive, and I can't perform delicate operations. If I act, I will inevitably involve the hostages. It can only be used as a last resort."

Nene shook her head, rejecting the idea.

Stella was momentarily stunned, then remembered the information about the "Yaksha Princess," Nene Saikyo, that the League had released.

Her total magic power, attack power, defense power, physical strength, and luck were all top-tier A-rank, but her magic control was an average, even poor, E-rank.

Magic control, in a nutshell, refers to the skill of using magic power. The higher the level, the more efficiently one can use their magic.

While other magic knights might need 10 points of magic to perform a certain operation, those with excellent magical control could achieve the same with just 2 or 3 points, and even make the effects more refined and superior.

Magic control is a compulsory course in knight schools. Basically, every magic knight improves their magical control after taking these courses, so the average is around D-rank, according to League statistics.

But Nene's magical control was a poor E-Rank, meaning she was very wasteful with her magic and couldn't perform delicate operations.

Take the "Jibakujin" for example; she couldn't divide the area and precisely apply multiple gravity effects to a small zone. So once she used this move, it would inevitably affect everyone around.

But ordinary people couldn't withstand multiple gravity forces—and among the hostages, there seemed to be pregnant women.

Nene glanced at a visibly frightened pregnant woman nearby and sighed softly.

If everyone here were young and strong, she would have already activated the "Jibakujin." But with pregnant women present, once she unleashed her gravity field, there was a risk of killing an unborn life with her own hands.

"Moreover, more importantly, there are too few terrorists here, only about ten. There must be other terrorists hiding. Until all the terrorists show up, I can't act. Otherwise, if any hostages die, the League will blame me."

Nene looked around, frowning and speaking in a low voice.

As a world-class knight, she bore immense responsibility and high expectations.

If there were casualties afterward, the public wouldn't think, "It's already impressive to save so many people," but rather, "How could there still be deaths with you here?" accompanied by a flood of insults.

This was a flaw in the societal structure where "knights must protect ordinary people."

As she said, she couldn't act until she could guarantee the absolute safety of all the hostages.

But she was only good at destruction; asking her to protect people was really pushing it.

Protecting others was something better left to others. She herself was just a pure force of destruction.

Nene thought to herself.

"In that case, leave the protection of the hostages to me."

Seeing this, Shizuku took the initiative to speak up.

"That's right! Shizuku's magical control is top-tier A-Rank! And she's a water mage who's very good at protection. Once she sets up a water barrier, even assault rifle bullets won't be able to penetrate!"

Stella suddenly came to her senses, whispering with a clenched fist.

"...You know about my abilities?"

"Of course, you're Ikki's sister. I had to look into it."

"Is that so."

Shizuku pouted in displeasure, then returned to the main topic.

"To avoid detection by these people, I need to focus intensely and prepare wholeheartedly. During this time, I can't respond to external threats, and I need some time to set up. You'll have to handle things until then."

"Understood."

"Leave it to me. I won't let them touch a hair on your head."

The two agreed.

"By the way, where are the other two guys?"

Nene suddenly noticed that among the hostages, only these two girls were present. Ikki and Nagi were nowhere to be seen.

"They went to the restroom before the movie started and weren't with us. They should have noticed the attack by now and be hiding somewhere in the mall. But, Eiji seems to be missing too?"

"Him? He has other plans."

The two stood on either side of Shizuku, keeping watch.

Shizuku closed her eyes, focusing all her energy on controlling the magic power within her body. It transformed into water, flowing from her slender fingertips and spreading in all directions.

"Now, we just need to wait for Shizuku to set up the barrier. I hope nothing goes wrong..."

Stella muttered under her breath.

But sometimes fate loves to play jokes, always bringing what you fear the most.

"Don't bully my mom!"

As the crowd was being pushed around by the soldiers, a boy about elementary school age jumped out and angrily threw his ice cream at one of the soldiers.

"Shinji!"

The woman next to him turned pale, pulling the boy back while holding her pregnant belly.

Perhaps he had been taught by his parents, "As a boy, you must protect your mother and siblings," which was why he stood up when his mother was being pushed... but this act could only be described as foolish.

Eiji, observing from the shadows, clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"You damn pig! How dare you dirty my pants!"

Though his face was obscured by a gas mask, the man's roaring tone made it clear how furious he was.

"Yakin, you're an adult. Don't lose your temper over such a small thing! Lord Bishou said not to kill hostages casually. If he gets angry, he won't stop until he's killed at least ten people!"

"Shut up! I'm an honored citizen of the new world. How can I be compared to a pig from the old era? I'll just kill one or two hostages. He won't notice!"

The burly man named Yakin ignored his companion's warning and stubbornly raised his assault rifle, aiming at the mother and son.

Ratatatat—!

Without a word, blue flames erupted from the barrel as he pulled the trigger, sending a burst of bullets flying.

They didn't see people as human beings. This was the cruelty of the "Rebellion" terrorists.

Eiji was about to summon his spirit weapon to intervene, but he quickly stopped.

Because someone had already acted before him.

A surge of blazing flames blocked the machine gun's path. The extreme heat vaporized the incoming bullets, not a single one breaking through the wall of fire to reach the mother and son.

The Crimson Princess's flames intervened, infused with magical power, reducing the bullets to nothing.

"Good luck."

Nene yawned again, giving a small wave of encouragement.

Students should gain more experience. She'd just take it easy for now.

—If she stepped in, it might provoke the terrorists into a desperate fight.

***

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