"113: Shinra Tensei, Instantly Defeating Stiyl"

Her determined gaze locked onto the female Saint standing before them, as if trying to make her feel guilty through sheer force of will. But the woman she faced was none other than Kanzaki Kaori, a battle-hardened warrior. The moment Kanzaki noticed Index's strange expression, her cold and piercing gaze immediately swept over, causing Index to freeze in terror.

"—!"

"Eek~!"

The sharp glare shattered the fragile courage Index had managed to gather. Like a frightened rabbit, she quickly hid behind Su Mo once again.

"..."

Su Mo was momentarily speechless. Is that all the courage you had?

Kanzaki blinked, somewhat confused by Index's sudden retreat, but she didn't dwell on it. As the pursuer in this confrontation, she had to fulfill her role accordingly.

"You're an esper, aren't you? Do you intend to interfere in a matter between magicians?" Kanzaki asked in a calm, detached tone. Unlike the oblivious Index, Kanzaki was far more aware of the world's current situation. She knew that this was Academy City, known for its espers. She had even met Aleister before and received minimal intelligence, so she wasn't entirely clueless about this place.

"Esper? Magician?" Su Mo shook his head. "I have nothing to do with any of that. I simply see a little girl in need of help and a bully trying to hurt her."

Though he had revealed his undercover identity to Index, he had no intention of disclosing it to others for now. It wouldn't make sense, and so he deliberately feigned ignorance of magic.

Kanzaki was taken aback by his straightforward words. Deep down, she couldn't help but admire the young man standing before her. She had already felt grateful towards Su Mo for treating Index to a meal and offering her a place to stay. Yet, because of their complicated identities, the more gratitude she felt, the more determined she was not to let Index stay with him for long. The longer they remained together, the harder the eventual separation would be.

"An act of chivalry, huh..." she sighed, placing her hand on her sword hilt. "This is my only warning. I don't know who you are, but is it really worth risking your life for a stranger?"

She was giving him one last chance. If persuasion failed, she would resort to force.

Before she could make a move, Su Mo calmly replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Isn't it only natural to lend a hand to those who cannot save themselves?"

"—?!"

Kanzaki was completely stunned.

To lend a hand to those who cannot save themselves—those very words embodied the meaning behind her magic name, and represented her lifelong ideals as a magician. She had devoted her entire life to this creed, yet it was the first time she had ever heard those words spoken by another. And ironically, it came from someone who stood opposed to her.

Realizing this, Kanzaki's resolve began to waver for the first time. After all, wasn't Su Mo simply practicing the very principle she lived by—offering salvation to the helpless Index? It was bitterly ironic that she, whose name carried that ideal, was now trying to sever another's attempt at salvation.

As Kanzaki stood momentarily shaken, another figure stepped forward — Stiyl, who had just finished setting up his runes around the area. "Looks like I'll be the one to deal with this obstacle, Kanzaki!"

The tall priest, dressed in loose-fitting robes and bearing a barcode tattoo on his face, approached from the other side of the courtyard. Noticing Kanzaki's hesitation, Stiyl decided it was time for him to act. As he began his incantation, Su Mo suddenly frowned and glanced toward him.

"Hey, delinquent priest, no smoking in this private courtyard."

"..."

Stiyl was momentarily embarrassed by the unexpected remark, quickly realizing it was a deliberate distraction from his opponent. His brow twitched in annoyance. Delinquent priest?

"Forget that. You should be worrying about your own life!" he sneered, taking a long drag from his cigarette before extinguishing it on the ground. His voice grew sharp as he chanted his spell: "O primordial flame, one of the five great elements that shape the world. The light that bestows life's blessings, the light that delivers righteous punishment upon evil—let your name be fire, your role be the sword. Manifest and consume me, become my power—Innocentius!"

With his incantation complete, a towering humanoid figure over three meters tall emerged, its entire body engulfed in flames reaching temperatures of three thousand degrees. The air itself distorted under the immense heat as the blazing giant stood between Su Mo and Stiyl.

Stiyl's eyes turned cold as he issued his final declaration, "My magic name is Fortis931. By this name, I prove my strength. No-name fool, carry that name with you to the depths of hell!"

The flame giant lunged at Su Mo, its heat warping the very air around it, as if ready to incinerate him into ashes at any moment. But despite facing such an overwhelming attack — a spell worthy of a Pope-class magician — Su Mo remained completely unfazed. Calmly, he raised his hand, aiming at the incoming giant.

"Shinra Tensei."

An invisible repulsive force burst forth from his palm, instantly launching the towering Innocentius dozens of meters away. Before Stiyl could even react, Su Mo's voice rang out again.

"Banshō Ten'in."

A sudden gravitational pull locked onto Stiyl, dragging him helplessly through the air straight toward Su Mo's waiting hand. Seeing the sudden turn of events, Kanzaki immediately prepared to intervene.

However, just as Kanzaki Kaori was about to unleash her Stigma, a sudden hum filled the air. An invisible gravitational force slammed down upon her without warning, catching her off guard and nearly throwing her off balance. By the time Kanzaki finally steadied herself, Su Mo already had Stiyl by the throat, his grip tightening with a crackling sound.

Su Mo glanced down at the delinquent priest he had subdued in a single move, his tone slightly mocking. "The reason you call yourself the strongest… is this it?"

Stiyl, humiliated beyond words, couldn't even muster a reply. He hadn't expected to be defeated so swiftly—one exchange was all it took for his opponent to crush his throat. Although his Innocentius spell remained active, no matter how fast the flaming giant was, it couldn't possibly react faster than Su Mo's grip around his neck. He had lost—completely and utterly, without any room for complaint.

"…Stiyl…" Kanzaki looked anxiously at her comrade, then turned her gaze towards Su Mo, her expression now deadly serious. "Who exactly are you?"

Only now did she realize that the boy standing before her was far from an ordinary Good Samaritan. Even in London, Stiyl was considered a top-tier genius magician, and yet he had been captured without the slightest resistance. There was no way Su Mo was simple.

Seeing Kanzaki's reaction, Su Mo's face showed mild exasperation. "You come to pick a fight with me, and you don't even have the most basic intel?" His voice calm, he finally introduced himself. "Academy City's Level 5 esper, ranked third—my name is Su Mo."

"Level 5?" Kanzaki's mind quickly caught up. She recalled that Academy City had beings known as espers, and that Level 5 referred to the top eight most powerful among them. No wonder he had dared to intervene; his strength gave him the confidence.

"In that case, I suppose I should introduce myself too." She took a breath. "Kanzaki Kaori. My magic name is Salvare000. As for its meaning…" Her voice trailed off for a moment, her eyes lowering slightly. She feared that if she told Su Mo the meaning of her magic name, he might simply mock her. But magic names were, by their very nature, declarations of one's dreams — even if others found them laughable.

And so, after a brief pause, she said firmly, "It means: To lend a hand to those who cannot save themselves." After speaking, she closed her eyes, bracing for ridicule.

But the ridicule never came. Instead, there was only a dull thud.

Opening her eyes, Kanzaki saw Stiyl lying unconscious on the ground where Su Mo had casually tossed him.

She quietly breathed a sigh of relief. At least Su Mo hadn't killed him. Otherwise, she wasn't certain she could have saved Stiyl even if she tried.

"I've never believed words alone can decide a battle." Su Mo brushed his hands clean and continued, "I do have questions about your magic name, but we can discuss that after the fight."

Kanzaki nodded in agreement. "Indeed." If battle was inevitable, then debates could wait until after. She rather appreciated Su Mo's decisive style. "Then let our swords do the talking."