Apocalypse Witch: To the Strongests of an Age of Plenty
Episode 2

Magic crystals work by sealing divine names such as Zeus or Odin inside a printed circuit board smaller than the seal to use the legend and mythology of the god to compute horoscope charts or calendars it takes catching a supernatural wind. Humans cannot manipulate the Earth's atmosphere, but with weather forecasts, they can efficiently cultivate their land and lift screens. It is the same but used to perform miracles.

however,

A small mistake has occurred.

In the case of Utagai Karuta, the Crystal Flower had been activated before the divine name was sealed in it, so the calculations were done without having anything to begin with.

The result of that was the existence of this unidentified crystal girl who did not rely on any known mythology.

He didn't even know where Aine's name came from.

The students who were resting on the heliport smiled and looked towards him. Although it was a bit embarrassing, they were attracted to Aine instead of her.

It might be unique among the students in this gigantic Ocean Crystal Magic Academy.

He had a completely separate Crystal Blossom.

"Crazy, it's amazing" Gekiha said. "But it's hard to tell whether that makes him a genius or a freak."

"I admit no one can do it" Marika said. "But it doesn't provide any additional speed or defense, so one shot is enough to beat it. I don't see how it'll help during Disaster."

"However he can ask the princess to take him," said Gekiha.

"Ah ha ha! It would be perfect for that King of Death."

Their words are not as hurtful as the fact that they are not even wrong. The trick to defeating the Crystal Magicians while training was to target the gap, so a Crystal Blossom like Aine could be considered invincible as he moved by himself. But it becomes useless when the whole student already knows it. They will focus on the attack on him. From the predetermined ability, Aine's flight, Karuta's regeneration, and both can use a shield, but there is a conflict there because the resulting shield is very weak, so he can't bounce a single shot though.

Meanwhile, Aine quietly tilted her head while waiting for the order.

"Aine, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Sacri-sama?"

"We do the usual tests. I'm gonna shake Blossom to send you my voice. Let's see how far I can stay connected to you."

It's like mimicking a radio or a tinned phone, but he thinks it's the most efficient method. As long as he was not defeated, he could not be broken by most attacks. It's like the difference between a bullet vehicle coated with a thick protective layer and a steel-filled box.

The boy sighed seeing Aine jump from the edge of the helipad towards the sea. Although the dimensional jump was too heavy for him, Aine could fly in the sky, but she felt it was better to show respect to their seniors. (Marika and Gekiha may be in a similar position there.) He himself had not done anything, so he was saddened to not be able to feel proud of his achievements.

All he could do was stay in a safe place and send a message to his crystal puppet.

“See, Karuta,” says Kazamuki Gekiha. “The sky is so bright today, you can see decorative items in the distance.”

Drawn by his classmate's comments, he gazed towards the horizon and saw a long, slender object emerge from it. He could not imagine how far the structure extended as it vanished into the blue sky.

"That thing is a space elevator, huh?"

He believes the giant structure has been developed to transport cargo into orbit at a cheaper cost than rockets or space probes. It is still operating, but in red condition for several reasons. Karuta and the others had nothing to do with it.

“To be honest, I feel relieved that the project failed,” said Gekiha. “Embrio Original Crystal is at the center of the earth and Magical Crystal uses a collision between two forces on the surface of the earth, so it says you can't use it on the space station or the moon base, right? Only 0.0002% of the population can use it, so it would be a huge waste if modern times moved into space and this ability is buried in the shadows of history."

"Original,” repeating Karuta. “We all use it, but actually no one knows what it is, right? There are many theories anyway, such that it is a body of knowledge embedded there by a person or that it is the will of the planet."

“Not our problem. Let the group of theorists who never leave their table handle it. Oh, and speaking of elevators, have you heard that several generations before will be doing inspections? They are 5 people known as Problem Solvers.”

Solvers Problem.

Those five were said to have succeeded in physically removing the Threat in battle.

And as the name mentioned, the blue sky was swallowed up by the darkness as if the lights of the room had been turned off.

"..."

“———”

The other two fell silent.

Karuta was likely also staring at the sky that suddenly changed from sunrise in the morning to darkness in the night.

"Is this how they announce their arrival?" ask Geikiha.

"One of those five people can control a solar or lunar eclipse, right?" ask Marika. "I've heard eclipses happen wherever they go, but that's pretty impressive."

That must be impressive.

Karuta could only summon a crystal girl from within his body, so he could not hope to achieve that.

However, that does not necessarily mean that that power will help in winning a Catastrophe that could be a natural disaster, plague, or war.

Not to mention in the fight against unknown threats.

"I understand their strengths, but it's hard to say how impressive it is when you don't know what the Threat is" Marika said.

"At least, they should be stronger than you, Mr. Pathetic," Marika said.

The Problem Solvers.

Their abilities in combat are often the center of attention, but they are used for more than just fighting.

Their powerful magic can support an entire era.

Including from world production facilities to things like waste processing.

The monsters could run their own global-scale infrastructure.

They are known as monsters because their energy is too great to be called "massive" and because of their influence on the world.

The Karuta group was only busy with the fight section, so these people were on more than ordinary levels.

The world would be stuck without them.

The internet, convenience stores, and air conditioning do not suddenly exist. Someone who supports all of these things every day. And it's those monsters that support all of these things for 5.5 billion people.

"North America, South America, Eurasia, Oceania and Africa" Marika said. "Whatever is written in the paper, those five continents are what in fact keep everything connected."

"Gekiha said, 'Yes, that's just five,'"

Only five people keep the world economy going.

The hard work of the other 5.5 billion people is nothing more than moving multiple bills from one wallet to another.

"Actually I feel sad for those VIPs" Gekiha said. "Now everyone's focus is no longer on that elevator. They managed to raise a lot of money by claiming to be able to transport goods at a cheaper cost than a rocket or a shuttle, but once they started operating them, they were able to transport them, fear of the dangers of extraterrestrial dust leads to an indefinite ban on civilian use. Finally, the elevator can only be used for public policy."

“And I heard that public policy is also not too good,” Karuta said. “Because the goal is to transport cargo cheaply, they get reduced funding with each subsequent project. And because they can't get more clients, prices just keep dropping. Like giving a bag discount worth one million yen to ten thousand yen but not getting more customers to your store, so very bad.”

"Marika asked, 'Kuberenah is really keeping it private because it's the cornerstone of public policy, but is that really why?' 'If Kuberenah can get past the planet at its best, no one will need an army. Now that we have some real profit and cost data, there's no hope for space development, so it's kind of weird for them to keep protecting that part of space development. It is ironic that they are bound by facilities they cannot afford to dispose of. The adult world sounds so annoying. Although maybe they let some others acknowledge credit to avoid unnecessary resentment.'"

"After all, this is the meaning of being too blessed,” said Gekiha. “With those five people, no one needs the world of politics, the world of business, the military, and government. If they want it, can they destroy it all? If they were all sent around the world all the time, not just occasionally, I'm sure they could keep cities, regions, and countries from sinking.”

“However,” says Utagai Karuta carefully, “That Trouble Solving does not use Crystal Blossom like us. I heard they used the ancient God Worship Magic.”

“Isn't that what makes it so impressive?” ask Marika.

"Yes, it makes you wonder why they haven't turned to the Crystal Flower yet" Gekiha said. "It is horrifying that they can go into battle with flight presets, obstructions, and regeneration. Perhaps they were not part of the 0.0002% who could use it, but it only made them more and more monsters from standing at such a peak."

Utagai Karuta sighed.

Crystal Flower. Modern magic technology that controls a printed circuit board smaller than a stamp to produce a variety of supernatural phenomena by capturing the optimal currents generated by the occult high and low pressures generated by collisions between the energy emitted from the Original Crystal Embryo at the center of the earth and the various forces that descended from space.

However, you will never reach the level of Problem Solving by mastering that path.

Many rumors were about Problem Solving, such as their attack abilities being so specialist that they could resolve the situation with a single strike, or that they could use a hail of bullets as great as an Aegis ship to shoot every grain of sand against them, but the details are unknown. They are famous all over the world, yet very little is known about them making them rather creepy.

If Karuta and his friends are the ones who read the weather map, then the five people are the ones who fired the dry ice or bomb devices that blew the sky to create artificial rain.

The students here could not match them no matter what they did.

Not only that, Karuta's magic wasn't the Standard Magic Crystal he already knew back then wasn't a match for them. Her wrinkle ability had been distorted so much that it became a completely independent girl like never before.

“Ah, uh, ee, uh, uh, oh, ah, oh.”

As he was thinking, Aine's voice sounded through the distance.

“Can you listen to me, Sacri-sama?”

“Can you please call me by another name? That's creepy.”

They managed to spend quite a long time in training.

After the cafeteria was opened for breakfast, everyone naturally began to finish things without being instructed.

The training group arrived first, so it was still not too crowded. Karuta, Marika, Gekiha, and Aine manage to get one end of the table for themselves.

“Sacri-sama, I want that. Castella leafy gold.”

“Why do you always want to eat the most expensive things?”

“If it can not, yokan gold powder can also be accepted.”

“Alright, what if you try again after thinking about what my problem is with the first choice?”

Aine silently tilted her head and her silver hair swung while emitting a rainbow-colored light similar to a disc.

“If you insist, I can always eat gold directly.”

“The problem is gold! And why do you need to eat if you are Crystal Magic?”

"You have asked the question 72 times, but I will faithfully answer it again. My body is made of crystals - that is, silicon semiconductors - so by taking in pure gold, I can expand my internal circuits and keep up with more complex and higher-level demand. So it can be said this is all to your advantage, Sacri-sama.”

"more complex? Likewhat?"

"……………………………………………………………………………………………………."

"Wait, why are you bowing your head and blushing with that complex expression!?"

Gekiha obviously enjoyed the show while eating toast with chocolate jam.

"You're all endless entertainment."

“Hmph,” says Marika. “He was created from Karuta, so this is just a very cutting-edge show of his own? Hmph, hmph!!”

“I included you in that ‘kalian’.”

They continued to talk about various topics from there.

They were teenagers, but their conversations tended to be directed at Crystal Magic.

“With crystal, converting vibration into laser or maser is the fastest way to much power, right?” ask Marika.

“Wait, wait,” replied Gekiha. “Some of our seniors have figured out how to use acoustic weapons.”

“Not just radar or sonar, right?”

"I mean, blow something up with a pure voice. It's like a fancy speaker cannon. Now, it won't kill us when we can negate the sonic boom of supersonic travel, but imagine if we get hit by one of them directly. It was like a thick wall and covered the entire surface. Isn't that an effective way to slow down enemies over large areas?"

"And then blow it up with a laser or a maser? Well, that'll be for the best."

"Why do you like those shiny attacks so much?"

Meanwhile, a small hand pulled on Karuta's sleeve.

It was Aine.

"Sacri-sama, if I am injected with argon ions or rare earth ions such as yttrium, I can equip myself with a very thick laser. Woof, woof."

"I don't like to interrupt when you look so proud of yourself, but which canteen menu food should I give you?"

When he asked that question, he pulled his foot up onto the chair and hugged his knee to shrink as small as possible. However, it was not that he was injured by the cold response from the owner of the body. He just doesn't like the wide open. The civilian space ship that was shaped like bamboo leaves in her room served as her bed.

So why does he have his own bed when he is usually contained in the body of the owner?

The answer is simple: he cannot control himself during sleep, so when he rolls or moves at all, his arms or legs will protrude out of his stomach or back. And it's very creepy. The fact that most people who experience exiting the body during sleep, may not be laughable.

"Sigh, I want to get inside you right away. (Wiggling, squirming)"

"Can you find a better way to express it?"

"Hey, I'm not an irritable person," Gekiha said. "But the girl who entered the man's body has gone too far for me personally."

"Hm? Hmm?"

The curly-tailed Marika looked confused by this exchange and it was probably a normal reaction. Gekiha only had a dirty mind.

In the short spare time until the morning homeroom time, Karuta visits the treatment room.

He does this every day, but not because he is sick or uncomfortable in class.

The infirmary room of the giant ship had a rather unique design. The standard level is the same as a regular school: a simple examination table and several beds divided by curtains. Magic levels are used to treat problems and related side effects of Crystal Blossoms and magic. And the level of isolation is further inward.

"Thank you for doing it over and over again. Just make sure you're not late for class."

After getting permission from the school doctor who wore a tight sweater and skirt, she entered a level of isolation to find a windowless room filled with blue light.

Large silhouettes lined the walls like a piece of Greek sculpture in an art museum.

They were all upper-class students who had incarnated into crystal clear from head to toe.

They have been seriously injured, so they have been fully crystallized as emergency care.

"Everyone wants to pretend this place doesn't exist, so hardly anyone visits" complained the school doctor who followed. "So I'm sure they're all glad you visit every day."

"..."

It happens for a number of reasons.

Yet none of these reasons valiantly resisted the Threat.

What happens if there is a problem during live or acrobatic firing exercises at an air show? The victims of this accident had all died during the class or the Disaster, so the academy took them back so that they could wait for their resurrection.

"I'm not here for good or anything" Karuta said without thinking.

He stopped in front of a certain girl like he always did. He wears glasses and has long pigtails. Some cracks were running over his navel.

The time to regeneration differs depending on the severity of the injury.

The digital countdown at its feet is coldly calculated backwards from almost 550 years.

Even with the latest Magic Crystal technology, raising one person from the dead is not easy.

"I just came here to remind myself of the risks. The field of spatial vibration and self-crystallization regeneration is uncertain. Death has always been our faithful friend... No one wants to know that they are being used as an example to avoid."

“Then so.” The school doctor remained firm on his stance. “The most painful thing for humans is to be forgotten. Leaving nothing behind and not even being a lesson to someone. So, I think they're glad you came to visit. They may not live as planned, but they know that his life will be beneficial for someone.”

Once more.

Only once more, Utagai Karuta looked at the crystal girl standing on the footing.

Even he did not know what his face looked like.

However, he spoke in a tone that was impossible to use just as a decoration.

"I'll go, Senpai."

Utagai Karuta was not smart enough to say that he already felt there would be an incident, so he felt a little surprised when he found out the first hour was canceled.

"It's a matter of the Troubleshooters" said his bad friend. "They came for an inspection and had all the students come together. They should have waited until the opening of the Catastrophe and made its appearance admirable."

"I understand."

He, Marika, and Gekiha joined the other students leaving the class. Aine is not with them. He was in his stomach at the time. And not in a horrible way.

They arrived at a large room with a high ceiling.

Wood floors polished to glitter.

Abundant lighting covers the ceiling of the room.

Basketball handlers were mounted on the wall and a theater-like stage was installed in the room.

Every school must have a sports hall like this, but anyone would be surprised to learn that it is on board. The entire floor is covered with thick plastic sheets and hundreds of folding chairs neatly arranged so that it looks like an entrance or graduation ceremony.

The boys and girls are separated, so they must temporarily part with Marika whose curly blonde hair is painted strawberries.

"Oh, I hope the AC is not damaged while we are at the equator" Gekiha lamented. "Yesterday's solar eclipse made the night very hot."

"There are 600 students and 100 teachers here. I doubt this gym is designed to accommodate so many people."

"Now we have to listen to the principal talk nonstop. Ah, I hope the old head faints first from the heat. It's time he felt the pain we all felt."

Meanwhile, the show begins.

The first thing that comes up is not the Fifth Problem Solution. Gekiha was right: it was the handsome gray-haired headmaster. He is very popular, he knows how to manage a business, he is very skilled in politics, and most importantly, he is skilled in magic. That said, his weakness that likes to talk at length is a flaw given by God to balance everything.

The old man wearing the stage microphone read out a script slowly that would not touch anyone's heart.

"Yes, all of you are very diligent in your efforts, so we have prepared some additional excitement for you. Excitement is something very good and can be called the seed of all learning. Of course, a seed is a seed and can only grow if given good soil, water, and enough sunlight. I'm sure you're all smart enough to understand what that means."

Everyone feels relaxed.

He enjoys talking and doesn't care much about what others think of it. It was well known that he was not the type to yell at the student he saw lazy like an obnoxious advisor.

"Today, I think we can let you listen to some words from Problem Solving, your five predecessors who have traveled all over the world while completely fighting the Threat. We have planted seeds, but how will those seeds grow depends on your decision as-bgwehhh!!!?"

So then.

No one understood what the sudden and disastrous ending of the speech meant.

"Huh?"

At that time, Utagai Karuta could not utter a single word even though a human life was clearly experiencing an end.

That life was taken in a way too obvious to believe.

The entire head of the old man slipped off his shoulder and a cracking sound came out from his body. His dignity as a Crystal Mage must have been almost non-existent as his body and clothes became transparent and he hardened in something akin to a cold sleep.

Karuta jumped in shock when he heard the loud thud of a microphone falling onto the stage, next to the headless crystal body. That was how far his common sense and understanding were.

Most likely, something was thrown.

It could have been a sword, a spear, an axe, or a stick, but he did not see what it was.

But he heard a few footsteps. No more than footsteps.

A new figure stepped up onto the wings of the stage while everyone was fixated like a broken rubber doll. She is a woman. She was so androgynous that it took her a while to determine her gender, but she was a tall and slender woman with long blonde hair and wore a suit outfit.

A bad feeling enveloped Karuta's entire body.

Without glancing at the headless crystal statue that was at her feet, the woman kicked the microphone and grabbed it with her hands. He took it to his mouth and made an announcement.

"Uncompetent."

That one complete word of rejection seemed to pierce them all.

"Incompetent, incompetent, everyone here is incompetent. Therefore, the Grimnoah Sea Crystal Magic Academy will be closed soon!!"

Finally, steadfastly and long, the boys and girls rose at the same time from their folding chairs. That simple action produced an incredible burst of sound. Ordinary people would probably run away without a second thought. Or it could be that they will collapse to the floor, unable to run even once. But this was the Ocean Crystal Magic Academy. They are a next-generation combat force ready to counter the Threats that are damaging countries, regions and cities around the world. They were frontline fighters with Crystal Flowers on their chest, so they chose to stand firm as one wall to oppose the accusation that they were incompetent.

It was almost as if the wounded pride was more important to them than death.

Kazamuki Gekiha stood beside Karuta. Marika may have been standing with the girls. The sports field has turned into a jungle of people. A thick forest.

But even so.

Utagai Karuta alone could not stand. He curled up while soaked in sweat and tried to hide inside the forest.

Stanty.

The headmaster was once a handsome man with gray hair. At first glance, it might look like he would be easily defeated in an arm-pull match, but he actually had incredible magical talent and had the abilities needed to set up this great Crystal Magical School. But he has been easily overcome? There is no way an ordinary person can do it!!

As she coiled, Karuta desperately tugged on Gekiha's pants to signal her to join him.

Revised: His classmate stared in bewilderment while holding his ruthless crystal weapon combined with a chain saw machine and a Gatling gun, so Karuta desperately shook his sweaty face.

He said no.

And a moment later ...

"Uncompetent."

The sound came from the speakers again.

"I'm one of the Problem Solvers. You really don't understand our difference in strength after seeing us alone?"

Suddenly, the wall behind the white-haired woman shattered.

The floor shakes beneath them.

No, the giant academy ship itself capsized.

"I beg you, Vishnu, the Indian God of Change."

This was the divine power of transformation, but what exactly was it?

The big shape moved with the woman.

There was what looked like a sword, like a spear, like an axe, and like a stick. And not limited to guns. There are also shields and armor. It looks like a rusty refrigerator, microwave, and a crushed car or container. Even components such as per and gear wheels are also common.

None of these things have any real meaning.

They were all assembled, assembled, and piled up to form something made of rusty metal. The monster shook its thick tail behind it, standing on two hind legs, having two front legs folded in front of its chest, and it has a big mouth lined with razor-like sharp teeth. The monster instantly penetrated the stage and grew large enough to touch the ceiling of the entire sports hall. That was...

"A dinosaur?" someone murmured.

This is not Karuta. In the worst situation like this, he did not want to do anything that would attract attention in a negative way. And that was why he could not stop Gekiha who was right beside him.

An incident happened before he could do it.

The woman calmly spoke into the microphone while facing the many crystal swords and cannons.

"They're just toothpicks."

Shaking everyone heard that quite thunderous bang.

Unbelievable crowds descended from the stage.

Maybe about eleven or twelve people who were nudged in the front row could be said to be lucky.

The real horror happens to the people who are in the next row.

The giant jaws and fangs operated in an equally terrifying manner as expected !!!!!!

Sorry, but I cannot rewrite this as it is not a paragraph and does not convey any meaning or context. Please provide the original paragraph for me to rewrite.

“I can't - ... no. Whahuh? My foot ... my foot?!”

It was more of a blow than a tear.

There is no red or black color. With the sound of the crystal breaking, the limbs of the boy and girl were torn apart from their bodies, their bodies torn apart, and their entire bodies were obliterated.

He tore them apart with a bite and then shook his head while chewing. The remains of their bodies were not only scattered, but also befell the heads of the survivors.

They had Crystal Blossoms, they had Crystal Magic, they had translucent armor, they had a spatial vibration field that protected their entire body like an invisible wall, and they can recover from non-fatal injuries in 30 seconds, but the combination of all those things is meaningless.

Mass, density, violence, fear, and slaughter were at an incredible level.

The continued chaos did not sound like a broken human body at all.

"..."

Their power should be used for peace and their energy should be used to support global infrastructure.

It was like hell, Karuta thought.

No matter how much you try to justify it, it is still the worst power that man has ever produced. It was like a seductive demonic sword that gained its original shine through battle and slaughter.

Still clustered and trying to reach for her friend's best pants desperately, Karuta realizes Gekiha is staring at him while standing with a blank look. The boy had already completely forgotten to cry when he trembled, so Karuta raised his eyes to ask him to come down while he still could. But Gekiha did not come down. He just shook his head.

And she opened her lips: I'm sorry, that was stupid.

Karuta was given no time to say anything in response.

"…Well.Ah…"

(Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

The boy's body split in an instant. His armor and weapons shattered like glass. And his upper body just disappeared. Only the lower body was left to quickly become transparent and was thrown onto the floor like a broken statue being dug out of the rubble.

Utagai Karuta clenched his teeth and tried hard to hold his voice by covering his mouth with hands lined with shards of glittering dust. Tears streamed down his face, as if that stifled scream had found another way out.

The light was reflected wildly by all the scattered crystal fragments one after another.

(The problem..).

The geniuses controlling the Sihr Crystal produced transparent swords and sticks from empty air and fired lasers, masers, and acoustic weapons from them, but as the woman said, it was, they are no more effective than toothpicks. They were unable to deliver a deadly attack on the enormous carnivorous dinosaur, but they did appear to stimulate it. And they receive a shaking destruction in response. There is no stopping. While Utagai Karuta trembled and bowed on the floor, more and more fine crystalline powder fell onto it like diamond dust.

Everything is so cold and unrealistic.

But he knew that this was the remnant of the flesh that once formed man.

(Troubleshooting does this! But why!?)

He felt something stirring within him. Crystal Blossom in her chest begged to be released: let me out, use me, get rid of the threat in front of you.

He understood, but he ignored it. Using his Crystal magic and releasing Aine from him would be a sign. Suicide marks to start a reckless battle. He can't do that, he doesn't want to die here.

Crystal Magic is like reading the wind and scraping the screen.

The energy from the Original Crystal Embryo at the core of the earth and the various forces descending from space will interact and produce points of variation similar to high and low pressures, respectively, and their powers will only read where they are and use an invisible tail wind to produce supernatural phenomena.

It is different from Problem Solvers. They are like artificial rain. They use giant bombs or dry ice to directly change atmospheric pressure, produce clouds, and disrupt the weather. They call the storm for their own comfort. The study of weather maps was useless against such a monster. Forcing your sails will only make your boat capsize.

"Nafas panting! Gasp!!"

(What about Marika!? What happened to him!?)

His entire vision seemed to be covered by a white static. This is a different disorder from anemia or hyperventilation. It goes beyond just winning or losing. He knelt down and crawled along the rough floor to reach the area where his childhood best friend was supposed to be sitting.

"Marya..."

The seats are barely left.

He was instead surrounded by a transparent crystal statue that shattered the scene as if a smoky glass when quite a lot of it had gathered together.

He hid among the "corpses" to avoid passing dinosaurs and covered his ears to not hear the sound of panicked people fleeing.

After a few minutes of struggling that felt like immortality, someone caught a sweaty boy's hand.

"Caruta! You survived!?"

"Marica!!" he shouted without caring about what others thought.

He was shrewd and did not equip himself with his Crystal Blossom.

She hugged her childhood friend tightly to make sure that she was really still alive. The smell of his body, the warmth of his body, and the heartbeat from his chest, were all real. This two-pointed girl was not a delusion her brain made to escape the reality around her.

"...! Geinska ..."

"..."

"Sorry, I, Gekiha, in front of me, can't stop him !!"

She cried.

But it's not over.

They have not woken up from the nightmare. The only way out is to survive on your own.

"Let's follow the others" he said. "We have to reach the exit."

That's their only option.

He looked back, but the white-haired woman did not move from the stage.

(How strong is he?)

And the two people joined hands with each other, even though they used many others as shields and many other students in the same situation suffered losses. They in some way managed to get out of the sports hall as if they were following a strong flow.

That's when it happened.

They had not woken up from the first nightmare, but the second nightmare had already arrived.

"What, you've started? I guess the plan is to wait until we're all there."

Under the night sky that was clearly unnatural due to a solar eclipse, a one-eyed woman burst into laughter. He was a Western European with blonde hair and white skin, but he wore a brightly colored kimono loosely.

He is one of the Problem Solving.

He rode a high-speed motorboat for the wealthy that could reach 150 km/h in open water. The distance was too close to the Ocean Crystal Magic Academy. The ship would normally receive a warning from the surrounding escort ships before approaching this close and being fired upon by automatic cannons and anti-ship missiles if it did not comply.

But none of that happened.

Only a terrifying silence surrounded him.

A voice sounded from the radio of the motor boat.

"You like to play games too much. Try to imagine what it would be like for those on the receiving end. It's better to use smarter methods like this."

"A better way to kill them?" asked the bespectacled woman in a mocking tone while looking straight at the sky.

A large tiltrotor plane passed overhead during the eclipse, but he was probably looking at something much, much higher.

"I beg you, Lugh, the Celtic God of Light," the voice on the radio said.

He was looking out into space.

In other words, a network of orbital weapons circling the entire planet on a larger scale.

A ray of bright light fell straight down.

The unnatural darkness of the eclipse was blown away by this strange white flash.

Black smoke was rising from all around.

Every last escort ship had lost its ability to continue fighting and tried its hardest to stay afloat. And then more and more thick beams fell onto each ship in turn like pressing a giant stamp on it. The grey ships had already melted like sugar carvings, but now they were split in half and destined to sink.

"Which part of that terrible mess should be better?" ask the woman in glasses.

"At the very least, they were killed instantly and painlessly" said the voice on the radio. "Surely it's better than being afraid of being eaten alive."

"The one killed doesn't really get an opinion, moron. And murder is murder, no matter how you try to embellish it. Stop the excuses and face your sins, you fake nun."

"Sad. Why should I listen to a lecture more holy than you than a pirate?"

The glasses woman stopped the engine of her motorboat. He lowered the anchor, took a thick netsuke-like binder attached to the hip of his kimono, attached it to a nearby fence, and threw three dice he pulled from the sleeve of his kimono.

There is no real meaning in it. The result is the same, whatever he rolls.

It's just a guide. As long as one side of the three dice is facing the night sky accurately, it will determine the desired "direction.

"I beg you, Susanoo, the God of Violence Wakoku."

After he said that, suddenly something happened without any warning at all. Something that floated like sparkling heat. Not fully did he understand on which dice of the three dice was the thing centered, but on this size, it was hardly important. The object that was lifted straight up, looming far above the one-eyed woman, passed through the tiltrotor plane that flew over her, and easily splitting the clouds in the night sky was an enormous sword.

It's actually over 100km long.

From any angle he was drawn, it could easily destroy the surrounding city. Although there were only tears as far as the eye could see, there was still a risk of getting to the mainland.

Therefore, he had to create a guide for his corner.

"Now."

Before the giant sword swayed as gravity grabbed it, the one-eyed woman floated her hand to the right and easily grabbed the handle. This one part alone is longer than a broom, but it is clearly out of balance with the rest.

But that doesn't matter. The kimono woman placed her empty left hand on the bottom of the handle and there was no sign of effort on her face.

Anyone who saw this might have mistakenly thought that there were two space elevators now.

After all, 100km was enough to reach the bottom of the thermosphere.

It was an absurd mass.

And it will produce a very strong wedge.

"That should be enough."

But he easily floated it down as if drawing a semicircle.

The sun rose and emitted a dazzling red light in the still dark sky. The wind blew fiercely and the clouds seemed to be distorted by the heat currents generated from that red light. It was as if it was a shooting star, leaving a contrail-like trail behind it.

It glided swiftly down the perfect path to split apart the giant ship of the Ocean Crystal Sihr Academy.

The ship was about the size of a luxury yacht, but tilted diagonally.

"Dad!"

"Marica !!"

It should be more than just water.

Karuta and Marika were thrown into the hallway along with many other disciples.

A crack appeared in the long corridor in front of them and as expected, that sturdy-looking corridor cracked into two pieces. In an instant a crack formed with a width of several meters, so it was impossible to cross it.

I am sorry, but I cannot rewrite this as it is not a paragraph nor does it make sense as a standalone sentence. Please provide me with a proper paragraph to rewrite.

Some people fell into that hole.

Flight, barrier, and regeneration.

It was an innate ability of Crystal Experts, so they could generally fly. Even if they had not learned to do so, they could definitely race at sea level.

So why did they drown in the rolling waves?

Because they are afraid to fly. They instinctively understood that standing in front of the Trouble Seekers was the same as dying, so the sky was not an option but they could not find any other solution. Therefore they are swallowed and drowned by the impasse of their own minds.

The several tens of people who had managed to cross the gap looked at them. Karuta and Marika could only watch as the "collapse" oscillated like a swing and sank into the sea.

They all didn't choose this.

They want to live more than anyone else, but that's what leads them to the deep seabed.

"What...?" Still confused, Karuta trembled and stared at the unimaginable scene. "What's going on!? Isn't this ship a mobile fortress aimed at fighting the Threat!? Isn't this a temple made from the best technology Magic Crystals?! How could this be destroyed with just one strike!?"

All that was left in front of them was a deadly sea blackened by the eclipse.

The ocean is wide with a panorama filled with flames and black smoke. Those were the escort ships meant to protect this ship. The ships were not destroyed with artillery or missiles. He did not know from what materials the large escort ships were made, but they had been twisted like melted sugar statues.

"What's that?" marika asked as the clouds in the artificial dark sky were blown away by the wind.

A thick beam of light descended on a gray escort ship that was trying hard to stay afloat. The ship split in two, sank into the ocean, and even triggered a steam explosion that quickly boiled the surrounding seawater.

This was in contrast to the ferocious dinosaurs made from collected remains.

But it's still the strongest.

It is from a different field, but it is one of the strongest forms.

This is a completely unattainable opponent and facing it should be avoided at all costs.

Even from a distance, the light beam was extremely bright, he thought it had burned his eyes.

He grimaced and placed a hand on the wall before making a suggestion.

"Living here won't bring any good, so let's get out of here!"

"Yeah!"

Karuta and Marika run the other way from the broken passageway, and the sound of young women making fun of the speakers installed throughout the ship.

"Ding dong ding dong! Is everyone dead? That was what Crystal Magic could achieve. Gya ha ha ha ha!"

"Kh."

At this moment, he doubted that this was someone weak.

More Problem Solvers are hiding on boats.

More monsters were on the same level as those dinosaurs and light spears.

"Our energy must be efficiently distributed to combat the Great Threat. And vou? You guys are basically a bunch of rich kids, aren't you? And I think we can all see how useless your Magic Crystals are, so you guys are just wasting energy. You guys are the bottom rank, so it doesn't hurt to get rid of you guys, right? Yes, this is all for the greater good."

"Damn it, shit, shit!!"

"Heh heh heh. Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!! You are so stupid! Crystal Magic Academy? You think you're a valuable chosen choice? No way!! Wake up, you idiots! You must use your brains before it becomes like this, spoiled! You do not realize that you are incriminating all of us by wasting resources for the school because of your meaningless ugly magic?! Gya ha ha ha ha!!"

"Karuta, don't let him disturb your mind. They have no reason to tell the truth here."

He knows it.

But more than that, he could not bear to watch the atmosphere where people who used violence had the absolute advantage and could do anything.

He never even considered winning.

And he didn't know until when he could continue to hope to survive.

So, how much will he compromise next time? How much will the Problem Solvers take from him? He could feel himself falling into the abyss, but he could not find a solution either. He could only hold his childhood friend's hand and continue running.

It was a futile act.

Since the beginning it has been checkmate.

For the second time, the 100km-long steel weapon was swung down and directly hit the half-destroyed ship.

The other party did not need to circle around the ship to look for small insects inside. They only needed to use an enormous mass to destroy the ship until it could no longer float. It will succeed in slaughtering everyone.

Some of their own men might be inside that ship.

However, one of the strongest can withstand the attacks of the other strongest. It doesn't matter if the ship sinks. Only the insects regretted losing their lives miserably.

“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Karuta and Marika are thrown into the air along with a fragment of the ship's material being split apart. Karuta finds nothing to hold onto as he sinks into the dirty sea.

It swallows a lot of sea water as it somehow or another manages to flap its wings to the surface. He was holding a wooden board that floated nearby.

“Pant, pant!!”

He managed to catch his breath, but then he turned pale

“Marika?”

He has disappeared.

The twin tail girl who always gave him spirit, was not in that place.

“Marika! Where are you, Marika!?"

Gekiha is dead. He had no idea what had happened to his other classmates or his class teacher. In a situation like this, it was impossible for everyone to survive. In this madness, death is common. In this world, "lucky" means having a shattered emergency recovery crystal statue and having to wait for centuries or even millennia before you can wake up again. However, Utagai Karuta still can't believe that his childhood friend has "gone".

"No, shit, wait, shit, Marikaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?"

His sight became dark.

But later...

"Stop, stop. I'm still alive."

"Marika .. ka?"

He looked so small that he was worried about losing his sight due to the thin waves at sea level, but he was still there.

His childhood friend clung to an empty plastic tank and spoke with pale lips.

"I'm doing fine. I still have my legs. ...Provided they don't sustain further damage."

"Ahh, hiks, ahhhhh. Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"

He can't stop it.

She was crying like a child.

That's all there is. Karuta and Marika survived, that's all. They were surrounded by shattered panels and furniture ruins like a river that was directly after the storm. And almost no one moved. There must be other childhood friends like the two of them. I have a friend who just met today. And there are definitely people in closer relationships romantically.

But none of them are here.

No one survived as far as the eye could see.

Large shadows passed over their heads as they floated in the dead sea. It was a military tiltrotor aircraft. The rope dangled from there, and several young adults held it tightly. They are not students or teachers. White-haired women with dinosaurs were among them.

Finally, it gave him a clue.

It was a military tiltrotor aircraft.

They are the ones who have the power to fight against the Threats that usually threaten the world and are able to defeat mankind. They were professional God-Empathizing magic users.

They are Problem Solvers.

The strongest group of five.

“You call yourself a representative of justice?”

Utagai Karuta clenched his teeth and shouted against the sky as if roaring into the sky.

"You call this a state that adiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!?"

His voice did not reach anyone.

In the spring when Utagai Karuta was 15 years old, her beautiful school life at the Crystal Magic Academy had to be stopped by bloody tears.

And that was the beginning of a journey of a boy and a girl traveling the world in pursuit of revenge.

Between Lines 0

"There is nothing better than cooking for yourself" says Amaashi Marika.

It was before the Ocean Crystal Magic Academy Grimnoah sank.

He sat at the cafeteria table, but he had not ordered anything.

He used chopsticks to pick up the contents of the bento box while watching other warring boys and girls through their lunch vigorously at the booking table.

"Yes, right now I can't stop thinking about the word bourgeois. Let them eat cake, indeed."

You dare say that while stealing from Karuta bento.

"Diem's. Don't pretend you don't take meatballs."

"Arbit as you please, but stay away from my bento!"

Utagai Karuta's complaint is ignored.

He doesn't make bento every day, but sometimes he does. And his friends would know it even if he didn't announce it. He could guess the smell from the bento that told everyone, but there was nothing he could do about it.

“By the way, did you hear what they revealed about the Disaster?”

"We're in the same class, so it's weird if I don't know" Marika said. "It can be anything, from a natural disaster to a plague or even a war. Basically, they threw us into a dangerous part of the world and told us to survive, right?"

None of them liked the sound.

Karuta spoke while making sure to eat it asparagus wrapped in meat before it was stolen.

"Are Magic Crystals really so convenient?"

"Sacri-sama, if you are not satisfied with my functionality, I recommend immediately supplying pure gold to extend that functionality."

"I will die from debt before I can use a convenient function. And why are you hiding under the table?"

“Tuh Aine-chan!” shout Marika. “This is it, I'll give you omelet.”

“Marika, feeding him from bentoku will not fill my stomach!”

They kept talking throughout the lunch break.

“But I'm sure we can,” Kazamuki Gekiha said. He sounds confident. “Senior we've all gone through it, haven't we? It showed just how likely Crystal Magic was. So we're gonna be fine. We are on the winning rails, so we will always survive as long as we do not get lost in strange ways.”

Is that true?

Maybe so.

Karuta thought about it for a moment and then nodded his head.

“Ya.”

Actually was.

How can they keep going if they don't?