Asagami Fujino effortlessly twisted a man's arm, causing all of his joints to contort and deform in an unnatural manner.
This scene sparked discussions among nearly everyone present.
Compared to the ordinary patrons of the Edward Tavern, the magicians from the Imperial Magic Academy were much more fervent in their analysis of Asagami Fujino's abilities.
"What kind of ability is this? Magic? But is there magic that directly interferes with physical reality like this?"
"Mental-type magic primarily affects the mind and soul, and elemental magic focuses on destructive power through elemental forces. Neither of them can directly alter reality like that. Curse-type magic does have some similar effects, but it requires a lengthy setup process—it's almost impossible to activate instantly like Asagami Fujino does."
"So, this must be related to Asagami Fujino's eyes. Speaking of which, didn't Ryougi Shiki also have similar eyes on Overlooking View?"
"But there's a big difference between Ryougi Shiki and Asagami Fujino. Ryougi Shiki destroys objects by severing their conceptual lines, whereas Asagami Fujino distorts reality directly. The difference is enormous."
"This world in The Garden of Sinners feels similar to Fate/Zero—both depict battles between a small group of individuals with supernatural abilities in a world that otherwise seems normal."
"It seems like these mysterious eyes are the primary combat system in The Garden of Sinners. I wonder if this kind of power can be replicated using magic in reality?"
"..."
The students' discussions filled the air, clearly showing their keen interest in an ability so different from conventional magic.
Meanwhile, the conversations among the Arch Mages at the peak of the Alchemy Tower were far more in-depth.
"Embedding spell formations into the eyes and activating magic instantly through blinking or other means—it seems theoretically possible."
A senior Necromancy Branch Arch Mage spoke with a glimmer of enthusiasm in his eyes, intrigued by the theoretical implications.
On the other side, the Academy's Headmaster, Hohenheim, sighed and said slowly:
"There have indeed been similar studies in the past, but none ended well."
"Oh? Why is that?"
"The human body has inherent limitations. Imprinting magical circuits or spell formations into the body often leads to a common outcome—the body simply cannot withstand the excessive magical energy."
"If the human body can't endure it, then we just need to find a way to strengthen it..."
As the Necromancy Branch Arch Mage spoke, he suddenly fell silent.
After all, when it came to enhancing the human body, the first thing that came to mind was the research conducted by the Undead Branch—an area that had long since become taboo in the magical world.
Human bodies were not to be altered at will. Violating this fundamental principle would bring about consequences too terrifying to imagine.
The history of the Undead Branch's downfall had already proven this truth.
Otherwise, transforming oneself into an undead being would have been the simplest way to achieve immortality. Yet in this world, true immortals were exceedingly rare.
So where did all the undead go?
The Arch Mages, the most knowledgeable minds of humanity, had long since found the answer to that question.
"So, The Garden of Sinners's combat system mainly revolves around these mystical eyes, huh? That means the overall power level won't be too high. I was hoping for more spectacular battles."
No one responded to the comment made by the Fire Elemental Arch Mage, who was known for wielding a hammer.
However, the atmosphere became noticeably more relaxed.
Seizing the moment, Arch Mage Rosa smiled and said:
"Don't worry, there are still some exciting battles coming up."
<+>
In the movie.
Asagami Fujino twisted the young man's neck.
"I'm sorry... but I have to do this."
"This is the only way I can... be normal."
"I never wanted to kill anyone."
As Asagami Fujino muttered to herself, Ryougi Shiki slowly stepped out from the side and said loudly:
"I wouldn't be so sure about that."
"You are… Miss Shiki?"
Surprised, Asagami Fujino looked at her.
Ryougi Shiki replied indifferently:
"Asagami Fujino… I see. You have the blood of the Asagami deity, don't you?"
"When did you—"
"From the moment you invited that piece of meat out, I've been watching the whole time."
"Watching the whole time—?!"
Asagami Fujino's eyes widened in shock. She could clearly sense the abnormality in Ryougi Shiki.
"Please don't call him a piece of meat. He was a human. This is a human corpse."
"That's right. Even if a human turns into a corpse, they are still human. Losing a soul doesn't make them mere meat. But if someone can't even die like a person, they don't deserve to be called human. So, that's nothing more than a pile of flesh."
"..."
"Finding pleasure in destroying others… we're quite alike, Asagami."
"I am not! I'm a normal person, completely different from you!"
As she spoke, Fujino's glowing eyes locked onto Shiki's, preparing to unleash her ability.
However, just as she was about to activate her power, it suddenly weakened.
"————!?"
Both Shiki and Fujino were taken aback.
"Again? What the hell is wrong with you?"
Irritated, Shiki scratched her head and, looking disappointed, turned to leave.
"Just go home. That way, we won't have to meet again."
Watching Shiki walk away, Asagami Fujino stood dazed in the pool of blood.
She was supposed to hate this—hate this inhuman life.
But in the reflection of the blood, a faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
. . .
At the same time, as Ryougi Shiki and Asagami Fujino crossed paths, Kokutou Mikiya had managed to track down his target through various clues.
In his sight stood a shivering boy, about sixteen years old. His face was gaunt, his cheeks sunken, and his bloodshot eyes filled with fear.
This young man, named Souta Keita, was too terrified to return home. He had been hiding outside for days and nights, so weak he seemed on the verge of collapse.
Using careful conversation techniques, Kokutou Mikiya gradually broke down the boy's psychological defenses and learned what had happened that night.
"You're saying the five of you were nearly wiped out by that girl?"
"I know you might not believe me, but it's the truth! She's a monster! She's not human!"
"What do you mean?"
"She was just standing there, and our bodies started twisting on their own. I kept hearing the sound of bones snapping—crack, crack—I don't even know what was happening."
"That's…"
"I should have realized it earlier. That girl was always weird. No matter what we did to her, she barely reacted."
"What did you do to her?"
"About six months ago, we ran into her on the street. We followed her because she looked interesting. She was super hot, but not fun at all—like playing with a doll. Even when our leader threatened her, she didn't react. When we forced her to take drugs, she didn't react. Even when we beat her, she didn't care."
Hearing this, Kokutou Mikiya fell silent. His expression turned grim.
Meanwhile, Souta Keita continued talking, oblivious to Mikiya's growing anger.
"But… oh right, that time was different. It was recent. One of my friends was a real psycho. He thought it was fun that Fujino didn't react even when beaten, so he swung a metal rod at her back. She flew through the air—it looked like it really hurt. Her face twisted in pain. But weirdly, that made me feel relieved—so she did have pain. That night, she seemed more like a real person, so I remember it clearly."
"Shut the hell up!"
Hearing the boy's casual tone while describing such horrific abuse, Kokutou Mikiya nearly lost control.
If it weren't for the case at hand, he would have turned and left right then—maybe even called the police to arrest this bastard.
But in the end, he suppressed his rage and took this criminal with him to Touko's office, where he would be given shelter.
<+>
As the scene between the two played out on-screen, the audience was in an uproar.
At last, they truly understood the real meaning behind that opening scene.
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind paying $5 each month to read till the latest chapter, please go to my Patreon[1].
Latest Post In Patreon: Chapter 193: Steins;Gate Has Finished Screening! (Part 1)[2]
Link to the chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/131161767?collection=162522[3]
https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/131161767?collection=162522
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/131161767?collection=162522
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed