The day after everything happened, people’s attention didn’t focus on the direct confrontation between Xingyue and Manjusaka at all.
Instead, everyone’s attention was completely sidetracked by another trending topic.
“Master Jinlin, Master Jinlin! Did you really use Zero-Rank Magic this time? That so-called spell that can wipe out a whole mountain range, sweeping away even dimension-level beasts?! We’ve been magical girls for so long and never seen it once!”
“I’ve seen it! I’ve lived in Jiuming Sea since I was little, and during the Black Candle Colossus Subjugation, I watched the whole thing. That power… I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life.”
Luo You was utterly overwhelmed by their endless barrage of questions.
“Why are you all asking me?! I wasn’t even there at the time!”
“Because we think you might know some inside story… That’s Zero-Rank Magic we’re talking about!”
Yes, the impact of using Zero-Rank Magic was that enormous.
Even the hot search about Xingyue and Manjusaka’s head-on clash could only trail behind this headline.
For ordinary people, Zero-Rank Magic carried a weight comparable to nuclear weapons in the human world… But in reality, its weight was even greater.
After all, if humans launched a nuke, the most they could do was scratch the surface of the Black Candle Colossus, maybe just make it angry.
But Zero-Rank Magic actually sealed the Black Candle Colossus.
While these magical girls chattered away with their bystander curiosity, things outside were much heavier.
In the past, Zero-Rank Magic had only ever been used four times, and the only real use was during the battle against the Black Candle Colossus.
That subjugation didn’t just make humanity realize how terrifying the Boundary Sea was, it made them realize how terrifying Zero-Rank Magic was.
For Zero-Rank Magic to be used, it meant the situation at the time was already spinning out of control.
Xingyue’s press conference afterward made that clear.
“Someone tried to use a method we don’t understand to wipe us all out that day. I personally judged that we had to block this trend and took the lead in using Zero-Rank Magic with my teammates. It caused panic for all sides, and for that, I apologize. But what we should really be focusing on is that the enemy’s methods have surpassed our expectations. With the Black Candle Colossus and so many threats inside and out, we really should have a sense of crisis. So I hope all countries, especially the United Nations, can take the lead and stop wasting time on infighting.”
In recent years, Xingyue rarely appeared in the media, and unlike Manjusaka, she never openly offended any faction, so her words were generally recognized by all countries.
Now it’s known—the enemy has methods that can force even Xingyue and the others to use Zero-Rank Magic.
Most importantly, this method seems to be “controllable,” and that’s the key point.
Because of this, the Five Powers, who always sat at the chessboard, had no choice but to step down and get involved personally.
This thing posed a serious threat to their safety!
Of course, their real motivation for stepping in was that they wanted to make this method their own.
Once they mastered it, not only would it help explore the Boundary Sea’s secrets, it would also give them a deterrent no less than nuclear weapons over other countries.
Most importantly, they all needed a way to counter Zero-Rank Magic.
That’s how it was—now that the Five Powers were acting personally, the situation had completely changed.
Although they hadn’t reached an agreement and were competing more fiercely than ever for a new strategic deterrent, they’d stirred up an unstoppable anti-traitor wave across the world.
Under this wave, other countries could only support and cooperate.
In general, it pretty much achieved Manjusaka’s original intention.
“How could those people make such a stupid mistake?”
Luo You felt something was off.
She thought, if that group had the means to plot against the world, they couldn’t be stupid.
Yet when the situation was going against Manjusaka and the Magical Alliance, they revealed their trump card to Xingyue and the others, and then ran off halfway!
They didn’t even inflict any casualties on Xingyue’s side!
They exposed their chips for nothing, and now the Five Powers themselves were going to peel away all their secrets—the tables turned in an instant.
“Could it be Xingyue and the others’ use of Zero-Rank Magic was actually an ‘overreaction,’ and the situation wasn’t severe enough to use such a trump card?”
If they were trying to force the Five Powers to act through this move, then it would make sense.
But Luo You felt that, back then, Xingyue and the others using Zero-Rank Magic…
Well, it couldn’t be called completely unnecessary, but it wasn’t really an overreaction either—it was a problem that could have been solved with or without using it.
Or maybe… the enemy was feigning weakness too?
“I’m really worried… about Lord Xingyue’s condition…”
Qiuyu suddenly said.
“Hm? Was she hurt?”
Luo You looked over in confusion.
If they’d used Zero-Rank Magic, what could possibly have hurt her?
It couldn’t have happened during the confrontation with Manjusaka, could it?
Qiuyu shook her head, “There’s always a price for using Zero-Rank Magic. Even if it wasn’t fully cast and just used for intimidation, it still puts a huge burden on the body…”
“Oh, now that you mention it…”
Luo You suddenly realized.
The original Seventh Seat among the Ten Seats, Lithia, had died just like that.
It was said that during the Black Candle Colossus Subjugation, she presided over the use of Zero-Rank Magic, but before she could finish sealing the Black Candle Colossus, she died on the spot and someone else had to take over.
If Zero-Rank Magic was that easy to use, there’d be no need to fear any dragon-level dimension beasts.
Luo You was now sure the enemy really did have powerful hidden tricks.
This time, the enemy was clearly too greedy—trying to take out Xingyue, Manjusaka, Broken-Winged Butterfly, and Jin Wang all at once.
But with so many Ten Seats present, the appearance of Zero-Rank Magic was perfectly reasonable, instantly shattering their plans.
If there’s a next time, it’ll be when Xingyue is on her own.
[Was that caused by an ancient artifact? If so, I need to watch out for that myself…]
Luo You became more cautious. Back when that wave appeared, the response of the Absolute Spirit Coral had caught her attention, but it didn’t feel like it had sensed any threat.
“That’s it for today, I’m heading back.”
“Oh, take care, Master Jinlin!”
Luo You went straight to Xingyue’s dorm.
As the one who controlled Xingyue’s body, she had to at least show some concern.
Visiting was the bare minimum.
But there was no one there.
“Well, whatever, if she’s not in, so be it! Who cares!”
Luo You shook her head and turned to go home.
And then she saw Xingyue sitting on her own couch, waiting for her.
“Did you learn that from Zhizhi?”
Luo You suddenly realized—“being used to it” was a really sad state of mind.
Save me, family, who would understand?
Why does it feel like any magical girl can just enter her home at will?
Her house was part of her own body, and magical girls could come and go as they pleased—come and go, come and go—Luo You was nearly about to high… almost about to break down.
She was used to it.