Chapter 06…
First Year
Section 1: Reunion
Falling Star
After school.
I, Masato Insei, was still around the school area.
Not because I was free.
Today, I had been systematically eliminating places around the school where stagnant energy tended to accumulate.
The particularly large accumulations in this town had already been dealt with.
But regardless of size, just the existence of these stagnations could give birth to those humanoid monsters.
Of course, eradicating all of them would also be problematic in its own way.
Still, I thought it would be easier to handle the school area first.
If a monster from the stagnant energy appeared during class or something, it would undoubtedly be troublesome.
I destroyed the last hotspot near the school using magic.
That completed today’s schedule.
I was thinking about what to do next when I sensed a fluctuation in magical energy in the air.
Immediately afterward, I faintly heard a scream.
I ran in the direction of the fluctuation.
I reached the outer perimeter of the school, so I ran along the wall.
Turning a corner, I came out onto the road by the school gate.
I saw students fleeing from the school.
Apparently, it had appeared inside the school today.
I used my perception-blocking magic once more and entered the premises.
The source of the fluctuation was quickly found.
A Falling Star of the Fly Constellation was attacking a male student.
It seemed the fluctuation I sensed was coming from it.
Since returning to this town, I had fought this thing several times.
And each time, it had escaped.
So today, I would defeat it.
With that resolve, I traced my left hand across my stomach from right to left, summoning the gear I had left at home.
A deep blue gear appeared in a flash of light and wrapped around my abdomen.
Next, I focused on the Capricorn pattern etched on the back of my left hand, crystallizing star energy to form a plate.
I inserted the plate into the gear and raised my left hand to shoulder height.
Rotating it clockwise, I extended it to the left after a full turn.
Then I brought my left arm back to shield my eyes.
“Star Armor – Full Equip.”
With those words, I pressed the button on top of the gear.
The Capricorn constellation emerged before my eyes from the center of the gear.
The constellation glowed and enveloped my entire body.
Within the light, my body was clad in a navy undersuit crystallized from star energy and black armor.
When the light cleared, I was wearing armor imbued with the power of the constellation, fighting beings that harmed humans, like stagnations and Falling Stars—forces beyond human reach.
The Fly Constellation noticed me and charged.
I dodged by rolling to the side.
Its troublesome traits were its speed and ability to fly.
Both were difficult for me to counter.
If my attacks couldn’t hit, I couldn’t restrain it.
It charged again.
A predictable attack, but effective against me this time.
I conjured a staff, held it with both hands, and struck the ground.
The soil in front of me rose, forming a wall.
The Fly Constellation changed direction upward, charging from higher than the wall.
I barely dodged by rolling again.
It seemed this tactic had already been countered.
And I’d been rolling all this time. Without opening a breach, victory was impossible.
The Fly Constellation leapt again.
It seemed to want to attack from above again, pleased with the previous attempt.
If it escaped upward, my magic wouldn’t reach, which was inconvenient.
But battles are about forcing the opponent into a disadvantage.
So what should I do?
I thought while dodging the attacks.
Then, I had an idea.
Attack from a place the opponent doesn’t expect.
I didn’t dodge immediately but drew the Fly Constellation as close as possible.
Before it could strike, I unleashed a kick imbued with fire magic.
Since I hadn’t used this method today, it landed perfectly.
The Fly Constellation was blown away.
A window of opportunity appeared.
I enhanced my legs with magic and leaped onto the roof of the second-floor corridor.
The Fly Constellation hadn’t regained its stance yet.
I then jumped toward the school building, kicked off the outer wall, and soared higher.
Using wind magic without incantation, I stabilized myself in the air and spoke:
“Fire, the symbol of human civilization, grant me your great power. Become the flames that burn away the stagnation spreading across this world.”
A red magic circle appeared at the tip of my staff.
I aimed the staff at where the Fly Constellation had been, ready to incinerate it.
But the creature was nowhere to be seen.
It had been there just moments ago.
A bad feeling hit me as I looked back.
It was already too late.
The Fly Constellation had gotten behind me, ready to strike.
I had underestimated its speed.
At this range, it was too late to cast my spell.
I circulated star energy through my body to brace for impact.
The next moment, I felt intense pain in my stomach and was slammed into the ground at tremendous speed.
The next pain should have been from hitting the ground.
I focused star energy on my back.
But the sensation wasn’t from the ground—it felt like falling into liquid.
Opening my eyes, the view was dark and unstable.
Apparently, I had fallen into a pool.
Even in Star Armor, I couldn’t operate underwater for long.
I hurried to get out of the water.
But then I thought of another tactic.
I stopped trying to leave the water and watched the Fly Constellation.
It was observing me from above, flying.
Perfect.
But my staff wasn’t in hand.
It had apparently been lost when I fell.
So I recreated my staff.
Just the tip emerged from the water, and I fired a magic projectile using star energy.
Although basic, this projectile was the only magic I could make track its target.
The Fly Constellation flew away to avoid it.
I climbed out to the poolside.
Placing my left hand on the ground and holding the staff behind me with my right, I quickly began incantation.
“Water, source of life, grant me your great power. Protect me from countless external threats.”
A magic circle appeared on the ground, and the pool water began surrounding me.
Even with chlorine, I could manipulate it magically—a relief.
The Fly Constellation finally returned after dealing with the projectile, flying roughly three stories high.
This time, I was ready.
It seemed unsure how to respond to my new technique.
Eventually, it charged.
I had been waiting.
“Water! Capture it!”
I shouted, and the water around me enveloped the Fly Constellation.
It flailed in the water, slowed as expected.
Though it was a simple incantation, a clear opening had appeared.
I could now freely cast incantation magic.
I aimed my staff at it, left hand supporting.
“Water, source of life, grant me your great power. Sweep away the stagnation spreading across this world.”
A blue magic circle appeared at the staff tip, drawing water from the pool and the surrounding area.
The Fly Constellation tried to escape, but I completed the incantation first.
A stream of water shot out from the staff, blasting the Fly Constellation into the air in a high arc.
And it disappeared from sight.
I couldn’t confirm if it was defeated.
But since I hit it at that distance, it likely suffered a fatal blow.
Normally, I should confirm the defeat, but I was barely able to stand.
The armor disappeared, returning me to my school uniform.
Constantly using perception and recognition-blocking magic while clearing stagnations, then fighting—twice, excluding failed incantations, plus one simple spell.
Even though I used available water, I had likely exhausted too much star energy.
For now, I resolved to move somewhere out of sight.
Unfortunately, my consciousness failed at that moment.
