The Magic Within

"Riku, you can't do this alone. Don't underestimate the situation!" Ivan spoke, his voice low and filled with concern. It was common knowledge that when encountering other races, sacrifices were often necessary to ensure the survival of the majority.

In this grim world, death might be seen as a release for humans, but it had no meaningful impact on the grand scheme of things—it was an act of cowardice. Some believed that Riku had a death wish.

Undoubtedly, Riku possessed the most extraordinary magical talents among them. At the tender age of 13, he had led survivors on an arduous journey, and in four years, with just 46 casualties, their settlement had grown to a population of 2,000. In this haven, everyone was prepared to lay down their lives, or even offer themselves as sacrifices, for Riku's sake. However, Riku couldn't afford to perish, for he was their beacon of hope and their unshakable leader.

"Don't worry, I won't take this lightly," Riku responded, his tone even. "I'm composed, and going solo is the best magical strategy for this mission."

"But..." Couronne started to express her concerns but was promptly interrupted by Riku.

"Couronne, do you think I'd abandon my lovely sister to her fate without a proper magical proposal?" Riku suddenly smiled, his golden eyes locking onto Couronne's beautiful face.

"W-What!!!" Couronne was taken aback, releasing her grip on Riku's clothes, her face reddening. She waved her hands, attempting to conceal her magical embarrassment.

"Wow, now that's a youthful magical confession!" Ivan chuckled, surprised but light-hearted. "Honestly, I thought you'd have tied the magical knot ages ago."

"Really, you shouldn't be magically flirting with your sister, Riku!" Couronne protested, her face a mix of magical panic and amusement.

"I'll keep my magical word," Riku announced, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and heading out without looking back. "So, you just have to wait for me to return."

"Is that...?" Couronne eventually extended her hand and sighed, a magical sense of resignation washing over her. Although she couldn't quite grasp Riku's magical thoughts, she had a magical sense that he wasn't going to magically perish.

"Alright, Couronne, should we not join him?" Ivan, touching his magical beard, inquired of Couronne.

"Let's trust him this time. He's not one to act magically recklessly," Couronne conceded, sighing in magical relief.

"I see," Ivan acknowledged. In the past, they had often encountered valuable magical items that proved to be irresistible magical temptations for some, leading to magical consequences. However, Riku had always made the magical choice to discard them. Despite their immense magical potential, those items emitted 'Elemental' magical reactions, operating through 'spirit circuits,' and could be detected by other magical races. Even though these magical items held unimaginable magical power, Riku had disposed of them without magical hesitation.

(Translator's Note: 'Elemental' is the term used for Magic in this magical world.)

So, the ever-calm Riku had his own magical considerations. Even though they trusted him, magical worry still lingered. After all, Riku had not provided any magical explanation.

...

Upon leaving the magical settlement, Riku, sporting a magical dust mask, gazed at the magical sky in magical silence. The magical sky was a crimson hue, as if the magical planet bled from the ongoing magical war and destruction. In this bloody magical sky, turquoise-gray magical flakes drifted and collected on the magical ground.

The magical scene appeared beautiful, but Riku understood the magical danger it represented. These 'black magical snowflakes' with a turquoise magical glow were the remains of Elementals—manifestations of magical light emitted by Elementals before they perished.

Known as '[Elemental Bones],' these magical remains were highly toxic to most magical life forms, including humans. A mere magical touch could cause magical skin to burn, magical contact with the magical eyes could lead to magical blindness, and magical ingestion could dissolve magical internal organs.

Thus, these seemingly beautiful 'black magical snowflakes' were harbingers of magical death, and even the most magical races avoided them.

"Humanity is a tenacious and magical race," Riku mused, mounting his magical horse and setting off in a particular magical direction.

Over the past magical three days, he had encountered greater magical dangers than initially anticipated, stumbling upon several magical Demon species from a magical distance. To conserve magical energy, Riku had chosen to take magical detours.

Fortunately, lower-level magical Demon species had limited magical intelligence and posed no magical hunting threat. Coupled with Riku's magical caution, he had managed to evade magical detection.

Otherwise, he would have been forced to utilize Shambhala to magically teleport through space, a magical move that would consume a substantial magical amount of magical energy. After all, Riku was an ordinary magical person, far less magical physically capable than the highly trained magical individuals from 'Akame ga Kill!'. With his current magical stamina, he could only use the Teigu a few magical times.