Time Magic

"So? What's going on?" Gareth came back with Bete after leading the rest of the Loki Familia on the 39th floor, a safe zone, in a hurry.

Finn explained the situation to Gareth while Riveria is berating Bete for suddenly interrupting something important.

Understanding the situation, Gareth came over to Kisuke and Yoruichi and greeted them, "It's great that you came out alive. Though I should say, you're not in very great shape. Here, have this. As thanks for keeping the camp safe earlier. I heard it from our supporters." Gareth took out an Elixir set aside for himself and gave it to Kisuke.

Kisuke smiled and accepted it, "Thanks~. Although I won't be able to use it now since I need to recover some of my strength naturally first."

Gareth didn't mind it and only nodded back at him, "Let's go."

The group then resumed walking and a minute later, Riveria went beside Kisuke and Yoruichi, "Uhmm... About what you said earlier..."

As if remembering it now, Kisuke replied, "Oh... Right... The second ability of the Balor's third eye."

"N-no... Before that... You mentioned that I can learn what you just did too..."

"Ah... About that... Loga-san's arrival reminded me of someone and I thought I should not really tell these things."

"W-why?" Riveria doesn't know that she currently making a face that's Kisuke enjoys with all his soul. And although not as much as Kisuke, Yoruichi also wanted to laugh, 'So this is this guy's goal.'

Kisuke stopped himself from grinning and put on a very serious expression despite the fact that his face right now is covered by a piece of clothing and nobody could possibly peek through it unleash they have x-ray visions, "I'll tell you about it later before we separate."

"...Okay..." Riveria then proceeded to give Bete a cold stare before continuing, "Please continue on to the next ability of that Balor."

'This Elf is really fun... And that horny dog will get it later~. Too bad, I can't watch it.' Kisuke thought before clearing his throat with a fake cough, "Ehem... As I told you earlier, the other ability of the Balor's third eye is the Time Stagnation."

Riveria's expression went back to normal as she furrowed her brows, "Time Stagnation... Could it be magic that manipulates time?"

"Huh!? Old H--!?" Bete spoke while nursing his whacked forehead but before he could finish, she received another glare from Riveria, "R-Riveria, could it be you really believe him that magic that manipulates time itself is possible!? And if something like that is really possible, then it's only for the Gods!"

"Indeed, it's easy for Gods to cast a time-related spell, but it's also one of the most useless spells for them because it could only affect those a lot weaker than them and against other Gods, it's completely useless as they can't be affected by it because their flow of time is a mess. As you probably know, those guys are eternally unchanging beings."

Bete wanted to say more, but the Amazoness twins shut his mouth forcefully.

Seeing this, Kisuke continued, "That said, it isn't just Gods who can use them. Although space and time types of magic are very complicated compared to other types of magic, it's possible. What the Balor used is Time Stagnation which slows down the time flow of everything around it.

"However, there are obvious limitations on it as it can't slow down our perception that's why we can easily feel it."

Everyone became silent after hearing Kisuke's words. Except for Riveria, they can't wrap their heads around the concept of time manipulation easily, "Isn't slowing down time too much? What if the Balor just made everything heavier, hence, became harder to move?" Finn asked and Bete wholeheartedly agrees.

"In your perspective, that's indeed the case. But that's only because you're not familiar with the unique feeling that time magic gives."

"So you're saying that you've already experience time magic multiple times that you're already familiar with it?" Riveria's brows furrowed deeper as her suspicions grow, but more than that, her interest in curiosity is growing faster. There's nothing else she wanted to do now than to sit down and talk about magic with Kisuke. She also has lingering thoughts if she should ask him to take her as his disciple.

Successfully leading the conversation, Kisuke smiled widely, "Yep~. I'm a bit familiar with it. And if you want proof, then I can at least tell that Wallenstein-san came out of a time stasis long ago... About a decade ago?"

After this revelation, everyone from the Loki Familia stopped walking with shocked faces, especially Ais, who, in addition to shock, a hint of fear crept to her face, "...H-how!?"

Yoruichi also stopped walking and faced everyone with Kisuke, 'What is this guy planning now? I really wish he would inform me of things he wanted to do.'

As if not noticing their expressions, Kisuke answered Ais nonchalantly, "I told you, right? I can tell if time magic is cast. Especially in your case. I can tell that you've been in a pretty strong time stasis. How long have you been asleep? 10 years? 30? 100? Or perhaps a 1,000 years?"

Ais shuddered and slowly took a step back, "H-how!?"

And as if only noticing it now, Kisuke looked everyone with widened eyes, "Ah... Is that supposed to be secret?... My bad... It's just that her situation really bothers me. You're abruptly woken up and there were some parts of your physique that are not working quite right. If that can be fixed, then you'll be stronger than you're now and you'll have an easier time with your training."

Ais' fear subsided for a bit as she listens. Now instead of fear of being seen through, she's now more interested in the fact that she could become stronger. But before she could ask about it, she finally noticed that her fellow Familia members are looking at her with shocked expressions, "A-Ais... Is what he said true?" Riveria asked.

Ais herself didn't know about this time stasis that Kisuke is talking about, but she indeed woke up in a different era she presumed a thousand years later and the only people who knew of this are Loki and the unknown people who woke her up and sent her to Orario nine years ago.

She didn't want to lie to her comrades so the only thing she could do is to stay silent and look down in guilt for hiding it from them which is the same as admitting it.

The rest of the Loki Familia doesn't know how they would process this information but the first one to calm down is Riveria as she approached Ais and gave her a hug, "It's alright. Nothing really changes even if we knew that. You're still the Ais that I watched growing up." Riveria whispered to her lovingly.

Ais didn't know what to say or to do, but she hugged her back so that she can feel Riveria's warmth more. Along with it, is some sort of weight disappearing from her chest. Although she's still hiding a lot of things, it's a big relief for her that someone could still accept her despite her being different from others.