Fire Pillars

And just as that thought entered Kamijou’s mind...

Several pillars of fire suddenly roared up around Kamijou.

“...Eh?”

Kamijou let out that confused voice, but the situation was not going to wait for his understanding to catch up. The flames that had shot up began raining down from above.

(Shit... That filter was a switch!?)

It may have looked like a giant maw if viewed from the side.

And that boy’s body disappeared into the flames as if he was being devoured by that maw.

A helicopter suddenly landed on the road while ignoring all regulations regarding heliports. It and the pilot were the extent of the “limited cooperation” from Academy City. The red-haired priest who stepped out sighed as he grasped the situation.

His name was Stiyl Magnus.

He was a magician dispatched by Necessarius, the 0th Parish of the Anglican Church.

“...So it was failure,” he muttered.

The sea of flames was then instantaneously blown away with a great noise. When Kamijou Touma emerged from within, he was completely unscathed.

“What the hell are you doing!? Were those flames your doing!?”

“I won’t deny that, but you were not the intended target. And now I must ask you the same question: what are you doing?”

Road to Endymion, Chapter 1, Parts 5-6