Multiverse: Why does the world show a health bar? !

When Kamijou Touma and Stiyl first entered the room, Index noticed them immediately. Though deeply engrossed in analyzing the barrier used by the young magician, she could still sense their presence. 

However, almost as soon as they entered, Index realized the magician had layered another barrier within the existing one, effectively isolating sound. What frustrated her further was the one-sided nature of this isolation—her voice couldn't reach the outside, but she could still hear everything beyond the barrier. 

Index was certain the magician had done this **on purpose**. 

Thus, she channeled her frustration into her appetite. Only by eating could she soothe her emotions. 

"Idiot, idiot, idiot! Touma, you idiot! Why did you chat with him? You should've just used your right hand to destroy the barrier outright! Now all the Grimoires have been copied by that guy." 

"I agree with Index on this one. You were too indecisive," Stiyl said as he entered the room. "I remember you weren't like this before." 

When the nearly two-meter-tall man entered, Index subtly moved closer to Kamijou. She didn't recall her past life with Stiyl—only that he and another woman had once hunted her. 

—Though unsure why they were allies now, Index remained wary of him. 

Kamijou scratched his head. "I just thought we could resolve this without a fight. He didn't seem like a bad person. And... I was worried that if I destroyed the barrier, his reaction might be too aggressive. 

Besides, Index was still inside the barrier eating at the time, wasn't she?" 

Index nodded seriously, backing up Kamijou's point. "That's true. That magician is very strong. He casually created barriers, seamlessly integrating different magical systems into his own unique style. Onmyoudou, Shinto, ancient Greek magic..." 

The magician's knowledge was vast and complex, making it hard to pin down his origins. He didn't seem tied to any magical organization or religious group. Who was he? Where did he come from? 

These questions left her puzzled. 

"Index, if you heard the whole conversation... that thing about Zoroastrianism... was it true?" 

The idea of branding an innocent person as an evil god, killing them to symbolize eradicating all evil, disgusted Kamijou. It reminded him of the Level 6 Shift Project. 

"How could something like that even happen? To bear the sins of the entire world... an ordinary person couldn't possibly do that. Even the Son of God, who bore 'original sin,' hasn't completed that task yet, let alone something like that." 

"From a magical perspective, could something like that actually happen?" 

"It's possible," Stiyl interjected. "Not all magicians maintain their sanity or conscience. You should know what magicians are like." 

Kamijou knew. Most magicians he'd met had their quirks, and many disregarded human life. 

"Touma, whether that story is true is still uncertain. Maybe the magician was lying to you?" Index suggested. 

Stiyl added, "It's very possible. What concerns me more is his Magic Name: 'Beast 444.' It reminds me of a magician from a century ago." 

"Beast 666—the magician who laid the foundation for modern magic. That name carries weight. 'Beast' implies 'creature,' and '666' ties it to demons. It's linked to the Roman Emperor Nero and biblical symbolism." 

"But that magician is long dead. Let's focus on decoding 'Beast 444,'" Stiyl said. 

The founder of modern magic had been killed by an English Puritan Church magician in the 1920s—long before Stiyl's time. 

"'Beast' alone isn't revealing. The important part is '444,' which symbolizes angels. Combining angels and demons... it's hard to decipher." 

"Maybe '444' holds personal significance?" Kamijou suggested. 

... 

... 

"Beast 444? Didn't you say you didn't have a Magic Name? Why now?" 

On the other side, Flandre, with Li Mo's help, had left the abandoned building. 

The exit wasn't a light-bending trick but genuine spatial movement. As a dark-side operative, Flandre knew Academy City's spatial ability users topped at Level 4. If they were Level 5, Mugino's rank might have dropped. 

"I made it up on the spot." 

"Why that name?" 

Flandre had witnessed much on their journey: a dog, a magician, Kakine Teitoku, and the girl called Index Librorum Prohibitorum. Magic seemed real in this world. The recent "invisible war" in Academy City might've been magicians' work. 

Seeing countless Grimoires opened her eyes to a new world. 

"It's tied to a woman." 

Koyanskaya. 

Not a fox but a rabbit. Yet, Li Mo couldn't forget her. Since Fuyuki City, she'd been entwined with his fate. 

"Beast 444." 

The name was inspired by her. His path was to become a "Beast," a path Koyanskaya had paved. The number "444" stemmed from her goal to become "Beast IV"—the Fourth Beast. 

Moreover, the name drew from Aleister Crowley's "Beast 666," a magician who sought to "break all phases and end all mysteries." 

A fitting legacy.