*
Another explosion rocks through the air, causing the atmosphere to rumble above the commercial zone.
"Did you think you could get away?" (Yggdrasil)
The air was pitch black with burning smog, it was hot enough to melt and boil lungs, causing immediate death. Naturally, Traces didn't need oxygen, much less these enemies who would undoubtedly survive without a scratch. Her efforts weren't to kill, right now her attacks couldn't reach them. They don't 'exist', yet their 'nonexistence' remains here. If she made the environment dreadful enough, they wouldn't be able to come back.
"Drown." (Yggdrasil)
Magic energy condensed rapidly, {Feed} had access to all the magical energy in the world. Reddish black swirls flow through the air like countless rivers, compressing into a single spherical prison. In the next moment, it erupts and two figures were seen leaping out with all their strength. Their silhouettes multiply, setting off decoys with indistinguishable signals. She couldn't differentiate them, so she set off attacks that targeted all of them. Not a single one didn't erupt, blowing more heat and smoke into the clouds. From the perspective of everyone else, there was an explosion that took out the top half of a skyscraper, and the aftershocks caused chain explosions to set off.
"Tch! When? During the decoy?" (Yggdrasil)
They must have used the same method of isolation on their existence while the decoys were running. That was the only way to mask their signal, since Yggdrasil had seemingly nigh omniscience. That was the one conclusion they reached, that led to her discovering their location. By no means were they careless, the means at the disposal of the enemy simply outgrew their own. No one could predict the ascension of an external entity into a being rebelling against Eterna.
"... We'll have to adapt. It's gonna take a toll, but you'll have to mask whole hideouts with {Nerve} now." (Mastermind?)
"... Alright, it'll take a while to find but we did prepare such a thing already." ({Nerve}?)
Comparing Yggdrasil to a full blown god like Eterna, Yggdrasil was still plenty pitiful. By unknown means, Eterna has been sealed into her land of dreams. There are many absurd facts in the world of magical girls, Eterna as a deity would be impervious to any attack by mortal hands, even if she was damaged by another deity it was near impossible for her to die. Infinite magic possession meant infinite regeneration and revival. Even if her entire body was disintegrated, she would form back into existence by natural law, that was what it meant to be a deity. Of course, this example didn't account for her intact soul.
The workaround was to simply give up on killing her. Rather, they settled for keeping her asleep. Or prolonging her sleep forever once taken. It also solved the issue of reincarnation. They just had to bear with the effects of Eterna remaining alive.
***
"... What is that tree...?" (Akira)
"... A monster?" (Faramicia)
Many students live in dorms or housing units right up close to the schools. A massive tree as thick as the sky scraping school buildings was hard not to notice, not to mention for one half of the population it had blocked the setting sun. A dewy gold outline caresses its silhouette as the sky darkened from tangerine to navy.
"... Do you think they're still there?" (Corrine)
"I hope not. Whatever that is, it doesn't give off a good feeling." (Mebi)
"That's insane..." (Terrin)
"Tch! The hell are they doing now..." (Arugawa)
Numerous figures could be seen stuck to the windows, curiosity was a powerful magnet. Especially when the tree didn't seem to exude as much of a danger as the earlier bombardments. The world was silent, occasionally the drifting breeze of the skies would brushed past one's ears.
Arugawa figured it was like the calm before the storm. He hid in his home and told the others via text that they should stay home too. An ominous premonition brewed in his gut, stirring his insides. There wasn't much of reaction in the class group chat, likely because a decent chunk were stuck to their windows observing the tree. Terror seized the hearts of everyone, some of them checked the news to see if other zones were experiencing anything similar, while others didn't dare to tear their eyes away. They were afraid that if they took their eyes off it, something irreversible would happen.
The tree is a facade, the tree is a rebellion. Consuming the world's magical power with {Feed} and resisting Eterna's garden, actions only possible because the enemy sealed Eterna and Yggdrasil abandoned Lastia's body. Likely, the body was somewhere in that tree, at the same time it's easy for her to conclude that the tree was no longer her main body. Yes, she originated form that tree, but her consciousness has transcended back into her original spiritual nature, lacking a physical body.
This time, she doesn't need Lastia to sustain her existence with magic. After some time possessing Lastia, she evolved to recreate {Feed} on her own. In the first place she was made of {Feed}'s energy, Lastia used it to form a complex network similar to a computer that reiterates its own structure and evolves. Gradually she developed, and she became smarter and stronger. However, asking her to use {Feed} just because she was made out of it was absurd. Akin to asking a human to grow another arm and wield it as a weapon.
Through various factors, she was pushed to make a decision that she would otherwise never make. To revive Lastia, her directive was to be as close to Lastia as possible in personality, so that someday she could be used as a database for resurrection. Being made of {Feed} was ostensibly enough, but getting personality data would be helpful too if they for whatever reason needed it in the eventual future.
Abandoning the body was unforgivable, and by doing so she was doing something that the original Lastia could never achieve. At the same time, if this option was available to Lastia she didn't think her master would ever hesitate. You'll protect your world, won't you? You'd even abandon yourself to do it. That's why... I'll do it too.
Which was more important to her? The potential future where her master could be ressurected, or the immediate future where everyone could lose their lives...? The fact that she could even consider such questions a dilemma, was proof of her growth. She had already begun to think properly like a human.
"... What the hell is she doing...!" (Arin)