The battle was unexpectedly intense because most of the spells Aoko had mastered were found to be significantly resisted by the Fallingstar Beast.
This didn't mean her spells were ineffective, but rather that this extraterrestrial beast had extremely high physical immunity, which weakened the effects of her magic.
It had no resistance or suppression in terms of mysticism. Instead, the system it used to counter Aoko and Touko's attacks leaned more toward distorting space-time itself to diminish the supernatural effects of magic.
Gravity—the bright purple lightning flickering across the Fallingstar Beast's body—was the symbol of its gravitational magic. After all, gravity is the warping of space-time, and such distortion is one of the best ways to counter most attacks. Aoko knew this all too well, as she employed similar methods herself.
However, the creature before them was still just a beast. Although it could utilize spell-like abilities, it relied on innate biological traits rather than intelligence-based spellcasting.
After confirming the basic characteristics of this Bull, Aoko and Touko quickly adjusted their battle strategies. Touko summoned the plump cat, Cheshire, while Aoko began using her signature Magic Bullet technique.
As soon as Cheshire landed, it transformed into a sprawling shadow that rapidly spread toward the Fallingstar Beast. Then, pitch-black spikes shot out from the shadow, striking the beast. While the beast's hardened body minimized the impact of each attack, Cheshire still managed to restrain its rampaging charge, acting as a perfect diversion.
The Fallingstar Beast lacked the intelligence to comprehend what Cheshire had become after turning into a shadow. No matter how much it overturned the ground, it couldn't harm Cheshire in the slightest.
With Cheshire handling control, Aoko took charge of the offense.
The Magic Bullets of the Blue Magician were always simple and direct, devoid of any special attributes, dealing pure physical impact upon striking the enemy.
Aoko leaped into the air, thrust her right arm downward, and unleashed a torrential rain of Magic Bullets at a firing rate akin to a battleship's close-in weapon system. The barrage hammered the massive Fallingstar Beast, sending debris flying and kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
When the dust settled, the extraterrestrial beast lay in a deep crater carved by the relentless Magic Bullets, barely clinging to life. One of its pincers had vanished without a trace, its torso was split in two, revealing flickering purple lightning within, and its long tail had been completely shattered beyond repair.
Aoko landed back on the ground and cautiously approached the remains of the Fallingstar Beast alongside Touko. But as they got close enough, the dying creature let out an eerily penetrating wail that momentarily disoriented the two.
Aoko and Touko immediately conducted a self-check, only to realize that the Fallingstar Beast's body was quickly turning gray and crumbling into a powdery substance that dispersed with the wind.
"Hey, Aoko," Touko asked hesitantly, "Did something just appear in your mind?"
"...Hmm, yeah, I think so," Aoko pondered for a moment, then pulled out the Carian Glintstone Staff that Rellana had gifted her. "I think I just learned a kind of gravity magic."
With that, Aoko gripped the staff and pointed it at a distant spot on the ground. First, the glintstone at the tip of her staff crackled with arcs of purple lightning. Then, a basketball-sized purple sphere materialized midair at the designated location.
The surrounding ground and space trembled visibly as scattered stones were abruptly pulled inward, creating a phenomenon reminiscent of a miniature Gravitational Singularity.
But it wasn't over yet. The gravitational pull intensified in three successive waves, and after the third compression, the concentrated debris exploded, leaving nothing but dust.
"Not bad at all!" Aoko whistled in delight. "What should I name this spell?"
"Don't tell me you didn't notice," Touko said with a complex expression. "We learned this magic because we absorbed part of the beast's memories through its dying wail."
"Not a big deal," Aoko waved dismissively. "Come on, do you think the mighty Third Magician would go insane from inheriting some memories of a space beast?"
"Ugh, I suppose not," Touko sighed, rubbing her temples in mild frustration. "But those memories... they do feel unsettling."
"It wasn't just from beyond the stars," Aoko mused, twirling a finger. "This thing's home was likely the lightless abyss mentioned in Glintstone Magic texts. It might even be the homeland of the Fingers."
"Alright, enough thinking!" Aoko clapped her hands, cutting off Touko's train of thought. "This isn't the best place for scholarly discussions. Let's finish what we came here to do. Also, got any creative ideas for naming this gravity spell?"
"Hmm… how about Gravity Orb?" Touko suggested. "Simple and intuitive, the name conveys its effect."
"Isn't that a bit too plain?" Aoko frowned. "How about Heavenly Star Explosion?"
"That's way too over-the-top!" Touko retorted. "Seriously, that's peak chūnibyō!"
In the end, Aoko relented, and they settled on the straightforward name Gravity Orb for the gravity magic they had learned from the beast's memories—simple and to the point.
To avoid unnecessary conflicts with the countless Fingercreepers littering the landscape, Aoko and Touko concealed themselves once more and took to the sky, flying toward the heart of the Finger Ruins. According to the map Ymir had given them, the Hanging Bell was located at the very center.
After a period of flight, they finally reached the central structure of the ancient ruins.
The reason they hesitated to call it a structure was that the monument holding the Hanging Bell wasn't a conventional building—it was a formation of four colossal fingers growing out of the ground.
Across the vast ruinous plains, similar gigantic fingers protruded from the earth in chaotic, disorderly arrangements. Each one bore bizarre, natural ridges that resembled fingerprints.
Within these ridges, patches of golden hues shimmered faintly, making Aoko wonder if these stone fingers contained actual gold inside.
"You or me?" Touko asked, pulling out the Whistle that Ymir had given them. "Looks like we just need to place it in the lowest hole of the bell and blow into it."
"I'll do it," Aoko took the whistle. "Keep an eye on our surroundings. Don't let those Lamprey interfere."
Touko nodded in understanding and released Cheshire from her backpack, positioning it as additional protection.
Aoko stepped up to the eerie, oversized bell, took a deep breath, and inserted the whistle into the lowest opening before blowing into it forcefully.
The bell's chime was deep and resonant, and in that instant, Touko sensed an unknown message carried through its sound, transmitted to some distant, unfathomable place.
She turned to look around and noticed that even the Lamprey wandering the ruins suddenly turned their heads toward a specific direction.
If she remembered correctly, that direction was where the Cathedral of Manus Metyr stood.