Sorry for the wait. The next chapter is here!

So basically I'm lazy, this is the summary of the tournament.

Kurome vs Uzume: A normal punch-and-kick exchange... until they start using microphones and blasting each other with high-sequence soundwaves. In the end, Kurome wins due to Uzume having no proper counters to the Anti-Share power.

Negi vs Takamachi: Same in the original, except Negi has mastered the Instant Teleportation, and the words from Takamachi is a little less harsh.

Mana vs Eva: The latter uses strings to successfully deflect, even cut down Mana's coin-gun technique. Eva takes the win by slamming Mana down with a punch.

Kuro vs T.O: First part is basically Vergil vs Dante first battle in DMC3, second part is both pulling out DT which surprises everyone, last part is Sin DT. In the end, Kuro wins due to one vote higher than T.O when the time is out.

Next round:

Chaos vs Colonel Sanders: the former does his fight seriously, but he knows that he's fighting a losing fight since he's not facing the real mage. In the end, after a 'seemingly' good hit from his opponent, he forfeits.

Yang vs Setsuna: Due to her nature speed and her status as half-goddess, Yang easily overpowers Setsuna with her punches and takes the win.

Negi vs Kurome: The latter holds back due to her nature, and Negi manages to out-skill her.

Kuro vs Eva: Basically Kuro has to use the shockwaves of his attacks to 'damage' her, and it's an obvious win to the assistant.

The semi-final:

Colonel Sanders vs Yang: The latter has no chances against his magic.

Kuro vs Negi: Same case with Kurome.

Final round: The same as the original.

"Well that's that." Kuro says to no one as he walks alongside with Eva and Charlotte in the Academy ground at the last day of the festival. The two don't question it though, because they know him well. "So, where do you two want to go for now?"

Nudging closer to him, Charlotte answers: "I don't really care. Being with you is enough."

Seeing the affection makes Eva blush up a bit, but she shakes it off and says: "How about the Ferris Wheel?"

"Sure. Let's go..."

"That was a good fight back then, miss Demon Queen." The three turns back to see a man wearing a store's employee uniform walking to them. "I know you are still holding back then and you are sealed, but you still pack quite a punch, heh?"

Charlotte grips on Kuro's arm harder, but Kuro immediately pats her head to calm her down. Eva recognizes the newcomer as she greets: "It's been a while, mister Jinbei Shishido. What brings you here out of sudden?"

"Glad you remembered me." The man smiles back. He then explains his appearance: "Do you remember the girl going with you a few centuries ago?"

The vampire takes a moment to search for her memories, when Kuro answers in her place: "If I'm right, her name is Karin something, right?"

"Karin Yuuki. You were close." Jinbei then offers a handshake and Kuro returns the gesture. He then sees Charlotte sending him a discomfort look, as he asks Kuro: "What's wrong with her?"

Rubbing her hair with his left hand, Kuro replies: "She's a little anxious when you called Eva the Demon Queen. Anyway, what about Karin?"

"Well, a person with a title Queen of Annihilation has asked me to bring the girl here, as we found out that the woman she followed were stuck here..." Jinbei then turns to look at Eva. "But, I guess we might have some info missed."

"Yeah, you do." Kuro sighs while rubbing his nose bridge. "Where's the girl now?" Jinbei points his thumb to his back, and Kuro peeks out to see the girl standing there with a teary face. "...Well, how about we leave you for a moment?"

...

"Immortals?" Charlotte asks Kuro. The two are now standing a little far away from the group, as Karin is hugging Eva passionately while crying over her shoulder.

"Both of them. Though, I didn't expect my... future self to tell them to come here though." Kuro rubs his chin in wonder. "Maybe there's something..."

After a few more minutes, Eva makes a gesture for the duo to come to her. Once the two are close enough, Eva asks: "Hey Kuro, can you help us making the Pactio contract? Karin wants a proof that she could be with me until the end."

"..." Kuro closes his eyes and starts searching for his memories... and facepalms, hard. "No...wonder..."

"What is it?" Jinbei asks in curiosity.

Kuro, instead of saying a word, starts looking around to see where they could speak... and then says: "We will talk in another place." Then he snaps his fingers...

And the group is now in front of Eva's cottage, surprising the newly arrived immortals. He then pulls Charlotte and Jinbei away from Eva and Karin, as he calls out the Pactio formation spell. He then says: "Eva, Karin. You two just do your work. No need to care for everything else."

Eva's face blushes up a bit as she replies: "You don't need to put the words..." Only for the blush to vanish as he notices Kuro's left eye's symbol flares up. "What the..."

"Don't worry. It's something that must be done." Kuro coldly replies back, startling both Jinbei and Karin.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The girl plans to ask more, but Eva pulls her face closer to her own. "Wait, Evangeline-sama. We need to..."

"You want to be my Ministra Magi, right?" Eva stops her, as Karin nods immediately. "Then just focus on me. Ignore everything else for a moment."

"...Evangeline-sama..." Karin plans to say more, but then follows her Queen and does the Pactio...

In a tick of a second, Jinbei swears that he could see some sorts of attack hitting directly at them, but somehow the girls are unharmed. He then turns to look at the other man, to see him having an annoyed face. He decides to whisper to the girl next to him: "Hey, miss? What's that about?"

"He's... interfering with something. That's all I could say." Being blocked out of the vision of his, Charlotte could feel something wrong with this Pactio.

Then, the card appears next to Karin and Eva, as the former grabs it with care. She turns to Kuro and plans to say her thank, but she could now feel something's wrong. "Mister...Kuro, right? What's wrong?"

The look on his face unnerves her, but the man then asks: "Miss Karin... can you create that holy weapon of yours?"

"...Well, I can." Concentrating her power, Karin calls out her sword. "But, what do you need it for?"

"Can you give it to me?" The man smiles, but somehow that makes everyone feel uncomfortable. Despite that, Karin nods and gives it to him. He then orders: "Everyone, go back inside the cottage. It only takes a few moments."

"I'm not leaving." Charlotte immediately sees the trend. "You're planning to do something reckless again, and I'm not going to let you do that."

Kuro's eyes turn to normal, as he chuckles. "Don't worry, I won't die. It will hurt me a bit, but that's it."

Charlotte sends him a stern look, before pulling Eva and Karin to the cottage as Kuro says. Jinbei quickly follows while asking: "Hey hey hey. What gives?"

Eva starts sensing the danger. "It's going to get ugly."

True enough: when the group is inside, they look through the window to see Kuro kneeling on the ground on his knees, and then he stabs himself with the sword he took from Karin. Not out of shock yet, Jinbei and Karin then witness a direct Light attack right on Kuro's head, covering him with burning light. A few seconds later, the light fades, leaving a burning corpse at the place.

Karin covers her mouth, as she finally understands: "No... it's... why..."

"That's the reason, huh?" Eva connects the dots. "He defied your God so you could do the Pactio, Karin. But in exchange, he must take the punishment."

"...Why?" Karin asks fearfully. "Why did he have to do that? He died for a person like me..."

"He's already dead, don't worry." Charlotte says, surprising Karin. "Let's go out and get him."

Walking out of the cottage, Jinbei examines the corpse first. "Damn, that attack sure packed a punch."

"It did." Kuro's chuckle makes Jinbei step back. Pulling the sword out of his body, Kuro stands up and uses the Lotus to heal his body. "Damn, it's really painful to tank that hit."

"Why wouldn't you just turn off your feeling?" Eva asks, not understanding why he didn't do so.

"Then it wouldn't be called a punishment." Cracking his head, Kuro then says to Karin: "Well, since you have formed the Pactio with Eva... what are you going to do next?"

"Don't casually call her like that." Seeing that the man is okay, Karin turns back to her stoic self. "Although, I have to thank you to help us with this. And for your question: from now, I will stay close to Evangeline-sama no matter what."

"Well..." Kuro scratches his head (he has fully healed at this point). "I mean, I'm not against it. But, what are you going to do when she's attending classes?"

"...Attending classes?" Both immortals ask in confusion. Jinbei immediately follows with: "Wait wait wait. This is way confusing. What's going on here?"

Kuro points his thumb to the cottage and says: "How about we head in and we will tell you the story?"

...

"Can I kill him, Evangeline-sama?"

"You can try, but you won't succeed."

After hearing the story from Eva (from the opening of Negima to the end of Kyoto trip), Karin now has the desire to kill the man who dared to 'defile' her admirer (at least, in her eyes, as Eva is no longer a Shinso Vampire). Although, given by the status of the people inside the cottage, her task could never be completed.

"That story though... who could have thought that could break the seal so easily? Especially the one that's made by The Thousand Master." Jinbei comments. "But, knowing who you are..."

"Yeah, my power is broken, don't question it." Kuro nonchalantly adds. Then he pulls out his phone and taps on the screen. "Many teachers detected that attack. It's going to be troublesome to message them all about the reason..."

"About the Pactio you have, miss Demon Queen..."

"Maybe I could actually block that ability of yours, Jinbei."

"Yeah... now I'm glad I'm on your side."

"Come to think of it..." Everyone focuses back to Kuro, who's still texting on his phone. "How popular is 'Queen of Annihilation'? If she has that kind of title in the Magic World, she must have a bounty on her head."

"She is." Jinbei answers. "However, only the government and some of the 'underground' groups are after her head. The woman is very welcomed in everywhere."

"Of course she is." Charlotte and Eva speak at once before taking a sip from their teacups.

"You know her, Evangeline-sama?" Karin asks, and Eva responds by pointing her finger towards Kuro, who raises his left arm up. "He knows?" And to respond to it, Kuro temporarily changes into his female form, shocking the two immortals. "...How?"

"Damn, and I thought only booze would make delusions, but teas as well?"

"Hey, don't joke like that, Jinbei." Changing back to his normal self, Kuro turns off his phone and leans back to his chair. "I met 'her', and it turned out that 'she' is my future self, going to the past to deal with 'business'."

"Does that have to do with some high-level pure-blooded nobles?" Jinbei, after swallowing the truth, asks.

"Maybe. Actually, I would probably do so." He suddenly hears Charlotte sigh, and sees her standing up. "What's wrong?"

"It seems like you're going to have your hands tied. I will leave for now."

"Wait! What about..."

Immediately Charlotte turns and kisses him on the lips, stopping him from talking. "Don't worry, I'm not angry at you. However, when you're free from your work, please stay with us for a while before continuing your journey, okay?" With an assuring smile, she pulls out an Eject Button and uses it to return back to her home in Gallia.

"...Jesus!" Kuro lets out a harsh exhale before clutching his heart. "My god! I thought she is pissed or something!"

"Overreacting much?" Jinbei asks Kuro, which earns him a glare. "Hey, I'm just saying."

Eva, seeing Kuro's 'roller-coaster' emotion as a normal thing, changes the subject: "It might explain why 'she' earned that title, it's because 'she' has successfully eliminated her targets without a single failure, right?"

Jinbei nods. "Correct. And the fact that ONLY the targets were dead, and none others were lethally harmed made 'her' look like 'she' was completely invincible."

Kuro, having returned to normal, asks: "Are you sure about that? No flaws at all?"

Jinbei: "Well... the fact that 'you' blasted out the Cerberus Canyon had enough weight."

Kuro: "Yeah... to be honest, that's not a good way to impress someone..."

Then, the group hears shouting from the outside, so they look out of the window to see some students of Class 3-A and Negi heading to the cottage. Kuro groans: "Haizz... time for another explanation..."

A few days later

"Wait, you're not going with us?"

"More likely that I won't follow you to the Magical World at the same time." Kuro explains.

After Mahora Festival comes to an end, the ones who's aware of magic have been invited to Albireo's Resort. Then, after hearing about Nagi's possible survival, Negi has decided to go to Magical World... when summer holiday comes, due to his students immediately scolding him for having his head over the cloud again. Though, Kuro has excused himself out of the group.

Albireo obviously sees the reason: "You're going back to the past to become 'Queen of Annihilation', correct?"

The assistant nods. "It's to keep the timeline in check. Also, there are some events that I should not intervene in your future."

"But, how far are you returning?" Yue brings up a good question.

"That... I'm not sure." Kuro confesses. "I guess this time I will let my power do the job, while I wait for the outcome."

"Hey, Kuro." The assistant turns to Jinbei. "I think there's one thing you need to know: After The Thousand Master's disappearance, you also nearly disappeared as well. Only once a while would people see you pop up here and there, however, no records of deaths from you have been announced since."

"So there was a period of time that I 'retired'?"

"No. It's more like you stopped targeting anyone, but rather going around aimlessly... until your appearance in Mahora for the first time." After hearing the story of how Kuro got here, Jinbei has connected the events to match the stories together.

Kuro takes a small time to think and takes a sip from his coffee cup, when Eva speaks up: "The Queen of Annihilation, unlike me before, has no name before her works started drawing more attentions. Thanks to that, people did ignore other bounties, but that also increased the security inside of the government... and obviously, that didn't stop the woman in walking right through the front door and killing whoever she targeted."

"You're making me sound like a final boss."

"Aren't you?"

"Well...I'm more of a hidden boss, really."

"Jokes aside..." Amused by the exchange of words, Albireo then throws a Pactio card to Kuro. "You might need this for the cover-up."

Upon Kuro grabs it, everyone immediately gathers around him as Haruna whispers: "Oh-ho-ho Kuro-sensei, you also made a contract with..."

"This one is a fake." Kuro interrupts Haruna's words. "Unlike a false Pactio, this card holds no value of magic." Eva glares towards Albireo, thinking this being his joke. "But it's created by my power..."

"A Scare Tactics." Everyone turns to Karin. "By having a fake Pactio card on the front, everyone would think that the Queen of Annihilation is very strong thanks to her 'card', while in fact the person herself is already too powerful."

"...A distraction." Kuro concludes. "But, it doesn't match on how I work. To be honest, if the Queen of Annihilation is really me, I would have to..."

"A perfect distraction to cut any connections to current you." Chao sees the reason. "It seems that you have made too many enemies in the Magical World, that you need to stop following your rules and create new ones."

"...That troublesome, huh?" Scratching his chin, Kuro pockets the 'Pactio' card. "Urgh, this is going to be like Grand Gaia again..."

"...Need me?"

"No." Kuro answers...

And everyone blinks once and looks around to see nobody having any motions of asking that question. Though, Albireo notices the faint presence in a tick of moment, and he asks: "Who's that, Kuro?"

"Just Kranus being Kranus. Don't worry, he's under my command."

Asuna rubs her temples in annoyance. "I don't want to see anymore weirdos around here..."

"With thousands of units under my command, Asuna, you're going to see them soon."

The end of the semester

"...Another semester ends..." Kuro says to himself, as he looks at the decorated board inside Class 3-A's classroom. "Time continues to flow... and yet, here I am, trying to go back to the fountainhead..."

"Hey, grandfather." Turning to the classroom's door, he sees Clem, or rather Yami, leaning on the doorframe. "Aunt Eva is looking for you." Kuro nods and turns back to the board, causing Yami to approach him. "You're going for a long trip again, huh? Wonder when will it be my turn?"

Kuro sighs, then smiles. "I hope it's never. But, if you really want to..." Rubbing the girl's head, he then says: "Although, it will be a long way to go, considering my Creator is still in his young age..."

"It's better if you could still be with us even when his time comes..."

"Yeah, I hope so... let's see what Eva is calling me for. Hey Sayo, you want to join us?"

...

Eva's cottage

"...I don't think it's a good idea." Kuro sees a little trouble with this plan. "It could expose me at anytime..."

"The others insisted that you should have it, as you're officially their member." Eva throws the Ala Alba badge towards Kuro, who catches it with ease. "Besides, you could hide it in your pocket dimension."

"Still... *sigh*." Placing the badge at the left side of his collar and using magic to stop it from falling to the ground, Kuro then asks: "I don't think you called me just for that, right? What else do you want to talk about?"

Eva lets out a devilish smirk. "Do you know about Negi's childhood friend?"

Taking a moment to remember, Kuro nods. "Yes, I do. Anya, right?" His question earns a nod. "But, what's wrong with her?"

"She's planning to prank her like in the original." Clem reveals. "Though, she wants to kick it up to a second step by having you helping her."

...Kuro rubs his nose bridge while chuckling. "Eva... just for fun, really?"

"Hey, you rubbed it on me."

"True enough." Kuro shrugs as the three laugh. "Well then, miss Dark Evangel, what evil plan are you going to execute?"

Days later, inside Eva's resort

Kuro is seen in a meditation state while slightly floating above the surface of the pool. He has discarded his lab coat since it's not suitable in the scene, and he's in a sitting position. The water circles around him, creating a Yin-Yang circle below him. Right now he's trying to create new ways to use his power so it wouldn't look the same as his previous ways of fighting.

Then, he senses the Ala Alba group, including Anya, heading into the resort. Though, he decides to just ignore them for a while, considering that his 'plan' is going to be executed soon.

He does enhance his hearing sense so he could catch the girls' conversation. Anya just asked Nodoka if he's Negi's assistant, and the bookworm answers yes. The other conversations are not too important, so he lets it go and starts concentrating back in using his power...

...

"...The Undead Mage?" Anya asks Yue in fear, which earns her a confirmation. "It can't be serious! Why would Negi and the rest of you bow down to such a person? Do you know how dangerous she is?"

"I'm sure she is." A woman's voice interrupts Anya's train of thought, as she turns back to see another nightmare. "But, you might have another concern here. Namely, me."

"...QUEEN OF ANNIHILATION?" Anya squeaks in terror as she immediately hides behind Yue. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? ARE YOU ASSOCIATED WITH THE DARK EVANGEL?"

"She is." Another woman places her hand on Anya's head and squeezes her head lightly, causing her to turn back and her fear to increase further. "She told me that a little brat is 'on her list', and the description matches you. Though, maybe we should enjoy your flesh before ending you..."

The grab is obviously not hard, but it's enough to scare the young fortune teller, as she immediately runs away in fear while screaming at the top of her lungs. When she's out of sight, Eva turns back to her normal self and laughs with QoA giggling. The others see what happened, and Setsuna asks disappointingly: "Eva, Kuro-sensei, what are you two doing?"

"Well, it's Eva's idea of prank." Everyone turns to see Kuro, in his normal form, walking to QoA. "I followed her plan. But, I decided to test my power as well." Snapping his left fingers, he makes the image of QoA flicker away. "Speaking of which, I should go and apologize the girl."

"We will come with you." Yue offers and Nodoka follows. Kuro nods and gestures them to follow him...

The trio manages to catch up with the frightened girl, as Nodoka grabs Anya's hand to stop her. "Calm down Anya! It's okay..."

"It's not!" Anya screams. "She's the demon lord of darkness!"

"Well that's true." Kuro speaks up, earning her attention. "But, she's a good person. Just, situation pushed her out of the way. Anyway, sorry for our prank."

Nodoka then explains about how Eva accepted Negi as her student, and Anya eventually understands, but she's a little jealous that he's ahead of him. Then, she asks Kuro: "I just remember. You said 'our prank', what do you mean?"

To answer that, Kuro briefly turns into QoA, causing the girl to flinch, before returning to his normal form. "Yeah, QoA is me. We are one and the same. However, before you said anything about me, I'm not planning to hurt any of you."

Taking several minutes, Anya's heart calms down, and she asks: "If you are Queen of Annihilation...shouldn't you be in the Magical World?"

"Well, we could explain... but, let's return back first, since we have many things to explain."

...

Pointing her fingers towards Eva, Kuro and Clem, Anya can't pick a right word to say about what she just heard. "You...you three...h...how?"

"You're going to find more stranger things when you're around them longer." Haruna chuckles, while the others smile in sympathy.

Setsuna then looks at the image of QoA walking around with a goofy smile on her face, and her movements are somewhat not balanced. "Kuro-sensei, what are you really doing?"

"Messing with the connection between me and the image." QoA's face then turns normal as she starts doing some air ballad dances. "I'm so going to need a mediator for this."

"Why?" Nodoka asks curiously.

"By doing this, half of my senses are put into the image..."

"Wait, I thought that's just an image?" Anya asks in confusion.

"Half right. With my power, I could alter QoA being image or a real deal." The image then disappears. "But, if I do so, I would lose half of my senses."

"Half of senses?" That's Negi's question.

"Yes. Hearing, looking, smelling, tasting etc. And before you ask 'why didn't you use your clones', I'm planning to do something different to keep my identity as a secret to the Magical World."

"That's not very effective." Setsuna answers.

"Yeah... I know." Kuro sighs.

"...I need more proofs."

Kuro looks at Anya funnily. "For what?"

"How...you managed to...uhm..." Anya can't pick a right word, but her finger is pointing towards Clem, who's just slightly rocking in her seat.

"You couldn't find anything similar between them, right?" Eva asks, earning a timid nod from the fortune teller. "Believe me, if you only look on the outside, you wouldn't find anything common between them. Only when you see them act would you see the similarity."

"That aside..." Kuro then glances behind Eva. "Do you have any real business here, Yukari?"

"Can't I just check on my future ally?" Everyone also looks at where Kuro is looking to see the woman-in-purple popping out of a portal in the air with only half of her upper body visible.

"It feels more than that when you say it like that." Kuro sighs, as Yukari just giggles and disappears.

"Um..." Anya is speechless.

"Just don't question it." Yue deduces.

Time skip

Wales, England

"I want to say 'a peaceful hometown', but..." Kuro looks around to see his students being energetic. "I wonder how long that would last."

"Only you would joke like that." Asuna shakes her head. She then whispers: "But... having the rest of the class here... shouldn't that worry you?"

"Nah." Kuro dismisses it. "Chao and then twin are with them, so they're fine."

They then see Negi's sister running towards the young teacher, and they engage into a family reunion... well, you get the idea.

Kuro's VOTP suddenly kicks up, and he checks on what it's showing him... and then he rubs his eyes while having an irritated looking on his face. Clem notices that and asks: "What's wrong, Papa?"

"Just... it's nothing." Not wanting to spoil it out, Kuro changes the subject: "Let's head into the town first...after I introduce myself to Negi's cousin."

...

Magic School, Nighttime

After hearing the reason why Negi wants to come to Magical World, Nekane understands. However, she is worried that Negi is too young to pass the gate. Thankfully, the old Headmaster has managed to help the teacher. Then, he leads Negi and Nekane to where the petrified people are now after that tragic year...

After Negi has spoken with Stan, the old mage who saved him, the others have also reached the place. Anya then starts talking about the statues 'should be sold out'. Asuna plans to argue, but Negi also points out that one of them is her mother. Everyone then understands that Anya said that just to hide her pain...

Then, at one moment Anya stops her words, everyone suddenly hears a sword-unsheathing sound, and turns to see Kuro drawing his sword out. The Headmaster immediately gets alarmed and asks: "What are you doing, mister Kuro?"

"Well... what I should do." The assistant then sits down on his knees, and positions the blade tip right at his heart...

"Kuro, wait! You don't have to do this!" Negi immediately sees the same event happening. "We will find another way to revert them back! Don't harm yourself for that!"

Hearing that temporarily stops Kuro in place. Though, Kuro chuckles. "Yes, I know there's a way. I know Konoka could heal them. But... I just... can't see them in that sorry state..."

"You said that I could heal them, right?" The girl herself asks. "Then just give me some time. I won't disappoint you."

Kuro shakes his head while his smile is still there. "I have full belief in that. It's more about my...mental state, to be exact."

Setsuna grabs the handle of the sword and tries to yank it out. "Don't give us heart attack. That one heaven attack was already hard on you..."

"This is also my atonement for my ignorance when I'm not going to save the Negi's village five years ago."

Every sound drops, as Setsuna releases her grip and backs away in surprise. Negi swallows once before asking: "Kuro... you... you were there... in the field, five years ago?"

"... As Queen of Annihilation." Kuro confirms what he has seen. "However, all the times I'm going to be out of your vision, so you didn't find me out back then."

Another moment passes... then, Negi concludes: "It's not your fault." Kuro looks up. "Not even you could save everyone. Also, if you came and saved us five years ago...then we couldn't meet you in this time. I wouldn't have to work my way to become what I am today, and I wouldn't meet my students in Mahora. One way or another, a future will be made. And thanks to you... I can see the world in a new point of view."

After hearing it, Kuro looks down again... and then chuckles, again. "Thanks for your faith in me."

Everyone sighs in relief. Negi then says: "My thanks as well. So..."

However, before anyone could react, the blade is pulled through Kuro by the person himself. Everyone gasps in surprise, and watches as the body falls to the ground... and blood clouds fly out of the body and wash through the statues.

"W...Why did he..." Nekane covers her mouth with her hands in shock, while the Headmaster's eyes have widened.

"Papa tended to do so a lot." The only one who's not affected by the display speaks up. "Don't worry, he's okay."

After the blood washes through the entire room, it retreats back to Kuro's body... and the first statue starts moving again. And it's the old mage who speaks up first: "...What..."

"Mister Stan?" The old man looks at Negi, who's now having tears in his eyes. "You are really back..."

"...Negi?" He couldn't mistake that redhead. But... "You are...so big... how?"

"...It's been five years since that day, Stan." The old mage turns to the headmaster. "Welcome back to the living world."

"MISTER STAN!" Negi then rushes to the old man and gives him a tight hug. "I MISS YOU SO MUCH!"

"MOTHER!" At the same time, Anya has found her mother to return back from the petrification state, and she also gives her mother a big hug.

Then, one by one, the statues have returned back to normal, as everyone starts looking at each other in surprise. They then look around to check where they are now...

"That works well, huh?" The students then see Kuro slowly pushing himself off the ground. The mages also now notice the new people, especially at the one who has a sword piercing through him. "Well, it worths the pain." The assistant the slowly pulls the sword out, giving out a sickening sound, before giving a hard pull at the end to get the sword fully out, wipes out the blood on the blade and sheathes it.

"...Did you just save us?" Stan could see something wrong, however, given by his words, he's the one performing whatever spell to heal them.

"He is, mister Stan." Releasing the hug, Negi looks at Stan's face. "It's so good to see you back." He then turns to Kuro and bows down respectfully. "Thank you very much Kuro!" All the students also follow up immediately.

"It's no big deal." Kuro just waves it off. He then looks at the exit door. "Though... I guess this is it."

"Wh... you are leaving?" Asuna asks.

"Yes..." With two quick slashes in the air, Kuro creates a portal. "I wish you a good trip to Magical World. We will meet each other again in your future."

"Take care of yourself, Kuro-sensei!" Negi, after taking a few seconds to register, sends his regards. With Clem immediately says the same thing.

"Thank you." Kuro nods, then turns into QoA, making everyone step back in surprise. 'She' then speaks to 'herself': "Let the world be free from evil." With the last words, 'she' walks through the portal, and it closes behind 'her'.

Another silence...then Nekane asks: "Negi... that person...is Queen of Annihilation? How?"

Negi wipes the tears out of his face. "It's a long story, sis." He then looks at the surprised mages and smiles. "We should give them some explanations to them as well."

Chapter 18 end!

So yeah, this chapter is the first start of the Magical World Arc. Let's see how many changes after what happened with this new timeline. See you in the next chapters!