Y'know, I give props to Akamatsu here. The general emotion and such, and the sense of melancholy this whole chapter has is very well done. For a manga I only got into because it showed up on *every TV Tropes page ever*, I really have come to care for the characters. And Akamatsu's art is top notch with Konoka's genuine grief.
The thing is, as hard as Eva's been hammering in the nail that "Asuna is *dying*, the Asuna that's going to wake up won't be her", I can't find myself seeing them going through with it. Because Eva is right. Unless something *amazing* is managed, everyone is glossing over the fact that they're killing the Asuna they know to save the Magical World. While this speaks volumes about Asuna's strength of character, Negima couldn't even keep Rakan dead when he should've been outright erased by the Key of the Lifemaker. I can't see them permanently offing Asuna. However beatifically sacrificial it would be.
That said, what's everyone's bets on Bell-head's likely fate (no pun intended)?
For safer, more logical conclusions, I'm going to wager that Negi will discover something that means they can wake her up again while searching for the Lifemaker and Nagi, thus adapting his plan to not require her sacrifice.
For batshit, out of left field solutions, I'll put forth Chao returning from the future in a few chapters, dragging Asuna along with her, who will slowly recover her memories and personality via exposure to the cast, while not breaking Negi's current plan, because Time Travel Hax.
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."
The thing is, as hard as Eva's been hammering in the nail that "Asuna is *dying*, the Asuna that's going to wake up won't be her", I can't find myself seeing them going through with it. Because Eva is right. Unless something *amazing* is managed, everyone is glossing over the fact that they're killing the Asuna they know to save the Magical World. While this speaks volumes about Asuna's strength of character, Negima couldn't even keep Rakan dead when he should've been outright erased by the Key of the Lifemaker. I can't see them permanently offing Asuna. However beatifically sacrificial it would be.
That said, what's everyone's bets on Bell-head's likely fate (no pun intended)?
For safer, more logical conclusions, I'm going to wager that Negi will discover something that means they can wake her up again while searching for the Lifemaker and Nagi, thus adapting his plan to not require her sacrifice.
For batshit, out of left field solutions, I'll put forth Chao returning from the future in a few chapters, dragging Asuna along with her, who will slowly recover her memories and personality via exposure to the cast, while not breaking Negi's current plan, because Time Travel Hax.
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."