Chapter 195

But I couldn’t doubt Lingzi. Why was Inverse Moon in the Netherworld? Why had they saved me? These terrorists surpassed even the chimpanzee in their barbarity. Were they plotting something wicked behind the scenes? Would they slit my throat the moment I let down my guard? “That’s right!” Spica yelled, as if she’d read my mind. “This is all part of my plan. You two are but tools for me to reach my goal. And I am but a tool for you to reach yours. We must use each other to move forward.” “…What are you scheming? And be careful how you answer.” “I’m just saying we should cooperate! If we let Star Citadel run wild, the Netherworld will rot and crumble from the inside out. You don’t want this to end in your defeat, do you?” I was not expecting her offer. Star Citadel was nothing but bad news, for sure. We could not leave them be. But this girl was just as dangerous. I’d almost died who knows how many times because of Inverse Moon. “…I can’t trust you.” “Even though I healed you? Listen, Inverse Moon also saved Lumiere Village.” “Huh?” “All your friends are A-OK, thanks to our rescue operations.” So Vill and Nelia and Esther are alive? I couldn’t take Spica’s words at face value, though. She could be trying to trick me. “Give me proof. Show me they’re all right.” “Look into my memories with magic, then.” “I can’t trust you without proof! I’m going back to Lumiere right now!” “Hold your horses! You and I have an alliance to form! Why would I lie like that to my future comrade?” “You’re no comrade! You beat me up! There’s gotta be a catch! Right, Lingzi?” “Huh? Um, I—I…,” Lingzi stammered. “There’s no catch! And if you won’t believe me, then I’ll just slash your belly open!” “Lingzi, save me!!” “A cat who catches mice is a good cat, no matter if it’s black or white! So get over your fear and just use me-ow! ” She made cat ears with her hands and smiled. “Don’t be afraid of me-ow! ” That only made me more scared. We’re getting nowhere. I need someone reasonable to talk this over with. “Stop it. You’re only making it worse.” “Hmph?!” Someone came up behind Spica. It was a sagacious and cold Peace Spirit wearing frilly Eastern clothing. Karla’s brother, Kakumei Amatsu. “What’s the problem, Amatsu?! I was just trying to lighten the mood! Are you telling me I’m too old to act like a cat?! You calling me creepy?!” “Sometimes one must say what they don’t want to.” “That I agree with! But I command you to slice open your belly as punishment for hurting my feelings!” “What happened to trying to lighten the mood?” “Okay, you’re forgiven!” I was at a loss for words. I could not understand why Amatsu was here, much less why he would be bantering with this evil terrorist. Are they friends? Right as my heart was about to give out, Spica sneered at me coldly. “Anyway, it’s obvious why you refuse to accept me—you don’t understand my ideals. Allow me to explain, no roundabouts, no tricks.” She waved her red lollipop. The terroristic little lady’s blue, starry eyes glowed. “I’ll tell you about Inverse Moon, the Netherworld, and Star Citadel. Once you get the gist, you’ll be begging me to lend a hand. I know because you’re the same as me.” Lingzi helped me walk out of the warehouse. Some ruins bathed in dusky orange came into view. Amatsu explained this village had unfortunately been dragged into conflict and destroyed. There were no villagers. A warped, lonely weathervane swayed with the wind atop the devasted land. They said this wasn’t an uncommon view in the Netherworld’s countryside. All because of those idiots waging war. Star Citadel had to be stopped. But the thing was… “We’re having stew for dinner. It’s got lots of mushrooms, Your Highness’s favorite.” “Whoa, that looks amazing! Good job, Tryphon!” “I don’t deserve the praise.” The apron-clad Sapphire gave a full bow. The stew did look tasty, but I couldn’t bring myself to partake of this man’s cooking. Tryphon Cross. The cold-blooded murderer who had once plunged the Mulnite Empire into chaos smiled brightly as he served stew into a bowl. Cloing. A switch flipped. “Here. Water.” “Geh!” The unforgettable foxgirl placed a cup on the table. Fuyao Meteorite. The terrorist who had gone on a rampage in the Heavenly Paradise during the autumn of last year. Her furry ears twitched, and her golden tail swayed. Tied to her waist was the harrowing blade she had tormented me with, as though straight from a splatter flick. I stared closely at the cup before fearfully looking at Fuyao. “…You didn’t put mustard in it or something, did you?” Cloing. A switch flipped again. “Oh, please! I wouldn’t play such a cheap joke on you! If anything, I’d fill your cup with poison, but then there wouldn’t be any point in saving you, would there?” Cloing. “And yet I wonder if there was any point in saving you. I cannot fathom what goes through Her Highness’s mind.” Cloing. “But whatever! We’re comrades now! So let’s put our grudges aside and get along!” Cloing. “To be clear, I have not forgotten what you did to me in the Heavenly Paradise. One day, you will fall at my hands.” Cloing. “Just kidding! I don’t want Her Highness to yell at me, so let’s shake on it and make up, yeah?” “…” What is wrong with this girl…? I’m scared… Is she pulling my leg, switching her manner of speech like that? Or does she actually have multiple personalities? Either way, it would be best to stay away from this weirdo. I’m surrounded by weirdos, though. We had dinner in the middle of a roofless dining room. Put simply: It was hell. Never have I wanted to run away from a meal this badly. Even dinner parties with the Seventh Unit, where there was always a 50 percent chance they would kill me, were more fun than this. “How do you feel, Terakomarin?” asked the woman in a lab coat sitting opposite me. Her listless eyes shone behind her glasses. I had no idea who this was, but standard procedure was to put on airs during a first meeting. “P-perfectly fine! Nothing can take down the Crimson Lord who’ll turn the world into omelet rice!” “That’s good to hear. Medical treatment is beyond my expertise, so I wasn’t sure. You’d be dead by now if it weren’t for Dr. Kuya’s teachings from way back when.” “Huh?” So she healed me? And wait, did this lady say Dr. Kuya? “…You’re also a doctor?” “No, I’m Inverse Moon’s investigator, Lonne Cornelius. I do all sorts of research, but lately I’ve been into human experimentation and high-speed shiitake mushroom cultivation. Pleased to meet you, Terakomarin.” “P-pleased to meet you.” Not sure I was really pleased, though. It was obvious she was a crazy murderer by virtue of her belonging to Inverse Moon. Exhibit A: She’d just mentioned human experimentation. But I do kinda owe her my life… “What’s wrong, Terakomari?! You’re not eating your stew!” “Spica, I… Don’t worry—I’m gonna.” “Don’t be shy! I get your hesitance, though! Maybe Tryphon put needles in it.” “Oh, please.” Tryphon sighed. “There’s no point killing you now, Terakomari Gandesblood. You are no longer an enemy to defeat, but a tool to take advantage of.” “How can I trust you after what you did to Vill?” “Fair, but don’t forget our comrade Cornelius healed you.” “Did she, really? Maybe she put a small bomb in my gut.” “You’re rude, you know that? I’ve already done that test with someone else,” Cornelius chimed in. “See?! She’s a crazy terrorist like the rest of you!” “Who cares? What matters is that you are in our debt. Who do you think rescued the people of Lumiere? If it weren’t for us, the village would have been in even more dire straits,” said Tryphon. “Wha…?! Th-that’s right! I gotta get back to Vill and the girls…!” Krssh!! The moment I tried standing up, a fork plunged into the table right in front of me. “Eep!” Lingzi yelped. I froze, shocked. “I cannot allow you to act of your own accord.” Tryphon’s eyes glowed red. It was his doing. His magic—no, his Core Implosion—could warp stuff around. “You are Her Highness’s tool. Repay your debt with obedience.” “C-can you dial back the psycho routine?! What if you’d stabbed me?!” “I was trying to, actually. It just so happens that I have to use the position of the stars to determine the coordinates of where I send things with Treason’s Spirit Gate, and I fumbled it due to the differences in the Netherworld’s constellations.” “Spica, did you hear that?! He’s cuckoo!” “Mmm. This stew is missing a little something for us vampires. Terakomari, would you mind giving me some blood? Let’s dye this stew red!” “You’re also cuckoo! Is there anyone sane here?!” “Don’t worry, Komari… I’m here with you.” Lingzi cheered me up by grabbing my hand. What a sweet girl. If it weren’t for her, I would’ve cast aside my shame and reputation to shriek my lungs out and go back to being a shut-in. “Thank you, Lingzi. You’re like a flower blooming in the middle of a desert…” “Y-you exaggerate… Besides, despite their wicked auras, I don’t think Inverse Moon will hurt you now.” “Why? Didn’t you just see what happened?” “Because Spica helped me. I was passed out in the desert when she took me in and gave me food and water…” I wanted to hear more about what was up with Lingzi. It was weird for her retainer, Meihua, to be absent, too. “In any case,” Tryphon said, “we can guarantee Lumiere’s safety. There’s no need for you to worry.” “What are you all scheming?” “Your Highness, could you please explain already? This idiot Tryphon is going to break her if you don’t hurry up,” Amatsu cut in while reading the newspaper. That’s right! Amatsu’s on my side, too! I mean, he is my friend’s brother. And he’s given me advice a few times before now. I better stay close to him… I kept holding Lingzi’s hand and scooted my chair his way. “…” “…?” He shot me a weird look. Awkward, but I’ve got no room to worry about that now. If anything happened, I would use him as a shield while I ran away with Lingzi. “Right!” Spica smiled. “No use beating around the bush! Let’s cut to the chase! First, let me ask you, Terakomari: What do you think is my ultimate goal?” “Murder.” “Bzzt! The correct answer is world peace!” “Bullshit!! Your lies are gonna make my ears fall off!!” “I’ll admit, my notion of world peace is a bit different from the kind you’re picturing. I believe only those who deserve to be saved should be saved. Within Inverse Moon, we call these people, figuratively, shut-ins. The rest can die in a hole, for all I care.” Spica chewed her stew with delight and swallowed before continuing. “I want to make a paradise consisting only of shut-ins. A happy place where only nice people live. A utopia where no one has to be killed and everyone can live out their lives to the fullest. Inverse Moon’s slogan, ‘Life is meant to be in the shadow of death,’ is actually incomplete, I guess. It should be ‘Life is meant to be in the shadow of a meaningful death.’” “Then why do you go around killing people like there’s no tomorrow?” “Didn’t I just say? I don’t mind getting rid of those who don’t deserve to be saved. I only show kindness to the shut-ins who are just as kind as I am.” “Isn’t that, like, super egotistical…?” Still, she was beginning to make sense. Basically, she wanted to live a fun life just with the people of whom she approved. It was a little loony to call that “world peace,” though. “But anyway… Where are you making this paradise of yours, then?” “Here.” “Here? In the middle of these ruins?” “The scope of your imagination is as puny as your stature, huh! I don’t mean these ruins—I mean the Netherworld itself. The perfect place to build my paradise!” Lingzi held my hand tightly to stop me from blowing my lid. Easy, Komari. Right now you have to listen to what she has to say. “…Why the Netherworld? It’s riddled with war.” “No logical reason. It’s just because I have attachment to this place.” An uncharacteristically sentimental look came to Spica’s face. She had the appearance of a little girl, but the look in her eyes as she gazed up at the sky was that of an old traveler basking in nostalgia. “A long time ago, I had this friend. We tried to make a peaceful paradise together, but a bunch of fools got in our way. I was expelled to the other side, the Foreworld, away from my friend. And then the Dark Cores sealed the entrances to the Netherworld.” “A friend? Fools? Dark Cores…? I’m not following…” “By fools, I mean the six jerks who held a grudge against me. They called themselves Observatory.” “Where are they now?” “Dead, probably. That was six hundred years ago.” “How are you still alive?” “Guts!” “If only it was that easy.” “Anyway, back then, the doors to the Netherworld were always open. But Observatory used the Dark Cores to close them. So I tried getting my hands on them in order to come here.” She wanted the Dark Cores to return to her homeland, where she had been separated from her friend… I was sure she wanted them to take over the world for evil. “You’ve seen it before, too, right? The door opens when a Dark Core breaks. That’s because the fools of Observatory used them to seal the doors. And the Dark Cores suck up the Netherworld’s mana and supply it to the Foreworld. That’s why there’s no magic here. In exchange, you get to use all the magic you want over there.” “What the…?” “Now you know how it works. Observatory did all that just to spite me, by the way. They wanted to dry up my paradise and lay waste to the Netherworld.” I had no idea this happened in the distant past, and hearing about it now shocked me to my core. It never occurred to me that this could be the truth of the Dark Cores. Not that I had any way to check if it was really the case. “So to summarize…” Spica dunked her lollipop into her stew. “I want to reboot my paradise plans that got derailed before. That’s why I’m here in the Netherworld. But while I was away, those scoundrels in Star Citadel plunged the whole place into war. I have to get rid of them.” “I see…?” “Life is meant to be in the shadow of a meaningful death. The right people die the right way, and the wrong people die in vain. That’s paradise, how the Netherworld is supposed to be. And that’s why I don’t like Star Citadel’s massacring ways.” Now that I’d heard Spica out, I could see she had a consistent, logical reason for her actions. Whether or not I agreed with her ideals, at the very least, we both wanted to get rid of Star Citadel. But… “Why did you reach out to me? We were enemies this whole time.” “Because Yusei is too strong. I need your help. Inverse Moon isn’t up to the task by itself.” “Look for someone who can get along with you instead. Vill said there are a lot of barbarians like you out there in the world.” “The only people on my level are Yusei and you, Terakomari Gandesblood. You saw the disaster at Lumiere, right? The members of Star Citadel are a pack of amoral beasts. Are you just going to let them be?” I cannot. They made so many people suffer. “…I’m going back to Lumiere. I’ll fight with Vill and my friends.” “No.” Spica put her stew-soaked lollipop in her mouth. “Then there would be no point in isolating you. Villhaze and Nelia Cunningham are strong, but they would never accept me.” “And you’re saying I would accept you?” “I’ll kill you and add you to the stew if you don’t.” “See?! You’re crazy!” “Is it me who’s crazy or your expectations? Don’t you think a truly peaceful world is one where we get to say ‘I’ll kill you’ to one another without any thought? Don’t you think it’s this world that’s wrong for turning dark jokes into reality?” “What are you even saying?!” “Ah-ha-ha! I’m saying I’m joking! It’s okay; I know how open-minded you are! I’m sure you’ll embrace my wickedness!” The worst part is the wide-eyed look on her face… She was right in one way, though—I would rather make friends with her if possible. But I couldn’t imagine that being easy, considering this bunch’s behavior. And I can’t keep saying no, or she’ll literally throw me down the drain… “Cooperating would be for the best,” Amatsu advised me. “Star Citadel is a major threat. They go multiple steps beyond Inverse Moon in mercilessness. Do you want to take your precious friends to a fight against them?” “Ah…” “If you don’t want Villhaze and Nelia Cunningham to get dragged into the battle, then taking advantage of Her Highness would be the smartest move.” Vill and Esther were wounded already. Colette’s arm was… I don’t even want to think about it. I couldn’t put them in any more danger. Based on what Spica and Tryphon had said, Lumiere was safe, for now at least. And that safety came with a price. Inverse Moon had saved my friends—now I needed to help them in return. “What will you do, Komari…?” Lingzi gave me a worried look. I wasn’t entirely sure yet, but the choice I had to make was becoming clear. “…You promise my friends are okay?” “Of course! Right, Amatsu?” said Spica. “Yes. You don’t need to worry about Lumiere Village.” Maybe I could trust him—Karla’s brother. I thought it over for a little while more before nodding. “Okay. Let’s work together for the time being.” “A smart decision befitting a scholarly intellectual!” Spica beamed. She looked like a naughty kid who had just found a new toy. Am I already regretting my decision? “Everything’s set, then. Together, we can build a bridge upon this parched night sky. Let’s get rid of those pests, Terakomari!” “Y-yeah…” Spica held out her hand, and I hesitated momentarily before shaking it. Her palm was surprisingly soft and warm; apparently, this terrorist’s blood wasn’t so cold. I wonder what she thinks about me. Surely it’s nothing good. Or maybe she’s also the kind of vampire who has trouble getting along with people. Shaking her hand took me back a bit. It was like meeting my past self. “All right! Now that we’ve joined hands, I’ll tell you about our plans!” Spica shoved her hand into the bag on the chair next to hers. She rummaged around in there for a while before plopping something on the table. A ring…made of a lot of spheres? It was too big to be a bracelet, but too odd to be decor. “This is a Divine Instrument: the Nightsky Ring. It’s from the Enchanted Lands’ Starquake Agency. This armillary sphere can show the night sky of all worlds.” “Why do you have a treasure from the Enchanted Lands?” “Because I stole it!” Would it kill you to have an ounce of shame? Look at Lingzi’s face! “The Nightsky Ring has received multiple graces from across the stars. For example…you can use it to determine the location of anyone whose blood you’ve registered with it. This is how I found Lingzi in the desert.” “Her blood was in there?” “Must’ve been Shikai Gudo’s doing. The blood of every important person in the Ailan dynasty, even that of Meihua Liang, was recorded here. He must’ve been plotting to control them all… But anyway…” Spica gently caressed one of the Nightsky Ring’s spheres. A spot in the murky sky blinked. “That’s someone’s location? Whose?” “The Dead Maestro—Tremolo Parcostella’s.” I gulped. The eerie cloing, cloing of the biwa crossed my mind. She’s already up to something elsewhere in this world. “Wait, but didn’t you say you needed their blood?” “I got some when I punched her! Why didn’t I kill her, you ask? Please, Terakomari! Think harder! You gotta let her escape so we can tail her to Star Citadel’s hideout!” “So…you know where it is?” “Duh!” Spica smiled. “Far south from here, there’s a mining city called Neoplus that’s under the jurisdiction of the Toumor Republic. The population there’s been skyrocketing from the gold rush. What a frivolous bunch.” “By the way, it’s not gold they’re mining,” Cornelius explained, crossing her arms. “It’s something even rarer and more valuable: Mandala minerals. They can react to people’s willpower, and they’re used for creating weapons in the Netherworld. The term ‘gold rush’ isn’t quite accurate, so I propose we call it ‘Mandala rush’…” “I don’t care what we’re calling it. What you need to know is that Mandala minerals appear in places with high mana concentration. Do you realize what that means?” said Spica. “Uhhh… Didn’t you say there was no mana in the Netherworld?” I asked. “What it means is there’s a Dark Core in Neoplus!” “…Wha—?” A Dark Core? You mean, like, the Dark Cores? One of those super-duper amazing Divine Instruments, of which there are only six in the world, and they give infinite mana and regenerative abilities to each race? “The Dark Cores are clumps of mana. They each have different levels of power, but they spread mana simply by existing.” “H-hold on! Why are there Dark Cores in the Netherworld?!” “Because there’s Dark Cores in the Netherworld. There are six of them in the other world, and there’s six here. Look, I have proof.” Spica took something out of her pocket. Simply put, it was a sphere that glowed like a star. It looked like one of Nerzanpi’s bullets, but this one exuded much stronger energy. “This is one of the Netherworld’s Dark Cores. I sneaked into Star Citadel’s puppet state and stole the thing. It just so happens this one has retained its original form, since the wish imbued into it is different.” I was getting dizzy. Spica fiddled with the Ultimate Divine Instrument with a grin on her face. “Mandala minerals pop up around the Dark Cores. As does Star Citadel. Do you understand the urgency of the situation?” “You mean they’re gathering the Netherworld’s Dark Cores, too? And, uh, should you be hanging on to that…?” “I don’t intend to break it right now, and it’s waaay safer with me than with them. Once someone gathers all six Dark Cores, they gain the ability to reflect their will onto the world. A lot of people will die if Star Citadel gets their hands on them.” “…” I couldn’t understand what Star Citadel’s endgame was. But I understood the world was in danger. I had to cool my exploding mind first. I grabbed my spoon and ate a mouthful of stew. It was surprisingly tasty. The circumstances were pretty complicated, but the solution was simple: Defeat Star Citadel. According to the Nightsky Ring, their hideout was in the city of Neoplus, far south, where they were (allegedly) trying to mine a Dark Core. If the Dark Core fell into their hands, the flames of war would engulf the whole world. They had to be stopped. But… “…I can’t trust Spica.” “She is a little scary…” “Did she do anything to you, Lingzi?” “She…sucked my blood a few times.” “She must pay!! I’m gonna go yell at her!!” “W-wait! Don’t run—you still aren’t fully healed!” “………Gah. You’re right… My belly hurts…” I squatted in place, tears in my eyes. It was night. Lingzi and I were in a room in the ruins, getting ready for bed. We were supposed to head south tomorrow; I had to rest while I could. Yet I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t stop thinking about Inverse Moon, Star Citadel, and my friends back in Lumiere Village. All my vexations were pushing me beyond my limits. I went back to bed and lay down to rest my wounded body. Calling Lingzi’s name, I stared at the ceiling. “What happened to Meihua? I wasn’t sure if I should ask, but…” “Meihua is…” Lingzi hesitated before responding from the other bed. “I heard she’s in Neoplus. The Nightsky Ring says so, apparently.” “Why…? Wait, I guess I know why.” You had no way of knowing where a collapsed Dark Core would send you. Nothing guaranteed Lingzi and her retainer would appear in the same place. “Spica said Meihua isn’t in terrible trouble, at least. The Nightsky Ring can only pinpoint the locations of the living… But I’m still worried.” “Yeah… We’ve got no choice but to go to Neoplus, huh…” Lingzi frowned anxiously. She had been through so much while I had been on my whimsical journey. I found just the thought of being with the princess of a terrorist group spine-chilling. “…I’m also worried about the Enchanted Lands,” Lingzi whispered. “A lot of places will be affected by the Willow Sword’s breaking. The world must be changing as we speak…in an irreversible way.” “Yeah…” “Komari, did you hear a voice when you opened the gate?” “Huh? Whose?” “I guess I was just hearing things.” “…Wait, what did it say?” “I think it said something about reestablishing order. And killing… Then pictures came flooding into my head, including the sight of someone being freed from their shackles…” What in the world? Unfortunately, there were too many people I could think of who would talk about killing. I didn’t think it was right to brush it off as just Lingzi hearing things, though. “…It’s okay. I’ll protect you, no matter what.” “Eh?” “The world may be changing, but my wish to be with you hasn’t, Lingzi.” “Komari, do you enjoy being with me…?” “Yeah. I feel at ease around you, too. There’s something special about you.” She was one of the few people I knew who had a good head on her shoulders. That I was able to hold an actual conversation with her was really special. “You too.” Lingzi’s face turned red. “…You’re special to me, too. I don’t want just to be protected. I’ll do what I can to help you in turn.” “R-really?” “I’m just a regular person who gave up on being special, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have to fight. I want to do what I can. I want to support you.” Lingzi Ailan had given up her title, Gongzhu of the Enchanted Lands, but she still had the will to change the world. I could feel it. Feeling reassured, I took her hand. “Thanks! Of course, let’s help each other out! That’s what friends are for!” “Yes. And I’m also your wife.” “…” How could she say something so embarrassing as if it was nothing? The weirdest part of it all was that I didn’t feel a shred of sicko-ness—the kind Vill usually oozed—coming from her. The moment after my brain froze as I tried to come up with what to say in reply, I heard a boom! The explosion was nearby. Lingzi’s and my screams rang out as we flew through the air. The walls and ceiling had been blown away, the beds were wrecked, and the world was spinning around me. I felt like I was gonna puke. The blast was also hot as hell, and the rocky rubble devastated our surroundings. Cloing. A switch flipped. “Raid! We’re under attack! They grew tired of waiting! My Null Night Blade shall strike them down!” Outside, Fuyao cackled. Spica and Tryphon woke up and ran out of their rooms. …What? Am I dreaming? Can I keep sleeping, then? A second explosion hit another building while I was trying to escape reality. We’re gonna die if we stay here. I endured the pain in my belly and held Lingzi tightly to protect her. “K-Komari, are you okay?!” “Are you okay, Lingzi?! Damn it, why do they keep blowing up the buildings I’m in?! Spica, what’s going on?!” “Mmm.” Spica squatted down and licked her lollipop. “To tell the truth, we’ve been surrounded by the enemy for three days.” “Wha…?” “The Aruka Kingdom’s troops! Stuff happened, and they’re our enemies now!” “What stuff?!” “You see the Dark Core I have? I stole it from Aruka!” “Well, no wonder they’re attacking!” “They’ve been pursuing us the whole time. Looks like they finally found our hideout. They were watching from outside the castle walls, and I guess they took advantage of our needing sleep to attack!” I already want to undo our alliance. I had one or two or three words to say to Spica, but I realized yelling at her wouldn’t get us to safety. “Lingzi, let’s book it! We’ll use them as decoys!” “Hey! You run, and I’ll kill you!” I grabbed Lingzi by the arm and ran away without looking back. The pain from my belly wound was practically killing me, but I had no time to waste on tears. Because I knew that getting involved with Inverse Moon would kill me. “Which of you Arukans is ready to become rust on my sword?!” “Dear me. I would rather avoid getting bloody… But I’ll take it as a good opportunity to adjust my Treason’s Spirit Gate.” The crazies were ready to run berserk. Cannon fire continued to flatten the ruins without mercy. “Oh well.” Spica sighed as she stood up. She took another lollipop out of her pocket and pointed it to the sky, saying, “Fuyao, Amatsu, Tryphon, Cornelius! Take these guys down and catch Terakomari! As punishment, I’ll suck her blood until she’s nothing but skin and bones!” Not skin and bones! Lingzi and I almost tripped multiple times from the incessant blasts as we ran away from the ruins.