Chapter 517: The Oriole Behind
"Cough, cough!"
Nakaya Motoharu lay on the ground, hacking up blood as he gasped for air, his handgun already tossed who-knows-where in the scuffle. Fortunately for him, his thick, bulky frame absorbed much of the impact. Otherwise, Kaguya's single kick might have killed him outright if he were any thinner.
"Minister of Defense, it seems you lack any regard for the value of your life," Kaguya smirked, her tone cold as she watched him struggle. "Those who court death tend to find it. Why can't you understand such a simple truth?"
She raised her fair hand, and an invisible force hoisted Nakaya into the air. His hands clutched desperately at his throat, as though an invisible grip was slowly choking the life out of him. His face turned red, then purple, as he hung, helplessly gasping for air.
"Originally, I wasn't planning on wasting my time with you. After all, who would take offense at an ant that dares posture from below?" Her expression darkened. "But if that ant tries to bite, well…then I have no choice but to crush it."
Nakaya's pupils constricted as he realized the gravity of the situation. He flailed his limbs in the air, resembling nothing more than a bloated insect pinned to a wall, his struggling so pathetic it was almost comical.
"You, Nakaya, are exactly that ignorant ant," Kaguya said with a mocking grin. "Now, how shall I kill you?"
With the lack of oxygen turning his face a splotchy shade of purple, his eyes began rolling back. Kaguya released her grip, and Nakaya dropped like a sack of bricks, crashing to the floor.
Now free, Nakaya lay sprawled on the ground, panting heavily, his chest heaving as sweat poured down his face. It wasn't Kaguya's initial target today, after all—she'd been after Ellen. Ever since her prior encounters with Ellen, she could sense a distinctive aura from her, one she could track with ease. But rather than running into Ellen herself, Kaguya had ended up finding this unlucky fool.
"Please…spare me!" Nakaya pleaded, his voice high and squealing. He crawled over to Kaguya, sobbing and sputtering. "It wasn't my fault! It was them—DEM Corporation made me do it! They're the real masterminds!"
"Oh, really?" Kaguya asked with an amused smile.
"Yes, absolutely! I was just following DEM's orders!" Nakaya grasped at any hope for survival. "They're planning to nuke the city during your peace talks and use their airships and their magic convergence cannon to kill you!"
Kaguya's mouth twisted in disdain. "You've betrayed your own people. How do you think they'll feel if they learn of this plan?"
"They'll never know," Nakaya replied, grinning with a hollow smile. "After the city's destroyed, we'll tell the public it was an Spacequake caused by you Spirits, not a nuclear strike."
"Already planned the cover-up, have you?" Kaguya's face turned to one of disgust. She had no patience for such low-minded politicians, people who would sink to any depths to achieve their goals. They were no different from criminals.
Nakaya wiped sweat from his brow with his sleeve, his whole body trembling with fear. He knew this Spirit before him wasn't one to show mercy. She'd killed tens of thousands of his comrades with a snap of her fingers; his life held no more value to her than an insect's. He had to say anything to survive.
Kaguya suddenly turned back toward him, a cold smile on her face. "Do you want to live?"
"Absolutely—" Nakaya stopped, his eyes caught on the mesmerizing silver of Kaguya's gaze, its star-like beauty pulling him into its endless depths. His mind buzzed, and everything faded into darkness.
—
The seasons shifted, and as summer's fierce heat began to ebb, a refreshing coolness filled the air. It was a pleasant time of year, yet Ellen found herself feeling inexplicably uneasy.
Since her encounter with Kaguya, her emotions had been on a roller coaster. She had thought killing Kaguya would be cathartic, a righteous end to her humiliation, a well-deserved revenge.
But as she imagined it, something inside felt…wrong. Had she lost her mind? Why should such a thought ever even occur to her?
She shook her head to clear her thoughts, gritting her teeth as she whispered to herself, "I must kill her… I have to!"
"Oh? And who might you want to kill?"
The familiar voice caused Ellen's entire body to tense up. She instinctively spun around, retreating a few steps as she unsheathed her laser sword, prepared to attack.
There stood Kaguya, her unmistakable smirk adding a playful glint to her eyes.
"Is this really how you greet an old acquaintance?" Kaguya quipped as she approached.
"Bastard," Ellen spat, gritting her teeth as memories of their last encounter—and the humiliation she suffered—flashed through her mind. Rage flared within her.
"We've known each other for quite some time now," Kaguya said, crossing her arms casually and leaning against a wall. "At this point, we're practically friends, don't you think? Or…are you still holding onto past grievances?"
Of course I'm holding on to past grievances!
Hearing Kaguya's nonchalance ignited an even greater fury within Ellen, her grip on the laser sword tightening until her knuckles turned white. With a cry of rage, she launched herself forward, her Realizer Unit activating with a powerful hiss. Within seconds, she closed the distance, her sword raised high, ready to strike down the girl who had become her sworn enemy.
Sparks flew as the searing energy blade crashed down on the Truth-Seeking Ball, its blade scraping brilliantly against the pitch-black surface.
"Attacking without a word—that's rather rude," Kaguya remarked with a smile, arms crossed, showing no intent to dodge. "Especially unseemly for a graceful lady, wouldn't you say?"
Her casual disregard stoked Ellen's rage further. Did she really see her as so insignificant?
Ellen gritted her teeth. She was the world's strongest wizard—how could she possibly be defeated by some mere Spirit?
"A graceful lady?" Ellen scoffed, barely containing her anger. "Are you mocking me?"
"It seems there's been a misunderstanding." Kaguya stood upright, her smile easy. "I have no such intentions."
"Then what do you mean by that?" Ellen snapped, her lips pressed tight.
"I'm just suggesting," Kaguya said, her smile turning wry, "that you look far better in casual wear than in that battered gear."
"You really are insufferable!" Ellen growled.
"Insufferable?" Kaguya's lips curled into a smirk. "If that's enough to bother you, I wonder how much worse it will be soon."
"You bastard—"
Misinterpreting Kaguya's words, Ellen's face flushed with anger. Her chest rose and fell as she seethed, and finally, unable to hold back, she charged at Kaguya again.
"I already told you, it'll take you a hundred lifetimes before you can kill me," Kaguya taunted, dodging the searing blade that slashed through the air. "Attacks like that won't cut it."
"Don't underestimate me!"
Ellen's first strike missed. Gritting her teeth, she spun and swept her arm in a broad arc, her energy sword cutting a white-hot line through the air. Kaguya leapt back, retreating as Ellen's sword missed again.
"Now!" Ellen's eyes gleamed, her acceleration device roaring as it released a torrent of jets, propelling her toward Kaguya at lightning speed. With Kaguya mid-air, there was nowhere left for her to escape.
"Take this!" Ellen cried, gripping the energy sword and swinging it down with all her might.
A blinding flash as the blade cleaved down, slicing Kaguya's body clean in half from head to toe. Blood spurted outward in a spray of crimson mist.
"Is…is she really dead?" Ellen stared in disbelief at the body before her, struggling to process the sight. Could it really be over?
"Oh my, that hurt."
The familiar voice behind her caused Ellen's eyes to widen in horror. She whirled around, only to find a silver-haired girl standing unscathed before her, grinning as though nothing had happened.
"Oh no, I'm dead. I'm really dead," Kaguya exclaimed in mock fright, though her tone was utterly devoid of sincerity.
"How…?" Ellen stammered, unwilling to believe what she was seeing. She glanced back at the corpse on the ground, which dissipated with a "poof," dissolving into a misty vapor.
It had been nothing more than Kaguya's substitute technique.
Kaguya strode toward her with leisurely steps, a faint smile on her face. "Give it up. You'll never defeat me. No matter how hard you try, it's pointless."
"Impossible!" Ellen clenched her teeth, her voice seething with fury. "I will never surrender to you. Never!"
"We don't even have any real grudge between us," Kaguya said, her voice almost soothing. "Why not join me instead? I can promise you double the pay you'd get from DEM Corporation. Isn't that a good deal?"
"No grudge?" Ellen's hand trembled around her energy sword. "After everything you put me through, you expect me to just forget it?"
"Ah," Kaguya replied, as though suddenly realizing. "You mean… that incident from before?"
Seeing Kaguya's nonchalant expression stoked Ellen's fury further. With a shout, she charged forward, her energy sword blazing with newfound intensity.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The air filled with a barrage of ringing clashes as Ellen swung her blade fiercely, slashing furiously at Kaguya with every ounce of strength she had. She wanted nothing more than to cleave her in two. Yet each strike met only the black barrier formed by Kaguya's Truth-Seeking Balls, which effortlessly blocked every blow.
"Stubborn, aren't we?" Kaguya mocked. "Why be so hard-headed when you already know that—"
Crack!
A thin, sharp sound interrupted Kaguya mid-sentence. She looked down, her gaze narrowing, as hairline fractures spread across the surface of the Truth-Seeking Ball, shattering it into fragments with a resounding boom.
A scorching blade of energy streaked forward like lightning, piercing through every layer of her defenses as it zeroed in on Kaguya's throat. A strike like that would surely decapitate her.
"While you were off having fun, I've been preparing for this!" Ellen shouted, her grip tightening on her energy sword as she accelerated, the blade mere inches from Kaguya's neck.
The more powerful the ability, the more energy and preparation time it needed. Ellen had deduced that Kaguya's skills likely required similar conditions, making this the perfect opportunity to strike as Kaguya's guard slipped.
As Ellen's energy sword neared Kaguya's throat, Kaguya's lips curled. "So, all this hostility is out of jealousy, is it?" she taunted. "Your anger earlier was all just because you felt a bit—"
Ellen's whole body froze mid-swing, her mind caught off guard by Kaguya's words. "Shut up, you bastard!" she shouted furiously. "Just die already!"
The energy sword traced a flawless arc, slicing through empty air. Ellen, rather than feeling victorious, was utterly stunned. Her attack had missed.
Before she could react, a figure appeared behind her. Ellen instinctively swung around, slashing wildly, but by the time she turned, Kaguya was already inches from her, reaching out with an delicate hand. Fingers caught her chin, tilting it upward.
With a wicked smile, Kaguya murmured, "A mere plaything dares act so boldly? Perhaps it's time you learned a proper lesson."
"Never!"
Ellen bit her lip, shouting in rage as she charged at Kaguya with her energy sword. Fueled by anger, her speed doubled, and her acceleration device roared at full capacity, even beginning to emit steam as it approached its limits.
"Since you're so eager, I'll humor you for a bit," Kaguya said with a slight smile. "But you'd better prepare yourself; just don't cry when it gets too rough." With that, she extended her arm.
"Mirror Flower, Water Moon—Sandalphon Projection."
As her words fell, a massive sword materialized in Kaguya's hand—the very weapon originally belonging to Tohka Yatogami. Though this was not the real Sandalphon, but a replica created by her Mirror Flower, Water Moon ability, it was still more than adequate.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
In a sharp clash of metal, Sandalphon collided heavily with Ellen's energy sword, sending out dazzling sparks.
The two blades locked together, producing a grating sound as they pressed against each other.
Kaguya's lips curled. "Doesn't look like you've improved much—how disappointing."
"But to take you down," Ellen grunted as she used all her strength to push Kaguya back, "this is more than enough."
As she spoke, a surge of power erupted from her energy sword, its light growing larger and more intense. Enormous magical energy flowed along the blade, converging into a massive pillar of light that shot skyward, exuding an overwhelming presence. The sheer power whipped up violent winds around Ellen.
Kaguya watched in stunned silence as the scene unfolded before her. Especially the pillar of light piercing the sky—she couldn't help but think, Is Saber somehow related to you?
Before she could voice her thoughts, Ellen let out a low cry and swung her arm. The colossal beam of light blasted toward Kaguya like a flash of lightning.
Boom!
A blinding column of light ripped across the sky, illuminating the earth as if it were daylight. A deafening explosion followed, shaking the entire city. A massive mushroom cloud rose, smoke and flames engulfing the area. The shockwave flattened everything around it, reducing the surroundings to rubble in an instant.
After the raging energy subsided, the landscape was a mess of ruin. Towering buildings had vanished, leaving only wreckage. The ground smoldered, filling the air with the acrid scent of burning.
"Is…is it over?" Ellen braced herself on her energy sword, kneeling and panting heavily. Sweat poured down her forehead in thick drops, her body drenched. She kept her eyes fixed on the scene before her.
Where Kaguya once stood was now empty. The tall buildings that once surrounded her had crumbled to ruins. Even the structures in the surrounding area were nearly all destroyed.
With an attack like that, she couldn't have survived…could she?
Although she thought so, a sense of unease lingered in Ellen's heart.
She had unleashed her greatest power—no, she had surpassed her own limits. Normally, she couldn't have generated such tremendous magic or caused this level of destruction, but her anger had allowed her to break through her limits.
However, after the burst of energy, her body felt utterly drained, as if it had been hollowed out. She was weak, trembling, and looked as though she could collapse at any moment.
Still, it was worth it.
Ellen glanced back one last time before turning to leave.
"Almost got me there—that was a close one."
The voice from behind made Ellen's body shiver. She turned abruptly, her pupils constricting in shock.
Perched atop the ruins was a beautiful silver-haired girl, smiling warmly at her. It was Kaguya.
"Impossible…" Ellen muttered, unable to believe her eyes. "Just now…"
"Yes, it was a bit dangerous," Kaguya admitted, raising her arm to reveal a vivid red mark. "You even managed to injure me. It's been so long since anyone has, so I suppose you should feel proud."
She gave it her all, and all it did was leave a bruise?
Ellen was stunned.
"Looks like you've gotten too bold. Time to give you a proper lesson," Kaguya remarked.
The words had barely left her lips when Kaguya's form blurred, streaking toward Ellen like an arrow released from its bow.
Ellen snapped back to her senses, gripping her energy sword tightly as she prepared to counter. But then—
Crack!
Her eyes widened in shock. Her energy sword shattered into pieces, scattering on the ground. Not only that, but her acceleration device also fractured, breaking into shards.
It turned out that when Ellen surpassed her limits earlier, she pushed her gear too far. The overload severely damaged the device's magical circuitry, causing it to finally break down.
As Ellen faltered in her shock, Kaguya reached her. Extending an arm, she wrapped Ellen's soft body in an embrace. Her hand slid along Ellen's side, gliding over her smooth skin before gripping her full, firm breast.
Only then did Ellen realize what had happened. Naked and vulnerable, she found herself once again in Kaguya's grasp.
But why did it feel like again?
"Let…let me go," Ellen said weakly, squirming in her grasp. Even with her device intact, she couldn't escape Kaguya's hold before. Now, without it, she was weaker than an ordinary woman.
Without her device, she had lost all her power. Perhaps because of that, Ellen's attitude softened, becoming more submissive.
"Why should I let you go?" Kaguya teased, squeezing a few times playfully, the soft sensation unmistakable under her palm.
"You…you can't do this," Ellen stammered, biting her lip. "If you keep going, your Spirits… they'll be destroyed by the nukes."
"Oh, you mean those nukes?" Kaguya replied with a sly smile. "Sorry to disappoint you, but their trajectory has already been changed."
What?
A sinking feeling settled in Ellen's chest.
As her mind reeled, Kaguya leaned in close, her warm breath tickling Ellen's ear as she whispered, "Now, it's time to teach a disobedient child a lesson."
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