บท 504: Timing
"Insolent!"
In a dimly lit room, Ellen's delicate face contorted in anger, recalling her previous humiliation. Gritting her teeth, she said, "This time, I will—"
Before she could finish, a figure blurred in front of her, moving with lightning speed and closing the distance in an instant.
Ellen's eyes widened in shock, and she hurriedly raised her laser sword to shield herself.
A deafening "boom" echoed as Ellen was forcefully struck, sent flying back like a cannonball. She was flung high before crashing to the ground and rolling several times, only stopping when she hit a wall.
"This... How is this possible?" Ellen, sprawled on the ground, looked in shock and disbelief at the silver-haired girl before her.
Ellen was currently wearing a specialized Realizer Unit, one that DEM had upgraded specifically for her. Its enhancements vastly boosted both offense and defense and had drastically increased mana efficiency. For Ellen, who already possessed immense magical power, it was like adding wings to a tiger, and it had allowed her to easily overpower Tohka.
Ellen had assumed that with her newly upgraded strength, she would be more than capable of defeating Kaguya. But Kaguya's strength had exceeded all her expectations; even with DEM's custom equipment, she was easily knocked aside. Although her protective shields absorbed much of the blow and prevented fatal injury, she had still been left battered and thoroughly shaken.
"Tohka, are you alright?" Kaguya approached Tohka, helping her up with a look of concern. As she spoke, she placed her hand on Tohka's body, her palm emitting a soft white light that healed her wounds. Tohka's injuries began to fade visibly.
"I... I'm alright now."
Being addressed so intimately, Tohka blushed a little, her cheeks turning a soft pink. She didn't understand why her heart was pounding or why her face felt so warm at that moment.
"Good to hear," Kaguya smiled gently. Looking at the beauty before her, Kaguya's hands couldn't resist lightly grazing Tohka's smooth, delicate skin, relishing its silky softness.
"Dear..." Tohka's blush deepened as she called out.
"Hm? Are you in pain somewhere?" Kaguya asked, surprised by the unexpected term of endearment.
"No," Tohka shook her head gently, blinking her large, bright eyes. "I know now... the duty of a wife."
"The duty of a wife?" Kaguya was taken aback. Where was her mind during the battle? How had it wandered to such odd topics?
"I understand it now... the duty of a wife is..." Tohka's face grew warmer as she spoke. "To have a child with you, isn't it?"
"What?"
Kaguya's eyes went wide, momentarily at a loss for words. "Who told you that?"
"I saw it on TV. They all said so..." Tohka said shyly, clearly finding the topic awkward.
Kaguya felt an overwhelming sense of frustration. Now she understood why so many parents complained about television "corrupting" children. If even innocent Tohka had picked up on these things, what about all those mischievous kids?
"Ahem, we'll talk about this later," Kaguya coughed, trying to change the subject with a forced laugh. "Right now, there's other business to handle. Stay here and wait for me, okay?"
"Mhm." Tohka nodded obediently, seemingly oblivious to Kaguya's real intent.
Kaguya's demeanor changed as she turned to Ellen, her expression darkening as she approached. Each step she took intensified the aura emanating from her until, by the time she stood before Ellen, her presence was almost tangible, a tidal wave of pressure radiating from her.
"What terrifying killing intent… How many people must one have slain to possess such deadly energy?" Ellen thought, her eyes widening with sudden realization. "Could she be the one from thirty years ago…?"
Just as Ellen braced herself for a fight, Kaguya's icy expression unexpectedly softened into a bright smile. "Hold on a moment, okay? I'll deal with those other nuisances first," she said, nodding toward the distant sky, where Jessica and the DEM forces were still battling Yoshino and Origami.
Ellen was momentarily dumbfounded, unprepared for Kaguya's relaxed approach and unable to respond.
Before she could protest, Kaguya kicked off the ground, launching herself like an arrow into the sky.
"How dare she!" Ellen fumed, her anger rising as she realized she was being dismissed so easily. She shouted, "You look down on me? I'm the world's strongest wizard, I'll—"
"You wouldn't do anything foolish, would you?" Kaguya suddenly glanced back at her with a playful smile, eyes narrowing. "Or I'll have to teach you another lesson."
Although Kaguya's expression was pleasant, a chill ran down Ellen's spine, a wave of cold dread sweeping through her as her body involuntarily shivered. Her defiance faltered, and she swallowed her words. It wasn't until Kaguya was already airborne that Ellen fully regained her composure.
"W-Was that supposed to be a threat?" Ellen shouted, trying to mask her unease with forced bravado. "As if I'd be afraid of you!" Though her voice trembled, betraying her nerves.
"Really?" To Ellen's surprise, Kaguya paused mid-air, turning back with a dazzling smile. "So… would you like to be taught that lesson now?"
...
Boom, boom, boom!
"Die, die, die!"
Jessica's twisted face broke into a vicious grin as she roared with laughter, appearing like a demon from hell as she piloted the Scarlet Licorice, unleashing unrestrained bombardments on the enormous ice rabbit before her.
Under the relentless onslaught of missiles and laser cannons, the ice rabbit's massive body was blown to pieces, with ice chunks of all sizes scattered about. Powerful shockwaves hurled chunks of shattered ice across the ground, creating a scene that resembled a hailstorm.
"Aah!"
Yoshino and Origami clung tightly to the ice rabbit, letting out cries of fear as the violent gusts buffeted them. Their balance teetered, as if they might slip and fall at any moment. The continuous assault began to push Yoshino's Spirit power to its limits, rapidly draining her energy. It was evident that at this rate, the ice rabbit would not hold up much longer.
"Still holding on, huh?" Jessica sneered, her crimson eyes locked onto the battered form of the ice rabbit below. "Fine, I'll be generous and end this. Don't worry, it won't hurt… much," she cackled madly.
Jessica's twin, dark cannons gleamed, and in an instant, a giant beam of light burst forth, scorching the air as it barreled toward the ice rabbit. The heat distorted the air, demolishing nearby buildings as it passed.
Yoshino's Spirit energy was nearly depleted, her face flushed and body trembling with exhaustion. Tiny beads of sweat glistened on her forehead as she struggled to maintain control.
"Go… leave me," Origami murmured through gritted teeth, barely able to stand on the ice rabbit, her voice weak but resolute. "Don't worry about me."
"No!" Yoshino's voice, usually so timid, sounded determined as she bit her lip and declared, "I… I won't leave you! Sister promised she'd stay with us. She'll come. I know it!" Yoshino clung to her faith that Kaguya would come to save them, just as she had promised.
"Oh, so you're still hoping for that b—?" Jessica's hideous face twisted with fury as she laughed. "Perfect! I'll kill her too, right along with you two! Rest assured, I'll make sure you beg for death before I let you die!"
Jessica's crazed laughter hinted that her mind was long gone. Her single thought was to wash away her previous humiliation in her enemies' blood.
Boom!
A violent explosion rocked the sky, sending a wave of debris and intense heat sweeping outward, reducing surrounding structures to rubble. Fierce flames rose high as dust and fragments of stone filled the air, casting a haze across the scene.
Jessica watched the destruction with satisfaction, until a cold voice suddenly echoed through the swirling smoke.
"Sorry, I don't think I heard that correctly. That 'b—' you mentioned, wouldn't happen to be me, would it?"
As the smoke thinned, a figure appeared—a girl with a cascade of silver hair that shone like moonlight, her face flawless and cold. A spark of wrath flickered within her starlit eyes.
Jessica's pupils contracted in horror.
"Onee-chan!" Yoshino gasped with joy. She'd known Kaguya would come for them, just as she had promised.
Origami's strength gave out as relief washed over her, and her vision darkened. She slumped, tumbling from the ice rabbit just as Yoshino cried out in alarm.
A figure streaked in like lightning, catching Origami mid-fall. It was Kaguya.
Seeing the burns on Origami's back, Kaguya's brow furrowed, her eyes flashing with anger. She gently laid her hand on the wound, channeling a soft white light into her. Under its glow, Origami's injuries visibly healed, the charred skin returning to its natural smooth, white state. Though the physical wounds vanished, Origami's body was still weakened, requiring time to fully recover.
Kaguya held Origami close as she landed on the ice rabbit, gently patting Yoshino's head. Smiling, she said, "You did well, Yoshino. You've grown up so much. I'm proud of you."
Yoshino's eyes reddened as she gazed at Kaguya's warm smile, nodding as she murmured softly, "Mm. You promised, Onee-chan… you promised you'd always stay with us. I knew you'd come."
Kaguya paused at Yoshino's words, feeling a sudden mix of emotions. When had she become this young girl's source of strength, guiding her moods, bringing her comfort? The thought stirred something deep within her.
With a soft smile, Kaguya ruffled Yoshino's hair. "Don't worry. I'll always be here with you. That's a promise."
"Mm!" Yoshino nodded vigorously, her usual shyness giving way to a radiant smile.
But just then, a massive beam of light shot toward Kaguya's back, streaking through the air like a bolt of lightning, its deadly intent unmistakable.
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