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"Haah... haah..."
As the lightning and mist dissipated, the girl on the dock visibly swayed—like an out-of-shape shut-in who'd just finished a fitness test, exhaustion written plainly across her face.
Fortunately, Bokue was right there. Before Tokoyogi Yuuma could collapse, he'd already moved behind her, catching her against his chest.
"Is it really that exhausting?"
The youth couldn't help his curiosity.
He'd seen Nagisa use [Lion of Gold] before, and... how to put it?
Sure, it packed a punch, but it shouldn't leave her instantly drained like Nagato after summoning the Gedo Statue. At the very least, she should be able to spam it like a basic attack.
So why did Yuuma look completely wiped after just one use?
"Haha... can't be helped..."
As if savoring the warmth of his chest, Tokoyogi Yuuma didn't immediately force herself to stand. She gazed quietly at the Prison Barrier connected by phantom bridges across the sea, slowly recovering her strength.
"Well... it is the legendary Fourth Progenitor's familiar, after all. 'Le Blue's' ability only swaps mine and Nagisa's senses through spatial transfer—it doesn't actually exchange our bodies. So essentially, the Fourth Progenitor's power doesn't belong to me. Rather than me controlling the familiar, it's more like I'm puppeteering Nagisa's body to summon it..."
"But this isn't simple 'weak current controlling strong current' physics. I'm controlling a True Ancestor's body—the stronger the target, the more power it takes to control."
Tokoyogi Yuuma explained while catching her breath.
"Honestly, I couldn't even unleash Lion of Gold's full power just now. But at least I made the Prison Barrier manifest, even if it's just a phantom. If we hurry, we should have enough time..."
She finished speaking and tried to stand, ready to move forward.
But before she could take half a step, her feet left the ground.
??
The sudden disorientation made a giant question mark appear above Tokoyogi Yuuma's head. Then the youth's sharp jawline filled her vision.
Bokue had simply scooped her up from behind—princess carry style.
"Eh... ah, wait wait wait! Bokue, what are you doing..."
Completely unprepared for this, Tokoyogi Yuuma—who'd never experienced such intimate treatment—instantly panicked. Her previously pale face from overexertion immediately flushed with color.
Even though no one else was around to see.
"What do you mean? Obviously letting you rest."
Bokue took a step forward, gracefully descending toward the Gothic castle's phantom bridges spanning the sea while carrying the girl.
When his toes touched the bridge surface, powerful golden energy exploded outward from the contact point. The previously phantom Gothic castle instantly solidified—every brick and mortar line becoming crystal clear.
"This..."
Tokoyogi Yuuma's mouth fell open in shock.
She'd nearly killed herself just to barely tap into less than fifty percent of the Fourth Progenitor's power, and even then only managed to make the Prison Barrier partially manifest as a phantom.
Yet Bokue had completely materialized the entire Prison Barrier with just one step...
"Huh, that was pretty easy."
Bokue muttered to himself.
Hearing his self-talk, the expression on Yuuma's face in his arms became even more complicated.
"Actually, I have my own reasons for doing this. I mentioned it briefly to Asagi before—not sure if you overheard, Yuuma."
"What reason... oh, you mean claiming territory on Itogami Island?"
Tokoyogi Yuuma thought for a moment before catching on.
She'd actually heard everything clearly while following them, but had pretended to think they were discussing video games to maintain her "chance encounter" act.
"Exactly."
Bokue nodded, his eyes reflecting the Prison Barrier's full form ahead.
"Call it OCD if you want... but I really don't like having things like prisons on my turf. It's like how even if apartment complexes need septic tanks, they're hidden underground."
"Except septic tanks are necessary. Prisons aren't."
"So you're planning to abolish the Prison Barrier entirely?"
Tokoyogi Yuuma blinked.
"But what about violent criminals with supernatural powers?"
The situation had become oddly reversed—their positions suddenly flipped.
Though it made sense. Tokoyogi Yuuma's goal was just a prison break, while Bokue planned to abolish the entire Prison Barrier. By comparison, Yuuma was now the one urging Bokue not to be too radical.
Classic case of conservatives thinking radicals are too conservative.
"Kill them."
Bokue's answer was brutally simple.
"Soon Itogami Island will become my private territory—basically my home. If someone wants to stir up trouble in my house, I'll naturally exercise my legal rights."
"So you'd... kill me as well?"
Tokoyogi Yuuma blinked teasingly.
"..."
Bokue looked down at her.
"Just remove the 'kill' part."
Remove the kill part? That would make it... oh.
Tokoyogi Yuuma thought about it seriously, then her face flushed red again. "Pervert..."
The girl muttered almost inaudibly, cheeks burning.
Then fell silent.
Though with that size, she wondered if her own body could handle it when the time came...
As they talked, they'd already crossed the long bridge to the Prison Barrier's entrance.
No need for Bokue to push—when he approached the towering Gothic castle's main doors, the seemingly impenetrable gates were forced open by his power alone, hinges creaking with historical weight.
Without hesitation, Bokue stepped inside.
When they passed through the deep corridors into the castle's interior, they found a circular hall. Cold moonlight streamed through the hollow ceiling above, illuminating a black-haired girl in Gothic dress sitting on a chair in the hall's center. Her ice-blue eyes reflected the approaching pair.
"You finally made it. Hurry up and return control of the Prison Barrier to me."
"..."
Bokue didn't respond immediately.
He could tell at a glance this was definitely Natsuki Minamiya true body...
But—
"Why are you awake?"
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