Chapter 234: A Foxian Tale of the Haunted 『 Part Nine 』
〜Mob Psycho 100 World〜
Shigeo gazed in stunned silence at the light curtain, where Cirrus had swelled to a size many times her original form.
Her spectral flames blanketed the entirety of the Fyxestroll Garden… Even through the distant screen, a wave of ominous, malevolent energy seemed to wash over him.
He felt a sudden, piercing chill—not the superficial frost that nips at the skin, but a deep, invasive cold, as if he had downed a gallon of ice water before plunging into a frozen lake. Staring directly at Cirrus, Shigeo Kageyama felt himself turning to ice from the inside out.
He had exorcised countless spirits alongside his master, yet none had ever exerted such a terrifying, suffocating pressure.
No, if he were being honest, the others didn't possess even a tenth of this power…
"Ma… Master… this Cirrus…"
Shigeo turned back toward the Great Spirit Medium, only to find Reigen's legs shaking beneath the desk like a rickety, coin-operated kiddie ride outside a supermarket. Every joint rattled like a loose screw.
"Master, are you afraid?"
Shigeo asked, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.
"Ha! Mob, what kind of nonsense are you talking about?"
Reigen wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and interlaced his fingers, desperately attempting to project an air of calm composure.
"I-I'm just a bit chilly, that's all… Haha, the air conditioning in the office must be set too low."
Reigen began fumbling around for the remote, his movements frantic as he tried to mask his terror with busywork. When he finally pulled the remote from a drawer with trembling hands, he suddenly realized it was late autumn.
The air conditioning wasn't even on.
—
「 "Cirrus~ It's Cirrus~ You won~ You won…"
"Don't leave us behind… Help us, take us with you… Let us restore the glory of the Heliobi!"
Countless Heliobi called out in unison as Cirrus, encased within Stelle's body, let out a sinister cackle. "My thanks to the Ten-Lords Commission judges for clearing the obstacles and gathering the fragments for me. I told you I would leave your body, Stelle."
"And now, it is time for me to fulfill that promise."
A burst of ghostly fire erupted from Stelle's body, hovering in mid-air. One by one, the scattered Heliobi were consumed by her, eventually coalescing into a colossal… giant eye.
"I feel more powerful than ever before!"
As Cirrus's aura expanded, the fallen Cloud Knight puppets on the ground began to stagger back to their feet, their weapons pointed straight at Stelle.
To be fair, these puppets controlled by Cirrus weren't particularly difficult to handle. But because Stelle and Xueyi were hesitant to use lethal force, the knocked-out puppets would simply stand back up like relentless zombies. Over time, it had become a war of attrition—a series of endless waves. 」
「 .....」
〜Type-Moon World, Carnival Phantasm Worldline〜
In the basement of the church, Gilgamesh stood with his arms crossed, his crimson eyes fixed on the battlefield within the light curtain. As the fight progressed, a sneer curled his lip.
"Hmph, mere insects. Their ability to manipulate hearts is impressive enough."
Beside him, the black-clad priest Kotomine Kirei stood with his hands behind his back, a faint, inscrutable smile playing on his face.
"Oh? Does the King of Heroes have some reservations about this 'Heliobus's' behavior?"
"Reservations?"
Gilgamesh scoffed.
"I merely find it laughable—claiming to challenge the General of the Xianzhou, yet hiding behind puppets and playing such lowly tricks."
On the light curtain, wave after wave of Cirrus-controlled puppets surged toward Stelle. Seeing Xueyi injured, Kotomine Kirei let out a low, dry chuckle.
"But turning others into marionettes, watching enemies struggle in despair… It is a surprisingly pleasant sight."
"Heh, Kirei, you truly do relish twisted pleasures."
Gilgamesh glanced at him sideways.
"I am honored by the compliment,"
The priest replied with an elegant bow.
"However, looking at the bigger picture, this Cirrus has shown considerable cunning to go from a mere wisp of a Heliobus to her current state."
"Cunning?"
The King of Heroes suddenly laughed.
"Kirei, oh Kirei, you call this cunning?"
The laughter stopped abruptly, and the man's expression turned cold.
"It is nothing more than the delusions of an insect crawling on the ground. Watch, Kirei. Such despicable tactics might succeed for a moment, but in the face of absolute power, all struggles are in vain."
"Still, before the General delivers that final strike, let it enjoy its little moment of triumph. Watching it struggle in its hideous form is a decent enough diversion."
—
「 Stelle's side was the first to falter in the battle of attrition.
"As he said himself, when Heliobi merge, they form a fragile equilibrium." Seeing the visible decline in their momentum, Tail looked at Huohuo. "You know what to do, right? Huohuo?"
"B-But…"
As Huohuo hesitated, a sudden, blinding light erupted from Cirrus. The light seemed to take physical form, like a tsunami that instantly shattered the device on Xueyi's ear, leaving her reeling and unsteady like a puppet with cut strings.
"Give up your resistance and serve me!"
The Heliobus immediately began to invade Xueyi and Stelle's bodies. Faint blue flames flickered over them as they were drawn toward Cirrus. Seeing the dire situation, Xueyi quickly threw out a chain to grab Stelle, anchoring the other end to the ground as she struggled against Cirrus's suction.
Huohuo knelt on the ground, her hands over her head in terror. Beside her, Tail was frantic. "You useless girl! G-Get a grip!"
"…But that thing… it can't be killed."
"But don't you still have… me?" Tail waved his spirit-flame in front of Huohuo's eyes before swirling back into her.
Staring at the seal on Tail's tail, then looking up at Xueyi and Stelle as they barely resisted Cirrus, Huohuo finally made up her mind. She gritted her teeth and tore off the seal.
Tail immediately transformed into a mass of ghostly fire and shot out like an arrow from a bow. Huohuo tried to grab him, but Tail nimbly dodged her grasp.
"Goodbye, Huohuo!"
After spinning a few times in the air, Tail dove headlong into Cirrus without a second thought.
With a deafening explosion, the controlled Stelle and Xueyi were instantly released. Cirrus no longer had the strength to manipulate them, and her hysterical roar echoed through Fyxestroll Garden. "You… you bastard! What are you doing?! Get… out of me!"
Tail's triumphant laughter rang out from within her. "Cirrus, why don't you try absorbing me as well?"
"Are you insane?! Why would you help humans?!"
"Hahaha! A reason? Do I need one? If you must have one, it's because I can't stand an idiot like you who only knows how to play cheap tricks!" 」
「 .....」