BOOOOOOM!!!
A massive explosion erupted somewhere near Dova.
The shockwave rolled across the city streets.
Dust rose into the sky.
Dova turned toward the sound.
To his left around the direction of nine o'clock—
he saw flames and black energy colliding in the distance.
Dova narrowed his eyes.
"Everyone's occupied I guess."
West Side Of The City
High above the rooftops—
Isly floated calmly in the air with her black staff in hand.
Her grey-black hair swayed with the wind.
Below her stood a woman on top of a rooftop.
The woman slowly licked her fingers and smiled.
"Chaos magic…"
"Now that's rare."
She raised both hands toward Isly.
Instantly multiple strings shot into the air from every direction.
The strings surrounded Isly completely.
Then the woman pulled both hands backward violently.
SNAP!
The strings closed inward.
But—
Isly's eyes glowed faintly.
"Chaos Magic—"
"She Who Illuminates Heaven…"
"Amaterasu."
FWOOOSH!!
Black flames erupted around Isly instantly.
The moment the strings reached near her—
they caught fire and snapped apart.
The flames spread through the strings like infection.
The woman's eyes widened slightly.
Then suddenly Isly grabbed several loose strings with one hand.
And pulled.
The woman was yanked upward violently.
"What—?!"
She flew toward Isly uncontrollably.
Isly spun her black staff and swung it directly toward the woman's head.
But the woman spoke calmly.
"Curse Enchantment."
A glowing circle with two triangles appeared on her forehead.
BOOM!
Isly felt her strike bounce away like she had hit a compressed wall of force.
The woman was launched downward from the impact anyway.
CRAAASH!!
She smashed through a building beneath her.
Dust filled the street.
Isly floated above silently.
Then thought to herself—
Symbolic magic is the most troublesome…
They draw power from other beings and not themselves…
And it all depends on how much of that being's energy you can handle.
The woman slowly walked out from the destroyed building.
She rubbed her hands through her hair casually.
Then smiled upward at Isly.
"My Lord…"
"I've met my match today."
"Can I have permission to release my curse?"
A voice echoed from deep within the palace.
"You may…"
"From now on everyone else can release their curses on their own accord."
The woman smiled wider.
Then the number on her right arm began glowing.
9.
Number 9 spread her arms outward.
"In the name of my Lord Prince Luther—"
"I release my symbolic curse…"
"Queen Nightmare."
BOOOOOOOM!!!
Her body immediately began changing.
Strings erupted everywhere around her.
Her skin became red and black.
Her hair transformed into a deep red color.
Her eyes turned completely black.
The pressure around her became heavier instantly.
Above her Isly inhaled softly.
Then raised her staff toward the sky.
The crystal embedded in the staff glowed brightly.
"Chaos Zone."
A massive zone spread outward instantly.
It covered Isly.
Number 9.
And several nearby houses.
Inside the zone, reality itself felt unstable.
The air distorted.
The rooftops bent unnaturally.
Even sound felt delayed.
Isly looked down at the transformed Number 9.
"Nightmare in chaos…"
Then she smiled slightly.
"Let's see how that works out…bih."