Chapter 393: Natsuki Minamiya: What Happened to Trusting Each Other?!
Boom—!!
The earth split apart, the original villa now reduced to ruins.
Standing on the empty road were Nagisa Akatsuki and her mother Mimori Akatsuki, Aiba Asagi and Yuuma, Kanon Kanase and her aunt La Folia, along with Yukina and Sayaka.
Veldiana stood nearby, responsible for protecting them.
They stared blankly at the scene before them.
They hadn't even fully processed what had just happened.
They had merely exposed that the woman wasn't the real Tokoyogi Aya, and in the next moment, the Third Progenitor Giada had started fighting with Teacher Minamiya, even destroying the villa completely.
"Chaos Bride—Giada Kukulcan, what exactly do you mean by this?!"
Natsuki Minamiya stared at the woman before her, now clad in a military uniform, her emerald-green hair fluttering in the wind, her eyes filled with confusion and gravity.
She couldn't understand why Giada had attacked her.
Yet, Giada smiled casually and arrogantly.
"Heh, sorry, Witch of the Void. I'm merely fulfilling a request, carrying out a task entrusted to me."
Bang!
Giada stomped hard on the ground, sending dirt flying like a tsunami as she shot toward Natsuki Minamiya like a sharp blade.
"Please have a good rest for now, Miss Minamiya."
She then clenched her fist at her waist and swung it out forcefully.
Her fist seemed to tear through space, the air exploding and rippling in layers.
But the fist didn't strike Natsuki Minamiya's abdomen—instead, it hit the blade of a massive golden sword.
"『Rheingold』!"
In an instant, magical power surged within Natsuki Minamiya, ripples forming in the space behind her as a golden knight slowly emerged.
The golden sword Giada's fist struck belonged to it.
Witches didn't fight by clashing magical power head-on.
They sought out each other's weaknesses, deceived one another, and the one who could strike first was the victor.
Compared to the immense magical power witches possessed, their physical bodies, used for defense, were far too fragile.
Whose magic took effect first determined the outcome on the spot.
Facing the Third Progenitor, who for some reason harbored hostility and possessed extraordinary martial arts skills, Natsuki Minamiya didn't dare let her guard down for even a moment, choosing to unseal Rheingold.
"Hmph, it seems I'll have a fine punching bag."
Giada laughed freely, brushing her crimson lips with a finger adorned with emerald-green nail polish.
"Don't get cocky!"
Roar!
As if sensing Natsuki Minamiya's will, the golden knight Rheingold swung its great sword toward Giada.
Giada leisurely sidestepped the downward slash, simultaneously clenching her fist again and striking toward the armored knight before her.
Boom, boom, boom—
Every punch she threw held nothing back, like a lion going all out even when hunting a rabbit.
Just as Giada had said, the golden knight truly served only as a punching bag before her.
Seeing the battle gradually intensify, Yuuma anxiously clenched her hands to her chest.
She hadn't had time to say it earlier.
The one called the fake Tokoyogi Aya indeed radiated her mother's aura—she was certain it was her mother's body.
And though the inner being was not Aya, the feeling it gave her was also very familiar.
It felt... it felt like Father.
She also knew that among the Grimoires, there was a Magic that could temporarily swap the consciousnesses of two people.
But before she could say any of this, the fight had already begun.
Meanwhile, Natsuki Minamiya was continuously using Space-Time Transfer Magic, constantly driving the Laeding, trying to bind Giada.
Yet Giada seemed able to foresee everything, each time using her excellent physical skills to move, dodging those chains as effortlessly as a gymnast.
"Why?"
During the time the Ring King was holding back Giada, Natsuki Minamiya frowned deeply, thinking again.
Just now, Giada had said, "I was entrusted by someone, so I must be loyal to their task," meaning someone had deliberately asked her to do this.
But who could possibly request a favor from a Progenitor?
The First Progenitor, the Lost Warlord?
Or the Second Progenitor, the Eye of Extinction?
Neither seemed likely.
Recently, she had interacted with Giada quite a bit. Giada's attitude toward the First and Second Progenitors was lukewarm at best, even though they had once been friends.
Occasionally, she would even mock them slightly.
So who else could possibly ask Giada for a favor?
Gradually, an unbelievable figure surfaced in Natsuki Minamiya's mind.
She couldn't help but look down at the position where Tokoyogi Aya was.
What she saw there shocked her greatly.
"Come forth, the Fifth Beast Vassal—'Regulus-Aurum'!"
Boom—
A golden lightning bolt descended from the sky, its massive form as large as a chariot, shaped by the power of raging thunder.
Its entire body radiated a dazzling brilliance, its roar shaking the atmosphere like thunder.
The lightning, taking the form of a lion, pounced fiercely toward Tokoyogi Aya's location.
But it missed.
Despite wearing a heavy kimono that hindered movement, Aya disregarded it entirely, flipping backward without a care for her kimono falling wide open or whether she might be exposed.
The moment she landed, Astarte, now wearing a pumpkin on her head, had already appeared there.
As her Magical Power surged, a pair of rainbow-colored hands resembling wings sprouted from her back, reaching out to grab Aya.
"Execute, 'Rododaktylos'—"
"Tch, this body really isn't easy to use... Astarte, cease execution!"
Just as the two Beast Vassals' hands were about to land on her, with an angry shout, the hands actually froze mid-air.
"Co-command received?"
Astarte's tone carried hesitation, and her artificial, beautiful face showed confusion.
She didn't know why she was obeying this woman's command.
But she had instinctively complied.
However, before her confusion could be resolved, Avrora had already launched an attack.
Behind her, a beautiful Beast Vassal as clear and transparent as a glacier had already materialized.
The piercing cold it emitted instantly froze the ground!
"Come forth—freeze her, 'Alrescha-Glacies'!"
A howling cold wind swept in.
In an instant, the ground was covered in a layer of silver-white frost.
But it was effortlessly dodged by Aya once more.
Having released her Beast Vassal, Avrora didn't forget to urge her other little companions to join the attack.
Immediately after, she received a light but firm punch on the head.
"Avrora, if you dare attack again, I'll cut off your favorite meat and snacks!"
"Huh? Huh huh huh huh? No, don't do that!!"
Avrora instinctively burst into tears and tantrums.
But when she turned around, what she saw was Tokoyogi Aya's face, slightly distorted with anger.
Her kimono was in utter disarray—the front wide open, revealing delicate, snow-white collarbones and chest, while the hem was a complete mess, with numerous scorch and freeze marks on the corners.
Her attire, combined with her disheveled black hair, made her look even more alluring than the courtesans of the Yoshiwara pleasure district.
Avrora stared at her blankly for a few seconds, about to ask—"Who art thou?"
But what came out instead was—
"Thou seemest familiar..."
The feeling just now was like Mahiro-nii's scolding whenever she made a mistake.
"You little dummy, don't worry about that! Just know that if you attack again, I'll spank your little bottom!"
Aya raised her hand as if to strike, frightening Avrora and her eleven little companions into covering their bottoms and taking two steps back.
Their movements were almost perfectly synchronized.
Indeed, in the Yotsuba household, aside from Alpha and Natsuki Minamiya, the only one who could keep them in line was Mahiro.
Even when facing Giada, these little girls showed no fear.
"So it really is you, Mahiro!"
A voice filled with gritted teeth came from behind.
There stood Natsuki Minamiya, dressed in a pitch-black lolita outfit, appearing behind him with a furious expression.
The folding fan in her hand was already severely bent from her grip.
"Oh dear, it's over now. The disguise is completely blown."
Mahiro muttered to himself nonchalantly, completely ignoring Minamiya's expression. She, in turn, paid no attention to his strange words and angrily demanded:
"Why?! What exactly are you trying to do?! And what has Aya, who swapped bodies with you, been up to?!"
Three questions in a row.
Clearly, she had pieced together many things in that short time.
But she still couldn't figure out Mahiro's true intentions.
Mahiro merely curled his lips into a slight smile and said:
"How about you guess?"
"I'm not a child! I won't guess!"
Minamiya was so furious she seemed almost crazed, as if her black hair had turned into Medusa's writhing snakes, her flat chest heaving violently.
All because she had been deceived—by someone she trusted, someone she liked!
This was something she absolutely could not tolerate!
But the next second, her expression suddenly froze, her anger transforming into boundless shock and fear.
She stared wide-eyed at the disheveled woman before her, as if she had finally understood something.
Something that must never be told to her, something that must be kept hidden from her.
Something that required a body swap.
Something that required Aya to carry out.
Only one thing fit all three conditions.
"You're going to make a move on the Prison Barrier?!"
Upon hearing this, Mahiro was stunned.
How could she be so clever, guessing it so easily?!
"Why?! You clearly promised me you wouldn't touch the Prison Barrier!"
Natsuki Minamiya grabbed him by the collar, yanking him off balance, her voice rising an octave in accusation.
He never expected Natsuki-chan to be so strong.
If he weren't currently using Aya's body, Natsuki Minamiya would have had to jump just to grab his collar.
"Answer me! Mahiro, what do you take our trust for?!"
Natsuki Minamiya's words were sharp and piercing, each syllable filled with anguish.
Seeing her like this, Mahiro opened his mouth as if to respond.
But before he could utter a word, a ten-meter-long whip coiled in flames shot through the air.
Whoosh—
The whip tightly bound Natsuki Minamiya.
Immediately after, an expression of extreme pain appeared on Natsuki Minamiya's face, and her figure vanished into thin air.
Everyone was left bewildered.
No one understood what had just happened to Natsuki Minamiya—how could she disappear just from being bound by a whip?
Mahiro looked questioningly at Giada, who held the flaming whip. She shrugged, indicating it had nothing to do with her.
In her fight with Natsuki Minamiya, she had always held back.
Even when dealing with the Ring King, she relied on her own martial arts without summoning her Beast Vassal. Otherwise, how could Natsuki have lasted so long against her?
But the next second, a powerful explosion echoed from the distance of Itogami Island.
Everyone instinctively turned to look, only to see brilliant lightning tearing through the silent night sky.
At that moment, Mahiro understood why Natsuki Minamiya's clone had vanished.
Because—
The Prison Barrier had been opened.
On the other side of Itogami Island.
The air still lingered with the residual Magical Power left by the thunder.
And on the previously empty sea surface, an ancient castle the size of an island slowly materialized.
That was the true form of the Prison Barrier.
A bridge extended from the castle's gate, connecting it to Itogami Island.
At this moment, Tokoyogi Aya, inhabiting Mahiro's body, gazed at the castle before her. For the first time, an unusual glimmer appeared in her calm, dark eyes.
"Natsuki Minamiya, wait for me. I will soon rescue you from that eternal dream!"
Aya whispered softly.
Beta, however, crossed her arms and spoke with dissatisfaction:
"Although Mahiro-sama asked me and Alpha-sama to assist you with this mission, don't even think about doing anything strange with Mahiro-sama's body!"
Beside her, Alpha, clad in a black tactical suit, remained silent, but her eyes conveyed the same message.
She would keep an eye on this woman!
Est, having manifested, stood by Alpha's side. She, too, didn't want to be used by this woman.
Thus, the lightning that had just shattered the prison was merely one of Mahiro's abilities—a replicated Beast Vassal.
But Aya curled her lips into a smile, turning around unhurriedly as she said:
"Oh? Strange things? What would I do with this body? My husband and I are already deeply connected, intimately familiar with each other's bodies. Why would I need to do something so unnecessary?"
"You!"
Beta gritted her teeth in anger. How infuriating—why did such enviable things never happen to her? Why did they befall that wretched woman, Tokoyogi Aya? She wanted to experience Mahiro-sama's body too! Though she had experienced it many times, she had never tried something like consciousness swapping! Damn it, damn it, damn it! Beta was so jealous she felt her teeth might shatter.
"Alright, I know about your relationship with Mahiro, and I don't believe you would use his body for any malicious purposes. But right now, the mission is more urgent."
Alpha stepped in at the right moment to smooth things over. Beta turned her head away with a cold snort, ignoring Aya. Tokoyogi Aya, meanwhile, turned around and gazed at the massive, ancient castle, smiling faintly.
"Yes, rescuing Natsuki Minamiya is more important right now."
With a slight curve of her lips, Aya stepped onto the bridge, leading the others step by step toward the castle's interior.
How many steps were needed to rescue Natsuki Minamiya? The answer: four.
First, forcibly break through the spatial barrier of the Prison Barrier.
Second, kill all the criminals inside.
Third, have Tokoyogi Aya reclaim the Grimoire of the Oath of Darkness and forcibly tear up Natsuki Minamiya's contract with the demon.
Fourth, placate her. If she truly wanted a prison, Mahiro could reconstruct the Prison Barrier.
But just as they reached the second step, Mahiro appeared. And he was with Giada.
"Natsuki Minamiya's clone has disappeared," Mahiro said immediately.
Aya nodded.
"That's normal. As the warden of the prison, if something happens to it, the clone she left outside naturally cannot be maintained."
"And you? What's the situation now?"
Mahiro looked around and noticed Alpha and Beta were nowhere to be seen. Only Est remained, staring intently at Aya.
"Hehe, your two subordinates have entered the prison to deal with the criminals. They should return soon..."
As soon as she finished speaking, they all turned their heads in unison. Not because Alpha and the others had returned, but because they saw an old acquaintance.
"Oh~ It's been a long time, my dear friend, and the esteemed Third Progenitor. Have you come specifically to welcome me?"
The man spread his arms and walked toward them step by step. He had neatly combed golden hair and wore a well-tailored white suit. Who else could it be but Vatler, who had been imprisoned? However, he was currently dragging a woman—a woman both Mahiro and Aya knew well.
"I never expected Gigliola Ghirardi to become your meal. I always thought you were a homosexual, but it turns out you're versatile, Vatler."
Mahiro spoke indifferently. He only glanced at Gigliola, and that glance happened to meet her eyes as she clung to her last breath. They looked at each other across the distance for a moment before Gigliola closed her eyes. Mahiro averted his gaze.
He didn't have much fondness for this woman, but she was tolerable enough, one of the few he could actually converse with.
He just never expected she would be devoured by that bastard Vatler.
When he implied as much, Vatler caught on and even gentlemanly offered Gigliola toward them.
"Oh, you mean this courtesan singer from the Quartier Latin Theater? The taste wasn't particularly good. If Your Majesty Mahiro desires her, I can return her to you."
As soon as these words were spoken, Giada's gaze turned utterly cold.
"Vatler, you're courting death!!"
Instantly, the magical power around Giada began to boil.
Gigliola Ghirardi—though she wasn't very familiar with the name, she had heard of her. She was one of the vampires under her command.
If other vampires engaged in cannibalism, or if it occurred among her own people, she wouldn't interfere.
But Vatler was a subordinate of the Lost Warlord, and he had consumed one of her vampires.
Right in front of her, no less!
How could she tolerate this!
"Come forth, Xiuhtectli!"
Magical power transformed into magma capable of incinerating everything, spreading outward from beneath her feet. Her entire form seemed to embody molten lava.
If the Fourth Primogenitor's Beast Vassals often took the shape of animals, Giada's Beast Vassals manifested with the essence of nature—such as the dark cloud Beast Vassal, the spatial skeleton monster, or the fiery magma.
The powerful surge of magical energy instantly swept through the entire Prison Barrier.
The magma erupted, spreading and contaminating everything around it, much like Giada's wrath, intent on devouring all in its path.
Seeing Giada summon her Beast Vassal, Vatler burst into maniacal laughter.
"Hahahaha, magnificent! Truly splendid! Old woman, let me, Vatler, witness the strength of your Beast Vassal!"
"Come forth, Utpala! Sagara! Upananda!..."
Vatler frantically summoned his own Beast Vassals, each one's magical energy far surpassing the last, approaching the level of a Progenitor's Beast Vassal!
Dimitrie Vatler was a madman, an arrogant fool who never knew his place.
He was a madman who yearned to become a Progenitor, who thirsted for the blood of a Progenitor!
Yet, Giada merely watched calmly, allowing Vatler to summon his Beast Vassals.
Only after the man had fully summoned all of his Beast Vassals did she wave her hand lightly and whisper:
"Incinerate him."
The magma seemed to gain a will of its own, surging forward overwhelmingly and colliding with Vatler's serpentine Beast Vassals.
The result was Vatler being engulfed.
Completely and mercilessly burned to ashes by Giada's Beast Vassal.
Clearly, he had underestimated Giada, underestimated this Progenitor who had lived for countless years.
Looking at the ashes left on the ground, Giada mimicked Mahiro's mannerism and curled her lips.
"Hmph, if I can't defeat Mahiro, does that mean I can't defeat you? This is the price of overestimating yourself, Dimitrie Vatler."