"It's over..."
The Crimson Witch stared in disbelief at the now-empty space before her, her arms trembling involuntarily.
Since last night's battle, she and her sister had been deposited on this hidden rooftop somewhere by the "Azure Witch."
Following the plan, they had used the grimoire, [No.539], to begin distorting the space around Itogami Island, searching for the prison barrier that held their leader, Aya Tokoyogi.
Though they weren't the true masters of the grimoire, they could still sense what had happened.
The ritual of [No.539] had barely begun before it was resolved. The chaos caused by the spatial distortion had been quelled in the blink of an eye.
Such an absurd ability to respond...
'Could it be that annoying Natsuki wasn't affected at all?' the Crimson Witch gnashed her teeth.
The "Gap Witch," Natsuki Minamiya—no one in the world understood space better than her.
The vanished [No.539] had probably been taken by the "Azure Witch." Something unexpected must have occurred.
"The resources we brought to activate the grimoire are running low," the Jet-Black Witch sighed discontentedly, looking at the distant crowds. "And we can't exactly go replenish them on the spot..."
The resources to activate the grimoire were, of course, human life force.
They were currently wanted. If they showed themselves, they'd never escape the pursuit of those cats.
"If we're discovered, even the 'Azure Witch' probably won't be able to help us." The Crimson Witch scanned their surroundings, feeling the space around them begin to tremble.
"At least this place is hidden, not easy to find. We just need to wait until we use that girl to locate the prison barrier. Everything will be fine then."
"Yeah..."
The Jet-Black Witch offered a smile of agreement, and then...
That smile froze instantly on her face.
"Who's there?!"
The sisters turned simultaneously. Within the magical barrier of their hideout, someone had intruded.
In their barrier, no living being other than themselves should exist.
That's how it was supposed to be.
But within the trembling space, they seemed to see a white figure.
Hair like shining sunlight, crimson eyes.
An unfamiliar girl was muttering into a phone, as casual as a student discussing dinner plans with a friend.
The girl shook her head slightly, then...
Her gaze turned towards them.
"Octavia!" the Jet-Black Witch wailed her sister's name.
"Fenestra sine fenestris, in sola specie—!"
The Crimson Witch roared, raising her grimoire high.
A magic circle answered her chant. Instantly, a fog of malignant miasma surged from the circle covering the rooftop, and translucent, slimy tentacles began squirming forth from within.
Simultaneously, the Crimson Witch's grimoire burst with light, dark and crimson blotches crawling onto the tentacles' translucent skin.
Grimoire [No.193]—an ill-omened book that had once caused a massive disaster wiping out an entire state.
[No.193]'s ability was "Pre-established Harmony." No attack could harm its guardian, and no defense could block the guardian's attacks.
They had studied the intelligence on Itogami Island. They knew full well who this girl was.
"Run."
That single word was the entirety of their next plan.
"You think you can leave?"
Arcueid's voice, tinged with faint amusement, pierced the witches' ears.
In the next instant, a pressure as if the whole world were crushing down made the sisters shudder.
Arcueid lightly raised a hand, a gesture as casual as waving to a friend. A torrent of overflowing magical light instantly blotted out the morning sun.
An invisible impact slammed the witch sisters into the rooftop. Their tentacle guardian was shredded by a clawing strike in the blink of an eye, vanishing like foam in the sunlight.
The ability of Grimoire [No.193] was shattered by sheer, unreasonable, overwhelming magical force.
"Wha—"
"Not even a delay..."
The sisters watched their guardian being torn apart like a piece of bread, then silently buried their faces into the cracked rooftop.
These past few days felt like a bad dream.
The frustration of being shattered by the Neco-Arcs, the despair of exerting their full power and being utterly helpless.
"We... surrender."
"Might we ask for leniency as prisoners?"
So straightforward.
Verdant vines sprouted and swayed from the concrete rooftop, binding the witch sisters securely.
"That's up to Natsuki-chan now." Arcueid said, holding them up as she looked towards the center of the earlier spatial disturbance.
'Well, we're done for.'
The witch sisters exchanged a look, sharing a smile of utter despair.
The blonde vampire leapt joyfully into the air, the vines following close behind.
Her figure, lively as a rabbit, bounded away towards the distance, accompanied by the witches' mournful cries.
--+--
"So, this is the end of the line."
Yuuma Tokoyogi watched the grimoire burning in her hand, then casually tossed it into the sea.
Infused with the vast magical power of the Fourth Primogenitor, the book turned to ashes in an instant.
"For Nagisa's sake, I won't be too harsh."
A calm voice came from behind. A petite girl holding a parasol stood on the nearby bridge, gazing appreciatively at the island in the ocean not far away.
"If you stop here, I can consider a lighter sentence."
"This is a demon's contract." Yuuma Tokoyogi simply shook her head gently, admiring the island alongside Natsuki Minamiya.
The island was rugged, like a spur of a rocky peak, mostly comprised of a man-made monastery.
"So this is the Prison Barrier."
Staring at that European-style monastery, Yuuma Tokoyogi murmured.
She glanced sidelong at Natsuki Minamiya's expression and let out a soft, wry laugh. "Somehow, it feels like you haven't seen this view much either."
"True." Natsuki Minamiya said plainly. "Don't usually bother looking when locking people away. Only took a moment to appreciate it back when I sealed your mother inside."
"..." Yuuma Tokoyogi's mouth twitched slightly, and she sighed softly. "Whose dream is the Prison Barrier in, anyway?"
"Guess."
The space behind Natsuki Minamiya suddenly rippled like the surface of disturbed water, and a figure emerged from within.
"Whoa—"
Avrora, using Yuuma Tokoyogi's body, plunged headfirst into the water.
"Brr..." Yuuma Tokoyogi suddenly hugged her shoulders and shivered. "That's a bit cold."
'So the chill from the real body is transmitted. Then sensations like pain probably are too.'
Natsuki Minamiya thought silently, casually throwing out a chain to fish Avrora out of the sea.
Sure enough, Avrora wiped the seawater from her face as if she'd felt nothing, and Root peeked its little head out from behind her.
"And what about things like going to the bathroom..."
Avrora looked up curiously. She hadn't gone since waking up.
"Why are we starting this kind of topic now?!" Yuuma Tokoyogi's face flushed immediately, and she gently pressed a hand to her lower abdomen.
Natsuki Minamiya also sighed in resignation. Were all vampire thought processes this... active?
She rapped lightly on the heads of Avrora and Root, whose eyes had suddenly lit up, cutting short their strange train of thought.
"One last time. Stand down." Natsuki Minamiya lifted her parasol, her gaze fixed on Yuuma Tokoyogi, who had regained her composure.
"I'm sorry."
Yuuma Tokoyogi shook her head without hesitation.
Amidst the overwhelming sound of clinking chains, ripples gradually spread out behind the girl, and then...
A bizarre figure materialized.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.