The head priest stood dumbfounded, his mind still reeling from the heretic's words... that he almost lost focus on the barrier—!
Crack—!
"—!? Ugh...! Damned heretic...!" he spat through gritted teeth, veins bulging along his temple.
He hastily poured his spiritual energy back into the dome of light as more fractures crawled across its shimmering surface under the relentless pressure of Noah's telekinetic barrage...!
"W-what nonsense are you babbling...!?"
Noah... simply smiled.
The priest was once again taken aback by the 'ghost' man's sudden shift in demeanor, though it didn't lessen the chill crawling up his spine...!
"Well... I could try destroying this dome of yours," Noah started casually—
Thunk~, thunk~, thunk~.
—while lightly tapping the divine-constructed barrier (now covered in rubble and debris) as if it were a fragile glass wall.
"But... I feel like it's gonna be a pain in the ass," he continued with a lazy shrug, "and truth to be told... I don't want to kill you or anything of the sort."
"...Huh?! W-what are you even saying...?!"
"Well, you know, I have to wonder... if I did kill you—would you turn into some vengeful spirit that also haunts this place?"
"...What?"
"'Cause the ghost gal that owns this place probably doesn't want another ghost tenant crowding her domain~."
'Yeah! Yeah! Get out of my domain, you darn holy jerks!' Evangeline's voice echoed with mock outrage inside Noah's head. 'And make sure you get rid of these pricks without shedding too much blood on my property, mortal!'
"Alright... that settles it then~," Noah said with a grin—one that sent the head priest's danger sense flaring in panic...!
Noah took a step back, his hands glowing brighter... before then—
More debris and shattered fragments began to gather and swirl around the dome of light...!
"What the...?!" The head priest gasped; confused by the mass of dirt piling onto his barrier fortress...! "W-what are you doing—"
In that instant, the debris quickly tightened—!
"—!?!"
The telekinetic pressure multiplied, compressing further into the dome of light—!
Crack—! Crack—!
"G-G-Gaaahhhh!!!"
With desperation, the head priest poured more of his spiritual energy into the barrier to reinforce his last defense...!
But the pressure just kept on rising...!
Gritting his teeth, he altered the barrier's structure, focusing all power on fortifying its defense...!
However, as the barrier's density increased, its size began to shrink...!
The dome became smaller...
And smaller...
Until it barely covered the priest himself...!
By now, the once-radiant barrier was completely buried beneath layers of dirt, rubble, shattered glass, and splintered wood—everything.
The glowing dome was now nothing more than a massive, dirt-caked sphere suspended midair...!
And of course...
"Uhh..."
...The unconscious subordinates of the head priest were also stuck halfway on the surface of this glowing 'dirt ball,' like flies trapped in a ball of syrup.
"W-what's the meaning of this, heretic...?!!" The head priest shouted in protest—his voice filled with outrage and confusion. "Release me from this filthy prison—!"
"Alright, then. Let's go for a fly~."
"...Huh?!"
Noah turned around... and dashed toward the shattered wall—!
Dragging the giant shining dirt ball along with him!
"W-Wait—WHAT—?!?"
Before the head priest could utter another word, Noah had already leapt through the shattered wall—bursting into the open night sky...!
The world outside the ruined apartment—
The metropolis concrete jungle.
The city that never truly slumbered, its countless lights flickering and gleaming—painting the dark night sky in hues of gold and crimson...!
'...So this is the outside world...' Evangeline whispered softly within Noah's mind, her tone faintly awed by the dazzling sight.
Noah himself, on the other hand, turned around—his glowing scarlet eyes locking onto the shining dirt ball floating behind him...
With the wide-eyed head priest still clinging to his tiny barrier for dear life.
"Now then..."
He clenched both hands, strengthening his telekinetic hold like a rope around the sphere...
"Let's send you guys on a little trip~."
"H-huh!? W-Wait, what are you—!?"
Ignoring the priest's panicked cries, Noah twisted his body—slowly spinning himself midair...
Slowly at first... then faster... and faster...!
And as he spun, the shining dirt ball whirled around him like a celestial wrecking ball, trailing debris and faint golden light—!
"S-STOP—!!! STOP THIS MADNESS AT ONCE—!!!"
The head priest's scream grew more and more distorted as the ball spun faster and faster...!
Eventually... when Noah felt he'd reached the perfect speed—
"Aaaaand... off you go!!!"
With one final swing, Noah released his telekinetic grip—sending the glowing dirt ball soaring across the night sky like a meteor—!!!
"—DAMN YOU HERETIIIIIIiiiiiiccc...!!!"
The priest's fading scream echoed across the city as the shining sphere vanished into the distant horizon... leaving behind a trail of faint divine light that quickly dissipated into the night breeze.
"...And there goes the trash, landlady~," Noah muttered with a grin, stretching his arms in satisfaction.
'Hmph, good riddance,'Evangeline huffed from within, yet there was a faint trace of satisfaction in her tone that made Noah chuckle softly.
He then turned around and floated back toward the shattered wall, his feet gently brushing the air as he re-entered the ruined apartment...
Landing on the cracked floor, Noah exhaled, his eyes sweeping across the half-destroyed room... before his shoulders dropped in tired resignation.
"Ugh... the renter's gonna sue me for this..."
'Sue you? Were you not just defending yourself, mortal...?'
"Well, yeah... but how the hell am I supposed to explain this?" he muttered with a helpless laugh. "'A bunch of lunatic priests wrecked the apartment'? They'd probably send me straight to the mental asylum."
'...If it bothers you that much, I'll help you fix this place up later... somehow.'
Noah chuckled faintly, but his voice grew weaker, his eyelids beginning to droop. "Heh... I'll hold you to that... later..."
'Mortal...? What's wrong—'
Before she could finish, Noah's legs gave out, his body slowly falling backward...!
'M-Mortal—?! Are you okay—w-what—?!'
In an instant, her spirit form was forcefully pushed out from him—!
But that wasn't the only surprise.
His black hair quickly faded back to its natural blonde, and before his scarlet eyes shut tight, they too reverted to their original blue... before his body hit the ground with a dull thud.
And thus...
The 'ghost' man had turned back into the 'normal' man he once was, lying asleep on the floor—leaving behind the actual 'ghost' woman utterly bewildered.
"...Heh, what an odd man," Evangeline murmured, looking down at him with a puzzled expression. "Honestly... what even are you, mortal...?"
A quiet pause...
Then... she crouched down, a small smile creeping onto her lips as she watched his peaceful, sleeping face.
"Good night... mortal~."