“Finally found it. It’s really not easy to locate this place.”
The newcomer was surrounded by brilliant starlight, with the silver moon hanging high and star radiance flowing around her.
Her eyes bore the traces of dawn’s light.
The Magic Alliance’s First Seat, Xingyue.
After great difficulty, she had finally arrived at this place.
She was deep within the Boundary Sea; to be precise, she was right at the sealed location of the Black Candle Colossus.
“That’s why it should have been sealed closer back then. If something went wrong, we wouldn’t even know.”
Among the entire Magic Alliance, only she could pinpoint the exact location.
This damned Boundary Sea was so tricky that even with coordinate markers, finding the right spot was almost impossible.
Xingyue gazed at the pale blue prison within the Boundary Sea that looked like a clock tower—barely discernible to the naked eye, but the clock tower emitted a terrifying oppression, as if the world itself was flowing backward.
Facing it, Xingyue’s body floated in midair, slowly retreating with the overwhelming momentum.
“As expected of the Black Candle Colossus… Manjusaka and the others did put up a good fight back then.”
Xingyue couldn’t help but sigh.
This kind of monster had long since exceeded the limits of what the magical girls of that time could handle.
The fact that they managed to seal the Black Candle Colossus was largely a stroke of luck.
Previously, she had sensed fluctuations in the Zeroth-Rank magic that sealed the Black Candle Colossus and had come deep into the Boundary Sea to investigate.
Fortunately, there was no major problem.
The seal on the Black Candle Colossus was intact, but…
“It’s beginning to awaken.”
The awakening was incomplete but still troublesome.
Even though it couldn’t break through the Zeroth-Rank magic seal, the movements it made would not be subtle, easily attracting the attention of other “chimi wuliang” (monstrous spirits and creatures).
If it fully awakened, who knew if the Zeroth-Rank magic could still contain it.
“We can’t kill it… so what should we do?”
The idea of killing a being like the Black Candle Colossus deep within the Boundary Sea was just wishful thinking.
But if it was far from the Boundary Sea, there might be a chance!
Xingyue stared at the seal, pondering for a long time before finally embedding something in the Boundary Sea, which transformed into a streak of light and vanished.
***
“They want to see me?”
Luo You pointed at herself, asking.
“To be precise, they want to see the Gray Witch.”
Sitting across from Luo You was the leader of the Outsiders Organization, Yue.
Today was an informal meeting between them, mainly so Yue could convey some matters to Luo You.
“To see the Gray Witch…”
Luo You thought for a moment and already understood the cause and effect.
“Haha, their greatest reliance is still the Black Candle Colossus.”
The Gray Witch Ariel was rumored by outsiders to possess the source matter of both the Farsea Colossus and the Black Candle Colossus, two plunder-level dimensional beasts.
She was the most successful individual among the global fusion warriors.
Her most outstanding achievement was the direct defeat and taming of the Fifth Seat, the Broken-Winged Butterfly.
After all, no fusion warrior so far could contend with the Tenth Seat—still far from that level.
But what the ‘group’ cared about was not Ariel’s strength, but the source matter of the Black Candle Colossus within her.
“I can understand that—the Black Candle Colossus does have such destructive power.”
Recalling the scene back then, Yue sighed, “I saw that scene at the time—it really gave me a consciousness shock as if the world was being created anew.”
Many people only noticed how powerful and terrifying the Black Candle Colossus was, but the Magic Alliance’s sealing of it made governments worldwide see them in a new light.
The Zeroth-Rank magic, hailed as the ultimate deterrent, had proven its worth then, which is why magical girls held their status today.
“But this time, I don’t think those guys are relying only on the Black Candle Colossus.
They already failed four years ago,” Yue enumerated thoughtfully, “As I said before, they’re probably relying on ancient artifacts, maybe more. The Rage-Eating Colossus is also a threat not to be underestimated. Unstable factors abound.”
Luo You shrugged indifferently.
“If they want to see the Gray Witch, then let them.”
“Aren’t you afraid they’ll use ancient artifacts against you?”
“Heh, I don’t believe they dare meet me face to face.”
Luo You laughed.
If they wanted to use ancient artifacts against her, those ground rats would have to step out of the shadows first.
She guessed this would most likely be another video meeting, as Yue’s previous contacts with those people had always been like that.
“Then I’ll convey the message to them.”
Yue reluctantly stood up and left.
Two hours later—
A certain Aurora Witch had already donned the Gray Witch’s identity and contacted those people.
Just as Luo You thought, it was indeed a video meeting.
The people opposite were very perfunctory, not even bothering to show their faces, just a 2D avatar.
Damn it, the moment Luo You said “Hello” to him, he responded with “Go shit yourself” and then hung up the video.
“Let them reflect properly before coming back to me,” Luo You said, then waited another two days.
Yue sent a message.
“Yo, they actually dared to arrange an offline meeting.”
“Probably didn’t expect your last reaction to be so fierce. They have to show sincerity now. But the person coming to meet you is likely just a puppet. The real boss will probably only communicate with you through the puppet’s earpiece.”
In other words, just another form of video meeting.
“Let’s wait a little longer. Remember, there won’t be a next time.”
Luo You refused.
No one in this world dared to treat her so casually.
Even if she was now the Gray Witch, her status was still at the level of an Aurora Witch.
This time, she waited a full half month.
Waiting so long made Luo You wonder if they had come up with a backup plan, but Yue sent another message.
“The offline meeting is confirmed. There will be a real major shareholder present.”
Yue’s voice was low.
This was a major breakthrough, as even the Outsiders Organization had never met the real major shareholder face to face.
“Hmph, it would have been better if they’d done this earlier.”
Luo You sneered, but she was curious about what kind of trouble they wanted to stir up.
The meeting location was left for Luo You to decide.
They preferred to meet abroad, as the risk in the Dragon Country was too high—safer elsewhere.
But Luo You’s previous attitude had pressured them.
This Gray Witch carried herself with such arrogance that they feared if they picked a place too far, she would simply refuse to participate.
So they had to agree to her wishes.
“Then let’s set it in the Northwest,” Luo You said.
“Tomorrow morning, six o’clock. I only have two hours to give them.”
“Got it.”
Why six in the morning, and only two hours?
Because she had to start work at eight.
***
On the day of the meeting—
The meeting place was a private room in a restaurant.
Luo You arrived on time.
As soon as she entered, a sweet voice came from inside.
“Ms. Ariel… it’s so hard to see you. Even meeting a country’s president isn’t as difficult as meeting you.”
Right from the start, she asserted her own power with an imposing aura.
She was a very beautiful girl, with arched brows, jade-like eyes, delicate features, and an exotic charm.
When someone tried to show off their power like that, Luo You simply replied, “…Do you think I’m like Erella? That I can be easily seduced by just having a pretty girl?”