“You want to replicate Akabane’s miracle?!”
“Replicate?”
The female figure gave a slight shrug, her posture exuding nothing but disdain.
“Manjusaka, how could you be so naïve? I’ve come this far, how could I be content with a simple replication? If I only replicated it, in the end, I’d be no better than Akabane, making no real progress. Of course, I intend to go a step further, building upon Akabane’s foundation.”
Manjusaka’s brows drew together, her eyes darkening.
Back then, although Akabane did defeat a true Light-Harvesting-class Colossus, it was ultimately a clever trick, not a true head-on victory.
In reality, after Akabane was tainted by the Far-Sea Colossus’s origin matter, her true combat strength was only comparable to the upper echelons of Dragon-class dimensional beasts—still not at the Dragon-class peak.
This level was already the pinnacle outside of magical girls, but if it was only this much, it wouldn’t be worth this person’s years of scheming.
If you’re going to scheme, then scheme to become that supreme being—
“You want to become a Light-Harvesting-class Fusion Warrior?” Manjusaka questioned.
But in her heart, she knew—this was far more than Light-Harvesting-class. It was an even higher existence: a flawless Light-Harvesting-class being!
She knew all too well how terrifying such a being could be. The hallmark of Light-Harvesting-class was that pure origin matter, a resource comparable to energy that existed only in higher dimensions. Used well, it offered endless possibilities; even if poorly wielded, it was still incredibly destructive.
Light-Harvesting-class dimensional beasts had no self-awareness, blindly wielding their power. Even so, that alone was enough to wipe out nations.
And this woman before her was also a master of magic. If she became a Light-Harvesting-class being, the tricks she could play with that origin matter would be countless.
Absorbing and assimilating the Black Prison Colossus’s origin matter, seizing its power to become a Light-Harvesting-class being—this was theoretically possible now, thanks to the advent of Fusion Warrior technology, which made it within the realm of possibility.
But ‘theoretically possible’ meant it was nearly impossible in practice. Manjusaka couldn’t fathom where this person’s confidence came from.
Suddenly, shock flickered in Manjusaka’s eyes.
“Divinity Particle!”
If someone with a Divinity Particle was also extremely talented as a Fusion Warrior, then maybe—just maybe—this person could really succeed!
“So you’ve noticed, too.” The female figure smiled.
“Do you really think everything will go as you wish?”
“Hearing you say that, I want to ask you in return—why do you think I would fail?”
Now, Manjusaka and Xingyu could no longer use Zero-Order magic. Outside, the tides blocked Zhizhi and the others, and there were Dragon-class—even peak Dragon-class—dimensional beasts aiding her. How could this situation be broken?
Manjusaka tried to use magic to forcibly kill her opponent, but the woman simply drew a golden arc with a flick of her hand, and all magic bent away the moment it crossed that line.
[Is this a skill similar to ‘Space Folding’?]
Manjusaka caught on.
But knowing the method didn’t mean she could counter it. If it was that easy, the Magic Alliance wouldn’t have suffered under Herrera for so long.
And they still didn’t know what other powers this woman possessed.
At that moment, the female figure spoke in a low voice, “I’ve been plotting since the moment Akabane defeated the Far-Sea Colossus. It’s been a decade now. The groundwork was laid even decades earlier. Now, with the right time and the right people, I can’t imagine how I could possibly lose.”
“Is that so? I think you’ve only got one out of three—time, place, or people,” came a voice from outside.
Luo Zining stepped in. “Since you can seize the Black Prison Colossus’s power with your Divinity Particle, can’t I do the same?”
Manjusaka frowned. Little Red Riding Hood coming over meant things had gone very badly for Xingyu; how could she hold off so many Dragon-class dimensional beasts on her own?
“Ridiculous.” The female figure shook her head disdainfully and said nothing more.
What could anyone do with just a Divinity Particle? Without Akabane’s inherent magic as a foundation, simply being tainted by origin matter would only lead to disaster.
At this moment, Manjusaka suddenly said something to Luo Zining, who immediately understood.
The two of them quickly began casting a large-scale cooperative spell.
Ignoring the woman, they flew to the top of the clock tower. Manjusaka weaved her magic, with Luo Zining at the center, pressing heavily down at a certain spot.
Crack!
The clock tower exploded with countless cracks, then collapsed with a deafening crash.
Oooo—
The surging world-sea matter, as overwhelming as a tsunami, forced the female figure to dodge in haste. The Black Prison Colossus, previously at death’s door, was now slowly reviving. The terrifying Light-Harvesting-class pressure swept out again into the distance!
Manjusaka made her decision instantly. She would rather unleash the grave threat of the Black Prison Colossus again than allow an even more troublesome flawless Light-Harvesting-class being to be born!
“Ara, ara… You’d go this far rather than let me succeed…”
The female figure clicked her tongue, then smirked, “Well, relying on the Black Prison Colossus alone was never going to send me to the Sanctum, anyway~”
To truly reach for the status of a flawless Light-Harvesting-class being would require far more arduous and intricate trials… Now that releasing the Black Prison Colossus had served its purpose, the female figure blended directly into the raging tide, fading away with the receding waves.
“Evacuate now!”
Manjusaka grabbed the gravely injured Xingyu and dragged her into the teleportation array, escaping from the Black Prison Colossus’s rampage and reuniting with Zhizhi and the others.
“You bastard! Aaaahhh!”
Zhizhi stamped her feet in fury. The Black Prison Colossus they had so painstakingly sealed was alive again!
Even Manjusaka wore a grim face, her voice cold: “Let’s head back and redeploy!”
Flower Sea City–
“Looks like it didn’t succeed after all.”
Through her authority as the magical girl Golden Scale, Luo You learned about the general situation at the border.
The Black Prison Colossus, once sealed, was now loose again. Everything that happened in between was tightly classified—even Luo You couldn’t find out the details.
When she returned, Luo You met with Xingyue and told her the current situation.
“Even so, you’re still not planning to step in?”
Luo You was curious and pressed on, “Your companions are facing a trial that could easily cost them their lives. If you don’t step in soon, wouldn’t that be improper?”
“They’ll get through it. I believe in them.”
It was a breezy, weightless answer, carrying no real conviction.
“Your calm attitude is almost suspicious, you know.”
Xingyue sighed softly, “…No matter what means we choose, our goal remains unchanged: to repel the enemy. That will not change.”
“So what exactly are you waiting for?”
“If I told you, would you help me?” Xingyue looked up, her eyes full of hope.
“If you don’t tell me, even if I wanted to help, I couldn’t,” Luo You replied, though it wasn’t a real promise.
Still, when the moment truly demanded it, she would step in. After all, she couldn’t stand by and watch old regrets repeat themselves.
Xingyue smiled gently. “Although I can’t take any action here, I never asked you to sit idle with me, did I? You’re free to do whatever you wish.”
PS: Damn, Zhezhi and her steamed buns were trembling so much, I forgot to write a single word all afternoon.
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