Chapter 46: Being With You

The pink-purple Starlight flickered in Mu Xi’s hand.

“Why did your personality suddenly change, Mu Ming?”

“Hahaha! I’m a Witch! I’m a filthy existence! Didn’t you want to know my true goal? What I’m going to do is just to replace you, and then do whatever I want…”

The sword in Mu Ming’s hand, the eye on it gradually widened, and the sticky Shadow Tentacle coiled around the blade squirmed slightly.

The Starlight Sword in Mu Xi’s hand emitted a dazzling pink-purple glow.

Mu Xi’s gaze was cold as she looked at the Mu Ming in front of her, who looked exactly like herself, wearing a dangerous smile.

Had her clinginess and obedience over the past few weeks all been an act?

Since she arrived, she had never had a good night’s sleep, but at least, that Rainy Night had never invaded her dreams again.

Her intrusion had brought a hint of warmth to her cold life.

A noisy little girl had barged into her lonely heart.

But was everything she showed—obedience, dependence, sweetness, acting like a little girl—all to gain trust, kidnap Little Rou, and then easily replace me?

She had just been ready to accept her…

For some reason, Mu Xi felt a sense of betrayal.

“I should’ve thought of this sooner.”

Mu Ming pouted unhappily but didn’t show it.

My original goal…

Was just hoping you would accept me…

Mu Ming launched the attack first, slashing her sword at Mu Xi.

Mu Xi gathered her sword to block, the impact numbing her palm.

Suddenly, a Shadow Tentacle launched a sneak attack from below!

The tentacle shot straight at Mu Xi, but she dodged with a sidestep.

Mu Xi spun, using her sword to strike at Mu Ming.

The fierce sound of clashing steel rang in her ears. Facing Mu Xi’s assault, Mu Ming could only defend passively.

Mu Xi suppressed Mu Ming, who leapt backward, putting distance between them.

She controlled the tentacle again, sending it charging at Mu Xi.

Mu Xi slashed down the incoming tentacle, but another appeared behind her, waiting for its chance.

The tentacle behind her thrust out in a sneak attack!

But Mu Xi dodged instinctively!

Mu Xi leapt high!

With a burst of force, she shot toward Mu Ming, closing the distance between them.

At this range, even defense couldn’t stop Mu Xi’s attack!

But Mu Ming raised her sword, the eye on the blade staring fixedly at Mu Xi, as if it would suck in her soul.

The airborne Mu Xi froze.

A mental attack!

Her scalp tingled with pain, causing Mu Xi’s attack to veer off course.

She slashed at Mu Ming, but only managed to lightly cut her sleeve.

Mu Xi quickly steadied herself, shaking her head to clear her mind.

This move had appeared during the Witch Hunt of the Disaster-Class Broodmother.

Mu Xi looked at the eye on the sword, growing more familiar with it.

Wasn’t this the eye of the Disaster-Class Broodmother?

“Are you Mu Ming, or the Disaster-Class Broodmother?”

Was she the residual consciousness left by the Disaster-Class Broodmother?

“Now you care about me!?”

Mu Ming attacked, the blade thrusting straight at Mu Xi.

Mu Xi dodged, but the Shadow Tentacle coiled around the sword suddenly extended, binding the hand Mu Xi held her sword with!

More and more tentacles wrapped around her.

A sticky sound echoed on Mu Xi’s body.

Wherever they slid, it itched unbearably.

Mu Xi couldn’t break free.

“Let me imprison you by my side… Then, watch me, live in Sunlight, and finally, be forced to acknowledge me…”

Mu Ming thrust her sword at Mu Xi.

Clang!

The sound of steel rang out—Mu Ming’s attack was blocked.

In Mu Xi’s left hand, a sword formed from pure black Magic Power, different from the Starlight in her right, condensed into existence.

Mu Ming was sent flying, quickly retreating.

Mu Xi slashed through the tentacles binding her.

She looked at Mu Ming, the two pairs of crimson eyes meeting in the air.

However, Mu Ming saw that Mu Xi’s eyes had been dyed pure black.

“Gu…aaaahhh…”

From Mu Xi’s back, tentacles burst from her spine.

A stabbing pain surged through Mu Xi’s mind.

“Hey! You…”

Mu Ming’s instinctive concern was left unsaid, for a tentacle from the spine attacked her.

Mu Xi’s tentacles gradually coiled around her body.

Like petals wrapping around a flower bud.

The Transformation Crystal floated from Mu Xi’s chest, slowly shattering.

Mu Xi was completely enveloped. Soon, the flower of tentacles bloomed.

Mu Xi slowly walked out from within.

Her worst fear had come true—she had subconsciously used more Witch power just now, and now she had fully transformed into a Witch.

No, the contamination was too deep—she had become a monster.

Mu Xi looked at her own hands.

Was she still human now?

Mu Xi suddenly fell to her knees, vomiting fine tentacles.

She had become a Witch—the most filthy, fallen existence.

She stood up, looking at Mu Ming, who seemed a little flustered and concerned.

When Mu Ming noticed she was being watched, her expression immediately returned to normal.

“You’ve completely become a Witch. Now, how are you any different from those things outside the City Wall?”

The difference is—I would still stay by your side.

No, it’s that you would still be imprisoned by me.

“Mu Xi, just give up. If your little sister saw you like this, it wouldn’t be good~”

“You won’t succeed…”

Mu Xi’s right hand gathered Starlight again, but the pink-purple glow was tinged with pure black Demonic Aura.

“Now, there’s no difference between us.”

Mu Ming was nourished by Mu Xi’s Magic Power, her body maintained by contaminated Magic Power—Demonic Aura.

Mu Xi’s body had already been transformed.

On the outside she still looked normal, but inside, she was no longer human.

“No matter what you become~ Witch or monster~ I’ll make you properly look at me~”

Mu Ming thrust forward, and Mu Xi blocked with her sword.

A tentacle launched a sneak attack from below—but at that moment!

Tentacles extended from Mu Xi’s sleeves, blocking the attacking tentacle!

“Oh~ You’re willing to control tentacles too now?”

“Ugh!”

Mu Xi suddenly exerted force, knocking Mu Ming’s sword aside.

Mu Ming’s weaknesses were fully exposed before Mu Xi.

Mu Ming quickly wrapped herself in tentacles, blocking Mu Xi’s attack.

Looking at Mu Ming, who had curled herself into a ball, Mu Xi took a deep breath, guiding Demonic Aura and Magic Power together.

In her left hand, a sword condensed from pure black Demonic Aura appeared.

She guided the Magic Power and Demonic Aura of the two swords to merge.

Mu Xi raised the swords high—their conflicting attributes should have caused mutual destruction.

But under Mu Xi’s control, the two swords gradually fused.

Then, a sword with a pure black blade emitting a black-purple aura appeared in Mu Xi’s hand.

The product of two swords fused together.

Magic Power and Demonic Aura combined, forming a sword radiating ominous energy.

Mu Xi raised the sword high, like an executioner before a sentence.

This sword, its name is—

“Star of Judgement!”

Mu Xi swung down, breaking through Mu Ming’s defense.

Mu Ming was cut down, falling to the ground, black blood flowing from her wound.

“Cough, cough~ So ruthless…”

Mu Xi walked forward slowly, pointing the Star of Judgement at Mu Ming.

“What is your real goal?”

“I told you…I’m a Witch, I want to replace you.”

“I don’t believe it…If it were true, you could’ve struck when I was at my weakest—like the first time I transformed again.”

Tears welled in Mu Ming’s eyes.

But she was still smiling.

“You’re really a block of wood…”

Mu Ming laughed and cried at the same time.

Suddenly, as if overwhelmed by injustice, she stopped smiling and burst into sobs.

“You’re just an idiot! Stupid!”

She cursed Mu Xi like a little girl.

“Now, you want to know what I want? I’ll tell you—I also want to live in the Sunlight! I also want to take photos with Little Rou! I want to live! I want to have proof I existed and lived! Not be a ghost that never existed!”

“I want even more…”

Mu Ming didn’t finish.

“I…I want even more…”

Mu Ming sobbed in grievance.

Mu Xi stared, stunned.

This little one…was she really so miserable?

Yet she pretended not to care.

But that wasn’t a reason to replace me.

Mu Xi was about to thrust her sword down, when suddenly—a sharp pain struck her waist!

Double vision clouded her sight, drowsiness sweeping in.

She lifted her shirt to look down—a tiny fleshy sprout was embedded in her skin.

“When…”

Mu Xi propped herself up with her sword, trying to stay conscious.

Her thoughts drifted back to the amusement park.

“Sigh, hey, we’re both so strong, if we deepened our bond, wouldn’t we break through to Howling-class?”

“What’s the point of getting that strong?”

“Aiya aiya, don’t mind it, let’s just deepen our bond~”

Mu Ming hugged Mu Xi intimately, nuzzling close, and in a place Mu Xi couldn’t see—

A fine tentacle slipped into the seam of her clothes, hiding there.

It had stayed hidden until now…

Mu Ming stood up, wiping away her tears, and picked up the sword fallen on the ground.

Just now, she had also decided on its name.

Her own tentacles always surged like tides beneath a dark current.

So, she named this sword—Dark Tide.

She looked at Mu Xi, kneeling on the ground.

She drove Dark Tide into Mu Xi’s heart.

Dark Tide pierced her heart—no pain, only overwhelming drowsiness.

Mu Xi closed her eyes, slipping toward death.

“I want even more…to be with you…”

She watched Mu Xi’s sleeping face as she drifted into slumber.

Face to face, she drew closer, warm breath brushing Mu Xi’s sleeping face.

Gently, like a woodpecker, she stole a kiss on Mu Xi’s lips.