“I’m going to punish you! punish you!”
Luoyou said as she swung a slap in the opposite direction, striking the soft flesh on Xing Yu’s side.
The blow left Xing Yu stunned and off-balance, staggering several steps.
Then, finally snapping out of it, she angrily slapped back.
“Yoho~ Getting angry out of embarrassment, huh? This is just the appetizer, the whip is coming next.”
Luoyou caught Xing Yu’s swinging hand firmly and held it captive, her nimble tongue slipping out between her lips to seductively lick Xing Yu’s fingertips.
“Hey~~ Magical Girl Elder Sister, don’t resist anymore~ You must want to relive the happy times we had, right? pr~”
“Kuu— (anger)”
Xing Yu’s forehead flushed instantly.
What a joke!
You ruined my Younger Sister’s life like that, and you shamelessly say I want to relive past times with you?
“Even if you’re narcissistic, you should have some limits!”
Xing Yu shouted angrily, her whole body exploding with magical light.
“Uhmph~~ Elder Sister really isn’t cooperating.”
Luoyou said with full confidence, “Still don’t get it? The gap between us is too big, and after you used your first-rank magic, your mana consumption must be huge, right?”
“Do you think magic development stopped just because you disappeared?! The Ten Seats now are not the same as before!”
“That’s not true, then don’t tell me—if I knew, I’d be on guard.”
“Ellera!!”
In an instant, a triangular wing-shaped symbol appeared in Xing Yu’s eyes.
Mind Pillar—
From the distant Beyond the Boundary Sea, something seemed to respond to her call.
A massive beam of magical energy enveloped Xing Yu’s body, cloaking her within.
Her inherent magic, Mirror World, reappeared, but its appearance had drastically changed.
Countless mirrors unfolded in the air like exquisite, dazzling kaleidoscopes, layer upon layer, twisting and turning, dizzying to behold.
“Hey….”
Luoyou narrowed her eyes slightly.
Interesting, what’s this?
Another manifestation of inherent magic?
“Xing Yu!”
***
A distant voice filled with magical power called out, pulling the nearly mad and irrational Xing Yu back.
Luoyou instantly became like a fluffed-up cat, her pupils narrowing into vertical slits, her hair flowing a streak of blood-red.
That voice—!
Something skimmed the sea horizon at incredible speed, leaving a long trail of water in its wake.
The newcomer was bathed in dreamlike colors, trailing a starry phantom behind them, blurry and real, indistinguishable.
With every movement, a magical power far surpassing Xing Yu’s radiated out.
Luoyou’s lips curled in an uncontrollable smirk.
Perfect timing.
Today, I’ll satisfy my needs for the next half year with you two at once!
***
On the other side
“Xing Yu!”
Xing Yu’s face brightened with joy.
Xing Yue took a quick look around the surroundings, frowning.
“Xing Yu, didn’t I tell you not to act alone?”
“That’s beside the point! Quick, block her escape route! Together we’ll take down this witch!”
Xing Yu shouted excitedly, but when she locked eyes with Xing Yue’s ever-shifting pupils, she hesitated.
“Hey, leaving me out here isn’t very nice, you know?”
At this moment, Luoyou’s aura was twice as terrifying as before.
Every shift of her gaze, every breath she exhaled, seemed to dominate this entire space.
It made Xing Yu’s heart turn cold.
If before she could barely counterattack by exploiting a flaw in the Three Worlds Ten Directions Sanctuary, now there was no chance to find a single opening on Ellera.
The flaw in the Sanctuary still existed, but at this moment Ellera seemed to radiate an aura capable of strangling any chance for others to seize the flaw in its cradle.
“Ellera, long time no see.”
Xing Yue greeted calmly, a relaxed smile on her face.
“Oh? I’ve been wanting to see you so badly…. Xing Yue.”
Xing Yue stood in front of Xing Yu.
“I understand your feelings, but you should give up now. I won’t let you lay a hand on her.”
“Oh? You think I’m only after her?”
“Looks like I’ve become your prey as well.”
Xing Yue said this without a trace of fear.
This attitude made Luoyou a little wary.
The Crimson Authority granted her absolute rationality and total situational awareness.
Quickly, she focused on the pattern on Xing Yue’s right hand.
The markings on the back of her hand… what are they?
Luoyou instinctively felt it was dangerous, hidden and dormant, but if unleashed it would mean catastrophe.
Xing Yue held back the eager Xing Yu and proposed, “Let’s end this here today, Ellera.”
“You think that’s possible?”
Luoyou countered.
“I think it still is.”
Hearing Xing Yue want to call a truce, Xing Yu grew anxious.
“Xing Yue, let’s take her down together, wipe out this great threat! If we join forces!”
Xing Yue shook her head.
“It’s useless, Xing Yu. Even if we manage it, she can leave effortlessly.”
As long as Ellera’s strange high-speed flight isn’t blocked, there’s no chance to capture her.
Just then, as Xing Yue faced Luoyou, her lips quietly moved a few times, sending a brief message with lip-reading.
Then, sweeping magical energy across the sea surface, a huge wave rose.
When the water settled, they had vanished without a trace.
“Phew~~”
Luoyou raised an eyebrow with interest.
What Xing Yue’s lip message translated to was
—Same time, same place, one more duel? The Royal Duel…. I’d be glad if you come.
“Same time… one week from now. Perfect, that gives me enough time to prepare!”
Seven years ago’s humiliation, this time I will wash it away!
In that moment, Luoyou felt her fingers fill with power!
Full of Pawa!
After a moment, she recalled Jiomier just now.
“Why did that guy want to kill Xing Yu too?”
Instinctively, she looked toward where Jiomier had been, wanting to use hypnotic mind control to extract some answers, but…
Jiomier had already been blasted into ashes by the azure impact.
“A mistake—forgot to keep a live one…”
The secret of the Three Worlds Ten Directions Sanctuary had been exposed, making her a little angry and embarrassed, causing her to forget to hold back.
Luoyou glanced toward the distance where the Otherworlder organization was retreating.
After a moment of thought, her body shimmered with light, and in mere breaths she had flown millions of meters.
Upon spotting the flying vessel carrying the Otherworlder group, she landed precisely on top.
Boom!
The people aboard tensed up and stood.
The Zero Squad had all taken part in the siege against Ellera before; they knew she had already defected from the organization and assumed she came for reckoning.
Luoyou ignored their fearful gazes, only searching the ship.
When her eyes landed on Zero, a faint smile appeared.
She opened her arms wide.
“Come here, Zero, let me cherish you a little more.”
Everyone looked surprised at Zero, who stood at the back of the group, clutching her left arm with her right hand, trembling slightly.
“Trash…”
Luoyou’s voice sounded again, shaking their hearts with fear.
“If you don’t want to die, pass out right now. No matter what method, if anyone is still awake in ten seconds, I’ll throw them to the fish.”
“Huh!?”
Everyone except Zero exchanged glances.
“Three seconds to go—”
Chaos erupted all around.
They all knew Ellera’s terror.
She was the type who meant every word.
Some banged their heads on the floor, some tried to choke themselves, but none fast enough.
So they unanimously chose to let teammates stomp on their limbs to inflict unbearable pain to knock themselves out.
After ten seconds…
“Now, no one’s watching you. Zero, what are you hesitating for?”
Luoyou slowly approached Zero—though Zero was about the same height, in presence she looked like a chick before a big wolf.
“No choice….”
Luoyou spread her arms, pulling her into an embrace, lips close to her ear.
“Bad kids deserve a punishment, don’t you agree?”
Zero’s frail body trembled, whispering, “Let… go!”
“Oh? The Younger Sister dares to refuse the Sister Overlord’s love?”
“You’re not…!”
Zero pushed hard against her.
Luoyou didn’t mind, pinning her against the wall with a dark expression.
“I was the one who brought you into the Otherworlder organization, and in the end you helped besiege me. That really hurts my feelings….”
Zero grit her silver teeth.
“You were the one who suddenly left without a word, leaving me in that awkward position! Now you have the nerve to blame—”
Suddenly, Luoyou released her grip and gently placed a finger on her lips.
“Well, I understand you had no choice, and I’m not really here to punish you this time, just to ask you a few questions.”
Zero rubbed her aching wrist.
“I think you’re wasting your effort.”
“Has anything happened recently in the organization?”
“No, and it’s none of your business. Or have you come back already?”
“You answer what I ask, or I won’t hesitate to hypnotize you….”
Luoyou toyed with her chin like a pet.
Zero scowled and turned away.
“Don’t touch me!”
“….. (laughs)”
Luoyou stopped teasing her and glanced at the strange core lying nearby.
What kind of item would make the Otherworlder organization trade such a precious thing?
The so-called trade item was a sheep-headed… head?
It looked like carved wood, but seemed mixed with other materials.
“Whatever you’re scheming, I don’t care. Yue told me your situation is bad, so I came out to intimidate the other forces, that should improve your situation a lot, right?”
Luoyou held Zero’s hand, her slender fingers sliding softly over her palm.
“This time I’m really leaving. Don’t you have anything you want to beg the Sister Overlord for?”
Zero clenched her fists, lowered her head, trembling violently.
Just as Luoyou was about to leave, she finally whispered her wish.
“Then…. please… please Sister Overlord… once more…”
“Uhmph~”
Luoyou gave a disdainful yet affectionate smile, slipping her hand inside Zero’s clothes…