Chapter: 71. Former ACE Blood Crow
“Tsk, really troublesome.”
“Is this the extent of the so-called perfect being?”
Under the command of Otori, the massive body of the Chimera displayed agility completely opposite to its appearance, leaping across the warehouse roof like a nimble cheetah.
Each time its beastly claws gripped the iron sheets of the roof, they shattered into fragments that rained down.
Referring to the scene below, Nagi could only cram her body beneath the shelves, curling up with her arms hugging her knees.
“Hey~ Can I leave now, considering I’ve beaten it this much?” Meanwhile, Amane found the right moment to land beside Nagi while fighting the Chimera and softly asked.
“Just wait a minute, the plan has changed…”
Having the Shadow of the End, Amane, even facing the massive body of the Chimera towering over three meters, was not at a disadvantage at all.
It seemed that during her two and a half years at Ark Academy, she had put in considerable effort in combat.
The so-called “perfect being,” the Chimera, was retreating step by step under the pursuit of the dark shadow tentacles.
“Chimera! What are you doing! Hurry up and tear this criminal woman apart!” Otori shouted anxiously upon seeing this.
Nagi, who also detected the situation, naturally knew what was happening.
“It seems the Chimera is not an ordinary fantasy creature…” Nagi silently mused.
“Amane, even if you were to intentionally lose to it, that probably wouldn’t be possible.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Can’t you see the fear in its eyes?”
“…You mean those eyes?”
Upon hearing this, Amane refocused her attention. Standing on the warehouse floor, she looked up, gazing at the Chimera perched on the roof… no, more accurately, it was “curled up” on the roof.
If it weren’t for Nagi’s reminder, Amane wouldn’t have noticed that detail.
Moreover, since the beginning, the Chimera had been dodging her attacks, even using long-range attacks when countering.
“That hit you with its tail was enough for it to recognize who its opponent is…” Nagi said with a bitter smile.
Although Amane was merely a counterfeit, one of the vessels of the Endless created by the Starry Night Society.
There was no doubt that the End had once descended into this body, so both Amane’s power and body carried a heavy aura of the End.
For a knowledgeable fantasy creature like the Chimera.
It would naturally be familiar with such an aura.
Even though it had initiated an attack on Amane under Otori’s command, besides that initial strike, subsequent attacks were all distant fire or air blasts, showing no intention of employing its formidable physical power.
“It’s afraid of you… or rather, it’s afraid of the existence represented by your power…” Nagi revealed the truth before them.
“Although it may not be worried that you are the End itself, at least seeing you now is like seeing a… unspeakable entity that’s difficult to approach…”
“…Sister Nagi, can you rephrase that? Your words make me feel like some sort of metabolic byproduct…” Amane’s expression became a bit grim.
“‘Exactly! How rude to say such things about me… I’m so hurt~’”
“(Shut up…)”
“What? Sister Nagi, did you just say something?”
“Nothing at all. Anyway, let’s escape with me for now… The developments have exceeded the original plan, and it seems the black box will not appear in this guy’s sight as intended.” Nagi said to Amane, using the dust generated from the battle between her and the Chimera as cover.
As for the familiar contract beast that began to play the pity card in others’ hearts because of the familiar magical fluctuations, Nagi resolutely ignored it.
“Although it’s a bit rude to say, Otori was likely abandoned by those in the shadows after filming the threat video about me.”
The current situation and the battle waves coming from the direction of the Noah Pavilion made Nagi realize this clearly.
With her remarkable magical perception, Nagi could sense that Mana was currently fighting someone else in another location.
Given that Otori was a yandere, obsessed with the idea of merging with the Chimera… Nagi found it somewhat hard to accept on a physiological level.
Given all of this, it was no longer time to play the hostage here.
“So, does this mean there’s no need to keep this guy alive?”
Upon hearing this, Amane suddenly spoke words reminiscent of a villain.
Moreover, her voice carried a hint of barely concealed anger, prompting Nagi to nod involuntarily.
“Since he has no further utility, it should be fine for me to deal with him before leaving, right?” After saying this, Amane switched to another cold expression, her killing intent piercing through the dust, landing on Otori.
Otori felt the hairs on his body stand on end at once.
“A-Amane?”
“I’ll make this guy pay for what he just said.”
It seemed that Amane had indeed triggered by Otori’s earlier perverse remarks.
“T-That… do as you please… But please spare his life; I have things I want to ask him…” Realizing she couldn’t persuade Amane, Nagi had no choice but to allow her to follow her instincts.
After all, the disparity in strength between her and Otori was very large.
Even if she acted a little recklessly, she wouldn’t be in danger.
Nagi judged this way.
“Chimera! What are you doing!?”
At this moment, Otori felt a surge of fear as he sensed the killing intent in Amane’s gaze.
To cover up this feeling, he shouted commands to the Chimera standing on the roof.
But the latter seemed even more frightened than he was.
“Is this all you and your ‘perfect being’ can manage?” Amane mocked as she burst from the dust.
Her hands entwined with black shadows, transforming into two pitch-black daggers.
“Damn it—!” Otori evaded Amane’s strike, relying on the extraordinary reflexes brought by his fusion with the Chimera.
But this was clearly just Amane’s feint.
The pitch-black long shadow behind her instantly transformed into countless spikes, piercing through Otori’s limbs as he dodged in that direction.
Otori was thus suspended in mid-air, losing his ability to move.
“Damn it! Chimera, what in the world are you doing!!!” Otori shouted, blood spilling from his mouth as he cursed.
“It’s over—” Just as Amane was about to turn to face Otori.
“—Amane! Watch out! Above!!!” Nagi’s warning came.
“Because this guy is the vessel of the End.” A cold voice descended from the sky as if explaining Otori’s bewilderment.
The next second.
A blood-red figure fell from the sky.
“You are——!”
At a critical moment, Amane fused her small daggers together into a wide sword and held it in front of her chest— the massive impact that followed made her feel as though she had been hit by a speeding truck, the ground beneath her feet sinking into the earth.
“Once again, we meet~ heiress of the Tenjouin family~”
Maria’s face appeared before Amane.
Holding two giant axes and donned in crimson battle armor, she resembled a crow bathed in blood—
Former ACE Blood Crow.
