The world grew still at Witch's words, each second feeling like an eternity. There was a cold stillness in the air, one that everybody understood and accepted.
"No…," the boy muttered. His face was a complete mask of terror, completely devastated by Witch's words.
Her face parted like carvings into the grim image of a sickly grin.
"Ah~, there it is; that's what I want. The despair, the terror, the disheartening reality of the world that eats away at the world from the inside out."
She glanced at Lieren. From his point of view, it looked as if the hollow abyss that was her eyes shifted ever so slightly, the deep malevolence in it writhing grotesquely.
A cold shiver ran down the boy's spine, washing over all his other meager, less prevalent feelings like a stab to the heart. He felt his Resistance fight it, even reduce it, but the overall terror that that gaze held was simply too much, even with the bewitchment nullified.
Lieren grit his teeth, frustrated and confused.
'She's too strong.'
The bitter truth finally caught up to him.
Witch's horrid grin grew even wider. Her gaze grew deeper, more profound.
"…No matter what Resistance they might have."
"…?!"
That was it; that was all. Lieren truly was backed into a corner. With her declaration, despite having done nothing to truly contribute to the fight, he knew of the immense gap there was between the two of them.
"...?"
Red tilted her head.
'What are they talking about?'
Harita grit his teeth, using Reinforcement to boost his immune system and slow down the effects of the poison. He couldn't use much of it, however, since doing so would exhaust his mana greatly.
He fixed his stance, holding his sword in a backhanded grip, the tip pointed behind him. He took a deep breath.
"Focus…"
"…!"
At the same time, the air grew cold and heavy, as if frozen, and Lieren couldn't help but lift his head at the sight of his Aegis; knees low, and gaze lowered.
He had seen that stance before.
"Sword Style, Third Form…"
His gaze was burning, a primal fire burning deep within him.
"…?!"
Witch immediately sensed that something was up and summoned a dozen more silver orbs, hovering them above just her head.
Silver motes began gathering around her.
"…!"
Lierne sensed a pattern.
'Of course… the silver lights! It's an indicator of her ability, her restriction…!'
He squinted his eyes and delved deep inside of him. Within the darkness of the enchanted forest, there was nothing to distract him from casting any spells. Mana welled up inside of him, condensing into the shape of an arrow, ready to burst. He stared daggers into witch's hollow eyes, making absolutely certain that, no matter what, he wouldn't miss.
Just to make sure, and to give his spell a little boost… he muttered the name of his spell:
"Invisible Abjuration."
"...?!" Red's eyes grew wide as dinner plates. She had heard about the existence of Lieren's first spell, but not the specifics of it.
She squinted her eyes.
'So he's gotten that far, huh…'
The shadow of a smile rose from her lips.
"…What?!"
Witch's eyes grew wide as her body partly dematerialized, her spell working wonders already. To use such a high-level conjuration ability… she really was no different than a monster.
A hidden arrow pierced the air like a mighty eagle, disrupting space and time as it arced through the air in a perfectly straight predetermined trajectory that seemingly ignored the very laws of physics. She clicked her tongue.
"Tch! Dammit!," Witch cursed aloud, breaking the calm facade.
Despite its overall lack of a form, she could still see it as if it was really there. She waved her hand, and one of the many orbs of silver light followed her gesture.
It tried to save Witch, but the arrow was faster.
An explosion that ruptured the fabric of space itself ruptured the side of her head, tearing off her ear and causing silver ooze to come pouring from her head, its appearance akin to molten silver. There was a strange beating to it, not like a heart's, but like those of living things, more specifically monsters. It was there, and yet it wasn't. But somehow, Lieren was certain of its presence.
He looked to Red, searching.
"...?" She was flabbergasted, with a light tinge of satisfaction.
She didn't seem to notice the vile presence.
Witch screamed, her silver orbs vibrating intensely.
"GGgggggggYYYYYYaaaaaaaaggggggghhHH!"
There was something about her voice that struck a sadistic cord in Lieren. Hee suffering filled him with glee.
Harita, not missing this chance, unleashed his form finally:
"…Silent Gait of the Hunter's Moon."
He moved with grace befitting of the celestial spirit his technique embodied, green stardust scattering at his feet, creating a miniature aurora that flowed like crystal water amidst the darkness. There was no noise, or anything of the sort, not even a single rustle or thump of movement. Even breathing seemed to disappear, the light breaths of a morning breath completely gone from all those present, as well as the desperate scream of an injured witch.
Life did not matter for the Hunter's Moon, only the ones who hunt and the ones who become hunted.
To the boy, and only the boy, did time seem to slow down into the infinitesimal equivalent of a second passing. Only he saw the beauty of this technique, imbedding the beauty deep within his soul like a wooden carving upon a mighty oak; a solemn promise to the Hunter's Moon and himself.
Harita's body exploded with power, temporarily extricating himself from the shackles of reality, the bindings of life, and the promise of connection, leaving only the thought of defeating the monster that was in front of him, forgetting even the reason he wanted to do so in the first place.
Lieren's eyes traced his blade as Harita swung it in a aide arc that aimed for Witch's rotten neck, casting afterimages that blended into a film of green stardust that shone brighter than any other in the shadowed enchanted forest.
Not even Witch could react to his iai sword technique.
Or so he thought.
Witch screamed, not of agony, but of primal disobedience.
"NOT. SO. FAAAAAST….!!"
In a moment of utter desperation, the silver orbs, practically gone as their stability waned, vibrated more intensely, forming the image of a blade themselves as they swept space, moving past Lieren's meager disturbance, and into Harita's outstretched arm.
Lieren screamed, despite knowing the futility of it all.
"Harit—"
It was a moment too late.
By the time he could even process the image, the damage had already been done.
His Aegis' arm had already been taken away.
Witch grinned madly as blood Harita's blood sprayed her face, beyond satisfied. She laughed maniacally.
"YAHAHAHAHA! So this is it? THIS is your greatest attempt at trying to defeat me? Fools! I am the Keeper of Stories, Guardian of Tales, The Wielder of the String of Destiny! Attempts like this, especially by people like these—" She regarded everybody's presence, then dismissed them. "—are nothing more than the retelling of ancient Stories. It is futile. For a story cannot be retold perfectly, only imitated."
Lieren's heart sunk, crestfallen. His gaze fell to the shadowy grass as he held onto Red's hand.
The being inside of him grinned in excitement.
It was time.
Harita's gaze still held on, his eyes wide-open in innocent, death-defying concentration. The fire in him refused to give up.
His voice was like the reminiscent whisper of the moon.
"Sword Style, Formless…"
"…?!"
Witch's eyes widened as she realized her grave mistake: not finishing the enemy in front of her.
Lieren's head was still downcast as he felt something emerging from inside of him. He muttered grimly, not even expecting an answer:
"There's no point. She cannot be beaten."
However, one did; from the person he expected the least of.
'To you, that is..'
Harita's eyes burned bright as tears of crimson fell from his eyes, the power within them scorching his face like molten lava.
Red gasped.
"That's impossible! How could he… That's a lost technique, forgotten by even the God of Time himself! For a being such as he to know about it. It's simply… unequivocally… impossible!"
The translucent visage of a green moon appeared before Harita, casting green moonlight on the shadowed enchanted forest.
"…Hunter's Prey: Predatory Slash of Acquiescence."
His other hand moved faster than even the power he was borrowing—faster than the light of the moon itself—and bisected the Witch of Envy's neck as if it was paper, sending it flying across the shadowed enchanted forest.
Light itself seemed to bend in front of that power. The image of a forgotten being burnt, its radiant countenance into Red's blood red eyes.
A loud thump echoed in the distance, the source of it rolling past the tall trees that surrounded them in an all-encompassing malignant embrace.
Lieren felt himself sinking, being forgotten, and surrendering.
"It's no use…"
The being within him agreed, taking over finally.
Red's eyes widened in pure astonishment as she followed the bisected head, sensing it seep into her shadow. As much as her psyche refused the Witch of Envy's presence, her gluttonous shadow consumed the ancient being regardless, absorbed into her being.
She muttered victoriously:
"She's dea—?!"
Before she could finish that thought, however, she noticed the primal being through her shadow. Her mind refused to believe what she was sensing.
The Baba Yaga was about to emerge.