Another crash echoed through the large hallways of the castle, reverberating off the stone walls. Though Myusca and Nemea had been defeated, one demon remained—Vinum, her expression filled with boredom as she regarded the man in front of her. At first, she had been intrigued by his ability to withstand her demonic gaze, thinking there might be some entertainment to be had. But that interest quickly faded, replaced with disappointment as he stumbled and crawled away from her like an insect, scrambling on the ground each time she landed a punch near him.
Vinum's eyes flickered with impatience as she tilted her head. "Is that all you've got?" she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "I expected at least a little resistance. You're not even worth my time."
The man breathed heavily as he stood back up once more. Sweat mixed with dust smeared across his face, his eyes darting frantically around him to come up with a plan. But the truth was there was no way out.
The small succubus was fast, way faster than him, and it took a lot of effort just to stay alive right now.
Hovering above the ground, she approached him slowly with a cold gaze, her fists shining with a dark light.
All this time she hadn't even done a slight misstep. She was always cautious, even when knowing the overwhelming advantage she had. And all he needed, was a small mistake.
Her punch flew straight at him at blinding speed. Still, it was manageable to him and he dodged it at the last second. Her fist whistled past his cheek, landing right in the wall behind him, shattering it on impact.
It was the first time he had managed to avoid her attack so cleanly, and for a brief moment, he felt things were better. Vinum's lips curled into a cruel smirk as she quickly shifted her weight, bringing her knee up in a vicious follow-up strike.
Luka barely managed to block it with his arm but pain reverberated through his bones, radiating from his forearm to his shoulder as the impact sent him flying backward. His body slammed against the marble floor, and he slid across the smooth surface before finally coming to a stop.
"Hmm… Your arm isn't broken?" Vinum's eyebrow arched in genuine surprise. Given the force she had put into the strike, she fully expected it to shatter his bones or kill him outright. But there he was, still breathing and without a scratch.
Luka clenched his teeth and his right arm multiple times, feeling pain radiating through it. He took a shaky breath before standing back up again with a smirk. "Sorry, I'm not going to explain it to you."
"I'll just have to go a bit harder then," Vinum's smirk widened, her amusement returning slightly. She lunged at him again, her knee snapping forward, ready to strike.
Luka raised his arms to brace himself, but at the last second, he ducked low and threw a left hook aimed at her face. Vinum's movements were fluid; she caught his punch with ease, her fingers tightening around his fist and before he could react, her thick tail lashed out and coiled around his right arm, locking him in a tight grip.
"Predictable," Vinum sneered, her grip tightening around Luka's fist and arm, squeezing with brutal force. Luka grunted as the pressure intensified, sending sharp jolts of pain through his muscles. With a swift spin, Vinum lashed out with a kick aimed at his face. He flexed his knees, ducking just in time and stumbling onto the ground, using the momentum to push her back with his legs.
Without warning, a bright light flared from his legs, momentarily overpowering her strength. The sudden surge of force broke her grip on his left hand, and Luka seized the opportunity, wrenching his arm free from her tail's grasp. He landed a punch squarely into her abdomen, another light wrapping his arm. The impact sent a shockwave through Vinum, forcing her to stumble back, giving him enough space for a while.
But Luka didn't waste a second. With a swift motion, he raised his talisman-launcher, aiming directly at Vinum. The small gem inlaid at the top glowed faintly, activating the mechanism within. A single talisman shot out, fluttering through the air toward the silver-haired succubus.
Vinum's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she quickly regained her composure. She batted the paper away with her hand, expecting it to fly away. However, the moment her fingers touched the talisman, a burst of light erupted, followed by a deafening explosion. The blast expanded outward, obliterating the wall, floor, and ceiling around them in an instant. Chunks of stone and marble flew in all directions, and a cloud of dust and debris filled the air, shrouding the area in thick smoke.
Luka instinctively shielded himself, throwing his arms up to protect his face as the force of the explosion pushed him back. The ground beneath him trembled, and for a moment, all he could hear was the ringing in his ears.
He squinted through the smoke, searching for any signs of the succubus. It was dense, making it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. His heart pounded in his chest as he kept his gaze fixed on where Vinum had been, fully expecting her to emerge from the remnants of the explosion at any moment.
Then, bright golden eyes cut through the smoke, and a bat of her wings fully dissipated it, revealing a devilish grin splattered on her face.
"Not bad, boy," she spat, preparing herself to lunge forward. "You're making this a bit more fun!"
In an instant, she was right next to him, moving with a speed that was nearly impossible to follow.
Shit, she sped up!
He barely managed to reinforce his body with a surge of magical energy before her strike slammed into his chest. The impact sent him hurtling backward, crashing through the stone wall behind him. He tumbled into a grand room, surrounded by stained glass windows that stretched high above, casting fractured beams of light like a cathedral's.
He landed hard on the marble floor, gasping as he forced himself back up. His muscles ached from the blow, and his reinforced body had only barely managed to absorb the worst of it.
Vinum stepped through the gaping hole in the wall with an air of confidence, her wings folding behind her. "You're still alive? I'm starting to think you enjoy getting beaten down," she taunted.
"Yeah…" Luka groaned in pain as he finally stood up. "Let's just say you're a tad bit too strong."
"Is that flattery I hear?" Vinum smiled, brushing the dust from her body.
"Of course," Luka smirked, despite the pain. "I know when to recognize I am outmatched."
Her smirk faltered into a frown as soon as he spoke. While he was undeniably weak, there was something about him that nagged at her instincts. A strange, unsettling feeling for a demon accustomed to devouring humans, whether they were pure or downright evil. While he presented himself like a hero, he didn't smell like one.
Using her magic, she began to probe deeper into Luka's essence. Even without physical contact, she had learned a few tricks to read an opponent's true nature from her time in the other world.
Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw something that shouldn't clearly be there. "What…" she gasped in surprise.
In that fleeting moment, she could feel it—the sheer weight of that boy's accumulated sins was staggering. It was as if he had amassed the karmic debt of a man responsible for genocides spanning millennia, it was downright stupid… and inconceivable.
While the idea being it was interesting, she understood one thing.
He was lying. This man was clearly not outmatched; he was trying to create a facade of weakness to give her a false sense of security.
"Kuku…" she chuckled darkly, thinking she saw through him. "I don't know why, but you're out of options now. I see through you, boy."
Luka raised an eyebrow as he noticed the shift in her demeanor.
"You're not as helpless as you pretend," Vinum continued while pointing at him. "But why is it? Are you waiting for the right moment to strike me?"
He crossed his arms and tilted his head in confusion. "I don't know what you're getting at, but… Does that mean you're letting me go?"
"What, is that all you're going to say?" Vinum sighed. "Or is it perhaps his status is modified…?" she muttered that last part under her breath, ignoring his confusion.
"Modified? What do you mean? As far as I know, I'm not a cyborg. Right, Nina?"
His earpiece which was silent the whole time crackled suddenly. "Yeah…"
"What do you mean, 'yeah'? Is there something I don't know?!" Luka exclaimed, his voice rising in fear.
But the earpiece didn't respond, leaving him increasingly worried.
"Are you done talking?" Vinum asked, her tone dripping with impatience.
Luka's eyes darted back to the small succubus, his mind racing. "Yeah, yeah… Let's get back to the fight."
"So you're not going to reveal your true self, huh…" Vinum noted, her disappointment evident as she folded her arms.
He squared his shoulders in response. "What true self? Besides the fact that I'm pissed from getting the strongest of the three, there's nothing I'm hiding."
"Perhaps you are right," she acknowledged. "Still, those sins of yours are strange."
"Sins?" his eyes suddenly widened in realization. "Oh. That."
Vinum tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "You're not going to deny it then?"
Luka relaxed his shoulders before scratching his head. "I know what you've seen now. Still, you're way off the mark," he then pouted, turning slightly away from her. "How dare you look through me like that. That's not fair!"
"You say I am off the mark…?" she echoed, frowning further.
"Yeah… Anyway, you wanna continue or…?" Luka shrugged, shifting his weight as he confronted her gaze.
"...Fine. I'll have to check myself by draining your memories." she sighed, adopting a combat stance.
"No way, you can do that?" he exclaimed, a hint of excitement in his voice. "That's actually cool. Wait… Is it? Does the guy retain his memories?"
Vinum raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You're really not scared, even after running away all this time, are you?"
Luka shrugged again, a smirk playing on his lips. "I've dealt with a lot of succubi before. It's just nice to see a fighting one for once. Hey, hey. Once this is over, wanna teach me how to do the dark fist thingy?"
At this brazen statement, Vinum couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head in disbelief. "There won't be a 'once this is over,' boy. Once this is over, I shall partake in your life."
With that, she dashed forward, her right fist crackling with dark magic.
But Luka suddenly smirked, making her question herself for a brief moment. For a second there, she thought she could hear 'checkmate'. Luka didn't dodge the fist, instead, with his talisman launcher, he decided to take it head-on.
She needed him alive now, so no attack would be lethal.
A talisman flew in front of him and was consumed instantly, creating a thin barrier around him. Vinum's fists hit it a full force, shattering it with ease. But in that same moment, the back of the barrier shattered the stained glass, and Luka deliberately fell down the window.
It was a long drop, and Luka had strategically lured Vinum to the highest tower of the castle. As he plummeted, he could hear the rush of air around him, but his focus remained sharp.
Even with the confusion spreading in her mind, Vinum flew right into his pursuit. She jumped out of the window and spread her wings.
There, he saw her brilliant white figure flying outside the window, in the eternal starry night of the dreamworld. Without hesitation, he activated his launcher multiple times, ejecting talisman after talisman toward her.
With a laugh, she dodged the talismans easily, and dove right towards him.
After all, she needed him alive and couldn't afford to let him fall to his death now.
He was trapped, helplessly falling without any means to fly. Yet he smirked, and she didn't like that. While humans are only food and a source of amusement to her, she had learned in the past to not underestimate them, especially weirdos like him.
What she did not expect, however, was that she felt uncertain. Doubt crept into her mind the moment her instincts kicked in that room. That man was weak, yet had accumulated countless sins.
To her, kindness was a form of weakness, so only a 'strong' human could be this sinful.
Yet he displayed an intent at a connection to her, no matter how dumb it was.
Suddenly, her instincts screamed at her that something was amiss. A miscalculation of sorts. Even while knowing the full extent of her powers… He was smiling in abundant confidence.
"Switch!" he called out, and in an instant, he vanished into thin air, leaving Vinum disoriented and scrambling to process what had just happened.
Where did he go? Panic flared within her but she quickly pushed it aside as she sensed his presence above her. The metallic sound of his launcher echoed a couple of times more before she caught sight of his figure diving toward her, talismans swirling in the air around him like a deadly halo.
"Clever, boy," she muttered, irritation mingling with a hint of admiration. He was making this interesting.
Without hesitation, she gathered dark magic in her hand, feeling its energy pulse with her heartbeat. With a swift motion, she unleashed a powerful blast aimed directly at him, the dark magic streaking through the night like a bolt of lightning.
She knew it wouldn't be enough, since his talismans were annoyingly durable, but that would force him out of there.
But as soon as the blast reached him, he vanished once more. The dark magic shot past him, streaking into the endless sky, while the talismans remained untouched—still mere pieces of paper, not yet activated.
For a fleeting moment, Vinum's instincts kicked in. "Why are the talismans forming…" she began, but her thoughts were cut short.
Out of nowhere, Luka reappeared right in front of her, a confident grin plastered across his face.
"Surprise!" he shouted, catching Vinum's petite form in mid-air and immediately launching into a tickling spree.
Which of course… Didn't work.
"What are you doing?" she asked, bewildered, as the wind rushed past her ears during their free fall. The absurdity of the situation struck her, and for a moment, her instinct to retaliate faltered.
"Just distracting you!" Luka replied with a mischievous grin. The repetitive sound of his launcher echoed once more, but this time in the direction of the ground.
Vinum's eyes narrowed, and she quickly shook off the surprise. With a swift movement, she deployed her wings to stabilize herself and aimed for a kick. But once more, Luka vanished into thin air, her leg connecting against emptiness.
"What is he doing?" she clicked her tongue in frustration. That's when she realized it. The talismans were floating, falling slowly but surely but above all…
They were forming a tower.
A voice rang out from below her.
"Grand magic, activate: Babel's cage!" With a determined shout, Luka reappeared once more behind her, his fist glowing faintly.
"A cage?" Vinum raised an eyebrow at the naming of his spell, skepticism written across her features. There was no way it could truly contain her, but she knew she had to act swiftly. With a powerful flap of her wings, she poured all her strength into her hand, summoning a blazing inferno that roared to life, targeting the encircling talismans. "Omega blaze!"
But Luka was ready. "Sorry, but nope!" he yelled while sending his fist straight forward towards her. "Svelto, Uno!" The punch was weak, but distracted her enough for her to only burn a few talismans… was what she thought. Instead, some talismans were placed there as decoys, activating as soon as the heat reached them. They were simply put: wind barriers, spheres that only lasted for a fraction of a second.
Vinum gritted her teeth in frustration but didn't relent. Instead, she focused all her strength on her next punch, aiming straight for Luka.
But once again, he vanished into thin air, and her fist struck nothing but empty space.
"Svelto, zwei!" His annoyingly cheerful voice echoed in her left ear, and she braced herself for the impending impact. This time, she reacted quickly, using her elbow to block his weak punch. To her surprise, it carried a bit more strength than she had anticipated, but it was still very manageable.
With a swift spin, she kicked towards him but for the fourth time, he vanished.
Vinum frowned, quickly piecing together Luka's strategy. "I see… So that's your plan…" She looked up, spotting his figure diving down toward her, his leg glowing brighter than the previous two times.
"Svelto, trois!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the night as he aimed a powerful kick straight at her.
This time, she didn't underestimate him. She summoned a barrier in front of her, just as Luka's kick connected with it. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, and she braced herself against the force, feeling—
"Svelto, quattro!" Luka shouted, his second leg coming down with enough force to shatter Vinum's barrier. But Vinum was quick on her feet; she spun around and caught his leg, using his momentum to send him crashing down toward the ground with full force.
"Svelto, go!" he called out, bracing himself and reinforcing his entire body to absorb the impact. He crashed through the roof tiles of the castle, debris flying everywhere as he fell into the courtyard below. The ground shook upon his landing, the marble floor cracking under the weight of his fall.
Vinum glided down at full speed, this time to finish it off. "Omega blaze!" she shouted in his direction, before imbuing her right fist with dark mana.
The ground exploded into a torrent of flames, but she sensed that he had vanished somewhere else once more. She looked up quickly noticed that most of the talismans were now gone.
Vinum glided down at full speed, intent on finishing it off. "Omega blaze!" she shouted, releasing a torrent of flames toward where she had seen Luka fall. Her right fist pulsed with dark mana, ready to deliver a final blow.
The ground erupted in a whirlwind of fire and debris, but as the flames subsided, she quickly realized Luka had vanished again. Panic gripped her for just a moment before she glanced up and noticed that most of the talismans were now gone.
"What…?" she muttered, scanning the area for any sign of him. Her instincts flared as she felt a shift in the air around her. Before she could react, Luka's voice echoed from behind her.
"Svelto, seis!"
She whipped around just in time to see him materialize at the place of a talisman, his fist glowing brightly as his body flew right towards her. With a devilish grin, she decided to take the challenge head-on and flew directly towards him.
The two of them barreled toward each other, their attacks ending in a breathtaking fist-bump. The impact resonated like a thunderclap, sending shockwaves through the air.
Both of them smiled, their hearts fluttering in this maddening battle. The young man in the jacket, eyes sparkling with excitement, and the small succubus, who craved the thrill of a real challenge in her boring life.
In that brief moment of connection, they shared a mutual understanding—a recognition of the exhilaration that came from testing their limits. The surrounding world faded away, leaving only the energy between them crackling in the air.
But the moment was fleeting, and as they pulled back, ready for the next exchange, the stakes were higher than ever. Vinum could sense Luka's determination intensifying, while he felt the weight of her resolve pushing him to rise above his own limits.
Still, that punch he threw, Vinum felt it. For the first time, she felt pain.
"Svelto, nsambo!" Before she knew it, he threw another punch without difficulty, sending her flying straight down. A trickle of blood appeared down her nostril, and panic started rising in her mind.
She quickly steadied herself in mid-air, flapping her wings to regain control. "Not good," she muttered, shaking off the disorientation.
Luka's voice echoed from below. "Svelto, osem!"
"Already…!?" Vinum's eyes darted downward just in time to be met with his fist, which connected solidly with her gut. The force propelled her back into the air, and she gasped, the wind knocked out of her.
She spiraled for a moment, instinctively trying to stabilize herself. All this time, she felt his punches getting stronger and stronger, and this one was exponentially so from the last one. That's why he went up there, that's why he decided to fall downwards. He needed space, and with it, someone able to stay in that space for a while.
Her own ability to fly had turned against her the moment she decided to play his game.
This time, she decided to use all of her strength to escape his 'cage'. Now that she understood how it worked, she knew it was less of a cage and more of a ritual to draw mana from. And with a simple look at him, she knew that each punch was taking a heavy toll on his body, there wasn't much time until he would collapse.
"But, if I get hit once more, then—"
"Svelto, nio!"
His voice rang above her, and with impressive speed, and despite the pain she felt, she managed to summon a barrier above her. She gritted her teeth in frustration. Without her natural powers against humans, she could only use such magic against him, and it was clearly not enough.
Why was it that he was immune to them? What would have happened if Myusca and Nemea had stumbled upon him first? A rush of questions flooded her mind at the incomprehensible sight before her.
His body barely managed to resist the strain of his own magic, yet he showed power beyond what he should be capable of.
"Don't mess with my world!" he screamed in rage as his fist shattered her barrier, sending a shockwave rippling through the air. The force was so immense that it exploded the windows of the castle around them, shards of glass raining down like deadly confetti.
Vinum gasped, barely managing to evade the full force of the blast. The shockwave sent her diving straight to the ground, knocking her once more off balance. As she neared the ground, she saw a shadow dart to her left, and his final words entering her brain.
"Svelto… ten!"
Then everything went black.
For a moment, there was nothing but emptiness. Her consciousness faded in and out, struggling to grasp reality. When she finally opened her eyes, half the castle was crumbled into pieces, shards of glass on the ground everywhere and her body ached so much she couldn't even move.
As she forced herself to sit up, she saw Luka not far away, kneeling on the ground, his shoulders trembling with exhaustion. His face was pale, and beads of sweat glistened on his skin as he struggled to catch his breath.
"Fuck… Please tell me it's done…" he panted, his voice raw and hoarse.
Vinum couldn't help but let out a raspy chuckle. "Not bad… boy," she murmured. "But… It's not… over."
Despite her words, she struggled to rise. She tried to push herself up, but as she raised her chest, a searing pain shot through her body, and she felt a wave of nausea. Her breaths came in short, ragged gasps, and she could see Luka's eyes fixed on her, pleading for her to stay down and not push herself any further.
"Why are you so tough, for fuck's sake…" he croaked while standing up slowly. His arms were burnt and bruised, so much that they had turned blue from the use of his spell. Dark circles had appeared under his eyes, and even if she were to get up and beat him, there wouldn't be much left to eat anyway.
His earpiece was strangely off, and now he felt more alone than ever when she managed to get up through sheer force of will.
"Guess we're both too stubborn for our own good," he muttered, forcing a grim smile as he squared his stance. He aimed his launcher at her, or at least tried as his arm felt like it weighed a ton.
The air stood still for a moment, as if even the remnants of the castle held their breaths, watching and waiting. And with a weary exhale, he took a step forward.
Then promptly slipped on a loose piece of debris and crashed down hard.
"Whoa—!"
The ground came up to meet him fast, and he landed gracelessly, dust and rubble scattering around him. A muffled groan escaped his lips as he lay there, half-stunned by the fall.
Vinum snorted while clutching her side as she held a chuckle. "This is ridiculous…"
Suddenly, a portal opened behind Luka!
A Hatsune Mikubbus appears!
"Alright! Where is this asshole?" Morrigan shouted in fury, flaring the aura around her hands as her eyes scanned the area.
Luka, still lying face-down on the ground, let out a weary groan upon hearing her voice. "Here…." he muttered, his tone dripping with reluctant resignation. He truly had terrible luck.
"There you are!" Morrigan declared, her expression lighting up with anticipation. "I hope you remember me from earlier because this time, I'll make sure to carve my amazing skills into your memory!"
"Yay…" Luka cheered weakly, his voice muffled as he continued to face the ground. "Can't wait…"
Before Morrigan could deliver her comeback, a voice interrupted her, followed by a sharp smack to the back of her head with a folding fan. "Stop it, you!" A small, yellow-furred creature with nine fluffy tails emerged from the portal, her tails swishing with agitation. "We're not here to cause trouble. We're here to find Granberia."
Morrigan rubbed the back of her head, glaring at her companion. "Fine, fine! But I'm just saying, this guy isn't exactly innocent," she grumbled.
Luka's gaze flicked over to Vinum, who was watching the bizarre scene unfold with a weary expression. He let out a long sigh, pushing himself up to his hands and knees. "You know," he mumbled, shaking the dust from his hair, "I was really hoping the universe would cut me some slack today."
The nine-tailed creature's ears perked up as she turned her attention to him. She took a quick sniff of the air around him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Who are you?" she asked, her tone curious and a bit suspicious. "A human, huh… I wonder, what did you do to make Morrigan this angry?"
Luka managed to get up on one knee, catching his breath. "Honestly?" He shrugged tiredly. "I don't even know why she's angry." He held out a hand toward her, forcing a smile. "Also, I'm Luka. Nice to meet you."
"My~ He doesn't seem that bad after all," the kitsune said with a playful grin as she fanned herself. She shook his hand with a surprisingly tight grip. "My name is Tamamo, glad to meet you, young man!"
"Hey! Why do you show respect toward her and not me?" Morrigan snapped.
"Because you fucking idiot!" Luka shot back, his voice rising in exasperation. "You killed the only person capable of closing these damn portals!"
"She can't be killed, you dumbass! She's still alive somewhere!"
Luka opened his mouth in disbelief before rubbing his temples. "Wait… Does that mean she can't close them…?" he muttered to himself.
"Looks like the whole party arrived," Vinum interjected, walking up slowly toward them.
"I believe we were separated," Tamamo replied with a frown. "We were accompanied by the hero and some others but they aren't here…"
"Great…" Luka sighed.
"In the name of Paletuna, the goddess of light, I—"
"Oh, this one managed to come with us," Tamamo remarked, her ears twitching at the sound of the angel's voice spilling out from the portal.
"I am here to aid in the fight against the darkness!" Pit finally declared, landing on the other side of the portal like a hero.
"An angel? Kuku…" Vinum smiled at this sudden sight.
Pit recoiled slightly, feeling a tingling shock through his spine. "Miss Tamamo? Why is she looking at me like that?"
"Because she's probably sizing you up for her next meal," Luka replied dryly.
"W-What? Why does everyone want to eat meeeee?" Pit theatrically wailed as he scrambled behind the blue-haired succubus for cover.
Luka crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "She's not exactly a safe bet, you know," he pointed out, noting the way Morrigan grinned at the flustered angel.
"Hey!" Morrigan exclaimed, feigning indignation. "It's fine if you stay behind me, don't listen to him! And if you ever slip and put your c—"
Tamamo slammed Morrigan's head another time before sighing. "We just decided to help him, and he is a guest at the pocket castle. So you two, behave."
Morrigan turned away with a slight growl, crossing her arms in a huff.
"So, young man," Tamamo continued, fanning herself slightly. "Have you seen a green lizard holding a sword around here? She is her friend you see…"
Luka furrowed his brow as he searched his memory. "A green lizard? Not that I recall, sorry. You lot are a weird bunch; I would've recognized her, I think."
Tamamo's ears dropped. "I see… Dammit Granberia, where are you?"
Luka could sense her frustration, but he had better things to do. Especially since now, he was all battered and tired. "So, about this girl over there," he pointed at Vinum. "She's a friend of yours?"
"Friend is a big word…" Tamamo frowned, seeing how the small silver-haired succubus was beaten up. "But she is still under our surveillance."
Vinum simply looked away, refusing to meet their gaze.
"She and her two friends killed some people here," he continued. "So…"
Tamamo's eyes flashed with anger as she directed her attention back to Vinum. "I can't believe you'd just shrug that off!"
Vinum merely shrugged, her expression nonchalant. "I didn't kill anyone myself. But Myusca and Nemea wanted to throw a party. I was more interested in learning about this world, so I might've let them do whatever they wanted."
"Don't think that's going to save you," Tamamo scowled, her voice sharp. "Ignorance isn't an excuse. Your actions have consequences."
But Vinum said nothing, her gaze shifting and locking onto Luka.
"This is not my place to conduct judgment, but Luka and Alice will hear from this, I'm telling you," Tamamo said in a low, dangerous voice.
"Okay… I would've preferred that they are judged here but considering how troublesome they are, I would rather let you take care of it," the detective sighed.
As soon as he uttered these words, a group of people carrying two unconscious succubi appeared from the rubble. Hakunen was the first to say something. "Oh! Mister Luka!" his face decomposed the moment he saw the blue-haired succubus. "...And is that Morrigan?"
"Hey, little monk! Happy to see you!" Morrigan smiled at him, which only made him more nervous.
Jotaro threw Myusca and Nemea on the floor. "We took care of these bitches."
Vinum lowered her gaze to her two companions, acknowledging their fate. "I believe this is what happens when you're not careful." she then flinched upon seeing Myusca's face in particular.
Hakunen glanced between the fallen succubi and Vinum and then hardened his gaze. "What happened? I thought you were supposed to keep them in check."
Vinum sighed, her expression unrepentant. "I believe you taught them a valuable lesson. Now they will behave themselves more."
"They still killed people in a foreign world," Tamamo reminded her sharply. "This isn't just about your little lessons. There are consequences for their actions."
Jotaro crossed his arms, feeling the exhaustion taking him. "So, who are these… people?"
"Oh, right!" Hakunen beamed up. "Those are my friends from the pocket castle, Tamamo and… Morrigan."
Tamamo turned her gaze to Luka, a worried expression crossing her face. "I am really sorry for what these three have caused. If I can repay it somehow, please let me know."
Luka rubbed the back of his neck, trying to process everything."It's fine. I believe you'll take care of it. By the way…"
He looked between Hakunen and Jotaro and noticed his friend standing right in the middle. All this time, she had said nothing.
"Finally, you notice me," the green-eyed succubus sighed, her arms crossed and a hint of playful annoyance in her tone. "I thought you were going to ignore me."
"Sorry, I was just… overwhelmed," Luka admitted, glancing at her with a sheepish smile. "You good?"
She shrugged, her expression softening. "I'm fine. Just cleaning up this mess. But it seems you had it handled, though."
"So you're not going to stay?"
"Hmmm," she tapped her chin, a teasing smile appearing. "I don't know. I might, I might not. Depends on whether you can take care of it yourself."
"Fair enough," Luka replied, a playful spark in his eyes. "But if things get out of hand, I'll definitely call for backup."
"Don't worry, I'll be lurking around," she winked before disappearing in a flash.
Hakunen watched as she vanished in a puff of smoke. "She was a nice lady; I hope she comes back to help…"
"Did she promise you something?" Luka asked him with a deadpan look.
"W-What? No!" Hakunen stammered, his cheeks flushing slightly. "I just think she's… interesting!"
Jotaro smirked, crossing his arms. "You're turning red, idiot."
"N-No!" Hakunen protested, trying to regain his composure. "We need to find out what's going on!"
Tamamo nodded, "Right. We need to find Granberia too. I hope the others found her…"
"Okay, let's get out of this place first," Luka suggested, glancing around at the debris. "We can regroup and figure out our next steps."
"By the way, was there a reason why your friend didn't stick with us?" Tamamo asked.
Luka turned his gaze towards her and scratched the back of his head. "She is supposedly on vacation so…"
"Vacations?"
"Yeah, don't worry about it," he finished, slumping his shoulders. "If things get really dire, she will help us.
"Of course, he had to say a red flag…" The White Rabbit sighed, observing the scene from Hades.
Reaper stood behind her, her expressionless face gazing at the scrying orb. "The erosion of chaos is stable for now. What do you intend to do?"
"This is a good question," White Rabbit waved her finger at Reaper. "That succubus accompanying Hakunen was one of the administrators of their world. Which means they exist! If I find the good one, I may be able to find the person responsible for creating these portals."
Reaper tilted her head slightly. "You think someone is responsible for these portals? Isn't it a natural phenomenon from your screw-up?" she held her scythe slightly in the air, ready to cut the rabbit's head off.
Unbothered by the threat, the White Rabbit continued. "Yes! Someone managed to replicate my ability to open portals to other dimensions. It's not just a coincidence; it's a deliberate act."
Reaper's gaze sharpened. "And how do you intend to find this person? They could be anywhere, and their motives are still unknown."
"Simple!" The White Rabbit exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I'll draw them out. Create a situation that demands their attention."
Reaper lowered her scythe, her interest piqued. "And you think this will work?"
"I hope so. To be perfectly honest, even I am in the dark right now."
A faint light shimmered behind them, catching their attention. The White Rabbit turned, her ears perking up. "What's that?"
From the glow, a portal opened. "No way, here?" White Rabbit jumped in surprise. "This was not supposed to happen!"
A figure emerged, cloaked in a blue and dark uniform and cape, his face masked by a scarf around his neck. While his features were obscured, this was clearly a man, and he exuded an aura of danger around him.
Reaper narrowed her eyes, her grip tightening on her scythe. "Who are you?"
Before he could respond, a flash of metal sliced through the portal, cleaving it in two. The energy sustaining it dissipated, leaving the man and the two laws alone in the dark night of Hades.
The White Rabbit's ears twitched in surprise. "He destroyed it?"
The man stepped forward, his movements fluid but precautious. "So that we won't be bothered."
Reaper remained on guard by standing near White Rabbit. "Begone. This is not a place for you."
"You are an authority over death, right?" the man asked, gazing intensely at the red-haired hooded girl. "I came here to strike a deal."