Chapter 11: Breaking Through
"Oh my God!"
"There's a hole in the sky!"
"The heavens are breaking!"
The world watched in stunned silence as the sky fractured, a gaping Hole of light and chaos tearing through the heavens. The phenomenon spread like wildfire, with images and videos flooding the internet within seconds. The entire globe was transfixed, their collective breath held in awe and terror.
In the Pacific Ocean, the sea Rotated in response. A colossal tsunami, born from the sudden displacement of water, surged outward. Waves taller than skyscrapers crashed and churned, their fury unchecked.
On Itogami Island, the Keystone Gate Management Commune was in chaos.
"Warning! Warning! Level one alert!"
Red lights flashed, bathing the headquarters in an eerie glow. Officials scrambled, their voices overlapping into a Mixture of panic and urgency. The air was thick with tension, every second ticking closer to disaster.
"Director! We've located the source of the anomaly!"
A woman in a sharp business suit rushed to Yaze Kijima's side, her heels clicking against the floor. Her face was pale, her voice trembling as she delivered the report.
"The Prison Barrier has manifested in the real world!"
Yaze Kijima's expression darkened. His voice was low and gravelly as he asked, "Where is Instructor Natsuki?"
"Currently unreachable. We're trying to pinpoint her last known location."
Yaze didn't press further. As a member of the Yaze family, one of the core powers of Itogami Island, he knew secrets most could only guess at. Among them was the truth about the "Witch of the Void."
The Natsuki Minamiya on Itogami Island was merely a magical puppet. Her true body had been sealed within the Prison Barrier for over a decade. If the puppet was missing, it could only mean something had gone wrong with the original.
Yaze's gaze returned to the massive screen displaying the tsunami. His voice was heavy with urgency.
"We can't worry about that now. Stopping the tsunami is our top priority. As for the Prison Barrier... someone will handle it."
A Dream—Like sight emerged from the sea off the eastern coast of Itogami Island. A castle, caught between illusion and reality, stood half-submerged in the water. Its translucent form shimmered like a mirage, yet its presence was undeniable.
At the top of the castle, a gaping hole roughly five meters in diameter allowed sunlight to penetrate the darkness within.
Standing in the beam of light was a young man dressed in medieval attire, his presence radiant and commanding.
Lü Ji had unleashed the [Ultimate Move: Serious Punch.]
Adjusting his bowler hat, he surveyed his surroundings. The prisoners, once hardened and defiant, now stared at him with a mix of awe and fear.
In a nearby cell, a shirtless orc trembled as he muttered, "Is he... is he a True Ancestor?"
"Impossible!"
A female vampire in another cell snapped, her voice sharp and sure. "He's no True Ancestor. I can feel it."
But as her eyes drifted to the shattered barrier above, her confidence wavered.
"At least... not one of the three."
"Then is he the Fourth True Ancestor?"
"I heard rumours the Fourth was on Itogami Island!"
"But he doesn't radiate any magical energy. A True Ancestor would have immense power Radiating within them."
Lü Ji ignored the murmurs. His focus was on the gap in the barrier and the sunlight streaming through.
"This should be enough to wake Natsuki's true body."
"I need to hurry. I don't have time for another round of bondage play."
With that thought, Lü Ji stepped out of the ruined cell.
Initially, he had only intended to break the [Restriction Chains] binding him. But the amount of power Caused by "Ultimate Move: Serious Punch" had torn through the Prison Barrier, bringing it into the real world.
Now, with no time to explain himself, Lü Ji knew his priority was to find a suitable candidate for his chat group.
As Lü Ji walked deeper into the prison, the sound of his cane echoed ominously. Once bold and defiant, the prisoner shrank back as he passed.
Some whispered theories about his identity, while others stared in fear. His sheer power was enough to silence even the most hardened criminals.
But not everyone was Intimidated.
As Lü Ji passed one cell, a female vampire pressed herself against the bars, her revealing outfit straining as she called out in a sultry voice.
"My lord~ Please take me with you~"
"I'll serve you faithfully. Just get me out of this hellhole!"
Lü Ji glanced at her, recognizing her from the original story. She was a vampire who had caused chaos on Itogami Island after the Prison Barrier was breached. A descendant of the Third True Ancestor, though not of the direct line or a direct Descendant.
Despite her efforts to appeal to him, Lü Ji was not interested. He had a specific target in mind.
Ignoring the other prisoners who tried to bargain or threaten him, Lü Ji continued until he reached the deepest part of the Prison Barrier.
In a dimly lit cell sat a woman in a kimono. Her presence was calm and regal as if she were a fallen goddess rather than a prisoner.
Their eyes met, and for a long moment, neither spoke.
Finally, Lü Ji broke the silence.
"Why don't you beg me? Maybe I'll give you a chance."
The woman said nothing. Her crimson eyes remained steady, her expression unreadable.
---
### The Silent Witch
The silence of the kimono-clad woman did not surprise Lü Ji. A faint, elegant smile played on his lips as he continued speaking, his tone calm and measured.
"Ten years is more than enough time for the LCO to refine your replica. And indeed, they have done an excellent job."
"You believe they will send someone to rescue you, so there's no need to take risks by engaging with someone like me, whose origins are unknown. Am I right?"
"Yuu Tokiomi Aya, the Witch of the Books."
The moment these words left his mouth, the woman in the kimono—Yuu Tokiomi Aya—flinched. Her previously indifferent eyes flickered with a hint of unease, and the calm she had maintained for so long began to crack.
For a long moment, their gazes locked. Finally, Aya spoke, her voice soft but laced with suspicion.
"Who do you serve?"
Lü Ji smiled but offered no answer. Instead, he said, "How about I make a prophecy for you here and now?"
"Yuu Tokiomi Yuuma will come to rescue you soon. But in the end, your dearest friend will thwart your plans."
Aya's expression remained unchanged. She had always known that her former friend would stand in her way. If her plans were to fail, it would undoubtedly be because of her.
Reaching into his coat, Lü Ji pulled out a black invitation letter. He held it up, his expression sincere as he addressed Aya.
"This little thing might be of some use to you."
With a flick of his wrist, he sent the invitation flying toward her cell.
At that moment, the familiar sound of chains slicing through the air echoed through the prison.
"Whoosh!"
The [Restriction Chains] surged toward Lü Ji, their black links glinting with the promise of death.
"It's the Witch of the Void!"
The prisoners recognized the chains immediately, and curses filled the air as they shouted at Natsuki Minamiya.
Ignoring their insults, Natsuki's gaze was fixed on the depths of the prison. When her attack was missed, she didn't follow up. Instead, she looked up at the gaping hole in the Prison Barrier, her brow furrowed in concern.
Her assessment of Lü Ji's threat level had just skyrocketed. In her mind, he was now on par with the three True Ancestors.
Natsuki's heart sank when she shifted her focus back to the scene before her.
'His target is Aya?'
A mysterious powerhouse with strength rivalling a True Ancestor, approaching a witch who sought to destroy the world—this couldn't possibly end well.
At that moment, Lü Ji reappeared, his bowler hat back in place after the high-speed movement. His light, almost teasing voice echoed through the prison.
"Compared to you, Miss Yuu is much gentler, wouldn't you say, Natsuki-chan~?"
Hearing the nickname only used by the children at Saikai Academy, Natsuki's frown deepened.
'He's investigated me... and avoided my detection.'
This wasn't good.
This was clearly a well-planned scheme, and she had been completely blindsided.
Natsuki braced herself for the worst, but what happened next caught her off guard.
The mysterious young man bowed slightly, his tone polite but mocking.
"My task here is done. It's time for me to leave."
"Farewell, ladies. Until we meet again."
With that, his body dissolved into light particles, vanishing without a trace. Even Natsuki, with her mastery of spatial magic, couldn't sense how he had escaped. All she felt was a faint ripple in space.
Natsuki's frown deepened. Everything about this man confused her.
"Why show himself to me if he wanted to sneak in? Why cause such a scene to get my attention?"
She shook her head, pushing aside her thoughts for now. A six-pointed magic circle appeared beneath her feet, and in an instant, she teleported to Aya's cell.
"You're here, Natsuki," Aya said softly, her voice calm but carrying a hint of warmth.
"Aya," Natsuki replied, her tone equally soft but tinged with worry.
Despite the dim light, Natsuki's sharp eyes quickly spotted the black invitation near Aya. She reached out, trying to summon it to her hand, but it didn't budge.
Frowning, she sent a [Restriction Chain] toward it. But the chain passed through the invitation as if it were an illusion.
After several failed attempts, Natsuki gave up. It seemed only Aya could interact with the strange object.
"Aya," Natsuki said, her voice firm. "Who was that man?"
Aya smiled gently. "What if I told you I don't know? Would you believe me?"
Natsuki didn't answer right away. After a long pause, she sighed.
"Stay here for now. And give up on your plans. They'll only bring you more pain."
Aya's smile didn't waver, but her eyes held a sadness that spoke volumes.