Chapter 339: Natsuki Minamiya, Let's Talk
"Honestly, no one expected Natsuki Minamiya to appear at this moment, and in this location of all places.
It was completely unexpected. Logically speaking, Natsuki Minamiya should have been guarding the boundary prison between Itogami Island and its neighboring area.
However, this did not prevent the two enemies from locking eyes with intense hostility upon meeting.
'Natsuki Minamiya, have you not yet awakened from that eternal dream? Since you remain asleep, why have you abandoned your steadfast conviction and pursued me here?' Tokoyogi Aya sneered coldly.
Natsuki Minamiya merely let out a faint sigh before meeting the Witch's fiery crimson eyes.
'Aya, you see the gray handcuffs on your wrist, don't you? You haven't truly escaped the prison. Aya... return to the Prison Barrier. Your dream has ended.'
'So that's how it is. Even though I escaped the prison, the Prison Barrier's escape prevention mechanism hasn't ceased, has it?'
Raising her wrist, Tokoyogi Aya murmured as she gazed at the embedded gray bracelet, her tone tinged with self-mockery.
In truth, she had noticed this bracelet from the beginning and understood its purpose—
If her magical power were to deplete to a certain extent, the bracelet would activate, dragging her back into the prison once more.
Over these past days, she had tried every means to remove the bracelet, but what she hadn't anticipated was that before she could devise a method, Natsuki Minamiya had already pursued her.
Yet, this was no reason for her to abandon her freedom or her ideals.
'I will say it once more: the Artificial Island Management Corporation will never grant you freedom. You are merely a tool designed as the warden of the Prison Barrier, exploited by others.
In the end, you will fall into eternal slumber, left alone in another world.
You will neither age nor die, but live on in a dream, watching the bustling world before you in solitude.
Hand over the Grimoire of the Dark Oath from your memories, Nayue.
I will not forgive this mad world, and at the same time, I will save you from that prison.'
Tokoyogi Aya's voice was resolute yet tinged with a hint of madness as she once again retrieved the 'No.014' Grimoire from her sleeve—a book possessing the ability to extract accumulated inherent time.
Amidst the gathering storm of magical power, the pages rustled as they flipped.
In an instant, they turned to a blank page.
'Aya, your words are exactly the same as they were five years ago. But you know you cannot sway my resolve! Your dream may be grand, but it would sacrifice far too many people.'
As she spoke, a Guardian clad in golden armor materialized behind Natsuki Minamiya, radiating a dense and terrifying magical aura.
Tokoyogi Aya, unwilling to be outdone, summoned a blue knight behind her as well. The collision of their magical energies produced faint, unsettling sounds.
Clearly, the two were prepared to fight.
The reason Natsuki Minamiya and Tokoyogi Aya became adversaries was simple: five years ago, while studying in the Demon District of Itogami Island, Nayue wished to protect her classmates at Saikai Academy.
It was not because Nayue was an Attack Mage employed by the Artificial Island Management Corporation, nor because she was a Witch, but for something as unstable as friendship. For this, she became enemies with Aya, the leader of the criminal organization LCO.
She hoped to protect her former closest friend in her own way."
However, Natsuki Minamiya's methods were something Tokoyogi Aya could neither understand nor agree with.
In the end, it was simply a clash of differing ideologies, compounded by their stubborn personalities that made neither willing to back down.
"Hold on a moment. Before you start fighting, can't we all sit down and have a proper talk?" Honestly, facing this situation, Mahiro was also quite troubled.
Regardless of how he felt about Tokoyogi Aya, at the very least, for Yuuma's sake, he absolutely could not let Natsuki Minamiya take Tokoyogi Aya away and lock her back up in prison.
Even if she were imprisoned again, he could easily use the replicated spatial magic and his understanding of the Barrier Prison to bring Tokoyogi Aya out once more.
But if Natsuki Minamiya discovered it again, the outcome would inevitably be her recapture.
Moreover, he really didn't want to make an enemy of this gothic lolita, as he was quite interested in Natsuki Minamiya.
Therefore, he hoped even more that the two could calmly sit down and talk things through. After spending this time together, he didn't believe Tokoyogi Aya was the kind of utterly vicious person.
Otherwise, he would have already dealt with her himself, without waiting for Natsuki Minamiya to take action.
Unfortunately, he wasn't a certain redhead, nor did he have that much influence.
Natsuki Minamiya glared at him coldly with a stern expression.
"Hmph, do you think you're any better?! Not only did you... kiss me, but after I just locked you up in prison for a few days to reflect, you turned the place upside down! You not only privately released Meiga Itogami but also freed A Ye from prison! And now you've come to Gozo Island to seize the Twelfth Vessel of the Fourth Primogenitor! Even though you used that strange magic to save the three people killed by the Black Death Emperor's faction, that doesn't erase all the evil deeds you've committed!"
Her tone carried a hint of settling scores later, as if saying she would deal with him after taking care of A Ye.
"Must you become my enemy no matter what, Nayue?!"
Tokoyogi Aya completely ignored Mahiro, shouting with a voice full of resentment toward the girl floating in mid-air, even launching an attack without realizing it.
Accompanied by a wave of murderous intent, countless illusory characters were written in the void. As magical power surged, they transformed into churning magma, massive blocks of ice, and countless tiny earth needles erupting from the ground—all aimed at Nayue.
In an instant, the resort hotel built on Gozo Island was utterly destroyed in mere moments.
All the guests staying at the hotel were instantly teleported outside by Natsuki Minamiya using spatial magic. The moment the attack was launched, Mahiro no longer tried to stop the two. Instead, he turned around, picked up the sleeping Yuuma in his arms, and moved far away from the battlefield.
"Nayue, you are merely an avatar at this moment. Do you truly believe you can defeat me at my full strength?!"
Under the night sky, Tokoyogi Aya's resentful voice faintly echoed.
One magic spell after another was unleashed, continuously attacking Natsuki Minamiya, but each time, Nayue easily dodged them with spatial teleportation. Her magic could not harm Nayue.
Just like five years ago.
Their Guardian Knights were also engaged in battle.
The azure knight and the golden knight clashed, sending ripples through the air one after another.
Yet the azure knight seemed stronger, gradually gaining the upper hand.
However, in the next moment, the azure knight's strike missed, and the golden knight seized the opportunity, swinging its greatsword to strike the azure knight's weak point.
Crack!
The golden greatsword pierced through the azure knight's armor, delivering a fatal blow.
The azure knight slowly dissipated beneath the night sky.
"Ugh!"
As the Guardian Knight was defeated, Tokoyogi Aya, suffering from the backlash, spat out a mouthful of blood and plummeted from mid-air like a meteor.
Immediately after, the handcuff on Aya's left wrist emitted a glow. From the lead-gray handcuff, countless Chains of Discipline surged forth like a torrent, tightly binding Aya's dying body and dragging her toward the empty void, likely destined for the interior of the Barrier Prison.
Tokoyogi Aya's pale face still bore traces of unwillingness as she glared fiercely at the gothic lolita in the sky.
Yet sorrow flickered in the depths of her eyes.
She had lost again.
Why?
Even though the Natsuki Minamiya before her was merely a clone, why had she been defeated?
However, as she glanced at Mahiro, who was holding Yuuma to the side, Tokoyogi Aya opened her mouth as if to say something but ultimately swallowed her words.
She allowed the Chains of Discipline to drag her into the void.
Swish!
Just as Natsuki Minamiya thought she had dealt with Aya and sealed her back into the prison, a sudden flash of white light severed the tightening Chains of Discipline.
Holding Yuuma with one hand and wielding the Demon King Killing Sacred Sword with the other, Mahiro effortlessly cut through the chains binding Tokoyogi Aya.
"I said, could the two of you please listen to what people have to say?"
His tone carried a hint of nonchalance, yet also a trace of helplessness.
But Natsuki Minamiya's calm eyes flickered with shock, for her weapon, the "Chains of Discipline," had been severed by a sword!
Her weapon, the "Chains of Discipline," was forged by the gods. Ordinary blades could not cut it, and it could even restrain demonic beasts.
No, could it be a Progenitor-level demonic beast?
Natsuki Minamiya shifted her gaze to the sword held in Mahiro's hand.
The unknown inscriptions shimmering on the blade made it clear that it was no ordinary weapon, let alone the immense energy fluctuations she sensed emanating from it.
The problem was, among the demonic beasts possessed by the three Progenitors, there was no such sword-wielding demonic beast. Moreover, this man did not seem like a demon.
He seemed more like an ordinary human…
At this thought, Natsuki Minamiya recalled this man's past.
He had suddenly appeared within the Barrier Prison, completely unaffected by its restraints, and had boldly stolen her first kiss.
In a moment of impulse, she had imprisoned him for reflection.
Yet that very day, he had nearly beaten a vampire prisoner to death using only his physical strength.
Later, he even escaped the prison alongside Meiga Itogami and Tokoyogi Aya.
Not long ago, he had gone to Gozo Island to seize the Twelfth Vassal of the Fourth Primogenitor, clashed with the Black Death Emperor faction, effortlessly annihilated the divine beast-transformed "Black Death Emperor's Brother" Golan Hazaroff, and used strange magic to revive three people who should have died.
If one set aside subjective opinions, this man seemed shrouded in layers of mist, utterly mysterious.
This made Natsuki Minamiya somewhat unable to figure him out, even sparking a faint trace of curiosity.
However, at this moment, Mahiro couldn't be bothered to pay attention to Natsuki Minamiya's probing gaze and instead raised his voice:
"Miss Nangong, stop. Even if you lock Tokoyogi Aya back in prison, I can rescue her again at any time. And you know, even if you lock me up too, it's useless—your barrier prison can't hold me. So, why don't we talk?"
"What do you want to discuss?"
In an instant, Natsuki Minamiya, holding a black parasol, appeared before him.
Standing on a protruding rock, her gaze was now level with his.
"How about we discuss releasing Tokoyogi Aya…"
"Impossible!"
Before he could finish, Natsuki Minamiya immediately refused. "Do you know what you're saying? If Aya is allowed to run wild outside, not only will many people die, but if she's captured again, she'll likely face execution! Only I can oversee the prison. As long as she's sealed in the Barrier Prison, the Artificial Island Management Corporation won't be able to touch Aya. Wouldn't that resolve everything perfectly?"
Though phrased as a question, her tone was resolute, even carrying a hint of agitation.
No matter what else happened, Natsuki Minamiya could remain calm, but when it came to Tokoyogi Aya, she couldn't.
That was her only close friend. Everything she did was to protect her!
"You two…"
Mahiro was both angered and amused, his voice tinged with helplessness.
No wonder people said Witches were stubborn and rigid—now he had truly witnessed it.
Tokoyogi Aya was like this, wanting to overturn the world to free her friend from the fate of a Witch.
Natsuki Minamiya was even more so, sacrificing herself to build the Barrier Prison just to protect her friend for the rest of her life.
If only the two of them could sit down and talk things out…
No, given their personalities, talking probably wouldn't help—they were both incredibly stubborn.
"How about this: since you're afraid of Tokoyogi Aya causing trouble outside, why not let me supervise her? If she causes any major incidents, lock both her and me up. I won't resist at all. How's that?"
He proposed a somewhat compromise suggestion.
"I do not need your supervision! My grand dream will not fail because of this!"
Tokoyogi Aya was still struggling. Even though the chains on her body remained unbroken, she fought to stand up.
But the next moment, several more chains of discipline materialized from the void, firmly binding Tokoyogi Aya once again.
"Hmph, there's no way I'd agree to such a proposal. You yourself are a massive risk factor, and pairing up with Aya could bring unimaginable chaos to the world. Don't even think about it!"
Natsuki Minamiya clapped her hands, then placed them on her hips, glaring fiercely at Mahiro.
It was as if she were looking at some heinous criminal.
"Alright, if that's not acceptable, then I'd like to know what better solution Miss Nangong has? Preferably one that satisfies everyone. Of course, personally, I'd prefer if the two of you could reconcile." Even though his proposal was rejected, Mahiro continued to ask calmly.
Natsuki Minamiya blinked her large, dark, round eyes, thought for a moment, and said, "I believe the only way to achieve the best of both worlds is to lock Aya up in prison."
No wonder she thought that way.
Because the original Dark Oath Book had been destroyed.
Now, Tokoyogi Aya constantly hoped to retrieve the Dark Oath Book from Nayue's memories to change the world. As long as the Dark Oath Book existed in memory, even if destroyed, it could still be recreated through memory.
The only way to achieve the best of both worlds was to either seal Aya's movements or her abilities.
But in the outside world, she couldn't seal Aya's magic power, so the safest option was to throw her into prison, where both her magic and movements could be restrained.
"So, there's no room for negotiation?"
"No negotiation. Both you and Aya need to be locked up in prison for safety!"
With that, Natsuki Minamiya began to take action.
But strangely, the chains of discipline shot from the void were all dodged by this man, who even managed to snatch away Aya, who was bound by the chains!
Dispersing the Demon King Killing Sacred Sword, Mahiro held the still-sleeping Yuuma in one arm and carried the witch tied up like a dumpling in the other, walking straight past Natsuki Minamiya into the distance.
"Since there's no room for negotiation, then let's not negotiate."
"Bastard, stop right there!"
The next second, Natsuki Minamiya appeared in front of Mahiro as if teleporting, blocking his path.
"What now? Since you said there's no room for negotiation, why are you blocking my way?"
Natsuki Minamiya: "..."
At that moment, the witch was so angry that veins bulged on her forehead, forming a large "#" symbol.
"You and Aya must return to the barrier prison!"
Natsuki Minamiya restated her demand, but this time, Mahiro simply replied calmly with an "Oh," then looked at Natsuki Minamiya as if she were an idiot.
Before Natsuki Minamiya could react, he added:
"I don't mind being locked up, but do you think your barrier prison can hold me? If I could escape once, I can escape a second time, and the same goes for the 'Chains of Discipline' in your hands. If I could break them once, I can break them a second time."
Natsuki Minamiya was left speechless.
The man was right. If he could leave the barrier prison once without a sound, leaving a second time wouldn't be difficult either.
Thinking of this, the witch, who had never been so frustrated before, felt somewhat deflated. But noticing that the man in front of her still seemed willing to talk, she placed her hands on her hips again and said:
"What exactly do you want?"
"I've already said it: release Tokoyogi Aya, and I'll take responsibility for supervising her."
"Why? There shouldn't be any relationship between you and Aya."
This time, Natsuki Minamiya did not immediately refuse, but instead inquired about the reason.
She still understood Natsuki—this mysterious man had never appeared by her side before, and now that he was so persistent, there must be a reason for it.
If he harbored any ill intentions, even if it meant waking her true self from slumber and causing the barrier prison to collapse, she would still keep this man here!
However, the reason he gave left her utterly astonished.
"What do you think?"
He looked at the gothic lolita before him as if she were a fool, while deliberately lifting the girl in his arms a little higher.
"You should be able to see it, right? The child in my arms shares a blood connection with Tokoyogi Aya—you could say she is Aya's biological daughter.
However, due to certain circumstances, I have adopted this child for now. But I don't want her to lose her mother, so I hope to keep Tokoyogi Aya here to help mend the relationship between mother and daughter."
"Is it really that simple?"
Natsuki Minamiya's eyes revealed suspicion.
"It really is that simple." Mahiro nodded firmly.
Natsuki Minamiya did not press further, instead shifting her gaze to the sleeping girl in Mahiro's arms.
Without needing any special methods, just by looking at the girl's appearance, she could tell that this was indeed Aya's child.
But the moment she saw this child, Natsuki Minamiya also immediately understood the intentions of her dear friend. For a moment, her expression grew complex and somber. She hadn't expected that after all these years, Aya still couldn't understand her well-intentioned efforts, nor had she shown any sign of reflection.
However, she then thought of Mahiro's purpose for coming here, and her brows furrowed once more.
"If that's all, then why did you seize the Twelfth Vessel?"
"Uh... what if I said it was just a whim? Would you believe me?"