After recovering a bit of their strength, Rui Kisugi and Ai Kisugi quickly gave chase.
But by then, Hitomi Kisugi had long vanished without a trace.
The two searched all night but couldn't find her.
Fortunately, the next morning, Hitomi returned on her own.
Even more astonishing, she had no memory of the previous night's events, only recalling waking up on a park bench, fast asleep.
The eerie scene sent chills down the three sisters' spines.
At that moment, the Kisugi sisters finally believed what Morpheus had told them.
The problem was, Morpheus—the one person who could help them—had disappeared, and they had no idea where to find him.
Left with no choice, the three sisters temporarily closed the cafe.
The following night, they used even sturdier ropes to tie Hitomi up, preventing her from running off and potentially harming others.
After all, the hindering cat possessed an energy-draining ability. Anyone it touched would have their stamina and vitality completely sapped, potentially leading to death.
Rui and Ai had already suffered a major setback from this the previous night.
If not for their regular training and above-average stamina, combined with their quick reflexes, they might not have survived.
Having learned their lesson, the sisters grew wiser.
The hindering cat's ability was far too dangerous for ordinary people and had to be contained.
They couldn't bear the thought of their Hitomi being responsible for even a single life, let alone several.
Because they were so well-prepared, the next night, when the hindering cat possessed Hitomi again, she couldn't break free from the ropes and was confined for the entire night.
But the following morning, when Hitomi regained consciousness, she found herself in intense pain all over her body.
The reason was simple.
While possessed by the hindering cat the previous night, Hitomi hadn't stayed still—she had struggled all night long.
The more she struggled against the ropes, the tighter they bound her.
This was a special knot designed to prevent the hindering cat from escaping.
But this same knot left Hitomi's delicate skin covered in bruises and welts, causing her excruciating pain.
As a result, Hitomi spent the entire day in bed.
That night, Rui and Ai hesitated, unsure whether to tie Hitomi up again. Her struggles the previous night had left her battered and bruised.
What if she kept struggling and ended up seriously injured?
In the end, they decided to lock all the doors and windows, choosing to confront Hitomi head-on for the night.
This led to the scene from earlier.
The three sisters each took a position, locked in a tense standoff.
To deal with the cat-possessed Hitomi, Rui and Ai armed themselves with weapons designed specifically for cats.
One held a cat teaser wand coated with essential oils like peppermint, tea tree, and lavender.
The other clutched a handful of chili powder.
It was well-known that cats have a keen sense of smell.
Certain scents were highly attractive to cats, while others were deeply repellent.
For instance, the overpowering scents of peppermint, tea tree, and lavender were too intense for cats, often causing discomfort like runny noses, breathing difficulties, or coughing if exposed for too long.
They were perfect tools for fending off cats.
Chili powder had a similar effect.
Armed with these two weapons, Rui and Ai were able to hold their ground against the cat-possessed Hitomi.
After all, the hindering cat was merely a low-level supernatural entity.
Despite its energy-draining ability, without physical contact with Rui or Ai, the skill was useless.
Having already fallen victim to this ability once, Rui and Ai were careful not to let Hitomi touch them.
This rendered the ability more show than substance.
As a result, the two sides reached a stalemate, evenly matched.
This only fueled the frustration of the cat-possessed Hitomi.
"I'll say it one more time, meow. Get out of my way, meow!"
Hitomi's cat-like eyes burned with intense hostility, as if to say, If you don't move, I'm done playing nice.
Neither Rui nor Ai backed down.
This was about their sister, and no matter what, they wouldn't yield.
"If that's how it is, meow, don't blame me for getting serious, meow!"
In the next instant, the cat-possessed Hitomi sprang forward like a coiled spring, aiming straight for her eldest sister, Rui.
Rui instinctively swung the oil-coated teaser wand, trying to force Hitomi back.
The sharp scent flooded Hitomi's nostrils.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
There was no helping it—the smell was simply too harsh for a cat.
But at that critical moment, instead of retreating, Hitomi kicked off the ground with her right foot, lunging at Rui even faster.
Rui sensed danger, but it was too late.
Hitomi tackled her to the ground, and the energy-draining ability took effect instantly.
Rui felt her body go limp as her stamina and vitality were rapidly siphoned away.
"Get away from Rui-nee!"
Seeing this, Ai grabbed a handful of chili powder and flung it at Hitomi.
Hitomi leaped backward, effortlessly dodging the chili powder by several meters.
The powder landed squarely on Rui's face and body.
Rui couldn't help but sneeze repeatedly, tears streaming down her face.
The chili powder was just too spicy.
"Oh no, sorry, Rui-nee!"
Seeing Rui's disheveled state, Ai apologized instinctively.
"It's fine." Rui wouldn't blame her sister, especially since Ai was trying to save her.
Had Ai not thrown the chili powder, Rui would have been in grave danger.
Shakily climbing to her feet, Rui gripped the teaser wand tightly, staring down Hitomi.
Though their contact had been brief, the hindering cat possessing Hitomi had drained a significant amount of her stamina and energy. Her limbs felt weak.
Stopping Hitomi was becoming increasingly difficult.
But no matter how hard it got, she wouldn't give up—not when it concerned her sister's life.
"What the heck are you all doing?"
At that moment, an unexpected voice broke through, shattering the tense atmosphere.
Hearing the voice, Rui was both shocked and elated. Turning her head, she saw a man standing in the sealed-off cafe—a man she had been longing to see, who had haunted her dreams.
It was none other than Morpheus, who had vanished without a trace days ago.
"It's you! You're finally back!"
"Nee-san, who's that?"
Seeing Rui light up with renewed energy and joy at the sight of Morpheus, Ai couldn't help but ask curiously.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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