The Strange Cat from Fuuto

"But what about you, sister?"

Looking at Inamori Misa with concern, Inamori Mayu said anxiously, "I can't abandon you! No matter what you become, you'll always be my Misa-nee!"

"No, as long as you're alright!"

Misa Inamori, who pulled Mayu Inamori into her arms, whispered, "Because you are my pillar of support!"

"mine..."

"....hope!"

"what!"

With a sharp cry from the Fa Jie, a fierce burst of dragon flame surged toward Miku. Miku, whose vines were intertwined in front of him, saw a large hole burned through his vine shield wall, which then began to devour him.

"Tsk!" Miku clicked his tongue and chose to abandon his defense, leaping far away. "Did he cross the threshold because of anger?"

"Protagonists are such a hassle!" Miku turned his head and glanced inside the door, where he saw a pair of figures cuddling together in the light.

"It seems that Medusa's situation is nearing completion, so I can't delay any longer!"

"The game is over, Haruko Misaka!"

Miku replaced the Jungle Ring with the Blood Hunter Ring, then reset it and placed his left hand on his waist.

"Blood...Hunter, Start!"

As the chanting began, the ring on Miku's left hand shimmered, and the tiny black gemstone set in its center suddenly lit up.

It was as if a ferocious beast had opened its eyes. A wild and bloody aura erupted from Miku.

A thin mist of crimson began to spread in the night, and at the same time, a faint smell of blood entered Sister Fa's nostrils.

Covering her nose, Fa Jie frowned as she looked at Miku, who was enveloped in a blood-red mist. "Is this the power you used in the abandoned factory last time?"

Within the crimson mist, a constantly shifting crimson magic circle slowly emerged above Miku's head. At the center of the circle was an open eye, its pupil brimming with overwhelming malice.

"Kill, kill, kill, kill, Overkill!"

Amidst the arrogant whispers, a crimson magic circle passed through Miku's body from top to bottom, enveloping every part of his body that was swept by the magic circle in a thick layer of crimson smoke.

"Hia, hia, hia, hia..."

Accompanied by eerie laughter, the magic circle vanished, while the thick, bloody smoke enveloping Miku exploded in an instant.

"Playtime is over. You'd better lie down on the ground for a while!"

The holy sword of physics in his hand, entwined with blood mist, transformed into a long, blood-red scythe, its pitch-black blade gleaming with a cold, icy light.

"Frenzy Start!"

After a chaotic flash of light on the long scythe, Miku disappeared from Fajie's sight, dragging the scythe behind him.

"It's the power he used to defeat the White Demon last time!"

Alarmed, Sister Fa quickly switched her rings, but before she could put them on, several dazzling bursts of fire erupted from her body.

A dozen or so slash marks were branded on the mage's body. With disbelief in her eyes, the mage, having suffered damage exceeding the threshold, automatically deactivated her transformation and fell straight to the ground.

Most of the damage from the attacks was absorbed by her armor, but the rest was still unbearable for her. With her mouth open and eyes tightly closed, she tried to scream but couldn't make a sound as pain surged through her like a tidal wave.

Miku appeared beside her, carrying a long scythe and striding towards the gate.

"stop!"

Fa, who was trying her best to stop Miku, watched helplessly as he disappeared into the night behind the door.

"Haruko!"

In the Hall of Shadows, Aliten, who saw the defeated Sister Fa through Garuda, stood up from the sofa.

Nara Shunpei and Daimon Rinko originally intended to accompany Inamori Mayu as her supervisor and protector, but were refused by Hoshino.

They sent them home, and Alex, who was still worried, was persuaded to observe the situation through Garuda.

But now, with Fajie defeated in the battle between Fajie and Miku, Alex is naturally extremely nervous.

After hurriedly putting on his clothes and shoes, Alex rushed to the scene.

Chapter 41: Girl, do you crave... I mean, do you crave power?

"Because you are..."

"...My hope!"

Speaking earnestly, Inamori Misa stroked Inamori Mayu's back, "So, you have to leave Torii-zaka, leave Tokyo. I'll contact our relatives abroad. Be a good girl, stay abroad for a while, and whatever you do, don't come back!"

"But what will happen to Misa-nee if I leave?" Mayu Inamori asked, her eyes filled with stubbornness as she looked up. "Do I have to sacrifice you to save myself?"

"I don't want that, I absolutely don't want that. That kind of life is not what I want at all. I never want to feel lonely and miserable again."

"I want to be with Misa-nee!"

When Mayu Inamori looked directly into Misa Inamori's dark eyes, a strange sense of unease rose in her heart.

"Since you don't want to..." Inamori Misa's voice suddenly turned cold as her arm moved with lightning speed, grabbing Inamori Mayu's neck.

"Then you and your sister can disappear together, so that you can be reunited as a family!" Medusa's chilling voice echoed in Mayu Inamori's ears.

The sharp nails on her fingers pierced Mayu Inamori's delicate neck, while Medusa, whose snake hair had revived behind her head, sneered sinisterly.

"You...don't even think about it!" Inamori Mayu, who was holding Medusa's wrist, was full of stubbornness. This girl, who usually looked gentle and weak, suddenly showed an unimaginable tenacity.

"Misa and I will not give in like this. Don't even think about devouring her!"

"Oh dear, what a stubborn little girl." Medusa, who was pinching Inamori Misa with her right hand, gently stroked Inamori Misa's face with the fingers of her left hand.

"In that case, I'll make you all despair."

"Do you know why your parents also disappeared?" Medusa's soft voice sent a bad feeling through Inamori Mayu.

"I killed him!"

"Hahahaha...."

Medusa, speaking arrogantly, increased the force of her right hand, slowly closing her five fingers. Feeling the immense force coming from her neck, Mayu Inamori felt a growing sense of dizziness.

Waves of dizziness, along with immense pain, nearly overwhelmed her.

"I...will not give up!"

Inamori Misa's consciousness slowly blurred as she spoke in a voice barely audible, but the hand gripping Medusa's wrist did not loosen its grip in the slightest.

At this moment, Inamori Mayu didn't notice that Medusa's eyes were changing all at once. At the same time, she was cursing Miku in her heart: "Damn it, why aren't you showing up? I can't keep up this act any longer!"

Sometimes, some people really can't stand being nagged. Medusa, who had just started to speak in her heart, felt a chill on her neck and was dragged backward the next second, while Mayu Inamori was held in Miku's arms by the appearance of Miku.

The two exchanged glances and didn't hesitate. Medusa crashed heavily to the ground, and fine cracks appeared in the tiles paved with the second-floor corridor.

"You are..."

Inamori Mayo opened her eyes and spoke weakly. What came into view was an eye-shaped headgear wrapped in a hood.

"Hey, hello there, little girl!"

With a light touch, Miku gently placed Inamori Mayu on the ground, rolled up the sleeve of his right arm, and disappeared from the spot.

Before Medusa could react, everything went black, and at the same time, a power as vast as a mountain surged forth.

"Oh!"

Miku, gripping the long scythe in reverse, forcefully swept Medusa away, then swung the burst ring on his right hand, which he hadn't yet removed, across his waist.

"Explosion Start!"

Layers of dark red magic circles appeared before Medusa. The explosion from the collapse of the subspace engulfed her and blasted her out of the corridor.

Medusa, her body thrown through the air and crashing through the wall, landed in the courtyard outside. As she got up in a disheveled state, she cursed inwardly, "Damn it, they knew it was an act, yet they took it so seriously!"

But on the surface, he roared in resentment, "Damn mage, you'll remember this!"

Clutching her aching left arm, Medusa fled the Inamori family in a disheveled state. However, Faye, who had just been helped up by Alex, witnessed this scene and was somewhat puzzled.

"What's going on here?" Despite her confusion, Sister Fa still forced herself to let Alex help her into the Inamori house.

Meanwhile, inside the house, after seeing that Medusa had left, Miku flipped his wrist, hoisted the long scythe onto his shoulder, and came to Inamori Mayu's side.

Mayu Inamori, kneeling on the ground, stared blankly at Miku walking towards her, unsure of what to say.

Miku, enveloped in dark red aura, looked down at her for a moment before kneeling on one knee and extending his hand to her: "Young lady, you desire..."

"Pah! Do you crave power?!"

Miku, who subconsciously felt a strange sense of déjà vu about the scene before her, didn't think much of it and instead stared at Inamori Mayu, waiting for her answer.

"Power?" Inamori Mayu stared blankly at the hole through which the evening wind was blowing in, thinking of her sister's situation, and gritted her teeth, saying, "If I have power, can I save Misa-nee?"

"I have no idea!"

Miku shook his head without giving a clear answer, and a hint of sadness appeared on Mayu Inamori's face.

Rather than giving a positive answer, it's better to explain things clearly. Sometimes, the truth is more deceptive than a lie.

"But if you have power, you won't just be able to watch like this. At that time, you can try to salvage the situation using your own strength."

"May I?"

"Human beings have countless possibilities!"

"Then please give me strength. I want to become stronger, I want to have the power to protect Misa-nee!"

After grasping Miku's outstretched hand, a determined look appeared on Inamori Mayu's face.

Even in despair, would you be willing?

"I am willing!"

"Then come with me."

Miku, who had just helped Inamori Mayu up, suddenly turned her head and looked towards the stairwell. There, Fa-nee, being supported by Alex, appeared in the line of sight of the two.

"Wow, I didn't expect you could still stand up?"

"What do you want to do?" Fa Jie, who had gently pushed Alex away, struggled to keep herself from collapsing and limped up to Miku, questioning, "What exactly do you want to do? Medusa or Mayu, what is your purpose?"