Case 135: Survival game – Ice of death.

Case 135: Survival game – Ice of death.

With the presence of four different demons, the putrid aura that used to dominate Evone Hall returns. Dyeing everything in its way an ominous color—it is all to set the stage for the moon to shine.

[Domination].

Without uttering a single word, an oppressive aura is also released from the other side, and once combined with the caster's immense ice magic, it harbors a chill colder than at the bottom of the ocean.

Amidst the collision of the two fields, the two opposite forces also close in on each other.

Under Nuf, who floats in the air.

Jet and Coun, bearing the appearance of plain, humanoid dolls, slowly walk toward Aurora's group as if strolling in the garden. Meanwhile, ripples of the surrounding mana suggest that Neyd is still swimming somewhere down there.

Aurora leads her army.

Walking forward with the speed of falling snowflakes, trailing her sword on the ground. Behind her, strange creatures of all sorts follow. In the sky, giant whales and sharks glide along the stars in a beautiful motion.

Together, they make for an unexpectedly wistful scene in which Aurora's mask is the focal point.

Witnessing this showdown, hardly anyone can spare their attention for a quiet, sneaky snap of a camera.

The man holding the camera takes a quick look at what he has snapped. He certainly isn't a photographer, yet somehow, the picture comes out perfectly.

''...Hah.''

Maybe he should quit being an academy staff and work with cameras instead.

''!!''

Such thoughts are immediately blown away by the first clash of the battle.

Standing in front of one of the dolls is an unusually tall man with bleach-white skin, faceless. Just now, his tentacles have just been blown back by seemingly nothing while attacking the doll.

Both he and the doll tilt their head to the same side, eyeing each other with the lack of eyes. Afterward, the taller man seemingly understands something and retracts his weapons.

Nearby, another doll and a man stand face to face, both appearing as emotionless as the other. The man with long, straight black hair leisurely puts his palm on his sword's handle, hollow eyes following his opponent's movements.

The scene is strangely eerie from an outside perspective.

''Hey, when will the grandmaster arrive? There are still people left.''

''Why would you ask me? We can leave this place and help them if the silver snake—''

BOOM—!!

Right then, a loud noise seizes the people's attention.

''Oh, my.''

''...''

The moon, vivid and enlarged, gleams a playful hue. It is as if she has been laughed at.

'I see.'

So, this is where the demon's confidence comes from. So, HE is not totally useless in this battle after all.

Nevertheless, for as long as HE remains where HE should be, a lack of an advantageous battleground isn't something to be concerned over.

''Leave the leviathan to us, My Lady.''

A deep voice as though the abyss itself speaks rings through the air. Together with Ariel and Smiley, the skeleton in a dark robe pledges to take care of their enemy.

Bright golden eyes that signify scared light. Transparent hand under the half-glove.

Aurora nods lightly and springs toward Nuf, her true opponent.

Amidst the loud collision sounds and screeching howls, she plunges right into the demon's zone, paving a path of ice as she advances. With her nimble movements, dodging those bullets shot by the jester masks isn't hard.

Nuf is never meant to be a direct fighter in the first place.

Instead, the more she approaches it, the more... wobbly everything feels. Her heightened senses have noticeably dulled a bit, but more alarmingly, her mind is also slowing down.

In fact, this is what makes Nuf a tough opponent to take down. The mind-controlling aura that gets progressively stronger as one approaches it.

Since she doesn't have a pocket Skylar to resist the effect, Aurora lightly punches her chest instead.

Her hand immediately bounces off due to the large elasticity, but it is the impact that counts. A faint silver aura spreads across her body, heeding her desire to 'eradicate' the curse eating away her mind.

[!!]

That very same aura runs to the bane of her sword, serving as an absolute layer of sharpness to the Black Dawn's icy blade. Sensing the very word 'death' coming from the thing, Nuf hastily kicks itself backward in an attempt to get away from Aurora.

The primal fear of death that it has only experienced when it is in the presence of HIM.

Before Nuf realizes, it has already been running.

[Blink].

Yet, even that proves to be fruitless.

In a split second, the golden-white blade that makes it feel repulsed, frightened, and amazed leaps toward itself, and even within that moment where everything is engulfed in the sword's light...

...the only thing left that is visible—

The stars within her mask.