Chapter 82

"A Shackled Battle"

Slowly and gradually removing her shackles and increasing the power of her own body.


There is a blood boiling sensation, and every muscle in her thin body is squeezed.

The girl's body seems soft to the touch, fragile and unreliable, but the blood that flows through it, the flesh that makes it up, the bones that make it up, are the things of the finest race in the world.


And the return of “Oni God", which was called the best of all the oni.


Ley: [That's my sister! Oh, how wonderful! You're glowing! No matter how far you go, Rem will never be able to reach you, I will never be able to reach you, sister!]


Ram: [Don't spit on me. It's offensive. And don't compare Ram to anything else]


Ley: [Why not sister!?]


Ram: [It's obvious, because Ram doesn't need any more titles than Rem's sister.]


Ram threw an elbow at Ley, piercing the wind. If you grazed it, your skin would get ripped and if you got hit by it your bones would be crushed.


It's not a technique that is purely a matter of physical ability and skill. If this were purely technical, Ley, who relies on the "memory" of the opponents he eats, would be able to reproduce it. However, Ram's skills are not so straight forward.


Ley: [...]


Ram's elbow and knee strikes accelerate and decelerate freely in the middle of the fight.That's because Ram uses her signature wind magic on herself.

 

She uses the wind to accelerate or decelerate, disrupting Ley’s perception as he tries to fight back. Rem attacks Ley's blind spot with her quick body movements and begins firing a number of deadly blows.


Ley: ['Hah! I love it!]


Ley cheers happily as he evades Ram’s attack with ease.


With blood flowing from his ripped right cheek and shaking his long, disheveled dark brown hair, Gluttony was enjoying Ram’s performance.

Ley: [Spicy and irresistible! That's a simple and subtle trick! An explosion of joy, just dynamic! My sister is the perfect treat for our gourmet!]


Ley sneered as they flew around the spiral staircase, swapping positions with each other. Both of Ley’s daggers clashed with Ram's wand, drool dripping from his open mouth as the distance between them opened up.


Ley: [Fine, good, great, amazing, spectacular, stupendous, it's ultimate, it's ultimate, it's ultimate, it's ultimate, it's ultimate because it's divine! Gourmet! Gluttony!]


Ram: [....]


Ley: [The best thing about this is the smell of anger.The person who hates me personally to this extent ...... what kind of gourmet can I enjoy when I taste it with my tongue!]


Clapping his hands, Ley shuddered at the prospect of an incomprehensible pleasure.


With Ley in front of her, Ram exhaled heavily and checked her physical condition.


Ram: [I'm far from being in true shape, but I'm ......]


Although she didn't show it on the surface, Ram was truly amazed.


It's a common saying that people who don't understand themselves know themselves best, but unlike those fools, Ram truly has a complete grasp of herself.


After losing the horns of the oni race, Ram's body was almost crushed by an enormous load on a daily basis. Hence, Ram's shackles were placed on her own consciousness.


Normally, when Ram works as a servant, she leaves her shackles on.


Sometimes in an emergency it became necessary to remove one of the shackles and allow a minimum use of magic. And if the emergency calls for it, she can remove the second shackle and, for a short-lived battle, she'll be able to demonstrate about 20% of her original strength.


That was about a year and a half ago, when Ram had a fight with Garfiel in 'Sanctuary'.


Rem was sure that this is the best that can be achieved with the "horned beast", and beyond that, her body will not be able to bear the load and will be of no use to her.


Such a double-edged sword of her shackles, Ram is now trying to remove one more shackle


Ram: [.....]

A moment later, a rare hesitation twisted in Ram's chest. As mentioned before, Ram has a perfect grasp of herself.


With her like that, the situation where she could not feel so much of a backlash against herself from the previous battles wasthe first time since she was a child.


If the repercussions of the previous battles bounce back, Ram's head will be in a cracking pain, her nose will bleed and blood and tears will flow incessantly, and she will have to be prepared to not be able to move for a while.


It's not, because it is flowing into Subaru.


Ram: [If I take too long Barsaru will die.]


If it was as discussed, Subaru would be scrambling to deal with the rogue Shaula and the swarm of demonic beasts that were rushing the tower by now.

 

Together with him are Beatrice and possibly Meyli. Emilia, whom Ram has forgotten, is probably heading to the upper floor of the tower, was she struggling alone?

 

Strangely, Ram was curious about that silver-haired girl. Surely, Ram must have been very hands-on with her before Emilia was robbed of her 'name'.

 

None of them were able to rely on Ram without him.


Hence--.


Ram: [Don’t die Barusu. If you die Rem will cry.]


Yes, with an inaudible word, Ram removed the third shackle for the first time in a decade.


                △▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼


In a moment, the recoil of 'Cor Leonis' bared its fangs at Natsuki Subaru.


Subaru: [God.]


It was like vomiting blood - no, it was the arrival of a load that actually vomited blood.


For a moment, he felt one of the faint lights he could feel in the tower bloat, and soon after, it was hitting Subaru.


Beatrice: [Subaru!]


Subaru: [....]


Beatrice with her bosom supports Subaru, who is coughing blood and collapses.


Unfortunately, the one carrying Subaru and Beatrice right now is not Patrasche, but a Hungry Horse King, a demonic beast that does not usually allow itself to be ridden.


They have little experience of riding without the Divine Protection of Wind Evasion, and since they don't have a saddle to put their buts on or stirrups to step on, they could be shaken off in an instant if they're not careful.


The reason why the worst has not occurred yet is because Beatrice has controlled her weight with her elaborate magic, using the guilty whip wrapped around the upper body of the demonic beast as a rein.


That constant effort can't be ruined by Subaru.


Beatrice: [I suppose Ram’s burden is afflicting you.]


Subaru: [It is just as you expect, it’s ….. Bad. But I can bear it somehow….]


The vomiting sensation that surged through Subaru’s body tasted and smelled of rusted iron.

Maybe his organs were screaming, or something inside him was ruptured, or some other type of damage.


Either way, it's a sign that Ram is going all out.


Subaru: [If Ram could defeat Gluttony….]


That's not to say that it will make the situation any easier at all.


First of all, I'm not even sure if the destruction of Gluttony means the return of the "name" and "memories" that were taken away. But it would relieve Subaru of the burden for sure.


So that Subaru can focus on taking Meili’s burden alone.


Meili: [Hah, hah, hah ......]


Clinging to the Hungry Horse King's upper body, Meili is hard at work sending instructions to the demonic beasts.


To stand up against the fierce, pincers and sharp tail wielding scorpion was Subaru’s goal, it is essential that Meili fight hard What they lack in strength they make up for in quantity..


Subaru: [It is important to love Meili as a butterfly and a flower.]


It was not a joke, but a serious comment.


Now, in the Pleiades Watchtower, which is targeted by five obstacles, it is necessary to have the strength of Emilia, Ram, Julius and the others to break through each obstacle, but who is the key to maintaining those battlefields, is none other than Meili Portroute.


Hence, Subaru had already been taking over the feedback of the blessings that had fallen on Meili for some time now to himself.


Meili: [Hurry Ryu Chaan! Courtesan Bear! Get it together!]


With a high-pitched voice, Meili drives the demonic beasts to their deaths while looking over the battlefield.


She clapped her hands, snapped her fingers, or even ordered what to do aloud, and the way she did it varied from demonic beast to demonic beast, but no matter which one obeyed, the power of her blessing was in full force.


The fact that it brings a considerable burden is something that Subaru is also very aware of from the tingling and swollen feeling in his own brain.


Subaru: [....]


The benefits brought by Otto's Divine Protection of Soul Language and Meili’s Divine Protection of Magic Manipulation were the expansion of human abilities rather than magical ones. In other words, it seemed to be a power in the direction of psychic ability, not magic. That being the case, it was no wonder that the feedback was greater than other blessings. In the sense that the object of the blessing is not the surroundings or others, but only works on the user.


Subaru: [Both blessings and authority are part of an incomprehensible system ……]


Authorities, powers derived from the deadly sins that were used by the deadly Archbishops of Sin, the 'Witches' and, for whatever reason, Subaru.


Divine Protections, powers that will be given to those born into this world out of chance.


Subaru acknowledges that power is needed for everything but ….


Subaru: [There's such a thing as ......]


One cannot stop to think that a tragedy may be born.


There is no doubt that the reason why the Archbishops of Sin and the 'Witches' are feared and are able to wield their unbridled power has a lot to do with their power to keep others at bay.


There are many people, with Divine Protections, who could have avoided having their destiny distorted without such things.


For example, Meili was a victim of the negative side of the Divine Protections.


She was abandoned by her own parents because she was born with the power to speak to demonic beasts. Subaru didn’t know if that was the truth, but at least, that was the truth in Meili’s mind.


That's why--


Subaru: [I am really a double standard …..]


While I don't want to rely on authority or blessings, I don't hesitate to use them if I have to.It's true that weak people are limited in their choices, but I don't want to be despicable to my heart because of it.

 

I don't want to be able to laugh and forget that I'm forcing them to take a path that isn't the way, and I don't want to be able to laugh about it.


Meili: [Brother! I'm concentrating! If brother and Beatrice are killed, that's the end of it all, you know!]


Subaru: [I know. Hey, Meili. When this is all over will you join Emilia’s camp?]


Meili: [Hey! I said stay focused!]


Meili shouted back at Subaru.


There is no time to spare for each other. If your concentration is disrupted, it could be taken away in an instant.


But but--


Subaru: [If I don’t go through such pain I don’t think a good tomorrow is waiting.]


Yes, thinks Natsuki Subaru as he spits out blood.


                (▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼.)


As they continued the desert battle, Meili muttered.


Meili: [I don't know what's wrong with me.]


Of course, there are many other people who have something wrong with them.


Shaula, who turned into a giant scorpion right in front of her, the resilient and energetic silver-haired half-elf, the same is true of Ram, and Julius and the others who are fighting various enemies in the watchtower, and especially Subaru and Beatrice, who are fighting together.


But surely the one who is the most crazy--.


Meili: [What am I?]


Even Meili herself doesn't know what happened to her. In the first place, when Subaru and the others arrived at the Augria Sand Dunes, Meili’s behavior began to change.

 

She had obediently done what she was commanded to do, without regard to whether it was right or wrong to do so.

 

That was Meili’s way of life, so she was going to do the same thing here.

 

And yet...


Because there's such a thing as a 'Book of the Dead'.


When she heard that she could relive the thoughts of the dead, Mary's curiosity got the better of her. She had no choice but to open her smoldering feelings for Elsa Granhiert, and as a result, she ended up committing the most un-Meili-like action in her life. In the end, she was blamed for it, and was even lectured by Subaru.

 

Meili couldn't bring herself to laugh at his complaints, though.


He even made her promise to cooperate with him afterwards. Meili doesn't know how much responsibility Subaru was willing to take, but he seemed to be the kind of person who regrets saying such a rash thing.

 

It's easy to get swept away, in the sense that Meili had an idea.


However, the difference between Meili and Subaru was that they were not just talking about it.

 

Subaru would do it if he said he was going to do it, and he was present at the scene of that promise was Beatrice? Beatrice would try to make him keep it, too.

 

That would make Meili feel uncomfortable about being spoiled one way or the other, and she was willing to help out with something, but she hadn't thought of it going this far.


Meili: [....]


Even now, a swarm of winged moles that had pounced in response to Maely's hand gestures were instantly dispersed by the great scorpion's stinger.


Normally, a cowardly winged mole would never attack an enemy that was mightier than it was, but even Maely, who could give orders to make it jump over its instincts, couldn't make the demonic beast stronger.


Meili: [They’ve been killed!]


Wielding huge pincers, the raging giant scorpion was killing one demonic beast after another.

 

The blood flowing from demonic beasts seeped into the thirsty sand, and the sand sea that looked yellow was turning red.


Meili: [....]


While biting her lip at that fact, Meili quickly looks around, searching for signs of demonic beasts in the sky, on the sand, or even under the sand, and tames them.

 

Meili can't be concerned with quality. Now was the time when she needed an inexhaustible supply of demonic beasts.


Meili: [I'm going to ask my brother to listen to me later, I swear!]


With no time to wipe the sweat from her forehead, Maylie looks for Subaru, who is keeping the giant scorpion in check at a distance not too far from her.

 

Hungry Horse King's back, not being a comfortable ride, is the same issue for Meili. However, in the case of Meili, she thrusts her knife into the demonic beast's back through the cloak wrapped around her body, forcing her body to stay in place.

 

A monster beast of this level under her control was outrageous. Meili accepts it without a care in the world. The problem wasn't so much with the demonic beast as it was the Meili who was put in this situation.


In the first place, this kind of last minute battle is not the way Meili usually conducts business. Meili’s way of fighting is to prepare beforehand. She prepares the magical beasts around her, places them on the battlefield, and then watches their all-out assault from on high.


That is the realm of the "Demonic Beast Master" Meili Portroute.


Of course, commanding them directly on the battlefield will increase their effectiveness, but it's not something you should do until you have put yourself in danger. Because she made a mistake, Meili lost the battle with Subaru and became a prisoner.


Meili: [Elsa is .......]


Elsa’s death was also due to the accumulation of such blunders.


Of course, Elsa wouldn't want Meili to blame herself at all, and if anything, it was possible that she didn't even think anything of her own death.That's why Meili was nervous.


Just as Meili didn't know how Elsa felt, Meili didn’t know how she felt about herself.


For the most part, Meili is just trying her best to stall the giant scorpion, trying to buy time by sacrificing demonic beasts, but Meili has never done it this way before.


Meili Portroute was raised from a young age to be an assassin. She made a living taking a person’s life at someone's command, at someone's direction, at someone's request. So, this is the first time she's ever had to fight to save and protect someone's life.


Meili: [This isn't my way of doing things, you know!]


Subaru's rambunctious words just now made her irate.


How dare he ask Meili, "When this is all over will you join Emilia’s camp?”


It's really abhorrent, the way he acts as if he doesn't have any idea how much Meili hates him.


Even if Garfiel killed Elsa, it was Subaru who had pulled all the strings. Even now at the Pleiades Watchtower, Subaru was pulling all the strings.


Meili: [....]


Even though Meili is thinking negatively of Subaru's words and actions, Meili found herself being moved like a pawn on a game board, just like everyone else, following Subaru’s instructions.


Meili: [I feel like an idiot now?]


As she said it, Meili ordered a demonic beast to charge at the giant scorpion.


Meili: [...]


A sand earthworm bursts through the reddish sand, its huge body trembling. The huge body, more than ten meters tall, falls onto the great scorpion.


A white light gushed out, and the thick sand worm's body was instantly pierced.


The worm is cut from top to bottom and falls down, spewing out strange sounds and body fluids, and the successive attacks of the stinger unleash in rapid succession shatter the worm into even smaller pieces.


However, that attack was meant to be a distraction. Three Hungry Horse Kings emerge to attack the great scorpion.


Meili: [....]


A roar that sounds like a baby crying cries out, the burning half-man, half-horse makes a suicide attack on the great scorpion.


Although various demonic beasts can be found in the Augurian dunes, the strongest is the Hungry Horse King.


The three Hungry Horse Kings who gathered together.

 

Although they were inferior to the giant scorpion in terms of combat power, it was this demonic beast that the giant scorpion was most wary of. That is proof that the Hungry Horse Kings posed a threat.


Meili: [“Alright I’m on a roll.”]


The burden of moving the Hungry Horse King that straddled Meili herself, the Hungry Horse King with Subaru and Beatrice on board, and the three Hungry Horse King prepared for battle, all at the same time must have been quite heavy.

 

The recoil from this is strangely not felt by Meili.


It's possible that the exuberance of the battle could have made it so, Meili would indulge it.


Meili: [I’m not going to kill the scorpion.”]


However, if the scorpion was injured even a little it will be easier to achieve Subaru's goal.


Meili: [.....]


In a sense this may have been the third time Meili had done something out of her own initiative.


The first time was walking around in the watchtower at night to seek Elsa’s Book of the Dead.


The second time, was approaching Subaru while he was looking down the spiral staircase to push him off.

 

And that the third time sought to achieve more than to simply stall for time.


Subaru: [--Meili!]


A moment after the three Hungry Horse Kings were closing in on the great scorpion, a blood-curdling scream called out to Mary. The scream belonged to Subaru, blood pouring out of the corner of his mouth.


Meili wonders if it was out of pleasure, joy, or amazement.


She wondered what he had to be so angry about when she was doing so well.


But--.


Meili: [....]


The three Hungry Horse Kings prepare their flaming spears and furiously leap at the giant scorpion. However, something seemed different about the giant scorpion.


It was as if the great scorpion had been burned by flames, or had sucked the blood from the blood stained sand. The outer shell, which had been dull and shiny like blackened steel. Now the jet-black shell’s color changed to blood red. There were some type of demonic beasts that were capable of this change. It's a change that signaled that they would be more ferocious and aggressive.

 

One of the most obvious changes that occurred was often a change in appearance.This includes the Hungry Horse King's flames swelling up, and the white whale's countless pores opening all over its body.


And that was also applicable to the giant scorpion, no, it was also applicable to the 'Crimson Scorpion'.


More aggressive, more destructive, more annihilating--.


Meili: [Ahhh!]


A white light was shot out in all directions, and the three Star Horse Kings that attacked the Crimson Scorpion had disappeared.


At the same time, the turbulent white light flew wildly across the sandy sea.

 

And then--.


Meili: [.....]


Consumed by the bursting torrent of light, Meili's small body flew through the air with a splash of blood.



                △▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼


Ram was aware of her superiority but was not overconfident about it.


Ram does make mistakes. Ram has the attitude to make no mistakes and the attitude to correct mistakes


Ram was able to embrace that attitude because Ram didn't get drunk with the feeling of superiority. Ram didn't make the mistake of thinking that Ram was wonderful because of what the people around her wanted her to be, and Ram didn't have to be dictated to by things such as old traditions.


What saved her from being crushed by these external factors?


Ram knew it must have been because of something missing that Ram couldn't remember.


Because...


Ram: [Ram is not only beautiful, but she is smart too.]


Leaving the words of self-praise behind, the Ram’s footsteps shattered the steps of the spiral staircase.


A moment later, the wind-clad peach-haired oni swung her arm and smashed headfirst into the arm of Ley who was trying to catch it. Ley twisted and snapped his wrist, elbow and even his shoulder in an instant.


Ley: [Gah!]



The Ram slammed her fist into the side of Ley’s head, when he was about to scream.

Countless blows are shot all over Ley’s body, and Ley is blown away, vomiting blood. Following him, Ram leapt high with the wind generated by her feet.


Ley: [Ha ha ha ha!.]


As if to intercept the Ram, Ley launched into the air and swung his legs around.


The kick somehow distorted the space around Ram's shoulders and shallowly sliced through her clothes and skin. An invisible blade made of air, a petty weapon created by wind magic.


Ram: [This technique…]


Ley: [Do you intend to blow it away with wind magic? Useless, Useless, Useless! You can’t because they're anchored in space! I’m sorry I can’t even kick my sister!]


Anticipating Ram’s speculations, Ley, with a blood-red smile, kicks the air.


Ley is not actually kicking in the air, but a using a wind blade, the same that sliced through the Ram's shoulder, a blade whom only Ley knows the location of, as a foothold to take flight. Ley flies freely up the spiral staircase.


But-.


Ram: [Clairvoyance.]


Even if Ram can not perceive the blade, if it overlaps with the vision of the person who set it up, Ram can tell where it is by a small change in consciousness.


Ley tries to escape up the tower using the wind blade as a foothold, Ram sees the wind blade by overlapping it with her vision with Ley's vision and clings on to the wind blade by using it as a foothold in the same way Ley did.


Ley: [Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Sis, are you sure about that? Seriously!]


Ram: [Of course, how else am I going to make you squeal.]


Startled Ley leaps into the air. Ram follows suit slamming the soles of her boot into Ley’s mouth.

 

Ley: [Urgh.]


Ram: [Now, I wonder how many times will you need to taste the soles of the Ram’s boots before you go down?]


With his nose crushed the small body of Ley flips into the air..


The momentum of his accent was killed, and Gluttony was directly knocked down this time by the power of Ram's kick.


Following this, Ram raised his hands to the heavens, generating wind from her palms and began plummeting towards Ley. Ram continued to blast a second kick, a third kick, and a fourth kick into the face of the falling Ley. Relentlessly, with each blow, the Ram's heel crushes Ley’s nose, front teeth, chin, and his forehead.


It was unpleasant to the smirk on Ley’s mouth that repatitly called Ram ‘sister’.


Their descent continued.


Ram: [It's not Ram's fault if you fall onto the wind blade you set up. You deserve it.]


Ley: [Gyaaaa!]


An invisible blade tears through Ley’s body. Blood spurts out, the cut was deep enough to gouge flesh, but Ram doesn't give it a second thought.


Ram has no taste for daring to go out of her way to make her opponent suffer. But that was only if the other party had something to feel sorry for, if not, then she had no hesitation in making them scream like a pig.


Ram: [Well? Do you regret it?]


Controlling herself dexterously in the air, Ram asks as she places her feet on Ley’s face and chest. With his face smeared with blood, Ley didn't answer the question, but instead tried to swing the daggers attached to both of his arms.


A moment later, Ram swiftly struck both of Ley’s shoulders, forcing his shoulders out of socket.


Ley: [--AHH.]'


Ram: [How's that? Do you regret it?]


No matter how good Ley’s skills were, he couldn't swing his arm with a dislocated shoulder. As her eyes widened and she looked down at Ley’s face, Ram asked the same question again.


Ley: [....]


Ram looks down on Ley and tries to find fear in his eyes.


The fear, the pain, the sense of defeat that Ram should not be disobeyed. It's for revenge - not for some trivial reason.


Ram: [Rem…]


To get them back.


Other than Rem, there have been many other victims of Gluttony. Ram wants to get back the people who have been robbed of their names and memories, the things that have been usurped from the history that they have been in contact with.


With the same amount of effort as kicking Ley in the face, Ram can wear a blade of wind around her feet and cut off Ley’s head. Even if you're a witch with a knack for cheating death it's a proven fact that if your neck and body are separated, you'll die.


Ram: [Well? Do you regret it?]


Ley: [Solar Eclipse!]


Hearing the question for the third time, a faint trepidation mingled with the color of his blood.


In a blink of an eye Ley had disappeared from Ram’s vision. It wasn't due to fast movement.

However, it was immediately obvious where Ley had disappeared to.


Ram: [Clairvoyance!]


No one can escape from Ram as long as she can see what they see.


Ram: [....]


Ram followed Ley’s line of sight and located the where on the spiral staircase Ley was. When Ran caught up with Lay, Ram saw the figure of a bald-headed old man dressed in what looked like a monk's robe.

 

If it were anyone other then Ram that trick would have worked. However, by sharing Ley’s vision, Ram was certain that this other appearance belonged to Ley.


Ram: [I have heard this power belonged to the Authority of Lust. Why do you have it?]


Ley: [Oh, oh, shit! To say that I never meant to use ...... No, I wasn't supposed to use .......]


Ram: ["...? What are you talking about?]


As Ram approaches Ley the old man kneeling there grunts bitterly. He raises an eyebrow with an attitude that doesn't look like an act, but Ram immediately throws the question out of her mind. The important thing is that Ley was still breathing and his mind hadn't been humbled.


Besides--


Ram: [I can't take much longer.]


Ram muttered. It has already been more than a minute since Ram removed her shackles, a situation where the slightest burden is on Ram, but the majority of it is going to Subaru.

 

Ram told Subaru to not bear the whole burden, but he's taking the whole burden off of Ram on his own. That kind of thing should only be done for the sake of your loved ones and Rem.


Ram: [.... I don't know what the situation is, but are you ready to give in to our demands? Give back everything you have ever eaten with the Authority of Gluttony. And then….]


Ley: [...... and then what? Do you think you'll miss us?]


Ram: [No. I will kill you right away. It is a good deal. I’ll give you a mercy killing.]


Ley: [He he he.]


Ley, who was now an old man, lets out a hoarse laugh.


While observing Ley’s behavior, Ram guesses that in order to fully use the abilities of someone who had been eaten by Gluttony was to transform into them.


Ram: [It's odd. If you had such a trump card, you should have been able to escape earlier. So why did you keep it under wraps?]


Ley: [....]


Ram: [Is there a reason you don't want to use it?]


Ley: [I've never come across a girl so scary. .Really, sister, you're scary.]


The old man's figure slowly transformed into a dwarf figure.


It was an affirmation of Ram's hypothesis, and at the same time proof that the transformation did not make Ley lose the wounds Ram had dealt him.


Ram: [Your shoulders?]


Ley [I smashed them against the wall. I couldn't get it right the first time, so I had to ...... ouch, ouch, ouch.]


Ley turned his re-fitted arms wide.Seeing this, Ram reflected that she should have slashed the arms off his shoulders instead of dislocating them. Or she should have crushed the tips of all his limbs.


Ley: [Amazing maybe my sister is using the same kind of authority as your brother.]


Ram: [This is just a great insight on Ram's part. Don't mix it up with Basaru’s nonsensical instincts. It's disgusting. Die.]


Ley: [Ha-haha, you are so harsh .But, I see what you mean.]


Sluggishly, Ley’s tongue hangs out of his mouth with broken fangs and a blood-red smile on his face.The creepy gesture makes his eyes widen and Ram's shoulders tense up.


Ley: [Eat before you do anything else.]


Before any strange moves can be made, Ram chooses to blow her opponent's extremities away with a blade of wind.


There is a way to stop the blood.There's no way to stop the pain, but if he doesn't die, the interrogation can continue.That's what Ram decided to do, and Ram slammed the wind blade into Ley.


But--.


Ley: [This bet is my victory!]


A round, fat, bearded man flew backwards while being hit by the blade of the wind. Ram doesn't know how thick his skin is, the wind blade that should be able to cut both sides of Ley’s thick torso, not to mention his limbs, leaves not even a scratch on it.


Ley: [Sister, I think you've misunderstood me a bit. I'd like to remind you that you're not the only one observing your opponent, right?]


Such a voice was called out to Ram, who was about to move forward to avoid letting the giant man escape.


Immediately after, Ram's neck was shallowly slashed by Ley’s leftover wind blade.


Ley: [Now it’s my turn.]


Within the blink of an eye, the old man's figure was gone, Ram felt an intimidating presence behind her. Without giving Ram time to turn around, a powerful fist struck into Ram's side, blowing her slender body away.


The one who punched Ram away was a rough-looking man with a strong physique - a linkage that instantly switched between the three figures and applied its characteristics perfectly.


Ram: [That technique you showed me will only work once.]


Ley: [I don't think so. I don't think so. I don't think so. I don't think so. I don't think so. I don't think so. Just because you say so!]

The barking figure of Batten Kaitos turned into an old man again, his hand closing one of his eyes.


Spooked by the transformation, Ram stretched out her long legs and quickly kicked at the wall, trying to position herself for a quick leap at her opponent.


But she was too late.


Ley: [We know. Rem's sister can't keep moving like that without a few tricks.]


Ram: [...]


It was not Ram's movement, but Rem's knowledge that drew the answer.


Ley: [Sister, it's not like we want to compare strength with you any longer]


Ley teleports and leaves the battlefield.


Ram: [Where did you run off to now?]


If Ley knew about Ram's 'clairvoyance', he wouldn't think he could just get away from Ram.


Ram needed to hurry and find Ley. The burden on Subaru was increasing with every second.


Ram realizes Ley would not enter the tower just to escape.


Ley knows exactly what to do to provoke Ram to the maximum extent.


That's because...


Ram: [Rem!]


Finally, Ram's vision now perceived what was in Ley’s vision.


There was a reflection of a black earth dragon's tail running with a "Sleeping Beauty" on board.