Chapter 1211: The Azure Witch
Time approached noon.
After wandering around for half the morning, the group decided to have lunch at a family restaurant by the roadside.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, flames erupted outside the window, accompanied by waves of screams.
"A car accident?"
Seeing the crowd gathering outside, Kojou Akatsuki couldn't help but express surprise.
"That is..."
Yuuma Kanzaki's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Space is being distorted."
Eiji glanced outside and lazily revealed the truth.
"Space is being distorted?"
For a moment, Kojou, Yuuma, as well as Keiji and Aiba's attention were drawn to him.
"Yeah, though it's not very obvious yet. Using doors as a medium, the space on the island is being cut into pieces. You have no idea where the next door you open will lead."
Eiji lay back on the sofa.
"How can you tell?"
Keiji Yaze looked at him suspiciously.
"My guardian is an expert in spatial control."
Eiji replied in a light tone.
"Guardian?"
Yuuma Kanzaki was intrigued by his wording, her eyes flickering.
"Excuse me, what's your real name?"
"Nanjo Eiji."
Yuuma suddenly understood.
She had been completely misled by the strange nickname Kojou had told her before.
She never expected that among Kojou's friends, there would be someone close to that witch!
"Can I meet the Witch of the Void? Actually, I'm her fan!"
"Not likely. Natsuki-chan isn't home right now."
Eiji waved his hand, making Yuuma Kanzaki sigh regretfully.
It seemed like not being able to meet Nanjo Natsuki was truly a great loss for her.
Eiji smiled without speaking.
"Is now really the time for this? Hurry up and go save people!"
Aiba glared at them irritably and quickly got up from the table.
"It's fine."
Eiji waved his hand again.
"At this stage, this distortion only reacts to those with strong magical or spiritual power. It doesn't affect ordinary people. The people in that car are probably vampires or mages!"
He implied they wouldn't die in such a minor car accident.
Soon after.
A disheveled beautiful girl with long black hair ran out from the burning car outside the window.
In her arms, she carried an unconscious woman in black clothes.
Right after the long-haired girl ran out, the car exploded with a loud bang.
"If I find out who's behind this trick, I'll make them pay!"
She clenched the tripod case in her hand, grinding her teeth in anger.
"They really are okay?"
Aiba sat back down in disbelief.
"Sorry, I need to take this call."
As soon as she sat down, her phone suddenly rang.
Not long after.
"Sorry, the company just called me. It seems the effects of the spatial distortion are gradually spreading. I have to go!"
After saying this, Aiba hurriedly ran off and disappeared.
"As expected of the Electronic Empress, always so busy!"
Keiji Yaze clicked his tongue twice.
"By the way, what does spatial distortion have to do with the network?"
Kojou Akatsuki looked completely confused.
"The original roads can't be used anymore. New paths need to be created according to the distorted space!"
Eiji expressed sincere admiration.
The path from A to B had been distorted, and to avoid casualties such as car accidents, a new route from A to B had to be calculated within the distorted space.
This was no easy task—Asagi's talent was truly extraordinary.
...
Afternoon.
Yuma Kojou bid farewell to Kojou and the others, walking alone on the roads of Itogami Island.
In less than a day, the effects of spatial distortion were rapidly expanding. Someone merely trying to open their front door might inexplicably appear at the edge of a plaza, plunging the entire island into chaos.
Yet Yuma Kujou moved through it as if completely unaffected by the spatial distortions.
No, it would be more accurate to say she saw through every twist in space, finding the optimal path at just the right moment.
"Adeleide Abbey."
After navigating the final distortion, she appeared in the front courtyard of an abbey.
"The Azure Witch? Finally here!"
Before she could speak, a strikingly exotic golden-haired beauty appeared before her.
"The master has been waiting for half a day. Hurry up!"
Her tone was neither warm nor cold, yet she commanded Yuma with natural authority.
Yuma Kujou found nothing unusual about it.
"Are the Meiga sisters here?"
"Yes."
Receiving confirmation, Yuma breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Still, she never expected the Fourth True Ancestor to be using this abbey as their base of operations.
Yuma's mind began to race.
Last night, the Meiga sisters had called.
Though they were supposed to be infiltrating Itogami Island and setting up sacrificial barriers across it, they informed Yuma over the phone that their plans had been detected and thwarted by the Fourth True Ancestor before they even began.
The Fourth True Ancestor forbade their attempt to sacrifice 100,000 islanders to open the Prison Barrier.
When Yuma first heard this, she almost thought she would never be able to open the Prison Barrier.
Unexpectedly, however, the Fourth True Ancestor themself was willing to help personally!
Upon hearing this, even Yuma was at a loss for how to react.
Whether this was good or bad for them was hard to say.
With the Fourth True Ancestor providing magical power directly, no spell in this world would be impossible to complete. Opening the Prison Barrier would surely be effortless.
But why had the Fourth True Ancestor chosen to help them?
To put it bluntly, their witch faction was clearly up to no good. Since the Fourth True Ancestor treated Itogami Island as their own backyard, why would they allow others to "fertilize" it as they pleased?
"Master, I've brought the Azure Witch."
Deep within the abbey, Yuma encountered the legendary Fourth True Ancestor.
Just as in the videos, they were clad in pure golden armor, incorporating elements of lions, tigers, dragons, and more.
"Azure Witch, your LCO's goal is to open the Prison Barrier and rescue your mother, Aya Kujou, correct?"
Even seated with legs crossed, the Fourth True Ancestor exuded an overwhelming pressure that made it hard to look directly at them.
Yuma was certain.
This person could not be Kojou Akatsuki.
As his childhood friend, she knew full well that Kojou possessed none of this suffocating, domineering aura.
Yuma silently glanced to the side.
The crimson witch, dressed like a courtesan, and the jet-black witch in form-fitting motorcycle leathers both averted their eyes awkwardly under her gaze.
"Yes, Fourth True Ancestor-sama."
Taking a deep breath, Yuuma Amatsuki knelt on one knee and replied respectfully.
"My mother, Aya Amatsuki, was imprisoned in the Prison Barrier by the Witch of the Void, Natsuki Minamiya, ten years ago for orchestrating the Dark Oath Incident. As her daughter, I must rescue my mother!"