Chapter 88

Nikami POV

"Here's a cave!" Raijin called out to the three of us, pointing over at a shady part of the forest. We went with what the knight's direction was, but since it was so vague we couldn't find it so easily. It took us almost an hour.

"Be careful you careless prince! She might just grab you!" Ajisa warned, pushing Raijin back and taking the lead. The two light users gulped in synct, and with that action I guessed we were in the right place.

"Look who it is! Oh, shit, you're here?" The girl with the mask, which I have personally named Plastic villain, seemed surprised at the sight of Ajisa.

"Prepare to die!" Ajisa clasped her hands together then widening her arms, making solidified light in a matter of seconds. I heard rustling noises followed by a thud behind me, thinking that she had reinforcements, me and Raijin looked behind me to see a sweaty panting Emica. She dashed towards Ajisa, huffing.

"Shi-shirayuri-sama! Rabadena-sensei told me to give you this, she said it was important!" She gasped out, taking Ajisa's arm and suddenly linking something to it. At first I didn't question anything and I'm sure Ajisa didn't as well; I was more so taking a breath out of relief that it wasn't an enemy.

Before I saw what she actually gave the shrine maiden.

Yes, it was from the inventor teacher, but it wasn't anything good. It was the anti-casting handcuffs, making the light earlier shatter into pieces. Now that I think about it, there is no chance she could have gotten this fast to us.

Before I could scream out anything, I was just thinking so much that I was too late. I had already heard a click.

As soon as that happened, an arm came from the shadows and grabbed the maid from behind, along with the short blond girl.

"At these times, a doll could really be useful right? To be completely honest, that surprised me! I thought she could go with Shoubu or something, guess I was kinda wrong..." The plastic villain let out a sigh of relief, putting her hand on her chest.

"Wha... The fuck?! Emica?!" Raijin was the one to first question what was going on, and in the middle of this, I started to think even more.

Why is Emica doing this? Shukona knew of this plastic villain yet she didn't tell me, does Emica have something to do with this? I was really broken at this moment; I couldn't say a thing.

I don't get it, half of the people I've trusted just betrayed me like this? I know Shukona had a reason, but Emica is something else. I really don't know much about her. What's her favorite color? What is her favorite food? She knows everything about me, she's been here from the start yet I knew absolutely nothing. I knew she was a girl who could switch from a teasing casual and a strictly professional person.

While being covered by my own thoughts, I felt someone grab my neck and I was snapped back to reality.

"HEY! LISTEN TO ME!" Raijin yelled out in front of me, tearing up as she gripped my collars tighter.

"Huh...?" I asked, then realized I was stuck in my mind that I didn't think about anything that was happening around me. Who wouldn't? I was just in a state of shock that it was paralyzing.

"Oh my loving world!~ Don't you understand? Even if you try to hit me, it's already game over. The sun is gone." The masked girl cackled before turning deadpanned.

I looked to the side, seeing the main character gripping her bow tightly, in a guarded position. Her hands shook, seeing the last lines of light on the bottom of the cave. She gulped.

"You need to fucking focus!" The blue eyed female snapped, shaking me.

"I sure do love being such a greeeeeeaat villain right? I surely do stand above what a villain can do!" The masked girl opened her arms with full arrogance cackling as she flipped her head towards the shrine maiden wreathing on the floor, restrained.

"I'm sorry," I apologized then pushed off her hands on my collar, "There's three of us and only one of her. Yasachu, keep being the ranger. Do not come near her at all costs, she came here for you." I composed myself, gripping my left arm.

"Oya oya? Still have hope, I see... Can't you just give up already? The hope you've given me is already enough, so please, back away and let me destroy the world." Her childish tone has completely disappeared; she was pleading for me to stop.

"You've gotten Shukona into this... I'm going to FUCKING kick your ass!" I cursed, clenching my fists and erected large ice spikes around me that were directed towards her. I took long deep breaths, only seeing her in my vision. Everything around wasn't important to me, all I want is to bash her face in.

Raijin dashed on the ice spikes, each step faster and faster. A straight forward motion, predictable. She followed it's direction with a flaming fist, sweat and rage all poured inside that heat, passion made the flames fuel. When the tip of my ice spikes arrived near the masked girl, an axe of darkness emerged from the floor, slicing it before it reached her face. The plastic villain gave a smirk and looked up at the running princess, scoffing. Raijin jumped down from the spike, punching down while the plastic villain rolled on the side to avoid the attack. Raijin had her flames meet the ground, flinching at the pain that it gave upon impact. The masked girl was greeted by an arrow to the shoulder by the main character, making her gasp out a groan. Her irises glared over at the bow wielding girl, growling. I flicked my fingers upward seeing her aggresive action, turning the ice spikes into smaller sharper icicles and shooting it all towards her; I made sure to not hit Raijin. She made a shield by the last second, being pushed back by my barrage of attacks. Her shoes were getting dragged across the floor, pushing her legs forward.

Blow after blow, she persisted. But we did too, I wasn't going to show mercy. She's going to get tired any time now, by how fast she uses her mana.

What I didn't expect was her taking a hit on the head by a roundhouse kick by Raijin, smiling at me. Disturbed by her cheshire grin, I gulped and took a step back, I had something behind me. It was something small, just about by my shoulders.

"Why are you behind me? You should be besi-" Before I could finish what I was about to say, Yasachu hugged me from behind. No, the proper word would be that she restrained me, her grip was tight. It was as if she was trying to crack my ribs with pure pressure. I let out a gasp, holding my breath as I looked behind at Yasachu.

The first thing I saw was her soulless yellow eyes being half closed as she looked up at me. Those sparkling bright golden eyes that couldn't even compare to any stars were completely gone, as if the person right in front of me was just a husk of a person she used to be.

"Shiromoru-sama... Please stay here with me, let's run away and leave Prince Gakerumi die!" She spoke with her usual cheerful tone, looking up at me with a toothy child-like grin.

"Wh-what are you-" She wrapped solidified light around me, trapping me further in her grasp. That was when I noticed something leaching off her head, a shadow like hand.

"Nika?! What is it?!" Flipping her head towards me, Raijin gasped at the sight of Yasachu trapping me with an icky sweet smile. Seeing Raijin pause the fight, the plastic villain that had been hit into the ground looked up. She lifted her hand, shooting black tentacles from the ground and piercing both in Raijin's shoulders. She raised her face higher, keeping the same toothy grin, a bruise forming in the side of her head. Raijin noticed the mistake that she made, eyes twitching as she peeked at her side with horror, she should have not stopped paying attention to her.

"You know I love you. Yes, I love you. To the point where it's overwhelming. Yes, to the point where I'd hate to see anyone with you. I'm obsessed with you. Yes, I'm infatuated with you." Yasachu repeated her words, drool coming from her mouth and on to my clothes. The dread seeped in like the saliva did on my skin. I shivered at the cold, sticky fluid. My stomach sank, my eyes went rampant, my fight or flight instincts were kicking in.

But suddenly, my stomach felt like it was flying, eyes focused on the loving short girl in front of me. I have no need to flee. I was in her arms, the one that I love the most, the girl who makes my life feel colorful.

"I love you too." Was my reply, the smaller girl tightened her lips at my confession. A bright red rose on the small complexion of the girl, untangling me from the light. I twisted my body, making my full attention on the girl. She panted at that action, making me pull her from the waist and melted her whole body on to me. She looked up with arched eyebrows, her lips being parted, having a soft and puppy-like expression. I tried to resist my urges, but now that she's finally gone I couldn't stop anymore. I trailed my hands on her back, the squeal she made right after was intoxicating to me. I pulled her close and leaned down, kissing the sweetest woman I've ever met.

Why...? Why can't I... Move...?