NABC Page 387
Page 387
She propped herself up, and a sharp pain immediately shot through her entire body.
Aozaki Aoko looked down and saw that she was only wearing underwear, and her fair skin was covered with small scratches, some of which were still bleeding.
What shocked her even more was the surrounding environment—what should have been city streets had now become a desolate wasteland.
Buildings collapsed, the ground cracked, and the air was filled with the smell of burning.
Memories flood back.
Shiraishi River.
That man.
Aozaki Aoko's hands trembled involuntarily.
She remembered using all her strength to unleash the Fifth Law, even at the cost of her life, to stop him.
The man simply smiled and with a wave of his hand, he shattered her most powerful magic.
She remembered the last scene before she fell into darkness—Shiraishikawa stood at the end of the universe, with countless shattered stars behind him. There was no joy of victory in his eyes, only an expression of pity.
"I... have completely failed."
Aozaki Aoko muttered to herself, her throat as dry as if it had been burned.
A sudden, intense hunger struck, and her stomach spasmed in protest.
The psychological frustration was even harder for her to bear than the physical pain.
As the successor to the Fifth Law, she had never encountered such a complete failure.
The thought that Shiraishi River might not even have used his full strength made her feel dizzy.
"There are beads in Kuuanji Temple..."
Aozaki (Zhao Nuo Zhao) Aoko suddenly thought of her good friend and felt a pang of guilt.
If Shiraishikawa truly intends to reshape the world as he claims, then Kuonji Aratsumi, as Aozaki Aoko's closest confidante, has likely become his target.
We must find her.
Aozaki Aoko looked around and spotted her clothes not far away—her signature red coat and skirt. The clothes were neatly folded, and a glass of water was placed next to them.
This detail startled her. Who would do such a thing? There should only be her and Shiraishikawa on the battlefield...
"Is it Kuonji Yuju?"
"Aozaki Aoko said softly, a warmth welling up in her heart. Only Kuonji Yuzu would remember such details at a time like this."
Chapter 491 Utter Defeat
She quickly dressed, her movements clumsy due to the pain in her body.
When the familiar fabric touched her skin, Aozaki Aoko felt comforted, as if she had regained a sense of everyday life.
Her magical items were still in her coat pocket—though most of them had lost their magic power.
"We have to hurry up."
Aozaki Aoko forced herself to concentrate.
She closed her eyes, feeling the flow of magic, trying to determine the direction of the Kuonji residence.
A moment later, she opened her eyes and ran towards the southeast.
As I ran, the surrounding ruins kept changing.
Some places look like they've been weathered over decades, while others look like they've just been destroyed by some enormous force.
Aozaki Aoko was increasingly alarmed as she looked at the scene. Just how powerful was Shiraishikawa?
He could not only easily defeat her, but also alter the spacetime structure of the entire battlefield after the war.
As she turned a corner, Aozaki Aoko suddenly stopped.
A familiar figure stood ahead—long black hair, a gothic dress—it was Kuonji Yuzu.
"Kyuonji Yuju!"
Aozaki Aoko called out 603, her voice filled with undisguised joy and worry.
Kuonji Yuju turned around, her pale face showing surprise, before she regained her composure.
"Aozaki Aoko, you're still alive."
Her tone was as cold as ever, but Aozaki Aoko could hear the concern in it.
"I won't die yet."
Aozaki Aoko forced a smile and walked up to Kuonji Yuju.
"Are you alright? Is Shiraishichuan alright...?"
"I am fine."
Kuonji Aratsu interrupted her, her dark eyes staring directly at Aozaki Aoko.
"What was the outcome of the battle?"
Aozaki Aoko's smile vanished.
She lowered her head, her fists clenching unconsciously.
"I lost, completely lost. That guy... was unbelievably strong. I even doubted that he was taking this fight seriously at all."
Kuonji Yuju frowned slightly, which was her way of expressing surprise.
"Even the Fifth Law..."
"Completely ineffective."
Aozaki Aoko smiled bitterly.
"It's as ridiculous as using a toy water gun to fight a tsunami."
A brief silence fell between them. The wind blew through the ruins, making a mournful sound.
"Let's go back to the mansion first."
Kuonji Yuju finally said.
"We need to rethink our plans."
Aozaki Aoko nodded and followed Kuonji Aratsu toward the Kuonji residence.
On the way, she noticed that Kuonji Yuzu was walking faster than usual, and the hem of her black skirt was swaying violently with her movements, showing that she was not at peace.
"Kuonji Temple has a pearl, regarding Shiraishikawa..."
Aozaki Aoko hesitated before speaking.
Do you know his background?
Kuonji Yuju paused for a moment.
"All I know is that he's not an ordinary magician. His magic... doesn't seem to come from this world."
"What do you mean?"
"Like..."
Kuonji Yuju seemed to be searching for the right words.
"Like *Japanese clowns, Ni. Tumors come from some kind of existence outside the world."
Aozaki Aoko felt a chill.
She recalled Shiraishi Kawa's figure standing among the shattered stars; that overwhelming presence was unlike any magician she had ever seen.
During their conversation, the two arrived at Shiroi Inuzuka.
This should have been the site of the Kuonji residence, but now—
"This...is impossible..."
Kuonji Yuju's voice trembled, a rare occurrence for her.
Aozaki Aoko stared wide-eyed at the scene before her in disbelief.
Where once stood ancient mansions, now only a flat, empty space remains.
There were no ruins, no traces, as if the mansion had never existed.
"The mansion... has disappeared?"
Aozaki Aoko murmured Shaanxi (four) O (seven) Er Er Si Ba &. Dao.
Kuonji Yuju stood motionless, her long black hair fluttering in the wind.
Aozaki Aoko saw that her slender fingers were tightly gripping the hem of her skirt, her knuckles turning white.
"There are beads in Kuuanji Temple..."
Aozaki Aoko didn't know what to say.
For Kuonji Yuju, the Kuonji residence was not only a place of residence, but also her last connection with her mother, a place that held countless memories.
"He took the mansion."
Kuonji Yuju's voice was terrifyingly cold.
"Shiraishi River."
Just then, a soft laugh suddenly rang out in the air.
The laughter started softly, then gradually grew louder, eventually echoing throughout the entire Shiroi Inuzuka.
"What a touching reunion, ladies."
Aozaki Aoko and Kuonji Yuju turned around at the same time and saw a tall, slender figure slowly walking out of the void.
A black trench coat, a pale face, and a playful smile on his lips—it was Shiraishi Kawa.
"Shiraishikawa!"
Aozaki Aoko immediately assumed a fighting stance, even though she knew the odds of winning were slim.
Kuonji Yuzu stood silently to the side, but Aozaki Aoko could sense that the magical power gathering around her was increasing rapidly.