Finally, the Black-and-White Doll and Corin clashed in battle.
With a flick of its tiny hand, black water surged forth in a torrent, its force overwhelming. Corin was tossed about wildly in the flood, unable even to approach the Black-and-White Doll, let alone inflict any meaningful damage.
She could only clench her chainsaw and struggle desperately in the flood, her entire body soaked through, looking as wretched as a drowned rat.
But only Corin herself knew that beneath her feet, a ring of white light radiated, empowering her and granting her the strength to persevere.
"Corin, are you okay..."
"Rina!"
Seeing Corin being overwhelmed, Rina's heart filled with worry. She could barely hold together her composure, just about to ask about Corin's condition—yet within a breath, Lycaon cut her off.
Rina stared at him in confusion and murmured, "Lord Lycaon..."
But when she followed his gaze, her heart lurched in shock. A spatial fissure had torn open, and black water was already spreading across the floor, flooding over Lycaon's feet. She glanced down—there was water beneath her too; she simply hadn't felt it while floating.
In that moment of clarity, Rina seemed to understand something. She cast one deep look at the Black-and-White Doll in the distance, then drifted toward the spatial fissure with determination.
[Long ago, the earth was one solid mass. People hadn't yet mastered the craft of mapmaking. To step beyond one's homeland was to enter a labyrinth; the homeland itself was a prison surrounded by the maze.]
[But soon after, humanity discovered a natural map: the rivers.]
[Tiny tributaries would eventually merge into the main stream, while the main stream could split into new tributaries at its end—rivers were ever-changing.]
Suspended midair, the Black-and-White Doll stood above two water serpents—one black, one white—coiling beneath its feet. They slithered and twisted, directing the black water precisely where the doll desired, silent and untraceable.
[But one rule remains certain...]
[Where humans live, rivers dwell. Their destination, too, must hold a river.]
[Begin from a tributary, follow the current, and you will always reach another stream.]
Suddenly, the doll lifted its pale little hand. The twin serpents leapt upward, hissing toward Corin.
Corin's lips twitched.
She could feel the white halo empowering her further, strengthening her grip and resolve. Yet she also knew what this meant—
the doll was preparing something stronger.
Ow—!
With a flick of its finger, the doll targeted her. The two serpents shot forward with a piercing roar.
At the same time, the black water surged outward, spreading into wider territory. Like a fountain, it flowed through one spatial fissure, then burst from another. It resembled a raging river carving out new land. Anyone relying on that river could travel far beyond its original boundaries.
[And thus—the cage breaks itself.]
The Black-and-White Doll gazed at Corin struggling in the currents, then looked toward the center of the room—the stage where Phaga, Ellen, and the Marionette twins, the Black Marionette and the Gray Marionette, fought.
That was the true battlefield where victory would be decided.
...
Phaga knelt on one knee as Gray Marionette approached. She flexed her fingers, slowly raising her hand. Purple light flickered in her palm as dense Ether energy converged into a swelling sphere—ready to fire at any second.
Suddenly, Gray Marionette sensed something and jerked her head up. But the moment she did, a massive pair of scissors filled her vision. Even before it struck, she felt its chilling frost slice into her ether.
No—must block it!
Alarm spiked through her. She aborted the Ether blast meant for Phaga, raised her other arm, and crossed her limbs. She struck outward, meeting the frost-laced scissors head-on.
Clang—!
The blades bounced away.
But it wasn't over.
As the scissors flew back, Ellen—hidden behind them—burst into view. A wailing Eous was tucked under her arm as she rocketed forward. Before Gray Marionette could react, a shark tail whipped toward her.
Thud!
At the last possible moment, the Black Marionette flashed in, landing a kick on Ellen's tail.
Clang!
Ellen rebounded, the soles of her polished little shoes skidding across the floor before she landed beside Phaga.
Conveniently, her giant scissors were right there as well.
She reached out and grabbed them, glancing toward Phaga with concern.
"Phaga, are you alright?"
"Not exactly…"
For the first time, Phaga didn't try to act tough. He lifted his head—and the flush on his cheeks startled Ellen.
"Phaga!"
Ellen grabbed his hand—but recoiled instantly as if shocked. After half a second of stunned hesitation, she forced herself to take his hand again.
"Phaga, you're burning up!"
Phaga's normal body temperature was already 42°C—she knew that. But now his skin had surged well past forty, approaching fifty. Who knew how hot the inside of his body had become?
"I know..."
Phaga rose slowly. Despite the fever-like heat radiating from him, his mind seemed clearer than ever—almost exhilarated.
"Usually, I cut myself on the outside. After fighting, my face goes paler than a corpse."
"This is the first time I've realized that bursting blood vessels inside can actually skyrocket a vampire's base body temperature, unlocking a higher respiratory capacity ceiling."
A manic grin spread across his face, wild as a full-throttle adrenaline surge.
"Guess you could call it... a blessing in disguise..."
Was it truly?
Ellen felt a twist of worry, but with the enemy still looming, she could only swallow her doubts.
Deal with these monsters first—then worry about Phaga.
Her gaze snapped toward the stage. Her pupils shrank.
One was missing.
Where was Gray Marionette?
Only the Black Marionette still danced.
Then—
"Ellen, behind you!" Eous shrieked.
Phaga reacted first, clawing backward.
Gray Marionette materialized mid-strike—shock freezing her movement. She had used the Exquisite Doll's spatial rift to launch a perfect ambush. Predicting her location should have been impossible—unless someone had cracked those rifts entirely.
Phaga's hand clamped onto her left arm. Nether Flames crawled instantly across her limb.
Szzzzz—!
The burning pain erupted across her forearm, forcing a scream from her throat. Even flooding the limb with Ether didn't help—the flame only burned hotter.
"Trying to smother Nether Flames with Ether? Think you're Nineveh?"
Phaga's eyes gleamed. He felt more powerful than ever—a single punch collapsed Gray Marionette's chest inward.
Yes, Ether could smother Nether Flames, like straw smothering fire if dumped in massive quantities at once. But the Marionettes had no such luxury. Even Nineveh suffered greatly to extinguish Nether Flames.
Hesitation invited disaster.
Her arm, already seized and engulfed, would only become a liability—so she severed it.
Her right hand transformed into a blade.
Shhk—!
Her left arm fell away as she arched backward, kicking out to create space. She missed, but used the moment to flee.
"Ellen, you handle the Black Marionette. Proxy is mine!"
Phaga shouted.
Without hesitation, Ellen flung the Proxy forward and leapt at the Black Marionette, sticking to her like glue.
"Aaaah—I'm scared of heights!"
Eous screamed as she landed in Phaga's arms. He tucked her under his arm immediately.
"Guide me, Proxy. You'll lead the way."
Then he charged after Gray Marionette.
She fled into a spatial rift.
"Well, I guess I'm used to this..." Eous sighed, pointing in the opposite direction of Gray Marionette's escape. "Phaga, there's a shortcut over there!"
"Got it!"
Trusting her completely, Phaga veered off.
Poor Gray Marionette—halfway through her escape when someone descended from above—
"Hello!"
Phaga stomped onto her back.
Gray Marionette smashed into the floor face-first. No time for sorrow, no time for screams. She clawed at the floor, scrambling away—
No!
Can't fight this monster!
His power—why has it increased so much?!
She dove into another spatial rift.
"Phaga, don't stop—crash down!"
"Understood."
He tackled the floor head-on. The rift tore open and spat him out ahead of Gray Marionette.
She couldn't brake. She slammed into him.
Phaga seized her throat—pinned her to the ground.
The Exquisite Doll's spatial rifts—he had mastered them completely.
Nether Flames roared across her body. Ether Substance crackled as it burned. Her life's red thread frayed—
In her final second, she looked at Eous beneath Phaga's arm.
This one—
Buzz.
Gray Marionette burned to ash. Only a single [Core] remained, whole and unmoving.