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Sakurako Aya walked briskly along a narrow passage.
On both sides of the passage was only a row of meter-high railings, below which sat a vast array of iron-smelting machinery; however, because the factory had long been abandoned due to debt, these machines had already ground to a halt.
Aya continued along the walkway suspended above the machines; as soon as she crossed this path, she would be back at the organization’s secret base, where she could lie comfortably on the sofa and enjoy some well-earned rest.
However, at that very moment, she suddenly seemed to sense something and whirled around, staring warily into the darkness behind her.
This was the second basement level of the abandoned factory, and without adequate power, it was only natural that the surrounding light was poor.
“Who’s there?” Aya shouted toward the shadows.
Seeing that she had been discovered by Aya, the figure lurking in the darkness stopped pretending and stepped out leisurely.
It was a silver-haired girl wearing an ordinary white school uniform, so petite and adorable that one look made you want to pull her into your arms and cuddle her.
However, upon seeing her face, Aya was struck with shock and instinctively took a small step back.
“What? It’s you! How did you follow me here? I clearly checked behind me just now and confirmed no one was there!”
While watching the kendo match in the Yōkain Academy gymnasium earlier, she had seen the white-haired midget who had previously beaten her into a mess with that strange power, and since she wanted nothing to do with her, she had bolted from the gym without stopping, constantly glancing back along the way to ensure no one was following before finally feeling bold enough to return here.
Yet, to her surprise, this person had managed to evade her checks and follow her all this way.
Fortunately, Aya had already considered the possibility of being followed, which was why she hadn’t headed straight for the secret base but came to the factory basement first.
‘Too close, too close! If I hadn’t heard those strange noises, I might have actually led her all the way to our headquarters.’
“Is hiding my tracks from you really that difficult?” Charlotte said dismissively, lightly tossing her long silver hair.
“Well, although you managed to slip away last time, you won’t be so lucky today; thanks for the guidance, as I’ve finally arrived—I take it this is your hideout.”
“Now then, will you lead me to your boss obediently, or must I walk over your body to find him myself?”
Saying this, Charlotte tilted her head slightly, a cold, oppressive light flashing in her eyes.
Aya was briefly stunned by Charlotte’s interrogation, but her expression suddenly shifted from panic to a smug look of “all according to plan.”
“Do you think that after failing the day before yesterday, I didn’t review the entire battle to analyze the weaknesses of your strange ability?”
“To tell you the truth, this isn’t our organization’s hideout at all—this is a trap I deliberately lured you into.”
With that, Aya snapped her fingers, and instantly, countless parts detached from the smelting machines beyond the railings, flying to her side under the control of an inexplicable force.
“While your Levitation Magic can set mass to zero and effectively counters my Gravity Manipulation, can you really nullify the mass of multiple items during a rapid attack?”
In an instant, a dense swarm of tiny screws shot toward Charlotte.
These screws didn’t just fly all at once; they came in a rhythmic succession like a hail of bullets.
Charlotte was slightly surprised by the sight and raised her right hand with a gentle press; the lead screws stopped immediately and fell at her feet, but the subsequent ones zipped through her fingers and whistled past her silver hair.
Clearly, Levitation Magic couldn’t lock onto so many targets simultaneously.
Charlotte was forced back, using her magic to stop some of the screws while dodging the rest that she couldn’t control in time.
Seeing Charlotte so flustered, Aya couldn’t help but break into a triumphant laugh.
“Your ability isn’t nearly as strong as you claimed!”
“Seeing you so frantic, I’m sure it won’t be long before you’re defeated—in that case, why don’t I prepare a grand gift for you!”
Under Aya’s control, a ten-meter-long steel column suddenly flew out and slammed violently toward Charlotte.
Charlotte didn’t even have time to evade before the column struck her, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
Noticing that all sound had ceased within the dust, Aya wore a smug expression.
“Hmph, you’re still too green to fight me, a top-tier Gravity Manipulation user!”
However, at that moment, an urgent voice filled with electronic static barked in her ear.
– “Hey, what the hell are you standing there for? She’s right behind you!”
“What?”
Aya whirled around as a flash of steel streaked past; several strands of her hair were sliced away by Charlotte, who had suddenly appeared behind her, wielding a silver dagger with elegant precision.
“Oh? You actually dodged? What a shame; I was planning to give that ugly long hair of yours a nice, even trim!”
Charlotte remarked, a hint of genuine surprise touching her face as she saw Aya narrowly avoid the strike.
“When did you get behind me?”
Aya retreated, reflexively clutching her hair.
“Now, that is a secret!”
Charlotte’s lips curled upward as she raised her silver dagger to strike again.
Yet the moment she took a step, her figure vanished once more, as if she had never existed at all.
“Huh? She disappeared again?”
– “Disappeared my ass! She’s right next to you!”
The voice, crackling with heavy static, barked in her ear again.
Hearing this, Aya immediately went on high alert, causing countless machine parts to spin rapidly around her in a defensive whirlwind.
The next instant, Charlotte materialized by Aya’s side, swinging her dagger for another “haircut,” but fortunately, Aya had used the parts to form a protective shield just in time; the strike was blocked, forcing Charlotte back and saving Aya’s hair from the “unscrupulous barber.”
Having momentarily repelled her, Aya finally realized the gravity of the situation.
– “Shion, can you see where she is from your end?”
– “Of course, I can see her perfectly clearly from here!” the girl’s voice shouted through the static.
“Then why can’t I see her? Can this girl turn invisible or something?”
Aya stared frantically around her, trying to prevent another surprise attack.
She had to admit that Charlotte’s repeated assaults were proving extremely troublesome; unable to think of a countermeasure, she had to rely on the assistance of Qin Shion on the other end of the comms.
“By the way, Shion, can you fix your mic? Why is there so much static every time you speak?”
– “Hmm? Is my mic that bad?”
You’ve got to see this next! For the Emperor will keep you on the edge of your seat. Start reading today!
Read : For the Emperor
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