The moment she said that, the scene fell silent. Rosetta strolled over to Ai and leaned close enough for their foreheads to touch.
"Ai, you don't have a fever, do you?"
"Wait, I'm serious!"
"Heart, are you awake?" Sword wore a grave expression. "How could characters from television appear in the real world?"
"But MakotoP, you came from the Poker Kingdom yourself, didn't you?"
"That's different from your situation!"
"Aren't the Jikochu your enemies?" Ash's neither-loud-nor-soft voice interrupted the girls' discussion. "How long are you planning to chat? Or are you just going to stand there and watch until it's over?"
"Sorry, I'm so sorry! I totally forgot!" Ai repeatedly bowed to Ash in apology before calling her companions to face the enemy.
There was no suspense in a four-against-one battle. With Ai's purification-effect [My Sweet Heart] cleansing the monster, the fight quickly came to an end.
Ash's side was much the same. Empowered by Ryuga's strength and his own, he faced a Jikochu that had been rendered unable to use its signature moves by his fighting style. It was like a seasoned, fully equipped hunter facing a gray wolf whose fangs and claws had been pulled out. He easily suppressed his enemy.
"Damn it, I lost again! That damned masked guy!"
Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Ira cursed Ash for ruining everything before teleporting away from this place of heartbreak.
"We won again! Over on Ash-sensei's side—!" The Pretty Cure happily turned to look at Ash, only to witness a shocking scene beyond anything they had expected.
The other Jikochu had long since lost the ability to resist under Ash's relentless assault. Even though it was already battered and torn all over, Ash still had no intention of letting it go. His punches and kicks treated the Soccer