"Don't talk about Hishikawa Rikka like she belongs to you."
"It's no big deal." Ai looked completely justified. "Doesn't Rikka belong to me?"
"Stop flirting over there!" Furious, Bel somehow grabbed hold of the newly awakened and terrified Ai-chan. "Don't move! If you don't want her to get hurt, get out of my way!"
"Ai-chan! Bel, you're too despicable!" Seeing him use Ai-chan as a threat, Ai immediately tensed up.
"Waaah—" Terrified, Ai-chan looked like she was about to cry. Seeing Ai hesitate to act, Bel smiled as though everything was going according to plan.
The other person tilted his head toward the mirror behind Bel. Confirming that Dark Dragreder was waiting inside it, Ash strode toward Bel with 1000% arrogance.
"Taking hostages really does suit a villain's methods."
The pressure on Bel instantly doubled, and he held Ai-chan up as a shield again. "What are you trying to do? Aren't you afraid I'll do something to her?!"
"You're the one holding her hostage. Why should I move aside?"
"Y-you're serious?!"
Bel suddenly realized it. Right, this baby was a child the Pretty Cure cared about, but Ash did not care about her at all. In other words, this hostage was useless to him!
"Then go ahead and do it. But I guarantee that before anything happens, you'll die first."
The Dragreder Saber pointed directly at Bel. As Ash advanced, the distance between them steadily shrank, while Bel's grip around Ai-chan gradually tightened.
"Ugh... waaah—"
Just as Ai-chan was about to cry, Ai rushed out and grabbed Ash's arm, stopping him. "Stop! Ash-sensei, Ai-chan will get hurt!"
"Let go. You're in the way."
Good job, Cure Heart! Seeing Ai stop Ash, Bel inwardly rejoiced and seized the opportunity, raising a hand to fire an energy sphere filled with terrifying power