Side Story: The Self-M Worldline (Continued)

Two bolts of lightning exploded, wiping out the monsters that had gathered around at the sound, and creating new potholes in the road.

Shoko hunched over slightly, the blade pointed at the woman in front of him.

If Shuya were there, he would definitely recognize who it was.

Although she was wearing an unfamiliar black samurai outfit, her face was unmistakably that of Tsuruko Aoyama.

She possessed a mature and stunning appearance, with an exceptional figure, but her eyes had been reversed, entering a Demon Eye mode.

Shoko wasn't afraid of her eyes or murderous aura, and said hurriedly:

"Miss Tsuruko, please stop being controlled! Remember, this 'you' is not you!"

Tsuruko smiled brightly, "It's no use, Shoko- chan. You should understand, after all, you've seen it so many times."

"In our worldline... what you call the M Worldline, our existence is at a higher level than our counterparts in other worldlines, making us much easier to corrupt."

That's why you keep failing.

But this time is different.

After refuting her argument, Shoko took a deep breath.

Her eyes instantly went blank, her bodily functions surged explosively, and she suddenly appeared in front of Tsuruko, slashing across with a blade brimming with murderous intent.

"Ayase's power?"

Tsuruko dodged the knife with incredible flexibility and engaged in a fierce battle with Shoko.

"It's useless. You think you can defeat me using the power of my disciple?"

Tsuruko spoke these words with a calm and composed attitude, without any hint of sarcasm.

"No, it's just buying time."

Rio's voice rang out. "Shoko- chan."

"Yes!"

A mysterious fluctuation emanated from Shoko.

---Space was distorted.

"I'm sorry, teacher!"

A figure with equally long, straight black hair suddenly appeared, forcing Tsuruko back with a single strike.

"Ayase?"

Tsuruko looked up and saw that it was her disciple Aragaki Ayase.

Ayase had her hair tied in a ponytail, her eyes sparkling, and she exuded a mature and reliable aura.

When Ayase appeared, the katana in Shoko's hand flashed and then disappeared.

Tsuruko glanced at her, raised her sword and flicked it, unleashing a burst of light.

"Shoko- chan!"

"Kirino- senpai."

A figure flashed by, Shoko's armored shoes disappeared, replaced by the blonde Kirino picked her up in a princess carry.

"Sorry I'm late."

"That's quite a gathering."

Tsuruko sighed, but then a voice came from behind her. "Is that so?"

"... Yukino."

As Tsuruko spoke, she suddenly spun around, her katana crackling with violent lightning as she slashed out. "Shinmeiryu, Maximum Thunderclap Sword!"

"Ice crystals, freeze everything."

A surge of cold air erupted.

A fully grown Yukino, appeared here.

Her snow-white hands stretched forward, as if to freeze the world's ice, clashing with the lightning ball unleashed by Tsuruko.

Ayase and Kirino took Shoko and moved a little further away, watching the energy rise steadily, their eyelids twitching incessantly.

That's terrifying.

During the standoff, Tsuruko suddenly smiled, "You've arrived?"

"Hey hey, I'm here! This is Haruno- chan, here to lend a hand on the orders of the Demon King!"

A languid, alluring voice rang out, and a figure burst forth from the void.

She has short black hair, a pair of fox ears on her head, and nine tails behind her that sway and emit nine different energy fluctuations.

Beside her stood eighteen majestic and ferocious foxes, emanating an aura of divinity.

"Sister."

"Hi, Yukino- chan, long time no see~"

Haruno flew through the air, gently waving her fan, her nine tails swaying.

In an instant, thunder, flames, gales, floods, gravity balls, iron needles, and other Demonic Arts erupted all at once.

The ferocious attack charged towards Yukino without hesitation.

Tsuruko drew her sword and jumped away, but Yukino remained unmoved.

She stretched out her left and right hands, and two ice swords extended from them.

Her eyes, radiating icy coldness, darted forward as Yukino brandished her ice blades, slicing and shattering various Demonic Arts as she charged toward Haruno.

"Shinmeiryu, Rock-Slaying Sword!"

Tsuruko seized the opportunity to attack, but another sword flew by.

"Shinmeiryu Secret Technique, Rock-Slaying Sword!"

The two swords clashed with a loud bang, and the two men saw each other clearly.

Tsuruko asked in surprise, "Motoko, even you've come?"

"Yes, sister."

With her short black hair and resolute expression, Suzuko, now a young Motoko, blocked Tsuruko's sword strike with a single stroke.

Yukino leaped into the sky, and the foxes pounced to fight her, plunging the sky into chaos.

The four people, divided into two groups, engaged in a fierce battle on this desolate land, making the already hopeless scene even more like the end of the world.

Tsuruko and Motoko, Haruno and Yukino.

The two groups are engaged in combat.

Ayase and Kirino stood in the distance, protecting Shoko.

"It'll be here soon, it'll be here soon."

Shoko looked at the scenery around her.

Before we knew it, much of the dilapidated scenery had faded away.

The collapsed high-rise buildings in the distance have returned to normal.

This means that the overlapping spaces gradually separate.

When the two worlds are completely separated, Shoko will be able to leave the old world and enter the world she calls the SG Worldline.

Tsuruko and Haruno realized this and stopped at the same time.

"Aren't you going to fight anymore?"

"It's pointless."

Haruno sighed, "I admit we miscalculated this time, underestimating your determination regarding this timeline. Next time we'll bring the Monster General; let's let it go this time."

"Yukino- chan, can you tell me what's so special about this world line?"

"... The Charm Art?"

Yukino didn't even flinch. "I'm in my Snow Woman form right now, I have no emotions."

Hmm.

Haruno pouted and acted cute. "... Sigh, actually we don't want to fight with you guys either. Can you behave yourselves and stop running around? Everyone has to die eventually, isn't it better to just wait to die?"

"No, get out."

Yukino replied without hesitation.

As the group faced off, a mournful howl echoed from afar, followed by a dark, powerful, and highly noticeable aura rapidly approaching.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on that spot.

"Oh, is the conversion complete? I'm outta here, all done."

Haruno said:

"Yukino- chan, bye-bye~"

Haruno fell backward and vanished instantly along with the foxes amidst the spatial fluctuations.

"Then I'll take my leave too. Although he's not the Demon King of the M Worldline, he's still a Demon King, and I can't defeat him."

Tsuruko smiled slightly, bowed to Shoko and the others, and said, "Goodbye."

Let's settle this next time.

Her departure was somewhat different from Haruno's.

Tsuruko leaped backward, and a phantom figure detached from her body, splitting in two.

The illusory figure smiled at Shoko and the others before disappearing into the spatial fluctuations.

The remaining Tsuruko lay on the ground, unconscious.

"..."

After Haruno and Tsuruko disappeared, Kirino, Ayase, Yukino, and Motoko surrounded Shoko to protect her.

All five of them were staring in the same direction.

"The world has fallen too."

Yukino tossed her long hair.

Shoko said sadly, "... It's all my fault."

This topic is meaningless.

Futaba voice rang out again. "Teacher Hiratsuka went there three minutes ago. Yes, she's back. The Demon King has been defeated."

"As expected of Teacher Hiratsuka."

"It's just a matter of restraint, and besides, not every world's demon lord is powerful."

Shizuka Hiratsuka yawned, her voice fading into the distance. "Sigh, I'm tired. I'm going to sleep."

"Let's get back to the main topic."

Futaba said, "This world is beyond saving, but if we leave it alone, it'll probably recover someday, right? Just leave it alone."

"Shoko- chan, are you almost ready to land? Have a safe trip."

She added, "The SG Worldline is a very peaceful and stable world, so treat this as a vacation. It's a pity you won't be able to stay for long."

"Anyway, just stay there and try your best when you come back. But the special nature of the SG Worldline has been exposed, so it might be more troublesome to go there again next time... Well, let's talk about next time next time."

"Okay, thank you everyone for your help this time."

As they spoke, ninety percent of the surrounding scenery returned to normal.

Apart from Shoko, everyone else felt excluded.

"Let's go then."

Let me give you one last boost of strength.

After Ayase finished speaking, she channeled the power within her body into Shoko's body.