A violent gray power surged from Wu Heng's hellish true form, forming an illusory, honeycomb-like sphere that enveloped Naoko.
Naoko felt only a moment of disorientation, followed by the sensation of countless needlepoints probing into her body.
Yet there was no pain, almost like acupuncture.
The layer of energy covering her grew smaller and smaller until it completely contracted into Naoko's body, revealing a new form.
At that moment, she looked like a shattered doll hanging from strings, her pale skin covered in dark blue vein-like patterns.
Beneath her tattered dark-red gown threaded with silver, her unnaturally slender figure stood out.
Her right eye was completely black, like a hollow void, yet seemingly solid as well, with specks of silver starlight endlessly swirling within.
Naoko, who had been crouching on the ground, slowly rose to her feet. Her long dress dragged behind her, and countless wailing spirits seemed to emerge from its hem, grotesque faces continually surfacing.
Naoko slowly raised both hands and looked down, discovering sharp bone spurs extending from between her fingers.
Spiderweb-like silver threads wrapped around the bone spurs, each one connected to a fragment of bone porcelain. At her abdomen, a deep, gaping wound appeared.
A brass gear embedded in the wound connected to the luminous blue blood vessels inside her body, turning without pause.
Ding-dong-clang, ding-dong-clang.
Naoko looked up at Wu Heng and walked toward him, sounds like the winding spring of a music box coming from between her bones.
"Echizen, I can feel that we're connected. I really like this feeling!" Naoko's originally cold eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a smile utterly at odds with her appearance.
Wu Heng nodded slightly. "You have now been made the Hell High Priest of 'Mania'!"
"From now on, we share glory and ruin alike!"
With Naoko's willing cooperation,