Sketch: Renovation - Mi
(Miluno)
Although Mono was urging me to rescue her, I was completely baffled by the current situation. What on earth was going on with this strangely styled ancient castle?
I wandered around the empty castle twice, and there were no doors or windows facing outwards, not even any staircases connecting the floors...
What floor am I on?
"I should be downstairs from you, maybe even on the lowest floor! Castles usually have dedicated stairwells, don't just wander around in the hallways!"
Since Mono still has the energy to shout, it means that nothing will happen for the time being.
"Running is so tiring, I'm about to be caught! This tiger is so fierce, it's going to eat me!"
Isn't it embarrassing to be chased by a Fake Magical Girl while Base Body as a melee witch?
"She's a strategist, you know! Unlike you barbarians, all you do is fight and kill—wow! She's flying around with a hammer!"
I don't quite understand what's going on with flying with a hammer. Is Thor?
Still wearing my Ghost Combat Suit, I began searching room by room.
The style of this ancient castle is as bizarre as the witch's attire; you can see traces of various civilizations in its various elements. Does this witch really endorse Earth's civilizations?
Even so, is a life-or-death struggle inevitable?
As I opened the Japanese shoji door, I encountered a magical girl wearing a black cloak, sitting at a tea table sipping hot tea that seemed to have come from nowhere.
"Is it Miluno?"
Even though I couldn't see her, she still greeted me the instant I opened the door—did she know I had an invisibility suit?
He poured me a cup of tea, conjured a petal-shaped cushion opposite the coffee table, and gestured for me to sit down.
Based on what Ceruno had said before, I asked her directly:
"So, you are Sun Ji's Proxy?"
"Calling him by his first name, you're really being impolite to Chairman Sun."
"He's a traitor to humanity, so why should I treat him kindly?"
Even if she's his father-in-law, it's still not acceptable.
The unseen Proxy then said:
"We're all saving the world, just on different paths."
"A path that requires the sacrifice of innocents is nothing but a wicked path, and wicked paths cannot save the world."
Perhaps finding my words harsh, the cloaked magical girl sighed helplessly and changed her tone, asking again:
"I'm asking you, how much do you know about the situation at hand?"
"We're trapped in an ancient castle with no exit and no upper or lower levels."
The Proxy shook his head, picked up his small teacup, and took a sip.
"I'm not referring to the present... I'm talking about this large-scale invasion itself. Let me make this clear, this wasn't an operation proposed by Chairman Sun. She never supports such large-scale operations. We are prepared to create panic and increase the Corruption Rate, but we will also keep casualties to an acceptable minimum."
Hmph, the bare minimum you can accept?
Without such limits, in my view, the injury or death of any individual is unnecessary.
The noisy little thing is still chattering in my head:
"Then, when are you going to come and save them?"
Try to hang in there for now.
What were the Supreme Council's reasons for launching this large-scale invasion?
"I'm afraid we can't wait any longer. The collapse of 'the Other Side' is happening faster than previously predicted, but the Corruption Rate on Earth is still insufficient to bring forth the 'Great Will.' If this continues, the 'Supreme Council's' long-cherished wish will not be fulfilled."
Has the rate of collapse increased?
"If Earth can hold out for a little longer, they'll self-destruct, right?"
"It's not that simple. 'The Other Side' is adjusting the time flow between the two worlds, and the time difference between them will become smaller and smaller. At that time, the scale and frequency of the invasions will become higher and higher. Although doing so will also accelerate the collapse of 'the Other Side,' the Supreme Council is prepared for a fight to the death. They not only have weapons like Annihilation Bomb, but they also have many relics of old civilizations that you have never seen before... If it really develops to that point, the casualties among the people will only be greater than the 'evil path' you mentioned."
Total War...
This invasion alone could already be considered a small-scale battle.
"That's not something to think about right now. All I want to do right now is get Ceruno and the others away."
"I don't know where she is either, but she's probably no match for that witch... In that case, I'll go with you to find her."
Noticing my distrustful gaze, she took another sip of tea.
"Don't look at me like that. Chairman Sun asked me to guarantee her life, but it's not convenient for me to take action against the witch. This contradictory order puts me in a difficult position. However, finding Ceruno is still feasible. After that, it's up to you..."
Boom--
Then came a huge commotion, the vibrations causing dust to fall from the ceiling and spilling tea all over the table.
"Miluno! Something's wrong! This tiger has gone mad and is destroying the house on the ground floor!"
Just as things calmed down, the little one started yelling and screaming in panic:
"She wanted to demolish the castle's load-bearing structure and bury us all alive!"
Boom--
The movement is getting closer; it's right below us.
I said, "Let her tear it down. This isn't our house. If she can really tear it down, then we can get out, right?"
"You have no idea how many more floors are above us, do you? We'll be crushed to death!"
Ceruno has Bubble Membrane, and Phoexin can fly.
If I use the Future Moment, I should be able to survive... As for Tiger Cub, she got herself into trouble.
"And what about me?"
The little thing's projection was crying and pounding my cheeks.
"Does it matter whether other people live or die?"
It wouldn't matter if the borrowed Base Body died, right?
Besides, you're still in the witch's Base Body. Even if you're buried in the ruins, you won't die so easily. Once I deal with that witch, this domain will disappear, and you'll survive.
"What should I do now?!"
Tell her to smash it faster.
"Huh?!"
Boom--
Boom--
Boom, boom, boom--
Miss Tiger Cub's golden hammer is exceptionally heavy, but it feels weightless to her. When used to smash walls or other objects that she can't dodge or evade, its destructive power is astonishing... Each swing of that hammer costs at least eight thousand.
"Whether it's a load-bearing wall or not, she's smashed the ground floor! Even the Roman columns in the hall... wow! They've cracked!"
A loud crash was heard as something broke, and cracks appeared from the ground to the walls.
Although I couldn't see her face, the cloaked girl in front of me was clearly flustered; she had already summoned a giant flower bud to envelop herself.
Is this her strategy for dealing with the landslide?
She even peeked out from the soft flower bud and reached out a helping hand to me.
"Come in?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
If that flower bud gets buried, then we can only leave it to fate.
I remove the Ghost Combat Suit and revert to my Witchification, now holding the Future Moment in my grasp.
The cracking has stopped.
But no one dared to act rashly.
The castle appears to be constructed solely of stone, with no reinforcing steel bars between the floorboards.
In other words, once a crack appears, it triggers a chain reaction...
Boom--
After calming down, the brute swung his hammer again.
The floor beneath their feet completely collapsed...
Depravity.
I pressed the button for the Future Moment.