Compressing the Darkness

(Miluno)

How do we deal with that Black Mud?

When I asked that, SpiCa just sighed.

"Miluno ..."

"Let me make this clear first, this amount is definitely beyond what my Crystal can absorb."

Even if SpiCa wanted me to absorb all this darkness, I definitely wouldn't do it.

Whether I can do it or not, since Aldebaran wants me to do it, I don't want to do it; there must be a pitfall ahead.

Although SpiCa is anxious, she lacks the ability to think and make judgments.

"I know that the only option is to lock it up using the domain for now, but locking it up also means losing the land in the North Suburbs Old Town."

"Locking them up isn't a solution either. If the Skyreach City wake up every day to see that world-destroying Black Mud, it's no wonder panic spreads."

What's your idea?

I do have some ideas.

It came to mind when I was holding the Shadow Girl...

"SpiCa, I don't intend to absorb it, but is there a way to make this darkness continue to condense? If it's smaller, it will be easier to contain."

On the dark path of evolution, Black Mud is merely the second stage. Afterward, solid Black Crystal will form, followed by Shadow Girl who are entirely black and resemble silhouettes, and then independent personalities like Mono who possess intelligence.

"... I'm not the same kind of person as them!"

Mono expressed his dissatisfaction from the side.

I reached out and cupped her face, rubbing it gently.

"You just happened to wake up inside my head, so you mistook it for my Witch Persona, but that's okay, I believe you are our partner."

"Miluno ..."

She seemed deeply moved by my words, and simply threw herself into my arms, sobbing softly.

"That's right, I would never betray you!"

The Wolf Woman's horn was pressed against my throat.

Is this a plot to assassinate me?

SpiCa smiled at Mono before answering my question:

"I don't know the method for condensing darkness, since it was always generated naturally after the required quantity was reached. But considering the high similarity between Dark Energy and magic, perhaps the method of condensing magic power could also be used."

"What method?"

"It's actually surprisingly simple: use external force to compress it."

"Let Ceruno ... or rather, Celius now, try it. Her bubbles can contract and expand at will, making her perfect for this."

"No need, let her protect the base."

SpiCa pointed to the Modified Witch behind her.

"Let's make good use of the pieces we have and start with an experiment."

That witch, wielding a cube and bound by restraints, could do something similar to Ceruno.

The blocks she throws out expand into square cages that can hold Black Mud. Shrinking the blocks at this point is equivalent to compressing the Black Mud.

"Then, let's try a little bit first."

Under SpiCa's command, the Modified Witch floated into the air and threw the magic cube in her hand toward the approaching Black Mud.

The cube traced a parabola as it landed in the Black Mud, then expanded into a square cage two meters long and wide, filled with half a box of Black Mud. She then floated back, carrying the cage with her.

The whole process went smoothly without any unexpected incidents.

The cage was sealed perfectly, and no Black Mud leaked out.

"Although the flow of Black Mud from above has stopped, the portion that has already been laid out is still deliberately moving towards the shelter."

SpiCa glanced worriedly at the distant teaching building.

So, the Black Mud has indeed gotten closer.

"I wonder how the people's evacuation is going."

"There are so many magical girls over there, nothing will happen," I replied.

Ignoring the threat of the Black Mud, how can they possibly deal with hundreds of magical girls defending the stronghold, relying solely on the remaining Monster and witches?

They could drown from a single spit from any one of them.

Of course, although there is little cover in this desolate wilderness, the team of six witches (excluding Mono) need not worry either. The witches' firepower alone is enough to sweep away any invading enemy.

The cube cage began to compress.

The Black Mud struggled within the block, but couldn't break through. Unless it accumulates a large enough quantity, it poses little threat, and the part we've separated is no exception...

Can only one Black Crystal be generated?

"After all, it's only half a box... at least it proves this method works."

It can be compressed, but the efficiency is too low.

The witch's cube is only about half the size of a shipping container, and it can't even be filled completely. Therefore, it can only compress out Black Crystal. The efficiency of her in compressing Black Mud is frighteningly low. Compared with the amount of darkness that was dumped in the Old District, the amount of darkness she just compressed is just a drop in the ocean and does not affect the overall situation at all.

"How about we let someone else give it a try?"

Mono suddenly interrupted.

"Perhaps I can manipulate the darkness and make them materialize."

The little thing can manipulate Dark Energy within a certain range, but what's before us is the darkness that constitutes the 'Great Will'... Can it even manipulate this?

"It's no different from the original Black Mud; after all, the 'Great Will' is still dormant."

"Then what should we do?"

"Miluno, can you stand on the edge of the spreading Black Mud?"

At this moment, the Black Mud was only one kilometer away from the town's middle school shelter, and it was gathering in a surrounding manner. If I left the station, I would easily be seen by the magical girl on the top floor of the school building.

So I shed my Witchification and stood on the edge of the dark highway.

Mono said:

"Be careful, don't get caught in it."

She clearly wanted to eat those dark things, but she still reminded me of that.

On the other side of the highway came rolling Black Mud. I stood in the middle of the road, waiting for the Black Mud to get closer to the little thing's control range.

"Let's make this clear first: once she gathers a certain number of people, she'll no longer be under my control. If a fight breaks out, I won't be responsible!"

"I know."

The darkness that now extends into the Old District is only part of the "Great Will".

But even this small portion far exceeds a hundred times... no, a thousand times more, the darkness that Mono and I have absorbed so far.

If you were to gather all of these into one entity... you might not be able to defeat it.

"Then I'll get started!"

The surging Black Mud converged towards a certain point and quickly formed a Black Crystal.

But this was only the beginning. Darkness continued to condense around the Black Crystal, taking a little longer this time to form a Shadow Girl...

Her ten fingers transformed into sharp blades, and her face, devoid of features, took on the shape of guns and cannons. She was about to scratch me when she was grabbed, dragged in, and completely enveloped by the surrounding Black Mud.

It looks like a black egg.

The surrounding Black Mud was still gathering, but this time it took quite a while. Even the "egg" stopped struggling and focused on receiving the influx of Dark Energy.

In the blink of an eye, the surrounding Black Mud was completely swept away.

"How's it going?"

"... I don't know if this approach is correct."

Mono muttered to himself.

"The Dark Energy she possesses surpasses the combined power of you and me; we may very well be no match for her..."

There are so many magical girls and witches.

There's always a way...

"Then, she's coming out!"