West Street stood on the border between Backlund's West Borough and Bridge South Borough.
A member of the Mandated Punishers led McConner and Stewart to the corner of a building and gave a brief report. "I followed Aileen here. I saw her 'erase' her figure with my own eyes... Then she vanished."
The Demoness of Affliction incident a few months earlier had humiliated the Mandated Punishers. Since then, every member of the team had learned something about a Demoness's abilities, allowing them to quickly conclude that Aileen had become a Witch.
Stewart nodded and used Scene Replay. A moment later, he frowned. "No good. She left too few traces behind, and her aura is too faint. The replay is blurry. I can't tell where she went."
He tried another five or six Secret Arts, but none worked well enough. In the end, he could only shake his head at McConner.
"What do we do, then?" McConner frowned. But when he saw Stewart grit his teeth, as though he had made up his mind, something occurred to him. His face went pale, and his voice came out strained. "You're not thinking of using that art again, are you?"
"Do you have another way?" As he spoke, Stewart took various materials and a small mirror from his pockets and began setting up the ritual.
McConner glanced at the other team members and lowered his voice. "At least pick somewhere with fewer people..."
"Forget it... I've used this Secret Art too often. It can't get around '2-111's' rules anymore... So no matter which of us asks the question, there'll have to be witnesses." Stewart set the mirror on the altar and sighed.
"Then... should I do it this time?" As he spoke, McConner searched his memory for secrets he did not want anyone