When the Blood Bat appeared, its sonic attack shattered two layers of force-field defenses and cracked even the armor worn beneath her clothes. Catherine was both shocked and furious.
It wasn't because her defensive trump card had been damaged.
That armor had already fulfilled its duty.
Or rather, that was precisely its purpose. Catherine would hardly be shocked or furious over that. At most, she would feel relieved and regretful.
Relieved that she had possessed such a defensive trump card.
Regretful that she would now have to expend even more effort finding another like it.
What shocked and enraged the saintess of the Church of Pain was...
Forgetting!
She had seen the Blood Scion, yet forgotten about his Blood Bat.
That shouldn't have happened!
She shouldn't have forgotten!
She couldn't possibly have forgotten!
Then why had she forgotten?
And...
There seemed to be more things wrong with her!
Some memories were about to surge up, only to vanish without a trace an instant later!
The memories disappeared, but the feeling remained. Though she couldn't say exactly what it was, Catherine's [Spirituality] warned her again and again.
There really was something wrong with her.
What's going on?
Lying on the ground and coughing up blood, Catherine went from shocked fury to bewildered suspicion in an instant.
Then-
An almost tangible wave of killing intent descended.
Like a waterfall plunging from the sky, it slammed into the dense forest.
Creeeak!
The straight, upright trees let out a series of teeth-grating creaks beneath that killing intent.
Rocks trembled again and again beneath it.
And Catherine panicked.
It wasn't the fear of facing a powerful enemy.
It was the panic of a child who had done something wrong and now faced a parent.
Because the source of that killing intent was-
Her father!
The