[Doll Courtyard]
A glaring red moon hung high above the castle's tower.
A vast field of thorny roses bloomed in the mist surrounding the castle.
Blood-red petals carpeted the long, silent path, while eerie, hollow songs faintly echoed through the air.
Crack-crack-
In the flower field.
The sounds of trampling rang out, one after another.
Within the hazy black mist, Hunters with human heads and spider bodies cautiously advanced toward the castle at the center.
"Preparing to launch the third assault... Hunter Squad 21 in position... requesting assault orders..."
"Orders received... verified... attack..."
Red lights flashed across the lead Hunter's eyeballs with a series of chimes.
And in the very next moment.
The dozens of Hunters suddenly charged into the flower field within the black mist at tremendous speed.
At the same time, more than a dozen squads composed entirely of Hunters launched attacks on the Doll Courtyard from every direction around the castle, almost simultaneously.
They pressed forward.
Along the way, the wreckage of countless destroyed Hunters lay scattered around them.
Clearly, they had already launched multiple attacks on the Doll Courtyard, but not one had succeeded.
The wildly writhing thorns along the path were ruthlessly cut down by the blades in their hands.
"Transmitting information... breached the third zone... distance to target... 500 meters..."
Red lights flashed in one Hunter's eyeballs with a series of chimes.
But just then.
They suddenly spotted a silhouette faintly emerging at the end of the mist-shrouded path ahead.
Their vision rapidly zoomed in, bringing the figure into focus.
She was an exquisitely crafted, life-sized doll.
She held an umbrella trimmed with black-and-gold lace, and wore an elaborate doll-like hat.
She wore a black-and-gold Gothic Dress, her long white hair hanging over her chest. Her high heels made unusually clear clicks against the