As his words fell, everyone around simultaneously froze.
This vast cave fell into absolute silence.
After a moment, a slender figure wearing a mask walked out from the darkness. Coming behind Muramasa. She spoke softly:
"Tsk, so you're saying... that guy is already on the way?"
"..."
Hearing this, Muramasa didn't answer. Instead, he suddenly turned around. Looking toward another passage entrance in the cave. He said flatly:
"My sensing won't be wrong."
"Although this figure's traveling speed is erratic, still..."
"It's definitely Candle Dragon's soul aura."
Hearing this, the slender figure behind him immediately laughed lightly:
"Eh... is that so?"
"But I seem to remember Muramasa-san saying... that guy wouldn't choose to join us?"
Hearing this, quite a few people's expressions shifted slightly.
They naturally also remembered Muramasa saying something similar.
However now, if that Candle Dragon truly came here, the situation would contradict his previous words.
Hearing this, Muramasa didn't speak. Instead, he closed his eyes. Expressionless.
After a moment, he slightly raised his hand. On his extremely long five fingernails, pale purple light faintly shimmered.
Immediately after, he opened his eyes. Deep purple light flickered in his gaze. He said flatly:
"...Whether or not they become a companion depends on what happens next."
The instant his words fell, suddenly, an unfamiliar yet powerful spiritual pressure descended out of nowhere!
The instant they felt this spiritual pressure, everyone's expressions immediately changed slightly.
Because they could very clearly sense this spiritual pressure wasn't deliberately imposed on them. But unconsciously emanating.
But—
Just unconsciously emanating spiritual pressure had this degree of oppressive force...?!
Everyone's gazes undoubtedly focused at this moment.
Even the usually lazy Haineko and the arrogant Kazeshini deeply furrowed their brows.
Everyone looked in the direction Muramasa was watching. Waiting for the owner of this spiritual pressure to appear.
But just then, something unexpected suddenly happened.
At the cave's center, at this instant, an extremely bizarre storm vortex suddenly appeared!
Though this storm's range wasn't large, the air currents it stirred up instantly pushed away all surrounding dust and rubble!
Tobiume and the others closest to it couldn't even maintain stable standing. All were affected!
Their expressions changed drastically. They all flashed away. Distancing themselves from the storm's center.
At this moment, including Muramasa, everyone quickly turned around. Gazing intently this way.
After a moment, the storm gradually began to weaken.
Then, a petite figure gradually appeared—actually in the form of a young girl!
At this moment, a faint, gentle radiance enveloped her body.
Her silk-like light blue long hair hung to her waist. The ends touching her hips. On the strands, dense spiritual pressure seemed to gently surge.
She wore a loose pale white haori. Bound at the waist with a light yellow cloth belt. Under the wide sleeves, her hands naturally hung down.
Within that haori, there was also some fair skin. Faintly visible.
On the hem of that pale white haori, very striking blue cloud patterns and golden lightning were drawn.
Below that was a pair of crystal-clear feet. Exposed in the air. Floating above the ground.
Though the storm had subsided, beneath her the ground still had waves of air currents continuously pushing outward.
Behind her extended a pair of massive transparent wings. Their wing bones were formed of golden lightning. While wind currents surged through the wing bodies.
That tremendous spiritual pressure emanated from these wind-thunder wings.
At this moment, the girl's face lifted slightly. Looking toward Muramasa's direction.
In the gentle radiance, she narrowed her eyes. Her expression calm and serene. Wearing a faint smile.
She existed there.
Yet also seemed to have merged with the entire surrounding space. Without a trace of flaw or discord.
Quite a few people could even feel that though she stood there, she also stood beside themselves.
This feeling was extremely peculiar and eerie. Even making Haineko involuntarily shiver.
At this moment, Muramasa suddenly walked toward her.
Then stopped about a meter in front of the girl.
He slightly raised his eyes. Gazing at the girl indifferently:
"Although in our initial negotiation, you sealed my power."
"But now it seems... in the end, you still chose to accept my Corrupting Nothingness... Candle Dragon."
"!"
As his words fell, the surrounding people's expressions immediately shifted slightly.
Though they'd already speculated, when this identity was truly spoken by Muramasa, it still shocked them.
They'd long heard Muramasa mention the powerful force that "Candle Dragon" controlled.
But now, they hadn't expected that Candle Dragon's materialized form would actually be such a seemingly frail girl...
Aside from those wind-thunder giant wings, from this frame, they truly couldn't believe what powerful force could be hidden...
Just as they thought this, "Candle Dragon" spoke.
She still narrowed her eyes. Smiling gently:
"Hehe, Muramasa-san, your words... I don't quite understand."
"Clearly I only chose to utilize your ability to complete materialization."
"You say I accepted your power?"
"Ah, sorry—because that power was so minuscule, I nearly overlooked it..."
?!
As her words fell, Sode no Shirayuki and the others immediately flashed their gazes.
Just from these few words' implications, this Candle Dragon truly seemed to have absolutely no intention of joining them.
Moreover, though she continuously smiled in a friendly manner, these words clearly had a meaning of provoking Muramasa...
If they could notice this, Muramasa could naturally detect it without question.
However, his expression didn't change at all. Instead, he slowly raised his hand:
"'Utilized' my ability, is that it?"
"Then let me see how you can... utilize it?"
Before his words finished, from Muramasa's five fingertips, a bizarre deep purple light simultaneously burst forth. Rushing directly toward the girl's chest!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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