Chapter 32: Why?"Damn it!"
Daichi gasped for breath as he threw himself in front of the ruined shop's entrance. His chest rose and fell rapidly.
Kaito tightened his grip on his lightning sword. Blue sparks crawled along the blade.
"Hey—don't steal my line!"
The woman laughed and leapt from behind Kaito, throwing herself onto him.
"Handsome~"
She landed on him, giggling.
"Ooh, but you're really distracting me."
Haruto stared, both shocked and irritated.
"Why do all the beautiful women throw themselves at you, Kaito?!"
Daichi quickly moved beside Haruto, tense.
"Yeah, I agree with Haruto. Stop stealing everything!"
Kaito tried to shove the woman off him, annoyed.
"Fine, have her then!"
But she had already jumped away, landing on the dark rooftop. Her body vanished into the shadows—only her voice remained.
"Hihihi… ahh, you're all so entertaining."
Sora rubbed his face, exhausted.
"Ahh… seriously. You guys."
The woman suddenly leapt behind Sora. A purple glow spread from her blackened hand as she lunged at him.
Sora slid to the right at the last second.
The woman flinched in surprise.
"Igh—!"
Sora laughed—he had grabbed her wrist.
"Heh. Just as stupid as the others. At least tell us who you—"
She suddenly lunged at him again.
At that moment, Haruto whispered to three quiri cards and hurled them forward.
"SORA, MOVE!"
BOOM!
The cards exploded, releasing a swirling orange-purple mist.
Kaito clapped.
"That was awesome, Haruto!"
Then his expression hardened.
"WHO THE HELL SENT THIS IDIOT WOMAN HERE?!"
The woman burst into laughter, raising her severed arm.
"HAHAHA—You—"
Poff.
Her arm regenerated instantly.
Everyone froze.
Daichi's voice trembled.
"No… this is—"
Kaito clenched his teeth.
"This isn't human. This is one of the human-shaped quiris Lady Akira warned us about."
Haruto grit his teeth, staring at her.
"Seriously… why are the pretty ones always evil?"
Sora and Kaito sighed. Daichi shook his head.
The woman's smile faded.
"Hihi… ahh. I'm Norita."
She appeared beside Daichi in an instant.
Her lace dress vanished, replaced by a body cloaked in black. A smoke-like dark aura coiled around her neck. Her eyes glowed purple.
Daichi stared in shock… then laughed.
"Norita, huh?"
He raised both arms crosswise.
A violent gust of wind exploded outward, sending her flying.
"I'm Daichi."
He leapt forward.
"Pleasure to meet you, miss."
As the woman tried to maneuver, she noticed Haruto's quiri cards aimed directly at her.
Before she could recover, she saw them on both sides:
Sora with a fan in hand,
Kaito holding his lightning blade.
She swallowed, then smirked.
"Well… damn it."