The Battle Between Girls

"My dear, there's no need for you to go to such lengths," Kurumi Tokisaki said with a light laugh as she lay nestled in Kaguya's arms. "I'm not so easily killed. Even if I die, there are countless versions of me. So, you don't need to worry."

Kaguya, snapping back to the present, smiled slightly and replied, "Even so, I still want to save you."

"Oh?" Kurumi tilted her head, looking at Kaguya with curiosity.

"You may only be one of the many versions of yourself, but to me, each one of you is still Kurumi Tokisaki. And as long as it's you, that's enough." Kaguya tightened her hold around Kurumi's slender waist, speaking earnestly.

It had to be said, Kurumi Tokisaki was indeed breathtaking, even more beautiful than she was in the original anime, with her snowy white skin and those dreamlike eyes that made it impossible to look away.

Kurumi's eyes widened in surprise at Kaguya's words, staring at her, momentarily lost in thought.

Seeing Kurumi's expression, Kaguya felt a bit puzzled and asked, "What's wrong? Did I say something you didn't like? If you're uncomfortable with this…"

"No," Kurumi interrupted softly, her beautiful eyes growing misty. "I like it very much."

Noticing Kurumi's eyes turning red, Kaguya grew even more perplexed. "Then why are you…"

"It's nothing," Kurumi replied gently, resting her head on Kaguya's chest with a faint smile. "If it were anyone else, I'd suspect they had ulterior motives, some unspeakable scheme. But with you, my dear…"

Her dear was always this gentle. Doing things that touched her so deeply, yet without realizing it. Perhaps it was this gentleness that had pulled her back from the endless depths of hatred, making her cling to her so much.

Noticing Kurumi drawing out her words, teasingly leaving the sentence unfinished, Kaguya asked with curiosity, "What about me?"

"My dear, you're such a pervert for luring innocent young girls," Kurumi said with a mischievous smile, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Huh?"

Kaguya's face darkened with a vein popping in her forehead. "What was that? Here I thought I'd given the perfect answer. Could it be that Kurumi really is a masochist? And me, a pervert? Pure and innocent as I am, how could I be associated with something so indecent?"

Just then, Kaguya's eyes narrowed as she scooped Kurumi up, leaping backward. A spear shot through the spot where they had just stood, hurtling toward Kurumi's back like a bolt of lightning. If Kaguya hadn't reacted in time, Kurumi would've been skewered.

Mukuro Hoshimiya?, who had been off the radar, finally reappeared.

"Not giving up yet, are you?" Kurumi turned her head, her gaze landing on Mukuro with a look of slight amusement. "Aren't you just relentless? Such determination—it's as though you think you stand a chance, despite having no way of winning."

Kurumi's face held a faint, amused smile.

"Behave yourself! Enough with the nonsense." Kaguya delivered a firm smack to Kurumi's shapely bottom, and the soft, bouncy flesh quivered beneath her hand. She couldn't help but sigh in appreciation. Truly, Kurumi was a rare beauty.

Unexpectedly, Kurumi reacted as if she'd been shocked, quickly jumping out of Kaguya's embrace. A pink blush spread across her face as she shyly said, "Now, my dear, this isn't the right time."

"Uh… I haven't done anything!" Kaguya muttered, her mouth twitching.

Just as she spoke, a gleaming spear thrust toward her from behind, aiming directly for her back.

Seeing Mukuro's spear slicing through the air toward her, Kaguya's reflexes kicked in. She quickly raised her sword, blocking the strike, as sparks burst forth.

Clang! A sharp sound echoed as sparks scattered in all directions.

"Interrupting others while they're talking isn't polite," Kaguya said with a smile.

However, Mukuro showed no reaction, her eyes blank and unwavering as she thrust her spear forward once more with fierce determination.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A rapid succession of clear, sharp sounds filled the air like popping corn, with sparks flying like dazzling fireworks.

It had to be said that, after her Inverse Form, Mukuro's strength had indeed reached a whole new level, far surpassing what it was before. Her speed, skill, and accuracy had increased significantly, each strike carrying overwhelming power. She wielded her spear with relentless ferocity, like a storm of steel.

Meanwhile, Kurumi, standing to the side, showed no concern. She looked on with a relaxed demeanor, like a lady watching a TV show from the comfort of her couch.

After all, she understood Kaguya's strength well. To Kurumi, Kaguya was invincible, and so she had no reason to worry.

Sure enough, with a final clash of metal, Kaguya swept her sword out in a swift arc. Her blade moved as if it had a mind of its own, cutting through Mukuro's defenses and slashing forward. Mukuro was knocked back, her balance broken, while Kaguya's blade glowed with victorious intent.

Along with Kaguya's words, countless translucent fists burst forth from her palm. Chakra-concentrated fists ripped through the air, transforming into a barrage of fist shadows that filled the sky, all aimed at Mukuro.

With her spear raised, Mukuro struggled to deflect them. Despite her best efforts, she was driven back by the onslaught, barely able to shield her chest. Yet, the fist shadows closed in instantly.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A deafening explosion shattered the sky. The enormous energy unleashed a violent storm, surging forth with unstoppable force.

Thud.

With a muffled sound, a small figure was sent flying out of the storm—a petite figure, with pale, soft skin.

Just as she was about to hit the ground, a shadowy figure rushed toward her.

It would be such a shame if such a beautiful girl were gravely injured from a fall. Of course, Kaguya wouldn't admit that she was actually worried Mukuro might end up in an awkward position on impact.

After all, that would be just too indecent.

However, just as Kaguya was about to reach her, the supposedly unconscious Mukuro suddenly opened her eyes, locking onto Kaguya, and muttered softly, "Got you."

As Mukuro Hoshimiya's expression darkened, her aura grew even more oppressive. Her spear glowed with a cold, ghostly light, her gaze sharpened with steely resolve.

From a distance, Kaguya felt a sudden chill wash over her. Her energy froze up, as though it had disappeared entirely, leaving her unable to feel even a trace of power. Her blood felt as if it had turned to ice, her body stiffening involuntarily.

Kaguya's heart sank, sensing danger.

This was Mukuro Hoshimiya's unique ability, "Lock." It allowed her to seal away anything, even a person's physical strength. She could even seal a person's memories or emotions, something that even Kaguya couldn't do. If Kaguya wanted to achieve such an effect, she'd have to rely on illusions, trapping her opponent within an illusion of her making.

But Mukuro's ability required no illusion or trickery; it was raw power. She could truly lock away a person's powers, memories, or feelings, turning them into little more than scrap metal. This kind of concept-based power was extraordinarily difficult to deal with.

Boom! Mukuro's spear struck the ground with a thunderous crash, sending tremors through the air, and even Kaguya's body shook slightly in response.

"Why resist when it's so pointless?" Kurumi Tokisaki walked over, a hint of regret in her tone. "If you just behaved and surrendered, you'd suffer far less. Seems you're quite a simple creature."

Mukuro glared back at her with chilling intensity, her lips pressed together in a tight line. Her body, though still held upright, swayed ever so slightly as though her energy was draining away.

It appeared that Mukuro Hoshimiya was reaching her limit. The seal was affecting her control, and though her determination held her upright, her body could only endure so much before giving in to exhaustion. Perhaps it was simply a matter of moments before she'd collapse, either unable to maintain the seal, or unable to remain standing at all.

Noticing something amiss, Kurumi turned her head, hesitating for a moment.

In the distance, Kaguya stood still, motionless as a statue. For any ordinary person, there was always some sign of life, but the lifeless stillness emanating from Kaguya was more fitting for a corpse. At that moment, Kaguya looked less like a living being and more like a marble statue.

Kurumi turned sharply back, her beautiful face darkening, her eyes filling with cold fury as she demanded, "What did you do to her?"

Mukuro's expression didn't change as she calmly lifted her spear and replied, "Oh, nothing. She's simply…locked."

"Locked?" Kurumi's heart sank slightly, sensing a bad omen. "What do you mean by locked?"

"Not just her. Anything in this world—be it animate or inanimate, person or object—can be locked," Mukuro explained, her tone unchanging, with a slight sneer on her face.

"You mean…" Kurumi's pupils shrank.

"Precisely, just as you think," Mukuro replied, her voice filled with pride. "Once something is locked, it remains forever sealed. This seal prevents any activity or movement. The life, thoughts, and spirit—all of them will cease."

"Are you joking?" Kurumi waved her arm, drawing her gun and pointing it at Mukuro. "Do you seriously think I'd let you pull this off, just like that? If you think so, you're very much mistaken."

"Come forth, Zafkiel."

Kurumi raised her arm, and a massive clock appeared behind her instantly.

At the same time, a faint ripple spread across the blackened ground beneath Mukuro's feet.

Suddenly, countless arms emerged from the darkness below, reaching for Mukuro at lightning speed.

Mukuro raised her spear and swung it in a swift arc, slicing through several of the blackened arms, but even as she did, the remaining hands kept advancing. Her movements showed a slight hesitation as her breath hitched.

To Kaguya, Mukuro's powers might have been highly inconvenient, yet she herself was less of a concern. As one capable of sealing any form of life and death, she could indeed seem quite fearsome to an ordinary person, but to someone with power on Kaguya's level, she was merely a nuisance.

The countless hands drew closer to Mukuro, and though she wielded her spear valiantly, her strikes couldn't repel them all.

Blood spattered.

Before long, the shadowy hands reached Mukuro. She managed to fend off a few, but others clung to her limbs, wrapping around her arms, binding her. Just as she tried to break free, a shadowy figure lashed out, slicing through her defenses.

"It's useless," Mukuro muttered, her eyes calm as she drew her spear back. "These petty attacks mean nothing to me. If you don't surrender, I will consider you an enemy. Like that other person, you'll be locked here forever."

"Oh, is that so? You seem confident," Kurumi smirked, an evil gleam in her eye, her golden right eye glinting with a dazzling light. "But you've been far too careless."

In that instant, three figures suddenly leaped from behind Kurumi, dashing toward Mukuro at lightning speed, so fast they seemed to teleport.

"Hm?" Mukuro's eyes widened, her face paling, as she sensed the fierce energy converging on her from all directions.

Each of them moved with incredible speed, almost as if they were part of Kurumi herself, but far quicker and more aggressive than before. Mukuro realized they were all Kurumi's clones, each wielding weapons, and poised for attack.

This was none other than Kurumi's famed clones.

"Well, that was quite the show," a figure stepped out from behind them. It was a beautiful silver-haired girl—Kaguya.

"I knew you'd be all right," Kurumi Tokisaki covered her mouth with a light laugh, stepping up in front of Kaguya with her hands behind her back, leaning forward cutely as she said, "So, what do you think? I managed to capture her for you, so you have to reward me!"

"Of course," Kaguya smiled as she approached. "I didn't expect her to have that kind of power—it really caught me off guard."

As it turned out, Kaguya had just been affected by the power of "Lock," which sealed away her chakra, abilities, and even her five senses, or rather, stripped them away entirely. Kaguya had never encountered an ability like this before, and for a moment, she had actually felt flustered and unsure of how to respond.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, the dark chakra within her seemed to react instinctively, surging up from within and instantly breaking through Mukuro's seal. That burst of power smashed through the restraining force like it was nothing, proving once again that there was no force that could permanently lock her down. Her energy surged back in an instant.

From there, it was simple. Kaguya's body remained unharmed, and the residual energy from Mukuro's seal had been thoroughly expelled.

"You've committed a grave offense against me, and you'll be punished severely," Mukuro spoke coldly, though her tone held no malice. Even so, her intense stare made it clear that she wasn't taking this lightly.

"Punishment?"

Before Kaguya could respond, Kurumi burst out laughing and looked at Mukuro with a mocking expression, her tone as sharp as ever. "What, are you still so naive that you think you could actually punish us? Just looking at you now makes me think you're a fool who doesn't understand your own limits. You keep talking about punishment as if you actually have the power to do anything."

"Didn't expect you to be so caustic when you speak," Kaguya said in surprise.

"Oh, I'm just helping her understand her situation," Kurumi replied, looking a bit indignant.

"That's not exactly wrong," Kaguya said with a smile as she walked over. "If the system hadn't given me such a short window, I wouldn't have needed to use such drastic methods. But given the circumstances, sorry, it's just how it had to be."

"Whatever your purpose, you've become my enemy. I swear—" Mukuro tried to say, her body trembling, when Kurumi clapped a hand over her mouth.

Mukuro wasn't the only one left speechless. Her wide eyes spoke volumes, but her voice had been completely silenced.

After a moment, Kurumi finally released Mukuro, watching her stagger forward and clutch her own neck with frustration, before Kurumi turned to Kaguya and said, "Aren't you adorable? You didn't even notice you'd just pushed her too far."

Seeing Kurumi's refined face, her lips slightly glistening, Kaguya felt an itch in her heart but restrained herself, maintaining some semblance of gentlemanly decorum.

So Kaguya cleared her throat lightly and said, "Let go of her. Leave her to me."

Kurumi blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter. "Oh my dear, you're as straightforward as ever. But don't you think having two girls keep you company would be much more fun?"

Hearing Kurumi's tempting words, Kaguya's eyes lit up instantly, feeling as if she was about to start drooling. "Really? You'd do that?"

Kurumi walked over to her with graceful strides, stopping in front of her and gently tapping Kaguya's chest. Just as Kaguya was about to embrace her wolfishly, Kurumi chuckled with a mischievous smile and said, "Of course not! I don't enjoy sharing my space with anyone else."

As she spoke, Kurumi turned to where Mukuro was lying and picked her up in her arms, gently placing her back down in Kaguya's embrace. "Honestly, don't push yourself too hard. My dear will surely come to your rescue," she whispered into Mukuro's ear.

"Hey, hey!" Kaguya said, ignoring the fact that she was holding the bare-chested Mukuro. "What are you doing? Are you deliberately testing me or what?" she asked, giving Kurumi an questioning look.

From the beginning, Kurumi had acted like she'd known Kaguya forever, as if they were close friends. But calling them friends might not do their relationship justice—they seemed far more intimate, like family or even lovers. But even the closest of lovers wouldn't casually push their partner toward someone else, especially considering a woman's natural tendency toward jealousy.

So if Kurumi wasn't a friend, family, or lover, then why was she helping Kaguya? What secret was she hiding?

"I already told you about this earlier," Kurumi replied, turning to look at Kaguya with an unusual gleam in her eyes. "I'll explain everything in time, but now isn't the right moment. If I told you now, it might lead to very unfortunate consequences. So, I'm afraid you'll just have to be patient, my dear. But rest assured, I would never harm you, nor would I ever betray you, because you're my darling."

Kurumi's rare serious expression left Kaguya momentarily stunned, and though she remained puzzled, she didn't press further.

Could it be the effect of her protagonist's aura? Or was it some shady deal she'd made earlier? Or maybe it had to do with the system loli she'd taken down?

Whatever the reason, Kurumi didn't seem to be lying.

"Well then, my dear," Kurumi said with a smile, pointing to the now-unconscious Mukuro in Kaguya's arms. "For now, she's all yours. Cherish her for the time being, because soon, you won't get another chance like this." With a playful wink, Kurumi turned and disappeared into the darkness, leaving only a faint hint of her perfume lingering in the air.

Kaguya glanced at the now-vanished Kurumi, then looked down at the bare-skinned Mukuro in her arms, her heart racing as she found herself unable to resist that alluringly soft skin and flawless curves.

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