The Consequence of Not Knowing One's Place

Boom!

Before the beam even reached Kaguya, she raised her hand, casually swatting it aside. Jessica stared in utter disbelief, her eyes widening as if she'd seen a ghost. "This… This is impossible," she muttered, unable to comprehend what she'd just witnessed.

The Scarlet Licorice, equipped with an oversized laser cannon that was originally meant for aerial warships, should have been overwhelmingly powerful—even this miniaturized version was far beyond a regular display device. The fact that Yoshino hadn't even stood a chance earlier was proof of its power. But here Kaguya was, brushing it away as if it were nothing. If Jessica hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed it.

"Some people just don't learn," Kaguya remarked coolly, her gaze chilling as she turned toward Jessica. "I was ready to overlook you, but you keep insisting on courting death. It's becoming quite a nuisance."

"You arrogant little—" Jessica's face twisted in fury as she recalled her previous humiliation. Her chest heaved with rage. "Do you really think you'll defeat me as you did last time? I'm not the same as before. I'll tear you to pieces!" She squeezed the trigger, and multiple dark missile ports on her armor opened, unleashing a barrage of missiles that streaked toward Kaguya, leaving trails of fire behind them.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Missiles struck Kaguya one after another, engulfing her in a cacophony of explosions, fire, and thick smoke. The air was heavy with the scent of burnt fuel.

When the smoke cleared, Kaguya stood unharmed, her clothes pristine. Not a scratch marred her calm expression.

"Is this really all you've got?" she chuckled. "How pitiful."

Enraged by Kaguya's mocking tone, Jessica furiously pulled the trigger again.

Rat-tat-tat!

The heavy machine gun roared to life, spewing a hail of bullets. Streams of light shot forth from the magic-powered cannon, and another wave of missiles followed, creating a wall of destruction, enclosing Kaguya entirely.

As the onslaught neared her, a transparent barrier materialized around Kaguya, blocking the attacks entirely.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Bullets, energy blasts, and missiles hammered into the barrier, but it didn't budge. Only sparks and explosions flared up around it, with Kaguya standing untouched in the center, her smirk growing ever more disdainful.

"You really are a pathetic sight," Kaguya sneered, "If this is all you can muster, you might as well just die."

In an instant, Kaguya vanished, reappearing right before Jessica.

Jessica gasped, caught off guard by Kaguya's speed. Before she could pull the trigger, a fist came down like a bolt of lightning, slamming hard into her stomach.

"Ugh!" Blood spurted from her mouth as pain surged through her. Her eyes bulged, her vision blurring as she fought to remain conscious.

"How dare you threaten my people," Kaguya's voice was ice-cold, her eyes filled with killing intent. Her fist connected again, sending Jessica rocketing through the air. She crashed into a building with a deafening impact, creating a gaping hole in the wall.

But Kaguya wasn't done yet. In a flash, she appeared before Jessica once more, landing a fierce kick to her chest.

A sickening crack sounded as Jessica's ribs shattered. Blood gushed from her mouth and nose, leaving her slumped against the wall, her limbs limp.

Jessica's madness had awakened a deadly resolve in Kaguya. She couldn't risk letting this twisted woman live any longer. Sparing an enemy like Jessica would only be inviting future trouble, and Kaguya was never one to show mercy to those who posed a threat to her loved ones.

Kaguya stepped forward, grabbing Jessica by the hair and yanking her up. "Now, which hand was it you used to fire those shots? The right hand, if I recall."

With that, Kaguya took Jessica's right arm, smirking as she twisted it mercilessly.

Crack.

"Aaaagh!" Jessica's scream pierced the air as the bones in her arm snapped. Her limb dangled uselessly, her shoulder and arm now twisted grotesquely beyond repair.

Heavy breaths tore through Jessica's throat as sweat drenched her face. The pain was unbearable, and her entire body trembled.

"Oh, my mistake," Kaguya smiled, feigning an apologetic look. "It wasn't your right hand, was it? It was your left."

Jessica's eyes widened, and desperation filled her gaze. "No… no, please, don't…"

"Don't?" Kaguya's smile was demonic. "Haven't you heard? When a woman says 'don't,' she usually means 'do.' How kinky. I never would've guessed that about you."

Jessica's pleas fell to pieces as Kaguya tightened her grip on her left arm.

Crack.

"Aaaaaah!"

Her agonized scream echoed once more, then abruptly ceased as Jessica slipped into unconsciousness, unable to bear the pain any longer.

Kaguya lifted Jessica's head to get a better look, noting her limp, unconscious form with a disappointed sigh. "How dull. I thought we'd have a little more fun." She tightened her grip around Jessica's neck and, with a swift, brutal twist, crushed it before tossing her lifeless body to the ground like a discarded doll.

Jessica's limbs twisted at unnatural angles, her wide-open, bloodshot eyes staring into emptiness. A trickle of crimson blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, staining the earth a deep red.

"Now then," Kaguya turned her gaze toward Ellen, a wicked smile playing at her lips.

Ellen shivered involuntarily under Kaguya's gaze, fear gripping her heart like ice.

In the original story, Jessica's demise came from the intense side effects of the Scarlet Licorice, the specialized manifestation device she wielded recklessly. Overuse and the resulting backlash in combat ultimately led to her death. Now, though, her end was delivered by Kaguya's own hands—a fitting consequence for someone as vile as she.

Besides, it wasn't as though Jessica was exceptionally beautiful. To act this audaciously while lacking the face to back it up was practically asking for death.

Perhaps this world truly revolved around appearances. Had Jessica been a bit more attractive, maybe Kaguya would have shown her mercy. But given her looks, Kaguya felt entirely justified in showing none.

Now, with Jessica out of the way, there was only one left.

Ellen's heart raced as she took in Kaguya's cold stare and remembered the brutal way Jessica had been eliminated. Though Ellen's power far outclassed Jessica's, the ease with which Kaguya had dispatched her was deeply unsettling.

"Now, Ellen, it's your turn." Kaguya's flawless face held a faint smile. "I believe I warned you once before—anyone who dares stand in my way will die without hesitation. Do you remember?"

"You think you can beat me?" Ellen sneered, gripping her laser blade tightly, trying to steady herself. "I'm not the same as before."

"Oh, I see." Kaguya raised a brow, understanding dawning on her. "No wonder that woman's device seemed so powerful; I take it you've received some 'special upgrades' from the DEM Corporation. But, you know, even if I hadn't killed her, she probably wouldn't have survived past today."

"She chose this path herself," Ellen retorted, laughing coldly. "In fact, her hatred for you ran even deeper than mine."

"What a shame," Kaguya mocked. "Strength isn't built on hatred alone. And no amount of conviction can change the outcome. It's a sad truth, one that some people never understand until their dying breath. In the end, it might even be a mercy to spare her further suffering."

"Is that a threat?" Ellen's grip tightened as she glared at Kaguya. "Don't lump me in with that fool. I am nothing like her."

"That's too bad." Kaguya's lip curled into a wry smile. "Because to me, you're no different. Even if you're a 'larger' ant, it doesn't mean I'm about to give you any special treatment. Don't kid yourself."

"Then let's put that to the test!" Ellen gritted her teeth, standing firm. "I'll repay every humiliation I've suffered from you a hundredfold!"

"Oh, I admire your spirit." Kaguya's smile turned sly, a teasing glint in her eye. "If you mean that sort of 'humiliation,' I'd be more than happy to experience it again."

At Kaguya's playful tone and the double meaning in her words, Ellen's face flushed with anger. Biting her lip, she shouted, "Just you wait! I'll crush you beneath my feet, humiliate you so thoroughly that you'll beg for mercy!"

"Oh, why does that line sound so familiar?" Kaguya chuckled, tapping her chin thoughtfully. She vaguely recalled saying something similar herself in the past.

Ellen's face twisted further in anger, mistaking Kaguya's expression for deliberate mockery. With a sharp inhale, she gripped her laser blade and sprang forward with explosive force.

As she launched her attack, however, Ellen suddenly realized Kaguya was gone, seemingly vanishing into thin air. A chill of foreboding crept over her.

"Aren't you a little too quick to resort to violence?" A voice whispered hotly in her ear, catching her off guard. "Not very lady-like, don't you think, Ellen?"

Ellen's pupils shrank, startled. She swung her laser blade instinctively toward the voice, only for her wrist to be caught mid-swing.

"You seemed so confident, I thought you'd made considerable progress," Kaguya's voice was smooth, her breath warm against Ellen's ear. "But it seems your equipment may just be shoddy after all. Shall I check you over for faults?"

Feeling Kaguya's taunting warmth so close, Ellen's mind flashed back to past humiliations. Her fury surged anew, and a torrent of magic flared around her, manifesting in a mighty wave that radiated outward like a tsunami. Trees and foliage around her bowed under the pressure, some ripped from the ground entirely.

Yet, despite Ellen's impressive display of force, Kaguya held her effortlessly. Ellen couldn't escape her grasp no matter how much strength she poured into her resistance.

"Impressive magic," Kaguya remarked with a casual tone. "If I had to guess, I'd say you're up to about one-twentieth of my own power."

"One-twentieth?" Ellen's heart dropped as Kaguya's words registered. The notion that her strength was merely a fraction of this woman's was too much to bear.

But as Ellen looked into Kaguya's confident eyes, a sickening realization crept over her—Kaguya wasn't lying.

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