CHAPTER 126: UNLEASH THE CATGIRL! (FEATURING: NYREL’S REVEAL)

Even as they complained, a melodic on-turn beat played out.

The roots that banged at Owl Knight’s shield stuttered, screeching ice ground to a halt as the Erdtree’s rage slowly subsided.

Then they flopped onto the ice, out of strength and will to fight, the tune of Calm occupying their minds.

Such was the power of mere Adept-ranked summons.

Mel nodded approvingly before patting the Clowns, her sole palm nudging against the two hats sparingly as the other’s grip remained on the staff.

"I see..." Nyrel sighed, the breeze reverberating. "I’m no match after all. To... to a Witch whose sin I have even yet to know."

"Oh?"

Mel’s lips curled to an ’o’ shape. "What do you mean by not knowing my sin?"

Curious. She assumed the game’s seven sins design to be common sense amongst the populace.

So was her presence... not prophesied by ’her’ at all?

[ Mel! To your right! ]

The thought of the confused witch was cut off as she let go of her staff.

With a little smile, she uttered.

"Echo Series: Sonic Ascendence."

A sudden flash passed, her fingertips raised-

And caught it in between her fingers.

Mel observed, knife thrown out of mid-air, with no cracks in the space that surrounded her.

She glanced at the knife, its tip dressed in a glowy green poison, now stayed afloat without any force put into it.

Something... was off.

[ Good one, Mel! But don’t let your guard down yet! ]

[ That child... that child’s trick was never so easy to crack! ]

Mel, of course, knew; Nyrel was ever cunning and arrogant in her scheme.

Eying her Eagle Knight, she then heard the Necromage taunting her again.

"How... impressive." She panted out, a pretend exhaustion. "To think that your Buff would serve so well as defense..."

Space... right, Space.

Nyrel was ever a cautious person; stubborn and arrogant, yes, but cautious when her life was at stake.

But judging by her Airship plan to humiliate Maria and kidnap her, Mel dared to observe another trait...

Her daringness. More accurately, she is willing to take absolute risks for bold plans with potentially significant losses.

Mel took a deep breath to inhale the cold wind, imagining Lila’s magic by her side calmed her down.

"Owl Knight." She mutttered. "On my right."

Without words, the massive Knight sprinted-

SLASH!

And sliced arc at the spot where the first dagger was...

...only for another knife, almost nearing Mel’s neck, to be flung out.

Footsteps were now heard loud and clear as a figure jumped back and back, until a certain distance, when she stopped, clouds kicking up as her boots grazed the ice in a hurry.

"I knew it."

Mel put a V-sign with a foxy smile. "You assume I know your ability to control Space, so you try introducing a new element into your scheme."

With the Invisibility spell. Or, an artifact that was capable of it.

"Those speeches you used with Telepathy were not mere taunts." Mel complimented. "They were misdirection to lead me to believe you’re in other realms."

By projecting her voice into the air rather than speaking out loud, Mel would have automatically assumed her to be in another dimension.

Those ’third-rate’ villain speeches added flair; a layer of an obvious puzzle to distract Mel, only to hide her true intent.

Except... for one small mistake.

"You’re waiting for this, aren’t you?"

She sighed. "I always know it. Unlike your Master, you don’t have true Mastery over your Space."

Squinting her surroundings, Mel’s voice grew mocking.

"Honestly? If you allow your Underling for the last hit with a strong enough dagger, it could injure me gravely, I would’ve guessed."

Winds fluttered as Mel sat loosely on the Kabroom, her gaze locked onto the invisible figure ahead.

Then, as if giving up her advantage, that person... or Nyrel revealed herself, her hands sliding off the hood.

Mel’s heart drummed a little as she glanced at the ghostly beauty she was supposed to hate.

Her lady’s body was draped in a green hood and cloak, a simple grey dress clung to her large breasts and wide hips, a voluptuous figure that resembled her Master’s.

Skeleton arm and skull covered her left half, yet her orange hair remained intact as her right half was adorned with immaculate features.

The right ruby eye, the Necromage’s only eye, stared at Mel, flickering with complication.

"My Underling?" Nyrel chortled. "They don’t deserve to stand at the same stage as ours, Mel Sakura."

And with a sweep of her arm, the black magic circle spread like battalions.

"I may be the weakest amongst the four," she gritted her teeth, before shaking her head. "But my Pride still stood for my schemes and numbers."

Her sole ruby eye narrowed fiercely. "I promise I will deliver unto you a challenge, Witch."

Then, Undeads wobbled out, hundreds of them.

Expert liches cloaked in black hoods, hugging skeleton staffs with eerie love.

Adept Undead Knights trodding on the ice, attempting not to slip on their clumsiness.

Apprentice armoured Archers and skeletons with rough bows and clubs, tinnier than the Knights, cluttered together behind their higher-ranked Undeads.

All of them shielded Nyrel, hiding her from plain sight.

Mel tapped her chin, contemplating.

Is that truly it? This feels... too simple.

From the start, Nyrel spoke as if she knew winning was impossible, as even Lila’s magic could reach here without a doubt.

So, her purpose was only to stall, then.

...but to stall for... what?

The question plagued Mel’s mind as she sighed.

"No matter."

With a staff stretched out, her other palm tapped the hilt in a solemn focus.

"I will leave Partner to crush your scheme right after."

She trusted in Maria; what she couldn’t figure out, her Partner would ultimately.

"Summon"

She smiled with a genuine reprieve.

"Owl-Knights. Steel Talons. Violin Clowns."

And with a single more breath, she grinned.

"Nyxia."

That single name? It had already decided the battle would be over in a flash.