/jp/ - Otaku Culture

-Chapter 5-
Marisa piloted the Doll drone as she kept the view of Mima and the Big-Mini-Hakkero Artillery and Shield Drone. Okina’s advance warning about the destruction of the human village by an interdimensional tree.

Alice made this sort of thing look far easier than it was, but at least she didn’t have barrier duty and was actually doing something despite being several months pregnant.

Sending one of the drones over the forest she searched for Seiga, unlike her master who still had to maintain the barrier in person she was free to keep looking for the wicked hermit.

Looking over the expanse of the forest of magic, Marisa distantly hoped that she wouldn’t find Seiga so close to her position, but she gasped as she saw Seiga’s reforming body. hairpin in place as it shambled away, underneath the tree cover. She’d found her target.

--

Seiga pushed off the ground with her one hand, her other arm had only gotten up to its elbow, sending herself into flight as her hermit arts continued to work their magic, returning Seiga from nothing.

Smiling to herself she counted her losses. While she hadn’t sensed Yoshika’s death it was unlikely she’d escaped with that Vengeful Spirit prowling about.
Sighing to herself she surveyed her surroundings, the forest of magic wasn’t optimal. But at least it wasn’t the bamboo forest of the lost, or youkai mountain. Really she should’ve made her escape earlier but doing so would put her too much at risk of being captured by her erstwhile ally.

“So, this is where you got off to.” Seiga spun around, as the voice broke through the silence of the forest.

“Ah, miss Kamishirasawa.” The Hakutaku stood in the shade of a tree, an ornamental-looking scabbard strapped to her hip.Stalking as she draws her sword, the steel soundlessly exiting its scabbard and her eyes burning with barely concealed fury. “I would apologize, but we both know I’m not sorry about what’s coming next.”

“Likewise.”

Seiga gave her a false smile, and took a moment to remind herself that she didn't have to win, just get another opening to escape.

Seiga pushed backwards, weaving through the trees as Keine broke into a dead sprint, slicing clean through the obstacles in her way with her blade.

Seiga continued fleeing until she reached a clearing in the trees. Large and circular, here she had enough room to move and nothing to obstruct her, unlike in the forest where the schoolteacher could effortlessly slice through the trees around her, here Seiga had a chance of escape.

It took only seconds for Keine to emerge from the brush. Sword out and ready for battle before meeting eyes with the wicked hermit and continuing her rapid attacks.
Seiga dodges Keine's swipes as the Hakataku lunges forward, ready to hit back with a laser of her own. It was rather unfortunate her opponent was one skilled in melee combat, she was significantly more fleshy than her last one and would likely find a hole in the abdomen more than an inconvenience.

Suddenly though, her momentum stopped.
The word ambush jumped to mind as she felt a laser hit her in the back of the head, sending her towards Keine. Seiga panicked while trying to maintain her expression, firing off a laser while sending her arm forward to intercept Keine’s sword.

Keine’s sword bit into Saiga’s arm, but she onlt distantly registered the sensation of pain as a Danmaku bullet hit her in the back. In return, Seiga swiped Forward with her claw-like nails, hardening them with magic.

Keine jumped back from Seiga’s swipe, disengaging and reliving Seiga of the sword's painful pressure. Only for Seiga to feel another laser impact her head, forcing its momentum onto the rest of her body as she flew through the air, landing against the trunk of a tree.
Seiga’s eyes widened as out of the corner of her eye she saw a second doll standing on the branch of another tree branch, dressed like Marisa and holding her mini-hakkero in her hand. Seiga tried to dodge, but couldn’t the hit from the other doll had already sent her on her course and there was nothing she could do in such a weakened state; momentum carried her to the edge of Keine’s blade.

For a split second Seiga's face broke out into panic and then horror as it was severed from her neck.

She tried to right herself as her head momentarily flew through the air, only for her vision to distort and then freeze as a barrier erected itself around her.
“Hah! Gotchu!” The Marisa doll exclaimed, holding the time-locked barrier Seiga’s head was trapped inside.

Keine nodded to Marisa as she approached. “Yes, but now isn't the time for celebration, as long as Yukari is free justice hasn't been done.”

Marisa made the doll bob its head in agreement. “Don't worry, I'll move her to my house for the time being, you can go the the Myouren temple to help them with the villagers.”
Keine nodded in agreement, sheathing her sword before turning away from Marisa.
Much would had to be done.