Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

Seiji decisively gave up on his weapon.

He now understood just how frightening this substance was after witnessing his longsword being completely devoured. It was just as Hoshi had warned them.

Everyone quickened their pace and ran out of the corridor, only to see that black sticky fluid was also everywhere in this next district!

“This direction!” Seiji pointed down where his locator spell indicated.

Suddenly, green mist started pouring out from the walls in front.

‘Damn it! More spiritual monsters are going to black our path!!’ Seiji had a terrible feeling about this.

However, this green mist didn’t form into spiritual monsters at all. Instead, it floated towards Hoshi and was absorbed by his right hand.

Hoshi felt his right hand heating up as the marking started glowing, as if it had just been filled by some type of energy.

Hoshi immediately reached an understanding and placed his hand on his bow, forming a green arrow of light.

He drew his bow, aimed, and fired!

*Shtick!* The green arrow of light shot into the sticky fluid figure, causing its gliding speed to slightly slow down.

“Attack now!”

Hearing this, Mika started shooting her gun and Hisashi shot out two thunderbolts!

*Plop plop…* The fluid monster made some disgusting noises as it took the attacks. Sticky fluid sprayed from its injuries as the human faces and arms on its body distorted and melted.

Evolved Mana Bullet! Seiji shot out a barrage of golden bullets.

*Boom!!* The Mana Bullets exploded brilliantly against the fluid monster, destroying part of its body.

‘Nice, it’s pretty effective.’ Something flashed in Seiji’s eyes as he had an idea.

“We need to leave now!” Hoshi shouted. “That thing is indestructible.”

Right after he said that, more gurgling sounds came from around them.

Everyone saw some more piles of sticky fluid starting to bubble and rapidly expand…

“Run!!”

‘Run, Forrest, run!’ Seiji couldn’t help but think that in his mind.

“Yomi, are these things related to Hell’s Aura?” Seiji then mentally asked his bonded female spirit a question.

“I’m not certain… they seem to have similar properties to Hell’s Aura. Be careful not to touch them,” Yomi responded.

“Can they be eliminated by Cleansing?”

“Directly attempting to Cleanse them will likely be ineffective. It would be more effective if you tried Cleansing when it’s weakened, such as when the young man there hit it with his arrow. However, I’m not sure if Cleansing would completely eliminate it or not.”

“What about Sealing?”

“I also don’t know if it would be effective.”

He would only be able to learn by trying. Seiji understood.

“I feel that the critical key to dealing with these magical beasts is that young man beside you. I advise you to seriously listen to what he has to say,” Yomi recommended.

“Of course.”

Seiji then looked towards Hoshi.

“Hoshi, you just mentioned that these things are indestructible…”

“Yeah. Even if you defeat them, they’ll be able to speedily form themselves again if there’s even a little piece of them left.”

“How did you know this?”

“I saw it…”

Hoshi mentioned what he saw in his illusions.

“If they’re indestructible, how about sealing them away or confining them instead? Would that work?” Seiji inquired.

“I don’t know…”

At this moment, Hoshi’s gaze suddenly focused in front of him. He had just witnessed another illusory scene. “It’s possible! But, a crystal is required.”

“Crystal?”

——

There was a giant ten-meter-wide red circle on the center of the ground in a wide sanctuary. A green crystal pillar stood right in the center of this red circle.

Kazuko had her eyes closed and was sealed within this pillar. She looked just like a sleeping beauty locked in ice.

Shika Kagura was currently sitting in front of this pillar with her eyes similarly closed as she was resting quietly.

After the Domain suddenly changed, she found Kazuko Ooike next to her in this green pillar, apparently having been sealed. Everyone else had disappeared.

Shika tried calling out to Kazuko, but there was no response. She then tried to break the pillar, but was unable to do so. Monsters then started appearing…

Black sticky fluid poured out of the cracks on the walls and rapidly expanded, forming into many humanoid figures!

Shika opened her eyes, stood up, and silently observed the black humanoid figures gliding towards her.

Once the sticky fluid figures got within a certain distance, a faint green glow started emitting from the crystal pillar.

These sticky fluid figures’ movements were greatly slowed by this light.

Sealing spell, “Snow Freeze”!

Shika cast a sealing spell which summoned dense blue mist in midair that froze all the humanoid figures solid!

If these were ordinary spiritual monsters, she would only have to use “Ice Shatter” next to defeat them. However, these sticky humanoid figures were quite out of the ordinary.

Even while frozen solid, they still continued to wriggle. Several were soon about to break out of the ice!

Defense spell, “Ice Wall”!

A thick wall of ice appeared out of nowhere and blocked these humanoid figures.

Freezing and obstructing their progress… Shika repeatedly used Snow Freeze and Ice Wall to prevent the enemy monsters from getting too close.

Under the green light’s illumination, these fluid monsters gradually stiffened. The red circle on the ground then started glowing as it absorbed the stiffened humanoid figures. Black runic lines swirled around inside the circle which then gradually transformed red again.

Some time later, all the humanoid fluid figures had been absorbed into the red circle on the ground. The circle had now somewhat expanded in size.

It was impossible to destroy these humanoid figures. They could only be sealed by the circle.

Shika had received a message from Kazuko when these monsters first attacked. Shika learned how dangerous they were, along with the only method on how to deal with them.

These sticky fluid monsters were everywhere outside! And, it was impossible to move Kazuko, so the two of them could only wait here.

Kazuko didn’t explain to Shika why things became like this. Kazuko’s current condition was such that sending any message would require a huge amount of energy, and she needed to conserve as much power as possible.

Shika was really worried about Seiji. However, she knew that she needed to remain calm and silently wait for him here, as she believed that he would be able to find him.

Time continued to pass like this.

After dealing with two more waves of sticky fluid monsters, Shika heard some faint footsteps.

The petite girl suddenly stood up and looked in the sound’s direction. Her originally calm breathing suddenly became hurried as she puckered her lips and clenched her fists…

“Shika-chan!”

Right after that, a familiar voice, familiar way of addressing her, and familiar figure appeared in her line of sight!

“Brother…”

At this instant, Shika almost cried at the sight.

Just as she’d believed and hoped, he arrived safe to find her.

Meanwhile, Seiji was similarly greatly relieved to find that his adopted younger sister was still alright.

Although he believed in Shika’s strength, and the locator spell indicated that she was safe, he couldn’t help but still worry about her, especially after meeting the sticky fluid monsters in this district.

Now, he could finally rest assured. But, he also saw the green crystal pillar at the same time in which Kazuko was embedded. Seiji couldn’t help but widen his eyes.

What exactly was this situation!?

“That’s it!” Hoshi exclaimed. “This type of crystal can seal those monsters—but why is Ooike-san inside it!?”

Mika and Hoshi were also astonished. Why did Kazuko become “locked in a pillar!?”

“We can talk about the situation later! If this crystal can help us deal with those damned monsters, just go ahead and use it, Hoshi!” Seiji shouted.

A tremendous number of sticky fluid figures were chasing right after them! It seemed like a scene right out of a horror movie.

“Okay…”

Hoshi ran up to the pillar and placed his right hand on the crystal. His hand immediately began to glow green.

“Amami-san…”

“Ooike-san?”

Hoshi heard Kazuko’s voice… no, he sensed her will!