When Ellen and Artemisia arrived at the site of the spacequake, what appeared before them was a hell far beyond common sense.
Thick dark clouds swallowed the sun.
Endless snow buried the city.
A cruel cold drifted through the air.
Streets, flowers, grass, skyscrapers—everything within sight had been sealed in ice, turning into pale-white ice sculptures.
Rather than a spring day in March, Artemisia was more willing to believe this was the Antarctic in winter.
"This is horrible..."
Using her Territory to keep out the cold, Artemisia looked at the city of ice and snow with a grave expression.
Holding onto a faint hope, Artemisia tried to use her instrunts to search for life signs in the city.
But as expected, there was not a single survivor.
"No survivors..."
Artemisia bit her teeth in guilt.
"Of course. With cold this intense, even a Wizard would die in seconds after entering if their Territory were not strong enough."
After answering calmly, Ellen looked forward.
With the help of her Territory, her vision pierced through the blizzard and successfully caught sight of the Spirit.
"Seventeen kiloters ahead. Inverse Hermit confird. As expected of an Inverse. To think it could raise the destructive power of a danger level B Spirit to this extent... Ike?"
Ellen tried to report through her earpiece.
However, what answered her was only a burst of irregular static.
(The communication is cut off... Is it because of this blizzard? Or is it Ryougi Yutsuki's interference?)
Thinking that, Ellen could not help furrowing her brows. She looked at Artemisia and spoke sharply.
"Artemisia, do not waste your feelings on aningless things during a mission. Start confirming Hacker's location."
"...Yes! Beginning search for matching spirit power wavelength!"
Taking a strong breath, Artemisia activated her spirit power detector and began searching for Hacker's manifestation point.
However, the search went unexpectedly smoothly.
In only a few seconds, she locked onto the other party's spirit wave.
(Strange...)
Artemisia felt sothing was off.
Although there was no mistake in the spirit power wavelength, the reaction of the spirit wave was far too normal.
Even in the middle of Hermit's freezing hell, the other party's spirit power showed not the slightest disorder. It was steady, almost like breathing.
"Artemisia, raise your guard. This may be Hacker's trap."
Clearly, Ellen had also noticed the abnormality and warned her.
One kiloter...
One hundred ters...
Fifty ters...
Ten ters.
Like that, the two passed through the violent blizzard and arrived at the source of the spirit power reaction.
"This is...?"
Ellen could not help showing a confused expression.
What appeared before her eyes was not that hateful Spirit, but a clear blue-white gemstone.
Blue white electric light spilled out from the surface of the gem, forming a barrier that kept out the blizzard as it quietly floated in the air.
"This is... Ryougi Yutsuki's Sephira Crystal?"
Ellen said in confusion.
The two completely matching spirit power waves on the display answered her question.
As far as she knew, unless a special ritual was used to condense the spirit power inside a Spirit into a crystal, there was only one possible reason for a Sephira Crystal to appear—
The host's death.
(Did she die in battle against Hermit?)
Ellen guessed in her heart.
Although Hermit was nothing more than a mindless monster to her, for Yutsuki, it had once been a companion.
Losing her life because she hesitated and grew careless was not impossible.
"Forget it... In any case, I will recover the Sephira Crystal."
Although sowhat disappointed, Ellen adjusted her mood and recovered Ryougi Yutsuki's Sephira Crystal.
"All right. Sephira Crystal recovery complete. Artemisia, next we prepare to subjugate Hermit."
"..."
"Artemisia?"
Seeing her subordinate remain silent since earlier, Ellen could not help feeling puzzled.
"This light... I rember it..."
Suddenly, Artemisia muttered with empty eyes.
"Listen carefully, Artemisia Bell Ashcroft. The current you has forgotten sothing very important."
(An important... thing?)
Artemisia asked in confusion toward the unfamiliar voice in her mind.
"That's right. Don't you think it is strange? You clearly ca to Japan with your companions. So why were you the only one who ended up working for DEM?"
(...It is strange... Ashley, Leonora, Cecil... We clearly said we would co together... but they suddenly went back to England.)
"Mm. That is the proof. You forgot mories about important companions. And——when you see this light again, you will rember the mories you lost."
(Forgotten... mories?)
"And then, you, who now know the "truth," will be swallowed by anger and hatred——"
"Ah... ah... ah..."
The sharp pain coming from her mind made Artemisia hold her head and let out a groan.
"What is wrong? Artemisia? Are you under attack?"
"El... Ellen..."
Artemisia slowly and painfully raised her head, looking at her confused coworker.
Then, in an instant, scene after scene of unfamiliar images appeared in her mind.
Ashley Sinclair.
Leonora Sears.
Cecil O'Brien.
Her three companions were chased down by soone and cruelly killed with a light blade.
And the person wielding that light blade was none other than the strongest Wizard before her eyes—
Ellen Mira Mathers.
"Was it you? The one who killed everyone... I cannot forgive you."
"Hm? What are you talking about?"
Ellen said, confused.
However, before she could understand the situation, Artemisia drew her sword, Arondight, and rcilessly swung it toward Ellen's neck.
Relying on her rich battle experience and reaction speed, Ellen instantly retreated the mont Artemisia swung her blade.
Although she did not die, because it had happened so suddenly, Artemisia's high-speed slash still cut through Ellen's armor and left a shallow wound.
"Have you gone mad?! Artemisia?!"
Looking at the other party in disbelief, Ellen shouted in both shock and anger.
"Shut up! I will never forgive you! You! Westcott! Everyone in DEM, go die!!!"
Roaring with bloody tears flowing from her eyes, Artemisia chased after Ellen and launched a fierce attack.
Hearing Artemisia's words, Ellen widened her eyes in surprise.
(What is going on... Was the brainwashing undone?——No, was it altered?)
Ellen guessed in her heart.
"Artemisia, wake up! You have fallen into Ryougi Yutsuki's trap——"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up! Die!"
"Tch——"
Looking at Artemisia, who had clearly lost her mind, Ellen could not help clicking her tongue. With no other choice, she could only fight and maneuver around her while thinking of a solution.
And then, at that mont, the wireless communication that had been cut off suddenly ca back.
[This is terrible! Executive Mathers!]
"What happened? I am busy right now. Hurry and get Ike over here!"
Ellen urged anxiously.
[Director Westcott has been killed!]
"Wh——"
In an instant, Ellen's movents froze from the sudden shock.
Naturally, Artemisia did not miss that opening.
She gripped her sword tightly and rushed into Ellen's chest. The sharp blade directly pierced through Ellen's body.
"Guhh——"
Ellen imdiately spat out a large amount of blood.
"Hahaha! I did it! I did it! I avenged everyone! Hahaha——"
There was no trace of the elegant, graceful young lady she usually was.
At this mont, Artemisia was like a madwoman, letting out joyous laughter.
[All right. For the sake of making the world a little cleaner, please go to underworld together with Westcott.]
"——!?"
Hearing the voice in the wireless communication suddenly change, Ellen's eyes widened sharply.
After realizing the other party's true identity, she roared with a twisted expression.
"Ryou! Gi! Yu——"
"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
However, at that sa mont, a pitch black giant snow rabbit carrying a small Inverse Spirit suddenly poked its head out from the blizzard and opened its blood red mouth toward Ellen and Artemisia. (TL: yeah kill that b*tch yoshino)
—Crunch.
In the next mont, the sound of the world was once again buried by the blizzard.
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