The Price of Power: Isabella’s Escape and Tia’s New Allure

“Heh heh,” Isabella chuckled darkly, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. “Magic Sword, what does your formidable strength truly matter? Even if you slay countless demons, can you truly protect her?”

‘Her? Who could Isabella possibly be referring to? Was it Yilan, or perhaps…?’

Chloe’s confusion mounted. Raising her gaze to Tia, who stood nearby, she found herself momentarily paralyzed by the chilling aura emanating from her.

With eyes blazing in furious indignation, Tia unleashed another arc of sword light. This one, far more tempestuous than its predecessor, was a spectacle that struck fear into the hearts of all who beheld it.

With considerable difficulty, Isabella evaded the attack, scrambling amidst tendrils of dark energy, before swiftly darting towards the unconscious Xiaolan.

“Until we meet again~”

Blowing a playful kiss as she vanished, Isabella dragged Xiaolan into a swirling vortex of black mist, making a clean escape.

“Tia?”

Observing Tia, whose anger seemed to intensify rather than abate, Chloe hesitated for a moment before tentatively extending a small hand to touch her.

“Don’t touch me!”

With a sharp “smack,” Chloe’s small hand was abruptly batted aside.

“Ugh…” Chloe murmured, lowering her head as she cradled her reddened hand.

It must have been Yilan Isabella was referring to. For Tia to be so easily provoked, just how significant was Yilan’s place in her heart? As Chloe pondered this, an unexpected feeling of injustice began to fester within her. A strange discomfort settled in, but why?

Yet, a peculiar joy also stirred. If Yilan held such an exalted position in Tia’s heart, then I, who indirectly led to Yilan’s demise, must also occupy a similarly pivotal role. In this way, our destinies are inextricably linked, albeit through a complicated bond.

Hehe~ As long as we’re bound together, the how doesn’t matter.

Watching the peculiar interaction between the two, and the strange smile gracing Chloe’s face, Night Moon’s keen intuition picked up on numerous unsettling details.

It was perplexing. Weren’t Senior Tia and Chloe supposed to be on good terms? Why did Senior Tia appear so furious with Chloe? And what exactly did that witch mean by her parting words?

Senior Magic Sword was so incredibly powerful; it’s impossible to believe any demon could wrest anything from her grasp. Once more, Night Moon felt like the sole outsider, completely in the dark, with countless perplexing questions tangling together like a chaotic web.

“Chloe, are you alright?” Night Moon couldn’t help but interject. “Your smile… it seems a little peculiar.”

The smile itself resembled that of a villain reveling in a successful scheme, yet her tear-filled eyes betrayed a profound sadness. These two disparate emotions seemed utterly incongruous on the same face, starkly contradicting the innocent image Chloe had always presented.

Prompted by the remark, Chloe quickly composed herself, reverting to the innocent girl Night Moon knew.

“What’s wrong? I’m fine.”

“Alright.”

Night Moon found it awkward to press further. After all, with Senior Magic Sword constantly by Chloe’s side, what genuine trouble could possibly befall her? Her thoughts suddenly drifted to Sera, still slumped unconscious in the corner.

“I’ll go check on Sera first,” Night Moon declared. “She is a magical girl, after all, and it wouldn’t do for anything untoward to happen to her.”

“Alright~ Then Tia and I will head back first. Take care of yourself.”

Chloe smiled, waved her hand, then cast her gaze towards Tia.

“Let’s go home. I have something to tell you.”

Tia appeared somewhat calmer, yet Chloe, discerning the subtle glint in her eyes, knew that trouble likely still awaited her once they returned home.

Upon their return, no sooner had they stepped into the living room than Tia decisively locked the door.

“Master, is there something you wish to tell Chloe?”

Chloe, casting a timid glance at the displeased Tia, remembered the unique way she addressed her when they were home alone.

Tia offered no reply. Instead, she simply raised her right hand, splaying four fingers, and, under Chloe’s astonished gaze, released a faint, ethereal wisp of black energy.

“This is… Isabella’s demonic energy?”

“You guessed correctly. There’s a reward waiting.”

It had been quite some time, but Chloe suddenly recalled the origin of Tia’s horrifying tentacles—that uncanny ability, entirely unsuited for a magical girl.

“You intend to… absorb Isabella’s abilities? But…”

“Precisely,” Tia confirmed. “Isabella, the Bewitching Witch. While her raw combat strength may not rank among the foremost witches, her abilities are remarkably unique. To not absorb them would be a regrettable waste.”

Isabella’s abilities? Could it be!?

On that grassy expanse, the memory of her near-unconscious state, yet her vivid sensation of ants gnawing at her entire body, still sent a shudder of lingering dread through her even now. Such an ability would undeniably exert a tremendous impact on an enemy’s mental fortitude. But if the opponent’s strength proved equal to her own, would such an ability still yield any significant effect? Naturally, against an opponent weaker than oneself, the effects would be truly remarkable. Chloe herself was living proof of this.

However, what was the most pressing concern for Chloe herself? Considering that Tia had first unleashed her newly acquired tentacle ability upon Chloe, it stood to reason that once she mastered Isabella’s captivating charm…

“I’ll just use the restroom first…”

“Don’t you dare run.”

Chloe, attempting to discreetly make her escape, found herself firmly seized by the nape of her neck. It seemed an arduous battle was now utterly unavoidable. Resigned, she stood obediently to the side, observing Tia as she absorbed the swirling black energy.

The conduit through which Tia absorbed abilities was her magic sword, a weapon of ominous black and crimson, intricately engraved with dense, labyrinthine runes. Once connected to Tia’s flowing magical power, it pulsed with a rhythmic ebb and flow of light and shadow, as though breathing. Though the sword bore the grand title of “Demon-Slaying Sword,” its sinister appearance was utterly incongruous with the image of a magical girl’s weapon. Indeed, it would have seemed far more fitting as the armament of some fearsome demon.

Tia held the sword aloft in one hand, while with the other, she meticulously controlled the wispy black energy, pressing it against the blade. The black energy, much like water drawn to a hydrophilic surface, instantly flowed along the sword’s intricate patterns and seamlessly melded into its form.

“Ah~”

Chloe had always harbored a strong desire to voice her complaints about this particular aspect of the process.

Could there be some sensitive component on the sword, perhaps linked directly to her neural pathways? Or was the sword itself an extension of her own body? While I can’t fathom the sensation of absorbing such essences, I can’t help but wonder why it elicits such peculiar vocalizations!

Tragically, Chloe mused, once Tia’s cries subsided, it would likely be her own turn to make some noise.

As the black energy contained only a modest amount of power, Tia swiftly completed the absorption process. Once it was complete, Tia appeared thoroughly refreshed, her strength visibly ascending another tier. This enhancement also subtly altered her demeanor. While the previous Tia had always maintained a cool, reserved aura, she now exuded an added touch of allure, reminiscent of a high mountain snow lotus—captivatingly beautiful without a hint of frivolity.

Could the nature of the influence be determined by the style of the ability’s previous wielder?

Chloe’s thoughts suddenly delved into an even more profound consideration.

If this were the case, to what extent would such an influence truly manifest? Would it merely affect external appearances, or would it penetrate deep into her very personality? Furthermore, does her absorption ability possess any inherent boundaries? If she continues to absorb endlessly, and her identity as a magical girl becomes completely diluted, could she still truly be called one? Could she even be considered human at all?