[A few moments before I interrupted the commotion]
"It's time, isn't it?"
I looked down — right into the black cat's eyes.
『Indeed』
The same deep, feminine voice echoed in my head, and I smiled.
"Before we go, give me all your powers."
The black cat blinked at me.
『What?』
I crossed my arms, gaze steady on her.
"I said, give. me. your. powers."
My voice stayed soft, though the hint of impatience was recognizable.
『Fine. Give me your hand.』
I crouched down and extended it. The cat's paw landed on my palm.
It felt soft... and warm.
『Just so you know, having our powers comes at a price.』
The cat's voice broke my focus as I felt her paw twitch.
"What is there in this world that doesn't have a price?"
My black eyes locked onto hers, making her jolt.
『I'm just saying — just as having Lya as your mascot raises your humility, fighting spirit, and kindness...
We, instead, take something away — and enhance a negative trait.』
Hearing that, I only laughed.
"So be it."
I closed my eyes, feeling a warm energy flow from her paw into my body.
It was comforting — at first.
Then, the warmth grew. Warmer... and warmer, until it no longer was comforting.
My hands felt it first — a searing, burning pain, as if magma flowed through my veins.
It slithered deeper, and I could feel every nerve scream in agony.
I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out.
To any onlooker, I probably looked like an owner happily playing with their pet.
But in reality? I was in deep torment.
I don't know how long it lasted.
When I looked around, time itself seemed to have slowed.
Was it because of my suffering?
Am I dying? Did I really die from a mere trial?
I gritted my teeth, glaring at the black cat — and suddenly, she lifted her paw from my hand.
『Done. I gave you all my powers.』
The moment her paw left, it felt as though a massive boulder had been lifted off me.
I couldn't help but pant.
"I don't feel any different, though."
I wiped sweat from my face, stood up, and tidied my clothes.
『You'll see soon enough.』
As I followed her toward a nearby park, something felt… different.
At first, I thought nothing had changed — but I was wrong.
My body felt lighter.
And above all, I had this hunch — a strange, vivid feeling — that if I willed it, the grass before me could wilt—
My eyes widened as I watched a patch of grass actually wither.
「Amazing… am I some sort of Goddess now?」
That thought didn't sound so bad. A smile crept across my face.
"Hey, cat — your powers seem amazing."
I joked, placing both hands behind my back as I followed the black cat.
『But of course. I'm the most high, after all.
My powers are of the 「shadows」— anything that has shadows, you can command.
Anything will rot and wither if you so desire.』
My black eyes shimmered as I heard those words.
"So you gave me all your power, huh?"
I tilted my head to the side.
『Naturally. I'd fear for my own life if I didn't.』
"Pfft…"
I couldn't help but laugh at the black cat's words.
"That's true."
I winked — though, due to the height difference, it probably couldn't be seen by the cat.
Before I knew it, we reached a part of the park where not many people came.
I followed the cat into the bushes, then to the back of the female restroom.
『Wait a sec.』
The black cat began a chant — a cantation. I didn't know what the words meant.
Probably because it was all,
"nya~☆ nya nya~ nya!"
Though I made light of the situation, there was no doubt that what was happening was… fascinating.
A black array with strange symbols formed on the wall of the restroom, slowly beginning to rotate.
The air around me turned cold, and that same feeling of dread filled my senses.
The cat told me she'd given me all her power — yet the fact that she could chant meant that, even weakened, she was still capable of simple spells.
The array spun faster and faster until I caught glimpses of something beyond it — a barren landscape, though I couldn't see it clearly.
I waited a moment longer. The array now spun so fast that what lay beyond became clear.
I was right — it was a barren wasteland. Everything was withering.
No grass.
No trees.
Just drought.
『Step in.』
The cat's voice rang in my head.
"I know your faction's failing, but living in a wasteland? That's just sad."
I mocked the cat with a smirk. I could feel her trembling in anger.
『Just step in, you smug bi—』
"Careful what you say, cat."
My black eyes turned into haunting voids as I stared at her.
『I–I'm sorry. Please, just step in. It's not what it seems.』
"Hmph."
I flipped my hair and crossed my arms as I entered the portal. What's so great about having a barren wasteland as a base?
Now I knew why these imbeciles were losing.
But I quickly ate my words as I stepped through — and saw a looming castle not too far away.
It was towering. Grand. It evoked a sense of grandeur I couldn't quite place.
And more than that — it felt as though it was mine.
Something this magnificent could only belong to someone equally beautiful.
My lips curled into a smile as I placed a finger to them.
「I wonder who my subordinates are… I can't wait to see that black, pathetic bunny again.」
———
It wasn't that long of a walk — decent exercise, honestly.
Thankfully, I'd appeared quite close to the castle. So walking wasn't much of a pain.
As I walked, I took in its beauty. The closer I got, the faster my heart beat.
Eventually, the black cat and I reached the entrance. When I opened the doors, my eyes widened.
The interior was the complete opposite of the wasteland outside. Clean. Lit by candles and chandeliers.
This could easily rival the five-star dorm I'm staying in.
『Welcome. This is our base. Since our operations were severely hindered, we took the time to… clean up a bit. We also bought furniture. Had nothing better to do.』
Huh.
Even mascots get bored.
"Where'd you get the money to keep this place running? You know — electricity, furniture…"
The cat looked at me and winked. …Why did it wink? Hey, answer me, don't just keep walking!
Fine. My guess? Daylight robbery.
『We have jobs, you know.』
What?
What the fuck?
I stared at the cat like she'd lost her mind.
『We have human forms.』
Oh. That makes sense—MY ASS! How does that make sense?! You mean to tell me some random human I meet could be a mascot?!
『Maybe.』
"Hey. Stop reading my mind."
I pouted.
『Sorry.』
"You better be."
I narrowed my eyes at the cat.
From the windows, I noticed clouds gathering, followed by rain and thunder.
Has the world finally realized its mistake?
Is it crying because someone with the potential to be a magical girl turned to evil?
Or is the thunder applauding — that someone finally decided to shake the world from its stagnation?
I couldn't help but smile.
But that smile vanished when I heard voices as the cat guided me forward.
Not calm discussion — arguments.
Discord.
Not what I'd expected.
Then—
"Foolish. Why should we be afraid of some mortal?"
Oh?
My lips curled into a smile. My black eyes, devoid of light.
They still underestimated me.
Anger surged inward, then outward.
The air grew heavy.
Cold.
Exactly as I intended.
I took a deep breath, smiled my practiced smile, and opened the door.
If will is needed to wield this power… then I should make a grand entrance, shouldn't I?
The moment the door opened, countless dark silhouettes of animals turned toward me — some trembling, some curious, some hostile.
That changed the moment I took my first step.
The ground cracked with the shockwave of killing intent.
Another step — the rain above froze.
Another — and fear spread like wildfire.
They couldn't even look at me now.
Eyes glued to the floor.
My lips curled into a deep, predatory smile.
"Why should you be afraid, you ask?"
I leaned closer, hands behind my back, face mere millimeters from the black form of a fox.
My voice — usually comforting — dripped with malice.
"Because— Veni, Vidi, Vici."
My smile widened.
Colder.
Crueler.
Then I turned to face the crowd.
"I am now your new leader. I wield power over your pathetic lives. Let it be known that I—"
I paused.
I couldn't give them my real name.
They didn't deserve it.
"—that I, Caelumbra, am now your master. Whether you like it or not."
I swiped my hand.
"Such arrogance! Even if you wield the power of the 『Most High』, it doesn't mean we accept you!"
The silhouette of a wolf retorted — and the others agreed.
Any normal person would've felt pressured.
Maybe even cried.
But me?
I felt nothing.
My smile never wavered.
With a snap of my fingers, a thunderous bang erupted. The mascots flinched, covering their ears.
When they looked again, gasps filled the room — the wolf was gone.
Only a pulsing black blob remained.
"How could you!"
A shadow in the shape of a dog barked at me.
"How could I? Fufu… No, how could you?"
I retorted sharply.
"I am your only salvation, yet you greet me with hostility. No wonder — no wonder — your faction fails again and again."
I clicked my tongue.
"As punishment for your mockery, I command you all to surrender your power to me. Oh—except for this black bunny right here."
I smiled, pointing at IXX, standing alone in the middle of the room.
The black rabbit looked at me, eyes glimmering with hope. Fufu. What a pathetic bunny.
The room erupted once more with noise—
『Enough.』
I whispered, and silence followed.
"I won't repeat myself. As I move to the center of this room, you will extract your power and give it to me."
Without waiting for a response, I began walking — slowly — toward the center, where IXX stood.
"Leave this room for now,"
I whispered to the bunny.
Luckily, it seemed to have gotten smart this time. It nodded, then slipped through the wall and vanished.
After confirming that the black bunny was gone, I proceeded toward the center.
Where I could see every mascot.
And every mascot could see me.
「Perfect」
I thought to myself.
"Now, give me all your powers."
I spread my arms, ready to take it all.
And one by one, the mascots began to shoot beams of light at me. It was painful — it felt like my flesh was being impaled.
But if this means I become more powerful... so be it!
"Do you lot know why you failed?"
I said through gritted teeth.
"Because while you have sought fear from humanity... that is all you could do."
I smiled as blood trickled from my mouth, more mascots firing beams at me from every possible angle.
"You may have moved an era, you may have pushed humanity to the brink — but that is what you are.
Only a mover.
And like any causation, movers eventually stop... becoming stagnant."
I laughed as I coughed up blood. I looked down — my hands were red. I was terrified. But I needed to keep my act.
"But unlike you pathetic creatures... I am human. If anything knows malice more, it is I. If anything knows pain more — it is I."
Blood flowed from my eye sockets. All I could see was red, but still... my mouth moved regardless.
"Let it be known unto thee... I will be the unmoved mover — the prime mover of life. That is I."
One by one, the youma mascots stopped shooting their beams of power.
Until the final beam — the one that pierced my chest — faded away.
"Hah... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHA! I will purify all the vile, stagnating, pathetic creatures.
I will see to it."
I suddenly felt lightheaded. I tried to stand my ground — but alas, even if I willed it, my body could not.
I fell, lying on the cold floor, as my body grew colder — the warmth of my own blood blanketing me.
"「Most High」, we've got ourselves an insane woman, ribbit."
The silhouette of a frog hopped toward the black cat.
『Indeed. But we no longer have the cards. Perhaps if our collective sane minds aren't enough...
Maybe what we need aren't conventional techniques.
But something only a woman with no hope for the world could do.』