"...It seems she wasn't fooled by a bone like in the Grimms' Fairy Tales."
After a moment of silence, Itsuki spoke.
The Main World also has Grimms' Fairy Tales. Although she didn't react immediately, the witch's line, "Stick out your finger so I can see if you've gotten fat," reminded Itsuki of something.
The general story is that two children were caught by a witch in the forest. Seeing that Hansel was skinny, the witch wanted to wait until he got fatter before eating him. Because the witch was blind, every time she checked on Hansel, Hansel would stick out a bone to her, pretending to still be thin. Hansel lived like this for a while until the witch couldn't stand it anymore and decided to eat him directly, ending the story with the witch being pushed into the fireplace... However, the witch's behavior just now completely told her that she hadn't been fooled by the bone at all, and tomorrow she would eat her regardless of whether she was fat or thin.
"Isn't that obvious? This isn't a proper Fairy Tale World."
Kisaragi Rin said, "This witch is a Strange Tale, and her strength is quite decent."
"So what should I do? Try to push her into the fireplace like in the story?"
Itsuki complained.
"Logically, that is indeed the solution.
Just now, even though the witch clearly knew you held out a bone, she still pretended to be fooled, just like in the story. Considering the difficulty of this trial, it's not hard to conclude that this Strange Tale has certain restrictions, or perhaps a Killing Rule based on Grimms' Fairy Tales.
In that case, the fireplace flame that killed the witch in the story is like a Demon Hunter's silver bullet for her."
Kisaragi Rin: "Now, your problem is that although this witch is indeed blind, she is also a Strange Tale capable of killing you effortlessly, and this Strange Tale seems to be aware of the Grimms' Fairy Tale.
So, Itsuki, how are you going to push her into the fireplace flames?"
Itsuki opened her mouth, feeling like she was being asked to solve a math problem and couldn't answer anything. Her gaze turned to Kisaragi Rin in disbelief.
Seriously, what are you teaching me?
Now you know the witch fears fire, so push the witch into the fireplace!
Kisaragi Rin, how is this any different from explaining a few physics formulas and then expecting me to solve this advanced physics problem?
I, Itsuki, have terrible grades.
Although grades don't represent everything, Itsuki's math score of less than 20 points has already proven that her logical thinking Ability isn't very strong.
The other four people in her mind were also discussing how to push the witch into the fireplace.
And the result... well, zero multiplied by five is still zero.
Itsuki glanced around the Candy House, trying to use the observational Skills Kisaragi Rin had just taught her to figure out if there was a way to defeat the witch in this room.
Since it was clearly impossible for her to figure it out quickly, Kisaragi Rin decided to handle it himself.
"Itsuki, even if you could find a method, your execution Ability is still a problem.
But this is why Nakano Maruo hired me. So just let me handle it. You just need to study hard until you become an Elite Player."
Itsuki: "..."
Although this was true, and it inexplicably made Itsuki feel relieved, she immediately tensed up again, telling herself that she would break free of this situation sooner or later.
"Then what is your method?"
Itsuki looked at Kisaragi Rin. She still didn't know Kisaragi Rin and Nakano Maruo's plan.
"My method is, of course, to overcome everything with power."
Kisaragi Rin picked up the Workshop Pendant, crossing the distance to retrieve the body he had left in the Main World.
Then the black and red [Fourth Wall] appeared in Kisaragi Rin's hand. The moment the witch smelled the scent, reacted, and turned around, Kisaragi Rin, whose Soul had returned to his body, had opened his eyes again.
"Tsk, I actually managed to sneak across successfully.
And the Paradise didn't even care about me. How did Nakano Maruo predict this outcome?"
He glanced at the Paradise bracelet, confirming that Paradise had no objections to his act of sneaking across. Kisaragi Rin's gaze then Lock-on the witch.
The witch, however, looked confused. She kept sniffing around, and because she was inhaling so forcefully, a few nose hairs were visible in her flared nostrils.
"So fragrant, such a stimulating smell..."
Just as she was about to approach the cage, her senses detected another presence behind her.
It was a human figure.
The scent of blood was richer than that of an Ancient Battlefield.
The smell of rust; just by sniffing, a streak of red appeared in her sightless world of darkness.
The next moment, the world spun.
The witch collapsed, convulsing. Instead of using her strength to stand up, she screamed and scattered her power as if encountering a terrifying beast.
"What is that?"
Itsuki only saw a dark red, six-armed figure appear behind the witch before the witch suddenly collapsed and started convulsing non-stop.
"An Ability called Killing Intent."
Kisaragi Rin replied in a good mood.
Since leaving the Fate World, his strength had increased by more than just several times.
Seven Talent and nine max-level Skills. These powers could also be combined and arranged.
To familiarize himself with his power, Kisaragi Rin naturally underwent combat training in the Infinity Castle.
However, whether it was Spider Mother, Esdeath, or Anna, their strength was too great. Although Kisaragi Rin could feel his own strength increasing, he never had a clear sense of it.
Now, it was time to take advantage of the weak.
Kisaragi Rin could barely suppress his smile.
Watching the Strange Tale lose all Ability to resist just from the deterrent of the [Killing Intent] of a [Demon], Kisaragi Rin felt the joy of a hack-and-slash game.
Looking at the candy cage that trapped her, Kisaragi Rin softly said, "Wind Breathing."
The next moment, the Skill [Wind Breathing] was directly summoned by the Talent [Tongue Sword].
A gentle breeze blew past, and the cage made of candy shattered into pieces.
"Too sweet, a bit sickening."
After tasting a bite, Kisaragi Rin confirmed that the sweetness of this Western Fairy Tale candy was truly excessive. He picked up a piece and handed it to Itsuki, who had long been restraining her desire to eat the Candy House, and then took a step forward.
The Soubu High uniform, which had been transformed by the [Demonic Garment] on his body, returned to its original state.
It was an ordinary black trench coat.
However, the effect [Demon Lord] caused all the Strange Tales dominated by Kisaragi Rin to leave strange, Ukiyo-e-like tattoos on the trench coat.
These Ukiyo-e combined to form the luck that attracts Strange Tales.
The witch struggled to lift her head. Sensing Kisaragi Rin getting closer, she was inwardly bewildered as to when she had offended someone like him, and quickly screamed at the top of her lungs, "I'm still useful! Don't kill me!"