NOVEL NEXT Chapter 69 - Phase one
“……Ouja.”
As the black and white serpent emerged from WuYue’s phone, morphing into a humanoid creature, Night Demon reabsorbed the negative energy leaking from its dark sphere and, deliberately lowering its voice, spoke:
“Why are you here? Ouja—or rather, what purpose do you have in coming here and disrupting my plans?”
Before he could respond, Night Demon continued:
“You’re here to protect these magical girls, aren’t you? I know you’re… a witch transformed from a magical girl. Now that you’re a witch, you should have no reason to fight alongside them anymore.”
“And yet, you’re here to protect them? Isn’t that a little strange?”
“……”
Hearing Night Demon’s words, the Ouja paused momentarily, then sighed, feigning exasperation.
“I have no idea what you’re babbling about… Night Demon. The reason I’m here… well, isn’t it obvious? It’s because something entertaining is happening here~”
As he spoke, Ouja manifested a rapier in his right hand and turned back briefly to glance at WuYue, who lay collapsed on the ground. Then, he swiftly shifted his gaze toward “YouYu” and, with a touch of sarcasm, addressed Night Demon:
“So, you’re resorting to the despicable tactic of using hostages now… Night Demon? That’s hardly admirable behavior…”
“After all…”
He raised his rapier, pointing its tip directly at Night Demon.
“Anyone other then me doing such things just irritates me…”
“……!”
Sensing Ouja’s move, Night Demon didn’t flinch. It instantly raised its hand, pointing at Ouja. In the next moment, a blackish-purple orb of energy shot from its fingertip, hurtling straight toward Ouja!
He had anticipated that Ouja would strike as soon as he appeared. Therefore, Night Demon had prepared in advance, foreseeing his potential arrival.
“I’ll use this attack to paralyze you and make you ‘sit down’ for a nice, proper chat.”
“Ouja, I have no intention of harming you. After all, you’re an excellent ally.”
“So… please, rest for a bit.”
“Condensing such massive negative energy into a single point for an explosive impact—an interesting tactic. If I couldn’t counter it, I might’ve actually been hurt.”
Yet, instead of dodging Night Demon’s fierce attack, Ouja remained unmoved, standing firm.
This wasn’t due to fear or shock.
It was because…
“Hissss—!”
Just as the dark orb was about to strike, a massive black serpent’s silhouette materialized behind Ouja, coiling around his right shoulder and moving forward to shield him.
The serpent opened its mouth wide, creating an immense pull that shattered, disrupted, and absorbed the incoming black orb, as if devouring it whole. It seemed to twist the orb into strands, consuming it as if it were a cosmic black hole.
Once the black orb had completely disappeared, the serpent closed its jaws.
In an instant, Night Demon’s attack was effortlessly neutralized.
“How is that possible?!”
Night Demon was momentarily stunned, frozen in shock at the sight. Such a concentrated, violent burst of negative energy was not meant to be consumed—it was a weapon, not sustenance.
Yet… Ouja had summoned a massive black serpent out of nowhere, devouring his attack entirely!
Achieving that should have been impossible!
“Oh~ that’s simply because I didn’t actually ‘eat’ it,” Ouja replied, watching Night Demon’s reaction with a mocking smile.
“All I did… was ‘catch’ the ball.”
“Now, I’ll return it back to you.”
With that, the black serpent opened its mouth wide again, aiming straight at Night Demon.
In the next moment, purple and black energy flickered within its jaws, condensing into a menacing sphere, radiating danger.
“!!”
Sensing the terrifying power of this attack, Night Demon took a step back, urgently contemplating its next move to escape. Though this vessel it currently controlled was merely a proxy puppet and couldn’t harm it directly, if Ouja destroyed it once again, the “Tower Master” would likely hold him accountable.
But that wasn’t the most pressing issue; if the information he held leaked to others, it would significantly damage his interests…
“……”
With this thought, Night Demon halted, watching as the giant serpent prepared to unleash its energy. It sighed and said,
“Ouja, let’s stop here.”
“I’d like to make a deal with you.”
“……A deal?”
Ouja didn’t halt his attack as Night Demon wished. Instead, he crossed his arms, watching him with a mocking smile.
“And what makes you think… you’re in any position to negotiate with me?”
“……I’ll reduce my attacks on the magical girls. And you… don’t need to do anything.”
Night Demon said.
“So, let me clarify, this isn’t a deal; it’s a one-sided assurance from me to you.”
“If you don’t let me go, my death will attract more ‘attention,’ which I’m sure you don’t want.”
“So, ending this battle here would be mutually beneficial. I urge you to recognize that.”
“……Is that so.”
After listening to Night Demon, Ouja lowered his head, pausing for a moment.
Then, he raised his head with a look of exaggerated disappointment.
“But it sounds… as if you’re threatening me…”
“So…”
Before Night Demon could react, Ouja flicked his hand.
In the next instant, a black-purple beam burst from the serpent’s mouth, slamming directly into Night Demon.
“Boom!”
In the massive explosion that followed—
Night Demon… had vanished without a trace.
“……”
Ouja stared in silence at the spot where Night Demon had disappeared, then turned to look at WuYue, lying unconscious on the ground.
Then he glanced at “YouYu,” whose form was now disintegrating.
“Hmm… Although there were still some unexpected twists, the outcome is still satisfactory.”
Gazing at “YouYu,” Ouja murmured.
“Phase one… complete.”