A week went by in a flash when there were so many things to do.
Alice had been busy with her company, and had barely any sleep. However, Momo’s fluffy and fuzzy tail cured her fatigue right away when she woke up on the final lesson day. Alice was quite intrigued by Momo’s mysterious ability. But she opted to not pry her secret and trust Momo that she’d tell her so day.
“Are you really going to this?” Momo remarked as she watched Alice’s departure on the porch.
“Yes. I have no reason to run away from it. Or perhaps, are you going to tell what my final lesson is and how to do it?”
“No, I can't. Besides, the final lesson for each person is different. But, I could tell it would be very difficult for you.”
“Only one way to find out…” Alice shrugged her shoulders. “Well, I’m off then, take care!”
Momo waved her hand as Alice trotted away.
Before long, Alice was facing Lady Hanako. The air around the cat lady was different than usual when she stood still with a katana on her right hip.
There was a silent yet deadly killing intent in her eyes when Alice stepped into the living room. Lady Hanako flicked her fore fingers, bringing forth the energy barrier that concealed the room from the outside world.
It didn't take long for Alice to understand what would co next. She undid her disguise spell and summoned the Nightfla Scythe onto her hands, unfazed by Lady Hanako’s cold, intense gaze.
“This is your final lesson.” Lady Hanako muttered while unsheathing her katana. “Kill or be killed.”
“I am ready,” Alice nodded.
“Co at .”
By the ti Alice charged forward, Lady Hanako swung her katana elegantly in a circle motion, creating a portal that sent them into a different realm.
In just a blink, Alice halted and found herself amidst a vast frozen plain littered with thousands of dried cherry blossom trees. The scenery was hauntingly beautiful, but it wasn't long until Alice felt the air was very painful to breathe, the frigid temperature made her lungs as if being punctured with needles even when Alice had cladded herself with Demonic Aura.
“What is this place?!”
Lady Hanako’s blurry image appeared not too far before the little demoness.
“Spread and bloom, Yukizakura.”
Afterward, the once dry and flowerless trees blood with countless cherry blossom flowers. They rained down from the branches filling the air with intoxicating fragrance.
Alice swung her scythe around, creating a powerful gust of wind to push the cherry blossom petals away. However, it wasn't enough to get rid of the dizziness.
As Alice was trying to detoxify the substance that she breathed in by circulating her mana, a deadly stroke appeared out of nowhere. Alice fortunately could deflect the trajectory and jumped away.
Another attack ca from her blind spot, Alice barely able to block it with her scythe, it was so close yet too fast to comprehend how Lady Hanako could launch an attack that was so terrifyingly accurate and stealthy.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Every slash ca faster than the previous, the interval beca shorter and shorter, leaving Alice with no room to break.
“I will never be able to defeat her at this rate! I must drag her out of this illusion!” Alice muttered to herself.
Alice assud that the cherry blossom trees were the keys to break out of this illusion. She tested her hypothesis by trying to cut down a tree. It worked pretty well, the flower petals were reduced and the visibility improved significantly, but it's not enough to cause a disadvantage for Lady Hanako.
The cat lady appeared before her, floating in mid air while brandishing her katana. She sent
“Excellent observation, young lady. But this plain is not a re illusion. Right now, you are in my Spiritual Domain. You may run from , but you can't escape, unless I allow you to.”
The cat lady swung her sword once again, the petals danced to her movents and aid them toward Alice’s position. The latter hopped from one tree to another, dodging every sharp petal.
“Spiritual Domain? What is she talking about?! Is she saying that I am inside a completely different reality?!”
“Outstanding speed… But let's see if you can outrun my petals.”
Whooosshhh!
But even if Alice could run and jump to her heart’s desire, there’s a limit to her stamina. Furthermore, Lady Hanako shifted the attribute of the cherry blossom petals from having infinitely sharp edges into high explosive ones.
Alice was overwheld by the sheer number, she couldn't do anything but shape her Demonic Aura into a big cocoon to protect herself.
Fortunately, Alice’s Demonic Aura was able to withstand the explosion and Lady Hanako acknowledged the cocoon’s resistance and density.
However, Lady Hanako changed the petals’ attribute once again from explosive to flammable.
“Ablaze and burn to ashes… Hizakura.”
After she said that, the once serene and beautiful scenery changed drastically into a living hell. The cherry blossom trees went ablaze, engulfed in fire.
The temperature went up significantly as fiery cherry blossom petals literally toast Alice inside the cocoon. Lady Hanako intended to push Alice to her limit.
“Hhhhggggg!”
“Is this the limit of the future Demon Queen?!” Lady Hanako reprimanded while rcilessly launching the spear of flas. “Don’t make laugh. Even a D Rank Dungeon Monster is stronger than you!”
“Urgh! Think, Alice! Use your head!”
Amidst the hopeless situation, Alice could finally connect the dots. “Right now, I am inside her Spiritual Domain, which ans, this realm is solely controlled by Lady Hanako’s power… If I can’t defy the laws within this realm, I must create my own Domain to challenge hers!”
Alice focused her energy inwardly, she compressed the Demonic Aura in her core little by little. The torturous training thod lasted for an hour or so. It was truly a miracle that Alice could withstand the sheer force.
“Rrrraaaaaghh!”
The cocoon cracked, revealing Alice’s adult appearance. She soared high into the air. Her wings fully spread outward, casting shadows into the burning forest below.
At this mont, the Demon Queen System rang frantically as Alice underwent an extre transformation.
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