Chapter 1774: Chapter 1196: Controlled Experiment (Couldn’t Go Out Today Due to Sandstorm)
"Phew..."
Duanmu Huai stretched lazily, then stood up, gazing at the sunset sinking below the horizon, all the while fiddling with his phone.
"So, as of now, you don’t see any problems on your end?"
"At least for now, it seems that way...Should we conduct more stimulating experiments?"
Ann’s voice came from the other end of the phone, carrying a hint of confusion.
While Duanmu Huai was causing trouble in Kaname City, Ann wasn’t idle in Mitama Plain. Following Alice’s suggestion to recreate a system similar to Heroic Spirit possession, Ann reversed Miki Sayaka’s soul and reattached it to her body.
Originally, according to the experimental route, the next step was for Miki Sayaka to find out that her friend was dating her childhood friend, leading her to despair, as told by Homura Akemi.
However, that wasn’t the case.
Though indeed, after that, Miki Sayaka did find out about her friend’s relationship with her childhood friend, and she was in pain and grief, it didn’t lead her to turn dark and transform into a witch.
"So, does this count as a successful experiment?"
"I’m not sure either. As of now, it’s different from what Ms. Homura Akemi said... Hmm... What’s different, or do we just need to reverse it back? I doubt it’s that easy..."
Ann was perplexed as well, which was normal. Generally speaking, to solve such a problem, repeated experimentation and trial and error are the normal steps. If you manage to solve it in one go, you’re likely to think, "Where did I go wrong?" rather than, "Great, I succeeded."
"Then let’s increase the intensity, force her into despair completely!"
"Even if you say that, how do we increase the intensity? Her friend already kissed her childhood friend right in front of her, isn’t that enough?"
"It’s too sweet, too sweet, sweeter than a bean paste bun."
Hearing Ann’s response, Duanmu Huai shook his head vigorously.
"This isn’t enough. If it doesn’t work, drug her!"
"Uh... drug her?"
"Exactly, that little girl still has a love-obsessed mind, likely thinking of those love story plots in manga and novels, so let her witness the animal world firsthand, I doubt she’ll endure that!"
"Ugh..."
Hearing this, even Ann let out an odd cry.
"Is it necessary to go this far?"
"This is nonsense, no matter what, we must figure out the ultimate consequences of these two methods after breaking through the limits."
Duanmu Huai had no resistance to the immorality of human experimentation, after all, such things inherently involve questioning morality, which is far less important than preserving humanity. History has proven that a race can only prove its worth in the Universe not through morality or civilization, but by its existence.
If they no longer exist, then everything they’ve created becomes nothing more than the dust of history, meaningless and worthless debris.
Is it worthwhile?
Duanmu Huai would directly smash the table into the face of anyone bold enough to ask this question.
Are you out of your mind? In war, it’s not about who wins, it’s about who remains standing. Once you go extinct, who the hell cares if it’s worthwhile or not!
So many worlds have been destroyed, nurturing so many admirable and praiseworthy civilizations. Yet, ultimately, what’s the use? They died and it’s all over!
So what if it’s brutal? So what if it’s despicable? So what if it’s shameless? I survived!
You were noble, you were moral, and then your entire family perished, who would care?
"And if she still hasn’t broken down?"
"Then find a few men and turn that childhood friend into a zero right in front of her!"
"And if she still doesn’t break down?"
"Then... just find a team of Magic Girls as test subjects, and bring them to the Tribunal for war training."
The battlefield is the best testing ground, Duanmu Huai didn’t believe those little girls could endure without breaking down on such a battlefield. If they don’t collapse even then, all the better, use them until death. But Duanmu Huai highly doubted the willpower of these little girls, who could be easily tricked by QB with a few words.
"Ugh... Mr. Knight, I kind of pity those girls now."
"Stop talking nonsense, if you have time to complain, do some work instead!"
"Yes, yes..."
After hanging up the phone, Duanmu Huai let out a low hum. To be honest, the effect of Heroic Spirit Transformation seemed unexpectedly good, of course, it might just not have reached its critical point, so the pressure test needed to continue to see at what level Miki Sayaka would explode. If she doesn’t explode, then Duanmu Huai would send her to the Green Skin or Tai Lun Planet to see the result.
Hmm... Tai Lun sounds better, at least the bugs clean up thoroughly.
Next up was the pressure test on his own side. Sigh, this body was really inconvenient; if it were the original body, he could perform the classic scene of a Magic Girl’s descent into darkness.
But it’s impossible now.
With that thought, Duanmu Huai lowered his head and looked down. At his feet, the streets below were dark, with only cold streetlights illuminating the cold and lonely streets. And under the streetlights, a girl seemed hypnotized, walking slowly in his direction.
It was none other than Amaha Tsukiyoru.
At this moment, Amaha Tsukiyoru was wearing casual clothes, looking like a well-bred young lady, yet her eyes lacked any sparkle, appearing like murky glass beads. Under the streetlight’s glow, a bright red Magic Circle could be seen on the girl’s snow-white neck, emanating a faint radiance — it was the spot Duanmu Huai had bitten.
Amaha Tsukiyoru walked to the overpass at a nearby intersection, then stood there dazedly — beneath the bridge, trains and tracks sped past.
But this time, Duanmu Huai’s target wasn’t her, but another person.
"Tsukiyoru—!"
Sure enough, moments later, accompanied by the shout, another girl dressed almost identically to Amaha Tsukiyoru leapt over. When she saw Amaha Tsukiyoru standing on the overpass, her face suddenly changed drastically. However, before Amaha Tsukisaki could rush over to pull her sister back, a shadow flashed, and the next moment, Duanmu Huai appeared in front of her.
"It’s you after all..."
Looking at the black-haired, red-eyed girl before her, Amaha Tsukisaki clenched her hands tightly.
"What exactly do you want?"
"Not much, I just want to play a game with you."
Watching Amaha Tsukisaki baring her fangs and brandishing claws, Duanmu Huai chuckled.
"A game?"
"That’s right, can’t you transform into, well... a witch? Let me see to what extent you can do it. If you can use witch transformation to defeat me, then I’ll give your sister back to you."
"And... if I refuse?"
"Then I’ll have to change my research topic—maybe see if a Magic Girl can resurrect after being crushed into pulp by a train? That would be quite interesting."
"You...!!"
Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s threat, Amaha Tsukisaki showed an extremely angry expression, but for Duanmu Huai, it didn’t matter at all.
"How about it? I only give you one chance."
"..."
Amaha Tsukisaki looked at Duanmu Huai and then at Amaha Tsukiyoru swaying on the overpass, seemingly about to fall at any moment, and finally bit her teeth.
"Fine, I’ll show you my strength!!"
With that declaration, Amaha Tsukisaki extended her hand to grasp the Soul Gem at her chest, then a dark shadow surged out to envelop her, twisting and deforming like a painting in a shadow play—only to transform into the witch trapped within an aquarium.
"Excellent! That’s it!"
Watching the scene unfold, Duanmu Huai displayed an excited expression.
"Let me see how long you can hold on!"
Amaha Tsukisaki knew this Magic Girl was strong, very strong. She possessed peculiar yet powerful strength that neither she nor her sister could defeat even when both transformed into witches, even being vanquished instead. Although the impact was too great, she couldn’t remember how she was beaten, but Amaha Tsukisaki knew she was not a match for this opponent.
Even though she already knew...
"Honestly, you’re really weak."
"Ugh..."
Watching the black-haired girl approach her, Amaha Tsukisaki gritted her teeth, unable to speak.
She’s so strong.
Even with the strength of her witch transformation, she couldn’t inflict even the slightest damage, while the opponent, with just one strike, completely shattered her witch.
"Though I expected it, you’re so weak you’re not even a sample."
"Who... who are you really? What do you want to do?"
Struggling to lift her head, she stared at the black-haired girl before her and asked loudly. However, Duanmu Huai just shrugged, then turned his head.
"Rather than those pointless questions, shouldn’t you have more pressing matters to worry about?"
"Huh?"
Upon hearing this, Amaha Tsukisaki’s mind, hazy from the shock, suddenly cleared up. Instinctively, she followed the girl’s gaze, and immediately turned pale—on the overpass, Amaha Tsukiyoru was swaying at the railing, while the sound of a train approaching thundered below.
And then—in the roar of the train, Amaha Tsukiyoru lost her balance and plunged headlong off the bridge, disappearing from Amaha Tsukisaki’s sight.
"Ah... ahhh..."
Blankly watching the scene, Amaha Tsukisaki’s face turned ashen; her sister, her other half, vanished completely before her eyes in that moment. Cold, freezing, a void sense of loss looming like a monster with a gaping maw, swallowed Amaha Tsukisaki whole.
And before her, the Soul Gem, once vibrant red, had lost its original color, now turbid and dim, with darkness churning within like flames.
"Crack... crack..."
Next, the smooth surface of the Soul Gem began to manifest cracks, and then...
"Ahhhhh!"
Maddening screams erupted, Amaha Tsukisaki raised her hands to cover her face tightly, letting out a crazed howl. When she lowered her hands, the once adorable and dignified face of the girl had completely vanished, replaced by something akin to a white smiling mask. Dark shadows emerged from the mask’s corners like dripping blood, covering the Magic Girl’s body before her.
"———Ahhh)——#*@@(@!!"
The screams gradually transformed, no longer human, but rather resembling a beast’s roar. Simultaneously, the girl’s body twisted and deformed, polluted thoroughly by dark forces, transforming into a completely different form.
"I see, seems like there’s a system limit here too, now has has she completely turned into a witch? Hmm... good enough, as long as there’s a result."
Turning off the recording mode, putting down the phone, Duanmu Huai casually picked up the War Hammer, gazing at the grotesque monster twisting before him.
"Well then, die."