The Speedrun Manual of Miss Witch-Chapter 84 - You’re More Hardcore Than the Cultists (3/3)

The originally massive vortex was rapidly compressing, soon shrinking to about twice human height. The initial blood-red color condensed into a dark red, almost black hue.

“Why did it shrink?” Ciel frowned slightly.

Using just Kitty’s corpse alone had summoned a terrifying monster nearly large enough to break through the exchange area ceiling.

But after adding the corpses of so many transcendents and cultists, this massive array actually resulted in something smaller?

Ciel had expected to summon something terrifying enough to at least break through the roof of this huge underground sanctuary.

After all, bigger is better, bigger is stronger.

As Ciel pondered, tiny specks of shimmering dust began to drift out from the dark vortex.

The dust particles glittered, appearing like stars in the cosmos against the backdrop of the lightless, dark red vortex.

These starlight dust particles drifted about. Ciel couldn’t tear her gaze away until they floated before the relatively intact pink-haired corpse, paused slightly, and then began to settle onto the body bit by bit.

The pink-haired corpse instantly began to decay. The original wounds closed and bulged into pustules. Dark purple pustules continuously swelled and overlapped, completely enveloping the body, resembling a cluster of distinct grapes.

Gradually, the constantly pulsing pustules began to stiffen, as if frozen, their surfaces covered in white frost.

Crack, crack—

The giant, insect-egg-like sphere shattered. A human hand emerged from within.

Crack—

The egg split in two and dissipated with the wind. A half-human, half-insect “thing” was fully revealed before Ciel.

It was a monster with the physique of a young girl.

Its head had short, dark red hair, but its face was devoid of any features. Its body was similarly seamless, like a sheet of human skin wrapped around something.

Six pairs of translucent insect wings unfolded from its back. Four pairs of white, sharp insectoid legs were attached to its rear shoulders and waist, all slowly stretching out.

Four pairs of chitinous black horns curved and twisted on either side of its head. Viewed from the front, they resembled two symmetrical church emblems – a circle encompassing a semicircle.

Ciel: “...”

Ciel took several steps back consecutively.

The moment she saw the highly symbolic horns, Ciel felt a sense of foreboding.

The system had said that the summoned spiritual being depends on the items sacrificed.

Could it be that by sacrificing too many cultists bearing the “Sadhana Mark,” these marks attracted a spiritual being related to “Sadhana” that also held goodwill towards her...

Moreover, the insectoid limbs and wings of this human-insect creature... somewhat reminded Ciel of the appearance of “Radiance Bishop” Hugh she had seen during her moments of mental instability...

Hiss, hiss—

The sound of skin tearing echoed. The featureless human face began to split open. Lipless mouths filled with sharp teeth opened irregularly across the face.

Just as Ciel considered committing suicide to eliminate some cultists and try again, an ethereal voice sounded in her mind.

“Mother... God... Sadhana...”

The spiritual being lacked complex thought. It simply acted on instinct, staggering towards Ciel and slowly kneeling down before her.

Ciel looked at the terrifying half-human, half-insect spiritual being kneeling before her, momentarily unsure what to do.

She... seemed to be able to communicate with it.

It was also calling the Mother Goddess’s name, indicating its connection to “Sadhana.” It was highly likely a creature created by “Sadhana,” or perhaps even its offspring.

But its voice didn’t seem to affect Ciel, and for some reason, it mistook Ciel for the Mother Goddess.

Considering spiritual beings generally weren’t very intelligent, it probably just recognized the summoner, Ciel, as its master.

Ciel saw that the six pairs of giant insect wings on its back were beginning to dissipate; its time in this world seemed limited.

Its... combat prowess?

Ciel had summoned it primarily to fight the third-tier “Radiance Bishop” cultist. If it couldn’t defeat that cultist, the effort would be wasted.

How could she test its strength?

Fight it herself?

Ciel mentally shook her head.

Although she hadn’t fought it, she felt she would be instantly killed.

There wasn’t enough time now to let it run into the city and catch transcendents...

Oh right, wasn’t Nia still outside?

She was a third-tier “Crown Guard,” probably quite durable?

Sorry, Nia. Please bear with me in this simulation, let me test its abilities.

Just need to make the spiritual being be careful, not deliver a killing blow.

This debt, I will definitely find a chance to repay in reality.

Seemingly sensing Ciel’s thoughts, the monster before her slowly turned and began walking towards the spiral staircase.

“Hey, wrong way, over here.” Ciel walked ahead of the spiritual being, guiding it.

Ciel didn’t notice that her own body had begun to distort erratically, flashing strangely at times. The negative status “Temporal Disorder” had started to take effect on her...

...

An hour has passed... what exactly happened inside?

Nia took out a bronze pocket watch, checked the time with some irritation, then clipped the watch back onto her waist.

Instigators truly couldn’t be trusted. Said she’d finish everything before the Lady woke up, but went silent after entering, and no one was seen running out.

The entire Deton Manor was eerily quiet, like a haunted house, exuding an aura that warned the living away.

Voom—

Suddenly, an abrupt buzzing in her mind put Nia on high alert. She quickly drew the sword and shield from her back, faint fluorescent blue light flickering within the gaps of her armor.

Under Nia’s tense gaze, a figure slowly walked out from the entrance of Deton Manor.

Is that... Ciel?

In Nia’s vision, the mask Ciel had worn was gone. Her red curly hair, slightly past shoulder length, swayed with her steps. Beside her followed four illusory black shadows identical to Ciel.

Nia: “?”

No?

Can “Instigator” switch to “Judicator”?

Ciel just drank the “Instigator” potion, right?

What’s with those black shadows? Aren’t those...

While Nia was puzzling over this, she suddenly recoiled sharply, thrusting her right shield forward. A honeycomb-patterned, fluorescent blue light shield materialized before her.

She saw, behind Ciel and the four black shadows, followed a terrifying creature whose form constantly distorted before her eyes.

Screaming whispers shrieked in Nia’s mind. As Ciel slowly raised her hand and pointed towards Nia, the terrifying phantom behind her flickered and vanished.

200 meters...

150! 100! 5...

In just a few flickers, less time than a single breath, the terrifying phantom materialized right before Nia’s face.

Nia stood stunned for a long moment. The fluorescent blue glow on her body gradually dimmed. After an unknown period, she supported herself with her sword and shield, slowly sinking to one knee before Ciel.

“Mother Goddess... above...” Metallic buzzing resonated from within the armor representing Nia.

Ciel’s black shadow submerged into the ground, emerging like a fish from Nia’s shadow behind her. Then, the black shadow solidified, and Ciel’s figure appeared behind Nia.

She looked at the kneeling Nia before her, her face showing a thoughtful expression.

Is this... like a super-enhanced version of a “Radiance Bishop”?

Regardless, Ciel felt it was worth running another simulation to try confronting that “Radiance Bishop” head-on...

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Before the spiritual being dissipated, Ciel had it remove the Sadhana mark from Nia. It easily eliminated the “Sadhana Mark” on Nia.

In that case, she could also try removing the mark from the “Gambler” save file...

Anyway, in future simulations, as long as Kitty was still at Deton Manor during that timeline, she could come here and sacrifice some cultists to help herself.

Deton Manor in Berren City had effectively become Ciel’s secret farming spot.

For the remaining time, Ciel dragged the unconscious Nia into the bushes to hide her, then left Berren City, heading towards the surrounding towns, patiently waiting for time to pass.

Finally, the 24-hour limit expired, and Ciel was transported to a silver-white space.

Saving the “Instigator” file to No.1, overwriting the original “Avenger” save, Ciel exited the save space, engulfed by silver light...

...

【Reality】

【Saint Year 741, June 20, 16:20】

【Evaluation: You’re still incredible】

【Even the Divine Advent Church doesn’t know how to summon a divine servant, but you do. You’re even more hardcore than the cultists.】

【A pity. If you had taken down one more third-tier, I could have given you some more rewards ^^】

【Take it, you deserve this based on your performance.】

【Reward: Fate Points × 27, 【Art of Conversation Lv.3】】

【Fate Points: 153】