The Strongest Eriri in History

Emerging from the prison-like room, Eriri and her group entered a wide corridor lined with numerous rooms on both sides. Each of these rooms served as a holding cell for the "Cursed Children." Only after undergoing rigorous training would these children be deemed capable of becoming powerful Initiators.

The IISO specifically sought out gifted Cursed Children from around the world, concentrated them in such facilities, and shaped them into the finest weapons against the Gastrea. However, the treatment they received from the staff was far from kind. Eriri could easily sense the fear and timidity radiating from the small figures confined within these rooms.

Ahead of them, a group of staff members, each accompanied by a heavily armed guard and a young girl, were systematically opening the doors to these rooms. They were escorting the girls out to meet their assigned Promoters.

The sudden appearance of Eriri and her group immediately drew the attention of the staff. Eriri's stunning appearance, along with the others, made their eyes gleam momentarily. However, upon noticing that she was holding hands with Enju Aihara, their expressions quickly darkened.

"Who are you, and how did you get in here? Moreover, why are you with one of our Initiators?" The group of staff members approached Eriri and the others. Behind them, the armed guards kept a firm grip on the small girls they escorted.

The leader of the staff, a bespectacled man, adjusted his glasses and eyed Eriri's group with suspicion, his expression alternating between caution and calculation.

"Miss, if you are interested in obtaining your own Initiator, you can do so through the proper channels of our organization. Trespassing in this manner is a violation of the law. Please return the property you are holding immediately," the bespectacled man said, his tone cold and officious.

His dehumanizing description of Enju as "property" instantly soured Eriri's mood. She had no intention of continuing a pointless conversation. With a wave of her hand, she opened a two-meter-wide circular spatial portal next to them. On the other side of the portal was a scene filled with wandering Gastrea, their monstrous forms easily visible.

The eerie sight made the staff and guards recoil in terror. Their bravado crumbled, and they scrambled to distance themselves from the ominous portal.

Enju and the other young girls also stiffened at the sudden spectacle. Their faces showed a mixture of shock and fear.

Just then, the IISO staff and guards heard a melodious yet chillingly authoritative voice.

"Stop all resistance and walk into the portal."

A simple command imbued with Eriri's word-manipulating magic paralyzed the group. Completely unable to control their bodies, they marched, step by step, toward the portal.

Although their bodies moved against their will, their minds remained intact. Realizing what awaited them on the other side, their terror intensified. They desperately wanted to plead for mercy, but their tongues refused to cooperate.

Within moments, they disappeared into the portal, swallowed by the swarm of Gastrea. The portal promptly closed behind them, sparing the young girls the grisly aftermath.

"Are you all okay?" Enju approached the frightened girls, concern evident in her tone.

"We're fine. But what… what was that? Did you do that?" one of the girls asked timidly, sneaking glances at Enju and Eriri's group.

Years of trauma had left the Cursed Children deeply insecure and fearful, particularly around strangers. The IISO had trained them to fight, but it had done nothing to address their emotional scars. Only a lucky few, those paired with kind Promoters, experienced some degree of healing. The majority, however, were treated as disposable tools, their sense of self-worth crushed.

"Yes! My sister did that. Isn't she amazing?" Enju proclaimed with a proud grin.

"Y-Yes, she is…" the girl replied, her voice tinged with awe.

Meanwhile, in another part of the world, Ais Wallenstein walked along a desolate street in the United States.

Having left the research facility on foot, Ais had spent considerable time traversing the unfamiliar terrain. Though her magic, Ariel, allowed her to glide briefly in combat, it was unsuited for long-distance travel.

Unfazed by her slow pace, Ais continued to explore the area, her expression calm but determined. Despite her stoic exterior, she felt a deep sympathy for the Cursed Children and was resolved to help them.

During her journey, Ais had already rescued several young girls from abusive situations, her sword dispensing swift justice to those who dared harm them. Some of her encounters involved individuals who mistook her beauty for weakness, only to meet a quick end. Against her skill, firearms proved utterly ineffective.

At the same time, Ruri Gokou had made her way to Tokyo, Japan. Despite lacking the instantaneous mobility of Eriri, her continental-level strength allowed her to fly across the Pacific Ocean with ease.

Her destination was not the IISO or the sewer-dwelling Cursed Children but the residence of Seitenshi, the ruler of Tokyo Area.

Seitenshi was a fifteen-year-old girl of unparalleled beauty who governed one of Japan's Five Areas. Unlike most of this world's leaders, she bore no prejudice against the Cursed Children.

Seitenshi, the ruler of Tokyo Area, had long advocated for coexistence between the Cursed Children and humanity. She was tirelessly working toward establishing new laws to protect these ostracized children who carried Gastrea's curse.

Unfortunately, her efforts were met with widespread rejection. Worse still, many of the officers assigned to her guard were the very type of individuals who took pleasure in tormenting and even killing the Cursed Children.

Ruri Gokou's purpose in coming here was clear: to confront Captain Yasuwaki Takuto, the leader of Seitenshi's guard—a man notorious for deriving entertainment from shooting defenseless Cursed Children. Ruri Gokou intended to show him what despair truly meant.

To that end, she had even spent points in the chat group to rent the Universal Weapon: Pink Fluffy Bunny for this mission.

The Sanctuary, Seitenshi's residence, was located in District 1, the core of the Tokyo Area, and was as prosperous as it was luxurious.

Dressed in her signature Gothic Lolita outfit and wielding a magical girl staff, Ruri Gokou approached the Sanctuary with measured steps. She made no effort to sneak in, instead choosing to confront the guards outside the Sanctuary head-on.

The guards immediately noticed her arrival. To them, Ruri Gokou looked like nothing more than a cosplaying chunibyo girl. Though her cute appearance caught their attention, she was still an intruder.

Four guards blocked her path, their expressions stern. The leader stepped forward and spoke with a serious tone while subtly sizing her up.

"Stop! This is the Sanctuary, and unauthorized individuals are not permitted. Leave immediately, or we will have no choice but to treat you as a potential threat to Seitenshi-sama."

As he said this, his eyes lingered on Ruri Gokou's face and figure. Her appearance, already exceptionally beautiful, had only become more radiant due to her recent training. Her skin now glowed with a faint, ethereal light, and her youthful beauty rivaled even Seitenshi's.

Unconsciously, a glint of greed and lust flickered in the eyes of the four guards. However, duty kept them rooted to their posts. Were it not for their responsibilities, they might have acted on their base desires.

Ruri Gokou noticed their lecherous stares, and her mood soured. Though disgusted, she didn't deem this offense worth killing over—at least not yet.

"Hmmph!" Ruri Gokou snorted coldly, her sharp gaze locking onto the guards. Her voice was calm yet commanding as she asked, "Tell me, what do you think of the Cursed Children?"

"Cursed Children?" The lead guard sneered dismissively. "You mean those pieces of trash? I don't know why Seitenshi-sama even bothers protecting those monsters."

As a guard stationed at the Sanctuary, he was well aware of Seitenshi's stance on the Cursed Children. However, he personally saw them as nothing more than creatures destined to transform into Gastrea—monsters to be exterminated. He could not understand why Seitenshi was so intent on supporting them.

Realizing he had spoken too much, the guard waved Ruri Gokou off impatiently. "Tch, what am I even explaining to you for? Get lost before we're forced to act."

He didn't fear any repercussions for his words, as he was confident that a random chunibyo girl like Ruri Gokou would never have any connection to Seitenshi.

The other three guards clearly shared his sentiments, their disdain for Ruri Gokou evident in their expressions.

Ruri Gokou muttered under her breath, "As expected, trash through and through." Her decision regarding their fates was made. She stared at them coldly and declared, "In that case, rest assured. Your deaths will be swift."

With a flick of her hand, the magical girl staff she had been holding transformed into a katana radiating golden light. Before the guards could react, a flash of the blade ended their lives.

Not a drop of blood stained her blade. Their severed heads fell to the ground with dull thuds, their expressions frozen in shock.

Ruri Gokou's recent experiences had stripped away any hesitation she once had about taking lives. She felt no guilt, especially when dealing with scum like this.

Carrying the pristine blade, Ruri Gokou strode confidently into the Sanctuary.

Soon, she reached the central chamber of the Sanctuary—a grand and opulent room where a beautiful girl with short white hair was seated at a desk, diligently working through paperwork. Standing two meters behind her were three guards clad in white uniforms.

The leader, Yasuwaki Takuto, wore rimless glasses and had both a katana and a handgun strapped to his sides. His sly eyes occasionally darted toward Seitenshi with a predatory gleam, his thoughts as unsavory as his actions. The two guards behind him were his close allies, partners in his depraved hunts of Cursed Children in the Outer Area.

Their crimes made all three of them irredeemable in Ruri Gokou's eyes.

Ruri Gokou's arrival naturally drew their attention. Both Seitenshi and Yasuwaki noticed the golden katana in her hand, its brilliance a stark contrast to her dark outfit. Their reactions were markedly different: Seitenshi's gaze was curious, while Yasuwaki's quickly turned wary.

Yasuwaki drew his handgun and barked orders to the guards behind him. "Protect Seitenshi-sama!"

He rushed forward to shield Seitenshi, leveling his gun at Ruri Gokou. "Who are you? How did you get in here? And what happened to the guards outside?"

"Those four pieces of trash?" Ruri Gokou tilted her head slightly. Her voice was calm, almost casual. "Oh, I killed them. And now it's your turn. Don't worry, though—I won't let you die too quickly, scum who murders little girls for fun."

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