"Sigh, this is why I hate fighting Necromancers!"

Dina, the Monstrumancer, leaped across the rooftops of buildings with a sneaky smile.

Despite not channeling any mana into her body, she moved lightly as if she was flying. Her physical abilities seemed more like a knight's than a wizard's.

The ghost hellhounds were chasing after her.

Knowing she couldn't outrun the ghost hellhounds that were flying around, Dina finally extended her hand.

Her right hand started to wriggle.

Accompanied by the chilling sound of bones aligning itself, it was transforming into a shape impossible for a human hand.

Soon, her hand morphed into a massive demonic monsters mouth.

The reason why a Monstrumancer like her sought a city with different kinds of yokai like Claren was because of her unique abilities.

"These mutts don't even recognize their master."

Crunch!

She tore apart the flying ghost hellhounds with her right hand, swinging it here and there. The hellhounds souls, which were ripped apart by her movements, didnt taste good. They only emitted a putrid odor that didnt even give her a sense of satisfaction.

Despite having devoured a few, the hellhounds still kept rushing towards her like a rainbow streaking across the sky.

She let out a forced laugh as she wondered if she had really dispatched that many.

"Hes controlling all of these?"

While the strength of the souls was important in judging the abilities and talents of a Necromancer, the number of souls they could control was also equally crucial.

"I heard he could use the Necromancy Stone."

However, she couldnt see any special reinforcement coming from the hellhounds souls. In fact, they seemed weaker than they were alive.

So, this meant that the guy could control this many souls without specifically commanding them through the Necromancy Stone.

"So, hes someone with overflowing talent, huh? It wasn't without reason that we attempted to recruit him."

Not only did he possess the ability to see all souls, but he could also control this many.

"I heard from the investigation that he hasn't even been practicing for a year."

Ever since Dante had started to closely observe Deus' movements, they had also traced his past.

Though she thought that sparkling, brilliant ideas along with thorough preparation had helped him overcome many obstacles

"It turns out his talent alone is already outstanding."

His talent in Necromancy was at a terrifying level.

Since Monstrumancers and Necromancers were quite compatible when they were allies, Dina couldn't help but feel disappointed once she heard that Deus didnt want to join Dante.

But if someone asked whether she was afraid that this talented Necromancer had become their enemy, she would snort and dismiss it as nonsense.

"There is no one in Dante who isn't talented."

Now, her other hand, which was previously normal, had now begun to wriggle and similarly transform into a giant mouth, roaring towards the sky.

"It's such a low-level fight to be stuck in a fight with these mutts."

She never expected such a tenacious response after lightly provoking him.

The mouths in her hands widened as they took a deep breath. Then, the hellhounds souls, which were rushing from the sky, started getting sucked into these mouths.

In just a few seconds, Dina had cleanly devoured numerous souls.

"Ugh, tastes like gnat's piss."

Dina ran without reverting the transformation of her hands. Since everyone was already disguised for Artists Day, and she was already moving from one rooftop to another, they would likely overlook this.

Just like what was in their minds when those foolish yokai flaunted themselves while parading along the street.

"They are such foolish creatures."

Dina clicked her tongue disapprovingly as she observed the parade of yokai.

Those creatures with bizarre appearances simply continued walking, laughing as if they didn't care.

Did these creatures even realize that people were mocking them?

Their extreme foolishness disgusted her.

Dinas eyes then caught sight of a woman in black clothes among the procession.

[Everyone, this way!]

With her face covered with a transparent black veil, the woman led the procession of yokai.

Thanks to her acting as a guide, Dina noticed that the yokai were not wandering aimlessly, but instead were following a set path.

"Tsk."

What kind of festival was this? Could this even be called a festival?

Yokai should terrify, harm, and devour people.

That was what made them monsters.

"Is she the soul following Deus around?"

Crack, crack!

Once again, the mouths in her hands opened wide, drooling at the voluptuous figure of the black-clad woman alongside the condensed mana within her, which felt like a tempting fruit.

It was a long-awaited delicacy.

The ferocious teeth clattered eagerly, demanding to devour the woman immediately.

Dina stood on the rooftop railing, facing the parade below.

Despite not using even a bit of mana, the force of her leap was enough to partially destroy the rooftop railing.

Her physical abilities were now at a level that made it difficult to perceive her as a mere human since she had already surpassed even that of a knight.

Because of this, Deus Verdi would find it quite troublesome to track her, and even that female ghost probably wouldnt be able to notice her.

After all, a Necromancer's fatal weakness was ignorance.

She shot through the sky like a cannonball towards the Dark Spiritualist, not caring about the momentary attention she received from the crowd.

After all, as long as she could devour that woman, the surrounding yokai would definitely lose order and start acting up.

Even if they didn't harm people, the disruption would lead everyone into panic, turning the festival's laughter into screams and chaos.

The moment she reached out her hands towards the Dark Spiritualist.

Kiiing!

A loud friction sound, accompanied by intense sparks, stretched like a violin performance.

In front of Dina's crimson eyes appeared a woman dressed in a revealing maid uniform, pointing an axe at her.

"Ah, I see."

Findenai nodded as if she had just come to a realization on her own.

"So this is why Master Bastard told us to stick closely to the front of the parade?"

Snicker.

It was a first.

For the first time in her life, Dina saw the illusion of herself transforming from a predator to prey.

That showed how ferocious the woman before her was; her smile carried the calmness of a predator.

Whoosh!

Dina hurriedly pushed Findenai away to keep her at a distance. Then, she landed neatly on one of the yokai following the processiona round-eyed-shaped yokai.

Findenai also landed atop a goblin-like creature trailing behind the Dark Spiritualist.

"Wow!"

"What? Is it another event?!"

"We can't miss this!"

The people watching the parade seemed to mistake Findenai and Dina's fight for another performance.

Dina didn't like this at all. She gritted her teeth and lowered her robe's hood while manipulating mana.

She found herself becoming a spectacle for these people. It felt disgusting and unpleasant.

However, many people had recognized Findenai instead.

Wow, isn't she the maid accompanying the Soul Whisperer?

"Ah! She was dressed like that from the start for this event! So, it was already planned!"

Since everyone in Claren had already recognized her face, Findenai couldnt care less. With an axe on her shoulder, she asked Dina in front of her.

"Dont you just hate it when people see someone's fight as entertainment?"

"..."

"Perhaps they see this as just another performance, but does that really matter? At this moment, were fighting as if our lives depend on it."

Dina couldn't quite grasp the meaning behind the woman's words.

Did that mean she was suggesting they stop fighting and part ways?

Although she agreed with what Findenai said, she didnt dare to hastily speak out because she couldnt understand her intentions.

"So what?"

She uttered a single retort after picking her words carefully. At that, Findenai chuckled and shook her head.

"I'm just testing to see if I could make you waver. I actually enjoy fighting, you know!"

For a second, it felt as though wind and space were being torn apart by a sword called Findenai.

She hurriedly leaped from the goblins head and swung her axe at Dina, who had darted away.

Bam!

But she wasn't an ordinary person either. Being an active Dark Mage in Griffin Kingdom meant she had to live without ever trusting anyone.

Furthermore, the extraordinary physical prowess she displayed earlier enabled her to evade Findenai's axe swings.

"You damn bitch!"

As she cursed, Dina reached out her hands towards Findenai.

Instead of a sword or spear, two giant mouths flew towards her.

This wasnt an attack that even Findenai could easily defend with just an axe. So, she had to avoid it. However

Crunch!

Her blood flowed down, staining the ground. As her flesh was pierced, Findenai grimaced slightly from the pain, muttering.

"That's what I get from meeting the wrong master."

She endured the bleeding and managed to fend off the attacks. Even though she could easily avoid them, Findenai's legs didnt seem to move at all.

Why?

A question sprouted from Dina's mind like a weed, and it was just as easily plucked as quickly it popped up.

"So, youre protecting the yokai?"

With a big grin stretching across her face, Dina stuck out her tongue and burst into laughter, as if she just found something impressive.

"You crazy bitch! How could you risk your life just for these damn monster bastards? I knew you were a retard, but it turned out you're actually a super retard!"

"What a foul mouth you have."

Findenai irritably took a cigarette from her pocket and held it in her mouth. However, seeing it dampened by her blood, she spat it out with frustration.

"I have to start off with this level of attack to make sure you fight properly and dont chicken out."

"What bullshit."

Dina now switched her targets.

Since her original plan was just to eat up whatever yokai came her way, she did it without hesitation.

"Let's see you block this one."

Could this maid, especially in her injured state and lonesome, really protect all these yokai from being devoured by Dina?

Originally, her opponent would have posed quite a challenge, but she now seemed to have lost her edge as she revealed her weakness.

Dina extended her hands, spread them apart, opened the mouths in her hands wide. Smiling,, she intended to devour at least half of the yokai before Deus arrival.

Crush!

Suddenly, she bit her tongue from an unexpected blow to her chin.

After spitting out something moist rolling around in her mouth, she realized that it was her own tongue that had been severed.

"Damn it."

Puzzled by the situation, Dina immediately raised her head.

If losing her tongue had been fatal, she wouldn't even qualify to be a Monstrumancer.

Did her opponent also know that?

[Now, it'll be a bit quieter.]

The words came from the young woman with her face concealed by a black veil, indicating that the strike wasn't meant to kill.

The Dark Spiritualist, who had been leading the procession of yokai until a moment ago, was now floating in the sky, looking down at them.

Dina glanced towards the front.

Despite the Dark Spiritualist's disappearance, the yokai had continued walking along the path which was led by a crossdressing boy and a pregnant woman in a vampire costume.

"Are you the soul Deus controls?"

Dina was irritated; she could devour any soul with her hands as long as it was a soul.

Therefore, she considered the Dark Spiritualist as nothing more than an annoying insect to be brushed aside.

[Control me?]

The Dark Spiritualist snorted in disbelief and extended her hand.

[Even after having your tongue cut, you still dare to speak so carelessly.]

Sinister mana fluctuated.

While Deus rapid advance in the field of Necromancy and towards the end of it was fueled by his possession of the cheat item, the Necromancy Stone, the Dark Spiritualist was someone who had journeyed this path alone first.

She was a Necromancer who had glimpsed the end of Necromancy solely through her own efforts. She had tread this path without any strange connections or cheat-like powerful tools.

[What should I cut next to make you quieter?]

With a menacing murmur, the Dark Spiritualist's black mana fiercely rushed toward Dina.