Chapter 233: The Cave Witch

"You seem particularly sensitive to souls and life force," Viola said as she led Jon out of the tree hollow. Under the sunlight, her blue dress and butterfly wings shimmered enchantingly. "Then you must have noticed, Pinocchio's soul isn't whole, is it?"

Pinocchio followed them, but he moved like a puppet on strings. His soul was currently in Viola's possession, leaving him as nothing more than a shell acting according to her will.

"That witch's name is Belith. I don't know what her ultimate goal is, but she desires the soul of a witch. At first, she targeted me. But when she discovered that Pinocchio's soul came from the same essence as mine, she shifted her focus."

Viola's voice tightened as she continued, "We fought. I did my best, but she still managed to steal a fragment of his soul. That's why he is like this now. His memories are fractured. He doesn't even remember me."

A trace of bitterness crossed her face.

Jon responded without hesitation. "I'll help you recover your brother's soul. But in return, the witch's soul belongs to me."

"I have no objections to that," Viola replied calmly. She didn't fully understand why Jon was so fixated on claiming the witch's soul, but she suspected he might have originally been after hers, only to change his mind for reasons unknown.

And she was right. Jon had initially considered taking Viola's soul, believing she might be the kind of wicked witch his mission required. But after observing her behavior and realizing she was similar to Antimora, he gave up the idea. He could only extract power from truly wicked souls.

Turning to Pinocchio, Viola raised her hand. Gentle green motes of light floated from her fingers and entered the space between his brows.

A flicker of life returned to Pinocchio's wooden features. He blinked, glancing down at his hands.

"Did I become a real boy yet?" he asked hopefully, still trapped in the world Viola had fabricated for him.

Viola offered a warm smile. "Not yet, dear. There's been a little setback. On the far side of the forest, there's another witch who stole my magic. I need your help to defeat her."

Clack!

Pinocchio instantly pulled out a shotgun. With lightning speed, he loaded it, donned a leather jacket and sunglasses, and said coldly, "Time to hunt witches."

Viola merely smiled. Over time, she had noticed Jon teaching Pinocchio all sorts of odd things, but she hadn't interfered. After all, this outsider seemed fond of Pinocchio, which was rare.

"Hey, Pinocchio," Jon greeted him casually.

Pinocchio turned to him with a deadpan stare. "I need your shoes, your clothes, and your motorcycle."

"Uh, alright..." Jon replied awkwardly. "Let's just go."

***

Meanwhile, a figure cloaked entirely in black stood under a large tree, silently watching Jon, Viola, and Pinocchio. He had overheard every word.

As the trio began moving toward the cave, the observer turned and vanished> his body slowly becoming transparent until it faded completely.

"Hmm?"

Jon suddenly sensed something strange and glanced to the side, but saw nothing.

"What is it?" Viola asked.

Jon stared at the spot for a moment, then shook his head. "Nothing. Let's move."

***

Meanwhile, deep within a dark and twisted mountain cave, another witch stood before a bubbling cauldron. She wore a black gown, her expression as cold and sharp as her breathtaking features.

Green, viscous liquid boiled inside the pot. Nearby, a lazy black cat lay curled up. It was midday, cats preferred the dark.

But the cat wouldn't get that chance.

The witch gently scooped up the animal and, without hesitation, tossed it into the brew.

The creature screeched in agony before falling silent. Soon, its eerie white bones floated to the surface.

The witch retrieved the bones with a large ladle, placing them carefully on a stone altar. Behind her stood a mirror.

One by one, she picked up the bones. Each time, she placed a different one into her mouth, bit down lightly, and turned to face the mirror.

Nothing changed.

She would spit out the useless bone and try another, all the while adjusting her gown, twirling gracefully, as if dancing.

She repeated this ritual over a dozen times.

According to legend, a cat's skeleton contains a special bone. If placed in one's mouth, it grants invisibility.

The witch could've cast a simple spell to vanish. But she was doing this as an experiment, a test of the old tale's truth. Purely for amusement.

Eventually, bored and frustrated, she sighed and tossed all the bones into the trash.

"Mecca, come out," she said in a sweet, melodious voice.

A dark figure materialized out of thin air. Dressed in an ebony cloak, he lowered his hood, revealing a silver-haired man with the regal bearing of a noble. Despite his age, his back was straight, his presence commanding.

"What is it?" she asked.

He bowed slightly. "Viola is approaching, with a young man."

"Oh?" Her delicately arched eyebrows rose in curiosity. "After the beating I gave her last time, I figured she wouldn't dare return. So what's so special about this boy she's bringing?"

"He's... different," Mecca said. "There is something deeply unsettling about him. His aura is… dark. So dark, it frightens me."

The witch's smile widened slightly. "Interesting. A man whose presence can shake even your kind... This might be fun."

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