[123] : Rescuing Natsuki Minamiya, The Prison Barrier Emerges

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Hearing Yuuma Tokoyogi introduce herself—Natsuki Minamiya's hand, which was holding her teacup, trembled, her small face etched with shock as she stared at the girl.

'Yuuma Tokoyogi? Could she be Aya's daughter?!'

At that thought, Natsuki's expression became incredibly complex.

Originally, Aya Tokoyogi, like herself, was a Witch—and a close friend. However, Aya had come to question the very existence of Magic and the Demon Races.

As a result, ten years ago, she had invoked the [Black Bible] Grimoire on Itogami Island. But she was defeated by Natsuki and subsequently imprisoned.

"What is your relationship with Aya Tokoyogi? Are you here to rescue her?" Natsuki couldn't help but ask, her gaze complex as she looked at Yuuma Tokoyogi.

Hearing this, Yuuma Tokoyogi turned her head to look at Natsuki, her pupils instantly constricting, her face changing drastically.

She hadn't expected Natsuki to be here as well. Didn't that mean her plan was already exposed?

As a Witch, the price Yuuma paid for her power was the requirement to "Liberate the Prison Barrier."

Therefore, her purpose in coming to Itogami Island was precisely to free her mother—Aya Tokoyogi—who was imprisoned by Natsuki within the [Prison Barrier].

However, pulling the Prison Barrier out of its alternate dimension required an enormous amount of Magical power.

That was why she had planned to use the Fourth Primogenitor Nagisa Akatsuki's body. By swapping sensory control, she intended to take over Nagisa's body and utilize the immense Magical power within her to use a Grimoire and break the [Prison Barrier].

Seeing Yuuma Tokoyogi's shifting expression, I decided to just lay it all out.

"Actually, the moment I saw you, I already knew you wanted to use Nagisa's Primogenitor power to open the Prison Barrier and rescue your mother, Aya Tokoyogi!"

"Eh...?"

Nagisa Akatsuki, Asagi Aiba, and the others were all stunned, looking at Yuuma Tokoyogi with disbelief.

In their childhood, Nagisa, Kojou, and Yuuma Tokoyogi often played together, so their relationship was deep; they could be considered childhood friends.

Upon learning that Yuuma had returned to Itogami Island, Nagisa had even gone excitedly to welcome her.

She truly hadn't imagined that Yuuma's purpose was actually to use her power to open the Prison Barrier and save her mother.

"But isn't the Prison Barrier just an urban legend?" Nagisa asked, a bit confused.

"Actually, the Prison Barrier is a classified facility on Itogami Island used to detain heinous criminals. Even the Management Corporation doesn't know its location, which is why the citizens call it an 'Urban Legend'."

"It exists within Natsuki's dream, a separate dimension created by her magic when she entered a state of suspended animation ten years ago. Those imprisoned within cannot break it from the inside. Only someone from the outside, using Spatial Magic, can destroy it."

And so, I explained all the relevant information about the Prison Barrier.

Seeing my gaze sweep over her, Natsuki's eyelids twitched violently, and a sense of foreboding suddenly washed over her.

"I was originally planning to open the Prison Barrier anyway. Since you also want to rescue Aya Tokoyogi, let's just do it together!"

Hearing this, everyone was shocked!

Natsuki's face changed dramatically. She stared fixedly at me, her tone severe as she warned.

"Hibari Kyoya, don't you dare do anything reckless!"

Towards Natsuki's warning, I naturally turned a deaf ear. I wrapped my arm around her and said with a smile.

"Reckless? Me? I'm just going to rescue Natsuki-chan in an orderly fashion! You can rest assured!"

Seeing Natsuki still trying to resist, I simply dismissed her illusionary body, sending her consciousness back to her main body within the Prison Barrier.

"Hmm? Where did Natsuki-sensei go?"

Seeing Natsuki suddenly vanish, everyone except Yuuma Tokoyogi—who knew the situation—looked puzzled.

"The Natsuki we interact with in reality is just an Avatar. Her true body has been sleeping alone within the Prison Barrier this whole time. That's why I have to rescue her."

Natsuki had made a pact with a Demon, and the price she paid was to become the key to the Prison Barrier, destined to seal it alone until death.

The Prison Barrier is the dreamscape of Natsuki, its warden. Therefore, to maintain the seal, Natsuki must remain imprisoned in the alternate dimension, perpetually asleep. The 'teacher' identity that usually appeared at school was merely an avatar created by Natsuki using her own Magical power.

———

After learning about Natsuki's experience, Nagisa, Asagi, and the others couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"So, opening the Prison Barrier and rescuing Natsuki-chan is my goal."

My words brought smiles to the girls' faces.

Even Yuuma Tokoyogi, who had thought her plan had failed, hadn't expected such a turn of events.

"But Kyoya-senpai, the ones imprisoned in the Prison Barrier are all heinous criminals. Are we really going to release them?"

Yukina Himeragi couldn't help but worry.

Hearing this, the others also realized this was a problem that couldn't be ignored. They looked towards me, wanting to know what solution I had.

I scoffed, "Didn't I say they were heinous criminals? Just kill them all, problem solved. Setting up such a prison is completely unnecessary in the first place!"

"....." Yukina was speechless at my simple solution.

Destroying the Prison Barrier and killing all the prisoners inside would likely cause Global turmoil. But considering my usual way of doing things, she could only accept it helplessly.

Seeing that no one else had any objections, I then used a Magic circle to transport everyone to a coastal area of Itogami Island.

———

According to the information, although the Prison Barrier was an alternate dimension born from Natsuki's imagination—its physical location was along the coast of Itogami Island.

In the original story, Yuuma Tokoyogi had needed to borrow Primogenitor-level Magical power just to barely summon the Prison Barrier from its alternate dimension.

However, with my strength, it wasn't nearly that troublesome. After sensing the location of the Prison Barrier—

I stood above the sea, and then a terrifying Crimson Magic power erupted from me. Following that, I reached out and grasped the air.

The next moment, cracks appeared in the space above the sea. A large, ancient-looking building emerged before everyone's eyes—The Prison Barrier.

Because of the Prison Barrier's appearance, even the originally blue sky dimmed. Looking at the gloomy and terrifying Prison Barrier, everyone felt an unconscious sense of fear.

Following that, I led everyone to the main gate of the Prison Barrier. Suddenly, the gate automatically opened.

"Well~ It looks like Natsuki-chan knows she can't stop me and has accepted her fate! In that case, let's go explore this Prison Barrier!"

Saying this, I led the group, full of curiosity, into the Prison Barrier.

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