Becoming an Oni in this land of illusion

Chapter 66

Ibaraki composed herself and took on a more serious tone. "Marisa, you still possess the ability to use magic in your spirit form, right?" she asked. "Can you show me by firing a simple bullet?" Ibaraki was curious to see if Marisa's magical abilities were still intact in her current form.

Marisa confidently nodded and said, "Alright, that's easy." She tried to shoot a bullet, but to her surprise, her signature star-shaped bullet didn't appear. "Huh?!" Marisa exclaimed, confused and a little surprised. She turned to Ibaraki, wanting to know what happened and seeking an explanation.

Ibaraki patiently explained to Marisa, "Do you know how it feels when you use mana in your physical body? Instead, try using your soul energy. There's an invisible core inside your soul, use that instead of your mana reserve." Marisa nodded in understanding, eager to try out the new technique.

She concentrated and tried to gather energy from her fingertips, managing to shoot a very small bullet. However, she wasn't satisfied with the size and kept trying and trying until time had passed. Unbeknownst to Marisa, Ibaraki was suffering from a string of losses to Yukari in every strategy game that was available in Yukari's portal.

Despite the setback, Marisa was determined to master this new technique, focusing on using her soul energy instead of her mana reserve.

Ibaraki couldn't help but pout, as she had just lost another round to Yukari. "Why are you bullying me like this?" she asked, feeling frustrated after losing twenty times in a row. Yukari seemed to be relishing Ibaraki's expression every time she lost, and it was starting to get on Ibaraki's nerves.

Yukari smiled slyly at Ibaraki's pout and responded in a mysterious tone, "My, my, it can't be helped. I just wanted to see everything about you, Ibaraki. So feel free to express yourself to me." Her words were cryptic, and her expression inscrutable, making it difficult to discern her true intentions.

Ibaraki felt a mix of emotions when she heard Yukari's mysterious response. It scared her that she couldn't quite read Yukari's intentions, and she knew deep down that Yukari didn't see her that way. But was it possible that even Yukari didn't know what she was feeling? Ibaraki quickly shook her head to dispel the thought. "No, she just sees me as a useful entertainment, and that's that," she thought to herself, trying to be rational and push aside any romantic notions.

Meanwhile, Yukari chuckled at Ibaraki's reaction and made her move in their ongoing chess match. With just four moves, she checked Ibaraki's king, causing Ibaraki to groan and slam her head on the table in frustration.

Yukari looked amused as she watched Ibaraki's reaction, wondering if she would ever be able to beat her in a game. "Don't worry, Ibaraki, I'm sure you'll get better with practice," Yukari said with a grin.

Ibaraki's voice came out soft and aggrieved as she spoke, "Can't we play another game?" Yukari noticed the change in Ibaraki's tone and couldn't resist pinching her cheeks, eliciting an annoyed expression from Ibaraki.

Yukari's smile widened as she pulled out three more chess boards. "Sure thing," she said, her voice filled with a mischievous tone. "Welcome to 4D chess, Ibaraki." Ibaraki's face immediately filled with fear upon hearing the phrase.

It was no secret that Yukari was a master strategist, and her tactics were often incomprehensible to those around her. But to play 4D chess? That was a whole different level, and Ibaraki knew she was in for a challenge. Yukari couldn't help but chuckle at Ibaraki's expression, relishing the thought of the upcoming game.

Just as Yukari was about to make her move in the game, a powerful surge of soul energy interrupted their match. They turned to see Marisa, firing a master spark in her soul form. The beam of energy was so powerful that it cleaved the ocean, despite it being made of pure spiritual power.

Marisa's shout rang out as she ran towards Ibaraki, jumping into a hug with all the enthusiasm of a child who had just discovered a new toy. "I did it!" she exclaimed, still buzzing with excitement from the power of her spell. As she hugged Ibaraki, the Oni could feel the warmth of Marisa's spiritual body, which seemed to radiate with the sheer energy and force of her personality.

Yukari turned her gaze towards the ocean and noticed the traces of flames that still lingered on its surface. The flames were remnants of Marisa's powerful spell, which had left a mark on the spiritual world that would not soon fade away.

Yukari watched as the flames slowly dissipated, their energy fading until there was nothing left but a faint echo of their power. It was a reminder that even the smallest actions in the spiritual world could have far-reaching consequences, and Yukari couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sheer magnitude of it all.

Marisa beamed with excitement as she turned to Ibaraki, eager to share the name of her new move. "I call it Love Sign: Ethereal Oni Master Spark!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with the thrill of discovery. "I used your Oni heart and fused it with my own soul power to create a master spark that's beyond anything I've ever done before!" Ibaraki couldn't help but be impressed by Marisa's ingenuity and passion, and she smiled warmly at her partner.

Yukari's keen eyesight detected the faint flickers of flames surrounding Marisa, and she immediately knew that something unusual had happened. With her vast knowledge of the spiritual world, Yukari deduced that Ibaraki must have done something to Marisa, something that had imbued her with a powerful new ability. Yukari looked at Ibaraki, silently acknowledging her skill and wit.

"Congratulations, Marisa," she said warmly, smiling at her. "Now that you've mastered this new technique, you can return to your physical body." Marisa nodded in agreement, still buzzing with excitement from the power of her new move.

Yukari couldn't help but be intrigued by Ibaraki's vast knowledge of magic and magecraft. She had always been fascinated by the intricate workings of the spiritual world, and she knew that Ibaraki had a unique perspective on these things. Yukari felt a strong desire to converse with Ibaraki about these matters, to learn more about her insights and to share her own knowledge in turn.

Ibaraki smiled warmly at Yukari, gesturing for her to take the lead. Yukari nodded, feeling a sense of responsibility as she reversed the boundary between life and death for Marisa. She focused her energy, carefully aligning the spiritual and physical planes until Marisa's soul was seamlessly fused with her physical body once more. As soon as the process was complete, Marisa ran to Ibaraki, embracing her with a smile of pure joy on her face.

Marisa's cheeks turned a bright shade of pink as she looked at Ibaraki with a playful grin. "Hey, Ibaraki, since Nyx and Shuten aren't around, I was thinking... maybe we could do that thing we talked about?" she said, her voice filled with a mix of excitement and shyness.

Ibaraki was taken aback by Marisa's suggestion but ultimately agreed to it. She had always found Marisa's playful nature endearing, and she was willing to indulge her partner's wishes.

Yukari gave a serene smile as she turned to Marisa and Ibaraki. "Well then, it's time for me to bid you farewell. There are so many books waiting for me to dive into," she said, her voice calm and collected. With a graceful wave, she departed from their company, disappearing into the distance with the effortless ease that only a being of her power could possess.

Yukari suddenly reappeared, surprising Ibaraki and Marisa. Before they could react, she kissed Ibaraki on the lips and disappeared again, leaving the two women stunned. Ibaraki's brain short-circuited, and Marisa was angry at the intrusion, but she couldn't resist the urge to be close to Ibaraki. "Let's forget about that and focus on us," she said, pulling Ibaraki into a more aggressive kiss, erasing the memory of Yukari's kiss from their minds.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yo, listen up! You gotta vote on this one, aight? I need some motivation to keep grinding on this thing. But hey, if you don't wanna vote, that's cool too. I'll still do it anyways, no sweat off my back.