[Master, it's not over yet. The corpse isn't dissipating,] Emi's calm but cautious reminder through the status screen broke through Ace's momentary relief as she observed the unmoving body of the Werefur curse slave. Despite the significant time that had passed, the creature's remains showed no signs of vanishing. However, the gaping hole in its chest remained unhealed, and it wasn't moving at all.
[Did I miss the fused curse core?] Ace asked, his gaze sharp and tense as he shifted his position, his hands steady as he aimed the rail rifle once more.
[I don't know, Master, but I'll finish it,] Emi replied without hesitation. Her figure moved swiftly, the glint of determination in her eyes. She pulled a handful of explosion talismans from her storage talisman and, with precise movements, stuffed them into the massive wound in the Werefur curse slave's chest.
Without waiting, she leaped back to a safe distance, her body twisting in the air with ninja-like grace. Then, with a sharp hand signal, she triggered the detonation.
A deafening explosion rocked the area, sending a massive plume of smoke, dust, and debris into the air. Shards of bone and chunks of flesh scattered like shrapnel, raining down across the forest. Ace shielded his eyes, squinting through the haze to assess the aftermath.
When the dust settled, both Ace and Emi stood frozen in shock. Despite the devastating blast, the scattered remains of the Werefur curse slave showed no signs of dissipating. Instead, they lay eerily still, strewn about the woods as if the creature's unnatural essence still clung stubbornly to its flesh.
Ace's grip on the rifle tightened, his jaw clenched as frustration bubbled within him. [What the heck is going on?] he muttered, a deep frown creasing his brow. His gaze darted between the scattered remains, his mind racing for answers.
[Master, I will try to find its fused curse core in the remains and send Senpai, with her cybernetics it will be easier and faster.] Emi replied as she hurriedly went through the scattered remains of the Werefur curse slave one by one trying to find its fused curse core and kill it once and for all before the unforeseen happened.
"Rose, go help Emi find the fused curse core and destroy it on the spot," Ace ordered, his tone sharp with urgency as he scanned the area. His mind churned, trying to piece together why the Werefur curse slave wasn't healing if it wasn't truly dead. The entire situation gnawed at him, defying logic.
Ace's brows furrowed deeply as a sudden thought struck him. It must be the mischief bullet's effect.
The realization sparked a thought in him. 'I definitely missed its fused curse core, but thanks to the mischief bullet, its healing factor was delayed long enough for Emi to blow it up. But... how did its fused curse core survive the explosion? Does this curse slave have some kind of defense-related innate curse art? And how much time do we have before the Werefur curse slave regains its strength?'
Ace's fingers tightened on the rail rifle as his thoughts raced. His breathing slowed as he tried to analyze the situation further. The delay in the Werefur's regeneration suddenly made perfect sense, but the resilience of the fused curse core baffled him. He clenched his jaw and shared his theory with Emi and Dame Wasp via the status screen
[Girls, listen up. The mischief bullet delayed its regeneration, giving Emi the chance to blow it up. But somehow, the fused curse core survived the explosion. Could it have a defensive innate curse art? What do you think?] Ace typed quickly, his eyes scanning the eerie stillness of the forest floor for any signs of movement.
[Master, I've scanned the entire area with my cybernetics, but I can't find the fused curse core,] Dame Wasp urgently reported, her gaze tinged with unease as look at her surroundings.
Ace stiffened, a string of curses running through his mind. He exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair. This was the worst-case scenario.
[Dammit! Emi, see if you can erase that curse mark. We're getting out of here before that thing regains its ability to regenerate and comes after us again,] Ace barked out through the status screen, his frustration barely held in check.
He didn't fear another fight with the Werefur curse slave, it was weak and stupid, but the risk of being bogged down by it again was unacceptable. It wasn't just the fight; it was the delay, the possibility of being cornered while trying to make it home unnoticed. Luck had been on his side this time, with the mischief bullet's effect activating on the first shot. Without it, who knew how long the battle might have dragged on, given the Werefur curse slave's sheer resilience?
[Master, just send me back to my toy space. The curse mark won't track me in there, and I can reappear once it dissipates,] Emi calmly assured him, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.
[Good. Let's bail,] Ace replied decisively. He slung the rail rifle over his shoulder, his mind already racing through potential escape routes. The longer they lingered, the greater the risk of attracting nearby curse users. The explosions and curse energy from the fight might deter cautious curse users, but they would undoubtedly draw the attention of the curse mercenaries roaming the county. Ace wasn't about to take that chance.
Within a minute, Ace and his toy summons had vacated the area.
Back at the battlefield, amidst the scattered chunks of flesh and bone, the largest piece of the Werefur curse slave began to regenerate at an astonishing speed. Piece by piece, muscle and sinew knit back together, though the process took several agonizing minutes. Slowly, it took on a humanoid form, and another minute later, its skin regenerated, revealing the features of a naked, silver-haired woman.
She rose unsteadily to her feet, her silvery hair cascading over her shoulders, and scanned her surroundings with cold, calculating eyes. Her gaze shifted skyward, her frown deepening as she realized it was still late afternoon. She had prepared to be out of it because of her berserk state till the next morning but woke a lot earlier than she anticipated.
"What the fuck happ—" she started, her voice low and raspy before her memory caught up to her. Her fists clenched, and her lips curled into a snarl. "I was blown to pieces by a Emi Nakamura cosplayer. This could not be more shameful. Let me find that bitch. I'll get even with her," she growled, her voice seething with venom, before running uphill buck naked.