Marvel Magic Case Files.

Chapter 66 Close Friend

Bayonetta leaped upwards, narrowly avoiding Joan of Arc's rear wheel, which Joan of Arc twisted the throttle and rode along the old brick wall.

The witch jumped onto the motorcycle and fired at Joan of Arc with her newly repaired pistol—Scarborough Fair—but Joan dodged them all. Suddenly, she leaped backward, landing on the falling pocket watch.

Joan of Arc defied gravity and stood up from the motorcycle, perfectly parallel to the ground. With one foot on the accelerator, she leaped onto the front of the motorcycle, grabbing the pocket watch a step ahead of Bayonetta, then fell back down, landing perfectly on the motorcycle that had just landed.

Every movement was so effortless and graceful, as if she had calculated every single variable in the battle, including the motorcycle's landing point. Meanwhile, Bayonetta had only just landed on the ground. Jeanne turned the motorcycle around and stopped opposite Bayonetta, holding a pocket watch in her hand, which she showed to her.

Joan of Arc said, "I have waited so long for this moment. But you have forgotten your destiny and wasted these 20 years."

She tossed the pocket watch to Bayonetta, who caught the stolen treasure. Bayonetta looked at the watch in her hand and said, "Indeed, I don't quite remember anything about the lake. Could you please explain it to me in more detail?"

Joan of Arc opened the silver pocket watch in her collar, which was a small mirror. She reapplied her lipstick in front of the mirror. "Two observers... the Eye of the World... the power to control the world."

Bayonita had heard all of this before, but some things still bothered her, such as Joan of Arc's eyes—the eyes of someone she knew well. Those eyes felt strangely familiar to Bayonita, and the person before her evoked more memories than she had imagined.

For a fleeting moment, she felt as if she were back behind a black iron fence, gazing at the vast hall in front of it. A ceremony was taking place there, seemingly a tribal succession ceremony?

"Joan of Arc, as the heir to the tribe, it's time for you to prove whether you deserve the name of a witch." A girl in red stood before the woman in the black robe. The woman in the black robe spoke to the girl in an aged voice, "You can choose your opponent; anyone will do."

Suddenly, a throwing knife embedded itself in the wall next to Bayonetta, and the girl in the red dress turned around.

She had white hair, a flintlock pistol strapped to each foot, and her flamboyant crimson dress and gold-embroidered cloak stood in stark contrast to the somber black surroundings.

She coiled her long hair into two tight buns beside her ears, wrapped with delicate gold chains adorned with broom flowers. One chain crossed her forehead, and in the center of this chain were three lily petals, like a crown. Her neck was also wrapped in black, close-fitting fabric, which accentuated the three lily-shaped pendants hanging from the buns.

She declared loudly, "Then let me fight that feared one."

This person... Bayonetta felt he looked increasingly familiar...

The girl seemed completely unconcerned about the opposition from those in charge. She didn't care about impure bloodlines or that challenging her was blasphemous. "This isn't the first time we've fought," she said.

She didn't even heed the leader's surprise before challenging Bayonetta. "How about a duel in this sacred place?" she said. "Isn't this what you've always wanted?"

"If there's no other choice, then of course that's fine. But I need you to give me something in return." Bayonetta found herself speaking without realizing it, and her own clothes were extremely retro. "You know, I really like animal plush toys."

Bayonetta only remembered experiencing an extremely difficult battle. When she came to her senses, the person who had been standing in front of her had vanished, and she was back in reality. Bayonetta still remembered the joy she felt when she accepted the challenge. It seemed this woman might be a friend, and a very close one at that, but she couldn't recall much more for the time being.

She only remembered one name: Joan of Arc. That must be her name.

This town is not only home to angels, but also to crows. The old streets and buildings are almost uninhabited, and the birds can perch on the road without worrying about anyone trespassing.

The place exudes a desolate atmosphere, yet no weeds grow there. The brick and stone road, though somewhat uneven, is impeccably clean, as if it is regularly swept.

Only after Bayonetta opened a sealed stone door did she return to the square of Vigrid. The bustling life of the city surged back, and at that moment, she felt as if she had returned to the human world. Normally, those stone doors were closed, and the people of Vigrid had no way of exploring them. Almost everyone here was excluded from the secrets of the past. Only those with extraordinary magical powers like Bayonetta could open those doors and glimpse a bit of history.

But Bayonetta felt that her greatest gain was that memory. It not only reminded her of the names of her past companions, but also of those halls—her next goal was to find those halls and uncover all their secrets; surely, what she needed was there.

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A man dressed in a Ragnarok robe and wearing a white hood ran breathlessly across the cobblestone street, stumbling and knocking over many pedestrians. The reason he was running so frantically was that behind him was an extremely strong Vigrid law enforcement officer wielding a baton.

He ran into an alley, avoiding the law enforcement officers, but he was still spotted by a young woman. He suddenly stopped, took a few steps back, and returned to the woman. He solemnly adjusted his non-existent collar, pulled down his hood, and tossed a long red and blue scarf behind him.

"Do you believe in fate?" He stepped forward, extending a hand to the young woman. Then, he stepped back, tripping a rushing law enforcement officer. "Fate has bound us together; no one can separate us."

As he spoke, he backed away, knocking over the long table behind the flower shop door and crashing heavily to the ground. Then, he vanished, startling the young female Ragnar woman. She and the law enforcement officer who had gotten up ran over, but found no trace behind the table; it was as if he had disappeared into thin air.

"I believe you," Salomon said. "I believe you. Luca, it's your turn to speak now."

"SHIT! That was my chance!" Luca slammed his fist on the ground in frustration. The two of them were still standing behind the long table, but the two people in front of the table seemed unable to see them or even touch them. Luca's actions went completely unnoticed by the others.

Luca quickly composed himself, stood up, and dusted himself off. He asked, "Is this...that Purgatory Realm?"

"No, this is the Mirror Dimension," Salomon said. "It's an extra dimension, different from the Infernal Realm, with a different nature. It's impossible to interfere with the outside world from here. However, the Mirror Dimension and the Infernal Realm do have something in common: those who stay here cannot leave without using specific magic. You should thank me for saving you."

"What are you doing here?" Luca asked.

"I just got a kid a new toy to distract her. And then I came here." Salomon looked bored. "Finding you was so easy; I doubt even Vigridry has a troublemaker like you."

Since someone suggested two updates a day, let's go back to two updates a day. However, the word count for one and two updates is the same—1*4000+ and 2*2000+ are identical. But since the latter seems to have more words, let's choose that. Anyway, there are more examples this way, right? ︿(￣︶￣)︿

Remember to vote!

(End of this chapter)