Chapter 980: with translation of chapter title

Heimu is pulling that purple long‑handled Magic Staff out of the void.

The staff's shaft is deep purple throughout, and its tip bears an irregular crystal that emits a cold, faint light.

She slams the Magic Staff onto the ground; the staff's tail creates a ring of pale purple ripples, and the shadows on the floor are struck by that ring of light, scattering like snow doused with hot water, retreating swiftly.

Heimu grips the middle of the staff with one hand and swings it in the air toward the nearest pool of shadows.

From the tip of the Magic Staff a vertical purple beam shoots out, suddenly expanding after leaving the staff and forming a crescent Light Blade that precisely slashes that pool of shadows.

The black gelatinous mass emits an extremely high‑pitched screech, like a balloon burst underfoot, exploding into a cloud of purple‑black smoke.

"The shadow is the true body."

Heimu says, and with a reverse swing she produces another Light Blade that sweeps horizontally along the ground, cleaving another pool of shadows from the center.

This time there is no screech; the shadow merely bulges violently, then cracks with a "snap" into countless tiny black specks, like a startled swarm of ants scattering, but before they can crawl half a meter they are completely vaporized by the residual energy of the purple Light Blade.

"Magnificent!"

Pa Duo curls up at A Bo Ni Ya's feet, not forgetting to flatter, "One swing of that staff, and it'll be satisfying!"

Heimu has no time to attend to her.

She can feel that more shadows are moving beneath the entire main thoroughfare.

They converge like a stream, flowing from the slender shadows cast by the colorful flags, from beneath the popcorn kiosk, and from under the railings around the carousel, all aiming at the ground beneath their feet.

Heimu thrusts the Magic Staff deep into the ground; the purple crystal erupts in a burst of intense light, expanding outward from her as the center, forcing every shadow on the floor to be driven out wherever it passes.

The expelled shadows instantly solidify, and one by by various dolls emerge from the ground—grinning teddy bears, puppets on unicycles, flight attendants in old uniforms, and several faceless rubber figures.

They crowd densely on the main road, numbering dozens.

"We really messed with the doll nest."

Heimu clicks her tongue, pulls the Magic Staff from the ground, and slings it across her shoulder at a slant.

The crystal's glow at the staff's tip remains, casting her cold, pale face in half light, half shadow.

Sakura grips the hilt tightly and crouches slightly.

She can feel the air behind her growing cold, seeping out from deep within her body.

Fox Ears suddenly tremble, and a flash of red reflects in her gray‑purple pupils.

At the instant the first faceless doll lunges at her, Sakura's form flickers, and she vanishes.

When she reappears, she is already behind that doll, her long sword held horizontally at her side, and the doll's head flies high into the air.

Simultaneously, a massive red silhouette rises slowly behind Sakura.

It is a wholly crimson fox silhouette, limbs slender, ears pointed upright, Tail like a ball of burning flame, dragging seven after‑images through the air.

The fox silhouette stands three stories tall, eyes blood‑red, its pupils swirling with a cold, bloody light.

It emits a low hum, causing every doll on the street to pause for a moment.

"What is that?"

Pa Duo lifts her neck, eyes wide, and her Tail involuntarily bursts into a spiky ball.

A Bo Ni Ya lifts her face, the huge red fox silhouette reflected in her eyes.

The red fox silhouette offers no response.

It slowly raises its right paw and presses down on the nearest few dolls.

Before the paw fully lands, a gale has already bent the streetlamp poles, torn the flags, and several dolls are crushed as if under an invisible mountain, their bodies creaking as they sink, joints snapping, parts scattering.

The ground cracks, debris lifts, and that press makes the whole area seem pressed into mud.

Several shadows are violently squeezed out from the dolls' bodies; before they can flee, the red fox silhouette's paw crushes them one by one like bubbles.

Black smoke billows, and the mournful scream is so brief it sounds as if someone's gripping its throat.

Sakura stands before the fox silhouette, her pink hair fluttering wildly in the wind, her school uniform clinging to her body, outlining her slender yet powerful figure.

She tilts her face slightly, a faint red glow lingering in her gray‑purple pupils.

Watching the dolls still struggling, she hesitates not and swings her long sword downward.

The red fox silhouette then whips its Tail, sweeping the ground, crushing the remaining dolls along with their shadows and shells into fragments.

"Sakura‑senpai, you're way too powerful…"

Pa Duo's voice drifts out from behind A Bo Ni Ya, trembling with reverence.

Heimu lightly taps her own shoulder with the Magic Staff, watches the red fox silhouette fade, and softly whistles.

It has the same force as when she was beaten in the hallway before.

Yet she doesn't voice it, merely nods at Sakura in approval.

Sakura sheaths her sword, expression neutral, only the tips of her ears retain a hint of red, uncertain whether from exertion or embarrassment at being watched.

The main thoroughfare finally quiets down.

The ground is littered with broken doll limbs and charred marks, all the colorful flags torn down, streetlamp poles askew, and only the carousel side still glows with a few pale‑blue lamps, rotating slowly in circles.

From afar a sudden "clang" rings out.

Heimu looks up; in the mist behind the carousel, a vague silhouette of a pitch‑black building emerges.

The building is low but very wide; crooked letters hang above its main entrance, three lamp tubes are broken, and the remaining lit letters spell "HOUSE."

On either side of the porch stand half‑human‑high stone statues: on the left a faceless angel, on the right a teddy bear clutching a broken arm.

The front door stands wide open, the interior black as a well.

"The signal is inside."

Heimu raises her hand, and the Magic Staff transforms into a Purple Light Dot that dissipates in her palm.

She lifts her chin toward the building, "Hua is inside."

"That place looks like a haunted house."

Pa Duo sticks her head out from behind A Bo Ni Ya's leg, ears pressed back, voice trembling, "I'm most scared of haunted houses, especially ones with flickering broken lights."

A Bo Ni Ya gently patted Pa Duo's crown, her movement tender: "Wei Er Wei's haunted house should have some other tricks; she won't just use the scare tactic."

"Let's go in and take a look."

Heimu said, already stepping forward.

To be honest, Heimu doesn't really like haunted houses much, but Hua is inside, and the others' positions are still rather vague; Heimu can't waste time at the doorway.

And ever since entering the amusement park, Heimu has constantly felt being watched.

Rather than passively waiting for the other side to make a move, it's better to head straight to the next stage arranged by the designer.

The four of them passed through the wide‑open door.

The hallway floor was laid with black‑and‑white alternating diamond tiles, as clean as the main road outside, looking as if it had just been mopped.

Heimu had just stepped in when the big door behind her slammed shut with a "Bang".

Pa Duo leapt directly to Heimu's feet, Tail tightly coiling around her ankle, nearly tripping her.

"The door! The door closed by itself!"