Fatheema suddenly stopped walking.
Both of her eyes glowed with a brilliant violet light.
"What's wrong, Fatty?" Akane asked in alarm, still disguised as Bruggman.
"Look around you. We've already passed that cell ahead of us before."
"At the end of this corridor there's an invisible barrier. If we cross it, we'll be sent back to the first cell we passed."
"If we keep walking and crossing that boundary, we'll just keep repeating the same path over and over again. Eventually we'll become exhausted and never find a way out of this place."
"And in the end..."
"We may become prisoners here ourselves."
"Oh my God..."
"So what are we going to do, Fatty?"
"We have to find a way to remove the mystical barrier."
"There must be some kind of anchor or medium maintaining it. Or perhaps a creature is hiding nearby and sustaining the spell."
Fatheema raised both hands and began chanting:
"Sira tan kinacek dening paningal, nanging umacek ring sakala paningal."
(She recited the mantra three times.)
Then she blew gently into her palms before swiftly placing her right hand against the ground.
A spiritual vibration surged from her hand and raced down the corridor ahead.
And—The veil before them vanished.
The hidden end of the corridor was revealed.
A tall figure suddenly appeared before them.
The creature resembled a pale-skinned woman wearing a long black robe that brushed against the floor.
Her long black hair hung all the way down to her calves.
A pair of small crimson horns protruded from either side of her head.
Most unsettling of all were her eyes.
Both eyes were completely white.
There were no pupils.
No irises.
Only glowing white emptiness.
"What are you doing here?!"
Her voice rang out sharply, echoing as though it were emerging from the depths of a bottomless well.
It was the kind of voice that could make anyone's skin crawl.
"I am the commander of the gorilla guards. I'm searching for a human prisoner."
Akane answered, trying to sound authoritative.
"Do not lie."
"You cannot fool me, foolish fox!"
The creature's voice thundered through the prison.
Her eyes flashed.
A shockwave of white light erupted outward and flooded the corridor.
Akane staggered.
Her disguise immediately shattered.
Her body reverted to its true form.
Her vision blurred.
In the next instant, she found herself standing inside a dark room.
Alone.
The flash of light seemed to have transported her elsewhere.
"What...?"
"What happened?"
"Where am I?"
"Fatty..."
She wandered aimlessly.
Darkness surrounded her in every direction.
Then suddenly—A gigantic pair of glowing white eyes appeared before her.
Silver light shimmered within them.
Akane's body froze.
She could not move.
It felt as though her consciousness was being pulled out through her eyes.
Pain and terror flooded her mind.
"AAAAH!"
Akane screamed.
The space around her seemed sealed shut.
Countless floating windows suddenly appeared before her.
Each displayed scenes of suffering.
Each showed a different form of torture.
Then—One of the windows emitted a supernatural force that seized her consciousness and dragged her inside.
A moment later, Akane found herself kneeling in a dark chamber.
Both arms were spread apart and shackled by chains hanging from the walls.
A blazing fire burned before her.
The heat was unbearable.
Sweat poured down her face.
Her throat became dry.
An overwhelming thirst consumed her.
"It hurts..."
"It's so hot..."
"I'm thirsty..."
"Help..."
Akane whimpered weakly.
She could barely scream.
Her tongue felt numb.
Pain engulfed every inch of her body.
Moments later, she lost consciousness, unable to endure the agony.
When she awoke again, she was lying face down on a stone floor.
Chains bound her wrists and ankles.
Standing before her was a massive black creature.
Its head resembled that of a bull.
Its eyes glowed bright red.
White smoke billowed from its nostrils.
The monster held a whip in its hand.
Growling deeply, it slowly approached her.
Then it raised the whip high overhead.
Preparing to strike.
"AAAAH!"
Akane screamed in terror.
Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound filled the air.
Space distorted.
Her head felt compressed.
Then a violent impact struck the crown of her head.
She cried out as her body seemed to spin wildly, as though being sucked into a raging whirlpool.
And—An instant later she was back inside the prison corridor.
She was kneeling on the floor.
Fatheema's hand was pressed firmly against the top of her head.
"Akane, wake up!"
Fatheema shouted.
"Ugh! What happened?"
Akane asked in confusion.
Her body trembled.
Her knees felt weak.
"You were possessed, Akane."
"Don't look into her eyes."
"That creature's power resides in her eyes."
Fatheema spoke calmly.
"Who are you?"
"Why are you standing in our way?"
Fatheema asked cautiously, carefully watching the creature's every movement.
"I am the Warden of this prison."
"Prison Maiden."
"I should be the one asking questions."
"What business do you have here?"
Her voice echoed through the corridor.
"Hmm... Lady Warden, please forgive us."
"We ended up here by accident."
"I need your help."
"Are any of my human friends imprisoned here?"
"They were recently captured by Hanako."
"Hmm..."
"I haven't received any human prisoners recently."
"Hanako hasn't brought me any new toys."
"Xixixixi..."
"But I do know that several humans were captured not long ago."
"And I know where they are being held."
"Lady Warden, would you please tell us where they're imprisoned?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"Besides, neither of you will be leaving this place."
"You will become my toys."
"Xixixixi..."
"I enjoy new toys."
"Please, Lady Warden."
"If you help us, we'll do our best to help you in return."
"Anything."
"I don't need your help!"
The woman grinned.
"However..."
"I'll give you a chance."
"I'm feeling bored today."
"What do you mean?" Fatheema asked.
"I'll give you an opportunity."
"If you can survive my technique, I'll release both of you."
"I'll even tell you where the humans are being held."
"But if you fail..."
"You will become prisoners here."
"Forever."
"Oh, and you don't really have a choice."
"Xixixixi..."
Suddenly, a pair of enormous black wings unfurled from her back.
Their shape resembled those of a giant black butterfly.
Fatheema immediately pulled Akane behind her.
She lowered her stance.
Her tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth, employing an ancient technique to focus her mind and spiritual energy.
She prepared herself for the coming attack.
Three pairs of eyes slowly opened across the Prison Maiden's wings.
Each eye shimmered with supernatural light.
Combined with her original eyes, four pairs of glowing eyes stared directly at Fatheema.
Four shockwaves surged toward her.
The attack's power was four times greater than her ordinary gaze.
Fatheema felt herself suddenly transported elsewhere.
A vast dark chamber stretched before her.
The four pairs of eyes floated in the darkness, glowing with silver light.
And—Countless windows appeared around her.
A thousand windows.
Each displayed scenes of suffering.
Every imaginable punishment.
Every terrifying scenario.
Every manifestation of fear, pain, despair, and sorrow known to humanity.
Prison Maiden had unleashed her ultimate technique:
Thousand Windows of Suffering.
The windows radiated immense supernatural power.
A force so powerful it could drag in the soul itself.
Anyone who looked upon them would have their consciousness and spirit pulled inside.
The victim would experience every punishment displayed within the thousand windows.
After reaching the thousandth window, the cycle would begin again from the first.
Endlessly.
An eternal loop of torment.
The victim's mind and soul would be eroded little by little until nothing remained.
Eventually, their consciousness would collapse completely.
Then death would follow.
The space around Fatheema sealed shut.
The first torture window opened.
A black vortex appeared.
She felt her body being dragged into it like a swimmer caught in a raging whirlpool.
Suddenly she found herself inside a dark chamber.
Her arms were spread wide and chained to a wall.
A blazing fire roared before her.
But—
The moment Prison Maiden's gaze-based attack struck her, it automatically triggered Fatheema's mystical eyes.
Her eyes blazed with violet light.
The unique patterns within her irises shifted into a deep crimson hue.
The room distorted.
An instant later she was back inside the prison corridor.
The illusion had failed completely.
Prison Maiden's attack had no effect on Fatheema whatsoever.
The mysterious power of her mystical eyes instantly dispelled the illusion.
For the first time, the prison warden looked genuinely surprised.
The girl standing before her had completely resisted her spiritual attack.
"There's something strange about this girl..."
"My attack doesn't seem to affect her."
Prison Maiden muttered inwardly.
"Her eyes are emitting a strange light."
"Illusions are useless against her."
***