Chapter 764 - 282: Amber_6

Yes, the truth behind Black Cat's Heart Understanding Ability is likely "changing the flow of time." By making time flow at different speeds in various areas, a multitude of strange effects are achieved.

"Space traversal" isn't true traversal; it's achieved by changing the flow of time in different areas, causing light to delay or even deflect. "Object disappearance" isn't the erasure of concepts, but through the acceleration of time in specific areas, causing decay and eventual disappearance. "Thought obstruction" and "magic power delay" are because Black Cat's previous attack delineated different regions within Emerald Sparrow's Magic Body, causing time flow discrepancies among those regions, thus information and Magic Power transmission are still hindered even within the Magic Body.

And if following this route further, Black Cat could potentially achieve even more...

—"Worthy of being the Captain, even in this situation you're analyzing my ability."

Black Cat didn't judge whether Emerald Sparrow's reasoning was right or wrong. In a low voice, she said, "But unfortunately, it's already too late."

Saying this, she opened her gloved left hand once more.

The intense discomfort that had filled Emerald Sparrow's Magic Body reached its peak at this moment.

Click.

Bang!

With the ability activating once more, this time, what shattered was Emerald Sparrow's Magic Body.

From the suddenly cracked opening in her chest, silver-blue Magic Power scattered and flew. Her entire body, like a shattered statue, instantly fragmented into pieces.

This was exactly the deduction that Emerald Sparrow couldn't voice.

If the time flow discrepancies within the Magic Body were further amplified, then the Magic Power flow maintaining the body would be severed, causing the body to explode.

If a creature of flesh and blood were affected by this ability, they might have already turned into a pile of decayed flesh. Emerald Sparrow had to thank the unique life form of a Magical Girl, as such an injury wasn't quite fatal.

Obviously, this ability is still likely constrained by Magic Power, as Emerald Sparrow is in an active Bloom state, Black Cat cannot significantly alter the time flow of her Magic Body. Otherwise, her Magic Body would not just fracture, but be ground into a cluster of magic particles.

However, even achieving this level means true "fatal" isn't far off.

Because when the Magic Body shatters, divides, and the Magic Source inside becomes easier to lock onto. In the battles of Magical Girls, once the Magic Source is locked, comparing Magic Power, technique, or ability becomes irrelevant.

"Have a good sleep, Captain."

Black Cat lowered her head, avoiding looking at Emerald Sparrow at this moment: "When you wake up, that damned monster will have disappeared from this world, and by then, we will have a good talk about this world and our future..."

As she said this, her left hand began to close.

If spreading her hand altered the flow of time, then what she intended to accomplish by closing it became increasingly evident:

Stagnation.

No longer like before Beast Transformation, where only a designated entity was targeted, but a broad application directly affecting the entire area.

The entire space surrounding Emerald Sparrow, as Black Cat's left hand closed, gradually froze, turning into a rather peculiar piece of amber.

Evidently, this is exactly why the surrounding Royal Court Guards haven't yet arrived to support.

Although Emerald Sparrow didn't witness it firsthand, it's conceivable that at this moment, the platoons of Royal Court Guards are similarly sealed within pieces of time amber, their consciousness and physiological activities frozen at the moment before Black Cat's invasion.

"Truly... grown to a remarkable degree."

Emerald Sparrow sighed thus.

The fact that Black Cat can accomplish all this means the Heart Understanding's post-enlightenment grip doesn't require a continual "grasp" to bring things to a halt. Although there are still unknown restrictions, it undoubtedly covers the shortcoming of battling multiple targets previously.

But for this, she feels sorrowful.

Clearly a power born to protect and preserve, yet transformed by hatred, by the actions of the Kingdom, and now only used in such a way.

If possible, she truly wishes to return to the time of reuniting with Black Cat, to have a deeper, more open discussion.

If that happened, could things have avoided reaching this point?

She doesn't know.

But, there's something she finally understands, which is that upon comprehending the other's ability, perhaps everything hasn't reached the worst outcome yet.

In the ever-slowing state, Emerald Sparrow gradually closed her eyes:

"Thus, I can finally be at ease now."

Silver-blue light flared up once more.

Though Emerald Sparrow made no apparent moves, seemingly admitting defeat, the suddenly flickering light around her still caused Black Cat's movements to halt.

"…How is this possible? I clearly..."

She raised her head incredulously, for at this moment, she wasn't stopping her hand's actions by her own volition.

Even if the enemy is Emerald Sparrow, the most special and sole important person to her now, there's no way she'd hold back in such a significant battle because this would disrespect both her vision for Claw Mark and Emerald Sparrow's strength.

Then, why was her ability forcibly stalled?

No one else was present, and Emerald Sparrow had no time to deploy such a magic technique; besides, the ability of the Weave of Fate couldn't achieve such a feat.

The only explanation is that Emerald Sparrow's Magic Power level experienced a massive surge at that moment, completely overpowering her, making the "Hate Today Hard to Grasp" ability unable to affect Emerald Sparrow easily.

But how could that be, Emerald Sparrow's Bloom should have been...

Black Cat's eyes widened.

Because she suddenly realized.

Magical Girl's Bloom indeed requires chanting, ritual, and corresponding transformation steps, but no one ever said that a Magical Girl couldn't do other things during the Bloom process.

The flower of magic silk woven before her by Emerald Sparrow, the one she accelerated with her ability to disappear—

—was merely a decoy.

Amid the fractured Magic Body of Emerald Sparrow, a flower of magic silk, even brighter and structurally more complex than before, revealed its outline at this moment.

Indeed, the flower truly used for completing the Bloom ritual wasn't the one she gathered in her hand.

"Great Prosperity Bloom."

Even with time slowed tenfold, dozens of times over, Emerald Sparrow's voice echoed unaffected, clearly reaching Black Cat's ears:

"Weave of Illusory Life."