Maya-sama... she means business...
When she faced her master, a cold shiver ran down Maki's spine. Maya crossed her arms as if showing off her large bosom. She seemed defenseless despite her provoking behavior. However, Maki couldn't seem to find a single opening. To Maki, Maya looked like a ferocious beast that could rip her opponent's head off in the blink of an eye.
Maki stared at Maya with a sharp glance, looking for openings, while readying her large blade. Her stance was slightly smaller than it had been up until now. Maki knew that she wouldn't catch Maya with any large attacks better than anyone else.
“Oh, scary. Maki, you don't need to be so scared. I only came because I wanted to see your face for the first time in a while. I'll leave after playing with you for a little while.”
Maya didn't seem shaken in the slightest despite her apprentice pointing a weapon towards her. Maya knew that the current Maki couldn't win against her. She showed a confident expression and her white teeth could be seen peeking out from under her lips. It was a feminine smile from a beautiful adult woman. However, what could be felt from her smile was more akin to a beast baring her fangs.
“And if you're gonna make such a scary face, you'll give away your act of being caught by the enemy. Fufufu.”
“M-Maya-sama?!”
Maki was shaken up by what Maya pointed out. Since Maya had appeared so suddenly, Maki had forgotten her own supposed standpoint. She would have needed a more self-controlled reaction.
“Don't worry, Maki. I don't really care whose side you are on. Not up until now nor from now on...”
“Eh...”
However, Maya's next words shook Maki up even more. Maya had more or less understood Maki's betrayal and left her alone until today.
“But, Maki, I don't hate your current self.”
Maya showed a truly happy smile. As her master, or maybe as one of her few comrades. It was a pure smile void of any evil, though it only lasted for a few seconds.
“Realize your wish with your own powers. That is the kind of life you're living now. It wasn't until you parted with Darkness Rainbow that you finally embodied the ideal of the organization. How ironic.”
When Maki was in Darkness Rainbow, she desired others to be sincere. The reason for that was because she had been betrayed by those close to her in her youth. But there was no perfect human. Every person lied in some way or another. That's why Maki always felt an irritation towards her surroundings.
Maya didn't like that part of Maki. She believed that Maki shouldn't restrain her irritation, but rather act as she pleased. In other words, she should use magic to force people to be sincere. Changing the world to something more convenient for yourself was Darkness Rainbow's style.
However, after parting with Darkness Rainbow, Maki had been freed from her irritation. That was because what Maki truly wanted wasn't people's sincerity, but what lay beyond. Love. Creating love using magic was sad. All she would get was a false love, something Maki hated. That's why the power of magic couldn't change Maki's world.
Maki was now using the power of magic to prevent what she had gotten from being stolen from her. The sight of Maki being honest about her feelings, even if those were feelings of love, was more prefered by Maya. Since Maki parted with Darkness Rainbow, she had started acting more like a proper member of Darkness Rainbow.
On top of that, the relationship between the members of Darkness Rainbow was shallow and using your allies was common place. That's why Maya didn't care if Maki had betrayed them. That was only obvious. In fact, she was pleased that Maki had become a full-fledged member of Darkness Rainbow. As a result, she never told anyone of Maki's betrayal.
Good and evil didn't matter to Maya. Creating a world more suitable for yourself through magic was the embodiment of Darkness Rainbow's ideals.
“Then you should understand, Maya-sama. Even if I'm going up against you, I will defeat you.”
Maki pointed the tip of her blade towards Maya. Her hands were trembling slightly from her tension and sweat was sliding down her forehead. If she let her guard down by even a little, she would be taken out in an instant. Since Maya knew Maki's hand, she was close to her worst possible opponent.
“That's right, that's what it should be like. However―”
As Maya spoke, a blade popped out of her artificial arms.
“―I will kill anyone who opposes me, even if it's you, Maki!”
As Maya finished speaking she moved. Her movements were so fast that most people struggled just tracking her with their eyes.
“Nightwalker! Recall – Precast – Category Alpha!”