Chapter 398

Chapter 133: The Hands That Hold

“Ah….. Ahahahaha…..”

As a Dark Pretty Cure created from artificial humans, from special combat organs to every cell in her body, everything was based on a replica of Pretty Cure by Dr. Shabak. In her normal state, she was fixed in her transformed form, a perfect warrior set to kill CureMoonlight.

But even weapons have their limits, the time would come when this body would suffer unimaginable backlash from the depletion in battle.

“Ah————”

The pitch-black energy source of the Desert Apostle poured out from where her chest had been cut, and was then purified into basic light particles. Like a computer whose hardware was violently damaged, the Dark Pretty Cure with widened eyes endured the pain akin to ten thousand ants biting her all over. With each errant current passing through her body, she convulsed reflexively.

“…”

Covering her shoulder, Lily repositioned herself and turned to look at the Dark Pretty Cure that fell behind her. Without a word, she tightened her grip on the Moonlight Magic Rod in her hand.

This time, I defeated her with Ash’s help, a proof that I surpassed my past self and successfully won this battle.

“But she seemed to be saying something about a friend?”

Like me, does she also have friends?

Shaking her head, Lily didn’t deliberate, stepping towards the fallen Dark Pretty Cure with a silent expression. Her silver power once more gathered at the top of the staff in her grasp.

Initially, she believed seeing the enemy suffer would bring her joy, but the Pretty Cure simply saw this as routine, feeling nothing else.

It’s over. For Kuron, and for everyone else’s battles against the Desert Apostles, let’s put an end to this ambiguous grudge. Let me end her.

The Dark Pretty Cure on the ground lifted her only movable left hand, a claw-like hand twisting in agony towards the sky, seemingly reaching for something. A glance revealed Lily’s approach and her torment instantly transformed into intense hatred.

“Kill…. I must kill….”

But, I lost. Lost completely and utterly.

My body feels so cold. Why? The last time, I won.

She thought of two men in her life.

Dr. Shabak, her creator and father, always wore a mask. Timons, her first and only friend who always wore a playful smile, never unveiled more than just his eyes to her.

Why won’t you show your true faces to me? Is it because I’m not good enough? Is my existence as a copy making you ashamed of being seen with me?

“Ah… ah….. ah…..”

Anger and murderous intent waned into aimless moans of pain. The Dark Pretty Cure shook her only moving hand, trying to grasp something, yet her trembling hands managed to grab nothing.

So painful… so much pain… Once I could bear even the pain of tearing my body apart, why now does it hurt so much…

Why? Why did they turn away when I needed help the most… Why? It hurts so much… Why…..

“Snap!”

A hand under armor grabbed the Dark Pretty Cure’s upraised hand, interlocking fingers tightly. The other arm bent behind her, hoisting her left hand back to her own chest, Timons carrying the disheveled girl bridal style.

“I’m sorry, I’m late.”

In blurry eyes, the familiar dark red spider web mask appeared. The tortured Dark Pretty Cure displayed an expression of relief at the twisted mouth.

Ah…. Finally… I’m not alone….

“Timons! Are you… the friend spoken of by the Dark Pretty Cure?”

Lily readied another stance, but Ash didn’t reply, not even turning to look at her. Holding Little Dark upright, Ash shot spider silk from his wrist, mimicking the iconic pose of a “neighborly” hero, and swiftly swung away on his silken web.

“Who exactly are you…”

Not thinking further, Lily returned to the battlefield on the other side. Here too, it had ended. The three officers from Desert Apostle had fled in defeat, so Lily wouldn’t have to spend extra effort finishing them off.

“Wuki, are you all right?”

“Yeah, everyone just passed out from exhaustion. Thanks to Timons, wounds like these are nothing.”

Though it was a pity to not finish off that Dark Pretty Cure, having fought four members, the shop owner would be delighted.

“Let me take care of it.” Gently taking over Wuki’s weary burden, Lily tenderly held her younger colleagues.

Back then, I met Kuron around this age aswell. Lily reminisced, thinking about when she first met Kuron, brought down by Ash from above, landing on young her.

But it implies that, even knowing her fate, Kuron chose to face it calmly and fight alongside her without a care.

“Huh, who says time can only move forward?”

No matter how things change, some things stay the same; I should not regret what has already happened. What matters is the future ahead.

Speaking of which, now that we’ve driven back all our enemies, what about the shop owner?

“Hey————!”

From one side of the woods, Ash ran out waving his right hand at them.

“Hush——they’re sleeping.”

Putting a finger to her lips in the gesture for silence, Ash noticed Lei and Erika sound asleep on her lap.

“How peacefully they’re sleeping.”

Wuki poked Erika’s constantly bulging cheek with her finger, watching the red cheeks dent and bounce back.

“Heh, seems so tranquil.”

“Yeah, that’s why I want to protect such times with everyone.”

Naturally sitting next to Lily, like someone who’d just finished a taxing job, Ash sighed in relief, poking Lei’s soft baby face along with Wuki.

“Rest now.”

In this moment, savor everything while all is calm and peaceful.