Though she had never ridden a magnificent giant dragon, riding the Herrscher of Wind, Wendy, was already quite the bragging right for after-dinner conversation. To commemorate such an unforgettable experience, it was only natural to leave behind a unique mark of her own on Wendy.
"Gugu, this is for you, for you."
Perched on Wendy's shoulder, the white cockatoo plucked a feather from itself and tucked it into Wendy's hair. "Gulu heard that when a phoenix undergoes nirvana, it can be reborn in feathers. Even if Gulu Gulu is just a parrot..."
Wendy showed neither joy nor anger at Gulu gulu's gesture. In nature, such an exchange was only natural. She had no need for any emotional response to it.
Only humans would be overjoyed by the slightest favor.
With Vill-V's disappearance and Gulu gulu's regained freedom, thunderous applause rang out from the cross-shaped prison, symbolizing the end of the opening act and the transition to the next performance of the circus.
The golden chain projections faded. White mist spread through the air. With a resounding musical clang, the stage lights focused upon the very center of the cross-shaped prison.
There, the curtain slowly rose to reveal an arch-shaped stage. Upon it stood Godfather, dressed in pink gothic attire. Just as he had in the prison before, he sang and danced passionately in a falsetto voice, doing his utmost to display the enchanting charm of magical girl Teriri.
And those earlier rounds of applause had not, in fact, been for Vill-V's curtain call at all. They had been for the entrance of Godfather Teriri.
Yet Wendy's eyes were not seared by the "Passionate Shining Teriri Dance" of Godfather, for her attention was not on him. From the very beginning, her gaze had been drawn to the massive and eye-catching machine beside the archway.
A stage personally arranged by Magician could easily direct the focus of any audience member to the intended focal point. Even a Herrscher was no exception. For the sake of protecting Wendy's eyes, Magician had truly gone to great lengths.
Although Magician herself felt that the Passionate Shining Teriri Dance was quite entertaining and even planned to promote it to Kevin and the others in the future.
As for that mysterious machine, it was dazzling and colorful in appearance, filled with pink, cute, trendy elements. Transparent glass walls surrounded it, and at the front was a large display window showcasing rare, radiant cards, exquisite game items, and Teriri figurines.
Along the side of the machine ran a multicolored LED light strip that flickered with shifting hues, adding a layer of mystery and dreamlike ambiance, exuding an irresistible magical allure.
At the very center of the device, however, enshrined in stark contrast to its flamboyant exterior, was an ordinary-looking book radiating holy light—the Sacred Scripture of Freedom: "Teriri".
The scripture emitted a sacred glow, inspiring awe at its mystery and power.
Whoever obtained this Sacred Scripture could receive the blessing of Teriri's magic—the Light of Hyperdimension—and thus become the savior of this realm, just like that very Godfather Teriri!
Even more eye-catching than the Sacred Scripture "Teriri" were the six blood-red characters emblazoned atop the machine, brimming with a sense of evil: "Mind Control Device."
What was this thing?
Before Wendy could voice her doubt, the circus guide Gulu gulu flapped its wings and pointed at the machine. "Gugu gugu! Look! That's the 'Magical Girl Teriri' card-drawing machine! It's the one controlling those foolish humans, draining their magic power and turning them into slaves of magical girl Teriri!"
In front of the rhythmic, pounding "Magical Girl Teriri" card-drawing machine, a group of prisoners still lined up to draw cards.
"Spent 168, bringing Teriri home..."
"I've been waiting for RiRi since 2008."
"Offer your heart to Teriri!!"
Their spirits were drained, their wills exhausted, yet they continued in vain to shove the money they had earned through prison labor into the machine.
What they did not know was that the SSR and UR prize probabilities of that claw machine had long since been reduced to zero by Vill-V. It could now produce only cheap Teriri merchandise.
Gulu gulu raised its tiny wings. "Gugu—no, they're free. No one is forcing them to draw cards. Their card-drawing behavior follows their own will, gugu."
Wendy ignored the chattering Gulu gulu. With a casual release of several compressed wind blasts, she destroyed the "Teriri" card-drawing machine.
( Vill-V: My multifunctional irrigation, cleaning, card-drawing, photography all-in-one machine! )
As a result, Godfather and the others were freed from Teriri's mental brainwashing.
"Ah! My guaranteed pull is gone!"
"What happened? What happened?"
"It's all because we lack power..."
Gulu gulu spoke nervously, "Gugu gugu, those humans have been liberated, but they won't thank you. Because you've taken away their spiritual pillar—magical girl Teriri... They'll become villains, gugu."
"And villains—none of them are free, gugu gugu."
The rock music on stage suddenly grew chaotic. All the cheerful, passionate sounds underwent a drastic change.
"Ahahaha, I've regained my freedom~ Teri Teri!"
"That damn woman—sooner or later I'll kill her! Teri Teri!"
"You Teriri bastard! While I was mind-controlled, you cemented me in, didn't you? Die!"
"I'm the real king of this prison, Teriri!"
Within the chaotic prison, the prisoners' emotions burned like wildfire. Their eyes brimmed with madness and uncontrollable rage. Liberation did not bring them peace—it ignited even fiercer conflict.
Gripping clubs, they struck each other's skulls without mercy.
Godfather, the most vicious criminal in North American history, now unleashed his dominance. Coldly, he tore open his Teriri stage outfit, revealing his muscular torso and a Teriri tattoo. With one arm, he lifted the pink bunny speaker and smashed those who refused to submit to Godfather Teriri into pulp.
His ambitions would not end there. He would seize control of the prison once more, enslave both underworld and legitimate forces, continue trafficking humans and drugs, and even massacre innocent civilians.