Chapter 34: Death Notice
"What?!"
This time, before Kazama could speak, Kerberos exploded first.
It flew up abruptly, maintaining a safe distance while pointing at Kaguya's nose and loudly refuting:
"Master Clow Reed would never create a woman with such a terrible personality! Among his creations, besides me and Yue, there are only those two special cards 'The Nothing' and 'The Hope'! There's no character like you at all! I've memorized the magic book's catalog inside and out!"
"Hahaha..."
Kaguya suddenly laughed.
This laughter made even Hiratsuka Shizuka, sleeping deeply nearby, furrow her brow and turn over, mumbling "Don't be noisy... another bottle..."
"The catalog? That kind of outdated thing—only an old relic like you would treasure it."
After laughing enough, Kaguya stretched, her perfect figure's curves fully displayed under the lighting.
She restrained her laughter, her eyes becoming somewhat playful.
"I'm indeed not in the catalog, because I was rushed out temporarily."
"That old man Clow Reed sensed new Clow Cards in this world. He found it interesting but felt something was missing."
"Missing someone to oversee the situation. Originally that position belonged to Yue."
"Unfortunately, the real Yue has already become the previous Cardcaptor's—that little girl named Kinomoto Sakura's—exclusive card. Can't come over for a business trip."
"So I was born."
"To substitute for Yue's position, to clean up this messy situation, and also to look after you, this adorable new Cardcaptor."
"Huh?!"
After hearing this, Kerberos's eyes widened like saucers.
"Substitute? You're saying you're a replacement?!"
"What a joke! Yue is unique! You—though your magic is strong, you feel completely wrong—dare call yourself Yue's substitute?!"
"I've never seen you before! That scheming glasses-wearing Clow Reed likes causing trouble, but I know all his creations. There's absolutely no character like you!"
"Kazama, don't believe her! You counterfeit! Even your basic attributes are wrong. You don't have any of Yue's cool, aloof moonlight feeling—just pure malice!"
"Counterfeit?"
Kaguya's eyebrow raised, that killing intent she'd just restrained spreading again.
"A plushie that can't even maintain its own true form, only surviving on magic others charity-feed it, has the qualifications to call me a counterfeit?"
"You—!"
Kerberos was so angry it wanted to charge forward desperately.
Just then, a hand reached out and grabbed that little lion teetering in mid-air.
Kazama Chiba looked at Kaguya, thought for a moment, and decided to back up Kerberos.
"Though this thing is worthless—a glutton that eats everything yet accomplishes nothing."
"But it's mine now."
"A temporary substitute hastily created to replace Yue—what do you have to be proud of?"
"..."
Kerberos poked its head out from his chest, looking at this master who usually mocked it coldly but unhesitatingly stood by its side at critical moments.
In that instant, its heart—probably made of cotton—inexplicably warmed.
Though those words sounded like insults, Kazama was clearly protecting it!
Is this what having backup feels like?
"Kazama..."
It sniffled, its confidence instantly surging.
"That's right! Hear that?! I'm the unique Beast of the Seal! You knockoff from who-knows-what bootleg factory—stop being so arrogant here! Yue is definitely ten thousand times stronger than you!"
Watching this human and beast pair showing "united front against the enemy," Kaguya felt quite pleased.
"Very nice."
She clapped her hands lightly.
"I thought you were a cold-blooded animal who only knew self-interest. Didn't expect you to have such a protective side."
"So-called 'protectiveness' just means protecting one's own possessions, right?"
Kazama Chiba replied expressionlessly.
"Even if it's worthless, it's still my worthless thing. Not for others to point fingers at."
While they'd been arguing, Kazama Chiba's brain had already connected all the previous clues.
His initial use of the Rat Talisman to forcibly activate the Clow Cards had obviously alarmed Clow Reed.
And the fact that the Clow Cards could later operate independently of the Rat Talisman was most likely because Clow Reed had secretly granted them official status behind the scenes.
Then Kazama directly asked Kaguya about her purpose.
"So? You called me here today to confiscate the cards on that old man's behalf?"
"No, no, no."
Kaguya shook her head, that slender finger drawing circles on the rim of her sake cup.
"Since you've already subdued those cards through your own ability, they're your private property. I'm a reasonable person—I won't do such tasteless things."
"I came here not for the past, but for the future."
"The future?"
"Exactly."
Kaguya withdrew her hand, her expression becoming serious in this moment.
"Waiting for that future moment."
"The final... Judgment."
"Judgment?!"
Kerberos cried out in shock. As the Sun Beast, it obviously knew about this. Worried Kazama wouldn't understand, it specifically explained:
"The so-called Judgment is when all Clow Cards have been unsealed, the guardian—meaning Yue—will judge the candidate. Only by defeating the guardian and earning recognition can one truly become the Clow Cards' new master."
After speaking, as if thinking of something, it looked at Kazama, then at Kaguya.
"But this guy only has four cards total right now! Wind, Shadow, Illusion, Mirror! He's far from collecting them all! Isn't bringing up Judgment now too hasty? What kind of game makes you fight the final boss right at the start?!"
"Correct. According to the rules, Judgment can only occur at the end. I indeed can't attack you now."
"But that doesn't prevent me from delivering an advance death notice."
Kazama Chiba frowned. "Death?"
"I heard the punishment in the original story was just losing memories, right? Or losing memories of someone you love?"
"That was Yue's rule."
The smile on Kaguya's face remained unchanged, but that smile no longer held any warmth—only a bone-chilling killing intent.
"I previously read that original story I erased. That Yue fellow deeply disappointed me."
A flash of undisguised contempt crossed her eyes.
"Clearly possessing such tremendous power, clearly shouldering the duty of screening inheritors. And the result?"
"Actually moved by some little girl's sappy lines like 'Even without magic we're still friends'? Even deliberately holding back in battle? That soft, playing-house-like combat—that's supposed to be a Judgment?"
"What kind of Judgment is that? It's just playing house! A desecration of the power Master Clow Reed left behind!"
"CRACK!"
The sake cup in her hand shattered.
The fragments cut her finger, but not a drop of blood flowed. The wound healed instantly.
"So I've decided—as the new Judge, I absolutely won't be indecisive like that worthless Yue."
Kaguya stood up, looking down at that boy from above.
"Listen well, Kazama Chiba. Don't expect any mercy from me."
"When you collect all the cards, that's when the Final Judgment comes."
"If you can't defeat me then—"
She leaned down, that beautiful face only centimeters from Kazama, their breaths intertwining yet carrying coldness.
"What gets stripped away isn't just your Cardcaptor status."
"But your life."
"So from now on, struggle to survive, boy."
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