Multiverse: Invasion of the 2D Heroines

How careless. Shizuno Urushibara didn't expect that this monster would actually be able to slip past her senses.

In the surface world, her powers were sealed. She couldn't eliminate the creature, and she wasn't carrying any emergency countermeasures. Fortunately, the monster was also restricted by the overwhelmingly rigid physical laws of the surface world, unable to exert its true strength. Even so, it could still cause trouble.

Watching the black mist flit around like a headless fly, she was surprised no one else could see it. But of course, ordinary people couldn't perceive it at all.

The black mist was desperately searching for a host. If it successfully possessed someone, it would drive them mad, turning them into a raging maniac, like a lunatic suddenly losing control.

Technically, any ordinary person would do, but the mist preferred compatible targets those prone to anger or already foul-tempered. Such hosts would become far more dangerous when driven mad.

The black mist was shrinking rapidly. This was the physical laws of the surface world rejecting its existence, erasing it. If it failed to find a suitable host, it would eventually vanish, and in its final moments, it would randomly jump into the body of the nearest person.

"There!"

Shizuno spotted the mist suddenly shift, no longer flying aimlessly. It had found its target, and she quickly gave chase. She had to subdue the host before the possession could fully take hold and report the incident before things spiraled out of control.

She pursued the mist through the clothing section… until they arrived at the fresh produce area. That's when she saw it the black mist lunged at a boy who looked like a high school student and slipped into his body.

If they were in the inner world, Shizuno might have noticed something odd. Just as the mist was about to enter, it shuddered, hesitated, but couldn't stop itself in time. The next instant, it was devoured by something else, like a tiny ember vanishing into a raging inferno.

Unaware of this, Shizuno sprinted forward, gripping a rolling pin she'd snatched from a nearby display. She aimed to knock the target unconscious before the possession could manifest.

The boy seemed to sense her approach and turned around, but she couldn't stop herself in time.

Smack.

Their eyes met.

Surprisingly, he didn't pass out. Although she hadn't fully managed to pull back her swing, she had instinctively reduced most of her strength. The impact probably felt like a sharp flick to the forehead.

She immediately tried to follow up, planning to jab the rolling pin at a specific weak point on his body that would temporarily disable him.

As for the boy

"..."

Yoru Moonshadow, who had just been ambushed out of nowhere, stared at the girl who seemed ready to hit him again. He quickly grabbed the rolling pin.

He took a closer look at his attacker a beautiful girl so flawless she seemed sculpted from fine porcelain, like she'd stepped straight out of a 2D world. She wore what looked like a middle school uniform.

She radiated the elegance of a refined young lady from a wealthy family. And yet, why the hell was she randomly attacking him? Was she nuts?

Thunk.

Yoru smashed his forehead into hers. Just because she was pretty didn't mean he'd let it slide.

Right after, he gasped in pain. He'd forgotten his head was still swollen from an earlier brawl with a certain flat-chested girl.

Seeing the girl a little dizzy from his headbutt, Yoru seized the opportunity to counter. He wrested the rolling pin from her and pinned her wrist to the floor with just enough force to hold her in place.

"Help! I'm being assaulted!"

Her sweet, clear voice rang out, laced with panic, perfectly timed to draw everyone's attention. Paired with her now tearful, frightened expression, the surrounding bystanders immediately shot furious glares at Yoru.

Classic move. Playing the victim first.

Yoru sneered coldly, his black eyes sweeping over the crowd. In that moment, his dormant Demon King presence surged, freezing everyone in place.

He refocused on the girl, who now seemed genuinely rattled by his aura.

Yoru lowered his face close to hers, his voice dangerously calm. "You sure you want to cry wolf, kid? I'm the wrong guy to pick a fight with."

The girl trembled slightly but didn't back down.

Just as he loosened his grip, preparing to toss the rolling pin aside, a sharp, furious female voice cut through the air.

"Let her go!"

A figure darted toward him from the crowd and aimed a precise kick at his abdomen.

Too fast. Yoru didn't have time to react or block. The kick landed squarely on his stomach, sending him stumbling several steps backward. The rolling pin slipped from his grasp as he doubled over, clutching his gut in pain.

That kick had precision and restraint enough to avoid internal injuries but still painful as hell. Clearly, the girl wasn't some helpless bystander. She was trained.

He looked up, scowling, to see who'd dared kick him. In front of him stood a stunning girl with vibrant crimson hair and sharp, yellow-green eyes. Her delicate features were framed by a short floral dress paired with tight jeans. From a distance, she could easily pass for a mature beauty, but up close, she looked like a high school student.

The girl glared at him with eyes wide in outrage.

"Unbelievable. I've never seen anyone act so vile in public. Absolutely unforgivable!"

Her cherry-red lips trembled as she spoke, her words brimming with righteous fury.

Was today cursed or something? He kept running into crazy girls. Yoru couldn't hold back his irritation as he muttered:

"Women are such infuriating creatures."

"Huh? Scumbags like you don't get to hate women."

The girl helped the other one up while shooting Yoru a frosty, contemptuous glare. Her expression was so cold it could freeze sunlight. Oh? A single ahoge was now standing straight up on her head, as if out of sheer indignation.

"What are you staring at?"

The girl's face flushed with embarrassment, her eyes burning with rage. She crossed her arms protectively over her chest because Yoru's gaze had shifted to her tragically flat chest. His lips curved into a mocking smirk.

"So that's it. Another washboard. Tragic. No wonder your brain doesn't work either. Just another violent maniac."