The internal structure of the Bonny Prison was extremely complex. Or rather, due to its ancient construction and prolonged use, it had suffered numerous structural damages that were difficult to repair, turning it into a natural labyrinth.
Aoko and Touko distributed rune stones—used for positioning and signaling—to every Messmer soldier. They then split into pairs to search the underground prison separately. If any soldier encountered an enemy they couldn't handle, they would send a signal to Aoko and Touko, who would then teleport to their coordinates for support.
Inside Bonny Prison, aside from the charred, undead Horned People who had hidden there early in the war, the remaining inhabitants were those who had only taken refuge there in more recent years.
The Messmer soldiers showed no mercy in dealing with these Horned People—executing them on the spot and then burning their corpses with the fire-starting materials they carried. If the soldiers' task was more like cleaning up, then Aoko and Touko's work leaned more toward investigation. They found records and clues in the prison, and if their suspicions were correct, the deeds of these Horned People within the prison were so heinous that even the notorious Zouken Matou would seem like a saint in comparison.
To map out the specific structure of this underground prison, Touko deployed a large number of her spider puppets, spreading them throughout the prison to search every corner and relay intelligence back to her.
Aoko and Touko followed the jar elevator deeper into the prison. Along the way, they assisted some Messmer soldiers who were struggling against a group of warrior jars. The overall progress of the prison raid was going quite smoothly.
Touko's spider puppets scoured the prison, collecting all valuable information and treasures. Among their finds were the remains of a black-armored swordsman, a crafting journal left in a corner, and a horn-shaped magical accessory.
The most valuable item they discovered was a small, round mirror shield. Its material was a mystery, but it contained a unique magical effect and was only about the size of a dinner plate.
"This thing can absorb a portion of energy attacks!" Aoko exclaimed in surprise. "Wanna give it a try?"
She held up the small shield and gestured for Touko to hit her with a Gandr shot.
Touko complied readily, launching a Gandr curse projectile. As soon as it struck the shield, the dark mirror surface absorbed it entirely, leaving Aoko with only a minor impact sensation.
Moreover, after absorbing Touko's magic shot, the shield seemed to charge up with energy. Understanding this intuitively, Aoko pushed the shield forward, releasing a dark energy projectile from the black mirror surface. Touko casually dispersed it with a wave of her hand.
"Interesting mystic code," Touko commented. "Neither of us needs it, so let's take it back for the girls."
The exploration of Bonny Prison lasted for about an hour. As per Aoko and Touko's instructions, the Messmer soldiers regrouped at the mid-level of the prison. Two soldiers sustained minor injuries, but Aoko and Touko easily healed them with magic.
Except for the lowest level, every part of the prison had been explored and cleared, including the primitive tunnels that served as sewers. Touko's puppets had proven incredibly useful—though the smell after exploring the sewers was unbearable, forcing Touko to spend some time magically cleaning them.
To reach the lowest level hall, the usual method would be for everyone to take the jar elevator one by one. However, Aoko was unwilling to waste time. Instead, she used Soaring Sky Realm to fly everyone down through the central shaft.
At the bottom, the Horned People stationed on the bridge, as well as the grotesque, maddened remnants of unfortunate sorcerers, spotted them. Without hesitation, Aoko unleashed Radiant Sword Array, obliterating all remaining enemies in an instant.
The lowest level of the prison was a hall illuminated by eerie blue spirit flames. Upon entering, Aoko and Touko immediately noticed a familiar figure—or rather, a Cursed Swordsman who closely resembled someone they had encountered before.
These Cursed Swordsmen wielded ring-shaped blades. The name Cursed Swordsman was given by the Messmer soldiers, who were all too familiar with these agile and formidable foes after countless battles.
Aside from this Cursed Swordsman, there were also several Jar Masters from Bonny Village. Aoko guessed they had fled into the prison after her previous purge of Bonny Village, unaware that she would return so soon with the Messmer army—leaving them no choice but to retreat to the lowest level.
As for the Cursed Swordsman, his unstable mental state suggested he had been living in prison for many years.
Last time, Cheshire Cat had dealt with a Cursed Swordsman. This time, Aoko wasted no time—she cast an Overcharged Delayed Monster Binding Spell, temporarily freezing the incredibly fast enemy in place. The Messmer soldiers then swarmed in, hacking the Jar Masters and the Cursed Swordsman into mincemeat.
Despite witnessing gruesome scenes (including the vengeful spirits of past victims still haunting the prison), the mission was a great success. At the very least, the Aozaki sisters had made a worthwhile discovery—the small mirror (or shield?) alone justified their trip.
The function of the horn-shaped accessory remained unknown, but they decided to study it later.
After completing their mission, the two sisters and the Messmer soldiers returned to the surface. They handed over the gathered intelligence to the soldiers and let them return to Ensis Castle on their own. Aoko then destroyed the entrance to Bonny Prison, ensuring that no remaining Horned People could use it as a hideout again.
As for themselves, they set off for the location marked on the map given to them by Rellana—Cathedral of Manus Metyr.
"This cathedral's name is quite interesting," Touko mused as she examined the map. "If we interpret it using Latin and ancient Indo-European phonetics, the name contains the meaning of 'Mother of Hands', or 'Manus Metyr'."
"But this is another world, right?" Aoko pointed out. "And their language isn't related to anything from Earth. Could it just be a coincidence?"
"I know, but I feel like there's something deeper here..." Touko said thoughtfully. "...After all, you mentioned that in the Lands Between, there exist strange beings called Two Fingers, who act as the emissaries of the Greater Will."
"Now that you mention it, I just remembered something," Aoko stroked her chin in thought. "Somewhere in the Lands Between, there's a place called Cathedral of Manus Celes. If we interpret that using Latin phonetics, it would mean 'Hand from the Sky' (Manus Celes). And deep beneath that cathedral, a Two Fingers is hiding..."
"That is very interesting," Touko said, tapping the map. "If our theory is correct, then the secrets hidden beneath this cathedral must be enormous."
"It seems like Rellana knows nothing about this," Aoko remarked. "Maybe it's because she's more of a skilled warrior than a researcher. When we reach the cathedral, let's ask Priest Ymir—Rellana spoke highly of him."