In order to deal with the eerie version of Arlecchino, Su Yuan, Sigewinne, and Clorinde had discussed two possible plans.
If "Arlecchino" didn't disguise herself and instead appeared in her distorted, eerie form, then Clorinde would directly engage in a duel with her.
Although Clorinde would definitely lose, there was a high chance that after her defeat, Clorinde would enter an eerie state.
Su Yuan also had a hypothesis—an eerie Clorinde would target the person who had previously defeated her…
This could lead to a situation where one eerie battles another.
As for "Arlecchino," the eerie force she carried wasn't fully developed, so it was likely not strong enough to take on a fully eerie Clorinde.
However, Su Yuan also had a guess about how to reverse Clorinde's eerie state…
The condition for Clorinde's eerie transformation was losing in a duel.
So, if she could defeat the one who had previously beaten her, could it reverse the eerie state?
If that were the case, an eerie Clorinde would be one of the easiest to control eerie transformations…
Then there was the second plan.
If "Arlecchino" disguised herself and came here in a normal form, then Sigewinne would take the lead.
Sigewinne's eerie transformation condition was that her opponent hadn't consumed the food she had "carefully prepared"—and this "careful preparation" was a subjective concept.
Moreover, "food" was a very broad concept.
Although Sigewinne's eerie transformation might not be as powerful as Clorinde's, the condition for reversing it was much easier to control.
As long as they could find a way to have the depleted, now-normal Arlecchino consume everything that Sigewinne had prepared, Sigewinne should be able to return to her normal state!
However, a third scenario, one they had anticipated, suddenly unfolded.
"Arlecchino" took the oral liquid from Sigewinne's hand, drank it in one gulp, and said, "Thank you, it's really sweet."
At the same time, Sigewinne quickly retreated, while Clorinde stepped forward, drawing her thin sword and hand cannon, taking up a stance to confront "Arlecchino."
"Arlecchino" looked around at everyone with a puzzled expression and said, "What's going on here? I'm here to help you, to help Fontaine!"
"Why are you all so wary of me? Why must you come to blows with me?"
"Eerie, stop pretending." Clorinde spoke slowly, "Come on, let's have a real duel!"
As she spoke, Clorinde raised her left hand and fired a shot from her hand cannon straight at "Arlecchino."
"Arlecchino" responded by summoning her red, long-handled scythe, using it to block the bullet.
At the same time, her face began to distort, and a foul, crimson liquid began to drip from it…
"I'm curious, how did you all discover me… I thought I disguised myself perfectly!"
A powerful eerie force erupted from "Arlecchino," and Su Yuan immediately felt that something bad was about to happen!
"Clorinde, surrender quickly!" Su Yuan anxiously called out.
Su Yuan also considered a scenario: when facing "Arlecchino," Clorinde might not even have a chance to lose, but would be directly slain instead…
However, choosing to surrender could still be considered a form of defeat!
"Tsk…" Clorinde, though extremely reluctant, felt the overwhelming eerie power emanating from "Arlecchino."
"I surrender."
The next moment, "Arlecchino" grabbed her scythe, now charged with eerie power, and swiftly lunged at Clorinde!
The speed was so fast that everyone could barely follow!
Yet, "Clorinde" merely tilted her head, her sharp teeth flashing along with a chilling smile.
She raised her thin sword and easily blocked the attack!
"Now, it's my turn for a counterattack and revenge…"
"Clorinde" ran her long tongue along the hand cannon in her left hand before she began firing rapidly at "Arlecchino" in front of her!
Each bullet was wrapped in a massive amount of eerie energy!
"Arlecchino" had no choice but to retreat and dodge the bullets, but "Clorinde" immediately flashed forward, using her thin sword in her right hand to relentlessly thrust and slash at "Arlecchino!"
"Arlecchino" was pushed back step by step by "Clorinde," with many parts of her body damaged, looking disheveled and in a sorry state.
Everyone couldn't help but marvel—so this is how a battle between the eerie forces unfolds?
Indeed, only one eerie can defeat another…
However, Su Yuan noticed a detail that no one else had observed.
When they had been protecting Navia before, they had encountered the eerie-fied Focalors on Mont Automnequi…
To cover Chiori's retreat, both Chevreuse and Navia had used their hand cannons or umbrella guns to fire Pyro bullets or Geo cannonballs…
But at that time, "Focalors" hadn't shown any intent to dodge or defend.
She allowed the attacks to hit her face, yet no harm was done…
However, just now, when Clorinde launched her hand cannon attack without infusing it with any of her Electro power—just a regular hand cannon bullet—"Arlecchino" raised her scythe to defend.
Could it be... Su Yuan suddenly had a new thought...
The power within the eerie forces was inherently resistant to elemental energy—elemental attacks could not effectively harm the eerie…
But… if one simply refrained from using elemental energy, could they actually injure the eerie?
Could it be… that physical force was truly the key to dispelling the eerie?
Under Clorinde's relentless assault, Arlecchino's energy was rapidly depleting, and the eerie aura around her was gradually diminishing…
Until… it completely vanished!
"Dottore, you bastard, I will never forgive you!"
Arlecchino spat out these words, signaling that she had fully returned to normal.
"Chevreuse!" Su Yuan called out anxiously.
Though he wasn't completely certain, he had to at least give it a try!
"Aim at Clorinde! Use regular bullets—don't infuse them with pyro energy. Fire!"
Although she wasn't sure what Su Yuan meant, Chevreuse reacted swiftly, raising her gun, taking aim, and pulling the trigger with remarkable speed!
Clorinde, her thin sword tainted with eerie energy, had been about to plunge it straight into Arlecchino's forehead.
However, as a plain, unremarkable bullet whizzed toward her, she unexpectedly chose to block it with her sword!
Arlecchino, quick to react, seized the brief opening to swiftly distance herself from Clorinde.
Su Yuan pondered—why would she abandon her chance to kill and instead opt to defend against a mere ordinary bullet?
"You realize… you are interfering with a duel?"
Clorinde's chilling voice rang out, her bloodied, hollow eyes locking onto them…
"A duel…"
"Is not just about victory—it is also about life and death…"
"Until one side has completely fallen, it will never end!"
Su Yuan immediately felt a bit overwhelmed.
Wasn't the condition for Clorinde to revert from the eerie state simply to win?
Did it require completely killing the opponent in the duel?
Even though using regular bullets might temporarily restrain Clorinde, Chevreuse's ammunition wasn't unlimited…
And if Clorinde were to charge through the bullets, it wasn't impossible for her to eliminate Chevreuse.
The eerie's speed was just too fast.
When they had fought the eerie-ified Neuvillette earlier, Chevreuse had barely been able to react to that speed.
Though they had now discovered a new piece of information, it didn't seem to help much…
How should they deal with Clorinde?
Should they really just let her kill Arlecchino?
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