The sun had set and dusk had swiftly fallen upon them as they made their camp deep in the heart of the forest. ?Mari had collected firewood using one of the axes from the village she had taken it with her as a precaution should her void magic fail her again.

Hina ignited the makeshift campfire with her flame magic and Mari bathed in the warm glow of the flickering fire.

“Yo Hinamori I’m going to get some sleep, you good to keep watch?"

“As a familiar I never require sleep so you can rest easy knowing that I’ll protect you.”

“That’s comforting” Mari said, shutting her eyes.

It didn’t take long, only a few minutes before Mari found herself asleep over exerting herself using void magic had finally caught up with her as she was on the cusp of total exhaustion. ?She finally fell into that all too familiar space.

“Welcome home, Mari.”

Velvet said, taking shape from the infinite darkness of the abyss that surrounded them, Mari stumbled to her feet, feeling light and almost ephemeral. ?The void never changes, a sprawling plain of darkness with a storm raging overhead.

“Don’t talk like we’re friend's bitch.”

“Oh, you’re more fiery than usual.”

“Something the matter?”

“Shinobu is dead because of you”

“And how do you figure that one?”

“You promised me power and yet when it mattered the most you were worthless.”

“You’re projecting Mari, the only one who’s worthless here is you.”

“I’ll show you..”

Velvet vanished and reappeared before Mari clasping her neck, her hand squeezing tightly though her face was featureless Mari could tell that she had infuriated Velvet.

“You’re starting to annoy me you know.”

Velvet tossed Mari high into the air catching her moments before she hit the ground, Mari’s body was trembling like a leaf caught in a hurricane even though she did her best to mask her fear her body didn’t lie.

“You’re pitiful.”

“You don’t deserve my power.”

"Son of a bitch."

“I’ll tell you what Mari if you want to keep using me”

Then you’ve only got to do one thing.”

“Fight me and win”

“You can’t be serious”

“This void exists between reality and fantasy, so you won't be inhibited by pesky things like stamina, you can go all out.”

“In that case, alright then.”

“Delightful you go your hardest and in the interest of fairness, I’ll only use 10% of my power, no 5% will suffice.”

Mari felt the void surge through her body as she squared up against Velvet who stood formless waiting for Mari to make the first move. This felt like suicide, but Mari was left with no choice as she needed more power.

“Void Magic Third Form: Sanguine Orthrus.”

“Oh, no that’s cheating.”

Velvet snapped her fingers and Orthrus shattered into thousands of pieces that was the only void spell that Mari had at her disposal so she started shitting herself realizing just how out of her depth she really was.

“No, pet’s this is between me and you”

“Now come at me like you mean it.”

“Take this bitch."

Mari lunged towards Velvet channelling all the void magic she had at her disposal into her left fist, she drove that fist filled with all her indignation, malice and grief right into Velvet’s face who took the blow unflinchingly.

“So this is the limit of your resolve.”

“How.. Disappointing.”

“My turn”

Velvet delivered a jaw shattering uppercut to Mari sending her careening high into the air Velvet teleported above her delivering another crushing blow that knocked all the air out of her lungs.

The cycle repeated with Mari caught in a ferocious flurry of endless blows Velvet refused to let her hit the ground and Mari was essentially a living pinball machine.

Though sleeping she felt the pain of each powerful strike as they broke her body with her fists and feet eventually the bloodcurdling game came to an abrupt end with Velvet smashing Mari’s head into the ground with a single motion her absolute victory was attained.

The difference between the two of them was irrefutable

“Right now you can scarcely use 3% of my power for only a few minutes at a time.”

“Well then i'll be taking my power back now, this contract is finished."

“Wait.. please don’t.” Mari begged.

“Because I like that look in your eyes I’ll give you one last chance.”

“Here we go.”

In the blink of an eye, Velvet had torn Mari’s still beating heart from her chest and was holding it in her palm. Mari vomited blood violently

“You still need your heart even in this realm.”

“So here’s the challenge Mari survive 20 seconds without begging me to make it stop.”

“I can’t feel a thing, so that should be easy.

“We haven’t started yet, here we go.”

“Argh!” Mari screamed.

The most excruciating sensation pulsed through Mari’s body it was on par with the noble magic that Seijuro had conjured earlier only this pain wasn’t burning it felt more like being torn limb from limb with every strand of muscle being ripped apart all at once.

“What you’re feeling now is my power being injected directly into your heart, tell me how does it feel."

“Fuck you.”

“12 seconds to go, give up if you want too”

“Eat shit.. I won’t”

“8 seconds”

“I hate you.”

“3 seconds”

“Damn You..”

“1 second”

The agony came to a swift end as Mari collapsed into a writhing husk of shallow breaths. In a flash her heart was returned to her body and the wound was closed like it never existed

“I am sorry for the lose of that human, I rather enjoyed her body, her assertiveness and the earnest pursuit of her desires."

“You’re too weak to handle me Mari

I’m not saying it to be cruel it’s just the reality. ?So if you want to truly make use of me and crush those bastards, gain strength on your own first.”

“Can you at least give me another spell to use?”

“Fine, Fine but only one.”

“Thank you, Partner.”

“This is one of the most rudimentary void spells, still it should prove effective against man and beast alike.”

“Now repeat after me. Void Magic Second Form Crimson Mantis Blades.”

“Void Magic Second Form Crimson Mantis Blades"

On command giant red blades extended from Mari’s arms starting at the wrist they were curved, serrated and razor sharp and despite being huge they had almost no weight to them allowing Mari to move them freely.

“Now slice me to ribbons.” ?Velvet said, extending her hand.

“You sure, you might die.”

“In your dreams maybe.”

“Alright here goes nothing."

Mari dashed forward bringing her arms together in a cross slashing Velvet clean in half, Mari was shocked with this spell she could defend herself without relying on her summons.

“That was almost impressive.”

Velvet emerged unscathed standing behind Mari, her hand placed on her shoulder in silent congratulations.

“You finished bitching now?”

“Yeah, I get it now, I’ve got no one to blame but my own weakness if you’d possessed me any longer my body would have broken irreversibly.”

“Hey Velvet, can I ask you a favour?”

“You’re exhausting, you know.”

“I’ll get stronger, way stronger, powerful enough that I can use your strength to the fullest and take vengeance against those assholes. ?So until then.. Please continue supporting me.”

“God, you’re dumb, that goes without saying doesn’t it.”

“So you’ll never abandon me?”

“You’re going to make a most succulent meal one day, Mari, my meal, and I won’t let anyone take that from me. So I’ll stay by your side till the end.”

“I should get going.”

“Yeah Tick Tock, It’ll be morning soon””

“Thanks for setting me straight, Partner.”

“Partner, huh?”

"Dumbass"