As a Magical Girl, There's No Greater Honor Than This

"No need to transform—just do it," whispered a chilling, icy voice right by my ear.

The sensation of my heart freezing over made me unleash my magic in a frenzy, and only then did Seong-yoon realize she'd screwed up big time.

Boom boom boom! The bright flames unique to the magical girl Divine Blaze exploded, shaking the mountain. It was firepower close to maximum output.

'Oh no, what do I do...!'

Her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mind went blank. Panic overwhelmed her.

Seong-yoon knew her own firepower was immense. In the "Gate Response Team" where she operated as a magical girl, there were plenty stronger than her in overall evaluation, but when it came to raw power alone, it was different. Only one person held a clear edge. Even that sole superior—and the figure dubbed national-level power—would be in danger if fully exposed to Seong-yoon's blasts.

During spars with teammates, she'd stress out just holding back her power. And now she'd unleashed a strike that wasn't held back at all—no, it was practically a rampage.

No matter how "scary" that senior was, there was no way they'd emerge unscathed without even transforming. Even if they'd goaded her outright, she wasn't a monster—she'd hurt someone, no, killed them...

"Flames infused with divinity. Good attribute. Pretty pure for a dual element, too."

"...?!"

...or so she thought. That outcome didn't exist.

Her blank mind snapped back to reality at the calm, appraising voice.

"The issue is control, though. Right, junior? Looks like boosting your mana output is easier than dialing it down."

Seong-yoon's full-power spell left no trace, as if it had never existed. Not a speck of dust on her senior Ha Seol-hee—the petite, cute girl who looked too young to be an elder. No scorch marks on nearby rocks or weeds, either.

"Junior?"

"Y-yes, ma'am!"

The only certainty was that this senior had caused it. Seol-hee tilted her head, eyeing the instinctively disciplined Seong-yoon with an odd look.

"Zoning out after firing is a bad habit."

"Yes, ma'am! I'll fix it right away!"

It wasn't really a habit that made her zone out, but Seong-yoon couldn't muster a rebuttal. Instead, she replied like the soldiers she'd seen blocking gates. Seol-hee continued.

"If I say 'give me everything,' don't just fire one shot—use every spell you can muster. Try again. Focus and show me your limits."

For a different reason now, Seong-yoon's hands trembled.

* * *

"Ughhh! I feel like I'm gonna die just from attacking."

"Good work, mung."

It was past midnight by the time the "test" ended. Seong-yoon checked into a nearby hotel after parting with Seol-hee.

Seol-hee had offered to let her stay at her place, but Seong-yoon refused. She'd asked for training for a while, but she didn't want to impose too much—and honestly, her senior was a bit scary, so sharing a roof felt burdensome.

It was risky for a high school freshman to choose this, but... no one batted an eye. Otherworldly magical girls, modern ones, fairy mascots—they'd all long parted ways with petty common sense (modern ones were a tad less extreme).

"Mung mung. To think this could get even stronger, mung... You're seriously overprotected, mung."

"What're you talking about? Oh yeah, you said something similar this afternoon."

Seong-yoon recalled as Myeongmyeong muttered while gazing at Yeongju-si's modest nightscape—not exactly bustling.

'She said that right before we arrived in the city.'

"Did senior put up a barrier over the city? I can't sense a thing."

"If you can't sense it even after hearing about it, your detection's definitely a weak point, mung. Train harder, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mung. There's stuff to do before seeing her tomorrow, mung."

"Ugh. Right, homework. Homework even outside school. Ugh."

After the test, Seol-hee had pinpointed Seong-yoon's core weakness on the spot and assigned homework—a true atrocity. They were meeting tomorrow afternoon, so the deadline was less than half a day. Murderous.

"It's not that hard, mung."

"Kwaaang."

From a student's view, anyway. Truth be told, it was easy even without shifting perspectives, so she was just whining.

"She said mistakes are fine, so it's probably just to make you think lightly, mung. Don't go emptying your head, mung."

"Ugh. I don't wanna get scolded by her. She's scary."

"See? Detection's lacking, but your instincts are sharp, mung."

"But Myeongmyeong... Is this really okay...?"

Seong-yoon's sudden question lacked context, but Myeongmyeong replied matter-of-factly.

"Mung mung mung. It's totally fine now, mung. You can turn your phone back on if you want, take all the calls, mung."

"Yesterday you said go full hermit."

"It was just about getting caught before meeting her, mung. Now that you're accepted, no worries, mung."

Myeongmyeong laughed heartily—mung mung mung~—while sensing the mana stretching from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the city to the mountains beyond, and the will infused within.

"This is the safest place in the world, mung."

The warning: 'Don't touch the junior I scouted.'

* * *

"Hmm. Hope she got in okay."

After sending off my junior—and handling some annoying stuff nearby on the way back—I muttered out of worry.

Truth is, a magical girl at her level doesn't need fretting. The test showed she was even a tad stronger than estimated. Strong enough for Earth or the other world without much issue. Talent-driven, but unstable.

Still, the nagging feeling? Probably that "team"—the government agency.

I wouldn't care if she hadn't asked for help, but as her senior now, I can't tolerate even a one-in-a-million risk.

With that mindset, I beefed up "Disinfection" a bit (it's got so many functions now the name feels off). Originally fox-and-gate-monster-focused, I expanded it to humans too. Feels like prepping for war with people—unfitting for a magical girl. Human hunting isn't our path.

Nah, just don't kill 'em. Industry term: "teach a lesson"?

...Sigh. What am I even thinking?

Shaking off stray thoughts, I decided to work instead—streaming stuff. Specifically, gauging public sentiment. Ego-searching.

I don't check often, but this blew up big, so necessary.

You knew how it'd go? Predictions need post-facto checks.

Recalling what Lee Jeong-ah mentioned, I checked the "coordinate galleries"—all closed.

Anon communities usually tough it out, but they shut down fast this time. Makes sense; it got too big for them. A missing junior reappearing was mega-aggro already—then poking the government.

Next, a big one—intact, maybe due to offloading attacks to the closed coords or sheer size.

Armband drama, but admins there treat it like entertainment.

RaGal's overheated, so skipped to other communities. Mood matched predictions—no mention of my controversy. All eyes on junior and gov.

Hmm. Tomorrow's stream ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠will be chaos. Momentum's wild; expect even bigger firepower than today—same level at least.

Who'da thought it'd blow up like this? Issue-based hype fades, but better than nothing. Especially for me—positive hype's near impossible anyway.

Can't slack as a streamer; gotta paddle with the incoming tide... but what?

I don't plan killer content usually, so drawing blanks. Sudden acceleration for newbies feels off—too jarring returning to old stuff.

Content tied to my stream that draws in the influx...

Some convenient angle.

"Oh. Got one?"

I muttered at the sudden idea.

Hmm. Yeah. Training a junior—isn't that content? Ties to my magical girl daily life stream, appeals to issue-chasers via her spotlight.

And. Heh heh heh. Earth's magical girls are all frontline newbies, no senior infrastructure like other world. Gotta be more self-reliant.

Show 'em me raising Divine Blaze? Others might flock to me too.

I imagined hordes of juniors idolizing me.

Damn, perfect. As a magical girl, no greater honor. Prisma crew'd whine for days.

Riding the hype, I messaged my junior for permission.

Not asleep yet?

Quick reply—recent parting helps. Good. No holds barred.

Posted the notice and called it a day.