It Seems This Fourth-Dimensional Type is Necessary After All
Screeech... "Senpai?!" "Unnie!" Not only did their transformations synergize as elements, but the explosion and 'barrage' chained together perfectly.
Thanks to that, I gestured reassuringly to a worried Su-yeon and Aris as I surveyed the total mess around us. Of course, those two fledglings were still far too green to pierce my costume's protection, whether they unleashed a combo move or caused resonance. That's why I'd focused on fine-tuning rather than outright blocking, even though I saw it coming.
I patted down my spotless costume casually, just for show, and scratched my cheek. But I was a little flustered.
"I did tell you to do this in the first place, but still."
I'd thought she arrived early, but nope—she jumped right in and blasted away. Guess she was watching the stream... This was a whole new breed of junior.
The chat was blowing up, but better to sort out the core issue first and calm things down.
"Be right back."
"Huh?"
Pausing right after kickoff? Well, magical girls and trouble go hand in hand, I thought as I traced the mana. Distance... 4km west? She sniped from way out there. Must've spooked everyone nearby. Good thing it's all mountains over there.
I shook my head and flew straight toward the mana signature.
"You're driving me insane, you know that?!"
"But you said shoot over thereee."
"You think that was meant for you, who didn't even confirm arrival? What if the worst had happened?!"
"No way it'd hit."
At the scene, some huge Black guy was shaking a girl's shoulders. I got the gist, but the picture was kinda weird. Appearance bias is scary.
"Starlight Blaster?"
"Oh?!"
Calling out the new junior/intruder made the guy shaking her jump back in surprise.
"Wh-when'd you get here."
"Yep."
Seizing his momentary lapse, she brushed off his hand from her shoulder and bounced forward, her golden side ponytail swaying as she nodded. About Blade Fang's size, maybe? Taller than me, but like a fresh middle-schooler.
Compared to the other juniors' flashy styles, hers was a bit plain, but it screamed classic magical girl. The white-and-blue color scheme suited her sleepy, languid blue eyes perfectly. She was famous back home as a top-tier powerhouse... though her vibe was off.
But seeing that staff next to her—a cannon rearranged in magical girl style—made it crystal clear. She was the magical girl of cannon stars, Starlight Blaster.
"Knew it. You said you were late, but you got here early."
"Work wrapped quick. Surprise."
"...I welcome the participation, but warn us next time before jumping in. Everyone freaked."
"? Told."
"You did?"
"Heard reply."
Her blank expression and response caught me off guard. I hadn't heard anything? No messages or notifications either.
"Oh. The strongest magical girl. She says she did it via stream chat. Chat."
"Huh."
The guy next to her explained like a commentator.
"Chat?"
I couldn't check every chat while minding the juniors, so maybe I missed it. But how'd she hear a reply?
"Did. Said shoot."
"Oh, shh! Blaster! She's still talking. That was for Blaze, not you!"
"? Asked if I could join too."
"...Ah, got it."
Okay, that tracked. Thought she might be a battle maniac, but nah—more like this. Magical girls' quirks aren't optional; they're inevitable. We need a fourth-dimensional one like her too. I probably don't look normal from the outside either.
"James. Her companion, here to escort."
"Starlight Blaster... Rose."
"Eek."
"Do you have to give her real name too?"
Anyway, I brought the two back. The Black guy was James, the chat's James who handled the intro.
"Everyone knows anyway."
"I get the sentiment."
Starlight Blaster's real name: Rose Vega. Like Aris, a quick search doxxed her, making her Su-yeon's natural enemy. Su-yeon didn't seem too fazed by her own name leaking, though.
But zero security awareness was a separate issue.
"Intros done? Back to it."
"Y-Yes!"
"Waited."
Round two kicked off without dragging.
"Monster? Such language."
I bantered with the haters in chat while the juniors got set. Then the focused barrage began.
"Divine Circle!"
"Starlight Blaster."
The first wave: the same crew from before, no hesitation on offense. Rings of fire spun, starlight from her transformation name gathering behind.
A solid finisher spell, way more polished than expected.
"Boosts stealth and output over before... Other juniors could learn from this."
Hard to judge from my earlier glance. That staff's muzzle... focused starlight, stable and subtle. Deep element understanding? Or just mastery?
"Almost only that one spell."
"Oh. Sharp eye. Blaster uses only that magic!"
"Huh."
Secret to that mastery: specializing in one, not diversifying. Not ideal for independent magical girls, but Rose is team-based like Seong-yoon.
In parties or armies, sticking to one role might be better...
"But why are you still here?"
"Front-row seat to this spectacle? Perfect."
"Front-row? They're overcharging now?"
Rose gathered more starlight than before—fine—but Seong-yoon's rings spun faster, unstable. Rivalry fueling over-limit output. Solid talent, but James would be paste if caught. Other juniors prepping too.
"Haha. With the number one here, what's to worry?"
...They're doing that because they trust me?
"Ugh, you're in the way. Go."
"Oh."
"What? Racist ri— Whoa?!"
I yeeted a protesting James to safety as chat trolled. Then the magic fired.
Jingle!
"Whirlwind Kagura!"
Not the quickest duo—it was Aris, shaking her bell first. A gale like a typhoon uprooted trees, swirling around me.
"Hm. Kinda meh as an attack."
"Now! Fire!"
'When did I start commanding?'
Seong-yoon was puzzled but knew the whirlwind favored them. Irritating or not, prime chance.
"Go!"
Rooooar!
Rose matched her, blasting into the whirlwind—not me. Ally mana storm amplified their finishers.
BOOM!
A terrifying blast even to her. The gale should've raged as fiery wind, but condensed to a point. Aris controlled even the explosion's winds.
'This might do it.'
No knockout hopes—Seol-hee's power was unfathomable. But not as casual as before...
"See? Told ya. Explosions synergize with wind. Pre-laid whirlwind amps follow-ups."
"......"
...Utterly casual. Amid boiling earth like lava, an explosion that'd instant-kill even #2 powerhouse Lee Woo-jin. Like a breeze. Pristine, explaining to viewers via floating camera. Overwhelming.
"No real need for that synergy in this training. Unrelated to resonance."
That's why, probably. Seol-hee spoke at broadcast range, but magical girls couldn't hear properly.
"Still, good to brainstorm combos for future joint ops. Practice makes perfect."
"You've grown strong-sawayo! Charge-sawayo!"
"Raaah! Tenri Slash!"
Su-yeon's shout rang as Tenri charged, water veil boosting speed several-fold. Su-yeon's magic overflowed her control.
She chose support like Aris over direct attacks.
"...What kinda naming?"
No dice, of course. Seol-hee toyed with speeds invisible to Seong-yoon, adding separate magic.
Perception inhibition amp. Probably hiding her 'VTuber cover blown?' skill name.
Clang—clangclang!
"Can't miss new martial arts from getting stronger. Tricky fine control, but power without skill wastes buffs."
Even coaching mid-fight. Powerlessness before her left one path.
"Starlight Blaster."
Reload like the American girl behind.
"Divine Circle!"
Thump-thump.
Resonance? Seong-yoon's heart raced, mana blazing hotter.
"Change tactics! Wind God's Kagura!"
Thus, the five magical girls' finisher feast rolled on. Like snowballing, resonance on resonance birthing greater power.
"Wow. You all did great, great."
I praised Seong-yoon staring at my flawless costume. Beyond expectations—synergy boost triple what I predicted. All so talented?
Saw it in Prisma too, even with top tuner magical girls like the flame one better than me. Never this good.
"That's cuzmung. Calamity's too OPmung."
"Hm?"
Myeongmyeong, lurking quietly, poked out.
"Got itmung. Resonance is linking self and othersmung. Gaining that power means absorbing their partsmung."
"Uh, that theory? Kinda rings a bell."
"Basicallymung. Better 'level' match, higher technique perfectionmung. Prisma thought Calamity lacked cuz vessel gapmung."
"Neat take."
Earth juniors had talent to flip Prisma's eyes— all Seven Stars worthy. Su-yeon even more. Gap to Elice Calamity's talent was narrow.
"Myeongmyeong~ At this rate, we can dunk on that boomer in gradingmung."
"Grading?"
Shady talk, but "grading" hooked me.
"Ah, it finally passed recently."
Not mascot—worn-out Seong-yoon answered.
"What passed?"
"Yeah. That hotly debated Awakener Rank System. UN members all agreed."
"Oh ho."
S-rank, national-power hunters—our cherished tradition unlocked.
"Ah."
Stream still live, vibe off.
"...Blaze junior, just to check?"
"It was embargoed!!!"
Yeah. I asked, so oh well. Grow healthy, junior...