Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Second Magical Girl (2)
The moment Hwa-yeon accepted her death.
[Hey, you're pretty badass, woof.]
Time slowed to a crawl like slo-mo, and a red-furred puppy she'd never seen before appeared right in front of her.
It was trying to look sleek, but with its game-pet-like cuteness, it came off more adorable than cool.
"Who... are you?"
In a situation like this, there was no way a puppy asking if she'd become a magical girl could be an ordinary creature, so Hwa-yeon asked it tensely.
[Never mind that. Let me cut straight to the chase, woof.]
And cut to the chase it did.
"What...?"
[Wanna become a magical girl, woof?]
The red puppy in front of her eyes made the offer to become a magical girl.
"...Huh? M-Me?"
No matter how she thought about it, something like a magical girl didn't suit a woman like her who cursed like a sailor, so Hwa-yeon voiced her doubt.
But the puppy gazed at her steadily before opening its mouth again.
[That's right, woof. What it takes to become a magical girl is a bit of talent and a good heart. Just like monsters are born from the desires people hold onto right up until death, only women who keep a good heart until the very end can become magical girls. You've already proven it, woof. So hurry up and transform already, woof!]
"No, even if you tell me to transform all of a sudden..."
[A heart as intense as the sun! Transform! Magical Solar!]
"...A heart as intense as the sun! Transform! Magical Solar!"
At twenty-two years old, she absolutely did not think this was something she should be doing, but Hwa-yeon cautiously chanted the spell anyway.
In that instant, the puppy in front of her turned into a burst of light that enveloped her entire body.
Hwa-yeon's blonde ponytail turned into straight red hair, her crop top became a frilly, flowing dress, and finally, a staff embedded with a sun-shaped gem appeared in her hand.
With a pling! sound effect, Hwa-yeon had transformed into a magical girl.
Time was still crawling by slowly.
"...Alright, let's give it a shot!"
She still couldn't quite wrap her head around it, but catching sight of the giant beast's foot above her head, she moved her body quickly.
She'd never used magic before, but the moment she transformed, she instinctively knew what techniques she could use and to what extent.
"...Ha! These are all perfect for me!"
Hwa-yeon—no, Magical Solar—raised her staff and aimed it at the giant beast's foot.
Grinning fiercely in that stance, she murmured softly.
"Solar-Explosion."
-Woooong...
In that moment, red energy like the sun gathered at the tip of her staff, spinning rapidly...
-BOOOOOOM!!!!
A massive pillar of explosion erupted.
-GRAAAAAHHH!!
The giant beast's leg was charred to a crisp in an instant.
Pathetically crippled, it opened its maw wide toward the ground in pain and humiliation.
-Grrrrrr...!
Purple energy soon gathered in its mouth.
Solar raised her staff and took aim at the giant beast's mouth.
"Magical Sun Ray."
-Woooong...!
Red energy gathered and spun rapidly at the tip of her staff.
About three seconds later, an orange beam close to red shot out from the tip.
-Pewooong!
The beam shot straight into the giant beast's mouth in a flash.
Its heat blast was interrupted, and smoke began to rise as its insides burned.
-Grrrrrr...!
The giant beast couldn't even close its mouth properly.
The moment Solar tried to land another attack, her vision spun and her body swayed.
'Oh crap! First time trying this today, and I went all out with the big ones?'
The two techniques she'd just used were the most powerful in her arsenal.
There was no way using them full-throttle as a newbie wouldn't bring backlash.
As if sensing her poor condition—or maybe just to crush her underfoot—the giant beast lifted its leg.
At that moment, Comet, shining brighter than usual, aimed her staff at the giant beast's mouth and shouted.
"Magic Comet Fall!"
A single comet glowing blue like the sky plummeted rapidly toward the giant beast's mouth.
The giant beast, injured from Solar's attack, couldn't do a thing to stop its heat blast.
-Kwachak!
The comet shattered the giant beast's jaw, exploding its head entirely.
Before its massive body could collapse, it turned to dust and vanished.
"W-We survived!"
"Who's that? There's someone besides Comet..."
"O-Our country's got a second magical girl!"
"Woooah! Magical girl! Magical girl!"
"Thank you!!"
"Comet! Comet! Comet!"
The people who'd been hiding from the giant beast now cheered Solar and Comet in unison.
Solar blushed at the unfamiliar, embarrassing spectacle.
"Magical girl! What's the magical girl's name?!"
Solar froze at the sudden question, unsure how to handle her first time in such a situation.
While she stood there flustered, the sky-blue magical girl approached her side.
"Come... Comet...?"
Solar mumbled without thinking, and Comet grabbed her shoulder and yelled to the crowd.
"My partner's new to this, so she's having a hard time! That's all for today!"
Comet shot Solar a look, and the two soared into the sky together.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
'Why am I so damn slow?!'
Flying alongside Comet, Solar couldn't help but panic at their noticeably different speeds.
If Comet was going at airplane speed, Solar was like a car at full throttle.
Of course, it wasn't slow by any means, but she couldn't help comparing.
Comet seemed flustered by the speed gap too, turning back to grab Solar and fly together.
The two continued in silence.
Comet led her into an abandoned building and gently set her down.
"Th-Thank you."
"No need. You're my partner, after all."
Solar thanked her, and Comet responded with a dazzlingly bright smile.
Tense, Solar began chatting with her.
"So... what should I call you?"
"Solar. Magical Solar."
"Solar! So that power really was the sun! You were so strong and cool!"
"Really...?"
"Yes! Since you became a magical girl too... you must have a good heart!"
"Well, I don't really think so..."
"You were chosen by a mascot, right? I believe in your good heart, Solar."
"Urgh..."
Solar grew embarrassed at Comet's repeated insistence on her goodness.
Comet smiled innocently at her, then suddenly covered her mouth.
"Comet?"
"Cough...!"
Blood burst from Comet's mouth in an instant.
Solar panicked, not knowing what to do.
"Wh-What?! Are you hurt?! If you get hurt, our country's fucked!"
Solar worried earnestly about Comet's condition.
After a few coughs, Comet wiped her mouth as if it were nothing.
-Woooong...
Soon, her sky-blue glow faded back to normal.
"Phew... Sorry about that. It's actually a side effect of my Return of the Light. I should've died by now... but I managed to buy some time."
"What?! For real?"
"Yes. Thanks to you, Solar, I'm alive."
"Whoa... that's really a relief..."
Truly relieved, Solar hugged Comet tightly.
"Solar...?"
"Comet, without you, our country would've been done for ages ago. If a hero like you died, so many people would've been heartbroken."
They embraced for a while, and after about five minutes, they pulled apart.
"Thank you for saying that! Let's keep getting along from now on!"
"...Yeah."
"With you and me together, we can definitely protect the world and the people!"
"...Yeah! Fuck it, let's do this! ...Oh shit! I mean..."
"It's fine! We're not kids; a little swearing's okay!"
"R-Really? Thanks."
"Yes!"
Comet took both of Solar's hands.
Beaming innocently, she said to Solar.
"Looking forward to working with you, Magical Solar!"
"...Yeah! Magical Comet!"
"Me too!"
Hahahahaha!
The laughter of Magical Comet, Magical Solar, and Clok echoed through the abandoned building.
Hahahahaha.
Hahaha...
....
"Kyaa?!"
"What the fuck?!"
"Whoa whoa! You startled me."
Comet and Solar jumped in surprise, instantly assuming combat stances.
Clok scratched the back of his neck as their staffs aimed at him.
"Um... I came to congratulate the birth of a new magical girl, but..."
"Shut up!"
Comet pulled Solar behind her.
She glared at Clok with eyes full of wariness.
"What are you doing here, showing up right when my first-ever partner appears?!"
"Haha, how unfortunate. You don't seem to understand my pure-hearted congratulations."
"Get lost right now!"
"Okay."
"?"
Clok vanished.