Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Mana Curtain Training
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Scratch.
I immediately called Ramu and nagged him to fill out the field trip application form. If not now, when else would I use the mascot I've got?
Seol Yu-na's gonna flip out, but what can she do about it? This is Busan, and she's stuck in Seoul. If she's jealous, she can hop on the KTX and come down.
"Alright, then. I'll do that."
"Thank you."
"No problem. You've gotta get stronger for our sake too..."
"Our sake?"
"Ahem. Anyway, since you're heading to Busan, it'd be great if you could pick up some local specialty."
"Rabbits can't eat meat, right?"
Anyway, Ramu handled the application in a flash.
So when I told Sword that Ha-rin would be staying in Busan until next week~, the corner of her mouth curved up ever so slightly.
Smooth segue into a Busan Lotte Department Store tour.
"Um... Senior, what are you doing?"
"Holding your hand."
"......Okay."
Sword was dragging my suitcase with one hand while gripping my other hand tightly as we strolled through the department store.
Squish squish.
In my free hand, I held the bubble tea Sword had bought me from the cafe.
I wasn't big on the tapioca pearls, but they were surprisingly chewy and tasty. This could become a habit.
What you do at a department store? Shopping, obviously.
She'd seemed ready to treat me to lunch at first, but when I said I'd already filled up on a burger, Sword's face fell like a shipwrecked sailor.
What’s even worth eating in Busan? Sashimi, milmyeon noodles, kkakdugi rocket launchers... anyway, I’m not into raw fish, so it worked out fine. Burgers are the best.
In the end, Sword decided to buy me clothes instead of food. I had plenty at home, but I hadn't packed for a full week.
And hey, more clothes are always better.
For the record, she got me pajamas too. I'd planned to just sleep in a t-shirt since I thought it'd be one night.
Every time we passed the kids' section, Sword would pick out something she liked, hold it up to me, and nod seriously.
"How about this one?"
"It's pretty avant-garde."
Beam.
For the record, "avant-garde" means it was butt-ugly. Who even designs stuff like this? Talk about taste.
Still, since she was buying, I accepted graciously. Probably never gonna wear it, though.
While shopping, I asked about her civilian life.
"What do you do, Senior?"
"Magical girl."
That wasn't what I asked.
As I stared at her in bewilderment, she caught on late and added,
"Detective."
"Ah."
According to Sword's red pill rundown, her name was Yoon Si-hyeon, 31 years old, detective in the violent crimes unit at some Busan precinct.
It actually suited her image surprisingly well.
A detective, huh. Maybe the other magical girls aren't that far off either.
Aurora could be maid-ing somewhere, or Bella doing pro boxing or something.
Anyway, she'd taken the day off to pick me up today. She was off until Wednesday, so she could hang with me till then.
Couldn't just pry into Sword's life and leave mine untouched, so on the walk to the parking lot, I spilled mine too.
"Seol Ha-rin, huh."
"Yup."
"You didn't have to tell me."
"You went first, Senior."
She'd trusted me first and opened up, so fair exchange— I did the same.
With that, Sword became the only magical girl who knew Magical Girl Neph's real name was Seol Ha-rin. One secret each, even steven.
"Thanks."
Whether it was my coming out party or not, Sword's sharp features softened noticeably.
From there, I hopped into her black SUV and headed to her place.
It was a plain apartment complex in a bustling area—super middle-class compared to Frost's or Shining's pads.
"This is my place."
"Cool, I'll crash here for a bit then."
Nod.
After unpacking at Sword's, I brought up the main topic I hadn't fully explained over chat.
"I want to learn how to fight as a magical girl."
"Why?"
"So I stop being a burden to the other seniors."
Instead of some boring lecture, I just regurgitated our group chat convo.
Not wrong, though. Sure, I'd gratefully take any backup, but I've got a conscience.
"......You're not a burden."
Sword eyed me for a long moment before nodding.
Less like she bought it, more like, fine, if you wanna.
"Then let's go."
"Where to?"
"Dojo."
Whoa! Dojo! I grabbed Sword's hand in excitement.
The place we ended up was a dingy boxing gym in the basement of the apartment complex's shops. The sign was so faded it looked like "BS."
Do?jo.
Opening the door let in a wave of that underground sweat-and-rubber stench.
"No one's here."
"Closed today."
"Ah."
Sword flicked on the gym lights.
"Gym owner said I could use it."
"You two close?"
"Ex-yakuza. I busted him, sent him up the river. Cleaned up his act after parole."
Ah, okay then.
Everything was fine, except for one thing. That up there on the ceiling.
"Uh... is this okay? CCTV's still running."
The blinking red light on the CCTV. Hmm. Even on a closed day, security's gotta be tight.
"Won't get caught transforming on camera...?"
I know now.
Veterans throw up mana barriers to hide transformations from normals.
Me? I still can't, so I dodge eyes, scout for CCTVs, do all sorts of crap to transform.
Anyway, Sword might not care, but I couldn't in a wide-open spot like this. Going outside? Eye-catching in other ways.
But Sword hopped onto the ring like it was nothing and beckoned me up. Come on.
I climbed in over the ropes, hesitant. This really okay? What if the owner reviews footage later—hey, isn't this Neph?
That's when it happened.
"You wanted to learn."
"Huh?"
"How to fight as a magical girl."
Sword pressed her thumb and index finger together.
Snap!
A crisp finger snap shattered the gym's silence.
That instant.
Rumble rumble rumble!
Thick blue mana erupted from her body, swallowing the entire gym.
The mana wave spread instantly in all directions, permeating walls, ceiling, floor to form a massive barrier.
The sensation of the world and space cutting off hit me, and the CCTV's red light winked out.
No, not out—the lens grayed over and froze, like time itself had stopped.
"Whoa..."
My jaw dropped.
What is this? Unique barrier? Domain expansion?
"What... is this?"
"Mana Curtain."
Sword said flatly.
Mana Curtain: a spell that deploys mana to distort surrounding perceptions, forming a personal Backside World of sorts.
Like the distortion filter on magical girls' faces. All veteran magical girls can use it.
Everyone except Neph, that is.
"Transform inside a Mana Curtain, and no one sees."
At higher levels, you can blanket a whole space like this to fool perceptions.
Even CCTV wouldn't show anyone there.
Lots of magical girls trained in Mana Curtain zones just like this.
Why didn't anyone tell me sooner if this exists?
Why hadn't anyone said a word? Even Sword. But why now?
"You're barely ready to use it now."
Turns out it's a mana hog. Guzzles the stuff.
Figures.
They hadn't told me before 'cause I couldn't have used it anyway.
But after I flattened that octopus, my mana pool grew enough.
"Someone in the group chat said I should teach you last time."
"Mind if I ask who?"
"Ignis."
Huh? The loudest vet in chat said that?
Hmm. Thought the vets wouldn't care if I leveled up, but guess they were looking out more than I figured.
? Then why didn't Shining tell me?
"That's just how she is."
"...Got it."
Can't expect the impossible.
"Alright then."
Meanwhile, Sword shrugged off her jacket.
Her tight black sleeveless tee revealed toned muscles.
She wiggled her fingers.
"Come at me."
"Huh."
Straight to sparring? Old-school. Thought she'd drill basics or training first since my fundamentals suck.
Just "come at me"? What?
"Transformed?"
"Yeah. Bare-handed hurts."
True that.
I shouted without hesitation.
"Transformation!"
Fwosh!
With a burst of light, I transformed into Magical Girl Neph.
Sword, still untransformed. No weapon, stance all loose and casual.
She's a vet, so it's fine, I guess.
Magical girl vs. civilian, though?
A bit iffy, but whatever. We'll trade a few blows, she'll transform eventually. Time to show Neph's power.
"Ready."
But.
"Not yet."
"?"
Sword tilted her head.
"Still got Prism Neph left."
Scratch.
＊＊＊
A few days later, late night. Haeundae offshore.
This was the site where Gigantic Ax, an S-rank monster, once popped up out of nowhere and turned the area to rubble.
Haeundae became a lifeless hellscape for a while, and the leeching shops and landlords all around wailed in unison.
Some even demanded compensation from Magic Castle.
But when Raigen snarled that he'd already ground up magical girls to minimize casualties—now they want bags of cash too?—public outrage fizzled fast.
Anyway, Haeundae clawed back to its former glory after that.
Though now Gwangan-ri steals all the tourists, Haeundae roots run deep.
Clueless monsters still showed up now and then, but no loot to scavenge and quick takedowns meant no news.
The biggest haul? A-rank monster, Kraken.
The legendary squid Sword fought for 47 hours straight, retreating to the Backside World without touching a single grain of Haeundae sand.
Sadly, Sword couldn't finish it due to mana depletion. But she'd inflicted fatal wounds, so no one expected it'd dare show again.
Rumble.
Now! A massive shadow cleaved the sea surface from the night ocean. The vanquished from the past, Kraken who'd endured 10 years, crawling up from the Backside World.
The colossal squid, restored to glory, seeking revenge on Sword who'd dared treat it like sashimi.
"Raaargh! Foolish humans! The deep sea's calamity returns!"
With a roar shaking the night sea.
"Sword, who humiliated me! Kneel before me now! This time, I'll rip your limbs to shreds and dry you like octopus!"
The moment Kraken's enormous tentacle legs tore space and landed in the sea.
"?"
Kraken sensed something deeply off about its body.
Magical girls are influenced by human imagination, but monsters aren't exempt. They feed on human fear and fancy.
It's been nearly 10 years since Kraken retreated.
Rivers change course, and human imagination (a.k.a. degeneracy) evolved weirdly, reaching even the most cursed corners.
What image of Kraken now lodges in otaku brains?
"......Squid?"
The "possible" kind.