Waterpark Ambush: Mantis and the Blue Dragon
The Blue Dragon let out a roar. "Good!"
That's why I love waterparks. All those random thoughts just seem to fade away on the waves.
[Ha-rin. You asleep?]
[Nah, just had my eyes closed.]
Thanks to picking up the knack on the way here, I could now communicate my intentions to Terra to some extent.
[Oh? That's a relief.]
[Why'd you call?]
[Figured it's about time to go on alert.]
On alert?
I looked up at Terra.
She was still floating lazily on her tube in the most relaxed pose imaginable. But for some reason, she looked a bit uneasy.
[D-did a monster show up?]
[No, it's just... my senses aren't picking up clearly.]
Terra wiggled her feet submerged in the water.
[My ground sense works best when I'm in contact with the earth. But right now, I'm floating on water.]
[Ah.]
[Of course, I can feel something through the water too... but it's unsettling? Could be all these people.]
Just as she said, the lazy river was packed like a sardine can. The three of us were like tiny sardines in there.
Plus the waves and noise from hundreds of people—it was the worst environment for Terra.
[Better safe than sorry, right? Must be an occupational hazard. Getting older just means more suspicion.]
[You're still young.]
[Thanks.]
Terra smiled and shifted her position—
Pffft!
"...Huh?"
Air hissed out from the tube she was riding. Her body tilted precariously and started sinking into the water.
"S-Sis?"
"Terra Sis?"
Hasol-a and I called out in panic.
Did the tube pop? Gotta get a refund... Or so I was thinking—
[Get down!]
BOOM!
A massive water spout erupted right where Terra had been.
"Kyaaah!"
"W-what is that?!"
The people around screamed and backed away.
Through the cascading downpour like a sudden rain, something burst up from the surface.
A massive scythe gleaming ominously in the sunlight.
"...!"
It swung for Terra's neck—but
Clang!
Terra had already released her mana curtain. She blocked the scythe with the beach ball in her hand (an artifact in disguise).
"Hoh."
As the mist cleared, the attacker's form emerged.
Inverted triangle head. Insect shell covering its whole body. Scythes the size of a person's torso on both arms.
A praying mantis monster.
"Found you, magical girl!"
"Mantis... monster?"
The first monster I'd encountered after becoming a magical girl.
This one looked exactly the same. Its compound eyes flashed as it turned toward Terra.
"Eek!"
"M-monster!"
"Run!"
The lazy river turned into chaos in an instant.
People scrambled out of the water, kids' cries echoing everywhere.
"S-Sis!"
Hasol-a grabbed my arm, her face pale. I blinked in a daze.
...No way, for real?
How long had it been since we got here on vacation? And I'm in a swimsuit? Haven't even transformed? A monster shows up now?
"Wait... you're not Neff?"
The mantis monster tilted its head.
"Weird. Ulbr said she'd send me to Neff's coordinates. So where's Neff, and why's there another magical girl?"
Right. The perception filter works on monsters too.
It was natural it couldn't recognize untransformed me. To it, I was just another swimmer in the crowd.
This one's from Ulbr too?
Come to think of it, the first mantis had been sent by Ulbr as well.
We had a deal last time. Only send 'em where there are no people.
Yeah, deals with monsters are always like that.
Irritation surged. It hadn't even been long since Gold Luli shredded my nerves, and now they chase me on my vacation mood-reset?
Monster Association... such a pain.
It'd been like this from the start. They were like a stalker gang dying to harass me.
Gotta wipe 'em out ASAP.
Terra stepped in front of us and snapped,
"Sorry, no Neff here. Quit fishing in the wrong pond and scram."
"No way. Why would a magical girl be at a place like this without Neff?"
The monster cackled, eyeing the terrified kids fleeing in panic.
"Which means you're the guardian. And a guardian means... something to protect nearby!"
"..."
"Neff's among the kids! Hide and seek? Heh heh heh! Perfect!"
"You think you can get past me to lay a finger on civilians?"
Terra snorted and gathered her mana.
It wasn't baseless confidence. Terra was one of Korea's top magical girls.
She always ranked high in those casual fan rankings on ManaNet—solid top-tier gatekeeper.
And the opponent was just (not for me, but...) a mantis monster.
Recalling past fights: Bella had taken down one like it in under a second.
I could still picture her ripping off its arm and flexing.
Terra had experience too—no sweat for a bug like this, even if not a one-second kill.
But.
"Kekeke. I think so too."
The mantis monster rubbed its scythes smugly.
"I've known for a while. Ulbr doesn't want Neff dead. She wants to fatten her up as prey."
"So?"
"That's why she sent me. Not because she trusts me, but hopes I'll be Neff's perfect trial. So Neff can grow by crushing me."
My brow furrowed involuntarily. What? It sounded like my growth was all Ulbr's scheme.
"But I don't plan on that. I'm not here to die. I'll avenge my friend and live."
"Big dreams for a bug."
"So before coming here, I contacted another great one."
And at that moment—
Rumble rumble rumble!
Dark clouds gathered over the clear waterpark sky, a massive flying shadow blanketing the entire area.
"...?"
Terra reflexively looked up. Everyone, including me and Hasol-a, followed suit.
An overwhelming presence. It was—
"...A dragon?"
A blue-scaled dragon straight out of myth cleaved through the clouds, descending.
"Your opponent's that one!"
No, it is a dragon.
It slammed into the ground with a thud!, the shockwave turning the lazy river into a tsunami.
Roooaaar!
The third A-rank monster I'd faced after Ulbr and Kraken. And a Monster Association executive!
No攻略 guide...!
"RAAAAAWR!"
The Blue Dragon roared.
"Grrrrowl!"
Bital Cruise whipped its tail at Terra.
"You crazy lizard!"
BOOM!
The explosive shockwave sent Terra flying despite her braced defense. Concrete cracked, water sprayed. She regained balance midair and charged straight at Bital.
Mana gathered in her hand, forming a massive rock fist layered like stone.
CRASH!
The boulder fist smashed Bital's head dead-on.
The impact launched Bital into the air, sending it crashing through the waterpark's outer wall and out.
"Everyone, run! I'll hold this one off!"
[Sorry, Neff! Can't protect you while fighting an A-rank! The mantis is yours!]
Terra dashed after Bital, leaving those words.
"Kekeke. No interest crashing the big shots' party. Shrimp get crushed in whale fights—not for me."
The mantis left Terra to Bital and turned to me and Hasol-a, closest by.
Its eyes locked on Hasol-a.
"Hoh. You look noisy and scatterbrained—face of a total attention whore!"
"...?"
"You're Neff!"
What miraculous logic. But the monster raised its scythe with utter conviction.
"Die, Neff!"
"Kyaaah!"
Hasol-a screamed, squeezing her eyes shut.
No...!
I couldn't watch someone get hurt right in front of me again. Especially not my friend. In a desperate 0.2-second mana curtain, time slowed in the perception-blocking barrier.
"Nunu!"
[Grrr!]
Nunu popped out of nowhere, weaving mana into a kaleidoscope.
[Bella!]
[Aurora!]
[Sword!]
[Pluto!]
[Terra!]
[Neff!]
I shoved in fabric at random, light particles clinging over my swimsuit.
"Mix 'n' match!"
BOOM!
The curtain released as my arm blocked the scythe head-on.
"...?! "
The monster's eyes bulged.
Prismatic mana rippled over my rainbow costume.
"Magical Girl Prism Neff has arrived~!"
I turned to Hasol-a with my entrance line.
How many times had this girl nearly died to monsters? At this rate, she must've sold the universe in a past life, not just a country.
"There you are, Magical Girl Neff!!"
The monster roared, regripping its scythe.
I ignored it and checked the monster log.
Finally a B-rank.
The攻略 tab was filled with Bella's handwritten notes.
No need to read. I still remembered her demo: 'Insectoids' joints are weak points.'
Grab and twist the joints, and the limbs detach easy.
"Druruk!"
Druruk dropped from above.
"Dress Code Type: Sword!"
My costume shifted to miko garb in a flash, Druruk wriggling with life.
Threads spewed from Druruk's needle-eye.
Shwip shwip shwip!
With a sky full of rainbow threads, I dove into Mantis's embrace.
"Graaah! With these puny threads—?!"
Seizing its flailing to cut the threads—
"Dress Code Type: Terra!"
I tried the move Terra had just shown. A smaller but hefty rock fist formed in my hand.
I slammed it full force into its right joint.
"SMASH TIME!!"
Thud!
The heavy impact staggered Mantis.
But.
"...Huh?"
The arm didn't rip off—it was fine. It flew back, at least taking damage.
I stared at my rock fist in shock.
How strong is Bella, anyway.
Sigh.
I swallowed a sigh and chased after Mantis.
