Prologue: Invaded Earth and the Magical Girls of Hope (1)
Earth has been invaded by alien enemies.
Even several years ago, this planet was already exposed to the invaders who introduced themselves as coming from the planet Mech拉克.
But back then, despite their superhuman physical abilities and over-technology-based tech, they weren't much of a threat because there weren't many of them.
Above all, the appearance of Magical Girls and their dazzling exploits made them even less of a threat.
The Magical Girls' powers surpassed the invaders' over-technology.
Their actions, wielding army-level strength as individuals, were swift.
Moreover, beyond the laws provided by nations, the Magical Girls had their own special 'rules' that applied to them, so they never harmed humanity.
Strong, fast, inexpensive, and above all, reliable and safe military force.
Thanks to these Magical Girls, the threat from the alien invaders was dispelled. In fact, videos of their extermination and the Magical Girls' activities even became new entertainment for people craving stimulating spectacles.
After years of this, no one harbored any anxiety about the alien enemies in their minds.
Things would work out somehow.
Whether alien invaders appeared or something else happened, at least their daily lives wouldn't change.
Everyone was probably thinking that way.
Yes.
Just three months ago, most people must have thought that...
"Hah... hah... hah...!!"
A single Magical Girl races through the city streets.
In the dark night, streetlights illuminate spots here and there, opening up the view. This street, once called a bustling district, is now mostly shuttered despite its many entertainment venues—lights off, few people around.
The sparsely populated avenue feels as empty as a rural road.
And right in the middle of it runs a beautiful Magical Girl, her whole body shimmering with radiant light, all alone.
"【―――――】…!"
Mid-flight from her pursuers, a spell slips from the Magical Girl's lips.
At the same moment, her form melts into the streetlight glow and vanishes.
The street returns to its empty, silent state, just as it was before she arrived.
Soon after, rough voices echo as several tall men storm into the street.
"Damn it...!! Where'd that Magical Girl go?!"
"Tell me about it. If she'd just flown into the sky, it'd be easier to track..."
They're men in special suits—some look like average humans, others have extra pairs of arms or tentacles sprouting from their bodies, utterly inhuman in appearance.
These are Earth's invaders.
Monster Men with superhuman strength, far from normal.
Enemies of Earth's humanity, hailing from the planet Mech拉克.
This district has already been occupied by Mech拉克, with most residents relocated to newly prepared 'cities.'
Stragglers remain, however, and these Monster Men patrol the area to 'protect'—read: abduct—them.
Tonight, they spotted a family lingering on this street and targeted them, only to be interrupted by a Magical Girl at the critical moment. They lost their target too.
What a humiliation.
Failed to 'protect' the subjects, got kicked by a Magical Girl, and now even she slipped away.
No wonder they're fuming, eyes blazing as they hunt for her.
"No word from HQ support yet? There's still a Magical Girl in this sector!"
"They say it's arriving soon, Senior. Just hold on a bit."
"By the time it gets here, the Magical Girl will be gone!"
"Well... since she's not showing up on sector radar, she probably hasn't escaped the area."
"Tch... fine then..."
The leader seems to be the humanoid Monster Man at the front.
Wearing a skin-tight suit like tights, he smashes a nearby building wall with a boom!, then bellows into the surroundings.
"Come out, Magical Girl! If you do, I'll go easy on you..." and so on.
As if she'd listen—or believe him.
The pack of Monster Men advances down the deserted street...
"...They're gone."
Shrrr...
A short distance from where the Monster Men just passed.
A Magical Girl materializes, as if a chunk of space melts away.
Until moments ago, she'd been hiding her body with magic.
Magical Girls wield mana to cast spells.
Against these alien foes who master advanced over-technology, Earth's scientific weapons—guns, swords, even cannons or missiles—are useless or get turned against them.
But Magical Girls' magic, transcending their perceptions, works effectively even on them.
That's why Magical Girls were seen as the Monster Men's natural predators and humanity's sole hope.
'Hope... though it's a bit too one-sided a disadvantage for that.'
Still concealed in the alley, the Magical Girl leans against the wall and crouches down.
She's a college student who contracted with a fairy she met one day... becoming a Magical Girl to earn tuition money.
Even as one, her spells are mostly mundane; compared to flashy, battle-hardened Magical Girls, her combat prowess falls short.
An untrained civilian with unremarkable magic and strength.
Still, against foes like these—a mere pack of Monster Men—she could take them solo.
'But no need to draw attention.'
'Especially with rumors of them using some mystery weapon lately...'
She doesn't belong to any Magical Girl communities, which are inactive anyway.
Information is scarce as a result.
Those in specific groups often got tracked and hunted because of them—lucky for her, but the info gap is deadly.
That's why she's relied on her specialty, Invisible magic, to stay hidden until now...
'I hope that family got away safe...'
She hadn't planned to intervene.
But seeing the family in distress on that street earlier, her body moved on its own.
Monster Men closing in on the family sneaking away under night cover—she flew in with a kick.
Then hid the family with her magic, baited the foes, and fled here.
The spell on them should be wearing off by now. Did they escape in time?
'No time to worry about them now.'
'In this world already gone to hell... nowhere to run means no hope anyway.'
'Maybe getting caught and 'raised' by those bastards would've been better for that family...'
Dark thoughts creep in for a moment.
She sighs.
How did things come to this?
How did the world end up like this?
Is there really no way back to how it was?
"Heh, found you."
"?!"
The crouching Magical Girl snaps her head up.
At the alley mouth stand the Monster Men who passed by earlier.
"Ugh...!? How...!"
"Whoa, never thought you'd be loitering out here instead of in a building or underground. Made it easy to find~."
The lead humanoid Monster Man removes his visor, eyeing her body lewdly.
His gaze lingers on her curvaceous, feminine form visible through the tight, revealing costume.
Disgusted, she shields herself slightly and stands.
Easy to find? Impossible.
She'd dropped full-body Invisible but maintained a magic barrier blocking their electronic radars.
She figured pinpointing her in this vast street would be tough...
"Man, kicking a good guy like me out of nowhere—what kinda manners is that? All Earth humans like this?"
"Shut up! Good guy my ass?! You look evil as hell!! Your face is violence incarnate!!"
"Harsh words. Judging by looks ain't nice. I was just protecting that evacuating family. And since there was a kid, I was gonna give 'em some candy as a bonus."
"How do we know that candy's safe?! You think I'd just stand by while you feed a kid something weird?!"
"Why not? It's good stuff. Candy that makes you feel great—pop it in, and whoosh, instant bliss?"
"That's even worse?!"
It's no special drug—just a popular Mech拉克 snack bursting with fizzy, tangy nutrition.
But that nuance doesn't get across.
His face is rough, enough to make the kid cry on sight earlier, but his two junior Monster Men trailing him know he's a warm, kid-loving neighborhood type at heart...
『Gueee...』
That's when 'it' catches the Magical Girl's eye.
Leashed like a pet, dragging along the ground beside the Monster Men.
'It' resembles a massive leech or lump of meat—a grotesque creature that instinctively repulses.
No visible eyes, just a tongue-like tentacle wriggling from what looks like a mouth.
She doesn't know what it is.
But beyond revulsion, she senses primal danger.
Can't leave it be. It's harmful.
The thought spurs her into action.
"【Invisible】."
⟨ Invisible ⟩
She murmurs softly, and her body melts away like before—completely concealed.
Even body heat and self-generated sounds blocked; no surveillance gear can detect her.
Her combat power lags behind other Magical Girls.
But that doesn't mean she lacks the strength to fight—or that she's weak.
Savoring the enemies' confusion with a sadistic smile, she grips a mana-forged knife.
Unbefitting a Magical Girl, but blades suit her best.
A blind-spot strike to the vitals fells foes in a blink.
Above all, this mana knife boasts lethality and destructive power beyond ordinary blades...
'Then... bye-bye, trash.'
They're alien scum anyway.
Not human.
Plus, rumor has it their personality data backs up separately.
She doesn't know the details.
But killing them isn't 'murder'—no hesitation as she closes in.
'First, that mystery monster—huh?'
The meat-lump monster.
No eyes, surely.
Yet its 'face' seems turned right at her... an illusion.
In this dark alley, it feels like it's piercing her invisibility, staring straight through.
...No way.
Impossible.
The other Monster Men are panicking, searching for her vanished form.
'No scent, no sound, no heat—all erased.'
'No way they'll find me—'
She convinces herself it's a trick of the mind, reverses her grip on the knife.
And swings down at the monster without pause—
『――――――!!』
Pffshhhhhhh...
From the monster's maw.
Pink mist—Aphrodisiac Gas that neutralizes Magical Girls—billows straight at her.