Infiltration and Counterattack, Then Discovery: Magical Girl Pure White (Er - Hypnosis Reversal) (2)
How.
How... how do you know my identity?!
Buoooooh!!
“Kuh...!?”
Er falters at Weg Vice Commander's sudden declaration.
And right before her eyes, Weg Vice Commander's body swells up in an instant.
The transformation scene she'd witnessed countless times before.
His withered, tree-trunk-like old flesh suddenly brimmed with vitality as muscles and bulk ballooned forth.
Er manipulates the wings of light sprouting from her back, sliding back to put distance between them in a flash.
But Weg Vice Commander's swinging arm proves just a touch faster.
“...Heh heh, so it was this mask after all. Couldn't get a proper look with it on.”
Clatter...
The mask Er had been wearing moments ago slips from Weg Vice Commander's hand and falls to the floor.
Just before she could dodge, his hand had reached her first, stripping away her magical mask.
Er covers her face with one hand, but there's no point hiding anymore—her identity is exposed.
“How... how did you know it was me...”
“Who knows? Curious? Not telling.”
“......Fine. Don't care anyway.”
Er drops her hand from her face and speaks primly.
It's a shame her cover's blown, but unavoidable.
She never thought she could hide forever anyway.
Just came sooner than expected.
More importantly, what now.
Two options... take this guy down here and now, or escape...!
But strangely, Er's attacks won't land on him at all.
She can't figure out why or how.
Even now, from this distance, trying to hit him with magic fails—her tongue freezes mid-incantation, or her mana scatters, fizzling out every time.
Possible reasons: he has some special ability, or I'm under hypnosis.
The first is tricky but manageable with some thought.
The second? Odds plummet.
And she doesn't want to believe it... she'd been so careful, with help from allies, dodging hypnosis mods entirely.
Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!!
“......!?”
“There, escaping just got harder. Thoughts?”
Thick iron walls drop around the hallway where they stand, boxing them in.
Er infuses her eyes with mana—it's no ordinary steel, some mineral of inhuman strength.
Likely a Mech拉克-exclusive alloy.
Cutting it isn't impossible.
But it'd take time and focused mana.
No way he'll let me.
She's never seen Weg Vice Commander's power firsthand.
But his presence, that earlier speed... show her back, and she'll be hit.
He's the man commanding legions of soldiers, outranking generals.
Position doesn't equal combat prowess, sure.
But in Mech拉克's survival-of-the-fittest system... he's no weakling.
—Escape means creating an opening first.
Otherwise, he'll exploit the gap and subdue her.
Get caught now, unable to harm him, and it's game over—she can't do a thing.
* * *
“...Hup!”
Er swiftly assesses and calculates, summoning new swords of light—one in each hand—and swings at the floor.
Not at Weg Vice Commander—but the un-reinforced ground.
Shraaaaaaaaack!!
Rumble!!
“Oh...?!”
From where Er stands to Weg Vice Commander's position, the floor shreds apart.
Both plunge with the crumbling debris.
The vice commander's body crashes amid rubble and dust, but Er's light wings halt her mid-fall.
Partitions seal this level too.
She could slice the floor again, but no—this chance with him buried is too good to waste.
“【Noble light of Valhalla! Dwell in my sword now!】”
Her blades blaze brighter.
She swings at the wall.
——!!
Deafening destruction.
The partition blocking her escape slices open.
Er flies, kicking the severed wall—it crumbles, opening a hole big enough to pass.
Straight out the window...!
“Halt there, Er!”
Voice from behind.
As if that'll stop her, she thinks—
Screech...!!
“Wha...?!”
Body set to smash through the window, Er freezes midair.
Right after his shout-like command.
Moments later, buoyancy gone, she crashes to the floor with a thud!
“Think I'd let you slip away? That you'd shake me with parlor tricks?”
“Ow ow... body won't move...! Why...!”
“Haha, still clueless? I rate you highly, Er—smart as a fleshlight, maybe, but human smarts? Lacking. Cute flaw, though.”
Weg Vice Commander brushes off rubble with his quadruped-muscled arms, rising.
Steps toward her rolling form through the hole she made.
A translucent hologram floats before him.
The Hypnosis Controller she'd seen before.
Hard to believe, but he's using it to hypnotize and restrain her.
Her attacks missing earlier? All down to this controller and hypnosis.
When did he hypnotize me? Thought I'd avoided mods...
Can't deny reality staring me down...
She must admit it.
She's under hypnosis' sway—can't attack or flee like this.
Even escaping the building? He'll tweak her perception with the controller, make her walk back herself.
Under hypnosis, her odds: 0%.
—That's what he'll think. Lets his guard down.
Grip...!
Body still obeys his last order, barely moving.
Prone and rolling, but she clenches her fist, gripping the light sword tight.
Worst case. Hypnotized too.
But not hopeless.
Cookie Fairy, ever cautious, prepared for this.
'With my aid, your costume has extra functions.'
'One injects mana to suppress mental intrusions.'
'Simply put, status effect dispel!'
'Use it for temporary hypnosis break.'
'Lucky? Maybe full removal. But that's greedy now.'
Costume activates anytime.
Mana burst: instant dispel, full control in under a second.
So come closer.
Arrogant from hypnosis win, he'll approach defenseless.
At unavoidable range—release function, break free, slash him.
Too fast to block, invisible to eye... one strike to end him.
Come on, come...!
“Oh, right—should mention this too?”
Weg Vice Commander, strolling casually, fiddles with the controller again.
No verbal order needed—commands transmit straight to Er.
And.
Sway...
“Ah...?”
Thud!
Er's head flops; strength drains instantly.
Consciousness fades; light swords vanish.
He approaches the fallen Er again.
Stops beside her.
“That fairy helping you? She's ours now.”
“Naturally, Pure White... Er's aces all exposed. Counters in place. You're buck-naked before me now.”
“That costume's 'status resistance'? Disabled.”
“......Sneaking in tonight? Hypnosis command. Forgot that too, huh.”
“Special reinforced hypnosis mod to crush Pure White? Blank on that too.”
Frail, light body of fallen Er—Pure White—lifts into Weg Vice Commander's muscled arms.
He carries her off down the hall.
Dust everywhere from her tricks, but his stride brims with irrepressible joy.
Partitions reseal; repair bots gather to fix the damage....