12.5 Magical Girl Liberation Front, and the Mind-Controlled ???
Thanks to Arte's color-sensing magic, it didn't take long to locate their target, the Energy Plant.
That said, its deep underground hiding spot—and the special keycard required for entry—did complicate the search a bit.
In the end, they blasted through the door using Red Flame's explosion magic and Tel Aqua's silencing spell, slipping inside without raising too much alarm.
They'd rather not leave traces, but since they planned to demolish the Energy Plant anyway, it probably wouldn't matter.
BOOM…!
They breach the entrance and step inside.
Beyond the door stretches a vast space rivaling—or surpassing—the Host Cultivation Facility they'd just left behind.
Dozens of towering pillars stretch toward the dizzying ceiling, resembling massive batteries or generators.
Hummm… hummm… hummm—
Hisshh… hissshhh…
Hoses pulsing with shimmering energy snake across the tops and bottoms of the pillars, while nearby auxiliary machines hum and vent steam, filling the air with mechanical noise.
Despite its colossal scale, the clamor is surprisingly subdued. A testament to Mech拉克 engineering prowess.
"…This is the place. I can feel the mana inside… so much of it…"
The energy fueling the Mech拉克—used for everything from power generation to countless other applications—is none other than mana.
It can be extracted from living beings like humans, or harvested directly from stars.
Magical girls replenish their mana from the stars as well, serving as efficient conduits for drawing out that stellar power.
In any case.
Whether plundered from magical girls or siphoned by tampering with the planet's ley lines and dragon veins…
That raw mana gets refined into usable energy, manifesting as the sporadic glows amid those machines.
The Mech拉克 have long mastered this incredibly versatile resource, propelling their technology to unimaginable heights.
But their reckless exploitation—overharvesting stellar energy—ultimately drained their homeworld dry, killing the star and rendering it lifeless.
A depleted star births no new life, leaving behind a barren wasteland poisoned by toxic air where nothing can survive. And so, they turned to invading other worlds to claim new homes.
Now, they've arbitrarily invaded this planet—Earth—and are sucking its energy dry.
If their rampage continues unchecked, Earth might follow the same doomed path as their withered star.
The thought sends a shiver of rage through her.
This energy here… it's Earth's mana too.
Extracted from our planet, and from mana-rich magical girls…
Those bastards… sticking straws into someone else's world and slurping it up. Makes me want to beat them to death, the shameless pricks.
She has plenty of gripes, but now's not the time.
The muffled blast at the door minimized damage and noise, but vibrations could still alert someone.
Monster researchers? No problem—they could handle a horde.
Still, to avoid any hassle, better wrap this up fast and bolt.
"You two, keep watch. I'll install all the bombs in five minutes—no, three—"
Red Flame's instructions to her comrades cut off abruptly, like a severed thread.
Her eyes catch something in the dim, mana-lit gloom of the Energy Plant.
"…?"
Someone's there.
A figure stands in the darkness.
She senses it. Spots it.
And then—
WHOOOOSH!!
Guh…?!
In an instant.
Just one fleeting moment.
Red Flame feels it—a primal, animalistic chill crawling over her skin.
Terror roots her—and her two seasoned magical girl companions—to the spot.
Something lurks there.
And from that something emanates a thick aura of violence, recognizable to battle-hardened veterans like them.
Its presence is so overwhelming, she wonders why they hadn't noticed it sooner.
"…Hah…!! *Cough*, *cough*…!"
"Huff… huff…!!"
The paralyzing fear lasts only a heartbeat.
The two behind Flame shake it off with deep breaths; true to her leadership, Flame holds her stance, eyes locked on the threat.
Clack. Footsteps echo, drawing the shadow closer.
Into a pool of faint light.
Now visible enough for the naked eye—but it's their superhuman vision that pierces the dark, confirming the figure.
—A magical girl.
Bronze locks cascade to enviable lengths.
Her costume exposes more skin than most, clinging to every curve: red leotard, gloves, boots, and a token skirt of negligible size…
"…"
Two things stand out immediately.
First, the mask-like device obscuring her face.
A helmet or headgear covers her head, visor hiding her eyes.
Yet through it, Flame glimpses a faint red glow.
Second—and more unnerving—her sheer, otherworldly beauty.
From head to toe, she radiates perfection, an allure that defies reason.
The leotard hugs a body in miraculous golden proportions, evoking awe and rapture.
Even with her face half-hidden.
Even shrouded in shadow.
Beauty overflows from her, intoxicating.
Or perhaps something deeper—a magnetic pull tugging at the soul.
Even as a woman, Flame feels herself drawn in.
Wants to seize her. Ravish her.
What the hell am I thinking…?!
Flame recoils, denying the intrusive urge.
Too much tension, maybe. But no—it's her.
She exudes a bizarre magnetic field, drawing them in so effortlessly that her own thoughts don't seem strange.
Proof: the other two, moments ago gripped by terror or panting, now stare entranced.
"Hey…! You're a magical girl, right?! What's your name?! What are you doing here?!"
To shake off the nonsense, Flame bellows from her gut, mana amplifying her voice to thunder through the plant.
No reply.
She shouts again.
"Consider this a warning! If you're still resisting hypnosis, just stay put! We don't want to hurt you!"
"Our goal is destroying the Energy Plant. Stay out of it, and you're fine!"
"But if you interfere—"
"We won't hold back! Think it over!"
Flame's warning echoes.
At the words "Energy Plant destruction," the doll-like magical girl's demeanor shifts.
She lifts her head toward Flame, tension coiling in her shoulders and legs.
A staff-like weapon materializes in her hand, glowing with light.
Clear hostility. Battle intent.
Flame sighs theatrically.
"…Figures. Can't resolve this peacefully. Hate fighting fellow magical girls."
"Flame sis, what now? Tel Aqua and I hold her off—you set the bombs in the meantime?"
Aqua suggests from behind.
Flame shakes her head.
That eerie terror from her appearance still lingers in her mind.
"…No. We attack together and subdue her. Mana-line Energy Plants are top-priority for the monsters—leaving one guard here solo means she's strong."
Every magical girl is precious combat power.
Injuries from infighting would be a huge loss.
No need to take risks.
She's alone; they're three.
And elite ones at that—not just infiltrators, but frontline fighters. Handpicked for emergencies.
No matter how strong she is—even top-rank—the trio can overwhelm her.
"Girls. She's Earthkin, a sister magical girl—try not to hurt her if possible."
"Got it, Flame sis."
"…And don't get hurt yourselves."
Vmmm—
As she speaks, crimson firefly lights flicker around Flame.
They spread, enveloping the magical girls and illuminating the space.
Even the headgeared one comes into full view.
Visibility secured.
Now—
"Charge!!"
At Red Flame's command, the three scatter in perfect sync, lunging to overpower the lone magical girl.
Brilliant magic erupts throughout the Energy Plant.
A midnight clash between beautiful magical girls ignites.