Flames of the Stars
“Senior! In the name of Luna Pixie Yuna, I'll hold you off for three minutes!”
With that declaration, I looked back at her again.
It was an instant. I was definitely looking right at Lumia Senior.
And then she was right in front of me.
Her fist flying straight at my face.
BOOM!
My body slammed straight into the wall.
“This is my last shred of patience. I'll fight you barehanded. One minute—that's all I need to crush every last one of you. So come at me with everything you've got.”
Her voice was flat, emotionless. And the punch that landed square in my gut sent a brutal shock through my organs. Bright red blood dripped from my mouth.
“You're really retired? This is ridiculous...”
“Oh, retired? Nah, I'm not. I'm coming back soon, so could you just step aside?”
She swung her fist with a smile. A fist loaded with killing intent.
THUD! BOOM!
I had to block with everything I had.
Damn it... I picked the wrong fight.
If I keep this up, I'm dead.
The parking lot was already half-destroyed—asphalt cracked everywhere, rebar jutting out from shattered concrete.
“Sorry. I made a promise I have to keep.”
I drew my weapon. She said she'd go easy with just her fists, so three minutes should be doable.
Three minutes.
That was what Myohwa Seorin had begged us for. Three minutes to escape beyond Seoul's borders. Out of Lumia Star's pursuit range.
Hoo...
“I can't promise I'll hold back. If you die, don't blame me.”
Before I knew it, the other two magical girls—minus me—were embedded in the walls. I hadn't even seen her vanish.
This is insane, Senior. This isn't you.
How is this a fallen star? How is this a magical girl weakened from her return?
Damn it. This can't be right!
I'd promised to do anything, even stake my life on it. But this... this might actually require staking my life.
Still, a promise is a promise. A magical girl's honor is on the line.
I gritted my teeth.
My ruptured organs screamed in agony. My trembling hands gripped my dedicated weapon.
Can I hold out?
Three minutes had never felt so endless.
A glance at my wristwatch: only 20 seconds gone.
2 minutes and 40 seconds left to endure.
Haha. This is crazy! For real.
“Senior, use this chance to see how much your junior has grown!”
I clasped my hands together in prayer.
"Pixie Moon Garden"
⟨ PIXIE MOON GARDEN ⟩
“A technique made watching me?”
“Yes, it's inspired by your Sanctuary Garden. This is my sanctuary. Even for you, Senior.”
“Got it. Can't just waltz out, huh?”
“Exactly. In this domain, I'm near-invincible for three minutes. It's unreleased tech. Now that you've seen it, please give up...”
Thud. Boom. THUD!
Senior was pounding the barrier with her fists.
“Senior? That's your technique, right? You know it doesn't break.”
“Yuna.”
Her voice came with a chilling edge.
“Yes?”
“You said it was my technique. Its biggest weakness is the barrier itself. So—!”
Crack!
Oh no.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the barrier.
“Your 'invincibility' means you should've defended that barrier with your life!”
Shatter!
It broke.
Ah...
Senior flew at me.
“Pixie Dust Guard!”
"Pixie Dust Guard"
⟨ PIXIE DUST GUARD ⟩
I hurriedly threw up a wall, but—
Crunch!
It pierced right through.
Damn it. Even with my weapon, why can't I keep up!
Her fist slammed into my stomach again.
“Guhhh!”
My body crumpled. The thought barely registered.
THUD!
My body crashed through the building wall and flew.
Damn. Feels like my limbs are cracking. Everything's spinning.
What the hell is Lumia Senior? A monster? That power without even drawing her weapon.
Haha...
I forcibly peeled myself from the wall. Checked the time.
40 seconds passed.
Haha...
Damn it.
I can't do this.
I can't. That's a real monster.
I'm a 1st Class magical girl myself. She overpowered me without her weapon.
It's a wall. Even if I'm a fresh 1st Class...
How is this the same rank?
Breathless, I couldn't even stand properly.
“Senior...”
She glanced at me dismissively and flew off. Or tried to.
“Not so fast—did you forget we're here?”
“Noel! Miyu!”
Suddenly, world tree roots sprouted, wrapping around Lumia's body and yanking her to the ground. Countless mirrors materialized in the air.
“If we can't match you, we'll stall with identical copies!”
Out of the mirrors stepped perfect replicas of Lumia—or rather, gray, desaturated versions.
“You girls are really getting on my nerves.”
The world tree roots tore free. The mirror clones, clearly fakes, were armed with Lumia's weapon.
“Just hold on a bit longer!”
“Yeah, that old relic now—guhhh!”
Ignoring the clones, her fist drove into Noel like a massive shell, sending her flying far away.
“You brats can't even touch the hem of a relic's robe.”
Damn it, that's why we shouldn't have poked the bear. It'll take time to regroup. Even so, it feels like she's holding back to not kill us.
“Time's running out—move!”
“No way!”
1 minute 30 seconds.
Halfway there. And we were still blocking Lumia. Barely holding on.
Tougher than most dimensional monsters. Dodging her flying fists and scrambling away was our limit.
We took a few hits anyway... but we were barely stopping her from pursuing Myohwa Seorin.
2 minutes passed like that.
“Hoo... huff... huff...”
My lungs burned to the brim. Just a little more.
One minute to go!
“If! My man dies! I don't know what I'll do to you! So MOVE!!”
Myohwa Seorin wouldn't actually kill that guy she took, right? That demonic look says she might do something crazy. I'm scared. Seriously about to piss myself.
But a promise is a promise. We'll shit our pants to the end if we have to. So Seorin, please don't kill him thinking of us.
“Senior! This is the last one!”
Stars collided in the sky, shattering and reforming, fireworks of brilliant flames lighting up the night.
“Here...”
I'd been dragged to an abandoned factory on the outskirts. A lone bed sat there.
Haha... this is nuts.
That Heresy Inquisitor for sure. The woman kidnapping me was definitely her.
I'm losing my mind.
“Why go this far? What did I even do...?”
“'Cause it'll be fun?”
Crazy bitch. Definitely.
“I'll explain what's coming next, so listen up.”
Before I knew it, my limbs were bound to the bed. Damn it...
“Do you really need to tie me up?”
“I'll untie you later. Just hear me out.”
Her cold gaze looking down left me speechless; I just nodded.
“I'm gonna soak you in all sorts of drugs. Remember those? I've prepped ones about ten times stronger and more varied.”
Fuck.
Fuck...
I'm screwed.
For real...
Even those drugs back then messed me up. Ten times concentrated?
“I won't die, right?”
“Huh... didn't think that far? Yeah, you might actually croak.”
Crazy bitch. Truly insane.
Never seen someone this deranged.
“Nah, it's fine. If you die, I'll make good use of your corpse.”
That jogged my memory. Necrophilia.
Corpse-fucker.
Fuck, so she's gonna use my drug-soaked body as a dildo? Ah...
No answer for this.
I have to escape. Staying means certain death.
No doubt.
“Alright! Here it comes.”
The crazy bitch pulled the rope. The bucket hanging from the ceiling tilted slowly. Obviously full of drugs. Gotta get free.
I thrashed against the handcuffs on my wrists and ankles, but—
Fuck, these are iron chains? The rattling confirmed it.
No escape.
Think. Survive. Somehow.
If I die here, Lumia... Lumia's dream gets crushed too.
What can I do? How do I live?
One conclusion: Minimize mucosal exposure. Mucous membranes—nose and mouth—have dense blood vessels for high absorption. And absolutely don't swallow.
But dodging outright? She'd block it. Twist my body as it falls.
Keep liquid out of nose. Don't swallow.
Focused on those two.
“Here we go—splash!”
Liquid poured from the bucket. I twisted, turning my face away.
SPLASH!
Cold liquid soaked my body. Held my breath. Slowly exhaled. Not naked like before, so drenched clothes clung heavy.
“Hoo, what an amusing struggle.”
I'd twisted to avoid the worst. Or so I thought.
My head burned hot. Felt floaty, drifting.
World spun.
Dizzy. But kinda fun.
Hnnngh...
“Congrats on surviving.”
That voice echoed distantly, hollow.
Didn't care anymore; body floated blissfully. Wasn't I tied down?
Why am I floating?
Three minutes.
We held out.
Exactly three, but we gave it everything... Promise kept, Myohwa Seorin.
Bones shattered everywhere, organs burst and mangled.
Still, we did it.
Watching Lumia Star streak away at supersonic speed, I thought: Please, Myohwa Seorin... don't harm that man...
With that, the three of us lost consciousness.