Chick Duo's Rift Marathon
The light blinding the chick duo's vision gradually faded. The sight that emerged afterward was utterly bizarre.
Where... is this place?
At first, I thought it was a dense forest thick with trees. After walking a little, I spotted ruins of half-collapsed buildings. A bit further on, there was sand like a desert. Turning to the side revealed a vast ocean churned by raging waves. Looking up, I saw pitch-black fog. It was like mismatched puzzle pieces tangled together—a space impossible to even guess at.
Where's Ms. Teresa?
I'd wandered around quite a bit, but for some reason, there wasn't a sign of Ms. Teresa, let alone any living creature.
...First, I need to find that "normal" Senior Seol-hyun mentioned.
Actually, that was easy to spot. In the distance stood a tower like a black pillar, towering prominently. It wasn't quite a mountain—calling it that felt off—but it was the only tall structure around.
She said I have to get there in an hour, so at that distance, if I hustle a bit—
Whoosh!
It happened then. Purple flames suddenly erupted in front of me.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoooosh—!
Not just one—several. The flames took shape, morphing into forms reminiscent of some hound breed.
...Magic power?
The moment I recognized the familiar energy from them, someone called my name from afar and came running. And then... the growing rumble of the ground.
"—Jeong Hanbyeol!!!"
"Ms. Teresa? Where were y—Ack?!"
"We gotta bolt-da! Some crazy bastards popped out-da!!!"
Rumble rumble—
Behind Ms. Teresa, dozens of those beasts— just like the ones spawning beside me now—charged in a pack. Like starving hunting dogs.
Grrrrr~! Woof woof! Kyaooo—!!
Reacting to them, perhaps. The beasts that had just appeared next to me shifted moods abruptly. Every emotion transmitted straight to me.
...Run to the normal with these on my tail?
I could already picture what was coming.
...My face twisted into a grimace on its own.
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Hah... hah...!"
"Jeong Hanbyeol! This way—we can shake 'em-da!"
Ms. Teresa sped up ahead. My lungs burned to the throat; I couldn't keep up that pace anymore. The gap between us widened.
"Huff... T-Teresa... ma'am! Just a bit...!"
I hesitated. I wanted to beg her to slow down, but I couldn't. Unknown monsters were hot on our heels.
The last thing I wanted was to hold her back because of me.
They're not monsters, though...
In this urgent chase, rationally assessing the things pursuing us was tough. But the silver lining: Senior Seol-hyun was probably watching. This had to be part of the training.
No magic power... she said not to use it.
Magical girls are superhumans. From awakening, we get bodies incomparable to normals, magic power flowing inside for spells, and finally, a mascot.
But I only had one of the three. Magic power forbidden for now, no physical enhancement. No mascot, no transformation. All I had left was my raw magical girl physique.
No matter how superior a magical girl's body is, I—who'd never trained beyond my natural limits—had hit mine here.
Ms. Teresa... transformed.
Right after arriving, I'd heard her yell, "Mascot! Transform-da!" She wasn't in that military uniform anymore; she wore something pretty like a nun's habit.
...Am I really the only magical girl without a mascot?
I'd endured the inferiority so far, but feeling different still stabbed at my chest.
...No. Senior Seol-hyun said she doesn't have one either.
Senior Seol-hyun had no mascot. True or not, I didn't think she'd lie about it. I hadn't asked about those cute mascots I'd glimpsed yet.
Anyway. No mascot, and yet Senior Seol-hyun was strong. So couldn't I get strong too?
That's the hope I clung to.
And this is Senior's lesson...!
Grit!
I clenched my teeth hard. Faster. I could still run more.
Grrrr... woof—!
A chill! An instinctual emotion from behind. That primal hunger aimed at my nape—I ducked my head instantly.
Crunch!
"—Ugh."
No time to look back. The monster's fangs that whizzed over my head snapped at empty air. Purple flames grazed my neck.
...It wasn't hot.
If I hadn't dodged...
...This really training, right? Senior Seol-hyun's watching, right?
Dread surged.
"Jeong Hanbyeol! Over here!"
"...Yes!"
No time for stray thoughts. Ms. Teresa—who'd pulled ahead—called from afar. The monsters were nearly on me.
Hearing her, I gritted my teeth and sprinted full tilt. The moment she was fully in view up close.
I spotted a huge problem behind her.
The path's cut off...?
A sheer cliff, sliced horizontally. Easily dozens of meters across, by eye.
Naturally, I shouted.
"Ms. Teresa?! It's a cliff—!"
"No time to explain-da! Jeong Hanbyeol, jump with me right now-da!!"
As I got within arm's reach, she grabbed my arm tight. With immense force, she yanked me forward like hurling me.
Jump this distance?!
Dizzying. But with monsters breathing down my neck, no choice.
Tears in my eyes, mustard down my throat, I leaped as far as I could.
Splat!
"Hngh—! ...Huh?"
"Relax, it's fine-da!"
Holy Wings.
In an instant, pure white feathers sprouted from Ms. Teresa's back, forming wings. A split-second thing, but they flapped once before vanishing.
Fwoom—!
"Kyaa—?!"
The wingbeat's thrust launched us across like a slingshot.
Thud! Roll roll—
We tumbled across the ground several times.
...What the heck was that. Those wings.
Ms. Teresa answered my bewilderment right away.
"My exclusive weapon-da!"
"...A weapon?"
"Yes-da!"
Wings as an exclusive weapon? Totally different from anyone else's I'd seen.
...So jealous.
"Wait, but... if you had that, why not fly from the start?"
"Can only hold for about 1 second-da!"
"......"
One second. ...Why even?
Don't normal weapons summon once and done, like transformations?
The more I asked, the more questions piled up.
"Anyway, looks like we shook those guys-da!"
"...Yeah."
"About 40 minutes left till the hour..."
Glancing back, thankfully, they weren't crossing. I sighed in relief, loosening my exhausted body for a quick break.
Or tried to.
—Whoooosh!
Familiar purple flames bloomed before us. My ominous hunch materialized.
"Grrrrr...."
"...Way bigger than those earlier-da!!!"
"I can see that...! Run faster!!"
Graaaawr—!!
A massive roar echoed.
...This training. Did I bite off more than I can chew...?
Regret started creeping in.
***
The sun had dipped into sunset hues. I glanced at the time.
...6:12 PM.
"How long's it been, Ari?"
"Almost 12 hours now."
Yeah, one hour was a pipe dream. I unwrapped a new candy and popped it in. How many was this?
At this rate, I'd be the first magical girl with cavities.
Still, on screen, they seemed close to arriving.
"Oh. There they are."
"...Both look wrecked."
"Not as bad as you'd think? No broken bones."
"Teacher said control your strength."
"You got into it midway and went overboard, didn't you?"
"...Th-that."
Far off, beyond the hill, two cute chicks staggered toward us.
...Or crawled?
Call it here today.
I leaped straight to them in one bound. They flinched cutely.
Adorable sight.
"Wow, juniors. Didn't expect 12 hours."
"...S-Seol-hyun Senior... mercy... please...."
"Feels like death-da...."
The chicks peeped pitifully.
...Magical girls these days are such wimps?
Still.
"Good work. Training over for today!"
""...!""
"...Of course, you missed the deadline. And kept using magic power midway?"
""......""
One word, and the chick juniors lit up or deflated. Seeing them stirred old memories.
...Those guys whined good too.
"Three months till school starts. Do this daily?"
"...Hic."
"I-I-I'm good with early morning-da...."
Yeah. They love it, so I'm thrilled too.