3. Sudden Battle
3. Sudden Battle
I was so shocked.
Wait, why is that noona here? Besides, she looks almost exactly the same as she did 10 years ago!
"Here, this is your Magical Girl registration card. You can use it to access facilities exclusively for Magical Girls, so don't lose it, okay? As for the subsidy, Dori will explain it to you well."
Seeing Magical Girl Sweet Chocolat smiling brightly, I couldn't help but let out an awkward, "Hehehe..." laugh.
After leaving the Bureau, I glared straight at Dori. Perhaps sensing my gaze, Dori spoke up after a moment.
[Congratulations. You are now a full-fledged Magical Girl.]
"Isn't that usually something you say after the first battle, or after subjugating some monster or something?"
[Ah, is that so? I wouldn't know. And while 'monster' is technically correct, to use our terminology, they are called Witches and the Witch's minions.]
"Do we have to?"
[Nomenclature is important.]
I shut my mouth and started walking. It was obvious that to get home, I'd have to endure all sorts of stares again. I felt like sighing already.
"Anyway, how do I deactivate the transformation?"
I figured if I deactivated the transformation, I wouldn't draw as much attention. But I didn't know how to do it.
[Is there a need to deactivate it here? It's a body you'll have to get used to anyway.]
That was true, but I didn't want to go home while receiving those heavy stares...
[You have a face full of complaints, but it's just cute. I don't know about anything else, but you certainly have a talent for that.]
"Just tell me!"
[Aigoo. Fine. It's nothing difficult. Just shout 'Deactivate Transformation' in your mind. You can say it out loud if you want, but, well, do as you please.]
I went into an empty alley and shouted 'Deactivate Transformation' in my mind.
Then, my body returned to its familiar, heavy self. It wasn't that I was overweight, but I guess you could call it a reverse-sensation.
[You. Do you know what you're wearing right now?]
"Yes?"
I felt a chill for a second. No way. It's not, right?
I hurriedly scanned my clothes. Thankfully, it wasn't the outfit created when in Magical Girl form. Instead... it was the clothes I was using as pajamas.
Oh, right. I haven't changed clothes since using magic.
[Who wears clothes like that outside?]
"That's true, but..."
[It might be better to transform again. If you go like this, your fashion might become a laughingstock on the internet.]
"What's a laughingstock?"
[...It means something to be ridiculed.]
"Uh... but can't I just use magic to change the clothes I was wearing before I came out?"
[You can't use Magical Girl magic in your current body. You couldn't use magic to change clothes originally, could you?]
I couldn't help but click my tongue. Because it was true.
"Haa... Fine. How do I transform?"
[Just shout 'Transform'.]
I swallowed hard, then opened my mouth.
"Transform."
A scene that would suit an onomatopoeia like 'Sharalala' unfolded before my eyes. There was light, and within it, fair skin emerged and hair grew.
Wow, it really is like magic.
Soon, I was in the form I had when I first transformed... no, it seems like something more was added to it.
Huh?
My clothes had somehow become a top covered in frills and a wide-spreading skirt.
It was a look that perfectly suited a 'Magical Girl'. At that moment, a breeze whooshed through my skirt.
"Ugh..."
[The costume is quite Magical Girl-esque.]
The words 'Well, because I'm a Magical Girl' hovered on my lips, but I didn't say them out loud.
That was when it happened.
[Are you perhaps able to fight right now?]
Dori's voice became quite serious.
The emergency siren sounding also happened just a few seconds later.
&&&
It was a bit too small to be called a main road. Cars were lined up, but there were no people inside.
Everyone had fled. They had no choice.
It was because of the anomaly that appeared in the middle of the road.
It was huge. And disgusting.
Even its shape was hard to describe. No expression could accurately capture its existence. However, if I dared to, if I had to think of it.
Grotesque. Inevitably, everyone with thoughts would see it and think of the word 'grotesque'.
Dozens of eyes and black hands protruding from everywhere. I thought it looked like a 'mountain', but no. It cannot be understood, nor can it be explained.
I couldn't find the right words even for a metaphor.
The grotesque anomaly reached out its hand. It pierced through a building. It swung its hand. The building collapsed. Fire caught and spread into a large blaze, and dust rose as if an earthquake had occurred. The roar was the same.
Then a girl appeared. The girl, floating in the air, brushed the top of the grotesque anomaly with her hand. It looked just like she was petting it.
The grotesque anomaly wailed in a sorrowful voice, as if crying, as if held by its departing master.
The girl soon disappeared. The grotesque anomaly was still, wailing.
&&&
"So, you're telling me to catch that thing?"
[No. What you have to fight is that thing's Splitter.]
"Splitter?"
[That is the form the Witch's minions take when the Witch and her minions invade this world. To put it simply, it's like a compressed folder.]
So, when the Witch's minions come over to this world, they get tangled up and come over like that?
And I have to catch a single 'Witch's minion' entity, right?
[You can't catch them all at once anyway. Witch's minions are good at running away.]
"Alright. Let's just do it."
[...Actually, it might be too much for you, as you're still PR-class. I'm sorry, but you were the only Magical Girl who could deploy quickly in this vicinity.]
I took a deep breath. It was scarier than I imagined. My legs were shaking, and I felt like I couldn't even stand.
But what could I do? I had already become a Magical Girl.
And above all, ever since I was rescued by Sweet Chocolat 10 years ago, I made a vow.
To become a mage and become someone who can help others, like Sweet Chocolat.
Well, I ended up becoming a Magical Girl, though.
From the high-rise building I had climbed to look down at the monster, I clenched both fists and dropped.
It was time to fight.
Piercing through the refreshing wind, I finally landed.
"Magical Girl Theresia, appearing!"
No one was listening to me. I cast acceleration magic and ran to where the Splitter was.
It was on a different level from the magic I usually used. It was smooth and soft.
Nice. Refreshing.
Perhaps thanks to my calmed heart, I didn't make a fuss.
"Magical Girl Strike!"
I created a sharp blade in my hand with magic. In front of me, the Witch's minion glared at me.
I swung the blade toward it.
Seogeok.
-Kieeeek!
The sound of blood spraying. And the sound of flesh being cut. Screaming echoed in the air.
I opened my eyes and looked ahead. It was suffering. Black blood stained the blade and the road.
Did I win? There's no way it could be this easy?
Didn't Dori say? That it would still be too much for me, a PR-class.
[Watch out!]
In an instant, an unknown liquid was sprayed. It was what it had spewed out. I managed to dodge it.
Where the liquid was sprayed, it emitted smoke as if an unquenchable fire had been lit.
I went blank for a moment.
I looked at it again. The wound I had cut was already healed.
Its pupils stared at me.
It's an endless abyss.
I'm scared.
Scared. Scared. Scared.
Even though I set out for battle with such bravado.
Trembling in fear.
In the end, I dropped the blade. The blade that fell onto the asphalt shattered into pieces.
At that moment, it pounced on me.
[Hey! Are you panicking? No. This won't do. Quickly, hurry! Theresia!]
Its dirty flesh covers my whole body.
I couldn't think of anything.
No.
Just one thing.
Only the feeling of being scared.
Was echoing in my head.
My senses stopped, and the world stopped.
Maybe that's how I'm feeling.
&&&
-Are you okay?
I don't know.
-You want to live, right?
I don't know.
-No. 'I don't know' isn't the answer.
Then what should it be?
-You should scream that you want to live.
Really?
-Yes. If you just say the word, I will save you. My beloved Theresia.
I want to live. I don't want to die yet.
-Yes. I will grant your wish.
&&&
Theresia opened her eyes. She wove spears made of magic in the air.
Those spears pierced its body.
That wasn't all.
Puk, jjeojeojeok, the sound of flesh being torn open rang out.
Dori watched the scene. Fixing his eyes that had been filled with despair.
Magical Girls dying was common. He had seen it many times. Because he was a mascot.
Especially if they were Prima-class, it was very common.
But now. He had no idea what on earth was happening.
Just then, Theresia, who had been eaten by the Witch's minion, appeared, tearing through its back.
[Huh?]
Theresia calmly unleashed relentless attacks toward it.
The atmosphere was completely different. As if she weren't the same person.
Theresia didn't look at Dori. She only looked at the Witch's minion.
She tore, stabbed, and blocked the spraying black blood with a barrier made of magic.
The sound was so loud. Because of that, other Witch's minions also rushed toward Theresia.
[Theresia!]
Dori shouted. It's a chance. Theresia survived. He couldn't understand it, but he decided to give up on understanding.
Theresia moved quickly.
Just like a skilled Magical Girl.
Dodging the Witch's minions' attacks, creating spears in the air.
And firing them.
And she attached explosion magic to the tips of the spears.
Peobeobeong.
In an instant, everything disappeared.
Theresia won. The Theresia who had been in a panic won.
Theresia, a PR-class, a Magical Girl who awakened for the first time today, survived against the Witch's minions. She even subjugated them.
It was an absurd thing.
[Theresia, congratulations on becoming a true Magical Girl.]
Dori was genuinely happy for Theresia's survival.
To this, Theresia smiled at Dori.
And
Perhaps having exhausted all her energy, she collapsed.