The End of Pania
Ever since becoming a magical girl, Pania had gained the ability to gauge her opponents' strength. It was a kind of animalistic instinct she'd acquired after evolving into this new species known as a magical girl. At first, she hadn't understood what it was. All she'd felt when standing before Jem was an alien pressure that seemed to crush her body. But the moment she faced Serafina, that unease had crystallized into certainty. Because from her, Pania felt absolutely nothing. Or rather, it was more accurate to say she couldn't feel anything. Her body had already been pulverized beyond recognition, crushed far past the point of mere pressure.
I'm going to die. I'm really going to die.
Pania's mind could process nothing else. The scenery blurred past in a frantic rush. Her breath clawed up to her throat. There was no time to look back. She could only run, mind blank with terror. But even that didn't last long.
"What the hell is this...?"
A massive barrier blocked her path. A wall radiating multicolored light had completely sealed off the entire village. Pania immediately threw a punch, but it only produced a dull, hollow thud, as if the impact itself had been swallowed whole. Her face darkened. The weight of Porim in her arms suddenly felt even heavier.
"Pania! Over here!"
At that voice, Pania whipped her head around desperately.
"Mister...?"
It was Kim Young-hoon, who had lived in the tent across from hers. The kind man who ran the hardware shop. Before becoming a magical girl, Pania had relied on him many times. He would often lend out tools to the villagers for free. Among the residents of this slum, Young-hoon was especially warm-hearted.
"Hurry! There's no time! You'll be safe if you hide here!"
At his repeated urging, Pania ducked into the alley entrance. That was when—
—Crack!
A sickening snap and a pain like her ankle being severed twisted her vision. She looked down with trembling eyes. A bear trap had clamped deep into her ankle. Beneath it, a pool of blood had already formed on the ground. It was a specialized product, repeatedly improved to deal with demons or frenzied wild beasts. Far beyond simply immobilizing by biting the ankle, it was a vicious weapon designed to shatter and sever bone. The only reason Pania's ankle hadn't been completely torn off was because she was a magical girl.
"You monstrous bitch...!"
Before Pania could even process the situation, a gunshot rang out. A sharp impact snapped her head back slightly.
"Mister... why...?"
Pania stared at Young-hoon, half-dazed. There was no answer. He simply aimed the shotgun again and pulled the trigger once more.
"...!!"
From within her arms, Porim was screaming something. But Pania couldn't hear it. Her vision flickered red. Gunshots hammering her skull. The sensation of the trap gnawing at her ankle as if to crush it—everything began to erode her sanity.
Why are you doing this to me? What did I do wrong? I did everything you wanted, as hard as I could...!
Then, like a film reel sliding open, memories flashed before her. The villagers who had never once joined in collective labor. Their protests demanding to be let into the city. The same people now trying to kill her, along with the magical girls. And...
"We have to get into the city! If we can just get inside the city...!"
Young-hoon's words were cut short. Pania's single punch had erased his head entirely. His body slowly crumpled and collapsed onto the dirt, the shotgun clattering beside him.
Pania realized she'd been deceived. By the villagers. By the magical girls. And by the pitch-black beast cradled in her arms.
With bloodstained hands, she seized Porim by the scruff of her neck. A slight twist would end it. But before that, she needed one answer.
"Why me?"
She tightened her grip around the neck and asked. Porim would probably spout the same lies as before—that Pania was the finest person she'd ever seen, or something like that. She had to. Only then could Pania snap her neck with a clear conscience.
"..."
But Porim simply hung there in the air, saying nothing.
"You always said you were on my side. So what can you do for me?"
Pania laughed. Then, as if urging an answer, she shook Porim by the neck. The sight resembled a corpse dangling from the gallows at the entrance of the Magical Girl Association.
"Huh? I'm asking what you can do for me! You said you were on my side, didn't you?! Answer me!"
"......I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I'm sorry. I can't do anything."
With those words, Porim closed her eyes. It was the attitude of someone who would calmly accept death. That voice. That expression. Everything about it was painfully familiar to Pania. It must have been the same face she'd worn in front of the villagers when they had wailed and begged to be allowed into the city.
Pania blinked, drenched in blood. After a moment, she violently hurled Porim to the ground and looked out of the alley.
"Quite the sorry state you've got there. How's the back of your head? Feeling nice and tingly?"
Jem approached, cracking her knuckles. She looked down at Pania's mangled ankle and smirked viciously. At the same time, magical power began gathering in Pania's hand. A blue axe blade hurtled toward Jem's throat. With no warning at all, Jem hastily raised her gauntlet to block the hand axe. Bloodshot eyes burned, filling Jem's vision with raw intensity. It was a ferocity that could make even Jem—who had survived countless real battles—flinch.
"It's all because of you people... because of you, you bitch! It's all because of you magical girls!!"
"This crazy bitch...!"
Jem threw a punch at Pania's face. But Pania didn't even seem to consider dodging. A heavy thud crushed Pania's face, shattered teeth flying in all directions. Meanwhile, power was condensing in Pania's right hand. Realizing this, Jem quickly jerked her head back, and the thick axe blade merely grazed her neck.
This is dangerous.
Jem was in deep trouble. This was an opponent she should have been able to crush easily, both in terms of combat experience and raw specs. No one knew that better than Jem herself, who was facing her directly. Yet she couldn't seize the advantage. The reason was Pania's fighting style. Normally, low-rank magical girls would adopt a defensive stance the moment an attack came in. By exploiting that habit and pressing without giving any openings, victory was simple. But the magical girl before her aimed for vital points no matter where Jem attacked. Without any defensive posture whatsoever.
Jem had no desire to risk her life just to take down this piece of trash.
I'll block it first, then finish her with my ultimate technique, Strong Fist, in one blow.
The axe blade flew again. Pania's attacks were straightforward and intuitive, as expected from a novice. But every strike targeted only the neck, head, and upper body. They were difficult to dodge, but if even one connected, it would be an irreversible vital hit. Paradoxically, that made predicting the strike zones easier.
Jem blocked the axe with her left fist as if she'd been waiting for it, then thrust her right hand forward.
"Dieeeeee!"
Blue energy coiled around Jem's fist as it shot forward with even greater ferocity. The target was Pania's solar plexus. The moment she thought it was over—
—Click.
From inside the axe blade, a folded inner blade traced an arc toward Jem's throat.
What the hell is this situation...?
Beneath the blade, half-lidded eyes gleamed as they fixed on Jem's neck. As if waiting for the exact moment its prey's breath would stop. The fist flying toward her stomach didn't even register. At this point, there was no turning back. Jem stared back at the face filled with murderous intent and drove her fist forward even harder.
Just as they were about to trade lives, a single horrifying beam of light pierced Pania's wrist. Her right hand and the axe both clattered to the ground. At the same time, Jem's ultimate technique—Strong Fist, powerful enough to punch through a main battle tank—slammed into Pania's abdomen.
—Boom!
Pania tumbled dozens of times before slamming into the wall of light that sealed the village. Jem hurriedly touched her neck. Fortunately, her head was still attached.
"Thank you, Association President."
"Thank me my ass. You can't even clean up a piece of trash like this properly?"
Serafina spat irritably and approached the fallen Pania.
Serafina was walking toward Pania. It looked like she intended to finish her off completely. There was no more time to think. I dashed in front of Pania and blocked Serafina's path.
"What is this? It's not your turn yet. I'll deal with her first, so why don't you quietly crawl into that corner like you always do?"
I couldn't even bring myself to meet her eyes. My legs were shaking uncontrollably. I glanced back at Pania. She didn't seem dead yet. She lay there, gasping for breath in a pool of her own blood.
This situation had reached this point because of me. I didn't want to burden Pania with any more sins. Pania at least had to survive. That desperate wish was strong enough to overcome the terror rooted deep in my mind.
"Please... I beg you... please spare Pania. No... please spare her... I implore you..."
I pressed my forehead to the dirt floor. Begging someone like this was worse than death, but my pride no longer mattered.
"Why should I? Porim. I clearly warned you. I told you not to create any more magical girls. You were the one who ignored my warning, weren't you? Do you really think I have any reason to grant a request from you?"
She was right. It was my fault. I should have heeded that warning. From the beginning, Serafina was not someone who allowed for compromise. Now, begging was the only option left. I pressed my head even harder into the dirt. Rough grains of sand scraped mercilessly against my scalp.
"Please, I beg you... everything is my fault. I'll pay any price, so please just spare Pania... I'll do anything..."
Serafina remained silent for a moment. Even then, I could clearly feel her gaze looking down at me. She was probably wondering if there was anything worth tearing from the magical world. The moment hope that she might spare Pania made me lift my head—
Tiny pink particles began to rise around Pania. Those specks of light swirled around her, radiating brilliant radiance.
What is that? An awakening? Why now...?
"What the hell is that? Why is that bitch awakening?"
Her tone sounded relaxed, but her actions were anything but. Serafina urgently raised her finger and fired dozens of light beams at the fallen Pania.
—Boom!Kwaaang!
Pania's body convulsed on the ground amid clouds of dust.
"N-no!"
I threw myself into the storm of light. Even though I knew it was pointless. Dozens of rays mercilessly pierced both me and Pania. I flailed my limbs wildly within the barrage of light. Endless, horrific agony. My body was riddled with holes, blood spraying everywhere. Two severed forelegs flew through the spray of blood droplets.
Once Pania stopped moving, Serafina dusted off her hands and turned away.
"It looks like we have a lot to talk about, so gather up everything worth bringing from the magical world and come straight to the Association. I'll give you three days. Oh, and I trust you won't do anything stupid this time."
Serafina's retreating figure grew distant. Jem followed after her. I stared blankly down at Pania. The light of awakening had vanished without a trace, and her body was so ravaged it was hard to find an uninjured spot. Her leg, shredded by the bear trap. Her crushed face. Her upper body riddled with dozens of holes. There couldn't be a single intact organ left. She couldn't possibly be alive...
Just as I thought, she no longer moved.