"Yuri!" bunches of Yuri came at me. However, they weren''t astral shifted. They weren''t Black Lily but Yuri Shirayuki.
"I was supposed to be asleep. Where am I?" I asked my clones, who were calling me incessantly.
"We unsummoned ourselves and arrived here," my clones answered.
"Are you going to accompany me in my dreams too?" I sighed. The clones shrugged. However, one of the clones rose from the floor, her eyes stone cold.
"Shirayuki¡" the clone that emerged from the floor said coldly. My blood ran cold. The cheerful attitude dissipated from my clones, and we all turned stoic as our trauma emerged. "Control your emotions. Be polite and honorable. You have to be a perfect Shirayuki."
"I am no longer a Shirayuki. I am Black Lily," one of my clones answered.
"Meanie! Mama was selfish! Telling me to be Shirayuki while she ran off to Newstar!" I looked toward the clones. Why did she call Mother Jennifer ''Mama''? I wondered. When did I stop calling Mother Jennifer ''Mama''? I stopped calling her that naturally. I never thought hard about it until my clones talked like that. Was it in kindergarten? Or was it in second grade?
Memories of such times flashed before me before one of the evil clones started berating me.
"So, you are no longer a Shirayuki? You are just like her then. Fleeing when things are not comfortable for you? When you became a magical girl and your future was guaranteed, you cast away those that shackled you. The ones who invested a lot into you¡" I choked. My heartbeat rose as guilt filled me. A voice resisted the mockery. It came from other clones.
"Shirayuki never cared for us. They only provided us with money¡"
"Then, what do you seek if not money? Prestige? Fame? Shirayuki gave you those, too. Do you think you became a famous actress because you are pretty? Because you are good? If not for Shirayuki, you would not have even passed the preliminary round."
"We studied hard, and we never skipped our classes. Telling us that all we achieved was through money was unfair!"
"You certainly worked hard. However, remember, such classes are paid for with money¡ªmoney that an average commoner would not even consider spending."
Voices of dissent and resistance continued to resound one after another. The mockery escalated until one of my clones started to bring out her weapon. Nevertheless, we were one to begin with. The evil clones merely smirked at the futile attempt of the other clones.
"So, you are no longer a Shirayuki. You are no longer Yuri¡ but you are Black Lily¡" the evil clones chuckled as one of my clones cut off her head. We were in a dream, so her head merely returned to where it belonged. The evil clones then disappeared, leaving a parting voice. "Are you worthy? Are you worthy of becoming the light and hope of humanity when you don''t have one yourself?"
That was the final nail in the coffin, and I screamed in panic. "No. NO!!"
Images flashed before my eyes. The worshiping gaze of my friends grew stronger. People lined up and said that I was the future, the only hope of the Shirayuki''s company. I was soon to be the leader of Shirayuki. My coworkers'' expectant gazes. Then came Mr. Tanaka, who lost his job because of me. The disappointed faces of people who went homeless.
"No! I don''t want to be a Shirayuki! I don''t want to be a Magical Girl!" I screamed. The scenery quickly disappeared as I was greeted by a dark room. I looked at the surroundings; it wasn''t my room in Eden or New Mesa. This room was much smaller.
"Yuri? What''s wrong?" Felicia turned on the light. She then hopped back into my bed and loafed beside me. "Nightmare?"
I nodded. Was she the one who woke me? My heart was still beating fast. When I looked at Felicia, I wondered if she also expected something from me. Felicia yawned like a cat. Then she loafed back and took a sleeping pose. Even though she looked like she was sleeping, her voice was clear in my head.
"Will you go back to sleep, head back to the city, or go somewhere else?" Her question puzzled me.
"Is it my choice?"
"Of course. I am your familiar."
"Magical Girls usually have orders, don''t they? Like killing Anathema or returning to Eden..." I asked her.
"The choice is yours. Guardians are free. Others can ask you to do something, but it is ultimately your choice to agree or not."
"If people don''t follow orders, won''t that cause a disaster? If you don''t follow traffic laws, for example¡" I asked her, reminiscing about my years as a student before I was a Magical Girl. Yuri was expected to be kind and helpful. I remember when I tried to be selfish and refused to act in a play, choosing to stay at home and laze about. The film producer then replaced me, and the movie bombed, causing the team to be fired. Then, there was another time when I didn''t act as an honor student. My parents came to school and questioned my entire class and its teacher.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
When people didn''t follow orders, it caused suffering. When I didn''t help people with their bullying or their studies, they would fail the class and become targets of bullying from society. Some even stopped coming to school and became recluses in the shelter. When I was in elementary school, I was praised by my parents for being such a wonderful child. That pride and yearning soon turned into a curse. If I didn''t excel, it meant something was wrong with me.
"Hm¡ that''s true. Saying that you may do as you please might be the antithesis of what a Magical Girl is. The reason why we can confidently say so is because we discern that your nature is good. Every familiar believes that even if they give their host unlimited freedom, the world will turn for the better. There is no need for forced concession, trade, or rules."
I tilted my head but then understood. Felicia believed in me. It wasn''t Zenith who believed in me; it was her. Zenith created her for me. She was somehow, through an infinitesimal chance, created to be my soulmate, unlike my clones, who shared my thoughts and memories. She was made to complement me, not merely copy me. She would support me even if I did something wrong. Her advice would be firm, but she would still support me. That''s why Zenith implemented countermeasures like gate points and stats. That''s why Guardian Command was made. Familiars exist for their masters. They don''t bow to even their makers, the Zenith.
"Thank you." I hugged her, then laid down again. Pinning her and turning her into a pillow.
"You know, cats actually hate being hugged like this. A human''s body weight is much greater than a cat''s, making them feel unsafe," Felicia commented as I snuggled her.
"You aren''t a real cat, right? Hold it for a bit. What time is it?"
"4 AM."
"Then wake me at 6:30 as usual, and we''ll return to the city. I am a Magical Girl. I will defeat every Anathema and curse seed I can find!"
"Okay¡" I then released my hug but still kept my hand on her back as we fell asleep. Felicia was such a wonderful cat. If I didn''t do my part as a Magical Girl, she might be taken away. I needed to do my best.
In my dream, my clones appeared again. The evil clones sneered while my other clones looked at them in disgust, brandishing their Naginata. They all multiplied.
"Even those Naginata no jutsu techniques were learned with support from Shirayuki''s dojo. Why don''t you just accept it? You are just an ungrateful wench. Even now, you choose to exile yourself. Even if you choose to be a Magical Girl and not a Shirayuki, you should return to Eden and become a poster girl, spreading hope like Magical Girl Pink Heart. Ah, but without Shirayuki''s help, who would support you? Maybe Newstar Co.? Or maybe Enra. But you guys hate them too, right? Why not give yourself to Shirayuki? Or would you like to be independent?"
"Shut up! We are not whores who would sell our bodies wherever possible! We deserve to do it our own way! We are not puppets!"
"Everyone! Stop fighting." I clapped my hands once. The voice then silenced everyone.
"So, the main Yuri finally returns. What does Princess Yuri have to say to her subjects? Any orders?" one of the evil clones sneered. Hearing the term'' Princess Yuri'' made my skin crawl. All the trauma seemed to return to me. The responsibility of being Shirayuki''s daughter weighed on me.
"Hah¡" I breathed, trying to calm myself before replying.
"I will return to Shirayuki in time, clones of order." I looked at the evil clones. I smiled, then put my hands on her shoulder. "But I want to see outside for a bit. Shore up my experience. I want to help Shirayuki not as their puppet, but as their family. Do you get it?"
The clones shuddered. Then, they smiled. "We shall await when the time comes. We hope it will not be too late."
I then walked to my other clones. "Thank you, clones of freedom. Do you accept my decision?"
"Yes! We don''t want to abandon Shirayuki either! We didn''t like it when they were mean. But we didn''t want to see it get destroyed either! Please help them when you have time!" Then I woke up with a pang in my head. I didn''t hear any sound, but it felt like something knocked my head from the inside. I woke up with a start only to see Felicia looking at me intently.
"What''s that?"
"That''s my built-in alarm clock. I was thinking of stepping on your face to mimic a cat again, but I wondered if this futuristic and silent alarm clock would be more to your liking."
"A simple nudge and telepathic meowing would suffice, Felicia," I mumbled. She was so proficient in assisting me during combat like we had been partners for years, but when it came to this simple task, she just knew how to tick me off. Was that on purpose? Or was she lacking in common sense?
"Roger."
I transformed, put my house back into storage, and summoned my jeep. We drove back to the city and found it repopulated with Anathema, including the places I had cleared yesterday. I expected the Anathema and curse seeds to regenerate, but not this much. Moreover, it was getting harder to level up. I had been hacking at these Anathema for an entire day and had only gained three levels.
"Do we have to do this from the beginning again?" I muttered.
"The hot zones stayed mostly the same, so you don''t have to revisit the areas you previously cleared. But we can expect the rest to be well-guarded. You might even have to use your signature."
"I see. We only need to destroy the fake and real curse seeds."
"You only need to destroy the real curse seed, but our sensor couldn''t differentiate between the real and the lesser curse seeds, so I guess we have to visit them all."
I stopped outside the city. If we only needed to destroy the seeds, we should employ some stealth tactics. But except for mimic, I don''t have any skills for stealth. I have skills that unveil hidden enemies, but none that hide me from them.
"Felicia, do you have something for stealth missions?"
"If you open the Terran clothes vault up to rare for 1,100 points, you could get a thermal stealth cloak with patterned camouflage for 150 points. You could also get soundproofing boots for the same price. If you upgrade to Masterwork for 10,000 points, you could have an invisibility cloak for 1,500 points. The usual sets for stealth specialists include soundproofing boots, an invisibility skinsuit and helmet, and either a resonation stealth cloak or thermal stealth cloak."
"..." I then summoned some clones for ideas. They are technically me, so I don''t expect much. But I don''t want to spend points like that. I need them for my primary weapons.
"Felicia, can we use the mimic spell to look like an Anathema and sneak around?" one of my clones with cat ears asked her.
...She has cat ears.
"Are those ears from the mimic spell?" the other clones asked. When she nodded, they started mimicking her, and cat ears grew from their heads. Some of the cat ears were black, and some were white.
"Hm¡ probably. As long as they don''t look at you too intently, you could pass as one of their own. But they have mana sight, and Magical Girl''s mana is essentially different from that of Anathema. If they checked, you will be discovered," Felicia said.
"Let''s just kill the ones that look at us, nyaa!"
"How about weapons?"
"If you transform into a phantasmic ghoul, you could still use your weapon since you still have your hands. So, it would be preferable to transform into that kind of Anathema."
"Roger! Let''s go!"
Chapter 53: Darklanders
The cloudy sky cast a dreary atmosphere over the abandoned city. As Felicia predicted, even though we mimicked their appearances, once we got within ten meters, one of them started getting closer, forcing us to kill it. When we killed one, the others began to swarm us. Thankfully, it was in the outer zones, so they only brought ten phantasmic ghouls.
"It''s not working¡" I muttered. None of the Anathema were fooled.
"This kind of disguise only works on humans, who rely on their visual senses," Felicia sighed.
"Are there any anathema that rely on their visual senses like humans?"
"There are many kinds of Anathema. Such classification might exist. But don''t depend too much on it. As far as low-level Anathema in my archive goes, even though their senses were degraded, they have life detection, mana detection, visual, and hearing detection."
"So I have to fool all their senses if I want to play hide and seek?"
"It is fortunate that Anathema''s mana and life detection get worse the bigger they are. They won''t notice you unless you are almost beside them, which is how you survived New Mesa. But there are no other living beings here, and most of them are low-level Anathema scouts. Once you kill one of them, they will feel it and surround you."
I marched on with five other clones. We no longer used our mimic spell, but that didn''t mean we stood out in the open. We zigzagged through small alleyways in the abandoned city to our destination. From a distance, I saw a five-meter anathema guarding an entrance to a sports building.
"That Anathema looks high-leveled. Do you think I can take it?"
"If it is one-on-one, maybe. But you will be surrounded here, not just by small fry phantasmic ghouls but also by chariots and shooters. It is too risky."
"I see. If only I could see the seed, we could destroy it with our sniper rifle," I muttered.
"Should I scout? That way, we could determine the location of the curse seed," Felicia suggested.
"Won''t it be dangerous? Ah, I mean, will you feel pain?"
"No. This body is merely a mana construct. I will not be hurt in the slightest. Moreover, I have proper stealth imbued. Unless there are Anathema specialized in detection, I should be able to sneak in safely."
"Okay. Help me, Felicia."
"Roger, nyaa."
Felicia then climbed down the building and sneaked inside. Through my mana eyes, the building seemed larger than it actually was. The building looked like a department store. It was a massive building with many parking spots in the back. Felicia saw the curse seed in the middle of it. The seed was larger than usual, about the size of a person''s head, instead of the typical half fist-sized gem. It emanated an ominous aura and had wispy tentacles that spread out, probably reaching the other lesser curse seeds.
"Bingo. We are lucky. This is the real curse seed," Felicia reported through telepathy.
"How are we going to destroy it? It is surrounded by walls."
"This is a building from the old era. The walls are made from bricks and some even used gypsum. Our FMJ sniper bullet should be able to pierce it," Felicia analyzed. "But you haven''t had the opportunity to snipe through cover. Guardian Academy had some lessons for long-range attackers which might interest you later."
"We are not in Eden, Felicia."
"My apologies. To make matters short, will you take the shot? I could tell you the coordinates. Fortunately, you have the Mana Eye skill. This will make things easy. I could guide you to fire your shots."
"Okay. Thank you."
"Alright. Hold the rifle firm and steady. See the marker from the tracking skill? Your mana eye provides you with the distance to the curse seed," Felicia guided me. After ten long minutes that seemed to last an eternity, she told me to fire. The bullet pierced the brick wall and went straight into the curse seed. It wasn''t a bullseye, either because it went through obstacles or because my stats were not high enough, but it hit a bit lower than I hoped. Nevertheless, it was enough to shatter the gem.
[Destroyed: Curse seed]
[Reward: 250 Points]
[Remaining Points: 7960 (7710+250)]
The reward was bigger than the previous curse seed, probably because it was larger. I began to wonder if the system had a tier list for how big the curse seed could get.
"Lily, stop daydreaming. Run! The Anathema has located you!" Felicia warned as the entire horde of Anathema swarmed toward me. If it was just the small fry-like phantasmic ghouls, it wouldn''t matter. But among them were high-level chariots, and even the boss monster that guarded the curse seed joined in.
"Let''s just use horcrux¡" I sighed. After I activated the skill, my body teleported, pain coursing through it as the fabric of reality was cut through, sending me outside the city. When I returned, a shattering sound indicating aura break was heard.
"Good work. Now we have one less curse seed to worry about."
"Ouch!" I looked at my hand; it was bleeding and I felt nauseous.
"Apparently, the further you teleport, the greater the damage," Felicia said. "Horcrux was not supposed to be used like a normal teleportation spell. It was a skill made to save you from a pinch."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
"What good would it do when it harms me like this¡" I muttered, remembering New Mesa. When I used horcrux, I was teleported with a bunch of broken bones. Sure, the fatal wound I received from the behemoth recovered, but it was replaced by a lot of misaligned bones and internal organ damage.
"It skips the casting part. Normal teleportation needs to stabilize the rift in space, while horcrux forcibly sends you through the rift as fast as possible. That''s what causes the damage. In a sense, this is a flawed skill, but better than nothing. Even a C-rank MG would have trouble fighting that many Anathema, though not impossible."
"What kind of monsters do A and B-rank Magical Girls face?" I wondered.
"When you''re on expeditions, there are some boss monsters whose levels can go up to 200. That''s where they get the experience from."
"I see."
"But that doesn''t mean they can''t appear in Eden. There have been several incidents where B-rank or even A-rank anathema emerged from the usurpation in Eden. Thankfully, due to RED detecting it six hours early, there were no casualties."
"Hm¡ what''s going to happen to the stray anathema without a curse seed?" I looked toward the city. The Anathema on the outskirts seemed to recede.
"The anathema will gather and form a new seed."
"Eh? Does that mean all of our work was in vain?" I squealed.
"At the very least, it prevents the usurpation zone from enlarging¡. Hm?" Felicia looked beside me as I pondered whether to keep assaulting this city. If I keep destroying their curse seeds, it will decrease their growth. Less growth means fewer Anathema. If they produce fewer Anathema, I could eventually liberate this place.
"What?" I eventually asked her when I realized she was frozen in place.
"People¡ my senses tell me they are humans." I quickly turned and readied my weapons. I have fought Anathema that mimicked human voices. It is possible these are Anathema in disguise.
"Hello," three people warily greeted me. Two men and one girl. From the top of their heads to the bottom of their feet, they looked human.
"Huh? You said yesterday there couldn''t be humans in here!"
"It seems I was mistaken. They are human."
Felicia and I communicated through telepathy, so the other party couldn''t possibly hear us. I returned their greeting warily.
"Who are you? What is a little girl like you doing here in the middle of nowhere?" one of the men asked.
"I am Magical Girl Black Lily. I am here because¡ I want to kill Anathema." I didn''t want to tell them that I ran away from home like a problem child, so I made up a little lie.
"My name is Jim, this is Catherine, and this is John," he introduced his group.
"That''s a nice spear. Where did you get it? Did you have a shaman pray over it? Normal weapons won''t work against Anathema."
"This is a Zenith weapon made especially for fighting Anathema."
"What''s a Zenith?"
I looked at her, puzzled. Who in the world didn''t know who Zenith was? Was it a trick question?
"Zenith? Are you perhaps from Sanctuary cities?" the man asked.
"Huh? Where else would I be from if not a sanctuary city?" I asked, puzzled. For a moment, I thought they were specially trained soldiers for expedition reconnaissance, but their gear was a bit too inadequate. They were only armed with spears, after all. The girl had a handgun, though.
"That Zenith? This is a chance! Hand over everything you have!" the girl shouted, but another man knocked her on the head before I could even do anything.
"Don''t be stupid! There is no way we could do anything to Zenith''s soldiers!"
"Felicia?"
"I have no idea. From their manner of speech, they appear to be outlanders who haven''t set foot in sanctuary cities. I assume they lived outside the sanctuary cities and somehow survived by scavenging food from nearby shopping malls," Felicia surmised.
"Wouldn''t the Anathema get to them?"
"As long as there are fewer than 100 people, their life signs would be too small for the larger Anathema to notice."
"I see."
"What do you mean by ''I see?''" the man asked warily. Even though he was the one who stopped her from pointing her gun at me, he readied his spear.
"I was just talking to my familiar. If we have no further business, let me go my own way. I promise not to touch any food around here," I answered.
"Lily, will you leave them?" Felicia chided me.
"What do you want? They don''t seem to need any help. I''m awkward around people. After what happened in New Soil three days ago, I''m hesitant to meet people." I frowned. I am a magical girl, but people''s expectations were too heavy to carry.
"Please ask them whether they want to move to the sanctuary cities or whether they have Magical Guardians there. Those spears appear to be enchanted and aligned, but they aren''t in the spear vault."
"Hm? What do you mean an enchanted spear not in the vault?" I tilted my head. Before I could process what she meant by an enchanted spear that wasn''t in the spear vault, I chose to obey her.
"Are you civilians stranded here? If so, would you like to move to Eden?"
"No¡ Life here might be harsh, but it is our choice. Besides, I can''t leave my father here."
"We could take them."
"My father was kicked out of the sanctuary cities! They said he and our family will forever be exiled!" the man cried out. Before I could process what he meant, Felicia jumped to my shoulder with a warning.
"Anathema detected. We were a bit too loud. Prepare for combat."
A wave of despair as the Anathema cried tingled over my skin. Some stray Anathema belonging to the usurpation zone whose curse seed I just destroyed approached. Fortunately, there were merely twenty-ish of them, and they were all low leveled.
"No¡ We are going to die¡" the outlanders said.
"Don''t worry, we have Zenith warriors with us. At the very least, they will repel the Anathema coming their way. Black Lily is your codename, right? So, what''s the plan? Run or fight? If you choose to flee, please help us a bit. We''re on the same side against Anathema, right?" The wary man, Jack, pleaded for my help. His roundabout way of asking was both pleasing and irritating. He didn''t expect much from me, which was pleasing, but he also hoped desperately for my help, which irritated me.
Nevertheless, I am a magical girl, so I chose to help them. After telling them to find a safe place to hide, I mopped up the phantasmic monsters with my naginata without using any magic. Fortunately, all of them were phantasmic ghouls, monsters below level 10.
[You have defeated a horde of Anathema! This is the summary of the points received. Consult Familiars for more info]
[Reward: 200 Points]
[Remaining Points: 8160 (7960+200)]
After clearing out the small fry, I looked toward where they hid. Felicia kindly marked it for me. The girl excitedly came out and praised me for my prowess while the men had a more subdued reaction, a mix of awe and fear.
"So, let me introduce myself again. I am Magical Girl Black Lily. I came from Eden, and after the evacuation of New Soil, I chose to wander around for reconnaissance."
"We are an exile from Sanctuary cities, mainly Eden. We are nomads, never staying in one place for more than a year."
"I see. Where do you live now? May I come to visit you?" I asked.
"We can''t give you food!" the girl retorted. The other two smacked her.
"I don''t need food. I merely wonder how humans survive outside Sanctuary cities. Are you perhaps survivors of the frontier projects? If you need help, I could offer some assistance. Maybe a bit of medicine or even food?" I offered politely. Felicia had asked me to go to their settlement, so somehow, my days of being obsequious and polite resurfaced.
"Frontier projects? What''s that?"
"Sorry. This girl was born outside of Sanctuary cities. She had her twelfth birthday just a month ago. Let me bring you to our settlement. And if you offer us your help, we''ll take what we can."
Although Jim was wary, the mere offer of food and medicine seemed to outweigh the risk. And so, I was guided through the wasteland and into a cave in the mountains.
Chapter 54: Pray and Hope
Even though they called it a village, it could hardly be called that. There were about 15 people here, including the girl I had met earlier. My expectations were shattered. I had imagined a fully functioning village, with people farming and craftsmen making things out of wood. Instead, they didn''t even have shacks or wooden houses¡ªjust a cave beside a river and a roughly dug moat encircling the entrance. Sensing my disappointment, Felicia began to explain.
"Well, for humans who rely solely on tools, constant attacks from Anathema would stunt their growth completely. I didn''t expect much from the beginning. It''s impossible for humans to thrive under constant attacks from Anathema without any magical tools."
"But¡"
"That enchanted spear is nice, but its power is merely on par with the weakest of Tier 1 weapons. Since they''re normal humans, it might even be better to use guns. On a closer look, the alignment on the spear is not in Zenith''s standard."
"Greetings. You are Magical Girl Black Lily, correct? Jim told me about you," an elderly woman greeted me. I was taken aback. She didn''t just look old¡ªshe was so disfigured that she barely looked human. Her face and hands were covered in what appeared to be tumors, and her body was filled with so many bumps that it was hard to look at her. She looked like witches from a cartoon.
"Greetings. Um¡ Are you ill?" I asked, unable to hide my concern.
"It is the price we must pay to obtain the blessing of Yudism."
"Visual scanning indicates the woman before you is afflicted with various cancers and tumors. The scan suggests Anathema''s mana poisoning as the main cause of the disease," Felicia informed me.
"Anathema''s mana poisoning?" I tilted my head. This was the first time I had heard about Anathema''s mana poisoning.
"Humans are naturally incompatible with mana. Chaos mana emitted by Anathema can directly affect their health."
".¡ How was New Mesa approved if chaos mana is around?" I look at her aghast.
"Chaos mana comes from Anathema and is dispersed slowly when they die. The process would take about twenty minutes. Humans show symptoms of mana poisoning when they are near Anathema for a prolonged period. By ''near,'' I mean within about ten centimeters."
"That distance is basically touching."
"Yes. That''s why we deemed the information non-critical and didn''t bother to tell the masses. We simply say, ''Anathema is dangerous; don''t get too close.'' But Anathema researchers in Eden and other sanctuary cities know about these side effects and wore specialized gloves for their research."
"So, is she an Anathema researcher?"
"I don''t know."
"I heard you bring medicine and food. Jim also mentioned that you were willing to give it freely. Is that true?" the elderly woman asked.
"Well, yes. But before that, may I ask why you haven''t evacuated to sanctuary cities?"
"I see. Well, have a seat. We don''t have much here, but please grant us some solace. We are fellow humans, after all."
"Felicia? What food do we have?"
"Raw or processed? 1 point for 1 kg of meat, 1 point for 100 kg of rice. Will that do?"
"Okay."
A black box then appeared before me, containing the items Felicia mentioned. My points decreased by five: 2 kg of meat, 200 kg of rice, and an assortment of spices.
"Food!" the girl screamed.
"Elder, may we prepare the food?" Jim bowed to the elderly woman.
"You may."
While the men and women prepared their food outside the cave, I continued my conversation with the elderly woman.
"Ah! How rude of me. I haven''t even told you my name yet.* Cough *cough. My name is July, but everyone here calls me Elder."
"I see."
"Your eyes show curiosity. Did my appearance frighten you? You seem so young, maybe just a tad older than Catherine. Was I mistaken? You''re from Zenith City, after all. You may be my senior. hehehe.."
"I am seventeen."
"I see. So, life in the Sanctuary City is more normal than I thought. I was expecting you to be immortal deities."
"You''ve never been to Sanctuary Cities?"
"I have. It was beautiful. The splendor of Valhalla still haunts my dreams even after twenty-five years."
"You''ve survived here all this time? Why?"
"Well, my son was expelled from the Sanctuary Cities. He was my only son, so I followed him. My husband died years ago, and life in heaven would be meaningless without him." Elder July sarcastically called sanctuary cities heaven.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
"Expelled?"
"My son was a brilliant scientist. However, he was a bit too ambitious. He stole an emergency barrier, hoping to recreate it from the Zenith. He planned to merely borrow it, but he inadvertently broke the device and didn''t tell the Senate until it was too late."
"I see."
"About 50 people died inside the shelter because of his mistake, and so, to calm the masses, the Zenith and the Senate expelled him and his research team."
"Senate?"
"The United Nations of Humanity''s former name was the Senate. Its formal name was the Senate of Earth and Zenith, but people simply called it the Senate. It was then disbanded and reformed into the UNH you were familiar with now about fifteen years ago," Felicia filled in the gaps in our information.
"I see. Felicia, can an expelled person be admitted back?" I summoned Felicia, and she answered.
"No. But their family members can. The fault should rest with the person responsible, not their family."
"I see." I nodded, feeling a bit down. Felicia, seeing my distress, added:
"However, if you make a formal request, the UNH might reconsider accepting them back into the Sanctuary."
"Will they actually listen to an E-rank MG?"
"They will at least review it. So, you should frame the request in a way that benefits both parties." I eyed the spear they made. One major difference between Zenith technology and our own is the presence of magic and mana. That''s why we were unable to copy their technology. We are incapable of using mana, but these people, though rudimentary, managed to enchant that spear. At the very least, some researchers should take a look. Accepting 15 people and confining them in shelters shouldn''t pose a major problem for Eden''s economy.
"Elder, the food is ready."
"Thank you."
"So, Zenith, now that you know our situation, will you still care for us? After all the contempt you''ve shown?" Jim said.
"Um¡ yes?" I nodded, though I questioned myself. These people were the children of those responsible for terrible crimes, some of whom were still on the exile list.
"Zenith doesn''t persecute anyone unrelated to the crimes. Family members included. Through legal, judicial means, we have determined your sins and judged you fairly. Moreover, a vast majority of the populace supported our verdict, including the UNH."
"Yeah, we made mistakes. I know. But¡ Damn¡¡±
"What about you? Were you with Elder July''s son?"
"No, I''m from Salemni Company. I was banished here seven or so years ago," Jim then shared his story.
"Ah! The incident with the Red Justice Knight." My mood worsened. Through the investigation, it was determined that Salemni was manipulating and exploiting Magical Guardians. I tried to ask for an explanation, trying to see things from his viewpoint, but he accepted everything.
"I was arrogant and selfish. This hellhole, I deserve it. I was pampered my whole life and did things the same way my father and my deceased grandfather did. That''s how the old world worked. You''re the CEO; you make decisions to benefit the company. That''s how things are supposed to be. You try to negotiate to make things advantageous to yourself. That''s how we always worked. But when I see this hell, I understand why Zenith banished us here." He smiled, but tears started to flow from his eyes.
"Things are dire. Humanity has lost. I see it now. We are supposed to die. We are supposed to go extinct. Yet we were saved. Zenith gave us those islands. But Zenith does things half-heartedly. Anathema still exists, and they can''t do anything about it because they need to care for how many billions of other planets or dimensions out there. It is up to us, yet I simply thought and cared for myself."
"Mr. Jim¡"
"Well, that''s what my father said before he died three months ago. I was his son. I worked under him. For him to change his life vision like that... was unimaginable. It must be true. I realized it now."
"Felicia, was he expelled too?"
"I don''t know. We would need access to Eden''s network to query that."
"Then¡ I see. Sorry."
"Even if you broke the radio silent protocol, the query would take days. It''s different if we were in Eden. The network connection is pretty bad in the darklands."
I knew what I was supposed to do, yet I couldn''t bring myself to do it. All I had to do was break the radio silence and ask for help. It seemed so easy, yet it felt impossibly hard. Every time I thought about contacting Eden, my hand froze. Tanaka''s face and his admonishing gaze filled me with dread. How could I bring more homeless people after I''d just made over 5,000 people jobless? I have run away from my duty. Do I deserve to be their Magical Girl?
In the end, I did nothing. I simply watched the night sky as I ate bland rice with boiled meat before returning to my boxable home. Once inside, I was disgusted with myself. I slept in such a comfy home while they slept on the floor. I had never minded it before because this boxable house was smaller than my bedroom. But now, I realized how spoiled I was.
I ended up sleeping on the floor, hugging the pillow from the bed. Feelings of self-blame resurfaced. Should I buy them all houses? But they''re nomads; they couldn''t possibly carry the homes. The Elder was sick, but I couldn''t cure her unless I upgraded my first aid vault to a rare vault and bought specialized surgery bots, which cost three thousand points. I could afford it, but I didn''t. In the end, I merely gave them some basic medicines like painkillers and vitamins from the common first aid vault.
If there was any solace, Felicia mentioned that even if I bought medicine and autosurgery bots from the vault, it wouldn''t help her much. The Elder was too old, and the Anathema''s curse had seeped too deep within her.
"Good morning, Miss Black Lily. Will you join us for morning prayers?" one of the villagers knocked on my house. I followed their lead. Morning prayers consisted of men and women sitting and meditating. When the prayers were done, the Elder approached me.
"Good morning, Miss Black Magical Girl. May I trouble you with something?"
"What is it?"
"Will you catch an Anathema for us? A live one. I don''t think I have much longer to live, but I want to show you something. I''ve seen you eyeing our spears. This shall be our gift to you. It may not compare to your gear, but we have our pride. We shall never take without giving something in return."
"But, Elder¡ your condition?"
"This is fate. I''ve accepted the price. Now, the stronger the Anathema, the better. I want to show you something." Elder July looked at my eyes caringly. Despite her disfigured appearance, she seemed so warm, warmer than even my own mother. It was like a grandmother that wanted to give her granddaughter a birthday present. Light of hope and expectation swelled in her eyes.
"Very well, Elder July." I nodded. The resolution in her eyes made me accept it without thinking.
"We shall go with you. We use these ropes to bind the Anathema," Jim said as he motioned to his men.
"No need. I can capture them on my own. Could you tell me where and which Anathema you need?"
"A hound¡ª" Jim started, but Elder July interrupted, "Stronger ones. Maybe a horned one. As long as it''s not one of the ghost types; they don''t bleed."
Jim mentioned it would take a day to reach the location on foot. When I asked if they wanted to drive, they nodded. I summoned my jeep and motioned for Jim to enter. Catherine, insistent as ever, followed suit.
"Wow, so this is what a car feels like."
"No. This is Zenith''s car. Real cars are noisier. We can''t use those," Jim answered Catherine. I looked to Felicia, but she shook her head.
"This car wasn''t made by Zenith. It was made by humans. Humans developed sound-dampening technology, which makes the jeep silent. There''s no enchantment here," she explained.
"I see. It''s nice to see that some semblance of human technology still exists. Please, let us use our strength to fight off the Anathema, Zenith," Jim said, looking at Felicia with hope. Seeing them, I felt a tinge in my heart. Was it camaraderie? Patriotism? I don''t know.
It only took us two hours to reach another Anathema zone.
Chapter 55: Horned Centaur
"We were supposed to bring back some hounds, right? Why are we here? These monsters are too tough for us!" Catherine complained as we arrived at yet another usurpation zone. Unlike the phantasmal one, this zone seemed newer and thus smaller in scale. Several horned hellspawn roamed the area, which was located in a small village. Wooden houses and cars were engulfed by slimy black ichor reminiscent of Anathema''s fluid.
The abandoned farm reminded me of what I''d read in my textbooks. I''d never seen it in person, but it was said that, long ago, people planted trees and cultivated vegetables to eat. It was similar to our vertical hydroponic farms, but far more traditional. Plants were grown in soil, not in test tubes connected to nitrogen fluid.
"I''m not sure why we''re here. Those beasts are definitely out of our league. Elder July specifically asked for a horned beast. Lily, do you think you can handle them?" Jim asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"Yes, I think I can capture one or two," I replied. Though my voice wavered slightly, I was brimming with confidence. With my harpoon gun, I could tie and bind them. It shouldn''t be an issue. I could face four or even ten of these creatures alone with my signature.
"Very well. We''ll leave it in your capable hands. The usurpation zone is right there."
"Eh? We''re not going?" Catherine looked surprised.
"We would only be a hindrance against such monsters." Given that they were used to fighting Fomorian hounds, which are usually under level ten, they surely couldn''t handle horned hellspawn.
This usurpation zone seemed smaller compared to the phantasmic one. A horned hellspawn was present, but among them was a unique Anathema. Like the horned hellspawn, it sported two horns. However, it also had the body of a horse. The horse''s front torso had a massive mouth filled with serrated teeth that exuded a sense of dread.
Its lower jaw yawned wide, revealing even more serrated teeth inside, similar to a shark''s maw inside nightmares. The large mouth made me wonder if I could fit inside. A sense of foreboding washed over me. This will be the Anathema I bring to the Elder. If I use my signature, I think I could also capture two or three of its henchmen, the regular horned ones.
"Felicia, do you think our jeep could carry that?"
"No, but you could buy a trailer for 50 points. It''s compatible with the jeep you have and will handle rough terrain without any problems."
"Okay, I''ll buy it later. Do you think I can take that Centaur down?"
"It''ll be a little risky, but considering there are only five horned hellspawn, you could certainly take down the Centaur if you use your signature. But capturing it is another matter. Most researchers only aim for Anathema below level 20."
"Let''s buy another harpoon gun."
"Roger, nyaa!"
[-100 Points]
[Purchased: Hermes Harpoon-gun]
[Remaining Points: 7855 (7955 - 100)]
"Let''s start with ten clones today." I summoned ten clones, nearly depleting all of my mana, and then activated Legion.
"Legion! Activate!"
"We are Legion! Because we are many!" My clones chanted, and more clones appeared beside them. Including me, there were now twenty-one Magical Girls. After they took out their weapons, we charged toward the Anathema group.
I had three harpoon guns and one regular harpoon. Since I needed more power, I assigned two of my clones to each firearm. The rest took my remaining weapons: two naginata (normal and Darkeater), two javelins, two war scythes (flamethrower and Darkeater), a sniper, and a shotgun. To compensate for my remaining four unarmed clones, I bought two more sniper rifles, a shotgun, and a flamethrower naginata. I wasn''t holding anything back.
[Purchased: Hecate Sniper Rifle x2]
[-200 Points]
[Purchased: Hecate Shotgun Rifle]
[-100 Points]
[Purchased: Flamethrower Naginata]
[-300 Points]
[Remaining Points: 7255 (7855 - 600)]
"Formation!" I shouted. Two snipers immediately fired, and two horned hellspawns died on the spot. Sensing the attack, the remaining Anathema charged at us. It might have seemed like overkill to have 21 Magical Girls face off against five regular Anathema and one boss, but this was an usurpation zone. Reinforcements were bound to come.
"Remember! We''re capturing the big one and one of the smaller ones!"
A roar echoed through the area as five more minotaurs and dozens of low-level goblins came barreling out from nearby homes. I quickly dispatched two of my warscythe-wielding clones and two snipers to handle them. The naginata were perfect for taking out the small fry, while I relied on the snipers to swiftly eliminate the larger threats.
One of the minotaurs charged at my clone with its bull-like head, but my clone deftly dodged to the right. A swift strike from the naginata decapitated the beast. Meanwhile, I reached the Centaur, who was poised like a knight, wielding a lance. Its powerful horse legs stomped the ground as it galloped toward me. I parried the strike with my naginata, but the sheer force of the charge sent me rolling back, reducing my shield by ten percent.
Like an experienced cavalryman, the Centaur quickly pulled back for another charge. Its four-meter lance had a longer reach than my naginata. If my goal had been to kill it, I could have easily distracted it with a sniper shot, disrupted its balance with a harpoon gun, and then finished it off with my naginata, with my clones assisting in the takedown. But today, our objective was to capture it.
"Harpoons! Target the big one first!"
"Roger! Naginata squad, hold off the two hellspawn! Snipers, eliminate the rest!"
We worked together seamlessly. Despite our occasional arguments during downtime, when it counted, we operated like a well-oiled machine. We all shared the same goal, and I knew I could trust my clones to do their part. My job was to hold off the Centaur. It would be tough, maybe even impossible, but I wasn''t alone. My clones were with me, and together, we could do this.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
As I braced for another charge from the Centaur, a harpoon gun fired, entangling its legs and causing it to fall spectacularly. I, along with the other javelin-wielding clone, rushed toward it. But before we could close in, the Centaur materialized two axes in its hands, and its skin darkened, resembling armor made for knights in a medieval movie.
The Centaur thrashed wildly, swinging its axes like a maniac, forcing us to back off.
"One is bagged and ready for transfer! Let''s help the main Yuri! The extra might be done in two minutes. We level up twice!" announced a sniper clone, giving a quick battlefield report. Although I could access their view, just as they could access mine, it required concentration, and summoning those windows could block my vision, so I usually avoided it. It was thoughtful of her to announce the update. Even though I''m the main Yuri, I don''t always have to lead the Yuris here.
"Yuri! I''m buying two more har¡ªwait, you can buy ammunition for the harpoon gun? You should''ve told me sooner. Let''s buy it!" another clone spoke. But her speech was interrupted, likely by Felicia, who informed her about the harpoon.
[Purchased: Hermes Harpoon Gun ammunition x2!]
[-50 Points]
I blinked the window away without even reading it. The Centaur was coming at me with its axe. I parried one of its swings with my naginata, creating a shockwave that sent an outburst of air. Even using both hands, I was still pushed back while it wielded an axe in just its left hand. As another axe came barreling down at me, a clone intervened, parrying it back.
"Got it! Now off with your arm!" Another clone swung her naginata with full force, severing one of the Centaur''s arms.
"Harpoon! Now!" The harpoon squad fired their guns. The spears embedded themselves in the Centaur''s flesh, and they started to circle the monster. The wires on the harpoons began to entangle the Centaur. After another swing from the Naginata team, the other arm was lopped off.
"We''ve got this in the bag! With 10 minutes to spare! We are awesome!" one clone shouted happily.
"Don''t get lax yet. We need to tie the legs, too. The arms and weapons could regenerate. What should we do?" another clone asked Felicia.
[You have defeated a horde of Anathema! This is the summary of points received. Consult Familiars for more info]
[Reward: 560 Points]
[You have leveled up to level 30]
"Let''s buy the trailer."
[Purchased: Trailer add-on for Desert Strider Jeep]
[-50 Points]
[Remaining Points: 7765 (7255 - 50 + 560)]
"Hm¡ we probably can''t use these harpoon lines anymore. They''re too tangled," Felicia commented, observing the messy capture of the Anathema. "Next time, I would suggest buying the [Trap Vault Rare]and getting an Anathema Net Medium or Anathema Cage Medium."
"I see. A rare vault, huh?" I sighed, knowing that would cost at least a thousand points.
"A common vault would work, but it can only capture Anathema up to level 20. The rare vault can handle up to level 50." She muttered. After loading the Anathema, I deactivated my signature, seeing a three-hour cooldown before I could use it again. I then summoned another clone to drive the jeep. The vehicle plowed through the streets at a much slower speed than usual.
"Wow¡ Amazing! You actually caught it!" Catherine looked at our haul with amazement.
"Will this do?" I asked them.
"Yes! Even just one of these horned beasts would have been enough. But not only did you catch one, you even captured their boss! The Elder will be overjoyed. We''ll finally have a chance to go against higher-level Anathema!"
"Catherine¡" Jim chided her. She got too excited.
*Creak.*
The Anathema struggled, trying to break free from the harpoon line. The fishing line the harpoon was equipped with came from Zenith. Felicia had mentioned that the Centaur could break a single line, but with how thoroughly we tied and entangled the thread around its body, it shouldn''t be able to move now. I stood up and further tightened the loose thread around the Centaur.
However, Felicia also warned that I needed to keep an eye on the Centaur and the horned hellspawn. These harpoon lines weren''t meant to be used this way, and since I tied them improperly, there was a chance they could break free.
"Will you help me watch the anathema, or will you help another me to watch the road?" I asked Catherine and Jim.
"I''ll watch the road."
"I''ll watch the anathema!" Catherine volunteered.
We arrived back at nightfall. The small village gathered in awe, gazing at the imposing figure of the bound Anathema.
"You certainly outdid yourself, Black Lily," the Elder smiled.
"I did my best. Was it unnecessary?"
"No, this is exactly what I wanted. Now, all my regrets will finally be resolved¡" Elder July stroked the massive Anathema before her.
"Elder¡ if we use this anathema, your life¡"
"Look at me, young boy. Do you think I have much time left?" Elder July said with a touch of self-mockery. Her regret and despair were evident in her frail body, yet there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
"Sorry, Elder."
"We will perform the ritual tonight. Let us prepare. Little girl, will you help this old and frail woman fulfill her last wish?"
"Last wish?" I asked. That was a bit different than what we agreed on.
"Yes¡" Elder July smiled gently.
"Ah¡ by the way, Lily, let me introduce you to Jane. She will be my successor. I have taught her everything I know. I hope she will help you and humanity in the fight against Anathema."
"Elder July, I heard the ritual is dangerous. Jim mentioned it. I mean, you don''t have to do this." I replied.
"Lily, you are a human, right? There are things more important than life or money in this world. You are still young. I hope you will understand one day." Elder July continued her soliloquy.
"Despite my aching body, somehow it refuses to give in. I''m sure even your talking cat is surprised I''m still alive today. I¡ I want to make amends. I want to repent for my son''s mistakes."
"Your son''s mistakes and sins are his own, Elder July. You don''t need to feel guilty about them," Felicia replied. Her answer was correct but cold and neutral.
"Yes, but I am his mother. This is what family is. I want to ask for forgiveness on behalf of my son, who caused such a disaster. Will you grant my wish?"
"That will depend on the UNH council. Besides, your son is already dead, isn''t he? What good will it do to ask for forgiveness now?" Felicia tilted her head.
"Do you believe in heaven? I''ve heard that if one''s sins are forgiven, they are released from their punishment in hell. This place¡ where nothing lives and every being suffers, is tantamount to hell. I want my son''s soul to be relieved. Do you know how cruel it is to banish someone to this place?
"You spend all your waking hours searching for food, ransacking the remnants of our old world. At night, nightmares haunt you. The sounds of those beasts engulf your mind. Whispers of the dead curse your very being as you sleep. The world turns dark. The light of the sun cruelly gives us hope, only for us to wake up the next day to suffer again."
"That will be the fate of all if we lose to Anathema, Elder July," Felicia nodded.
"Yes, you are right. Before my son lost to his demons, after he was banished to these dark lands, he always muttered, ''If only we knew how to craft mana,'' ''If only we could enchant these tools with mana, our goods would match that of Zenith.'' But his words turned to despair, for we can''t even feel what mana is. We couldn''t perceive it."
"Why not just buy tools from Zenith?" I asked Felicia. This has also been troubling Shirayuki as a whole. We''ve dedicated a lot of our resources to researching mana, but I haven''t heard of any success.
"The nature of mana is very profound. We know it''s there, but interacting with it is another matter. Humanity has tried to buy tools to make enchantments, but these tools, most, if not all, are race-specific. Different races interact with mana in different ways. The best humanity has been able to do is to craft a single common vault weapon after gathering ten A-rank Guardians and absorbing their mana using magical tools."
"I see. That is unsustainable."
"So, even after twenty years, we still can''t wield mana properly¡ It''s such a wretched feeling, but I''m glad. I''m glad I was able to show you something. Hope for humanity," Elder July smiled. Her self-mocking smile made her already disfigured face more eerie, but sadness and sorrow permeated her every word. It was warm. "Fate is a cruel mistress. My son, the genius scientist with research teams and billions of dollars in funding, failed. And yet, I, who was merely a housewife with cave tools, succeeded."
Elder July then looked at the Centaur, the boss anathema I had captured. Even through her wrinkled body, I could feel her unwavering conviction. "With this, I will make amends for my son. I will remake the barrier he broke... He can now be forgiven..."
"Elder, the site for the ritual has been prepared."
"Let''s go."
Chapter 56: The Ritual
The ritual scene was simple. A basin and one of the horned hellspawn were placed near each other. A pair of gloves and a spear were laid nearby. Felicia mentioned that the gloves were the kind you could find in any convenience store, and the spear was a rugged weapon they had fashioned by grinding iron bars during one of their scavenging missions. I asked Felicia how Elder July managed to enchant the spears, but she merely shrugged her paw¡ªshe had no idea.
"The ritual will now begin. Before using the centaur, I will first use this horned beast to create the strongest spear. Using the blood of the Anathema, I call upon the Pandora''s Box¡ªthe box of despair. Everyone, by enduring the despair released by these monsters, shall we see the light of hope!"
"Yes! In the depths of despair, there is hope!" the men and women chanted in unison. The women wore white gowns, while the men, bare-chested and wearing only trousers, revealed their thin frames¡ªa sign of malnutrition that was slowly being alleviated thanks to my intervention. Yet, these same bodies had endured so much.
The men then worked together to slit the horned hellspawn''s throat with my naginata. Black ichor gushed into the basin they had prepared. As the slick ichor gathered, a black haze began to rise above it. Anathema didn''t leave any physical bodies when they died; they evaporated and turned back into mana after a while. The black haze was proof of that. I tilted my head, watching their ritual with growing unease.
"Warning: Elder July has immersed her hand into concentrated Anathema''s blood. This is a hazardous action. I recommend you stop this ritual immediately. Continuing may pose a fatal risk to Elder July''s health!" Felicia''s warning shattered the solemn mood. Thankfully, I was the only one who could hear her. Sensing the gravity of the situation, I ambled over to Jim, who was guarding the large Anathema.
"Is it really okay to continue this ritual? Felicia says it''s dangerous to dip your hands in Anathema''s blood like that."
"This is her choice, her decision¡ªsomething more important than her life. Please witness her work carefully. She only prays that her efforts may help humanity," Jim said, his voice steady but filled with emotion. He looked at Elder July with a firm resolve, but I couldn''t help noticing that his eyes could no longer hold back the tears. They flowed down his dirty cheeks, tracing the sharp lines of his face.
Elder July then marked a cross on her face using the Anathema''s blood, drawing it from the top of her forehead to the bottom of her neck, and from her right ear to her left. She called upon the other women and drew smaller crosses on their foreheads and arms. She then dipped the gloves she had prepared into the basin, coating them with the slick, oily substance of Anathema''s blood.
Afterward, Elder July laid the gloves on the ground. Dipping her hands once more into the black ichor, she drew lines from the gloves to her position and then to the four women behind her. Once this was done, she knelt on the ground, just as the four maidens did.
"Let despair come to us. Children! Maidens of Anathema! This ritual will be the toughest we have ever faced. But we will prevail!"
"Yes! The Light of Pandora will prevail!" the women chanted in unison. Two men then picked up the basin and poured its contents over the women. Felicia issued another warning, but her words went unheeded.
"Ah!! Darkness will not prevail! The Light of Hope shall come to us! Hold on!" The chants echoed through the empty darklands as dark motes of light evaporated from the Anathema''s blood. The miasma swirled within the circle like a maelstrom. Yet, despite the darkness, the light of the moon shone down on us.
"What is Pandora?" I asked Jim.
"It is our belief. When we prevail against darkness, we shall see the light of hope. Through Anathema''s blood, we could imprint this belief and enchant our equipment."
I witnessed a form of magic¡ªnot the kind used by MGs, not the kind used by Zenith, but by humans. The swirling darkness was laced with a sprinkle of hope, etched into the storm. It reflected the brilliant night sky above us. It was so dark, yet so beautiful. Despair was everywhere, while hope was but a simple mote of light, fleeting like stardust.
The dark world then descended upon the women. They screamed as tears of blood spilled from their eyes. Elder July suffered the most, sitting firm at the eye of the vortex amidst the despair. The gloves and the spear darkened, as if painted in vantablack, engulfed by darkness and losing all of their texture. But I could sense Elder July''s prayers¡ªher call for hope to vanquish the Anathema resonated strongly within their ranks.
Glittering lights began to sprinkle across the blackened gloves, slowly starting to regain their color as the darkness faded, leaving behind a cross symbol. The maelstrom of mana subsided, and as I looked around, I noticed that light was shining upon us from the east. Unbeknownst to us, dawn had arrived.
"Lily! Buy some first aid! Greater restoration kit and anathema corrosion cure!" Felicia''s urgent voice snapped me out of my trance at the magic cat by normal humans. I saw Elder July and the women sprawled on the ground.
"Buy anything to save their lives!" I ordered.
"Done!"
[Purchased: Greater Restoration Gum x5!]
[-100 Points]
[Purchased: Anathema Anti-Corrosion Gum x5!]
[-200 Points]This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
[Remaining Points: 7465 (7765-300)]
The men rushed in immediately and carefully moved the women away from the ritual grounds.
"Start with the anti-corrosion gum, then use the restoration gum," Felicia instructed.
"Thank you, Lily. We are so weak. You have brought us a mighty gift, yet I can''t give you my all," Elder July coughed and lay down.
"Felicia, summon a bed."
[Purchased: High-Quality Mattress x5!]
[-25 Points]
[Remaining Points: 7440 (7465-25)]
A black box appeared beside me. I opened it to find five white mattresses inside. Using my strength, I quickly laid the mattresses on the ground, and the men placed the women on them without needing to be told.
"Elder..." Jim pleaded. Even with a glance, everyone knew the centaurs were much stronger than the horned Anathema. If the horned Anathema had done this much damage, the centaurs would definitely be worse.
"I will use the centaur. Even if it kills me," she interrupted.
"Your endeavor will prove fruitless. You lack the equipment to process chaos mana from an anathema of that magnitude," Felicia cautioned. This time, she materialized and faced Elder July.
"I see. I would love to prove you wrong, Zenith¡" Elder July rasped, her voice filled with determination. "You have declared us creatures incompatible with mana¡ yet look at us now."
"You have indeed proven that humans can wield mana to some extent. However, it also proved that mana is hazardous to your body," Felicia responded calmly.
"Sorry, but I am a stubborn woman." Elder July coughed up blood again, the black ichor staining the white mattress.
"¡At the very least, let Black Lily handle the centerpiece. Will that be acceptable to you?"
"What?" I looked at Felicia, surprised. I hadn''t expected her to suggest involving me. She seemed against the ritual in the first place.
"The soul gem will prevent mana from corroding your body. She is a better fit," Felicia explained.
"What a slave driver you are. How could you let a young girl be exposed to something like that?" Elder July countered.
"She is not just an ordinary girl. She is a magical girl, a light of hope," Felicia spoke firmly, her words cold and unwavering. She believed fully that I was a beacon of hope. I could only lower my head under the weight of her high expectations. I wanted to refuse, but the words wouldn''t come out.
"This is our business. Lily has done her duty. She has caught the Anathema. All you need to do is watch. Watch as despair grips us. Watch as we endure the despair. Watch as the light of hope finally shines down upon us," Elder July said.
"Elder¡ your body won''t last," Jim said, his voice heavy with concern.
"Jacob¡ Mama will¡" Elder July whispered before she fainted. Her mumblings were her regret, and they resonated with everyone. The cure was working, but her body was clearly at its limit. She might have been delirious, but her words struck a chord in all of us. Her conviction was unwavering. Despite the turmoil her body had endured, she still wanted to see this through. A few hours later, she regained consciousness. I sighed as she drank the tea that Catherine had prepared.
"I will do it." The words slipped out before I could stop them. Looking at the frail woman before me, that''s all I could say to her.
"I mean, can I do it?" Indecision gnawed at me.
"You can''t... you are enveloped by Zenith''s light. Despair won''t reach you. Your conviction won''t affect the world for you were always in your shell, and the spell will fail," Elder July said, her voice strained as she tried to sit up but collapsed back onto her bed.
"I see. Then, I suppose..." One of the female researchers turned away.
"Wait... what about now?" I interrupted, undoing my astral shift. My white hair returned to its natural black as motes of light dissipated around me.
"...I see your resolve. You may try," Elder July conceded. Was it truly resolve? I was merely curious about this opportunity. "You will be at the center, but I am still the one leading the ritual, alright? You don''t know what to wish for yet."
"Alright."
"It will be tough... But, thank you... and I am sorry... I will rest now. We will do the ritual at dawn tomorrow. You are more beautiful than your zenith persona," Elder July said before drifting back to sleep. Her words shook me, but I calmed myself down. Either she was blind, or she respected my resolve to help her. There is no way this weak self was more beautiful or stronger than Magical Girl Black Lily.
The sun rose on the horizon, casting its warm light as it climbed higher into the sky. I stood there, taking in the serene, barren landscape. There were no chirping birds, no bustling humans, no hum of magitrains or seinjets¡ªjust an overwhelming silence.
"Felicia, can you contact Eden?"
"Do you want to turn off the radio silent protocol?"
"Yes, please..." I nodded, finally summoning the courage to contact Eden. It might be too late, but I wanted to go back now. I wanted to plead the case for these people too. They have suffered enough here.
"Radio silent protocol deactivated. No signal of any Magical Girl or Zenith technology detected within a 10 km radius," Felicia reported. I tilted my head in confusion.
"So?"
"That means we can''t contact anyone unless we borrow a mana radio amplifier."
"Hm? Borrow? Like with the drones?" I felt a twinge of panic. Why hadn''t Felicia mentioned this sooner?
"Yes, but it comes with a risk. I suggest going to a deserted place at least fifty kilometers away before using it. The mana radio amplifier emits mana that would attract Anathema from its surroundings. It would be difficult to protect Jim and the others while fighting Anathema."
"I see. A three to four-hour ride, then?"
"Yes."
"How long do you think it will take them to arrive here? Will they come at all?"
"They will definitely come, but I can''t say exactly how long it will take. If they use a ferry, it could take about a week. But if they use a specialized MG-powered seinjet, they could be here in two days."
"I thought seinjets couldn''t be used outside of sanctuary cities."
"If a Magical Girl is present, they can use their mana to power a seinjet. It would take about 100 mana for a ten-kilometer trip, though."
"Would they really use such a valuable MG just to pick me up?" Seinjet capacity was limited. If they wanted to take all of these people, they would need to send about five seinjets, each piloted by at least mana-focused Guardians of B rank.
"They will. Your strength is already in the D rank category despite being only level 28. Moreover, you achieved that in less than a month. They will definitely pick you up¡ªdon''t doubt it."
"I see." I reeled back a bit, taken aback by Felicia''s fierceness. Was she trying to make me feel secure despite my failures? Did she want to assure me that the Guardians wouldn''t abandon me?
"So, should we take a moment to deliver the report? I believe we still have some time before the ritual."
"No. I want to be there in case Elder July needs medicine. The radio could wait."
"Roger."
And so, night fell. Elder July''s condition had improved considerably thanks to the restorative gum. I considered buying a higher-tier medicine, but Felicia advised that painkillers and rest were the best treatment for her right now, so I bought that for 10 points. Her condition was terminal to begin with. Even with the best medicine, Felicia said she would only live for five to eight more years at most.
The starry night was beautiful. This kind of sky wasn''t visible in Eden or other sanctuary cities. It was even less pronounced in New Mesa. Only in these desolate lands, filled with nothing, could we truly see the brilliance of our world.
At dawn, we shall see whether hope will last.
Chapter 57: Hope
"Felicia, will it be dangerous?" I asked, feeling the weight of anxiety pressing down on me. After setting up my boxable home, I tried to rest until Felicia woke me. Dawn had come, and the ritual was about to begin. I was nervous; I had barely gotten any sleep. I would be doing the ritual without my astral shift, and the thought made my stomach churn.
"It shouldn''t be," Felicia replied, her tone calm and reassuring. "But the risk increases since you''ll be doing it without your astral shift. I''ll do my best to filter out the chaos mana trying to corrupt your body."
"Thank you," I whispered, appreciating her steady presence.
"This will be a new experience for Earth''s Magical Girls and their familiars," she continued. "We often have to repel chaos mana emitted from Anathema, but this time, you need to direct it with your will to a specific point. Our job now changes from repelling chaos mana to purification. And it''s not just purification; we have to let some chaos mana inside you so you can control it. I''m amazed by Elder July''s ingenuity."
"Have other species done it the way Elder July is doing?" I asked, curious about the uniqueness of her method.
"Hmm¡ using Anathema as mana fuel is not unheard of. Many within the Zenith Alliance have done something similar. When we return to Eden, I can place an inquiry with Zenith to see if any members of the alliance have done something like this before. For now, though, I don''t have specific information on Elder July''s method of mana enchantment. We''ll have to improvise when the time comes."
"Okay." I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. It was time. I headed for the door, steeling myself for what lay ahead.
When I stepped outside, Elder July was already up and about directing the shrine maidens and setting up boxes with talismans in the four cardinal directions. When our eyes met, she smiled warmly. I brushed my black hair away from my face and walked over to her.
"Are you well?" I asked, concern evident in my voice. A white alb was draped over my head. The white gown contrasted heavily with my long black hair.
"Yes. Thanks to your medicine, I can barely feel the pain."
"Elder July," Felicia interjected, her tone serious. "I must say that the ritual might pose some risk, especially with Lily not being transformed. So, I must ask your permission to intervene if the worst comes to pass."
"...Yes, you have my permission," Elder July agreed after a moment''s hesitation. "However, only if Lily is in danger. Even if I die, the ritual must continue."
She prioritized the ritual over her own life. As I looked at her, memories of the soldiers in New Mesa and New Soil flooded my mind. They, too, had that same unwavering determination. They all had something important to protect. Something important to do. Even if they died, they wanted to succeed. I have no such passion. Was I worthy of becoming their Magical Girl?
"Elder¡" Jim began, holding back his objection, but Catherine didn''t restrain herself.
"Why? Why are you so stubborn? We don''t need this barrier. You''re doing all this for your dead son! It''s pointless!" Catherine cried out, tears streaming down her face. "This girl said she would talk to the Zenith to have us accepted back into the sanctuary city! You don''t have to go through with this ritual!"
"When you make a mistake, you must try to fix it," Elder July replied gently, placing a hand on Catherine''s head. Then, she turned to me and bowed. "Lily, thank you. Let us begin."
The ground was dusty and rough, and I felt a twinge of discomfort kneeling on it. But this was not the time to be bothered by such trivialities. Four men grabbed the detachable trailer from my jeep and lifted the four-meter centaur toward us. The low groan of the centaur sent a chill down my spine. I was untransformed; a single attack from this Anathema could kill me instantly.
Even without my transformation, I felt no fear. Using my naginata, Jim cut open the beast''s carotid artery, and the Anathema''s black blood gushed out. It quickly filled the basin, and another man carried it over to Elder July.
"Using the mana from the Anathema, we immerse our mementos in its cursed blood. Only by enduring this curse can we bring forth hope. Let these stone statues stand as the eternal sanctuary, where these foul beasts dare not enter."
Elder July then dipped the statues into the Anathema''s blood. Unlike before, she didn''t place all of them in front of me. This time, she positioned them around us, each in a cardinal direction. Then, she walked over to me.
"Put your hand in here and then make a cross on your forehead. You are the center, so you must do this," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. Her soft tone was almost drowned out by the fervor of the ritual. I hesitated, but I followed her instructions.
The ichor felt strangely pleasant to the touch. It was cold and refreshing. As I dipped my hand deeper into the abyss, the world around me seemed to scream. Then, the sounds abruptly ceased, replaced by a soft whisper of groans and sorrow. I made a small cross on my forehead.
Elder July nodded and handed me a basin filled with anathema blood. She then returned to her place beside the three other women. The smoke from the evaporating blood was nauseating, but I pushed through it. My steps felt heavy, like I was walking through a muddy swamp or wading in a pool. The dirt beneath my feet seemed to shift away as if I were bringing a curse upon the maiden of Anathema.
I dipped my hand again and made a small cross on her forehead. She winced in pain as if I had applied acid to her skin. I moved on to the next, and then the next, and finally to Elder July. She knelt just like the others, but she showed no sign of pain. Her eyes were resolute. As I walked away, she whispered softly.
"Jacob, Mama will handle it. Mama will replace the barrier you broke." Her whispers seemed to go straight into my mind. Though her voice was inaudible, her emotions were transmitted to me. As I focused, I could also sense the feelings of the other women. The young black-haired girl was afraid. The middle-aged brown-haired woman was in pain, while the long-haired maiden was praying to her god. Yet, they all endured the thickening miasma produced by our ritual.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"Are you ready?" Jim asked. I nodded without speaking. I knelt, and he poured the Anathema''s blood over me. My world turned dark in an instant. I felt the presence of red eyes watching me, filling me with a sense of dread.
[Error: Mana fluctuation detected.]
[Mana overdose detected. Purging denied. System override.]
[Error: New behavior detected. Reconfiguring Arcane System.]
Error windows flashed before me, but I ignored them. As the window disappeared, probably suppressed by Felicia, sounds and images flashed through my head.
"AAHH!!!" A man awoke from a nightmare inside an apartment. There, a middle-aged woman comforted him. She was beautiful, mature, and caring. It was Elder July. I was shocked by the contrast between the kind woman in this vision and the witch-like figure she had become. The Anathema curse had corroded her body so much.
"Jacob¡"
"Mom¡ I''m sorry. I was stupid. I broke the barrier and didn''t tell them. Now people are dead because of me." Jacob cried, leaning on Elder July. Like a child, he poured out his feelings. "Now the investigators will definitely accuse me."
"Jacob, it''s not your fault. Please¡ stop thinking about it."
"It is my fault. I killed those people. If only¡"
"It was an accident. You made a mistake, that''s all."
"I killed fifty people! How am I supposed to atone for it?"
"Mom will be with you, okay? We just need to go there and apologize. Whatever the punishment, Mom will always be with you."
And so, the trial began. I already knew the outcome. Jacob, his mother, and over 30 members of the research team were exiled to the darklands. The laws regarding tampering with safety protocols were strict. It wasn''t the fact that he stole the barrier that led to his exile; it was the fact that he didn''t inform the authorities when he broke it. Had they reported it, they would have faced only five years in prison and heavy fines.
Elder July voluntarily joined Jacob in exile. Jacob''s mental health deteriorated rapidly in the darkland. The miasma from the Anathema turned his fragile mind toward delusion and self-hatred. Despair permeated his thoughts, his eyes grew blank, and he mumbled incoherently. Whispers of the dead cursed him, berating him to no end.
The image grew more vivid as Jacob lifelessly said to his mother, "Humanity is finished. We have lost. It''s futile. We can''t use magic. Steel and titanium are worthless against Anathema above level 10. We can only leech off the Zenith to survive. Soon, budget cuts will come, and we will all die as Zenith abandons us."
"I will make it work, Jacob. We can still do something. We have to survive! If we can reach the old facility in the darklands, maybe we can rebuild the emergency shelter you broke!"
"It''s useless. We lack one thing: magic. Without it, we can''t even hope to take the first step to imitate Zenith. I have already analyzed the barrier. The structure is simple, but without magic, it''s futile. It will just turn into scrap iron in a junkyard."
That was the last thing he said before he left the cove and was eaten by an anathema. By a stroke of luck, the Anathema that killed him was a lone Fomorian hound, and the group soon managed to kill it.
"Jacob!!" July cried as she hugged Anathema''s lifeless remains. She then bisected Anathema''s corpse, trying to recover what was left of her son, and found his ID card along with part of his torso. She burned both the Anathema''s body and her son''s remains with gasoline. As she prayed, Anathema''s blood on her hands and Jacob''s ID began to react. Jacob''s ID card started glowing. Magic happened. This would have been impossible in Eden, where RED would nullify any chaos mana. However, here, they succeeded.
The enchantment on Jacob''s ID card was almost useless. It merely made the card glow faintly in the darkness, no different from phosphorescent paint. It would have gone unnoticed if they hadn''t been in the darklands. But the fact that a human could wield mana at all was a significant revelation to July. She laughed self-deprecatingly, realizing she had finally found the key. And so, she began her research.
"Lily, don''t waver," a voice broke through my dream, pulling me back to reality. Swirls of dark mana coalesced into fog, but the figures of the maidens before me were clear. All of them had collapsed under the pressure of the chaos mana.
"Felicia?" I called for my familiar, but there was no response. I gathered all the resolve I could muster. My own resolve was small, but Elder July''s was unwavering.
"I pray. Please, protect us!" I cried out, and a brilliant light shone from my heart. The mana swirled around the small stone statues, and our surroundings returned to normal. The sunlight shone down on us again, refracted into a shimmering rainbow by a small dome of energy in the air. Only I was left seated. The other maidens sprawled on the ground, unconscious.
"Good job, Black Lily," Felicia said as she approached. "Sorry, but my interruption would have disturbed the ritual. That''s why I didn''t respond earlier."
She inspected the statues and the dome. "Hmm¡ not as good as an emergency barrier, but this should hold against level 70, maybe even level 100 Anathema. Considering the material came from a level 50 anathema, this is actually quite good." Her assessment was harsh but objective. I had done my best. Elder July had done her best. But we still fell short.
Still, this is undoubtedly a first step.
"Analysis complete," Felicia continued. "Moving the statues inside will disable the barrier. The barrier can function for 25 hours without external power. It can be powered by anathema blood or modified MG''s mana." She provided her report.
"So, did we exceed your expectations?" Elder July smiled. Her weak body had taken too much, and it was in tatters, but she smiled. "Did we succeed?"
"You certainly have proven yourself, Elder July. This is an objective assessment, not just words of consolation. Not many species are capable of mana manipulation. If you continue this work, you might even end up helping Zenith."
"I see. Was my son forgiven?"
"Your achievement is your own, not your son''s."
"I understand."
"However, your accomplishment could certainly earn your son a posthumous pardon if you wished. But your son is already dead, isn''t he?"
"I just wish for him to be forgiven."
"I forgive him," I said firmly. My hand held her disfigured hands, trying to transfer warmth into her. "If people could see how much you''ve struggled, I''m sure everyone who judged your son would forgive you too."
"I see. Thank you¡" Elder July closed her eyes. Even through her disfigured face, I could tell she was smiling. She was at peace. Her hands felt warm, yet there was no more pulse.
"Elder?" Catherine approached her cautiously.
"Well, she was on her last legs. This was to be expected," Felicia said coldly.
"Felicia." i chided her.
"My apologies. She gave it her all. There is no shame in what she''s done. She succeeded in creating an emergency barrier, and above all, she died peacefully. She died so we all could live. Her invention will benefit many. Her invention is a breakthrough for humans. She died heroically. Not all heroes wore capes, skirts, or swords. We should not mourn her death with tears."
"...Yes, you''re right." I held back my tears. You''re just an AI, Felicia. Don''t say something so sentimental to us.
"Should I buy gasoline? Or should I buy firewood? Or would you prefer a sea burial?" Felicia asked Catherine and the others.
"Give us at least until tomorrow to mourn," Jim requested.
"Of course. Let us help if you need anything."
I transformed back into a magical girl and laid Elder July''s body on top of the firewood I purchased from Felicia. Then, as the fire burned her body, we mourned her passing. The sky was clear, and the sun shined down on us with its warm orange light. The smoke rose high up in the sky.
There were no tears. Her death signified hope, like the light of the sun shining upon us. We burned her body at twilight, then placed her ashes in a jar to be spread over the ocean later.
[Error: Soul Gem Error 150. Conversion to experience points]
[You have leveled up to level 32]
[New Class unlocked]
Chapter 58: The Call
"Jim, I need to leave for a few hours to call Eden."
"... Can''t you call them from here?" Jim asked, concern lacing his voice.
"It will attract Anathema. I don''t know if I could fight them off while protecting you."
"Okay. Be careful."
"I will return. Don''t worry."
"Yes. If we are somehow rejected, please take Elder July''s work with you, okay?"
"I''ll ensure you have a place, even if you''re rejected. Did you know we''re working on building cities outside the sanctuary cities? You could be residents there."
"I see. Your words carry much hope. I hope it lasts."
"I will see you soon."
I drove west, an arbitrary direction chosen simply to put some distance between me and the village, to ensure their safety while I made the call to Eden.
"Felicia, do you have recordings of the ritual?"
"Of course. Would you like to include that in the report as well?"
"Yes. Tell them everything about the ritual and its potential value."
"Consider it done. When we activate the radio tools from the Zenith, it will take about a minute to upload the files. The process will be completed while you''re speaking."
"Will we have a minute?"
"Definitely. I doubt the radio will even attract any anathema, but the cautionary notes are in the instruction manual, so I had to mention it."
"Okay."
[Purchased: Mana Radio Amplifier (SOS variant)]
[0 points]
The equipment was bulkier than I had anticipated. As the box opened, it revealed a device about the size of an ATM machine from the movies. Blue light illuminated the screen that emerged from within.
"The screen is mostly for non-Guardians," Felicia explained. "You won''t need to use it. So, should I make a live call now, or would you prefer to leave an SOS message? The latter would be quicker."
"Let''s leave an SOS message."
"What is your message?"
"This is Magical Girl Black Lily. I''ve found a survivor in the Darklands. Our coordinates are attached to the files. I''m requesting an evacuation for them. The survivor was exiled from Zenith''s sanctuary cities. In the Darklands, they managed to enchant a spear and create a low-quality emergency barrier. I urge the United Nations of Humanity to reconsider their exile status. The recording of the rituals led by Elder July may prove crucial for humanity. Thank you."
"Roger. The data on the 15 researchers, our coordinates, and the advanced mana recordings of the ritual will be transmitted to Guardian Command, along with your voice recordings. Does that meet your approval?"
"Yes."
"Sending SOS now. Time remaining: 59 seconds."
After the minute had passed, I returned the device and left. Not a single Anathema was in sight.
-----------------------------------------
Eden, General Armstrong''s POV
A massive carrier ship floated in the air. After a grueling day of hard work, we finally finished assembling Agneya. The ship shone brilliantly in the night sky as it headed toward Guardian Command in Eden. It was a spectacle like no other.
"General! We are ready to depart!" A humanoid with elf-like ears and purple skin approached us. Then came another humanoid, this one with scales and a giant lizard tail. They were Zenith personnel lent to us for our mission against Anathema''s Gate.
"Thank you. Let''s board Agneya," I nodded. Pink Heart, Issen, and Stonewall joined us. Journalists were waiting at Guardian Command, their cameras flashing intermittently, making me squint in annoyance.
Agneya had been modified to be controlled by humans. Massive screens lined the walls, and ten workstations, manned by our best engineers, were neatly arranged. I took my seat in the center, facing a holographic orb of Earth. Our little blue planet was there, with a red square marking the location of Anathema''s Gate¡ªthe gate we needed to destroy. I felt powerful, like a king. But power comes with responsibility. I was the captain of Agneya, the most powerful ship humanity had ever borrowed from Zenith. If we didn''t destroy that gate, our world would be doomed.
"Convoys from other sanctuary cities have arrived, each carrying 200 Guardians. They are landing on Agneya''s runway," one operator reported.
"Bring the MG here. Then we''ll depart. I need to brief them on the mission."
I scanned the briefing room¡ªover 3,000 Magical Girls, ranked E and above, all gathered by Zenith for our mission.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
"General Armstrong, are you sure we''re going to abandon that girl?" Magical Girl Pink Heart asked. There were barely over 1,000 Magical Girls in Eden, so word traveled fast. I was already aware of the destruction of New Soil. The Zenith were pleased we had managed to save the people inside despite the sudden attack. But all that success was overshadowed by the destruction of New Lake and New Hill. Zenith was furious that so many Magical Girls and Guardians had died there in vain.
"The gate comes first," I answered. "Besides, Black Lily initiated radio silence. We can''t find her. Once we do, we might need to send you for extraction. Be ready when the time comes, Pink Heart."
Every MG is important, even those ranked E. We couldn''t afford to lose a valuable Dark Magical Girl like Black Lily, who could reach rank E in less than a week. Not many teens in the safety of Eden were so battle-hardened.
After everyone was on board, the battleship Agneya finally departed. Three days into our journey, flying Anathema were spotted. Some lower-ranked Guardians, like Shining Arrow and Magitech Ranger, were shooting at them from the bow. They needed all the experience they could get, so this was good practice. Moreover, the attacks were relentless. Some melee Guardians were even starting to buy ranged weapons to join in the action, while others waited for the monsters to land on deck. We opted not to use our Mana-enhanced AA guns just yet.
"Stop tapping your feet," Pink Heart scolded Issen, who was lounging in the control room. Despite the many Anathema outside, they weren''t getting any action due to the level parity protocol. They were stuck pacing between the break room and the control room.
"And you need to stop circling the projector like a headless chicken. The command room is linked to our familiars. They''ll alert us if anything goes wrong."
"Sorry, I''m just nervous." Pink Heart nodded and lay down on the sofa.
"Sir, we''ve received an SOS signal," one of my staff reported. Issen and Pink Heart reacted immediately, glancing at their shoulders. Their familiars seemed to have hacked into our system.
"Hm? Where? On the ship?" I asked the teddy bear. Had some reckless Guardians fallen off the ship? But his answer shocked me.
"Somewhere on the African continent."
"Oh! It''s from Black Lily! That reckless girl! What kind of trouble has she gotten into now?" Issen exclaimed, quickly sitting down in front of me as he instructed his familiar to hack the holographic projector in the control room.
"Ugh, why is she there? That''s practically on the other side of the world from where we are now. Even I would take at least three days to get there." Pink Heart groaned.
"She certainly traveled far from the New Soil coast. We kind of expected this, didn''t we, Pink Heart?"
"Let''s look at the message first, General Armstrong," Pink Heart said, frowning. Odd¡ªshe''s usually the first to react when it comes to saving lives.
"She says she found survivors and is requesting a pickup for fifteen people. Here''s the complete voice recording, sir."
"This is Magical Girl Black Lily. I''ve found a survivor in the Darklands. Our coordinates are attached to the files. I''m requesting an evacuation for them. The survivor was exiled from Zenith''s sanctuary cities. In the Darklands, they managed to enchant a spear and create a low-quality emergency barrier. I urge the United Nations of Humanity to reconsider their exile status. The recording of the rituals led by Elder July may prove crucial for humanity. Thank you."
"The message mentions a recording, right? Where is it?"
"Playing on the hologram projector now. The other file is locked and can only be accessed by a Magical Girl. It involves her identity and requires someone with a geas to view it."
"I''ll sign the geas and watch it with Pink Heart. Give me the file. Let''s go, Pink Heart, Issen."
"I''m coming too," Guardian Stonewall chimed in.
The recording in the SOS package detailed a ritual¡ªsomething we''d only seen in history lessons about ancient cultures. But this was real.
"Holy¡ He poured a ton of Anathema''s blood on her!" Issen muttered.
"Oh my god! That''s insane! Pinky!"
"Felicia, Black Lily''s familiar, testified that the women in the picture participated willingly. Elder July, the woman in the picture, was their leader. Unfortunately, as expected, Elder July was in critical condition after the ritual and died following the next one the following day."
"What a reckless¡"
We continued watching the recordings. Soon, the spear on the pedestal turned black, emitting an ominous miasma. The assembly was crude, just a simple spear fashioned from scraps of the old world. I would have laughed if this had been attempted in our lab, but somehow, they succeeded. There were no Guardians present, only Black Lily. Yet they managed to enchant the spear¡ªbetter than anything we could produce in our lab and without high-level Guardians. I stood up from my chair, muttering in disbelief.
"That''s an enchanted spear... Pink Heart! Ask your familiar¡ªhow strong is that spear? Can you deduce anything from the video?"
"There''s no need." The pink teddy bear and the flame orb appeared. "Black Lily''s familiar already analyzed the spear. It''s about as strong as an item from a rare vault."
"A rare vault?" My mouth fell open. Pink Heart and Issen both stood up, their expressions shifting. As high-level Magical Girls, they knew all about our efforts to recreate Zenith technology.
"They succeeded," Issen muttered. "The material came from E rank Anathema!"
"How reckless¡" Pink Heart said, but her eyes were mesmerized by their accomplishment. She was the most compassionate of all the Magical Girls, valuing human life above all else. Yet, even she could only manage a dry comment she didn''t fully believe in.
"Pfft! Hahaha! This girl is really something!" Issen laughed. "I really want to meet her. Pink Heart, do you think you can pick them up?"
"Hm... There are fifteen people. I don''t think I have enough mana to carry all of them," Pink Heart frowned.
"Let''s divert the ship there!"
"Rejected. Anathema''s gate comes first." Zenith''s teddy bear rejected my plea. Both of them were teddy bears, but it was different from Pink Heart''s familiar. Pink Heart''s teddy bear didn''t have pants but a pink shirt, while Zenith''s teddy bear had a tuxedo. I''d almost forgotten about the gate. My excitement cooled instantly.
"Yes, the gate comes first," I nodded, swallowing my regret. I was almost taken by the atmosphere.
"But they need help. I''ll go there first! There are fifteen people stranded."
"No, we need your strength here, Pink Heart." Pink Heart specialized in long-range combat. She would be invaluable if the Behemoth appeared. She and Issen might be the only Magical Girls here who could face it head-on. Stonewall could, too, but it would take too long.
"...Okay. I''ll prepare the anti-teleportation trap," Pink Heart replied.
"She didn''t say she was in distress. How about we give her 1,000 points to defend herself?" I muttered. I would very much like it if Black Lily survived. What she carried with her was invaluable to mankind. It was hope.
"What can 1,000 points do? That''s enough for only one or two rare vault weapons. She''s just a rank E Magical Girl in the Darklands. If something like a rank C shows up, she''ll die," Pink Heart pointed out.
"Can we contact her?" I asked the Zenith and the familiars.
"Yes. This ship is equipped with an enhanced transmission device. If she stays in radio silence, she can still hide. This girl is actually quite remarkable. Not only has she survived almost two weeks in the Darklands, but she''s also managed to destroy several curse seeds along the way," the Zenith teddy bear reported. "I''ll give her 1,000 points upfront and assign her a quest to motivate her to survive for three more weeks."
"That will suffice. Please survive... you are our only hope," I murmured, closing my eyes in prayer. The enchanted spear and barrier never left my thoughts. We needed her¡ªand that group of exiles who performed the rituals.
Chapter 59: Agneya Assault
Agneya, Armstrong''s POV
The coordinates Zenith gave us pointed to the old North American continent, specifically within what was once known as the Sierra Nevada. The plan was for us to reach the location and drill into the mountain directly using our magitech drill core. Four rank A Magical Girls would operate the drill, while the others¡ªincluding Issen and Stonewall¡ªwould guard them. Pink Heart would stay aboard Agneya to protect the ship. Once we reached the coordinates and located the gate, Agneya would fire its arcoplasma cannon to destroy it.
I was concerned about whether we would actually find the gate. The source of the intel was dubious. Did some rogue Guardian stumble across it? Issen and Pink Heart mentioned that a tracking device or skill had been implanted on the Behemoth before it teleported. However, such a device shouldn''t have gone unnoticed, and sure enough, it was destroyed immediately upon the Behemoth''s arrival. I worried whether the gate had been moved or if the signal had been deliberately obfuscated. The coordinates weren''t precise, spanning a radius of about 40 kilometers and extending to a depth of 5 kilometers.
The search could take weeks or even months. That alone was fine, but there had been an SOS just a few hours ago¡ªfrom the very person who likely provided us with these coordinates, Magical Girl Black Lily. She ventured into the Darklands alone and encountered someone who could enchant magical tools better than our own research team.
My fears that the gate was moved were unfounded. It didn''t take long for the Anathema to attack us. When Agneya floated near the coast of Northern America two days later, they surged at us like nothing I had ever seen before. Thousands of flying Anathema headed directly for us from the coordinates, and ground-based Anathema specializing in artillery followed shortly after.
"Shall we test Agneya?" I muttered loud enough for the two non-humans beside me in the command room to hear. They were technically engineers, but I kept them close to show they were deserving of respect. My words were primarily directed at the two Zenith members responsible for our new gun¡ªthe purple-skinned elf and the lizardman. After a brief introduction, I learned the lizardman''s name was something like a hissing noise, while the elf''s name was an impossibly long string: Haneyanoyuyasisteniii.
"Haneya, Shish, do you think Agneya can eradicate these?" I asked, shortening their names.
"Stop shortening our names, Captain Almsstlong. My name is Tsisshitchishisesimiss. And you''re pronouncing it wrong too," the lizardman said, irritated.
"Well, same to you. Let''s be tolerant of each other. I forgive you for getting my name wrong, and so should you," I replied with a smile. They seemed to have trouble with pronouncing "R"¡ªa case of rhotacism. "Just think of it as friendly greetings. Time is money, and time is precious. I could call you Agneya Officer A and B, but that would be too impersonal."
"We do precisely that in our military missions during combat¡ªonly in combat, though. We use our full names during leisure time," Haneya responded, apparently understanding the practicality of shortening names.
"We shorten names during leisure time too. Like Jim over there¡ªwe shortened it from Jimmy. Instead of Captain Armstrong, you could also simply call me Captain," I said, trying to make small talk. "So, about the enemies?"
"We could eradicate them, yes, but remember you only have fifty rounds. There are likely more Anathema coming our way," Haneya cautioned.
"Is this how Zenith wages war?" I asked as I watched the screen. Our Magical Girls were engaging the hostiles. Those who could fly were tasked with clearing the Anathema below, while others shot at the flying ones. It was rare for Magical Guardians to face hundreds or thousands of enemies at once. They happened, but very rarely. Guardians have AOE spells. If the enemies are bunched together, annihilating them would be easier.
"Some Anathema favor quantity over quality, so mass attacks like this happen often. However, precautions must be taken. Some Anathema will be significantly higher level than the rest in a crowd. They aren''t homogenous. The familiars will connect to Agneya''s memory and assess whether the Anathema they''re facing are high-level or not. We also have a miasma detector onboard, which will provide us with a rough estimate of an unknown Anathema''s strength," Haneya explained.
"So, this is a common occurrence on other battlefronts?"
"Yes. We''re entering the ''push'' phase of Anathema''s invasion. The invasion is generally divided into four phases: descent, push, usurpation, and finally, conquest."
"If we destroy the gate¡"
"It will delay the push."
"Only delay it, huh¡" I sighed.
"It will buy Zenith precious decades."
"Can we win? Has Zenith ever won against Anathema before?" I had asked this question countless times, and the answer was always the same. The Zenith Alliance currently has 50 systems bordering anathema worlds. Of those, three have successfully resisted the Anathema, while 25 have retreated. Anathema invasions can last centuries, sometimes even millennia. We''ve barely held on for 30 years¡ªhow could we possibly endure for hundreds more?The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"It won''t be easy. But according to Zenith''s records, there are civilizations that have withstood Anathema''s conquest. And, by the way, you are part of Zenith too. Our world is called Umbra, and our civilization is known as the Lameyans."
"Sorry, but humanity always thought Zenith was some kind of friendly outsider."
"Zenith is an alliance formed to fight Anathema, an existential threat to all sentient beings. So technically, humanity is the newest member of Zenith."
"If we survive this¡" I muttered.
"If humanity doesn''t survive, there''s always the Ark Project. Though I admit, humanity is in a tough spot."
"Don''t ever mention that word again. We must survive. This is our home." I glared at Haneya. The very mention of the Ark Project sent chills down my spine. The Ark Project would send a mere one million humans to a Zenith world, leaving the rest to perish. Thankfully, the project was only known to Guardians and me.
If it leaked to the conglomerates, they''d undoubtedly betray humanity just to save themselves. Guardians agreed with me, and with Pink Heart''s assistance, we convinced Zenith to make the project classified information.
"The Anathema''s pressure has weakened, sir," one of my staff reported with a salute. Even though we had been chatting, my eyes never left the huge monitor on the bridge. With Pink Heart and Issen here, there was no way we could lose to a bunch of D or C rank Anathema. I hadn''t issued any orders because I wanted our lower-level Magical Girls to grow. This was a rare opportunity. If everything went according to plan, we could upgrade over a thousand low-ranked Guardians to D rank or even C rank by the end of this operation.
"Alright! The coast is clear! Charge!" Issen leaped into the command room, ordering the advance. The staff glanced at me cautiously, and I nodded. We needed to reach the designated point as quickly as possible.
"Were there any wounded, Issen?" I asked. He was beside me, but his familiar should have more information than I did. Familiars are connected to all MG in this ship. Rather than looking at my monitor, it would be faster to ask a Guardian.
"Just a few reckless Guardians. A simple gum or magic from the blue boys and girls will patch them up. No need to worry," Issen replied dismissively, waving me off. I sighed.
Pink Heart returned an hour later, reporting that they had found some cursed seeds on the ground. After the other Magical Girls destroyed them, she returned to the ship.
"How could you order the ship to move without us? Some of the Magical Girls'' flight abilities are slower than Agneya''s, you know. Do you want me to waste mana picking them all up?" Pink Heart complained. As usual, she clashed with Issen like water and oil. I ignored them and left for lunch.
"General Armstrong!" Shining Arrow intercepted me, a sniper rifle strapped to her back. "I heard from Wan-nyan that you found Lily?"
"Yes. We received her coordinates through an SOS signal. She''s about 200 kilometers from New Soil," I confirmed. This is why humanity often has trouble with Zenith¡ªthey frequently share unrelated information with other parties.
"I see. When will the rescue team reach her? Is she okay?"
"We''ll rescue them after we destroy the gate. Sorry, but we can''t spare the manpower right now," I replied.
"No way! How can you leave Lily there for weeks¡ªmaybe months? Can''t we save her first?"
"She survived. And from the SOS she sent, she didn''t seem to be in any immediate distress. I''m sorry, but the gate comes first. I also can''t allow you to go after her alone. You''d need an A-rank Guardian to escort you for any pickup in the Darklands. There could be wandering aberrants there."
"Couldn''t we pick them up stealthily? I remember that Yellow Ninja, um... Ah! Shadow of Light has unique skills, right?"
"No. I''m afraid the situation is more complicated than that. It might be possible if Black Lily was alone, but she''s with fifteen other civilians. We need to save them all. If they get surrounded, the people Black Lily is trying to protect could be harmed."
"Wait, there are humans there? Did we miss someone from New Soil?" Shining Arrow looked at her sides. A unique gesture that usually meant she was conversing with her familiar.
"No, they''re exiles from a long time ago. I plan to petition the UNH to pardon their crimes. We need to save their lives. Because of that, Lily will have to manage on her own for several weeks."
"No way..." Shining Arrow, realizing she couldn''t get her way, finally relented. However, she sulked as she left. Afterward, Serene Night came in.
"Is this about Black Lily?" I asked.
"Yes."
"The gate comes first. Once we destroy it, this ship will pick her up, along with the fifteen exiles she''s trying to save. I promise," I sighed.
"May I ask about these exiles? This is the first I''ve heard of them," Serene inquired.
"Hm? Exiles are criminals who''ve caused tremendous harm to us. The last time we exiled anyone was several years ago, against Salemni Corp. It''ll likely happen again soon, given the hundreds of Guardians we lost at New Lake and New Hill," I sighed again. Even at this very moment, demonstrations are occurring in Eden and other sanctuary cities for the loss of New Lake and New Hill. The mayor and executives fled by themselves, leaving thousands and almost a hundred Guardians to die. An international and public court procession was already scheduled for this event.
With the failure of the frontier project, the only thing that can help us recover is this girl. I glanced at Serene and sighed once more. "You''re still rank D, right, Serene? If... if you were to rank up a bit higher... maybe..."
"Hm?"
"Never mind. The gate comes first. You''ve worked hard. Return to your post or rest in your dormitory," I said as I walked away. My desire to save Lily had almost gotten the better of me. I was about to ask them to sneak onto a plane and rescue her. That was foolish. We need to save all fifteen of them. The only way to do that is by sending a sufficiently large aircraft, either powered by the magic of a Magical Girl or fuel that can be bought using gate points.
"We are under attack!" one of the staff reported the next day. We had reached the outer perimeter of the coordinates Zenith gave us. The floor rattled as we were hit by a sniping-type Anathema. Pink Heart, the workaholic she was, had already deployed. Through her familiar, I could see the monster attacking us. This time, the Anathema looked like a snake, with a charcoal-black body streaked with glowing red lines, like molten lava. Stonewall''s familiar identified it as a level 125 Anathema, Spitfire.
"A rank B anathema, huh?" Stonewall muttered. "Pink Heart might be overkill for it. Do we have any flight-capable MGs that match its rank?"
"No time for that. We need to reach the coordinates." I looked out at the Sierra Nevada, its beauty unchanged despite the cataclysm that had befallen humanity. It was a shame we''d have to destroy part of it.
"Anathema sighted. Several rank D and E flying Anathema are in range," one of the staff reported.
"Call the MGs with level parity plus one. Let them farm points," I ordered. Level parity plus one meant we called all Magical Girls from C rank and below to engage the D and E rank Anathema.
"Sorry, girls, but it looks like you''re working overtime," I muttered, turning my gaze back to the Sierra Nevada, searching for a suitable spot to set up our Magitech Drillcore.
Chapter 60: Cave
"Sensor has detected a rank B Anathema in the distance!"
"Activate Agneya''s frontal shield to fifty percent. The Anathema are getting stronger, and we need to prevent further damage." A translucent film in the shape of a hemisphere covered Agneya''s front. Our Guardians could still enter from the back, and if they had curved shots, they could fire from there as well.
"Yes, sir."
"Too bad we can''t shoot from inside the shield..." I muttered. "Pink Heart, do you think it''s safe for the girls to land?"
"If we land, that means we''d have to follow Agneya by foot or truck. Do we have that kind of leeway? We still have about 100 kilometers to cover."
"So, where should we begin drilling?" I asked, looking at the map when the ship suddenly rattled. I quickly snapped my head to the monitor. Agneya''s schematic, previously showing all blue, now had a yellow section at the bow. "We activated the shield, right? What was that rattle?"
"The shield was penetrated, sir."
"Increase the shield to maximum power. Pink Heart, I need you to hunt down the sniper."
"Okay. I''ll depart with two Rank A and one Rank B fliers with me."
"Do that. It''d be nice if you didn''t need to assist, but make it quick. Agneya doesn''t have unlimited energy." The shield on Agneya was on par with the emergency barriers Zenith had given us, but it came with two major downsides: heat buildup on the generator and massive power consumption. Moreover, we couldn''t retaliate if we activated it. Because of that, it couldn''t be kept active indefinitely. Zenith had already analyzed Behemoth''s attack; if we pushed the shield into overdrive, it could withstand its laser beam, but it would only last thirty minutes.
"Staff, keep a closer eye on the scanner. Watch for AA Anathema like this one."
"Yes, sir."
"Slow down a bit. We''ll wait until Pink Heart clears the area."
"We should land," Issen said. "About 70% of the Guardians focus on melee attacks."
"The distance to the coordinates is still far. Do you think you can keep up?" I asked.
"You''ll have to slow down anyway with so many Anathema swarming us. I can''t even manage curved or homing shots. Do you really want to wait until those Anathema are right on our tails?"
"No. If worse comes to worst, we''ll activate the full shield, march through the coordinates, use Agneya''s cannon to disperse the Anathema, land, and then clear the area."
Issen frowned. "This ship is brand new. What if you scratch it?"
"The gate must be destroyed. As long as the arcoplasma cannon is intact, we can replace the armor," I replied.
"I see. You guys are ruthless. I like it. As long as you have a plan, I''ll follow," Issen said, waving at me. "Call me in the cafeteria if you need me."
"Thank you," I replied.
"The Anti-Air Anathema has been vanquished. You can lower the shield now," Pink Heart reported. "The B-rank Guardian is returning to Agneya for recuperation. I''ll continue to monitor the surroundings."
"Affirmative. Let''s go."
After re-engaging the engine and lowering the shield, we moved forward. Soon, we floated above a black rock. The twilight cast an eerie glow on the dark marble-like surface. I felt a sense of unease. Did the Sierra Nevada have terrain like this? Moments later, Pink Heart''s message confirmed my suspicion.
"The black stones are Anathema! They have mana stealth, so the radar can''t detect them! Watch out!"
"Shield!" I screamed, but it was too late. The ship not only rattled but shook violently and tilted to one side. Some of the staff were thrown against the walls.
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"Shield activated! Multiple breaches detected on the hull," Haneya reported. Through the screen, I saw that the belly of our airship had turned yellow, with some parts turning red. Thankfully, the attack hadn''t hit the main engine or the arcoplasma cannon.
"Hey, what''s that?"
"It''s a new type of Anathema. These crab-like Anathema are no higher than D rank individually, but their concentrated attack has punctured Agneya''s hull." Zenith''s teddy bear explained.
"Attention! Guardians, ready to sortie! Haneya, Shish, prepare the cannon. We''ll clear this area and land there," I said, pointing toward a clearing in the distance.
"Roger! Command to prepare the cannon accepted. The cannon will be ready in two minutes," Haneya confirmed as a humming sound began from the barrel of the cannon. It wasn''t located on the deck but inside the ship, with a Magitech titanium door that would open when it fired¡ªa design meant to protect the cannon from enemy attacks.
"The cannon won''t harm Agneya, even at point-blank range, right?" I asked the Zenith officer again, just to be sure. I had read the specifications, but we hadn''t tested it due to limited rounds.
"Yes. The arcoplasma cannon only targets Anathema. While direct exposure to living beings may cause substantial harm, the ship''s armor and shield have been specifically modified to counter Agneya''s radiation. It''s impossible for Agneya to be destroyed by its own gun, even with some breaches in the hull."
"Good. Then clear the area with the cannon."
"Yes, sir. Switching to wide-area explosion mode."
"Good. Fire when ready."
"Countdown: 10¡" As the countdown began, the whirling noise grew louder. At 2, the door in the hull opened. When it was fully open, the cannon fired. A brilliant light shot out from the silver cannon, bathing the Anathema in its glow. The power of a god struck true at the demons. I stood in awe as the golden light enveloped the mountain range, turning night into day.
"Millions of points gone..." I overheard one of my staff whisper about the eradication of Anathema by Agneya''s gun. He was a 35-year-old non-combatant Guardian, currently specializing in intel collection. He had been traumatized by Anathema after witnessing his teammates get eaten right in front of him. Ever since, he had refused to fight.
Honestly, I had no idea how to properly utilize traumatized and retired Guardians. But with the information Black Lily had provided us, a glimmer of hope finally dawned on me.
"There are billions of points down there. We might die if we hold back," I scolded him. "The area is clear. Land the ship and deploy our Guardians."
"Yes, sir."
The ship made an emergency descent onto the rocky clearings atop the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Before we even landed, the hatches and ladders began to open. Six pressurized skids extended as the airship made a rough landing. After a few jolts and shakes, I announced that we had landed and instructed the Guardians to secure the perimeter. Through the monitor, I saw several Anathema repopulating the area, and our Magical Girls and Guardians quickly engaged them.
"Pink Heart."
"Sorry for failing to detect the stealth units!"
"Our scanner couldn''t detect them either. It''s not your fault. Deploy the drill core. We''re not exactly at the center, but this spot must do. In the meantime, make as many repairs to Agneya as possible. Its belly took some damage." I met Pink Heart on the ground beside Agneya, and as I looked up at our prized airship, a sense of awe washed over me.
"Yes, sir."
Using the Guardian''s gate, Guardians sacrificed mana to open a hole through space and teleport materials from a designated location to here. That''s why we could travel light. I don''t know the specifics of how the math works, but the mana cost increases when the material quality is higher. Sapphire Priest took charge of the teleportation. A huge black box, about 3x3 meters in size, dropped to the ground in front of me. Inside were the panels for Agneya''s armor.
"So, do we need to replace one panel or two? How many layers?" I asked our engineer. Haneya and Shish inspected the damage alongside me. The armor had holes and dents, but according to the damage report on the screen inside the command center, it hadn''t penetrated all the way through. Otherwise, we wouldn''t still be alive.
"Hm¡ I think the entire panel needs to be replaced. It took quite a beating; the armor integrity is down to about 20% on this one," Shish said as he inspected the damage.
"Ugh... that means over ten panels. I thought these panels were supposed to withstand Anathema attacks up to rank C," I groaned. The surface area of this massive airship was over 1 km2, and the damaged sections were displayed in red.
"Well, the damage may be minimal on the other panels. We might only need to replace the first two layers, but doing that will take time," Shish replied.
"No. Time is something we don''t have. Just replace them. This is still within our expectations. Who''s preparing the drill core?"
"I can handle repairing Agneya if you give me 50 personnel and 5 rank C Guardians. Haneya can handle the drill core," Shish said.
"Four rank B Guardians," Haneya added. Pink Heart immediately called the Guardians and summoned the drill core. It looked like an old tunnel boring machine, except it had a cockpit and was only two meters in diameter. Zenith said that this TBM could create tunnels at a speed of 10 meters per hour or a lot faster if we put it in overdrive. If everything goes smoothly, we should reach the coordinates within a week or two.
"Drill core ready. Let''s begin!" Pink Heart volunteered to be one of the operators. The drill core, which resembled a golden egg, expanded into a two-meter diameter boring machine with four segments, like a centipede. The front of the TBM began rotating, and like an earthworm, it burrowed into the ground at an angle.
"Now, we simply need to guard it," I muttered. However, as I surveyed the surroundings, I had a feeling it might be easier said than done. The place we landed lacked any defensive terrain we could use to our advantage.
I just hope our boys and girls can hold out for a week.
Chapter 61: Assault Gate
"Guh... I''m sleepy," Shining Arrow complained to her teammate. Three days had passed since they were tasked with guarding the perimeter of Agneya and the drill core. A higher-level Guardian had installed makeshift barricades here and there, creating a maze-like layout. The idea was to prevent the vanguard from being surrounded. However, some Anathema chose to climb over the barricades instead of navigating through them, leaving Shining and the other ranged Magical Girls responsible for picking them off.
Bang
Shining Arrow yawned as she shot another cockroach-like Anathema in the face. She was now using the Hecate sniper rifle Black Lily had left her. After some deliberation, she decided to unlock the rare gun vault to access the special bullets for the rifle. The contrast between her pink dress and the black sniper rifle was striking. Unlike Yuri, Shining could easily hit Anathema a kilometer away thanks to her snipe skill. Even though the gun was made for Black Lily, she used it better than she was due to her skills.
"Are you switching to guns now?" Magitech Ranger asked. He used Earth-made sniper rifles like the M40A3. Unlike Yuri, who simply chose the most expensive weapons, Magitech Ranger knew the real difference was in the ammunition. As a gun enthusiast, fantasy weapons like the Hecate that Lily used didn''t impress him.
"Dunno," Shining replied.
"Oh. Are you still using the standard Silverbane bullets? You should try explosive rounds or a full metal jacket. Normal silverbane won''t do much damage to these things."
"I bought them already. Spent 1,100 points on ammo," Shining grumbled as they both shot down another Anathema. These last few days have been exhausting but rewarding. She had amassed over two thousand points, minus the cost of ammunition, from the Anathema she''d taken out.
"Well, guns pack more firepower than magic bows, but they use up ammo. Still, it''s worth it. Plus, they have a longer range."
"Yeah, you''re right," Shining said again.
"You should get some sleep. You look like you could collapse at any moment. We''re only halfway there," Ranger said.
"Maybe I will¡" Shining stood up from her watchtower as Ranger took her place. She made her way to the makeshift tents prepared by the soldiers. With over 1,000 Magical Girls here, private tents were a luxury they couldn''t afford. Still, she had it better than the common troopers, who were sleeping on the ground, so she couldn''t complain.
She wanted to sleep, but she couldn''t. Her mind kept wandering to the horror Yuri must have endured, alone in this wasteland. Monsters lurking in every corner, day and night with no one to talk to. The suffocating air, the loneliness, and the heavy atmosphere pressing down on her heart.
"Yuri..." Shining muttered softly.
"Don''t worry, Alice. Magical Girl Black Lily is alive. The SOS said so," Wan-chan assured her.
"Wan-nyan, Lily was all alone in a dark, gloomy place like this, with Anathema lurking in every corner. She must have been terrified. She was a Shirayuki Princess, you know. If a normal girl like me finds it hard, it must have been even worse for her."
"But she chose to stay behind. It''s not your fault."
"She left because we forced her to ditch that equipment."
"Human life is more important. Guardian Command would support her if her family confronts her."
"It''s not about recompensation. It''s about duty and responsibility. She must feel guilty, despairing and sad in the deep, dark world of the Darklands. She reached out to us, and yet we must wait over a week before we can even begin? Magical Girls are supposed to be important assets to humanity, right? How can we not save her?"
"Under normal circumstances, we''d dispatch a rescue team immediately, like we did in New Mesa. But right now, things are extraordinary. The Anathema gate takes precedence."
"It was her skill that found the gate, wasn''t it?"
"Yes, she has made an enormous contribution to humanity. If she survives, her efforts won''t go unrecognized. In fact, she''s been on Zenith''s radar ever since. To prove it, the UNH and Zenith have agreed to her request and will revoke the exile verdict of the criminals she found in the wasteland."
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
"Saving humans is a must! Even if they were criminals! Criminals should go to jail and atone for their sins, not be thrown into the Darklands to die!"
"Well, it wouldn''t sit right with the families of those killed by these criminals if we just let them roam free. Prison laws in Eden only allow criminals to be held for a maximum of five years. We don''t have much space in Eden."
"I know. I''ve studied, too," Shining Arrow pouted. But what she believed contradicts what was logical.
"I know you''re worried about Lily. But if you can''t sleep, you might make a fatal mistake. To help you rest, how about using me as a hug pillow?"
"Thank you. Yuri, please, stay safe. I promise, once we''re done with this gate, we''ll come to save you right away." Shining Arrow ended her telepathic communication and hugged Wan-chan as she prayed for Yuri''s safety. Still, her eyes remained open until five hours later, when an operator asked her to take up another watchtower post.
-------------------------------------
Meanwhile
"Tower of Yuri!!!" I yelled. My clones and I bought a giant plushie and dived into it. Since we only bought one, the other clones opted to hug me from behind, stacking ourselves like piles of boxes. The message had been sent, and the reply was to wait here for a week or two. That was easy¡ªkilling random Anathema in the nearby city would give us more than enough to feed everyone.
With drones, I could sense any nearby Anathema nests. Using that information, we could find a safe spot where the Anathema were at most level fifteen. Moreover, with my mana eyes, I could ask Felicia to keep watch all day. There wouldn''t be any ambushes in my portable homes or among the refugees.
I even bought four more houses to shelter all the refugees. The stay in my boxable home was like staying in a hotel without the need to keep up appearances. I could roll around in bed all day or play with my clones! The refugees were also happy with the meat and food I brought them every day. Smiles had started to return to their faces.
I hoped the others would take their time. It would be a shame if they rushed here and risked casualties among the Magical Girls and Guardians while I was living comfortably. I had already confirmed with Felicia that our message didn''t convey any sense of urgency. I just hoped I hadn''t worried Alice too much. She''s a pink after all, and they tend to be reckless when tasked with saving lives.
---------------------------------------------------------
"We found a cave! We''ll send our familiars in," Guardian Stonewall reported through the speaker on the surface, where General Armstrong was stationed. Pink Heart and Stonewall had been manning the drill core non-stop, rotating with 15 other B-ranked Guardians.
The news of finding a cave came much sooner than General Armstrong had expected, but it was a welcome surprise. Walking is faster than drilling. As the tunnel expanded, Armstrong grew concerned that the Anathema might try to collapse it. If that happened, the team would be trapped and forced to drill their way back up, wasting precious time. Worse, it would be dangerous. That''s why S-ranked Guardians like Pink Heart and Stonewall were manning the drills.
However, this only fueled Armstrong''s worries. This was a new Anathema gate, unprecedented in human history. Who knew what monsters might emerge? There could be Anathema stronger than even Stonewall or Pink Heart lurking in that hellhole.
"Anathema incoming! Our familiar is dead," another report came through shortly after.
"What rank is it?"
"About C rank."
"Should we continue drilling or follow the cave?"
"Let''s do both. You continue drilling, and I''ll send a team of A-rank Guardians to explore the cave," Armstrong replied. "Hm¡ wait. Issen might be perfect for this. Issen?"
"Count me in! Come on, guys! We''re going dungeon exploring!" Issen, who had been guarding the perimeter, jumped in immediately. "Waifu F22 can guard the perimeter while she rests or waits for her rotation with Stonewall!"
"Yes, Pink Heart can rest. If we encounter an Anathema the team can''t handle, we''ll wake her. Does that work for you, Pink Heart?"
"Yes. I''ll leave my familiar, Pinky, behind. Tell her if anything happens, and she''ll wake me," Pink Heart nodded. She didn''t appear tired, but her caffeine intake had doubled this morning. Moreover, Magical Girls and Guardians had mana cycle limits¡ªthey couldn''t use magic indefinitely without rest. Armstrong knew this but wasn''t aware of each Guardian''s exact limit, so he relied on everyone to manage their mana without overtaxing themselves.
"Bingo!" Issen muttered a day later. "Oi, old man, we found the gate!"
As the report came in, the mountain seemed to roar, dread spreading through the air. Pink Heart immediately woke up and flew high, announcing that the Behemoth had returned.
"Issen, get back here at once. The Behemoth has arrived. Stonewall, collapse the drill core and bring it to the surface. We need everyone to deal with the Behemoth first!" Pink Heart commanded. General Armstrong repeated the order. He was the commander, but he didn''t let rank get in the way. He trusted Pink Heart''s judgment. Even though she was strong enough to potentially take on the Behemoth alone, it was better to be safe than sorry.
"What? I''m on my way! Don''t you dare defeat it before I get there! Hey, Armstrong! Here''s the coordinate! Make sure the drill core follows this path!" Issen shouted through the speaker. Within a minute, he leaped out of the drill hole.
"The hole must be at least a kilometer deep, but he cleared it in just a minute. As expected of S-class," Armstrong muttered.
"Well, it depends on their dexterity stats and skills," Armstrong''s retired MG advisor replied with a wry smile. The Behemoth was still over ten kilometers away, but its towering figure was already visible. Serrated teeth, cannon barrels protruding from its mouth, a massive cannon mounted on its back, and a spiked tail. Armstrong stared in awe. The embodiment of destruction had arrived. As the Behemoth drew closer, the earth shook, jolting Armstrong out of his stupor.
"All B-ranked... no, all Guardians except Stonewall, Pink Heart, and Issen, retreat to Agneya! Shish, Haneya, get to the command room! Everyone, retreat to Agneya now! Leave all non-essential items behind!" I shouted the order. I considered leaving the B and A-ranked Guardians to fight, but we couldn''t afford to lose more Guardians after the disastrous defeats at New Lake and New Hill.
"Energy wave detected! The Behemoth is preparing to fire its cannon at Agneya," Haneya shouted.
"We must depart now! Raise the shield to overload mode! Pink Heart, disrupt it!"
"I''ll use my signature move to block it!"
"Don''t! We need it to finish the Behemoth off. I''ll block the cannon!" Stonewall interjected.
"Stonewall, that blast could decimate the emergency barrier! Your mecha can''t handle it."
"I know! But if we do nothing, we''ll lose Agneya."
"More energy signatures detected! Another aberrant-class entity is teleporting in!" Shish reported.
The sky darkened as Agneya and Pink Heart floated. It wasn''t just one¡ªtwo more aberrants appeared beside the tyrant Behemoth. One resembled a fallen angel, its dark wings spread wide as its black armor gleamed ominously. It wielded a black sword and shield that matched its armor. The other was a monstrous beast, unlike the Behemoth. It was shaped like a ball of flesh, floating, with heads sprouting from its body. Its black eyes stared at Agneya with pure hatred, driven by an insatiable desire to devour. All of its heads opened their mouths, revealing shark-like serrated teeth. Then, the body itself split open, revealing thousands more teeth. The beast roared, declaring that all who stood against it would be consumed.
Despair loomed as six more aberrants teleported to their location¡ªtwo more Behemoths, two knights, and two beasts. They roared in unison, mocking our pitiful attempt to destroy the gate.
Are we late? Is the gate fully functional?
Chapter 62: Darkest Hour
"W-we should flee!" Armstrong trembled at the sight of the nine aberrant-class Anathema before him. His words were met with silence, as his staff were all frozen in fear. Armstrong felt as though humanity had been on the brink of destruction for the past ten years, and now, this was the final blow. Nine aberrants, each capable of giving his S-ranked Magical Girls a severe challenge, had spawned all at once. The hopelessness of the battle ahead weighed heavily on him.
"Hey, old man. You said we have to destroy the gate, right?" Issen asked.
"But if you guys die, humanity will¡ª" Armstrong debated.
"RAAAGH!!!" Issen roared. For once, the typically easygoing Issen wore a serious expression, something so rare that it captured everyone''s attention.
"If we don''t destroy the gate, humanity will perish! That gate can spawn hundreds more of these foul beasts. Do you want to die cowering on Sanctuary Island? Do you want to die in fear? We are Magical Guardians, defenders of humanity! Are you all cowards?" Issen shouted, dispelling the fear that had gripped the staff aboard Agneya. However, Armstrong remained level-headed. He realized that if they continued like this, it would be a repeat of the disasters at New Hill and New Lake.
"Issen¡"
"General Armstrong, remember¡ªour objective is to destroy the gate, not to defeat these nine Anathema," Pink Heart interrupted. Armstrong was puzzled by her words but then glanced back at the tunnel they had spent four days digging. They had found the gate¡ªit was only a few hundred meters away. If only they had one more day...
"All rank A Guardians and below will finish the tunnel. Blast through the stone with magic if you must. Agneya and the rest of us will handle the aberrants," Pink Heart commanded. Then, with the trademark words of the Pink Guardians, she rallied the team: "Everyone, please give us your strength. Together, we will dispel the darkness from this world!"
"Yeah!!!"
"General Armstrong?" Haneya and Shish turned to me, their eyes expectant. I nodded.
"Do it." With the official command from me, the Guardians sprang into action. Stonewall leaped off Agneya on his flying scooter, while Issen ran through the air, engaging the aberrants.
A few B-ranked Guardians who could fly headed toward the recently made cave, carrying A-ranked and C-ranked Guardians with them.
"Energy wave detected! It''s the same as before¡ªhigh probability of another teleportation spell," one of our staff shouted. As the ground darkened, thousands of Anathema poured out from the black miasma beneath their feet. They were but mere distractions.
"Haneya, Shish! Support our S-ranks with the cannon," I ordered.
"Yes, sir. Preparing to fire in one minute," Haneya replied.
"Attention, passengers. Agneya will now conduct a high-speed maneuver. Please be prepared. This is not a drill," Shish announced, controlling the steering wheel, gas pedal, brake pedal, and ailerons with his five limbs. Following his advice, Armstrong fastened his belt and prayed silently. There were Guardians on Agneya''s deck, but there was no time for them to make it to the barracks and strap into seatbelts. He could only hope they reached Agneya''s door to the inner cabin before being thrown off. Even if they fell, their aura should protect them. But the Anathema on the ground could finish them off...
The aberrants closed in quickly. The knights, now resembling fallen angels, approached Pink Heart. Her small figure looked like a speck of dust before the twenty-meter-tall knight.
"Charge!" Pink Heart activated her armament. Her staff transformed into a spear, and she unleashed mana beams at the knights. As one knight swung its sword, Pink Heart darted around it, leading it on a chaotic aerial chase.
Meanwhile, Issen faced the monster blob. Its many heads swarmed around him, but the moment they drew near, they were sliced to pieces. Then, Issen vanished, only to reappear behind the blob. As he sheathed his sword, one of the monster blobs split in two. Armstrong almost raised his hand in victory, but the celebration was cut short as the blobs fused back together. Issen clicked his tongue and shifted to a more defensive stance. Hundreds of Anathema poured into him, but Issen was a melee specialist. No matter how many low-level Anathema swarmed him, it was of no use.
Meanwhile, Stonewall summoned his mech. Like a hound, the three Behemoths surrounded him in no time. Like a knight, Stonewall drew his shield and sword, dueling the monsters like a gladiator against Hyenas. Pieces of his armor chipped away each time the Behemoths bit into it. But it wasn''t a one-sided battle¡ªblack ichor sprayed onto the ground with each swing of his sword.
"The monster blob seems to have regenerative defenses, the knights have armor, and the Behemoths have potent cannon attacks," said the teddy bear, one of Zenith''s assistants left behind as a bonus to Agneya, analyzing the opponents.
"Arcoplasma cannon will be ready in twenty seconds. General, which one do we shoot?" Haneya asked.
"The Behemoths. Their cannons are the biggest threat."
"Roger. Target locked on Behemoth."
Rattle.
The ship shook as stray bullets from the Anathema pounded our shields. Feeling concerned, Armstrong asked Shish to push the shield into overdrive.
"Shish, can we turn up the shields more?"
"Turning the shields to overdrive will reduce our engine''s operational time. We''ll have barely two hours before it overheats."
"Do you think the regular shields can withstand the aberrants'' attacks?" Armstrong pressed.
"Turning shields to overdrive¡"
"Arcoplasma cannon ready. Countdown: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Fire!" Agneya fired its cannon at one of the Behemoths. A burst of light shot out, piercing the beast right through its flank. The Behemoth squirmed as a hole formed in its stomach. The arcoplasma, a weapon designed specifically for Anathema, didn''t just penetrate¡ªit corroded the inner structure, like a poison seeping through its body.
The Behemoth began to melt, starting from the hole the Arcoplasma cannon left. It roared in agony before finally exploding, spraying its black ichor onto Stonewall''s mech.
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"YES! Hooray!" the staff cheered.
"Prepare the next shot!"
But the celebration was short-lived. The remaining beasts halted their assault on the S-ranked Guardians when they saw Agneya slay a Behemoth. Dread filled Agneya''s crew as they realized all the beasts were now focused entirely on the ship.
"Hurry up, they''re coming!" Armstrong pleaded.
"Two minutes. The cannon needs time to cool down!"
"Energy waves detected. That Behemoth is about to fire its cannon." One of the Behemoths pulled away from Stonewall and began glowing with a purple light.
"Evasive maneuvers! Trish, I''m counting on you! Dodge it!" Armstrong shouted. It was asking a lot for a carrier-sized airship to dodge a laser cannon shot from a Behemoth, but it had to be done. Pink Heart and Issen were occupied with six aberrant-class Anathema, and Stonewall was too slow to intercept the Behemoth.
"Calm down... you got this... display the monitor," Trish whispered to himself, gripping the steering wheel tighter. The airship stopped, and just before the Behemoth fired, Trish rolled the airship. As the massive ship performed a barrel roll, the cannon blast shot past it, clipping the shield extended around Agneya.
The cannon beam chased after Agneya, but Trish''s unpredictable maneuver saved the day. Trish rolled Agneya to the side and jinked it to the ground. Right before the upper part of Agneya slammed into the ground, Trish managed to gain altitude before rolling back to normal. As the beam dissipated, Agneya remained afloat. Armstrong and the S-rank Guardians battling the Behemoth breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"Energy is down to thirty percent. We might have enough for two more shots at most," Haneya reported.
"Is there any way to get more power from the engine? The mana generator could give more power, but the issue is heat, right?"
"No. Even if we sent an ice mage to cool the engine, it wouldn''t be enough. The materials comprising the engine and generator would become fragile if hit by ice magic," Haneya sighed. "If we reduce the shield power... we might be able to fire one more round."
"No, we can''t do that. Without the shield, Agneya would be destroyed by even a glancing blow from these Behemoths," Armstrong said, frustrated. "Team B, progress?"
"We''re halfway there!"
"Do your best..." Armstrong sighed. There was no way around this predicament. Even if they managed to destroy the gate, the Behemoths would chase them to the ends of the Earth. They had to kill them all after destroying the gate.
"The winged knights are chasing us!" one of the staff shouted as a dark knight broke off, deciding two of them were enough to keep Pink Heart at bay.
"Chance! Maintain course! Pinky, instruct them!" Pink Heart interrupted. Armstrong was flabbergasted. Was Pink Heart planning to use Agneya as bait? She had never done anything like this before. She never condoned sacrificing others, even for the greater good. But he chose to trust her. Right now, Agneya is Pink Heart''s partner. Not baggage.
"Do as she says," Armstrong instructed Trish. When he looked at the 3D map, He realized what Pink Heart was planning, and it scared him a bit. Agneya''s shield and armor weren''t immune to a Magical Girl''s attack. If Trish failed, Agneya could suffer irreparable damage.
"Whew. You''re all slave drivers," Trish grumbled, taking a deep breath before exhaling. "Roger! Agneya is ready. Pink Heart, on your mark!"
"Ready, now! Plow through them with divine power! Divine Charge!" Pink Heart readied her lance and activated her signature move. Like a falling star, she charged at one of the black knights. Then, toward Agneya. However, she swerved a little, hitting the other knights who were chasing Agneya. The two fallen angels and slammed them into the ground. The explosion was so massive that it rippled through Agneya''s shield. The wave of magical energy from her S-rank ultimate move was awe-inspiring.
"How reckless¡" Armstrong muttered. Pink Heart''s Signature should be a shot similar to that of Shining Arrow or other Ranged Guardians. But right now, she shot it point blank at the enemy, trying to increase its power.
"I don''t want to hear that from you, Armstrong. Just like you said, we have to win this!" Pink Heart rose from the dust clouds, her clothes tattered in places, a sign of her weakened shield aura.
"Status?" Armstrong asked. "Can you support Issen and Stonewall?"
"On it!" She flew.
"We need to kill the last flying knights and all the Behemoths. Then we can escape. That grotesque hellspawn seems to focus on regenerative and defensive abilities. Their speed and attacks seemed lackluster," the Zenith teddy bear assessed.
"Drilling team!" Armstrong called, hoping for progress.
"Five more minutes! We''ve already overdriven the drill core!" The loud, reverberating sound of the drill core nearly drowned out the report.
"Gah! Ten thousand points worth of equipment!" one of the staff winced as he saw the drill status on his screen.
"You''re worrying about points now?" one of the Magical Girls chided him.
"Faster! Blow the rocks with magic if you have to!" I commanded.
"We already did!" the MG shouted back.
"Arcoplasma cannon ready. Which monster should we target?" Haneya asked.
"The Behemoth. After that, we''ll use Issen''s signature move on the last flying knight. Then Stonewall and Pink Heart could handle the other Behemoth. Then, after we blow the gate, we can leave!" Pink Heart interrupted.
"That would be wise," Zenith''s teddy bear nodded.
"Do it," Armstrong agreed.
"F22! Bring that knight here! Stonewall, you too! I''m not leaving with just one kill!" Issen called to Pink Heart and Stonewall as he dodged another attack from the monster blob''s tentacles. The blob had become more versatile¡ªafter being cut multiple times, its body had grown more viscous and gel-like. Each time Issen sliced it, the blob reattached itself faster than before.
Issen believed in his sword and had no other method of attack. He was a superspecialized S-rank Guardian, one whose sword could cut through anything, even regenerative monsters. But he knew this monster was different. No matter how many times he cut it, it would stay alive.
"Energy reading detected. It''s coming from below."
"The gate has been activated!" the MG assigned to dig the tunnel reported.
"The energy reading has spiked through the roof. The miasma is thickening."
"Report: Anathema analysis program suggests an aberrant Anathema of level 700 will emerge from the gate. We must destroy it before it reaches this world," Zenith''s teddy bear reported. Armstrong looked at the teddy bear, horror filling his eyes.
"Such an Anathema exists?"
"Yes. Such Anathema must be obliterated using a Mana Fission Disintegrator. However, that equipment is not available, and using it on Earth would cause irreparable damage," the Zenith teddy bear explained.
"Arcoplasma cannon ready. Countdown: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Fire!" Haneya fired another round at the Behemoth. As Pink Heart dove into Stonewall''s mecha, bringing the flying knight, Issen was already in position, readying his signature move.
"Issen! (One Slash)" The world seemed to pause as Issen drew his sword and sheathed it in a single fluid motion. A flash of light slashed through the knight, then passed through Stonewall''s arm, which was holding the Behemoth in place, cutting through the Behemoth and finally nicking the mountain a few kilometers behind them.
A few seconds later, the flying knight was split in two, and the Behemoth''s other half slid away from the main body, along with Stonewall''s arm. In that fraction of a second, both the Behemoth and the knight were destroyed.
"Alright! Yeah!" Armstrong and everyone cheered, but their celebration was cut short by the Zenith teddy bear.
"Hurry up with the cave! We need to destroy the gate!"
The air seemed to scream and ripple as the cheers faded into silence. Through the eyes of the familiar from the digging team, we saw what was happening. The gate was massive, and a claw emerged from it. A wolf''s face, filling half of the circular gate, slowly materialized into our world.
"Alright! Done! The tunnel is ready. Fire the cannon!" The guardians manning the drill said.
"Arcoplasma cannon ready. Countdown: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Fire!" Haneya shouted.
A beam of light shot down through the tunnel, smashing into the gate. A burst of energy shattered the outer ring of the gate. The Anathema howled as dark clouds scattered under the piercing light of the sun. The Earth trembled as the gate became unstable. Chaos mana swirled violently before the gate exploded, shattering the mountainside. Seeing the gate destroyed, the three remaining aberrants fled in terror.
"Shit! Pink Heart! Issen! The Guardians in the cave!"
"They''re alive, General. The A-rankers with them protected the lower-ranked Guardians," Pink Heart reported. Armstrong sighed in relief.
"Good job, everyone! Shish, land us somewhere stable. We need to dig these girls and boys out of that cave. Then, we''re going to rescue our stranded Black Magical Girl," Armstrong said, finally feeling the weight lift from his shoulders. He would get a good night''s rest tonight.
Chapter 63: Return
It had been several days since my SOS call. I lounged in my house, playing with plushies alongside my clones and Felicia. In the mornings, I would go out to hunt stray Anathema, but I had already exhausted every low-level nest nearby. I couldn''t venture too far¡ªmy primary mission was to protect the exiles. Catherine and the group always looked relieved whenever I returned, and it warmed my heart to know I was needed.
"They''re here," Felicia said.
"Hm? Didn''t they say they''d be gone for a month?"
"They found the gate quicker than expected. It was a complete victory for humanity!" Felicia hopped about, showing his delight in humanity''s victory.
Guilt rose within me. They had worked tirelessly to assault the gate while I had been here, sleeping and playing with plushies in the middle of nowhere. My reputation must have taken a nosedive with Guardian Command.
"Hm? Why are you suddenly down?" Felicia asked.
"I didn''t participate in the assault... they must be disappointed in me."
"Not everyone participated in the assault. Seventy percent of Magical Girls stayed in the sanctuary cities. We all just need to do our part," Felicia said. "Look, you should be able to see Agneya if you step outside."
In the distance, I saw a flying ship. Though battered, it was still in working condition, gracefully approaching our coordinates.
"Lily!" Shining Arrow shouted as she hugged me after descending from the ship. The rest of my team was there too.
"Well, well, look who our VIP princess is. Welcome aboard, Lily!" Issen smirked while Pink Heart smiled warmly. As expected of senior magical Guardians. They hid their disdain very well. I couldn''t even see a trace of disappointment in them.
"Greetings, I am Pink Heart. Are these the exi¡ªuh, refugees you mentioned?"
"Yes," I nodded nervously. Why was Pink Heart here? Ah, of course. They had come to pick me up after destroying the Anathema gate. Everything made sense now.
"We''ll camp here and do some more thorough repairs and maintenance. Then, we''ll return to Eden posthaste."
"Yes, sir!" General Armstrong stepped off the ship and began giving orders to his men. I noticed two non-humanoid beings mixed in with the crew. They must be the engineers sent by Zenith.
"Greetings, Black Lily. Are these the refugees?" General Armstrong greeted me, clearly eager to meet the exiles. He quickly arranged a meeting with Jane, Elder July''s successor, to discuss the enchanted weapons we had created and the research facilities needed to study them further.
After what felt like a long month, I finally returned to Eden. As I made my way to my condo, my steps felt heavier. The chain that had loosened during my time in the Darklands seemed to tighten once more.
"Oh my! Welcome, my daughter!" My mother, Jennifer, embraced me tightly. My father, Osamu, was also there.
"Jennifer, Osamu, Lily''s present is on the table. You wouldn''t be so rude as to disturb her after her dangerous journey, right?" Kageyama chimed in from behind them.
"Of course not!"
"Lily, this condo is for you. If you need anything, just give me a call. And if possible, I''d like a meeting with your cat. You can ask Felicia to contact me anytime. Feel free to invite your friends over for a party if you''d like. Osamu, Jennifer, let''s go. I have something to discuss with you both. And Lily, don''t forget to watch the news." They are registering
Kageyama''s last words piqued my curiosity, so I did as he suggested. I allowed the lights to leave my body as I undid my astral shifts and asked Felicia to meet with Kageyama. She would be better at explaining things to him. I reminded her to keep the meeting private; I didn''t want my parents to know why I had left the transport convoy.
"Eden News: The trial for seventy people, including investors and CEOs from Newstar and Enra¡ªthe largest companies in Eden¡ªis currently underway. They are being charged with inaction during the Anathema attacks on New Lake and New Hill, which resulted in the deaths of over a hundred thousand people and two hundred Guardians," the reporter announced.
I blinked at the news in disbelief. Does this mean the entire Frontier City project has failed?
"A massive demonstration erupted this morning outside UNH courts. Not only in Eden¡ªsimilar protests are underway at every Guardian Command across the sanctuary cities. The crowds are demanding severe punishment for the CEOs, accusing them of negligence. Inside the courts, the atmosphere is no less tense, as representatives from NewStar and Enra face off against Guardian Command and the union."
"The attack on NewLake and NewHill was unfortunate. We did our best to evacuate the areas, but the attack was sudden, and we were surrounded. Moreover, with Anathema capable of breaching the emergency barriers, there was nothing more we could do," a NewStar representative stated.
"Oh yeah? Then why did all of you survive? We''ve heard that the CEOs and several high-ranking employees used personal jets and helicopters to evacuate NewLake and NewHill, leaving thousands behind!" the union representative shouted, his emotions boiling over as he repeatedly cursed at the NewStar and Enra representatives. "Look at NewMesa! They escaped with more than half of their population despite a similar sudden attack. And NewSoil? They evacuated everyone¡ªzero casualties¡ªthanks to Shirayuki''s support in providing the ship meant to transport their equipment!"
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"Union representative, please, let''s keep this civil," the Guardian Command moderator interrupted. "We are charging NewStar and Enra with disobeying evacuation orders. Days before the attack, Guardian Command advised both companies to evacuate NewLake and NewHill. Why did you ignore that order? The deaths of over 200 Guardians should not be taken lightly."
"Those 200 Guardians did their best to hold back the Anathema from invading NewLake and NewHill. We have suffered a great loss as well. As for the evacuation order, we were preparing to act on it, but the Anathema attacked sooner than expected," the corporate representative responded.
"Tell that to the families of the dead Guardians!" the union representative screamed. "You scum! Why didn''t you die with them? You saved yourselves when things went south!" Unable to contain her anger, she lunged at the Enra and NewStar representatives, and the court descended into chaos as insults flew from both sides. Security had to take action before the news channels were cut short.
When I switched channels, I saw Osamu and Kageyama on a talk show. It was a pre-recorded broadcast, of course¡ªafter all, the real Kageyama and my father were in a meeting with Felicia.
"Mr. Kageyama, what do you have to say about the recent attacks on NewLake and NewHill? Do you think NewStar and Enra should be held liable?"
"Frontier Cities have always been dangerous, so casualties are, unfortunately, inevitable. However, we must do everything in our power to minimize them. The attack on NewMesa was equally sudden, but thanks to the quick response of the mayor, Mr. John, we managed to save 10,000 people. The underground tunnel we constructed allowed us to flee, even when the emergency barrier was breached," Osamu explained.
"That tunnel from NewMesa Guardian Command to the harbor was originally built for VIPs, right? Does that mean only executives were expected to escape NewMesa? Moreover, didn''t you get accused of breaking the barrier installation code for that?" the interviewer asked.
"Of course not. The tunnel was small due to budget constraints, but we never intended to bar anyone from using it. As for why we had to breach the installation code, We didn''t think we could survive days in a shelter. New Mesa was far from Eden and lacked high-ranking Magical Guardians," Osamu replied.
"I see. Well, it''s true that you allowed everyone to use it¡ªafter you used it yourself, right?" the interviewer pressed.
"I am merely a human, and like anyone, I fear for my life. It''s in our nature to try and save ourselves first. However, I never once thought of preventing others from saving themselves. Even though I left first, I stayed in the same cramped room as everyone else. We tried to fit as many people onto the first ferry as possible. Whether I left first or last, the number of lives saved wouldn''t have changed."
"I see."
"I would also like to add," Kageyama interjected, "that we had to abandon equipment in NewSoil to prioritize saving people¡ªeven those who weren''t from our company. We, at Shirayuki, always put lives first."
"That is certainly commendable. But how were you able to evacuate so quickly? Were you withholding any critical information from the public?" the interviewer asked.
"We didn''t withhold any information. Our Magical Girl, Black Lily, and Guardian Command advised us to evacuate, and we did so as soon as possible. That''s all. We assumed other companies received the same information. General Armstrong stated he had informed everyone, but they chose not to listen to him," Kageyama explained.
"That''s a shocking discovery. But if you knew beforehand, why did you evacuate? NewSoil is an essential facility, right?"
"It is certainly a critical facility, but without an S-rank Magical Guardian, resistance would be futile. So, we chose to evacuate to minimize the damage. There''s a fine line between bravery and stupidity," Osamu replied.
"And that concludes our interview with Mr. Kageyama and Mr. Osamu from Shirayuki Company¡ª"
As I switched to another channel, the news of Agneya''s victory was being broadcast.
"BREAKING NEWS! Agneya has scored a decisive victory against the Anathema Gate!"
Issen did a celebratory backflip and danced on the stage. Pink Heart and Stonewall took a more reserved approach, simply waving to the crowd. Magical Girls came out of Agneya one after another. Even though I hadn''t participated in the assault, my face appeared on the screen.
I switched off the TV and lay down. Remembering that Felicia had a meeting with Kageyama, I activated my skill to peek in on the meeting. Felicia, being my mana construct, automatically had my abilities, including my mana eyes. I was curious to see what Felicia was saying about me.
"Hahaha... Yuri has really outdone herself! She certainly found something more precious than gold out there!" Kageyama laughed. As I looked around, I saw a screen displaying the rituals. I realized that Felicia was discussing the enchantment rituals with them.
"Well, this is great! We have a new business venture," Osamu said. "Though finances are a bit tight right now."
"If you need funding, why not ask Jonathan or Kevin from NewStar and Enra? I''m sure they''d give you a blank check if you helped them out a little. They''re in hot water right now," Jennifer suggested. Disgust welled up within me.
"Are you nuts? Jennifer, if you still want to call yourself Shirayuki, I forbid you from talking to them. Cut all contact with them immediately. Those guys are on trial! Do you realize the mess you''ll be in if you even show the slightest consideration for them?" Kageyama was visibly shocked by Jennifer''s suggestion.
"But we owe them something. They helped with NewMesa''s funding too...," Jennifer insisted.
"Don''t ever mention them again. They''re being targeted by everyone right now. The mess they caused in NewHill and NewLake was astronomical¡ª200 Magical Girls died! If you want to live like a caveman out in the Darklands, be my guest, but don''t drag us with you!" Kageyama snapped.
"They lived in the Darklands, didn''t they? And they seem fine¡" Osamu smirked at Jennifer, then took a sip of wine as he celebrated his small victory. "Not that I ever want to be there. Anathema are terrifying. Anyway, I finally got my old job back! My bad luck has passed, and there''s no way I''m touching those guys again. What if the public turns on me again?"
"The refugees showed signs of malnutrition when we first met. They seem well now because Black Lily has been feeding them for the past month," Felicia said.
Jennifer frowned, realizing there was no persuading them about NewStar and Enra. I tilted my head, confused by my mother''s reaction. Why was she so intent on helping them? That wasn''t like her.
"Felicia, can you keep an eye on my mother? She''s been acting differently lately," I whispered. Felicia perked up but continued her meeting with Kageyama.
It was less of a meeting and more of a party. All they did was celebrate, talk about new business ventures, and discuss the rise of the Shirayuki Company.
It honestly disgusted me. But that''s the business world.