Holding Ye Ning, Hua Niao retreated several meters before coming to a steady stop, her back lightly pressed against the mottled brick wall at the end of the alley.
She looked down at the pale-faced girl in her arms, her fingertips carefully brushing away a speck of dust on Ye Ning’s cheek.
The slight coolness of her touch against the girl’s delicate skin made her movements instinctively gentler.
“How are you? Is your foot the only injury?”
Ye Ning was completely enveloped in Hua Niao’s embrace, a faint fragrance lingering at the tip of her nose.
The heart-stopping scene from moments ago still echoed in her mind.
She looked up at Hua Niao’s face, so close, those eyes that usually held a hint of lazy, icy amusement now clearly reflected concern.
Long eyelashes cast a small, shallow shadow beneath her eyelids.
Ye Ning’s cheeks instantly burned fiercely, her breathing becoming slightly rapid as she stammered a reply.
“Ah… I’m fine, I’m okay… It’s just my ankle hurts a bit. I’m not hurt anywhere else.”
“Be careful, both of you!”
A clear, sharp shout suddenly cut through the evening breeze at the alley’s entrance, carrying undeniable force.
Immediately after, a searing, dazzling red light shot through the air.
The radiance resembled a burning spear, wrapped in scalding heat waves, and plunged fiercely into a gap in the Disaster Beast’s spiny, segmented limb.
A muffled sizzle sounded.
Viscous, dark green blood instantly sprayed out, landing on the ground with a hiss and corroding small pits that emitted white smoke.
The Disaster Beast let out an ear-splitting, shrill roar, its massive body curling up in pain, its already ferocious features twisting even more horrifically.
Following the sound, Ye Ning saw a slender yet agile figure, stepping on crimson flames of light, leap gracefully down from the roof at the alley’s entrance.
It was an exceptionally vibrant and striking girl, around seventeen or eighteen years old.
Her dazzling fiery red hair was tied up in a neat, high ponytail that swung in a beautiful arc with her movement.
The red tips of her hair seemed tempered by flame, shimmering brilliantly in the twilight.
She wore a red and black form-fitting combat suit.
Its sleek lines accentuated the girl’s slender yet powerful waistline.
The hem of her skirt was adorned with a row of sharp metallic tassels that jingled crisply and pleasantly as she moved.
“A B-rank Meteor Blade Class Magical Girl…”
Ye Ning murmured unconsciously, a flicker of longing flashing in her eyes.
She knew the Magical Girl class divisions all too well—the Guardian Class excelled at defense and protection; the Light-Bathing Class specialized in buffs and healing; the Meteor Blade Class was renowned for powerful assaults; the Remote Hunt Class was adept at control and long-range attacks; and the Lone Star Class were all-rounders who could handle any battlefield alone, but were also the rarest.
Aside from Lone Star Class Magical Girls who preferred to operate solo, the other four classes tended towards team-based combat, achieving a 1+1 > 2 tactical effect through class synergy.
The moment the girl landed, a long blade, crimson from hilt to tip, had already coalesced in her palm.
Flames danced along the blade, the heat distorting the very air around it.
Her toes lightly tapped the ground, and her figure shot forward like a scarlet lightning bolt, charging straight at the still-roaring Disaster Beast.
The blade sliced through the air, trailing scorching heat waves. With a crisp crack, it cleaved through the Disaster Beast’s hard, festering hide.
Dark green blood sprayed out, but upon contact with the flames surrounding her body, it instantly turned into wisps of greenish smoke.
In just a few short minutes, the C-rank Disaster Beast that had been brandishing its claws moments before let out a dying wail.
Its massive body crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, raising a cloud of dust.
From the corpse of the Disaster Beast, a crystal core the size of a pigeon egg slowly floated up.
It was a deep blue throughout, with a faint light shimmering across its surface.
The girl raised her hand and grabbed it.
The crystal core landed steadily in her palm before she casually stored it in a silver Storage Pouch at her waist.
The Disaster Beast’s body, now bereft of its core, melted away like ice and snow, dissolving into strands of black dust that scattered in the cool evening breeze.
With the Disaster Beast dealt with, the girl finally sheathed her long blade and turned to look at the two at the alley’s end.
Stepping on that cluster of crimson light, she flew over to Hua Niao in a few steps.
The light dissipated beneath her feet, revealing a pair of red ankle boots.
Her gaze quickly swept over Ye Ning’s injured ankle, then settled on the two of them.
Seeing that apart from their pale faces, they seemed otherwise unharmed, she let out a sigh of relief.
Her tone was bright and straightforward.
“Are you two alright? Were you hurt by the Disaster Beast?”
Ye Ning quickly shook her head, her voice still trembling slightly but retaining its polite gentleness.
“N-no, we’re fine. Thank you for saving us. If you had arrived just a moment later, the consequences would have been unthinkable.”
“Don’t mention it.”
The girl grinned, revealing two sharp little canine teeth, making her look particularly lively and playful.
“I’m Chiji, a B-rank Magical Girl responsible for patrolling this area. I was just on a mission nearby when I heard the dimensional fissure alarm and rushed over. You were lucky I was in my patrol zone.”
Ye Ning suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Hua Niao, who was still holding her.
Her eyes held a mix of confusion and concern.
“Classmate Hua Niao, why are you here? Haven’t you gone home yet?”
Hua Niao lowered her gaze, looking at the reddened earlobe of the girl in her arms.
The corner of her mouth lifted in a faint smile, her tone natural.
“I just moved to this city. The place I rented is at the end of this road, not far from here. When the alarm went off, I was planning to run, but I happened to hear your voice. I thought I’d come take a look, and I didn’t expect to run into that scene.”
Chiji, listening nearby, clicked her tongue in disbelief, unable to resist commenting.
“You two really have some nerve. The C-rank fissure alarm was blaring so loudly, and you still dared to go into the alley?
Next time, remember to run to an open area as soon as you hear the alarm. Don’t let your curiosity get the better of you. Your lives are more important, got it?”
As she spoke, she turned around.
“Come on, I’ll take you to the Magical Girl Association to register and give a simple statement. It’ll be quick, won’t take too much of your time.”
Hearing this, Ye Ning hurriedly tried to struggle and stand up from Hua Niao’s arms.
But the moment her foot touched the ground—perhaps due to the earlier fright and her existing injury—she couldn’t muster any strength at all.
Her body swayed, and she uncontrollably fell back into Hua Niao’s embrace.
“Sorry…”
Ye Ning’s face flushed crimson instantly.
She lowered her head in embarrassment, not daring to meet Hua Niao’s eyes, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum.
“My legs are still a bit weak. I really can’t stand steadily.”
Seeing this, Chiji immediately bent down, ready to pick Ye Ning up herself.
“It’s fine, I’ll carry you—”
Before she could finish, she saw Hua Niao shift slightly to the side, avoiding her hand.
Then, Hua Niao tightened her arms and smoothly scooped Ye Ning up, holding her horizontally.
A princess carry.
Ye Ning’s mind went buzz, as if fireworks had exploded inside.
She could clearly feel Hua Niao’s slightly cool palm against her back, her arms firm and strong, holding her steadily aloft.
The girl’s cheeks burned, her ears turning completely red.
Her hands instinctively clutched Hua Niao’s clothes, not even daring to open her eyes.
Watching this scene, Chiji raised an eyebrow, a meaningful glint of amusement flashing in her eyes as she drawled.
“Oh?”
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