“Mizuho is watching you,” Raven reminded him.
Yuan Qing stood on the edge of a skyscraper’s rooftop, his black robe whipping in the high-altitude wind. He had just finished off the third monster and was about to head for the fourth.
“Time to teleport,” Yuan Qing said as the crow feathers on his wings shed once more, swirling into a pitch-black vortex. “How many are left?”
“There are about — “
“No, it doesn’t matter,” Yuan Qing interrupted Raven. “I don’t really like the feeling of spoilers.”
“…”
Crow feathers surged, and Miss Raven’s black silhouette vanished from the rooftop.
—
In the evening, Tokyo’s television stations and online platforms began their rolling coverage of the day’s news.
On the screen, a black figure flickered through the sky, crow feathers scattering as monsters fell one after another.
“Today, the Magical Girl ‘Miss Raven’ has once again showcased her incredible strength. From morning to evening, she subjugated a total of eleven monsters within the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. This marks her third consecutive day achieving a record of more than ten monsters in a single day.
“According to statistics, Miss Raven has eliminated more than thirty monsters over the past three days. Her combat zones have covered every monster spawn point throughout the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. A spokesperson for the Magical Girl Association stated that such an individual performance is rare in recent years.”
The scene switched to a press conference held by the Magical Girl Association, where a woman in a formal suit faced the camera. “Miss Raven’s performance is indeed staggering, but we also wish to remind other Magical Girls not to lower their guard because of her activity. The appearance of monsters is unpredictable, and there may be times when everyone’s collective effort is required.”
The comment section was already buzzing.
“More than thirty! In three days! Other Magical Girls can just take a vacation now.”
“Is the Association hinting that Miss Raven is too strong?”
“What do they mean ‘don’t lower your guard’? They’re clearly afraid that everyone will actually give up and lie flat.”
—
Meanwhile, in a Tokyo cafe frequented by Magical Girls.
Several young girls in plain clothes sat in a corner booth. A few cups of cold coffee, with only a little bit left in each, sat alongside some unfinished desserts.
“Did you see today’s news?” a girl with twin-tails asked, tossing her phone onto the table. “Another ten-plus monsters.”
“I saw it,” the girl with glasses opposite her sighed. “Over thirty in three days. I can’t even hit that many in a month.”
“Tell me about it,” a girl with brown hair added, resting her chin on her hand. “I camped out all day yesterday waiting for a monster. And what happened? As soon as I arrived at the scene, she dropped from the sky. With a *whoosh*, it was over. I didn’t even have time to summon my Familiar.”
The twin-tailed girl couldn’t help but laugh. “Pfft… it happened to you too? I had the same experience the day before yesterday! I just saw the monster and was about to transform when she was already done. I just stood there, halfway through my transformation, not knowing what to do.”
“So, how did you wrap things up?”
“I pretended to be jogging and ran away.”
The girls doubled over with laughter.
“But seriously,” the girl with glasses said, pushing her frames up. “With the way she’s fighting, we really have nothing to do. Will the organization have a problem with it?”
“What problem could they have?” The brown-haired girl shrugged. “The monsters are dead, the citizens are safe, and the Association couldn’t be happier.”
“That’s true,” the twin-tailed girl said, playing with her phone. “But it feels a bit… how should I put it, empty?”
“What’s so empty about it?” the long-haired girl, who hadn’t spoken yet, suddenly interjected. “The girl has talent and can fight. We shouldn’t be jealous.”
The twin-tailed girl glanced at her. “The way you put it…”
The long-haired girl rolled her eyes. “What? I’m just stating facts. I’ve been in this industry for three years, and I know exactly what my level is. She just debuted a month ago and has already cleared out the monsters in the entire Tokyo Metropolitan Area. If that isn’t talent, then what is?”
“Fair point…”
“But don’t you find it strange?” the girl with glasses suddenly lowered her voice. “She’s improving way too fast. During the first tea party, when she fought Miss Kazama, she did well but was clearly at a disadvantage. How long has it been since then? Thirty-two monsters in three days, and every single one was a one-shot.”
The girls looked at each other.
“Are you saying she…”
“I’m not saying there’s a problem or that the fights are fake,” the girl with glasses said, waving her hands dismissively. “It just feels… too fast.”
“Is fast a bad thing?” The twin-tailed girl curled her lip. “She’s just highly talented.”
“I suppose so.”
The cafe went quiet for a moment.
Then the long-haired girl spoke again. “But then again, with the way she’s fighting, our lives have definitely become easier. My mom even praised me yesterday, saying there are fewer monsters lately and she doesn’t have to worry about me as much.”
“My mom too,” the brown-haired girl smiled. “She said she can finally get a good night’s sleep.”
“Exactly.” The long-haired girl picked up her cold coffee and took a sip. “Even though she’s taking all the work, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
“That’s true…”
The twin-tailed girl suddenly had an idea, her eyes lighting up. “Oh, oh! Did you see the news comments? Some people are saying Miss Raven is giving Miss Kazama a show of force.”
“A show of force?”
“Yeah! Aren’t they supposed to fight in a month? By taking out thirty-plus monsters in three days, isn’t she just telling Miss Kazama how strong she’s become?”
The girl with glasses shook her head. “Miss Kazama isn’t a monster. Monsters have no brains; they only attack on instinct. Miss Kazama is different. She thinks, predicts, and targets weaknesses.”
“So what?” the brown-haired girl said. “Miss Raven is improving so fast. A month from now, she might actually win.”
“Win?” Kirishima sneered. “Have you forgotten what Miss Kazama said? ‘Absolutely impossible.'”
“That’s just what she said. It doesn’t mean it’s true.”
“Whether it’s true or not, we’ll know in a month.”
The girls fell silent once more.
Outside the window, the sky was darkening, and the last traces of the sunset lingered on the horizon.
Just then, the cafe door pushed open, and Sundae walked in, a look of exhaustion on her face.
The girls looked up.
“Oh? Sundae?”
Sundae saw them too, looking slightly startled before offering a shy smile. “Ah, you’re all here.”
“Come sit, come sit!” the brown-haired girl waved enthusiastically. “Why are you so late?”
Sundae walked over and sat at the edge of the booth, setting her bag aside.
“I just got off work from the shop,” she said, rubbing her shoulders. “It was busy today, and I’m a bit tired.”
“Then why did you come out?”
Sundae gave a bittersweet smile. “I wanted to have a cup of coffee and relax.”
A server came by, and Sundae ordered a hot latte.
The girls watched her, momentarily unsure of what to say.
Finally, the long-haired girl spoke first. “Um… Sundae, did you see today’s news?”
Sundae nodded. “I did. Miss Raven took out another ten-plus monsters, didn’t she?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s amazing,” Sundae said with a smile.
The girl with glasses looked at her cautiously. “Are you… all right?”
Sundae looked at her. “I’m fine. Why do you ask?”
“It’s just…” The girl with glasses chose her words carefully. “You almost had an accident the other day, and Miss Raven saved you. We were wondering if you’d… feel… bad about it?”
Sundae blinked, then laughed. “Why would I feel bad? She saved my life.”
“But…”
“I know, everyone is worried about me,” Sundae said, taking the coffee the server handed her and cupping it in her hands. “You’re worried I’ll feel useless, or that the gap between us is too wide, or that I’ll never catch up to her.”
The girls looked at each other as Sundae lowered her head, watching the steam rise from her coffee cup.
A silence fell over the cafe for a moment.
Then the long-haired girl sighed and reached out to ruffle Sundae’s hair. “You really are something…”
“What was that for?” Sundae grumbled, holding her head.
“Nothing,” the long-haired girl smiled. “I just think you’re doing great.”
“Of course I am!” Sundae said confidently. “I’m going to keep working hard! One day, I want to protect people just like she does!”
“Alright, alright. Good luck with that.”
The girls all laughed.
The sky outside had turned completely dark, making the lights inside the cafe feel exceptionally warm.