Inside the Miracle Field, Zhan Che stood motionless, his hands crossed in front of him, black blood and black mist intertwined, making him look like a statue of an evil god.
“Zhan Che isn’t moving? Has he been defeated? Did Sakura Blizzard really achieve the miracle of a B-rank killing an A-rank?”
The announcer’s voice echoed in the stream, and the comments scrolled rapidly:
“I knew Lady Sakura Blizzard would win!”
“How the tables have turned.”
“The one before, why are you so upset that Sakura Blizzard won? You’re not a Candy fanboy, are you?”
The stream was filled with a cheerful atmosphere, but Sakura Blizzard’s gaze was locked on Zhan Che.
Although Mirror Flower, Water Moon was the Miracle Field she prided herself on, precisely because of that, she knew very well that her slashes could not kill Zhan Che.
But why wasn’t he moving?
Why wasn’t he even counterattacking?
Unease grew in her heart.
Sakura Blizzard looked around—everything was a vast white expanse.
This was the safe space she had created for herself, located neither in the real world nor inside the Miracle Field, but in the gap between them.
She hid here, mercilessly slashing at her enemies within the Miracle Field.
Sakura Blizzard had killed many powerful monsters using this technique.
As the only magical girl below A-rank who could use a Miracle Field, her promotion to A-rank was only a matter of time.
But the monster she faced this time was different.
Shadows were far more powerful monsters.
They did not belong to this world and often had the ability to dominate other monsters.
Thus, whenever a Shadow appeared, it meant a disaster was imminent.
The great catastrophe seven years ago was triggered by a Shadow named [Pope].
Although it was ultimately defeated by a mysterious magical girl, the destruction it caused was immense.
Even today, the old district of Rain City remained shrouded in black mist.
Therefore, even though Zhan Che seemed to have stopped moving, Sakura Blizzard dared not act rashly.
Against an enemy like this, she had to be extremely cautious.
As she thought, Zhan Che moved.
More precisely, his body suddenly began to “melt,” like a candle.
Soon, most of his body had vanished, and the lake beneath him turned as black as ink.
Many fish floated to the surface, bellies up.
“Still barking, the one before? Didn’t you see the monster turned to water by Lady Sakura Blizzard?”
“$2000: My bad, my bad. Stop attacking me, bros.”
“You called them bros, so what else is there to say?”
No…
No, no, no!
Just as the stream was starting to celebrate, Sakura Blizzard frowned deeply.
As a magical girl, she had a natural perception of monsters.
After Zhan Che melted, his magical power didn’t weaken at all—it grew stronger!
No, not stronger.
It was getting closer!
Sakura Blizzard immediately drew her katana, intending to leave the Miracle Field.
Her Miracle Field was special.
Because it possessed spatial properties, it could persist for a while even after its owner left.
That was her reliance—she believed she could hold Zhan Che off.
Time was about right.
They should have evacuated already!
As long as she could leave the Miracle Field, as long as she could get out…
Rip!
Like tearing a piece of cloth, a pitch-black rift suddenly split open in the white space.
Sakura Blizzard’s movements froze instantly, her cherry-colored eyes filled with fear.
“…How is that possible? You…!”
Zhan Che stood behind the girl, lightly patting her shoulder, and spoke slowly:
“Hide-and-seek time is over.”
…
“Can Sakura Blizzard-senpai win?”
Outside the Miracle Field, Feizuan asked worriedly.
“She can’t win.”
Hui Jin shook her head.
“Even if Sakura Blizzard can use a Miracle Field, it just lets her hold out a little longer against that monster called Zhan Che.”
She looked at Feizuan.
“You all go quickly.”
Xia Che also put a hand on Feizuan’s shoulder.
“Listen to Miss Hui Jin. Let’s go.”
Feizuan stubbornly took a step toward Hui Jin, raising her voice.
“What about you, Hui Jin-senpai?”
“Me…?”
Hui Jin smiled.
“I’ll stay here. Someone has to cover Sakura Blizzard’s retreat, right? You go take care of Jie Geng. Isn’t helping teammates also a magical girl’s duty?”
“But—”
Feizuan wanted to say more, but Hui Jin cut her off, her expression turning serious.
“Feizuan, remember what I told you?
“‘Don’t die meaninglessly, Feizuan. Live with purpose.'”
“What about you, then?”
Feizuan bit her lip.
“Even Sakura Blizzard-senpai can’t defeat that enemy. What can you do by staying behind?”
“You teach me a lesson, but you don’t follow it yourself. Hui Jin-senpai, you’re a terrible teacher.”
Hui Jin knew the girl was trying to make her leave.
She raised an eyebrow slightly.
“You’ve gotten good at talking… but this time is different”.
This time we’re not facing ordinary monsters.
We’re facing a Shadow.
“I have to stay here, hold it here until reinforcements arrive, and destroy it completely. Otherwise, more people will die.”
The gray-haired girl showed a warm smile.
“The second lesson of a hero: if it’s someone you must protect, then it’s fine to play the hero. And the person I want to protect…”
The usually aloof girl actually winked playfully.
“—is you all.”
“In that case…”
Feizuan pulled out her wand.
“Then the person I want to protect is Hui Jin-senpai!”
She said firmly:
“I’m going to fight alongside Hui Jin-senpai!”
“That’s not right, Feizuan, is it?”
Hui Jin shook her head and looked to the side.
“Huh…?”
Feizuan tilted her head in confusion.
Following Hui Jin’s gaze, she saw Xia Che.
“The person you want to protect is right here, isn’t it?”
Suddenly called out, Xia Che was taken aback.
She wanted to say, “I don’t need protection,” but the truth was, she was indeed the one who needed protection the most here.
So the words died in her throat.
This again…
The young girl clenched her fists until her arms bulged with veins, but finally, she slowly relaxed them.
Looking at Feizuan, she said:
“Feizuan, I need your protection.”
Xia Che’s words shook Feizuan.
Although abandoning a companion to flee felt awful, letting Xia Che get hurt was something she wanted even less.
She couldn’t even imagine what she would become if she lost Xia Che one day.
“…All right.”
Feizuan gritted her teeth and nodded.
“Then, Hui Jin-senpai, it’s a promise. You have to come back alive!”
“Yeah, I promise you.”
Hui Jin turned around and said no more.
Feizuan wrapped her arm around Xia Che’s waist, intending to fly them away from here.
Crack!
A sound like glass shattering echoed through the hall.
The space before the three suddenly split open, revealing a pitch-black rift.
Turbid black liquid gushed out, staining the entire floor black.
Feizuan couldn’t help but hold her breath.
The pressure from the rift made her heart race.
Terrifying magical power pierced her skin, making every cell in her body want to flee.
Run, run now…!
Her mind screamed, but her legs felt like lead.
She couldn’t move a step.
At that moment, a pitch-black figure stepped through the rift, slowly appearing before them.
He held high in his hand—was none other than the blood-soaked Sakura Blizzard!