Starting as a Magical Girl, I Alone Shall Rule for Eternity

"You don't look even a little like a Magical Girl right now."

Raw magic poured out clumsily. Having just learned to transform, Yinluo naturally couldn't control it delicately; she threw her mana around like tossing stones.

Even so, for ordinary people it was lethal.

But Susan had training. Even amid a rain of crude magic bombs, she could quickly find a safe seam to slip through, using trees and walls to buy time.

She tried shooting, but the polluted magic provided protection—bullets couldn't reach Yinluo.

She still had two spare rounds left, but there was no hope for them.

Fortunately, there were no residents near the Disaster Control Bureau; this was suburban area, with only a highway that occasionally saw cars. Because a Disaster Beast had appeared inside the bureau, warnings had been broadcast not long ago to clear bystanders, so there was no need to worry about civilians being affected.

Dodging another magical tentacle, Susan rolled and hid behind a ruined wall. The polluted magic smashed into the wall but failed to destroy it.

She quickly pulled her gun, swapped magazines, and chambered a round...

"Is that so? I feel closer to being a Magical Girl than ever," Yinluo tilted her head and suddenly waved her hand. "Maybe your idea of a Magical Girl needs adjusting, Susan."

Boom!

Black magic instantly pulverized the ruined wall Susan had used for cover. Susan was blasted into the air, her pistol thrown aside. Yinluo watched her curl into a protective ball, then silently sent dozens of magical tentacles toward her.

The magical tentacles barely neared Susan when they started to melt and drip onto the ground.

Yinluo noticed a spray can in Susan's hand with surprise.

"Dispersal spray for Disaster Beasts? You actually carry that around?"

Susan rolled, snatched her pistol, and pulled herself up. "Ever since I lost my transformation, I've gotten used to it. Can't always be a burden to others."

She tossed the spray away, raised the gun, and aimed. "The spray deactivates polluted magic to disperse Disaster Beasts. Very useful in situations like this—learn something new, my incompetent junior?"

She pulled the trigger.

The gun blew apart in a thunderous detonation!

Instinctively shielding her face, Susan felt the polluted magic seize the chance: it grabbed her ankle and hoisted her off the ground.

"Let me teach you something then, Susan. The spray won't work on large amounts of polluted magic—only small concentrations."

Yinluo walked to Susan and looked at her hanging face. "Also, a bullet charged with pure magic—if intercepted by polluted magic and forced into a violent collision—will explode. Learned that yet, senior Susan?"

"You never change—so annoying."

"You too."

Where did she get pure magic? Did Peony give it to her?

As the polluted magic continued to corrode Susan, Yinluo planned to capture her alive.

After all, a former Magical Girl still had potential and was valuable to the Witch Association. After using so many Grief Seeds, if she couldn't bring back spoils, the captain would be furious.

She would first incapacitate her with polluted magic and take her back as experimental material.

To ruin a once-admired Magical Girl by her own hands—turning her into a witch—gave Yinluo a thrill.

She even felt like confiding a little.

"Do you understand me better now, Susan? The pain of losing transformation, of being unable to struggle against a strong enemy—you must empathize with that, right?"

Struggling against the polluted magic, Susan watched Yinluo draw closer. "People cannot empathize with others, Yinluo."

"True." Yinluo nodded. "I can't fully understand how you felt after my little scheme caused you to lose your transformation. But I admire you, Susan. Even like this you stayed with the Disaster Control Bureau. You are exactly the Magical Girl I once admired. Most people couldn't have done what you did."

Susan's pupils trembled; her voice was hoarse. "You did this?"

"If you were a real Magical Girl, you'd overcome such a predicament, wouldn't you? After all, you were the Magical Girl who held a miracle. It's a pity you never lived up to my expectations."

The Disaster Beast on the other side roared and shook the space, warping the nearby calm into something uncanny.

Silent, Susan inhaled and recalled everything that had happened when she lost her transformation: days and nights of torment, the pain, the humiliation, the stubborn unwillingness to accept it.

It had been such a long, long time.

Yinluo enjoyed watching Susan's expression change, savoring the moment.

Then Susan smiled.

In such a crisis, seeing the one who had ruined her life so close—and still she gave a brilliant smile.

It was contagious, like the smile of a real Magical Girl.

Something Yinluo would never be able to show.

She reached out as if to tear that smile away.

"I said I—am a girl who holds a miracle."

When a pendant dropped onto Susan's snow-white chest and touched Yinluo's palm, Yinluo's smile vanished in an instant.

Like being burned, she recoiled.

The Miracle Seed on the pendant swung against Susan's cheek and radiated a gentle, dazzling light.

Even now, in her transformed state with impure magic, Susan could feel it.

The seed's magic was still active!

Hadn't Susan's Miracle Seed been...?

"I'll live up to your expectations, Yinluo."

The Miracle Seed touched Susan's forehead. Fine blue filaments like water spread from the seed, radiating outward in a massive web through the little grove.

The polluted magic tentacles were sliced, scattered, and weakened by the aqua-blue threads.

"Tide."

The threads retracted and gathered at Susan's body. "Roar!"

At the instant her outfit coalesced, blue magic surged like a waterfall, sweeping away all polluted magic. Yinluo was blasted away in an instant!

She flew like a projectile into distant ruins, then was buried under stones, dust, and debris.

"Transform!"

When the raised magic settled, a water-blue Magical Girl stood in the center of the grove.

Her pale blue hair floated like it mixed with water before slowly settling. Her sky-blue eyes were clear and otherworldly. Her skirt flowed like waves, and a small fish-like pattern swam across her chest—sometimes leaping out and splashing magical energy before sinking back into the clothes, making the outfit feel like a pool of ocean.

Picking up her magic wand, Zhu Lu spoke gently: "When a Magical Girl transforms, stand back—otherwise you'll end up taking a heavy hit like you just did."

Yinluo crawled from the rubble, expression cold and venomous. Her magical outfit had partially melted, revealing a hideous, bestial patch of Disaster Beast beneath. She breathed in deeply.

"How can you transform again?"

She pressed her right hand down hard toward the ground.

A massive magic block above, ready to strike, slammed down toward Zhu Lu!

The black block lifted dust. When the smoke cleared, water ripples had wrapped around Zhu Lu, keeping her unharmed.

The dark magic blocks slid down the water and missed her entirely.

"Work two, item three: The Glass Realm of Ten Thousand Azure Waves."

Tilting her head, Zhu Lu looked like a mermaid in the rippling water. "Because your wish called a miracle to me."

Zhu Lu hooked a slender blue filament with her little finger and tugged gently.

Yinluo's right hand was yanked up. Only then did Yinluo notice a fine blue magic thread had wrapped around her arm—tightening into her skin if she strained. Not even black polluted magic could resist it.

"A special treat for the fans." Zhu Lu's hands wove the threads in the air like plucking strings—elegant and beautiful. "I'll teach you precise mana control."

Compared to Yinluo's earlier clumsy throwing of blocks, Zhu Lu's control was precise and subtle.

Fine manipulations had been the final exam at Azure Cloud Sect; getting high marks took a lot of effort. She had spent time mastering it—otherwise she wouldn't have qualified even as an outer sect disciple.

Though she hadn't transformed in a while, she had never slacked off training.

Zhu Lu tugged, and silver threads wrapped Yinluo, dragging her backward into a trunk. More filaments bound Yinluo to the tree.

Yinluo's face darkened, veins of impatience flaring, but she dared not move.

Threads were woven through her outfit and the tree—if the tree were damaged, her outfit would be destroyed as well.

A specialty move of Magical Girl Zhu Lu.

Masterpiece four: Threaded Entanglement, Thousand Wounds.

Its flaw was that after use she couldn't attack; it worked best with teammates. Alone, it couldn't deal lethal damage effectively.

But the control effect was impressive.

And such intricate stitching drank her mental energy; even Zhu Lu felt a bit exhausted after executing it.

They were about two or three hundred meters from the Disaster Control Bureau. If you walked the same distance north from this grove, you'd reach the suburban highway—the place where Shion had shot down the class B Disaster Beast Phoenix.

Azure Cloud Sect disciples should be able to find this place easily.

Even though she had Yinluo restrained, Zhu Lu couldn't be careless. Yinluo was inexperienced at using magic, but the seed used for transforming was Blooming-level.

Zhu Lu had recovered quite a bit, but she wasn't back to the peak of the Seedling highest tier yet.

So even if Yinluo's mana reserve reached Blooming level, she was still dangerous to Zhu Lu.

When would Bingtang's promised reinforcements arrive...

She was still considering whether to add more threads when the black magic on the ground began to boil.

"You never cease to surprise me, Zhu Lu."

Her azure eyes narrowed. She tugged the threads to protect herself.

Too slow.

The boiling polluted magic swelled—then detonated!

The blue figure was blasted away, snapping several stout trunks. She tumbled across the ground for dozens of meters, gouging a deep furrow before coming to a stop.

Her blue outfit stained with black magic. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. Dozens of threads kept her upright, but she could only lean against a broken log, coughing violently.

All the blue threads that had bound Yinluo had snapped and disintegrated into mist.

Yinluo climbed down from the tree, half-smirking at the gravely wounded Zhu Lu. "In the face of absolute power, technique is useless. Zhu Lu, my power isn't flashy—just simple control of magical explosions. Being defeated so rudely by a beginner, don't you feel resentful?"

The threads in Zhu Lu's hands trembled; the magic in her outfit was dispersing quickly.

Keeping the transformation was becoming difficult.

A Blooming-level mana barrage was not something she could withstand now...

"Still... alright..."

She forced the retort, wiped her mouth, and finally lost her transformation. Her magical outfit vanished, returning her to her normal clothes.

Damage sustained while transformed didn't transfer physically—but fatigue and pain lingered.

She had to stall until reinforcements arrived, or the mission would fail...

She couldn't let Bingtang and Shion be disappointed.

She thought hard. Before Yinluo could move, she asked, "What will happen to Yinlian if you do this?"

Even as a witch, Yinluo paused.

"Yinlian is a Magical Girl—the captain of the Magical Girl Combat Team. As her sister, joining the Witch Association—don't you know how difficult Yinlian's situation will be? She respects and depends on you so much. How can you, as a sister, treat your sibling like this..."

"Yinlian."

Yinluo murmured and sighed. "Because she got Magical Girl power, she grew conceited. Always pretending to be obedient, but at crucial moments when did she ever listen to me? She acts high and mighty because she's the team's captain—bossing me around, enjoying the revenge of stepping on me and leaving me behind. Do you think I don't know?"

Even Susan was stunned. "What are you talking about... Is that how you see Captain Yinlian?"

"Am I wrong?"

Yinluo sounded nostalgic. "My silly little sister—how could I not see her little schemes? Always hiding behind me as a child, relying on me, following me. After she became a Magical Girl she finally held her head high, and she stopped looking at me as an elder."

Her voice turned dark. "She was worse than me in everything except being able to transform, yet everyone thought she was stronger. She put on a mature, powerful front to show off to me—showing off, proving to me that now I should chase her and hide behind her. She must have been so proud."

"You're insane..."

"The person who least wanted me to become a Magical Girl was Yinlian."

Hearing Susan's reply, Yinluo only shook her head. "That's why I need to teach her a lesson—so she knows who the real sister is. She will always be behind me, forever looking up at me, chasing me."

Susan shuddered. "What are you going to do to Captain Yinlian?"

"Who knows—maybe another accident. The incompetent Disaster Control Bureau will cost another Magical Girl her power..."

Black magical tentacles twisted around Yinluo and lunged again!

Having lost her transformation, Susan could not escape. She closed her eyes and raised her hands to block.

Then she heard a slicing sound.

A figure vaulted into the air and kicked the polluted magic!

The heavy magic block flew like a rubber ball and smashed onto the roadside of the distant highway. Tires screeched and metal collided; a chorus of honks and curses rose faintly.

Yinluo froze, surprised to see the polluted magic flung so far that it lost cohesion and dissipated.

She had only just transformed—still unfamiliar with the power.

Turning, she looked at the boy who had kicked the polluted magic away from Susan. Yinluo touched her neck, sounding tired:

"I'm in a good mood right now. If possible, I'd prefer no interruptions..."

At first Susan was thrilled—Bingtang's promised reinforcement had arrived!

But looking closely her face fell.

It was Jiang Si.

"You're not the aid Bingtang mentioned, are you?"

"Don't know, but Bingtang did send me."

Susan covered her face and silently wailed.

Usually so reliable—why mess up at the crucial moment, Bingtang!

What could a normal person do here? This witch wielded Blooming-level mana!

Struggling to stand, she clutched her Miracle Seed. The cooldown for transformation was almost up.

She could transform one more time—but how would she get Jiang Si out? Handling one person was hard enough; why cause trouble now?

Just as Susan despaired, Yinluo mused, "Let me guess: you got close to Shion hoping she'd lend you power to approach a Magical Girl, or to relieve the pain of having your body strengthened by polluted magic. But she can't do that—so you came to me..."

Jiang Si cut her off. "Do you know how to strengthen a body with polluted magic?"

"Once you join the Witch Association you'll learn."

"I'm asking you." Jiang Si sounded impatient. "Do you know or not?"

"Do you think I need that?" Yinluo couldn't help but laugh. "I only want Magical Girl power. What meaning does strengthening with polluted magic have? Compared to Magical Girl power it's nothing but a firefly!"

Yinluo opened her arms. Terrifying polluted magic engulfed the grove. Once-vigorous trees withered and leaves fell in a shower.

"See! This is Magical Girl power—power that represents hope and happiness! Even if you can never obtain that power, Jiang Si, join the Witch Association and we can give you something close. You can glimpse one ten-thousandth of its wonder!"

Susan turned pale. "Don't listen to her. Magical Girl power is strong, but not something everyone must have. Even if you can't obtain it, Azure Cloud Sect has other ways to help you fight alongside Magical Girls."

"When you lost your transformation, you were desperate too, weren't you?"

"Even so, I never thought of getting Magical Girl power back from the Witch Association!"

"I've recovered my power—so of course I'm confident."

"You have no right to lecture me!"

Yinluo condensed her magic into countless sharp spikes, aiming at Susan and Jiang Si. "I'll ask you again, Jiang Si. Do you want to pursue Magical Girl power with me?"

"Jiang Si! Don't be fooled by Magical Girl power! You don't need that!"

Susan bit her lip. "Don't disappoint Shion—she likes it so much..."

The boy lifted his eyes and loosened his clenched right hand.

A purple seed hung on a string. It fell and swung gently.

The quarrel stopped. A breeze stirred; the polluted magic trembled. Broken trunks scattered dry leaves like confetti.

Silence.

"Is this what you're talking about?"

Both girls looked as if their throats had been strangled—stunned.

Susan stared at the seed, then at Jiang Si, lips moving as if to speak but unable to form words.

She felt Jiang Si speak, but couldn't catch what he said. Her senses dulled.

Just as Yinluo's magic spike was about to fall, purple flames erupted from Jiang Si.

They ignited the surrounding polluted magic, dyeing the sky a brilliant purple and crimson.

A graceful purple figure emerged from the flames, reflected in Susan's confused pupils.

Jiang Si. Shion.