Night Patrol

Only when the enemy attacked did Tidal raise a palm-sized barrier of high-density magic.

At the clash of forces, the incoming bone spear couldn’t budge the shield an inch—instead, it was pulverized into dust by the violent surge of magic.

Having neutralized the attack, Tidal raised her magic wand. A thin beam of light shot from the crystal, cleanly severing the attacker’s head from its body.

“…Number twenty-seven.”

The magical girl’s cold voice echoed through the city’s underground.

“It’s 2:40 a.m. Shouldn’t we wrap up soon?”

Lao Lin spoke up from Tidal’s shoulder.

Every night since becoming a magical girl, You Dong had been patrolling with Lao Lin—eliminating aberrations while training in magical girl techniques.

They usually set out around 11 p.m., continuing until around 3 a.m. By then, You Dong was so exhausted he’d collapse into bed. At 8 a.m., his alarm would ring. He’d wake, shower, eat, and drive to work.

This inhuman schedule had gone on for nearly two weeks. It was the reason behind his recent illness and mental fatigue.

As a parent and a mid-level manager, You Dong carried immense responsibility. He believed he needed more experience and knowledge as a magical girl to properly guide his team. That sense of duty had only intensified since Huangxing’s arrival.

The lives of two teenage girls depended on her. If she didn’t grow stronger, faster…

With that thought, Tidal pressed deeper into the tunnels.

A few nights earlier, she’d brought Raging Flame and Huangxing here on a sweep mission. They’d discovered the underground was home to far more aberrations—and of more varied types—than on the surface.

Since then, Tidal had treated the area as a respawn zone. For the past few nights, she’d come alone, using the aberrations as training fodder. Though reality wasn’t a game, the experience reminded her of her student days—endlessly grinding in MMORPGs with her party.

“I get your desire to improve,” Lao Lin said, watching her prepare to fight again. “But at this rate, your human body might break down before you do.”

“Cough… I’m fine. I’ll head back in a bit.”

As she spoke, Tidal casually fired a magic beam. A creature fell from the ceiling, dissolving into magic particles.

“Amazing… you’ve already reached this level?”

Lao Lin could clearly see Tidal’s control over her magic improving at an astonishing rate. In just two weeks, she’d reached a skill level far beyond Leaf class.

For example, earlier, she’d only activated the magic barrier in a tiny area—only where the attack landed. That kind of precision was far harder than shielding her entire body. And whereas Tidal’s attacks used to be brute-force barrages, she now precisely regulated output—conserving both stamina and magic.

“It’s not enough.”

Tidal replied.

“I have a bad feeling… this calm won’t last much longer.”

“You’re just pessimistic. At your current level, outside the wild zones, I don’t even know what could threaten you,” Lao Lin said.

“Maybe. But I’ve been through bad things… I know how fragile life is. Like a kite’s string—breaks the moment you look away.”

Tidal looked up. Concrete and tangled metal pipes blocked the sky.

“Come to think of it… we’ve never really talked about your past,” Lao Lin said.

“My past? What about it?” Tidal asked, puzzled.

“I’m really grateful I could contract with a reliable adult like you,” Lao Lin began. “I shouldn’t pry. But… I’m curious. Did something special happen to you? In other words—what’s the source of your power?”

“Something special…”

As she searched for more aberrations, Tidal reflected on her memories.

“Nothing comes to mind. I’m just an ordinary person. If anything… after my sister’s accident, I fell into a depression. I spent days in my room researching how to fight aberrations. I even followed Convict Conditioning videos to build strength and stamina. Does that count?”

“Probably not related,” Lao Lin said.

“Yeah,” Tidal chuckled. “What about you? Did you know any magical girls before?”

“No. The first time I saw one in real life was in middle school. On my way home, I watched a battle from a distance. I wasn’t involved—just an observer.”

“Now that I think about it… back then, I dreamed of being a scientist, a president, a CEO… never imagined…”

Here, Tidal glanced down at her small, feminine body and outfit, feeling a wave of irony.

“Isn’t it great? Every boy dreams of being a superhero or savior at some point, right?”

“Even if the form’s a little off, you’ve basically achieved that dream. Hero of the city—Magical Girl Tidal… hehe,” Lao Lin teased.

“Shut up. Do you have any idea how much mental effort it took to get used to this body?” Tidal shot him a glare.

“No need to overthink it. You told Raging Flame once, didn’t you? Power is just power.”

“If only it were that simple,” Tidal sighed.

“When I’m in this form, my thoughts… they feel different. I don’t know… is it because the body is female, so I’ve become more emotional?”

She thought of that night—comforting Raging Flame.

As You Dong, he probably wouldn’t have noticed his niece’s subtle emotions. He wouldn’t have patted her head. And she never would’ve acted so vulnerable with him.

“Just psychological,” Lao Lin explained.

“I wish it were.”

As they talked, they continued searching the labyrinthine tunnels. Soon, under orange-yellow lights, a ladder came into view—another exit.

“Call it a night?” Lao Lin asked.

“Fine,” Tidal agreed.

Emerging from the sewer, she scanned the area. Something about the surroundings felt familiar—like she’d been here recently.

She pulled out her phone. Sure enough, they were near the apartment complex where Raging Flame’s app had detected the Nightmare Fiend days ago.

Back then, Lao Lin’s call had interrupted them before they could investigate. Though she’d assumed it was a false alarm, Tidal mentioned it now.

“Really? That happened?”

“Do you think it was just a glitch?” Tidal pressed.

“I can’t say for sure. Even if the Nightmare Fiend was here, it’s probably moved on by now.”

After a pause, Tidal hesitated. But out of caution, she made her decision.

“…Let’s check it out. Maybe we’ll find a clue.”