The Mutation of the Giant Monster (3)

“If you have no will to fight… why are you even here?”

After several exchanges, Tsukishake had lost the initial fervor she’d felt facing such a powerful foe.

In many ways, her intuition mirrored Mieni’s. Both had sensed something similar in their battles.

This octopus aberration wasn’t just lacking combat instinct—it was broken.

Like a puppy napping in its doghouse, suddenly teleported—house and all—into a foreign land. Confused, terrified, unable to find its owner, it clings desperately to that one familiar thing: the doghouse. Even as people attack it, it refuses to leave.

The octopus was the same.

After toppling the Ferris wheel, it had claimed the wreckage as its nest. Even after relentless assaults from the military and magical girls—even after nearly all its tentacles were severed—it refused to budge.

From a behavioral standpoint, protecting this “nest” was its only source of security in an alien world.

When viewed like that… weren’t humans and magical girls just ganging up on a helpless creature?

Tsukishake almost laughed at the absurdity.

“Since this is a battle without honor… let’s end it quickly.”

Making her decision, Tsukishake began gathering magic. She would finish it with her strongest strike—a warrior’s final mercy.

As her power surged, the silver knight spirit behind her grew rapidly—expanding from three meters to over twenty in seconds.

Its happaha guard sword scaled accordingly, becoming a colossal blade over ten meters long. With a simple, devastating swing, it cleaved through the final tentacle at its base.

“Everyone’s so amazing…”

Watching the veterans’ battle, Raging Flame and Huang Xing felt awestruck.

Yes, Senior Tidal was the strongest in their hearts. But they knew her style was beyond imitation.

Instead, these seniors—fighting with such ingenuity and precision—were far more inspiring to learn from.

“We need to dig deeper into our soul weapons’ potential…”

Huang Xing glanced down at her bow, then turned to Raging Flame.

“To get stronger, we need to develop our own techniques—just like them.”

“Yeah!” Raging Flame nodded firmly.

She still gazed into the distance, eyes burning with determination, body thrumming with energy.

“The Fifth Ring can’t fall behind! Let’s go!”

She raised her greatsword, ready to charge the last tentacle.

“Don’t go, you idiot!”

Huang Xing yanked her back by the collar.

“What?!” Raging Flame snapped.

“I mean, seeing how strong the seniors are… doesn’t it make you want to see what you can do? I wanna test my limits!”

“You?” Huang Xing scoffed, face reddening slightly. “Besides wild swings, what else can you even do?”

Raging Flame shook her head.

“Not yet.”

“But… I’ve got you, right?”

“Huh? What are you saying, weirdo?” Huang Xing’s cheeks flushed darker.

“The last fight proved it—we can beat stronger enemies if we work together, right?” Raging Flame said, staring intently.

Huang Xing looked away, flustered.

“Oh… that’s what you meant.”

“What what?”

“That you’re an idiot,” Raging Flame muttered, rolling her eyes.

“Why do you keep calling me names?!”

Raging Flame gasped, waving her off.

“You’re still mad about that day at noon, aren’t you? Did I say something wrong?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

Huang Xing decided arguing was pointless and gave up.

At that moment, the other seniors regrouped.

“Great job, everyone.”

Frosttail surveyed the octopus—now reduced to a mangled, limbless husk—and smiled.

“This way, even if we can’t eliminate it immediately, we’ve neutralized its threat.”

“Captain, it was way weaker than expected,” Violet Lightning said.

“If I’d known, I’d have aimed for the core from the start.”

But two voices immediately objected.

“I think something’s off. It seemed—”
“It’s not about strength. It’s—”

Mieni and Tsukishake exchanged glances. Tsukishake gestured politely.

“It’s definitely strange. This incident feels… deeper than it looks,” Mieni said, adjusting her glasses, expression grave.

“Pfft. So what?” Nikkou sneered. “Who cares about secrets? The strongest monster here is half-dead. Now—”

Her eyes gleamed with greed—already imagining the A-rank mana crystal within reach.

“—Don’t go, Sister.”

Tsukishake grabbed her arm just as Nikkou prepared to dive.

“…Something’s wrong.”

At that moment, all the magical girls noticed the bizarre change.

The octopus’s color shifted—its dull red-brown rapidly transforming into a vivid, glossy crimson.

It reminded Violet Lightning of a cooked crab.

“Wait… is it done?” she joked.

But as the words left her mouth—

BOOM!

A violent sound erupted from the creature. Then, scalding steam exploded upward—over a hundred meters high.

“Wah!”

The magical girls scattered midair.

“Ow!”

Too slow to react, Raging Flame’s arm was seared red, skin blistering instantly.

As the white vapor faded, they cautiously looked toward the ground.

Then—THUD!

The octopus’s round head split open from within. Flesh and bone flew outward, leaving a circular wound dozens of meters wide.

The creature collapsed—lifeless. From the wound, thick blue blood and white fluid poured out, steaming, reeking of rotting fish. The girls turned away or covered their noses in disgust.

“…Look. What is that?”

Frosttail’s voice drew their attention back.

From the drained wound, a bright red tendril emerged—thick as a person, writhing like a worm before going still.

Before anyone could process it—

The tendril convulsed violently. From its tip, it spat out a pale, cloth-wrapped figure.

“Is that… a human?”

Mieni, with the sharpest eyes, was the first to see.

The tendril had expelled a girl in a light brown cloak.