Epilogue- Want to Become Stronger (4)

The moment Tidal saw the Sky Being, a black flame ignited in her chest.

It was a monster she’d once locked in a room—nurtured with sorrow and hatred. But over the years, to care for You Xi, to live as a normal adult… she’d pushed it into the shadows, buried it deep.

That was how Tidal—and You Dong—had managed to exist as an ordinary person.

Now, memories surged back.

Hatred set the monster free.

Kill you!
Kill you, kill you, kill you, kill you, KILL YOU!

Tidal unleashed magic in a single, searing burst—a [Field] phenomenon of unbearable heat.

The five Leaf-rank magical girls nearby couldn’t escape. All suffered burns.

“Is this midget insane?!”

Nikkou stared at her own blistered arm. When she looked back at Tidal—over ten meters away—she saw the blue figure charging headlong toward the enemy.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!”

As she rushed forward, Tidal fired multiple [Boost Shots]—recklessly draining her magic.

Rosetta, watching from the ground, frowned deeply.

She understood Tidal’s rage. But this wasn’t strategy. It was suicide.

“Listen. Calm down. This isn’t someone your mind can beat.”

Rosetta tried to amplify her voice with magic—reason with her.

But Tidal heard nothing.

“Heilou. What is this?”

Rosetta turned her sharp gaze on Heilou, who watched the battle with detached amusement.

“What? As you see, we’re… friends. A friend in need helps me. That’s all.”

“You know Huimei wouldn’t—”

“—Senior.”

Heilou cut her off, her playful expression vanishing. Now, she wore a face of cold contempt.

“Do you truly believe that’s the truth? There’s stupid, and then there’s willfully blind. Which are you?”

Rosetta had no answer. Her confidence wavered.

“I knew it.”

Heilou laughed bitterly.

“With your connections, your power—you couldn’t be ignorant. Yet you chose denial. To avoid pain, you’d rather live a lie?”

She paused, her expression softening—almost sad.

“Saint Daphne told me you were her dearest friend. But in the end… perhaps that was only her belief.”

“Heilou…”

Rosetta’s voice faltered—guilt stripping her of authority.

“Sometimes… knowing the truth brings more suffering than peace.”

“A weak excuse. Fitting for your [Holy Maiden Domain].”

With one last scornful look, Heilou turned away. Her attention returned to the battle above.

In the blue expanse, white and blue light clashed violently.

Every collision sent shockwaves rippling through dozens of kilometers of sky—winds like natural disasters.

Raging Flame tried again and again to join—but each time, the pressure hurled her back, slamming her into the ground.

Her hatred for the Sky Being rivaled Tidal’s—perhaps even exceeded it.

Yet now, burning for revenge, she couldn’t even participate.

Helpless. Powerless.

The humiliation boiled over.

“Damn it!”

She punched the concrete ground—pouring all her frustration into the blow.

BOOM!

A simple kick—yet when it struck Tidal’s barrier, the air exploded.

Tidal’s blue shield turned translucent—on the verge of shattering. The force jolted her organs, sending blood flooding into her mouth.

As she gasped for breath, a deep, commanding male voice echoed:

“Have you regained some clarity, nameless Flower Heir?”

“Who—?”

Even asking felt foolish.

Who else could speak in this sky but her mortal enemy?

“Shut up. I will kill you.”

Tidal glared at the Sky Being, her once-clear blue eyes now murky amber—clouded by hate.

“I’ll avenge my sister.”

“Hmph. Your hatred has consumed your reason. I have no interest in feral beasts. So—”

The Sky Being spread its vast wings—ascending higher.

“Stop!”

Tidal gave chase at top speed.

But within seconds, the gap widened. The Sky Being became a distant speck—then vanished entirely.

Worse—altitude stole her breath. Magic drained faster and faster.

She knew continuing could kill her.

But she didn’t care.

The monster inside was loose. Reason was ash.

As long as there was a chance to kill, she’d bite down like a starving wolf—never letting go.

Sshhh… sshhh…

Her lungs rattled like broken bellows.

Maybe I’ll explode any second…

For a fleeting moment, she felt death near.

At least…

She raised her magic wand toward the tiny black dot above.

All remaining magic flooded into the colorless crystal. She forced [Boost Shot]—pushing power beyond limits.

The crystal flared orange-yellow—

Then, like a gun [misfiring], unstable magic exploded inside the crystal.

Overpressurized. Uncontrolled.

KABOOOOM!

Black smoke billowed like a storm cloud.

“What happened?!”

Everyone stared upward.

Then—

A single pixel-sized blue figure tore through the smoke.

Falling.

Straight toward the earth.