The Seiya Legacy

“Watch Squad, are you in position?”

On the rooftop of the tallest house within a residential area, four silhouettes of young women could be faintly discerned against the backdrop of the starry sky and the bright moon. Nelly, as the team leader, bore the responsibility of communicating with headquarters. She picked up her phone, responding with a serious tone, “We are in position, including Magical Girl Seiya.”

‘Seiya? Were they referring to me?’ Chloe heard this designation from someone else for the first time, and it felt rather… chuunibyou-esque. ‘Shouldn’t I have chosen my own nickname?’ Still, she didn’t particularly dislike the name.

“Well done. I thought it would take more time.”

“With Magic Sword absent, this task wouldn’t be hard to manage.”

“Returning to the mission, Black Blade, please report the current situation.”

“Currently, no traces of demons have been observed. We are continuing our surveillance.”

“Alright then. Once the target is located, there’s no need to report; simply eliminate it directly. The target’s potential appearance area spans the entire residential district, so extensive reconnaissance is required.”

“Understood.”

Nelly put away her phone, crouching on the high-quality, ornamental tiled roof of the house. The smooth, glazed surface made it difficult to find stable footing.

“This is a wealthy district, teeming with surveillance cameras. Based on past experience, demons rarely appear here,” Izha calmly offered this insight, her voice ethereal and clear, like that of a mysterious sprite.

“Demons that deviate from common experience only highlight their unique nature; we must proceed with caution. Jujutsu, have you set up your detection magic?”

“It’s all set. So far, there’s nothing out of the ordinary.”

“In that case…” Nelly lowered her head, contemplating for a moment, then gazed at the distant, dense city lights before turning to Chloe. “Seiya, you possess secret reconnaissance techniques. If possible, please help us search for demons.”

‘Huh? How did the captain know…’ Chloe wondered. ‘I had only ever used that secret art in front of Tia, so why would Nelly be aware of it?’

Upon hearing their captain’s suggestion, Izha and Aurora’s expressions shifted subtly. They looked at their new blonde teammate with eyes that held a complex mix of emotions and nostalgia. ‘Because Yilan could do it too… Never mind, let’s not dwell on old memories.’

“Do your best. Although your Tier One magic might not achieve exceptional results, every bit of strength helps.” Nelly walked up to Chloe, gently stroking the soft skin beneath her amber eyes with a light smile. “I believe you can do just as well as she did.”

“I’ll do my best!”

Chloe ascended to the highest point, concentrating her magic into her eyes. Her golden pupils shimmered with light, and moments later, she once again manifested her previous out-of-body ability. While its initial use had felt unfamiliar and somewhat restrained, now the entire residential area lay open before her eyes.

Various energy fluctuations emanated from countless corners, most of them merely the reactions of ordinary people. Beyond that, Chloe could also perceive the vast magical energy emanating from Izha, the blue-haired young woman beside her. Pure blue energy enveloped the entire sky, constantly sensing for any potential abnormal fluctuations.

‘With such formidable abilities, was my seemingly insignificant detection power truly necessary?’

Perhaps because the wealthy residents had, through various channels, gained some knowledge of the magical world, a certain rule often prevailed in affluent districts: no aimless wandering outside at night. Consequently, despite the area’s dense population, virtually no one could be seen on the streets.

Chloe traversed street after street. At times, she would detect a rapidly moving life source, only to discover upon closer inspection that it was merely a mouse or a cat. There were no anomalies; everything within her sight was merely the orange-yellow glow of normal life sources.

‘What about the sewers?’

That place was utterly disgusting; even Chloe, currently not in her physical form, had to find a way to avoid the debris. She didn’t even want to enter, yet such places were indeed ideal for demons to hide.

She took a deep breath of fresh air, though in her current state, she wouldn’t actually be affected by pollution. Metaphorically pinching her nose, Chloe plunged into the various drains. Dead leaves, food scraps, and animal carcasses mingled with stagnant water, forming unidentifiable clumps of matter clinging to every surface.

Some animals seemed to possess a peculiar sensory ability. Various insects and small mammals would inexplicably scurry away as Chloe approached, occasionally startling her.

This sensory state, however, came with a drawback. As it was a mental form of detection, her perception of the atmosphere was heightened, making her more susceptible to the psychological impact of terrifying scenes. Should she truly detect a demon, she would directly experience the horror of its twisted, vile spiritual entity. Furthermore, this terror would intensify dramatically as her spirit gradually fatigued. If her willpower proved insufficient, she would quickly become unable to withstand the immense pressure.

With her spirit taut, Chloe scoured the underground. She felt like a rat in a gutter, experiencing the world from an entirely new perspective.

Meanwhile, high above, her physical body endured the torment of the mental backlash. The pounding of her heart was almost audible to those nearby, and sweat streamed down her neck and back.

‘Was she pushing herself too hard?’

From the very beginning, Nelly had been closely observing Chloe’s physical condition. Seeing the situation, she was about to rouse her. A battle was likely imminent, and exhausting her energy now would be an unwise choice. Allowing Chloe to do this was primarily to train her abilities and give her a greater sense of involvement, helping her feel like an integral part of the team. Having reached this point, it was nearly enough.

Suddenly, the girl opened her eyes. Those unique golden pupils exuded an exceptionally sacred aura, as if gazing directly into them would be an act of sacrilege, causing Nelly to freeze and retract her outstretched hand.

However, the girl’s eyes quickly grew weary. She coughed a few times, then spoke with a sense of disappointment, “I’ve searched every corner, but I couldn’t find any demons. Perhaps… my ability isn’t sufficient…”

“It’s alright, you’ve done wonderfully. I never expected you to achieve so much. Rest well and be ready for combat at all times; we’ll leave the rest to Jujutsu.”

‘Phew…’ Calming her inner turmoil, Chloe relaxed and sat on the rooftop, finding immediate solace as she gazed at the stars scattered across the night sky. Stars, in truth, were merely distant spheres of light. Yet, throughout history, they had been imbued with countless meanings, solely because of that tiny glimmer that seemed poised to vanish at any moment.

“Captain, how are everyone’s nicknames chosen?”

“Well, I don’t know either.”

“Even the captain doesn’t know? Not even their own?”

Nelly shook her head, then sat down beside Chloe, and together they watched the stars. “No, the nicknames for Magical Girls are passed down through generations. For instance, your name, Seiya, doesn’t exclusively belong to you; it once belonged to Yilan, and in the future, it will belong to someone else.”

“Until when will it belong to others?”

“Until the end of their life.”

“Moreover, Magical Girls do not have a natural lifespan; their only end is to die in battle.”

“Ah, how wonderful.”

Upon hearing this response, Nelly cast a surprised glance at the blonde child.

“Captain, why can we see the stars here? We can’t see them anywhere else.”

“This…” Nelly also fell into confusion. Suddenly, an alarm blared in her mind.

‘It couldn’t be…’