This was a deadly mission.
Zhou Huanan was positioned in the city’s deserted outskirts, monitoring a light device. He waited for the opportune moment to activate it, knowing it would project Banjao’s colossal symbol into the sky, thereby luring Magical Girl Grey Moon, as the mission brief stated.
“A mission to lure Magical Girl Grey Moon,” they called it.
‘Any perceptive person knew the truth.’ If they genuinely intended to deal with Magical Girl Grey Moon, the logical strategy would be to confront her within the city, where an abundance of hostages would restrict her formidable abilities.
Yet, the mission site was deliberately chosen in a desolate area far outside the city. ‘Who, then, was this “luring” truly meant for, and what role would they play?’
“‘Oh, my dear Doctor…'”
Zhou Huanan gazed skyward, shaking his head with a wry smile. In his left hand, he held the activation button; in his right, his phone, displaying Liu Li’s last message—a now-expired transfer of 500,000.
‘Sorry…’ he thought. The young man had sent a simple “I love you” to the girl.
He then switched his phone screen to the collar’s control app. The moment a subordinate behind him gave the signal, “You’re good to go,” Zhou Huanan pressed the button.
He simultaneously deactivated the collar on Magical Girl Grey Moon. There had been an opportunity to enslave a Magical Girl, an outcome others would have eagerly sought, yet Zhou Huanan hesitated not at all.
With Liu Li currently unreachable, and his own life potentially at stake, his resolve was absolute.
‘If anyone could stop Magical Girl Violet, it was only Grey Moon.’
He thought of waiting for Magical Girl Violet to arrive. Even if she didn’t kill him, he might still be eliminated by a cunning Magical Girl. A shiver of amusement ran through him.
‘But to experience being bitten by Magical Girl Grey Moon… even if she killed him, it would be worth it!’
Zhou Huanan stood before the colossal Banjao hologram, towering over a hundred meters high.
He felt no regret whatsoever.
****
At Banjao’s base, inside the monitoring room, Magical Girl Violet was moments away from utterly defeating Emerald Magical Girl.
Berserker and Fortress, the two great demons, cheered wildly. However, just before Violet delivered the final blow, she suddenly caught sight of Banjao’s holographic icon appearing in the distance.
A look of painful struggle crossed her face. Ignoring Emerald Magical Girl, who was almost defenseless, Violet flew towards the Banjao icon.
Left alone, Emerald Magical Girl immediately collapsed, kneeling on the ground. Before the screen, one of the great demons utterly lost his composure.
“‘Isn’t this just—! This kind of game! A Magical Girl killing another Magical Girl, *that’s* the most interesting part, isn’t it?!'”
Berserker scratched his scalp, pointing at the screen where the scene had shifted, yelling at Zhou Huanan, who stood before the giant hologram.
“‘Hey! Sword King! Look! Banjao is executing a mission right now? A mission to lure Magical Girl Grey Moon?'”
“‘What game are they playing with me, you bastards!!'”
“‘These humans are so cunning! They’re clearly trying to lure Magical Girl Violet away from the city center. Doesn’t that mean the chance of a Magical Girl being killed is even lower?'”
“‘Humans! Utterly untrustworthy!!'”
Berserker ranted furiously in the room, claiming that humans were unreliable as allies, even to the Sword King. Fortress, who usually defended the Sword King, now nodded in agreement with Berserker’s assessment.
The Sword King simply rose, slinging the massive greatsword onto his back.
Just as Berserker and Fortress saw a glimmer of hope, believing the Sword King was finally coming around,
The Sword King looked at the screen, at Captain 19. He had a strong impression of this captain, recognizing him as a capable individual.
“‘I will go kill Magical Girl Violet.'”
“‘I cannot stand by and watch an ally be slaughtered.'”
“‘I’ve had enough,’ the Sword King declared, drawing his greatsword and preparing to leave.”
“‘Sword King!!!'”
No matter how Berserker and Fortress called out, they couldn’t stop the Sword King. He tore open the massive door and burst out, startling the waiting maids in the room.
Berserker and Fortress exchanged glances.
Fortress anxiously urged Berserker, knowing he was perhaps the only one who could catch the Sword King.
“‘Berserker, you’re the only one we can rely on now. We can’t let the other Magical Girls know we’re here.'”
“‘Do you think I don’t know that!!?'”
Berserker appeared even more agitated than Fortress. The Sword King was a demon who highly valued his allies.
While Berserker himself benefited from this trait, the Sword King frequently extended this alliance to individuals beyond just other great demons.
“‘Truly, utterly unreasonable!!'”
Berserker gnashed his teeth, glaring at the frightened maids in the room.
‘These mere humans are utterly insignificant, yet the Sword King simply cannot comprehend that.’
‘He even confidently uses the armor and weapons crafted for him by humans!’
Berserker vocally expressed his urgency, yet his mind remained calm. He verbally agreed to Fortress’s request to pursue the Sword King, but in reality, he was brimming with cunning ideas.
The Sword King, a Great Demon, had lived for nearly a thousand years. His title as Sword King was forged within the social circles of the great demons themselves.
Even among the great demons, he was an elite warrior. After coming to the human world, he had been unrivaled for eighty years, only suffering a single defeat more than two decades prior to the golden powerhouse among Magical Girls, Magical Girl Empress Yellow.
Beyond that, he had no other opponents, having definitively severed countless heads with his greatsword—the heads of countless Magical Girls.
If such a being was determined to act, no one could dissuade him. More important than the futile task of persuading the Sword King was the matter at hand.
Berserker glanced at the screen, where Emerald Magical Girl still lay unconscious, kneeling on the ground.
He grinned, then squeezed out through the now-shattered doorway.
‘Magical Girl blood… it’s been quite some time since I last tasted it.’
“‘Hm?'”
At that moment, Magical Girl Grey Moon was in a hotel room, carrying out the orders given to her.
No matter how fiercely the battle raged outside, Magical Girl Grey Moon was confined to her bed, her splendid, pristine gown spread around her.
She was like a princess kept as a caged bird in ancient times, wanting for nothing but unable to leave her room.
All she could do was gaze mournfully out the window, watching the world outside descend into chaos.
Just as her anxiety reached its peak, a crisp *click* echoed in the room.
Magical Girl Grey Moon’s collar fell from her neck. Grey Moon stared at the leather collar in her palm, a collar she had once fastened herself. Her pupils contracted, and she no longer held back.
Her high-heeled shoes struck the window frame, propelling her directly into the blue sky.
Having been constantly restrained by a limiter, Grey Moon was now free. With an additional core within her body providing virtually infinite magical power,
The sheer force of Magical Girl Grey Moon’s high-heeled kick against the window frame generated a massive shockwave. It nearly caused the entire hotel to collapse, and the sound was as deafening as an earthquake, leaving nearby residents with ringing ears as the sonic blast kicked up sand that blanketed half the street.
A silver light, like a soaring comet, streaked across the sky.
With just one glance, Grey Moon fixed her direction. The colossal Banjao holographic projection in the sky was unmistakable.
She didn’t understand why Zhou Huanan’s collar had mysteriously fallen from her neck. ‘Could it be a collar that automatically detaches after its master dies?’
The mere thought ignited a crimson glow in Magical Girl Grey Moon’s scarlet eyes. It wasn’t long before she reached the scene, spotting Zhou Huanan standing before the giant hologram.
She also saw Violet reaching out towards Zhou Huanan.
Even though her opponent was a Magical Girl—no, precisely *because* her opponent was a Magical Girl—Violet’s actions alarmed Grey Moon even more.
She paid no mind to the fully armored great demon who had arrived at the scene at the exact same moment. Grey Moon used her one and only Flash.
With her head bowed, Grey Moon appeared before Zhou Huanan, her small round shield raised. She simultaneously blocked Violet and parried a black greatsword that seemed to materialize from nowhere.
The tremendous sparks from the sword and shield collision flew towards Grey Moon’s delicate face. The impact left a rust-like, bloody scent on her usually docile features, and tiny scorched spots appeared on her silver hair.
She paid it no mind, her eyes glowing crimson.
With a backhand grab, Grey Moon reached out. She seized Violet, who wore a blush, had hearts in her eyes, and was still panting, directly by the face.
“‘What are you doing?'”
Grey Moon ignored the great demon wielding a greatsword, clad in full black plate armor. Instead, with a chilling, merciless tone that made one feel as if plunging into an ice cave, she gripped Violet tightly.
Her fingers, pressing into Violet’s bones, exerted immense force. Her right hand dropped, and a blood-stained demonic hand-axe materialized within her white lace glove.
Unlike its initial appearance, this axe was now more complete. Many of its sharp edges had softened into nascent flower buds, and its blade was perfectly honed.
A powerful surge of air erupted from Grey Moon’s feet, lifting the hem of her pristine gown. For a moment, even the Sword King, an elite great demon who had endured countless battles, dared not make a move against Grey Moon.
‘Such immense power—’
Even the semi-crazed Violet swallowed hard, recovering from her dazed infatuation. The hearts vanished from her eyes, replaced only by confusion.
She blinked in bewilderment, staring at Grey Moon, as if genuinely unaware why Grey Moon would obstruct her.
Then, in the next instant, Violet vanished from Grey Moon’s grasp using some unknown ability, reappearing on the ground a hundred meters away.
Grey Moon looked at her suddenly empty hand, realizing Violet hadn’t forcibly broken free with strength.
“‘Hmph.'”
Grey Moon, the Sword King, and Violet. The three of them stood on the field, forming a stable triangle. None made the first move, each waiting for the other two to reveal a weakness.
Zhou Huanan, standing behind Magical Girl Grey Moon’s petite form, swallowed hard. He had originally planned to activate his invisibility and make a getaway.
However, at some point, his hand had been taken by the Magical Girl’s left hand, which held the shield.
“‘Huh?'”
Zhou Huanan frowned, realizing something was amiss. He tried to pull his hand from Grey Moon’s grasp, but no matter how hard he struggled, the girl remained completely still, as if her feet were anchored with steel.
“‘No, listen to me!'”
Zhou Huanan was trapped, unable to break free from Grey Moon. Seeing this, Magical Girl Violet pouted, her anger flaring.
“‘You let him go!!!!'”