The Unforeseen Absorption

“You… you brute… release Magical Girl Biyu at once!”

Witnessing her comrade’s predicament, ensnared and toyed with by the jellyfish girl’s tentacles, Magical Girl Akahoshi found herself unable to remain a passive observer, her voice ringing out with righteous indignation as she reprimanded the enigmatic girl.

Yet, the jellyfish girl had no intention of heeding Akahoshi’s words; in her perception, only one individual possessed the authority to command her—her master, Yue Ling.

“So noisy…”

The jellyfish girl murmured to herself, a flicker of impatience unexpectedly gracing her youthful features. With a swift motion, she coiled her tentacles around two nearby sedans, then flung them unceremoniously towards Akahoshi’s position.

Confronted by the incoming projectiles, Akahoshi promptly evaded, narrowly escaping being crushed by the vehicles.

‘This creature’s tentacles… what immense strength they possess, capable of effortlessly lifting automobiles. No wonder it so easily shattered Magical Girl Biyu’s [Jade Guardian] earlier, but…’

“Hey! Stop casually tossing other people’s cars! Those are valuable private property!”

Having skillfully dodged the jellyfish girl’s assault, Akahoshi aimed her magic wand at her, launching into a fervent accusation.

‘Akahoshi, that one… her first instinct after dodging an attack isn’t to retaliate, but to scold? Is this truly the mark of a Magical Girl whose sense of justice is off the charts…?’ Yue Ling sighed at Akahoshi’s display, simultaneously shifting her gaze to where the jellyfish girl held Biyu captive.

By now, Biyu’s face was flushed crimson, her eyes slowly losing their sparkle, transforming into an expression that was… a curious blend of fear and pleasure. This sight made it difficult for Yue Ling not to wonder if Biyu harbored some peculiar predilection.

‘Well then… if that’s the case, let the little one hand her over to me. I’ll take a turn at ‘disciplining’ her, allowing the little one to focus entirely on Magical Girl Akahoshi.’

“Hey, little one! Hand over the green one to me; you focus solely on the red one.”

Upon receiving Yue Ling’s directive, the jellyfish girl obediently nodded, then slowly unwound the tentacles ensnaring Biyu, transferring her onto the silk threads Yue Ling had extended.

“Wait! Release Biyu! [Energy Explosion! Scarlet Impact!]”

Akahoshi unleashed that potent energy beam of immense destructive power once more. Enhanced by Biyu’s prior [Spirit Jade Blessing], the [Scarlet Impact] she launched this time was undeniably far more formidable than its predecessor. The sheer intensity of that oppressive power… was enough to rouse even Maositog, observing from the sidelines, into a state of exhilaration.

‘Such immense power! Yes… precisely! This is the true essence of the Magical Girls I encountered in my own fighting days!’

While Maositog brimmed with excitement, Yue Ling, in contrast, harbored a growing unease.

‘Such devastating power… it feels as though it could level an entire city block. Can the little one truly contend with it? Perhaps… perhaps I should swiftly pull her back!’

Having delivered Biyu to Yue Ling, the jellyfish girl turned her attention to confronting Akahoshi. As Akahoshi chanted her incantation, the jellyfish girl seemingly sensed the looming threat posed by such immense power, prompting her to extend a visibly thicker tentacle. At the base of the tentacle, a nozzle-like opening became apparent. Under the jellyfish girl’s precise control, the tentacle rapidly expelled a colossal, iridescent bubble. From its appearance… it seemed she intended to use this ethereal sphere to intercept Akahoshi’s [Scarlet Impact].

As the formidable energy beam hurtled forward, the colossal bubble drifted perfectly into position directly before the jellyfish girl. By all accounts, given the sheer force of the [Scarlet Impact], this bubble should have instantly disintegrated, and the jellyfish girl herself would undoubtedly have been obliterated on the spot. Yet, reality defied expectation: the bubble behaved akin to a black hole, not only flawlessly absorbing Akahoshi’s [Scarlet Impact] but also rapidly expanding in volume. It eventually surpassed the height of nearby buildings by a meter or two, appearing to blot out the very sky.

“Hah, truly a magnificent sight… Could it be… that the bubble this little one conjures possesses the ability to absorb magical damage? What an unexpected treasure I’ve stumbled upon~” Yue Ling shielded her eyes from the sun, gazing at the gargantuan bubble that dwarfed the surrounding buildings, and uttered her observation. Then, her eyes drifted to Biyu, who lay beside her, bound tightly by silk threads, her senses still reeling from the recent tentacle embrace. A smile, tinged with wicked charm, curved Yue Ling’s lips.

‘What delightful games shall we play next, I wonder~’

Meanwhile, Akahoshi’s situation was entirely different.

“Eh? Wait… what in the world… what is happening?!”

Staring at the massive bubble that had abruptly ballooned before her, Akahoshi was visibly bewildered. Moments ago, that bubble appeared no larger than a person, yet now it towered above the surrounding buildings?!

‘No, that’s not the critical issue. This bubble… it completely devoured my enhanced [Scarlet Impact]! How is that even possible? None of the Abyssal Entities (TL Note: A type of monstrous entity, literally ‘obscure forms’ or ‘hidden shapes.’) I’ve encountered before have ever displayed such a feat!’

“Go…”

The jellyfish girl whispered, then opened her palm and gently nudged the air before her. In that instant, the colossal bubble seemed to acknowledge her command, beginning its inexorable advance. Despite knowing it was merely a bubble, Akahoshi’s intuition screamed that being enveloped by it would lead to dire consequences. She swiftly soared aside, narrowly avoiding its path.

The gargantuan bubble glided rapidly forward, indiscriminately absorbing everything it touched into its voluminous form: automobiles, streetlights, road signs, and even fragments of shattered buildings vanished within its depths. Concurrently, Akahoshi, whose senses were now heightened, observed that the engulfed cars and road signs… appeared to be undergoing rapid corrosion.

‘Could it be that the bubble possesses potent corrosive properties? If so… I absolutely must not be touched by it!’

“It appears… this Abyssal Entity’s bubble possesses the ability to absorb magical energy and expand its own volume.” Minita’s form materialized once more beside Akahoshi, launching into a solemn analysis of their predicament. Its sudden reappearance, naturally, drew Yue Ling’s keen attention.

‘That peculiar creature… it must be the enigmatic mascot that bestows power upon Magical Girls, mustn’t it? It has quite an intriguing appearance. One wonders if it’s the sort that seems harmless but secretly harbors malicious intent.’ Yue Ling scrutinized Minita for a moment, pondering, before shrugging her shoulders and murmuring to herself:

“Well, even if a grand conspiracy is truly afoot, it’s hardly my concern to meddle. Besides, given this world’s lore, Magical Girls are capable of absorbing human light. It wouldn’t be entirely improbable for them to eventually stage a spectacle of ‘Light Magical Girls standing triumphant upon the earth.’”

“Mmm! Mmm mmm!”

Just as Yue Ling was lost in her musings, Biyu, pinned beneath her, suddenly let out muffled sounds, appearing to have roused from her earlier dazed stupor.

“Oh my? Are you already lucid? Excellent, for… if you remained in that state, I would find no amusement whatsoever~” Yue Ling chuckled softly, her gaze now imbued with a fierce predatory intensity—a look Biyu had only ever encountered within the pages of her doujinshi.

‘This… this gaze, could it be… is this girl a yuri (TL Note: A Japanese term referring to lesbian relationships in fiction, often used more broadly to refer to a lesbian.)?! What am I to do, what am I to do? I haven’t read many yuri-themed doujinshi… What will she do next? Will she be… rough?’ Unlike her previous state of tension, where she had at least some psychological preparedness, Biyu now found herself utterly unequipped to predict the unfolding events, given her scant knowledge of yuri. Consequently, the flush on her face intensified, burning hotter than before.

Looking at Biyu’s adorable expression, Yue Ling couldn’t resist leaning down, using her own C-cup to brush against Biyu’s E-cup, which had already become visible through her tattered clothing. At the same time, Akahoshi continued to strategize with Minita on how to contend with the jellyfish girl.

“If… if her bubble can absorb magic, then the best way to deal with her is through form transformation.”

“Eh? But Biyu and I haven’t learned form transformation yet, have we?”

Akahoshi dodged the heavy objects hurled by the jellyfish girl while discussing countermeasures with Minita.

“Precisely, which means… we must find a way to bring Youlan here.”

“But Youlan isn’t under your jurisdiction, Minita, is she? If I recall correctly, the one who granted Magical Girl Youlan her powers was… Taratas?”

“It’s fine, I’ll notify her. For now, simply keep this Abyssal Entity occupied.”

“Oh, oh, alright! I’ll definitely keep her occupied!”

With instructions relayed, Minita vanished from Akahoshi’s sight in an instant, presumably to inform Magical Girl Youlan.

Unfortunately, Yue Ling had not overheard Minita and Akahoshi’s conversation; she remained on the rooftop, engaging in her own ‘battle of the bulges’ with Biyu.

‘Hehe… large mounds are indeed soft, a sensation clearly perceptible even through leather and underwear. Still, such things are best appreciated on others; if they were on me, movement would surely be quite inconvenient.’ Yue Ling savored the soft, pliant sensation while admiring Biyu’s expressions. It must be said, Biyu was truly rather peculiar; despite being incredibly timid, there was a clear sense of anticipation emanating from her.

‘Hmm… could it be… she’s the type who’s easily ‘conquered’ and ‘developed’?’ At this thought, Yue Ling couldn’t help but let out a mischievous chuckle.

‘In that case… being a little bolder shouldn’t hurt, should it?’

“'[Energy Release ★ Phantom Butterfly Slash]’”

Just as Yue Ling was about to let her hand wander to some rather curious places, a translucent, pale blue butterfly, shimmering with luminescence, suddenly materialized before her eyes. Mesmerizing though the butterfly appeared, Yue Ling’s instincts screamed for immediate evasion. The very next second after Yue Ling spotted the butterfly, it instantly transformed into a sharp, crescent-shaped blade that shot towards her. Yue Ling swiftly dodged, managing only to lose a few strands of hair to the attack.

‘This is… could it be… Magical Girl Youlan has arrived?’