Intuition and the Secret Art

The car drove to the vicinity of an abandoned construction project on the city’s outskirts. A parched riverbed, land eroded by solidified cement and sand, this place felt as though the entire world had cast it aside. A desolate wind howled through, much like an aged, wounded elder tending to their mud-caked wounds in the shadows.

“Had you investigated beforehand, then, to know there were monsters here?”

Chloe hopped out of the car, her small leather shoes kicking up a cloud of dust.

“No, I merely had a feeling there would be monsters here.”

“A hunch?”

“Precisely… Don’t look at me like that; are you implying I went too easy on you yesterday?”

“If I were to toss a bone, would you fetch it?” Chloe remarked teasingly, picking up a twig from the ground and flinging it into the distance.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk~”

“…”

Tia’s fists clenched, veins throbbing visibly on her forehead. She was momentarily astonished by her newfound endurance, managing to resist the urge to strike Chloe despite such blatant provocation. Still, considering Chloe’s recovery speed was worse than an ordinary person’s, another beating would likely leave her bedridden for weeks. She would simply add this to the tally, intending to repay Chloe later in a manner that wouldn’t cause any serious injury.

“Listen closely, this isn’t mere guesswork; it’s born of experience. Monsters frequently choose to inhabit places that are both rarely visited by humans and instantly evoke negative feelings, such as this very spot, or sewers, old alleyways, and long-abandoned rooms… If you ever come across a place and think it would make an excellent hideout for a monster in some film or television show, then that location truly possesses that potential.”

Tia instructed earnestly, finally resembling a battle mentor rather than someone constantly plotting how to torment Chloe.

“Is this experience truly accurate? There are countless places like the ones you’ve described; are there really that many monsters?” Chloe voiced her skepticism, reasoning that if monsters inhabited such common locations, their existence would surely not remain unknown to the public.

“This experience doesn’t apply to ordinary people. Magical girls possess senses superior to common folk, and their intuition regarding monsters is remarkably precise.”

Tia pointed towards an unfinished building ahead, nothing more than a skeletal concrete frame.

“Try to sense it; are there monsters within that building?”

Chloe gazed in the direction indicated. The abandoned building had long been derelict, its concrete pillars overgrown with green foliage. Inside, it was pitch black, and faintly, as if from a distance, the low growl of a beast seemed to echo.

Concentrating intently, she focused her entire mind on perception, feeling the magic within her body stir to life, guiding her towards that direction. This was the first time Chloe had ever experienced such a sensation. She closed her eyes, yet in her mind’s eye, the scene she had just witnessed began to unfold, allowing her to move freely from a wandering perspective. This experience was utterly novel, akin to an out-of-body sensation, though in reality, it was merely the concretization of her sensory exploration.

Gradually, she delved deeper into the abandoned building. In the pervasive darkness, a faint thread seemed to pull her forward, finally reaching its end. Chloe looked up, and a pair of blood-red eyes abruptly punctuated the black backdrop.

“Ah!”

Startled, Chloe’s eyes snapped open, and she instinctively recoiled a step.

“I only asked you to sense it; why such an exaggerated reaction?” Tia watched Chloe, who was patting her chest to calm herself, with a puzzled expression. Wasn’t it just like listening for a sound or catching a scent? What was with this nightmare-like response?

“Hmph! I knew you were up to no good! Tell me, did you intentionally neglect to warn me that I’d perceive the monster at such close range!” Chloe’s eyes blazed with fury, her small canine teeth bared as she glared at Tia, determined to demand an explanation for her mental distress.

“What do you mean by perceiving a monster at close range? I don’t understand what you’re talking about. And besides, I only asked you to sense it. Why did you close your eyes?” Tia grew increasingly curious about Chloe’s account. She pressed further, “Did you see something peculiar?”

After truthfully recounting her strange experience, Chloe felt Tia’s gaze suddenly shift, filled with shock, bewilderment, and… a hint of nostalgia?

“Big Sister, you lost! I found five monsters, and you only found two. See? I told you, being strong doesn’t mean you’re skilled at everything!”

“You’re impressive, I’ll grant you that. But Yilan, how do you manage to perceive them so accurately every single time? Even I only get a vague, indistinct intuition.”

“Hmm… perhaps it’s because I’m an archer? Archers always have excellent eyesight, you know~ When I sense them, I can actually ‘fly’ over and see what’s inside! Though sometimes I get too close and get startled.”

“Is this… your unique ability?”

“Doctor Blanca said it’s called a Secret Art. She said some magical girls with high magic compatibility develop their own unique abilities. Speaking of which, Big Sister, what’s your Secret Art?”

“Ah, it seems Big Sister doesn’t have such an ability.”

“Liar! Big Sister, your magic compatibility is even higher than mine, how could you not have one!”

“How could Big Sister ever lie to Yilan? Yilan is Big Sister’s only family.”

“Why are you saying such sappy things again…? But, if Big Sister doesn’t have a Secret Art, does that mean I can help out when hunting monsters?”

“No! The monsters Big Sister hunts are all very dangerous; Yilan isn’t ready to handle them yet.”

“Oh, come on…”

Chloe had never believed anyone could fall asleep while standing, but now she did, for a living example stood right before her eyes.

“Hey? Wake up!”

And what’s more, she was sleeping with her eyes open.

Chloe bounced up and down, waving her hand before those purple eyes, attempting to rouse the ‘sleeping’ Tia.

“Ah, what is it?”

“I wouldn’t know~ Perhaps someone was too weak yet insisted on acting tough, and the next day they were so tired they could fall asleep standing.” Seeing Tia finally return to normal, Chloe scoffed, casually kicking pebbles nearby.

“Cough, cough… Don’t talk nonsense. I was just… lost in thought. Let’s continue the hunt.” Tia feigned a cough, her face flushing slightly, and spoke with an unusual stammer.

“Sigh…”

Chloe found a larger stone and leisurely settled onto it. “From my perception, that monster is quite extraordinary, far stronger than any I’ve faced before. It looks like you’ll have to deal with it yourself~”

“No! The fundamental purpose of this trip isn’t to hunt monsters, but to teach you how to protect yourself. While I could certainly handle it alone without any trouble, that would defeat the entire point.” Tia firmly objected, stepping forward to lift Chloe straight off her stone seat.

“But… can I truly be of help…?”

The brutal eyes she had seen during her perception earlier flashed in Chloe’s mind, and she nervously squeezed the paper wrapper of a candy in her hand.

“You can.”

Tia affirmed with conviction, her eyes filled with unwavering resolve.