The Underground City’s Rage and a Captain’s Reckoning

“Uh…”

Saint Lily rubbed her cheek. She was only just now catching up on the news, but how should she put it?

In the time it took to defeat a single calamity beast, her notifications had already soared past ninety-nine, and the internet was in an uproar. The sheer number of people tagging her was simply overwhelming.

This… this certainly garnered attention, didn’t it?

Saint Lily’s lips twitched. To be honest, she felt a flicker of fear. Hesitantly, she tugged on Red Spider Lily’s sleeve.

“Red Spider Lily, should we restart the livestream?”

“Hmm…” Red Spider Lily mused, “The objective should have been achieved. We can announce that we’re safe, and while the iron’s hot, explain that this is the ‘Underground City,’ what might happen here, and then…”

Boom!!!

A tremendous roar echoed, shaking the entire city.

When the tremors finally ceased, Red Spider Lily found herself, dazed, cradled in Saint Lily’s arms.

“Host, it’s the other way around, you know~” Su Xiaoqian deadpanned. “According to the normal script, Miss Lily should be the one in your arms.”

‘Is it my fault? Speaking of which, she seems to have a blessing that makes her immune to tremors, right? But did she cast it too quickly? I didn’t even see her move.’

Red Spider Lily thanked her and climbed out of Saint Lily’s embrace, still secretly pondering.

“Red Spider Lily, let’s quickly go check out where that sound came from!”

“Oh.”

Red Spider Lily was about to summon her motorcycle when a powerful force seized her. She was pulled into an embrace, then lifted in a princess carry.

“???”

“Red Spider Lily, flying is faster!”

“…Oh.”

( ´ﾟωﾟ)？

****

“As expected of Frost Snow Sovereign, to directly freeze space with ice!”

“Not just freeze it, but shatter it too!”

“Truly worthy of Sovereign!”

An Lan was accustomed to such praise. If it weren’t for the crowd’s adulation, the world around her would feel unnatural.

With a wave of her hand, she stepped into the fractured space, and indeed, another world unfolded before her eyes.

The ‘Underground City’ that had appeared empty in the livestream.

Hmm…

An Lan observed the earthen-yellow barriers rising around her, segmenting the area into distinct zones.

Then, the furious roars of calamity beasts reverberated through the space, as if announcing the wrath of its master.

An Lan’s lips curved into an arc.

Indeed, her guess was correct!

This was a trap specially laid for her, and also her stage for the hunt.

How exciting—a contest between hunter and prey?

And Su Mo, within this, are you the hunter? Or the prey?

****

[Su Xiaoqian: Host, that last tremor made the ‘Underground City Core’ sense danger, activating the ‘Underground City’s’ automatic defense mechanism.]

[Red Spider Lily: Eh?]

[Su Xiaoqian: Good news, it won’t accumulate power and rise to cover the city anymore. Bad news, it’s going to trap all intruders to the death. That means the core must be destroyed.]

[Red Spider Lily: (๑•̌.•̑๑)ˀ̣ˀ̣]

[Red Spider Lily: So we still have to destroy the core in the end? What did I even come here for? Which idiot did this, anyway?]

****

…………………………A Divide in Time～………………………..

Saint Lily was also startled by the sudden change.

Upon hearing Red Spider Lily’s explanation, she couldn’t help but rub her face.

“Rescue has arrived, but does that mean we’re truly trapped?”

She looked down at the city, now partitioned into various zones by several barriers. She felt a pressure on her shoulder, but by the time she paid attention, it was gone.

It must have been the ‘Air Restriction’ from the Underground City, but her Bird’s Blessing had granted an exemption.

Saint Lily glanced left and right, observing the black dots below. Those must be people. With a thought, she flew like a bird towards that spot.

****

White Rose and the other two magical girls, unable to fly due to the ‘Air Restriction,’ found themselves on the defensive against the calamity beasts attacking from all sides.

Meanwhile, Miss Dandelion, who had been advancing alone, showed no inclination to assist them. Her only means of attack were the floating cannons deployed by her Dandelion Babies, but…

They were everywhere now.

The sheer number of them was enough to cause a qualitative change.

A few calamity beasts, disbelieving, lunged at her. Miss Dandelion neither dodged nor retreated. The world-weariness in her eyes deepened, showing no mercy to these obstructors. In an instant, dozens of light-beam floating cannons erupted, delivering a ‘Vlad the Impaler’s Special Feast’ that shattered them into oblivion.

*Saint, where are you exactly?*

*Are you safe right now?*

*Red Spider Lily, only at times like this do I find you slightly less annoying when you’re by Saint’s side.*

“Dandelion, help us!” Hyacinth cried out. Having lost their aerial advantage, they struggled to coordinate against the agile enemies, finding even simple teamwork difficult to achieve.

“……” Miss Dandelion looked at them, a frown creasing her brow. She was somewhat hesitant. Saint hadn’t completely given up on them. If they asked for help and she stood by, would it affect…

“Hyacinth, we don’t need her help! It’s just a few calamity beasts!” White Rose, however, declared with an arrogant expression. But before she could finish her sentence, Miss Dandelion immediately turned and left, moving swiftly without the slightest hesitation, as if fleeing a plague god.

“……”

White Rose’s mouth hung open, and a chilling aura emanated from her body.

“Wait, White Rose, Redbud and I are still…”

White rose petals rapidly bloomed. Several mountain cat-type calamity beasts were quickly covered in white frost, frozen solid, and then fell to the ground.

Hyacinth and Redbud, standing close to her, also had their Flower Seal Shields passively activated. However, they shattered in an instant, frost crystallizing their hair and coiling around their arms.

Redbud was so terrified she nearly screamed. Two Dandelion Babies suddenly popped up, appearing before them.

“Mee~”

Miss Dandelion watched as the Dandelion Babies burst forth with a white fluffy barrier, inwardly cursing the hooligan.

Though she had guided them, for her to feel such discomfort, White Rose was definitely the first. What right did such a person have to become a Flower Seed Maiden?

However…

She still had to help them.

Don’t misunderstand, she held no particular affection for these individuals. It was simply because Saint had arrived.

Lily petals unfurled. Redbud and Hyacinth felt a warmth surge through their bodies, and the cold receded.

‘Blessing of the Spring Breeze’

This blessing exempted them from the ‘Frozen’ status and increased their ice resistance and tenacity.

Saint Lily descended from the sky, gently setting Red Spider Lily down. She observed the somewhat chaotic scene.

She walked over to Miss Dandelion.

“Dandelion, why are you here? Is it because of me?”

“Yes, Lily, it’s wonderful that you’re alright.” Dandelion clasped Saint Lily’s hand, her smile much more genuine. As for Red Spider Lily nearby, Dandelion’s gaze lingered for less than a second before moving away.

“……” Red Spider Lily shrugged. It was all so obvious now. Though this was a reunion between best friends, she had no intention of getting involved anyway.

“Dandelion, what’s going on with them?”

“I don’t know, and who cares? I quit the team, just like you.”

“Eh? Eh?!”

“White Rose wouldn’t let me save you, saying if I did, she’d quit the team! So I just let her be~” Miss Dandelion immediately tattled, finally able to vent some of her earlier frustration.

“Ah…” Saint Lily listened, her eyes turning towards the three individuals whose vision had now cleared.

“Saint Lily…” White Rose saw Saint Lily and, after a moment of surprise, adopted an arrogant expression. “What? You’re not dead! Hmph, don’t think we came because of you. It’s only because Frost Snow Sovereign is here that I came. You’re completely unimportant! But if you…”

“Stop talking.” Saint Lily calmly interrupted. “I know I’m not important, but I hope that as a captain, you understand the importance of your teammates.”

“They were in danger because of you, and your first thought was to mock others?”

“……” White Rose froze for a moment, then looked at the two behind her before an unfiltered remark escaped her lips. “It’s not like…”

“White Rose!” Saint Lily sharply rebuked. “Is this how little you care for those who chose you?”

“A person who cannot treat those who like them, those who recognize them, those who admire them, with sincerity, will never become popular.” Saint Lily looked at her. “I told you that, didn’t I!”

“If Dandelion and I hadn’t intervened in time, what do you think would have happened? Did you consider that?”

“I…”

“I don’t want to lecture you in this environment. Apologize to them.” Saint Lily stated.

“You lost to me, why should I…” White Rose instinctively retorted.

“A ‘strong one’ who lacks the courage to admit their own mistakes, a ‘strong one’ who cannot bear their own responsibilities, a ‘strong one’ who only knows how to constantly evade and demand concessions from others.”

“Is this the kind of ‘strong one’ you aspire to be, White Rose?”

“I…”

“Saint Lily, White Rose didn’t mean any harm, she just…” Hyacinth interjected.

“Hyacinth, you cannot represent White Rose’s thoughts, nor should you disregard Redbud’s wishes.” Saint Lily looked at her.

“……”

“Hyacinth, Redbud… I… I was wrong.” White Rose spoke. She looked at Saint Lily, bit her lip, then turned her head away. “Saint Lily, I hate you, but I was indeed wrong about this.”

“……” Saint Lily smiled.

“Hyacinth, Redbud, I’m sorry. I was wrong about this. I shouldn’t have let my head get heated and ignored your feelings. It was my mistake. Can you forgive me?”

****

Saint Lily turned. “Red Spider Lily, Dandelion, let’s go look somewhere else~”