Money? Money!

Huoli was drenched in a sudden cold sweat. It was the same skill that had knocked her down with a single blow earlier—an attack that, despite her own full power, she couldn’t even compare to, let alone overcome. Now Gast was about to use it again! Even stronger and more dominant than the ultimate move he used on Huoli before! At this moment, Gast was unstoppable! Absolutely unstoppable!

[Magic Seal Eternal Rupture!!!!]

A terrifying sense of oppression surged, making Huoli’s face turn pale. Outside the scene, helpless police officers began to remove their hats, preparing for a moment of silence. Even the reporters’ limbs went limp, their breathing labored.

Unlike previous attacks that diffused energy, this strike achieved perfection in concentrating its power, channeling all its might into a single point.

From below, a ferocious, full-power blow was aimed at Magical Girl Xiaoxin in mid-air! Accompanied by a blinding flash and a violent explosion, everyone’s eyes were momentarily obscured, all chaotic sounds seemed to vanish instantly, and even the air itself vibrated! For a moment, it felt as if their hearts had stopped beating.

[CRACK] A splitting sound.

Reporter: “Alas, it seems the story of Magical Girl Xiaoxin will be cut short. Looks like that company will have new material for their comic next week.”

Huoli: “Damn it… she could have become an even better Magical Girl. I’m too weak!”

SWAT: “What should we do! Has backup still not arrived!”

Idol Hero: “Looks like there will be tears at the next press conference. Speaking of which, Magical Girl Xiaoxin was quite popular, wasn’t she? Crying then would be good for publicity, might even gain a large number of ‘refugee fans’!”

Gast: “Finally, it’s over.”

Once Magical Girl Xiaoxin was defeated, Gast would acquire immense magical power. Undoubtedly, the core of a Magical Girl capable of enduring so many previous attacks would contain an immeasurable amount of magic.

He surmised that not only would he meet the standard, but he would even exceed it. At that point, he would not only regain his youth but also claim the belt’s power as his own, perhaps even gaining strength beyond that.

‘Speaking of which, both peaks of my life were thanks to a belt.’

He recalled that if not for the belt handed to him by his companion, his mortal body might have been annihilated by that death-sentence level monster. Yet, it was the belt he acquired that day that truly granted him power and made him a hero.

A hero? Perhaps just a self-satisfied madman in a costume.

Only when his body could no longer support the old belt did he finally understand his failure. He had lost his family, lost his faith, and possessed nothing but loneliness.

But when the second belt came into his possession, he realized that fate had not abandoned him. He would once again gain power and become a hero.

‘But what kind of hero did I truly want to be?’

Why did he clench his fist?

Why did he pound his chest?

Why did he reply with a confident laugh?

In the cinema, Gast watched his past self on the screen, and the Gast in the film also looked out at him.

“Ow! That hurts!”

A familiar voice jolted him back to reality. In his now-clear vision, a foot rapidly grew larger.

“Damn!”

“I told you, that really hurts!”

With a powerful kick, directly to the face, the helmet was completely dented, then shattered.

‘Impossible, this is impossible!’

Everyone was stunned, not just Gast. All the spectators widened their eyes in disbelief.

Magical Girl Xiaoxin had not fallen! Even after taking a direct ultimate attack to her core, she remained completely unharmed. Grabbing the now-weakened demonic sword, Magical Girl Xiaoxin pulled with a hint of anger. She had only intended to disarm him, but it seemed she had pulled a bit too hard.

[CRACK!] The sword shattered. This time, everyone’s jaws dropped.

“My apologies.” He wasn’t sure if his opponent could hear him, but when he looked, his opponent had already been kicked down by him, crashing heavily to the ground.

He checked his own injuries. The core gem, most crucial for a Magical Girl, didn’t even have a scratch. Compared to Miss Huoli’s blade clash, where the residual blade aura alone had caused cracks in her core, his seemed a bit sturdier.

Was that something to be proud of? He wasn’t sure. With a “Heh-ho” he slowly landed, realizing that his previous kick had been even more ferocious, having actually embedded Gast into the ground, creating a crater even larger than the one he had made upon landing earlier.

It seemed quite painful. Gast’s entire armor was also ‘shattered.’ As his former idol, Magical Girl Xiaoxin ran over somewhat anxiously, pulling him out of the pit and helping him up.

“Are you alright?”

“What’s wrong with you!” Ignoring Magical Girl Xiaoxin’s concern, he slapped her hand away, stumbling back a few steps, attempting to create distance.

“Eh? I don’t think anything’s wrong with me. Although I wake early and sleep late every day, and never eat my fill, I do get three meals a day, and I have the good habit of running in the morning to exercise.”

If he could, he’d also love to casually go to a restaurant and enjoy a good meal—barbecue, buffet, or hotpot. Then, at night, a warm glass of milk before a good night’s sleep. But ultimately, money limited his imagination; even ordering an eight-yuan beef ramen felt like a luxury now.

‘Speaking of which, I really want some ramen.’

Ignoring Magical Girl Xiaoxin’s antics, Gast couldn’t help but look into the distance.

The rumble of tanks, the increasing number of helicopters in the sky, even military armored transport planes were ready. Reinforcement troops were arriving in a continuous stream, and rows of massive searchlights shone directly onto him, exposing his solitary figure in a blaze of white light.

“It seems you’ve lost your gamble, Gast,” Huoli stated bluntly.

“Lost? What do you mean?”

“It’s simple. The belt he’s using isn’t a legitimate product. While it possesses power exceeding a Level 5 belt, and can even self-repair armor and weapons, and activate multiple [Overclock Accelerations] and ultimate moves, these all come at a cost—the collected magical power.”

Recalling the magical energy factors specifically absorbed from destroying Magical Girls’ cores earlier, Magical Girl Xiaoxin seemed to understand a little. Gast’s focus on her core was probably partly to maximize destruction and absorb magic.

“Even using the [Essence-Plucking Demonic Sword] requires a huge amount of magical power. That’s why he didn’t use it immediately when facing me, estimating he could defeat me without it, but ended up heavily wounded and consuming a lot of magic. He estimated he could one-shot and destroy your core to absorb your magic, but not only was it ineffective, his own weapon and armor were almost destroyed by you.”

“…”

“You’ve lost, Gast! From the moment you attacked Magical Girl Xiaoxin, nothing has gone your way. That ultimate strike just now must have consumed a lot of your power. Perhaps you considered using your last remaining power to activate [Overclock Acceleration] to escape if that move failed, but you never imagined a mere counter-kick could inflict such a heavy blow. With the power you have left, let alone activating acceleration to escape, it’s probably difficult even to recover your body.”

“Yes, what a ridiculous and laughable performance. I thought I could use this opportunity to regain my glory, but who knew… My life, from beginning to end, has been a repetition of foolish clownish jokes.”

As he spoke, Gast placed his hand on his belt. The magic energy bar now showed less than 5% remaining. All he could do now was activate one last Overclock Acceleration to try and escape.

‘Can I escape? I don’t know.’

His armor was in poor condition; the heavy damage from Huoli’s ultimate move hadn’t fully recovered. Activating Overclock Acceleration with such a battered body might, at best, only damage the belt, or at worst, his body might not withstand the overload and he would die.

‘But what difference does it make?’

‘Without the belt, I am nothing but a pure failure, a ridiculous, pathetic old man.’

“Catch, Gast.”

The girl’s voice appeared, accompanied by a gust of blade energy. Even without looking directly, his hand instinctively rose, catching the object thrown to him.

“What are you doing, Magical Girl Xiaoxin!”

Huoli cried out in disbelief, but Magical Girl Xiaoxin paid her no mind.

It was the [Essence-Plucking Demonic Sword]! Just now, Magical Girl Xiaoxin had repaired the weapon with her magic and transferred a certain amount of magic, instantly restoring most of Gast’s damaged armor, and the sensation of pain immediately vanished.

Was she going to let her former idol escape?

No! At this moment, Magical Girl Xiaoxin, using her magic, created another weapon in her hand! It was not her usual magic wand, but Miss Huoli’s weapon—her [Heavenly Flame Sword]!

“What!?”

“What does this mean? Do you want me to turn back?”

“I do, but I don’t know how to guide others. Senior Gast is a hero, so let’s resolve this in this way.”

With a serious expression, Magical Girl Xiaoxin raised her sword, striking a familiar pose. In that instant, in Gast’s eyes, his past self seemed to merge with this slender girl.

‘Nonsense. I am no longer the hero called Gast.’

‘A long time ago, I understood… wealth is everything in this world. So-called power, authority, and status come hand-in-hand with wealth.’

‘No need to heed her actions, just escape. Since my armor has recovered, escaping with my remaining strength, aided by acceleration, will be easy.’

‘Yes, I know what kind of hero this world needs… an image that fits the public’s perception: kind, charming, handsome, and powerful. And what am I? What am I, exactly? I don’t know. Perhaps ‘survivor’ describes me more accurately. Certainly not a hero.’

‘But why am I stopping? Why am I holding my weapon and taking a fighting stance?’

A smile spread across his face, and the familiar posture returned to the old man.

‘Haha, it seems I’m also a fool after all.’

They fought! Both charged at each other, swords clashing! The old man with half his face revealed and the young girl clashed in the battered street. There were no set moves, no specific techniques. Huoli, who had studied swordsmanship, knew that neither of them had received professional training; instead, they recklessly swung their swords at each other, crude yet full of tension. There were no superfluous special effects or bursts of energy. The clash between the old and the young, set against the city backdrop and illuminated by countless searchlights, appeared incredibly fantastical.

[Clang! Clang! Ding-ding-ding!]

Blades flashed. Magical Girl Xiaoxin, who had initially been passively taking hits, now seemed possessed by a war god, dodging, parrying, attacking, retreating, blocking, thrusting—moving with fluid grace. Gast was equally formidable, yet even with the superhuman strength and speed granted by his armor, he couldn’t gain any advantage against Magical Girl Xiaoxin’s attacks.

Completely oblivious to their surroundings, neither paid any mind to the vast military forces gradually deploying, nor to the several specialized combat members with Level 5 belts who had already arrived.

At this point, even if Gast won, he couldn’t escape. His true identity was exposed, and the encirclement was complete. Yet, he continued to swing his sword without hesitation. A long-suppressed feeling surged within him.

Fight! Fight! Fight!!

Fifty or sixty rounds of sword clashes had passed without a clear victor, but now, their fighting spirit burned even brighter than before. Their force and speed continuously escalated, an dazzling exchange of attacks, neither giving an inch. Sparks flew constantly in the air. The spectators, initially gripped by panic and surprise, gradually became filled with anticipation.

A Magical Girl unaffected by the Essence-Plucking Demonic Sword, clashing evenly with a belt rider. No one had ever studied or paid much attention to Magical Girl Xiaoxin, but at this moment, these reporters and the businessmen behind them seemed to sniff out a business opportunity. More and more drones arrived to film, their myriad lenses dotting the sky like stars.

[Swish!] The blade grazed a strand of hair by his ear. He dodged with a slight tilt of his head, then mercilessly launched his own thrust.

Neither gave an inch. After the thrust proved fruitless, the exchange reverted to blocks and slashes. Even knowing the outcome, the battle itself thrilled the observers! The fight was no longer about killing, but about determining who possessed superior swordsmanship.

A long-lost sensation. For Gast, an evenly matched battle was a distant memory. As a hero, he had encountered many formidable monsters, often relying on cunning tactics. Battles fought purely on skill were rare, and engagements like this, involving a direct exchange of weapons, were even rarer.

His nerves were taut. A moment’s lapse in this fierce clash could lead to being suppressed and overwhelmed. And his soaring fighting spirit allowed an unbridled emotion to surge forth! He laughed—not the gentle smile of an old man, but a hearty, childish roar that came from the depths of his being!

Excitement! Joy! Thrill! Though his body was aged, his sixty- or seventy-year-old frame now burst with astonishing vitality. His heart pounded like that of a man in his twenties, and beads of sweat flew from his forehead.

‘What I crave is battle, because for me, the most important aspects of a hero are an unyielding heart, a bold fist, and a confident, self-reliant soul.’

‘When one desires to become a hero, does one lose the qualification to be a hero?’ ‘Can only those with wealth and power become heroes?’

‘To hell with those nonsensical reasons! It is precisely by believing in one’s correct path, being worthy of the choices in one’s heart, believing oneself to be a hero, and drawing courage from that belief! Those who refuse to yield to the status quo are the true heroes!’

Sensing his powerful thoughts, Magical Girl Xiaoxin responded. If no opening could be found, then she would switch tactics and force one out!

Both swung their arms wide, unleashing a powerful slash! All the power from their waist, shoulders, arms, and wrists was brought to bear in a heavy, head-on clash!

[BOOM!!!]

The immense airflow and power released by the clash of their two swords generated a fierce gust of wind! The violent impact affected the fragile reporters and drones, sending them tumbling and making commentary impossible.

The swords did not break, but both retreated several steps. Perhaps it was the will of a warrior; though the sword remained in his hand, Gast’s arm was numb and unable to lift. No matter how he tried to urge his body, commanding himself to raise his weapon, it was futile.

He had lost, but at this moment, he felt no sadness or grief. Instead, a sense of exhilaration ignited a passion that refused to be extinguished! He raised his head high, chest out, and roared loudly to the sky!

“Come! One last strike!”

If she could mimic Overclock Acceleration’s rhythm and movements, mimic Gast’s use of magic to restore his body and weapon, mimic Huoli’s creation of the Heavenly Flame Sword, and even mimic and enhance Gast’s past fighting style, then what about his ultimate move?

Naturally, it was well within her capabilities! Emitting a dazzling light, the Heavenly Flame Sword now enveloped in powerful magic, formed a light pillar that shot into the sky. Then, with a resolute gaze, she brought the sword down.

In the cinema, Gast, who was about to leave, stopped. After the credits, there was still… the movie’s post-credits scene.

On screen, the aged boy (himself) spread his arms. Time had stripped him of so much; his graying hair and layers of wrinkles gradually eroded his spirit and strength. A life without setbacks was impossible, and a life of grandeur was accompanied by countless losses.

He carried regrets for many things, having made many mistakes, yet he had no regrets about his life’s experiences. Courage and hope, perhaps hollow and naive, were nonetheless sung and praised even in the finest works.

‘Even without power, the spirit can be passed on.’

[Justice Hope Slash!]

“An old-fashioned name, truly me.”

It shattered. The belt broke, and the armor on his body simultaneously exploded. There were no dazzling explosions of fire, no heart-wrenching screams of pain; it was as if it were a polite match where the aging warrior finally lost to his own former technique.

“Hey, Senior Gast, could you do something for me?”

“Speak, child.”

“If possible, please keep my identity a secret.” After all, he was truly afraid of social death.

He nodded, smiled, closed his eyes, and lay down on the ground.

Gast (Gast) — Unable to fight! Defeated!