Across the heavens, three brilliant streaks of light—a dazzling crimson, sapphire, and gold—flashed into existence.
“Watch me!”
Grasping her rock shield firmly, Xincheng plunged from the sky.
Her short crop top and voluminous skirt proved inconvenient; the hem billowed high, inevitably revealing more than intended.
For reality, unlike fantasy, offered no such thing as an anti-gravity skirt…
Moments later, her rock shield slammed into the earth, sending a muffled tremor reverberating from deep underground.
What followed was a sight to behold.
Massive earth spikes erupted from the soil, hurtling towards the monstrous beast half-submerged within the ground.
They swarmed around it, a dense, bristling encirclement.
The beast, too slow to evade, found itself impaled and hoisted skyward by the earth spikes, forcibly ripped from its subterranean refuge.
In an instant, a colossal cloud of dust obscured the heavens.
As the dust gradually settled, the monstrous beast’s terrifying true form was unveiled before their eyes.
Observing the scene.
Suspended aloft, Qiye conjured a compact holographic cube scanner from the very air of her palm.
She aimed it directly at the beast.
In the blink of an eye, the scanner projected a luminous screen:
[Species: Lizard Shark]
[Size: Hundred meters]
[Status: Hungry…]
[Abilities: Unknown]
[Form: Bionic Summoned Beast…]
“A Giant Lizard Shark, a hundred-meter-class bionic summoned beast… We must restrain it first, then we can root out the mastermind lurking in the shadows.”
Qiye’s gaze swept across her companions, swiftly relaying the crucial information.
Just then.
A sudden gust of wind swept through.
Qiye’s ultra-short skirt billowed repeatedly, threatening to expose her modesty with each gust.
Battle attire, it seemed, offered no such convenience as safety shorts.
Nonetheless.
Such minor concerns were quickly cast aside.
The battle was paramount; feelings of shame were utterly inconsequential.
Qiye raised her magic sword aloft, beginning to gather her formidable power.
Along the blade, flames danced and surged, growing ever more vibrant!
She then cried out, her voice ringing with power:
“Burning flames, heed my summons! Let the lava surge forth, and the fires of wrath consume all!”
Concurrently.
Weizhan, brandishing her water blade, clearly understood Qiye’s tactical intent. Crystalline droplets of water began to coalesce along the length of her blade.
She too cried out, her voice resonating:
“Nimble water patterns, transform into my strength! Let the currents flow, a cage to imprison!”
Weizhan initiated the assault.
Her translucent battle suit clung to her form, the blue seashells adorning her chest opening and closing dramatically with each of her movements.
Her water blade cut through the air.
Streams of water surged from every direction, coalescing into a colossal water cage that spread far and wide before slowly contracting.
The relentless currents battered the Giant Lizard Shark, catching it utterly unprepared. It thrashed desperately within the confines, sending cascades of water splashing upwards.
Before long.
Qiye seized the opportune moment. Her magic sword, now fully charged and ablaze with a transparent, fiery glow, was raised high before she brought it down with a powerful, sweeping strike.
“This is our combined assault!”
Boom~
Raging torrents of fire, akin to molten lava, surged and lunged towards the Giant Lizard Shark.
The fiery torrents clashed violently with the encompassing water cage!
The intense heat of the fire streams instantly vaporized vast sections of the water barrier.
In that moment, billows of steam erupted from the point of impact, spreading rapidly to shroud the heavens and obscure all sight.
The Giant Lizard Shark, too, was engulfed by the swirling steam, its massive form becoming indistinct amidst the hazy shroud.
Amidst the wind, the steam churned and roared with a deafening clamor.
It was precisely amidst this pervasive steam and obstructed visibility.
On the ground, Xincheng discerned a crucial opening.
She abruptly thrust her rock shield forward, sending undulations of earthy energy rippling across the ground.
These waves surged through the layers of steam, merging with both the fiery torrents and the water currents.
A remarkable reaction was thus catalyzed—
The once scorching fire streams, now tempered by the cooling water and harmonized by the rock waves.
Their formidable heat plummeted.
Furthermore, a layer of faintly glowing obsidian began to crystallize upon the Giant Lizard Shark’s colossal body.
It spread from the crevices of its scales, steadily encasing its immense form.
As the obsidian layers steadily thickened, the Giant Lizard Shark’s struggles grew increasingly feeble.
Ultimately.
Its colossal body became entirely petrified, standing motionless where it was.
By this point.
Nearby, several female refugees paused, clutching their tattered bundles, but before they could even begin to marvel at the petrified leviathan’s monumental stillness, they resumed their desperate flight.
****
Operating within the confines of the city.
Had it not been for the imperative to avoid excessive collateral damage, their collective power would have allowed for far more aggressive tactics.
Instead of merely resorting to the conservative method of petrification and restraint.
The three converged in mid-air.
Qiye sheathed her sword, hovering effortlessly in mid-air, her flame-hued skirt gently brushing against the distorted heatwaves.
Their gazes met, and a silent understanding passed between them.
This Giant Lizard Shark was nothing more than a bionic summoned beast, intrinsically a ‘puppet animal’ brought into existence by another.
Two distinct paths lay before them: either directly transport this Giant Lizard Shark to an uninhabited zone for annihilation, though this would only address the symptom, not the root cause.
Or, they could endeavor to unearth the hidden orchestrator, thereby resolving the problem at its very source.
Indeed.
Having engaged in numerous skirmishes with malevolent witches in the past.
They could, with considerable certainty, deduce that the entity responsible for unleashing this Giant Lizard Shark upon the populace was, in all likelihood, a witch—one currently lurking in a nearby hidden alcove, covertly observing their every move.
However, just as the trio had finalized their plan to split into three distinct paths.
A sudden, unforeseen development occurred.
The colossal Giant Lizard Shark, which had been thoroughly encased in obsidian.
From its once dull and lifeless eyes, a searing ray of energy abruptly erupted!
“Danger!”
Weizhan instantly spun, brandishing her blade, as a shimmering curtain of water unfurled before her.
The violet ray, refracting wildly within the water, narrowly grazed Qiye’s hair before piercing through three towering skyscrapers.
Yet, that was merely the beginning.
Subsequent rays twisted and coiled through the air, morphing into vast, ethereal purple nets.
These nets descended, threatening to ensnare all three of them.
Perceiving this imminent threat.
Qiye, with a swift backhand, hurled forth chains of warm fire, which deftly coiled around Xincheng’s wrist, allowing the trio to retreat rapidly in a synchronized triangular formation.
However.
Capitalizing on this fleeting interlude.
The Giant Lizard Shark let out a furious roar, its jawbone, intricately laced with circuits, cracking wide open.
With sheer brute force, it utterly pulverized the obsidian layer that had encased its colossal form.
Countless shards of obsidian exploded outwards, scattering in every direction.
The Giant Lizard Shark, now unshackled from its confinement, fully regained its terrifying mobility.
Furthermore.
Its body, at this very moment, pulsed with strange, shimmering violet currents across its intricate patterns and scales.
In the ensuing moment.
A bizarre transformation unfolded.
Its grotesquely shaped, flower-like barbed tail plunged violently into the earth.
In but a single instant.
Innumerable barbed tail branches erupted from the ground, stretching relentlessly towards the magical girls who darted through the skies.
These barbed branches were both agile and potent; to be ensnared by them would spell disaster…
****
Xincheng positioned her rock shield horizontally before her.
A formidable curtain of rock surged upwards beneath her, temporarily staunching the relentless advance of the ever-extending barbed tails.
Qiye brandished her magic sword, sending fiery light scattering in all directions, severing every barbed tail that dared to approach.
“There’s no alternative! We must continue the fight and swiftly draw it away to an unpopulated area!”
The water blade spun in Weizhan’s palm as she hovered within the tranquil eye of a colossal water vortex, the mass of barbed tails temporarily thwarted and held at bay.
As she deftly manipulated the water vortex, she responded:
“Indeed, we cannot permit it to wreak further havoc here…”
The barbed tails, their attempts at entanglement proving futile, grew increasingly frenzied.
The Giant Lizard Shark, in its growing agitation, violently thrashed its barbed tail branches, shattering buildings into rubble and sending bricks and debris scattering far and wide.
Fortuitously.
Xincheng spotted a wide river channel that stretched towards the uninhabited outskirts of the city.
“I have a plan!”
She exclaimed.
“I’ll employ rock waves to impede its movements, while Qiye, you’ll forge a fiery path ahead, luring it towards the river channel… Weizhan, you’ll guard our rear, blocking any potential escape routes with torrents of water.”
With the plan firmly established.
The trio immediately sprang into action.
Xincheng, gripping her rock shield with both hands, plunged from the heavens once more. Her shield struck the earth, causing the ground beneath to ripple and quake as if a colossal wave had passed through.
Yet, under Xincheng’s precise control, the bulk of the rock wave’s formidable power was directed squarely at the Giant Lizard Shark.
In the next moment.
A lengthy path of fire ignited directly before the Giant Lizard Shark, its searing heat causing the beast an instinctive surge of pain.
It consequently shifted its massive form towards the comparatively cooler river channel—
Weizhan, positioned at the rear, continuously unleashed torrents of water, conjuring successive walls of liquid to prevent the Giant Lizard Shark from altering its trajectory.
Before long.
The Giant Lizard Shark slowly but surely advanced towards the river channel.
Nevertheless.
This colossal beast was clearly unwilling to be constrained, yet an ‘absolute will’ seemed to compel it to feign weakness.
On several occasions.
The cluster of barbed tails almost ensnared Xincheng and Qiye, but Weizhan, with swift precision, unleashed torrents of water to forcefully dislodge them.
****
Drawing near the river beyond the city’s confines.
Within the mountain gorge.
The three-color team was still guiding the Giant Lizard Shark.
Just then.
In the distance, atop a small hill.
A girl stood, clad in a grey pleated skirt, a white shirt bearing the insignia of Qinghe High School, and short black hair.
She intently watched the dark ring in her hands.
The ring’s resentment meter was already overflowing.
This was thanks to the Giant Lizard Shark’s destructive rampage in the eastern district of Tanhua City, which had gathered the burgeoning resentment.
The girl murmured softly:
“Yes! This week’s mission is complete~ Mmm, Big Sister will definitely reward me…”
“However, Magical Girls… you actually lured it out of the city, heh heh~ In that case, I’ll take the opportunity to ‘enjoy’ you all as well.”
Having spoken.
The girl gently lifted her skirt, detaching a leg ring adorned with a golden triangular star from her left thigh.
She let out a soft hum, uttering ‘Transform’.
Immediately, her entire being was enveloped in a dense black light.
As the black light gradually dissipated, the girl’s transformation was complete.
She was now clad in a dark, form-fitting mesh dress.
From the hem to the waist, numerous irregular tears and rips marred the fabric.
The neckline plunged deeply into a V-shape, accentuating her proud bust and figure.
Across her shoulders and back, black leather straps crisscrossed and intertwined.
Her black stockings, worn on her lower body, were riddled with damage, holes extending from her thighs down to her ankles!
Her short black hair, too, had become even more disheveled and wild.
Her pupils had transformed into a profound black, and the corners of her eyes subtly upturned, exuding an alluring, bewitching charm.
And the original leg ring had now transmuted into a slender whip.
The whip’s tip was adorned with sharp barbs.
“Heh heh, this time, I’m going to whip your butts raw… so you’ll only be able to sleep on your stomachs.”
With that.
The girl transformed into a streak of black light.
****
The river water churned violently.
Aloft the water, Weizhan pointed her water blade, and torrents of river water surged towards the Giant Lizard Shark.
The immensely colossal Giant Lizard Shark was, surprisingly, lifted by the currents.
Strangely, the usually ferocious Giant Lizard Shark showed no resistance whatsoever at this moment.
Though Weizhan felt a pang of doubt, the urgency of the battle left her no time to ponder.
She immediately shouted:
“Qiye, now!”
No sooner had she spoken.
A flash of red light, and Qiye instantly appeared atop the Giant Lizard Shark’s head.
Grasping her flaming magic sword with both hands, she plunged the blade into the Giant Lizard Shark’s skull with every ounce of her strength!
In that instant.
Blazing flames erupted from the Giant Lizard Shark’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
Its body, too, developed horrifying fiery cracks due to the intense heat within its skull.
Concurrently.
Xincheng stood guard below, shield in hand, anticipating any death throes from the Giant Lizard Shark.
However.
Just as they were about to annihilate this Giant Lizard Shark—
With a loud ‘bang’, the Giant Lizard Shark vanished as if a wisp of smoke.
In a flash, it dissipated without a trace.
Qiye’s full-powered strike thus met with empty air.
The long-accumulated flames, a significant portion of their destructive potential, had no target.
At this moment, the trio realized that the summoner had dispelled their summoned beast!
Indeed.
In the very next moment.
A black streak of light flashed, and a girl in torn black stockings and a dark, form-fitting mesh dress appeared behind Qiye.
She cried out sweetly:
“Look behind you~”
No sooner said than done, the whip in her hand lashed out with ferocious speed.
With a sharp ‘smack’, it landed heavily on Qiye’s rear.
With that whip strike, a piece of Qiye’s ultra-short skirt ripped away, leaving a red mark on her fair skin.
Yet, the force was perfectly controlled, not causing the expected gash.
What was worse.
Qiye’s magic, which she used for levitation, was dispersed by that single whip strike, causing her to lose her support and plummet downwards.
Weizhan reacted swiftly, promptly manipulating the water currents to form a soft water bed, safely catching Qiye.
Seeing this, Xincheng immediately looked at the newcomer, only to be met by a face she found repulsive yet familiar.
She angrily exclaimed:
“It’s you, Little Witch Aisi Aimu! So, you’re behind all this…”
But before she could finish, Aisi Aimu lashed out with another whip strike.
Xincheng quickly raised her rock shield to block.
However, the whip was imbued with a strange magic; the moment it touched her rock shield, Xincheng felt a jarring tremor in her hands.
The once sturdy rock shield instantly fractured—the magic imbued within the shield also dispersed.
Immediately after.
Aisi Aimu launched another swift whip attack, and Weizhan once again promptly summoned a water wall.
This managed to block the strike aimed at her chest.
If she had been hit by that whip, regardless of how severe the injury, her clothes would certainly not have been spared!
After all, battle attire was also a manifestation of magic.
Seizing this opportunity, Xincheng retreated a few steps, regrouping with Qiye and Weizhan.
The three of them stood side by side, watching Aisi Aimu approach step by step.
At this moment.
Aisi Aimu idly toyed with her whip, her dark eyes roving freely over the three magical girls.
Qiye clutched her rear.
“It hurts, it hurts so much, it’s that evil whip again…”
Not only did the pain double, but it could also temporarily disperse magic.
Adding to that.
Earlier, Qiye’s high-level magic had missed its target, consuming a significant amount of her magical energy.
Following this series of events.
Among the three of them.
Currently, only Weizhan still maintained a relatively complete reserve of magic, possessing the strength to continue fighting.
After all, she had the natural water elements in the river to replenish her.
At this point.
Little Witch Aisi Aimu’s face flashed with a playful smile, as she murmured excitedly:
“Actually, I was just passing by, but seeing how hard you’re fighting, I suppose I’ll join in and play with you.”
“Speaking of which, it’s been a while since I thoroughly whipped you all ♥ I’d love to hear your cries~”
Upon hearing these words, Qiye’s heart burned with fury; wasn’t this clearly an attempt to humiliate them again!
Even though.
Her rear still stung fiercely, and her magic was affected, she still retorted angrily:
“Hmph, you witches, you’re all utterly wicked villains!”
On the other side.
Xincheng silently drew magic from the earth.
Weizhan subtly signaled her companions:
Their current state was poor; the best option was to retreat and seek assistance from Senior Zhennu Yibai.
She knew in her heart.
In their current condition, confronting this powerful and eerie Little Witch head-on would yield a minuscule chance of victory.
However.
Little Witch Aisi Aimu was incredibly perceptive, seeing through their intentions at a glance.
Immediately.
She pulled out a sinister dark ring, sharply turned, and aimed it at the distant, bustling Tanhua City downtown.
She then threatened:
“If you dare to escape, heh heh~ I’ll immediately release three Giant Lizard Sharks into Tanhua City all at once…”
“What do you say? Magical Girls who embody love and justice, you wouldn’t want Tanhua City to be destroyed, would you…”
Upon hearing this.
Qiye’s heart constricted sharply… three hundred-meter-class beasts of that magnitude, released all at once?!
She disregarded all else and immediately cried out to stop her:
“Don’t!”
She knew full well.
Once three Giant Lizard Sharks were unleashed into the city, they would bring devastating catastrophe to innocent citizens.
Aisi Aimu, seeing Qiye already yielding, couldn’t help but feel triumphant.
Magical Girls, indeed~ They were merely a bunch of ‘Ms’ who cared deeply for the common people but lacked true capability, only able to obediently endure her whip.
Thus, Aisi Aimu continued:
“Well… you know what to do, don’t you? Just like last time, be good and lie on the ground…”
Following that.
Her gaze shifted, landing on Xincheng, who was diligently drawing magic from the earth.
A hint of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes.
Without another word, the whip in her hand lashed out at Xincheng, and with a whistling sound, the whip struck Xincheng’s body.
A piece of her voluminous skirt was torn off, from near her upper thigh.
“Don’t secretly hoard magic here. You’d be better off thinking about how to please me…”
Xincheng let out a muffled grunt, her body swaying slightly. Despite the intense pain, she bit back any cries.
After all, this perverted Little Witch would only get excited by hearing their screams.
Qiye watched Xincheng get injured, her eyes reddening, yet as the leader, she felt utterly helpless.
Thus.
Under the Little Witch’s threat, she could only humiliatingly kneel on the grass, her hands trembling slightly.
Then she lay down, her body convulsing slightly with anger and indignation.
The Little Witch observed this scene.
The smile on her face grew even wider.
Her eyes gleamed with a morbid excitement, seemingly reveling in the feeling of controlling others and wantonly humiliating them.
However.
Just as the Little Witch raised her whip high, preparing to lash it down onto Qiye with full force—
A chilling, bone-piercing surge of magic abruptly swelled behind her.
The Little Witch’s heart jolted.
Instinctively, she tried to turn and investigate, but felt an immense pressure lock her in place.
She was paralyzed!
What followed was the sudden appearance of a silver-haired girl wearing a mask and a Lolita dress.
At this point, Silvia pushed her sunglasses into her hair, murmuring:
“Well then, why don’t you look behind you now?”
Concurrently.
On a nearby tree branch, Lina sat leisurely, dangling her legs and swaying gently.
Watching Silvia’s retreating back, she couldn’t help but shake her head.
“She could have intervened much earlier, but she just had to wait for this precise moment to make her move. Truly…”
****