The Witch’s Intervention

The demon’s roars escalated, each more deafening than the last, yet its movements had grown markedly sluggish. Within the gaping maw of its chest, golden flames still raged, effectively thwarting the dark energy’s attempts to mend the grievous wound.

Determined to utterly eradicate the vile beast, Night Moon had meticulously prepared a formidable arsenal. Explosives, poisoned darts, and a protective suit were all strapped to her person, rendering her fully armed and ready for battle. It was only by virtue of her status as the younger sister of the Watchtower’s supreme commander that she had effortlessly gained access to its armory, conveniently “borrowing” these invaluable supplies.

Considering the stringent security protocols at Watchtower Headquarters, such ease of access should have been impossible. This suggested, quite strongly, her sister’s tacit approval. Her sister was perpetually so awkward; she would often forbid Night Moon from acting on her own initiative, yet should Night Moon proceed regardless, discreet support would invariably materialize.

‘Ah, if only my sister could be as straightforward as Tia is with Chloe,’ Night Moon mused. ‘Now, she’s like a mother, always prioritizing safety, which leaves no room for the zest of life. It feels almost like being imprisoned.’

After all, Night Moon was a Magical Girl; the very identity was fraught with peril, culminating inevitably in death during battle. Why adopt such a prohibitive stance over a foreseeable danger? Was this not akin to ‘choking on food and giving up eating entirely’?

This particular hunt presented a far greater danger; Night Moon herself had recently been defeated by this very creature. Extreme caution was imperative.

“ROAR!”

With its shattered maw, the demon bellowed and lunged at Night Moon. In that precise, critical instant, Night Moon swiftly drew a chain of grenades from behind her, simultaneously pulling their pins as she retreated, flinging them towards the beast.

The grenades, strung together like a rope, coiled tightly around the demon’s body. A verdant glow began to emanate from their pre-scored fissures, and then, with a deafening roar, they detonated.

Night Moon shielded her eyes, her vision narrowing against the blinding flash. Her sturdy, lightweight armor deflected the shrapnel that rained down, producing a crisp, metallic symphony of impacts. Several strands of her emerald hair were severed by the flying fragments, drifting aimlessly in the air.

Such an explosion, even for a creature with formidable regenerative capabilities, would prove difficult to withstand. Moreover, it had been severely wounded from the outset; Night Moon felt confident she could have defeated it even without these specialized weapons.

As the smoke and dust from the explosion dissipated, an unrecognizable mass of shredded flesh clung to the ground, oozing a dark, viscous liquid. Wisps of black smoke curled upwards from it, resembling a pile of incompletely incinerated remains.

Yet, it still writhed.

‘It’s not completely dead yet?’

Having been a Magical Girl for so long, Night Moon had never encountered a demon with such tenacious vitality. Her brows furrowed in a deep frown.

‘Could this demon be a new type of weapon created by a witch?’

If that were the case, perhaps capturing it alive would be necessary. From the portable weapon storage box on her back, she retrieved a net-rope gun, a device perfectly suited for subduing incapacitated demons so that Watchtower specialists could then transport them away.

Raising the surprisingly heavy net-rope gun, she aimed it at the grotesque mass and squeezed the trigger. A large net burst from the muzzle, rapidly unfurling in the air like a spiderweb as it soared towards the demon.

At that moment, the net collided with a purplish-black barrier, then slumped limply to the ground.

“Xiaolan!”

A familiar figure descended from the sky, completely disregarding the green-haired girl beside her. She extended her palm towards the demonic mass, and a surge of black energy erupted from her hand, instantly enveloping the creature.

“Are we acquainted?” Xiaolan cast a cold glance at the green-haired girl, then raised her palm, summoning waves of dark energy.

“Tier-Five…”

Night Moon sensed the intense energy emanating from the potent black aura, realizing that the witch before her had reached at least the fifth tier. Unlike Magical Girls, whose tiers advanced through time and experience, witches drew their power from the black energy representing dark emotions. Their methods of advancement were profoundly subjective, making their patterns almost impossible to discern.

One thing, however, remained unequivocally clear: the higher a witch’s tier, the greater their madness.

‘What exactly have you endured…?’

During her previous encounter with this girl, Night Moon had resolved to show no mercy. Yet, facing her again now, a wave of hesitation washed over her.

‘If only I had paid more attention to the vulnerable individuals around me who were constantly bullied, could this situation have been averted?’

Magical Girls typically focused solely on combating demons, yet they were powerless against the very source from which these creatures sprang. Their formidable and wondrous abilities could fell demons as towering as buildings, but they struggled to curb the insidious spread of humanity’s darker side.

“To think, after all the effort to gather so many demons, this is all I could achieve…” Xiaolan murmured to herself, gazing at the monstrous mass, though it seemed she was deliberately ensuring the green-haired girl nearby overheard her.

“Was this attack your doing?” Night Moon demanded, simultaneously drawing a handgun from behind her. Its gaping, black muzzle fixed upon the black-haired girl before her, Night Moon gritted her teeth.

Still, there was no reply. Xiaolan’s gaze, fixed on the green-haired girl, was like someone observing discarded roadside trash. The black energy in her hands intensified, seemingly gathering for a devastating attack.

Night Moon’s heart hammered faster and faster, her arm, clutching the handgun, trembling slightly. Her index finger pressed against the trigger, yet she hesitated, unable to pull it. The bullets in this handgun were specifically designed to slay magical creatures, capable of piercing the bodies of demons below the fourth tier directly. Even fifth-tier demons would find it difficult to emerge unscathed if struck in a vital area.

Suddenly, a golden gleam reflected in the witch’s dark, luminous eyes. The next moment, she vanished amidst the shroud of black energy. A golden arrow, trailing a starlit path, shot straight through the spot where she had disappeared, eventually embedding itself in a distant rock face before slowly dissipating.

Night Moon turned her head, observing a black-haired girl slowly approaching, supporting a frail, golden-haired girl. Night Moon did not recognize the approaching girl, but upon seeing the golden-haired girl, utterly listless, her eyes half-closed as if on the verge of collapsing into sleep, Night Moon rushed over anxiously, attempting to take her from the girl’s embrace.

Nelly, sensing the green-haired girl’s attempt to pull Chloe away, raised an eyebrow but reluctantly allowed her to take Chloe.

Only after thoroughly checking Chloe for any injuries did Night Moon finally turn her attention to the unfamiliar Magical Girl.

“Was that arrow yours?”

Just as she was about to deny it, Nelly suddenly felt a tug on her finger. She glanced sideways, perplexed, only to find Chloe subtly winking at her.

“Yes, I saw the witch attempting to flee and aimed to stop her.”

“Oh, what’s your name?”

“Nelly, codename Black Blade.”

“I am Night Moon, codename Wolf Fang.”

“You’re quite formidable, to have wounded that demon so severely.”

“You weren’t bad yourself.”

“…”

Following a brief, awkward exchange, a profound silence once again settled between the two.

Just as Night Moon was about to inquire further about the attack, a metallic scraping sound against the concrete floor suddenly reached her ears.

Both girls turned, their gaze drawn to a figure they both knew well, who emerged from the shadows, radiating an ominous aura.

“Ah, so my dear sister was here all along.”