NOVEL WEB Chapter 10
Magical Girl Observation?
“Is this stage a wasteland? Looks like Thalagong will have the advantage here.”
While looking at the monitor set up in the waiting room, Kaede muttered.
The commotion this time began with Thalagong’s bombshell statement.
Kaede hasn’t actually seen Inny Flowering’s abilities in action either.
There are no combat videos posted by Inny herself, and whenever she appears in other Magical Girls’ videos, it’s always after the fight has ended.
At best, there are videos within barriers, but due to a malfunction in recording magic during crucial moments, they couldn’t see anything important.
(Thalagong will undoubtedly win, but I hope she doesn’t break under the pressure…)
Thalagong is known by the nickname “Explosion,” and true to her name, she is a Magical Girl who controls explosions.
Her love for explosions makes her fighting style extremely flashy.
Though often perceived as purely offensive, she actually excels in defensive battles and leadership roles.
However, none of that matters now. What does matter is her bad habit during battles.
Whether in simulations or mock battles, if recovery methods are available, she will inevitably deal severe injuries as a matter of course.
Even though the injuries are healed afterward, many Magical Girls have quit because they couldn’t endure Thalagong’s roughness.
This setting was also a deathmatch, which had already started before we could change it.
Even in a simulation, dying feels like real death, and the pain is indistinguishable from reality.
Magical Girls constantly face death, so getting used to pain that won’t kill them isn’t necessarily bad. But forcing this on others is one of Thalagong’s negative traits.
Of the three monitors, two display Inny Flowering and Thalagong separately, while the third shows the overall view.
As the three waited idly, the two appeared on the monitors.
“They’re not too far apart.”
Without bothering to hide his grim expression, Glint spoke. The two on the monitor were only about 200 meters apart, and in the open wasteland without any cover, they would soon spot each other.
Inny Flowering likely noticed first, raising her staff and firing a spear of flame, but it was negated by an explosion caused by snapping fingers.
“They’re just testing each other out. Inny’s magic is fast, but it seems poorly suited against Thalagong’s abilities.”
“The preparatory motions are almost nonexistent. Without places to hide in the wasteland… Hmm!”
To counterattack, Thalagong launched an explosion that Inny narrowly avoided by flying into the sky.
That strike would have inflicted serious injuries at best and could have been fatal depending on the situation.
Eighty percent of Magical Girls who fought Thalago end up defeated by her first attack.
It’s nearly impossible to dodge once you see it coming, and even if you do, you’ll still take damage from the explosion’s aftermath.
Dodging such an explosion upon first encounter is incredibly difficult.
“That was probably a reflexive dodge. However, being airborne without footing against Thalagong is a poor strategy.”
With a sly grin, Thalagong created an explosion beneath her feet, rapidly closing the distance with Inny Flowering. Inny tried to disrupt Thalagong by cracking the ground, but it proved ineffective against her.
“Cracking the ground and throwing ice spears aren’t bad moves… but it’s a matter of experience.”
Even to Glint’s eyes, Inny Flowering’s techniques weren’t bad. However, compared to Thalagong, who has survived countless battles, they seemed too gentle.
According to the records, Inny Flowering’s abilities are diverse. Is the limitation on her magic’s power due to these abilities? Or is there some reason she’s holding back and using magic sparingly?
While Glint pondered these thoughts, Thalagong closed the distance and delivered a heavy blow to Inny Flowering’s stomach.
“As usual, she shows no mercy. That must’ve damaged her internal organs.”
Blade finally spoke up after watching silently. While a simple punch might be tolerable, combining it with an explosion was excessive.
Unlike Thalagong, Blade knew how to hold back, making her popular among lower-ranked Magical Girls.
If Thalagong’s opponent were another top-tier or veteran Magical Girl, there’d be no complaints.
But the opponent here is a rookie who hasn’t even been a Magical Girl for a year—probably not even six months. She likely looks as young as she appears.
Most Magical Girls would surrender at that point, considering while continuing to watch the monitor.
Amidst the explosion, Inny Flowering’s abdomen glowed green and began healing, but after being blown away, she started falling.
“Ever since the start, she’s been using disruptive magics. What’s she planning?”
Apart from the initial fire spear, Inny Flowering’s spells lacked lethality. Neither the ice spears nor the hailstorms seemed aimed directly at Thalagong.
It’s as if… yes, it’s as if scattering was her main objective.
“Could she have been using those scattered spells all along?”
An endless block of ice visible on all monitors revealed its form—”Let the breath of life expire under my name.”
“Using magic as a catalyst for more magic. That’s clever.”
Powerful spells often require lengthy activation times. By using preliminary spells, Inny managed to unleash a large-scale spell instantly, Blade reasoned.
“With that fall, she could hide in the crack she created herself,”
“Getting hit by Thalagong might’ve been part of her plan.”
Watching Thalagong escape the sudden block of ice, the three praised Inny Flowering in their own ways.
As the crack that swallowed Inny closed, it seemed Thalagong would be crushed between the ice and the ground…but that wasn’t the case.
Upon landing, Thalagong looked bitter, but then her whole body began to glow.
Thalagong, who was supposed to be trapped between the ice and the ground, exploded outward, shattering the ice.
“I think this should be enough…”
Kaede thought that managing to corner Thalagong without backing down was impressive enough, especially against such an opponent. She worried that this battle might discourage other Magical Girls, causing them to quit.
Inny Flowering represented hope for Kaede, and she didn’t want her potential ruined by Thalagong’s preferences.
“It would be troublesome to forcibly stop it since the setting is a deathmatch, meaning it won’t end until someone dies.”
As resentment towards Thalagong grew, Inny Flowering dramatically reappeared from the ground after the ice disappeared.
After exchanging a few words, Thalagong’s hair began to shine, signaling her seriousness.
Even her previous attempts to explode at the start or attacks that made her opponent spit blood felt tame compared to the lethal force she was now unleashing.
“That guy is going all out against a rookie.”
“Isn’t she 22 years old?”
“My ‘Lind’ was once blown up by her in that state…”
Thalagong, who consistently earns animosity, continued her relentless pursuit as Inny fled like a meteor, chased by merciless explosions.
Had Inny given up at this point, the subsequent carnage might have been avoided.
But she persisted, even in a simulation.
Inny abandoned her previous restraining tactics and unleashed water bullets designed to kill, accompanied by countless magical arrays surrounding Thalagong.
A wave of unstoppable attacks assailed Thalagong, but…
“Although it’s not a bad tactic, it’s futile against Thalagong right now,” Kaede murmured, and the other two nodded in agreement.
The area around Thalagong became so hot it distorted space, and no matter how powerful the magic, it would evaporate instantly as mere water.
If asked whether rocks or wind would work better, they might have some effect but wouldn’t deliver a decisive blow.
Rocks could be destroyed or melted, and wind would be similarly neutralized. Approaching her would be impossible due to the heat.
Furthermore, within Thalagong’s line of sight, explosions would fly indiscriminately, leaving no way to counter her assault.
She was truly giving it her all.
In response, Inny Flowering attempted to hinder Thalagong by raining icicles from the sky and aimed for her head during the chaos.
But here Thalagong cast a spell.
“Even knowing it’s a simulation, this is harsh.”
“Um, is she really okay? Is she really safe?”
Inny Flowering’s left arm exploded, spraying fresh blood. Her trajectory wavered slightly, but she continued forward while healing.
Blood stained her once pristine robe, her hood flew off, and despite being in a condition where an ordinary girl might die from shock, Inny pressed on.
With the hood gone, Inny Flowering’s exposed face, though expressionless, seemed to smile.
The three could only silently watch the monitor as this tragedy unfolded.
Just as she reached her destination, losing a leg in the process, Inny Flowering looked down at Thalagong from above.
The surface began to glow.
Huge magical circles expanded outward from the ice spear, shining in sync with Inny’s incantation, converging at the tip of her staff.
“That child still hasn’t given up,” Kaede whispered but suspected that this wouldn’t be enough to defeat Thalagong.
Despite Inny Flowering being called a promising rookie and possessing barrier penetration abilities, ranking fifth wasn’t something easily overcome.
Especially Thalagong, whose aggressive capabilities stood out, but in truth, she excelled more in defensive battles.
Defeating Thalagong, who had expertise in defense, wasn’t an easy feat.
And then the light was released.
The panoramic monitor turned golden, while individual monitors showed the unemotional Inny Flowering and Thalagong enduring the magic, albeit not entirely relaxed.
They all thought the same: she’s enduring.
Once the magic faded, the battle would end with Inny Flowering’s death.
As they contemplated what punishment to give Thalagon upon her return, Inny Flowering’s lips moved.
Tears of blood streamed down her face, and blood dripped from her incompletely healed leg.
Her clouded eyes radiated strong determination.
This was just a simulation. There was no need to endure such pain just to win.
Defeating a top-tier Magical Girl was an unreasonable expectation for a regular Magical Girl anyway.
Yet she struggled on, despite having no chance of winning from the start.
A bright red circular magical circle surrounded Thalagong.
This was something noticeable only from the monitors; Thalagong herself likely hadn’t realized it yet.
The magical circle contracted toward Thalagong and exploded, engulfing her divine strike.
Prostrate on the ground, motionless, was Inny Flowering, and standing despite losing both arms was Thalagong.
Judging by the match, Thalagong clearly won. However, the devastation wrought by a single Magical Girl transcended mere victory or defeat.
A girl around ten years old had risked her life against an unbeatable opponent, inflicting grave injuries.
(She must be broken in some way…)
Not screaming when her arms were blown off, not fleeing from an unbeatable foe. Yet, paradoxically, she seemed to cling to life while readily discarding it.
This was the Magical Girl Inny Flowering.
But personally, she probably only thought that if she didn’t die, anything was permissible.
After a moment, the simulation ended with Inny Flowering’s death.
Having completed the simulation, Thalagong headed toward the waiting room in high spirits.
For Thalagong, whose battles usually ended with her first attack, this simulation was exceptionally satisfying.
Moreover, Inny Flowering’s resistance against her full power filled her with affection.
Her attacks were varied, and most served as setups for future ones, keeping things exciting.
The final magic could have killed her had she not been fully committed. Even the subsequent explosion, which she barely understood, might have resulted in defeat had she not sacrificed both arms in that instant.
Recalling her own past, Thalagong doubted she could have done such mad things back then.
This girl would surely become someone who changes the future of Magical Girls.
A drop of water had fallen into Thalagong’s parched Magical Girl career.
To share this sentiment with the other three, Thalagong opened the waiting room door.
She was loudly criticized by the three and forced to kneel in apology.
Also, the combat footage was planned for release pending Inny Flowering’s permission, but due to its grotesque nature, it was banned from publication.