NOVEL WEB Chapter 20
The magical girl contracts with a demon.
She slashes through the incoming monsters with a counterattack.
When the remaining count reached 20, her magic power was almost depleted, and it became difficult for her to even swing her sword.
(Finally made it this far…)
“Yeah. Just a little more… Come on, keep going!”
She dodged the humanoid monster’s claw attack by falling forward and bisected it as they passed each other.
She rolled to avoid the magic flying at her while she was off-balance.
19 left…
Using the momentum from the roll, she leaped back to create distance from the monsters.
She missed the early days when she could dominate against the weaker foes.
Back then, using magic carelessly would take down most monsters.
Well, even if I was in perfect condition, I doubt I could dominate against S-rank enemies.
Just a little more… Which will come first, my death or me killing them?
She charged the nearest monster and pierced its core. An attack grazed her body, and she narrowly diverted a magic spell that would have turned her into dust with a barrier.
One hit or not, I’ll kill them one by one for sure…
15 left.
She gave up completely on avoiding the spells from behind, using explosions to propel herself and deflecting ice or rocks as much as possible.
5 left!
“Damn it!”
I yell to boost my morale, but I’m still not used to this high-pitched voice of mine. I was supposed to turn back into a man quickly, but things don’t go as planned…
“Last one, Haruna! If you defeat this, only M·D·W remains!”
“Roger that!”
Encouraged by the demon’s cheer, I let my guard down just a little.
I decapitated a monster but got countered with a stab to the abdomen.
(And there’s still the big one left…)
Blood flows from my stomach and mouth. With all the blood loss, it’s impressive I’m still conscious.
It’s alright, my spirit hasn’t broken yet… Not yet…
“Haruna! Stay strong! If you fall here, all your efforts will be wasted!”
Oh, I was daydreaming and almost lost consciousness. What a reliable partner…
(It’s fine. You don’t need to shout so loud for me to hear. Even though I probably won’t make it back alive, I’ll handle the aftermath properly.)
I told Marin and the demon I’d return alive, but this is how it turned out…
I’ve figured out the magic to defeat M·D·W.
Theoretically, it should be able to destroy it, and there are no more interfering magics or monsters.
Switching my consciousness, I revert from the second form to the first.
I can barely feel any pain now. Zombies must look better than me at this point…
Leaning on my staff, I slowly approach M·D·W.
Each step is heavy and painful, but just a little more endurance is needed.
“Wings, carry me.”
I sprout pitiful wings completely different from those I used to approach M·D·W earlier and slowly ascend into the sky.
I can sense it, but my magic power and soul have long been exhausted. It’s strange that I’m still alive, and it’s surprising that this magic even activated.
Ah, if I hadn’t been born into such a shitty world, could I have been happy?
If the demon hadn’t saved me back then, I wouldn’t have had to suffer…
If I could have lived and died as an ordinary person, that would have been enough…
To put it simply, I just wanted to know why. The reason why the world became like this. The reason why this world continues.
Where fantasy overflows with magical girls and monsters destroy the world, and humanity struggles against them…
This story that began on the first day, where will it end?
(Hey, Demon. It’s been just a month together, but did you have fun?)
“Of course… You’re messy in daily life but composed in front of others, deceiving people with natural reactions. It never got boring watching you.”
(Glad to hear that. Then… I’ll handle the rest alone, so you escape.)
Though I said we’d stay together till the end, if there’s a life I can save, I want to save it.
For me, it’s game over on the first stage, but Demon can continue from here.
Almost at the peak of M·D·W. Now’s the last chance to escape.
“…Hey, Haruna. Suppose there are more painful battles ahead. Do you want to live?”
This… Already half-dead, I don’t think I want to endure such suffering to live.
I was just an ordinary office worker, right? Sure, I occasionally cursed the world, but that’s all.
My current state is due to orders. I didn’t choose to suffer willingly.
A contract exists to be kept, even if it leads to a journey towards death.
But… Hmm. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad with just the two of us, Demon and me.
For 26 years, I was mostly alone, but you’ve been the first person I’ve spent a whole month with, aside from my parents.
I also had a sister… No, let’s not bring her up.
She’s gone now.
(Send me an order, Demon.)
“Haruna?”
I don’t know what Demon intends to do.
However, I don’t understand why Demon chose to make me a magical girl, but parting ways after just a month feels somewhat lonely.
During the battle, I briefly thought about the “number” Demon mentioned.
In my thoughts, I remembered something. There was a card called “The Devil” in Tarot cards.
Tarot cards have completely different meanings depending on whether they’re upright or reversed.
The upright position represents the devil itself, but the reversed position has quite interesting meanings.
Recovery or new encounters. Starting over or reincarnation.
Hey, Demon. Where did you come from?
What did you see, what did you know, to decide to make someone like me a magical girl?
I wanted to know the reason…
(You don’t want me to die, right? Then give me an order. Isn’t it standard for demons to follow orders absolutely?)
“…Alright. Then it’s a real order. Until my goal is achieved, no matter what happens, no matter what form you take, I’ll have Haruna by my side.”
(Fine, partner. Though I have nothing remarkable about me, I’ll gladly stick around.)
We establish a proper contract unlike the previous verbal agreement.
I felt a slight warmth flow into my fading body.
I don’t know if there’s a way to survive from here, but for now, I’ll trust the Demon.
“For now, destroy M·D·W as planned. I’ll handle the rest.”
How uncharacteristically serious. A grinning, laughing voice suits the Demon better.
Let’s finish this up.
Gripping the staff that’s slippery with flowing blood. My vision is almost completely gone, but I can roughly locate M·D·W below from the roaring sound, similar to a machine’s operation.
My magic power is gone, and my soul is worn down to the point where I’m unsure if it still exists. However, there’s one more source of strength I can use.
“Fusion Boundary… Fictional Ritual Activation…”
I envelop my body in a cylindrical magic circle.
I float the staff before my eyes, point the sharp end toward myself, and thrust it into my abdomen.
Fortunately, I hardly felt any pain.
The staff absorbs my blood and consumes my existence.
Thinking of something like this makes me feel foolish, but this is the power of magic that makes such things possible.
“I demand…”
I momentarily lose consciousness and stumble.
“The price of sin. Redemption of guilt.”
The magic circle surrounding me and the staff transform into a sphere and ascend into the sky.
“I appeal…”
From below, a roar-like sound emanates from M·D·W.
“Magic power. Soul. Existence… As irreversible compensation. To become the sustenance of destruction.”
The sky within the barrier fills with drawn magic circles. Even from afar, Taragong and the others must be able to see this. Surely, they’ve understood what I’ve accomplished.
Handing over the aftermath to my seniors is what being a working adult is all about.
Newcomers tackle matters with all their might. That should be enough, right?
“My name is Inny Flowering. I am the herald of beginnings, the bringer of spring.”
Lacking even the strength to fly, I begin to fall…
This magic is special. M·D·W, die with me.
“False Oath – Vanishing Star”
…Order completed.
The light emitted from the magic circle engulfs both me and M·D·W.
M·D·W begins to collapse, and I faintly feel the light equivalent to the magic circle flowing back.
There, my consciousness fades…
‘Phenomenon Number 15 “Demon” revises with reverse position. For new encounters, reincarnation…’
…
…
…
“Listen, Shiro! I became a magical girl!”
It’s an old, distant memory.
Even with monsters and magical girls around, it didn’t matter much to ordinary people.
With my parents and sister around, life was comfortable, even if we occasionally had to evacuate.
Hey, Sister… What should I have done?
Me, who denied you, ended up falling as a magical girl just like you.
Surely, you’ve fallen into hell, haven’t you?
I’m coming now, so wait for me…
…
…
…
‘Confirmed intervention by Phenomenon Number 15 “Demon”. Restarting recalculation of the End Day… Calculation complete. Applying results… Success. Your actions have been acknowledged.’
‘Guess I got caught… Well, hopefully, “this time” it can be avoided…’
Quoted from the official website
Magical Girl Name: Inny Flowering
(Japan) Ranking: 18th (Final)
Age: 11 years old
Weapon: Staff
Ability: Magic + Recovery (Capable of entering barriers)
Defeat Count:
SS+: 1 (Defeated Alone)
S: 334 (Unofficial)
A: 668 (Unofficial)
B: 56
C: 586
D: 1850
E and Below: 3657
Note:
Successfully defeated a unique species of M·D·W alone but is currently missing and presumed dead.
Considered deceased based on situation assessment.
Despite a short active period, recorded approximately the same number of defeats as 100 average magical girls.
Was expected as a future top-ranked candidate and is lamented in some circles.
Additionally, there are rumors in the magical girl community about the existence of a simulation battle video with Thalagong.