“Haah, haah, haah…”
Blazing Flame panted heavily, struggling to maintain her balance as she pressed her hands against her chest, which felt as flat as a cutting board.
She felt like her head was about to explode.
“What… the hell is this thing…”
Suppressing the wave of nausea, Blazing Flame leaned on her sword, her gaze dazed as she looked at the collapsed Giant Egg on the ground.
She fought hard to quell the sickening sensation brought on by that mysterious voice.
She felt as if her body had been completely dehydrated, weak all over, and it was almost as if closing her eyes would instantly send her to sleep.
“Hey, are you okay, Blazing Flame?”
At the same time, Sapphire, having finished her battle, came over to Blazing Flame’s side.
She frowned at Blazing Flame’s pale face and asked with concern.
“I’m… fine.”
Hearing Sapphire’s caring voice, Blazing Flame forced a smile and managed a weak nod.
Thankfully, that mysterious voice only said two sentences inside her mind and nothing more.
If it had said anything else, Blazing Flame didn’t dare imagine how badly she might have lost control.
“Did you just run into a tricky Shadow Beast? You look a little off, Blazing Flame.”
Seeing Blazing Flame could still speak, Sapphire relaxed and asked why she was in this state.
“No, I didn’t encounter any Monsters when I rushed here,” Blazing Flame shook her head.
“Then why…”
“When I cut open the Giant Egg just now, I heard some strange voices in my head. They were crying out miserably, and it felt like my brain was buzzing.”
Leaning on the greatsword, Blazing Flame’s breathing gradually steadied.
She looked at Sapphire and recounted the situation.
“Strange voices?” Sapphire’s expression showed confusion. “It’s the first time I’ve heard that Shadow Beasts can make weird sounds after death.”
“Even Miss Sapphire doesn’t know?”
Blazing Flame felt disappointed. She hadn’t expected that even experienced Sapphire wouldn’t know what she had encountered.
“Hmph, I know what Blazing Flame encountered~”
At that moment, a cute cat-like little beast suddenly popped out from Sapphire’s Magic Staff.
The little beast twirled once in the air, then crossed its tiny arms and looked around at Sapphire and Blazing Flame with an air of arrogant nobility, like a haughty princess.
“Dice, if you know, say it quickly. Don’t act so full of yourself.”
Sapphire showed no leniency and tapped Dice on the head with her staff, urging her to reveal the truth.
“Ow, ow, ow… Contractee, you’re so mean.”
Dice tried to complain but immediately stopped when she met Sapphire’s icy glare. Scared, she quickly composed herself, coughed theatrically, and began to explain.
“Ahem, actually, Miss Blazing Flame encountered the Resentment of the Shadow Beast before its death.”
“Resentment?” Blazing Flame asked in confusion.
“Yes. Every Shadow Beast is born from darkness and naturally carries its own Resentment. The stronger the Resentment, the stronger the Shadow Beast. If you can hear the Resentment after death, it must have been a very powerful one.” After explaining, Dice flipped in the air once more.
“So what I heard just now was the Resentment after death?”
Blazing Flame lowered her head, feeling something wasn’t right.
If what she heard was the Monster’s Resentment, then why could she understand what it was saying?
That simply didn’t make sense.
Humans are humans, Monsters are Monsters.
She was an ordinary person with both parents alive—why could she understand the Monster’s wails?
“Yes, that’s right. So Miss Blazing Flame doesn’t need to worry. Shadow Beasts that can affect human minds after death are rare, very rare.” Dice continued to reassure Blazing Flame.
“Will there be any aftereffects?” Blazing Flame asked next.
“Nope, don’t worry. Dizziness the first time you come into contact with a Shadow Beast’s Resentment is normal. If it were my contractee encountering the Resentment, she’d probably be worse than you. You know, actually my contractee is afraid of the dark…”
Thud!
Dice’s head was heavily knocked.
“That’s so mean! Why’d you hit me?” Dice rubbed her head, complaining pitifully.
“Shut up. No rumors here.” Sapphire said coldly, “I have something to say to Blazing Flame. Please be quiet.”
“O-okay, I’ll listen.”
Dice obediently flew to sit on Sapphire’s shoulder, covering her mouth with her paws to show she wouldn’t say anything more.
Blazing Flame awkwardly nodded at Dice, then turned to look at the lifeless Giant Egg beside her, gathering courage to slash at it again, trying to see if she could hear that strange voice once more.
But unfortunately, there was no sound this time.
“Finishing off is a good habit. Well done.”
Sapphire smiled in approval, thinking Blazing Flame was just making sure the Giant Egg was really dead.
“Uh, thank you.”
Blazing Flame touched her face, unwilling to clarify her true reason.
She decided to keep the secret that she could understand Monster speech to herself, not wanting Sapphire to misunderstand.
“Don’t get too happy yet. What I’m about to say might not be pleasant, but I hope you’ll answer honestly.”
“Ah, okay.”
Blazing Flame nodded nervously, looking at Sapphire in confusion, not understanding why she suddenly said that.
“Why did you choose to become a Magic Girl? You should have the right to give up, right?” Sapphire’s eyes fixed intently on Blazing Flame. “When you were invited by the Magic Fairy, you could have told it to go away, right?”
“I-I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” Blazing Flame was stunned, thinking she hadn’t encountered any Magic Fairy at all.
“Tell me, why did you choose to become a Magic Girl? It’s not six years ago anymore. The Magic Girls’ idol activities have been banned. They can no longer be idols.”
After voicing the question in her heart, Sapphire lost all restraint and spoke everything on her mind.
“If you became a Magic Girl to enjoy others’ praise and cheers, I advise you to give up early. This path is dangerous, not as dazzling as the official propaganda makes it seem.”
“Once you become a Magic Girl and join the Monster Response Department, not only will your real identity be strictly confidential, but you must also fulfill the duties your power demands: fighting Shadow Beasts.”
“If you can’t defeat a Shadow Beast, you’ll die, Blazing Flame.”
Blazing Flame was stunned.
She hadn’t expected Sapphire to say such things.
She thought Sapphire was simply asking why she took this path, but now it seemed she wanted to dissuade her with the harsh realities Magic Girls face.
“Give up, Blazing Flame. Go enjoy your life.” Sapphire urged. “Choosing to quit is nothing shameful. There were people in City A who gave up becoming Magic Girls.”
Blazing Flame remained expressionless, sinking into silence.
“Besides me and Meteor, there was a third person who became a Magic Girl. But she almost got killed by a Shadow Beast in her first battle. If I hadn’t arrived in time, she’d be dead.”
“I know you’re different from her—you’re strong, and your combat talent is outstanding. But I still suggest you quit.”
“No one can guarantee victory in every battle. I can’t, and neither can you. If you fail, the only outcome is death.”
“For the sake of your life, please give up, Blazing Flame.”
Listening to Sapphire’s increasingly cold and serious words, Blazing Flame looked up at the girl in front of her and pressed her lips tight.
She thought to herself: I’m a university student, far stronger than a high schooler like you. Do I really need you to teach me how to make choices?
She even wanted to joke with Sapphire, tell her not to dwell on such heavy topics and just continue being a Magic Girl full of love and hope.
But when the words were about to leave her mouth, she couldn’t say anything.
Like a force beyond her control, Blazing Flame revealed her true feelings.
“I don’t want to quit. I came this far because of a promise. How could I possibly give up?”
“…What?” Sapphire didn’t expect such a reply to her plea.
“I made a promise to someone. I gave her my word.” Blazing Flame’s voice was low and firm. “So, I won’t give up.”
Sapphire fell silent.
Looking at Blazing Flame’s earnest, youthful face, she understood that she was speaking sincerely.
Though she had no idea what promise Blazing Flame had made, just from her attitude, it must be an important one.
“Heh.” Sapphire smiled brightly. “Welcome to our team, Blazing Flame.”
“Huh?”
“I’m a full-time combat member of City A’s Monster Response Department. Codename: Sapphire. Nice to meet you.”
Sapphire smiled and extended her hand to Blazing Flame. This was the second time she had reached out in friendship, but her tone was much warmer now.
It seemed she had accepted Blazing Flame.
“Ah… Blazing Flame, nice to meet you.”
Hesitating, Blazing Flame took the offered hand and shook it, wondering if Sapphire was inviting her to join the Monster Response Department.
“I have a question. Since you have the power of a Magic Girl and the resolve it takes, why haven’t you chosen to meet with us?” After releasing her hand, Sapphire looked at Blazing Flame curiously.
“Uh, well, it’s because of other reasons.”
Blazing Flame thought to herself: I can’t say I’m a man—I don’t want you to know my true identity, lest you treat me differently.
“Other reasons?” Sapphire pressed.
“Ahem, um, Miss Sapphire, I just remembered something urgent I need to handle. I’ll be going now!”
Faced with Sapphire’s questioning, Blazing Flame glanced at the power level on her left wristband and then hurriedly fled the scene, leaving Sapphire and her Magic Fairy standing behind.
“Not going after her?” Dice on Sapphire’s shoulder asked.
“No, no need.” Sapphire shook her head. “Since she’s chosen this path, we’ll meet again in the future.”
“Ohhh, I see.” Dice nodded knowingly, then suddenly shouted excitedly, “Then Contractee! Let’s split the Purification Shards here! Don’t worry, I only want thirty percent! The other seventy percent is all yours!”
“What?”
Frowning, Sapphire followed Dice’s voice to her right.
Above the corpse of the Giant Egg, dozens of dazzlingly radiant bone fragments hovered in the air.
These bones shone brilliantly, clearly no ordinary fragments. Their quality was extraordinarily high.