In an office building so ordinary it could hardly be more ordinary.
A blonde girl hopped into an elevator, aiming the orange Crystal hanging on her chest at the elevator’s floor buttons.
【Magical Girl Aoi Hoshino authentication successful. Tongmen City Magical Girl Branch, Noah’s Ark welcomes you.】
Without pressing any other buttons, the elevator began descending automatically.
It slowly went down to the 30th basement level. As the elevator descended, the surroundings gradually shifted from a typical office area to a sleek silver corridor filled with high-tech ambiance.
“Ding!” The elevator doors slid open.
Before her lay a massive circular hall. Dozens of female staff in various uniforms busily moved about. Holographic projections floated in the air, displaying all sorts of data and images.
The girl didn’t even glance around, as if she were used to this place, and headed straight for the Medical Chamber at the far end of the hall.
“Beep.” The door to the Medical Chamber slid open automatically.
“Wow, Su Li, you really are in a sorry state this time.”
Aoi Hoshino leaned against the doorframe, a lollipop dangling from her mouth.
She wore a tight combat training suit, her orange hair messy as if she had just finished a simulated battle.
***
“Aoi.” Nearby, a woman with an elegant, mature look—the doctor—gave her a glance. “Don’t disturb her rest.”
She wore the white uniform of the Medical Chamber, her long hair tied up, a communication device attached to her ear. In front of her was something resembling a cultivation pod.
The pod’s door slid open, and Su Li sat up from a pool of transparent liquid, droplets of water dripping from her long hair, like a little mermaid emerging from the bath.
“Tian Aixing, how’s the examination?”
“The heart rate is still elevated.”
Tian Aixing replied, looking up to meet Su Li’s calm eyes.
“The injuries aren’t light.” She continued, fingers sliding across a floating screen to bring up Su Li’s wound data. “Rib fractures, slight internal bleeding… What did you encounter?”
Aoi Hoshino stepped closer, bending down to look at Su Li’s face. “I heard this Main Beast’s rank almost reached S-level? That’s really rare. Even the captain found it hard to handle.”
Su Li was silent for a moment.
“That wasn’t an ordinary disaster.” She whispered. “After I killed it, its Residual Beasts actually displayed intelligence.”
“Intelligence?” Tian Aixing said, and the air in the room instantly froze.
Aoi Hoshino bit down hard on her lollipop, snapping it in two.
“Was it her doing?” Tian Aixing’s voice turned cold.
Su Li nodded.
“I was even knocked unconscious by the Residual Beasts…” She gripped the edge of the Restoration Pod tightly. “Even though I was battered and bruised, it’s impossible for Residual Beasts to do that—they’re just leftovers. It must have been Rose.”
***
Tian Aixing shut down the floating screen and took off her medical gloves.
“That ex-Magical Girl…” Aoi Hoshino muttered to herself. “Who else is she targeting now?”
“I’m going to check recent missing persons records.” Tian Aixing turned toward the door, then paused. “Tao, stay here.”
Aoi Hoshino gave an OK sign.
After Tian Aixing left, Aoi Hoshino plopped down beside the Restoration Pod and pulled another lollipop from her pocket.
“Su Li.” She stared at the candy, speaking casually, “Did you drag an ordinary person into this?”
Su Li was taken aback.
“Lu Yuan?” She frowned. “What about her?”
Aoi shrugged.
“Tian Aixing checked your communication logs and found you sent a distress signal to an ordinary person’s address before you lost consciousness.” She tore open the wrapper. “We sent people to check it out. That place is nearly destroyed. Besides you, no one else was found at the scene.”
“Also, when we found you, you were in civilian clothes, and your Transformation Crystal was missing.” Aoi added. “But judging by your mental state, it seems the change of the Crystal wasn’t due to malice.”
Su Li suddenly lunged at Aoi Hoshino, causing her to gasp sharply from the pain.
“Hiss… She’s gone?”
Aoi was startled by Su Li’s sudden move and took a step back. It was the first time she’d seen the captain lose composure like this.
“More than just gone… Su Li, take a look yourself.”
Aoi pulled out a phone and handed it over.
“This footage was caught by surveillance cameras in the office building across from Lu Yuan’s home. A huge hole was torn in the balcony, just enough to capture the whole scene.”
On the screen was Lu Yuan shouting the transformation command.
“Is… he turning into a Magical Girl? Using my Transformation Crystal?” Su Li looked incredulous, eyes glued to the screen. “Can men become Magical Girls?”
“There’s no precedent. Most Transformation Crystals don’t work on males.” Aoi replied.
The video kept playing until a shadow, unseen by the camera, knocked Lu Yuan unconscious.
Su Li’s brows knit tightly.
“Who else has seen this footage?”
“Only the three of us.” Aoi cocked her head at her. “You seem very concerned about Lu Yuan?”
Su Li said nothing.
In her mind, she recalled Lu Yuan dressing her wounds.
“…She saved me.” Her voice was soft.
Aoi studied her for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.
“Alright.” She stood up and stretched. “Once you’re able to move, I’ll come with you to find her.”
“When we found you, those hastily bandaged wounds were probably done by her too. She’s quite skillful. I want to meet her.”
“You…” Su Li smiled, relieved. “Thank you.”
***
Lu Yuan knelt on the ground, somewhat dazed.
Pain.
Her body no longer felt like her own.
She looked down at her body. Her combat suit was tattered and torn, the skirt ripped away to reveal large bruises on her skin. Even the last piece covering her had been shredded into scraps by Rose’s tentacles.
The transparent Crystal on her chest still glowed faintly, as if it could go out at any moment.
“Still stubborn?” Rose’s thumb wiped the corner of Lu Yuan’s mouth, removing dried blood. “I’ve never seen you before… You must be a new Magical Girl, right? To hold on this long is quite surprising.”
“I’m really starting to like you, Lu Yuan… ahaha~” Rose covered her face with both hands, cheeks flushed. “How delicious will your Crystal be?”
Suddenly Rose reached out and grabbed the Crystal.
Blinding pain exploded.
Lu Yuan’s vision instantly turned red, as if someone had driven a red-hot iron nail into her chest. She arched her body, forcing herself not to scream.
But the Crystal didn’t come off.
Rose frowned and released her grip.
“What…” she muttered softly, “It’s still rejecting me?”
Lu Yuan panted heavily, cold sweat soaking her torn combat suit.
Rose looked at Lu Yuan, now barely recognizable after the assault—the shredded, ragged combat suit, the wet floor… everything showed this girl couldn’t hold on much longer. She didn’t understand why this girl’s spirit hadn’t collapsed yet.
Lu Yuan stared at Rose, her gaze flickering blank for a second before slowly focusing.
“You won’t take it.” She said hoarsely. “Because… I don’t agree.”
Rose was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed.
“Interesting.” She whispered. “Then we’ll just play a bit longer.”
She snapped her fingers.
From the shadows, several black tentacles slowly wriggled forward, winding around Lu Yuan’s thighs, beginning to corrode her already tattered combat suit.
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