Chapter 17: Kiriel

Unlike monsters below A-class, S-class monsters possess extremely high intelligence and special abilities, making them incredibly difficult to kill.

Every time they appear, they almost always cause city-level or higher disasters.

Kiriyaelde—when it first appeared, the records were inexplicably altered, and some of its file names were changed to Kiriyaelde.

It is capable of communicating with humans, claims to be the ruler of Earth, and descended with a meteorite.

Upon its first appearance, it attempted to enslave humanity but was defeated by a magical girl.

During its second appearance, Kiriyaelde temporarily defeated that magical girl, but she gathered the light of human children and unleashed a dazzling power, defeating it once more.

“S-class, Kiriyaelde…”

Luo Tianyou covered her forehead.

Ever since she began recalling past events, her head hurt—heavy and painful…

The characters for Kiriyaelde always brought back old memories.

Under the moon, Liuli’s expression was unusually grave.

She first turned off Luo Tianyou’s file, then disabled the magic barrier of the archive room.

A rush of footsteps echoed from the doorway.

She opened the door.

“Lady Moonlight, the S-class monster Kiriyaelde has appeared. I’ve already ordered the evacuation, but it happened so suddenly—it may be impossible to complete the evacuation in time.”

Zhou Zheng’s face was grim, a tablet in his hand as he handed it to Liuli.

It was the city’s surveillance and energy monitoring map.

Above the outskirts of City C, the sky was covered by twisted dark purple clouds.

A massive, hellish vortex was slowly forming, exuding a chilling, evil aura.

The powerful energy reaction made the screen tremble uncontrollably.

Liuli quickly scanned the data on the screen.

“Initiate the highest-level emergency response. All non-combat personnel are to enter the shelters immediately. Simultaneously, notify all registered C-class and above magical girls to assemble per the S-class monster emergence protocol. Prioritize the construction of outer defense barriers to buy time.”

“Yes!”

Zhou Zheng turned instantly, issuing orders to the group behind him.

Everyone was tense.

Several were already pale, barely holding on.

During its second appearance, Kiriyaelde displayed overwhelming psychic influence, filling countless adults with fear and despair.

Many succumbed, their minds controlled.

If not for the pure hearts of children, even the magical girl who defeated it might have fallen.

Now, this psychic influence had already begun to affect the minds of all humans within its area of descent.

Internal fears would be amplified, including the deepest hidden darkness.

“Lady Moonlight, when Kiriyaelde last appeared, it destroyed two cities. Even several S-class magical girls were helpless against it. Should we request assistance from other S-classes…?”

“I’ll go in person. You’ll command the bureau. If anything special happens, you may consult with her.”

Liuli knelt down, gently brushing Luo Tianyou’s hair.

She looked at Luo Tianyou holding her forehead, a trace of concern flashing in her golden eyes before she regained composure.

“Master, I must move immediately. Kiriyaelde emits psychic contagion, but as long as you steel your mind, you won’t be easily controlled. You’re too tense—just relax. I’ll handle this.”

“Mm…”

Luo Tianyou tried to calm herself, emptying her thoughts.

The pain in her forehead gradually eased.

But unlike Liuli described, she felt no psychic compulsion—only increasing headache the more she thought about past memories.

It was an old ailment.

Her mother said she’d been hit by a large truck years ago, barely saved.

Her mind was damaged, and some memories lost—recalling the past just made her head ache.

Zhou Zheng’s brow twitched, pretending he’d heard nothing.

Liuli patted Luo Tianyou’s back, lips slightly pursed, as if about to lean closer to her forehead—but finally looked up instead.

Zhou Zheng immediately bowed his head.

“Yes, Lady Moonlight, I will strictly obey orders.”

Liuli nodded.

Scarlet magic erupted from her hair, a battle skirt of red and black materializing in a surge of power.

Red form.

This time she started in her red form.

Luo Tianyou watched Liuli’s departing figure.

Though her head still throbbed as if from a fever, it was manageable.

“Milady, should I address you as Lady Flora of the Starry Sky Witch, or by another title?”

Zhou Zheng asked as soon as Luo Tianyou raised her head.

“…You know my mother?”

At the mention of Starry Sky Witch Flora, Luo Tianyou instantly became wary.

Was her mother making her inherit more debts again?

“Lady Flora the Starry Sky Witch reigned supreme a decade ago, then suddenly vanished. Most of her records were lost.

Ten years is enough to fade memories—even most of our own Bureau have forgotten her combat attire, so it’s natural for you to think no one recognizes your mother.”

Zhou Zheng wore a knowing expression.

He’d only realized Luo Tianyou’s outfit resembled Flora’s after checking magical girl records from ten years ago.

He continued,

“Back then, Lady Flora was a magical girl of the Crown rank. With both Lady Moonlight and you here now, the S-class Kiriyaelde incident will surely be resolved.”

At the final words, Luo Tianyou snapped back to reality.

S-class incident.

Kiriyaelde.

She remembered—she had experienced it as a child.

—

The shrill blare of alarms mixed with the sound of colliding vehicles.

People collided in panic, some trampled or involved in violent brawls.

Bureau personnel desperately maintained order, evacuating residents near the outskirts.

Dark purple clouds spread across the entire city.

Beams of different colors shot up from various districts—magical girls responding to orders.

They struggled to erect barriers, attempting to block the spreading energy shockwaves and guide the terrified crowds to safety.

Moonlight Liuli’s golden hair whipped in the wind, powerful magic gathering around her as she charged alone at the hellish purple vortex—the Heaven’s Eye.

She watched the panicked residents at the city’s edge, wishing she could help them.

But she couldn’t go.

She had to stop Kiriyaelde’s full descent first, or the entire city would become its food.

She focused her mind, calming herself.

Blazing magic erupted into a burning firestorm, igniting the purple infernal clouds!

BOOM!!

Magic clashed with thunderous force.

Dark purple clouds roiled and howled in agony, straining to engulf the city.

Yet no matter what, their advance was forcefully halted.

Liuli exhaled superheated, shimmering air, swinging a giant scythe marked with dark red runes.

BOOM!!!

She split open the terrifying Heaven’s Eye.

Cracks tore through the purple clouds.

She advanced deeper, only to be swallowed again by the thick miasma.

It was as if she were being devoured.

The clouds screamed.

Even B-class magical girls within the city trembled in fear.

Qingluan and Hongying were handling matters with the Hongfa Company on their street.

They had confirmed collusion and bribery by the level supervisor and Hongfa Company—just as they were about to file a report, Kiriyaelde’s emergence interrupted everything.

And to make matters worse, Lihuayu had gone missing!

“Hongying, you go find Lihuayu. I’ll continue the response.”

Qingluan ordered immediately.

Hongying nodded, gritting her teeth as she searched the area.

This was a mission directly assigned by Lady Liuli—how could such an important person disappear at a time like this!

At that moment, Lihuayu clutched her head, curled up as countless voices echoed within her mind.

They urged, tempted, and lured her to act on her truest, darkest desires.

“Go on, go on!”

“You’re all alone. No one cares about you anyway.”

“Wherever you go, you’ll just be beaten. People everywhere only see you as a tool.”

“Look at you—have you ever eaten your fill? Enjoyed the happiness other children have?”

“Do the slaps on your face hurt? Does the burn from cigarette ash on your arm sting?”

“See? Those who bullied you will flee in terror before power. With power, you can have anything.”

Lihuayu felt the pain in her forehead reach its limit, shattering her last thread of restraint.

She suddenly opened her eyes, realizing she was standing at the edge of the street.

Crowds were fleeing from shops in terror.

Those frightened, cowardly human faces—they disgusted her.

An overwhelming urge surged up.

And just then, the person she’d never forgotten from her nightmares appeared, stumbling away with the crowd.

Lihuayu stared at her, breathing heavily.

She lunged, grabbing her.

With a cold sneer at the woman’s terrified expression, she said,

“Boss, the monster’s here. If you don’t sell your stuff at a discount now, and it all gets destroyed, you’ll lose everything. I’ll give you one yuan for two popsicles! And another yuan for a 300ml cola!”

“…Ah?”

The shop owner stared in terror at the girl’s empty eyes, then grabbed a sausage from her stall and stuffed it into Lihuayu’s mouth.

“Child, are you so hungry you’ve gone crazy? Now’s not the time! Hurry and come with auntie! When the monster incident is over, the shop will have discounted ice cream next Thursday—one yuan for two old ice pops, eat as much as you like!”

“Mmmph…”

Lihuayu was caught off guard, her mouth full.

“Hey, where are you going! Stay with auntie! You’ll find your mother at the shelter!”

The shop owner raced toward the shelter, grabbing a lost, crying boy along the way.

The crowds surged, chaos spreading.

The shop was already being looted by others, and amid it, Lihuayu spotted a familiar figure.

“Where are you running off to!”

She broke free from the shop owner, sprinting the opposite direction.

The owner tried to chase her, but a voice called out behind her,

“Son, there you are!! Thank you, thank you, let’s run together!”

A woman in her thirties grabbed the boy’s hand, and when she turned around, Lihuayu had vanished.

“That little girl is gone…”

The shop owner looked worried.

“We can’t help it. Let’s go. The shelter has a limit on numbers, and magical girls will protect her outside.”

The woman comforted her.

The shop owner could only follow the crowd, praying the child would be safe, and that this monster invasion would end soon.

When it was all over, she’d urge her own child to strive to become a magical girl as soon as possible.