After the piercing sound faded, the round, translucent Phosphorescent Pearl shattered with a crash, transforming into a rhombic Sky-blue Gem that floated before Sapphire.
With a gentle tap of her finger, the rhombic gem suddenly burst into dazzling light, swiftly flying to hover before the girl’s chest, fixing itself in place like a colorful timer, pulsing with a soft blue glow.
Alongside the appearance of the blue radiance, a simple outfit, resembling a one-piece swimsuit with a skirt attached, materialized out of thin air, wrapping around Sapphire and covering her casual clothes beneath.
“Wow, no matter how many times I see it, it always looks so cool!”
Once the transformation was complete, a small cat-like beast suddenly appeared before Sapphire, a tiny blue Magic Staff clutched in its mouth, topped with a rounded, transparent blue gem.
Sapphire took the Magic Staff from Dice’s mouth and waved it around casually a couple of times. Seeing the staff emit a flash of blue light, she then fixed her gaze on the cat-like beast and said,
“Dice, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“Hmm?”
“Can you explain why the fabric on my chest is a different color from the rest of my outfit? It’s pure white, right?” Sapphire tugged at the clothing over her chest. “Is there something wrong with my Battle Suit?”
The cat-like beast blinked, looking dazed and somewhat foolish, its clear eyes revealing its naive confusion.
“You’re not telling me you didn’t know, Dice,” Sapphire said coldly.
“No, no, no! I’d never do something like that.” Dice hurriedly shook its head. “Dear Contractor, I’ve double-checked—your Magical Outfit is absolutely fine, no issues at all!”
“Then why is the color different? Was it designed that way to draw attention?” Sapphire pressed.
“Eh, I honestly don’t know. I’m just a cute Magic Fairy,” Dice glanced away guiltily, avoiding Sapphire’s eyes. “Don’t sweat the details, my dear Contractor.”
“Why do I feel like the more you explain, the more suspicious you sound, Dice?” Sapphire pinched Dice’s throat, forcing the cat-like beast to meet her gaze. “Speak up, or I’ll smash your head with the Magic Staff.”
“Let go! I can’t breathe!” The cat-like beast’s legs kicked in midair. “Help! A Contractor is abusing a Magic Fairy! Someone save me!”
“You’re lying again. You’re a Magic Creature—you don’t even need to breathe.”
Though verbally reprimanding Dice, Sapphire loosened her grip and released her Magic Fairy.
“Oh, how I wish I could breathe like you humans,” Dice said, flipping backward in the air after regaining freedom. “I’ve never even felt what breathing is like.”
“There’s nothing special about it. It’s just an ordinary feeling.” Sapphire lightly tapped Dice’s head with her finger. “It’s time to go, Dice. We’ve wasted too much time here. If we don’t find her soon, Blazing Flame might have already wiped out all the Shadow Beasts.”
“No problem! My dear Contractor!” Dice cheered loudly. “Blazing Flame’s magical aura is blazing fiercely in the East District of A City! I can even feel the sweat she’s shedding! Let’s go too, Contractor!”
“East District of A City, Commercial Zone area…” Sapphire raised an eyebrow. “Let’s move out, Dice.”
“Okay! Let’s go!”
———
In the Commercial Zone of A City’s East District, a petite red-haired girl wielded a giant sword, cutting down one adult-sized Bug Monster after another.
This red-haired girl was none other than Blazing Flame.
“Haah!!!”
With a fierce shout, Blazing Flame bent her knees slightly and stomped the ground, charging toward a large Bug Monster ahead.
A cold gleam flashed.
The Bug Monster, covered in a thick shell, was sliced in half at the waist by the giant sword, disintegrating into black dust that scattered into the air.
Even after slaying the Bug Monster before her, no smile appeared on Blazing Flame’s face. She listened to the strange roars that still echoed nearby and glanced tensely at the towering, five-story-high mysterious Giant Egg in the distance.
The Giant Egg was veined all over with deep green lines resembling blood vessels, pulsing rhythmically as if breathing. The Magic Power Source it contained was so intense that merely looking at it made Blazing Flame’s heart race.
There was no doubt that this Giant Egg was incubating a terrifying Monster. If it hatched successfully, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Blazing Flame had intended to rush forward and destroy the Giant Egg, but before she could take more than a few steps, two massive Bug Monsters suddenly appeared from somewhere ahead, blocking her path.
These two Bug Monsters were clearly stronger than the one she had just killed. Their bodies were emerald green, with inverted triangular heads and compound eyes fully protected by thick shells, resembling helmeted warriors.
Their forelimbs were shaped like sickles, covered with countless menacing spikes, while their sturdy hind legs supported their entire bodies. At first glance, they looked like monsters straight out of a movie.
“Damn it! Weren’t these the same Monsters that appeared only in the sky earlier?! How are they on the ground now?”
Glancing at the familiar Bug Monsters before her, Blazing Flame cursed bitterly in her heart.
When she was flying earlier, these very same Bug Monsters had tried to block her path.
She had finally killed one in midair, only to have another appear immediately after—killed one, then another appeared—endless and relentless.
It wasn’t until she landed on the ground that those flying Bug Monsters vanished, replaced by these bulky, armored ground Bug Monsters.
“Tch, how many more do I have to kill?”
Blazing Flame glanced back at the workers still fleeing not far behind her, curled her lip, and raised her giant sword, preparing for battle.
She couldn’t fly anymore, nor could she retreat—there were still innocent people escaping behind her who depended on her to eliminate these Monsters, until this Commercial Zone could regain peace.
If that was the case, then she had to move forward.
Decision made, Blazing Flame didn’t hesitate and charged straight into the trap laid by the two Bug Monsters.
“Arooo!!!”
The two Bug Monsters reacted swiftly, swinging their sickle-shaped forelimbs simultaneously as Blazing Flame charged, aiming to strike her with heavy blows.
Blazing Flame snorted coldly and suddenly stopped, causing the two Bug Monsters’ forelimbs to hover momentarily in the same spot, throwing off their balance.
Seeing the scene unfold exactly as she predicted, Blazing Flame seized the opportunity to dodge right and deliver a horizontal slash to the hind leg of the Bug Monster on the right.
“Roar!”
With a successful strike, Blazing Flame didn’t linger. She immediately turned and ran forward, intent on reaching the mysterious Giant Egg before the Bug Monster behind her could recover.
But after just a few dozen meters, a piercing roar sounded again, growing louder and closer.
Judging by the sound, it seemed dozens of Monsters had noticed her and blocked her way.
Looks like she’d have to spend some time dealing with these Monsters again.
Blazing Flame exhaled sharply, just as irritation began to swell, when suddenly she felt a chill—something seemed to have locked onto her.
The next moment, a sinister cold gleam flickered beside her.
Clang——
Blazing Flame instinctively dodged to the right, narrowly avoiding a sneak attack from the shadows.
“Hiss…”
The Monster that had tried to ambush Blazing Flame immediately retreated without hesitation, rejoining the other Bug Monsters while its compound eyes stared intently at Blazing Flame, letting out a terrifying hissing sound.
“Tch, this just got complicated.”
Blazing Flame looked at the dozens of Bug Monsters blocking her path, then glanced at the Giant Egg pulsating faster in the distance, taking a deep breath.
The Giant Egg was about to hatch soon; she couldn’t afford to waste any more time here.
If that’s the case, then it was time to trade injury for survival…
“Move to the left! Blazing Flame!”
A somewhat familiar yet strange female voice called from behind, ordering her to dodge left.
Without hesitation, Blazing Flame moved five meters to the left, following the girl’s command.
A burst of sapphire blue flames shot forward from behind Blazing Flame, thunderously blasting into the Bug Monsters ahead, melting more than half of the dozens of Monsters on the spot—leaving only a few with parts of their bodies missing.
Grateful for the assistance, Blazing Flame looked back curiously—and saw a figure she had only ever seen on TV or in books.
It was one of the other two Magic Girls in A City.
“…Sapphire?” Blazing Flame couldn’t believe her eyes.