Ye Xinglan knew she had many names in the mouths of the world: Blood Moon Witch, Human-shaped Weapon, Monster… Names like these, none of them pleasant, but Ye Xinglan was well aware that each fit her perfectly.
But within the Divine Summon Order, the followers had yet another, even more fitting name for her in private—Scarlet Calamity.
Just as the name implied, it meant that Ye Xinglan, when completely out of control, was a disaster in human form.
As the Divine Summon Order’s most perfect and strongest creation, Ye Xinglan had only one insignificant flaw—she could not exhaust her own Magic Power.
For other Monsters and Magical Girls, Magic Power was just a blue bar: if it ran dry, all they had to do was wait for it to recover. But for Ye Xinglan, Magic Power was her tranquilizer.
Ye Xinglan was like a beast. So long as she was fed, she wouldn’t actively hunt, but once her Magic Power was exhausted and not replenished in time, the urge to “feed” would crush her Voice of Reason.
The Blood Moon Witch, feared by the world, was already terrifying when she could control herself—but what about the beast let loose?
All one could say was that Ye Xinglan, completely out of control, was truly worthy of the name Scarlet Calamity—just like she was now.
At this moment, Ye Xinglan was teetering on the edge of losing control. The battle with the Third Divine Envoy had completely drained her Magic Power, just as the Third Divine Envoy had threatened before the fight began.
“Holy Maiden, among the newly recruited emissaries of the Divine Summon Order, there’s one who wields [Mirror], a Space Magic. Not only did she help me infiltrate Summersea City, she’s also trapped the [Bailing Songstress] Muxingge—in other words, you have no reinforcements in this battle.”
“If your Magic Power runs out, then this city… Heh, you seem to like your life here, don’t you? Surely you don’t want to see this city destroyed?”
“Come with me, Holy Maiden. As long as you do, this city—including that girl from the photo earlier—will all remain unharmed.”
Yet Ye Xinglan still chose to fight. At that time, she was filled with fear—she didn’t want to return to those days under the Divine Summon Order’s control. But now, she regretted it.
Everything in her vision was stained crimson. Every wound on her body seemed to cry out—craving Magic Power.
The feeling bordered on madness. Ye Xinglan could feel she was only a step away from completely losing herself.
She had to… find somewhere deserted to hide… Before it happened… Right, Aluan—what about Aluan?
At this moment, Mo Lan’er was already unconscious, lying among the ruins. Her frontal combat ability was practically nonexistent.
Ye Xinglan wanted to check on Mo Lan’er’s condition, but suddenly sensed an incredibly powerful Magic Power racing toward her.
In the sky was a figure Ye Xinglan knew all too well—a Magical Girl as righteous and powerful as starlight itself…
“Eternal Star! You coward, always hiding in the back!”
Her near-berserk state magnified all her negative emotions. Ye Xinglan’s scarlet eyes brimmed with an anger so fierce she wished to tear the figure before her to pieces.
Damn it, not sooner, not later—she comes right when both sides are wounded? Was she waiting to profit off their mutual destruction? How despicable!
At this moment, the Miss in charge at the operations command center let out a heavy sigh of relief—thank goodness she’d made it in time!
She had no more hands to spare. The higher-ranked Magical Girls were out of the city clearing Monsters, and Muxingge’s whereabouts were unknown. None of them could return soon.
Most of the lower-ranked Magical Girls stationed at the Association had already been dispatched—they could only assist in evacuating civilians, never interfere in a battle between those two!
If A Xing hadn’t made it back in time, Summersea City would have been doomed!
“A Xing, do it now, before she loses control completely!”
“I understand.”
Xiaoxi drew that starlight-forged Knight’s Longsword. Ye Xinglan, too, pulled her Blood Scythe from the Black Mud.
For a moment, both were dazed—this scene was like a reenactment of their final battle three years ago: the two of them standing alone amidst the ruins, fighting to the death, until only one remained.
Ye Xinglan’s ears were filled with countless murmurs… Kill her… She walked right into your hands… Kill her right here… Is that really okay?
The Third Divine Envoy’s words surged up in her mind. The last remnants of her Voice of Reason made Ye Xinglan withdraw her scythe…
No, if she let herself lose control, even if she killed Eternal Star, the whole of Summersea City would be buried with her. What meaning would there be in that revenge?
Xiaoxi… Yes, Xiaoxi was still in the city. Even if it was just for Xiaoxi, she absolutely could not lose control here!
Some of the crimson and rage faded from Ye Xinglan’s eyes. As if all her strength had been drained, she slowly collapsed to the ground.
Maybe… it wouldn’t be so bad to just die here at Eternal Star’s hand?
She’d never been welcomed by anyone, so she could not allow herself to hurt the only one who liked her.
Maybe she should have died long ago.
They were right—she was a witch, a sinner, a Monster liable to go berserk at any time… How could someone like her ever hope for a peaceful life?
Xiaoxi didn’t understand why the Blood Moon Witch suddenly let down all her guard at such a moment, but the situation was urgent.
She wouldn’t let the opportunity slip by—now was the best chance to deal with the Blood Moon Witch!
The longsword pressed to her throat, but Xiaoxi’s hand suddenly froze.
The Black Mud receded, and beneath it, the face she’d seen day and night was revealed.
All the surrounding noise seemed to vanish in an instant. The moment she saw Ye Xinglan’s face, Xiaoxi could hardly hold the sword in her hand.
“A Xing! If you don’t do it now, it’ll be too late! Why are you hesitating!”
“Xinglan… L, the Blood Moon Witch is… Ye Xinglan.”
There was a brief pause from the other end of the communicator, and then Miss L’s tone turned terrifyingly calm.
“I know, A Xing… but if you don’t act now, it’ll be too late.”
“You knew? You knew all along who the Blood Moon Witch was? L, what do you mean by this! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Exactly what I said. Headquarters just issued an order: the Blood Moon Witch must be killed immediately—she cannot be allowed to go berserk in the city.”
“To hell with their orders! I’m not even part of the Association!”
“That’s why I didn’t want to tell you her identity now!” Miss L took a deep breath.
“Listen to me, you’re the only one who can stop her now. A Xing, you know as well as I do that the Blood Moon Witch is on the verge of losing control. There’s no time to safely contain her!”
“There are only two options before you now! Either end her before things reach the point of no return, or spare her life and let all of Summersea City be buried with her!”
There was no response from the communicator.
“A Xing!”
Xiaoxi still didn’t move. She stared blankly at the girl kneeling before her.
It was just like three years ago when she’d defeated the Blood Moon Witch.
But now, the one before her was not just the dreaded witch—she was also the girl Xiaoxi liked.
Damn it, why hasn’t she moved? Does she really want to die that badly?
The Black Mud once again enveloped Ye Xinglan’s body, and with her at the center, scarlet Magic Power and the Black Mud formed a swirling tornado—she was the eye of this Scarlet Calamity!
Fine, if she wants to die so badly, then I’ll grant her wish!
The Blood Moon Witch lost control.
Instinct and desire finally crushed Ye Xinglan’s Voice of Reason.
In the last moment before consciousness snapped, one final thought flickered in Ye Xinglan’s mind.
I wish… I could see Xiaoxi just one more time…
Xiaoxi, too, was caught in the scarlet storm. She didn’t dodge. At such close range, she heard Ye Xinglan’s final murmur.
“Xiaoxi…”
Even at the end, she was calling her name.
With a clang, Xiaoxi’s longsword fell to the ground, scattering into starlight. The sight made Miss L’s heart shatter.
“A Xing, it’s too late!”
“No, I won’t choose either of those two paths… I choose a third.”
Xiaoxi’s voice was unwavering.
“Roar—”
The witch before her let out a monstrous howl.
Several tentacles shot at Xiaoxi, turning from slippery appendages into spears.
Xiaoxi didn’t dodge, nor did she launch any attack—she met Ye Xinglan’s assault head-on, letting the tentacles pierce her body.
She opened her arms and hugged the terrifying, murderous figure tightly. Staring into those scarlet eyes, Xiaoxi, without hesitation—
Kissed her.
You want Magic Power, don’t you? Fine, whatever you want, I’ll give it to you!