In the underground of the Association, within a narrow corridor.
After the dust settled, the corridor was a scene of utter chaos.
Silver flames burned silently, without a trace of heat—instead, a chilling cold crept along one’s spine.
The S-rank monster Hundred Demons Mask, forged by Black Mark, had been split in two.
The masked head was smashed to pieces.
The Silverflame Dragon Princess’s golden, steely eyes swept coldly across the scene.
Bloodstains remained on the ground, but the wounded Black Rose had disappeared without a trace.
“The monster’s been dealt with, but the person got away. I don’t know what method that woman used to escape. Sorry.”
“No matter, if she ran, she ran,” came a voice from the communicator, obviously modified, “As long as the Hidden Bone Hall hasn’t been breached, it’s fine. Well done, truly worthy of the [Silverflame Dragon Princess].”
The Silverflame Dragon Princess did not reply. She walked a few steps back, suddenly stooping to pick something up from the ground.
She stared at the tiny trace of scale-dust stuck to her fingertips, narrowing her eyes slightly.
……
At this time, in a small grove outside the city walls of Summersea City.
The magic barrier over the city walls had been shut down, and the monsters outside the walls had been nearly wiped out.
Only a handful of Magical Girls and the Logistics Department remained, wrapping up the aftermath.
After such a troublesome ordeal, it seemed monsters would be extinct outside Summersea City for a while.
Black Rose sat slumped against a tree, covered in wounds. A rugged gash ran from her right shoulder down to her abdomen—gruesome and terrifying.
Luckily, she had dodged just in time, or else the injury wouldn’t be this simple; the Silverflame Dragon Princess’s massive sword would have split her whole body in two!
“What a monster… such destructive power… can these S-Rank Magical Girls really still be considered human?”
Black Rose closed her eyes. The last bit of Black Mark in her body slithered toward her wounds, but there was far too little to plug such a gaping cut.
“From the day I met you until now, this is the first time I’ve seen you in such a sorry state.”
A snide comment. Black Rose opened her eyes and saw Shandie, hands in her pockets.
“The item?”
“Got it. I have to say, this Access Card of yours is really something—even the Hidden Bone Hall couldn’t keep you out.”
Shandie extended her hand. In one hand was that Access Card; in the other, a mysterious little box.
“You ended up like this just for a piece of Stone—is it really worth it?”
“Stone? If those people in Hidden Bone Hall heard you call their treasure that, they’d die of rage, hehehe…”
Black Rose beckoned Shandie over with a curl of her finger, but instead of handing over the goods, Shandie stepped two paces back.
“…Shandie, what are you playing at?”
“Nothing. Just wanted to talk before I decide whether to give this to you.”
“You used yourself as bait to draw off the enemy so I could use my skills and this Access Card to take the item, didn’t you? Never thought you’d even predict the Silverflame Dragon Princess would be guarding Hidden Bone Hall… I’m really curious now, Black Rose—just how many steps ahead did you plan in all this?”
“I was willing to follow your plan because I agreed to cooperate with you, but being used like a tool—‘used to the utmost’—isn’t a feeling I enjoy.”
“You really have to have this conversation now?” Black Rose gave a bitter smile and pointed to the wound at her front. “Aren’t you worried I’ll drop dead mid-chat?”
Shandie said nothing, only took two more steps back.
“All right, all right… geez… Don’t give me so much credit, Shandie. This cursed place, Summersea City—I can’t predict this many surprises.”
Thus, wounded as she was, Black Rose recounted her full plan in bits and pieces.
Black Rose’s original reason for targeting Summersea City was simple: in some respects, this city’s defenses were the weakest.
The standard Magical Girl forces didn’t matter, but the Guardian of Summersea City was [Bailing Songstress], whose Coordination ability could be weakened by certain methods.
Among S-Rank Magical Girls, she was relatively easy to deal with.
The initial plan was simple. Magical Girls can only handle so many monster incidents at once, so Black Rose created simultaneous attacks in different city locations—just to test the limits of Summersea City’s Magical Girls in emergency situations.
Then, when the Association’s Magical Girls were outside dealing with monsters, she could infiltrate the Association to seize what she wanted—Black Rose had been confident she could pull this off.
The biggest remaining problem was Muxingge. So, the monster outbreak at Beidajie Shopping Mall was actually meant to target Muxingge, who was at the Black Market.
Negative Public Opinion afterward would weaken her further.
Up to that point, Black Rose’s plan had been more than half a success… Who could have predicted the monsters on North Avenue would be wiped out by the sudden appearance of the Blood Moon Witch?
And then Eternal Star showed up in Summersea City during that period too.
Black Rose quickly realized that with those two powerhouses holed up here, no matter what, she couldn’t create an incident beyond their control.
“So sending you into the Association was a spur-of-the-moment decision, Shandie. If brute force wouldn’t work, I had to try from the inside.”
Black Rose spread her hands. This accident was also an opportunity, because with the Blood Moon Witch as Fish Bait, she had a reason to rope in people from the Divine Summon Order.
From there, she simply let herself get caught by the Association, then used the chaos created by the Divine Summon Order outside to sneak back in…
Black Rose believed the Divine Summon Order were even more experienced in sowing chaos than she was.
Another unexpected bonus: she happened to discover the Blood Moon Witch’s true identity.
So, before the operation, she staged a prelude to weaken both the Blood Moon Witch and her old enemy, Eternal Star.
“The rest you know. But the Silverflame Dragon Princess really was outside my calculations—if I’d known she was here, would I have let myself get hacked up like this?”
“I only kept a backup plan because I felt you were the safest bet to fetch the item. That’s exactly how much I trust you, Shandie.”
After a moment’s silence, Shandie finally stepped forward and handed Black Rose the Mystery Box.
“Let’s go. I’ll help you meet up with the Third Divine Envoy and the rest of the Divine Summon Order. I don’t have any Healing Magic for you.”
“We’re just leaving? Not even saying goodbye to the folks you know in the old city?”
“No. They’re ordinary people. If I go back now, I’ll only bring them trouble. Since I’ve chosen this path… there’s no turning back, right?”
Shandie recalled what Sirius had said that day… Does one always have the right to choose?
Sorry. Looks like from the very start, I made my own choice.
But at least the Blood Moon Witch has been captured by the Association—guess I did you a favor, Sirius… Falling in love with someone that dangerous, your choice is even riskier than mine.
……
Afternoon, inside the Association’s Medical Division.
Xiaoxi leaned against her pillow, replying to messages.
The fight between the Blood Moon Witch and the Third Divine Envoy had swept through the residential blocks near Southern Avenue.
Now, everyone who knew her address was messaging her to ask if she was okay.
“I’m fine… I just happened not to be home at the time… wasn’t caught up in the battle…”
She sent the same message to everyone in one tap. The clatter of typing echoed through the empty ward.
She was alone—the entire Association was busy, and the aftermath was no easier for anyone than what had come before.
Xiaoxi herself had only just woken up. Only Miss L had dropped in briefly to fill her in before returning to work.
After suppressing Ye Xinglan, Xiaoxi had passed out, and Muxingge soon arrived to personally take them both back to the Association.
Xiaoxi had taken the brunt of the Blood Moon Witch’s rampage, the Bloodstorm tearing open numerous wounds, not to mention her drained magic…
Fortunately, as a Black-Skinned Athlete, she’d recovered well after treatment from Muxingge.
As for the Blood Moon Witch, she had already been safely contained by the Association.
Headquarters was sending people to Summersea City, but as for what would happen next… even Miss L wasn’t sure.
Blood Moon Witch…
Right now, Xiaoxi only felt numb, not confused—in fact, she was surprisingly calm. Yet, memories of her time with Ye Xinglan kept surfacing uncontrollably.
She hadn’t even sorted out how to feel about it all when her phone buzzed again, breaking her train of thought—messages from Xiao Ke and Store Manager Su Ying.
“Scared me to death, sis! As long as you’re alive, that’s all that matters. By the way, what about Xinglan-jie? You two were together, right?”
“Xiaoxi, as long as you’re unhurt, that’s good. Since you’re fine, Miss Xinglan should be fine too, right?”
Xiaoxi’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, unable to type a single word.
With a clatter, her phone rolled to the floor. Xiaoxi buried her head deep between her knees, gripping the white bedsheet so hard that it creased beneath her fingers.
Her long silver hair spilled over her shoulders, hiding the expression on her face.
Only the black screen of her phone reflected her shadow in that moment.
The afternoon sun was warm, but that Eternal Star, seen by others as righteous, adorable, and powerful—now seemed so lost and forlorn.
“Xinglan……”
—End of Volume One
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