“How is it? Did you find anything?”
A few minutes later, Sapphire returned to the room with Meteor and asked Blazing Flame.
“There is something, but right now it’s all still very confusing. It’s certain that the Night Demon is behind this lunatic’s actions. But how exactly the Night Demon helped, and what was done afterward—I have no idea. And what’s even more troubling is…”
Blazing Flame suddenly stopped speaking, shook her head, and didn’t continue, as if worried that saying more might affect the other two magical girls.
“Say it, it’s fine. I’m mentally prepared,” Sapphire replied.
“I—I am too!” Meteor quickly nodded, signaling that she was ready as well.
After hearing their responses, Blazing Flame looked up at the ceiling, where she had punched a hole, and was silent for several seconds before slowly speaking.
“What’s more troublesome is: where have the other people influenced by the Night Demon gone?”
“…You mean?” Sapphire’s brow furrowed with caution.
“There’s definitely more than just this one person affected by the Night Demon, but so far we’ve only found this one,” Blazing Flame explained. “Where are the others? Where could they be hiding?”
“If it were me, I would have made sure they hid well. I’d turn those under my influence into the sharpest daggers in my hand, only letting them show themselves at the perfect moment to deliver a fatal blow to anyone who stands in my way… ah…!”
Meteor’s voice suddenly rose in alarm, as if she’d realized just how tricky the situation was.
Blazing Flame sighed and nodded at Meteor, saying, “That’s exactly why this is the hardest part. We’re out in the open, but the enemy lurks in the shadows. We can only react to their moves.”
“…Even so, we did gain something.”
Sapphire narrowed her eyes and dragged the “Clown” lying on the ground closer to them, then removed his mask.
She pulled out her phone, opened an app Blazing Flame had never seen before, and took a picture of the man’s face.
Within just a few seconds, Sapphire looked at the information on her phone and read it aloud.
“This guy’s name is Jia Yi, 24 years old, currently a graduate student studying in A City. No bad records at all. His university grades were excellent; he received various scholarships and was admitted as a Self-admitted Graduate. Now, after only two years as a graduate student, he’s already first author on a District One journal paper.”
“Such terrifying software… no, such terrifying top talent!”
Blazing Flame gasped, staring at the unconscious Jia Yi on the ground like he was a monster.
Just racking up scholarship after scholarship was already unimaginable to her.
Not to mention that he was first author on a District One paper…
Suddenly, a pang of jealousy welled up inside her—jealousy that Jia Yi could have such outstanding achievements.
Damn it, she wished she could live such an excellent life too!
“That’s right, I also think he’s remarkable,” Sapphire crouched beside the unconscious Jia Yi. “So don’t you find it strange, Blazing Flame? Why would someone this talented carry out such a bizarre kidnapping and then go insane claiming he wants to become God’s judge over all sins in the human world?”
“Are you saying he touched some forbidden substance?” Blazing Flame twitched her nose, sniffing the air. “But that’s impossible, there’s no scent of anything in the room.”
“That’s just my guess,” Sapphire stood up. “I’m going to have someone run a full body scan on him later, see what’s really going on with him. Blazing Flame, do you want to come along?”
“Uh… no thanks. I still have things to handle, so I’ll head back first.”
Although she wanted to know the truth, Blazing Flame chose to decline Sapphire’s offer, worried that lingering outside too long might expose her true identity.
“Alright, I’ll let you know once we have the results,” Sapphire said, tapping her Magic Staff. “Dice! Come out and hand the bag to Blazing Flame!”
After a flash of light, Dice appeared holding a black bag in its mouth, then floated slowly to Blazing Flame and stretched its head toward her.
“This is…?” Blazing Flame asked curiously.
“Just your official benefits as a magical girl and a phone for communication. Take it,” Sapphire said calmly.
“Alright, then I won’t refuse.”
Hearing it was official benefits, Blazing Flame took the black bag without hesitation and hung it on her waist, planning to open it back at her dorm.
Seeing this, Sapphire knocked Dice’s head with her Magic Staff again and said,
“Where’s Blazing Flame’s Purification Shard? Why didn’t you bring it out?”
“That’s… that’s my food, meow! I’m not giving up my food…”
Sapphire didn’t want to listen to the cat-like creature’s excuses and knocked Dice’s head once more, urging,
“Quick.”
“Ugh… We agreed on a 70-30 split. You didn’t keep your word; you ate your share and didn’t give me a piece.”
Though feeling wronged, Dice obediently rubbed its hands together, pulling six bone fragments emitting dazzling light from its body and placing them in Sapphire’s hand.
“When did I ever promise you 70-30?”
Sapphire rolled her eyes, then took the Purification Shards and placed them in front of Blazing Flame.
“Here. This is yours. I forgot to give it to you before.”
“I… can’t accept this. You should keep it.”
Looking at the high-quality Purification Shards, Blazing Flame hesitated for a few seconds but ultimately shook her head to refuse.
“Stop hesitating. These are spoils from when we fought that giant egg. You ran off too fast and didn’t take anything, otherwise I wouldn’t be giving this to you now.”
“…Alright.”
With Sapphire’s gentle scolding, Blazing Flame had no choice but to accept the Purification Shards and put them in the black bag.
“I have to remind you, the longer the Purification Shards sit unused, the less energy they contain. If possible, you should absorb them as soon as you can,” Sapphire advised, raising an eyebrow as she watched Blazing Flame’s movements.
“Yeah, I’ll absorb them when I get back.”
“That’s good.”
Seeing Blazing Flame had her own plans, Sapphire stopped pressing further.
“…Um, do you need any more help? If not, I’ll be going now.”
After packing everything up, Blazing Flame looked at Sapphire and Meteor and asked.
“Go ahead. I’ll tell you the results later,” Sapphire nodded.
“Alright, see you again, Miss Blazing Flame!” Meteor said.
Blazing Flame didn’t reply but waved goodbye to the two before leaving the place.
Moments later, Sapphire and Meteor finally saw the Official Personnel arriving at the scene.
They packed up all suspicious or intelligence-worthy items, called the families of the missing to communicate, took statements, and conducted the body scan on Jia Yi as Sapphire requested…
Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner, and the White Warehouse in the Warehouse District of Seventy-Two Streets was sealed off by the Officials with tape.
But in a corner unnoticed by everyone, Pandora swaggered into the White Warehouse, heading straight for the room where the Clown had been.
Even though Pandora made no attempt to conceal her presence, the surrounding staff didn’t notice her and continued collecting items from the scene.
Upon reaching the Clown’s room, Pandora casually circled around before approaching a black cable connected to the room’s facilities and bit down on it.
The black cable didn’t snap as expected; instead, a thick black liquid oozed out, clinging to the wire.
Seeing this, Pandora stuck out her tongue and licked the black cable.
Like a master recognizing their servant, the pitch-black liquid flowed into Pandora’s body and quickly vanished without a trace.
After absorbing the black liquid, Pandora looked at the large hole in the ceiling and said with a smile in her voice,
“Heh… It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered such an outstanding human.”
“Don’t disappoint me, Blazing Flame.”
is Pandora gonna pull a Kyubei?
Is Pandora a snake??