My Magical Girl System

Chapter 54: Let’s Go Crazy Together

The crack in reality pulsed before them—a vertical seam of jagged light that split the air like a wound. Beyond it, darkness writhed, shot through with veins of crimson and purple. The air around it was thick, heavy, pressing against Andrey’s lungs with each breath.

Sein stood at the edge, her crimson gauntlets flickering in the strange light. Her eyes were wide, not with fear but with something closer to awe.

"This... is the first time I’ve seen something like this..." she murmured.

Andrey studied the rift, his Ki senses recoiling from the dark energy bleeding through.

"It looks like we have to go inside and take the artifact," he said, his hand resting on the hilt of the katana.

Sein glanced at him, a familiar smirk tugging at her lips. "Heh. Are you scared?"

Andrey met her gaze, his expression calm. "It’s too late to be scared."

He stepped forward, crossing the threshold into the crack. The darkness swallowed him.

Sein watched him disappear, and for a moment, her smirk softened into something genuine. "Cool," she whispered.

Then she followed.

The moment both of them crossed into the rift, the world shifted. The cavern behind them vanished, replaced by an endless expanse of swirling shadows. Beneath their feet, a surface existed but wasn’t solid—more like walking on condensed smoke.

Sein looked around, her gauntlets glowing brighter as if reacting to the oppressive aura. "The atmosphere here is more suffocating than when we took the first artifact."

Andrey adjusted his glasses, scanning the darkness ahead. "Probably because this gate’s rank is higher. We need to be careful."

Before he could finish the sentence, the ground beneath them moved.

"Move!" Andrey grabbed Sein’s arm and yanked her sideways.

A massive shape erupted from the shadowy floor—a worm, pale and segmented, its mouth a circular void of needle-like teeth. It was easily the size of a car, and behind it, a second one was already breaching the surface.

Sein recovered instantly, her gauntlets flaring. "Crimson Impact!"

She drove her fist into the first worm’s side. The impact sent shockwaves through its body, and it let out an ear-splitting screech—HSSSSSST—recoiling in pain.

Andrey planted his foot on a floating chunk of rock and launched himself at the second worm, katana flashing. The blade bit deep into its flesh, and with a twist of his wrists, he carved a long gash along its side. The worm thrashed, then split apart, dissolving into dark mist.

Sein was about to finish her worm when something fast and silver blurred past her vision.

A figure moving with unnatural speed slammed into Andrey from the side.

Andrey flew through the air, his body twisting, Damage Absorb flaring bright red as he crashed against a jagged rock formation. He slid down, gasping, his chest burning.

"Glasses!" Sein shouted.

She spun toward the attacker.

It was a man. Or had been a man. He wore the tattered remains of a hero’s uniform—Azure Drake guild insignia still visible on his torn cloak. His face was pale, gaunt, his eyes completely black with pinpricks of red where the pupils should have been. In his hand, he gripped a longsword, its blade dripping with dark energy.

Sein’s eyes widened. "A hero? Why is a hero attacking us?!"

The possessed hero didn’t answer. He lunged at her, sword arcing toward her throat.

Sein barely got her gauntlets up in time, the blade screeching against the crimson metal. Sparks flew. She gritted her teeth, pushing back.

Andrey pushed himself to his feet, his ribs aching. He recognized the uniform.

"That’s the team leader those D-ranks were looking for," he called out. "Looks like he’s being controlled by something."

Sein parried another strike, then another. The possessed hero was fast, his movements jerky but precise.

"Tch! How do we stop him without killing him?!" Sein shouted, dodging a thrust that would have taken her eye.

Andrey steadied Sein as she landed back on her feet, his eyes fixed on the possessed hero who was already circling for another attack.

"We need to knock him unconscious or break whatever’s controlling him," Andrey said, his voice tight.

Sein cracked her neck, crimson energy flaring around her gauntlets. "Tch. Easier to just kill him."

Before she could move, a massive clawed hand erupted from the shadows behind her. Sein twisted, but the blow caught her across the shoulder, sending her flying. Andrey lunged, catching her mid-air, the impact jarring his arms. They skidded backward across the unstable ground.

"Tch—!" Sein pushed off him, landing in a crouch, her eyes scanning the darkness. "What now?!"

From the swirling shadows, a figure stepped forward.

He was tall, lean, with sharp features and a cruel smile. Two curved horns jutted from his forehead, black as obsidian. His eyes burned crimson, glowing faintly in the dim light, and dark mana coiled around his body like living smoke. He wore what looked like tattered noble’s clothing—once fine, now decayed.

His voice was smooth, almost amused. "Ehh~ What’s this? Humans not helping each other? How disappointing."

System: Emergency! Demon-class entity detected. Gate rank escalating to B+. Extreme caution advised. This demon is likely guarding the contaminated artifact.

Sein’s jaw tightened. "Damn..."

Andrey stepped up beside her, katana ready. "Can you still fight, Sein?"

Sein’s lips curled into a fierce grin despite the blood trickling from her split knuckles. "Relax. Who do you think I am?"

Andrey allowed himself a small nod. "Looks like we have a guest from afar."

Sein rolled her shoulders, gauntlets blazing brighter. "Doesn’t matter. Enemies are enemies. We cut them all down."

The demon’s smile faltered for a moment, then returned wider. "You humans... how dare you ignore me? So rude."

Sein shot back without missing a beat. "You’re the rude one, suddenly attacking without introduction. Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?"

The demon’s eye twitched. His dark mana flared, cracking the ground around him. "Insolent little—"

"Insolent? Look who’s talking," Sein interrupted, stepping forward. "You think just because you have horns and a fancy aura we’re supposed to bow? Don’t make me laugh!"

The demon’s face contorted with rage, then smoothed into something even more dangerous—genuine excitement. "Oh, I like you. Feisty. Your souls will make a fine offering to the Sacred Artifact."

He raised a hand, dark energy coalescing around his fingers. "Kill them. Bring me their heads."

The possessed hero lunged first, sword flashing. Behind him, more shapes emerged from the shadows—hounds, goblins, Imp. All of them charged.

Andrey stepped forward, katana singing. "Sein, the demon. I’ll handle the mob."

Sein didn’t argue. She launched herself past the possessed hero, her gauntlet aimed directly at the demon’s chest.

"Crimson Impact!"

The demon caught her fist.

His palm wrapped around her gauntlet, dark mana sizzling against her flames. He didn’t even flinch.

"How cute," he murmured.

Sein’s eyes widened.

Andrey saw it happen—saw the demon’s other hand rising, claws extended toward Sein’s exposed flank. He couldn’t reach her in time.

"Sein—!"

But the possessed hero was in his way, sword descending.

Andrey’s katana met the blade in a shower of sparks. He pushed back, gritting his teeth, but the possessed hero was inhumanly strong.

Behind him, Sein twisted in the demon’s grip, driving her knee into his stomach. The demon grunted, releasing her, and she backflipped away, landing beside Andrey.

They stood back-to-back, surrounded.

The demon dusted off his coat, still smiling. "You’re stronger than you look, little firecracker. But not strong enough."

He raised his hand again. More monsters emerged from the shadows.

Andrey’s mind raced. ’We’re outnumbered. The possessed hero is being controlled—we can’t kill him. And the demon is on a whole different level.’

"Sein," he said quietly. "We need to separate the hero from the demon. Break the control if we can."

Sein’s breathing was heavy, but her voice was steady. "And the demon?"

"Leave him to me."

Sein glanced at him, her eyes sharp. "You’re crazy."

"Yeah. We are crazy."

The demon laughed. "Whispering sweet nothings? How romantic. Don’t worry—you’ll die together."

He snapped his fingers.

The horde charged.