novelraw Chapter 139: Self-Sacrifice
Chapter 139: Self-Sacrifice
When Shion first appeared, Twins was almost crushed to death inside that small spatial tunnel.
Fortunately, Prince-sama intervened in time, allowing Twins to barely escape from the small spatial tunnel.
When she emerged, Twins looked back at the tunnel that had been completely destroyed and even melted by the purple mana, feeling a lingering fear.
And the Prince was also heartbroken.
"This is really the last one! Twins!"
Looking at the Prince who had emptied his treasury, discarding the last prop from the Mirror Kingdom, Twins also breathed a sigh of relief.
Throughout this journey, to ensure the Prince would lose all his props, Twins had put in tremendous effort.
Twins wasn't actually incompetent; she had just pretended to be in perilous situations again and again to waste the Prince's props...
Although several times she almost thought she was really going to die.
But, as expected, her master did not disappoint her, pulling out astonishing treasures until the very end.Not only did they reduce the Sect Master's mana influence, but they also maintained the existence of the spatial tunnel.
Simply incredible.
This is the technology of the Mirror Kingdom. If it could be used by the Azure Cloud Sect, Lady Winter reigning over the world would be a matter of minutes!
These technologies must, must all be obtained for Lady Winter!
The entire Heart Image Remnant shook once more, causing Twins to fall directly to the ground. The Prince also looked up at the sky with a serious expression.
"This lunatic..."
The purple mana pierced through the Heart Image Remnant, and the tremors from the explosion outside could be felt clearly here as well.
"Indeed, it's magic capable of destroying others' abilities," the Prince said again with deep gravity. "Even the Heart Image Remnant of a Full Bloom Magical Girl can't stop her. Just as you said, those flashy, flowery abilities are useless against her."
Twins was stunned for a moment, then nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, that's exactly it."
"Stop wasting time, Twins! If we delay any longer, the Heart Image Remnant will collapse!"
The Prince roared, causing even this hidden space to continue shaking violently.
Twins didn't dare to drag her feet any longer and immediately hugged the mirror, running forward.
Just a casual strike from above caused the earth to shake and mountains to tremble here, making it hard for Twins to stand steadily.
In her heart, she kept marveling at just how absurd her boss was—she originally thought that within a Full Bloom Heart Image, her boss would be somewhat restricted no matter what.
But it seems it's even more exaggerated...
Could it be that Sect Master has truly surpassed Full Bloom?
Thinking about this, she also felt a bit worried. If her boss really achieved Full Bloom, could she escape the curse?
After all, no Full Bloom Magical Girl has ever survived.
But, if it's Shion, perhaps she could surpass these curses?
Even so, Twins felt it was better not to take such risks recklessly.
Of course, Twins didn't have that much affection for the Sect Master. After all, every meeting scared her half to death. Although the Sect Master was beautiful, Twins basically never dared to look directly at her face.
To be honest, even now, Twins didn't know the specific appearance of Lady Shion, only having a vague impression.
She subconsciously ignored that terrifyingly beautiful face...
Although she was almost killed several times, the fact that she wasn't actually killed made Twins develop a bit of what's it called... Stockholm Syndrome affection? Anyway, Twins didn't understand it, but being spared by the Sect Master several times inevitably gave her a sense of gratitude for the life-saving grace.
But if something happened to Shion now because of Full Bloom, Twins would find it hard to feel any sorrowful emotions.
Well, maybe she'd feel a little sad.
But more than that, she would be worried for Lady Winter.
Lady Winter must like the Sect Master very much...
"Twins!"
The Prince's words snapped her out of it. Twins glanced at him. "What is it now, Prince-sama?"
"Stop daydreaming, speed up!"
The Prince's face showed some anxiety. "She's charged into the core space!"
Twins put on an act, saying "Oh," and then increased her speed.
Everything around was made of glass, even the floor, which made Twins feel somewhat strange.
"That woman is running wild in the core space!"
The Prince said indignantly. "Part of the Heart Image Remnant is under the control of the Mirror Kingdom's core system. If she continues like this, the entire Heart Image Remnant will collapse even more violently. Forget about us in the core space; even those people outside won't survive!"
"Oh, oh."
Sect Master isn't that reckless... probably.
Anyway, it's impossible to really be killed by the Sect Master. This guy is worrying needlessly.
But Twins began to think again: what if she really got accidentally killed by the Sect Master?
If the Sect Master killed so many people and also killed Twins, would Lady Winter, in her grief, like Twins a little more...?
Would she make a huge scene in front of the Sect Master because of Twins' death...?
Her heart felt a bit of anticipation, wondering if she could secure a better position in Lady Winter's heart this way.
But Twins was also afraid of death.
So conflicted...
Following Prince-sama's instructions, she ran all the way to a hidden corner of the wall.
"That's right, under the third glass brick at the corner of the wall!"
When Twins lifted the third glass brick, she saw it—a Miracle Seed.
She froze for a moment, then picked up this Miracle Seed, examining it carefully.
There was no Polluted Magic inside, nor Pure Mana.
Inside, it was a kind of residue.
Like the ashes after all emotions have burned. Although there was still energy, it couldn't generate mana.
This was a seed that had already died.
"Finally found it, the key to our Mirror Kingdom!"
"Wait," Twins asked strangely. "Why is the key to your Mirror Kingdom a Miracle Seed? Where did your Mirror Kingdom steal this seed from?"
"What are you talking about?" the Prince said coldly. "This is, of course, something our Mirror Kingdom has possessed since ancient times. It's your world that imitated us, which is how you got Miracle Seeds. The Mirror Kingdom of old had plenty of Miracle Seeds."
"Hmph, the technology of the Mirror Kingdom far exceeds your imagination," the Prince's tone grew more impatient. "Hurry up, give me the key. With this royal seed, I—we—can descend upon this world once more!"
"Hmm~" Twins fiddled with the Miracle Seed. "Is that so."
Then she put the Miracle Seed away.
"You've worked hard."
The Prince was stunned. "What are you saying?"
The girl said with a giggle, "Little Wang."
The Prince blinked, not reacting for a moment. "Little Wang? Who?"
"Who else but you?" Twins said with an unhappy, aged tone, tapping his forehead. "You have toiled with great merit on this journey. Twins is very satisfied. When the Mirror Kingdom returns, Twins will definitely confer upon you the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households."
"You're talking to me?"
"Have you lost your mind?"
Twins spread her hands, showing a look of pity. "After all, you're just a lower-level prince, foolish enough not to recognize the Mirror Kingdom bloodline within Twins-sama!"
The Prince momentarily forgot his anger, staring dumbfounded at the suddenly haughty girl.
What is this creature talking about?
Possessed? Or controlled by something?
Twins continued with a grave tone. "Only excellent individuals possess the Mirror Kingdom bloodline. And Twins is clearly far more excellent than you. This fully demonstrates that Twins is a higher-level direct descendant compared to you, a mere collateral branch. When a collateral branch meets a direct descendant, they must kneel, you know?"
"Who says so?"
"That's how it is in TV dramas."
The Prince laughed. "TV dramas."
Twins was taken aback, then immediately said fiercely, "You dared to trick me into talking! You're finished, I tell you!"
"Idiot."
"Anyway, Twins worked the hardest on this journey. The lion's share should definitely go to Twins. This Mirror Kingdom should belong to Twins-sama who toiled all the way!" As she spoke, Twins pinched her own chin. "No, 'sama' no longer suits my status. It should be Princess Twins. No, it should be Empress Twins! Wahaha, Twins will become Empress-sama!"
Then soon, Twins would bring the Mirror Kingdom to join the Azure Cloud Sect, become the Chief True-Transmission, assume the position of Grand Elder, honor Lady Winter, reach the peak as a Witch... just thinking about it makes her a little excited.
The Prince's veins bulged as he said coldly, "Do you know what you're saying? I'm the one who struggled desperately all this way! You just moved the glass over here, doing nothing! Do you know how many treasures of the Mirror Kingdom I expended for you!"
"I don't care if you die," Twins made a face. "Anyway, this seed belongs to Twins now. You can't come out of the mirror. Me bringing you here is already an immense blessing for you. And you still won't agree to my little request? Clearly, you're the unreasonable one!"
"As expected, you foreign monkey are completely unreliable! No honor!"
"Hehe, if you're not convinced, come out and kill me. Come on, come on, hurry up and kill Twins~"
Mirror Beasts began to converge from all directions.
The smile on Twins' face, who had been happily imagining how to ask Lady Winter for rewards later, quickly vanished.
She stiffly turned her head to look at the Prince in the mirror.
"Monkey, did you really think I came unprepared for anything?" the Prince looked at her coldly. "Can you repeat what you just said? I don't think I heard your wish clearly just now. Was it to have you beaten to death, right?"
Twins looked at the several Mirror Beasts around her, some even faintly emitting A-level auras, and immediately broke into a cold sweat.
Her expression instantly turned serious. She turned around and immediately half-knelt, raising the Miracle Seed in her hand. "Haha, Twins was just joking earlier! Look, we got the key so smoothly on this journey, wouldn't that be lacking a sense of accomplishment? So Twins deliberately put on an act, just to give you, Prince-sama, a sense of achievement! This seed, I offer it to Prince-sama!"
"Hehe, that's not necessary, just add a bit more reward..."
"You're pushing your luck, monkey! I'm already sick of your face."
Twins' heart skipped a beat. She looked up to see the Prince wave his hand. "Traitor, die."
The numerous Mirror Beasts actually obeyed the Prince and charged over!
Oh no, oh no! Completely didn't expect the other party could control Mirror Beasts!
This is going to be finished! The key will be taken by the other side, and I haven't gotten any information either. I'll have no way to explain to Lady Winter when I go back...
"It's an injustice, Prince-sama! A true injustice! My loyalty is absolute..."
Lady Winter!
Calling this name with unwillingness in her heart, a massive explosion suddenly surged from behind!
The intense force pushed against her back, sending Twins tumbling several times on the ground until she hit a wall and stopped.
Dizzy and disoriented, she looked over to see two somewhat familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar Magical Girls standing opposite.
One of them was even carrying a rocket launcher...
The Magical Girl carrying the rocket launcher casually tossed the weapon aside, then pulled out two machine guns, wildly aiming at Twins and the Prince in the mirror:
"Sorry, but the B-rank side quest items here all belong to us, the Saint Hall."
[Stellar Mark Descends...]
The final summoning attempt failed.
Even worse, due to mana conflict, the already overburdened magic wand in her hand snapped with a "crack."
Finally, it completely shattered.
She raised her head to look at the enemy.
The orange-yellow Magical Outfit was still as dazzling as ever, her single ponytail dancing in the wind.
Her smile was also the same as when they first met.
Wearing the earrings her friend gave her, they made bell-like, pleasant sounds in the wind.
"Senior Xiwu..."
Magical Girl Xiwu, who achieved Full Bloom to save her, or rather, to save them.
The one who taught her how to fight, gave her cards, and in the end...
Achieved Full Bloom to save her.
The senior who still hasn't woken up to this day.
Now stood before her, blocking the path to the Hidden Danger.
"Why... do you have... senior's information..." Qingluán's expression twisted slightly with anger. "You people! Just what..."
"What's wrong?" The Xiwu over there showed a kindly smile. "Qingluán, you're still as clumsy as ever, can't even protect your own magic wand properly."
The familiar voice, the familiar gentle scolding, caused the furious curses Qingying wanted to shout to be swallowed back.
Xiwu pulled out a card and inserted it into her own magic wand.
"Didn't I teach you? South China Magical Girls must protect their magic wands at all costs?"
The card slid into the magic wand.
[Stellar Mark Descends: Star Spinning Wheel.]
The ground beneath their feet began to shake. Qingluán looked at the suddenly attacking stones and wanted to dodge.
However, a mana beam cannon blocked the path.
After using Stellar Mark Descends, she blocked the path with a mana cannon...
Knocked flying by the rolling stones, Qingluán lay sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath.
Only...
Her remaining mana was almost gone, only enough for one more spell at most...
"Your mana only has enough for one more spell, right?"
Yet even this was seen through.
It was as if she was truly facing Senior Xiwu.
The giant stones rolling in from all directions again forced Qingluán to squeeze out her last bit of mana.
She practiced all card magic. Even without cards, she could still use them.
She could even use them better than the card-activated versions.
To always win against Iris, to be able to save more people, to do better.
She had never slackened.
Day and night, her efforts responded to her expectations. The Earth-Rending Fangs collided with the giant stones, blocking their attack while simultaneously crushing toward Magical Girl Xiwu!
"That's not how it's done, little Qing. I didn't teach you that way back then," Senior Xiwu said with a faint smile. "Using your last bit of mana just for such magic, there's no way you can win. Or are you... expecting someone else to save you?"
"Don't use... Senior Xiwu's appearance... Senior Xiwu's tone... to speak to me!" Qingluán looked at the Hidden Danger behind her.
Just a little more, just a little more!
"You impostor!"
"Such words... aren't for you lower beings to say, South China Magical Girls."
Xiwu spun her magic wand and, as if showing off, inserted a card. "Listen."
[Stellar Mark Descends: Land of Oppression.]
"Don't you find this announcement voice... familiar?"
A terrifying gravity pressed down. Qingluán, already on the brink of mana exhaustion, was instantly pressed flat against the ground, unable to get up no matter what...
The replica whispered. "This is the voice of our Mirror Kingdom's system. The real impostors are you people. The so-called first Magical Girl of South China, Changgeng, was merely a thief who stole the Mirror Kingdom's technology. You impostors, using our Mirror Kingdom's technology... then dedicating your power, technology, and memories to us is only right, isn't it?"
She had never considered this. Although she often heard some Mirror Kingdom announcement voices after entering here, which sounded almost identical to the magic wand's, Qingluán had never thought in that direction.
South China originally had no Magical Girls. The first Magical Girl born, Changgeng, used an insertable-card magic wand.
She laid the foundation for South China Magical Girls. Since then, all South China Magical Girls used such wands...
"So you really know nothing, huh? Ha, they actually told you nothing at all?"
Walking to Qingluán's side, Xiwu grabbed her hair and lifted her up. "South China had no Magical Girls. You are merely imitations manufactured using the Mirror Kingdom's power. You are the true replicas of the Mirror Kingdom, and inferior replicans at that."
Above, that terrifying purple mana ran rampant. Some of it streamed over to the vicinity of the Hidden Danger. Although it was just the residual energy, it still caused massive destruction.
"This monster," Xiwu glanced upward. "You people really know how to pick them. Clearly not Full Bloom, yet possessing such terrifying power. It practically overturned the Magical Girl theory the Mirror Kingdom has established over so many years."
Then she sighed with emotion. "Qingluán, your luck is really good, isn't it?"
Qingman grabbed her hand, only panting rapidly. "What... are you saying?"
"Always able to hide behind stronger people. Always able to let others die for you. Forever able to be the little baby hiding behind others, always protected by others. Truly enviable, little Qing. Clearly... I also want to live."
Blood trickled from the corner of Qingying's mouth. Her hair was grabbed as she was stood up. She sensed her Magical Outfit was about to collapse.
"You're right. I'm always like this."
Qingluán raised her head, tears welling in her eyes, yet she smiled. "Always acting spoiled, always hiding behind others, incapable of doing anything. What a waste for people like my mother, my senior, to lose their lives for someone like me."
"So you do know," Xiwu said in a low voice. "It's a wonder you can live until now with such thick skin."
"Because they... can no longer see, can no longer move forward. So, I have to keep moving forward." Qingluán grabbed her hand, bit by bit, pulling her hand away. Even as it tore at her own hair, she still spoke word by word:
Her mana was already depleted. Even maintaining her Magical Outfit became excruciatingly difficult.
If she hadn't been forcing herself to hold on, even her consciousness might have faded.
Xiwu smiled. "Is that so? Then show me. The Hidden Danger is right before you. Less than two minutes remain until the Heart Image Remnant collapses. Two minutes later, the Hidden Danger will open to the outside. Mirror Beasts—and those Replica Calamity Dragons—will fly through mirrors to every city. What do you want to protect? What can you protect?"
Qingying pushed Xiwu hard, with all her might, pushing her backward!
The explosive force forced Xiwu to take a step back.
However, she was still at ease. Just as she tilted her head, about to mock, she suddenly sensed something wrong.
The purple light arrows streamed through the ninth layer, constantly bombarding the surroundings. One of them suddenly descended toward her position!
She kicked Qingluán away, and with a backhand motion, she deployed a mana barrier. However, even though it was just a stray arrow, a mere residual wave with no intent to attack her, it still pierced the mana barrier. Xiwu grabbed the arrow.
She kicked Qingluán away, and with a backhand motion, she deployed a mana barrier. However, even though it was just a stray arrow, a mere residual wave with no intent to attack her, it still pierced through the mana barrier. Xiwu grabbed the arrow.
Her palm instantly melted, but she still managed to deflect the arrow partially, letting it graze past her cheek.
After evading the terrifying stray arrow, she turned to look. Qingman had already pounced before her again.
Xiwu frowned, immediately trying to yank her wand back with force when...
A card was simply thrust into her magic wand.
Qingluán took a deep, deep breath, pressing down on Xiwu's magic wand.
Reading her own card.
Even without her own mana, even having lost her own magic wand.
It didn't matter.
This was the fighting style of South China's Magical Girls.
[Stellar Mark Descends: Final Judgment.]
When the announcement voice sounded,
A meteor from the sky pierced through the Heart Image Remnant, plummeting toward the two!
Qingluán held onto Xiwu tightly, and said softly:
The giant meteor crushed everything around them. The impact and heat instantly destroyed the two!
After a brief silence, from within the rubble and ruins, the sound of violent coughing rang out.
Qingluán, having released her transformation, reached out a hand from the rubble and ruins, then crawled out.
She looked up at the Hidden Danger ahead, cradling her crushed arm, staggering as she walked toward the Hidden Danger.
The purple mana overflowing from above, even just a tiny bit, caused commotion around that almost rivaled her own Final Judgment.
Perhaps she wouldn't be so wretched.
Couldn't save anything, couldn't accomplish anything. No matter how hard she tried, always falling short.
Only causing others to die, only becoming a burden...
So this time, no matter what, she must close the door.
Become the one standing at the very front, protecting others...
Dozens more Calamity Dragons descended, blocking the path before the Hidden Danger, roaring at her.
Opponents beyond reason, ones she couldn't handle even at her peak condition.
Qingluán tilted her head, fell silent for a moment, and instead revealed a smile.
Miss Shion, in the distant upper layer space, probably couldn't detect the situation here either...
Ah, she was... again instinctively wanting to rely on others.
Can't become a burden anymore.
Can't be afraid anymore, can't run away anymore.
I am... the mature, calm, steady, sharp, honest, serene, hardworking, nostalgic, and brave... Magical Girl Qingluán.
She said.
"Let me achieve Full Bloom."
"...Little White?"