novelraw Chapter 271: Dragon Girl, Shion!
Chapter 271: Dragon Girl, Shion!
After the Mental Landscape Expansion, Xiao Qi had actually already left.
After all, her goal was not to fight Shion.
Wasting time battling Shion might instead cause the Bubble with only one remaining head to die, making the disaster-human realm vanish again.
Without the power of an S-level Disaster Beast, a world bubble’s lifespan is extremely short. If it vanished, whether it’s the Disaster Beast or the disaster-human realm’s world bubble, it would take a very long time to find another.
And the Wither-and-Bloom power was enough for her to simulate a complete clone, even to the point of being the real herself.
If she wanted, the body inside the Mental Landscape could at any time become her true body. Even with Shion’s sharp senses, she could not possibly detect it.
Analyze mana, analyze magic, analyze combat style, analyze behavioral rules.
All solely to trap the Magical Girl Shion, to show her the truth of how the world turns, which would surely buy some time.
Even having thoroughly probed Shion, Xiao Qi still did not dare to confront her directly.
Because even if she beat Shion, it would not be victory.Trap the opponent with the Mental Landscape, then immediately return to the disaster-human realm and restore it...
When she passed through the spatial turbulence and saw her disaster-human realm’s world bubble intact, the wine-red Magical Girl smiled a human-like smile.
It was about to succeed.
“Do you care so much?”
The cold words froze all the hope she had just birthed.
She spun around violently, and the Mental Landscape unfolding on the moon exploded!
One third of the moon was shattered by the terrifying blast. Moon rocks covered in all kinds of vegetation fell toward her.
And the purple-haired Magical Girl sat elegantly on one of those moon rocks, watching her.
“Ah!”
The Full Bloom Magical Girl grabbed at the air and, like tearing a strip of cloth, pulled hard!
All the vegetation-covered moon rocks were immediately controlled and hurled at the petite purple-haired Magical Girl!
The debris enclosed Shion, reconsolidating into a small moon.
Surface vegetation grew wildly, sealing every gap shut.
Using the Wither-and-Bloom power, she transformed the moon into a Living Planet, making Shion the integrated core.
After sealing Shion, Xiao Qi did not even glance back; she turned and flew straight for the disaster-human realm.
But when she turned her head, that exquisitely beautiful, breathtaking face was suddenly pressed against hers at extremely close range.
Her heart stopped.
“Where are you going?”
When did—
Her thought was interrupted in an instant. A tiny fist, containing incomprehensible power, slammed hard into her face!
Half her head exploded instantly, red-and-white gore spraying. The punch kept pressing against her forehead, grinding and scraping in the spatial storm until the wound nearly ground down the bone!
True carnage and gore.
She clenched the other’s hand with everything she had. The Wither-and-Bloom rule-power almost amplified to its limit.
The petite, tender palm and arm finally began to age and become brittle.
Xiao Qi tore the arm off with force and threw it away!
They tumbled and were hurled through the spatial storm for a long time before finally stopping, turning the entire spatial vortex into her garden,
constantly supplying vitality and energy. Where the skull had been smashed, dozens of branches and soft petals covered and wove new flesh.
Terrifying.
Even though she used Full Bloom’s power to assimilate and siphon off Shion’s mana,
when Shion became serious, the Wither-and-Bloom rule-power felt powerless...
Those rules were specifically chosen to save the disaster-human realm.
Although specially adjusted to target Shion’s mana, their combat performance remained somewhat lacking—not exactly weak, but lacking in obvious destructive and defensive capability.
Xiao Qi looked at the small moon she had fabricated; it was already shattered.
Shion hadn’t escaped before it formed—she destroyed it after formation and reappeared behind Xiao Qi?
The speed and strength were beyond normal...
Only when facing Shion would one realize
true power stands above rules.
But.
Xiao Qi lifted her head and stared at Shion with determined light.
It still worked. Her Wither-and-Bloom, after all, was the Full Bloom rule-power and could still affect Shion.
So.
Xiao Qi knelt in the spatial turbulence with a soft sound.
“Please forgive my ignorance and audacity. Please pardon my mistakes. I beg you, please spare me.”
A Full Bloom Magical Girl’s plea.
No dignity remained, no pride—just the most rational, correct choice to live.
What greeted her was a heavy knee strike without warning!
The impact traveled from the chin to the forehead, causing a momentary break in consciousness.
As her body was blasted outward, Shion finished the knee strike and already stood behind her, raising her right foot to chop down at the back of her head!
A vine above curled and caught Xiao Qi’s right hand with a light hook of Shion’s right hand, hauling her up. That kick sent her right leg flying off.
But the overflowing force extinguished nearly half the spatial conduit; the aftershock smoothed countless spatial storms!
All the hidden old-world images appeared. The aftershock did not harm the Dregs at all, but the sweeping terror and extinction intent made those old-world people pale with dread, unable to lift their heads to the sky.
Completely, no communication possible.
More power was needed.
The purple spear plunged into the garden-like spatial conduit. As it swung upward, the conduit and garden were sliced open, exposing a massive rift!
The blazing spear hammered from below upward onto Xiao Qi.
Her blocking right arm instantaneously carbonized; her body again flew out uncontrollably, rocketing like a meteor out of the spatial conduit and crashing onto the shattered moon.
Still not enough, as expected.
The gap in mana usage and magnitude was too great, so Wither-and-Bloom’s effects weren’t that obvious.
In truth, it was already adapting and absorbing Shion’s mana.
But Shion’s mana nature changed too quickly.
Each contact shifted from fire to water, to wind, to lightning, or something else.
Wither-and-Bloom’s adaptation relied on reading mana properties.
Every time Shion acted or attacked, her mana properties changed hundreds of times.
There was no time to read.
Each encounter felt like facing a different Magical Girl.
For Wither-and-Bloom to take greater effect, it needed an opponent with comparable-scale power...
Looking up, Xiao Qi gazed through the spatial turbulence at the disaster-human realm.
That distant dreamlike bubble glowed like the morning star.
Was that wish too extravagant?
A beast that should only act by its rules had been cursed by emotions from interacting with a Magical Girl,
loving humans, loving the world, greedily wanting everything it adored to remain forever.
Not love for an abstract concept, but longing for specific, concrete existences.
The humans I saw, the world I protected.
A possessive, protective fanatic...
Magical Girls became strong because of emotion; Incubators grew weaker because of it.
They did not want to share their feelings, did not want others to know of their love for humanity. Born from this curse, their possessiveness and selfishness severed ties with the collective.
Even with Full Bloom power, they were fragile.
Shadows expanded above, the gathered mana obscuring the blazing sun.
Even against a former lover, the purple-haired Magical Girl Shion could strike without hesitation.
She never wallowed in past strength.
If she was willing to abandon everything for power...
【Individual signature M78X340 transmitted.】
“No, stop, seven.” Faintly she saw another self—the Dream Incubator version of herself—reach out to stop her, “This time, you will disappear.”
【Signature retransmitted, requesting nation support.】
The Purple Sun set, the damaged moon began to melt.
【Signature received. The individual exhibits extreme favoritism and protectiveness toward the disaster-human realm, and committed crimes to revive the disaster-human realm. According to the Nation’s Universal Tribunal, sentence: death; support denied.】
【Denial. According to national law, individuals have a duty to assist the Incubator collective’s evolution. The birth of anomalous Incubator individuals never ceased, proving a flaw in our evolution path. World Observation Team Old World Observer M78X340, through observing countless old worlds, has explained anomaly causes. This is key to the collective’s self-evolution. Signature can be sent as proof to the nation.】
Dimly, she heard Ling Mei’s voice.
“What about the people in Beihai?”
“Survival is a fight to the death, Ling Mei.”
“Even if we are invaders, even if we are villains, we still protect our survival. We do not repent.”
The dissolving sun drew closer. Number 340, long unanswered, lifted her head. As her face and vocal cords melted, her voice pierced her chest:
【Resending signature! Requesting national support!】
【Discussion concluded. World Observation Team member M78X340’s signature information confirmed accurate. There are Incubator logic errors, but for safety we will segregate your data and not share the collective consciousness until all transmissions complete. Afterward, you must accept the nation’s judgment and enter exile.】
“What will happen to you when you return to the collective?”
“That does not matter.”
“Eternal imprisonment is merely a meaningless extension of life for a being without emotion.”
【This is enough.】
【In combat state, severe unit damage, requesting mana support.】
【Approved.】 Then the collective sent another message, 【Due to damage extent, your support window is only three minutes.】
【Requesting longer support.】
【Support opens; you can hold for three minutes. We will rescue you after three minutes.】
Countdown: three minutes.
【Note: Forcibly maintaining support beyond three minutes will trigger a state refresh: memory wipe, repair of anomalous code, restore initial state. Good luck.】
Fight for the disaster-human realm I love, never regret.
I will return to my rightful general collective.
Ling Mei, when the morning star flickers in the new world’s sky, a beam of light will fly into the cosmos—that will be me.
【Wither-and-Bloom.】
The final two words activated all her power.
Her limbs extended into branches, turning into dense leaves and twigs that grew wildly until they wrapped two-thirds of the broken moon.
The sun’s mana, which could have melted the moon, struck the great tree instead.
But it did not destroy the tree.
Shion tilted her head slightly; ribbons and hair whipped about, her pupils shining strangely.
The enormous willow tree slowly assimilated the mana-sun.
Then, feeding on it, it swelled even larger!
Growing on the moon, its extending branches nearly covered the entire globe.
【Full copy complete.】
The Magic Kingdom’s ultra-high-speed intelligent magic inference had finished. No matter how much Shion changed her mana properties, it no longer helped.
With Wither-and-Bloom’s power, the collection and analysis of Shion’s mana finally bore fruit.
As long as the scale matched, the plan would work!
All mana condensed and brewed on each leaf-and-branch like ripening magic.
Shion’s magic.
Great Barren Imprisoning Heaven Finger, the Mana Spear, Buddha’s Fury Lotus...
Each branch hung full of them like bountiful fruit.
The girl embedded in the trunk raised her head and gazed up at the Magical Girl finally choosing to look at her, standing above the cosmos.
This was Shion’s first time looking at her directly.
Purple pupils drifted downward to the girl fused into the trunk.
Buddha’s Fury Lotus and Great Barren Imprisoning Heaven Finger released simultaneously from the branches.
When Shion waved to block with mana, the magic collapsed, and the mana was devoured by Buddha’s Fury Lotus and Great Barren Imprisoning Heaven Finger,
making those two magics even stronger.
At the moment she arrived before them, Shion sliced through between the two magics at terrifying, extreme speed.
Branches trembled in space, and dense magics rained down like a meteor shower!
All magic had been analyzed; all mana properties adapted.
Shion had been suppressed.
The Bubble finished cocooning.
The world embryo—the disaster-human realm—was awakened.
Replacement of the disaster-human realm began.
Bang!
A harsh, piercing metallic sound rang like steel clashing.
Dan Gui, still building the replacement structure, looked up. The purple figure weaving ominously through countless dense magics carved one bright, dazzling blade after another of mana wind!
No—those were the Sword Energy of the Magical Girl Bai Mei.
【Disaster-human realm replacement progress: 37 percent.】
【Countdown: 2 minutes 40 seconds.】
Mana analysis and assimilation failed against the sword energy.
All mana was turned into razor-sharp sword intent, even losing its mana nature!
Bai Mei’s sword energy was not her own insight.
It was taught by the Sect Master.
Compared to Bai Mei, who could only turn mana into a sword, Shion’s control of mana was naturally more refined and free. If she wanted a sword she could make one; if she did not want a sword she could just wield ordinary mana.
Mana fully transformed into sword, almost no longer mana at all—purely a keen blade!
Thousands upon thousands of blade-forms spun in circles in the air, unfolding and surging like petals of a constantly blooming flower.
Magnificent and unbounded!
Heaven-Tier Qingyuan Sword Art!
A waterfall of sword rain flew from Shion’s hand into the dense magics on the great willow, colliding and exploding!
Yet the willow’s mana seemed inexhaustible. As its branches were severed and scattered, it frenziedly self-stoked and continued to maintain high-density magical bombardment!
Thousands of sword breaths formed dragons, roaring and lunging at the great willow’s trunk, slicing it in half!
Though the trunk was cut, it healed at speeds invisible to the eye, as if nothing had happened.
Shion, who had been weaving through the magics, finally paused.
At once, thousands of Buddha’s Fury Lotuses and Great Barren Imprisoning Heaven Fingers smashed into her!
【Disaster-human realm replacement progress: 55 percent.】
【Countdown: 2 minutes 5 seconds.】
No problem—she could hold on.
Blood kept spilling from the corner of her mouth, her internal state was chaotic, the whole tree trembled as if it could topple any moment,
but it didn’t matter. Behind her stood the Magic Kingdom.
Accumulated magic from antiquity, boundless. With Wither-and-Bloom rule-power, restore herself, seize strength, analyze mana.
Analysis of the sword energy was nearly complete.
Though tattered and worn, Dan Gui still smiled, watching Shion drown in magic.
Continuous bombardment allowed her no respite, no chance to counterattack, no moment of action.
Suppress, control, imprison her!
【Disaster-human realm replacement progress: 74 percent.】
【Countdown: 1 minute 30 seconds.】
Just a little more, almost—almost enough!
Roar!
A tremendous dragon roar.
At that instant, all the mana stolen onto the great willow underwent a startling change.
An incomprehensible force suddenly burst from the tree, sweeping through it in an instant. Dan Gui reacted and tried to use collective mana to replace it, but was a step too late.
The magics on the branches blocked for a moment and could not continue restraining Shion.
Golden light flashed on her brow, causing all the bombardment magic to deviate.
Dan Gui’s brows twitched, sensing an anomaly.
Within Shion’s body, that pulsing world bubble...
Filthy mana clawed and slipped out.
A golden light erupted from Shion’s brow again. A gigantic golden dragon silhouette materialized behind Shion and roared at the moon!
Everything froze.
Dragon sanctity, lunar image, ritual complete, sacred image formed!
Temporal-spatial imagery fused into Shion’s body. Mana cycled, forming its own loop. The illusory bubble was stained by a real, flawless golden curse.
A true core was left inside the Magical Girl's body.
Unlike the false pill that had once existed in the flesh form, this was not an ordinary cultivation Golden Core from old-world gangster immortality.
It housed the Primordial Spirit and reined in Divine Sense. Golden, indestructible; the pill was perfect, whole, without leak.
Thus the Golden Core Great Dao—refining the Fruit Position Golden Core!
The frozen imagery then dispersed.
The massive willow still absorbed her mana, analyzed, assimilated, and had even simulated sword energy.
Full Bloom rule power was indeed formidable.
But that was all.
Shion took out the last bottle of witch reagent.
She knew the reagents hidden outside would be targeted, so she had one bottle swallowed by The Emperor.
Only for a critical moment, to be used.
A cultivator never leaves no backup.
She had a plan—didn’t I, Shion? Refining her mana with Full Bloom power finally allowed her to advance—fire-forging a Golden Core!
The willow branches writhed and even brandished themselves, drawing vast magics!
Shion drank the witch reagent in one gulp and savored it.
The components were fine, but the taste was odd.
Did someone add a flavor enhancer? Nowadays even witch reagents must consider taste...
【Disaster-human realm replacement progress: 96 percent.】
【Countdown: 1 minute 6 seconds.】
Dan Gui intended to keep attacking furiously to let Wither-and-Bloom continue reading Shion’s mana changes.
Black, filthy mana began to dye Shion’s Magical Outfit!
A strange force spread from Shion, preventing branches from getting close to her.
Transformation invincibility frame...
Another transformation while in Magical Girl form?
Dan Gui felt absurdity—like a normal person double-jumping in midair.
How could that be?
But the girl holding the Miracle Seed ignored Dan Gui. The black mana and the golden curse began to overflow!
“Dragon as space, moon as time.”
From little boots to skirt, ribbons, even the billowing hair, everything turned pitch-black in that filthy mana.
Then a streak of golden curse crawled from the boots upward, filling elegant, brilliant golden patterns on the black dress.
Even the ribbons atop her head gained touches of gold amid the black. The girl opened her eyes.
Her pupils straightened and turned golden too!
Dragon wings unfurled from behind the Magical Girl, blotting out the sky!
“[Heaven-and-Earth Dragon Chant Moon]—”
“Transform.”
Petite, rounded dragon horns looked like cute decorations. Golden double wings almost enveloped her entire body, the curse flowing like gilded patterns.
A transparent, gem-like dragon scale under her eye made transformed Shion appear more noble.
Dual magical bodies, yin-yang fusion—Taiyi proper Golden Core Fruit Position Dragon Lord! Shion!
【Disaster-human realm replacement progress: 98 percent.】
【Countdown: one minute.】
The broadcast snapped Dan Gui back to reality. The collective would soon detect her data anomaly.
All branches converged and fused, forming a barrier before her,
just a little more—just a little was needed!
Looking up at Dragon Girl Shion, two golden fingernails came together like claws, aiming at her. Countless sword energies spiraled like a tornado, then gathered at her fingertip—ten thousand swords becoming one, then vanishing.
Dan Gui curled slightly inside the great willow.
She heard Shion’s soft reminder:
“Dodge.”
Like dragon claws, the fingers slid gently downward.
“This sword is named—”
“Slay Immortals.”
【Disaster-human realm replacement progress: 99 percent.】
【Countdown: twenty seconds.】
A dazzling aurora flashed past. Anxiety and unwillingness, rage and urgency—for all her emotions, helplessness, conspiracies, wickedness, pseudo-justice, even dreams of retraining Ling Mei with another jeep exercise—
all were drowned in brilliance.
The world fell into deadly silence.
Then the great willow, the moon, the blazing sun, the flying moon rocks, the meteors in the sky—everything slowly misaligned within the aurora.
As far as sight reached, as the spirit stage reflected, all things, all phenomena, Years’ Wither-and-Bloom, perished in this sword!
The blade swept the cosmos, its force shaking the nine heavens!