Even if you're a corrupted magical girl, you still have to try to redeem yourself.

"By the way, Baqi, do you want to go back together tonight?"

"Well, Xiaoyuan can go home by herself today."

This kind of dialogue has been repeated countless times.

Previously, Inuyama Tomoe specifically summoned Hyakki Senyu in order to adjust her current state of mind.

But in reality, nothing was solved—her actions only interrupted the normal discussion between Yuuki Enishi and Koumori about countermeasures.

Inuyama Tomoe has already figured out the crisis that Yuuki Yuuki is currently facing through that minor misunderstanding.

Yuuki Yukina never blamed herself for interrupting; on the contrary, she seemed relieved.

But in reality, nothing has been resolved.

Whether it's my own bad mood or Yuuki Yukino's troubles.

It's precisely because it didn't solve anything and actually made things worse that Baqi felt annoyed.

The shadow that obscured the sunlight in Baqi's heart could not be dispelled, causing even her little sun to dim.

On the contrary, Yuuki Yukino acted as if those unpleasant things had nothing to do with her, and instead comforted the part of herself that had become less ordinary.

"If I have time on the weekend..."

"Sorry, Xiaoyuan! I have things to do this weekend!"

If it were me normally, I would definitely tell Yuuki En my thoughts directly, and then the two of us would have an open and honest discussion to solve the problem.

But now, Baqi doesn't know if she should do this or not.

But now, although she doesn't know why she's running away, running away is the only option for Baqi.

When Baqi became a magical girl, her wish was to break free from her current constraints and move towards a carefree new life.

But it seems she has stepped into a new cage, not created by others, but woven by herself, a cage from which she cannot escape.

Yuuki Enishi's gentleness towards her became a kind of cruelty, making her afraid to approach the ray of light that led her out of the darkness as she had in the past.

This continued for more than a week.

But there was one thing that Baqi was absolutely certain of.

I can't continue like this any longer.

She, Inuyama Tomoe, must solve this problem in her own way.

Right here, right now.

night.

Yuuki Yukino appeared as promised on the agreed-upon open space.

Whether it was a pre-arranged agreement or not, Yuuki herself was unsure; it was simply a time and location that Baqi had suddenly sent on her phone.

Apart from that, there was no news from Baqi, and any messages sent by Yuuki Yuki were read but not replied to on the screen.

It's certain that Baqi has been acting very strangely lately. No matter how much Yuuki Emi tries to be nice to Baqi, Baqi is just avoiding her.

She was certain that Baqi was definitely running away.

The moonlight, obscured by clouds, made this vast area seem even more desolate, with no end in sight, as if the brightly lit city and this place were two completely different worlds.

Yuuki Yuuki was no stranger to this place; she had spent the entire summer vacation here.

The four of them spent their time here, thinking together about how to defeat Kuroba Reisei.

But now, he is all alone in this empty place.

"Baqi?" Yuuki called out the other's name, trying to find her trace in the darkness.

But there was no response; only the echo of my own voice reverberated in the empty space.

"Baqi? Why did you suddenly call me here?"

Yuuki Yukino raised her voice and continued calling out Baqi's name, looking around as the waiter searched for Baqi's figure in the darkness.

There was no need to search deliberately at all; the immense magical power that rose from the ground had already indicated Inuyama Tomoe's location.

The dark red magic was like a firework exploding in the night; it was both dazzling and dangerous.

But he was always facing the enemy's gun barrels, which were now pointed at Yuuki Yukino's head.

Yuuki Yukina realized for the first time how chilling it was to have a gun pointed at her by Baqi's cold muzzle.

A sense of foreboding crept into her heart.

“Baqi, this is…”

"Xiao Yuan!"

Inuyama Tomoe's loud voice interrupted Yuuki Yuuki.

"Come and fight me!"

"Huh? Why should I fight with Tomoe? Aren't we comrades?" Yuuki Yuen couldn't understand Tomoe's logic at all.

"Well, well, since we're already here, how about we say it's special training? Xiaoyuan will understand, right?"

Baqi's slender fingers pulled the trigger, and the burst of fire illuminated the cold autumn night. The dangerous musket bullet tore through the howling wind and arrived in an instant.

Inuyama Tomoe is absolutely serious.

Without transforming, an ordinary person's physical abilities would be insufficient to even dodge, let alone stop it.

Not only did she transform, Yuuki Yukino also directly unlocked her true name.

True liberation of real names.

"Nyarlathotep".

The concrete ground beneath Yuuki Enishi's feet resembled a vibrant garden, instantly enveloped in a hazy purple hue, with tender shoots sprouting like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, spreading endlessly.

But those weren't vibrant little plants; they were twisted tentacles that exuded an ominous aura.

This is Yuuki Yukino's first transformation since that encounter with Nishio Reki.

A long-lost power surged through her body, making Yuuki Yuki feel as if something had changed, yet nothing had changed at all.

Yuuki Yui has always avoided transforming, fearing that it would plunge her back into that unspeakable dark state, and even more so that it would endanger those around her.

The incoming bullet landed in Yuuki Yukino's palm, imprisoned within its cage-like tentacles, and finally extinguished with a muffled thud, its faint flame disappearing into the darkness.

"Oh! Is Xiaoyuan starting to get serious?"

Baqi casually tossed aside the matchlock gun she had used and began to rub her hands together, eager to try it out. She cracked her knuckles, making a series of crisp sounds, and tilted her neck slightly.

Her fighting style, tone of voice, and expressions were exactly the same as Baqi's usual self.

Yuki felt that there was an invisible barrier between herself and Baqi, and she could not break it down completely without doing something.

“Baqi…” In a short period of time, Yuuki En had lost count of how many times she had called out Baqi’s name.

If I don't address them this way, if I don't keep calling their name, it's as if I can't convey my voice to them.

"Baqi, do we really have to fight each other?"

"Is that even a question?!"

Even faster than Baqi's reply came the bullets she fired, leaving two shocking craters on the wall that Yuuki Enishi had hastily constructed with tentacles.

"I see..."

The tentacle wall that had completely obscured her face gradually crumbled, and after being restored to a solid wall of countless points of light, Yuuki Eri revealed her eyes, which had changed in expression.

Yuuki Yukino has completely understood.

One's own pale words are not enough to untangle the girl's knot in her heart.

Even if I don't know what Baqi really wants to do, I can't satisfy her without going through this process.

If this is what Baqi expects, then I will definitely accompany her to the end.

bass.

On the lawn that had spread to Baqi's feet, sharp tentacles suddenly pierced out, standing upright on the open space where Baqi had once stood.

Baki, who reacted just as quickly, had already jumped back out of the tentacles' attack range.

However, Yuuki Yuki's attacks are never a one-hit kill.

The girl's slender fingers swept through the air, and the array of completely imaginary wands scattered into a sky full of stars, like exploding fireworks, surrounding Baki.

And Baqi is right in the heart of the firework.

Yuuki Yukino's palm fell lightly, and the firework seemed to flow backwards, rushing towards its core.

The fireworks that turn back time will not explode again, but Inuyama Tomoe will, and more than once.

The surging air currents knocked away the wand that was trying to pierce her, and the few weapons that could reach Bage only left shallow marks on her magical armor.

Yuuki Yukino's attack did not cause any real damage to Tomoe.

However, this was also in Yuuki Enishi's calculations.

Yuuki Yukino is no longer the weak magical girl who had to flee in the face of enemies.

Compared to her past self, she has made great progress in experience, magic, and skills.

While Baki was dealing with the wands constructed by Yuuki Ebisu, in the far outer reaches, intertwined tentacles had already constructed an even larger cage.

As the tinkling and clanging music comes to an end, it will be time for Yuuki Yuki to close the net.

The dark purple cage became the chains that restrained this rabid dog.

"Is that so?" Yuuki Yui tilted her head back, and through her stray hairs, the girl's eyes sparkled with an unusual light.

Yuuki Yukino stepped onto the dark purple, boiling sea, one step after another, walking towards the exquisite birdcage.

A pale hand stroked the birdcage, as if caressing the body of a girl imprisoned within.

"In that case, come and truly feel my feelings."

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Dancing Together

On the open ground where Yuuki Yukino and Inuyama Tomoe were locked in fierce combat, the girls standing side by side took in everything below.

The two, who were once the center of attention even at St. Yuu Academy, have shed their school dress uniforms that many were proud of and are now dressed in completely different everyday outfits.