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

At this point, Nishio Reki had already made his stance clear.

The other party is seen as a threat, with no possibility of reconciliation, let alone any talk.

"This is wonderful." Genken Mashiro lowered her paintbrush and sighed.

Did this guy not understand what I meant?

wrong.

Genki Mashiro already understood, and Nishio Reki also knew that the other party understood.

There is no possibility of reconciliation between the two sides; they are likely to reach a point of irreconcilable conflict.

"I see. So, for the sake of someone important, you have to eliminate me as a threat." Genki Mashiro stroked the brush with her fingers, splashes of paint landing on the girl's fair fingertips.

"But you're not the only one who has important people in your life..."

Gen Kenma spoke very softly, and his self-talk was quickly drowned out by the colorful, reverse-flowing waterfall that roared up from behind him.

"Let's have a competition and see whose intention is better."

The rainbow colors floating in the sky were held in Genken Mashiro's hand.

"I just want to clear the obstacles for her; I have no interest in having any kind of competition with you."

It was as if a pitch-black dragon, hovering and swimming in mid-air, had let out a deafening roar.

The vibrant colors and the pure black met at this moment.

Even after experiencing it firsthand, Nishio Reki still couldn't tell what kind of weapon it was. It had the weight of a blunt weapon, the sharpness of a blade, and the lightness of a soft weapon.

That strange color changed into any shape, holding its own against Nishio Reki's tricky attacks.

But what remains unchanged amidst all the changes is Genki Mashiro's pure killing intent.

Putting aside the strange color, the several close-quarters exchanges between the two were not flashy, and could even be described as simple and unadorned.

But it is precisely in this seemingly simple and unadorned confrontation that deadly intent is truly hidden.

For the sake of someone important, the girls must exclude that person without any room for compromise.

They both thought the same thing at the same time.

On the other side, on the way down the mountain from the shrine.

"Lin Jiezi? What's wrong?"

Yuuki En watched as Hayashi Keiko, who had just been running alongside her hand to keep from getting lost, suddenly stopped without warning, as if a machine had lost power. She asked anxiously.

If it weren't for Yuuki Yukari and Baqi's excellent reaction speed honed in battle, allowing them to stop along with Lin Jiezi as soon as they noticed something amiss, they probably would have dragged Lin Jiezi and the others down the steps together.

Lin Jiezi, who had stopped on the steps, turned around in a daze, raised her chin towards the steps, and stared blankly at something on the steps through her thick glasses.

At the top of the steps, only panicked expressions remained as people fled the shrine that had once been a place of endless prayers, but which had now become a symbol of crisis in the clashes of magical girls.

Amidst the fleeing crowd, Lin Jiezi, the only one who stopped, and Yuki Eri and Inuyama Tomoe, who were forced to stop as well, seemed out of place.

Of course, you can't tell what happened just by looking.

Yuuki knew what had happened above; even without seeing it with her own eyes, she knew that the sudden surge in magic power meant the release of the wand.

But Lin Jiezi couldn't possibly know what happened at the shrine. She never showed any sensitivity to magic, and there were many times when she sent Lin Jiezi away to transform, but Lin Jiezi was completely unaware.

But the fact that Lin Jiezi exhibited such an abnormality the moment her magic was released made it hard for Yuuki Yuen to believe it was a coincidence.

If you think of something that happened not long ago—those empty shells of mustard seeds lying scattered all over the ground—Yuki En felt that her back was already soaked with cold sweat.

Yuuki En once believed that those things with the shape of Lin Jiezi were just simple mimicry monsters and had little to do with Lin Jiezi herself.

After all, Lin Jiezi is too ordinary, so ordinary that she is like a mustard seed that can be seen everywhere. No one can see any connection between her and magical girls—except for that wonderful God's perspective.

In retrospect, Yuuki Yuuki was wrong, and terribly wrong.

She seemed to have glimpsed a corner of the secret she had been searching for in vain about Lin Jiezi.

"What are you looking at? Let's get going! Those two guys will be fine. It's us who are in danger if we stay here!"

Baqi didn't seem as nervous as Yuuki Emi. She could even tug at both of their hands at the same time, urging everyone to leave faster.

From Inuyama Tomoe's perspective, whether she was watching Helica and Nishio Reki transform in turn to block Urouge Mashiro, or being the only outsider who was openly unrelated to magical girls, or having never witnessed the inhuman behavior of those monsters with Hayashi Mustard forms, her mindset remained unaffected, and she was still able to remain calm.

Despite Inuyama Tomoe and Yuuki Yuuki's repeated urging, Hayashi Keko remained unmoved, gazing blankly into the direction of the shrine, her lips slightly parted as if she had something to say.

“That, I think I saw it with my own eyes, that is…”

Before Lin Jiezi could finish speaking, the thunderous roar drowned her out her words, and no one could hear what she said afterward.

"Don't just stand there, let's go."

Accompanied by thunder, Helica, whose entire body was shrouded in magical armor, arrived in an instant. The warhammer that Helica's father, Kujiro (Ka), had been holding tightly returned to magic the moment he let go.

Then Helica reached out with the hand holding the warhammer towards Lin Jiezi, grabbed her waist and shoved the bespectacled girl onto her shoulder. Her other hand paused slightly, but still grabbed Baqi's waist and tossed her onto the other shoulder.

Carrying two girls on her back, Herica bent down and squatted in front of Yuuki Yuuki, turning her back to her.

"Come up."

Helica's words were concise and to the point.

Without asking any questions, Yuuki Yukino opened her arms and hooked them around Helica's neck, then climbed onto Helica's back.

But she could guess the general direction of events.

So that's how it is. Helica will lead us away, and Nishio Kotsu will deal with the threat.

Judging from her magical power, which is no less than that of Mashiro Urouge, and the unfinished mission of Reki Nishio, she is definitely not the type to sacrifice herself to cover the retreat.

In other words, Nishio Reki really listened to his advice and planned to leave Gyoken Mashiro here.

Amidst the stunned gazes of the others, Herika tiptoed up and took off again on the stone steps, shooting off like a shooting star in the direction away from the shrine.

Such an unstable posture could not be maintained for long. If an ordinary person were to have an accident at such a height, the consequences would be unimaginable, let alone the fact that Helica was dragging three people forward all by herself.

With her speed intentionally controlled, Helica moved like a motorcycle at full throttle, speeding through several blocks before landing on a relatively quiet rooftop.

Herika gently placed the girls, whose hair had been blown into disarray, on the ground. Finally, Yuuki Eri, whose magical armor was slightly damp with sweat, was placed next to Herika.

Sensing the softness that had been clinging to her back leaving, Helica straightened up again. In the magical light, her magical outfit disappeared, revealing the figure of Helica that everyone was very familiar with.

Yuuki Yuki and Baqi exchanged a glance, and Baqi, who was about to say something, shut her mouth.

Bachi should have expressed her desire to perform and shown her shock at Helica's transformation, but that would certainly not be the right time.

Yuuki Yukino was the same; she knew this was not the right time for her to speak.

Lin Jiezi also reverted to her previous timid and hesitant demeanor. As Helica led her away, Lin Jiezi gradually shifted from that bewildered look in her eyes, which seemed to be lost in thought, to a different kind of bewilderment.

After a moment of silence, it was finally Helica who spoke.

"You should be safe here now. Your childhood friend, Nishio Reki, is fighting that magical girl all by himself. I'll take care of protecting you all."

"Thank you for your trouble, Tenrai..." Yuuki Yuen couldn't think of a way to answer Helica's question at all, and all that came out of her mouth was a dry "thank you for your trouble."

“I’ve notified Mizuno Yu, she should be able to find a way to get here.” Helica didn’t respond to Yuuki Yu’s words, but stared intently at her: “Before she arrives, is there anything you want to explain to me, Yuuki Yu?”

Chapter Ninety-Five: Colorful Rainbows Above the Rainbow Leaves

"Before she arrives, is there anything you want to explain to me, Yuuki Yukino?"

It's quite rare for Helica to ask such a direct question, given her personality.

Helica wouldn't have asked such a question with such confidence or despair if she weren't fully certain or under immense mental pressure.

Yuuki Yukino doesn't know if this interpretation counts as a misunderstanding on her part.

Does Herika's question mean she already knows something, or has guessed something?

Or perhaps, Helica has a different mindset than Mizuno Yu, and is able to accept her own explanation more calmly?

Conversely, Mizuno Yu is more likely to listen to her explanation.

Will Heracles' experience of fighting alongside Heracles in the previous battle against Kuroba Reise make Heracles show him leniency?

Once you start thinking about these things, it's easy to get caught in a vicious cycle. Yuuki Yuen took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and then exhaled the breath she had been holding in along with her panic.

"If you feel this place isn't suitable, we can talk privately."

Seeing Yuuki Yukino's nervous reaction, Herika added.

But she showed no intention of moving, and her so-called private chat seemed to be nothing more than a formality.

"What do you want me to say?" Yuuki Yui wasn't pretending to be stupid; she was testing how much Helica knew.

"Pfft." Helica laughed out loud.

But Herlica's extremely gloomy expression didn't look happy at all.

"Say it here?" Helica seemed a little annoyed.

But she still showed no intention of moving.

“I don’t care if Zero Qi and Four die,” Yuuki Yuen replied.

"It doesn't matter, right? Then let's say it here." Helica straightened up, and the imposing presence she exuded despite her petite stature was genuine.

Unable to join the conversation, Inuyama Tomoe tugged at Hayashi's sleeve and silently led her to a more distant place to avoid Helica's oppression and potential harm to herself.

There are some things that Baqi shouldn't have listened to.

After two days of interaction, Lin Jiezi was very cooperative this time, and followed Ba Qi away without saying a word.

If nothing goes wrong, then all is well. But if something does go wrong, whether I'm here or not won't change the outcome.

It would be better to hand the stage over to Yuuki Yuki.

"Tsk."

Herlica watched Inuyama Tomoe push Hayashi Kiku away, a disgruntled click of her tongue escaping her lips, before turning her gaze back to Yuuki Yukino.

"Yuki Yukino, who exactly are you?"

"I don't understand what you're saying." Yuuki Yuki's eyes also became calm as the turmoil in her heart subsided, but the temperature in her tone dropped sharply.

What's meant to happen can't be avoided. Yuuki Yuuki had already prepared herself for exposure the day Helica cornered her at the stairwell.

Every extra day now feels like a desperate struggle for survival after a catastrophe, but it also puts Yuuki Yuki under constant pressure to hide her identity.

We've had too many days like this already.