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

"You've worked so hard. Keep up the good work today."

She heard Yuuki Yukino speaking.

What kind of job?

Herlica stopped in her tracks, pulled her leg back, and turned to face Yuuki Yuuki.

Yuuki Yui didn't answer, but the curve of her eyes widened even more, as if to say, "You know what I'm talking about."

Since she wasn't doing any part-time work, she couldn't possibly be doing any job. The only job Yuuki Yuki was referring to could be that—a magical girl.

"I am no longer..." Helica proved her innocence, determined to distance herself from the other magical girls.

But she didn't need to explain to Yuuki Yui at all. Even if she proved her innocence, Yuuki Yui shouldn't be someone she should associate with.

"Forget it, there's no point in talking to you about this."

“Okay.” Yuuki Yui nodded and continued with her work.

The workload was much less than before, and Yuuki Yuki's movements were still as nimble as ever, just as Helica couldn't help but notice with her gaze.

Helica did nothing but stand in front of the bar and watch Yuuki Yuki work.

Yuuki Yukino, who had just fed the coffee powder into the coffee machine, raised her eyes and looked in Helica's direction, as if asking her why she was still there.

But Helica didn't sense that Yuuki Eri meant anything by driving her away.

Even if Yuuki Yukino doesn't drive her away, she will still leave.

No, she shouldn't have left. She still wanted to know what Yuuki Yuki's plans were.

…Qiling (Wusiliu 8 Qi Ni)…

"Xiaoyuan, after thinking about all that, do you think you can succeed?"

After discussing countermeasures with Yuuki En for a long time, Tomoe suddenly asked the most fundamental question.

"Yes, you can," Yuuki Yui replied confidently.

"But, I mean but, the short, blond guy might not come, the girl with the eggplant-head haircut might not come, and even the blue-haired, expressionless guy is uncertain." Baqi counted on her fingers one by one.

"Yes, I know. If no one comes, then there's nothing we can do."

"Then why did you say it would succeed?"

"Of course we will." Yuuki Yui stretched. "Do you know why we still lost to Urobuchi Mashiro in the end?"

“Because she’s very strong. If she hadn’t had so much magic power depleted, the two of us wouldn’t have much of a chance of winning against her when she was at full strength, right?” Baqi said without even thinking.

"But the result of the battle was that we won, and so many unexpected things happened to her, but in the end she didn't lose, did she?" Yuuki Yui pouted and asked in return.

That's true.

"What do you think is the reason?" Yuuki Yuen asked again.

"Hmm...not because she's strong? Because she's smart?" Baqi pondered for a long time before giving this answer.

"It's true that she's smart, but not entirely. What I find most terrifying about Mashiro Gorky is that she has prepared her pieces in advance for every possibility. Even if there are many problems, she still has pieces to move."

Yuuki Yukino raised her hands above her head, stretching her body, then let out a long, relaxed breath. Her lowered hands formed the shape of two numbers:

"We just mentioned a few possibilities?"

"Six types?" This time, Baqi did not hesitate. She clearly remembered every situation that she and Yuki had just discussed.

Then, Baqi also noticed Yuuki Emi's two hands as she fell; her left hand had one index finger raised, while her right hand was fully open.

Baqi's voice held a hint of disbelief: "Fifteen kinds?"

“At least fifteen.” Yuuki Yui narrowed her eyes. “Exhaustive search is a solution, isn’t it?”

Practice questions, mock exams, and past exam papers—in Yuuki Eri's hometown, there exists a method known as the "sea of ​​questions" approach.

As long as you have as many possibilities as possible, you can easily turn unknown challenges into known ones.

"As long as any of the possibilities I anticipate comes true, it will inevitably be my victory."

"What is the ultimate victory for Xiaoyuan?" Baqi blinked and asked.

“Baqi, you know what I want.”

……

Helica began to regret it; she should have left with them.

She was the one who prepared to break with magical girls, she was the one who suspected Yuuki Yuuki of having ulterior motives, and now she is the one who is starting to regret it.

I yearn for change, yet I remain unchanged.

The person who made the change was Yuuki Yukino, who was sitting behind the bar, humming a familiar tune to the sound of the guitar in the shop.

Yuuki Yukino has absolutely become a demon, an absolute demon.

No, that's completely wrong. Yuuki Eri hasn't changed at all.

During her time back in Moonsea City, Herika repeatedly pondered why Yuuki Yuki had contacted her in the first place.

Before we think about that, let's talk about Yuuki Yukino's purpose tonight.

By now, Herika had guessed what Yuuki Yuki was planning—Yuuki Yuki had set up such a huge stage, waiting for her to enter, and there was nothing in the way of planning it.

It was all just a perfectly timed coincidence. Herica had already fallen for it when she began to suspect Yuuki Yuuki's true motives.

Yuuki Yukino's target was never herself, who was thinking about what the other person was planning, but rather those companions who had already left.

Yuuki Yukino may not have any ulterior motives on this stage, but that doesn't mean she has no other plans.

In short—it's a diversionary tactic, preventing those who are temporarily doubting Yuuki Eri from providing support and those who are unwilling to join their companions from doing so, thus causing the girls who were drawn to the corrupted magical girl's magic to fall into the abyss.

Reason? No reason is needed; this is simply what Yuuki Yuuki has always been doing.

From Miya Miya and her senior Rie Tsukimi at the beginning, to the two juniors who have been recruited by Yuuki Yuuki, and then to the unknown black angel she defeated with all her might, Yuuki Yuuki has always been doing this.

It just so happens that it's Nijisanji's turn now.

Before that, why did Yuuki Eri join Nijisanji, and why did she help Nijisanji?

Or rather, why would Yuuki Yuuki save herself in Nijiha City?

Because neither I nor Nijisanji has yet finished our mission.

When dealing with Miyashita Mia, he, Mizuno Yu, and Inuyama Tomoe need to hold off the two corrupted magical girls who come to cause trouble.

During the festival, they went to great lengths to get the Rainbow Society involved in dealing with that powerful black angel.

Including the battle in Rainbow Leaf City, in the end, he and Mizuno Yuu would need to restrain Seishine so that she could complete the final battle.

No matter how bumpy the process may be, the ultimate beneficiary is Yuuki Eri herself.

That's all Helica could think.

Because Yuuki Yukino is a corrupted magical girl, this identity is her original sin.

Even now... as long as I separate myself and deal with Mizuno Yu, who controls the release of the gods, no one will be able to stop Yuuki Yui anymore.

The person who started all of this, however, pushed the next cup of coffee in front of him without any pressure.

"How about another drink?"

Chapter Fifty Stained with Crimson

"Mizuno-senpai, why did the aura of a corrupted magical girl have to appear at this time? Isn't that too unfortunate?"

Carried at high speed by Mizuno Yu's Moon Bow, Sakura Hanako couldn't help but grumble.

Although she also wanted to escape from the coffee shop's atmosphere—a quiet, bustling space filled with laughter, but with a deathly stillness around her—she didn't want to escape in this way, which felt like a runaway.

Especially considering that Helica really didn't come along.

"I think it's quite a coincidence. We've been incredibly well-behaved for the past month or so, and then this corrupted magical girl appears just when we're all gathered together."

Mizuno Yui was completely focused on manipulating her enormous bow and arrow, which was a result of her divine liberation, making it impossible for Sakura Hanako to see her expression.

By directly activating the Divine Liberation, Mizuno Yuu must be aiming for a swift victory, and this level of importance already made Sakura Hanako feel somewhat uneasy.

Reminded by Mizuno Yu, some even more terrifying thoughts began to form in her mind.

"Does Mizuno-senpai mean that all of this was done intentionally?"

Yes, this situation was deliberately created by someone.

When Sakura Hanako saw the true faces of the two enemies, she was 100% certain of it.

The two, who only met Sakura Hanako once, fought together against the corrupted magical girl who brought destruction at the festival where she first fought alongside her senior.

Even according to the accounts of his predecessors, he only had two actual opportunities to fight the two of them.

To be precise, it was only one of them.

The obstruction beneath the Moonsea Tower and the duel on the beach resulted in—a complete defeat.

As for who deliberately brought about this situation? Of course, it was his good senior, Yuuki Yukino.

Otherwise, how could there be an enemy who does nothing but transform into a demon and walk in the Halloween parade, ignoring the trouble they cause others and enjoying the Halloween atmosphere on their own?

Although such people do exist, Yuuki Yuki and Inuyama Tomoe are the kind of people who do things that, while not harmful to others or particularly self-serving, still cause a lot of trouble and create amusement.

Given the precedent of Yuuki Yukino transforming in the rain and running into the sea to surf with a surfboard created from her tentacles, Sakura Hanako has no doubt that she would do the same.

But the two people in front of me shouldn't have that kind of personality.

This is the worst-case scenario. The only one who caused their two predecessors so much trouble was that blonde lady with the chainsaw. Now it seems that she's not the only one who will make a move.

The wand pointing at him wasn't just two chainsaws, but a total of four, including the double-edged ones.

In particular, despite facing such an unfavorable situation, Mizuno-senpai remained silent.

……

"Yuki Yu, what benefit do you get from targeting Mizuno Yu and Sakura Hanako?"

Herlica held the second cup of coffee that Yuuki handed her tightly, her drooping hair blurring her vision. Her heart was as murky as the coffee, and any slight movement would stir up restless waves.

"Why don't you think about it yourself? What benefits would it bring me to do this?"

Yuuki Yuki, who had turned her back, was washing the cup left over from the coffee that Helica had just drunk in one gulp. Her tone was completely opposite to Helica's, which sounded like she was about to grind her teeth to pieces. It was just ordinary casual conversation.

"Can you stop talking nonsense? I don't want to play guessing games with you..." Helica gave the most ferocious reply in the most humble tone, though it didn't sound ferocious at all.