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

“Just now, no more than five minutes ago, I saw it with my own eyes.”

"What happened? Can you tell me in detail?" someone else asked quietly, inquiring about the whole story.

"It all started when a nearby building suddenly collapsed, and then a fight broke out here." The person who claimed to have witnessed the whole thing cleared his throat.

"Then?"

"Then it got even more incredible. I think I saw someone fall from the sky, and a flower bloomed from the person who fell."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Are you trying to say that such a big flower grew from a human body?"

Why would I lie to you?

Herika could only listen to their discussion half-heartedly; she hadn't witnessed it firsthand, but in the world of magical girls, anything could happen.

Even though Helica the Thunder God still didn't understand what secrets this flower held, she, like everyone else—no, as a magical girl, knew even better—that this flower was definitely not a good thing.

The magic emanating from the flower made Helica feel uneasy; it was dark and intense, and without a doubt, this was the kind of magic only a corrupted magical girl could possess.

It is still growing peacefully here now—if its current state can truly be called peaceful, then when it blooms, it will definitely cause far more damage than it is now.

The fact that no magical girl came despite the commotion was what Helica Tenrai was most worried about.

Surely the series of attacks on the magical girls since daytime were all for this moment?

If that's really the case, then Helica has witnessed a huge conspiracy firsthand.

But... but...

Even his seniors couldn't stop him, so could he really do it?

If there really were a hunt targeting magical girls, the reason I was able to escape wouldn't be because I was strong enough, but because I didn't need to be hunted at all, right?

While Helica was lost in thought, the discussion around her continued.

"So after all that, you mean... all this destruction is caused by the magical girls' battle?"

"That's right! It's magical girls!"

Helika heard a sentence that she could not ignore no matter what, and understood it clearly.

"It's all those magical girls' fault! It's all their fault! If it weren't for them, none of this would have happened!"

That's not true at all! Magical girls were created to fight against those corrupted magical girls who bring disaster to the world! They fight for justice!

Helica thought this way, but those around her clearly didn't.

That curse directed at magical girls quickly drew responses from others.

"Yeah! If they hadn't fought here, how could they have caused so much destruction?! Couldn't they have fought somewhere else?!"

That's not the case. If we don't stop them here, it will only cause more destruction!

"It's gotten to this point, and no one's come to clean up the mess. I think the magical girls are just for show; when you really need them, you won't see them anywhere!"

That's not true at all. The magical girls, their comrades—they've all been wiped out…

"So where's the magical girl? We're all in danger! Where is she? She's so useless!"

All you do is chatter on and on, criticizing the magical girls! The magical girls are fighting desperately! What responsibility have you ever taken?!

"Magical girls shouldn't have existed in the first place!"

"That's not true at all! The magical girls all tried their best!" Helica Tenrai retorted loudly.

Her voice was always very loud.

It is large enough to silence the entire world.

In such a noisy environment, the large object became the focus of everyone's attention.

Yes, it was me, wearing the dirty Yuehai Middle School uniform, with dried sauce stains on my shoes and legs, and marks on my knees from sharp shards of broken bowls, looking disheveled.

Even Herika herself couldn't believe that she was being watched by countless eyes.

Like sharp knives, like steel needles, like thorns, they all tried to pierce the strong shell that Helica used to protect herself.

Perhaps Helica has already been stabbed, or perhaps her own heart has already been riddled with holes.

However, I just don't want to admit defeat.

Even after all that has happened, I still have to stand up and speak up for the magical girls!

That's what Helika thought.

"Who are you? Are you speaking up for the magical girl?"

"Look at this ruin, look at the devastation before us. Do you know what you're saying? Do you know how much pain each magical girl's battle brings us?"

"Magical girls are a disaster! They shouldn't exist! And you're still defending them! What are you up to? Do you just want us all to be killed by magical girls?"

The accusations rained down on us.

Unable to handle the enormous flower bud, unable to deal with the threat of the corrupted magical girl, did they turn to their own more vulnerable selves instead?!

Damn it!

Those cowardly bullies who prey on the weak deserve to die!

Even though there are so many people around him, and he only stood up to speak for the magical girl, no one was willing to say a word for him.

Everyone deserves to die!

Those sounds were still echoing in my ears.

Helica couldn't see everyone's face, but she could hear every sharp voice pointing at her.

She could only see mouths, mouths of all shapes and sizes, forming a low ceiling above her head, opening and closing in the darkness, uttering the most vicious words.

Helica couldn't go anywhere—not just above her head, to her left, to her right, in front of her, behind her, or even under her feet… all she could see were those mouths opening and closing like in a stop-motion animation.

She felt as if she were locked in a box, a box made of language.

Is it a box? Or his own coffin?

My thoughts became increasingly sluggish with each passing sound.

She could only think about one thing.

Damn it, damn it, they all deserve to die!

Herlica gritted her teeth, her mind spinning, and her legs, which were standing on the ground, seemed to go weak. Although she was still standing in the same spot, she suddenly staggered and almost fell to the ground.

It is a long, endless journey.

Then, it came to an abrupt end.

Will someone help me out of this predicament?

Perhaps it could be considered yes?

She is a corrupted magical girl.

It was that enormous flower bud that looked at itself amidst the rumbling sound.

The flower bud has no eyes, but Helica could sense that it was looking at her.

And indeed, the enormous flower bud bent very slowly, yet unstoppably, toward Helica.

There were actually many people facing the flower bud; at least the passersby who had just been cursing at him were now gathered around him.

But Helica felt that it was watching her.

The accusations and insults ceased. Faced with the threat of death, those who are cowardly and bully the weak always make the same choice.

Run away.

As they fled, cries for help rose and fell.

"It...it moved! Run! Run!"

"Where are the magical girls? Are there still any magical girls left?! Help us! We don't want to die!"

"Please! You, anyone will do! Please help me!"

The fleeing crowd receded like the tide, each person doing their best to stay away from the ever-approaching flower bud.

But humans are too slow. [Two [mountain?_]]

The enormous flower buds appear slow, only in contrast to their massive size.

Before long, they will be reduced to the same dilapidated state as the ruins beneath the flowers.

Ha, you idiot.

Shout all you want! Shout as loud as you want! Let me look down on you even more!

Run! Run away quickly! Run as far away as possible! So I'll never see your filthy faces again!

The magical girl you despise and hate is now going to cause even more destruction in order to protect you.

Before you get really affected by the destruction, you all better stay alive and remember to stay far away next time!

As Helica pondered this, she dragged her weary body, slowly and deliberately walking against the flow of fleeing people toward the giant flower bud.

The world seemed to suddenly fall silent, so silent that only Helica, the Thunder God, remained.

Amidst the silent clamor, the tiny girl transformed into the most dazzling golden meteor flying backwards, heading towards the heart of the slowly blooming giant purple flower, a flower whose size was completely disproportionate to her own.

Thunder is blazing tonight.

Chapter 139 Stardust

Yuuki Yukino could feel herself falling.

It wasn't the feeling of weightlessness you get when you're dreaming or awake; it was a real, tangible fall.

Even in her dream, the constant pain echoing throughout Yuuki Yuki's body made her feel as if she were about to faint.

The force of the landing made Yuuki Yuki's body feel like it was about to fall apart, and with a slight bounce, she coughed up the metallic taste of rust from her throat.

That's definitely not the smell of rust; it's the genuine smell of blood.

Even more intense than the smell emanating from his own mouth was the crimson blood beneath him, blooming and shattering like fireworks.

Even though it was all fake, seeing a young girl wither away before her eyes still caused Yuuki Yuki to feel a churning sensation in her stomach and mind.

But she couldn't vomit; just turning over took all her strength—and she couldn't manage it.