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

However, after making those harsh remarks, Sumireko Yumehara did not launch any attack on Enishi Yuuki, who appeared calm on the surface but was already prepared to face the attack.

She turned and ran away.

"Huh? Hmm? Huh?"

Yuuki Yukino asked several questions in a row, and just watched helplessly as Yumehara Sumireko disappeared in a flash.

What is Sumireko Yumehara doing?

Yuuki Yukino was completely dumbfounded.

Although she had already mentally complained about it once, Yuuki Yukino felt that she couldn't complain any more.

What's going on? What is this thing? That whole set of Zero Master Seven?

And where is this? Where has Sumireko Yumehara dragged herself to? Is this still a normal dream?!

As for how she ended up here, it all started a moment earlier when Sumireko Yumehara swept away the other three magical girls with a vortex of magic.

……

Yuuki Yui knew perfectly well that she must have experienced this feeling at some point.

Unlike the drowsy state she experienced when entering a dream, Yuuki Eri was much more awake this time, and her other senses were also more acute in the darkness.

The sound of the wind blowing past my ears as I fell, the wind pressure on my skin, the chill, and the incredibly intense magic.

I must have felt something similar somewhere before, but I can't quite place it.

In the boundless darkness, Sumireko Yumehara's figure had completely disappeared. The pain from the battle was still incredibly clear, giving Yuuki Yui the feeling that she was still alive.

Although Yuuki Yukino herself found this way of thinking rather strange, the feeling of living in this way was also reminding her of something else.

She is not dreaming.

Instead, it's similar to how Mashiro Urouge broke through the barrier of space, throwing herself into an alternate dimension.

If I hadn't sent Baki away with me, and the two of us had activated Mushisha, we might have been able to tear open space and escape.

But this is just a hypothetical; no one knows if doing so would lead to a better outcome.

Yuuki Yukino felt that bringing Baqi into the mix for the sake of a possibility was not a wise choice.

But now the other three magical girls have been sent to other places by Sumireko Yumehara. It seems that Sumireko Yumehara had no choice but to do so. I guess the three of them are in much better condition than I am.

In other words, rather than worrying about others, you should consider whether you yourself might encounter any danger.

But what dangers might I encounter in this pitch black?

Even though Yuuki Yuki thought for a long time, her fall did not stop, making her feel like a feather, unable to land for a long time.

Surely the so-called dormancy isn't just a continuous repetition of the current process, is it?

That shouldn't be the case. If it were so easy to make someone fall into a deep sleep, why would Sumireko Yumehara go to such lengths to find people's weaknesses?

I'm completely baffled.

Yuuki En thought to herself, then closed her eyes.

But since she was still falling and there might be other dangers lurking around, Yuuki Yuki felt it was best not to let her guard down.

When she opened her eyes again, the scenery before her had completely changed.

Accustomed to darkness, Yuuki Eri instinctively closed her eyes tightly and covered her face with her hands to let as little light as possible in when she was suddenly exposed to light.

But the light wasn't strong; on the contrary, it was incredibly dim. It was only after Yuuki Yuki suddenly realized this that she found it difficult to adapt.

After getting used to the light intensity for a while, Yuuki Yukino opened her eyes again. This time, she could see things clearly.

What appeared before Yuuki Enishi was a city.

Judging from the dim lighting and the colorful neon lights underfoot, it's easy to tell that Yuuki Enishi is in the night, just like in real life.

But should that be called a city?

Bizarre and unpredictable, from the air, the entire city—if it can truly be called a city—exudes an abnormal aura.

No, the most unusual thing is that if there were such a city below, it's impossible that I'm only seeing it now.

Could it be that I'm seeing things? Of course not.

This city appeared out of thin air; it must have been a stage that Sumireko Yumehara built for herself.

Yes, that must be it. Sumireko Yumehara is falling with me too, her arms outstretched, her body spread out in a starfish shape, falling with me.

Yuuki Yukino is still in her Night Demon form, and the two huge wing membranes behind her are now playing a role that they shouldn't be playing.

The wings protected Yuuki Yuki's body, enveloping her like a bullet.

The bullet began to spin in the air, and its descent speed increased.

If Yuuki Yuuki can't fly out at a speed exceeding the collapse of space, can't she do something as simple as accelerating her descent?

As Yuuki Enishi spun and fell, she pierced the air and struck Yumehara Sumireko's body with perfect accuracy.

Of course, Sumireko Yumehara wouldn't sit idly by and wait to die. Since Yuuki Yui dared to launch an attack, this petite girl was not to be outdone. She swung her pajama bear claws, grabbed Yuuki Yui's wings that were still spinning and launching headbutts, and pulled hard to eliminate the powerful force attached to them.

It was another brief clash, until the two men, like two shooting stars, crashed onto the mottled floor of the city.

Then came the part where Sumireko Yumehara made a fierce statement and ran away in one smooth motion.

……

Sumireko Yumehara has temporarily retreated, but Yuuki Yuki has no intention of pursuing her.

Just now, she found some clues that showed Yumehara Sumireko was able to suppress herself.

Every magical girl possesses magic power. Whether it's hand-to-hand combat, magical attacks, skills, or even simply maintaining a transformed state, all of these consume magic power.

The corrupted magical girl has an ability that most people don't like to use, called magic plunder. Although this skill can sometimes produce some amazing effects, it is actually far too useless.

When Sumireko Yumehara fought against him, Yuuki En felt a small portion of her magic power being torn away with each clash.

This is negligible compared to the immense magical power that Yuuki Yuuki already possesses, but the power of the attack will be reduced, leaving her in a suppressed state where she has the strength but cannot use it.

However, it doesn't feel like magic plundering in terms of physical sensation. Magic plundering is a process of give and take, and Sumireko Yumehara probably didn't obtain that magic.

Yeah, it's like fighting against a character in a competitive game whose normal attacks reduce mana. Although the mana lost doesn't have a huge impact, it's still annoying.

Now that Sumireko Yumehara has temporarily retreated, Yuuki Yuuki feels it's necessary to thoroughly explore the world she's in now.

Looking around, Yuuki Yui could see the area much more clearly now.

The skyscrapers that a city should have are no longer cold steel jungles, but are made up of all kinds of colorful clouds. Each building gives people a gentle feeling, and looks like a dream world drawn by a child.

The streets weren't the monotonous, lifeless black and gray of the past, but were covered with glittering stardust. Every step Yuuki Yuki took was on starlight, as if she were truly walking in the Milky Way.

The magic around her was still that oppressive magic that made her feel very uncomfortable, but the things in front of her were completely different from the magic that Yuuki Yuuki felt, like chili peppers and strawberries that had no connection whatsoever.

But that's just how reality is.

Yuuki Yukino shook her head and continued on her way.

With just a couple of steps, Yuuki Yuki made a new discovery.

As he fell from the sky, he still thought the city lights were the colors of neon lights.

No, that's not right at all. Strange, colorful bubbles are floating in every corner of the city, with unusual colors flowing inside them, as if each moment has been imprinted on a soap bubble.

It was the light they emitted that illuminated the city. These things were everywhere in the city, just like soap bubbles blown by a child, flying aimlessly and without any pattern.

When the bubbles collide with each other, they make a pleasant tinkling sound, adding a unique vitality to this quiet city.

Even if they are pleasant to hear, if they occasionally ring out in an empty, abnormal city, even the most pleasant sound will give you goosebumps.

This is abnormal, an abnormality that humans would all hate.

So, is this Sumireko Yumehara's dream? Or whose dream is it?

Regardless of the answer, the fact remains that Yuuki Yuuki is not dreaming, but has actually arrived in a dreamlike place.

Yuuki Yuki sensed that the abnormalities weren't limited to those things; another thing was that the city felt incredibly empty.

No matter whose dream it is, there are always characters created within the dream, and even if they are fake, they will interact with dreamers like Yuuki Eri.

But there was nothing here, nothing at all. All that was there were those strange bubbles, their faint glow, and the crisp sound they made when they collided with each other.

So what exactly are they?

Yuuki Yukina thought to herself and reached out her hand to one of them.

The moment Yuuki Yukino touched the bubble, her hand recoiled as if she had been electrocuted.

A chill ran through Yuuki Yuki, like a bucket of cold water poured over her from head to toe.

Am I all alone here?

That's nonsense, this place is clearly packed with people.

Those colorful bubbles that illuminated the entire city were each a genuine magical girl.

It used to be.

Chapter 171 Paradise Above the Graveyard

Yuuki Yukino moved slowly down the street, stepping on the street that seemed to have been sprinkled with stardust, passing through the colorful bubbles that floated like stars, emitting a dim light, yet together providing unparalleled brightness.

Each bubble was like a tiny universe, shimmering softly, which aroused a strong sense of curiosity in Yuuki Yuuki.

But the consequences of touching anything here could be irreversible, and Yuuki Yuki couldn't feel at ease without investigating.

Purple magic swirled around Yuuki Yuki's fingertips, protecting her entire hand like a glove, adding an extra layer of protection to her magical gloves.

After doing all this, Yuuki Yukina reached out and touched the nearest bubble with her fingertips.

When Yuuki Yuuki touched the bubble, its surface rippled with transparent waves, as if the water had been disturbed.

Something flowed from Yuuki Yuuki's fingertips into her body, like a cool breeze. Yuuki Yuuki could even feel the coolness travel from her fingertips through her arms, and finally up her shoulders to her brain.

It is magic, undeniably magic.

Its speed was so fast that almost the instant it made contact, its impact reached Yuuki Eri.

Along with that magic, what entered Yuuki Yuuki's brain was a flickering still image.

The protagonist of the picture is a young girl, holding an unopened umbrella, dancing in the pouring rain.

A long blue dress blooms in the rain, and the tip of an umbrella pushes aside the puddles left on the ground, splashing up a series of water droplets.