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

However, this free power is still very weak, and it may take time to train it before it can have the strength to fight against others.

However, time waits for no one.

Now that Kuroba Reincarnation is out there, she won't wait for me to train and grow stronger before settling scores with her.

Now, it's a race against time.

Nishio Reki rushed out of the Grand Cathedral at top speed, and out of the Garden Maze that St. Yū Academy was so proud of.

Since I left the Grand Cathedral, I have never heard the sound of magical girls fighting again.

An ominous premonition began to sprout from the depths of his heart, and began to grow wildly and uncontrollably within Nishio Reki's body.

Nishio Reki ran unsteadily to the playground, which had almost turned into a flat area.

There, she saw a scene that was completely unexpected.

She made a deal with Saint Shion, a deal she didn't know she would have to pay, in order to save Xiaoyuan, rescue them all from the clutches of Kuroba Reisei, and completely defeat Kuroba Reisei.

but……

but!

Why did it turn out like this?

What was the point of all that I sacrificed?

Chapter 182 Triumphant Return?

Do you still believe that your partners can overcome despair and achieve final victory?

That's what Saint Shiyin asked herself back then.

What was my answer again?

No, I can't remember.

When Nishio Reki stumbled out of the garden maze amidst the deathly silence after the battle and saw the current scene on what used to be the playground of St. Yuu Academy, she couldn't remember anything.

The battle is indeed over.

The pink-haired girl dragged her heavy steps and looked up at the sky in the last rays of the setting sun.

The other girls gradually gathered around Yuuki Yukino, each with large and small wounds on their bodies, but none of them fell down.

No, there is actually one.

The once arrogant Kuroba Rise now lies at Yuuki Yuuki's feet, half of her body buried in the snow, wearing the uniform of St. Yuuki Academy. Only the slight rise and fall of her body proves that she is still alive.

But she only had a breath left. Under the siege of the magical girls, the sun that Kuroba Kiyoshi was facing away from was the last ray of sunlight she could see.

The battle is over.

It was a resounding victory for the magical girls.

Although everyone's injuries were quite severe, none of them were as unable to recover as Kuroba Reisei.

It's safe to say there couldn't be a better outcome.

Yuuki Yukino, standing amidst the ruins, inadvertently caught sight of Nishio Reki, who was frozen in place. The weariness and pain on her face vanished instantly.

The girl jogged along, her magical attire swirling around her like clouds, disappearing into the snow as she ran.

Yuuki Yukino, dressed in a pristine white winter outfit, squinted her eyes. Her face, covered in dust and bearing a few small scars, looked out of place with her neat clothes.

"Ah! Xiao Li! Are you alright?"

"It's fine."

"Hehe." Yuuki Yuuki laughed out loud. The smile on her face looked like that of a child who had rolled around in the mud, or as bright as when Yuuki Yuuki first deactivated her transformation in front of him. It was especially dazzling under the gradually rising night sky.

"Xiao Li, listen to me! We won! We were the ones who won in the end! Xiao Li must have seen our heroic deeds with her own eyes! Right!"

"Isn't that a certainty?"

"Hehe." Yuuki Yuuki laughed even more foolishly, opened her arms in front of Nishio Reki, and pulled Nishio Reki into her arms.

Nishio Reki suddenly felt an even greater weight on her body. Yuuki Yuki, who was already struggling to stand, placed her chin and all her weight on her shoulders.

"Xiao Li, it's all over, it's all over."

Yuuki Enishi's voice grew weaker and weaker, but it was as sweet as if it were soaked in syrup, just like her mood at that moment.

The biggest threat entrenched in Moonsea City has been completely eliminated.

Truly, there couldn't be a better outcome.

I should be happy.

But what is that bitterness in my heart?

What was the purpose of everything I did and sacrificed?

……

"Your Excellency, are you alright?"

The nun with long, light blonde hair cautiously whispered in Saint Shiyin's ear.

Saint Hymn was like a bomb with its fuse lit; she instantly transformed from a silent, utterly quiet state into a state of utter chaos and breakdown.

"I...I! I'm not good! Not good at all! How did it turn out like this?! I was hoping to use this battle to give the magical girls of Moonsea City a complete overhaul!"

"Then, I will nurture Nishio Reki, who has just become a magical girl and lost everything, little by little, so that she can feel my warmth and belong to me completely! I will make her the person I hope she will be, someone who can help me!"

"But, but how could this have happened! President! Isn't she very strong?! Even if she fought the magical girls, I couldn't guarantee that I could beat her, so how did she lose!"

Listening to Saint Shiyin's rapid-fire, frantic attacks, the nun began to frantically try to restrain the pounding Saint Shiyin, and accidentally got punched in the nose by Saint Shiyin's fist.

The nun, with blood dripping from her nose, finally held down Saint Shiyin, patting her back repeatedly to comfort her: "Your Excellency, please calm down."

After being grabbed, Saint Shiyin struggled a few more times, but finally realized that she couldn't break free from the nun's embrace at all, and finally sat down on the ground and howled.

"Calm down? How can I calm down? It's all over, everything's over!"

……

"I'm home safely now."

"Where are the senior colleagues?"

"Did the seniors get home safely?"

"Are you feeling unwell, seniors?"

"If anything is wrong, remember to contact me, and I'll go back to the seniors as soon as possible."

"Seniors, have you received the message?"

Please reply after receiving this message.

Sakura Hanako sent one message after another in the chat box, instantly filling the entire screen, accompanied by a little bear looking around with the words "Where is everyone?" emoticon.

Mizuno Yu's message popped up, a very simple message: "I'm home, no need to worry."

Just like Mizuno Yu's personality, the messages she posts online are also quite concise. Although it's not always like that, Mizuno Yu still maintains her aloof persona when it comes to harmless matters.

Helica Tenryu was different. Normally, Helica Tenryu would send one message after another, but today, she, who was always full of energy, seemed to feel extremely tired because of this battle, and her messages were much shorter.

"I'm home. Everything's fine. I'm going to sleep."

"Xiaoyuan has already gone to bed. Everyone has worked hard, so please get some rest. You have school tomorrow."

Nishio Reki sent the last message to the chat group, then put down his phone and looked at Yuki Yuki, who was lying peacefully on the bed with her eyes half open. Nishio Reki couldn't tell whether she was sleeping or just drowsily looking at him.

Half an hour ago, when Yuuki Yuki suddenly went limp in his arms, Nishio Reki was really startled.

But when he learned that Yuuki Yuki was alright, that she had only used up all her magic and strength in her final battle with Kuroba Rise, and that the last few steps she took towards him were her last bit of strength, he finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

Not only Yuuki Yukino, but the other magical girls also gave their all in this battle against Nishio Reki, and now they are just barely holding on and standing still.

The matter is over, and everyone should go home and enjoy the fruits of victory.

Of course, the majority of the time it's about recuperating from injuries and restoring mental well-being.

Magical girls are magical girls, but they still have to go to class tomorrow. Classes don't take a day off just because someone is a magical girl.

Magical girls would never easily reveal their identities, even if the other party is indeed trustworthy.

Firstly, if her identity were to be discovered, it could easily provoke retaliation, either against the magical girl's family and friends, or by launching a surprise attack when the enemy is in the open and she is in the dark, delivering a fatal blow to the magical girl.

Nishio Reki knew that Yuuki Yuuki's older sister had gotten involved with a corrupted magical girl, which ultimately led to a tragedy that would become a childhood trauma for Yuuki Yuuki.

Therefore, not only are magical girls searching for clues about the identities of corrupted magical girls, but corrupted magical girls themselves will also choose to preemptively eliminate those magical girls who are troublesome to them.

Therefore, they are very likely to stop at nothing. Ordinary people who know their magical girl identities can easily become their targets. So, in order to protect ordinary people, magical girls will not easily reveal their identities.

Therefore, even though Moonsea City is known for its gossip, no media outlet or individual would publish any speculations about the magical girl's identity, as doing so would be tantamount to inviting trouble.

That's how Nishio Reki is. The attack that Kuroba Reisei launched against him, which was blocked by Yuuki Yukino, and Seishin's recruitment were all aimed at him after he learned about the magical girls' identities.

It was precisely because both sides knew each other's true identities that this pressure did not fall on themselves or Inuyama Tomoe.

Fortunately, it's all over now.

Is it really over for good?

How can I explain the deal I made with Saint Shiyin, and the power that now exists within me?

"Xiao Li?"

Lying on the bed, Yuuki Yuuki shifted her body slightly away from the pillow, using it to support her waist. She sat up against the headboard and looked at Nishio Reki with a slightly puzzled expression.

Under Yuuki Yuki's innocent yet slightly questioning gaze, Nishio Reki seemed to have all his thoughts seen through by that simple look, as if all his inner secrets had nowhere to hide. He nervously opened his mouth, but found himself too nervous to utter a sound.

Nishio Reki opened her mouth again, and this time she managed to speak, though it was just a question.

"what?"

"Ever since we came back from St. Yuu Academy, Koyomi has been acting strangely." Yuuki Yuen frowned slightly, shaking her head from side to side as she looked Koyomi Nishio up and down.

"Did something happen to Xiao Li?"

Chapter 183 Change

"Xiao Li, what happened to you?"

Yuuki Yukino's soft words seemed to knock on Nishio Reki's heart, making him wish he could tell Yuuki Yukino everything he had experienced right now.