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

Yuuki Yuuki herself also witnessed it once, when she went to grab discounted vegetables at a supermarket. However, by the time Yuuki Yuuki squeezed in, the other person had already made a quick getaway. Apart from confirming some of the findings Yuuki Yuuki had made earlier, there was nothing particularly noteworthy.

This series of fruitless attempts is truly infuriating!

Those corrupted magical girls, or those who have been causing trouble in the shadows, are like mosquitoes. Although they don't cause much harm and pose no threat to magical girls like Yuuki Yukino, they are still very annoying.

After several attempts, Yuuki Yuki and the other magical girls finally figured out a series of patterns.

Let's tentatively call this corrupted magical girl a criminal suspect.

The suspect's actions took place at random locations and times, but always in crowded places, because only in such places could he accumulate enough power to gain sufficient influence.

Furthermore, the suspect never committed the crime twice in the same location, and each crime lasted no more than ten minutes. This indicates that the suspect possessed a certain level of counter-surveillance ability and was extremely cautious.

If there is any possibility of failure, the suspect will immediately stop his actions. Except for the time when the lava lamp crushed the brand, the suspect almost always manages to escape unscathed with the magic he has absorbed.

This leads to the possibility that the suspect may have known the true identities of all the magical girls, which is why he was able to precisely avoid them.

However, this is just speculation, and no one wants it to be confirmed.

Furthermore, the fact that the suspect left behind different magical powers each time was the key to the deadlock in Yuuki and the others' investigation.

Besides the information about the suspect, the mark that could draw magic from those nearby was no ordinary thing either.

This mark, which is similar to magic plundering but also somewhat different, has never been seen by any fallen magical girl, nor can it be used. It is very likely a brand new technology, and before it is activated, no one can detect its existence.

Even while it's working, nearby magical girls might not be able to detect it. Apart from Lava Lamp's sixth sense, almost no one can directly find the location of the mark.

In Yuuki Yuuki's view, this thing seemed to be a completely new and magical gadget created by combining three different abilities: cognitive obscuring, magic plundering, and restraint trap.

Even Yuuki Yukino couldn't be sure if this was some new trick by Urobuchi Mashiro, but in Yuuki Yukino's heart, she still believed that Urobuchi Mashiro would disdain using such a clumsy method to obtain magic power.

Unless she was intentionally provoking the magical girls—but Mashiro Urouge is not that kind of person. Beneath her frenzied exterior lies an extremely calm and meticulous mind. Unless she sees a clear chance of victory, everything she does is meant for Yuuki and the others to see.

Or is it possible that Mashiro is repeating an experiment similar to the one in Nijiha City? This possibility certainly exists, but Yuuki Enishi believes that this is not the correct answer either.

The most annoying thing about fighting wits and courage against an enemy whose identity you don't know is that you have to deal with them.

This feeling of stagnation was ultimately broken through by someone no one had paid attention to.

Chapter 141 Magic! It's going to be all the rage!

Yuuki Yukino had another nightmare.

In my dream, those familiar things remained: battles, scorched earth, torrential rain, shattered cities...

The first time this happened was after Yuuki and her group returned from their school trip. Whether it was a precognitive dream, a memory from the past, or something else, Yuuki herself couldn't say for sure.

She once asked Sumireko Yumehara, since her wand before her fall from grace was Alice, and the reason for her fall was simply that she had been exposed to too much corruption, so perhaps it could help her.

"I can enter other people's dreams, and I can also create dreams based on other people's fearful memories and try to change them, but if you ask me what this dream is about, I can't answer that."

Sumireko Yumehara answered the questions while she was focused on arguing with the other party in the game's courtroom, and she seemed completely distracted.

However, she did reveal some information that Yuuki found useful; otherwise, Yuuki would have definitely made her pay the price for her playfulness.

"Oh right, do you remember another thing I mentioned? There are some very fragmented parts in your memories, some are blank, and some are unreadable. Maybe it's because of the reason you have the wand? Or maybe it's something left on the wand that guy, yes, Nisio Reki gave you when he corrupted you."

It is indeed possible. Just like when you eat hot pot, the meat slices will inevitably have some broth on them. It is not easy to perfectly separate the memory part that exists in the soul from the wand part.

Well, nightmares might be the opposite of what you expect.

No, I'm reminded of that lame joke Baqi told about the little pig who wanted to be a sailor but ended up as ham.

……

"Perhaps Xiaoyuan is under too much pressure?"

On her way to school, after listening to Yuuki Yukino recount her nightmare, Inuyama Tomoe gave this reply.

"Pressure? I don't feel any pressure, do I?" Yuuki Yuen was skeptical of Baqi's statement. She hugged the schoolbag hanging around her neck to her chest and pondered as she looked at the melting snow.

"Advancement, corruption, the potential threat from the Holy Eternal Academy, and oh right, that corrupted magical girl we've been thinking about and investigating for so long but haven't been able to find a trace of—the one who always uses modified magic traps to extract the magic power of those around her."

Baqi counted on her fingers, calculating each item for Yuuki Eri.

Yuuki Yui stretched her arms noncommittally, her schoolbag hanging around her neck swinging back and forth like a small swing: "Maybe."

Baqi didn't speak, but stared intently at the semi-circular shape that was being hit by the schoolbag again and again, and then bounced the schoolbag up again and again.

Yuuki followed Baqi's gaze and lowered her head, only then realizing what Baqi was staring at so intently. Feeling both ashamed and angry, she took off her schoolbag and smashed it down on Baqi's head.

Baqi couldn't let Yuuki hit her on the head like that, so she quickly ran away, with Yuuki chasing after her, swinging her schoolbag and shouting.

A few minutes later.

"So you two seniors who are about to graduate in a few months were chasing and playing around like this the whole way. How can you set a good example for the younger generation like this!"

With her hands on her hips, Serizawa Riko lashed out at Inuyama Tomoe and Yuuki Yuuki, who were panting and sweating profusely.

"Phew... I... I have excellent grades and great athletic ability, so I'm a role model no matter how you look at me." Ba Qi tossed her silver hair and puffed out her chest, her genuine pride was not just for show.

Riko Serizawa was convinced by Baqi's confident demeanor, muttered something to herself under her breath, and then raised her voice.

"I really can't argue with that... Uh, never mind, anyway it was dangerous, let's not fool around like that anymore."

"Ha...ha...who told her...she had designs on me!" Yuuki Yui gasped for breath several times before she could barely straighten up, supporting herself on her knees, beads of sweat constantly sliding down her cheeks.

Both of them ran a long way, but compared to Baqi, Yuuki Yuuki's athletic shortcomings were on full display.

"I've been plotting against Xiaoyuan every day, but she hasn't let me succeed much lately. I'm so disappointed."

As Baqi spoke, she seemed to have suffered a great injustice from Yuuki Yuki, to the point that Serizawa Riko couldn't understand how dangerous Baqi's raucous words were.

"Hey!"

Yuuki Yukina glared fiercely at Baqi, who, seeing that she had gotten away with it, stuck out her tongue and stopped arguing with Yuuki Yukina.

Under Riko Serizawa's watchful gaze, Yuuki Yukino could no longer continue her playful antics with Baqi, nor could she hold onto Baqi's deliberate harassment. She sighed helplessly.

"Sigh, never mind. It must be tough for you to have to do the work of a disciplinary committee member so early in the morning."

Riko Serizawa laughed heartily, scratching her hair: "Haha, not at all! The student council president is graduating soon, and she's working hard for her future. How could I hold her back?"

“Yes, she’s planning to go to high school, right? I heard she’s even attending a cram school with that short, blond guy.” Baqi nodded and added.

"Yeah, if the student council president is busy with her own school entrance exams and also worrying about us, the pressure on her is immense!" Riko Serizawa chimed in, then looked at the two students' backpacks: "By the way! You two! You didn't bring any contraband, did you?"

"How could that be!" Baqi grabbed her backpack and handed it directly to Serizawa Riko: "If you don't believe me, you can check it out!"

Yuuki straightened up, took a deep breath of fresh air, and handed over the schoolbag she was holding, just like Yuuki had done.

"Forget it." Riko Serizawa waved her hand: "You guys wouldn't bring 'Irin' to school, would you? (I do believe you're talking about forbidden items, but lately some people have been bringing strange things to school.)"

"Something strange?" Yuuki asked casually.

Riko Serizawa answered matter-of-factly, "Yeah, I've heard that strange magic is all the rage lately!"

"Strange magic?" Baqi was also a little curious and secretly gave Yuuki Yuuki a wink.

"Haven't you heard anything? I've heard about curse magic... magic that makes people fall in love, magic that puts people to sleep, and magic that makes people rich. There are so many stories, but I don't believe any of them."

Riko Serizawa answered quickly, but she poked her cheek with her finger and thought for a while before she could give a few examples.

Yuuki Yukino's initial wariness vanished almost instantly; things like magic and curses tend to become popular every now and then.

In Yuuki Yuuki's past life, there were notebooks that would kill you if you wrote your name on them, potion sets that could make all sorts of magic potions, Clow Cards collected by magical girls, and magic props that cost only a few dollars each.

Even setting aside her past life, when Yuuki Yuuki was in elementary school, there were magic wish cards for sale, and occasionally you could see roadside stalls offering divination with crystal balls. Some girls would also buy gems or jewelry that were said to bring good luck.

This is a bit hard to understand, but fortunately, Yuuki Yukari and Serizawa Riko are quite familiar with each other because of their interactions at the Christmas party, so she can ask directly: "What does this have to do with contraband?"

"Of course there are! Some people carry bottled nails, which is really bad! There are also scarecrows and needles, and needles are dangerous too! I've heard that some hardcore ones even carry gecko or lizard tails! Compared to these, talismans, magic circles, magic stones, or band-aids are all pretty good."

Hmm, that's pretty hardcore. Looks like it's going down the traditional witch route.

Baqi, however, couldn't understand at all what was so good about this thing.

"Is this popular? Magic doesn't seem like such a big deal, does it? As for grades, money, and the person you like, of course you have to earn them yourself!"

Someone like Baki, with her clever little brain, a really good family background, and the ability to occasionally transform into a berserk rapper and get close to the girl she likes, probably doesn't need anything from magic, right?

Oh, by the way, Bachi herself is a magical girl, so magic itself doesn't really appeal to her.

It's true that people who have everything can't understand this kind of thing.

"People who can say things like that seem really happy," Yuuki Yui said with a smile, pulling on Baqi's arm. "When did this kind of thing start becoming popular?"

"Half a month? A month? Two or three weeks? I don't know. Ever since a student accidentally spilled the stinky potion, the disciplinary committee members have taken it seriously."

When Serizawa Riko brought up her work, she reacted much faster, her eyes darting around as she looked Yuuki Yuki and Tomoe up and down: "You two really know nothing? You didn't bring something to lie to me, did you?"

"Why do you doubt us! If you don't believe me, my backpack is right here, feel free to look through it!" Baqi pouted angrily. Although she wasn't really angry, she still handed the backpack over again.

However, in the end, Riko Serizawa didn't check their schoolbags.

In girls' high school, trends change quickly. Just a while ago, everyone was discussing where to find the best rice cakes and whether to go eat them together after school. Now, just a few days later, they've become strange magical gadgets.

It's okay, it's okay. Yuuki Yukino herself has been slandered for dating six people at once, and has even been said to be possessed by a tanuki or a ghost. She's already used to this youthful atmosphere.

After entering the classroom, Yuuki asked Koreki about what she had heard that morning.

"By the way, Xiao Li, have you heard that magic or something like that is popular at school lately?"

When Yuuki Yukino asked him a question, Nishio Reki was drinking milk. He shook his head blankly and gave a vague answer:

"What? I've never heard of it. What's wrong?"

Soon, a female classmate nearby came over and started explaining to Xiaoli: "Haven't you heard, Nishio-kun? It's springtime, the time when magic is at its peak, full of life, and flowers are in full bloom, that's what it means! So using a love charm at this time will be very useful."

Another person joined the conversation: "Really? I've never heard of this before?"

"Oh dear, you're so out of touch! I saw it on the astrology section. You don't necessarily have to make a wish upon a shooting star; buying a crystal ball that contains the power of stars works just as well."

"Never heard of that, isn't it a scam?"

"Hey hey hey! I've heard of it! I've also heard about a mysterious forum where the owner is a mysterious witch who helps those with strong desires!"

"Really? Do you have an address? I want to go and see it! I hope I can get into my dream university!"

"Uh, is it really that amazing? I don't believe it unless someone shows it to me."

"Look, magical girls can fly around the city, which means magic must exist, right?"

Yuuki Yukina and Nishio Reki's casual conversation immediately sparked a new topic, with many people gathering together to discuss it.

Very well, this is how rumors and trends spread. Having witnessed its spread once again, Yuuki Eri's feelings were incredibly complicated.

But judging from this ratio, there aren't actually that many people who care about these trendy items, right?