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

"Your Holiness, is there anything I can help you with?"

Mashiro spoke very politely and courteously, but her gaze never wavered.

Seiki turned her head back and looked at Genji Mashiro, who was still gazing up at something, and softly uttered clear words.

"Today's victory was wonderful."

"You knew all along?"

"You single-handedly blocked that corrupted magical girl's desperate attack, protected our companions, and caught up with the fleeing enemy before anyone could react. The credit should go to you."

"I just did what I was supposed to do."

"But you did very well. Now everyone thinks you will be the main force in the future, our rising star. You will become the most powerful of the Sisters of the Holy Church, and you will create even more possibilities in the future."

Gen Kenma pursed his lips and finally lowered his head slowly.

For the first time since they sat together for so long tonight, Shengqi and she made eye contact.

"Because you are the future bishop, you want to have more interaction with me, the so-called 'rising star'? There's no need for that. You are the saintess, the future administrator, and I will do everything within my duties. There's no need for you to spend your precious time on me."

As Genki spoke, his tone carried a sense of distance that kept people at arm's length, making Seiki, who was sitting right next to Genki, feel as if the barrier between them was thicker than the most solid city wall.

This left her with a strong sense of frustration.

"I just wanted to get to know you." Shengqi was a little angry, but her tone sounded more like a weak and coquettish rebuke.

She had said this countless times, and each time Mashiro would superficially agree with her, but she never once revealed her true thoughts.

To her, this girl, who was about the same age as her, was like the world seen through the eyes of a nearsighted person, with all sorts of colors blurred together, making it difficult for Shengqi to make out the shapes but not the specific details.

After all this time, she still doesn't understand this girl named Genki Mashiro.

She simply wanted to understand the other person, to find out where the gloom that the other person was intentionally or unintentionally revealing came from.

No matter what Seiki said, Genki Mashiro never responded.

Today, perhaps, is no exception.

Perhaps all along she has just been competing with the other person, competing with herself for not understanding the other person.

But that's what she wanted to do. She simply wanted everyone she could reach to open their hearts and let her hear their voices.

"There's no point in doing this. If one day I fall into darkness, other nuns will see me off; otherwise, I will fulfill my duty until the very last moment," Genki Mashiro coldly refused.

Again.

This guy, it's always like this.

It's always the same; I always use these kinds of words to comfort myself.

As always, Shengqi became even more frustrated and less composed.

"What is your purpose in life? What are your dreams? And why did you become a magical girl? I want to know, I want to understand, and I don't want to see that expression on your face anymore."

If this were a romance novel, the innocent and naive female protagonist would win over another female protagonist with her relentless pursuit, melting her icy heart with her passionate feelings, and causing the two to fall irreversibly in love.

Unfortunately, that scenario won't happen, at least not tonight.

Tonight, once again, the Holy Prayer has made a capricious and hasty escape.

Now, in the Dreamland, at the Grand Cathedral.

"It sounds like you don't like me that much?"

Asahimi tilted his head, resting it against the back of the bench, while the stained glass images above the dome continued to change.

After a long pause, Gen Kenmashiro finally spoke slowly.

"No, I like you very much. I would give anything for you."

"You're not kidding?" Asahimi turned her head and looked at Genken Mashiro.

But Mashiro Gorgen didn't keep gazing at the night sky as she did in her story; in the dream world, there was no night sky for her to look out over.

Genken Mashiro simply looked at Asahimi before giving her calm yet convincing answer.

"of course not."

……

"Perhaps right now, Mashiro and Asahi are plotting some evil plan in the dream world. We don't have much time left, which is why I have to hurry up and gather everyone together."

Yuuki Yukino restlessly tapped on the railing beneath her, speaking to the girls standing atop the tower.

The current situation is indeed not optimistic, as Yuuki Yuki has already explained to the girls from beginning to end.

She recounted how she planned to begin the experiment, how she shattered the outer shell to save the souls of the fallen magical girls, and how Asahimi descended upon this place along with the sanctuary.

Yuuki Yukari and Asahimi had a brief encounter, but when she realized that she was facing not only Asahimi, but also Urouge Mashiro, she decisively chose to retreat.

But this retreat meant that Yuuki Eri would never have the chance to go back.

The Dream Realm was surrounded by a barrier created by Mashiro Urokin using the power of Yog-Sothoth, like an eggshell enveloping the entire Dream Realm. Even Sumireko Yumehara herself could not open the passage directly.

Although Yuuki Yukino could destroy the barrier with her own abilities, the moment the barrier broke, it would definitely be discovered by Urouge Mashiro.

It's impossible to sneak back into the Dreamland unnoticed. Even if you do get in, there are still a series of questions: what is the purpose of the Sanctuary? What exactly is that black mud? What preparations have Genki Mashiro and Asahi Miya made?

But that strange sanctuary has already descended upon the Dreamland. If this were an online game, it would be the location of the final boss. Now, the heroes must storm the Demon King's castle, defeat the final Demon King, and win this war.

But reality isn't a game; they don't have the chance to reload. Since the other side has made a move against the Dream Realm, it means that the hidden plan has likely reached its final stage, or more likely, because of Yuuki Yuki, they have forcibly pushed the plan forward.

"If I were them, now that I've seized the Dreamland, I wouldn't continue my slow and deliberate planning. It's time to close the net now. Even at the risk of failure, I must execute this plan quickly. Otherwise, with constant obstacles, the success rate will only decrease."

Both sides are in imperfect states, but there's no time to slowly gather intelligence; otherwise, once the other side begins its operation, it will be too late for the girls to act.

However, Yuuki Yuuki would not go on an adventure by herself, much less take it upon herself to drag her other companions along.

Yuuki Yuuki believed that Mashiro Urokin had been trying to win her over for so long, and that what Mashiro wanted was not just her as a person, but the power of Nyaruko within her. She was certain that any rash action would lead to even more serious consequences.

Even so, Yuuki Yuki did not feel that she could continue to sit idly by and wait for her fate.

"I estimate they'll make some move before our spring break ends. So, I'd like to hear your opinions."

"Liuba Balin { Sijiechengyuan paused slightly.

"Should we go to war?"

Chapter 174 Sleepless Night

Yuuki Yui knew that she and Urobuchi Mashiro would inevitably have a battle in the future.

Mashiro's goal is to ruin the future of all magical girls, to erase the existence of magical girls from Tsukimi City in an extremely brutal way, just like what she has done in the past.

To put it more simply, Mashiro Urouge wants to physically kill all magical girls, including the original girl.

This is something Yuuki Yukino cannot agree with. Magical girls have indeed brought a lot of trauma to this city, but the fault does not lie in the existence of magical girls themselves, but in the power that causes magical girls to fall into darkness.

Eliminating all magical girls in one fell swoop might be successful for Mashiro Urouge, or it might not. Regardless of whether the other party's plan succeeds or not, the mere fact that a Primal-level magical girl was killed could turn Moonsea City upside down.

A massive destruction was inevitable, which is one of the fundamental reasons why Yuuki Yukari could not accept Genki Mashiro.

Now, Genki Mashiro has pulled the entire Sanctuary into the Dream Realm, where he is secretly carrying out some dark plan. This is indeed a situation that urgently needs to be dealt with, but it is also an opportunity.

Fighting in the dream world won't affect reality, so this is the best opportunity to stop them.

However, Yuuki Yuuki cannot make decisions for others, and even saying these things might subtly express her own emotional inclinations. Therefore, she must ask for other people's opinions in an absolutely neutral manner.

"So, you want to start a war?"

Yuuki Yukino's question was very short and seemed very simple; it was just a multiple-choice question.

But everyone knows how heavy the responsibility is on their shoulders when they have to make this choice, and how much determination it takes to make it.

It is precisely because this choice is not simple that Yuuki Eri gathered everyone together so solemnly and asked this question so seriously.

If all goes well, all, or rather most, of the conflicts will be resolved after this battle.

If things don't go smoothly...

Nobody knows, and nobody thinks about those things.

Even the usually impulsive Helica Tenrai and the straightforward Inuyama Tomoe fell silent at this moment, while the expressions of the others became even more solemn.

"I'm going."

The first person to speak was surprisingly Nishio Reki.

"Because no matter what other people choose, Xiaoyuan will definitely go, so I want to go with Xiaoyuan."

“I never said that.” Yuuki Yuen said calmly, correcting Nishio Reki’s statement.

Although Nishio Reki is absolutely right, Yuuki Yukino cannot let this opportunity slip by, just as Urobuchi Mashiro would not let Yuuki Yukino go if she wanted her plan to proceed smoothly.

“But Xiaoyuan will definitely do that.” Nishio Reki answered with certainty, “I have come this far because of Xiaoyuan, no, I should say it like this—it is all because I want to save Xiaoyuan who is trapped in an endless cycle of tragedy. Whether I succeed or fail, I want to be able to stand by Xiaoyuan’s side in the end.”

"Sigh." Baqi sighed heavily, lowered her arms from her chest, and walked over to Yuuki Yuuki's side, leaning against the railing where Yuuki Yuuki was sitting:

"Since you've put it that way, what other choice do I have besides standing with Xiaoyuan? I've thought it over carefully, and Xiaoyuan knows that too. It's not because of what Nishio Reki said; I've never had a second choice from the very beginning."

The successive statements from Baqi and Xiaoli have made the atmosphere slightly delicate.

Some of the girls were exchanging glances, communicating their thoughts, while others were more direct, whispering amongst themselves.

A few seconds later, Hong Moli also took a step.

"I also have a score to settle with Mashiro Urouge. She took it upon herself to use me as a guinea pig, turned me into a magical girl, and created such a hateful situation that led me to fall into darkness... Who knows what else she might do? If I don't stop her, I won't be able to sleep well."

“I also want to contribute to what Mo Xiang wants to achieve, so let’s add the two of us.”

Yuuki En originally thought that everyone would be more conflicted, at least analyze the pros and cons, or discuss the feasibility of the matter, instead of making a decision so quickly.

However, everyone seemed to be acting impulsively, one after another ignoring reality and only talking about grudges and goals. From the perspective of the result, this was what Yuuki En wanted to see, but Yuuki En also hoped that everyone would make a conclusion after careful consideration.

More than half of the people present have already expressed their opinions. Although it's not a rule of majority rule, the remaining three are all full-fledged magical girls, and Yuuki Yukari can't imagine what reason they would have to back down.

Especially now that Komamori, who is usually calm, has joined the group with the reason of "revenge," the situation is developing in a direction that Yuuki Yuki could foresee, but which is also somewhat complicated.

Originally, Yuuki Yukino should have remained silent until the very last moment, but the current situation forced her to speak up and remind him.

"This battle could end everything, or it could cost us everything. I hope everyone will think it over carefully before making a decision."

"What's there to think about? I'm a magical girl, it's only natural for me to stop those evil plans, right? Besides, even if the situation is dangerous, how much more dangerous is it than when we all went together to stop Kuroba Rebirth? Did we back down then?"

Herlica's tone was somewhat impatient, but not because she was truly impatient. Rather, she was using this method she was good at to shut Yuuki Yuki up, while at the same time becoming even more certain of her own determination.

Everyone could tell that she was trying to allay the concerns of others, especially those of Yuuki Yukino.