Sister Rescue Plan

The three people and one beast rushed towards the source of the magical energy. As they approached, Mami Tomoe's Soul Gem grew brighter and brighter, even becoming hot to the touch—a phenomenon that had never occurred before.

Mami Tomoe stopped. She had never seen a witch of this strength before. She said seriously, "This time, you shouldn't follow me. I'm afraid I don't have the strength to protect you."

"Mami-senpai, is this witch very powerful?"

Mami Tomoe nodded: "Yes, I'm not confident I can win this time either."

"Then why not call Ms. Izayoi over?"

Sayaka asked, "Since Izayoi-sensei is so strong, wouldn't our chances of winning be much greater if we called him up?"

Mami Tomoe shook her head: "No, this is too dangerous. I shouldn't have dragged him into this. Defeating the witch is my mission, not his. Besides, he has his sister-in-law. He shouldn't be going on this adventure with me."

Cupid spoke up: "Then perhaps you should take them with you. In a crisis, they are two valuable assets."

“Yes.” Sayaka nodded vigorously. “With Kyubey around, if things get really dangerous, we can make a contract with it and become magical girls. Then we can help you, senior. Three magical girls, surely no witch can withstand us, right? We still have two wishes.”

"you……"

Mami Tomoe clutched her chest, a surge of emotion welling up inside her. Yes, this was the warmth of a comrade. How long had it been since she had felt such warmth?

Thank you.

She was moved for a moment, then led the two of them toward the witch, their steps becoming light and airy.

Yes, there's nothing to be afraid of anymore.

Following the clues from the Soul Gem, Mami and her companions quickly found their destination. By then, the sun had completely set, leaving only a sliver of light on the ground. The surrounding buildings were pitch black, without a single light, as if they had been abandoned, exuding an eerie atmosphere.

Something was lurking in the darkness through the open window.

The gem in Mami's hand was so bright it could be used as a searchlight, and a bright yellow light shone from her. She had changed into a yellow-trimmed outfit, and the Soul Gem was set in the round hat on her head.

Several flintlock pistols fell from under her skirt and she picked them up.

A chilling aura spread through the area, and the demons and monsters that had never dared to approach before began to attack Mami Tomoe, following the covenant etched deep within their souls.

Unlike the usual glamorous illusions, the ghosts launched their attacks from the shadows. From the moment Mami Tomoe stepped into this land, she had already entered their territory. The yin energy drawn from the earth's veins permeated the area, allowing them to better exert their power.

Mami Tomoe was caught in a dilemma. It wasn't that she couldn't spot the ghosts; there were always a few parts of their bodies that emitted a dark, eerie green light. But at that moment, the Soul Gem above her head was shining brightly, completely obscuring that green light. However, this was necessary. If it were completely dark, she wouldn't be able to rescue Madoka and the others in time if they encountered any danger.

Mami Tomoe kept firing, relying on her years of combat experience to achieve an accuracy rate of over 80%. Every ghost she hit screamed and retreated, the shrill sounds putting immense psychological pressure on Madoka and Sayaka.

The wandering souls were constantly being consumed, but none of them died. These shrewd guys refused to go up after being shot. After all, their master was not at home at the moment, and there was no clause in the contract that stipulated fighting to the death. The people who enslaved them thought that these weaklings would be of no use even if they risked their lives against something they couldn't beat, so it was better to preserve their useful bodies as materials.

A heavy sense of oppression approached, and Mami Tomoe felt a little heavy-hearted. There was nothing to be proud of in defeating these familiar-level creatures; the main event was just beginning.

Two blurry, enormous figures approached. One of them had its mouth wide open, emitting a cloyingly sweet smell, while the other was covered in thorns that would pierce anyone who came near.

Two witches? No, there are more lurking in the shadows. Mami's heart sank. Even if Madoka and the others become magical girls, can they really achieve victory?

A sturdy ribbon emerged from the ground, binding the two witches together. A massive, cannon-like gun appeared in Mami Tomoe's hand. She leaped into the air, flames gathering in the barrel, and aimed at the thorn witch who had torn most of the ribbon apart.

"Tiro Finale!"

The intense barrage of fire blasted away most of the Thorn Witch's body in one shot, sending sharp fragments flying everywhere. Before Mami could finish her off, the Snack Witch behind her had already broken free of the ribbons. Her entire body was as long and thin as a snake, and her huge mouth was full of sharp teeth as she bit at Mami.

The second bullet exploded inside the Snack Witch's mouth, shattering its head, but unexpectedly, several tentacle-like things burst from the ground and bound Mami's body.

In the distance, the heavily wounded Thorn Witch waved her hand, and a row of thorns shot out from the ground, heading straight for Mami Tomoe's neck.

Is it ending?

As the thought flashed through Mami Tomoe's mind, a hand reached out from the side and caught the thick thorn that should have beheaded her.

"cousin?"

Mami Tomoe looked at the familiar face beside her and almost cried. The despair of being on the verge of death and the joy of surviving a desperate situation were intertwined, and she even felt suffocated.

"Mami." Izayoi Mirai turned her head, her expression calm, even somewhat puzzled. "What are you doing at my doorstep?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Back in the dorm. The school's power and internet outages are really painful. Even though I wasn't sleepy at all, my computer's battery wouldn't last until the second chapter. Same as always, I'll finish tomorrow.

Chapter Twenty: Taking the Path of Sustainable Development

"Cousin, what are you saying...?"

Mami Tomoe, carrying a gun thicker than her waist, was about to fire another shot when she was surprised to find that all the witches and ghosts had retreated. Specks of light rose from all around, and the scene, which had just been like a ghostly realm, was now filled with pale blue fireflies, shimmering and dreamlike.

"How is it? Isn't it beautiful?"

Yuuyo Mirai said with some pride, "Your sister-in-law arranged all of this; she put in a lot of effort."

Mami almost thought the fierce battle she had just witnessed was an illusion. She shook her head: "No, what happened? Just now..."

Youxiao Mirai rubbed her head: "You just triggered the restriction, and they treat you as enemies. Luckily, I came back in time, otherwise you would have had to become a headless knight."

Mami's mind was a bit of a mess: "Cousin, do you mean, what did you do to these witches?"

Izayoi Mirai smiled gently: "After I found them, I had a deep conversation with them and made them realize that it is wrong to harm humans at will. They repented and were willing to become my disciples, guard my home, and fight against the Witch Night to atone for their sins."

After removing some inexplicable modifiers, Mami Tomoe roughly understood what Izayoi Mirai meant, but said, "Witches are not trustworthy, cousin, aren't you afraid of things going wrong?"

“Don’t worry,” said Yuxiao Mirai. “When your sister-in-law was doing this to them, they were already half-dead from the fire and had no ability to resist. Of course, even if they did, it doesn’t matter. As long as they don’t leave the barrier’s range, they won’t cause any trouble.”

Not only witches, but all the ghosts have been imbued with magic by Medea, similar to the spells that connect to the ley lines, which can be refined into the purest magic at any time. However, there's no need to tell Mami Tomoe about such a cruel thing.

"Oh, right, Mami, give me your Soul Gem." Izayoi Mirai held out a hand. Mami Tomoe was a little confused, but she still placed the orange-yellow gem in his palm.

Izayoi Mirai then extended her other hand. Without his prompting, the Snack Witch, now quite small, approached under Mami Tomoe's wary gaze and handed the Grief Seed to Izayoi Mirai.

The two touched each other gently, and the Soul Gem became clear, while the Snack Witch became much more energetic, as if she had just been watered, and her face was radiant.

Izayoi Mirai returned the Soul Gem to Tomoe Mami and instructed her, "In the future, if you encounter a witch, don't rush to kill her. Let me know and I'll go and bring her back. There aren't that many witches for you to kill. We need to take a sustainable development path, do you understand?"

Mami Tomoe was stunned for a long time, as if she was seeing her cousin for the first time. She couldn't help but have some doubts about her past actions. So this is how witches play?

"My lord, who are these people?"

A melodious voice came from behind Mami Tomoe, and she saw a girl walking from behind Mirai Izayoi. Her purple hair was like a waterfall, her face was delicate, and her ears were slightly pointed, like a legendary elf. What was most attractive was her hands, which were carrying two weak little things. The Soul Gem sensed that they were two witches.

Izayoi Mirai introduced, "This is my cousin, Tomoe Mami, and the other two are her classmates."

"Hello, sister-in-law."

The way Medea addressed her as "Mami" brought a smile to her face, and she invited her:

"Come in and have a seat. Have you eaten yet? Would you like to eat here with us?"

Medea placed the two witches in one hand, as if she were carrying two little hens instead of witches.

"Come in, you've never been to my house before."

Izayoi Mirai pushed the three of them in. The witches who had just been fighting with them turned into chibi characters and ran around making tea and serving snacks. They seemed particularly attentive, giving the three of them a dreamlike sense of unreality.

The original furnishings have been completely altered, making the space more spacious. Youxiao Mirai has bought this house and several surrounding houses. Medea has diverted the underground spiritual veins here and created a large barrier. Ordinary people will unconsciously stay away from this place, while those who break in will be besieged by Medea's familiars.

This is also to accumulate power for the upcoming Witch's Night. The ghosts and witches can not only clear out the minions, but also serve as energy to unleash powerful attacks at crucial moments.

After Medea turned the two newly captured witches into her own familiars, she went to the kitchen to cook. Izayoi Mirai sat on the sofa to entertain the three middle school students. Her longing for the mysterious side completely overwhelmed the restraint of her identity as a teacher.

Mami Tomoe put down her black tea: "Cousin, Kyubey said there are two groups of people sweeping away witches in this city. One group is a group of single women, and the other group is you and your sister-in-law, right?"

“You can’t say things like that.” Yushou Mirai glanced nervously toward the kitchen. “The single one is your sister-in-law, and the one who’s partnering with me is your sister-in-law’s apprentice.”

Disciple? Sayaka caught this keyword. Sure enough, this kind of skill can be learned. She unconsciously clenched her fist, recalling how Izayoi Mirai had healed her wounds. If she could learn this technique, could she also heal Kyosuke's hand?

Mami Tomoe looked on with amusement at Izayoi Mirai's nervous appearance. It was the first time she had ever seen her usually composed cousin like this: "What's there to be nervous about? Your sister-in-law is in the kitchen, she can't hear you."

"That's hard to say."

Izayoi Mirai put down her teacup and frantically winked at Tomoe Mami, afraid that she might accidentally say something. This was within Medea's barrier, and if she wanted to, she could definitely hear the details of their conversation.

"Um... Ms. Yushou."

Sayaka, who was standing to the side, finally mustered up her courage and asked Izayoi Mirai, "Do you take students? I mean, students in the field of magic."

"I usually call this kind of skill magic."

Izayoi Mirai saw right through Sayaka's thoughts, "You want to heal your friend's hand, don't you?"

"Huh?! You found out too?"

"A violin prodigy, huh? I've heard a bit about that news," Izayoi Mirai said casually. "But if you want to heal him yourself by learning magic, it will take a very long time. How about we make a deal?"

"What exactly does 'transaction' refer to?"

“Do me a favor, it’s very simple.” Izayoi Mirai stood up. “Let’s talk over there.”

"Huh—cousin, is it something we can't hear?"

Mami Tomoe deliberately dragged out the tone.

"What are you thinking? Your sister-in-law knows everything here." Yushou Mirai patted her head. "But it's really not convenient for you to hear this."

Sayaka followed Izayoi Mirai somewhat nervously. After turning a corner, Izayoi Mirai stopped. His purpose in coming over was simply to block Mami and the others' view. He flicked his finger to the side, and a soundproof barrier enveloped the two of them.

Izayoi Mirai said, "My request is simple: neither you nor Madoka can sign a contract with Kyubey."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

I'm shocked! Someone actually said I haven't updated my chapters properly, even though I always update them the next day!

Chapter Twenty-One: Once you get this injection, you will…

"why?"

Sayaka didn't quite understand Izayoi Mirai's request. "Why do you have to do this? And, even if I'm fine with it, why drag Madoka into it?"

Izayoi Mirai didn't know how to explain it to her. If she told the truth, it was hard to say whether the girl would believe her. Even if she did, she might give herself away and let Mami Tomoe find out. So she could only make things up.