Toyokawa Shoko doesn't want to become a witch

Xiangzi placed his hand on the top of her head and rubbed it vigorously, making her already messy white hair even more tangled.

"What are you doing?!"

"You brat," Xiangzi sighed, "Do you really want to die that badly?"

"...I've already said I'm not a brat."

That's what he said, but Xiangzi's movements as he rubbed her head were so practiced that she couldn't help but squint her eyes, and her frizzy hair became much smoother.

"I—I've really made up my mind."

"Since you insist, then so be it." Xiangzi released his grip, took two steps back, raised his spear, and aimed it at Del. "Are you satisfied now?"

"hurry up."

Del bit her lip tightly, but even so, her lips were still trembling.

"I'm ready."

"..." Xiangzi looked at her silently and raised the tip of his gun.

Del closed his eyes, unable to look at the gleaming silver tip of the spear.

puff--

The spear pierced the soft object, and Del felt a sudden emptiness in his heart, as if something had been completely erased and would never exist again.

That feeling of emptiness... I hate it... but this is the ending I deserve... Finally, I can be free... Wait, no, that's not right.

Del opened his eyes and found himself still inside the train carriage.

She touched her chest and found that it was fine; nothing was wrong.

Xiangzi stood with one hand on his hip, leaning on his spear, looking at her with amusement. On the spearhead was something that looked like a plush doll.

That was the part of myself that belonged to Delete... So, Xiangzi only killed the part of Delete? She only killed the concept of "Incubator"?

Del's legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud, his carefully maintained expression completely lost control.

"Why—" she burst into tears, "I was mentally prepared, why did you still do this?! I hate you so much—Toyokawa Shoko! Waaaaaaahh ...

"Sigh." Xiangzi shook his head. "He's still just a child."

"I hate you—!"

"Alright, alright." Xiangzi squatted down and ruffled her hair. "Actually, you didn't want to die, did you? When you think you're finally going to die, but you actually survive, that feeling is very complicated, right? That's how I felt after my first suicide attempt."

"I hate you—!"

"And you're not entirely without regrets, are you?" Xiangzi's expression turned unfriendly, but he still patiently continued, "The incubator Delete is dead. Now you are Del, a human. As a human, you left behind many bonds in another world, right?"

"I—I—" Del opened his eyes, sobbing uncontrollably, "You—"

“Go back, go back to them,” Xiangzi said. “I can take you back first.”

"But I've already told Xiangzi my last words. If you do this, I won't be able to face her when I get back!" Del cried out, tears welling in his eyes. "And, and—I don't want you to die either!"

knock!

Xiangzi chopped her on the head.

“Someone has to light the last fire,” Xiangzi said. “The Möbius strip that I started must be ended by me.”

She opened her arms and hugged Del.

“You have already atoned for your sins, haven’t you?”

Ding--

The train arrived at another station.

Xiangzi let go of Del's hand and put his arm around Del's shoulder.

"Go back, give them a surprise, and enjoy your new life."

"I still really hate you, 2 ?々印彡?? 呜崎镹溜鸸," Del said, sobbing.

"So what if you hate me? You won't see me for long anyway." Xiangzi rubbed Del's head vigorously with both hands. "Go back and live a good life with me over there."

"Ugh..." Del rubbed his eyes and nodded vigorously.

After seeing the sobbing Del off the platform, the train resumed its journey, heading towards an unknown direction.

“Light, you’re the last one.” Xiangzi turned his head and said to the other end of the carriage, “You actually arrived a long time ago.”

A gray-haired figure emerged from the shadows and nodded.

“I’ve been watching Xiao Xiang.” She smiled gently. “Xiao Xiang is really a very, very gentle person, and that’s why I want Xiao Xiang to… be happy.”

“I am already very happy,” Xiangzi said. “I am no longer the person I used to be… who couldn’t feel everyone’s concern for me and would only hide in the shadows and wallow in self-pity.”

She clenched her fists as if she held the whole world in her hands.

"I now... have everything."

“Xiao Xiang…” Deng opened his eyes wide, looking at Xiangzi who seemed to be shining, “You’ve changed so much.”

“It’s time to grow up, desuwa.” Xiangzi smiled. “I’ve been a willful child for too long, desuwa.”

She breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the light.

"...I'm sorry, even though you've already come this far." Xiangzi lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry."

“I can go with you.” Deng took two steps forward, close enough to feel Xiangzi’s breath, and grasped his hand. “Together, we will reach the end.”

"Do not."

Xiangzi closed his eyes and broke free from the lamp's grasp.

"This should be my responsibility; no one can take the light from me."

Ding dong.

The train pulled into the station again.

This should be the last stop before reaching the final destination.

"...Is that so?"

The lamp seemed to sense something and revealed a regretful look.

"Then, I will remember you, Xiao Xiang. I will remember you forever, until the last moment of my life."

"Thank you."

The car door closed, leaving Xiangzi alone in the car.

"Now, only I am left."

She looked up at the train's ceiling.

"The final judgment."

Suddenly, Xiangzi felt himself fall into a pool of icy seawater.

However, being in the seawater wouldn't affect her. She gripped the shaft of the spear, raised it, aimed it at her throat, and closed her eyes.

Rather than lingering on in vain, it is better to burn brightly.

This is the most suitable ending for her.

Xiangzi thrust the tip of the gun toward his own throat.

......

......

......

But just before the spear tip touched him, it was grabbed by a hand.

"Guess who I am." Another pair of hands covered her eyes, which were covered by her medical gown.

"?!"

A sudden force pushed Xiangzi from behind, shoving her towards the water.

“We’ll be waiting for you at the finish line the moment you become whole.” Somniorum, still in the same position as when he pushed Xiangzi away, winked playfully. “Remember?”

“You’ve become very complete.” Oblivionis looked at Xiangzi’s face and smiled with satisfaction. “You’ve done very well.”

She gripped the spear, pointing it at herself and Somniorum, who was lying in her arms.

“Leave the rest to us.” Somniorum gave her a warm smile. “There are people waiting for you. Don’t let them down.”

“Even without the incubators, without magical girls, without all sorts of supernatural and chaotic things, there will still be suffering in the new world,” Oblivionis said. “Humanity will still have to face the mountains blocking their way, and you will have your own new troubles waiting for you.”

“But it is because there are obstacles ahead that mankind creates tools to overcome them. It is because of difficulties that we seek ways to solve them.” Somniorum waved to Xiangzi, who was getting further and further away, as a final farewell. “We believe in you.”

“Somniorum, Oblivionis.......” Xiangzi’s nose tingled with emotion.

Something dissolved in the seawater.

Are they tears?

The spear tip pierced through Somniorum and Oblivionis, and also through the concepts they represented: "witch" and "magical girl".

The world has changed dramatically.

All the magical girls fighting the witch were shocked to find that their powers had suddenly vanished. But at the same time, the witch who was fighting them let out her final roar and gradually disappeared into the air.

History was rewritten once again, giving birth to a completely new world.

This is a world without incubators, witches, or magical girls. Humans relied on themselves to invent tools, master fire, create writing, emerge from caves, and build the first thatched huts, then brick houses, wooden houses, and later, concrete jungles covering the surface of the earth.

Stone tools, bronze tools, iron tools.

Steam engine, internal combustion engine, generator.

Stone slabs, books, the internet.

Everything was created by humankind itself.

=============================

Meanwhile, in that world that had endured hardship and was in dire need of rebuilding, a white, fluffy ball suddenly landed on Xiangzi's head as he returned from an unknown time with Chuhua.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were right below me." Del blushed, sitting on Xiangzi's sorrowful seat.

"Didn't you say it was the end of life?" Xiangzi lay on the ground, his face full of exasperation.

"There was an accident, and I was sent back." Del chuckled and scratched his cheek.

Xiangzi narrowed his eyes, then revealed a knowing expression.

"Okay, this is exactly the kind of decision I would make."

===============================

Gulu gulu gulu——

Xiangzi surfaced and washed ashore, spitting out mouthfuls of seawater. She lay there on her back, looking up at the sky.

Is this how it ends?

Xiangzi's eyes gradually became unfocused, and his consciousness began to drift away.

thump--

I heard a splashing sound beside me.

Xiangzi turned his head to the side.

Yin Qi Liu also I picked up'@%峮 thump thump thump thump——

Then came three more sounds of water hitting the surface.

The four guys, soaked to the bone, piled on top of each other and washed ashore.

"Ugh, why am I at the very bottom again?!" Meowmon swallowed a mouthful of sand, rolled her eyes, and exclaimed, "Yueyueyueyue!"

"Because you're the strongest." Hailing propped herself up and put the person behind her down.

"Alright, alright, we're here now, stop arguing." Chu Hua smoothed things over while supporting Mu under her arms and gently placing her aside. "Why don't we look for Xiangzi?"

"Everyone," Mu raised his hand and pointed to a spot not far away, "Xiang is right there."

"Huh?!?!" The other three gazes startled the 13-year-old Mio, who stared at Xiangzi in surprise. "Xiao Xiang, you're there?!"