The 30-Year-Old Magical Girl - Chapter 25
“…What on earth was that?”
Halfway through the narrow alley, Violet Lightning suddenly stopped in midair after sensing the overwhelming surge of magical power.
She reached out and caught a clothesline stretched between two buildings, using it to perform a graceful midair flip before landing lightly on the ground.
A moment later…
The three magical girls following behind her also came to a halt, each landing smoothly beside her.
“Violet Lightning.”
“Why’d you stop all of a sudden?”
Frostail asked in confusion.
“…Didn’t you all feel that?”
Violet Lightning turned to look at her teammates.
“I did.”
Heron adjusted her glasses.
“It came from somewhere around the Fourth Ring…”
“…No.”
“Farther.”
“That’s Fifth Ring territory.”
“…Was that a magical release?”
“The output was unbelievable.”
The last member of the Second Ring squad finally spoke.
Yu Bing.
She was a petite girl with long, snow-white hair cascading all the way to her waist.
At first glance…
She resembled a soft, fluffy cloud.
Gentle.
Quiet.
Delicate.
Unfortunately…
Her actual appearance completely shattered that impression.
Her shoulders drooped.
Her lifeless eyes looked half-closed.
Dark circles surrounded them so heavily that she appeared ready to collapse at any moment.
“I was practically asleep while flying just now…”
Yu Bing yawned.
“That blast woke me up instantly.”
Considering the massive bags beneath her eyes…
Nobody could tell whether she was joking.
Or telling the truth.
“If even Yu Bing reacted…”
Frostail glanced toward Violet Lightning and Heron.
“…Then there’s really only one possibility.”
“We’ve all witnessed that level of magic before.”
She immediately raised her voice.
“Enough standing around.”
“Move.”
“We only have four hours left.”
“Let’s finish this before the barrier expires.”
“Understood.”
“Got it.”
“…Zzzzz…”
The strange response naturally came from Yu Bing.
The Second Ring Magical Girl Squad was currently pursuing an A-Rank Aberration—
The Nightmare Fiend.
Although its direct combat ability wasn’t especially impressive…
It was incredibly cautious and cunning.
Including every failed operation…
The four of them had been hunting it on and off for nearly three months.
Finally…
The previous night…
Through meticulous planning…
They had successfully cornered it inside a densely packed urban village.
The Anti-Aberration Special Operations Bureau had already deployed a magical barrier supplied by the Magic Kingdom.
For twelve hours…
No magical lifeform could enter.
Nor could one escape.
The entire district had effectively become a gigantic steel prison.
For the past eight hours…
Both sides had been locked in an exhausting game of cat and mouse.
“…Captain.”
“The next search area is Grid C5 through D5.”
“Should we split up?”
While flying…
Heron unfolded a color-coded satellite map and asked.
“No.”
Frostail rejected the suggestion immediately.
She glanced toward Violet Lightning.
Then toward Heron.
“Eight hours have already passed.”
“Our physical strength isn’t the biggest issue anymore.”
“Our mental stamina is.”
“Splitting up would certainly improve efficiency.”
“But given everyone’s current condition…”
“We’re far too vulnerable.”
“If the Nightmare Fiend catches us alone…”
“It could eliminate us one by one.”
As captain…
Frostail always had many things to consider.
Mission success.
Objectives.
The Bureau’s expectations.
Yet above all those things…
There was one principle she had never abandoned.
Her teammates’ safety.
Even if the mission failed…
Even if the final result wasn’t perfect…
She didn’t care.
From the day she became captain…
That belief had never changed.
“…You’re right.”
Violet Lightning smiled tiredly.
“…Honestly…”
“This is the longest I’ve ever maintained my transformation.”
Fatigue was beginning to show in her eyes.
“…I just want to soak in a hot spring.”
Heron sighed.
“Sit in the water.”
“Think about absolutely nothing.”
“Then fall asleep.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“Then it’s settled.”
Frostail immediately picked up the conversation.
As captain…
Maintaining morale was also part of her job.
“Once this mission ends…”
“We’re all going to a hot spring resort.”
“First we’ll soak.”
“Then we’ll eat hot pot.”
“After that…”
“We’ll crawl into bed.”
“And sleep until we wake up naturally.”
“Awesome!”
“I’m in!”
Violet Lightning cheered excitedly.
Accelerating once more…
She flew to the front of the group.
The three of them happily imagined their peaceful vacation together.
Then…
Almost simultaneously…
They realized something.
“…Wait.”
“…Three?”
“…”
“…”
“…Hold on.”
“…Aren’t there supposed to be four of us?”
The realization struck all three at once.
They froze in midair.
Slowly turning toward each other.
“…Crap.”
Frostail’s expression changed dramatically.
“…Where’s Yu Bing?”
After eliminating the Shadow Hunter…
You Dong didn’t return to work.
Instead…
He went straight home.
Then collapsed onto his bed.
Constantly switching between his normal identity and Tidal had exhausted him completely.
Both physically…
And mentally.
Even his chest ached faintly.
There was no choice.
He had to sleep.
When he finally opened his eyes again…
It was already seven o’clock in the evening.
His biological clock must have woken him automatically.
Every evening…
He watched the news.
Walking downstairs…
He switched on the television.
Both Shangjing Channel One and Channel Two were broadcasting the same breaking headline.
【Major Victory! Second Ring Magical Girl Squad Defeats A-Rank Aberration “Nightmare Fiend”】
The camera immediately focused on a petite girl with heavy dark circles beneath her eyes.
The caption beneath the screen read—
Magical Girl: Yu Bing
Behind her…
You Dong spotted Frostail.
Violet Lightning.
And Heron.
All three were lying flat on the ground…
Completely asleep.
Moments later…
Several agents from the Anti-Aberration Special Operations Bureau entered the frame.
They carefully zipped the unconscious magical girls into cocoon-shaped sleeping bags before carrying them away.
“Miss Yu Bing.”
A reporter stepped forward.
“How did you manage to defeat the Nightmare Fiend by yourself after all your teammates had been incapacitated?”
“…It just got careless.”
Yu Bing answered sleepily.
“It assumed I’d pass out like everyone else.”
“But…”
“I was still awake.”
“So I waited.”
“When it finally let down its guard…”
“I blasted it with everything I had.”
“Most of its body exploded.”
“…Unfortunately.”
“It still escaped.”
“But…”
“It probably won’t recover from those injuries anytime soon.”
After finishing her explanation…
Yu Bing let out an enormous yawn.
“Does that mean…”
Another reporter hurriedly asked,
“…You’re immune to the Nightmare Fiend’s powers?”
“…Not really.”
Yu Bing slowly shook her head.
“I was hit by its Nightmare Bind.”
“I almost passed out too.”
“But then…”
“I vaguely heard it saying something.”
“‘Anyone struck by this ability will be trapped inside endless nightmares for an entire week.'”
“‘You’ll never wake up.'”
“‘You’ll be completely helpless.'”
“The moment I heard that…”
“I scared myself awake.”
“A whole week asleep?”
“No way.”
“I’m a fifth-year medical student.”
“I’m currently doing my emergency department internship.”
“If I slept for an entire week…”
“And missed work…”
“…I’d never graduate.”
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