January 20th
Winter has come colder than ever.
It’s a chill that seeps from the frozen tips of your fingers to the very thoughts of destruction in your mind.
[Russia has been dominated by a supernatural ability user since last November.]
[The president and high-ranking government officials, military leaders, and soldiers from key branches are all under the control of this supernatural ability.]
[Despite resistance from both the military and civilian sectors defending small regions, it’s only at a conventional military level.]
[…We have lost control over asymmetric forces including intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.]
[The safety and security of the entire world is under serious threat now.]
[Citizens, I hope you will refrain from hasty actions driven by confusion and fear, and instead follow the government’s instructions with caution.]
[All governments around the world are convening emergency meetings and working to resolve the current situation.]
[…Please find a shelter and hold your position in a safe location.]
Destruction.
One word swept through everyone’s minds.
The streets, not filled with shops, were draped in icy silence while local marts and convenience stores erupted with a frenzy of people stockpiling emergency supplies.
“I’ll give you 10,000 yen!! Why won’t you sell it?!!”
“We’re all going to die and you’re talking about cash?! They only accept gold or watches!!”
“If you’re not buying, move aside!! I…I’ll bring two jerry cans of gasoline, just give me two boxes of bottled water!!”
It was a chaos that was expected, yet hiding the truth was not an option in the face of the monumental threat of nuclear war. Emergency martial law was declared in every country, and police were deployed at commercial and key facilities.
The moment those who heard the news during their morning commute rushed to the mart for emergency supplies, they barricaded themselves at home, drawing the curtains and wrapping themselves in blankets with their families.
Those who belatedly learned about the situation panicked over halted cash withdrawals and card payments, desperately bartering for food and water.
All schools declared temporary closures, and patients at hospitals with canceled surgeries could only grasp their painful spots and groan.
Fights broke out just to secure a piece of bread, with people even begging on their knees for someone to sell it to them.
“Don’t fight!! I’ll distribute bread for free!!”
“Uh?! Wh-What?!”
A man, ready to part with his gold ring to get bread, stared wide-eyed at the cart full of bread a girl brought.
“I can make as much as I want with my ability!! I have five carts like this!!”
“Hand that over!!!”
As the panicked crowd attempted to rush towards the cart, a whistle echoed.
*Beep!*
*Swish swish swish*
Dozens of yellow police tape forcibly divided the crowd, forcing them into a single file line as they were herded together. Anyone trying to cut in line found themselves abruptly restrained.
“Please do not cut in line!! Food and water will be available in unlimited quantities at government-designated shelters!!”
*Ugh*
The [Order] Magical Girl, Tsugumi, took a deep breath.
“Please maintain order!!!”
“….”
“….”
Overwhelmed by the indigo starlight emanating from Tsugumi, the crowd obediently took the bread.
“Thank you for maintaining order. Because of me…”
“No, it’s fine. Once things settle down, we should move to the shelter.”
“Yes…”
Moved by pity, the [Baking] Magical Girl, Shizuku, who was about to distribute bread but was startled by the crowd’s collective behavior, nodded to Yamashita and the security team who came out to protect her.
[Deputy Chief, the 12-member cheerleading team has safely arrived at the local hospital.]
“Good job, stay there and wait.”
[Understood.]
Similar scenes were playing out all over the world.
A world filled with chaos.
People in a panic, shouting about the end times.
*
*Thump!*
“Hit!”
The Magical Girls, standing atop the silver glider, unleashed an attack filled with their starlight, shooting down all enemies. Projectiles spread from both sides of the Sirius as if angelic wings, hitting targets and exploding.
“Large aircraft interception complete! The left interception team, please move to the right!”
[Understood!]
“Lena! Deploy the barrage from the front as much as possible!”
[Got it!]
*Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat*
From the deck of the Sirius, surrounded by a protective shield, dozens of defensive machine guns aimed by Lena fired in unison. The deafening sound of gunfire unleashed an endless barrage, but fluorescent green birds suddenly appeared from somewhere.
I turned to the [Communication] Magical Girl next to me, who was giving orders.
“What’s the status of the right interception team?”
“There are too many large aircraft launching small aircraft, so it’s taking time to aim!”
“Please tell the right team to fire directly at the front.”
“Yes! Right team! Fire straight ahead!”
[Understood!]
*Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat*
Colors of flame, lightning, ice, arrows, and bullets were unleashed, and the right sky above Sirius was filled with a spectacular barrage reminiscent of fireworks.
[Deception] Magical Girl Unique Skill
Inverse Causality
<All bullets fired by the interception team hit the large aircraft, successfully intercepting them.>
Even when focused, hitting the fast-moving aircraft was challenging, but suddenly, all the shots found their mark. The Magical Girls shooting down the incoming aircraft from the right were left in awe.
“What is this?!”
“Don’t panic. This is my ability.”
“… Your ability is truly unbelievable.”
*Beep!*
The massive birds that erupted from high-pitched cries, spewing doves and hawks, all crash-landed simultaneously.
“Successful interception! All interception teams maintain alert status!”
Once we entered Russian airspace, the fluorescent green puppets began to continuously assault the Sirius.
“Damn it, when will those things stop appearing!”
“The closer we get to that big beast, the more there are!”
After breaking through the skies for an entire day, we finally reached the skies near Moscow, but the attacks were intensifying.
And gradually, they grew louder—a ‘beast’ sound.
*ROOOAR!*
With each monstrous footstep resembling a colossal mountain slowly becoming visible over the horizon, the ground trembled and roared. It was sweeping away everything in its path for hundreds of kilometers as it advanced.
A massive creature, whose mere existence evoked images of mountain ranges.
A scene of destruction that looked like a storm had passed.
*Thud!*
*Thud!*
Above the beast, the birds gathering like fluorescent green clouds and the moving puppets on the ground fell silent.
An ominous sight reminiscent of the end times.
“…”
“I heard they’ve already been hit by small tactical nukes.”
“They say missiles from above couldn’t hit properly due to returning fire.”
Kang Dorim spoke solemnly.
‘With supernatural abilities against supernatural abilities. That’s why we came.’
As soon as they grasped the situation, the UN coalition, united by the urgent will to prevent nuclear war, attempted to fire upon the advancing beast in Europe even before the Magical Girls arrived, but it proved fruitless.
Now, the beast was just 3 days away from traversing all of Europe.
*Thud!*
*Thud!*
“The distance remaining to the beast is 10 kilometers! It’s heading to cross into Eastern Europe! We’ll be in full confrontation soon!”
The [Navigation] Magical Girl, Natalia, gripping the steering wheel, sang out with a serious tone, and all the Magical Girl operators relayed the information.
“Everyone in the assault teams, prepare!”
I turned to the friendly Magical Girls on board who had voluntarily joined this excavation mission.
From Europe, [Heavy Armor], [Pierce].
From Korea, [Shooting], [Skimming].
From Japan, [Martial Arts], [Beastmaster].
And the dispatch from the council included [Machine Gun], [Armor], and [Rush].
And…
“Yuki! I’m counting on you for the beast!”
“Okay…! Let’s protect everyone…!”
Yuki looked resolutely at me, determined. As I watched her expression, a thought struck me.
‘…She looks just like the face on the cover of Volume 5.’
But at this moment, there were no tears of anxiety in her eyes.
“…Okay!”
I locked eyes with Yuki for a moment before pulling out a clone.
“Drop preparation complete! All teams, please wait at the drop docks!”
Yuki and I walked toward our designated drop docks.
*Swish!*
Standing before the drop dock, I pulled out my silver sword.
Yuki’s final revelation featured in the original work.
Weapons created by someone who peeked into the world of the Born 3-Star girls that could not be known just by reading words.
The Sword of War.
The Bow of Revelation.
The Scale of Plague and Greed.
The Scythe of Death.
As soon as I received them from Yuki, my unique gear, the silk hat and wand, shifted shape as though yielding their place. I was startled when the hat I had been accustomed to wearing disappeared when I donned the Blooming Magical Girl attire.
‘A power that no other Magical Girl could use…only Yuki and I can wield this ability.’
Perhaps this was the intention of the one who guided our meeting.
Why can Yuki and I use the unique gear of the Born 3-Star girls?
I don’t know.
‘At least for now, I just have to do what I need to do.’
“Drop! Drop! Drop!”
As the dock opened, the fierce wind whipped my silver hair wildly. Leaving one clone behind to support the Sirius with Inverse Causality, I leapt straight down towards the skies above Moscow.
Colorless starlight wrapped around me as I shot across like a shooting star.
*
It’s familiar.
“Drop preparation in 3 minutes! Assault teams, please prepare!”
To Yuki, this atmosphere felt familiar.
‘There hasn’t been such a large flying ship before…’
*Boom!*
“AAAH?!”
“Hold on tight!”
[That thing started attacking!]
As the Sirius rocked from maneuvering to avoid attacks, the Magical Girls moving throughout the ship screamed.
“The beast is launching high-output attacks to counter us!!”
The UN coalition’s air force, already dispatched for countermeasures, confirmed attacks were launched.
“It’s not an easy opponent.”
“Hey, [Flame]! So you just do what I said, right?”
[If things go wrong, I won’t forgive you!]
The now-massive [Pierce] hoisted onto [Heavy Armor] spoke while [Armor] cradled the remaining assault team like a giant robot.
‘This time… it’s not just me who wants to protect everyone…!’
I faced the weakness I abandoned, having survived by fleeing from confrontation.
‘Hikari, I really don’t deserve such treatment… but.’
Yuki believed in Hikari’s trust, who had called her the best magical girl.
“Of course! I’m… I’m the best magical girl! I won’t let anyone die!”
The threat to humanity still loomed, and she felt weak. But nevertheless, Yuki reignited her spirit.
*Whoosh!*
Yuki’s white dress blazed to crimson once more. Her previously black bob transformed into vibrant red flames along with it.
Like a flame.
Awakening 2-Star [Flame] Magical Girl
Shikishima Yuki
“Ha! I heard there was a punk who became a 2-Star all by herself. So it was you?”
Lena whistled at the sight.
“Drop! Drop! Drop!”
*CLUNK!*
The doors of the dock opened, and I locked eyes with the beast that had its mouth agape, ready to strike at the distant Sirius.
A gigantic eye.
A mouth ajar, drawing in lethal starlight.
[Then let’s meet on the beast’s back!]
*WHOOSH!*
The massive Heavy Armor and Armor soared towards the beast beneath the cover of the Sirius, leaving trails of starlight behind them.
‘I’m… the best magical girl…!’
I will surely make this happen.
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