Episode 112 – The Unyielding Flower (2)
“This, this is… what the crazy! What on earth is happening…”
The video cut off. Park Soo-hyun, left in shock, struggled to comprehend what he had just witnessed. He couldn’t accept that the footage he saw was a real event that had happened today.
The Special Task Force fought against the Magical Girls. And then, the Magical Girls fought each other.
Although he thought they should replace the Magical Girls with the Special Task Force, it was merely because he believed the Magical Girls’ system was unstable in covering society as a whole, and not because he felt resentment or hatred towards them.
Therefore, the sight of two girls beating each other to a bloody pulp with a determination to kill made him momentarily lose all thoughts.
‘No. This isn’t right.’
Shaking his head, he pulled out the USB that contained the memory. At the same time, he crunched it between his fingers. He had been increasingly doubtful of the management’s sincerity.
It was nauseating to think that they had taken volunteers under the guise of justice and order, modifying their bodies into superhumans, only to use that power not against enemies and criminals but against innocent girls.
‘Police, no. There were police in the footage too. Some of them are definitely in on this!’
With the USB in hand, he hesitated at the threshold of the room. He realized the Special Task Force was about to cross a line, but he had no idea where to go.
‘The Management Bureau. That’s it.’
He then thought about the Management Bureau. Though known to be nearly powerless at this point, it was still the most expert institution regarding Magical Girls in the country.
“An… Antonio.”
“Soo-hyun. Where are you going at this late hour? You look quite rushed.”
However, when Park Soo-hyun opened the door to his lodging, he faced his colleague Antonio.
“Nothing. Just need to take care of something.”
“Let’s not make this complicated. Do you think I handed that over to you for no reason?”
“…!”
Pretending not to understand, Park Soo-hyun tried his best to navigate the situation, but Antonio grinned as if he had no intention of hiding anything.
“I just wanted to give you a heads up. About the direction we must take.”
“Direction? Don’t make me laugh!”
Eventually learning the truth, he became furious. It was completely incomprehensible by his standards.
“Aria is still a child. Is it really right to mercilessly attack her in a group? And we disgracefully only lost against her. What on earth is the point of that action?”
“Well? I don’t really know either. I only picked up bits and pieces from the higher-ups. But one thing is certain: we are all offering this moment as a sacrifice to keep moving forward.”
“You’re insane. Either way, don’t stop me, Antonio. This isn’t justice.”
With gritted teeth, Park Soo-hyun forced his way through. But Antonio wouldn’t budge. Instead, with thudding sounds, others came to surround him and block his path.
“Calm down, Team Leader Park. Aria merely crossed the line to carry out a simple test, and we’re not trying to oppose all Magical Girls.”
One of them was none other than Adele Bryant, one of the researchers from The One Road. Adele spoke with a calmness that contrasted the urgent situation.
“Then what’s it all for?”
“We only move to grow stronger. Only then can we protect the world. But if you want me to specify our current objective, it could be said to be ‘Demon King Subjugation’. We aim to create a Magical Girl stronger than the Demon King.”
Demon King subjugation. At those words, Park Soo-hyun’s eyes widened.
The creature that had claimed its title as the Demon King, Smalillian, had ultimately been killed by a stronger being.
At this juncture, only one existence matched the title of Demon King. In other words, to subjugate the Demon King meant they were talking about capturing the hero who had just saved this city not long ago.
“Is that possible?”
Park Soo-hyun mumbled without thinking. No matter how he imagined it, he couldn’t picture Takilas being defeated.
The moment Takilas appeared, her indiscriminate actions were even more impossible to swallow.
“Impossible? We live in an era where the impossible can become possible. Now, shall we discuss the details inside? For instance, whether that girl Takilas is truly a hero or not. I have many things to share with a talented person like you.”
Adele smiled subtly as he observed Park Soo-hyun’s predicament. He was already surrounded. Ultimately, with his lips bitten, Park Soo-hyun had no choice but to follow them inside.
*
“Something feels… weirdly different.”
As dismissal time approached, Jeon So-hyun prepared to leave school. She muttered to herself, staring blankly at students chatting noisily.
So far, her identity had not been revealed. The Management Bureau was in a half-damaged state, and people’s attention had shifted away from the mysterious shrine girl to other matters.
“What is?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
When Gabi, invisible to others, replied, she shrugged her shoulders.
Students’ chatter and the internet on their phones were still noisy with various stories.
The one who connected her and Gabi and helped her develop her powers was someone Jeon So-hyun couldn’t help but be sensitive to.
“Before, it felt like I was the only rebel under heaven; now, it feels like I’m a part of one big framework.”
“Your instincts are always on point.”
Gabi scoffed at her eloquent metaphor.
“That doesn’t sound good, does it?”
Jeon So-hyun couldn’t even smile in response. The public opinion about Takilas was surprisingly divided.
While people in the Seoul area and real life were more reserved in their sentiments, online, many expressed their anger and disdain towards Takilas from behind anonymous names.
And the most common opinion was this: they wished Takilas would demonstrate a more proper stance.
Even those who supported and praised Takilas were hoping for her to show clearer actions.
“Do you know what the most pointless thing in the world is?”
“Well, maybe worrying about celebrities? Worrying about chaebols?”
“Exactly that. Worrying about that person. You should keep your mouth shut, focus on your training. That person won’t bat an eyelid at your nonsense.”
“Ouch!”
While keeping an eye on others, Jeon So-hyun was playfully elbowing Gabi when she got a sudden smack on her head, and a few tears welled up.
‘What on earth is happening with Ha Eun-seo?’
As dismissal time arrived, Jeon So-hyun deliberately dropped by another class. It was due to Oh Yoon-seo’s urgent call after she learned her true identity.
However, as usual, Ha Eun-seo’s seat was empty once more.
‘I don’t think that model student would run away like me.’
Jeon So-hyun only roughly understood that Ha Eun-seo was a Magical Girl. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling of worry over her colleague’s mysterious recent behavior.
After all, since they had come to the facility during the Mamute incident, Ha Eun-seo had been the first to notice her potential, and she was the one who continued to support her without letting her waver in her feelings.
Now that they had become rivals, Jeon So-hyun couldn’t ignore her friend who had gone missing during their mission.
‘Still not picking up.’
But Ha Eun-seo didn’t answer Jeon So-hyun’s calls either.
In the end, she found no other way and left the school for now. She couldn’t focus on anything else today due to her tasks.
“Today, the department head and other executives are busy with work. We haven’t fully cleaned up yet, and the other Magical Girls are the same.”
“That doesn’t concern me.”
Immediately after school, Jeon So-hyun hopped into a taxi and promptly arrived at the Management Bureau. With Oh Yoon-seo’s guarantee, she confidently entered.
For some reason, the inside of the Management Bureau felt quite empty. There were fewer people, and they were overwhelmed with the recent incident.
“We’re thoroughly managing it, as you said.”
They headed deep underground. This was a place previously used for important meetings of the Frontier or to imprison the followers of the captured Smalillian.
It required the highest level of security to store items.
Right here was what she sought. Jeon So-hyun gulped nervously as she laid her eyes on a red gemstone neatly kept behind triple-layered glass.
“Unlock it, please. I’m going to attempt to purify today’s portion.”
Rolling up her sleeves, Jeon So-hyun stepped forward confidently with flashes of crackling energy in her hands. The reason she was here was precisely for this.
Though holding tremendous power, if left unchecked, it could surely contaminate the surroundings.
“Emergency! We have a situation!”
Just then, gasps filled the air, and alarms blared. The highest authority in this facility, Oh Yoon-seo, was startled and rushed forward, with Jeon So-hyun trailing right behind.
“What the hell? Why is that girl here…?”
“Eun-seo!”
Both Oh Yoon-seo and Jeon So-hyun were bewildered as they watched the footage from the security camera.
A girl, drenched in blood and staggering, peered through the broken glasses, her eyes shimmering, capturing their attention.
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