Chapter 71 – Unstoppable (1)
Recently, the world has been changing. Even Karin, who had retired to live a normal life, felt it. Rene’s appearance was merely the spark that ignited the flames; the fuel for that explosion was continuously accumulating.
“Where do you think things went wrong, Boro? Was this your grand plan when you first set foot on Earth? You told me as a child that with the emergence of Magical Girls, the world would become a better place. But it didn’t happen.”
Karin, who once smiled at Aria, was no longer smiling as she looked across the sky.
In her mind, images of former comrades who had turned against her flashed by.
These were the individuals who exposed the secret of Magical Girls to the world, and it had been Karin who dealt with them personally.
“It was only a matter of time. If we hadn’t come, the people of Earth wouldn’t have been able to stop the monsters coming from the other dimension.”
“This isn’t just about monsters. You all thought too lightly of this matter. You probably thought that simply sucking up results was enough.”
Boro, the mascot, struggled to refute her, but she scoffed at him.
It was fundamentally contradictory. For Magical Girls, who exist to eradicate evil, the irony was that they needed the energy of wealth gained from defeating that evil.
From the Fairy Company’s perspective, they didn’t genuinely wish for the eradication of evil. The moment that evil disappeared from this world, they would either face extinction or flee elsewhere—one of the two.
“Why is it that all the dimensions from which monsters come are ruined wastelands? Do you think I don’t know the reason?”
“Damn it. Isn’t that why you’re trying to take it easy on Earth? Now that you’re an adult, you should know well. Purity cannot exist in this reality. A world where only pure good and pure evil exist is destined for destruction. We’ve experienced that several times.”
Boro, feeling slightly pricked by her words, grew irritated.
“In the past, we had no reservations in serving the holy will of Yggdrasil. Do you know what they called Magical Girls back then? Valkyries. Fight, die, and fight even after death—immortal warriors who fought solely to drive out evil. But the end was never good.”
The Fairy Companies had completely driven out evil through war, the ‘evil’ they had ‘defined.’ However, the aftermath left them with nothing but a wasteland.
Progress halted, and the cycle of the world stopped. There was neither ambition nor passion, and critically, the Fairy Companies and Valkyries, who no longer had a reason to exist, found it impossible to continue living.
“That’s why we reinterpret the Grand Law to create new laws and guidelines. We aim to induce an ‘eternal competition’ between good and evil that does not veer into extremes. Of course, as you said, things have become a bit extreme these days.”
Compared to the past Valkyries, who focused solely on combat and slaughter, Magical Girls emphasized a bit more purity. This too was a means to maintain balance.
Karin frowned at Boro’s words but did not retort.
“…If what you say is true, then we need to understand precisely what that child, Rene, truly desires. But purity? From what I see, that girl doesn’t seem pure at all. Takilas, who acts according to his own will, seems far more pure.”
Her expression grew serious as she increased her speed.
Even though she didn’t want to get involved with Magical Girl affairs any longer, this matter was closely tied to this land and her life.
“SS-Class Magical Girl Karin. Retired for 5 years, estimated age early thirties. In her active days, she was known as the White Demon…”
“Indeed, she is not a presence to be underestimated.”
On the rooftop of a city building, several Magical Girls gathered, including Rene. All were A-Class or higher Magical Girls chosen by Rene’s judgment.
They were elite warriors whose ideological alignment was so high they would endure the pain of branding to earn a mark.
In fact, they amplified their combat effectiveness by equipping magical items that Rene had taken from the pocket dimension.
“Let’s have a chat.”
She raised her head and looked up at the dark sky. Karin did not hide her presence.
For someone as sensitive to magical energy as Rene, she could sense that aura from several kilometers away.
“Oh, she’s coming.”
‘…Far stronger than Aria, who was nearly on par with the head of the team. Perhaps even stronger than me.’
From high up in the sky, something enveloped in brilliant white light began to descend like a comet.
“Hello, juniors.”
As it landed with a sound that ripped through the air, only a light breeze followed.
With a smile, the one who appeared was a girl with flowing silver hair. Her glowing golden eyes scanned the tense Magical Girls.
Though she appeared to be a teenage girl in a cute, short, white dress reminiscent of a cheongsam, her expression and gaze held something no child should possess.
‘Takilas.’
Unconsciously, everyone present recalled that familiar yet alien name.
“Indeed. Is that you, Rene?”
“That’s correct. I’ve heard many tales of your renown.”
“Hmm, interesting concept you’ve got there. Are you perhaps in a phase of adolescent rebellion?”
Neither Karin nor Rene had any intention of fighting recklessly, yet the moment their eyes met, a strange tension flowed between them.
This was a contest of wills instinctively held by those in positions of strength. Both knew how crucial this tension was in shaping their relationship and political actions; neither would back down, regardless of how hostile the atmosphere became.
“My age is undisclosed, but logically, I’ll be older than you. Given my experience, you should at least show some basic etiquette. You know, using honorifics. Wouldn’t kids these days call that being an old fogey?”
“Right now, you and I aren’t meeting as individuals. Given we’re meeting as representatives, we can’t engage in one-sided politeness. If mutual respect is difficult, then casual speech is justified.”
As Karin initiated the confrontation, Rene calmly countered, implying that there was no reason for respect since Karin had started with casual speech.
“Your conversational skills are quite impressive. Then try adjusting your tone. Are we filming a historical drama here?”
“It seems that your tone needs some adjustment as well. Should you really be speaking in such a worldly manner with that cute, girl-like voice?”
“You… are truly arrogant.”
The verbal sparring continued, but it was Karin who flinched first. Given the official acknowledgment of her transforming into the form of a teenage girl in her early teens at over 30 years old, it was bound to be a weak point.
“No, that’s not why I’m here. As you already know, I’ve been living as a perfectly fine adult since I retired. I have to go to work tomorrow, so I don’t have much time.”
Shaking her head, Karin nonchalantly snapped her fingers to summon something. The Magical Girls watched in disbelief as the smaller figure of Karin lit up a cigarette with no concern.
“Then what did you come to talk about?”
“I came to hear your, or rather your true intention.”
The smoke she exhaled while smiling was deflected by Rene, who frowned as she manipulated the wind.
“Looking at you now, it’s clear you don’t exactly appear pure. What’s your true intention? Do you genuinely want to purify the world? Do you want to be a hero? If not, do you have another purpose?”
“…Nonsense.”
Rene flinched slightly at Karin’s words but soon laughed.
It was a genuine insight, but as she currently led Casilena as her loyal organization, she had no reason to expose the undercurrents of her own desires and darkness.
“We do what is right, what must be done. We sought no support or pleas from the people. Yet they simply cheer our names and rally for us.”
“That’s a lie. You were intentionally working towards that from the start.”
Karin recognized Rene’s lie. Of course, Rene had no intention of hiding it either.
“Anyway, that settles it.”
After flicking away the burnt-out cigarette, Karin stretched.
“Honestly, if you were moving out of a pure sense of justice, I wouldn’t have minded. It’s just… a bit off when there’s a discrepancy between appearance and reality. Still, you’re quite amazing, Rene. To think of using Magical Girls for your schemes. There’s never been anyone like you before.”
“N-No! We are truly trying to purify this rotten world…”
“Enough. If the thoughts you harbor differ, in the end, there’s only one path, Ria.”
At Karin’s sneer, the Magical Girl Ria reacted fiercely, but Rene held her back.
Rene couldn’t back down. If she retreated here, the cohesion of the group would weaken. At that moment, the image of the ‘Demon King’ Takilas flashed in her mind.
A strong ruler who demonstrated formidable leadership without resorting to the filthy methods of the Emperor of the Human Empire, someone she longed to emulate—strong because of power.
“Rene, the process is more important than the result. Especially in life. Why? Because life is continuous and unpredictable. When the process is forced to fit the result, it will eventually twist. You don’t want to lose your beliefs and fall into corruption, do you?”
“…No. Above all, the result is paramount. A process that cannot be proven by results has no value. I’ve gained the power to twist life, and I will turn that impossibility into reality.”
Karin pinpointed the darkness within Rene precisely but knew she had no intention of compromising.
In that case, there was only one thing left.
<5th Awakening · Final Armor: White Blade>
“I’m an advocate for corporal punishment.”
With a burst of pure white magic exploding forth, Karin gripped a rusty chain with a man-sized steel ball at the end of it, her golden eyes blazing as she revealed her strength after years.
This was the final armor that only a select few amongst the Magical Girls could reach.
Rene clicked her tongue and summoned her staff for the first time.
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