Chapter 152 – Evolving Justice (2)
“It may look shabby, but this is my masterpiece. Moreover, it’s a flame burning with everything I’ve sacrificed.”
“…Are you saying you’re about to die? I don’t care about that. Razak, you must have said you could produce soldiers on par with Seirin!”
In Razak’s Nest, the chairperson Zhao Zhirin, who was monitoring the situation of the warship where Seirin was located in real-time, questioned Razak. With pressure mounting from both inside and outside, they needed results to shake off the burdens; they could no longer hold on.
“I can’t mass-produce them, but I can definitely create duplicates.”
Razak blinked his many eyes and muttered. Just before, they had witnessed the combat power of Seirin, who had just evolved after Razak’s modifications.
“Everything I said is being honored. I created stronger Magical Girls by placating them and made stronger soldiers as you desired. I healed those who were defeated by mysterious powers so they could evolve further. Is that still not enough?”
“Ugh… We have our own reasons too, you know?”
Having lost the argument against Razak’s logic, Zhao Zhirin bit his lip. It wasn’t as if just pressuring and nagging like a regular researcher would yield results, so they waited for Razak’s research without a choice.
“The troublesome Silver armor’s Magical Girl was merely an amateur with many flaws after sealing her special power. When compared to the data, our ultimate Magical Girl suppression weapon, Chaser Alpha, can easily handle two or three SS-class Magical Girls, so just wait a little longer…”
“Urgent situation! Chairperson!”
However, at that moment, an urgent call interrupted them. Both the flabbergasted Zhao Zhirin and the frowning Razak lost their wits upon seeing the video hastily brought in by an outside party.
“…Do we need to evolve again?”
Razak muttered blankly as he watched.
“You, you guys!”
The warship preparing to retreat in the West Sea suddenly faced an emergency due to unexpected damage, while others were in shock and confusion, Seirin gritted her teeth, staring at the sky.
Because the two Magical Girls they should have killed had emerged from the sea, wrapped in brilliant light and blazing flames.
“Seirin.”
“Don’t ask, just go kill them!”
Other Magical Girls looked at her, but Seirin erupted with rage and shouted at her foes. Thanks to that, the modified Magical Girls launched their assault again, targeting the two.
“Let’s go, Shia.”
“I’ll take the lead.”
At the same time, Shia and Aria charged at them. Shia, having shed her broken armor and donned a light, fluttering dress, wielded the Sacred Sword radiating light and swung it mightily.
‘I am not alone.’
There was no longer just blind faith in that unshakable sword. It contained trust in herself and in those around her.
“Ugh, uaaah…!”
“Too strong!”
The radiant light emitted by the Sacred Sword created shockwaves, sweeping over the Magical Girls.
Even if the enemies had developed immunity to Holy Power, it didn’t matter. Holy Power was strong energy on its own. They simply had to crush their foes with brute force.
“Who the hell are you?!”
With that opening revealed, Aria made her move. As the claw wrapped in flames flashed, the startled enemy Magical Girl barely managed to cross her arms to block it.
The barrier created by the luminous red gems on her wrists resonated. When her attack was blocked, Aria glared at her opponent.
This was clearly not the inherent strength of a Magical Girl. Up until now, the body modifications carried out within the frame of being a Magical Girl had finally begun to break that mold.
“It’s dangerous.”
At that moment, a beam of light shot up from the ground into the sky. Aria dodged it thanks to Shia pulling her arm. That was the same beam that had destroyed their transport plane.
“Shia!”
“Finish this and follow me. I have a score to settle!”
Leaving Aria behind, Shia dashed straight toward Seirin, who was firing the beam. After unleashing the attack, Seirin drew her crescent blade once more.
“Did you manage to survive? This time, I’ll cut off your neck instead of your arm.”
“Unfortunately for you, I can’t die even if my neck is cut off.”
Smirking, Shia showed Seirin her arm, which had regenerated more than halfway. Seirin frowned at the pulsing veins and muscles at the end.
“Do you find this disgusting after seeing me like this?”
Shia chuckled at the sight. Seirin, now sprouting a pair of monster arms from her back, was wielding three crescent blades.
“I’ve evolved. So it’s not disgusting.”
“…If you think that’s good, fine.”
“Well, if I can’t cut off your head, I’ll slice you up while you’re still alive!”
With Shia’s calm demeanor failing to provoke her, Seirin bellowed as she lunged forward first. The crescent blades, swirling with magical power, swung relentlessly as Shia gritted her teeth and braced herself with her Sacred Sword.
The shock of their clash caused the massive ship to tremble.
“You’ve already lost to me! Even when you were armored and both arms intact! Without that strange power, you’re nothing!”
Once again, Seirin pressed forward bit by bit. However, this time Shia engaged in the fight with a different mindset.
“Die! Die die die!!”
Fueled by the side effects of her modifications, Seirin, succumbing to her increasingly deteriorating intelligence, rampaged and threw a flurry of attacks. Razak’s essence had entered the body of the strongest Magical Girl on the continent, forming a supreme Magical Girl suppression weapon.
This body, modified solely to contend with other Magical Girls, was optimized for battle, overwhelming its enemies. In fact, its power could subdue even the SS-class Magical Girls known to the world.
“…”
However, Shia, not in a normal state, withstood it to the end. It was a matter of mindset.
No longer was she an untested amateur driven only by impulse. She recognized her mission and duty and drew forth her full power.
“It’s not the light of Holy Power that matters. It’s the faith that counts. The sacred light that judges the enemies is also a healing light that heals and strengthens allies.”
“Ugh!”
The burst of Holy Power momentarily blinded Seirin while pushing away the tip of her crescent blade. The enhancement effect of Holy Power directed toward herself was still effective.
Having drawn a pair of White Wings, Shia swung them like blades, fighting against the three crescent blades.
Finally, after being kicked by Shia, who twisted her waist, Seirin was thrown back, spitting blood from the shockwave.
“Ugh… Aaaah!”
[Chaser Alpha, Maximum Output Engaged]
At the same time, Seirin’s body underwent another transformation. Through Razak’s modifications, she had become a new life form beyond a Magical Girl, losing her reason and unleashing her power in a frenzy.
Razak’s power units embedded in both her shoulders resonated, releasing an intense energy.
“Ugh…”
“You dropped your precious sword. Now you will die!”
With a powerful slash that cut through the deck and even the sky, Shia lost hold of her Sacred Sword. In that gap, Seirin quickly approached and swung her crescent blade to slice her in one go.
“!!!”
But this time Seirin failed to cut Shia. A fiercely shining light blocked the attack.
No matter how much strength she put into it, the crescent blades couldn’t push away the light. Seirin’s immunity only related to the light of judgment attacking her.
“I can draw my Sacred Sword from anywhere. My belief and the justice to judge evil are my Sacred Sword.”
Shia shot the rising cross-shaped Holy Power straight ahead. The target: Seirin’s exposed chest, emptied from pouring all her output into the attack.
“Ah…”
There was no way to resist or evade.
Pierced through by the emitted light of the Divine, Seirin, with a gasp, was torn apart between her upper and lower body, sprawling on the now-destroyed deck.
“Are you okay?”
“It seems it’s over. Unless the remnants step in.”
Aria, who had been fighting in the sky, returned to the deck, panting. All the enemy Magical Girls who had fought alongside her were ultimately subdued by Aria.
As time dragged on, they had failed to recharge the power of the reinforcements they had equipped.
“…”
“Why are you going this far? Were they forcing you to modify yourself after all?”
Approaching Seirin, who lay sprawled on the ground, divided into upper and lower halves, Aria, having released the captured allies, questioned her. Seirin, with her insides scattered and broken spine dangling, was staring blankly at the sky, not dead yet.
“Forced?”
Seirin smirked, her vibrant eyes gradually dulling.
“I just wanted to be stronger. To be happy. To live my life without being pushed around by anyone…”
With those final words, she completely breathed her last.
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