Chapter 408
Even if there were a mole inside the Public Performance venue, it would be difficult to instantly destroy the Golden Temple.
But the little girl still felt a little uneasy knowing she was alone.
Charlotte crouched down and patted the little girl's head. Her eyes were upturned at the corners, and her lips were curved in a bright smile; she showed no sign of distress, which inexplicably eased Iris's mood.
"Of course, Iris will work with us to keep the bad guys out, right?"
Iris nodded vigorously, gathering the chains beside her small cloak as if she could command hurricanes and ancient dragons at any moment, transforming into a hero from a fantasy fairy tale. She nodded and said:
"Yes! Mom said that Magical Girl are a power to protect everyone. Sister Chu saved me, a complete stranger, and also saved many, many people. I want to protect her."
Dorothea blinked, her innocent face beaming with pure gratitude, and said with a radiant smile:
"The area where the World Tree fell was where my Dad lived. Without Sister Chu's [Pure White], there wouldn't be Dorothea today."
"Sister Chu is a very capable adult. Dorothea isn't quite that capable yet, but she wants to be like her and help many more people."
"So, even if [the Sange], it doesn't matter. I will protect Sister Chu."
Charlotte felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this. She pinched Dorothea's cheeks with both hands, her usually alluring and smiling face now unusually serious as she spoke earnestly:
"Don't say such unlucky things."
"Isn't Dorothea still applying for a vacation, wanting to go to the amusement park with her mom Dad?"
"This world is vast and wonderful, with countless things more interesting than amusement parks. You must experience them all, until you're an old woman, before you're qualified to talk about death all the time."
The Doomsday Diva's eyes were filled with sorrow as she whispered:
"Whether it's Xiao Qing or me, we already feel guilty enough for sending such a young child to the battlefield."
"So, promise me, Iris, Dorothea, Xiaoyu... for your parents, for yourselves, and for us, as long as there is hope of escape, do not use [Sange]."
"I am issuing this notification with [Lighthouse] authorization: if necessary, the Countermeasures Bureau authorizes you to abandon the mission and retreat immediately."
Dorothea covered her cheek, which had been pinched red, and said in a mischievous little voice:
"I'm not stupid, I'd only use it if I couldn't escape."
Iris nodded her little head in agreement, clearly also afraid that Charlotte would pinch her cheek hard.
Xie Qingyu remained silent. She recalled the prophetic poem about Relief Witch— "Ode to a Withered Violet"—and summoned back the lively, fluttering violet. She stroked the Little Butterfly without saying a word.
After that, everyone tacitly skipped the topic and returned to the lively atmosphere, staying at the bustling, brightly lit Public Performance venue where dance music continued to resonate.
Time passed, and the hands of the clock struck 1:30 PM.
Kiriwake Yayoi, Xie Qingxuan, Tang Liuli, and Chu Wangshu, these four Little Idol, dressed in very different stage outfits, stepped onto the stage amidst cheers and applause, under the spotlight of the crowd.
Meanwhile, the seemingly calm Sea Capital was beginning to show signs of impending disaster.
On the dome of the viaduct, the azure sky suddenly shattered, chains like a swarm of snakes surged like the tide, and writhing shadows, like ink staining the daylight, devoured the warmth of the sunlight, forming pitch-black islands from which hundreds of ferocious heads emerged, their eyes darting about, looking down upon the world.
The scorching magma, mixed with tangible shadows, poured down from the slowly emerging gaping maw, unleashing a meteor shower of fire like a natural disaster.
Tartarus, the ancient giant who had dwelled in the shadow dimension and remained dormant for 17 years, finally awoke from his slumber at the command of the supreme lord [Chaos], arrived in the upper realm, and released his Dependents, Hydra.
But this is clearly just the beginning.
This colossus, merged with the Shadow Labyrinth, is not the only enemy to descend upon the Sea Capital.
If you zoom out, zoom out, and zoom out some more, you'll find that... behind the shadow dimension, you can no longer see any sky color. Instead, you see cold, icy scales like snow-capped mountains, which stir up thunder and hurricanes with every breath.
High in the heavens, a mythical monster blots out the sun. It comes alone, head to tail, slowly reviving its ancient will as it descends upon the world.
--Jörmungandr, the World Giant Serpent.
Volume 1: 381. The Supreme Calamity Beast, a scourge to the nation, will devour you.
Jörmungandr.
This Supreme Calamity Beast, dispatched by Ymir, is a colossal sea serpent in Norse mythology capable of encircling the world. Belonging to the Giant Race, it is clearly a far more terrifying superior being than the towering Titan born during the Forbidden Zone uprising.
Just like Tartarus under Chaos, which slumbered for a long time in the shadow dimension outside the planet, Jörmungandr also a contingency plan of Ymir, who brought him to the world over 17 years by using several tremors of the Pure White.
At this very moment, it covered half of the Sea Capital, and its excessively large size attracted the attention of the satellites high in the sky the instant it descended into reality from the deep dimension.
The Mortal Giant Serpent is as mythical as the one that blots out the sky. Its size is so enormous that its outline can be seen from the surface of the planet. It is a veritable moving natural disaster. With just a breath, hurricanes sweep across the sky.
No one can imagine the devastating impact this colossal behemoth will have on Sea Capital, this top-tier metropolis of the Great Xia Nation, when it actually lands there.
In fact, this is precisely the definition of the Supreme Calamity Beast.
Any one of them possesses the power to easily destroy old civilizations. They are the most terrifying war machines under the command of the Disaster God, and when necessary, they can also wield his authority and sweep across the world as apostles of the god.
Rumble rumble rumble...
High in the sky, a dull yet violent roar suddenly appeared, and rolling thunder surged like a tidal wave, covering the bright white sun. A god with a blood-red body and a ferocious face, like a red demon, stepped out from it.
The massive and robust body of the Crimson Demon God is like a mountain. He is bathed in scorching lightning, and the drum behind him, depicting three tomoe, rotates silently, producing a thunderous roar that shatters the atmosphere. He holds a katana and a thunder pestle, and gazes down at the earth.
--Takemikazuchi.
In the Eastern mythology, this illusory deity, revered as the god of thunder, the god of swords, the god of archery, and the god of war, is being sent by [Amaterasu] in a personified mythological form, to bring calamity and disaster to the country.
As the thunder roared and raged, the distant sea of clouds was bathed in a sacred glow. They were refined into some kind of spiritual substance, scattering brilliant particles of light, transforming into a scene that embraced heaven, and singing songs that cleansed the soul.
A crimson light pierced the sky, and an angel descended in the form of a dragon, displaying three pairs of wings comparable to a skyscraper. He seemed to be constructed of translucent energy, his entire body enveloped in scorching light, and his form changed with his thoughts.
The next moment, He returned to His original form.
With six wings and four heads, formless and colorless, He was enveloped in blazing fire, surrounded by melodies praising God, like an incomparably enormous luminous body illuminating the vast Sea Capital, instantly allowing millions to hear the melodious hymns.
--Seraph.
This seraphim, recorded in the Old Testament, ranks highest among God's messengers. He is the god of praise, used to demonstrate God's love and greatness. Now, He has been commanded to descend to earth to save all living beings.
The Public Performance venue.
Xie Qingyu, Iris, Dorothea all sprang into action, almost reflexively activating [Full Bloom] to soar into the sky, unleash their Magic Domain, and protect the Sea Capital below.
But the next second, a warm, lively, enthusiastic, and fairyland-like surge of Heart Tide, like an endless sea, engulfed the entire venue, transforming into a pillar of light that shot straight into the sky, covering the Sea Capital and blocking the aftershocks of the arrival of several Supreme Calamity Beasts.
The Doomsday Diva shed her everyday clothes, replacing them with magical Magic Armor constructed from magic.
The girl's long hair cascaded down her back, and her dress, predominantly frost-blue, was adorned with iridescent Light Band. Gilded hair ornaments were scattered around her, and the interplay of light and shadow from musical notes and Forget-me-not created a breathtakingly beautiful and exceptionally glamorous scene.
At the same time, she also held Magic Wand that resembled Holy Fan.
This is a classic design; the Magic Wand from Magical Girl Sakura also references the Holy Fan, an object used in Catholic liturgy, which is usually made of thin film, peacock feathers, or fine cloth.
But what this person is holding now is like a work of art, with Crystal Flower Cluster and stacked, spiraling and blooming. At the top of the Magic Wand, in the center of the intersecting rings, the stamen of Forget-me-not is depicting life, death, flourishing and decay, like an ornament, or a microphone used by an idol.
"This is not all the enemy."
"Leave them to me, everyone protect Xiao Qing."
Charlotte didn't speak; her thoughts were a jumble of emotions that she Heart Tide to all the Magical Girl. By the time the others reacted, she had already teleported high in the sky.
The girl waved her Magic Wand, instantly splitting different Space-Time Region, causing the numerous strange phenomena in the sky that had terrified many people to suddenly evaporate. She held the Magic Wand in both hands, lowered her eyes, and softly sang a melody, making the beautiful tune travel far and wide, covering the sacred song.
The next second, the [Illusion] magic was officially activated, and one Charlotte after another emerged from the void, entering the Pocket Dimension where the enemy was temporarily imprisoned, to fight against Takemikazuchi, Tartarus, Seraphim, Jörmungandr.
However, even Forbidden Spell cannot restrain such level of Calamity Beasts for long. Without endless magical power to support them, the Pocket Dimension will soon collapse completely, allowing these calamities, capable of easily destroying the Sea Capital, to break free.
It was clear to everyone that this was an extremely difficult battle.
Each of the enemies was once a world-destroying being capable of annihilating continental plates and flattening old civilizations.
Even though the calamities have been suppressed by [Pure White] for many years, leaving them weak and far from their peak.
Conversely, the Doomsday Diva, who has not yet officially reached full bloom and forcibly relies on embellishment to deceive the future and obtain the power of the "Full Bloom" and the "sea" realm magic, is still not at her peak.
Under these circumstances, fighting four opponents alone is a completely forced act.
But...
Since four of the Disaster God have already deployed their true trump cards, there's no reason for the other Disaster God to remain inactive.
In the worst-case scenario, even more Supreme Calamity Beast, apostles, bishops, and swarms of calamities will descend upon Sea Capital.
The Countermeasures Bureau has dispatched quite a few Captain-Class, but compared to the situation, which is comparable to the final battle, the manpower here is completely at an overwhelming disadvantage.
But why?
Did the disaster group realize the decisive role Xiao Qing played in the <Flash Dance> project, and were willing to risk mutual destruction with the opponent, even at the cost of most of the Disaster God, to nip it in the bud?
No, it could also be a feint.
Chu Yuanqing, being [Pure White], is equivalent to the general in Chinese chess.
Before the Shining City is completed, humanity cannot afford to lose [Pure White].
The purpose of this disaster horde's Sea Capital might be to force them to recall more Magical Girl stationed in the forbidden zone, thereby freeing up more power and influence.
This is a perfectly legitimate and open conspiracy. Either send more Captain-Class back to reinforce, or directly transfer Chu Yuanqing, abandon this Public Performance, or even abandon the entire Sea Capital.
Either way, humanity will lose.
Charlotte's thoughts were in turmoil. She vaguely felt that she had overlooked something, but as the spell collapsed, the Magic Element was rapidly depleted, and... the strange movements coming from afar once again drew her attention back to the battlefield.
Crimson phantoms rose from all corners of the city, intertwining and devouring each other, frantically consuming themselves to create massive, thick Meat Mountain, along with writhing, scarlet eyes.
That is Beelzebub, the Beast of Love under [Amor]'s command, the Apostle of Gluttony!
This apostle, which had been lurking in the Sea Capital for a long time, finally revealed itself after several Supreme Calamity Beast launched a general attack. It opened its blood-red maw with a sneer, and the mark of gluttony, like a scarlet sea, writhed and overflowed, ready to begin the "Holy Communion" and turn the entire Sea Capital into a feast.
Xie Qingyu's azure eyes froze, and many images flashed through her mind: pale hands, shattered vows, withered blue roses, the corpse vanishing in her arms, and... everything about Su Wan and Xu Yan.
How incredible! The stagnant Magic Power Limit, which had been stagnant for so long, surged through the soul like a wave breaking through its Shackles the moment Beelzebub was finally seen. Anger and sorrow transformed into the rain of evolution, bringing thunder that shattered the shell of the soul.
The girl's Magic Armor changed, and the blessings entwined by [Full Bloom] grew denser. The sea of violets bloomed magnificently in place. She listened to her breath, controlled her breath, dominated the Magic Element, crossed the speed of sound and the heat barrier, soared into the sky, and stepped into the clouds, her skirt fluttering in the wind.
The Underworld Flame burned fiercely, like the tides that surged with the ebb and flow of the soul.
Xie Qingyu, wielding Magic Domain that controls the energy field, transformed into a sharp blade and pierced the Sea of Blood constructed by the Gluttony's authority. Her actions were far too risky, tantamount to actively accepting Beelzebub's flesh and blood. If she were not careful, she would be twisted and corrupted by Gluttony, turning into a monster.
That is indeed the case.
Even Idealistic Being are affected by Conceptual Level abilities, let alone ordinary people with emotions and desires before becoming Magical Girl.
It can be said that the Beast of Love under [Amor]'s command are the most effective counter to Magical Girl.
Xie Qingyu did the same, but she seemed to have forgotten all of this, using the flames of the Underworld Flame to sweep across the crimson sea, plundering and burning all the marks of gluttony.
At this moment, the authority originating from Beelzebub, following the Magic Element to trace the soul, began to control the five senses, tamper with the self, infinitely distorting and amplifying the appetite, allowing intense hunger and desire to corrode the will, pollute the Magic Element, and attempt to defile the Lantern Gem.
After Xie Qingyu reversed the millions of gluttonous marks and hindered the city's crisis, she seemed to give up on herself, or perhaps she had simply gone mad. She devoured her own arm, chewing, swallowing, vomiting, and then uncontrollably drooling, repeating this over and over again.
Excruciating pain, hesitation and entanglement, anger and sorrow, nostalgia and laughter.
From the outside, the scene appeared ferocious and insane.
Even though [Full Bloom] had rendered flesh and bones ethereal, and was eating nothing but violet petals with flower juice on its lips, the two little ones, Iris and Dorothea, were still quite frightened. They were both furious and wanted to attack, but were inexplicably stopped.
High in the air, Charlotte guessed what was going on. Her gaze was complicated, but she remained silent.
Beelzebub smiled as he looked down at the Witch. Compared to the flesh and souls of millions of humans, the entirety of a Captain-Class Witch was far more valuable. By devouring Xie Qingyu, the swarm behind her could better analyze, explore, replicate, and plunder this power.
Thus, the Beast of Love generously bestowed even more bait, needing Xie Qingyu's soul, flesh, blood, and magic to brew the first delicacy it had devoured since its resurrection— the Witch Feast!
1 serving, 100 servings, 1000 servings, 10000 servings...
This power is enough to turn half a city into a feast, to overwhelm the Magical Girl's Magic Element, to reach the limit of her idealism, and to turn a creature as beautiful as a miracle into a delicacy symbolizing shattered hope and fallen dreams.
But a strange thing happened.
Beelzebub had calculated Xie Qingyu's limits, and when the opponent's magic power could no longer suppress [Gluttony], the depths of this Witch's soul would expand and erupt, causing her Heart Tide to burn wildly and giving birth to even greater magic power.
Beelzebub piled up the incense and bait endlessly.
Xie Qingyu's magic expands infinitely.
This unusual event, which occurred within a few breaths, left them in an eerie stalemate.
Beelzebub could not comprehend the situation at hand.
Charlotte, however, understood that Xiaoyu was currently in an extremely complex and special situation.
Xie Qingyu knew that without activating [Great Full Bloom], she would be no match for Beelzebub, yet she was still unwilling to sacrifice her Lantern Fairy and move towards the future Prophetic Poem.
Therefore, she chose to confront Beelzebub's [gluttony], to face the nightmares of the past, and risk her life to experience the same, or even greater, pain as Su Wan, in order to atone for her sins and force herself to accept everything from the past, remembering the pain Beelzebub caused to his friend.
Ultimately, amidst endless hunger and madness, a more fervent, intense, and pure courage, love, and anger are distilled, truly igniting the shackles that had bound him since the premature birth of the Lantern Fairy —Violet—imprisoned by his inner demons and sealed off from their Shackles.
This duel will only have two outcomes.
Or, she was eaten by Beelzebub.