Chapter 153
However, in her view, the biggest difference from then on is that the most troublesome and terrifying Magic girl is no longer there.
She didn't say much, but simply pulled out the enormous poisoned spear that seemed completely out of place with her size, and pointed it at the Chameleon Monster.
The Venom Apostle spoke in a cold, hoarse voice—
"The most troublesome guy is gone, now it's your turn."
She eliminates anyone who opposes the Black Death Cult.
Sensing this hostility and power, although they had no reason to directly confront her, the Magic girls realized that these Black Death Cult Apostle were by no means benevolent.
They all raised their Magic Armament, ready to wipe out this group of villains in the battle.
The Ash Apostle sighed:
"I really don't want to fight..."
But black flames ignited on her body, coiling around her arms like snakes, clearly indicating that she was also ready to attack.
The atmosphere became tense and hostile.
The smell of gunpowder permeated the ruins of the now-completely destroyed shrine, ruining what should have been a joyous and beautiful celebration.
Under the silent night sky, the three forces were ready to strike at any moment, just waiting for the right opportunity.
Tick-tock, tick-tock...
Time passed second by second.
Just when the atmosphere reached its peak—
"--tread..."
Footsteps could be heard.
The footsteps were so light that they would have been completely unnoticed if the scene hadn't been so quiet and if each of them hadn't had such keen hearing.
It is precisely because of its lightness that it appears so extraordinary at this moment.
Whether they were Apostle, Chameleon, or Magic girls, they all looked in the direction from which the footsteps came with puzzled expressions.
That's a small path leading from the festival area to the abandoned shrine.
The steps were casual and light, yet carried an unwavering determination.
Who would it be in a situation like this?
Who is it?
Why did you come here? Didn't you notice the commotion that happened earlier?
Or is someone just too oblivious to notice and joining in the fun?
Amidst everyone's confusion, the figure finally emerged slowly from the cold night.
The shadows of night gradually faded from her.
Everyone could see her slender and graceful figure from afar. Such a beautiful woman, appearing on this smoke-filled battlefield, was as incongruous as a feather falling into the mud and dust.
But the girl did not stop or become confused.
When the shadows completely faded, everyone saw the girl's true face.
The Magic girls were completely stunned.
"--Student Council!?"
"It is incredulous," Fate Kite said.
The girl who appeared here was none other than Kazama Kiriori, the Student Council of Kaedehara High School.
She wore a yukata covered in ukiyo-e prints, and the tranquil moonlight of the night gently illuminated the breathtaking Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon on it, making her look radiant and captivating.
The girl's beauty is certainly captivating, but her presence in such a place only weighs heavily on the Magic girls' hearts.
Fate Kite paused for a moment, then said:
"Uh... Student Council, please leave here immediately. As you can see, it's dangerous here, it's full of --"
She paused halfway through her sentence, then suddenly froze.
Only now did she realize that she was still in Magic girl form, and she shouldn't be calling Kazama Kiriori"Student Council" like that.
But having already said it, she felt a little embarrassed.
At that moment, she noticed Kazama Kiriori's unusually calm demeanor and a sense of unease arose within her.
She suddenly thought of a question.
"When did you first come to this area, and what have you seen?"
To this question, Kazama Kiriori finally reacted. She raised her snow-white neck and answered calmly:
"From the moment you begin your battle, when you transform into Magic girls from the very first Monster."
... From that time onwards?
Both the Fate Kite and the Takanashi were stunned.
Does that mean the Student Council already knows their true identities?
She lowered her head, somewhat bewildered, wanting to explain:
"Um, President, listen to us, actually it's like this..."
"--It's okay."
The president's gentle voice made Fate Kite stop explaining.
Fate Kite looked up in confusion, and then saw Kazama Kiriori's beautiful and elegant smile.
It's like it was from the very beginning...
"I know everything."
She said it so calmly.
But this was something that Fate Kite and the others couldn't understand.
Was everything she said as they understood it?
Under the stunned gazes of the Fate Kite, Kazama Kiriori didn't say anything more, but instead looked at the Apostle and the Chameleon in the distance.
The Apostle also looked at the suddenly appearing girl with puzzled expressions, wondering what she had just been saying to the Magic girls.
However, the Venom Apostle stared at Kazama Kiriori for a while longer. Its gaze, which had been filled with confusion at first, suddenly widened, and its mouth involuntarily opened. Like the Magic girls, it stood there in a daze.
Could this girl in front of me be...?
She immediately thought of a terrifying possibility, and once she did, her conviction in that answer grew infinitely stronger.
In the silence, only the Chameleon looked at Kazama Kiriori with a playful yet somewhat complicated expression:
"Ah, it's finally here..."
Its tone was no longer as calm as before; instead, it carried a hint of ruthlessness.
"What brings you here? What's with the wind today?"
The Chameleon Monster spoke in a strange and unsettling tone.
However, this did not elicit any response from Kazama Kiriori.
Her expression remained calm, her eyes showed no emotion, and she simply reached out and gently placed her hand on the ribbon at her waist.
What are they trying to do?
Then, she made a move that most people present couldn't understand.
Kazama Kiriori gently untied the ribbon around her waist, letting the sash that was supposed to bind her yukata fall softly to the ground.
The elegant and graceful yukata suddenly lost its restraint and became loose.
The yukata that had been covering the girl's neck slipped down, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin, showcasing the girl's beautiful and alluring curves, as well as her soft, bare shoulders.
This stunning scene didn't end there.
Kazama Kiriori's hand fell on one shoulder of her dress, and she continued to pull it down.
Her left shoulder was exposed, and then further down, until her fair arm was revealed. Everyone was surprised by this scene, yet strangely, no one dared to make a move.
Finally, what appeared on her long, beautiful left arm was a silver-white armband, like an armlet.
At that moment, both the Magic girls and the Ash Apostle recognized the thing they were seeing for the first time.
"How is that possible? That's..."
It's safe to say that in this city, no one would be unfamiliar with this thing...
Autumn leaves fall, and the cold wind howls.
Tonight is the grandest celebration in Maple Plain City.
--Celebrating the prosperity and harvest of Maple Plain, and singing the praises of the birth of the goddess priestess.
Several years ago, the God Child of Maple Plain was born here.
And to this day, the armband on the girl's arm remains its symbol.
Kazama gently pulled the hook on the armband.
" --Lost Ring."
The sound, though not particularly loud, was deafeningly deafening amidst the ruins.
The structure on the silver arm ring suddenly changed, revealing two empty slots.
All the Magic girls already knew what was going to happen next.
As expected, two Crystal of different colors appeared in Kazama Kiriori's hand. They were very similar to the Transformation Crystal used by Magic girls, but they were also fundamentally different.
First, there was the Crystal, imbued with the essence of wind, its translucent azure hue reminiscent of the sky—
" --Gale."
She inserted the first Crystal into the slot.
Then came the second Crystal.
She slowly placed the deep black Crystal, as dark as night, into the opposite slot.
And then the voice of the Fairies, corresponding to the Gale, appeared—
"--trump Ace."
Once both Crystal were embedded in the arm ring, sky-blue patterns shimmered on the arm ring, just like a gentle breeze that had solidified into reality.
Her slender hand once again covered the hook, and she firmly fastened it under everyone's gaze.
Kazama Kiriori raised her head and quietly observed everything.
Then, he said it calmly:
"Transformation."
Just like all Magic girls, she calmly shouted "Transform!"
However, there were no noisy or complicated sounds, nor were there any elaborate eulogies or chants.
All that remained was a sudden, fierce wind that swept across the battlefield, like a massive, all-encompassing wave. The surge of Magic Power swept away the weak, nascent Monster and the remnants of maturity, blasting them into the air and easily tearing them apart.
"---Huff... Huff!"
The roar of the fierce wind echoed across the battlefield.
Even Magic girls, Apostle, or Chameleon had to stretch out their arms to resist this fierce wind made of Magic Power.
The girl wearing the ukiyo-e yukata also underwent a change.
Gale and shadows swirled around her, dividing her entire being in two colors.
It was a light yet elegant outfit, like the gorgeous attire of a stage singer making her grand entrance.
The flowing skirt extends downwards on both sides, revealing sheer tulle underneath.
One side is dark green, while the other side is deep dark.
Wind and darkness intertwine, roots and branches entwine and complement each other.