Living with a Magical Girl, but a Monster Executive

With a shout, Yaochuan Guang stomped hard on the ground, shattering it to pieces. Then, with a casual kick, she sent a large rock flying toward the bombs.

Yes, this was the way Cong Yu had instructed her to deal with bombs.

"Damn it! How could this happen?!"

The incredulous Ant Monster immediately rolled away, dodging the large rock flying at him with the bombs stuck to it.

Boom!!!

Amid the explosion, the monster's

back and the surrounding ground were swiftly blasted into rubble.

How was that possible? Bombs that could penetrate magical power and adhere to matter... how had she discovered their true nature so quickly?!

This magical girl was far smarter than the ones in Earth City!!!

The Ant Monster looked up in shock, only to immediately see a crescent-shaped blade of light flying toward him, aimed straight at his head!

"Shining☆Light Blade!"

In a panic, the Ant Monster instantly ducked his head. He felt something fly over the top of it... followed by a cool sensation.

Unable to stop himself, the Ant Monster reached up to touch it. Then he realized that the antennae hidden beneath his hair had been severed.

"Aaaahhh!!!"

Only in the next instant did the agonizing pain hit him, leaving him unable to rise no matter how he struggled... He jerked his head up and stared at the magical girl.

Antennae were the greatest weakness of ant-type monsters.

Was it a coincidence? Or...

"..." No! It wasn't a coincidence!

The Ant Monster's pupils contracted as he watched Magical Girl Shining☆Chan press the earpiece at her ear... Someone was feeding this magical girl information?!

"You... How do you know that?!"

Distracted and unsettled, the Ant Monster blurted out the question... His appearance had already changed greatly from his original form.

And even if they knew he was an ant, how could they know his weakness was his antennae? No, even if they knew, why would they dare gamble on it?

"Who's giving you information?"

The Ant Monster roared.

[Cong Yu: Don't say anything to him. Use a charged super finisher for the next attack and kill him outright!]

However, even though Cong Yu had instructed her that way...

"Ah, that's my companion, and this is the power of companionship! You could never understand it, Monster!"

Magical Girl Shining☆Chan spoke proudly as golden magical power made her long golden hair glow brilliantly.

[Cong Yu: Fine, that works too. Just don't tell a monster my name. I... kind of fear retaliation.]

Cong Yu, seventeen years old, feared monster retaliation.

"Of course I know that—don't worry!"

The worry-inducing Yaochuan Guang patted her chest like that, hoping to reassure Cong Yu. At the same time, a magic array covered in runes appeared over her right hand.

Terrifyingly dense golden magical power nearly solidified as it began gathering in her hand, forming into the shape of a spear.

The dreadful spear hovered beside Magical Girl Shining☆Chan's body, supported in the air by her open hand.

[Cong Yu: Next, he may make a desperate last stand. Like I said before, be prepared to get hurt. Don't be afraid of pain.]

As if controlled by Cong Yu, the Ant Monster, with the spearpoint aimed at him, gritted his teeth and watched golden motes of light continuously gather around her.

"Damn it! If you're charging up, then don't blame me... Let's die together!"

With an enraged roar, he desperately hurled three or four bombs toward Yaochuan Guang, intending to perish with her.

In this day and age, there was never any shortage of people who loved watching a spectacle.

There were even people who ignored the police trying to maintain order and desperately squeezed their way in to watch. They witnessed the monster's movement as he lay on the ground.

"Magical Girl Shining☆Chan!"

"Shining☆Chan is in danger!"

"Those are bombs!"

"..." As everyone's hearts rose to their throats, Magical Girl Shining☆Chan simply raised her left hand and allowed the bombs to stick to her left forearm. Laughing loudly, she said, "Wasn't this completely predicted by Mr. Cong Yu?"

[Cong Yu: Idiot! Don't say my name!!!]

"Beep beep beep—"

"..." As the light reached its peak brightness, Magical Girl Shining☆Chan ignored the beeping bombs and aimed the spear toward the Ant Monster.

"O dazzling light that pierces through all things, summoned by will alone! Repent for your sins in scorching, blazing Heaven!"

"Super Shining Flash☆Annihilation Spear!"

[Magical Power Charge: 51.4%]

[Chant Guidance · Manual Control Mode Activated]

[Manifestation Type · Piercing/Explosion Type · Non-Targeted · Confirmation Complete]

[Super Shining Flash☆Annihilation Spear]

"..."

Whoosh!

In almost an instant, the massive spear transformed into a golden afterimage moving too fast for the naked eye to follow.

With a piercing shriek, it tore through the Ant Monster and nailed him firmly to the ground. What followed immediately after was...

BOOM!!!!!

An utterly blinding flash of light and a deafening explosive roar.

Boom!

"..." As the smoke and dust dispersed, Magical Girl Shining☆Chan, who had lost her left arm, looked at the enormous crater in the ground.

Yet there was no sign whatsoever of the Ant Monster's remains.

"He actually escaped? Damn... Mr. Cong Yu."

Somewhat worried, she temporarily put the Ant Monster's escape out of mind and gestured toward the cheering spectators around her.

"Yeah! It's my victory! Magical Girl Shining☆Chan! Kira☆Kira☆Kira—"

"..."

"Woohoo! Magical Girl Shining☆Chan!"

"Yes! Kira☆Kira!"

"Invincible! Invincible!"

"Tap tap tap—"

Cong Yu's slender fingers tapped on the tabletop, drawing the attention of Lantian Zhu, who had been watching the live broadcast of Yaochuan Guang's battle.

But Lantian Zhu also knew why Cong Yu looked so speechless. Obviously... she had heard his earlier scolding.

"Sorry. That's just the kind of person she is."

Lantian Zhu said this as she apologized for Yaochuan Guang calling out Cong Yu's name... It would have been fine if the monster had been killed.

But now, that monster had clearly escaped.

"We'll protect you."

At Lantian Zhu's calm assurance, Cong Yu sighed helplessly. "Forget it, it's fine."

After all, Cong Yu was not afraid of retaliation at all.

Besides, the Ant Monster surviving had been within Cong Yu's control. After all, he himself was the one who had said, "Use a charged super finisher for the next attack."

That guy needed to stay alive for the time being, and whether he knew the name "Cong Yu" was not all that important.

"Oh, right. About your information, and the way you directed Little Guang's battle."

Hearing Lantian Zhu's words, Cong Yu's heart tightened, but he still smiled. "Ah, yeah... What about it?"

Amid Cong Yu's awkward smile, Lantian Zhu asked evenly, "Are you really just an ordinary manga artist? Did you have another job before this?"

"..." Wasn't she practically laying it all out in the open?!

"Why do you ask?"

Cong Yu's mouth twitched as he felt that things were getting a little bad... To be honest, Lantian Zhu had always given him a bad feeling.

He could not quite figure out what she was thinking.

Could she really have noticed something?

Although he was thinking all this, Cong Yu had weathered plenty of storms. His poker face was quite good.

So, seeing that Cong Yu's expression had not changed at all, Lantian Zhu did not notice anything unusual. "Nothing. But the idea of trading injuries for a kill is interesting."

"..." Indeed, monsters loved that kind of battle strategy, sacrificing themselves for the group and the like... But it was not just monsters.

"It's a combat method some magical girls use as well. After all, as long as a magical girl's head and heart are intact, she can recover quickly."

Cong Yu defended himself like that while watching Lantian Zhu's reaction.

Lantian Zhu simply looked at him, her expression unchanged. "Actually, I've been a magical girl for a long time. I've seen similar combat styles, but it is indeed rather uncommon."

Yes, after all, everyone feared pain... But for monsters, magical girls who traded injuries for kills were the most troublesome enemies.

A long time? Come to think of it, he had heard something before about Lantian Zhu's contract... Had she transferred to the Wind City Agency?

"But when it comes to monsters and magical girls, you clearly have deeper knowledge and analysis than ordinary 'magical girl' enthusiasts."

As she spoke, Lantian Zhu tapped away at her phone. "I was wondering whether you might have worked as an analyst or manager for some squad."

Analyst was a rather interesting position. Their job was to gather information, then provide real-time advice to magical girls in the field through an earpiece.

And when there was no dedicated analyst, a manager could double as one while also handling training duties.

Though in the current mainstream situation, a manager's role was simply to order takeout for magical girls.

Magical girls would still train and fight according to their own ideas. They basically never listened to their managers' advice... The same went for analysts' advice.

Since she had put it that way, she probably thought I was an analyst. It seemed she truly had not discovered that I was a member of the Monster Group.

That really made him breathe a sigh of relief.

As for the "some squad" Lantian Zhu had mentioned.

Before Lantian Zhu could show him her phone screen, Cong Yu spoke first. "Central City's Annihilator Squad."

At that, Lantian Zhu stopped Googling the Annihilator Squad.

"So you are one? An analyst."

Cong Yu said, "No, I've only learned about them."

"..."

"You really are impressive."

Lantian Zhu gave him a positive assessment. Then she gave up on discussing that sort of information with Cong Yu and casually turned to look at the television.

Then, just as Cong Yu completely relaxed...

"Living while switching between three identities must be exhausting, right?"

Lantian Zhu added.

"..."

"..." Three? Wait, why would it be...

Cong Yu felt cold sweat about to run down his back.

If Lantian Zhu firmly believed he was an analyst, then his identities were—manga artist, analyst.