Because of what had happened a few days ago, Fang Ming had become even more concerned about the Magical Girls' safety. He basically wouldn't allow them to leave his sight.
And this became the first obstacle before the Magical Girls. They needed to find a way around Fang Ming's "protection."
"...What do we do?"
Yu Muqiu looked at her companions.
Chen Xiaoxia looked equally lost, her little face scrunched up. "If we sneak away... Brother Fang Ming will probably send us home..."
"No choice." Nino looked at the others and said, "Desperate times call for desperate measures... Which one of you can use magic to knock him out?"
"?"
The Magical Girls stared at Nino in shock.
Nino said righteously, "What's the problem? We're just using magic to make him sleep for a while. It won't hurt him."
That was what she said, but the others reasonably suspected that Nino was getting back at Fang Ming for teasing her earlier.
"That... does seem true..."
Xiao Chun's gaze flickered, and no one knew what she was thinking.
Yu Muqiu hesitated. "Wouldn't that be a little inappropriate..."
Chen Xiaoxia, with her strong sense of justice, did not really approve of Nino's suggestion either. But... just as Nino said, desperate times called for desperate measures. They were only using magic to make him sleep for a little while. It probably... maybe... possibly... didn't count as doing something bad?
"...Then I'll do it."
Xiao Chun said, "My Healing magic happens to include a spell that calms people down. I'll take care of Brother Fang Ming. You all go ahead."
Xiao Chun spoke with perfect righteousness, without the slightest trace of impure thoughts in her eyes.]
Meeting Again
(????)
(Xiao Chun! What are you doing, Xiao Chun!)
(Xiao Chun, I could hear those calculations of yours from xx away.)
(Huh? Why can't place names be displayed? xx...)
(Xiao Chun!! Don't do it!!!)
When they heard Xiao Chun say she would stay with Fang Ming, cries of despair filled the Sky Screen.
It was already known that Xiao Chun more or less had those kinds of feelings toward Fang Ming. Now that Xiao Chun had proactively suggested taking care of Fang Ming... did anyone even need to imagine what would happen?
But Fang Ming, who knew what had really happened, only wanted to laugh.
Xiao Chun had indeed used magic to knock Fang Ming unconscious, but while Xiao Chun had let down her guard, Fang Ming had directly used magic to knock her out instead.
Otherwise, how could Fang Ming have turned into Xiao Bai to defeat the Nightmare Seed while under Xiao Chun's care?
...No way!!
Thinking of what had happened back then, Fang Ming suddenly realized something was wrong.
Xiao Chun knocking him out was not a big deal, but the problem was that he had knocked Xiao Chun out afterward!
If the Sky Screen showed that scene, then even if it did not expose Fang Ming's ability to transform into a Magical Girl, it would expose something else!
First and foremost, he would have no way to explain why he had knocked Xiao Chun unconscious!
"It won't... Don't scare yourself. Nothing was exposed before, so it won't be exposed in this seventh episode with neither a beginning nor an ending..."
Fang Ming comforted himself.
If things really were as he guessed, with the entire story centered on Xiao Qiu's perspective and only occasionally switching to other viewpoints, then before Xiao Qiu learned his identity, there was no way he could be exposed!
But even so, he should pack his luggage first...
So he could run away at any time!
[Xiao Qiu and Xiaoxia did not suspect Xiao Chun's motives. Xiao Chun had always taken care of them, so they were also relieved to let her handle Fang Ming.
After dividing their tasks, Xiao Qiu and Xiaoxia ran straight toward the location where they had sensed the Nightmare Seed, while Xiao Chun found an excuse to get Fang Ming to follow her. Then, in the middle of a conversation, she took advantage of Fang Ming's inattention and used magic to make him pass out.
Fang Ming's body went limp and fell forward, caught in Xiao Chun's arms.
Then Xiao Chun gently laid him down on a nearby bench and simply stared at Fang Ming's sleeping face, with no one knowing what she was thinking.
In that quiet scene, accompanied by impassioned background music, the picture switched to Xiao Qiu's side.]
(?! Don't cut away! I want to see what Xiao Chun did!)
(What else could she do? After knocking him out, of course she went to support Xiao Qiu and the others. She couldn't just stare blankly at Fang Ming and forget to help them, could she?)
(Ugly people always make trouble. Whoever Xiao Chun likes is her own freedom. I think Fang Ming is pretty good. He's handsome, kind-hearted, and responsible.)
(Wuwuwu, Brother Fang Ming, my Brother Fang Ming...)
(...Why are there even fans of the cousin now?!)
So even my original body has fans now?
Seeing the later comments, Fang Ming could not help touching his chin again.
That made sense. The Sky Screen was now basically a massive television screen that the whole world could see. Anyone appearing on it, even a mere extra, would probably gain quite a few fans.
Much less Fang Ming, who seemed to be a fairly important supporting character.
On top of that, Fang Ming himself was rather good-looking, so it was perfectly normal for him to have fans.
In fact, entertainment companies had already called Fang Ming over the past few days, asking whether he was interested in becoming an idol. Fang Ming had simply turned them all down.
What a joke. I've already achieved financial freedom through plagiarism... no, writing books. Why would I become an idol? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?
That was getting off topic. In any case, when Fang Ming saw that the scene playing in the sky did not show him transforming into a Magical Girl and knocking Xiao Chun unconscious, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
Although once viewers later discovered that Xiao Chun had not gone to support them, and then found Xiao Chun asleep beside Fang Ming when they returned, they would certainly become suspicious about what had happened during that time.
But as long as the evidence was not laid out in plain sight, no one would suspect that Fang Ming was Xiao Bai!
Because no man would become a Magical Girl!
No one!
[The moment Xiao Qiu and Xiaoxia left the swimming pool, they ran toward the place where they had sensed the Nightmare aura.
Following Nino's guidance, the two soon arrived before a barrier rift floating on the water's surface.
Looking at the Nightmare Barrier connected to the river, they exchanged glances.
Xiaoxia asked hesitantly, "Could this really be... that Fish Monster Demon?"
"No." Nino shook her head. "The aura is too weak. It's far weaker than that Fish Monster Demon."
"No matter what, we'll know once we go inside!"
Yu Muqiu was decisive. She raised her right hand, and the image of a pink magic wand flashed past as her transformation began!
Chen Xiaoxia stopped hesitating as well. She made the same movement as Yu Muqiu, raising her right hand as the phantom of a blue greatsword appeared on the back of it!
Transformation!
Chen Xiaoxia's transformation, like the color she represented, was deeply connected to water.
Within a blue space, water surged toward Chen Xiaoxia like tidal waves and completely submerged her.
But when the waves receded, Chen Xiaoxia's outfit had changed into another form.
Like an underlayer beneath unarmored battle gear, a bodysuit wrapped around Chen Xiaoxia's rather unremarkable figure.
Then the water surged again, circling Chen Xiaoxia's body and forming her armor and armored skirt. After that, a blue hair ornament tied up her long hair into a single ponytail, and a greatsword appeared out of thin air in her hand.
Finally, Chen Xiaoxia swung the greatsword twice, giving the camera a close-up. Her transformation was complete!
Chen Xiaoxia's transformation was brimming with energy, and after transforming, she looked like a knight who had stepped out of a western fantasy world.
Chen Xiaoxia stood side by side with the transformed Yu Muqiu, her blue single ponytail and Yu Muqiu's pink twin tails bouncing in the air.
The two were just about to enter the Nightmare Barrier and eliminate the Demon within.
But the next moment, endless chains grew from the ground, precisely wrapping around their feet and arms.
"!? Damn it... This magic! It's that girl!!"
Although Chen Xiaoxia had only met Xiao Bai once, she was extremely familiar with Xiao Bai's magic.
Now that she saw the chains appear, Chen Xiaoxia immediately confirmed that this was the magic of that annoying Magical Girl, Xiao Bai!
"Xiao Bai!"
Yu Muqiu also cried out and raised her head toward the sky.
Bang!
The silver-haired Magical Girl in black landed before them in a superhero pose.
She looked up at the two bound Magical Girls, glanced at them only once, then withdrew her gaze and headed into the barrier without saying a word.
Chen Xiaoxia was so furious that three anger marks appeared over her head at once.
"Hey!! Black-clad girl! What exactly do you mean by this!!"
"You'll only hold me back."
Xiao Bai said coldly, then walked into the barrier without looking back.
Only after freezing for a second did Chen Xiaoxia realize what Xiao Bai had said, and she raged helplessly.
"Aaaah!!! Damn it!! How dare she call us dead weight! This is infuriating!!!"
But she could only rage helplessly, because she discovered that with her current strength, she could not break free from the chains.
Yu Muqiu beside her could not either.
The restraining power of these chains seemed even stronger than before.
This girl... seems to have gotten stronger again? No, maybe she simply hadn't used her full strength last time.
Chen Xiaoxia thought as she stared fixedly at the barrier.
She wanted to see just how long this silver-haired Magical Girl could last, and whether she would ask them for help.
If Xiao Bai asked them for help, Chen Xiaoxia would definitely help, but she would certainly mock her properly first!
Unfortunately, Chen Xiaoxia was disappointed.
Only a short while had passed before the Nightmare Barrier in front of them vanished, and the silver-haired girl appeared before them.
That meant the Demon inside had already been dealt with by the silver-haired girl.]
They're Fighting!
[She resolved it that quickly??
Seeing the silver-haired girl appear before her completely unharmed, Chen Xiaoxia was momentarily stunned.
The silver-haired girl did not look at her. Only after confirming that the Demon was dead did she release the chains around Yu Muqiu and Chen Xiaoxia.
At the same time, she tossed the Nightmare Seed in her hand to Nino.
"Keep it safe."
"Ah... okay...!" Nino hurriedly caught the Nightmare Seed and stored it in her space.
Once she saw that the Nightmare Seed had been put away, Xiao Bai turned around, seemingly preparing to leave.
But just as she started walking, Xiaoxia called after her.
"Hey!!! Wait a second!!"
Xiao Bai stopped, turned her head, and her silver hair drew a streak of golden light through the air.
"What is it?"
"What do you mean, 'what is it'? We should be asking you that! What gives you the right to lock us up here? What gives you the right to go and destroy the Nightmare Seed on your own? That's supposed to be our job!"
Chen Xiaoxia's dissatisfaction with Xiao Bai had built to its limit. She waved her greatsword one-handedly, pointing it at Xiao Bai as she berated her.
Xiao Bai's expression remained unchanged, but her words carried a hint of mockery and coldness.
"I've said it many times already. Rock City is my territory, and the Demons here should also be dealt with by me. So strictly speaking, this is my 'job,' not yours."
"That's exactly it!!" Chen Xiaoxia shouted. "The Nightmare Seed only just appeared, and there weren't even any Magical Girls here before that! What gives you the right to treat this place as your territory!"
Before you continue