Magical Girls Exposed!

"What an idiot."

Xiao Bai gave Chen Xiaoxia a nearly pitying look, then raised a finger and lightly tapped Chen Xiaoxia on the forehead.

In the next instant, the Chains dragged Chen Xiaoxia into the depths of the Magic Barrier, as though she had been banished.

But Chen Xiaoxia's assault still bought Yu Muqiu time to prepare her magic.

The beam cannon had taken shape, a pink light like a spear that pierced heaven and earth, shooting straight toward Xiao Bai!

"Xiao Bai!! Take this! This strike carries my feelings!!"

Determination filled Yu Muqiu's eyes.

As long as she could defeat Xiao Bai here, as long as she could make Xiao Bai understand her feelings, Xiaoxia's feelings, and Xiao Chun's feelings, then Xiao Bai would understand them.

Then... everyone could become friends!

That was what Yu Muqiu thought as her cannon of "hope" tore through the sky!

The beam cannon rushed toward Xiao Bai, swallowing her atop the Chains in the blink of an eye.

Just as Yu Muqiu thought she was about to win, Xiao Bai's voice came from behind her:

"You really... are naïve."

"Huh!?"

Yu Muqiu's pupils contracted. Just as she was about to turn around, she realized Xiao Bai had already immobilized her.

Xiao Bai had somehow come up behind her. One hand controlled the Chains binding Yu Muqiu in place, while the other gripped Yu Muqiu's neck.

Her lips drew close to Yu Muqiu's ear. Warm breath brushed against it, but the words she exhaled carried an icy chill:

"Tell me... if I killed you here, what would you do?"

Kill... me...?

Xiao Bai... wanted to kill me...?!

Feeling the force of Xiao Bai's fingers around her neck, Yu Muqiu panicked, and her mind went blank.]

This Isn't Right, Is It!?

(!!!Th-this scene!!)

(Gasp! Is Xiao Bai x Xiao Qiu a thing?)

(It is, bro. Go to D Station—there are already who-knows-how-many thousands of fanart pieces!)

Fang Ming: "???"

N-no... this wasn't right, was it?

This wasn't right at all!?

Watching the scene on the Sky Screen, which could only be called a "beautiful sight" to the audience, Fang Ming fell into deep thought.

He remembered that he really had controlled Xiao Qiu this way back then.

But... but he didn't think he had made it look this... this... this suggestive?

Take a closer look at Xiao Bai and Xiao Qiu's positions now.

Xiao Qiu was pinned in place by Xiao Bai, and the hand holding her wand was also held by Xiao Bai's other hand.

Her remaining hand had locked onto Xiao Qiu's throat, a vital spot.

Logically speaking, this was an extremely dangerous scene, because Xiao Bai only needed to apply a little force to snap Xiao Qiu's neck.

Yet for some reason—whether the Sky Screen did it deliberately, or Fang Ming had overlooked how it looked to outsiders because he wanted Xiao Qiu to understand fear—

In any case, no matter how he looked at it, the scene had the distinct vibe of a domineering villain flirting while restraining the heroine!

No... come on, guys!!

This wasn't right!!

And those comments, enough already. This was such a dangerous situation, and that was all you cared about?!

You were even in the mood to ship them!?

Weren't you worried Xiao Bai might really just snap Xiao Qiu's neck and kill her?!

Huh? Xiao Qiu was the protagonist? And this was only episode seven, so she wouldn't die?

...Fine.

Then never mind.

[Perhaps Xiao Bai's words were too cold, or perhaps Xiao Qiu had truly sensed the killing intent within them.

Yu Muqiu's mind was completely blank, and she could not say a word for a long while.

Her body trembled as the word "death" surfaced in her mind.

Yu Muqiu had never considered such a thing. She had never thought "death" could be so close to her.

Since she was controlling Xiao Qiu's body and standing extremely close to her—practically pressed against her—Xiao Bai could feel Yu Muqiu trembling.

Only after confirming that Yu Muqiu truly understood fear did Xiao Bai continue:

"Demons aren't 'good people' who will let you off after defeating you. Once you lose in a battle against Demons, you may very well lose your life.

"Situations like this... will definitely happen again in the future. Can you be sure you'll survive every single time? Can you be sure you'll make it to the end unscathed every single time?

"Don't be naïve. You can die fighting Demons, and you're even more likely to die fighting those so-called outside forces of yours. Every battle with Demons has you walking the line between life and death.

"If you die, do you think your families will be okay? Have you... ever thought about what would happen to your parents if something happened to you?"

Xiao Bai rarely spoke so much at once.

After she finished, she released Xiao Qiu and dispelled the Magic Barrier, returning the three of them to reality.

Yu Muqiu sat kneeling on the ground, her eyes blank and unfocused.

Xiao Bai took several steps back, then finally walked in front of Yu Muqiu. Looking down at the kneeling girl, she said slowly:

"So stop being magical girls. Like I said, this isn't an easy job."

"Th-then what about you, Xiao Bai!"

Yu Muqiu raised her head to look at Xiao Bai. "If that's really true, if we... could die at any time fighting Demons, then... Xiao Bai, aren't you worried about your family..."

"I haven't had a family for a long time."

"...!"

Yu Muqiu's eyes widened.

Xiao Bai's voice remained calm:

"I've always been alone. I was in the past, I am now, and I will be in the future, so..."

Before she could finish, she turned around and faced away from Yu Muqiu.

"...I don't need companions, and I'm not interested in playing 'friendship games.' Also... don't let me see you in the Nightmare Barrier again. Otherwise... I'll beat you up first, then throw you out. I mean it."

After saying that, Xiao Bai bent her knees and leaped into the air, soaring toward the sky before disappearing beyond the horizon.

Under the dusk that was about to give way to night, Yu Muqiu remained where she was, unable to react for a long time.]

(Xiao Bai is still so strong)

(Xiao Bai was probably an experienced magical girl. It's normal for her to be stronger than Xiao Qiu and the others)

(Those final words were obviously concern for Xiao Qiu and the others' safety... Haki Bai, you...)

(Whoever came up with Haki Bai should have Haki Gao at home)

(Anyway, I'll leave a Haki Gao here first)

(www Xiao Bai really is a tsundere!)

"Hmph, if she was worried, she could just say so. Why did she have to talk in that tone? She's so annoying."

Below the Sky Screen, Chen Xiaoxia, who was also watching it, crossed her arms and snorted.

But her tone was much gentler. Only from an observer's perspective could she understand that Xiao Bai had seemed fierce and heartless back then, when in reality, she simply did not want them to get caught up in danger.

That girl...

Chen Xiaoxia's feelings were complicated.

In truth, ever since they faced the Demon formed from six Nightmare Seeds, Chen Xiaoxia had stopped disliking Xiao Bai.

No matter what, they had fought side by side as comrades. Chen Xiaoxia also knew very well that Xiao Bai had never meant to target them.

It was just that Chen Xiaoxia had always treated Xiao Bai that way. So even though their relationship had actually eased, they still argued endlessly whenever they met.

According to Xiao Chun, that made them "bickering lovers"?

Who wanted to be bickering lovers with that girl!

"No father, no mother..." He Xuan, the deputy director of the Investigation Department, was also watching the Sky Screen as she analyzed the information Xiao Bai had revealed. "In that case... the scope of the investigation can narrow further."

A girl, an orphan, withdrawn by nature, cold on the outside but warm inside.

And since the first three magical girls' names followed the sequence of "autumn," "summer," and "spring," then the fourth magical girl's name likely contained the character for "winter."

It happened to correspond to the changing four seasons of the year.

That narrowed the range by quite a lot.

But the problem was that even after the scope had been narrowed this much, the Federal Government still had no leads on the fourth magical girl.

There were plenty of girls around the world with "winter" in their names. Even if they only searched within the entire Eastern Province, across its twenty-three cities and more than a hundred counties and towns, there were at least a thousand girls with "winter" in their names.

Even as the scope gradually narrowed, there were still quite a few who met the conditions.

But... among the girls found so far, not one matched the appearance of Xiao Bai above.

Who exactly was Xiao Bai's true identity?

"But speaking of which." He Xuan looked at the Sky Screen and asked in confusion, "Where's Xiao Chun?"

"Hm?" Xiao Chun, who was sitting in a corner, froze for a moment and pointed at herself. "Me?"

"No, I mean the Xiao Chun up there. Why hasn't she arrived yet?"

Yu Muqiu had been fighting Chen Xiaoxia and Xiao Bai for a while on the Sky Screen. Judging by the Sky Screen's time alone, including the time spent traveling there earlier, it had been over five minutes.

The actual time was probably even longer.

Yet Xiao Chun was nowhere to be seen during all that time. That was highly abnormal.

"Ah, that... we should find out soon enough, right?"

Xiao Chun had intended to answer, but seeing the scene on the Sky Screen change, she stopped explaining and instead motioned for He Xuan to keep watching.

He Xuan raised her head to look at the Sky Screen.

Sure enough, after Yu Muqiu and Chen Xiaoxia had been silent for a while, the scene switched. The two girls brought Nino back near the swimming pool.

Then...

In the pool's lounge, they found Fang Ming asleep.

And Xiao Chun, curled up beside Fang Ming like a cat, fast asleep.

He Xuan froze at the sight, then turned to Xiao Chun below the Sky Screen and asked:

"You fell asleep!?"

They knew there was a Nightmare Seed around, yet she had actually fallen asleep... wasn't that a little strange?

"...I don't know." Xiao Chun's delicate brows drew together as she thought hard. "...I've forgotten what happened back then too. Anyway... the last thing I remember is knocking Brother Fang Ming out, and then... then I fell asleep. I don't know what happened either."

"...?"

He Xuan frowned in thought.

After knocking Fang Ming unconscious, she had also passed out?

That was clearly abnormal.

It seemed necessary to have another talk with Mr. Fang Ming.

This Involved the Plot of Season Two