Magical Girls Exposed! Chapter 31

But the people of Spring City alone clearly could not influence the overall comment environment on the Sky Screen.

That was precisely why the rule that "the protagonist never dies" was deeply rooted in most people's minds.

They did not think Yu Muqiu would really come to harm.

Though that was indeed the case... what about the second season?

Fang Ming thought of Song Niandong's past of being bullied, and his mood grew somewhat heavy.

A normal children's magical girl show indeed would not contain anything too dark.

But... reality was still reality. Some plotlines that could be brushed over in a children's anime might become a mountain heavy enough to crush an ordinary person in real life.

Besides, who said children's anime could not be dark, deep, and depressing?

"I hope Magic Autumn isn't that kind of soul-crushing show..."

For now, Fang Ming could only pray to himself.

As he prayed, Fang Ming raised his head and continued watching the Sky Screen.

Only after seeing himself lead Yu Muqiu and Chen Xiaoxia into the aquarium did Fang Ming remember something.

He recalled that he seemed to have transformed into Xiao Bai midway through and gone to persuade Yu Muqiu to leave.

But since he had only talked with Yu Muqiu for a few minutes, Fang Ming had felt that the time was not very long and had forgotten about it.

He wondered how the Sky Screen would portray it.

The Next Part Was Transformation Time!

At some point, aquariums had become holy grounds for dates between male and female leads in the anime world.

Many plots took place in aquariums. Whether it was a comedy, romance, or even a depressing show, all kinds of audience-pleasing developments could happen there.

Yu Muqiu and Chen Xiaoxia had come to the aquarium to search for traces of the Fish Monster Demon.

But... since they were already here, right?

If no plot got triggered, it would practically betray this world's "anime" label.

Fang Ming did not want his magical girl form to appear on the Sky Screen, and he prayed that he would not show up.

But the atmosphere had already built up to this point, and Yu Muqiu was currently in the early, confused stage of her magical girl career.

There was no way he would not appear.

So naturally, Fang Ming saw himself on the Sky Screen.

(Xiao Bai!?)

(Wait, casual-clothes Xiao Bai!? Xiao Bai herself!)

(Did she come to the aquarium to look for clues too? What a coincidence.)

(...Is there any chance that Rock City only has so many places with water and lots of people? Where else would Xiao Bai go if not here?)

The figure of the magical girl Xiao Bai appeared on the Sky Screen.

But she was not in her magical girl form. She was in her ordinary state.

Fang Ming's mouth twitched at the sight.

He remembered that he had just used the excuse of going to the bathroom, transformed into Xiao Bai, then used magic to disguise his clothes as ordinary casual wear before appearing beside Yu Muqiu as Xiao Bai.

Fortunately, the Sky Screen had not shown him going to the bathroom just now. Otherwise, Fang Ming's true identity would probably have seemed even more suspicious.

"Look on the bright side. At least the Sky Screen didn't deliberately show anything suspicious about me, which proves it should be on my side. So there's no way I'll be exposed! That's right!"

After comforting himself internally, Fang Ming looked back at the Sky Screen and observed how the plot would unfold.

["You still haven't left?"

Xiao Bai's voice suddenly sounded beside Yu Muqiu's ear.

Yu Muqiu, who had been watching the fish swim through the water, jumped in fright and immediately turned toward her. "...Xiao Bai!?"

Beside the long aquarium tank stood Xiao Bai, dressed in a khaki overcoat, a simple white shirt, and jeans.

She and Xiao Qiu stood at opposite ends of the tank. Beneath the blue glow of the water curtain, the shot shifted back and forth between their figures.

"Are you surprised to see me?"

Xiao Bai did not look at Yu Muqiu. She merely watched the little fish in the tank and said, "I came to investigate the Fish Monster Demon's trail too. I just didn't expect to see you... But you still remember what I said before, right?"

"..." Yu Muqiu turned back around. Beneath the water curtain, she lowered her head to stare at the tiny grains in the sand and quietly said, "I remember."

"Good. I don't want to bully children."

"You don't look that old either..." Yu Muqiu muttered.

But Xiao Bai heard that quiet muttering perfectly clearly:

"At least I'm much older than you."

"..."

Yu Muqiu had nothing to say.

Though Xiao Bai looked to be around her age, both her bearing and manner of speaking seemed to carry the air of an adult.

Who knew when Xiao Bai had become a magical girl?

After a moment of silence, Yu Muqiu finally asked, "...Xiao Bai, why did you become a magical girl?"

Xiao Bai did not answer. Instead, she asked Yu Muqiu in return:

"What about you? Why did you become a magical girl?"

"You still haven't answered my question... Forget it. I... was dragged into a barrier at first, and I had no choice but to become a magical girl... After that, I felt that becoming a magical girl would let me help more people, so I kept doing it."

"I'm the same as you." Xiao Bai's tone remained calm. "I also became a magical girl because I had no choice."

"Then..." Yu Muqiu wanted to say something, but Xiao Bai interrupted her.

Xiao Bai turned her head and looked at Yu Muqiu on the other side of the tank. "But precisely because of that, you should understand how dangerous Demons are."

Since they had both accidentally been drawn into a Magic Barrier and forced to become magical girls, they should understand just how dangerous Demons truly were.

This was not children playing house. In a battle against Demons, one moment of carelessness could really get someone killed.

"What about you, Xiao Bai?" Yu Muqiu turned her head and met Xiao Bai's gaze. "Even if you're right, why do you keep fighting Demons?"

"Didn't I tell you? I've always been alone."

"But even so, there will be people who are sad if you die! At least..." Yu Muqiu stared at Xiao Bai earnestly and said, "At least I'll be sad for you!"]

(Xiao Qiu really is such a good kid.)

(That's exactly why she's the protagonist, isn't it?)

(Xiao Bai doesn't care about her own life, but after meeting Xiao Qiu, she already has a place in Xiao Qiu's heart. If something happened to Xiao Bai, Xiao Qiu would definitely be sad.)

(But hasn't Xiao Qiu only met Xiao Bai a few times?)

(Because Xiao Bai is a magical girl, and in Xiao Qiu's eyes, every magical girl is a companion. That's probably why she said that.)

Setting aside whether Yu Muqiu was truly the protagonist, what she said on the Sky Screen now was indeed moving.

Fang Ming did not care much about his own life.

Having lived a second life was already enough for him. There was really nothing in this world he felt particularly attached to.

He had only continued living until now because a miserable life was better than a good death.

But if he truly encountered something where sacrificing himself could save the world, Fang Ming would not refuse or shrink back.

And after transforming into Xiao Bai, that aspect of his personality had been subtly amplified.

His personality before and after transforming could not be called drastically different, but there were more or less some differences. That was why, after transforming, Fang Ming spoke to Yu Muqiu and the others that way.

But... Yu Muqiu did not see it that way.

Perhaps it was from that moment onward that Fang Ming became a little more tolerant of Yu Muqiu and the other magical girls.

["You sure can say something like that so lightly."

Xiao Bai was not moved by Yu Muqiu's words. Her expression remained cold, as though Yu Muqiu's words had not affected her in the slightest.

She turned around and walked in the direction opposite Yu Muqiu, framed by the blue aquarium tank, saying at the same time:

"You don't need to concern yourself with me. You only need to remember what I said and leave this city as soon as possible. This is my final warning."

"Xiao Bai...!"

Yu Muqiu wanted to stop Xiao Bai, but Xiao Bai continued walking without looking back.

Just as Yu Muqiu was about to chase after her, the two of them suddenly stopped at the same time and looked toward the depths of the aquarium.

An unusual surge of magic swept toward them from not far away. A barrier formed from immense magic was spreading outward from the depths of the aquarium.

In an instant, the Nightmare Barrier had taken shape, enclosing both Xiao Bai and Yu Muqiu within it.

"Such... such an enormous magical reaction!" Nino poked her head out of Yu Muqiu's backpack and said, "This reaction... it's that Demon with four Nightmare Seeds!"

Nino did not need to say it. Having fought the Fish Monster Demon before, Xiao Bai had also identified the source of the magic.

Her eyes narrowed as she coldly said to Yu Muqiu, "Go take shelter. I don't want to see you before I deal with the Fish Monster Demon."

With that, Xiao Bai quickened her pace and continued forward. At the same time, she raised her right hand. A chain-wreathed scythe lit up on the back of her hand, and gray light enveloped her body.

Next was—

Transformation time!]

Fang Ming: "???"

The Evolved Fish Monster Demon

Wait?

Hold on!

HOLD ON!!!

Watching Xiao Bai on the Sky Screen prepare to enter transformation time, Fang Ming nearly sprang out of his chair.

He had thought that since the Sky Screen had not exposed the connection between himself and Xiao Bai, he would avoid the transformation segment. After all, if it had not even revealed his true identity, how could Xiao Bai, who had always appeared in magical girl form, possibly transform?

But Fang Ming had never expected this!

The Sky Screen had been waiting for him right here!!

"I was wrong, I was really wrong. I never should have gone looking for Xiao Qiu. If I hadn't looked for Xiao Qiu, I wouldn't have needed to deliberately transform into Xiao Bai to see her. If I hadn't met her as Xiao Bai, I wouldn't have needed to transform..."

As transformation time began on the Sky Screen, Fang Ming also turned into "Fang Ming's sister-in-law" and kept muttering to himself internally.

But no matter how much Fang Ming cursed the Sky Screen in his heart, it continued faithfully playing his transformation scene.

No, Xiao Bai's transformation scene.

[As the transformation-exclusive BGM began to play, the background sound gained the clinking of countless Chains.

Within a grayish-white space, Chains circled around Xiao Bai, completely enclosing her.

Even the clothes-exploding segment that often appeared during magical girl transformations was not spared. On her glowing body, Chains wrapped around Xiao Bai's key areas. When the Chains shattered, her clothes appeared along with them.

Magical sparks scattered from her waist-length silver hair, and a scythe instantly appeared in Xiao Bai's hands.

Gripping the scythe with both hands, she spun it rapidly. Once the scythe stopped spinning, Xiao Bai had completely transformed into her magical girl form.

Finally, all the Chains surrounding the space shattered. Xiao Bai stood in the very center of the gray space, holding her scythe in one hand and striking a pose.]

Gah! I don't want to watch this!!!

If he had been at home, Fang Ming would probably have covered his eyes.

But unfortunately, he was not. So even though he wanted nothing more than to crawl into a crack in the ground, he could only lean back in his chair with a perfectly normal expression and stare at the Sky Screen as if he were appreciating it.

At this moment, Fang Ming's thoughts were exactly the same as Yu Muqiu's and the others'.

Damn it, transformation was clearly just a flash on the back of the hand and a blink of the eye. It took less than a second!

Why did yours take a full thirty-six seconds!

And why was it two seconds longer than Xiao Qiu's transformation time!!

Production team! You'd better pray this dimensional wall never breaks, or you're dead!