I Have Nothing Left to Fear

Kazamino City, a prosperous metropolis near Mitakihara City.

On the train, Lin Xiao leaned back with his eyes closed, resting. Homura Akemi sat beside him, studying this unfathomably powerful "group leader" with a heart full of questions.

"Mr. Lin Xiao." Homura finally could not hold back any longer. "With your power, you could clearly crush Kyubey's conspiracy through direct physical means. Why are we deliberately avoiding battle now?"

Hearing Homura's question, Lin Xiao did not open his eyes. A gentle smile merely curled across his lips.

"Homura, do you know? I may have the power to shatter a barrier with one kick, but... Kyubey's species has taken root in this universe for far too long. They have turned this planet into their 'farm.' What I want is not merely to save people. I want to drive those parasites completely off this planet."

"So before that, I need some time to have a talk with this world's 'owner.'"

"This world's owner?" Homura froze.

Lin Xiao offered no further explanation, because he had finally connected.

Within his spiritual sea.

Lin Xiao stood in boundless darkness, his entire body radiating pure crimson-silver light. He could sense that this planet's will was exceptionally weak. It was wailing, suffering for those lives that constantly emanated curses of despair.

Lin Xiao slowly extended a hand and pressed his palm against the void.

"Earth, can you hear my voice?"

"I come from another universe, just an ordinary person who happened to gain the light. I am absolutely not a suitable representative... I even have many flaws."

"But I want to save the girls on this planet. I do not want to see them become monsters in despair."

As Lin Xiao called out.

The darkness in his spiritual sea suddenly rippled with warm azure waves.

Those ripples seemed to carry a mother's tolerance, gently brushing over Lin Xiao's consciousness. Then, at that very moment, the Earth of the Puella Magi Madoka Magica universe opened every last permission to this Light Giant from another universe!

Feeling the earth's response, Lin Xiao slowly opened his eyes. An exceptionally dazzling crimson gleam flashed through his deep black pupils.

"The internet connection is finally up."

Ten minutes later, in an alley behind a shopping street in Kazamino City.

A girl with long red hair tied in a high ponytail crouched atop a wall like a wary wildcat, a biscuit clenched between her teeth.

Kyoko Sakura.

She looked down at the uniformed young man and Homura beside him, then gave an exceedingly arrogant snort.

"What, you came to my turf to steal my Grief Seeds?"

Light flashed in Kyoko's hand, and an exceptionally sharp red spear materialized instantly. "Don't think bringing some adult I don't recognize as backup means you get to throw your weight around here. Piss me off, and I'll kill him too."

Faced with Kyoko's violently aggressive threat.

Homura was just about to summon her round shield when Lin Xiao raised a hand to stop her.

Lin Xiao looked up at Kyoko on the wall. Rather than getting angry, he smiled and pulled a gold bar from his pocket—Batman-sponsored edition.

"Kyoko Sakura, right? No need to get so worked up."

Lin Xiao pointed at the most upscale French restaurant outside the shopping street, as well as an imported snack supermarket beside it. "If you fight me, there is nothing in it for you, and you definitely cannot beat me. But if you are willing to come down and listen to a story..."

"I'll cover a lifetime free VIP membership at that French restaurant, along with everything in that supermarket."

"..."

Upon hearing that, the biscuit in Kyoko Sakura's mouth dropped to the ground with a clatter.

As an impoverished magical girl who had dropped out early and wandered the streets, normally filling her stomach by stealing apples and scavenging expired food from convenience stores, Kyoko had never heard such an outrageously heavenly offer in her life!

"You... are you screwing with me?!" Kyoko swallowed, but her red spear was extremely honest as it retracted.

"Lord Lin Xiao is very rich. Even I cannot fathom the extent of his wealth," Homura added at precisely the right moment.

In the Batcave, Batman sneezed.

"Caught a cold?"

Five minutes later.

Inside a private room at the most upscale restaurant on that shopping street.

Kyoko Sakura ate like a starving ghost reborn, holding a tomahawk steak in her left hand and gnawing on a premium mousse cake with her right. As she ate, she listened in utter shock to Lin Xiao's explanation of "Kyubey's conspiracy," "the scam that Soul Gems were materialized souls," and "the inevitability that magical girls would become Witches."

Smack!

The fork slipped from Kyoko's hand and struck the table. Her face was full of disbelief. "Y-you're saying that we magical girls... are essentially zombies who had their souls removed?! And once we fall into despair, we'll become the Witches we've always hunted?!"

"How is that possible... That white thing clearly said..."

"It never lies. It merely conceals the most essential price."

Looking at Lin Xiao's domineering, unquestionable gaze, then at the mountain of premium food piled across the table.

Kyoko Sakura wiped the grease from the corner of her mouth and slapped the table with bold enthusiasm. "Fine! Since you're paying for my food, and that bastard Kyubey dared to screw me over like this, I'm joining you!"

Just as Lin Xiao successfully recruited Kyoko Sakura and received authorization from this planet's will.

Mitakihara City.

In front of an abandoned hospital.

"...Madoka, Sayaka, stay close. Today, I'll show you what a magical girl's real battle looks like."

Mami Tomoe smiled with immense confidence as she led the two girls, their eyes filled with admiration, into the depths of the barrier.

Along the way, Mami flamboyantly summoned countless flintlock muskets and blasted those lowly Witch Familiars into pieces. Every shot left behind the image of a towering hero in Madoka and Sayaka's hearts.

"Mami, you're amazing! You're just like a messenger of justice!" Madoka's eyes sparkled with little stars.

Hearing her juniors' praise.

Mami stopped and turned around.

Within this dark, eerie Witch barrier, the senior who was usually so mature and strong now had an exceptionally fragile yet happy sheen of tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, Madoka, Sayaka."

Mami gently held the Soul Gem against her chest, a breathtaking smile blooming across her face.

"Actually... I've always been afraid. Facing death alone every day, with no one to confide in, no one who would remember me."

"But now... I have you by my side. If you truly are willing to fight with me, then I..."

Mami raised her head and smiled with confidence and cheerfulness.

"I... have nothing left to fear! Because I'm no longer alone!"

An absolutely terrifying death flag was raised sky-high at that very moment!

And in the enormous chamber deep within the barrier, a broken doll-like monster slowly emerged.