Welcome Back

With the ability to "separate" activated and the white mist dispelled, the battle situation took an unexpected turn.

The most obvious change is that the Larkspur has shifted from a defensive to an offensive position. However, this "offense" is not a simple physical attack, but rather an intelligence-based offensive.

Having the ability to separate means that as long as Yuan knows and understands a certain ability of hers, that ability will be instantly removed from the battle.

Keeping a close eye on the kite's movements, the Larkspur changed the form of its Masterpiece to counterattack while constantly observing its every move, searching its mind for the next target to unleash its power.

She knew exactly what she needed to do and what her real goal was. It was impossible to severely injure or even kill her opponent in such a short time; the only thing she could do was weaken Yuan's abilities.

While the normal process of "Weave Destiny" cannot permanently strip the other party of their abilities, as long as "separation" is successfully achieved, the other party will be unable to use it again, at least for a short period of time.

She used her Weave Destiny ability the first time to separate the opponent's energy. If she can also cut away a key concept the second time, then Yuan's combat power will be greatly weakened. At that time, Hong Siyu can then defeat the opponent.

Given Hong Siyu's fighting style, what would be the biggest obstacle to defeating Yuan?

The Larkspur began to think about this.

One of the obstacles is undoubtedly the separated Qi. The opponent has greatly weakened the destructive power of Hong Siyu and the Spell Formula by relying on their own Qi, which is undoubtedly a troublesome ability.

Another obstacle seems to be the ink-like Magic Armament in his hands.

The kite calls this Magic Armament "Hundred Weapons). Judging from its use and performance, the Magic Armament's abilities are transformation and extremely strong penetrability.

Whether it was Magic Barrier created by Spell Formula or even Masterpiece made by Larkspur himself, once it came into contact with Tobi's Magic Armament, it seemed to lose its magical properties and was cut apart by Hundred Weapons using physical means.

Although the true power of this Magic Armament is unclear, judging from its appearance alone, it is already a significant threat to Hong Siyu.

Because Hong Siyu clearly doesn't possess close-combat abilities like herself, as a magical girl whose style is jokingly referred to as "turret," her combat relies on Spell Formula and Magic Armament to suppress enemies from a distance. Precisely because of this, if Yuan chooses to transform her Magic Armament into a ranged weapon and engage Hong Siyu in a long-range tug-of-war, Hong Siyu, lacking defensive means, might become a target.

Thinking about it this way, if the opponent's only ranged attack method were also eliminated, the subsequent battle would definitely lead to a situation favorable to Hong Siyu.

However, while the idea was appealing, the reality was disappointing: the Larkspur could not directly separate the opponent's "Magic Armament".

Because the essence of Magic Armament is actually the True Form of a magical girl, separating Magic Armament means directly stripping away a part of the other's True Form. Just hearing the concept of "True Form" makes it clear that it's not something I can handle in my current state.

The stronger the concept that is separated, the more magic is consumed and the more magic is used to maintain that state. Even for Larkspur at his peak, it is extremely difficult to separate a part of a Flower Card's True Form with a single strike.

Therefore, in order to eliminate the opponent's Magic Armament, the concept she needs to cut away must not be "Magic Armament," but something else entirely.

So, what exactly is this thing?

With this in mind, the Larkspur's attacks became much more aggressive. She began to abandon some of her defenses and even started to deliberately take some injuries in order to force the Kite to make some riskier responses.

This was not only because she didn't have much time left, but also because she wanted to force the other party to reveal more of their abilities.

This line of thinking was naturally imperceptible to Hong Siyu and Semi, who were watching from the sidelines. From their perspective, the battle had undoubtedly begun to shift, with Larkspur suppressing Yuan. The dispelling of the white mist directly caused Yuan's fighting style to change. Although her movements were still swift and skillful, they had clearly become much more awkward.

The white mist formed by "qi" and cut off by the Larkspur was a natural defense against magic. In past battles, this defense had been invincible against both humans and Aberrant Beast. It was precisely because of this that the kite had become accustomed to abandoning defense against magic attacks in close-quarters combat.

While this doesn't mean she's lost her normal ability to fight magic, the sudden change in her fighting style has indeed had a certain impact on her. It is precisely because of this that Larkspur had the opportunity to attack.

The resurrected Magic Armament has little time left, and if Larkspur wants to achieve victory in the remaining time, he must take more aggressive measures.

Unable to use her defensive abilities, the Larkspur abandoned her defenses in order to gain merit in battle. From then on, the battle became extremely dangerous, with small wounds constantly appearing on both of them, but they paid no attention to them.

The Magic Armament has only one minute of its duration remaining.

Both the Larkspur and the kite were completely too exhausted to speak, their attention focused intently on each other's movements, ready to react as quickly as possible.

The scissors in her hand were gradually becoming ethereal, their once solid outline blurred, but the battle between the two remained at a stalemate. Even though the Larkspur had gradually suppressed her opponent's offensive, she still couldn't find an opportunity to deliver a decisive blow.

But she did not become anxious because of this; on the contrary, the more anxious the situation became, the calmer she became.

The Weave Destiny in her hand was barely able to maintain its form, and it was probably not far from dissipating, but the Larkspur still couldn't see any opportunity that could decide the outcome.

If Larkspur knew the exact abilities of the opponent's Magic Armament, then she might have been able to directly tamper with "Hundred Weapons." Unfortunately, Yuan was only warlike, which did not mean she was a fool. After her own energy was separated, she never mentioned anything about her abilities.

Clearly, she knew that Larkspur's Magic Armament had a time limit; once the five-minute time limit expired, the enemy in front of her would no longer pose a threat. Therefore, rather than anxiously trying to end the battle, Iris was now more focused on enjoying it.

The time limit for reproduction is only half a minute.

The pace of the weapon clashes quickened, and the Larkspur began to apply even more pressure, trying to find a weakness in her opponent. However, although the kite was already on the defensive, she remained vigilant and determined, preferring to suffer more minor injuries rather than reveal any other information.

If the nature of their battle hadn't changed, probably no one would know that they weren't fighting to the death, but rather waging a unique intelligence war.

With the battle entering its final twenty seconds, the kite even adopted a tortoise-shell-like defensive strategy, focusing solely on avoiding any mistakes and completely abandoning any offensive maneuvers.

"Is this how you win head-on?" Larkspur had to speak again, trying to provoke him with words, "By stalling for time to achieve victory?"

"There are military strategies and tactics for warfare."

Amidst the fierce attacks, Yuan slightly curled the corners of her lips. "Endurance is also an indispensable part of a duel, and there's nothing shameful about surpassing your opponent in endurance."

"Sophistry," Larkspur said expressionlessly, pointing out the essence of the other person's words.

"The truth is, as long as I have a clear conscience when I win, that's enough."

Yuan smiled nonchalantly, "No matter how nicely you say it, victory is the most important thing. When there's a chance to win, even if it's a humiliating victory, you have to seize the opportunity!"

After saying that, she continued to adopt a defensive stance, seemingly determined to drag things out until the very end.

With only ten seconds left, Larkspur abandoned all off-court tactics and launched a final desperate attack, giving it his all.

Swords, daggers, gauntlets—she continuously used different forms of Magic Armament, gradually closing the distance between them until finally, they could clearly see each other's eyes.

The kite's double pupils are like a blazing fire, burning with confidence; the Larkspur's eyes are like a calm lake, containing the unknown.

With only five seconds left, she untied the Masterpiece of silk threads in her hands, weaving it into a form never before seen before, under the joint gaze of the two: a scythe extending from behind the kite.

"Masterpiece, number five, Harvest Halpa."

By utilizing the deformable properties of the silk thread itself and bypassing the laws of human movement, the Larkspur used this technique to deliver the blade of the sickle to the kite's neck, almost slicing it off by a hair's breadth.

At this distance, she only needs to slightly pull back her scythe to complete the attack and take its head.

This was the first and last time she killed her opponent in this close-quarters combat.

She didn't expect to actually kill her opponent with such an attack, but only by applying such immense pressure could she possibly see the true Magic Armament abilities of the kite.

In the final five seconds before the Magic Armament reappeared, Larkspur hooked the scythe in her hand.

Under her gaze, Iris's expression shifted from astonishment and confusion to relief and acceptance. Then, as if admitting defeat, she raised the ink-like metal in her hand and infused it with magic.

"Hundred Weapons."

At her cry, the scythe in the Larkspur's hand became incredibly solid in that instant, cutting into the kite's neck but unable to go any further. It was as if it had touched something far harder than the blade, and the scythe simply sliced through to the side.

This attack, which could have been fatal, was easily blocked with a shout from the kite.

It seemed like she had won the game, but both of them knew that from that moment on, Yuan had already lost the intelligence war.

Because she revealed her Magic Armament abilities.

The Larkspur's Masterpiece, the scythe, also originated from her own Magic Armament. Through her personal weaving and refinement, it was endowed with destructive power far exceeding that of ordinary Spell Formula. Theoretically, as long as the attack is effective, there is nothing that cannot be cut through.

To neutralize this attack, a stronger counter-magic force is needed to disperse the scythe's blade at the magical level, thus resolving the attack.

However, under such intense pressure to make a decision, it was clear that Yuan did not resort to Mana Release, which she was not good at, but rather to the Magic Armament ability that she was most familiar with.

The effect of this ability was as if the scythe in the Larkspur's hand had turned into ordinary iron, losing all the magical properties it possessed the moment it struck the kite.

Only when ordinary iron cuts into a magical creation will this happen, as if it has touched something hard and smooth, and is blocked without causing any damage.

Therefore, it is not difficult to guess what Yuan did.

In the final two seconds of the Magic Armament's reappearance, Larkspur raised the scissors in her hand and completed the cutting motion in one second, announcing her understanding of Kite's abilities in the last instant.

--"De-magical, physical."

To ensure the accuracy of the declaration, she described the ability from both positive and negative perspectives. Then, she felt a massive outflow of magic power emanating from the dissipating scissors, which also drained almost half of her own magic power.

Click.

With a light, crisp sound, the scissors in the Larkspur's hand and the ink-like metal in the kite's hand shattered together.

The scissors, having reached their reproduction time limit, completed their mission at the last moment.

Hong Siyu and continuously reproduce the things in his memory. After each reproduction, the record of the thing in "Hundred Records of the Billion Seas" will be completely consumed and will need to be replenished over a long period of time.

For magical Spell Formula, Hong Siyu can make up for this shortcoming by recording a large number of identical Spell Formula, but for Magic Armament, which is unique and distinctive, this method is obviously not universal enough.

This also means that the outcome of this battle is already decided. Larkspur successfully declares the opponent's Magic Armament abilities, victory is almost guaranteed; if the declaration fails, it means that neither of them has lost their chance of winning.

As for the result, it was already clear when I saw the Magic Armament in Yuan's hands—she had succeeded.

The Magic Armament, which had originally appeared as a mass of liquid metal, had now lost its metallic luster and turned into a completely black, ink-like mass of magic.

This means that, regardless of which aspect of Larkspur's declaration is correct, she has at least successfully separated the power of the Kite Magic Armament: from now on, no matter how the Magic Armament changes form, it is only changing the shape of the magic power, and it no longer has the terrifying penetrating and destructive power it once had.

Even if the opponent has other means to further unleash the Magic Armament's abilities, the disappearance of this concept is irreparable. And once the concept of the Magic Armament's core ability is removed, it's hard to say how much effect it will have, no matter how much it is strengthened.

As for how long this state will last—at least judging from the remaining magic power consumed by Larkspur, it shouldn't be a problem to maintain it for several more hours.

A few hours was more than enough time for Hong Siyu resolve the battle.

The two stared at each other silently, neither speaking for a moment. Larkspur's expression was calm, but her slightly trembling fingers proved that she was not without pressure; Yuan, although her Magic Armament abilities had been separated, showed more satisfaction after a fierce battle than frustration at her defeat.

"I lost." She spread her hands with a smile. "You're right, my Magic Armament ability is 'physicalization.' It's also the core ability of my Magic Armament. Without it, it's difficult for me to defeat that junior in my current state."

"The 'current state' refers to the state without using the Wonderland or further abilities, right?"

Larkspur slowly exhaled. "So, you were actually holding back."

"I've said it before, I don't want to use my own Wonderland."

Yuan shook her head. "My Wonderland, although it has extremely strong restrictive Rule on everyone within its range, actually has an overwhelming advantage over myself. Activating the Wonderland and using its Rule makes victory utterly unpleasant. I said I don't want to use it, and that means I won't. As for anything further, there's no need to discuss it further. I hate battles where the strong bully the weak."

You seem quite confident in your other abilities as well.

Larkspur raised an eyebrow. "Rather, I've never met anyone who views 'using all their strength' as 'bullying the weak.'"

"The full power of a martial arts practitioner is different from the full power of a magical girl."

With her hands on her hips, Yuan said, "A game without Rule is no fun, a battle without enemies is meaningless. Enjoy every valuable battle in life, and respect every opponent who brings me joy within the Rule. This is my life motto."

"This kind of belief will only lead me back to get scolded by the chief along with you!"

Seeing that the two were almost showing mutual respect, Semi, standing to the side, shouted in utter exasperation, "Hurry up and unleash the Wonderland! We're not here to play house; the Beast Source is a very important thing!"

"Shut up, Semi, don't say such jarring things while I'm enjoying the afterglow of the war."

The kite gave it a disgruntled look. "I finally got to enjoy a satisfying battle, and I don't want to keep thinking about all those troublesome things the leader assigned me."

So you're just going back like this?

The other party's easygoing attitude made Larkspur feel somewhat unreal, and she couldn't help but ask to confirm, "You haven't used all your abilities yet?"

"A loss is a loss, and I don't like making excuses."

Yuan waved her hand. "However, I didn't say I was going back like this, okay?"

"What?" Larkspur and Semi, who was standing next to him, both exclaimed in confusion.

"Come on, I finally emerged from my arduous training and returned to a human city. I also want to enjoy modern life."

Yuan glanced at the human and Fairy who had spoken. "I only arrived in Fangting City this morning, and you want me to go back to the Wasteland this afternoon? This isn't how you train! I want to have some fun here for a few days!"

"As for the battle, it won't be just this one."

She crossed her arms and tucked them into the wide sleeves of her Daoist robe. "It's rare to find such a good opponent. I'll definitely spar with you a few more times. Don't mind me bothering you then, okay?"

"... You mean, this doesn't count, we'll compete again next time." The Larkspur hesitated slightly, analyzing the meaning behind the other person's words. "What if I lose next time?"

"Then I'll kidnap you and the Beast Source together."

Iris laughed heartily, "I'm really interested in you now, and I'm even more looking forward to seeing how strong you are after you recover from your injuries. If you could join Claw Mark, we'd definitely have a lot in common."

"Winning a lot doesn't count, but losing just once is a true loss..."

Larkspur sighed helplessly, "I remember you just said something like 'I won't bully the weak'."

"Hmph, in the end, all principles will be based on my preferences and mood."

Yuan straightened her tattered Daoist robe, rolled up her sleeves, and lifted the hem. "If you want me to give up completely, then defeat me when I'm truly giving it my all. At that point, I'll admit my mission failed and obediently leave."

After saying this, she reached out and grabbed Semi, who still seemed dissatisfied, and waved to the slightly tired Larkspur: "Let's go. Next time, I'll go directly to the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau to have someone contact you."

After saying this, dark magic enveloped her figure, and the two figures, one human and one Fairy, vanished from before Larkspur and Hong Siyu's sight as a blur.

The two magical girls were left standing there, staring at the empty sky, lost in thought.

Larkspur pondered the words Yuan had spoken before leaving, and ultimately had to admit that neither she nor Fangting City had the power to drive away this uninvited guest. It seemed she had to accept the existence of such an "enemy" here.

Fortunately, the other party doesn't seem to be the type like Moss who would take out on ordinary people at the slightest disagreement. They said they just wanted to have some fun here, and they probably really just meant to have some fun—if they don't try to dine and dash.

Having figured all this out, she couldn't help but sigh helplessly, turning back to face Hong Siyu, wanting to ask about the specific situation on this side again.

However, as soon as she turned around, she was greeted with a hug.

"I'm back, senpai."

Hong Siyu and hugged Larkspur, pressing her chin against Larkspur's forehead. Even when Larkspur wanted to look up, she refused to look down, trying to hide the slight flush on her face that came from making this gesture.

Feeling this somewhat long-awaited embrace, Larkspur opened her mouth slightly, but the question she had originally intended to ask was instantly replaced by another sentence, leaving only a simple response:

"Ah, welcome back."

It wasn't just Hong Siyu returned; the magical girl who had once retired but has now returned to this world once again also came back.

Updates will resume normally from now on.