Sword Witch

(Bai Ziye)

"Falcon!"

An unseen attack knocked Falcon off the dam, but at the last moment she threw me onto the dam.

The dam is very high, but she can fly, so she should be fine.

However, this guy's attack methods are unpredictable...

It wasn't that my eyes couldn't keep up; it was that I truly couldn't see her. I couldn't even see what she was doing because her attack method was completely unknown, making it very difficult to defend against. This black-robed magical girl wore a wide hood, and even with the faint moonlight, it was difficult to see her face clearly.

"Are you also a magical girl who forcibly fused with Crystal?" I asked.

"..."

There was no answer; she simply stood there silently, her eyes beneath the hood conveying no emotion, like lifeless, inorganic matter. Her task was to prevent us from entering the control room behind her... Perhaps they were transplanting Star Crystal there; I had to get in as soon as possible.

The entrance to the control room was right behind her; to get in, she had to deal with this formidable enemy who had suddenly appeared, but...

"!"

Almost instinctively, I jumped back, but my shirt was still ripped open, revealing my black underwear underneath.

Her attack methods changed.

She used a blunt weapon to knock Falcon away, but she switched to a deadly blade against me.

The attack is still invisible; what kind of magic is this?

"Time-Freeze!"

Always being on the defensive isn't my style. As long as I speed up and get out of her sight, making it impossible for her to pinpoint my location, she won't be able to retaliate.

I thought it over before acting, but as soon as I passed by her, I felt a sharp pain in my waist and abdomen. I stopped myself in time, avoiding the fate of cutting myself in half, and quickly created some distance between us.

She has placed invisible blades around me; moving at high speed will only bring trouble to myself.

Isn't this invisible weapon too much of a cheat?

Bite--

With no time to catch my breath, I instinctively raised my short sword to parry.

It was a blow aimed directly at the top of my head; if I hadn't caught it, my head would have split open like a watermelon in summer.

She was definitely not someone to talk to; she was clearly trying to kill me! This troublesome attack was still invisible, but thankfully, I could sense the killing intent after the attack accelerated, and I was able to block it like this.

The sound just now was the sound of metal clashing.

Perhaps unseen swords are floating around her?

Ceruno's Bubble Membrane had already been broken, but fortunately, after the Star Crystal evolved, the acceleration rate her body could withstand also increased.

Thirty times the speed.

Since she's surrounded by swords and knives, I'll take a longer route.

Sensing the attack, she dodged the moment she struck me, moving away from the black-robed magical girl and rushing towards the reservoir control room behind her.

Bite--

Are there any near the entrance?

Looking back, she was still standing dozens of meters away, motionless the entire time. Just how far could that invisible blade extend?

"Damn it, your attack range is way too wide!"

The attack frequency increased, and even in my accelerated state, I found it difficult to defend myself, gripping my two short swords to block the streaks of cold light.

These Invisible Blade were hard to approach and difficult to dodge, occasionally cutting small gashes on my body and splashing water all over me... Wait, water?

Is this the physical form of the Invisible Blade?

Is this the power of Artificial Magical Girl forcibly uses the Star Crystal?

She's already stronger than most magical girls! Compared to her, Anjie's Bloodline magic is simply insignificant...

The Morning Star chose me, how could I possibly lose to someone like that!

In an instant, his body shone with light once more.

Could this be... a second transformation?!

The Morning Star Crystal, which had evolved into a six-pointed star and was completely integrated into my body, finally unleashed new potential during this critical moment.

Even their Battle Dress has changed; the short-sleeved shirt has become sleeveless, and they've added a black hooded jacket. The jacket's sleeves are short and wide, but they don't actually hinder their movement.

The sleeved gloves were replaced with fingerless tactical gloves, with stiff lining at the knuckles.

The skirt on the lower body...

No, I don't have time to check if that cloud-like skirt is still there.

The acceleration hadn't stopped, but her attacks didn't cease either.

Since she doesn't intend to let me into the control room, then I'll just have to leave her here!

He blocked the continuous attacks of the Invisible Blade.

That's right, I refuse to admit defeat.

There haven't been any decent opponents for over a year, so I didn't realize it.

He charged straight toward the black-robed magical girl.

During the time A-Yao became Ceruno, he constantly encountered troublesome enemies, and although he was injured...

But these battles also helped me understand myself better.

We're getting closer.

A hint of surprise flickered in his eyes beneath the hood.

Did I never expect someone to break through the Invisible Blade and reach me?

Combine two short swords and form a single, misaligned long sword.

With a flourish, he pulled back, gripped the sword with both hands, and pointed the tip at the black-robed magical girl's chest— Gale Sword Strike.

A strike at thirty times the speed—even if the Invisible Blade could keep up, she herself couldn't, could she?

Bite--

However, it still blocked the way.

But not that invisible blade.

She raised her hand, gripping a pale, seemingly ice-forged longsword in reverse.

He shifted half a body length to the side.

"Finally moved? I thought your legs were just for decoration."

It turns out that those who remain completely still are seriously underestimating people.

"Foolish smugness."

She seemed to say something, but I couldn't hear her because I was in a state of accelerated concentration.

The woman in black robes snorted coldly, her longsword flashing upwards in a sweeping motion, unleashing a massive, tsunami-like sword aura—this wasn't special effects, it was a real tsunami! Did she only remember she was a magical girl at times like this?!

This water jet can't be caught.

But my strengths have never been positive.

He nimbly dodged, his sword blade piercing into the slowing tsunami and dragging along, simultaneously gathering power. The instant the sword tip left the tsunami, he slashed horizontally at the black-robed magical girl with even greater speed.

However, that sword was already blocking my path.

Bite--

A flash of sword light, a sharp clash, and the tsunami-like sword aura exploded behind me, dispersing into a cloud of cold water mist, which also blew open the hood of the black-robed magical girl.

No, she's not a magical girl.

"... Tsk, Betelgeuse again?"

Robot.

Although the design is slightly different, it still has those familiar, pointed elf ears (which may be antennae).

She replied, "A clone is enough to deal with you."

The icy white longsword once again unleashed a spray of water vapor, further obscuring visibility on the dam, but the Invisible Blade followed in quick succession, making it even more difficult for me to parry.

No, that's just a smokescreen.

A sudden sense of danger sent chills down my spine, and I quickly retreated from the area covered by the mist. But then I saw a huge water blade, nearly a hundred meters long, slashing down slowly but with tremendous force—no, actually, it wasn't slow at all.

I'm driving at 30x speed right now.

She basically swung her sword down with a single stroke.

In other words.

This is just her basic attack.