Great Blood: Saiba

(Babaluno)

"The Great Blood".

It's part of the "Great Will" again; will this thing grow into a new system?

The competition for succession is truly fierce.

The professor also said:

"The total amount of darkness in that thing even exceeds that of any known individual. It was left in the Breeding Facility by the 'Great Will' to perform its productive functions. Your entry disrupted its system, causing it to break out of the Breeding Facility."

The dense black mist above the Black Pool, the heart-wrenching howls it let out when it went berserk—these are characteristics that other aggregates do not possess. It's likely that Aldebaran's technology cannot control this thing...

However, it was indeed very stable before.

Even the old man could retrieve a humanoid Base Body from the Black Pool by sheer willpower...

Was the loss of control due to Dad falling? Or was it because Mono ate the "Guardian"?

"How many people are left who can fight?" I asked.

Xiao Yi glanced at the report.

"Sigh, we don't have many people left, only about five or six hundred, but they're all in poor condition. Xiao Wei is still gathering the third batch of magical girls on Earth, but because of the time difference... we might have to wait a while."

Although the time difference is similar, time flows more slowly here than on Earth.

"Whether it's clearing the underground passages or securing the Power Crystal, we need to send out a lot of manpower..."

"The surface is covered with Magic Suppressant, and we need to convert more witches to replenish our troops. However, it's also dangerous for magical girls to operate in the underground tunnels, as the Magic Suppressant are difficult to dissipate once they're ingested."

Mono, with its frenzied Black Pool, circled the Central District, effectively forming a moat. The Monster and witches were helpless against this rapidly rolling aggregate, thus reducing the pressure on the surface.

Can my bubble withstand the enemy's remaining firepower?

"I'll hold the surface defenses; the rest of you go to the underground tunnels to secure the Engine Department and the Power Crystal."

Sirius also asked, "Ceruno- chan, are you alright going to be alone?"

"No problem, SpiCa is still at command post. The enemies she transformed can come to the surface to help defend, Mono, with 'Great Blood,' can also share the pressure. Now is a good time to act. We need to leave as soon as possible, or we'll really miss our chance."

Would the Supreme Council dare to use a weapon of mass destruction like the "Annihilation Bomb" against the "Great Blood"?

Obviously, they wouldn't dare, so they should run away now.

"Okay, Metal, open the passage."

SpiCa didn't mince words and had Metal open the metal wall blocking the passage.

Sirius also began allocating manpower to reclaim the Engine Department and the Power Crystal.

"Then I'll go up," I said.

"Be very careful, those cannons are extremely powerful."

The magical girls mostly retreated into the underground passage.

Only the witch defenses, immune to the Magic Suppressant, remain.

Quanyin- nee's magic might harm friendly units in the enclosed underground (potentially causing deafness), so she stayed above ground to provide support.

The Central District of City School was originally higher than other areas, but now not only have the buildings been razed to the ground, but even the altitude has been forcibly reduced by blasting.

"What about Phoenix?" I asked.

If Ms. Phoenix, who was in charge of air defense, were still alive, the bombing wouldn't have been so devastating.

In response, Quanyin- nee replied:

"Her? She was too obvious a target. She was ambushed by the enemy and is still lying down there."

After all, floating at the highest point, with its Battle Dress featuring numerous glowing effects, it would be strange if it didn't attract attention...

"That's understandable, it's good that you're still alive."

He raised the Trident, estimated the remaining magic power, and created a bubble shield that enveloped the entire Central District.

Under Barbara's magic, the surface of the bubble shimmered with a greenish luster.

I began to put down roots.

The roots, rich in life-giving energy, spread and grow from my feet, drawing nutrients from the soil and cracks in the rocks, and using them to replenish the magic I have consumed.

This little bit of magic is a drop in the ocean, but it's better than nothing.

Even the Mono, beyond the bubbles, seemed to share a tacit understanding.

She circled the protective shield with "Great Blood" and used it to clear out enemy troops. The Monster and witches approaching the City School were thrown into chaos and could not get close. However, I still had to face the enemy's long-range firepower, which was long-range artillery fired from outside the Betelgeuse's Great Crater.

No one can deal with this thing yet.

A barrage of Black Crystal traced a parabolic trajectory at low altitude, accurately striking the protective shield. The pitch-black explosions obscured visibility, and even the ground beneath their feet trembled. Under the successive explosions, even the shield's luster dimmed.

My already meager magic power is now even more insufficient.

"Not easy to deal with."

Quanyin- nee saw it all, but there was nothing she could do.

"Sigh, if only someone could take down that artillery outpost."

If Phoenix were still mobile, her mobility might allow her to fly out and unleash a barrage of Fire Phosphor bombardment on that position, but for now, she can only passively take hits...

"How about you lower the quality even further, and I'll try flying over it?"

She remained as reckless as ever.

"How could that be? Even if you could fly that far, you'd land inside the enemy's encirclement. Without Miluno's mobility and lethality, doing that would be tantamount to suicide and wouldn't serve any purpose..."

Before I could finish speaking, she interrupted me again.

"Can you hold out like this until Sirius and the others take back the Engine Department?"

I really have no idea.

"... Or, would you like to provide me with magic?"

"OK!"

She agreed readily, and Quanyin- nee immediately pulled me into her arms. A continuous stream of magic flowed into my body from the point of contact, replenishing my depleted magic reserves.

But soon, a second round of shelling came from the perimeter.

The protective shield became more unstable, and at its weakest point, even the light disappeared, and the magic reserves dropped to a dangerous level again.

"No, we can't hold on like this!"

Now that the wormhole has been opened...

Miss Terra, can't you lend a hand?

"Oh? You want to borrow my power again?"

As if in response to my call, the long-lost voice of Miss Terra appeared in my mind.

"However, in that world of yours, there is truly nothing I can do to help, unless..."

"Unless?"

"No, let's forget about it."

They've kept us in suspense, and they're just going to let it go like that?

"Please stop keeping me in suspense."

"Wouldn't that make me taking advantage of someone in distress? Sirius is right, I just want you to become a part of me, but I also know that it's not right to do so. Only an independent individual can be called a 'person'."

With the third round of shelling about to hit us, I anxiously pressed for an answer:

I'll decide for myself whether or not to do it! Just tell me what you want me to do!

"My blessing cannot reach you simply because this tiny Crystal cannot accept power from afar... Therefore, how about transforming yourself into Crystal, increasing your power to receive mine?"

"To transform oneself into Crystal?"

"That's right, but the price is also predictable... Your adaptability will increase at an extremely rapid pace."

Use only once...

Shouldn't be a problem?