Chapter 32

(Sun Yao)

"I originally went to the Hawaii Branch because of the theft of the Simulacrum Factor, but I heard we were having a barbecue here, so I stopped by to check it out. I'll take a boat over Past a bit."

Ms. Yin Wei explained the purpose of Ms. SpiCa's visit.

"She's quite free sometimes, isn't she?"

Surprisingly, I thought she was too busy to eat or sleep, but she still had the energy to attend the barbecue party.

Miss Yin Wei denied it, saying, "No, she is indeed quite busy. She came here mostly because of you. I think she has some thoughts to share with you regarding the conclusions of the experiment and the reason you are being targeted."

Is there a reason why I'm being targeted?

This kind of thing can be solved with a phone call; why make a special trip...?

Buzz--

The humming sound from the wormhole grew louder; Miss SpiCa had arrived.

A magical girl, her entire body wrapped in silk scarves, landed. Her long, straight black hair cascaded down her back, and her bare feet gently touched the soft sand. At first glance, she resembled a female mummy, but closer inspection revealed that certain parts tightly bound by the ribbons were quite voluptuous, so she was...

A female mummy with a pungent, astringent scent?

Magical Virgo, also known as Miss SpiCa, Tactical Division of the Magical Girl Association.

She glanced at Sirius as soon as she arrived, but he crossed his arms and turned his head away, seemingly ignoring her.

"Sirius..."

Virgo sighed.

The relationship between these two seems to be really bad.

"Ceruno."

"SpiCa... Oh, Miss Virgo, good afternoon!"

She smiled wryly and said, "Is that how you're supposed to call me?"

"Should the name you use as a magical girl be separate from your real name?"

"I received a report that UI-31 has appeared on the island. How come you guys are still having a barbecue here?"

"Hey, Werewolf?!"

I was surprised by what Miss Virgo said. Did that Werewolf really come to the island?

Sure enough, the figure I just saw was...

Miss Sirius then walked over.

"No, the girl in charge of monitoring just made a mistake. We haven't found any trace of the Werewolf yet. I'm really sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing."

"... Is that so?"

Miss Virgo raised an eyebrow suspiciously, then turned around, pulled down the silk scarf covering her mouth, revealing half of her excessively pale face.

"Ceruno, judging from the results of the experiment just now, your magic can effectively intercept External Invader traveling at high speed through wormholes. No other magical girl can do this. In other words, you are unique among the more than 14,000 magical girls in the world. Therefore, I have reason to believe that this is the reason why 'the Other Side' is targeting you."

Actually, I've considered that possibility too.

But I can't block all the wormholes in the world, so my influence on the invasion plans of "the Other Side" is always limited. It's hard to believe that they're targeting me for that reason.

"Although magic cannot be used inside wormholes, the Association has developed materials that can pass through them, right? Otherwise, there wouldn't be that drone worth millions, or that dummy with the strength of Monster."

Hearing me say that, the Virgo lady blinked.

Perhaps because she has become a magical "girl," she appears more lively than before, but that's about it; overall, she still retains her dull personality.

She said, "Go on."

"In that case, why not use materials that won't be destroyed by wormholes to build the defenses?"

"Theoretically, it's feasible. External Invader falling at high speed would be severely injured, if not killed, upon hitting a defense line of equal strength. However, due to the uncertainty of wormholes, it's difficult to implement. We can't possibly prepare those expensive composite materials in every corner of the city. After all, for 'the Other Side,' Monster are expendable resources, and we need to consider the cost."

"Then I can't travel all over the world, can I?"

"You don't need to travel all over the world."

Virgo grabbed my hand.

"Ceruno, your magic allows other magical girls to bypass the pressure inside wormholes, ensuring their safe passage through. It can also transport various important supplies. Your role is irreplaceable, so I sincerely invite you to join my team."

"Hey! Hey!"

Before I could even agree, Miss Miluno rushed over from the side, grabbed my wrist from Virgo's hand, and shielded me behind her.

Like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

Although I felt Miss Miluno was overreacting, being protected like this still made my heart race.

"SpiCa, why are you trying to recruit Ceruno again?"

Virgo sighed and replied, "Miss Miluno, regarding the request you had Yin Wei convey, I've considered several options to ensure you don't have to worry about revealing your identity while carrying out your mission."

Miluno pressed, "Don't change the subject. What does this have to do with Ceruno?"

"She is very important to me. Her magic can allow any object to pass through a wormhole and can directly intercept External Invader pass through the wormhole. Moreover, she is being watched by 'the Other Side,' and her safety can be guaranteed at headquarters."

"Huh? Miss Virgo wants me to go to headquarters?"

"Ceruno, you still don't understand your own value... If you don't want to go to headquarters, I can move the entire team to Skyreach City."

Value.

I can understand her reasoning.

One of the characteristics of wormholes is that they exert high pressure on objects passing through them from all directions. Even if you put an apple in a completely sealed safe and drop it in, the apple will come out distorted and unrecognizable as an apple, and even the sturdy safe will be the same.

The damage caused by wormholes to objects does not depend on the object's inherent strength; different objects experience different levels of pressure.

But my magic bubbles can make any object withstand the pressure of a wormhole. Just think of that fake drone worth millions, and you'll understand the potential value of my magic.

Joining Virgo's plan

"So, we don't need to fill the wormhole with bubbles to intercept those Monsters?"

"Not necessary, or rather, absolutely not."

Virgo shook her head firmly.

"To save each witch, we must verify the identity of each intruder."

It would be terrible if a witch ran into the defensive line.

Including the Shark Princess Witch, eight witches have been confirmed so far, leaving twenty-two remaining. There's a high probability that "the Other Side" will send high-level combat forces to deal with me, so the chances of me encountering witches are also higher.

"I see."

I thought for a moment and then said, "Miss Virgo, personally, I'm really happy to be able to help you."

Upon hearing this, Virgo showed obvious delight.

Sirius and Miluno, however, seemed somewhat dissatisfied.

"But before I agree, I want to know... whether my father, as the chairman of the Association, knew about and approved of your plan for a second counterattack?"

The joy on Virgo's face faded.

It seems that the answer to this question has already been found.