Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Having Children”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yezi returns home with Ceruno and Goldie/Doggy, finding the family atmosphere unusually tense.
• Yezi discovers that her mother and Aunt Yuehan had been discussing what surnames Ceruno and Yezi’s future children should have, implying that both families already view their relationship as serious and permanent.
• Yezi confirms that the Star Crystal has almost completely transformed her from a boy into a girl. Her mother reacts with surprise but ultimately accepts the change easily.
• Yezi’s father reveals that he had always wanted a daughter, humorously suggesting that Yezi’s transformation fulfilled his wish.
• Ceruno gives Yezi’s parents expensive leather shoes, strengthening the sense that she is already considered part of the family.
• Yezi gives Aunt Yuehan a crescent-moon pendant with a diamond. Yuehan is visibly delighted, and Yezi puts it around her neck herself.
• Yezi’s mother gives the couple serious relationship advice, emphasizing mutual acceptance, emotional balance, and relying on one another rather than allowing only one person to protect or sacrifice for the other.
• The family gathering then shifts into a mission briefing. Yezi’s mother reveals that Sun Ji left numerous hidden, independent contact lines within the Association, making them difficult for the Prosecutorate to investigate.
• She also reveals that there is a mole at City School and assigns Yezi and Ceruno to uncover their identity.

Character Developments

• Yezi: Continues adjusting to life as a girl and to her changed role within the family and relationship. She begins embracing the responsibility of being Ceruno’s partner, especially by taking on the traditionally “boyfriend-like” role of giving meaningful jewelry and promising to protect Ceruno.
• Ceruno: Shows greater confidence and warmth within Yezi’s family. Her gift-giving and willingness to participate in the family dynamic demonstrate her commitment to Yezi and her desire to be accepted as part of the household.
• Yezi’s parents: Quickly accept Yezi’s transformation, with her father even expressing happiness that he now has the daughter he always wanted. Their reactions provide Yezi with reassurance and emotional support.
• Aunt Yuehan: Treats Yezi and Ceruno as a future married couple and is openly affectionate toward both of them. Her excitement over the pendant reveals her youthful, playful personality despite her position as Ceruno’s mother.
• Yezi’s mother: Moves from playful family interaction to a mature, parental discussion about maintaining a healthy relationship. She also acts as the couple’s connection to the larger political and investigative conflict.
• Goldie/Doggy: Remains detached from the family drama, preferring to sunbathe, though it briefly comments on Yuehan’s likely happiness over any gift.

Significant Themes

• Family acceptance: Yezi’s transformation is treated with surprising warmth, showing that familial love is not dependent on gender or appearance.
• Love and commitment: The families’ discussion of surnames, gifts, and future children reflects how seriously Yezi and Ceruno’s relationship is viewed.
• Mutual protection: Yezi’s mother challenges the idea that Yezi must always be Ceruno’s protector, stressing that a healthy relationship requires both partners to support and protect each other.
• Changing identity and roles: Yezi is still navigating her transformation while redefining her place within her family and romance.
• Domestic warmth contrasted with hidden danger: The chapter begins as a lighthearted family reunion but ends with the revelation of a dangerous conspiracy involving the Association and City School.

Character Interactions

• Yezi’s reunion with her parents exposes their acceptance of her transformation and creates humorous tension over family expectations.
• Ceruno bonds with Yezi’s parents through thoughtful gifts, while Yezi bonds with Yuehan by giving her the pendant.
• Yuehan and Yezi’s mother behave affectionately and teasingly, treating Ceruno and Yezi as an established couple.
• Yezi’s mother physically brings Yezi and Ceruno together while advising them to share responsibility and support each other.
• The affectionate family atmosphere is abruptly replaced by a serious strategic discussion when Yezi’s mother recruits the couple to investigate the mole at City School.

Chapter Summary: “Ghost-Catching Scheme”

Plot Points and Events

• The Prosecutorate asks Bai Ziye and Ceruno to uncover an informant hidden among the more than four hundred magical girls at City School. The informant is connected to Sun Ji and may be either a genuine magical girl or a Fake Magical Girl.
• Ziye’s mother, a prosecutor stationed at City School, stresses that the investigation must remain completely confidential. Even trusted allies—including Heat Haze, other friends, and Aunt Yuehan—cannot be told.
• Ziye’s father proposes a baiting strategy: create a situation that the Other Side can detect but cannot fully understand. Sun Ji would then send the hidden informant to investigate, potentially causing them to reveal themselves or approach Ziye and Ceruno.
• Ziye recognizes the plan as a form of entrapment, but her parents argue that the deception is necessary and relatively safe.
• Ziye and Ceruno return to City School through a wormhole. Ziye is still disguised in her female Bai Ziye form and panics when Ceruno points out the possible physical danger of traveling through a wormhole. Ceruno reveals that she protected Ziye with a magical barrier.
• Metal is absent from the entrance hall because she is working at the shop.
• Xiaoling and Extinction return from Imperial City. Xiaoling recognizes Ziye only after she transforms into Miluno, and the group prepares to return to the dormitory.
• Xiaoling’s teleportation portal is too small for most of them, so Ziye opens a larger Teleportation Halo. Xiaoling questions Ziye about her recent disappearance and scouting mission, but Ziye conceals the secret that her teleportation can reach the Other Side.
• Ziye explains her mission as an assignment to rescue Anjie, claiming that saving Anjie will prevent the Other Side from gaining another witch.

Character Developments

• Bai Ziye/Miluno: Demonstrates growing competence and confidence as an investigator and strategist. She understands her father’s trap quickly, maintains the secrecy of the mission, and casually uses advanced teleportation magic. However, she remains playful and easily flustered, especially about her disguise and the dangers of wormhole travel.
• Ceruno: Becomes visibly disturbed by the possibility that even trusted people could be suspects. She must learn to conceal her emotions and maintain the investigation’s secrecy. Her protective spell also shows her practical concern for Ziye.
• Ziye’s father: Reveals himself as a capable intelligence planner. He focuses on the informant’s role as an operative rather than their magical identity and develops a sophisticated lure.
• Ziye’s mother: Acts as the stern authority figure, emphasizing secrecy and the Prosecutorate’s willingness to use morally questionable methods. Her joking suggestion that Aunt Yuehan might be a suspect adds further uncertainty.
• Xiaoling: Remains bold, curious, and socially confident. She questions Ziye directly but lacks the power or range of Ziye’s teleportation abilities.
• Extinction: Continues to appear timid and dispirited in contrast to her younger sister’s outgoing personality.

Significant Themes

• Secrecy and mistrust: The possibility that anyone—including friends or family—could be the informant creates an atmosphere of paranoia.
• Deception and moral compromise: The Prosecutorate plans to manipulate the enemy through partially fabricated information, raising questions about the ethics of entrapment.
• Espionage and hidden identities: Characters operate beneath multiple identities, and the chapter emphasizes that a magical girl may also secretly be an intelligence agent.
• Trust and responsibility: Ziye and Ceruno are burdened with a secret that they cannot share, even with people they trust.
• Growing power and independence: Ziye’s ability to travel through wormholes and use advanced teleportation suggests her increasing strength, while also making her a valuable—and potentially vulnerable—asset.

Character Interactions

• Ziye, Ceruno, and their parents discuss the informant investigation, with Ziye interpreting her father’s strategy as an attempt to lure the spy into action.
• Ceruno reacts anxiously to the possibility that Aunt Yuehan could be a suspect, while Ziye’s mother treats the idea lightly but seriously.
• Ziye teases Ceruno by pinching her cheeks after Ceruno frightens her about wormhole travel.
• Xiaoling warmly greets Ceruno and Ziye, asks about Ziye’s recent mission, and attempts to transport them through her undersized portal.
• Ziye protects the group’s secrets by giving Xiaoling a carefully constructed explanation for her trip to the Other Side.

Chapter Summary: “Outing” (Miluno)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Several days have passed without any news about the tools Miluno requested. SpiCa and Ceruno continue sending invisible drones into the Other Side, but they discover nothing new. The regions they explore appear nearly identical, with enormous Monster-producing factories dominating the landscape, while the Other Side’s society remains unknown.
• After class, Ceruno meets Miluno and Jaeger. Falcon has already left to run her food stall, taking advantage of her ability to fly.
• Miluno and Jaeger discuss their recent combat lesson. Miluno easily defeated the inexperienced magical girls, while Jaeger struggled against groups of them because her Crystal Compatibility is currently low and she lacks a witch’s limitless magical power.
• Miluno invites Ceruno to skip her afternoon cultural studies class and explore the newly opened northern area of Zodiacal Magic Academy. His stated reason is curiosity, but he mainly wants private time to discuss the suspected mole among the magical girls.
• Jaeger heads to the Materials Distribution Center to buy food, while Miluno and Ceruno purchase boxed lunches and travel north.
• The chapter introduces Zodiacal’s layout: the Control Tower and school facilities occupy the center, the Dormitory District lies west, the future Commercial District is south, automated utilities are hidden in the east, and the newly opened Garden District is in the north.
• The Garden District is a forested area that supplies oxygen beneath the dome and reportedly shelters a mysterious reclusive “NEET-type” magical girl. Miluno suspects this is Barbara, the Ancient Tree magical girl, whose healing and enhancing abilities could be important in the coming war.
• The Garden District is already crowded with magical girls enjoying the new recreational area. Miluno lays out a picnic blanket and suggests eating before discussing serious matters, but Ceruno mistakenly assumes the outing is simply for fun.

Character Developments

• Miluno remains powerful, confident, and flirtatious, but his invitation to Ceruno serves a serious purpose: he wants to investigate the mole away from the crowded dormitory. He also becomes more attentive to the academy’s growth and strategic resources.
• Ceruno appears increasingly relaxed and sociable. She has begun showing concern for healthy eating, suggesting subtle personal growth despite retaining her carefree, goofy personality. However, she seems to have pushed the mole investigation out of her immediate thoughts.
• Jaeger continues acting as a practical assistant and experienced combat instructor. Although her current abilities are limited by low Crystal Compatibility, she contributes valuable knowledge and demonstrates growing friendliness toward Golden.
• Falcon remains energetic and independent, using her flying ability to run a popular food stall.
• Barbara is not present, but the chapter hints at her likely relocation to Zodiacal. Her support magic is framed as a valuable asset for the future conflict.
• Golden is indirectly characterized through her preference for steak and her reserved attitude toward Jaeger.

Significant Themes

• Uncertainty and espionage: The unexplained structure of the Other Side and the suspected mole create an atmosphere of distrust and incomplete knowledge.
• Preparation for war: Miluno’s attention to Barbara’s abilities, the academy’s infrastructure, and the growing magical-girl population emphasizes the need to build resources and defenses.
• Community and everyday life: Food stalls, boxed lunches, school classes, and recreational outings show the magical girls developing a functioning society within Zodiacal.
• Changing identities and relationships: Jaeger’s life as a brainwashed magical girl, her connection to Golden, and Ceruno’s subtle changes reflect how the characters adapt to their new circumstances.
• Leisure masking serious intent: Miluno presents the trip as a casual outing, but his real goal is to discuss the hidden threat within Zodiacal.

Character Interactions

• Miluno and Jaeger exchange teasing remarks about their teaching performance and combat abilities.
• Ceruno comforts Jaeger about her reduced strength, while Miluno flirts with Ceruno by inviting her on the outing and touching her chin.
• Jaeger reminds Miluno to buy food for Golden, showing her developing consideration for her roommate.
• Miluno and Ceruno travel together to the Garden District, though Ceruno misunderstands the seriousness of their planned conversation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ceruno and Miluno have a picnic in a forest to discuss a secret mission.
• Miluno reveals that there's an informant within the Zodiacal, and they need to be cautious.
• They discuss a plan to lure the informant out by using Ceruno's drones and Miluno's transportation magic.
• Ceruno is to connect the plan to himself, as he's easier to approach due to his recent socializing policy.

Character Developments

• Ceruno shows determination to complete the mission, even when faced with spicy food he can't handle.
• Miluno demonstrates strategic thinking and understanding of the situation, guiding Ceruno through the plan.

Significant Themes

• Trust and deception: Ceruno trusts Miluno, but they must deceive others to catch the informant.
• Caution and alertness: They must be vigilant due to the presence of an informant.
• Teamwork: They need to work together with other magical girls to execute the plan.

Character Interactions

• Ceruno and Miluno have a friendly, trusting relationship, working together on the mission.
• They discuss the plan openly, showing mutual respect and understanding.
• Miluno teases Ceruno with spicy food, showing a playful side to their relationship.

Chapter Summary: “What I Wanted...”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After lunch, Miluno and Ceruno separate. Ceruno goes to the branch to search for SpiCa, while Miluno visits the Garden District to find its supposed “lord,” Barbara.
• In the central flower garden, Miluno encounters Fran, the Harvest Goddess and a British musician previously involved in the Idol Festival.
• Fran reveals that she is the “shut-in” magical girl Miluno was looking for. Her plant-related magic has allowed her to cultivate the entire Garden District, covering its large area with flowers and greenery.
• Fran explains that Barbara is connected to the Garden District because its plants are used as potion ingredients. However, Barbara cannot leave the place where she originally took root without losing her human form.
• Fran asks Miluno to deliver a box of medicinal herbs to Barbara. Miluno accepts and travels through a portal to Barbara’s residence in Forest Park.
• Barbara lets Miluno in despite his lack of an appointment. While examining him, she confirms that the Enhancer potion caused no lasting physical damage.
• Miluno asks whether Barbara can create functional bodily modifications, such as gills, scales, or compound eyes. Barbara confirms that this is her area of research, though her experiments are imperfect; even though she created a voice box for herself, she still cannot speak.
• Barbara discovers that Miluno’s Star Crystal is abnormal. She theorizes that it has been suppressing its power to keep pace with his development, but it may no longer be able to contain its output.

Character Developments

• Miluno: Demonstrates initiative and curiosity by seeking Barbara’s expertise. He is cautiously exploring ways to enhance or alter his body, though he avoids directly revealing his personal goal. His concern about the Star Crystal shows that he recognizes the possible danger behind his rapid development.
• Fran: Is revealed to be far more than a musician. She is a highly capable gardener whose magic sustains the entire Garden District. Her gentler behavior and practical background present her as hardworking, humble, and connected to nature.
• Barbara: Remains quiet and dependent on written communication, but she is shown to be an advanced researcher in biological modification and potion-making. Her own inability to use the voice box she created highlights the limitations of her experiments.
• Ceruno: Appears only at the beginning, separating from Miluno to continue her search for SpiCa.

Significant Themes

• Growth and adaptation: The Garden District’s flourishing vegetation parallels Miluno’s own physical and magical development.
• The limits of transformation: Barbara’s research suggests that creating a new organ does not guarantee that the body or mind will know how to use it.
• Hidden dangers of power: Miluno’s unusual Star Crystal may indicate exceptional potential, but its inability to suppress its output hints at an approaching instability or threat.
• Nature and cultivation: Fran’s work emphasizes that growth requires care, labor, and specialized ability rather than occurring automatically.
• Identity and bodily change: Miluno’s interest in functional modifications raises questions about how far he is willing to alter himself to achieve what he wants.

Character Interactions

• Miluno and Fran finally communicate normally through the Central Control System’s translation function, allowing them to discuss their past connection and the Garden District.
• Fran directs Miluno to Barbara and entrusts him with the medicinal herbs.
• Miluno and Barbara interact through her tablet while she examines him. Their conversation reveals Barbara’s research and provides the first serious warning about the abnormal state of Miluno’s Star Crystal.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ceruno proposes an unmanned reconnaissance mission using a drone to gather information from the Other Side without triggering warnings.
• Hephaestus reveals a new invention: a Magic Supply System belt that can continuously provide magic to a magical girl, enhancing their combat abilities.
• Miluno tests the belt, transforming and preparing for battle.

Character Developments

• Ceruno: Shows initiative and strategic thinking in planning the reconnaissance mission.
• Miluno: Demonstrates eagerness for battle and confidence in her newfound power.
• Hephaestus: Reveals her dedication and sleepless efforts in creating the Magic Supply System belt.
• SpiCa: Shows concern for Hephaestus's well-being and maintains her role as a responsible director.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and Strategy: Ceruno's plan highlights the importance of careful preparation and strategic thinking in facing powerful enemies.
• Innovation and Technology: Hephaestus's invention showcases the potential of magical technology and its role in enhancing magical girls' abilities.
• Power and Confidence: Miluno's newfound power boosts her confidence, but it also raises questions about her eagerness for battle.

Character Interactions

• Ceruno and Miluno: Their dynamic remains friendly and playful, with Ceruno teasing Miluno about her preferences and Miluno expressing her affection for Ceruno.
• SpiCa and Hephaestus: SpiCa expresses concern for Hephaestus's well-being, while Hephaestus is eager to show off her invention.
• Miluno and Hephaestus: Miluno is impressed by Hephaestus's creation and looks forward to using it in battle.

Chapter Summary: “Infiltrate!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miluno receives and tests a newly developed hero-style belt, expecting it to trigger an automatic transformation. However, nothing happens because she is not wearing the specially prepared battle suit and the belt contains no sealed magic.
• Director Hefi explains that the belt is part of a technologically limited magical equipment system; unlike advanced technology from the Other Side, it cannot create a full suit automatically.
• Hefi provides Miluno with a thin black bodysuit and helmet. The suit is designed to hold sealed magic and includes switches on the wrist for activating its spells.
• SpiCa demonstrates the belt’s magical “batteries,” which are test tubes capable of storing spells. When activated, one produces White Silk that temporarily binds Ceruno. The batteries are single-use, while the bodysuit’s spells can be repeatedly switched on and off.
• Ceruno infuses Miluno’s bodysuit with magic, allowing Miluno to activate a protective film around her entire body. Invisibility magic is also intended to be sealed into the suit by Yuehan.
• Confident that Ceruno Bubble can function as a concealed independent world, Miluno proposes entering the Other Side personally through a ground passage rather than sending an unmanned drone.
• SpiCa and Ceruno object to Miluno’s impulsive plan. SpiCa insists that the group first test the theory with a drone and orders Hefi to leave so she will not learn about Miluno’s ability to open a passage directly to the ground.
• Miluno explains that she is now willing to conduct reconnaissance because she understands the Other Side’s environment and believes she can escape whenever necessary. SpiCa reluctantly accepts that Miluno is the safest person for the mission, though she remains emotionally affected by being unable to lead it herself.

Character Developments

• Miluno becomes more willing to take responsibility and act as a field operative. Her previous fear of unknown dangers has been replaced by confidence based on firsthand experience and her ability to return safely.
• Director Hefi is shown as a skilled inventor and magical engineer. Her teasing personality contrasts with her competence in developing the belt, bodysuit, magical batteries, and protective systems.
• Ceruno remains playful and irreverent, teasing Miluno about her figure and protesting when used as a demonstration subject. Despite this, she contributes directly by infusing Miluno’s suit with protective magic.
• SpiCa acts as the cautious strategist. She prioritizes controlled testing over Miluno’s eagerness and reveals lingering regret and frustration over being unable to personally conduct the mission.
• Yuehan is treated with some suspicion, as SpiCa wants to conceal the secret of Miluno’s underground passage from her.

Significant Themes

• Technology versus magic: The chapter blends modern equipment with magical systems, while emphasizing the technological gap between the two worlds.
• Preparation versus recklessness: Miluno wants to proceed immediately, but SpiCa argues for drone testing and careful verification.
• Trust and secrecy: The group does not fully trust Yuehan and deliberately withholds critical information from her, while Hefi is also excluded from the operational secret.
• Growth through experience: Miluno’s willingness to infiltrate the Other Side reflects her increasing confidence and maturity after surviving previous encounters.
• Team roles and leadership: The characters recognize that their strengths differ—Miluno is suited to field reconnaissance, while SpiCa is better positioned to coordinate operations from the rear.

Character Interactions

• Hefi mocks Miluno’s failed transformation attempt but then guides her through the equipment’s functions.
• Hefi and Ceruno share a comedic demonstration when Ceruno is accidentally bound by White Silk.
• Ceruno teases Miluno while charging her suit with magic, creating a playful but antagonistic exchange.
• Miluno and SpiCa debate whether she should personally infiltrate the Other Side. SpiCa challenges Miluno’s overconfidence, while Miluno argues that her unique abilities make her the safest operative.
• SpiCa ultimately overrides Miluno’s immediate plan, insisting on a drone test first and protecting the mission’s secrets from both Hefi and Yuehan.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miluno conducts a successful test using micro-drones with protective membranes to gather intel on the Other Side.
• He expects the Other Side to investigate the source of the drones, triggering the insider left by Sun Ji to act.
• Miluno gathers his dormitory members for a late-night training session, testing and selecting magical abilities to take to the Other Side.
• The next morning, Miluno receives a letter from Barbara, informing him that the potion he requested is ready.
• SpiCa decides to start the operation in the afternoon, notifying Miluno and Ceruno.

Character Developments

• Miluno shows strategic thinking and decisiveness in planning the test and the operation.
• Barbara demonstrates her efficiency and reliability in creating the potion.
• SpiCa displays quick decision-making in scheduling the operation.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and planning are crucial for success.
• Trust and honesty are essential in relationships (Miluno's honesty with Ceruno about the potion).
• The consequences of one's actions can have far-reaching effects (the insider's potential reaction to the test).

Character Interactions

• Miluno and SpiCa work together, with SpiCa acknowledging Miluno's strategic prowess.
• Miluno interacts with his dormitory members, testing and selecting magical abilities for the operation.
• Miluno and Barbara maintain a professional relationship, with Barbara providing the potion and Miluno expressing gratitude.
• Miluno and Ceruno's relationship is hinted at, with Miluno planning a surprise for Ceruno after the operation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yezi returns home early to have Aunt Yuehan encapsulate invisibility magic into his bodysuit.
• He finds Aunt Yuehan attempting to cook fried milk, causing a smoky mess in the apartment.
• Yezi helps clean up and prevents a potential fire, then teaches Aunt Yuehan some basic cooking skills.
• Together, they successfully encapsulate invisibility magic into Yezi's bodysuit.
• Ceruno arrives, revealing that Aunt Yuehan has a habit of spying on her using invisibility magic.
• Yezi plans to investigate the Other Side again using the invisibility suit and a drone decoy.

Character Developments

• Yezi shows responsibility and concern for his family's safety, preventing a cooking disaster and teaching Aunt Yuehan basic cooking skills.
• Aunt Yuehan demonstrates her lack of cooking skills and struggles with encapsulating magic, but eventually succeeds with Yezi's guidance.
• Ceruno shows concern for Yezi's safety and reveals Aunt Yuehan's habit of spying on her.

Significant Themes

• The importance of family and taking care of one another.
• The challenges and rewards of learning new skills, whether it's cooking or magic encapsulation.
• The consequences of pranks and invasions of privacy.

Character Interactions

• Yezi and Aunt Yuehan work together to encapsulate invisibility magic into Yezi's bodysuit, leading to a humorous mishap.
• Yezi teaches Aunt Yuehan basic cooking skills, showing patience and understanding.
• Ceruno arrives and shares her concerns about Yezi's safety and Aunt Yuehan's spying habits, leading to a brief family discussion.

Chapter Summary: “Setting Off”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ceruno and Miluno return to the Wormhole Laboratory, where SpiCa, Sirius, and Miss Metal prepare a secret operation. Most staff have been sent away, and access has been revoked to mislead Father’s informants into thinking the experiment is still focused on the laboratory.
• Ceruno is sent to wake Hefi. He finds Luer delivering food to the exhausted director, who has been asleep after working for four consecutive nights.
• Hefi reacts violently when Ceruno and Luer try to wake her, pulling Ceruno into an involuntary embrace and striking him in her sleep. Luer uses a mint nasal inhaler to rouse her, leading to an embarrassing and humorous scene.
• Once awake, Hefi confirms that the Wormhole Device is calibrated and ready. It will block connections from other devices and serve as Miluno’s emergency escape route.
• Miluno is briefed on the mission: she will enter the Other Side, remain there for roughly half an hour by its time flow, and return through the wormhole after two hours pass on their side if she cannot create a passage herself.
• Her primary objective is survival. If possible, she must locate and steal a personality injection/extraction device from the end of the Monster Production Line, which may help separate Anjie’s two personalities.
• She is also tasked with gathering a map or equivalent information about the Other Side. Since physical maps may not exist, Hefi reveals that Miluno’s helmet contains a panoramic camera capable of recording the entire environment for later analysis.
• SpiCa emphasizes that Miluno must return alive, reminding her that the Other Side is her home.

Character Developments

• Miluno demonstrates awareness of the mission’s danger and the limited time available, but remains willing to undertake the reconnaissance operation.
• SpiCa acts as the mission leader, carefully balancing secrecy, strategic planning, and concern for Miluno’s safety. Her final reassurance shows a deeply protective attitude.
• Hefi is revealed as extremely overworked and difficult to wake, but remains an important technical and operational member of the team. Her expertise enables the wormhole escape plan and surveillance equipment.
• Ceruno contributes to the mission preparations but is also placed in a comic, vulnerable role during Hefi’s awakening. His interactions show his familiarity and easy rapport with the others.
• Luer displays consideration by bringing Hefi food and assists Ceruno, while also teasingly criticizing his ineffective attempt to wake her.
• Miss Metal confirms the Wormhole Device’s technical readiness and explains the uncertain time difference between worlds.

Significant Themes

• Risk and responsibility: Miluno’s mission is dangerous, but strict rules prioritize survival over confrontation or heroics.
• Home and belonging: SpiCa’s statement that the Other Side is Miluno’s home gives the mission emotional weight and frames her return as essential.
• Secrecy and deception: The laboratory’s evacuation and restricted access are deliberate measures to conceal the true purpose and location of the operation.
• Exploration and uncertainty: The team lacks complete knowledge of the Other Side, so Miluno must gather information through observation and technology.
• Comedic relief amid danger: Hefi’s sleep-related behavior and the mint inhaler incident lighten the otherwise tense preparation.

Character Interactions

• Ceruno and Luer cooperate to wake Hefi, though their efforts result in Hefi clinging to Ceruno and injuring him.
• SpiCa lightly scolds Hefi for hitting Ceruno and questions the circumstances, while Ceruno defends Hefi by explaining that they woke her too aggressively.
• Hefi, SpiCa, Sirius, Miluno, and Miss Metal work together to finalize the mission plan, combining emotional support, technical preparation, and strategic instruction.
• SpiCa takes Miluno’s hand at the end of the briefing, reinforcing the personal bond and concern underlying the operation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miluno (Yezi) prepares for a reconnaissance mission into the Other Side's world, codenamed 'Ghost'.
• She leaves the Wormhole Laboratory with Metal, SpiCa, Sirius, and Ceruno.
• Ceruno expresses her concern for Yezi's safety, and Yezi reassures her, hinting at a 'treasure' she'll show her upon her return.
• Yezi enters the Other Side's world and heads towards the Monster production factory overseen by Fomalhaut.
• Her mission is to steal a device capable of injecting and extracting personalities, and to find a map of the Other Side's world.
• She plans to capture a high-ranking Monster officer to obtain information about the map.

Character Developments

• Yezi shows confidence and determination in her mission, reassuring Ceruno of her safety.
• Ceruno expresses her worry for Yezi, showing her affection and concern.
• Sun Ji, Ceruno's traitorous father, is seen entering the Monster factory with Fomalhaut and Aldebaran, indicating his involvement with the Other Side.

Significant Themes

• Trust and betrayal, as seen in Ceruno's relationship with her father.
• The power dynamics between the magical girls and the Other Side, with Yezi infiltrating their territory.
• The importance of reconnaissance and gathering information before engaging in battle.

Character Interactions

• Yezi and Ceruno share a tender moment before Yezi's mission, with Yezi teasing Ceruno about a 'treasure'.
• Yezi interacts with Metal, SpiCa, and Sirius as they prepare for her mission.
• Sun Ji is seen with Fomalhaut and Aldebaran, indicating his alliance with the Other Side.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sun Ji, Miluno's father-in-law and a high-ranking advisor, arrives at the laboratory where Anjie was previously modified.
• Aldebaran creates an Artificial Vega Crystal for Sun Ji to transform into a Witch.
• Sun Ji undergoes a risky surgery to implant the Artificial Crystal, performed by Aldebaran and assisted by Fomalhaut.

Character Developments

• Sun Ji: Despite losing his original power, Sun Ji seeks to regain strength to maintain influence, setting aside his fear of becoming a Witch again.
• Aldebaran: She demonstrates her skill in creating Artificial Crystals but shows recklessness in her surgical procedure.
• Fomalhaut: She displays concern for Sun Ji's well-being and disapproval of Aldebaran's surgical methods, hinting at romantic feelings for Sun Ji.

Significant Themes

• Power and Influence: Sun Ji's quest for power to maintain his influence among the higher-ups.
• Trust and Betrayal: The tension between Sun Ji's desire for power and the potential mistrust from those above him.
• Friendship and Rivalry: The complex relationship between Aldebaran, Fomalhaut, and Sun Ji, with hints of romantic tension between Fomalhaut and Sun Ji.

Character Interactions

• Sun Ji and Aldebaran: They work together to implant the Artificial Crystal, with Aldebaran showing disregard for Sun Ji's well-being during the procedure.
• Fomalhaut and Aldebaran: Fomalhaut expresses disapproval of Aldebaran's surgical methods and takes charge of healing Sun Ji's wound.
• Sun Ji and Fomalhaut: Fomalhaut shows concern for Sun Ji's safety and well-being, hinting at romantic feelings.

“Comrades” — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miluno follows Fomalhaut into her bedroom while Aldebaran cleans blood from the floor.
• Fomalhaut places the unconscious Sun Ji on her bed and attempts to treat his wounds. Sun Ji soon awakens and reveals that his newly created Artificial Crystal allows him to transform into a magical girl.
• Because the transformation produces no clothing, Fomalhaut covers Sun Ji with a coat and finds a skirt for her to wear.
• Sun Ji and Fomalhaut discuss the Artificial Crystal and Aldebaran’s research. Sun Ji acknowledges Aldebaran’s technical ability but accuses her of stealing the research from the former development director and contributing to that person’s downfall.
• Sun Ji argues that Fomalhaut’s identity as a replacement does not matter: they remain comrades because they share the same ideals.
• Sun Ji proposes a way to persuade the council to accept Aurora and the existence of witches: give the council members Artificial Crystals and potentially turn them into witches themselves.
• Fomalhaut supports the plan, suggesting that the transformation could demonstrate that their ideology is the correct way to save the world.
• As the mission’s time limit approaches, Miluno becomes increasingly impatient, worried that she will fail to retrieve the device from the production line.
• Sun Ji prepares to leave for a high-level meeting, postponing her own Witchification Process until after she convinces the council to accept Artificial Crystals.
• Fomalhaut uses teleportation magic to send Sun Ji away. Miluno accelerates time and considers two strategies:
  1. Follow Sun Ji and send her through a wormhole.
  2. Interfere with Fomalhaut’s teleportation spell, removing Sun Ji from the area while preserving the opportunity to steal the production device.
• The chapter ends with Miluno weighing the dangerous second option, which could force her into a direct confrontation with Fomalhaut.

Character Developments

• Sun Ji: Reveals the full power of the Artificial Crystal and transforms into a magical girl. She presents herself as a rational strategist devoted to her ideals, but Miluno remains suspicious of her manipulative nature and past betrayal. Sun Ji’s plan shows that she is willing to spread Witchification and Artificial Crystals on a large scale.
• Fomalhaut: Her private, childish bedroom—with plush toys and a distinctly girlish atmosphere—contrasts sharply with her usual aloof “war goddess” persona. She remains emotionally loyal to Sun Ji and is deeply moved when Sun Ji calls them comrades despite Fomalhaut being a replacement.
• Aldebaran: Though absent from most of the conversation, she is portrayed as a brilliant but untrustworthy researcher. Her creation of the Artificial Crystal is recognized as a major achievement, but the legitimacy of her work and her involvement in the former director’s downfall are questioned.
• Miluno: Continues to act opportunistically and cynically, analyzing everyone’s weaknesses while prioritizing her mission. She becomes increasingly anxious as time runs out and must choose between safety and the chance to seize the production device.

Significant Themes

• Identity and replacement: Fomalhaut’s statement that she is no longer the original version raises questions about whether shared ideals are enough to preserve relationships and identity.
• Comradeship and manipulation: Sun Ji emphasizes loyalty and shared ideals, but Miluno suspects that her words are calculated to control Fomalhaut.
• Power and political acceptance: Sun Ji believes the council fears Aurora’s power because it is unfamiliar. By granting the elders similar power, she hopes to make witches politically acceptable.
• Ethical dangers of mass production: The Artificial Crystal could allow large numbers of Monsters to become magical girls, creating a potentially overwhelming military threat and accelerating Witchification.
• Appearance versus reality: Fomalhaut’s soft bedroom and Sun Ji’s absurd transformation undermine their intimidating public images, while Aldebaran’s respectable accomplishments conceal possible betrayal and exploitation.
• Risk and strategy: Miluno’s final dilemma pits a safer plan against a more ambitious but dangerous attempt to accomplish multiple objectives at once.

Character Interactions

• Fomalhaut tends to Sun Ji with unusual tenderness, revealing their close bond.
• Sun Ji praises Fomalhaut’s continued loyalty and reassures her that being a replacement does not prevent them from remaining comrades.
• Sun Ji criticizes Aldebaran to strengthen her own influence over Fomalhaut, while Fomalhaut responds without defending Aldebaran.
• Miluno observes the pair’s conversation from concealment, judging both their ideology and their emotional vulnerabilities.
• The chapter concludes with Miluno preparing to act against both of them, despite recognizing that confronting Fomalhaut directly could be extremely dangerous.

Chapter Summary: “Buy One, Get One Free”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ceruno anxiously waits for Miluno to return from the Other Side, powerless to help as the deadline approaches.
• Miss Metal and the others try to reassure him, while Sirius boasts that she could defeat Fomalhaut, despite everyone knowing she is not actually stronger.
• Sirius suggests abandoning her role as a magical girl and returning to the Star Crystal’s original function. She believes finding a suitable user might allow her to grow.
• A red transmission passage suddenly opens in the Wormhole Laboratory. Before anyone can react, an enemy spear shoots through it, nearly striking Ceruno.
• Ceruno’s father, “Dad,” emerges from the passage in heavy armor and attacks alongside Fomalhaut, the powerful winter swordmaster known as the Seaheart Sword.
• Sirius attacks Dad and Fomalhaut, but Dad blocks her Light Arrow Sigils while SpiCa restrains her with White Silk. Fomalhaut then cuts the silk and joins the battle.
• Fomalhaut orders the group to open the wormhole, believing that their “crooked tricks” are responsible for the current situation. She threatens to use them as sacrifices if they refuse.
• Sirius fights Fomalhaut with a barrage of Lightforged weapons, but Fomalhaut effortlessly deflects them and regenerates her ice blades. Sirius gradually weakens.
• Realizing she cannot win alone, Sirius proposes combining her power with SpiCa’s Star Crystal. Despite SpiCa’s doubts, Sirius forcibly initiates the transformation, ending with the mysterious call: “Let’s combine, Vice!”

Character Developments

• Ceruno becomes increasingly anxious and helpless while waiting for Miluno, emphasizing his concern for her safety.
• Sirius continues to display her pride and provocative personality, but also reveals a willingness to change her role and seek a way to grow stronger.
• SpiCa acts protectively and decisively, saving Ceruno from the initial attack and confronting Dad despite the danger. Her caution contrasts with Sirius’s impulsiveness.
• Dad returns as an apparently hostile figure, fighting without acknowledging Ceruno. Her alliance with Fomalhaut raises questions about her motives and whether she knows about Miluno’s mission.
• Fomalhaut reinforces her reputation as an overwhelmingly powerful and intimidating opponent. She remains calm, mocking, and in complete control of the battle.
• Miluno does not appear directly, but the uncertainty surrounding her mission drives the tension of the chapter.

Significant Themes

• Helpless waiting versus decisive action: Ceruno’s anxiety contrasts with the characters’ sudden need to react when the enemy appears.
• Power and limitations: Sirius possesses enormous theoretical power but cannot match Fomalhaut in practice, highlighting the difference between potential and mastery.
• Growth and identity: Sirius questions what it means to be a magical girl and considers returning to her original role as a Star Crystal interface.
• Combination and cooperation: The chapter builds toward the idea that separate powers may overcome limitations when combined, though Sirius’s attempt to merge with SpiCa is reckless and untested.
• Uncertainty and deception: Dad and Fomalhaut’s appearance suggests that multiple sides may be misunderstanding one another, particularly regarding Miluno’s operation and SpiCa’s supposed “plan.”

Character Interactions

• Miss Metal comforts Ceruno and tries to reassure him about Miluno.
• Sirius argues with Ceruno and the others over her strength and potential for growth.
• SpiCa protects Ceruno from the spear attack and restrains Dad with White Silk.
• Dad and Sirius clash directly, with Dad’s shield neutralizing Sirius’s attacks.
• Fomalhaut and Dad fight as a highly effective pair, overwhelming the defenders.
• Sirius challenges Fomalhaut while SpiCa and the others assess the hopeless battle.
• Sirius ultimately pulls SpiCa into an untested fusion, forcing their powers together and setting up the chapter’s cliffhanger.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sirius fuses with Ceruno, a magical girl with a Star Crystal, to enhance her power and surpass the Witch.
• Ceruno successfully fuses with Sirius, gaining the power of the Sirius Crystal and transforming her appearance and abilities.
• Ceruno challenges Fomalhaut to a battle, teleporting them both to the wilderness outside the city.

Character Developments

• Sirius: Realizes her true purpose as a substitute personality for the Sirius Crystal and decides to fuse with Ceruno to unleash the crystal's true power.
• Ceruno: Gains confidence in her abilities after fusing with Sirius and becomes more determined to protect what she cares about.
• Fomalhaut: Acknowledges Ceruno's growth and accepts her challenge, ready to fight without restraint.

Significant Themes

• Power and adaptability: Sirius envies Miluno's ability to adapt and grow, leading her to fuse with Ceruno to gain more power.
• Sacrifice: Sirius gives up her personality to enhance the Sirius Crystal's abilities, and Ceruno is willing to fight Fomalhaut to protect her ideals.
• Ideals and enemies: Fomalhaut and Ceruno have differing ideals, leading to their conflict and eventual battle.

Character Interactions

• Ceruno and Sirius: Ceruno helps Sirius up after their failed fusion attempt, and Sirius decides to fuse with Ceruno again, leading to their successful fusion.
• Ceruno and Fomalhaut: Ceruno challenges Fomalhaut to a battle, and Fomalhaut accepts, acknowledging Ceruno's growth and determination.
• Ceruno and her father: Ceruno's father refuses to look at her and tells her to stay with her mother until the war is over, but Ceruno remains determined to face Fomalhaut.

Chapter Summary: “Touring the Monster Production Line”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miluno chooses Plan Two, but Fomalhaut unexpectedly follows Sun Ji through the transmission passage before it closes.
• This leaves Ceruno, Sirius, and SpiCa temporarily exposed on the other side. Miluno cannot return immediately because he needs time to recover enough magic power to reopen the passage.
• He decides to complete Mission One first: retrieve the device SpiCa identified, located at the end of the Monster production line.
• Miluno tours the heavily guarded factory and discovers that Monsters are mass-produced through a cruel, assembly-line process:
  1. Identical artificial Base Bodies are grown in tanks.
  2. Defective bodies are discarded, while successful ones receive serial numbers.
  3. Base Bodies are fused with Simulacrum Factors inside sealed chambers, producing different kinds of Monsters.
  4. The resulting Monster shells are implanted with personalities or consciousness.
  5. They are then tested and sent onward for use in invasions.
• The system produces Monsters of varying grades. Powerful SR- and SSR-level Monsters are deployed, while weaker Monsters remain as mass-produced soldiers. The weakest N-grade bodies are destroyed without ever receiving personalities.
• Miluno identifies the likely target: a large capsule pod used to install personalities into empty Monster bodies.
• Once his magic power recovers, he breaks through the glass wall, removes the capsule pod from the production line, and stores it in his Star Crystal after swapping it with the Magic Supply System.
• The factory alarm activates, and armed Monster Soldiers arrive. Miluno uses a flash grenade to blind them, opens a return transmission passage, and escapes with the Magic Supply System.
• He jokingly concludes that the mission has become less like theft and more like armed robbery.

Character Developments

• Miluno demonstrates adaptability and practical intelligence. Although worried about the danger Fomalhaut poses to his allies, he suppresses his panic and prioritizes the mission he can still complete.
• He becomes increasingly disturbed by the factory’s treatment of artificial life, recognizing that the Monsters are manufactured, assigned different values, and discarded according to usefulness.
• His confidence and daring grow as he directly attacks the factory, improvises a way to transport the enormous capsule pod, and escapes under pressure.
• Fomalhaut is established as unusually perceptive and persistent, noticing that something is wrong and following Sun Ji through the closing transmission passage.
• Sirius, SpiCa, and Ceruno remain behind to hold off Fomalhaut, though Miluno is uncertain whether they can survive the confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Industrialized dehumanization: The factory treats living or semi-living beings as disposable products, reducing them to grades, serial numbers, and production results.
• The value of life: The Monsters’ fearlessness is revealed not as bravery but as the consequence of their lives being considered cheap and replaceable.
• Identity and consciousness: The Monster bodies are empty shells until personalities are implanted, raising questions about what constitutes a person or a soul.
• Moral unease beneath humor: Miluno uses gaming and factory metaphors—“gacha,” “blind boxes,” and “friendship pools”—to process the horrifying production system, but his jokes also emphasize how disturbing it is.
• Improvisation and survival: The chapter highlights Miluno’s ability to adapt when plans fail, using stealth, timing, force, and deception to accomplish his objective.

Character Interactions

• Fomalhaut’s pursuit of Sun Ji indirectly disrupts Miluno’s plan and separates him from his allies.
• Miluno mentally considers the fate of Ceruno, Sirius, and SpiCa, showing concern despite being unable to assist them immediately.
• His interaction with the factory is largely adversarial: he observes its operations, infiltrates it, steals its equipment, and evades its soldiers.
• The encounter with the Monster Soldiers is brief but reinforces the factory’s impersonal security system and Miluno’s ability to exploit their confusion.

Chapter Summary: Super Ceruno 2.0

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miluno returns through the transmission passage to find SpiCa has defeated and restrained Sun Ji, whose Battle Dress lies scattered nearby. Metal reports that Ceruno, Sirius, and Fomalhaut have gone to the southwestern wilderness of Skyreach City.
• Miluno’s return journey damaged the Magic Supply System, leaving him with only one Magic Crystal and limited magical power. He places the remaining Crystal into the Star Crystal to recharge himself.
• SpiCa warns Miluno that Ceruno has changed and may not be immediately recognizable.
• In the southwestern wilderness, Miluno finds the area transformed by an immense frost field and storm clouds. Ceruno and Sirius are confronting Fomalhaut.
• Fomalhaut’s strength has increased dramatically: she unleashes a sword aura over forty meters long, but the attack is stopped and shattered by Ceruno or Sirius.
• Miluno discovers that the unfamiliar golden-haired “princess” facing Fomalhaut is actually Ceruno. She now appears taller and more elegant, wearing a white gauze dress and wielding a golden spear.
• Ceruno attempts to negotiate with Fomalhaut, arguing that she can withstand Fomalhaut’s attacks and that reinforcements will eventually overwhelm her. Fomalhaut refuses, insisting that only someone who can match or defeat her has the right to negotiate on behalf of the two worlds.
• Rather than fight directly, Miluno creates a bomb from encapsulated batteries, flashbangs, Heat Haze, and Hualun’s heating magic. He attacks Fomalhaut from behind, rescues Ceruno, and uses the explosion’s intense heat to exploit Fomalhaut’s vulnerability to heat.
• Fomalhaut survives and immediately counterattacks with an invisible sword aura. Ceruno protects Miluno with a bubble and links them through her Bubble Membrane.
• Ceruno uses her enhanced magic to accelerate Miluno, urging him to push beyond his usual limits—possibly toward a hundredfold time acceleration. The chapter ends as Miluno prepares to launch a decisive high-speed attack against Fomalhaut.

Character Developments

• Miluno demonstrates resourcefulness despite his reduced magical reserves. Instead of confronting Fomalhaut conventionally, he combines technology, explosives, and magic to gain an advantage.
• Ceruno has undergone a major transformation in both appearance and apparent power. She is now a calm, princess-like figure capable of stopping Fomalhaut’s enormous attacks and protecting others with reinforced bubbles.
• Fomalhaut is revealed to be even more powerful than before, capable of producing a sword aura twice the previously known size and recovering quickly from Miluno’s heat-based attack. She remains proud and committed to proving her superiority through combat.
• SpiCa acts protectively by warning Miluno about Ceruno’s transformation and helps maintain coordination among the group.
• Sirius is absent from the immediate scene, leaving her exact condition and role unclear, though she had apparently been fighting alongside Ceruno.

Significant Themes

• Transformation and identity: Ceruno’s dramatic new form raises questions about how much she has changed while remaining the same person.
• Strength as a basis for diplomacy: Fomalhaut believes negotiation is meaningless without demonstrated power, while Ceruno tries to use endurance, cooperation, and restraint to achieve peace.
• Teamwork and adaptation: Miluno, Ceruno, and the others combine different abilities—technology, defensive magic, acceleration, and strategy—to challenge a stronger opponent.
• Resourcefulness versus overwhelming power: Miluno’s improvised tactics temporarily damage Fomalhaut, but her immense strength and speed continue to make her a dangerous threat.
• Escalation: The battlefield’s expanding frost, storm clouds, and increasingly powerful attacks suggest the conflict is approaching a decisive stage.

Character Interactions

• SpiCa warns Miluno not to mistake the transformed Ceruno for an enemy.
• Ceruno and Fomalhaut exchange a formal but tense argument about negotiation, strength, and the possibility of peace between their worlds.
• Miluno intervenes strategically, carrying Ceruno away after attacking Fomalhaut with his improvised bomb.
• Ceruno protects Miluno from Fomalhaut’s counterattack and empowers him through her Bubble Membrane and time-acceleration magic.
• The chapter concludes with Ceruno encouraging Miluno to attack at unprecedented speed while Fomalhaut remains partially obscured by smoke and dust.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miluno faces Fomalhaut, who uses a super bubble to defend against Miluno's attacks.
• Miluno kicks Fomalhaut, causing her to topple, but she quickly recovers and heals herself.
• Fomalhaut deploys her Witch Domain, transforming the battlefield into her mindscape.
• Fomalhaut transforms into a giant white deer, overwhelming Miluno and Ceruno.

Character Developments

• Miluno shows his strength and speed, but struggles against Fomalhaut's size and domain.
• Fomalhaut demonstrates her defensive capabilities and healing skills, as well as her ability to transform the battlefield.
• Ceruno shows concern for Miluno's safety and asks about their strategy against Fomalhaut.

Significant Themes

• The use of power and abilities, and the ethics surrounding them.
• The struggle against overwhelming odds and the search for a strategy.
• The transformation of the battlefield and its impact on combatants.

Character Interactions

• Miluno and Fomalhaut exchange banter, with Miluno teasing Fomalhaut and Fomalhaut expressing her desire to settle a score.
• Miluno and Ceruno work together, with Miluno carrying Ceruno to dodge Fomalhaut's attacks and discussing their strategy.
• Fomalhaut and Ceruno have a brief exchange, with Fomalhaut stating that they must defeat her to talk, and Ceruno asking how to find Fomalhaut's location.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miluno faces Fomalhaut's domain, a vast ice barrier, and realizes his magic is ineffective.
• Ceruno, riding on Miluno's back, explains that Fomalhaut's current form is her complete power.
• Miluno learns that Sirius isn't dead but has lent her power to Ceruno.
• They locate Fomalhaut within the giant white deer's belly and prepare to extract her.
• Miluno uses Extinction's magic to harass Fomalhaut psychologically, causing her to surface.
• Miluno sends Fomalhaut back down using his hourglass.

Character Developments

• Miluno: Struggles with Fomalhaut's power, shows determination to rescue Sirius, and uses his hourglass strategically.
• Ceruno: Reveals she can use Sirius's power, demonstrates her magic's versatility, and shows concern for Miluno's actions.
• Fomalhaut: Displays embarrassment when faced with Extinction's magic, revealing a vulnerable side.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics between magical girls.
• The psychological impact of fear and embarrassment.
• The use of strategy and adaptation in combat.

Character Interactions

• Miluno and Ceruno: Work together to locate and extract Fomalhaut, with Ceruno providing explanations and support.
• Miluno and Fomalhaut: Engage in a battle of wits and power, with Miluno using psychological warfare against Fomalhaut.

Chapter Summary: “Home Invasion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ceruno and Miluno continue battling Miss Fomalhaut inside her Witch Domain. Fomalhaut is trapped by Miss Extinction’s ghostly green tentacles, which can pass through obstacles and drain physical strength.
• Miluno repeatedly uses Yezi’s Rewind Magic to send Fomalhaut back into the tentacles, deliberately humiliating her. She explains that Fomalhaut must first be stripped of her pride before she will agree to negotiate.
• Fomalhaut avoids defeat by hiding beneath the ice and waiting for Rewind Magic to expire. At the same time, she destabilizes the ice supporting Ceruno, Miluno, and her white deer-like familiar, threatening to drop them from a great height.
• Miluno proposes using Ceruno’s father, Sun Ji, as leverage. Since Fomalhaut is responsible for protecting him and may face political consequences if she fails, they decide to return to the Wormhole Laboratory and force her to follow them.
• Ceruno and Miluno escape through Miluno’s bubble teleportation. However, they find the laboratory devastated: equipment is destroyed, smoke and sparks fill the room, and several magical girls are injured.
• Miss Metal reveals that Betelgeuse emerged from the Wormhole Device with two unknown witches and abducted Director SpiCa and Sun Ji. Betelgeuse’s clones fought the defenders but were left behind.
• The attack raises a major mystery: Miss Metal had disabled the Wormhole Device’s positioning module, so Fomalhaut and Sun Ji should not have been able to open a wormhole. Nevertheless, Betelgeuse managed to enter through it.
• With SpiCa missing and the Association disorganized, Miluno suggests retrieving Aunt Lin Xi so that her Memory Tracking magic can reconstruct the attack. Miss Yin Wei takes temporary command and begins investigating the wormhole’s origin.

Character Developments

• Ceruno remains compassionate and uncomfortable with Miluno’s cruel treatment of Fomalhaut, preferring negotiation over humiliation. Nevertheless, she becomes more decisive when she realizes her father can be used as political leverage.
• Miluno demonstrates tactical intelligence and extensive knowledge of the Other Side’s political structure. Her playful cruelty toward Fomalhaut is revealed to be purposeful: she believes breaking Fomalhaut’s pride is necessary for negotiation.
• Miss Fomalhaut is shown to be proud, stubborn, and politically vulnerable. Rather than risk direct defeat, she stalls beneath the ice and attacks the group’s footing, suggesting she is willing to endanger her own familiar to maintain control.
• Miss Metal is badly wounded while defending the laboratory but remains focused on explaining the attack and identifying the wormhole anomaly.
• Miss Fenghua stays calm and practical despite the crisis, immediately assessing Ceruno’s transformation and the failed battle in the southwest.
• Miss Yin Wei steps into a leadership role, temporarily assuming command of the Association while SpiCa and Sirius are unavailable.
• Miss SpiCa and Sun Ji become captives, shifting the conflict from a direct confrontation with Fomalhaut to a broader rescue and investigation effort.

Significant Themes

• Pride and negotiation: Miluno argues that diplomacy is impossible until Fomalhaut’s pride is broken, highlighting the relationship between power, humiliation, and political compromise.
• Political power and vulnerability: Fomalhaut’s actions are influenced not only by the battle but also by the political consequences she may face on the Other Side if she fails to protect Sun Ji.
• Strategic retreat: Ceruno and Miluno recognize that victory is not always necessary; escaping safely and protecting their hostage may be more effective than continuing an unwinnable fight.
• Invasion and institutional collapse: The destruction of the Wormhole Laboratory and abduction of key leaders leave the Association nearly leaderless, emphasizing how vulnerable its defenses are.
• Mystery and uncertainty: The ability of Betelgeuse to use the Wormhole Device despite its safeguards suggests hidden powers, sabotage, or a deeper connection between the attackers and the laboratory.

Character Interactions

• Ceruno repeatedly objects to Miluno’s tormenting of Fomalhaut, while Miluno insists that intimidation is essential to force a conversation.
• Miluno carries Ceruno through the unstable Witch Domain, showing both her physical advantage and her protective role.
• Ceruno and Miluno coordinate their retreat around the possibility of using Sun Ji as a hostage.
• Ceruno comforts the wounded Miss Metal, but Metal’s explanation of the attack reveals that the situation is far worse than expected.
• Miss Fenghua questions Ceruno about the battle and her return, while Yin Wei takes charge and collaborates with Luer to investigate the wormhole.
• The chapter ends with the Association preparing to reconstruct the attack and determine how Betelgeuse breached the Wormhole Device.