Welcome

"Iris! Pick up the pace! Keep up!"

"I'm trying! Xia—Hyacinth, wait for me!"

Two brilliant trails streaked across the night sky over Rongcheng.

Magical Girls had never been subtle flyers, especially when it came to their trails. At full speed, the magic streaming behind them could even light up the night sky.

Hua Ling struggled to keep up with Nan Xiaofeng ahead of her.

Or rather, Magical Girl Hyacinth.

Five minutes earlier, the two had received a dispatch alert from the Hero Association: Heartmoon Fox had appeared at East Railway Station and summoned a monster after waiting for everyone to be evacuated.

If it had been an ordinary monster, the association's heroes on duty would have responded quickly and attacked. But a Magical Girl had shown up at the scene—a Villain, no less.

"As Magical Girls, you must never reveal your real names in battle."

The White Sable Spirit perched on the white-clad Magical Girl's shoulder and spoke to her.

"Especially with that self-proclaimed Villain Heartmoon Fox running around. Iris, you have to protect yourself."

"Protect myself? Um..."

Hua Ling wasn't quite sure what Bailing meant.

It wasn't until Nan Xiaofeng slowed down and fell back beside her to explain that Hua Ling finally understood.

"After we transform, magic keeps people from recognizing us. No one knows what we looked like before."

"But if Heartmoon Fox learns our real identities, she might attack our friends and family!"

"She's a terrible person! Rotten to the core!" Nan Xiaofeng fumed.

"But..." Hua Ling wanted to say something, but the words never came out.

I don't think Heartmoon Fox is that bad.

That was what Hua Ling wanted to say. But seeing Nan Xiaofeng gritting her teeth, she kept quiet.

Soon, East Railway Station, once ablaze with lights, came into view.

Hero Association vehicles and staff had cordoned off the surrounding area. All passengers had been safely sheltered nearby, leaving the station empty.

Yet a lovely song drifted from inside the station, not a monster's terrifying roar.

Hyacinth found that deeply suspicious.

"It's Hyacinth and Iris!"

Someone sharp-eyed recognized the two Magical Girls arriving in a hurry and shouted. The reporters who had been waiting surged forward, cameras and microphones at the ready.

Iris wasn't used to being ambushed by reporters and nervously clutched her skirt.

Hyacinth, on the other hand, looked like an old hand. She took Iris by the hand, led her through the security passage to the cordon, and briefly spoke with the hero on guard.

Watching how composed and experienced Nan Xiaofeng looked, Hua Ling let out a long breath.

"Phew... Good thing Hyacinth is here. I'd never manage on my own..."

"What are you talking about? Aren't you two teammates? Magical Girls are supposed to help each other and work together."

The White Sable Spirit floated beside Iris and said with a smile,

"Besides, have you seen Hyacinth's first interview? Her face was nearly as red as an apple."

"Really? Hehe..."

Imagining Hyacinth blushing and stammering with embarrassment, Iris covered her mouth and giggled. Her princess-like, elegant smile set off a flurry of camera shutters.

The reporters had already come up with tomorrow's headline:

[The White Magic Cannon Princess! New Magical Girl Iris Makes Her Debut!]

"Iris! Come take a look!"

Having learned the situation, Hyacinth turned and called her over.

"What's happening inside?" Iris asked as she reached her teammate.

The two looked at the screen beside the hero on duty:

Magical Girl Fox Fox official livestream.

Golden-Haired Fox Fox stood singing on a stage haphazardly piled together from seats and boards. Her voice was so beautiful that, for a moment, it was easy to forget this was the site of a monster attack.

It felt more like a stage made just for her.

"Her again..." Hyacinth muttered.

She could already see the dense stream of comments flying past, full of cheers and baffling outbursts like "Fox Fox is so cute, waaaaah."

Iris silently watched the little Golden Fox singing intently on the screen, gripping her skirt even tighter.

Unlike Hyacinth, who was annoyed and angry, Iris simply thought the little fox was adorable.

She couldn't help thinking of another Golden-Haired Fox Fox who was just as cute.

"She trashed the station just to make herself a stage? Heartmoon Fox is the worst!"

Hyacinth blurted it out, then turned to her teammate.

"Come on, Iris!"

"Let's go in and teach her a lesson!"

The two Magical Girls crossed the cordon and hurried into the station.

Meanwhile, atop an office building in the distance, a graceful dark-blue figure emerged from the shadows.

Her fitted dark-blue top and swallowtail cape, paired with a plain short skirt and ankle socks that hardly matched the usual finery of Magical Girls, made her look nothing like one.

A flash of blue light.

In the blink of an eye, the petite catgirl's outfit had changed completely:

Elegant, ornate skirts replaced her simple athletic clothes. A wand floated behind her, and her mismatched cat eyes locked onto the princess-like Magical Girl in white.

The catgirl narrowed her eyes as though watching prey.

Bang!

Hyacinth kicked open the closed doors inside East Railway Station.

The power was out, leaving the station pitch-black. But magically conjured spotlights shone on the makeshift stage, bathing the little fox singing there in light.

Her voice echoed through the empty hall. Even without accompaniment, her singing was lovely.

"Phew... That's the end of the song! Thank you, everyone!~"

With the song over, Golden Fox beamed at the camera, brimming with energy. She looked every inch a dazzling idol onstage.

Hyacinth, just about to deliver her lines, froze at how cute she was. Iris, who came in after her, wore the same expression.

"So cute..." Iris murmured.

Hyacinth didn't disagree with her teammate. She just didn't want to say it aloud.

A brief silence followed.

Heartmoon Fox turned toward the two who had burst through the doors. Her smile instantly became her trademark wicked grin. She raised her right hand, and the spotlights snapped onto them.

Hyacinth summoned her greatsword and stepped in front of a stunned Iris, bracing for a fight.

"Heartmoon Fox! Your days of wrecking the city whenever you please are over!"

"Surrender!"

Su Tianqing froze for a few seconds, then casually fished a food-stall chair out of the makeshift stage beneath her feet.

"Heh. If you want to catch me, come and try."

"But you know the rules."

The sick joke landed perfectly.

She glanced at the comments, where people had started spamming "The loony ward's over here now," and her mood brightened even more.

"...What are you talking about? What are you trying to accomplish by wrecking the station?"

"What am I trying to accomplish? Hahahaha."

Golden-Haired Fox Fox chuckled softly. Her impish smile made both their hearts skip a beat.

"It seems you still don't understand me, Miss Hyacinth."

"Does a Villain need a reason to cause trouble?"

For an instant, the world seemed to fall silent.

The next second, the station doors behind Iris slammed shut. Every spotlight went out at once, plunging the station into darkness so deep they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces!

A pair of enormous, blood-red eyes emerged from the darkness!

"Watch closely, Miss Hyacinth, and you too, Miss Iris."

Golden Fox chuckled.

"I hope you enjoy yourselves."