Magical Girl's Nemesis

"I'm Hyacinth. I've received the report and am heading to Greenheart Park!"

A sky-blue streak cut across the heavens. People looked up, pointing and talking, but the sky-blue girl shooting like a meteor over all of Rongcheng was in no such wonderful mood—

Magical Girl Hyacinth, whose real name was Nan Xiaofeng.

Today was the second day before school started. Nan Xiaofeng had originally been at home, gloomily catching up on her summer homework, but an emergency message from the Hero Association shattered all hope of getting any work done:

[Monster attack at Greenheart Park in Rongcheng. Proceed immediately to provide support.]

This put Nan Xiaofeng in a very bad mood.

She secretly made up her mind. The freak attacking Greenheart Park today definitely would not have a good ending.

"Tap."

The girl landed lightly on her toes, tightened her grip on her wand, and surveyed her surroundings.

Greenheart Park had originally been lit by streetlamps, but it was now pitch-black. The residents had long since been evacuated, and the area was eerily quiet, save for the distant chirping of cicadas and insects in the late summer night.

Nan Xiaofeng silently gripped her wand a little tighter.

"It's really quiet," Magical Girl Hyacinth said softly.

The one who answered her was the strange white-ferret-like creature beside her:

"Be careful, Xiaofeng. There's a freak's presence nearby."

"Of course I know there's a freak. Didn't the report say there was a Freak Attack Incident here?" Nan Xiaofeng snapped.

The sky-blue magical girl started forward, keeping alert as she hurried toward the source of the magical aura.

This was not her first time dealing with a freak attack.

Half a year ago, Nan Xiaofeng, who had run away from home, encountered the white ferret beside her—a Stargazer Spirit calling himself Bailing. Under his guidance, she obtained a Guardian Star and had since been active in Rongcheng as the magical girl [Hyacinth].

During that time, more than a dozen freak attack incidents beyond the Hero Association's ability to handle had occurred. Nan Xiaofeng took on the responsibility and resolved them successfully time and again, while [Hyacinth] became a frequent topic among the people of Rongcheng.

"This way! The presence is strongest over here!"

Bailing floated through the air, sniffing around. He suddenly cried out and flew off in a certain direction.

Nan Xiaofeng hurried after him.

"Slow down! Bailing, slow down!"

"Wait for me—"

Passing through the bushes, Nan Xiaofeng stopped short before she could finish speaking, stunned by the sight before her:

An open space lay ahead. The playground equipment and sandbox where children had once climbed and played had been utterly destroyed, leaving behind nothing but ruins.

In the middle of the wreckage crouched a huge black monster. Its limbs were curled beneath it as it lay prone on the ground. Hearing the rustling nearby, it turned its head and fixed Nan Xiaofeng with a vicious glare.

"Crack!"

Magical Girl Hyacinth immediately took up a fighting stance. Her wand transformed into a greatsword in her hand as she guarded against every movement of the wolf-like monster before her.

"This guy... his magical aura is incredibly intense..." Bailing flew back to Nan Xiaofeng's side and whispered, "Be careful. This is a very powerful freak!"

Nan Xiaofeng did not answer. A bead of cold sweat slid down from her temple.

Freaks were not limited to humanoid forms; they came in all shapes and sizes. The wolf-like monster before her radiated a violent magical aura, a trait all freaks possessed.

But among the dozen or so freaks she had beaten up, none could compare to this black wolf.

"...Let's finish this quickly, then go home and catch up on my homework!"

However, Magical Girl Hyacinth did not retreat in the slightest. She stepped forward and charged!

The battle was fierce.

A pair of furry ears poked out from behind a nearby thicket, followed by a small head. Fox Fox was peeking around sneakily.

Su Tianqing carefully observed the sky-blue magical girl battling the Black Wolf Monster.

Hmm, her movements were clean and efficient, every swing of her greatsword was powerful, her features were pretty cute, and her dress was a lovely, gorgeous puffy pleated skirt. Her socks were just a little too short.

What kind of magical girl wore no-show socks?! Could she please wear thigh-high socks properly?!

Fox Fox gave her scathing review.

But as Hyacinth gradually gained the upper hand, the furry tail behind Fox Fox began wagging faster and faster.

Huh? What was going on? How was she about to win already?

"Codex! The Enhancement Drug A you gave me isn't fake, is it?!"

Su Tianqing dearly wanted to interrogate the Codex.

That afternoon, she had studied the functions of the Mercury Codex and unexpectedly discovered that this unreliable system really could sell things. It had even thoughtfully prepared 200 Divine Codex Stones as startup funds for her.

So Su Tianqing spent the princely sum of 50 Divine Codex Stones to buy a bottle of [Monster Enhancement Potion A], which looked incredibly potent, and poured it down the throat of the Black Wolf Monster obediently crouching at her feet.

Yet the Black Wolf Monster she had strengthened at the cost of fifty whole stones was being beaten down by Hyacinth from start to finish.

Fox Fox quickly lowered her head and shrank back into the grass. By moonlight, she began carefully reading the Codex's description of Enhancement Drug A.

Had she used it wrong? Was this Enhancement Drug meant for external use rather than consumption, and drinking it actually weakened a freak's combat ability?

After carefully reading the final line, Fox Fox froze for a moment, then a devilish, crafty smile returned to her face.

"So that's how it is..." Su Tianqing murmured inwardly.

"When Hyacinth thinks she's defeated the Black Wolf Monster... that's when the real show begins."

"With this—it's over!"

The greatsword slashed down.

The Black Wolf Monster took the blow solidly to the head and collapsed to the ground in an instant. After a few howls of pain, it went still.

Magical Girl Hyacinth panted heavily.

"Huff... haa..."

"Finally... took it down..."

Nan Xiaofeng was so exhausted that she could barely breathe. She only managed to remain standing by using her greatsword to support herself.

Her once gorgeous outfit was now covered in dust and sand. Several claw marks ran across the hem of her skirt, and the openings nearly revealed a little of the sacred light-covered area beneath.

But in such a pitch-black night, it was still far too difficult to see clearly.

"Xiaofeng, are you okay?!"

Bailing flew anxiously to Hyacinth's side and scattered magical particles over her, helping her recover her strength.

"Huff... I'm fine... I just feel a little tired..."

"Today's freak was far too difficult to deal with. It was stronger than any freak we've ever encountered!" Bailing continued.

"Yeah. Its speed and strength were both incredible, but something feels strange," Nan Xiaofeng muttered to herself.

She had an odd feeling.

The Black Wolf Monster was indeed powerful. Bailing had said that her talent as a magical girl was close-combat suppression, and freaks capable of matching her in hand-to-hand combat were extremely rare, let alone one that put her under as much pressure as today's opponent.

But what was this strange feeling?

The freaks she had faced in the past all possessed some sort of magical ability, more or less. But this one...

"Clap, clap, clap."

"!!!!"

Suddenly, crisp applause sounded behind her.

Nan Xiaofeng forced herself to turn around. Her eyes met the golden figure standing gracefully beneath the moonlight, and she froze for a moment.

Furry ears and a fluffy tail, golden hair giving off a cool glow beneath the moonlight—it outlined the petite figure so beautifully that Nan Xiaofeng lost herself for an instant.

So cute.

How could there be such a cute girl?

But upon seeing the Golden Cross Star on the little fox's chest, Bailing was the first to react, crying out:

"A Guardian Star? You're a magical girl too?!"

"You finally figured it out? How slow," Su Tianqing replied with a light laugh.

Inside, she was panicking like crazy. She could only maintain such a practiced villainous pose because she had rehearsed it beforehand.

"That was a splendid battle, Hyacinth. Well done."

"You know who I am?" Nan Xiaofeng looked bewildered after hearing the other girl call her by her codename. "Who are you? What's your codename? Why is there another one in Rongcheng..."

There was only one magical girl in Rongcheng. Without a Stargazer's assistance, it was impossible to obtain a Guardian Star, so this unfamiliar magical girl before her...

"I'm a villain."

"Clap!"

Without giving Nan Xiaofeng time to recover from her shock, Su Tianqing raised both hands and lightly clapped beside her face.

In an instant, the Black Wolf Monster, which had been lying motionless on the ground, suddenly sprang up! Yet what it spewed from its mouth was not a magical beam like a Magic Cannon, but—

"Whoooosh!!"

"Splurt!!"

—countless black shadows burst from its mouth!

The girl only had time to cry out before the greatsword formed from her wand was knocked from her hand by the Shadows' impact, and Nan Xiaofeng herself was smashed flying!

"Wah! What... what is this thing?! So disgusting!"

"Mm-hmm~ Looks like the little gift I carefully prepared for you has finally taken effect~"

A wicked smile of triumph appeared on Su Tianqing's face. She lightly touched her chin with one fingertip and admired by moonlight the sorry sight of Magical Girl Hyacinth being seized by the revived Black Wolf Monster.

That was right. This was the ultimate ability Monster Enhancement Potion A had bestowed upon the Black Wolf Monster—the power it could unleash after falling!

Phase two, grandly begins!

"Y-You, you, what exactly are you trying to do?! What are you plotting?!"

Nan Xiaofeng shouted.

Su Tianqing strolled leisurely to the side. The Black Wolf thoughtfully lowered its prey from the air, though its claws still did not release Hyacinth from their grasp.

The adorable, pretty Golden Fox looked every bit like a little demon in Nan Xiaofeng's eyes.

"How does it feel? I'm sure it's something you'll never forget."

"Who exactly are you?! Using such... such despicable methods! If you have the guts, fight me in a fair duel!"

Nan Xiaofeng practically screamed.

At that moment, only raising her voice could suppress the fear of being held by those claws. Nan Xiaofeng did not want to show weakness before this unfamiliar magical girl, who looked even younger than she was.

"Hehehe... Your whole body is so soft. How is your mouth still so hard?"

Su Tianqing stepped closer and spoke in a silvery, pleasant voice, whispering like a demon,

"In that case, you'll stay here obediently tonight, Hyacinth~"

"What...? Wait! Wait a second! Don't go!!"

Hyacinth finally lost her composure and cried out miserably.

Fox Fox stopped walking and looked back with interest.

The sky-blue magical girl suddenly froze, her cheeks flushing red.

"Mhm~ Miss Hyacinth, is there something you'd like to say to me, Fox Fox?" The little fox smiled, walked over to Hyacinth, and tilted her head.

Emerald fox eyes reflected in Hyacinth's gaze. She looked cute and charming, yet there was unmistakably a teasing smile hidden within them.

"You... let me down already!..."

"Ah, right. Miss Hyacinth, would you like to play a little game with me, Fox Fox? If you win, I'll let you down."

"If you don't want to, then I won't make them let go." Su Tianqing's smile grew even brighter.

Hyacinth hesitated for a moment before asking:

"W-What game?"

Su Tianqing paced behind Hyacinth, moonlight illuminating the wicked grin on her face.

Then she picked up a foxtail grass stem and said with a light laugh:

"Tickling."

"How about this? If Miss Hyacinth can endure for one minute without making a sound, I'll let you down~"

The girl's cries echoed through Greenheart Park in Rongcheng.