I Came to Save You

The black-robed Monster was drawn by the girl's furious voice and slightly turned its head.

"Feijing?"

It pondered for a moment before feigning an apology.

"Sorry, kid. I've hunted too many Magical Girls. Someone I don't remember like that... maybe I took care of her while passing over a speed bump."

"You bastard!"

Ain glared at the Monster through gritted teeth, the hand gripping her pistol trembling slightly.

She wanted to fire, but it was a Shallow Tier Monster. Only Magical Girls with over a hundred thousand followers had any chance of standing against one. Her attacks could not possibly hurt it.

"Hmph! You only hurt little Xia Ya with a sneak attack! In a head-on fight, taking out trash like you would be a piece of cake!"

The pink fairy Har clenched its fists and pointed at the black-robed Monster, cursing it nonstop.

"Har."

Xia Ya suddenly interrupted the fairy from afar and shook her head at it.

"I'm no match for it."

The fairy froze as Xia Ya rose to her feet and lowered her left hand, revealing the wound on her right arm.

Though she had used healing magic, the injury on her right arm showed no sign of improving.

"How could this happen... Impossible, absolutely impossible! My Xia Ya is invincible!"

Ignoring the fairy's helpless rage, the black-robed Monster looked at Xia Ya and let out a sinister cackle as the black smoke around it thickened.

"Heh heh, you could tell the difference between us at a glance? At least you know your place."

"None of you will leave here alive."

It pointed at everyone present one by one, then slowly walked toward Xia Ya.

"But..."

Xia Ya moved one hand behind her back, holding her phone as she silently pressed the request-for-support button.

Then she summoned her staff and spoke seriously once more.

"I'll stop you, with everything I have."

The Monster halted. "Is that so? Then I'll grant your wish. Give it everything you have—I'll make sure to torment you properly."

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three magic bullets shot toward the black-robed Monster, only to be blocked by a strange black barrier.

Tilting its head, the Monster looked unhappily at Ain in the distance.

"Do you know it's rude to interrupt someone while they're talking?"

Just as it turned to speak, Xia Ya flashed forward. She was already in front of it, raising her leg for a fierce kick at its face.

Xia Ya displayed even greater speed than she had in her battle against the wolf-headed Monster, but just before her kick landed, it raised its right arm and forcibly blocked the blow.

With a bang, the collision of their strength kicked up a cloud of dust, and a flicker of surprise appeared on Xia Ya's face.

Even though the Monster had been distracted for an instant, she had seized the opportunity perfectly. Yet even that had been blocked.

Without lingering, Xia Ya moved again, and the black-robed Monster vanished with her. Their figures sped through the commercial plaza at incredible speeds, colliding as they ran and stirring up countless clouds of dust while causing immense destruction across the ground and even the surrounding high-rises.

"So strong..."

Ain watched from the ground. Even observing from afar, she was already struggling to keep up with their movements.

A battle with a Shallow Tier Monster was already this terrifying. She could scarcely imagine the battles fought by the senior Magical Girls at higher levels.

And Xia Ya, a girl with fewer than a hundred thousand followers, could actually fight a Shallow Tier Monster evenly. Her talent was truly extraordinary.

"No, little Xia Ya is in danger."

Har's brow was tightly furrowed. It was no longer as lively as before, instead solemnly sensing Xia Ya's current condition.

The battle in the field appeared evenly matched, but Xia Ya had long since given it her all. That much was clear from the way she gritted her teeth.

Yet though the black-robed Monster's face could not be seen, its movements remained effortless, as if it were merely toying with her.

The two fought all the way from the ground to the rooftop of a high-rise. After easily dodging Xia Ya's punch in midair, the Monster formed a ball of pitch-black energy in its hand.

"Damn..."

Xia Ya's eyes widened. Feeling the energy ball's cold and immense power at such close range, she realized something was wrong and was about to pull back to defend herself when the Monster slammed the energy ball into her chest.

Under everyone's horrified gazes, Xia Ya fell from dozens of meters in the air like a shooting star, crashing into the ground in an instant.

Boom!

The ground beneath them shuddered violently as a massive cloud of dust rose up, leaving behind a deep crater.

"Little Xia Ya!"

Har cried out and flapped its wings desperately, flying toward Xia Ya despite the danger.

When the dust dispersed, Xia Ya clutched her chest, a trace of blood spilling from her lips.

"Cough, cough... N-no, don't come over. It's dangerous."

She struggled to rise and dropped to one knee. Sensing Har approaching, she weakly tried to stop it.

"Little Xia Ya, stop talking. I can heal you!"

Har ignored her warning, flew to her side, and immediately cast a healing spell.

The fairy's healing magic was stronger than Xia Ya's. Under its light, Xia Ya's injuries slowly began to recover.

But before it could heal her for long, the black-robed Monster descended from the sky and arrived beside it.

The fairy kept up its healing magic and glared furiously at it.

"You!"

"Fairy. You're in the way."

The Monster said no more and kicked Har away.

The pink fairy traced an arc through the air before hitting the ground with a smack, its head spinning.

"Fairies really are hard to kill."

The black-robed Monster glanced at the pink fairy before looking away.

It was only a weak and helpless Shallow Tier Monster. It had no desire to provoke beings like fairies; it would be troublesome if certain important figures from the company took notice of it.

The Monster looked back at Xia Ya on the ground and gave a strange laugh.

"Now then, how should we proceed with this delightful torment? Heh heh heh."

Gunfire rang out again, but the magic bullets flying toward it could not even break through its shield.

Seeing the result, Ain dejectedly lowered her pistol.

Ignoring everyone else's futile efforts, the Monster raised one hand. A dark energy blade extended from its arm, its tip tracing across Xia Ya's body several times.

"Where should I start? First, I'll cut off your hands and feet, then slowly pierce through your body."

The Monster spoke with delight, then aimed the energy blade at Xia Ya's heart.

"Or should I just kill you outright!"

The Monster shouted and viciously thrust at Xia Ya.

Watching the blade stab toward her, Xia Ya could not help but squeeze her eyes shut.

Clang!

The pain she had expected never came. Instead, there was only the sound of metal striking metal.

Xia Ya slowly opened her eyes and saw that the energy blade in the black-robed Monster's hand had been pushed away from her chest. Turning her head, she spotted a moon-Bai spear radiating pale blue light embedded diagonally in the ground.

Tap, tap, tap.

The crisp sound of heels striking the ground came from afar. The Monster and Xia Ya looked over at the same time as a blue-and-Bai figure entered everyone's sight.

She wore a blue-and-Bai ceremonial dress, her silver-Bai hair falling naturally down her back, and her adorable features were as exquisite as a painting.

"Molis?"

Xia Ya called out in surprise.

The newcomer was Zhou Mo, in her Magical Girl form.

Zhou Mo looked at Xia Ya, a smile spreading across her lips.

"I came to save you."