A Conversation with a Monster

"Want to know my story? The second year of Yuanhe..."

"Stop, stop! I ask, you answer. Can we talk?"

"...Yes."

In the ruined alleyway, as though it had been run over by a hundred-ton truck, Molis had just shifted back from Red Form. Beside her, the black-clad Monster's corpse slowly dissipated.

When she tried to speak to the voice that had suddenly appeared in her mind, it actually responded.

Back when she had beaten the Monster flat, she had tried asking about its plan, but it had been incredibly stubborn.

"Even if I die, I won't say a single word!"

So she had hit it a little harder and sent it to meet God.

And yet now, she could actually speak with the dead Monster.

Thinking back on it, the first time she defeated a Monster, she seemed to have asked it questions too, and it had answered.

To keep the Monster's lingering consciousness from suddenly vanishing, she quickly asked in her mind:

"Tell me, how much do you know about the plan the Abyss Nest is carrying out? Tell me everything you know."

"The organization's plan is to launch a surprise attack on the Nova Tournament on the day it is held, led by several lords and involving a large number of Monsters and some powerful witches."

The Monster quickly gave its answer.

Molis nodded, then continued asking:

"...And then?"

"That's all."

"That's it?"

"Yes."

The Monster's voice disappeared completely, leaving Molis standing there in a daze.

Other than the attack, there was no other plan?

Was this Monster too low-ranking to access the core of the plan, or was their plan really that simple?

Molis rubbed her chin in thought.

At that moment, Rabi walked over. With a lift of its paw, the devastation around them was restored to normal, and it let out a faint sigh.

"That Monster didn't say anything even when it died. Looks like you were just wasting your time."

Molis glanced at it. "Who says I didn't get anything? I already got some answers."

Rabi looked up at her, blinking.

"When did you ask it?"

"After it died."

"Looks like your old illness is acting up again."

Rabi merely thought she was talking nonsense and came to that conclusion with absolute certainty.

This guy's tongue was really vicious.

Molis's mouth twitched. After a moment, she asked Rabi:

"By the way, where is the Nova Tournament being held?"

"Naturally, at the Central Stadium near the Zohar headquarters tower in the First District."

Without even looking back, Rabi answered as it took out its phone, ready to call the Magical Girl psychological counseling department for Molis.

Molis decisively pressed down the paw it was using to make the call and left the area.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt the Abyss Nest had a deeper purpose.

But if even Shallow Tier Monsters did not know the real plan, would higher-ranking Monsters know more?

Still, higher-ranking Monsters were probably beyond what she could handle with her current strength.

"Looks like I'll have to give up."

But at least she had confirmed that the organization would launch a massive attack on the day of the tournament.

"Rabi."

"What is it?"

"The Abyss Nest will attack the venue on the day of the tournament."

Rabi was perched on her shoulder. Upon hearing the girl's words, its body froze, and it turned to look at her.

"How do you know that?"

"Didn't I say so? I learned it from the dead Monster."

"So you're a medium too."

Rabi replied flatly.

"..."

It fell silent for a moment before saying, "Your identity as a medium surprises me more than the information you gave earlier."

"I'm not a medium!"

The girl said indignantly.

Rabi ignored her protest. Tilting its head, its tone carried a trace of fluctuation that it normally lacked.

"When... did you gain this ability?"

"You mean talking to the dead... Pfft, talking to dead Monsters? I've always been able to."

Molis answered matter-of-factly as she walked down the street.

"Every time I take down a Monster, it chatters on and on in my head about its life story. It's so annoying. Isn't that something all Magical Girls can do?"

"No."

Rabi answered with complete certainty.

"When you hear a Monster's final words each time, haven't you felt any changes?"

Molis raised a brow. Rabi's tone seemed strangely cautious now, which did not fit its usual image at all.

But she did not think much of it. She simply shook her head and continued:

"Doesn't seem like it. I just think those guys are annoying. They're already dead, yet they still insist on making a dying speech before they go."

Still, she truly had never realized that other Magical Girls did not have this ability.

Then what was going on with her? Was she really a medium?

If it was her special ability, it did not seem all that useful.

Rabi stared at Molis for a long time. Only after seeing that she appeared completely unaffected did it slowly look away.

Molis did not notice the faint trace of sadness that flashed through Rabi's eyes beneath its ever-calm expression.

After returning to school, she had spent the entire afternoon dealing with things. By the time she got back, school had just let out.

Zhou Mo thought for a moment, then headed straight to the clubroom.

"Haaah..."

The moment she entered the club classroom, she saw Bai Yi, the petite short-haired girl, sitting at the long table with her little head resting on its surface, letting out a deep sigh.

Nearby, Mo Li and An Xia were comforting her, while Zhao Qiao handed her a small piece of cake.

Watching the mysterious scene unfold, Zhou Mo blinked curiously.

"What's going on?"

Hearing Zhou Mo's question, Bai Yi suddenly sat upright. Her eyes were full of determination as she enunciated each word:

"I. Want. To. Rest."

Mo Li was horrified. With a thump, she dropped to her knees and tightly grasped one of Bai Yi's hands with both of hers. Looking up, she pleaded:

"You mustn't, Your Majesty! We're in the middle of a crucial competition period. If you, as club president, take a break, how will the club keep running?"

Bai Yi remained unmoved. She shook off Mo Li's grip, cast her a sidelong glance, and said coldly:

"You really have nothing but the club on your mind."

Was it really okay for the club president to say that?

Zhou Mo sat silently to the side.

She pulled over a chair and sat down, glancing at Bai Yi.

Though this club president was tiny and adorable, she had always been diligent and responsible in her role. From Zhou Mo's limited understanding of Bai Yi, she should not be the type to openly show that she wanted to slack off.

"What happened?"

She asked curiously.

"Well, it seems there's a game that recently came out called something like Magic Ring. Sister Bai Yi got into the beta test, and that's why she's like this."

An Xia answered her.

"Magic Ring?"

Zhou Mo scratched her head. She seemed to have seen it online recently, but it was still in closed beta, so she had not looked into it much.

Seeing that Bai Yi had already made up her mind, Mo Li continued persuading her:

"I know your duties as club president have taken up the time you worked so hard to get for testing the game. How about this? Give me the account, and I'll play it for you. That way, neither will interfere with the other. What do you think?"

Looking at Mo Li's hopeful eyes, Bai Yi replied blandly:

"You really have nothing but yourself on your mind."