Susan looked at the girl slumped against the rocks on the beach and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After turning off the engine, I got out of the car, closed the door, and habitually took out a lollipop, opened the wrapper, and put it in my mouth.
This habit was cultivated in her by Peony.
Smoking a cigarette can feel great when you're in a bad mood or a good mood.
Peony said.
But since they are magical girls, they can't smoke; it's better for them to play with lollipops instead.
The taste of Alps is still pretty much the same as when I was a child.
Pressing down her hair, which was being blown about by the sea breeze, Susan called out, "Hey, what are you still doing here?"
The Peony beside the reef shivered and looked up.
Then he immediately turned and ran towards the sea!
Susan rubbed her neck, feeling a bit of a headache, and chewed on her lollipop.
"Stop right there!"
As they ran, the Peony over there ran even faster. " The Mental Image Remnants are gone! What are you still doing here lingering?! If you delay any longer, the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau will fire you!"
"Leave me alone!"
"Stop right there!"
During the run, Peony tripped over something and fell to the ground, rolling several times in the seawater.
Susan rushed over immediately and held down Peony, who was still trying to get up. "You better hurry up!"
I told you not to worry about me!
"Now you know how annoying I am? Weren't you always this annoying to me?"
Susan sat on Peony, pressing down on her friend. "I've been looking for you for days, how could I ignore you? I know you hate work, I'll apply for a leave of absence for you when you get back, otherwise you'll really be unemployed."
"Then you won't have a job."
Peony covered her face with her arm. "Anyway, I don't want to go back to work at the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau."
The waves crashed against them. Susan took a breath. "So why? Because you were afraid of getting tired, you even quit your teaching job, and now you've given up your job at the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau. How are you going to live?"
"It's none of your business..."
"You lost An Shiyu?"
The sudden question caught Peony off guard.
She moved the arm that was covering her face, and then gave a tearful "Mmm".
"I knew it." Susan let go of Peony, first tying up her blonde hair, then taking off her shoes. Seawater soaking into shoes is unpleasant, so she also took off her wet socks and stuffed them into her shoes.
"During this operation, quite a few magical girls went missing at headquarters, and they're still searching everywhere. After all, the Mental Image Remnants are something that Full Bloom magical girls."
"I know."
"You know you're hiding here alone. Wouldn't it be faster to tell everyone and search together?"
"I asked! I asked!" Peony's voice was agitated, and her sobs were growing louder. "The magical girls who went in at headquarters all said they've never seen An Shiyu; she never went in!"
"I lost her before the Mental Image Remnants incident! I should have sent her to headquarters back then, it's all my fault..."
Susan stared blankly at the Peony, which lay slumped in the seawater.
So, she can cry.
From the moment they first met and became teammates, Susan disliked this unreliable guy who hated his job.
They're already adults, yet they don't take their work as magical girls seriously; they just talk nonsense.
When Susan was first defeated by the Calamity Beast, she lay on the ruined ground like this, covering her face with her arm.
At that time, Peony squatted down next to her with a grin, saying it was okay; even thirty seconds was a very sharp joke.
Then he popped a lollipop into her mouth as a post-battle reward.
They sat amidst the ruins, watching the construction and repair vehicles pass by, and the clear sky. Peony kept telling her about the best food on every street, and she wanted to dye her hair blonde like Peony's, so they'd be a better teammate...
Even on the day she lost her transformation powers, Peony was all smiles. She didn't talk to her about those things, but took her out for a nice meal and got her nails done...
So you can cry too.
Susan casually popped a lollipop into Peony's mouth, picked up her shoes, and looked at the distant sea. "It's none of your business."
After all, it was the Azure Cloud Sect's order and Susan's arrangement that brought An Shiyu here.
This was so that An Shiyu could help everyone in the Azure Cloud Sect enter the Mental Image Remnants.
"How can it not have anything to do with me!" Peony cried uncontrollably. "If I had gone with you back then, you wouldn't have fallen into the Witch Association's ambush, you wouldn't have... you wouldn't have lost your magical girl powers!"
Susan paused for a moment, then sat down in the seawater, picking up her shoes. "You're still thinking about this? It's been so long."
"You're clearly more suited to be a magical girl than I am. I'm completely unsuitable for it. If only I had lost my transformation ability back then. If it were you, Susan, things wouldn't have turned out like this, and you wouldn't have lost An Shiyu..."
"You're talking nonsense again. You became a magical girl much earlier than me. You're much older than me, Aunt Peony."
"Who's Aunt Peony?!" she retorted habitually, then lowered her head. "Oh well, Auntie it is... I'm useless anyway."
"Wow, you've accepted even this? You must be really down." Susan shrugged. "But I don't care how much you blame yourself. After all, you're usually so carefree. Letting you be depressed for a bit is good."
"Then leave me alone!"
Susan's usually stern face softened with a smile. "But if you continue to be so downcast, it will be troublesome. After all, you haven't helped me regain my transformation power, nor have you found An Shiyu."
Peony moved her arm away, her eyes red as she looked at her friend. "I can't do either of those things."
"If you continue to stand here in a daze, then yes," Susan said softly, "If you really feel guilty, then get up and come with me to find An Shiyu, and then we'll figure out a way to help me regain my magical girl powers."
The waves crashed rhythmically, and a seagull cried out twice above. Peony said sadly, "Is it really okay? With someone like me?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? We're teammates." Susan held out her hand. "What did you tell me before? We're friends, so don't shoulder everything alone. Was that just some nice-sounding lie you, as an adult, told a child?"
"No, that's not it." Peony grabbed her friend's hand. "I just... hate myself for being unable to help with anything..."
"Don't worry, I'm here." Susan pulled her friend out of the water. "What was that slogan again? 'With the two of us together, we can forge ahead.'"
"It is omnipotent."
Wiping away her tears while correcting her friend's nonsensical recitation of the team slogan she had come up with, Peony sniffed, "I've searched everywhere— Anyang City, the coast, I even rented a yacht and searched the surrounding waters and the seabed—but I can't find it anywhere. I... I really don't know what to do..."
They disappeared along with the sect leader.
Susan sighed as she thought of Jiang Si and Shion's disappearance.
Although she was comforting Peony, her heart was actually heavy. After Jiang Si disappeared, the atmosphere emanating from the Azure Cloud Sect was truly suffocating.
Even if only the true disciples and a few inner circle know the truth.
However, Susan never thought that the sect leader would really have any problems. If An Shiyu was with the sect leader, she should be safe.
The remaining questions are: Where did they go? And how long will it take for them to return?
"I heard some news before that the missing person is related to the Mirror World, and that there are items from the Land of Mirrors in the Mental Image Remnants. An Shiyu may have accidentally entered the Mirror World."
Peony was stunned. " The Mirror World? How do we find it?"
"Let's try to contact the General Administration..."
My feet suddenly trembled.
Both Peony and Susan nearly fell as they stood up; the massive tremor triggered a tsunami that crashed toward the shore!
Peony quickly transformed and protected Susan.
The tsunami instantly submerged the nearby forest, washing away a lot of trees, and turning the original beach into a vast ocean!
"What happens?"
Look over there!
Susan looked up and saw that there were tiny cracks appearing in the sky!
Then, as if struck by a heavy hammer, there was another tremor, and the cracks suddenly spread outwards.
Spacequake!
Susan saw a few stray purple flames.
My heart pounded wildly!
Jiang Si!!
However, just as they were about to inform Winter Lord, another wave roared in.
A gray-white magical girl, exuding an aura of death, stood before the cracked space.
He reached out and pressed down on the cracked space.
The space that was previously cracking was actually slowly recovering?
Susan was taken aback, and quickly guessed what was going on, even though she had informed Lord Winter Lord.
But it's uncertain when we'll be able to get here.
If we don't stop this gray-white magical girl now, the sect leader might not be able to get here!
We have to stop her!
Susan turned her head and glanced at Peony.
It's impossible to let her take such a risk; Peony isn't good at fighting anyway.
Even just carrying her through the tsunami is a struggle to survive now.
The gray-white magical girl, though her power level was unclear, clearly possessed a remarkable ability to repair space...
The entire space trembled violently again, this time accompanied by a muffled rumble, like the sound of drums coming from afar. The area that had just been repaired cracked again, even more violently.
However, the gray-white magical girl also seemed to exert her power, making the repair speed visibly faster.
"This won't do! We can't stop this tsunami. If we let it run rampant, it will reach Anyang and cause a huge disaster! Susan, quickly notify the nearest Disaster Countermeasures Bureau!"
"It's too late!"
Susan stared intently at the crack in the sky, the escaping flames locked in a fierce battle with the power repairing space. "I'm going in, Peony."
"Huh? What's going on?" Peony was still busy using magic to stop the tsunami and didn't have time to look at her friend in her arms. "What are you doing?"
" Peony."
She took a deep breath. "Can I trust you, Peony?"
Peony said somewhat urgently, "What do you mean by believing or not believing? What time is it! What happened!"
"It's nothing, I just want to apologize to you."
Peony, holding Susan, could no longer control the tsunami. Just before they were about to be submerged, she looked down at her friend.
The girl pulled the pendant from her chest.
I'm sorry for keeping this from you all this time.
The blue Miracle Seed, like a water droplet, swayed and shimmered, radiating a gentle yet brilliant light.
" Susan, you..."
I'm so sorry for making you feel guilty for so long.
Susan suddenly grasped her Miracle Seed. Fine blue threads unfurled, and the roaring waves around her froze above her head before dissipating.
The fierce, roaring tsunami swirled gently around Susan, as if an invisible force was protecting the two of them.
"The tide."
To Peony's astonishment, all the threads converged on Susan.
Roar!
Another overwhelming tsunami swept down, engulfing the two in an instant, as if to turn the world into a sea. However, in the next instant, a blue beam of light broke through the tsunami!
A massive blue beam of light rapidly spread to both sides, like a water blade cutting upwards, splitting the sea in two and revealing the original beach. Then—
One cut, water burial.
All the seawater then dispersed and the tide receded.
Even the gray-white magical girl who was constantly repairing the space couldn't help but glance in this direction.
The azure-blue magical girl swam in the waves like a mermaid.
Magical Girl Zhulu didn't say anything more to Peony.
It charged straight at the gray-white magical girl!
The gray-white magical girl, who had been pressing one hand against the space, turned her head and stared at her, causing Zhulu's heart to sink slightly.
What kind of eyes are those?
Like a simple glass ball, it has an unusual, inhuman feel, more like the eyes of some kind of animal.
As a magical girl who can manipulate water, the ocean is her main battlefield, since she can control a greater amount of water.
" Masterpiece, part four: Riddled with Holes by Entwining Threads!"
These blue threads are much larger and denser than those used in the previous battle with Yinluo!
Seawater can even be used to enhance the magic of the extending threads. In just a moment, dense blue threads, like a spider web, intertwined around the gray-white magical girl, binding her layer by layer.
"Let go!"
After giving the other party a warning, Zhulu heard the gray-white magical girl say mechanically and stiffly:
"Intermediate threat detected."
"Enemy magic detection, in Full Blossom."
"Open attack privileges."
Zhulu was slightly taken aback. Although she had fully recovered and even broken through to the next level, after passing the inner sect test, she was only at the New Sprout Peak Great Perfection. Yumo said that her magical power was still lacking and it was best not to rush to advance to the Full Blossom.
However, on the high seas, seawater can compensate for the lack of magic, making it equal to the Full Blossom.
How did they measure it?
I was a little confused, but I acted faster than I thought, even though I didn't understand what the other person was thinking.
But the hand had already pulled on the thread and suddenly tightened!
Thousands of threads seeped into the gray-white magical girl's body, yet she felt as if she were an empty shell inside!
Her threads have evolved to the point where they can penetrate the magical armor and directly seal off her main body, which is covered by the magical armor.
If they are not prepared, the true disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect will suffer a great loss.
However, the gray-white magical girl in front of him felt nothing at all, because there was no real body beneath the magical costume!
Empty Shell Magical Girl?
Before there was time to think further, a sharp white magical power had already erupted from the opponent's hand!
With a single wave, all the surrounding blue threads were instantly severed, along with their magical connection to this side!
A massive amount of seawater crashed back onto the surface like a waterfall, while the white magical blades from the other side continued their relentless assault.
"Careful!"
Peony's somewhat anxious voice suddenly rang in her mind, and Zhulu Dew reflexively activated her magic ahead of time.
" Mediocre Work, the third one: Glazed Realm of Vast Blue Waves!"
The sharp white magic dissipated considerably near the water, but a significant amount still passed through the water and struck towards her body!
"Down!"
Peony's voice came from the bottom of her heart again. Without thinking, Zhulu slid down the water like a fish and fell into the sea.
As expected, when the sharp white magic penetrated the defensive water waves, the entire water wave was instantly torn apart and riddled with holes!
If it hadn't landed beforehand, Susan would probably have been torn to shreds like the water ripples.
The magical girl, Zhulu, popped her head out of the seawater, blowing Bubble as she looked at the Peony that had reminded her twice earlier.
Peony snorted from afar, "As expected, it's really worrying to see you all fighting alone without me."
"It's because I spend most of my battles with you." Zhulu quickly stood beside Peony. "It's been so long since I heard your telepathic communication. Is it still just a partner skill that only I can hear?"
"What, you're jealous that I'm sending messages to other people?"
"You're saying such disgusting things, you just want the privileges of being a first-generation teammate."
"Heh, just like you kept it a secret that I've regained my power, I've also kept it a secret from you that I've already sent messages to many other people."
"... Feel sorry."
"Forget it, we'll talk about when you get your powers back later. I'll definitely give you a good scolding!" Peony looked up at the gray-white magical girl. "Although I don't know who she is, the fact that you're going to attack her means she's definitely not a good person."
"Um."
" Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, the strongest magical girl squad, Flower Fish Squad." Peony's wand transformed into an eye. "Temporarily revived! The two of us won't lose!"
Magical girl Zhulu flashed a bright smile, "Of course!"
Don't hold me back!
"You're the one who's been out of action for so long, are you alright?"
"It's about to start!"
"Good!"
A massive waterspout suddenly rose from the sea! And it hurtled straight towards the greyish-white magical girl!
"The target is her right hand! Make her let go! Release the spatial rift!"
"Understood, so next, she'll cast a spell downwards! Watch out, it's coming!"
The seawater swirled upwards, flowing along the massive magic cannon that the grey-white magical girl had released downwards, and Zhulu swam swiftly upwards in this winding sea like a mermaid!
She was faster and more agile in the sea than when she took off; all the seawater was part of her magical armor!
"Watch out! Her right foot!"
With a brief reminder and no further explanation needed, Zhulu swiftly wrapped her silk threads around the other person's right foot, which then condensed into a terrifying magic cannon as she stomped towards Susan!
"Northwest direction!"
Besides that kick, the gray-white magical girl summoned two or three more magic cannons, aiming them at Susan in different directions, almost blocking all of her escape routes.
However, without a second thought, Zhulu swam in the northwest direction as Peony had indicated!
All the magic cannons flew past her, heading straight for Peony.
However, the azure water quickly enveloped the Peony, deflecting the magic cannon.
[ Mediocre Work, Part Three: Glazed Realm of Vast Blue Waves ].
"Idiot, how long do you think we've been fighting together? And how many more Calamity Beast will target Peony?"
With a cold laugh, Zhulu finally rushed up to the gray-white magical girl!
The gray-white magical girl punched Zhulu, a simple punch, and then several magic cannons exploded instantly from her fist!
The Zhulu were flung back into the sea like shooting stars!
But when she turned her head, the gray-white magical girl discovered that Magical Girl Zhulu was behind her, grabbing her right hand, which had been pressing against the spatial rift in the sky and was unable to move.
Below, Peony gasped for breath, a smug smile spreading across her face. "Having fought Four Leaves and Six Leaves for so long, while I can't quite reach their level, even I can manage that momentary disorientation in battle."
"You're unlucky to have run into Hana-chan from our Magical Girl Squad."
Zhulu grabbed the right hand, and before the gray-white magical girl could blast her away, she finally used a spell she hadn't used in a long time.
" Masterpiece, number six: Single Arrow of the Azure Tide's Clear Ripples."
Pale blue magic surged and pierced the opponent's right hand like an arrow. Immediately afterward, water surged wildly in the gray-white magical girl's right hand!
The series of massive explosions instantly shattered the gray-white magical girl's right hand, which was firmly pressing against the sky!
"The risk level has increased."
"Request higher-level access."
"Open now."
The moment I released my grip, the massive tremor returned! Visible cracks instantly spread across the entire sky!
The gray-white magical girl tried to stop the crack in the sky again, but Zhulu wouldn't let her have her way and charged up once more.
Watch out on your right!
The Peony's reminder came again, but this time it failed.
Just as Zhulu was about to grab the gray-white magical girl, she was instantly suppressed by immense magical power!
The multiple waterspouts she controlled were successively dispersed, and even Peony, who was at a safe distance, was grabbed by the neck by an invisible force and lifted up.
" In Full Blossom, at the pinnacle of perfection..."
The control of the seawater that was originally in Zhulu's hands was lost in an instant. The seawater became the weapon of the gray-white magical girl. She controlled the seawater to form a cage, trapping the two of them.
While desperately compressing the seawater, trying to crush the two magical girls to death, he reached out again, attempting to stop the rapidly spreading crack in the air.
Splash--
The sky shattered like a piece of glass.
A small, fair hand, adorned with light purple nail polish, emerged from the crack.
Before the gray-white magical girl could even touch the crack, her hand was suddenly grabbed!
The gray-white magical girl, whose expression had been somewhat mechanical, showed a hint of surprise. She frantically tugged at her arm, but couldn't break free!
"World."
Purple pupils shone like flames on the other side of the dark crack.
The seawater began to boil, and a towering purple light could not be contained and overflowed from the crack, growing ever stronger until it set the entire sky ablaze!
"It's filthy again."