Chapter 6

“Hmph~♪ Hmph~♬”

Uuuung—

The despair circuit started spinning tightly to the tune of the humming.

A sensation ordinary humans couldn’t satisfy.

Only the despair of a magical girl could provide this level of satisfaction, making my chest burn hot.

Grrrrraaaaah—!!!

“This is fun.”

Feeling the joy in the monster’s cry, I curled the corner of my mouth.

Well, even I, who was fine just moments ago, am this excited, so the monster must be even more so.

After all, the despair of a magical girl was like honey and milk from the Garden of Eden to a monster.

“Aaaaaah—!!!”

‘At this rate, she’s going to die.’

I somehow dodged the first attack, but with her legs trembling like that, it seemed hopeless.

Seeing her rolling around, painting the floor with blood, I felt a little sorry.

She’s still a magical “girl,” after all.

Grrruh?

‘Don’t mind me, keep doing what you were doing.’

A gaze flew toward me as I watched the scene.

Quick on the uptake, aren’t you?

The monster tilted its head as if asking why I was here, and I stifled a laugh inside.

Gruk, gruk, gruuuuk…

The monster’s cry seemed to ask how the humans upstairs were doing.

Are you worried the humans on the 5th floor might escape?

“It’s okay. Nothing will happen.”

If they come out after being scared like that, it must be something beyond human, surely.

I’m not human anyway, and I came out to use the bathroom, so it shouldn’t matter.

Though, I did come down impulsively, drawn by the magical girl’s despair.

[Peridot! There’s a living person! Still alive! And multiple life signals on the top floor! The despair is thick, but there’s also hope! Survivors!!]

“Survivors? They’re… alive?”

Grrruuuuuh—

Light gradually filled the empty pupils of the magical girl—Peridot.

To still hold hope after seeing this scene, what incredible mental strength.

Well, she’s the type to shout techniques like “Peridot Splash!” in broad daylight, so her mental strength couldn’t be weak.

Gruk, gruk! Gruk!

‘It’s not my fault, is it?’

The monster gave me a look, as if blaming me for the magical girl regaining hope.

Wait, am I really getting side-eyed by a monster?

…Hmm, if we’re counting monster seniority, it might be about right.

“I’ll save them! Everyone!”

‘Most of them are already dead, though.’

What a convenient hope.

Enough to make me nauseous.

Uuuuung—

[Hope circuit reactivated! Output exceeding when the giant monster was defeated! Peridot, this is…!]

“With this power, I can save them!”

A determined will filled Peridot’s eyes.

I thought turning despair into hope was tough, but apparently, just as hope can turn into despair easily, despair can turn into hope just as easily.

Or maybe magical girls are just made to be that convenient.

Gruk! Gruk!

“Oh…”

The monster seemed to ask what I was going to do now, but my attention wasn’t on it.

I let out a small exclamation as I watched the wand in Peridot’s hand emit a glow and transform into something else.

The awakening—Hope Threshold—something only a magical girl who has raised her hope to a certain level can achieve.

‘What I saw was the protagonist awakening in an anime, though.’

By the way, isn’t this dangerous?

There’s a significant difference in power between a magical girl before and after awakening.

Even a freshly awakened magical girl might struggle against a Gamma-level monster.

Grrruh—

‘Looks like she’s ready to fight.’

Of course, even faced with this scene, the monster showed no intention of backing down.

If anything, it seemed even more excited at the thought of driving the awakened magical girl to despair.

What a spirited monster~ You might die, you know?

‘I’ve grown a bit fond of it, so maybe I’ll help a little.’

Though our meeting was brief, I didn’t want to let the monster, with whom I shared the taste of despair, die like this.

Of course, the monster might win—

“…Why, why did you only come now?”

“Huh…?!”

“It’s too late.”

Gotcha, it’s working.

My stumbling act was a bit awkward, but I could definitely pull off the hollow voice pouring out emptiness.

I subtly signaled to the monster, who was tilting its head as if it didn’t understand my actions.

‘Just watch.’

“Rather than surviving alone, it would’ve been better to die…”

“…”

The magical girl’s face twisted.

An expression that looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.

The hope that had been surging just moments ago was now tainted with a grayish hue.

‘See? How’s my acting?’

Gruk, gruk, gruk!

When I pretended to wipe tears and locked eyes with the monster, it let out a gruff laugh, as if amused by my antics.

Like an uncle watching his niece’s performance.

‘Instead of standing there laughing, why don’t you run away?’

“I’ll take your resentment later! Right now, defeating the monster is the priority!”

Oops, too late.

It was good that I shook Peridot’s spirit, but she recovered faster than I thought.

This was the perfect chance, but why did you just stand there, tsk.

[Hope circuit output at 100% OVER! 200% ready, Peridot!]

“Okay!”

The wand—no, the book—that Peridot was holding floated into the air and began gathering hope energy.

This is totally that thing, you know, that thing.

The one with the lame name I saw on screen.

And it’s at 200% output.

“Peridot Splash!!”

Oh no.

Come to think of it, I’m a monster too.

As my vision turned white in an instant, I tried to get up quickly, but the beam of light was faster.

‘Is this the end of the Magical Girl Apocalypse…’

To be defeated not by Diamond, Ruby, or Sapphire, but by a nameless magical girl who didn’t even appear in the original.

The final boss isn’t all that, huh~ Or maybe this is better for the humans?

Well, to be honest, it’ll probably just end with me being really hurt.

Grrrrruh—

“Ugh…”

But the beam Peridot fired didn’t hit me directly.

Of course, I didn’t dodge it.

The setting is that ordinary humans aren’t harmed by attacks made of hope energy.

I thought I might take a hit to look as human as possible, but there’s no way I’d dodge that cannonball on purpose, right?

Grrrrruh!!

The grotesquely twisted body moved like a fluid, dodging the massive beam and scooping me up in the process.

What, you had this kind of skill too?

As I marveled at the monster’s movement, it brought the shadow holding me close to its face.

Gruk.

‘Are you worried?’

Maybe, maybe not.

“Cowardly…!”

[Th-This monster took a human hostage! It must be a highly intelligent individual! If we don’t deal with it now, the damage in the future will be huge!]

“But what can we do…”

Now’s the chance.

If you miss this opportunity, you know what’ll happen, right?

Seeing Peridot in a panic at the sight of me held by the monster, I subtly signaled the monster.

Just grab me and run, you idiot. If you stay here, you’ll really die.

Grrruh…

It didn’t seem to like the idea, but the monster seemed to somewhat agree with me.

Seeing it hesitate, reluctant to leave the despair of the humans on the 5th floor, but still moving slowly.

[Peridot! It’s running away!]

“Ah, no! There are still people!!”

Grrruh, gruk!

As my vision brightened, Peridot’s voice quickly faded into the distance.

Fast, so fast. This is a Gamma-level monster?

Brushing the hair slapping my face aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the speed the monster created.

This could be a good alternative to riding a vehicle.

‘By the way, what a waste.’

The humans gathered on the 5th floor, and the magical girl’s despair.

Especially the magical girl’s despair.

It was a taste so great it made you feel alive, yep.

“Tsk.”

Gruk?

“I’m just disappointed.”

Gruk, gruk, gruk!

“You’re the one who came down here instead of staying upstairs and caused this mess! Hey, you’re saying that to someone—no, a monster—who saved your life?”

You can always create more despair later.

I ignored the monster, who was arguing back, and turned my head this way and that.

Acting like a protector when you’re a monster. And we just met today, right?

Wait, more importantly.

“…There’s one thing I’m curious about.”

Grrruh—

“Where are we going—w-wait! Can you put me down for a second?!”

Gruk, grruk! Gruk!

Ugh, this damn monster!

As soon as it heard my shout, the monster tightened its grip on me, and I cursed it out in my mind.

This direction—it’s heading toward the lab! After saving me, you’re betraying me like this?!

“I-I’ll get my revenge.”

Grrruk!

The monster snorted as if my declaration of revenge as the final boss was laughable.

This is so sad, so sad. To be ignored even by a monster.

Tears welled up in my eyes from the sorrow.

Of course, I wasn’t really crying.