Chapter 38

The field of vision shook violently.

It wasn’t particularly painful, but after rolling around for a while, I finally managed to see who was on top of me, pressing down on my neck.

“Pr… Prilly?”

“Yeah, it’s me! How’ve you been?”

Isn’t this a bit of an odd way to greet someone after pinning them down?

Prilly, with her red short hair hanging down, looked down at me with a terrifying smile right in front of my face.

Your eyes are messed up!

“Well, that’s true.”

Could you get off? You’re scary.

“I haven’t been doing well! Come here and tie up the enemy’s limbs for me!”

As soon as Prilly’s incantation echoed menacingly, light began to rise around where I was lying.

Oh no, it’s magic!

How is her chant so fast?!

The moment I raised my left hand to shake Prilly off, a blue ring clamped around my wrist.

The ring pulled me to the ground, and my wrist, caught in the ring, stuck firmly to the ground, unable to move.

And my right hand, though I couldn’t see it, and both my ankles were also stuck to the ground, immobile.

“Yeah, now you’re worth looking at.”

Prilly looked down at me, lying in a big “大” shape on the ground with my arms and legs restrained, grinning creepily.

“Prilly, we’re not exactly on friendly terms to be greeting each other face-to-face like this, are we?”

“Well, that’s true. But don’t you think it’s about time we had a proper conversation?”

My hair is tickling my mouth from all the rolling around.

Prilly grinned and raised her hand high.

-Wham!

The moment I turned my head, a spear lodged itself right next to my ear.

“You crazy b*tch!”

Are you really trying to kill someone?!

No matter how hard I tried to break free, my left hand wouldn’t budge.

Seeing me struggle, Prilly stood there, licking her finger and looking down at me.

“Do you know how betrayed I felt?”

“I was never on your side to begin with.”

“I thought you were just some innocent girl. But then, what’s this? A mother? You damn b*tch. You’re so young and already rolling around with men!”

They all have such weird triggers for getting angry.

More importantly, you’re seriously misunderstanding. Rolling around with men? That never happened!

By the way, ah. Kabe. I forgot about Kabe.

“Kabe, where’s Kabe?!”

“Ah, that brat?”

There’s a limit to how much I can turn my head while lying down.

No matter how much I turned my head to where Prilly was looking, I couldn’t see Kabe.

“Mom, moooom!”

Finally, I heard Kabe crying out for me.

“Your daughter? She really looks just like you. Hey, Econova. Keep a good grip on that brat.”

“Don’t touch Kabe!”

“Playing the mom card, huh? Ah, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. If I’d known you were this kind of girl, I would’ve jumped you right away!”

-Thud, my breath caught in my throat. Pain shot up from my side.

What’s this? Why am I feeling pain?

“Wondering why it hurts?”

As if reading my mind, Prilly’s mocking voice reached me.

“I’m an A-rank. I’m on a whole different level compared to a half-baked B-rank like Priqu. I can easily pierce through super armor. Want to see?”

Another thud, and my right wrist felt like it was about to break.

“Mom, mom! Mooom!”

“Hey, Econova. Shut that brat up.”

-Snap, and Kabe’s crying turned into sobs.

“Kabe, I told you not to touch her! What are you going to do if this gets broadcasted?!”

“Ah, broadcast.”

Prilly crouched down and stared blankly at my face.

“Blocking the broadcast is a piece of cake. The mind field’s already been set up. Did you think I wouldn’t anticipate what you’re thinking?”

“Moooom!”

“I told you not to touch Kabe, I’ll really die.”

“Oh, this brat’s really noisy.”

Another snap, and Kabe’s crying continued.

I’m angry.

I’m so angry.

At myself for being so stupid, not noticing Prilly approaching even though I could see the map clearly.

At myself for not paying more attention to Kabe and figuring out what kind of person she is.

“Don’t touch Kabe…!”

“Oh, so scary~ Who’s scared of you?”

The ring.

If I can just break this ring, I can do something.

If I can just get rid of this, I can move.

“Moooom! Get uuup!”

I poured as much magic power as I could into my left hand.

The ring was shrinking to fit my wrist size, so if I push from the inside, maybe it’ll break.

I have plenty of magic power anyway. So, if I push with all my might, maybe something will happen.

It was a pretty naive thought.

-Crack.

It worked.

As the ring restraining my wrist broke, the other rings also shattered, and I finally regained freedom in my limbs.

I quickly got up and lunged at Prilly.

“Your enemy is not me, you unjust one!”

Prilly’s hand touched my head.

A sharp sensation shook my mind, but my body moved faster.

I dove into Prilly’s embrace and delivered a rocket punch with my left hand!

“I knew it!”

I was read.

Prilly had already moved far away from me.

Is this the difference in experience?

“Here comes the punishment of God!”

A radiant light rose behind Prilly. Six glowing spears floated up into the sky.

This is cheating.

“Don’t stop me!”

Magic circles began to form in Prilly’s hands.

“Were you in a soda commercial?!”

“Yeah! It was pineapple cider! Try it sometime!”

The magic circles finished forming, and Prilly’s hands came together.

The magic circles merged, forming an even larger magic circle-

-Precious people and precious moments~ Three strikes pineapple cider~

“This really doesn’t match the mood.”

“You’re one to talk, Prilly.”

Meanwhile, I was busy dodging the flying spears.

Luckily, the speed of the spears wasn’t much different from Priqu’s smashing, so dodging wasn’t too hard, but the number was a problem.

I tried to create a shield with magic, but it was too much to make a shield big enough to cover all the spears coming from every direction.

-Boom!

An explosion sounded.

And with the sudden brightness in front of my eyes, I was sent tumbling again.

Pain shot through my entire body.

I was too busy blocking the spears to notice… this is a problem.

Half-collapsed from the pain pressing down on my whole body, Prilly walked over with a leisurely smile.

She then bent down, staring straight into my face, and grinned.

“How’s it feel? Hurts, doesn’t it? This is the Aura Cannon.”

Yeah. It hurts like hell.

“Probably less than how much I hurt.”

I want to test it, can I take one more hit?

These thoughts didn’t make it out of my mouth.

I need to push Prilly away to save Kabe. Rolling my eyes to look where Kabe was, I saw Kabe struggling in the grip of some magical girl named Econova or something.

“Mom, mom!”

“Kabe, just wait a little. Mom will save you.”

As Prilly approached, I tried to get up, but my knee buckled, and I half-collapsed again.

“Last time, I was careless. This is what magic is like. Got it? Dealing with someone like you, who can only fight up close, is nothing.”

Prilly’s hand grabbed my chin and forced it up.

Prilly’s face, full of confidence, honestly looks ridiculous.

If I could, I’d love to land a rocket punch on that face.

“Pr, Prilly-sama…”

This time, the magical girl named Econova or something called out to Prilly.

“Econova, can’t you shut that brat up… ah…?”

Prilly’s words trailed off as she glared at the girl, her face full of annoyance.

And seeing Prilly like that, I also fell silent, looking in the same direction.

It was there, silently watching over “us.”

Half-collapsed me.

Prilly, glaring with an annoyed expression.

The magical girl holding Kabe, who had fallen backward.

All eyes were on one place.

A giant wolf, at least twice my height.

Fur shining brightly white under the moonlight.

Eyes glowing red.

White breath escaping its mouth with every breath.

“The God-Slaying Wolf…”

Prilly’s voice trembled.

“Mom. Are you okay?”

“The wolf is talking…?”

Well, a leopard born from a cat can talk, so there’s no reason a wolf can’t.

But more importantly, a wolf twice my size calling me mom is just weird.

“Kabe… is that you?”

“Yeah. Are you okay? I’m glad. The charge was just right.”

Her pronunciation was clearer. Maybe because she didn’t lose any teeth.

“Uh, uh… I’m okay. Mom’s okay.”

“Yeah. Then, should we clean up those insignificant things bothering mom? Or should we do something else? I’ll do whatever mom says.”

Kabe’s red eyes flickered toward Prilly.

Prilly was pale with overwhelming fear.

“Oh.”

I slowly got up and approached the wolf who called herself Kabe.

“Kabe… right?”

“Yeah.”

Kabe stuck out her tongue and licked my face.

It felt a bit rough, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.

“Prilly.”

Prilly didn’t seem to hear me, staring up at Kabe with a terrified expression.

Ah, right. Unlike minions, if they die, they really die.

“Prilly.”

“What, what.”

“Retreat.”

I’m not exactly a saint, so I’d like to pay back the beating I got.

But I want to get revenge with my own strength… not for some half-baked reason, but taking a life is a bit much.

Besides, even if Kabe’s true form is this wolf, she still calls me mom, so her mental age must still be young.

I don’t want to make a kid like that kill someone.

“And you.”

Turning around, the magical girl named Ecogreen or something was also pale-faced, sitting down… uh… that wet spot… anyway, she was staring up at Kabe.

“You too, retreat.”

“R, retreating!”

With that, the girl disappeared.

“Prilly, you retreat too.”

“N, no. I can’t do that.”

“Why?”

This was unexpected.

I thought she’d be the first to retreat, different from the others.

“There are still allies left. We have to stop the God-Slaying Wolf here.”

“You?”

I glanced at the map.

Only Prabel, Aquamarine, and Prilly here remain on the battlefield.

Priqu’s marker was gone. Dusik’s stamina was red, so it seems he made her retreat.

Good job, Dusik.

“Retreat. We’ll retreat too.”

Things got so chaotic that I didn’t have time to think, but we’ve done enough.

Three magical girls retreated, the captain Prilly is retreating, and Dusik made Priqu retreat, so we’ve saved face.

After hesitating for a moment, Prilly took a deep breath, as if making a decision.

“…Retreating.”

With that, Prilly disappeared.

“All minions, listen. Head to the initial rally point immediately. Minions in combat, cease fighting and retreat to rally.”

-Yes!

-Understood!

-Yes!

“Mom, are you okay?”

Kabe, back in human form, asked worriedly.

Instead of answering, I smiled and patted Kabe’s head.

“Mom’s okay. But I can’t hug you right now.”

My whole body hurts.

My side, where Prilly kicked me, and my wrist.

My whole body hurts from the Aura Cannon.

“That’s okay…”

Kabe looked dejected.

Only Prilly, that Ecogreen magical girl, and I know Kabe’s true identity is that wolf.

But it’ll spread soon. The God-Slaying Wolf… that’s what she called it. Sounds ominous just from the name.

“The gauge must charge slowly.”

“Yeah…”

There was a reason Kabe hadn’t shown her true form until now.

After declaring the countdown, the gauge starts filling, and when it’s full, she can reveal her true form.

I haven’t seen her fight directly, but seeing how scared Prilly was, there must be something to it.

If that’s the case, it’s probably overpowered, so it makes sense the gauge charges slowly.

When I asked why she didn’t tell me earlier, she said she wanted to surprise me.

With such a pure, childlike prank, I couldn’t help but laugh.

‘It feels like I pulled a hero unit.’

If raised well, it could turn the tide of battle.

But for now, she’s just my adorable daughter.

I held Kabe’s hand and headed to the rally point.

“Everyone fought well.”

Seven minions were destroyed.

Seven out of twenty-four.

But we achieved incredible results, incomparable to before.

This was a successful debut battle, and a satisfying outcome.

Maybe if we pushed a bit more, we could’ve aimed for victory.

The minions seemed to think so too, looking at me with some doubt as I decided to retreat.

I couldn’t exactly say it was a rigged game.

I looked around at the minions lined up in front of me.

“Consider it experience. Today’s disappointing defeat will return as tomorrow’s overwhelming victory.”

“Yes! Mother!”

Whether it’s mother or boss, I wish they’d unify the title.

But being called mother doesn’t feel bad.

“I commend your efforts. Everyone worked hard. Let’s make sure we win the next battle. Understood?”

“Yes!”

I raised my hand, brushing aside my bloodied coat.

“Count! Close!”

The declaration of retreat, signaling the end of the battle.

Since we declared it first, it’ll be judged as our defeat.

A white flash rose, and soon a golden flash rose in response from the other side.

Battle over.

“Sister!”

Dusik quickly ran over and supported me.

I’m tired.

This isn’t as easy as I thought.

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