Chapter 52

Vesprede spins around and flies away.

Holding the gun barrel, Vesprede, who had been given a full spin, flies away with a whooshing sound cutting through the wind.

“It’s magic, so you can’t dodge it!”

They just brush everything off with magic.

In other words, they’re more focused on developing magic rather than physical abilities.

My prediction was spot on.

-Whack!

With a satisfying impact sound, Vesprede’s gunstock smacks Aquamarine right in the forehead.

“Kyaaaaaah!”

With a rather pitiful scream, Aquamarine, who had been floating slightly in the air, tumbles down to the ground.

At the same time, the water that had been standing upright collapses and pours down to the ground.

With a tremendous splash, the underwater prison that had been holding Kabe also breaks, and Kabe plops down to the ground.

“Aquamaaaaaaarine!”

I will never forgive you!

How dare you treat my daughter like that!

I ran and ran with all my might toward where Aquamarine had fallen.

While running, I glanced sideways and saw Kabe lying on the ground, but her stomach was rising and falling, so she was still breathing, meaning her life wasn’t in danger.

Not only did you treat my daughter like a tool, but you also put her life in danger.

I will never forgive you.

By the time I reached Aquamarine, she was already staggering back to her feet.

“What are you getting up for, you bitch!”

As soon as she saw me charging, Aquamarine raised her hand, probably to cast magic.

Without slowing down, I slammed into her shoulder-first.

“Kueeeek!”

With a pathetic scream, Aquamarine rolled backward from my shoulder tackle.

I kept running.

Even though I was out of breath, I didn’t stop running.

I saw Aquamarine getting back up from the ground again.

I clenched my left hand.

I didn’t even need to look to know.

Dark magic was already swirling up from my left hand.

“Oooah!”

With the momentum of my charge, I drove a Rocket Punch into Aquamarine’s hollow stomach.

Aquamarine, unable to defend herself, took the Rocket Punch to the gut and rolled backward again, finally stopping when she hit the wall of the central park restroom.

Wow, how far did I run? I’m going crazy.

I was so out of breath that I could barely breathe properly.

Aquamarine, now seemingly devoid of fighting spirit, was leaning against the restroom wall, looking up at me with dazed eyes.

“Crazy, you…”

“You’re the only one, huff, who, huff, can, huff.”

“What are you saying…”

“You’re the only one, huff, who, huff, can, huff, be, huff, crazy, huff, you, huff, right, huff, huh!”

I reached out, grabbed Aquamarine by the collar, and lifted her up.

Aquamarine didn’t resist at all, just stood there leaning against the restroom wall as I held her.

“Who the hell uses a gun like that?”

“Here, I do. Damn it, you.”

Now my breathing is calming down. Good thing I didn’t smoke.

As my breathing calmed, Aquamarine’s pitiful state finally came into view.

Her forehead, hit by Vesprede, was split open, blood streaming down her face, which was now covered in blood. Her stomach, hit by the Rocket Punch, had her clothes torn open, revealing her bare skin, which was already bruising heavily.

Her collarbone, from her neck to her shoulder, was broken and twisted strangely from my shoulder tackle, leaving her left arm hanging uselessly.

“Vice President, how does it feel to get beaten like a dog by the boss of the Mogmog Group, whom you looked down on so much?”

“You’re such a bitch.”

“And why did you treat someone else’s daughter like a tool? If you hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t have gone this far.”

“But Shinsarang is just too cool.”

“I’ll give you that.”

I’ll admit what’s worth admitting.

“But you shouldn’t torment someone else’s daughter like that. Do you understand now that if you mess with a child in front of their mother, you’re in big trouble?”

“Yeah. Sorry. I’ll apologize.”

Surprisingly, she apologized readily.

Honestly, I thought she was a complete trash human being, but seeing her apologize for her mistakes, maybe she wasn’t completely rotten to the core.

“I’ll retreat now, so let me go. Honestly, I’m in a lot of pain right now.”

“Alright… go quickly. I need to go see my daughter too.”

I let go of Aquamarine’s collar and took a step back.

“Thanks for listening to my request. But hey.”

Suddenly, Aquamarine smiled.

“What are you…?!”

Before I could finish, a powerful stream of water shot up from behind the restroom wall where Aquamarine was leaning.

“You should’ve dealt with me quickly. Restrooms have plenty of water, even if it’s not as much as a river.”

The water stream shot up into the air, scattering into droplets.

Each droplet was sharp, like a dagger, aimed at me.

“Ha. Seriously.”

I took another step back and spread my dark magic wide.

The magic shield I put up in front of me started getting pelted by the water droplets.

With each droplet that hit, the shield chipped away, and my magic filled in the gaps, but a faint sense of loss started creeping up from my lower abdomen.

There’s a limit to how much I can block and fill with magic, so I kept getting pushed back step by step.

“You, who can’t be completely ruthless, what kind of villainy are you trying to pull?”

Aquamarine leaned her face in next to me as I blocked the water droplets.

“When you have the upper hand, you have to go all the way. You can’t hesitate. Understand?”

Is that so?

Yeah, you’re right.

I pressed the ring on my left hand’s ring finger, which was spread wide from releasing magic.

Vesprede, which had been rolling around in the distance, returned to my grasp as if nothing had happened.

“Bedel, that one-handed gun thing.”

The rifle disappeared smoothly, transforming into a handgun and returning to my hand.

Yeah, you’re right.

I shouldn’t have hesitated.

Like you are now.

You, who didn’t finish me off while I was blocking the water droplets, have no right to laugh at me.

I pointed the gun at Aquamarine and fired immediately.

The water droplets that had shot up into the air lost control and scattered.

Aquamarine, clutching her bleeding chest, staggered and fell, and I immediately mounted her.

“Yeah, thanks for the good lesson.”

Fights are best when they’re a brawl.

Weapons are good, but this.

Blood splattering with each punch to the face, that’s what a fight is.

Right hand, one hit.

Left hand, one hit.

Both hands together, one hit.

“Stop, stop…!”

Stop my ass.

If you had gone all out, you wouldn’t be in this state.

Gasping for breath, I staggered to my feet.

Now I’m too tired to hit her anymore.

Aquamarine lay on the ground, staring up at me blankly.

“Now, really go. I’m too tired to do anymore.”

I pressed the gun barrel to Aquamarine’s forehead and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

-Bang!

Aquamarine’s pupils dilated.

In her eyes, my reflection was grinning.

A line of blood ran down between her vision.

:: Aquamarine’s combat continuation deemed impossible.

:: Forced retreat confirmed.

I confirmed that Aquamarine’s figure had disappeared.

Yeah, let me say it again, thanks for the good lesson.

I’ll make sure not to hesitate again.

I’m the villain.

Even if I get cursed at for doing this, since it’s all true, it doesn’t bother me at all.

Now, what’s left…

Looking at the map, there’s only one Magical Girl marker left.

Evangelin.

And that marker is overlapping with my location—

“Well done.”

Oh, damn.

Looking up, I saw Evangelin floating in the air, looking down at me.

“Your captain’s retreated. You should go home too.”

“I can’t do that.”

Glancing at the map, Dusik’s stamina was almost untouched. Sohee’s stamina was also almost untouched, and coincidentally, Dusik and Sohee were almost here too.

I really can’t do anything now.

The exhaustion in my lower abdomen is too much. This is the first time I’ve used so much magic, and the exhaustion is quickly turning into lethargy.

“How are you going to handle three of them alone? Just go home.”

“I’d like to, but.”

A magic circle surrounded by crackling lightning formed around Evangelin.

Something feels off.

The magic circle is larger than anything I’ve ever seen. The blinding white light radiating from it grows brighter as the circle takes shape, and the lightning around it becomes more intense.

“Oh, ho, he, zl, gi, neun, hong, cha, han, jan, ui, yeo, yu…”

“We have to do at least one advertisement per battle.”

Oh, I see.

Yeah, that’s important.

But your energy feels a bit off…

“Are you seriously trying to attack with that…?”

A strange smile spread across Evangelin’s face.

As if confirming my suspicion, a massive lightning spear emerged from the center of the magic circle surrounding Evangelin.

Crazy.

How is that spear as big as a utility pole?

“We need to show the might of our Magical Girl Association right here.”

Hmm.

I don’t think I can block that.

Will I die if I get hit by that?

I mean, I’ll probably die, but since minions are quasi-living beings, they’ll come back, but I’m human…?

“I can’t kill you, though.”

Oh, so I won’t die.

Should’ve asked earlier.

“But I’ll have to hurt you enough to save face for us.”

I’d rather not get hurt for your pride.

“Then, see you next time.”

-Afternoon’s Darjeeling, Jungfrau blend, 15 ounces~

This advertisement is really something. They should’ve picked something more fitting.

I should tell Eve about this.

—As I thought these stupid thoughts, I stared blankly at the lightning spear flying toward me.

It’s dazzling.

That white radiance.

I want something like that too.

When I wake up after getting hit by that, I’ll probably be in the hospital.

What about Kabe?

Then, a black shadow stood in front of me.

A huge, square-shaped something.

And the light, scattering lightning in all directions as it was blocked by the shadow.

“Older sister! Dusik! Duck!”

Without even looking back, I quickly ducked at the voice from behind.

-Whoosh! Whooosh whooosh…!

The sound of wind being cut.

“Kyaaaaaah!”

Evangelin’s scream.

“Boss, are you okay?”

And Dusik’s voice.

“Uh, uh. I’m fine. Help me up.”

My legs gave out, and I couldn’t get up. I felt Dusik’s pot lid-sized hand wrap around my waist.

“I’ll help you.”

“Thanks.”

With Dusik’s help, I stood up, and finally, the surroundings came into view.

Everything around was charred black. Trees were on fire, and the acrid smell of smoke was overwhelming.

With each step, the burnt grass and plants crunched underfoot, screaming in agony.

My knee joints seemed to be screaming too.

“Older sister, are you okay?”

“Sohee. Yeah, thanks to you, I’m fine.”

“Sorry for arriving late.”

“What are you talking about? You arrived just in time.”

“Is that so?”

On my left was Dusik, on my right was Sohee. With the help of my two younger siblings, I barely made it to where Evangelin had fallen, but compared to Evangelin’s state, I was doing better.

Evangelin was on the verge of passing out from the pain.

No wonder, since a sickle that Sohee had apparently thrown was deeply embedded in her side.

The blood seeping out had turned her pure white dress completely red.

Is that sickle the kind used for farming?

“Stay still. If you move, you’ll die.”

Sohee pressed her foot on Evangelin’s stomach to keep her from moving and pulled the sickle out of her side.

Evangelin let out another scream of pain, and finally, silence fell around us.

“…Retreat. I won’t do anymore.”

“You’re… the Mother-Body, aren’t you…?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve… heard about you… from Aias… no, Dusik…”

“What did you hear?”

“Ju-just retreat already!”

Hey, what’s this?

I stopped Dusik, who had hurriedly stepped between me and Evangelin, and listened to Evangelin’s words.

“Prilly, my honey… once I deal with Prilly… I’ll definitely kill you…”

Why is Prilly coming up here?

“Retreating…”

As Evangelin, trembling, continued to speak, her figure disappeared, and a white flash shot up into the sky from the direction of the Magical Girl camp.

The declaration of defeat and the end of the battle.

We won.

For the first time in ten years.

Not just me, but we won.

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