Meteor Fist
This is a technique where Iris gathers the power of stars into her fists and strikes, one of her most powerful skills.
This technique has sent countless demons to the afterlife. There were hardly any who could block it, and none dared to challenge it.
Except for a very few strong ones.
However, the girl in front didn’t seem like one of them at all. She didn’t appear strong enough to withstand this.
She was barely standing upright thanks to the blessings from her companion.
“Trying to settle with a big move?”
“How long do you plan to stay relaxed?”
“That’s not really your place to say.”
The dark-haired girl Blackheart raised her sword and made a serious face.
“You’ve been accumulating quite a bit, haven’t you?”
“…grr.”
“We can see everything here. You, and me. We’re both on the verge of collapsing, right?”
“Shut up!”
Iris angrily denied it but couldn’t help but admit it inwardly.
‘This curse is bothersome.’
To be able to stack such powerful curses like this…
‘I should have finished it quickly.’
She would have surely won if it had only been that dark girl alone. If it had just been that girl alone.
There are always others when working as a team, though. Though not as strong as that girl, they were at least capable of providing solid support.
‘Now, it’s a one-hit fight for both her group and me.’
Iris clenched her fist tightly.
‘I mustn’t disappoint my master.’
It would be nice if someone could lend a hand.
She almost thought about it, but Iris successfully calmed down her feeling of resentment.
This is a test. A test to confirm if she truly deserves to be his subordinate.
“Hmm… Let’s go all out with one hit.”
“Alright. We’ll also go all out.”
Blackheart turned her gaze toward the back.
“Are you ready, sisters?”
Stella and Natalia nodded their heads. They too were nearing their limits now. This single attempt would decide the battle.
Blackheart’s eyes grew cold.
One round.
Perhaps everything will be poured into this. If asked whether they can win or not…
“Magic power charge…!”
There might be no need to necessarily win, she wanted to answer.
Even in battles where there is defeat.
“The thought that you can return unscathed with this body…”
“Since when did you start talking so much? The Iris I know acts first with her fists.”
Because winning the battle is what matters.
Blackheart’s provocation left Iris silent.
That’s true. If they really want that, they will simply show it through their skills.
The starlight enveloped Iris’ fist, covering an area in dazzling white, and became sharp enough to pierce Blackheart’s body at any moment.
“Can you endure it?”
“I must.”
“I’ll help as much as possible.”
The magical girls’ gazes sharpened.
Until now, the magical girls who had been staying behind moved forward together.
They also sensed it.
The danger contained in that strike, and simultaneously, the opportunity.
Crisis is opportunity. The greater the crisis, the better the chance.
Blackheart held her sword upright in front of her.
“Black Mamba.”
A shape resembling a black snake swirled and rose. With the added magic power from another magical girl, the black snake writhed even more savagely.
Even Iris broke out in a cold sweat while looking at the snake.
Meanwhile.
“Excellent.”
Shin Hyun nodded his head in admiration as he watched the scene. To grow this much in just a month…
‘Indeed, rivals are rivals.’
The charging black tide opened its enormous jaws and clashed with Iris’ starlight, creating a spectacular scene.
Yet, there was still some sense of disappointment and awkwardness somewhere.
Something seemed to be missing. Like a unicorn without its horn becoming an ordinary white horse, although small, something decisive felt absent.
What is missing?
His gaze turned toward Natalia.
And he realized.
‘Does she lack strength? No… Was there never any intention to do it properly from the beginning?’
What exactly is she thinking?
“…Now!”
Soon, Shin Hyun understood what was different and wore an expression of admiration.
‘That was clever thinking.’
Emerging from the great clash, Natalia stood in front of Iris.
“Ugh…!”
“Kyaa!?”
Blackheart and Stella lost their balance due to one of them stepping away. Even as they rolled on the ground after being hit by Iris’ starlight, they were smiling contentedly.
The plan had succeeded.
When Natalia extended her hand forward, a blue flame enveloped Iris, like a compassionate mother.
“Dispel.”
“Guh!?”
“Destroy magical enchantment.”
Though surprised by Natalia’s sudden ambush, Iris had no way to counteract it.
The moment the flow of magic power changed, the snake’s jaw would come crashing in.
‘We don’t all need to win.’
‘Huh?’
‘Precisely speaking, two of us need to lose.’
‘Lose?’
It was a dangerous plan, but it worked.
“…While Stella and Blackheart draw attention, I attempt the purification.”
“Ugh… Ughh!!”
“Fortunately, I managed to save just enough magic power to use this skill.”
The flames gathered into the shape of a woman, slowly approached Iris, embraced her, and then completely burned away all the negativity that had clung to her before flying off.
As Iris fell to the ground, she briefly lost consciousness.
“…Ugh… My head hurts… What happened?”
She fully regained her senses.
+++++
It was a satisfactory result.
‘Who would have thought they’d use such a method.’
It was a deception tactic.
The strategy of deceiving the opponent to obtain what they desire. However, if personal sacrifices were involved, it wouldn’t have been an easy decision.
‘Was this all for Noah?’
Apparently, they’ve become much closer than I thought.
If they can perform like this, they’ll likely handle their part well during the mid-boss fight. They might even exceed expectations.
‘Do I even need to get involved?’
With a satisfied heart, I rushed towards everyone.
“Hey, kids!”
At my voice, Blackheart glanced to the side.
“Oh, it’s Uncle.”
“Are you all okay?”
“Yes. But why are you here, Uncle?”
“I was worried. Actually, every time you fought Iris, I secretly watched over you.”
The magical girls showed expressions of being moved. Perhaps they didn’t imagine me as someone who kindly worries.
Although reality is slightly different, it isn’t a lie, so…
“Uncle? I…”
“Noah…”
I hugged Noah with the best frown I could muster.
“Are you alright? Is there anything wrong with your body?”
“What? Yes…”
“Did she do anything strange?”
“That… I’m not sure.”
Suddenly, Iris looked pale, seemingly troubled by unsettling thoughts.
Fortunately, QQQ stepped in at a good timing.
“Don’t worry! One cannot become a magical girl without remaining pure!”
“…QQQ, you pervert.”
“QQ!? Th… That’s not it! It’s… It’s an old rule decided long ago…”
Here, this is originally a world of adult games, so such absurd settings are possible, right?
At QQQ’s words, Stella gave a playful look.
“Sister… Then, sister…”
“Quiet.”
Ah, so it goes like this?
“I’m just… I haven’t met my destined partner like Iris yet.”
“Destined partner…”
“W… What? Why are you staring at me like that?”
How should I put it? Everything feels like it’s returning to normal.
‘Even though it was a spell I cast.’
Let’s seal the mind control for a while. Hopefully, there won’t be any need to use it.
Well, if necessary, I’ll have to use it.
“So, everyone’s really okay, right?”
“No, I’m totally exhausted.”
“I feel like I’m going to die…”
“Let’s rest for a bit, kids. Iris, isn’t there anything you’d like to eat?”
“Hmm… Something cooked by Uncle…?”
Boos came from various places. They probably thought she was exaggerating again.
“Then let’s go home first. You guys come too, I’ll cook for you.”
The magical girls nodded their heads. Let’s quickly go somewhere quiet, undo our transformations, and head home. Go home and rest.
Just as I thought that,
“What a splendid show, everyone.”
“…What?”
“I’m impressed! So you were a pretty decent scriptwriter too, huh!”
“…”
“Aha! You’re an anonymous author, aren’t you? Sorry about that. Clearly, that was the setting. Yes.”
“…”
“Don’t worry! I respect other people’s worldviews. It’s embarrassing to have your own original script discovered by someone you know, right?”
The familiar yet silly voice of a rabbit puppet reached us.
“Uncle… Look behind us.”
The battered magical girls looked at the rabbit puppet. It shook its head and spoke.
“But, I wonder if that person would do the same?”
“…”
“Uh… Sorry. This isn’t really my taste, but… It’s hard to defy orders from superiors, you know? As you understand, encountering troublesome superiors is incredibly exhausting.”
The rabbit tapped its cane on the floor, and soon darkness covered the area.
Massive chunks began falling from the sky.
“The story of youth and friendship ends here. Your play, Teacher, was truly excellent.”
“…This brat.”
“Unfortunately, from now on, it will turn into a grotesque and sticky… Yes, such an unpleasant play.”
The massive chunk slowly descended. Disgusting tentacles crawled out from it.
It was definitely.
‘Rust’.
The mid-boss Rust.
