Chapter 99

“Just in case, how about setting up a Reverse Barrier?”

“That sounds good.”

On the other end of the phone, Eve’s voice came through, and I readily agreed.

The planned attack date was now just a day away.

Though they don’t follow any rules, at least they give a declaration of war, which is somewhat fortunate.

If they had attacked without warning, the damage would have been even greater.

If people were attacked before they could evacuate, the damage would be horrifying.

“We’ll come to support tomorrow morning.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t try to do everything alone. Your forces are still weak, so we’ll help too. After all, we’re allies, right?”

Even so, honestly, it hurts my pride a bit.

Being the leader of a faction and still needing help from another faction to fend off an attack.

No.

Receiving help isn’t a bad thing.

There’s no need to be ashamed.

Let’s not think that way.

“See you tomorrow then.”

“Okay, sleep well.”

“Sure.”

After hanging up, I plugged in my phone and lay down on the bed.

Listening to Kabe’s steady breathing as she slept, I brushed her hair back and looked at her face.

Tomorrow, huh…

It’s the first time I’ll be fighting someone who isn’t a Magical Girl.

I’m nervous.

Not to the point of being overly anxious, but I can’t help feeling a bit tense.

Well, that’s natural…

Looking at the clock, it’s a little past ten.

It’s a bit early to sleep, but I should force myself to sleep early anyway, so I turned off the nightlight.

Sleep well and wake up early to adjust my condition.

Just as I thought that…

The blackout curtains lit up brightly, and I jumped up.

We’re on the 8th floor, too high for streetlights to reach.

There’s nothing around that could produce such intense light.

As soon as I got up, I pulled back the curtains and looked outside, momentarily speechless.

The sky was filled with countless tires flying towards us.

On the ground, not just the usual spear-wielding soldiers, but also angelic figures with wings, floating in the air, were approaching.

“What the…”

Stunned by the sudden attack, I quickly grabbed Kabe and ran to the living room.

“Older sister!”

The front door burst open as Dusik and Sohee rushed in.

Seeing their tense faces, a thought crossed my mind—it’s been a while since I’ve seen them like this—but I nodded at them.

“Yeah, it’s Escario.”

I was foolish to think they’d keep their declaration of war.

The night before the attack is when you’re most off guard. A surprise attack at this time is definitely effective.

“It’s effective. Very much so.”

The sound of grinding teeth.

“Mom, why…? Is it morning?”

Just as Kabe woke up, rubbing her eyes—

“Foolish leader of the Mogmog Group, the Mother-Body of the Evil Magical Girl, listen.”

“…What?”

Pressing my earpiece, I ran to the balcony, where a cold breeze greeted me first.

And there, floating in the distance, surrounded by a golden aura…

“Escario…!”

A man draped in white cloth, like a Greek from an educational comic, was undoubtedly Escario.

He looked quite solemn, but so what? To me, he’s just disgusting.

“Before eradicating all the vermin on this earth, we, Core Light, have declared the extermination of the fallen Magical Girls.”

“That bastard, really calling us vermin till the end…”

“Considering your Mogmog Group to be fundamentally Magical Girls, we have decided to exterminate you as well.”

“No, that’s just me and Dusik…!”

“Moreover, you, driven by lust, have ignored your husband and privately consorted with another man!”

“…What?”

“You, the Mother-Body of the Evil Magical Girl, who have forsaken the principles of humanity, shall be our primary target.”

“What, what are you saying, you crazy bastard?!”

Looking around at the Mogmog Group combatants who had rushed out, I sighed.

Our forces consist of me, Kabe, Dusik, Sohee, and about twenty Minions.

But the enemy is countless, too many to count.

“Anyway, they must have been produced from a Production Device. Essentially, they’re no different from Minions. Dusik, Sohee, do you understand what I’m saying?”

“So we can kill them as much as we want, right?”

Sohee, already in a black hanbok and holding a large scythe, was grinning.

A smile quite different from the one she wears when playing with Kabe.

“Yeah. Kill them as much as you want. And…”

I locked eyes with Chilho.

Don’t smile, you idiot. We’re about to fight.

Normally, I’d assign the Minions to Dusik or Sohee to assist in battle, but that’s a bit tricky now.

If they die now, they can’t be resummoned.

We’ve lost the Production Device, and what we have now is our final force, so I want to conserve numbers.

The executives can’t be resummoned either, but they’re strong enough that I’m not too worried about them dying.

“The Minions…”

Chilho, you idiot. Stop smiling. I’m getting attached.

“…Scatter and run around. Form groups of five. Watch the executives fight, and if you think you can take on enemies that look like them, fight. If not, run away.”

Chilho, you bastard. Don’t smile. If you die, you can’t come back…

“Don’t die. Absolutely. Don’t die, guys. Got it?”

“Got it!”

Good answer.

But this time, I hope you act well too.

With the enemy’s arrival, all communications are cut off, so I can’t contact Eve, but someone of Eve’s caliber would have noticed the anomaly and is probably on her way to support us. Until then, we’ll have to hold out somehow.

“Dusik.”

“Yes, older sister.”

“Evacuate the people.”

“Huh?”

Dusik, completely caught off guard, looked at me with a dazed expression.

“Sohee is combat-oriented, and strictly speaking, so am I. You’re the only one with a defensive role. Since I don’t need defense right now, you help evacuate the people.”

“But older sister.”

“It’s fine, go quickly.”

The battle has already begun.

From the direction Sohee disappeared, the sound of explosions and her laughter could be heard, along with screams and roars.

“Hurry. I need to get to the fight too.”

“Mom, what about me?”

Kabe was holding onto my clothes, looking up at me.

“Kabe, can you transform?”

“Yeah. There don’t seem to be any restrictions here.”

“Good. Then transform.”

As soon as I finished speaking, a wolf much larger than me was looking down at me. To an outsider, it might look like a monster wolf attacking me, but…

“Kabe. Don’t worry about me, go.”

I tapped Kabe’s nose. Then I pointed towards the direction the enemies were coming from.

“Go wild. You can bite them to death. They’re not people. Got it?”

“Got it!”

With a few leaps, Kabe disappeared between the buildings.

“Older sister, don’t get hurt.”

“I won’t. They look weak.”

“…Alright.”

Dusik also started moving towards where the people were evacuating.

Now it’s my turn.

As soon as I pressed the ring, a rifle appeared in my hand.

“It’s Escario’s attack.”

“Yeah. They’re really cowardly.”

From the ground, there’s not enough information, but it’s not a good time to go up to the building now.

There are three types of enemies.

Tires flying in the sky—we can’t deal with them. We have no anti-air means. We’ll have to wait until the Magical Girls arrive.

Spear-wielding soldiers advancing on the ground—we can handle them. We’ll reduce their numbers as much as possible.

And the angel who seems to be their commander—I’m not sure how strong they are.

Anyway, we can’t win on our own.

Our main goal is to hold out until the Magical Girls arrive.

No reckless actions.

I aimed the rifle and shot a few tires. They screamed and fell with just a light shot, so their durability seems very low.

The spears flying at me aren’t much of a threat either.

I grab the spear shaft and crush the face.

Shoot the head off with the rifle.

Kick them away and shoot the head off again.

Take the spear shaft and swing it to split the head.

I fight almost mechanically.

Even though I’m destroying human-like forms, how can I remain so calm?

Is it because I know they’re not people?

Suddenly, the back of my neck feels cold.

Like goosebumps rising.

A chilling feeling, like a cockroach clinging to my face.

“Escario.”

“That’s right.”

As soon as I heard that, magic power flew towards me.

“That’s dangerous.”

With a light explosion, I frowned at the crater that appeared where I had just been standing.

The man emitting a golden aura, Escario, was approaching me.

“Why, with a husband, can you use the word ‘mine’ for such a trivial man?”

“…What?”

“I’m asking why!”

Ah, no. Hey, wait a minute?!

Another light spear flew at me, and I barely dodged it by throwing my body to the side.

The convenience store behind me shattered and collapsed from that strike.

“Hey, are you really trying to kill me?!”

“You won’t die from something like that.”

I don’t even know my own durability?!

Before I could even think of getting up, Escario approached me as I stared blankly at the collapsed convenience store.

“I thought it was just a simple game, so I personally watched over you, and now that I think it’s time to stop, I revealed myself, but how dare you, how dare you!”

There was no trace of a smile on Escario’s face.

He’s really angry, but every word he’s saying is insane.

Husband?

I’ve never been married.

Besides, I told Kenneth we’re practically engaged?!

So why husband?!

There’s no end to the retorts, but right now I need to escape…

“Ugh.”

“Where do you think you’re running to?”

Escario’s hand grabbed my neck.

I felt momentarily suffocated and dizzy, but I kicked Escario’s face with all my might as he slowly lifted me up.

But he didn’t budge.

My foot definitely kicked Escario’s face, but he didn’t move an inch.

“What do you think you’re doing with this? Do you think such trivial struggles will work on me, a god maintaining my status as a player? Even a half-baked god who can’t even use their power!”

Suddenly, intense pain surged through my abdomen.

Escario’s fist was buried in my stomach.

Ah.

Getting hit in the stomach isn’t any less painful.

I should apologize to Prilly next time I see her.

“Now, turn your head slightly. Clench your teeth.”

Before that, I can’t breathe properly.

You damn bastard.

If you were really my husband, you’d be a crazy bastard hitting your wife like this—

– Thud!

“Ugh…!”

It hurts.

It hurts so much I can’t help but groan.

You crazy bastard, hitting a woman’s face like this with your fist.

– Thud!

“Ugh…!”

My already stinging cheek feels like it’s on fire again.

“How can you show such weakness, Vesprede? When you hit me at the cafe the other day, you were so refreshingly strong. Are you like this after just a couple of hits to the face?”

It’s not that my lip is torn, but it feels like the inside of my mouth is torn.

“Now, say you’re sorry. Say you’ll never see another man again. Come on.”

Another man?

You’re really funny.

“You’re… crazy. You’re a god too, you idiot.”

“Seems like you haven’t been hit enough.”

Another wave of pain surged through my abdomen.

A warm liquid rose from my stomach.

“Is this… how a god treats his wife, grabbing her by the collar and hitting her… you crazy bastard…!”

“Your mouth is still alive, Vesprede.”

But it really hurts. It hurts so much I might die.

Eve, when are you coming? Your wife might die like this.

“Are you going to keep making me angry?”

Suddenly, the scenery around me rushed past.

That crazy bastard finally threw me… or so I thought, when pain surged from my back.

Dust filled the air.

The sound of collapse finally reached me.

“Ugh, ugh, huff, huff…”

Now that my throat is clear, I can’t even breathe properly, it hurts so much.

“Get up, Vesprede.”

I’ll get up without you telling me, you bastard.

After being beaten like this, my pride won’t allow me to stay down… huh?

As I reached out to get up, I felt a familiar texture under my hand.

A checkered pattern of blue and white.

At the end of it, a rattle still making a faint sound.

“No way…”

My eyes fell on the sign… a chicken shop.

Only then did I look around.

Familiar equipment came into view.

An aluminum box that looks like a fryer, the fridge that gave me cola, the table where I ate with Eve.

And around me, scattered as fragments, a baby seat.

“No way, no, this can’t be…”

No, no way.

No way.

Did they… not evacuate?

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