Forcing my lips into an unnatural twist to conceal a burgeoning smile, I buried my emotions deep down and carried out the necessary actions that lay before me.
At that moment, there were still six adversaries lurking in the shadows, a reminder of the impending danger that surrounded us.
Meanwhile, the enchanting energies within the other magical girls surged with a fervor that seemed almost palpable.
Whether this heightened power was a result of my own energy or Hayoon’s, I made a conscious choice not to linger on such thoughts.
Navigating through the challenges that lay ahead was anything but easy.
The path to victory was littered with obstacles and uncertainties, demanding our utmost focus and determination.
Despite the odds stacked against us, Hayoon’s intense gaze, blazing like a wildfire, proved to be a guiding light in the darkness.
Together, we were able to overcome the obstacles in our way, though not without enduring a few blows along the journey.
However, the source of my exhaustion did not stem from the physical blows I endured in combat with the enemy forces.
With each powerful strike of my hammer or precise disabling of enemy circuits by Hayoon, a chorus of cheers would rise from the crowd below.
There were even moments when I could distinctly make out the sound of clapping amidst the commotion.
While I appreciated the encouragement we received, it felt strange to have such enthusiastic reactions to our actions.
It was not akin to the loud cheers heard at a sports match, but rather a peculiar and unexpected response to our every move that left me perplexed.
“Hah…”
After successfully dismantling the circuits of the final enemy, a sense of tranquility gradually enveloped our surroundings.
However, the lingering thrill of victory still pulsed through our veins.
As we carefully arranged the defeated adversaries on the ground, the police who had kept a watchful eye on us from a distance whispered amongst themselves.
It seemed as though a new champion had emerged amidst the chaos.
It was hard to forget how recently we had been labeled as terrorists by the same authorities.
But now, as we stood victorious, the perception seemed to shift.
Gently placing the last enemy next to Hayoon, I stood upright, taking a deep breath as I gazed up at the sky.
The sun hadn’t set yet.
The sunlight beating down on me felt slightly warm, a gentle caress on my skin as I stood under the open sky.
After soaking in the warmth for a moment, I let my gaze drift down to Hayoon.
In her transformed state, she was still wearing a bright smile, her eyes fixed on my face with a look of pure joy.
Unsure of how to react to her intense gaze, I found myself momentarily turning my eyes away, unable to hold her stare.
If this was how Hayoon would look at me every time we met in the future, I feared I wouldn’t be able to maintain eye contact with her.
Even now, I couldn’t help but glance away to avoid the intensity of her gaze.
“Let’s head back for now.”
I muttered, not directing it at anyone in particular—though, if pressed, it was probably meant for myself.
Then, as if by habit, I attempted to create a black hole—
—or rather, I tried to.
Nothing happened.
“Huh.”
I was taken aback and let out a sound of confusion when the unexpected happened.
As I concentrated, trying to remember the feeling of conjuring a black hole, I found myself floating in midair instead.
It was a bewildering experience, as I had not intended for this to occur.
It seemed like my magical abilities had shifted, causing a different kind of magic to manifest.
The voices of the police officers around me grew louder, adding to the chaos of the situation.
To complicate matters further, my hammer started to glow even more brightly, as if it was releasing an excess of magical energy.
The thought crossed my mind – could I potentially wield this newfound power like a staff?
Upon further reflection, I realized that there was indeed a generator housed inside the structure.
Both Dahlia and Delphinium had a knack for crafting enchanted bullets through the rhythmic movements of their staffs, a skill that Iris seemed to possess as well.
Considering this, I couldn’t help but wonder if I, too, had the ability to manipulate the energy source in front of me.
Perhaps I could conjure something akin to the powerful black hole I had summoned previously, fueled by my desperate need to break free from my surroundings.
Eager to put my theory to the test, I lifted the hammer above my head and concentrated intently on harnessing the latent power within.
However, much to my dismay, my efforts only resulted in the hammer’s radiant light growing even more intense.
“Wow!”
Someone shouted from below.
Applause followed again.
“Huh?”
Looking down, I saw the crowd cheering.
Even Hayoon joined in, clapping along with the excited people and looking up at me with a bright smile.
What… what is this?
Come to think of it, I was still…
Still wearing white.
Despite the dirt, scuffs, and tears here and there, most of my outfit remained snowy white.
A white dress, floating in the sky, holding a glowing staff high in one hand.
Am I… sane?
As I looked down, I met Iris’s gaze.
For some reason, Iris, who locked eyes with me, wore a half-rotten smile.
It reminded me of the grin she had back when I fought her as an enemy.
Thunk.
Iris pointed her finger at me.
She didn’t say anything, likely too composed to actually voice it.
But I could clearly read her lips.
A short, two-syllable word—
“Panties.”
The moment I realized, I plummeted straight down.
I wanted to pass out. I seriously contemplated pretending to faint.
But this hope circuit—though I was sure the one on my wrist was a despair circuit—seemed to function entirely differently.
Whatever it was, it worked well enough to keep me conscious until Hayoon grabbed my arm and helped me up.
The result?
I had to move on to the next place with the memory of soaring high in the sky in a magical wedding dress, performing a victory show, and then crashing out of embarrassment.
At least the transformation wore off quickly.
Realizing I would have to live with that mortifying memory for the rest of my life, a small part of me successfully despaired.
If I’d wanted to run away, I probably could have.
I could fly, as could the other magical girls.
But even if we ran, we didn’t know the exact location of our base.
Escaping would just mean starting over from scratch.
I couldn’t create the black hole.
Iris didn’t know the exact location of our base either.
It was my fault for never permitting GPS-like devices in the first place.
So, as a result… we were essentially “taken in.”
“It’ll be fine.”
Hayoon said confidently, her expression relaxed.
The confidence in her smile was so overwhelming that I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.
Noticing the “How would you even know?” in my expression, Hayoon’s grin grew even brighter as she continued.
“You showed them you’re a real magical girl. You saved people. Who’s going to say anything against that?”
That’s a bit too dreamy, don’t you think?
Haven’t I already been acting like a magical girl?
I transformed, used magic, and fought enemies.
And even after saving people, I was treated like a threat—netted and shot at.
If this one performance was all it took for people to accept me as a magical girl, wouldn’t they have done so long ago?
Still, though it was technically “detention,” the treatment wasn’t bad.
They didn’t handcuff us, nor did they take away our circuits.
We were simply sitting comfortably in the bus sent to pick us up.
It wasn’t the kind of bus you’d see at protest sites with metal bars—it was more like… you know, a “minibus.”
The type used to transport soldiers returning from leave.
The bus we were on was one of those.
For transporting magical girls, it felt a bit…
…too ordinary.
Then again, if someone asked what kind of vehicle should be used for transporting us, I wouldn’t have an answer either.
An armored vehicle might have been too cramped inside, so this bus might actually be better for comfortable transport.