Located northwest of Haizhu City, some distance up from Lianying’s home in Chunhui Community, in Citrus Hill Park, in a corner rarely visited and not often passed by—
Bang!
With a gunshot loud enough to startle all the birds in the woods, the battle between magical girls began, like athletes at the starting line receiving the signal.
“Huh? What’s this, actual firearms?” The girl spun the gun’s handle to block the bullet, saying casually.
“I mean, this doesn’t look like a weapon a magical girl should use at all. When you pulled it out, I thought I’d run into a cop.”
“Yours isn’t much better either.” Wuhua glanced back at the cold weapon in her hand, like something from a medieval battlefield.
“And what’s with your outfit? It doesn’t suit a magical girl at all. You look more like a track athlete on morning practice.”
“Who said magical girls have to wear skirts? Besides.” With that, the girl gently pulled open her shirt a little and let down the short skirt tucked inside.
“See? Right here. I’m wearing it just fine.”
“…I completely don’t understand the point of that.” Wuhua commented dryly.
“I figured. Anyway, stop chatting. If you’re going to fight, hurry up.” The girl spun the tip of her spear, aiming at Wuhua.
“I still have work to do. Let’s finish this quickly.”
.
“Be careful, Wuhua… This magical girl’s strength is probably above yours.” Ruibi warned from the side.
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of losing… By the way, is it okay for you to call me by name?” Wuhua suddenly noticed.
“Right now, only you can hear me. So it’s fine. I’ll help you with all my strength.” As Ruibi said this, she suddenly looked up.
“Watch out above, Wuhua.”
As soon as the words fell, the girl’s figure had already flashed above Wuhua. She attacked with a long spear.
“Tch…! Try this.” Wuhua channeled energy within her, and like a smoke bomb exploding around her, she instantly generated a large area of white mist.
“This is—” A flash of surprise crossed the girl’s face, but she quickly calmed down.
“A trick of this level is useless against me, lah!”
Landing back on the ground, the girl spun her body and swung her weapon, unleashing a circular slash that could split trees and sweep up fallen leaves. The white mist was also dispersed.
“…This feeling. It’s like hitting a sponge. This isn’t ordinary mist.” As the girl analyzed, Wuhua quickly shot at her.
“Sneak attacks are useless. Your bullets are too slow for us.” The girl easily blocked by spinning her spear.
“You did it first, you’re so unreasonable.” Nearby, Wuhua hid behind cover, responding while reloading.
“Is that so? I clearly gave a warning.” The girl attacked again, quickly closing the distance to Wuhua’s position.
“You were just talking to yourself and didn’t hear clearly…!”
As soon as the words fell, the straight spear swept across. Like a force of destruction, it easily cut through the thick tree trunks as if cutting paper.
“…Such terrifying speed and power.” Wuhua urgently gathered the surrounding white mist, using its solidification property to form a simple block.
Although it dissipated in the wind in an instant, it bought Wuhua enough time to create distance.
Bang, bang, bang bang! At the same time, bullets came one after another straight at the girl.
“…That’s why I said, you need to figure out how to restrict my movements first.” The girl sighed, a bit frustrated.
“Otherwise, you won’t be able to hit me.” Then, she easily blocked the attack.
.
“Control, movement.” Wuhua muttered to herself in the white mist, as if thinking.
“Got it.” Enlightened, she reached out and controlled the white mist again. This time, not gathering it in front of her, but making it converge around the girl.
“…Sigh. Occupational hazard strikes again. I shouldn’t have told you.” As the girl lamented, she noticed the white mist closing in—
In an instant, the white mist completely swallowed the girl’s figure. Invisible pressure from all directions tightly pinned her in place.
“Heh heh. See how awesome I am now?” Wuhua’s gun aimed at the immobilized girl. Her finger on the trigger—
“Alright, since there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.” But she didn’t pull the trigger, instead turning to leave.
“You…?” The girl’s previously calm expression became confused and bewildered.
“Don’t worry. I’ll let you go once I’m far away. So you don’t charge at me and stab me again.” Wuhua said, just about to fly into the sky and leave this place of trouble.
“Wait… Don’t go yet!” But the girl’s urgent shout came from behind.
“What is it? If you want an autograph, make it another day…” However, as Wuhua completely ignored her and stubbornly walked forward,
“—” A sharp wind sounded by Wuhua’s ear. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a shaking figure suddenly appear beside her.
“Huh, huh?!” Before she could react,
“Got you.” The girl’s voice, full of pressure, sounded in her ear.
As soon as the words fell, Wuhua felt something grab the back collar of her Lolita dress—
The next second, she was lifted off the ground like a caught kitten, feet dangling in the air.
.
“Again, again with the sneak attack… Let me go!” Wuhua, held in midair, instinctively struggled left and right.
‘E-Even if my current weight is light, I shouldn’t be picked up with one hand!’
‘…Of course, if the other party is a magical girl, that’s a different story.’
“Don’t rush. Before that, I have something to ask you.” The weapon in the girl’s hand disappeared, and her tone softened.
“I just noticed now, you. Though your tone and manner are quite arrogant.” She repeatedly examined Wuhua, who was as small and cute as a doll in her hand.
“But your face and height look even smaller than I imagined.”
“What, is that not allowed? Magical girls are all around this age.” Wuhua immediately retorted.
Among magical girls, the vast majority are adolescent girls—that’s common knowledge.
“Even so… how old are you?” The girl couldn’t help pressing further.
“Seven. What about it?” Wuhua wasn’t afraid to let her know, so she confessed.
“S-Seven?!” Hearing this, the girl’s face grew even more confused, frowning and mouth agape.
“I know magical girls are getting younger, but seven is too…”
“What? If you underestimate me because of my age, you’ll suffer.” Even while being held up, Wuhua continued to bluster.
“…I’m not. Well,” The girl had intended to ask about other things, but before that,
“This outfit of yours, and your silver-white twin tails, and guns as weapons…”
The girl gently set Wuhua back on the ground, repeatedly observing her appearance.
“I-If I remember correctly, you wouldn’t happen to be—Cute Mirror?” She said Wuhua’s code name in a tone like an acquaintance.
“Huh? You know me?” Wuhua was also surprised by this. She straightened her clothes and patted the dust off her skirt.
“I didn’t know I was so famous, or had gained some enemy.”
.
“O-Of course I do! …In fact, the impression is very deep.” Saying so, the girl excitedly rushed over and grabbed Wuhua’s shoulders.
“Why didn’t you say so earlier! You made me almost misunderstand. We could have avoided fighting.”
“Y-You didn’t give me a chance to say it.” Wuhua immediately became aggrieved and retorted.
“You just came at me and started hitting me. I had no choice but to fight back.”
“…That’s true. Sorry!” Calming down a bit, the girl let go of Wuhua and stepped back a few steps.
“Ahh. Speaking of which, I haven’t introduced myself. Here, take this.”
The girl took out a card from her coat pocket, like a special business card. After Wuhua took it—
The previously hidden information gradually revealed itself in the dappled sunlight through the trees.
And Wuhua softly read the contents of the card.
“Affiliated with the Magical Girl Administration Bureau, Emergency Response Team, Lin Sou?”