laulau20
patreon
Chapter 14:Sapphire Priest
🕑 Added 2024-03-10 15:32:26 +0000 UTC"Why did I become a magical girl... I wonder..." She glanced at me after her staff made contact with the head of one of the Anathema, effectively immobilized by my clones. "Have you ever dreamed of becoming a Magical Girl?"
"Of course, hasn't everyone at some point? I mean, it's practically embedded in our school curriculum. Remember the English essays where we were asked to imagine what we would do if we became magical girls or guardians? They wanted us to consider how we would use our powers to benefit humanity." I reminisced about my younger days, filled with dreams of embodying the virtues of a Magical Girl.
The curse seed was quickly located and effortlessly shattered with a swift strike from my naginata. The remaining Anathema, barely twenty in number, launched an attack, but their efforts were feeble and disorganized. They approached in dribs and drabs, making the encounter feel more like a leisurely stroll in the park rather than a battle for survival.
[You have defeated a horde of Anathema! This summary includes points received. For detailed information, consult your familiar.]
[Reward: 100 Points]
[Quest Completed! - Usurpation Zone S010 Cleared]
[Description: Successfully clear an usurpation zone alongside Sapphire Priest.]
[Difficulty: Easy]
[Reward: 100 Points]
[Total Points: 721 (521+200)]
"Hahaha, what a ridiculous question I asked. Sorry about that. Wow, 200 points. This usurpation zone must have been too simple for us. I suspect we just barely adhered to the level parity protocol. Heh, despite you only being contracted yesterday, you're displaying the strength of an E rank. You'll surpass us in no time at this rate."
"Why do you demean yourself so, Sapphire?" I queried, tilting my head.
"I was brought in under an emergency contract as well, just like you." Her revelation took me by surprise.
"Have you ever wondered why we were selected to be Magical Girls instead of others?"
"Always."
"Yeah, me too. You see, during a trip with my parents, an usurpation rift occurred at Neverland Theme Park. An Anathema appeared, wreaking havoc in the Shangri-La Sanctuary city."
"Hm? Shouldn't there have been a warning an hour beforehand?"
"Magical Guardians had cleared the zone three days earlier, but some remnants hid in a water tank and initiated a rebellion."
"I see."
"The rebellion was composed of Fomorian Soldiers, medium-level Anathema, and several hounds. The Magical Guardians arrived within ten minutes, but it was already too late. My father threw my mother and me into the kitchen and distracted the higher-level Anathema from us. At that moment, a beautiful blue snake approached me. It was my familiar, Blue."
"Greetings. Although we've met, I haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Blue." The snake materialized from her robe to her neck.
"As the hounds approached, I contracted with Blue and transformed into a Magical Girl. My shield aura protected me, but it didn't protect my mother."
"Your mother…"
"She survived! The Magical Girl arrived just in time. However, she lost her arms and legs. I watched those monsters tear her limbs off and eat them as if they were snacks. Since then, whenever I see an Anathema, I'm overcome with fear."
"That's understandable. In dangerous situations, humans typically respond in one of two ways: fight or flight. It's human nature." Fel joined the conversation as we waited for our jeep. Alice had finished scouting three other usurpation zones by then. One was rated in the sixties, clearly beyond our capabilities, but the others were in the high twenties, which we planned to tackle next.
"Does the rest of the team know?"
"Yes, they said it was fine if I focused solely on being a healer and buffer, so I sought advice on my build from others. But my seniors were skeptical."
"Why?"
"They mentioned that being on the battlefield requires a certain level of calm, especially for those in the rear guard and buffer roles. Despite my efforts, we kept falling behind."
"It shouldn't be entirely your fault, Sapphire Priest. A typical team of five often consists of three vanguards and two rears. With three members, it's usually two vanguards and one rear. However, your team operates with a single vanguard who isn't even a tanker," Felicia chimed in. I was puzzled when She told me. Why was Alice an archer? She probably had some dreams, likely imitating aces like Pinkheart.
"Thank you, um…"
"I'm Felicia, nyaa. Black Lily's familiar."
"Thank you, Fel. Blue has mentioned something similar. But we can't just stand by. We're falling behind."
"Falling behind?"
"Oh, right. You haven't been to the Guardian Academy. There, they assess our ranks monthly. To pass the F rank test, which involves facing five ghouls—a milestone I achieved last year—I must now confront an Arachnomantis to pass an E rank test."
"I see."
"The test changes monthly, featuring formidable opponents like the Rex Raptor and three Fomorian Soldiers. It's been six months, and I still haven't passed the next level."
"Wha!!" Red Flame Darkness sneaked up behind Sapphire, startling her with his sudden outburst.
"EEK!"
"Take it easy." Red Flame chuckled. Judging from the look of it, they have been eavesdropping on us.
"Felicia, isn't it unusual to expect a healer to fight monsters?"
"Well, leveling up requires defeating Anathema. And the experience points diminish for lower-level Anathema. While healing or buffing the party does yield participation bonuses, they offer only minimal experience points."
"Let's not be too harsh. I also had my struggles with the guardian academy. My build was a mess, too. Putting too much on vitality and strength despite being an archer. Despite being a Pink, I've been stuck at E rank for 6 months as well." Alice said. I doubted that. Despite saying she put too much on vitality and agility, she moved agilely for some reason.
"For a Pink, staying at E rank for 6 months is somewhat normal, albeit a bit on the slow side. However, for Sapphire to remain at F rank for 6 months is definitely slow. She needs to get her act together, perhaps find a weapon or skills that suits her and invest in it," Felicia communicated to me telepathically.
"How behind is she, exactly?"
"You could potentially reach E rank right now, though I wouldn't recommend it. You're not lacking skills but experience. Advancing too quickly might draw unwanted attention."
"So, what's the big deal if she's a bit slow?"
"Being slower means fewer points and lower levels. Points are crucial for MGs to maintain their weapons, access new vaults, etc. If she can't keep up, she'll become a liability to her team, especially against higher-level opponents."
"I get it. So, being an MG doesn't mean you can slack off, right?"
"Exactly. On the contrary, being an MG demands even more effort. Whether she quits fighting to focus on being an operator or a medic, her low level could hinder her capabilities."
"I understand."
"MGs have been around for about twenty-five years. Many older MGs are retiring, with most in their forties, as we primarily recruit teenagers. Yet, none have surpassed level 300. That's why Guardian Command and Zenith emphasize MG growth and have established Level Parity Protocols."
"Being a Magical Girl comes with its burdens. It's not a realm of idleness but a responsibility, carrying the weight of humanity's fate. The increasing strength of Anathema means we can never let down our guard," I reflected, a newfound understanding of the true nature of Magical Girls dawning on me. My desire for freedom from the Shirayuki family's expectations had led me here, but now I faced a heavier burden: the fate of humanity rested, in part, in our hands.
"Let's move on to clear more usurpation zones," I suggested to Sapphire and the rest of the team.
"We have a busy day ahead! Let's clear as many as we can!" Shining Arrow enthusiastically pumped her fist in the air.
"Let's go!"
The next zone, Usurpation Zone S011, proved less challenging than the previous ones. As my clones dealt with the minor Anathema, we encountered an Infernal Tyranno. Despite its intimidating appearance and ability to breathe fire, Felicia assured us it posed a manageable threat. With careful coordination, Alice used her arrow skill to pull the beast towards us, allowing the team to deliver the final blows.
[You have defeated a horde of Anathema! This summary provides an overview of points received. For more details, consult Familiars]
[Reward: 100 Points]
[Defeated: Infernal Tyranno Level 25]
[Reward: 20 Points (Participation split)]
[Quest Completed! - Usurpation Zone S011 Cleared]
[Description: Clear an usurpation zone alongside Sapphire Priest.]
[Difficulty: Medium]
[Reward: 150 Points]
[You have leveled up to level 14]
[Remaining Points:1011 (741+100+20+150)]
[Quest Ongoing! Clearing a Path to Southern District Shelter 1]
[Description: The shelter is running low on resources, and the emergency barrier might be opened soon. Begin by clearing nearby usurpation zones (3 out of 10).]
[Difficulty: Hard]
[Reward: 400 Points]
"Hey, Fel. Wouldn't it be more effective to kill a bunch of low-level Anathema for points?"
"Yes. Completing missions and eradicating Anathema is a good way to gain points. We need to incentivize MGs; otherwise, they might completely neglect low-level Anathema. Even a level 1 Fomorian hound could cause massive human casualties if left unchecked." That explanation clarified the rationale behind the level parity protocol for me—they aim to prevent human casualties while also ensuring lower-level MGs have opportunities to level up.
"Ugh… My head is getting dizzy." Returning to the jeep for the next anathema zone, my vision suddenly grew hazy.
[Mana exhaustion warning! Mana regen efficiency reduced to 20%!]
A sharp sting shot through my head as this warning message appeared, making me suddenly dizzy. The world seemed to spin for a moment before stabilizing, the pain vanishing as if it had never been there.
"Ah, my apologies. Black Lily has overexerted herself. She needs to rest and eat," Felicia manifested to explain my condition, which made me question her explanation with a puzzled look.
"Has she already hit the mana penalty?"
"Hmm? What's that?" The soldier acting as our driver inquired.
"Mana exhaustion occurs when magic is overused. Despite the game-like codification of magic in the arcane system, it's not actually a game. You can't endlessly run just because your stamina bar refills by itself. Your intensive use of mana, especially for creating clones, led to this exhaustion," Felicia clarified.
"Eh, how many cycles have you been through?" Alice asked.
"About six cycles."
"Ouch, that's rough. We've all been pushing hard since this morning. Let's complete the next zone and then call it a day."
"Eh? But…" The soldier seemed concerned as he consulted his PDA.
"I'm sorry, soldier, but there are limits to magic. We can't clear all these usurpation zones in one go."
"I'm fine," I reassured, despite the warning signs.
"I'm suppressing the pain, but you should not use magic anymore, Black Lily," Felicia advised.
"Alright," I nodded in agreement.
"Very well, let's make this our last usurpation for today. It's getting dark anyway."
"Sorry about this."
The next usurpation zone was slower to clear than expected. The boss was a group of raptors, which Felicia referred to as Iceclaw Raptors. They could throw their ice claws at targets with enough force to pierce concrete walls. Swift and selective, they targeted us strategically. As I swung my naginata to decapitate one of the raptors, another launched its ice claws at me.
[Shield break! Retreat is advised.]
A warning message flashed across my vision as a purple electrical spark flared across my body. A sharp, cold pain bit into my back, near my shoulder blade. Yet, I did not falter and completed my swing, successfully killing one of the three beasts. Sapphire Priest hurried over as we finished our attack.
"Wait a minute, this blade caused not only a laceration but also frostbite. Aqua heal," she said. The stinging pain soon gave way to a warm sensation as I felt the ice blade withdraw from my back. It dropped to the ground and shattered like glass.
[You have defeated a horde of Anathema! This is the summary of points received. Consult Familiars for more info]
[Reward: 50 Points]
[Defeated: Iceclaw Raptor Level 19]
[Reward: 30 Points]
[Quest Completed! -Usurpation Zone S013 Cleared]
[Description: Clear an usurpation zone.]
[Difficulty: Medium]
[Reward: 120 Points]
