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Chapter 10: New Team
🕑 Added 2024-03-05 05:48:58 +0000 UTC"Ahem. I've decided on the name Magical Girl Black Lily. It's a pleasure to meet you all." I chose the name that felt the most fitting from their suggestions, deliberately omitting any reference to 'princess' or 'hime.'
"We should look for a sofa or a bed so she can enter her reflection room and create her astral dress."
"There's no need for that. I can just sit by this tree. Felicia mentioned we could bypass most of the traditional process since I already have a design in mind." I approached a nearby tree, sat down, and leaned against it as if I were about to take a nap. As I closed my eyes, a message window appeared before me.
[Astral Dress Construction Initialized.]
[Mana Resonance: 100%]
[Soul Gem Stability: 100%]
[ERROR: Unawakened Signature]
[Calculating… Minimal divergence expected.]
[Testing Stat integration… Complete.]
[Reformatting Reflection Room… Complete.]
[Arranging Creation Room Format 07… Complete.]
[Loading Familiar Suggestions… Complete.]
[Imagery Dress Upload… Complete.]
[Beginning Astral Dress Construction.]
[Reflection Room Astral Dress Construction Initiated]
Transported to a realm under a starry expanse, I found Felicia awaiting beside a wardrobe brimming with garments, adjacent to a full-length mirror. She gestured for me to step in front of the mirror. My reflection revealed me in my usual attire—a neatly pressed school uniform comprising a blazer, white shirt, tights, skirt, and the school's loafers.
"Based on the imagery extracted from your memories, we have designed this astral dress. Do you accept?" Felicia inquired as my attire transformed in a cascade of light. The livery was reminiscent of my school attire but now featured a black cape, adding a distinct flair to the ensemble.
"I apologize, but you won't be able to change your eye color until you've unlocked the vault for magical eye contacts. However, we can alter your hair color. Here are the options. You're just at the threshold of what's permissible to blend with your black livery astral shift, considering the inclusion of white hair."
"So, the color of a Magical Girl's astral shift can indicate their origin?" I mused. Reflected in the mirror was a version of myself adorned in a black blazer, tights, and vest, complemented by a white shirt and hair. Yet, she no longer seemed analogous to me; her white hair starkly contrasted with my black hair, marking a clear difference.
"Exactly. A Magical Girl's astral shift mirrors their soul, desires, and ambitions. It's not permitted to masquerade as something you're not."
"I understand. I accept the changes."
"Your astral shift has been finalized. Albeit a bit late, Welcome to the realm of Magical Girls, where your aspirations for happiness can be realized. Endeavor to spread dreams, joy, and happiness to those around you."
Felicia's words didn't seem to require a response from me, and I was promptly brought back to reality.
"Initiate Astral Shift!"
As I spoke, light emanated from my heart, feeling as though energy cascaded from my heart throughout my body, transforming me into my Magical Girl form. Observing my gloved hands, I noticed my hair, now white, flow down like white silk. With a nod, I stood, flicking my long hair back. The other Magical Girls and Guardians gazed at me in awe, their expressions of surprise evident.
"Why the stunned looks?"
"Wow, so amazing! Your outfit is stunning! So cool!" Alice exclaimed, while Sapphire simply stared, wordless.
"My apologies if I came across as daunting. Shall we proceed?"
[Unique Grimoire Available. Would you like to access it?]
"And there lies your unique grimoire. Shall we access it?" Felicia said, telephatically.
"Yes. Access it," I murmured softly, ensuring the others wouldn't overhear.
[The Ambivalent Grimoire]
[Shadow Spell: Summon a shadow clone of yourself with 50% of your STR, AGI, DEX, and VIT. Mana cost: 50 per cast. Duration: 5 minutes + Spirit stat × 3 seconds. Automatic augment applied.]
[Locked]
[Locked]
[Locked]
[Locked]
[Locked]
[Locked]
Nausea overwhelmed me as I collapsed to the ground, feeling as if something burst inside my brain, and my body heated up. Struggling for breath, my chest tightened, suffocating me.
*cough* *cough*
"Eh? Sapphire!"
"I'm on it," Sapphire responded, touching me as her eyes emitted a glow. "Her mana is unstable. What happened? Did she consume some kind of mana potion? Why is it like this?"
"My apologies. She just unlocked her grimoire power. It should stabilize shortly." Felicia manifested herself.
"Is unlocking a grimoire always this dangerous?"
"I experienced dizziness when unlocking my healing grimoire. Perhaps, it's particularly intense for her?" Sapphire speculated.
"It's a Unique Grimoire, after all," Felicia added quietly.
"Dark Origin is rumored to be the most potent origin," Sapphire remarked.
"Yay! Our team now includes one of the rarest Magical Girls! It feels like hitting the jackpot in a Gacha game twice in a row. Becoming a Magical Girl was already more unlikely than winning the lottery, but to befriend a Dark Origin Magical Girl feels like a dream. I'm now scared to play gacha games, fearing I've used up a lifetime's worth of luck," Alice mused. Despite my attempt to stifle a giggle, the others didn't take her comment lightly, giving Alice disapproving looks.
"Hey, don't say that! The game Magical Girl Sunset Rebellion is releasing a new banner soon."
"Yeah, I need that five-star ninja to conquer the fifth dungeon. The upcoming rerun banner is my last hope." Surprisingly, Sapphire, who appeared to be the innocent type, was also a gaming enthusiast.
"Hello, HQ. We've secured a new Magical Girl. Send transport, over." Alice apologized and called the Guardian Command. Their reply came through Felicia's telepathy.
"Roger! Transport will arrive in two minutes."
"No rush. Make it five or ten. We've got some company."
"Ugh, my mana's depleted," Sapphire groaned. "Sorry, but I can't provide any buffs."
"Are you kidding me? My shield's only at ten percent now."
A group of about ten Anathema approached the front gate. Thankfully, the higher-level threats had been neutralized by the MG trio, leaving only a variety of ghouls and the usual hounds.
"They seem too commonplace?"
"During an usurpation, Anathema often share similar traits. Typically, no more than five types appear in a single event. There are exceptions, though, which is why we don't usually mention it. Oh, that Fomorian Reaver ranges from level 6 to 9. Be careful; they're a step above the regular Anathema."
"Black Lily, are you melee or ranged type?" Red Flame Darkness asked, his voice now filled with authority, signaling he was in work mode.
"I'm melee type," I replied.
"Perfect. Just what we need. Shining Arrow, how many arrows left?"
"Ten currently, plus two more per minute."
"Understood. Sapphire, stick with Shining Arrow. Black Lily and I will take the front."
"Really? Putting the newcomer on the front line?" Sapphire expressed her surprise.
"It's okay. I trust Yu— Black Lily can handle it. She saved my life, after all."
"Allocate all my points to strength and Willpower," I instructed Felicia.
"Understood."
"Activating Grimoire. Shadow spell," I whispered, and three clones of me appeared. I handed them my two javelins and the budget cross spear.
"Alright, let's go. Felicia, please control the other Black Lilys," I said as I faced the Anathema, feeling unstoppable. Even with my shadows only possessing half of my agility, they were still stronger and faster than Yuri's untransformed form. The assault was swift, with javelin thrusts swiftly taking down two enemies, followed by another kill.
The ghouls couldn't encircle me due to a clone guarding my flank, enhancing my strength significantly. With a flick of my seraph spear, I launched ghouls into the air. The Anathema retaliated, one hound piercing a clone's chest with its tail, causing it to vanish in smoke, which I promptly replaced.
"Hey, wait for me! I need points too!" Red Flame Darkness burst into the fray, decimating rows of Anathema with each swing.
[Defeated: Fomorian Ghoul x4]
[Reward: 40 Points]
[Defeated: Fomorian Hound x5]
[Reward: 50 Points]
[Total Points: 456]
[You have leveled up to level 7]
Minutes later, a military jeep arrived. A soldier in Kevlar and wielding a revolver signaled to us. Shining Arrow leaped over to greet them, and we hopped into the vehicle, with her hugging me all the way. The wind on my face during the jeep ride was more refreshing than the stale air conditioning of the bulletproof limousine I was accustomed to, offering a novel experience that drew a smile from me.
"You know, somehow, I had a feeling you would become a Magical Girl when I first saw you last year. You radiated such a noble aura. I wouldn't have guessed you'd be categorized as 'Black,' though. I thought perhaps 'Green' would suit you."
"It was just a coincidence," I said, her warmth permeating through my hand.
"No, it's not. There are no coincidences."
"Why were you so keen on me becoming a Magical Girl?" I asked, puzzled. Behind her, the ruins of New Mesa stretched out, a sight filled with desolation and despair. Would we abandon this frontier city after everything we had done?
"Hmm... That's a secret. Well, you might never know, Black Lily. But small things can have a big impact on people. Would it be evil of me to want you to see the world the way we do?"
"I don't think so. Letting someone into your life that much shows a lot of care." Now, I was genuinely curious. I couldn't understand how I had become so important to her. Whenever she spoke to me, I responded with nothing but polite, standard replies, like an AI or some sort of automatic response machine.
"Ah, we're here. This town is small. Let's clean up this mess after we eat and rest!"
"I'm swimming in points now! Hehehe," Red Flame chuckled. "This attack was actually a stroke of luck. We've gained so much from it!"
"Hey! People have died, you know. That's not something to celebrate," I admonished.
"But I've leveled up more than three times since yesterday. You should be happy too, right, Shining? Plus, with more points, we can get better gear."
"That's true, but it was somewhat insensitive," She remarked as our conversation continued on our way into the military base. Anathema were seen gnawing at and attacking a concrete wall, but a Magical Soldier dispatched one with two shots from a silver revolver. As we approached the gate, passing through a blue film, the heaviness in my heart seemed to lift.
"Welcome to Guardian Command: New Mesa Branch," Shining Arrow announced, ushering me into what was effectively my family's territory. In reality, this place served multiple functions: it was the City Hall, Guardian Command, and the Shirayuki Branch office. The sight of the white twenty-story building, its exterior clad in glass panes, made me frown. It resembled more an office building than a military facility. A sense of embarrassment washed over me upon seeing the large Shirayuki Group logo emblazoned on the building with plastic letters. Despite the chaos that had engulfed the city, this building stood unscathed, its façade pristine.
"Hey, you're looking at the building's owner. A little respect, please," Sapphire chided, which I hoped was in jest because the notion made me quite uncomfortable.
"She's one of us now, a Magical Girl! Just another corporate pawn, like us!" Shining Arrow quipped in return.
"Does my family's company really employ such black practices? I thought we provided two days off every month, salaries double the minimum wage, and free apartment accommodations?" I questioned, slightly amused.
"Was that supposed to be a pun?" Red Flame chuckled, nearly bursting into laughter, but the two Magical Girls quickly backpedaled on their earlier remarks.
"Of course not! The Shirayuki Group is renowned and respected; they treat their employees very well."
"Welcome! Are you the new Magical Girl?" The receptionist greeted us as we entered the hall. A lot of refugees were seen on the floor and hallway.
"Yes, we've come to pick her up. What's the current situation? Have there been any updates?" Mayor and Miss Jeanne, an employee of the Shirayuki Group, entered and greeted us warmly. Their interaction with the Magical Girls was not that of a typical employee-employee relationship; instead, they treated the Magical Girls with the highest degree of respect, almost as if the Magical Girls were in a superior position.
"The survey conducted by Zenith's drones has been completed. We've identified a total of twenty-five usurpation zones. If you'd like to discuss this in more detail, we can head to the command room."
"Let's go, and could you please arrange for some food and coffee for everyone? I've only managed to get three hours of sleep this morning, and this new Magical Girl has had it even tougher, having been out there since yesterday. Black Lily, maybe you should take a break? You could certainly use some rest. You look quite exhausted." Her assumption was unwarranted. In reality, I had gotten more sleep than they had, and I wasn't particularly hungry, having eaten from a minimarket earlier. However, considering the time and the physical exertion from hunting Anathema, I could admit to feeling a slight hunger.
"Certainly, we'll have refreshments prepared immediately."
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how i pictured sapphire priest. she wields a staff.
