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Chapter 28: Hide and Seek
🕑 Added 2024-04-06 10:35:16 +0000 UTCThe jeep made its way east, with my clone at the wheel. Moments later, the Anathema crushed it underfoot like a pancake, sending tremors through the ground that reached me, who was hidden within a building at a distance. This was the fifth clone it had slain. The Anathema seemed determined to kill me. Initially, I attempted to draw it closer to my clone, but it obliterated my clone immediately, pursuing it with a single-minded focus. Even as I increased the distance, it continued to follow. Could this Anathema harbor a special grudge against me?
"Quite likely. The other Magical Girls have suppressed their mana signatures. It's also possible the Anathema perceives you as a primary enemy or target. After all, you've injured it, not to mention the damage inflicted on its predecessor with Serene's spear. It probably remembers those incidents."
"Well, that makes the task of baiting it simpler," I remarked as I generated another clone. An hour had passed, and it still had yet to pinpoint my actual location. I was concerned, as it had demolished most buildings in the vicinity. However, the rubble turned out to be more beneficial than anticipated. Like a rat, I maneuvered through the debris, stealthily evading danger while intermittently leading the monster further away from the ruins of Guardian Command and the airport in the west.
"You are in your third cycle. Three hours remain," Felicia informed. Then she halted. "Warning! A large energy signature has been detected from the Aberrant class anathema codenamed Tyrant Behemoth. It's preparing to unleash its super attack, the same one that destroyed the emergency barrier."
"Why would it do that?" I wondered, a sudden sense of dread and horror urging me to dash to the sewer beside the street as the Anathema connected the artillery on its back to its mouth. It was gearing up for that move again. I was soon splashed by the brown, muddy water, the stench filling my nostrils. The sewers of New Mesa were cramped, barely more than gutters. Despite the foul odor, I lay down in the fifty-centimeter-deep sewer, trying to make myself as small as possible.
A few moments later, a rumbling thunder flashed above me, reducing my shield to 30 percent even though it made no contact with my body.
"My shield decreased?"
"The heat from the mana blast was scorching your body. Your mana shield absorbed the heat, which is why it decreased," Felicia explained, then continued on with information gathering. "Cooldown and duration of the artillery skill noted. Data broadcast halted due to Radio Silence Protocol."
After the attack subsided, I peeked outside the sewer and saw nothing but the monster. The Guardian Command, buildings, electric poles, houses—all were gone. It had bulldozed everything in its reckless search for me.
"No way..."
"They are alive. Don't worry. The basement and the tunnel are at least ten meters underground," Felicia assured me. "Focus on your safety. Duck down before it spots you and crawl along the sewer."
Following her advice, I lay flat in the sewer. The monster loitered briefly before heading towards the ruins of the Guardian Command. It did not rush but seemed to purposefully move in the direction of what used to be the Guardian Command's tunnel.
"Felicia... is it just me, or does the anathema seem to be heading towards the site of the former Guardian Command?" Although it lacked a nose, the colossus moved its head as if sniffing for something, drawing closer to where the Guardian Command once stood.
"The presence of Magical Girls and humans should be minimal or even invisible to a normal anathema, but hiding 1700 people is as challenging as I imagined. Use a clone to draw it away."
I created a clone that dashed across the flatlands, catching the Anathema's attention immediately. However, unlike previous occasions, it remained stationary, merely observing the clone as it sprinted away from New Mesa.
"New behavior detected. It's likely the Anathema possesses prospective cognition capabilities."
"It can plan and adapt its behavior based on new information?" I asked.
"Yes. Finding an anathema capable of planning ahead or deviating from its routine behavior is rare, but such cases exist among anathemas above rank D. It will likely alter its response to your clones."
"Will it stop reacting to my clones?"
"No. I believe you are its primary target. It won't search for random civilians until you are killed. Your clones appear identical to your real self until destroyed. Unless it can discern the reduced stats of your clones, it won't notice any difference."
"I see."
"Since it hasn't detected me, I assume it lacks mana counter-stealth ability." Felicia said, "How unusual for such a high-level anathema."
"What's that?"
"Mana counter-stealth ability refers to the capacity to see or track a hidden mana construct. This includes your mana eyes and me, for example. It's an ability usually found in sentry anathemas, though others are known to possess it as well. So, remain vigilant."
"It's moving here. Can it see me?" I dared not peek out from the sewer, but the markers on my javelin and harpoons left in its body indicated that the creature was drawing nearer. Viewing through the camera, I saw the monster turning its head left and right. A mana sphere formed and homed in on my clone, destroying it instantly.
"Mana sphere attack data updated. The mana sphere is a non-ballistic projectile with a homing capability based on visual detection."
It remained stationary for ten or twenty minutes, but I felt uneasy. A ringing sound ensued, causing goosebumps to spread across my body, followed by a bell sound that struck a chord of despair deep within me. Then, it began to advance in my direction, with the ringing intensifying.
"Ground radar skill detected. Updating anathema information. Warning: flee immediately. Advised to disable Radio Silence Protocol. We need to inform all survivors to seal the doors of the Guardian Command Basement. Radar using sound cannot penetrate solid objects but can reflect off them."
"It can still detect behind objects if they're not fully enclosed?"
"Yes, to a degree."
I simultaneously created three clones, and we all scrambled out of the sewer, sprinting in different directions. The landscape was barren, devoid of buildings, but the sewers remained. I dashed towards one, but it was too late. Through my mana eyes, I spotted four mana spheres. Abandoning my attempt to escape, I drew my new naginata, The Dark Eater. As the mana spheres approached, I channeled my mana into the glaive and struck the dark orbs.
A sudden premonition of the futility of my actions washed over me, triggered by a memory of what Felicia had mentioned yesterday after I acquired The Dark Eater.
"Hm… since you're a Dark Magical Girl, I should also mention that this enchantment has its limits against sheer power. Dark Magical Girls often confront formidable foes. Every weapon has a breaking point. For this enchantment, an enemy's magic can breach it if your willpower isn't sufficiently robust."
"How strong of magic can I deflect now?"
"It should hold even against enemy mages fifty levels above you."
That was the conversation I had with Felicia. However, it was already too late. My blade made contact with the mana sphere. The blade resisted as I attempted to deflect it with sheer force. A battle of power ensued, and I didn't come out victorious. The naginata cracked and shattered. Despite this, it wasn't a complete defeat, as I managed to alter its course by a few inches.
I didn't initially feel anything, but after an explosion roared behind me and I was flung to the ground like a ragdoll, I realized I had lost the upper half of my body. Half of my face was severely burned, and I couldn't see or feel my left arm. A window of opportunity then appeared before me, showing my body from the perspective of the javelin and harpoon embedded in the monster's body. There lay a white-haired magical girl in black clothes, missing her left shoulder, her face disfigured. There was no pool of blood; the mana sphere had cauterized the wound, ironically prolonging my agony.
"This is the end..." I muttered as I glanced at the cooldown of my augment, which showed 1 more hour to go. Then, my eyes moved to my death quest mission, indicating I had to stall for two more hours.
The monster approached, eyeing me with what seemed like excitement, as if a dog had finally found its lost toy. I drew my last weapon, my other naginata, aiming it at the creature with my remaining hand. My vision blurred as pain pulsed through my body. Dawn broke, and the eastern sky began to fill with orange light. What was once New Mesa was now nothing but ruins. My efforts to save anyone had been futile. It always had been.
"Fel..."
"Don't worry. I will always be with you. You've done your best, Yuuri."
"Thank you. I'm sorry. We've only been together for four days, yet it feels much longer. I wish we could have had more time," I conveyed my thoughts to her as I closed my eyes. The warmth of the sun began to caress my cheeks. Even with my eyes shut, I could still see it through my mana eyes – the Anathema triumphing over the white-haired girl. Miracles didn't occur. Or perhaps, one had already happened. Surviving this long was a miracle in itself.
As the Anathema drew nearer, it suddenly turned its gaze to the sky, towards the west.
"Well, it seems a miracle has happened after all," Felicia remarked, seemingly reading into my thoughts as she breathed a sigh of relief. "We've received a broadcast from the west. The Aces of Aces have come to reinforce us, flying from Eden here using a flight spell to bolster our ranks."
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Four hours ago, in Eden.
From atop the towering condominiums, Magical Guardian Issen of a Thousand Slashes lounged on his deckchair beside the pool. He is a Red Magical Guardian, level 265, one of the Aces of Aces—the top thirty among all magical girls and guardians Earth had to offer. He was bored. The Level Parity Protocol meant he was excluded from most Anathema usurpations, leaving him to sit around and focus on his modeling career. However, his boredom was about to become a thing of the past, as his familiar, Hitodama, summoned him.
"So, what is it?" he asked, turning towards the approaching ball of fire.
"Call from GC. Accept?"
"What's the content?"
"Reinforcements."
"Pfft. Is it another greenhorn biting off more than they can chew with a high-level usurpation?" He smirked. "Fools. Well, give me the coordinates. I'm on vacation, though. If it's anything else, I'll have to decline. I despise press conferences and those idol gigs."
It wasn't that he disliked the greenhorns; after all, he often had to tackle risky Anathema well above his level, too. No pain, no gain, as the saying goes. But Hitodama shook its form, resembling a nod. Seeing this, Issen raised an eyebrow.
"The request is to save New Mesa."
"Hmm? Didn't we already dispatch fifteen MGs there? Level Parity should prevent me from engaging, right? Plus, are you seriously asking me to leave Eden for three days? My flying spell can't last that long, you know, so I'd have to take the ferry."
"We've also enlisted Magical Girl Pink Heart and Magical Guardian Stonewall. Like the other Aces, they too has a nickname: 'The Great Wall of Eden' and 'F22 waifu'. Pink Heart detested the nickname, though. Pink Heart possesses a more advanced flying spell. She can fly there with you."
"Oh... Eden's deploying all its Aces to a frontier city. Now that's intriguing. Those higher-ups move faster than I expected. Alright. Accept the call."
Then, a window appeared before him. It was General Armstrong, the head of Guardian Command in Eden. Another window popped up, revealing a beautiful girl in a pink dress wielding a staff with a floating red ball at the tip covered with three silver floating rings, followed by another featuring a bulky man who looked like a regular at the gym. General Armstrong quickly summarized the situation.
"New Mesa is in danger! Will you assist and help the civilians?" he asked. Apparently, Pink Heart was already en route to your condo just now.
"Didn't we already dispatch those 15 MGs?"
"A rebellion occurred, and now there are four level 100 Anathemas there."
"Ugh... nasty. Hitodama, arrange for a Seinjet. Armstrong, please continue. But doesn't the level parity protocol still prevent us from intervening? You would normally call on B or A rankers for this. Were they all dispatched to other frontiers?"
"Yes, they are on their way back. If only we had two more days, we could send A and B rankers to New Mesa. But the situation has escalated."
"What's happened?"
"A transmission from a familiar revealed a level 270 Anathema in New Mesa. It breached the emergency barrier device, endangering 1700 survivors inside."
"...What? An Aberrant class?" Issen suddenly stood up, an Aberrant class of Level 270. It was a monster even Issen, the cream of the crop, the aces of aces, didn't want to face alone, if possible. He had confidence he could still beat it, but it would take time, and casualties were sure to occur.
"Yes."
"I'm in. Hey, Waifu F22, don't leave without me! Hitodama, where's my Seinjet?" Issen shouted, then cursed, "Damn it! 18 Magical Girls dead! Moreover, a D and 3 E rank team!"
"Stop calling me Waifu F22, you bonehead!" Pink Heart retorted as she landed on top of Issen's condo. As expected of Pink Heart, often dubbed the Human Fighter Jet or 'Waifu F22.'
"Magical Girl Pink Heart will personally come to your condo. Fortunately, Magical Guardian Stonewall was nearby. He'll arrive by car." Twenty minutes later, the three Aces were gathered inside Guardian Command.
"Let's go. You guys will ride my Bit Fighter, and we'll head there and back. Let's save those MGs!" Pink Heart exclaimed.
"Yeah... Here is the engagement data analyzed from one of the familiars," Armstrong said, his expression somber. When Issen reviewed it, a frown etched across his face as silent rage began to simmer within him. The data displayed the image of the emergency barrier being shattered.
"Should we cancel the ferry?" Stonewall inquired, looking at Armstrong. His question was laden with significant implications. It was unlikely they were on a rescue mission but an eradication or retaliatory mission instead.
"That decision will be yours to make once you arrive."
[Quest Ongoing! Evacuate and save 19 other Magical Girls and 1700 survivors of New Mesa]
[Description: An Aberrant class Anathema has emerged, threatening to annihilate all Magical Girls and survivors of New Mesa. Proceed to New Mesa, stall for time until the ferry arrives, and ensure their safety. Aces of Aces]
[Time until Ferry Arrival: Approximately 4 hours]
[Magical Girls Saved: 0/19. Survivors Saved: 0/1700]
[Difficulty: Medium]
[Reward: 10,000 Points]
"Nineteen?" They all looked puzzled at the quest window. There were supposed to be only 18 MGs reported in the area. Issen, Pink Heart, and Stonewall then realized the gravity of the situation. A new Magical Girl, not even a week into her powers, was thrust into battle against endgame foes that even Issen would hesitate to face alone. A unified resolve crystallized among the trio.
"Let's go," Issen declared, discarding the printed document. "Hurry up, Pink Heart."
"Understood," Pink Heart replied, nodding. She then turned to her pink marble-like familiar. It then flashes pink lights in confirmation. Shen then said, "Pinky, cancel all my concerts today."
