Raising magical girls, and leave them with eternal regret?!

“Ugh…”

Even though she tried with all her might to stand up, WuYue couldn’t manage it at all.

On the contrary, because of her reckless attempt to escape, the red stains on her back had spread even more.

“Is there… no hope left?”

As the giant bat approached slowly, WuYue, in a daze, seemed to see glimpses of her past.

Is this like a flashback? She wondered in her heart.

“So, the things in animes… are all real after all…”

But… to be honest, she didn’t want to see this.

WuYue closed her eyes.

Seeing this meant she was not far from death.

“If miracles were real… it would be great.”

It might sound absurd, but at this moment, she suddenly hoped for a “miracle” to happen, even though she had never believed in such things before.

But now, she wished that the “miracles” from stories would come true, saving her from death.

Because she didn’t want to die.

Whether it was her past self or her present self, her thoughts remained the same.

Because she had promised her grandmother that she would live well, and she had promised YouYu that she would do her best during this time and live a good life.

But in reality, miracles don’t happen, and the inevitable outcome is the most ‘realistic’ death.

Is there really… no one who can save her?

“Just as YouYu said, I really am an idiot who risks everything for others…”

She self-deprecated in her mind.

In the end, at this most critical moment, there was no “miracle” and no one to save her.

Well… At least that girl got saved.

So, even if I die, I won’t have too many regrets.

The only ones I feel sorry for are my grandmother and YouYu…

“Bastard, I’ll kill you!”

“?!!”

However, just as she accepted her death and the fact that she would be killed by the giant bat, a powerful voice suddenly rang out!

The voice was familiar and was filled with an almost unimaginable anger.

Opening her eyes wide, WuYue saw that person—it was YouYu! He was holding a fire extinguisher he had obtained from somewhere and was rushing towards her at a breakneck speed.

He then pressed the switch, and white gas, mixed with some unknown purple gas, erupted from the extinguisher and sprayed towards the giant bat’s face!

“?! Roar!”

The giant bat, after being sprayed in the face by these gases, suddenly let out an extremely frightening roar and began to retreat as if it was afraid of something!

Seizing the opportunity while the giant bat was retreating, YouYu didn’t hesitate. He dropped the fire extinguisher, turned his back to WuYue, crouched down, and urgently said:

“Sorry! I’m late… Quickly, get on! You’re hurt, right? We need to get out of here!”

“YouYu?! Why are you here… No, this isn’t the time for that…”

Seeing YouYu’s tense expression, WuYue, her thoughts in chaos, shook her head vigorously and did her best to stay conscious through the pain.

After telling herself repeatedly in her mind that she must survive,

She gritted her teeth against the pain, struggled to hook her arm around his shoulder, and was lifted onto his back as he grabbed her legs.

“Hold tight!”

After getting WuYue on his back, YouYu didn’t hesitate any further. He glanced at the giant bat, which was slowly recovering, and immediately turned, running in the opposite direction.

As he ran, he comforted WuYue, who was on his back:

“Don’t worry! Although I don’t know exactly what that creature is… I won’t let it harm us.”

“Both you and I will survive!”

“…”

“…Okay.”

Battling the rain, feeling the wind, and watching YouYu run with her on his back, WuYue felt momentarily disoriented.

Looking back, the giant bat had been left far behind.

“…”

Did they really escape death?

Did a “miracle” actually happen? Does it really exist?

Was it really a “miracle”?

“Miracle…”

It was YouYu, risking his life, who saved her.

If YouYu is her miracle,

Then she wants to believe.

“…”

After they had run a certain distance, the giant bat, which had recovered and was now watching them, suddenly its eyes turned red and spread its enormous wings.

Then, with a powerful flap of its massive wings, it soared to over 40 meters high.

The earlier attacks… it was merely playing.

Now, it was truly angered by the sudden appearance of the strange human…

So, it was going to get serious!

————

Just as mentioned before,

Everything the giant bat did earlier was merely play.

So, once it was truly angered and began to “work” seriously.

Reality once again…

Shattered the insignificant “miracle” with a single touch.

“Ugh!”

On the now deserted street,

An invisible wave of sound blades, spinning rapidly, shot out from the giant bat in the sky, swiftly and precisely cutting into YouYu’s right ankle.

YouYu was fully aware that strong willpower cannot counteract physical pain.

So, after running for dozens of minutes and enduring numerous injuries of varying severity, he finally couldn’t hold on any longer and collapsed to the ground.

Before falling, he managed to twist his body, repositioning WuYue, who was cradled in his arms, back to her previous position. Thus, WuYue was cushioned by his body and avoided injury.

“YouYu—”

“Thud—!”

As YouYu fell to the ground, red blood gushed out from his various wounds, quickly pooling on the ground and being washed away by the heavy rain.

And some of it… splattered onto WuYue.

The immense pain coursed through his entire body, making him unable to keep his eyes open.

Seeing YouYu collapse on the ground, WuYue could no longer endure it.

Even her voice began to tremble.

“…No? This… this can’t be real, right?”

Saying this, she moved away from YouYu’s body, knelt beside him, and used her hands to carefully lift him from behind, cradling him in her arms.

“Just a moment ago, you were running so fast…”

“Now… you can still wake up again, right?”

“…”

No response from YouYu.

“Shush, shush, shush—”

The only response was the sound of raindrops hitting the ground.

“…”

Yes.

It’s not surprising.

After all, after enduring a long chase, her “hope” had already been extinguished.

Just moments ago, during their escape with YouYu carrying her, the giant bat began its long-range attacks. To prevent her from suffering further injury, he had cradled her in his arms.

The cost was… all the injuries were borne by him alone.

So, she watched as blood continuously sprayed from YouYu’s back or pierced through in front of her, listened to his cries of pain, and saw his condition deteriorating. She kept praying for YouYu to drop her, only to have him refuse, using various reasons over and over again.

That period was the hardest to endure, with despair and guilt flooding her mind, making her sick.

Even now, she can remember the trail of blood left behind when she looked back.

“…”

“Miracle” shattered, and “hope” turned into despair.

Now… she had received the worst possible outcome—

He was going to die because of her.

“Please… I—”

“I don’t want you to die… I don’t want you to die…”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault… my fault, my fault, my fault, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

With no strength left to shout, WuYue could only speak in an extremely desperate, pleading tone, crying as she spoke. Even though she knew it was unlikely to change anything.

After all, things like “miracles”… doesn’t exist.

This time, it was her selfish wish for a “miracle” that led to YouYu’s death.

This time, it was her foolish actions that caused YouYu’s death.

Everything, all of it, was her fault!

If the outcome were destined to be this way from the start, it would have been better if she had died instead.

At least then, he wouldn’t have been dragged into it.

“……”

“……You not wrong, WuYue.”

“Eh?”

At that moment, YouYu, who had seemed to hear her apology, managed to open his eyes with great effort. Looking at her face streaked with what might be rain or tears, he forced a smile and said:

“Still… I guess I’m the useless adult here…”

“Even something as simple as ‘staying alive,’ I couldn’t manage.”

“……”

“So… Can you listen to my last request?”

“Stay alive… with everything you’ve got.”

“I’ll buy you some time.”

“……”

“Please don’t be like this…”

What’s with this scene? Why is it like an important character in an anime who’s about to die, facing their fate?!

These clichéd lines…

Really, really, are you kidding me?!

Is this a joke?

It has to be, right…

“……”

Even if it’s a joke.

She still doesn’t want to do that.

“If it’s your fault, if you’re useless…”

Adults who break promises like you are the ones I hate the most.

So, I don’t want to, and will never, leave you behind.

“Then I’ll lock you by my side until you admit your mistakes. Even if you are dead, you can’t leave…”

“……”

“So, is that your wish?”

At that moment, a voice from deep within her heart asked her this question.

The voice asked her what she truly wanted to do.

So, she answered that voice—

“…Yes.”

“…I see. The longer, stronger, and heavier the wish, the more powerful the force it can unleash.”

“…You are qualified to become a magical girl.”

As the mysterious voice faded away.

In the next moment, a giant bird engulfed in flames suddenly appeared from the sky, piercing through the giant bat’s chest and setting its body ablaze.

“Roar?!!!”

Amidst the giant bat’s agonised roar, the giant bird descended upon WuYue, transforming into a massive fireball that enveloped both her and YouYu, isolating them from the outside.

“Boom——!”

Two minutes later, as the fireball exploded—

What appeared before the giant bat was—

An eyes full of hatred.

Magical girl, Firebird!