NOVEL NEXT Chapter 102
“Hikari!”
“Yeah, I saw it too.”
“Wh-What on earth is that…”
“….”
An extraordinary situation occurred that even Yuki, who had endured countless battles including trials, found shocking.
The four stars stretching behind the Magical Girl of War, Animus, were a new power beyond our understanding.
Born 3-Star.
[Thousand Bloom] 3-Star.
The pinnacle of power granted to a Magical Girl.
The ultimate stage where one connects with the world and possesses their own territory.
It was the final realm mentioned in [Magical Girl HAZARD].
That must have been the 3-Star.
Yet, the four stars radiating a massive light like a cross halo behind the Magical Girl of War hovering over Shinjuku seemed to mock such recognition, pressing down on us.
“…Appear. Idol of Humanity. Glory born from war.”
With her reddish-brown hair flowing elegantly, Animus pointed at us with a sword larger than a person.
Rough and
Sturdy and
Fierce,
Flames slowly ignited from the massive great sword, as if representing her nature.
Fwhoosh
The fire that began at the tip of the sword blazed stronger, looking like a gigantic beacon.
A beacon announcing the start of war.
“Everyone, be careful!!”
“It’s about to begin!!”
With Animus’s movement, a booming sound echoed throughout the sky palace… the hall of war, and a great vibration emanated from the massive steLEs that fell across the city, glowing with reddish-brown letters.
Bong—
Bong—
Bong—
[War]’s Magical Girl Unique Skill
Idol Appearance 偶像顯顯
Idol of War
“Achilles, Odysseus, Agamemnon, Hector.”
As Animus finished calling their names, enormous guardians inspired by real-life heroes slowly materialized from the top of the steLE, wrapped in reddish-brown aura.
Giant bodies.
Shining armor.
Inside the guardians’ helmets and armor, radiant gold and darkness mixed to the point they no longer resembled humans. They emerged boldly from a portal formed by clouds of reddish-brown energy.
The fastest, Achilles, appeared first from the first steLE with a tremendous flash.
The wisest, Odysseus, materialized from the second steLE alongside a massive flying battleship.
The highest king, Agamemnon, emerged from the third steLE wearing a golden mask.
The brightest guardian, Hector, flashed his radiant helmet as he appeared from the fourth steLE.
“■■―■■■■――!!”
The language of idols.
Advance.
Following the guardians’ cry, a giant force of giants with formidable presence emerged from the massive steLE scattered across the city.
Mythical heroes.
The invincible army humanity had long dreamed of.
Idols that grew amidst fierce struggle, which humans had endlessly yearned for over thousands of years, spilled out from the reddish-brown letters of the steLE.
A massive line of spears felt like a forest of steel advancing, and a wall formed by gigantic shields was overshadowing the human city in darkness.
Thud
Thud
Thud
Giants armored with shining spears and massive shields shaded the buildings with their shadows, summoned in tens, hundreds from the steLE as they marched toward the city en masse.
Thud
Thud
Thud
With each step they took, the land shook, and the air trembled as the civilians who failed to evacuate shrieked from inside their homes.
Crack
Boom—
The advancing army pushed aside all cars, signs, and structures that blocked the way.
They shouted in the language of idols as they advanced forward.
“■■■■■――!!”
“■■■■■――!!”
“■■■■■――!!”
“■■■■■――!!”
Black oily lions fell from the sky, while reddish-brown soldiers and guardians pressed into the city.
I had to keep an eye on the hall of war and the Magical Girl of War from this location.
‘That steLE… seems to be a structure endlessly dispatching an army like the hall of war.’
In the original work, armies only appeared from the hall of war.
Yet, in an instant, five such structures had appeared.
The Magical Girls, excluding me, had to take on the monsters and the armies of the idols, defeating one steLE each.
“Hikari!!”
“What should we do, Leader! If we keep this up, the city will be completely flattened!”
“Yuki! Ichika! That steLE will keep sending out troops! Each of you handle one steLE!”
“Got it.”
“Leave it to me.”
“Let’s go! Ri Hua! Asha!”
“Okay!”
“Let’s go together!”
Yuki, fully prepared for battle alongside Hikari Shirogane and Jo Yeon-seo, flew towards the massive reddish-brown battleship hovering over the steLE, enveloped in flames.
“Sirius! Natalia! Please cover Magical Girl Yuki of [Flame]!”
– Yes, understood!
Vroom—
In the faraway sky, the silvery gigantic warship, Starlight, chased after Yuki’s flames, intercepting the massive reddish-brown battleship.
So enormous that even moving at tremendous speeds felt unreal, the two titans faced each other against the backdrop of the red sky.
Bombardment followed.
Boom
Boom
Boom
Amidst the counterattacks from the Magical Girls unleashed from the Sirius, the reddish-brown battleship responded by firing great flames, filling the sky with heat strong enough to sting the eyes.
“Ichika, head towards that guy with the golden mask!”
“Oh! Somehow those grunts over there give off a lively vibe?”
“Time for the special training I did for today!!”
“Kyoko! Let’s hurry!”
Just as Ichika said, the army of the guardian Agamemnon wearing golden masks was now from all directions, fully clad in golden masks as they charged.
The golden-masked army, exuding power far superior to those from other steLEs, charged forth with a roaring battle cry.
“■■■ ■■■■――!!”
“■■■■!!”
Unlike the soldiers from the other steLEs, this army discarded spear and shield, brandishing swords instead.
They moved swiftly in search of shelters where civilians were evacuating.
Ichika and Kyoko swiftly approached the golden-masked army, leaping across rooftops.
– Valkyrie Team reporting to [Start] Magical Girl!
– One of the massive steLEs is slowly blocking pathways, isolating the Magical Girls!
“……”
The guardian with the shining helmet,
Hector
Unlike other guardians, he didn’t display obvious flamboyance, but he was thoroughly disrupting the Magical Girls’ connections and guiding the flow of the battlefield.
Originally, hundreds of Magical Girls should have been charging into the hall of war while I fought the Magical Girl of War, but they were slowly dispersing and getting isolated.
“Captain Himari.”
– Yes, I’m listening.
“Join forces with the Valkyrie Team and attack the steLE guarded by the guardian with the shining helmet as much as possible.”
– If we do that, it will take considerable time for the Valkyrie Team to join us, is that alright?
“That’s fine.”
– Understood.
Just as the communication ended with Magical Girl Himari of [Nursing] saying the cheerleading team had begun clashing with Hector’s forces, a distress call was heard.
– This is the Magical Girl stationed at the sports center where civilians are evacuating… Uh-oh?!
Boom—
The sound of a building collapsing.
The transmission cut out for a moment, but soon another transmission from the Magical Girl came through.
– …At the shelter! This is the Magical Girl in charge of the sports center! A giant cloaked in dazzling light is attacking way too fast!! We need help!! We’re not enough!!
Guardian of Swiftness,
Achilles.
Upon hearing this, I shouted at the golden-haired girls.
“Hana-chan! Daphne! Echo! Sylph! Go towards the sports center and draw the guardian’s attention!”
“Got it, Hikari-chan!”
“Yes, understood, Inheritor!”
“Be careful!”
“Yeah! Of course!”
The girls, with determined expressions, shot off clad in the yellow flash toward the sound of destruction echoing in the distance.
Whoosh—
“Your Majesty.”
“Fujimoto?”
“I’ll handle the remaining steLE.”
“Yes, I entrust it to you.”
“…Your Majesty.”
Amidst the chaotic flashes and explosions, and noise.
In a scene where it seemed like I would lose my mind at any moment.
Boom!
Rumble—
“■■■■■!!”
– Alert from the Elysion Observatory! Combat has begun with black lion monsters in Korea and China, among other places!
Red sky.
Silvery warship.
Green giant.
Yellow flash.
Golden blades.
Everything began dancing in battle amidst the battlefield, where flashes of brilliance illuminated everything. The girl who has been with me for the past year said,
For today,
For countless Magical Girls,
Having never held back in risking her own body, Sumire.
“…Thank you for allowing me to protect everyone.”
“…It’s not over yet.”
“Yes, I will handle the remaining steLE.”
The last steLE where guardians hadn’t yet appeared.
Sumire, gripping a single sword, walked towards it with Kaede and the Salon members.
Though their first act as Magical Girls was not for the sake of helping others, they had gradually come together as one team, helping countless people.
“Fujimoto.”
“Yeah?”
“You must stay safe.”
“……”
Sumire paused as if about to say something in response but remained silent. Then, moving forward, she smiled quietly.
“From now on, please call me Sumire.”
“Sure, Sumire.”
I deployed the Magical Girls toward all the steLEs.
Now, there was only one thing left.
I ascended into the sky, adorned in splendid starlight, to face the Magical Girl of War.