Transformation or Death

A Joyful Reunion

An ice tower standing tall in the middle of the city. A tower of such height that it cannot be easily hidden even in a forest of buildings. However, the surrounding area is still in the midst of reconstruction and looks desolate.

Exposed concrete and the ceaseless noise of construction equipment, amid the dusty wind, the ice tower stood alone with a pure and elegant beauty.

The water disaster damage had not yet healed. People who lost their homes and workplaces were still living uncomfortably in evacuation shelters, and workers and magical girls specializing in building restoration continued working without holidays.

In the midst of this, the ice tower served as a sanctuary for citizens. It was proof of ending the catastrophe and evidence of the magical girl’s power. Searching the entire world, one would rarely find a magical girl with such power. This tall tower served as a landmark of the city and a source of citizens’ pride.

Just as people would visit the traces of battle created by Sky Polaris like a sacred site and offer prayers, they did the same this time.

– Today, many people are gathering at the tower created by Blue Sirius…

Baek Ah-hee thought while watching the broadcast beyond her smartphone screen.

‘I want to create something like this someday!’

Someday, I want to become a spiritual sanctuary for many people. I want to be praised for the heroic traces I leave behind. Baek Ah-hee burned with respect and competitive spirit towards Blue Sirius.

“Hmm, but what should I use… A tower that burns eternally…? Oh, this sounds good, it would be cool….”

She decided to think later about how to create an undying flame.

“If I awaken my divine power… Wouldn’t that work?! What do you think, Ribbon!”

[I don’t know….]

Her mascot Ribbon twisted its body, avoiding answering. Baek Ah-hee pouted at the uninteresting response.

“Then what does brother think… Oh.”

Baek Ah-hee, who was about to turn and ask a question, closed her lips. Han Jae-jung was not where she looked back. Baekho Cafe, known only to those who know – precisely, except for magical girl acquaintances.

This Cafe, run by former magical girl Joo Ah-yoon, should have had a handsome employee. However, today only Joo Ah-yoon was working. The counter seemed especially wide today.

“…What do you think, sister?”

“Huh? About what.”

“Nothing….”

Moreover, Joo Ah-yoon seemed particularly low-spirited to the point of being noticeable.

[You didn’t notice….]

‘I said it was to the point of being noticeable, not that I was actually noticing!’

Baek Ah-hee answered confidently. Just because the other side was low-spirited didn’t mean she needed to be low-spirited too. She was the type who thought she needed to be energetic precisely because the other was gloomy.

“Haaa….”

Joo Ah-yoon deeply sighed and buried her head on the table. Her makeup was much lighter than usual, and her hair looked disheveled. The pink hair dyed with a two-tone color looked faded.

“So, I was saying I want to create something like sister Sirius’s ice tower….”

Baek Ah-hee persistently continued her story.

“Why.”

A coldly sharp, short answer came back.

“Oh, um… I also want to be called a hero and receive great respect…?”

“Impure.”

Joo Ah-yoon raised her head again. Her blurry eyes unconsciously made one shrink back. She looked around with empty eyes.

“Fortunately, the two noisy ones didn’t come, it seems.”

She meant Haru and Ara. Ara wasn’t usually such a noisy personality, but strangely, when meeting Joo Ah-yoon, her voice would rise and her speech would accelerate, making her the noisiest person to Joo Ah-yoon for a year.

If she saw Joo Ah-yoon’s current state, she would probably mock her loudly enough to make her head ring.

“Haha… Those two are a bit busy.”

“Aren’t you busy?”

“I’m about to get busy, but I have some free time.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

The answer was perfunctory.

“…Won’t you ask?”

What she was talking about was something that could be understood without being explicitly said. She was talking about Han Jae-jung’s absence.

“I was planning to call and ask later….”

“No.”

Joo Ah-yoon cut her off before Baek Ah-hee could finish speaking.

“Don’t waste time.”

“…?”

This time, it was something that couldn’t be understood without being explicitly said. Baek Ah-hee tilted her head. Joo Ah-yoon buried her head on the table again. Bang! A dull sound that sounded painful just by hearing it. The bell on the door slightly trembled.

“What is….”

“Sorry… It’s nothing.”

Joo Ah-yoon again coldly cut off the conversation.

‘What am I doing.’

Self-loathing welled up. She had taken out her frustration on an unrelated person. This wasn’t what she intended. Now wasn’t the time to waste time.

Literally, time was short.

She recalled the morning’s events.

– Ah-yoon, I’m sorry about last night.

– Brother.

– Huh? Why?

– Leave. Right now.

She had forcibly expelled Han Jae-jung from the Cafe.

– Huh? Ah-yoon? Ah-yoon. What is…

It was very simple. She could control butterflies even without transforming. She attached butterflies to him and transferred them to butterflies she had already spread throughout the city. Done.

Using supernatural powers in a human body. This was different from directly using starlight, purified through magical power.

Therefore, she could use her powers without much burden on her body.

“Haaa….”

It was truly surprising. Her transformation was different from Han Jae-jung’s. She had thoughtlessly assumed they were the same just because their post-transformation appearances were monstrous.

The rebound from prolonged transformations she had experienced was just fatigue similar to overwork. But he was different. The side effects of transformation were not just fatigue.

He experiences pain close to death.

She needs to find solutions together with him as soon as possible. She, who is still relatively intact, must protect him.

“But….”

She was afraid.

Han Jae-jung had saved her from harassment. She couldn’t forget the moment he broke through the warehouse and reached out his hand.

She was afraid of acknowledging that he, who was always stronger than her and a source of support even when powerless, was becoming incredibly weak. She was terrified of facing and accepting this situation.

She knows what she must do.

She must immediately rush to Han Jae-jung, get a precise explanation of his symptoms, comfort him, and ignite his will to live. They must find ways to extend his life together.

But her body won’t move properly.

This was her first time experiencing this. She had always done things she hated or knew she had to do.

Perhaps the reason is that what she’s facing now goes beyond a ‘task to be done’ to a ‘task that must be accomplished’.

Trying is easy. Anyone can do that. But success is difficult.

A method to extend his life? As if such a thing exists.

What should she do? Meanwhile, his life continues to shorten. What should she do? Listening to his life means bearing the weight of his life together. Even if he has no such intention, Joo Ah-yoon’s heart will be filled with a strong sense of obligation.

She was anxious like a candle in the wind, her insides burning because she didn’t know how to stop the wind.

Now that she knows, she can’t look away.

“… Sister Deneb.”

Baek Ah-hee, who had approached at some point, shook her shoulder. Joo Ah-yoon startled and raised her head.

“This is just a possibility… I’m asking just in case….”

Baek Ah-hee layered her preface carefully.

“This worry is related to Jae-jung, right?”

“….”

“… Sister, don’t tell me.”

She brought her lips close to her ear and whispered. So no one would hear.

“Do you know?”

At first, she thought, ‘What about what?’ as the sentence wasn’t properly structured.

But soon, Joo Ah-yoon realized what she was talking about.

“Don’t tell me you also… Know?”

Baek Ah-hee made no response, no gesture. She simply stared directly into her eyes.

That was the biggest answer.

Another person who knew about Han Jae-jung’s health.

Someone she could discuss this with.

***

Ippotranslation 

***

Han Jae-jung looked at the ice tower through the window. Helicopters were flying, and many people were gathered, visible even from a distance.

“Oh, shit, it’s crowded. I want to drop a bomb arrow there.”

“Before that, you’ll die by my hand.”

“I know, kid. I’m just saying.”

When the Archer muttered softly, Han Jae-jung immediately warned him. He shook his head as if disgusted.

“How vulgar, comrade.”

“Then would I be noble?”

Jason also criticized him, but his mouth couldn’t stay shut.

“The only noble one here is this self-proclaimed guardian.”

“I’m not noble. It’s nothing special.”

“Oh, look at the Buddha. You stupid fool.”

The Archer leaned back in his chair and tilted his body.

“Aren’t you working, our noble human? To eat, you need to work, right?”

“I was kicked out.”

“Ah! Then you’re a comrade too. Our unemployed comrades!”

“Hahaha! We’ve been gathering since morning, unemployed bastards. Ah, this is leisure!”

[Congratulations, Guardian. You’ve made friends of the same level.]

Being grouped with these people was incredibly shameful.

“Hey, you guys. I’m on vacation. Vacation. It’s different from your fundamental unemployment!”

“What’s fundamental unemployment? Are there people who basically work?”

“Some people can’t work by nature. That’s you guys. People lacking social skills, jumping between part-time jobs and unable to stay long in one place.”

“When did I get personally attacked!”

“Then when did you not take a shot at me!”

The Archer had nothing to say and shut his mouth.

“From the start, we should be having constructive conversations. I don’t have time for this idle chatter!”

“That’s true. Poor guy… Tsk tsk, you indeed have no leisure.”

“Oh, don’t say it like that. How unfair. Living like a cow and about to die like an ant.”

“Stop shielding him from now on.”

Han Jae-jung was currently in their hideout. Their hideout changes daily. This time, they were occupying an abandoned commercial building near the city center. Dust and cobwebs filled the place, seemingly untouched for a long time. The windows were broken, offering an unfiltered view outside.

“Hey, you wanted to find your memories. Any clues?”

“You.”

“No!”

“Meaning neither of us has any. Got it.”

Han Jae-jung sighed. His path forward seemed blocked.

“No, I’m telling you I’m the clue!”

“You’re right here. Got any memories?”

“No.”

“What the hell is the clue then?”

“Don’t swear!”

Shouting and cursing continued until Jason mediated.

“Raising blood pressure isn’t good for health.”

“What does it matter? My body’s already completely messed up. How much worse can it get? It’s like dropping a match on a burning house.”

“Shut up?”

Whew, Han Jae-jung sighed again, grabbed his throbbing head, and spoke.

“Let’s organize the information. First, Archer… What was your name?”

“Sagittarius, shortened to Saji.”

“Right, Saji. You’re a similar case to me. Became a villain from human, but an even more special case.”

The Archer nodded.

“Hey, why’s my name like that?”

“Excessive transformation killed your body, and the villain was created based on that corpse. Your memory’s clue is probably that transformation. Investigate more. Especially harassing Botis.”

“I was already planning to.”

After cooperation was established, Han Jae-jung shared most of the information he knew.

The Archer, realizing he was also someone who died from excessive transformation, was furious and wanted to confront Botis immediately.

“What else? Drugs? Try to get some.”

“The efficiency isn’t good.”

“Just try it. And Jason.”

“What?”

“You’re really hopeless.”

Jason was the most problematic. No clues. Neither originally human like the Archer nor connected to magical girls.

“I’ll keep thinking until we find an answer!”

“Yeah, yeah. And I….”

“Okay, mayfly. Speak.”

“If you don’t want to live up to the Saji name, shut up. Honestly, I have a method in mind.”

“Oh?”

The Archer exclaimed as if surprised.

“It’s not a good method. A true last resort, to be used only when absolutely necessary….”

“What is it?”

“I’ll be killed before completely dying.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Indeed crazy. It’s basically suicide.”

Both the Archer and Jason shook their heads, thinking he’d given up mentally.

“No, listen properly. This method is more useful than you’d think….”

“Oh, is that so?”

Then someone approached and casually pulled up a chair.

“Then how about me as the target of that killing? I think it’s quite good.”

A face unseen for a long time, but definitely not a welcome one.

“What a pleasant reunion. Weren’t you missing me? By the way, I missed you. I’m really glad to see you.”

“I’m going crazy.”

Paradox.

The cactus head, seen after a long time, still looked like something he wanted to pluck out.

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