Chapter 28: No One Can Stop Them

Shion, the free Magical Girl who suddenly appeared in BH City three years ago.

At first she simply hunted Disaster Beasts and refused to communicate with anyone, acting alone, occasionally accompanied by a blue Magical Girl.

Neither the Witch Association nor the Disaster Control Bureau really took her seriously.

Every city always had one or two Magical Girls operating independently; it wasn’t anything extraordinary.

That changed when Shion and Winter founded the Azure Cloud Sect.

For the Disaster Control Bureau, from that point on, newcomers among Magical Girls were basically monopolized by the Azure Cloud Sect. It was a constant headache, though direct confrontations were rare.

After all, their main task was to eliminate Disaster Beasts.

But the Witch Association was different.

In fact, the Witch Association’s operations only conflicted with the Disaster Control Bureau; they didn’t directly conflict with the Azure Cloud Sect.

With a little investigation you could see that the Azure Cloud Sect didn’t clear Disaster Beasts for city safety—they hunted Disaster Beasts purely for the Grief Seeds.

However, the Azure Cloud Sect had an enormous appetite!

It was as if they recruited new Magical Girls and left the Disaster Control Bureau with no one to recruit. They wanted Grief Seeds, and mere Disaster Beasts couldn’t satisfy them, so they set their sights directly on the Witch Association.

They didn’t just hunt Disaster Beasts; they hunted Witch Association members and snatched Grief Seeds right from their hands.

Over the years, the Witch Association suffered far more than the Disaster Control Bureau.

At least the Disaster Control Bureau could team up with the government to label the Azure Cloud Sect illegal, launch public opinion campaigns, and denounce them.

The Witch Association had no recourse when they got chewed up; they swallowed their losses in silence. There was nowhere to argue about this kind of black-on-black conflict.

And Shion, the Magical Girl who'd killed the most Witch Association members, had a nickname inside the Witch Association: the Witch Executioner.

No Witch Association member who fell into her hands ever returned alive.

When someone met her, Witch Association members were allowed to abandon missions and retreat; it wouldn’t be counted as mission failure.

In short, the Witch Association secretly stealing Blooming-tier Miracle Seeds these days was all about finding a way to deal with Shion. Otherwise BH City’s plans couldn’t proceed at all…

“A male transformer?”

Dujuan, already dazed by Shion’s appearance, was even more stunned at this realization.

Who would have expected that a newly official Magical Girl would have a brother who was the head of BH City’s illegal organization, the Azure Cloud Sect?

Putting aside the identity scandal, the gender of Magical Girls had always been strictly defined—no males had ever been seen.

If Dujuan had guessed something like this, she would never have taken the mission, even at the cost of her life!

Not to mention, she’d spent a large amount of magic on Jiang Si because she never thought he could transform!

“Let’s begin the real fight.”

Dujuan spun and ran!

What a joke—who wants to fight Shion!

Shion was Jiang Si; he might be the first-ever male Magical Girl transformer in history! If that information got back, Dujuan’s standing would surely rise!

The question was whether they could get back alive…

Shion’s skirt shimmered with purple light. She bent slightly and lightly sprang.

A terrifying gust of wind instantly uprooted nearby trees!

Dust and debris flared up behind her; the slicing whistle through the air caught up with Dujuan the next second!

Compared to her untransformed state, Shion’s movements were lighter and seemed to lack explosive force.

Yet when a casual kick landed on Dujuan’s stomach—while human Dujuan at full force couldn’t break through—she was merely mildly knocked back.

In an instant she shot out like a cannonball, flying straight as an arrow!

Dozens of thick tree trunks snapped along her path. The pitch-black Magical Girl tumbled and carved a long, deep, terrifying gouge into the ground!

Dujuan thrust her magic wand into the earth, many tendrils of magic clinging desperately to the ground, barely offsetting the impact.

She dared not hesitate or think of counterattacking—she only turned and flailed toward the city outskirts at top speed!

“Captain!”

Her captain’s presence was nearby! If she could hold on until the captain arrived! If she could find him!

The route out of the city lay ahead, and the captain’s aura drew closer. In that instant Dujuan felt time slow; everything in the world became sluggish.

The captain was not far, yet could not get closer. She could clearly feel a small, tender hand gently touch her forehead.

Then she was slammed onto the pavement!

A swath of pitch-black magic shielded her face, scraping violently against the asphalt with a teeth-grinding shriek, black magic spitting like sparks from a cutting machine!

She skidded hundreds of meters, her magic completely worn away!

“Ah!”

She screamed, utterly incapable of thought, swinging her wand in a reflexive counterstrike.

But the other party merely held her head down and threw a punch.

The wand and the right arm holding it both snapped!

Without magical protection, the black-clad Magical Girl’s cheek was pressed into the asphalt, carving a dark, deep scar.

Contrasting with her pretty, delicate appearance, Shion’s combat style was brutal and savage.

No one had ever seen her wand.

She was an exceedingly rare close-combat Magical Girl.

Unlike ordinary Magical Girls who fought from a distance using magic, Shion used the terrifying strength in her tiny body to crush opponents up close—decisive, direct, and merciless…

Dujuan’s half face had been ground smooth—not blood, but black magic—continuously oozing out.

Her magical outfit melted like tar and dripped off her.

Shion released her hand and picked up the Miracle Seed that had fallen to the ground.

The rotten seed was full of cracks, utterly worthless.

She casually crushed it; it turned into specks of starlight and scattered.

A polluted Incubator floated up, wearing an expression of relief.

It expressed thanks to her and slowly vanished.

Normally, an ordinary Magical Girl, even if severely injured, would not have their injuries affect their true body after removing their transformation.

But Dujuan was not a normal Magical Girl.

The magic used for transformation came from Grief Seeds—magical power poured from Grief Seeds into Miracle Seeds to complete the transformation.

Thus she was closer to a Disaster Beast than a usual Magical Girl.

Although injuries didn’t fully replicate onto the true body, pain, exhaustion, and the impact of wounds still affected the true body.

Even though her face remained, Dujuan used her left hand to clamp her face tightly, and her right arm hung uselessly limp.

Shion’s expression remained cold. Purple magic gathered in her right hand and solidified into a long spear.

The girl lifted the spear, taller than herself, and pointed it at the woman who had already lost strength.

“Captain…”

Dujuan wheezed, trembling, “Save me…”

“Stop!”

Two angry voices rang out from the east and above!

…

It wasn’t until Peony’s support arrived that Silver Lotus and Keke finally broke through the weird tempest interference.

“The Azure Cloud Sect is acting. Contact Yueji and have her ready to support!”

Rushing forward, Silver Lotus issued orders to the Disaster Control Bureau while using her petals to probe ahead and clear a path.

So they wouldn’t be trapped again.

Keke sat on her broom one spot behind Silver Lotus. Her red magic had begun to fade, no longer vigorous as before; her face was tired.

The gale earlier had scattered her magic, almost causing her transformation to collapse.

Having barely burst out of the wind, she couldn’t help asking, “That gust—was it controlled by an Azure Cloud Sect Magical Girl?”

“One of the Azure Cloud Sect’s core members, codename Dandelion.”

Silver Lotus looked grave and tight-lipped. “Her power manipulates wind, and it’s extremely precise. She’s Seedling-tier. Be careful—she’s not someone you can handle.”

“Same rank as the captain?”

“Um…”

Hesitating, Silver Lotus didn’t finish. In truth she had fought Dandelion several times and had never won.

They were both Seedling-tier, but the gap was significant—especially in the precision of magic manipulation.

Dandelion’s control had reached an alarming level; she could even seize Silver Lotus’s petal-control.

“If there’s danger, you return to the Disaster Control Bureau immediately.”

Silver Lotus had thought they were only dealing with the Witch Association, so she’d been confident there wouldn’t be danger. But now it seemed the Azure Cloud Sect was involved as well.

Those people watched the Witch Association closely; it wasn’t surprising they’d intervene.

The situation was messy—better to be cautious.

“Okay, I’ll be careful.”

Keke was actually quite obedient. The longer Silver Lotus spent with her, the more she recognized that quality.

Well-behaved, compliant, thoughtful—never wanting to cause trouble.

Only when facing her brother did Keke show some sharpness and rebellion.

So the siblings’ poor relationship was mostly Jiang Si’s problem…

Worrying about Jiang Si’s safety, she quickened her pace.

Then, in the distance where corrupted magic had filled the suburbs, a vast purple aura suddenly rose!

Keke and Silver Lotus both paused, and Keke’s face brightened with surprise.

“It’s Teacher Shion!”

She bounded ahead even before Silver Lotus, who hurried after her. “Wait, Keke, be careful!”

When they got closer, the chaotic scene took a breath from Silver Lotus.

Trees were twisted and smashed—each trunk thick enough for three or four people to hug. The ground looked plowed, riddled with pits and ravines, and residual magic still burned.

Dust swirled and obscured vision. The asphalt had been cut off, split down the middle, the huge trench filled with polluted magic.

In the middle of the road, Shion stood with her spear raised, aimed at the woman on the ground.

“Stop!”

Silver Lotus shouted, surprised that a voice from above also cried out to halt them.

“Stop!”

But before she could think more, Shion’s spear struck. Petals from all over her body rose and whirled, converging and blasting toward Shion!

From above, a bolt of lightning suddenly struck!

In the dark night a breeze blew.

Silver Lotus’s movements paused; petals whipped by the wind and were pulled skyward.

A white-clad Magical Girl blocked Shion’s front. Without a word she traced a circle in the air with her finger—a strange wind blew, and countless petals were blown back to Silver Lotus.

Silver Lotus immediately moved in front of Keke, but the petals lost their power as soon as they neared the two and simply drifted to the ground.

At the same time, the lightning from above was stopped by an exquisitely shaped ice blossom.

A blue Magical Girl hovered above Shion, holding a massive ice-crystal blossom single-handedly. The lightning blasted part of it away, but the petals regrew and expanded.

Soon the blue Magical Girl cupped a delicate cluster of ice petals, blew a breath toward the sky.

Cold surged out; the gathered thundercloud froze in an instant.

“Winter’s even here!”

Silver Lotus murmured, then looked at the two protecting Shion.

Dandelion blocked this side, Winter shielded above—just the two of them formed an impenetrable wall.

No one could interfere with Shion in the middle of the road.

So the giant purple spear in Shion’s hand plunged toward the woman without pause!

Magic burned violently; the woman didn’t even scream—she turned to ash in the blaze of magic.

Silver Lotus immediately covered Keke’s eyes and turned her head away in horror.

So brutal!

“Dujuan!”

A mourning shout rang from above. “Azure Cloud Sect! We will never be reconciled with you!”

That cry stole the chance for Silver Lotus to shout reprimand.

The blue Magical Girl Winter lightly descended and wiped the dust off Shion’s clothes. “Got it, got it, come on, hurry. You seem impatient—why not do it today? Reveal yourself now; don’t waste time—settle your score right here, yeah?”

The previously roaring voice fell silent.

The Azure Cloud Sect’s attention naturally shifted toward Silver Lotus.

“The Disaster Control Bureau will arrest you all sooner or later.”

Silver Lotus tightened her grip on her wand and spoke in a stern official tone, quietly warning, “Get ready to flee, Keke.”

Keke hesitated, looking at Shion.

After Winter wiped the dust from her, Shion’s gaze passed over Silver Lotus and fixed directly on Keke.

Keke’s heart pounded.

Teacher Shion really would kill people…

But she felt no real fear.

“You’ve grown stronger.”

Shion stared for a while, then spoke coldly. “Emotional outbursts can temporarily provide massive magic; in extremes they can push a Magical Girl beyond herself. But relying on that unstable method to grow weakens magic control—like the one beside you.”

Silver Lotus flushed. “I didn’t!”

“You do. Silver Lotus loses to me every time because your magic manipulation is coarse,” Dandelion cut in at the right moment.

Silver Lotus was left speechless, biting her lip in frustration and glaring at Dandelion.

Keke, suddenly criticized, was bewildered and stammered, “I’m sorry…”

“But getting stronger is good. The rest can be practiced slowly.”

Shion’s tone softened. “For a beginner, you did well.”

Keke, who had been stunned, froze. Before she recovered, Winter waved cheerfully at her and said “bye-bye,” hopping happily and following Shion. She kept wanting to reach out and touch Shion’s cheek, but Shion slapped her hand away without even glancing.

Dandelion hugged her wand and cautiously watched them, backing away. After confirming they had no intent to fight, she turned and ran to catch up with Winter and Shion.

“You saw that, right!” Only after they left did Silver Lotus say in a low voice, “I’m not lying—she really will kill, even if she’s a Magical Girl!”

Keke continued to stare at where Shion had gone, then reflexively blurted, “Teacher Shion must have her reasons, right?”

Silver Lotus immediately clapped a hand to her forehead. “That’s murder—be sensible, Keke…”

But she had praised me for getting stronger… that thought made Keke feel like she’d been given candy.

Sweet and warm.

“Don’t let yourself be influenced… Fine, we’ll talk later. First get Yueji here to clean up the scene. It’s always us who have to deal with the mess—damn Azure Cloud Sect.”

As she spoke, Silver Lotus suddenly realized she’d forgotten something. When sirens wailed nearby she slapped her thigh.

“Wait, I almost forgot—we came out looking for Jiang Si, didn’t we?”

Keke, still savoring the moment, paused and then murmured distractedly, “Oh yeah… where is Jiang Si…”