V6: Chapter 73: A Brief Exit... What's Going On?

Chapter 73: A Brief Break... What's Going On?

["Sate... Satellite!"]

"Yes, yes, it's alright. You can watch with peace of mind... okay?"

The bright red blood staining her white dress crimson stopped completely after she rotated her shoulders two or three times.

Super-healing of the body using excessive magical power.

"Even so, isn't that quite merciless, Gracia?"

"Of course I wouldn't let my guard down. Considering the difference in our abilities, it's just right to intend to kill you."

For Satellite's Magic, which can even heal keloid scars from burns, this kind of injury is literally just a graze.

However, the fact that there's still an effective hit is significant. The one-meter-high impenetrable wall that had repelled everything now offers the option of evasion.

["You bastards... how dare you hurt my Satellite...!"]

"It's quite ironic coming from the one who kidnapped her."

"...Hehehe♡"

At those words, the Succubus, who had unknowingly lost her place in the world, checked the situation.

According to her assessment, Squire was—safe; her chest was rising and falling, indicating she was breathing.

However, even if she woke up here, it would be a repeat of what happened earlier.

It's safe to say that her assistance in this battle could not be expected any further.

Each of them was running out of cards.

"Well, this is the best I can do... Charm♡"

"Ughh ♡"

"What's wrong? Your face is so red...♡"

["Using such filthy magic..."]

Each time she used Charm, a white light enveloped Satellite; it was probably a spell to dispel mental magic. However, even that is more than enough to create a momentary opening.

The Demon King seems to have taken some countermeasures, but even so, it doesn't completely nullify it. Of course, there's also the Queen of Succubus's charm... but its effect is proportional to how attractive the target finds the caster.

If the target is someone they cherish, the effect is even more potent, like a deadly poison.

At this point, there are roughly three main paths to victory for them.

The first is to defeat Satellite completely.

The problem is that her magic power is literally like a star... inexhaustible.

The second is to complete the Charm on Satellite.

The problem is that the Third Demon King will block mental magic through interference.

And the third is to find the Third Demon King, Trattlung, wherever he is. The problem is that finding his whereabouts won't be easy.

And this balance is only maintained because Satellite isn't using magic in her attacks. While it's clear she's concerned about their safety... that's precisely why they don't understand why she fell into the enemy's hands.

And they don't have the luxury of thinking about such things right now.

The space wavers, and compressed, blade-like magic bullets cut through the air, targeting the succubus.

He probably judged the succubus to be the most troublesome and decided to launch a direct attack.

"I don't think that'll work, [Stagnate] ♡"

However, the semi-transparent magic bullets stopped moving, as if pinned to the spot.

With His power, which is only capable of half-hearted attacks, direct intervention was effectively stopped.

"One more time, Charm ♡ Now, Satellite-chan, let's lose in a really nice way, shall we?"

"That's tough... ♡ You really have great teamwork... ♡"

The voice, the actions, the magic, and... and the words themselves.

They sweetly bewitched the girl named Satellite, inviting her to corruption.

The girl stood there, seemingly breathless.

However, it wasn't for physical exhaustion.

With her cheeks flushed and trembling, fidgeting with her legs together, she slapped her own cheek to steel herself. She stood there, suppressing the heat rising through her body with sheer willpower.

And then, without hesitation, the second light laser by Gracia was aimed at Satellite and fired.

"Ugh...!"

Dodging after seeing it is impossible; therefore, the only option is to move significantly the moment it's fired.

Fortunately, even though the magic itself is very fast, it's still fired by a human.

The rapid movement makes it difficult to aim, and the heat ray only burns the ground.

And she's not so naive as to let multiple effective hits go unpunished.

"I'll swing it... Hmph!"

The wreckage of what appears to be a church accelerates as it's hurled with force, and with sheer strength alone, she shatters the ice mirror high in the sky. The mirror, cracking with a loud crash, shatters and, as if out of control, rains down on the ground.

"What incredible strength! Since when did you become a body-enhancing magical girl?"

"Nah, I'm not using magic... ugh♡"

"Yes, Charm! Charm! Charm! Charm♡"

"[You're annoying! Don't direct that filthy magic at my Satellite any further!]"

A faint light flickers again. But Gracia, who has likely anticipated its destruction, raises her arm to deploy the Ice Mirror again. To prevent this, Satellite approaches and raises her left leg───

"Another fake...Everyone's just using illusions...!"

Her descending leg shattered the ice, and her pure white dress swayed.

Due to the nature of her magic, she cannot hold back unless her opponent is within 1 meter of her.

And they are not so foolish as to easily close the distance.

Unless Satellite goes berserk and bombs the entire area, she will not be able to break through this situation.

If it's only Satellite...

["37 degrees to the left from there, 15 meters ahead."]

"Wow, that's impressive!"

As soon as she heard that, she leaped out of the room and rapidly approached the designated coordinates. In the space before her was an ice mirror reflecting the scenery—

"...Sorry."

"Ah, Wha... [Stagnant] Ugh!?"

There was no way to contain Satellite's immense magical power, and after a moment of stagnation... the powerful arm pierced her abdomen.

Tinkerbell was blown into the air and fell with a thud.

"Agh...!"

"Tinkerbell!"

A third beam of light, composed of concentrated sunlight, rained down on the spot.

She could have avoided it by moving away from that spot—

"[Stagnant]!"

The last spell Tinkerbell squeezed out certainly stopped Satellite's body.

She tried to guard against the bundled beam of light with both arms, but it wasn't a half-hearted attack that could be stopped that easily. A massive, heat-filled light engulfed her.

["Haha, as expected... as expected of Satellite! Even in battle and wounded, you're still beautiful!"]

Having used her magic, whether it was the limit of her physical strength or the depletion of her magical power... Tinkerbell collapsed and lay motionless, thrown through the gate that the succubus had opened.

One less person in the group—that meant the balance of power had been broken.

Satellite's physical and magical power depletion was unknown; it was unclear how many more "those" spells she could fire.

"Why on earth would you do this? You must know how much that girl loves you...!"

"I have things I need to do too."

"Is that something you'd do even if it meant hurting someone waiting for your return?"

"That's precisely why... Gracia."

As if to say she had nothing more to say, Satellite conjured a wand in front of her. It was unclear why she had taken out that part of her costume, which she doesn't normally use.

["Oh, that's indeed the Magical☆Star Wand..."]

"So, what's next?"

["Hmm, let's find it now... It's the bride and groom's first joint task, isn't it?"]

However, it also seemed like her way of indicating that a solution through words was impossible.

["Do you really think persuasion or negotiation is possible? That's impossible, as long as I have my 'secret weapon'."]

"That's a bluff. There's no way there could be anything more..."

["Heh heh, there's no better time to cut it than 'heh'. That would be... Do you know how many Magical Girls have gone missing in Japan and are still alive?"]

The sudden statement took Gracia a while to understand what he meant.

Why would he say something like that now? And how did he even know the answer...?

["The correct answer is... 227 in total. I intend to grant them amnesty as a token of friendship."]

"Amnesty... you say? Are you kidding me?"

["What's so strange about that? They're nothing but major criminals who killed our citizens."]

"That's because you invaded us...!"

However, they are probably just... alive.

They've been subjected to such horrific treatment that it's doubtful they're even capable of speaking.

As if already aware of this, the Third Demon King continued speaking.

["And eight of them remain untouched. Surely you understand the meaning of that?"]

"You scum...!"

In a deliberately distasteful move, a girl whose name is unknown... but who is undeniably a Magical Girl, is projected onto the screen. Her vision is conveniently obscured by something like an eye mask, and bound, she is surrounded by hideous enemies with filthy, leering smiles.

["With a single signal from me, the purity of those eight girls will be scattered... and their dignity will be utterly destroyed, won't it? A kind-hearted Magical Girl could never possibly overlook this."]

Here, the final plan was revealed.

A wicked and hideous move... a move that can only be made by someone who understands the human heart.

The battle is heading towards its climax, probably until one of them falls.