Chapter 1: Magical Girls

The city at night was on fire.

Many skyscrapers were engulfed in flames, and dark red smoke covered the night sky.

Windowpanes shattered one after another, and sparks that flew into the air rained down like red snow.

The sirens of fire engines blared in the distance.

But the sound was so far away.

"Haa... haa... uh, hah..."

The girl lay collapsed inside the collapsing building.

It was hot.

She could barely breathe.

Her mother and friends, who had been with her just moments ago, were nowhere to be seen.

'What has happened?'

The girl vaguely thought in her fading consciousness.

'I have to escape, or I'll die.'

But even though she thought that, her legs wouldn't move.

"Is there... anyone...?"

Her faint voice was drowned out by the sound of the raging flames.

The ceiling creaked.

Countless pieces of rubble fell from the red-stained ceiling. Even the young girl could see the scene, understanding what was about to happen.

"...!"

'Ah... so this is my end...'

An ending even a young girl could understand.

The moment the girl closed her eyes in resignation....

—Then the world suddenly turned white.

A deafening roar echoed.

But it wasn't the sound of the ceiling collapsing.

The girl slowly lifted her eyelids.

Standing before her was another girl.

Her pale pink hair swayed in the hot wind of the flames.

She wore a pale-colored dress.

A small jewel glittered at her chest.

And her slender arms were raised as if supporting the ceiling.

"Are you alright...?"

The girl stared at her in stunned silence.

Inside the burning building.

Only that girl stood there, as if cut off from this world.

"Haaah..."

For some reason, the girl's breathing became lighter.

"Who are you...?"

"Me?"

She tilted her head slightly.

And then she smiled.

"I'm Magical Girl."

The next moment...

Light bloomed around her. A floral pattern appeared on her cheek.

"[Suzuran]"

Countless petals of light danced up, enveloping the raging flames.

The world, once red, gradually turned white.

The heat disappeared.

The smoke vanished.

Even the flames.

The girl simply stared at the scene in stunned silence.

"Come on."

The Magical Girl extended her hand.

"Shall we go home?"

"....Home...?"

"Yes, that's right."

Those hands were surprisingly small.

And yet...

To the girl, that hand seemed to be the most reliable hand in the world.

"My mother.... I wonder if she's okay..."

"....."

The Magical Girl's smile froze for a moment.

But she quickly returned to her usual expression.

"Shall we go look for her together?"

'It was a lie.'

The girl knew—she had seen her own mother being captured by a monster.

But even so...

She grasped the outstretched hand.

"....Yes."

At that moment...

The girl saw for the first time.

The existence of a Magical Girl.

The lone hero who appeared from beyond the flames.

—And.

The girl didn't know yet, at that moment, that the hand that the other girl repeatedly offered her would torment her for years to come.

The girl didn't know it at the time.

★★★

[Magical Girls]

They were no longer a rare sight in modern Japan.

Turn on the TV, and their exploits will be reported on the news.

Walk through the streets, and you'll find sweets and toys modeled after Magical Girls.

Young girls admire Magical Girls, and adults call them heroes.

—Magical Girls live in the real world.

Unlike the imaginary beings we'd seen before, they were real, living beings.

Grotesque life-forms born from people's negative emotions. Monsters that devour people, destroy buildings, and sometimes even destroy entire cities—these are known as Magical Beasts, and the Magical Girls are the ones who fight against them.

"Kujo Reina! I'm coming in!"

"Yes, come in."

Magical Girls.

What exactly are they?

They are a general term for girls who can use magic.

One day, a fateful day arrived when Magical Beasts began appearing on Earth.

Humanity feared and despaired at the sudden appearance of this great evil, but at the same time, hope was born.

Magical Girls with the potential to fight the Magical Beasts had appeared.

The Magic Core is an organ that converts a girl's life force into magical power, allowing her to perform phenomena impossible for ordinary humans—magic.

The Magic Core is not something a girl is born with.

A girl who meets certain conditions forms one within her body after making a "contract" to become a Magical Girl.

Yes, only girls.

Only young girls could fight the Magical Beasts.

Humanity entrusted its fate to girls who should be enjoying their youth, and bore the destiny of sending them to their deaths.

"I've started my new post today! I'm Kujo Reina! Nice to meet you!"

"Thanks for the cheerful greeting. But you don't need to be so tense."

At the very least, to reduce the number of victims of Magical Girls, adults immediately created organizations to support them.

In Japan, the Ministry of Magical Girls was established, creating a system that would allow them to fight without any obstacles, enjoy their youth to the fullest, and have their futures guaranteed.

"First of all, thank you, Kujo-san. From today, you are a member of the Magical Girl. Your name is Lily. Magical Girl Lily. We are proud that you will fight for humanity from now on. And we thank you again."

And today, yet another new Magical Girl was born.