Chapter 3: Special Grade

An alarm sounded, reporting the appearance of a Special Grade Magical Beast.

Upon hearing this, Reina and Vali decided without hesitation to sortie again.

"You're really motivated, aren't you?"

Vali looked at Reina, who was rushing to the scene with high spirits and showing no signs of fatigue, with a slightly bewildered expression.

Normally, one would dread back-to-back battles.

Reina's mental fortitude to persevere in a second battle, and above all, her magical power to handle two consecutive battles—that was the reason Reina was considered as extraordinary.

"Of course! I've finally become the Magical Girl I've always dreamed of! I'll just do my best!"

"....Right."

After flying through the air like a true Magical Girl for a while....

"I can see it now."

The cityscape was visible in the distance.

One section of it was in ruins, as if crushed by something gigantic.

At its center stood it.

A gigantic beast standing on all fours.

Its total length easily exceeded ten meters.

".... It seems to be quite a bizarre creature."

Its dark, murky skin was covered in hard scales, and reddish-black flesh peeked out from between them. Numerous enormous spines grew from its back, each one sharp and pointing towards the sky like a sword.

Its head resembled that of a wolf or a reptile.

However, its mouth was lined with unusually long fangs, and sticky saliva dripped from its split lips.

"Everyone?!"

Ruins of the city lay scattered all around, and beneath the rubble, the unconscious bodies of Magical Girls could be seen.

Many Magical Girls had already been defeated.

The monster that created this horrific scene was a Special Grade Magical Beast.

The Magical Beast bearing that title slowly looked up at the two of them.

["Ene....my...."]

Reina's eyes widened.

The words that escaped the Magical Beast's mouth were clearly human words.

"Tch, it understands human language."

"It... It spoke...!? Is that even possible!?"

"Some magical beasts can talk... As they continue to grow and become stronger, intelligence begins to sprout within them."

"Is that so?!"

"I'll make sure to kill it now. If I can't kill it here... there's no knowing how many lives will perish in its hand...."

The usual gentle smile vanished from Vali's face.

"Shall we do it?"

Vali exhaled, releasing her magical power.

A floral pattern appeared on her cheek.

In that instant, light gathered in her hand.

The light converged and transformed into a single sword.

"Lily, I need your support."

"Yes!"

Reina raises her wand.

At that moment, Vali's figure vanishes.

"Die."

The next moment, she's in the Magical Beast's range.

The sword is swung.

["Gyiiiii!!"]

The black scales were torn open, and dark red blood gushed out.

The Magical Beast roared.

A wound had been inflicted. But the wound was far too small for its massive body. The numerous thorns trembled towards Vali.

But...

"Not so fast!"

Reina swung her wand.

A silvery flash struck the beast's enormous thorns directly, knocking them down. It didn't destroy them, but it successfully distanced them from Vali.

["Graaaahhh!??"]

"Not bad."

The attack was thwarted.

Vali swung her sword before the Magical Beast.

One strike wasn't enough.

Then, two?

A hundred?

A thousand?

Vali struck tens of thousands of times in a single breath.

Two breaths

Three breaths.

She sliced ​​through hard scales, cut through flesh, and shattered bones.

["GRAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"]

The monster cried out in pain.

"Not yet!"

Reina pursued the attack.

Silver flashes were unleashed repeatedly, chipping away at the monster's massive body.

Vali slashed.

Reina shot.

Their coordination was perfect.

["YOUUUUU?! YOUUUUUU!!!"]

An unbelievable sight unfolded.

Two Magical Girls were cornering a Special Grade Magical Beast that had knocked countless Magical Girls to the ground.

It was an utterly bizarre sight.

And then, it ended.

"It's over."

Vali raised her sword. And Reina lowered her wand.

The monster's body was already covered in wounds. It knelt, its head bowed.

Victory was within reach...

But yet, at that moment.....

"...Ugh..."

A faint voice could be heard from a corner of the battlefield.

"...Help..."

Reina turned around.

Beneath the rubble.

The fallen Magical Girl was moving slightly.

"She's still alive?!"

Reina instinctively ran forward.

Her innate magic was healing. If there was an injured, she would rush to heal them. That was the first fighting technique Reina learned. 

The battle would end if Vali swung her sword down one more time.

..... But it was such a bad timing.

"Lily! Wait!"

"DIE!!!"

It had been aiming for this.

The moment their coordination broke down—the thorns were swung.

"Ahhh!?"

As the gigantic thorns swung towards Reina who was about to cast a healing spell, she couldn't react in time.

Vali, who was only holding the sword, didn't have the strength to shoot down all of the thorns.

"Kyaaah!?"

Rena's body was blown away.

She rolled across the ground repeatedly, slamming into the rubble.

"Ugh... aaah, it... it hurts!"

"Lily! Look up!"

Reina writhes in agony on the ground, and Vali's screams echo.

"First~ one~"

Even as the pain threatened to make her lose consciousness, Reina heard the scream of her idol, Vali, and with sheer willpower, she lifted her head.

Reina's eyes met the eyes of the monstrous beast.

The eyes shone with an unnatural golden light.

"...Ah"

Reina instinctively realized it. She sensed the presence of death.

"N-No..."

The fear of death.

She felt it for the first time—and before it, Reina recoiled. Her skirt quietly became damp.

A flash of light gleamed.

The beast's eyes gleamed, and a golden light emanated.

"...!"

Seeing the light, Reina instinctively closed her eyes.

It wasn't a ray of light.

It's the same magical flash that Reina uses. Its speed is just slightly over the speed of sound.

"....Ah."

—But it was enough time for her.

.....

Reina felt no impact. She slowly opened her eyes and her heart dropped at the sight before her.

"Huh...?"

Right before Reina's eyes.

Vali's body slowly collapsed.

"Guh!"

Vali made it in time.

Vali stood in front of Reina and took the flash of magic in her place. A huge hole was blown in Vali's stomach.

"Onee-sama!?"

Reina cried out, catching Vali in her arms.

"Onee-sama!? Onee-sama!?"

The beast's judgment was quick.

It immediately fled despite its injuries.

A rift opened leading to another dimension, and the beast disappeared from the scene through it.

"What should I do....? Onee-sama... I.... I....!? I'll heal you!? I'll heal you right now!"

Reina desperately used her magic.

A white light enveloped Vali's body.

It slowly closed the wound. It slowly stopped the bleeding. It can sustain life.

But...

"...!"

The wound was too deep.

It wouldn't heal. The wound wouldn't completely close.

Reina could only postpone Vali's death.

".... No... No! No! No!!"

Anyone could see that—she wouldn't survive.

"...You..."

Vali mouth moved.

"W-what?! Onee-sama!"

Vali, staring blankly into space with unfocused eyes, opened her mouth.

She was practically dead. Her consciousness was fading, and she wasn't in a state to speak properly.

But strangely, the next words were whispered clearly and without hesitation.

"I hate you... I truly.... hate you."

Reina's breathing stopped.

Reina's healing magic, which had barely kept Vali alive, also stopped.

It had stopped.

"...Onee...-sama?"

The next to stop breathing was Vali.

Life had now slipped from Reina's grasp.