Chapter 115 : Calm Sea

In fact, the current global situation was chaotic, with only a lid placed on the crisis of human extinction.

First, Japan was paralyzed by Animus’s invasion of Tokyo, and with the complete dismantling of the Fujimoto Group, all businesses and market orders were in turmoil.

In such a situation, many magical girls in Japan were either keeping their places in the chaotic Japan, or running around until their mouths stank, receiving requests to exterminate demons while crossing the Threads of Fate and warps.

Fully bloomed 3-star magical girls like Ichika, Hana, and Himari were especially being deployed to defend more areas, so now the only fully bloomed 3-star protecting Japan was Sumire, the magical girl of [Protection].

‘Since Yuki is the only one who knows the full content of the trials, we must keep putting her on the response team from now on…’

China was still continuing political attacks regarding the [Sword] magical girl incident, unable to make an official announcement even in the face of the good news of the revival of state-affiliated magical girls.

Thanks to this, the party’s propaganda officers and combat magical girls who were staying in Shanghai before they died were hiding due to external attention. They too had to live an unintended nomadic life as they couldn’t do anything other than immediately defeating demons.

“Meilin, how long do the magical girls from Shanghai have to live like that?”

“We-well… I don’t know much about political things either.”

“If we announce that it’s the power of highly advanced science rather than a divine miracle, will they be able to return home…”

“If [Hope] says so, I think it might get worse…”

The only thing I could do for them right away was to open Elysion so they could rest comfortably.

And Russia, which was relaxing for the time being because Alisa, the magical girl of [Death], was staying in Moscow.

Russia should have had an impeachment vote for the president at the beginning of this year, holding him responsible for the nuclear incident.

But judging that it was impossible to replace all government personnel in a situation where an unprecedented crisis called trials was right in front of them, they had been maintaining the ridiculous title of Russian Interim Government since the beginning of this year.

The period was until the day they overcome human extinction.

‘To be honest, it’s like telling the Defense Minister to take responsibility for the extinction crisis while already being blamed for the nuclear war.’

The only place where magical girls could be pulled out with peace of mind in the most stable state in the current situation was Korea, which was not a direct hit point of the trials and where a fully bloomed 3-star magical girl had established a strong base.

In addition, the stage for the next trial is the seas of Europe.

The only one who can be 100% active there is not a fully bloomed 3-star magical girl, but a single born 2-star magical girl.

“That’s why we called for Nayeon’s help.”

“I must have misheard?”

“Pfft. Smells of experience.”

“…”

“You use ‘danakka’ outside too? You’ve completely become a soldier.”

Nayeon’s mouth slowly protruded and her face turned red upon hearing my words.

‘Oops.’

I ended up teasing her because it was funny to see the girl with an impressive free atmosphere, punk-style clothing, and sharp eyes and snarky speech using soldier-like speech in military uniform like a private.

Park Saebyeok, who was listening to the conversation beside us, also chuckled, seeming to find Hong Nayeon’s situation funny from the side as well.

‘That’s why you should have come when called earlier.’

Even now, I wanted to pinch Nayeon’s protruding mouth like a duck bill with tweezers and teabag her saying, “See, wouldn’t it have been comfortable and good if you had come when Kang Eunbit from the Supernatural Ability Countermeasures Headquarters called?”

But I decided to ignore it with a broad mind.

“Ahem. Anyway, even if we borrow airships, there aren’t many people as excellent as Nayeon when it comes to battles at sea.”

“So I’m going to Europe?”

“Yes, of course you won’t be in charge alone, many magical girls including myself will be going together.”

“If I leave my post, Busan…”

“Hmm. Come to think of it, it’s unreasonable to leave a talent capable of naval battles in Busan, which has already been fortified.”

“Company Commander…?!”

“I’ll tell Kang Dorim to strengthen Busan’s posture further. It would be good for Lieutenant Hong to go.”

“Of course, Elysion will also dispatch magical girls to fill Nayeon’s vacancy.”

“Ugh…”

Nayeon looked depressed at the atmosphere where her overseas dispatch duty was almost confirmed.

Park Saebyeok nodded and patted Nayeon’s shoulder.

“Gain a lot of experience as it’s your first overseas dispatch duty.”

“…Understood.”

“…”

Actually, if the second trial is facing a giant poisonous snake in the sea as in the original work, there’s no need to call Hong Nayeon, the magical girl of [Sea].

‘I could just go wrapped in unique skills specialized in destructive power and beat it up.’

But there were two concerning factors after the trials began.

The first is [Plague] who hasn’t declared her domain and can’t be found anywhere.

I went to Antarctica with Yuki where she had declared her domain in the original work, but couldn’t find her anywhere, and couldn’t find her power in any region.

-[Plague] always just lay here talking to herself…

The second is the possibility that the content of the trial could be completely changed like with Animus.

If the power of a 4-star magical girl is equal to a goddess as Animus said, the place and time of the trial definitely can’t be changed. The trials are just like a purification process that the will of the stars spits out until it calls forth the dragon of destruction, the sixth and final trial.

In fact, the first trial occurred in Japan as it was, and Animus bloomed into 4-star by receiving the energy of lion demons.

‘The goddesses’ authority can only interfere by putting curses on it.’

The curse poured on me in the first trial was neutralized by the nature that the goddess of [Beginning] had. But next time, instead of wasting curses on me, they will put different kinds of interference.

“If the content of the trial is a little different from what I know, Nayeon will need to help the magical girls protect people.”

“…Such an important mission for me.”

“Please.”

“…”

A magical girl who just protected her surroundings to keep her parents’ place to return until the moment of destruction in the original work.

A magical girl pioneering a new fate along with her parents’ unexpected return discovered in Elysion.

“I understand.”

“Thank you.”

Hong Nayeon, the magical girl of [Sea], participated in the second trial.

It would be nice if all my worries were misplaced and we could just beat up a big snake in the sea together.

‘That’s not likely to happen.’

The three goddesses will definitely play some trick.

They may not forcefully descend from the throne of nothingness right now to get beaten and expelled by me, but may be waiting for the moment when the dragon of destruction, the greatest trial, weakens humanity as much as possible. Gradually sprinkling curses that can slightly weaken humanity through various trials.

We will have to fight together with European magical girls while considering the worst-case scenario.

‘Laura…’

I need to help the girl with so much affection that she even knelt before me in gratitude when her friends returned alive, to overcome the crisis that has befallen Europe.

“Come to think of it.”

Park Saebyeok began to speak in a lull in the conversation.

“It’s amazing how much stronger and more active magical girls have become compared to before, since the moment demons appeared.”

“That’s because magical girls were born to bloom with dreams and protect people from demons from the beginning.”

The most dependent on magical girls.

The most active magical girls.

Ironically, in humanity’s greatest crisis, the admiration and dreams received by girls with the power of starlight were incomparable to before.

To the extent that there were more girls who awakened through demon extermination over the past few weeks than girls who rose from 1-star to 2-star through friendly matches or actively helping many people over several months.

‘It’s true that starlight shines best when it’s darkest.’

Park Saebyeok looked at me as if newly amazed.

“You prepared all this since last summer?”

“I never imagined it would become this grand.”

“Do you know that even when the media openly calls the magical girl of [Hope] a goddess, no correction requests come in?”

My head throbbed when I heard that.

“…I’ll make a correction request.”

“There’s no need for that.”

Park Saebyeok looked at me fondly with quietly burning pink eyes as always.

“If it’s [Hope] who fought together to protect Seoul from [Bombing], I can gladly call her a goddess.”

“…I just did what was natural.”

“It’s because you say things like that that you’re treated like a goddess.”

Park Saebyeok giggled, and I smiled awkwardly.

And Nayeon stealthily retreated with a bored expression at the company commander’s words of encouragement that had suddenly begun.