Chapter 15: When Despair Strikes (3)

“Ten hits.”

Thwack!!!

The illusory fist slammed into Ianna’s lower abdomen without mercy.

She vomited an overwhelming amount of blood, soaking the floor red.

Her airway blocked, Ianna coughed violently and lost consciousness—only to awaken soon after.

Her mind sharpened, the pain settling in more vividly.

She trembled uncontrollably.

She foamed at the mouth in terror.

As the fist approached again, she clenched her teeth and wet herself.

“Eleven hits.”

This time, it struck her upper abdomen—right between the ribs.

Her ribs shattered.

Splintered bone fragments pierced her internal organs.

A creeping pain bloomed.

It felt like needles stabbing her from the inside.

Unable to endure it, she passed out again.

“Wake up. It’s not over yet.”

She came to again.

Even now, Ianna didn’t let go of her trust in the two of them.

Her body trembled under the violence, but she clung to the delusion that this was all some misunderstanding.

This couldn’t be happening.

This shouldn’t be happening.

A dear junior choking her, ravaging her belly—this was wrong.

Ianna believed that.

Had she made a mistake?

Had her gesture been perceived as a threat?

She was fully prepared to apologize.

To forgive.

She never meant to become enemies with them.

All she wanted was to be friends.

To grow closer and promise a future together.

Yes, surely.

Surely… this is just a misunderstanding…

Ianna looked at the Illusion with trembling eyes.

She felt the loathing in their gaze, but insisted it was due to a misunderstanding.

If they could just talk, just clear things up—she thought they could still set things right.

She couldn’t accept what was happening.

There was no reason for Libra or Illusion to do this to her.

Oksana’s death was painful, but the other magical girls had survived.

This couldn’t be real.

It’s a misunderstanding.

Please… just talk to me. Please…

She wanted to say it. But no words came.

“Keh, kuhk…”

Illusion grabbed her neck with all their strength and examined her belly, trying to determine the most painful place to strike next.

Tears welled up in Ianna’s eyes.

More than the pain, it was the emotional shock of being treated this way by them.

She couldn’t accept it.

Especially not from Illusion.

Not Illusion.

Not them. Anyone but them.

They’d fought together since the early days of the 12 Seats.

She’d saved their life dozens of times.

She trusted Illusion above all.

Had opened her heart to them.

“Fourteen hits.”

“Ah, ugh… mm…”

Her body recoiled instinctively.

Fear of Illusion dominated her.

Her mind tried to reject the reality, but her body already knew it was true.

She shut her eyes tightly.

Thwack!!!

Illusion’s fist landed—on her uterus.

The impact collapsed her uterus instantly.

A portion of it even slipped out through her vaginal opening.

Ianna passed out, frothing at the mouth.

Her survival instincts went into overdrive.

Her body knew her life was in grave danger.

“Pfft. Make sure you film this.”

“Got it.”

Click!

With a cheerful shutter sound, Libra captured the image of unconscious Ianna on their smartphone.

And then—

“W-what are you doing…!!!”

Her lieutenant burst into the room.

“Revenge. For the magical girls who died.”

“That’s absurd…!!!”

The lieutenant saw Ianna limp in Libra’s arms and screamed in horror.

Her brown hair stood on end. Her entire body recoiled.

“Step away from her at once…!!!”

She drew her self-defense pistol and aimed it at them.

The two only smirked, locking eyes with her.

“What if we don’t?”

“If you don’t comply, I’ll shoot! Step away from her now…!”

“Go ahead. The moment you pull that trigger, you’ll end up just like Ianna.”

A handgun couldn’t harm a magical girl.

The lieutenant knew that well.

Cold sweat ran down her back.

To do this to the Director of the Bureau—Ianna—they must truly mean it.

Even if she pulled the trigger, it wouldn’t matter to them.

As the lieutenant hesitated, Illusion activated their power again, forcing Ianna back into consciousness.

In that instant, Ianna and the lieutenant’s eyes met.

“R-run…”

Ianna forced out the words with all her strength.

It was her nature.

Ianna had always been noble and kind.

She carried the weight of the magical girl’s duty, always protecting the innocent.

For decades.

Even if it meant her death, she couldn’t let an innocent person be dragged into this.

That was Ianna’s nature.

To protect innocent lives at all costs.

To give people a brighter future.

Her life meant nothing in comparison.

It was second nature to her.

Even facing death, she couldn’t cowardly drag others down with her.

So she screamed.

To run.

Because she still believed there was a misunderstanding.

Because she didn’t want anyone else to cross the point of no return.

Seeing this, the lieutenant took action.

Cursing her hesitation, determined to repay a long-past debt, she acted.

Bang!

The first shot aimed squarely at Illusion’s forehead.

“You ignored my warning.”

Naturally, the bullet didn’t land.

Illusion’s aether shield disintegrated it.

Illusion smirked and released Ianna’s throat.

Then they extended a palm toward the lieutenant.

“Goodbye.”

Boom!

In a puff of smoke, the lieutenant vanished.

Her pistol clattered to the ground.

Ianna stared in disbelief, unable to process it.

Her pupils shrank.

Her whole body trembled.

Despair surged up from her toes.

She couldn’t believe it.

They—magical girls—they were supposed to protect the weak and fight the unknown.

They were never to harm civilians.

They were supposed to remain calm, never abuse their power.

Magical girls. Magical girls. Magical girls.

To kill an innocent, swayed by mere emotions?

Worse than the violence they inflicted on her was the betrayal of their creed.

She was too shocked to speak.

“Get that face.”

“Yeah.”

Click!

Libra released her, and Ianna collapsed to the floor.

Not even tears came.

If only… it had just been me.

She could have forgiven them if they’d just killed her.

But now—

Hatred and betrayal began to fester.

“How do you feel?”

“…Why.”

“What?”

“Why… did you kill her… The lieutenant… she was kind… a civilian…”

If—if she still had the power of Janwol left—

She wouldn’t have been able to restrain her fury.

She would have killed them both.

She stared blankly at Illusion’s face, waiting.

If they had crossed the point of no return—

She would put everything on the line.

Even if her body no longer obeyed her.

The duty of a magical girl still remained.

She was still alive.

Illusion said nothing, just laughed with Libra as they looked at the phone.

Mocking Ianna’s terror, her despair, her disgrace—captured forever in their hands.

“Why… whyyy…”

Ianna glared at them, asking again.

Thwack!

Libra’s kick smashed into Ianna’s head.

She tumbled into the corner of the room.

Even then, she crawled back toward them.

Blood pouring from her broken nose, she didn’t care.

She asked again.

“Why… did you kill her…?”

Their eyes locked onto Ianna.

And then came a completely unexpected answer.