Chapter 5: Magical Girl of the Crescent Moon (5)

The unidentified entity’s speed was beyond imagination.

Libra, struck multiple times in the abdomen, was sent flying backward, vomiting up blood-mixed stomach acid, saliva, and bile.

The entity kicked off the ground to finish her off, rapidly closing the distance.

Just as its newly sharpened hand-blade was about to pierce Libra’s throat—

[Didn’t I tell you not to let your guard down?]

[Ugh… gah… I thought I was gonna die…]

The Illusionary Magical Girl caught Libra in her arms.

Her hand pressed firmly against Libra’s wounded abdomen beneath her uniform.

The entity tried every method to attack the Illusionary Magical Girl holding Libra, but all its blows missed.

The currents in the air shifted with each swing as its attacks cleaved empty space, sending the Illusionary’s hair billowing behind her.

[A little slower and it would’ve been bad. If you’re a girl, cherish your soft baby belly a bit more.]

[That’s harassment.]

[Yeah, yeah. Just treasure your baby pouch a little more.]

[Idiot. Pervert.]

Libra’s abdomen, gripped by Illusion’s hand, showed no trace of injury.

Even though she’d taken the entity’s punch directly to the stomach with a blow powerful enough to shake the air, Libra appeared unharmed in Illusion’s embrace.

As if nothing had happened.

Cold sweat trickled down my spine.

I felt a full-body shiver as icy perspiration slid along my back.

‘…That’s the power of a magical girl.’

Someone you must never make an enemy of—especially not in my current ragged state.

“Why… why isn’t Libra hurt at all…?”

“It’s the Illusionary Magical Girl’s power. She can even rewrite reality. A terrifying ability—and it looks like she’s grown stronger.”

“Deputy Director, then the entity’s attacks not reaching Illusion must be because…”

“Exactly. She’s turning the entity’s strikes against them into illusions. Unless it’s a large group, no magical girl is better suited to handle a few entities.”

Hojoon’s eyes sharpened.

He was definitely tense—just like me.

The Illusionary Magical Girl could create illusions—false images.

She could manipulate perception or alter reality itself.

This much was clear from Ianna’s memories.

No one had ever fully understood Illusion’s powers.

In the novel, she could retroactively erase events, turn truth into lies, and lies into truth.

It was terrifying.

She was the protagonist Libra’s partner, mentor, friend, and like family.

That was who Illusion was.

She could never—ever—be turned into an enemy.

I had to calm her fury toward me.

One of the reasons “The Rebellion of the Girls” succeeded was due to her absolute support.

A magical girl with no apparent weakness, immune even to ambush.

‘If… if Illusion were to come after me…’

‘…’

I didn’t even want to imagine it.

It would be horrific.

“…Don’t worry. That won’t happen.”

Hojoon smiled gently at me.

A white band was wrapped around his wrist.

A chill I couldn’t explain flashed through my mind.

My head started to throb.

“Y-Yes…?”

I spoke formally without realizing it.

“Even Illusion has a weakness. Look at the screen, Director.”

The Illusionary Magical Girl still held Libra in her arms.

The entity’s attacks couldn’t reach them. Illusion watched the entity closely with a calm expression.

Though she was sweating and panting heavily.

“…Do you see? Illusion’s ability consumes gamma ether—magic—at an extreme rate. She can’t last in a drawn-out battle. You know that, don’t you?”

“I… I mean… no… I…”

“So you don’t need to worry. Every magical girl has a weakness. Even Ae-won has one that only a few people know.”

“…”

Hojoon stepped closer.

“Director… please rest easy.”

He removed his gloves and gently stroked my hair.

My body didn’t resist, as if it were used to the touch.

‘How does he know what I’m thinking? Don’t tell me the chip’s purpose isn’t control, but…’

“Haha, think whatever you like. I’ll respect your privacy. I can’t always know, after all.”

“…”

Hojoon smiled and removed the band.

The buzzing sensation vanished.

Sweat poured from my body like rain.

My heart sank.

It genuinely gave me chills.

Hojoon smiled like a kind father looking at his daughter, brushing my hair softly.

His powerful arms and large hands radiated dominance.

He tapped the crown of my head, between strands of white hair—right where the surgical scar remained.

‘This is where they implanted the chip. So he can know everything I think.’

I realized it instinctively.

He was threatening me.

Don’t even think of escaping.

If I wanted to survive, I had to prove useful as a doll.

The fear was overwhelming.

“Haa… haah… haah, haah…”

Breathing difficulty.

Whenever I was physically or mentally shocked, it started with hyperventilation.

“Deputy Director, please step away.”

“Ah, apologies. That wasn’t my intent. You reminded me of my daughter, so I just stroked your head… It seems I startled you badly. I won’t do it again. I swear.”

“…Director, are you alright?”

Trembling, I collapsed into my adjutant’s arms.

For some reason, being embraced like that helped calm me down.

My adjutant quickly retrieved a tranquilizer from their bag and injected it into my neck.

That made three doses today.

“Looks like this battle’s going to be tough. That entity has regenerated over thirty times already.”

Hojoon adjusted his glasses like nothing had happened, eyes fixed on the giant monitor.

[Illusion, this thing won’t die.]

[Phew… have you tried splitting its head and chest? The core’s usually in the head, chest, or belly. They’re like ants…]

While the panting Illusion turned every one of the entity’s attacks into nothingness, Libra swung her scythe-shaped Lemegaton dozens of times through the air.

Slice—

Each time, the entity’s body was cleaved in half, yet it regenerated every time.

Illusion’s body was also cut repeatedly, but she simply rewrote it out of existence.

The more Libra swung her scythe, the greater the burden on Illusion, who was blocking all the enemy’s attacks.

[Maybe… we should retreat? Phew… haah…]

[No. We have to avenge them.]

The entity’s regeneration was speeding up.

Overwhelmed, Illusion shouted into Oksana’s decapitated head she was carrying.

[Control room, do you have any ideas?]

“Find and destroy the core nucleus.”

[If it were that easy, we’d have—… wait.]

Illusion paused.

[Janwol, you’re listening, right? You said the entity’s weak spot is the left shoulder?]

“Y-Yeah… in the very tip of the left shoulder… the core’s hidden where the eye can’t see. C-Crush it… completely…”

[If you’re lying, I’m coming for you.]

“Ugh…”

I immediately hid behind my adjutant.

I felt Hojoon’s calculating gaze.

‘How does she know the core’s location?’ That’s what his eyes asked.

Of course, it’s from the novel.

These entities keep regenerating unless their core is destroyed.

Originally, Libra and Illusion struggle to bring one down.

Despite all their abilities, they fail to end it due to the hidden core.

That’s why more magical girls are deployed—including wounded first-gen artificial girls and even those marked for disposal.

It’s what causes the protagonist to begin hating Ianna.

After that day, Illusion swears to kill her.

She later regrets it—once she realizes Ianna’s mind is already gone.

As a friend, a student, she hides the truth from Libra to protect her.

But I’ve prevented all those magical girls from dying for nothing.

I’ve avoided giving them a reason to vow to kill me.

The story has definitely diverged.

If the two of them can defeat the entity—

“Looks like we’ll need reinforcements. Is the comms network restored?”

“Yes, Deputy Director. All communications are back online. We can deploy the remaining first-gen Spes units and second-gen Formula units from 06 to 15… and…”

“Speak clearly. What else?”

“T-The ‘Stellar Magical Girl’ who crossed the Bering Strait is also en route…”

At the words ‘Stellar Magical Girl,’ Hojoon’s eyes lit up.

“Excellent. Grant her permission.”

“B-But… intense combat is expected. What if your daughter—no, the Stellar Magical Girl gets caught up in it…?”

“She is a magical girl before she is my daughter. I won’t show favouritism. If she dies for the world, she’ll be proud.”

‘…’

Hojoon was clearly insane.

Sending his own daughter into certain death—just because she’s a magical girl?

His goal was to use this battle as a chance to eliminate all the magical girls he couldn’t control—those who might become a future threat.

Even his daughter.

He intended to sacrifice them all to Libra.

Ordinary magical girls couldn’t do any real damage to this medium-class entity.

Artificial girls even less so.

Only Libra and Illusion had the power to fight it.

Illusion was currently nullifying all of the entity’s attacks as “false”.

If more magical girls joined, she’d have to protect them too.

But—

[This is getting bad… phew… I’m getting dizzy.]

[One more blow. I’ll destroy its left shoulder completely. Just hang in there.]

[Not saying it’s too much… especially with you here.]

Illusion had likely reached her limit.

Even on the monitor, she looked strained.

In the end, only Libra could still attack.

When Libra gathered her magic and swung her Lemegaton, half of all organisms in range died.

That meant magical girls would be slaughtered too.

Cruelly, Hojoon planned to use the protagonist to thin their numbers.

Even the weakest magical girl was stronger than an ordinary human.

That couldn’t be allowed.

I had just started bending the novel’s story. I couldn’t let it all fall apart.

Creak—creak—

I wheeled myself quickly to Hojoon’s side.

I reached out a slender arm and grabbed the hem of his coat.

Then softly, I spoke.

“Please… trust them…”