Tag Mind control -5

A month had passed.

During that time, school had gone on vacation, and the world was suffering from the heat.

“Hot…”

Having gone outside, I was constantly fanning myself to cool down the sweat.

‘We could just talk at a cafe somewhere…’

Although I understand it’s unavoidable, the heat is still unbearable. I hate being hot.

Sweaty and damp… hah, I envy Noah who can stay comfortably in the room.

While I was complaining like that, a man approached me.

“It’s been a while.”

“Ah, Mr. Yu.”

A man with his hair slicked back. He was Mr. Yu, the person in charge of the magical girl team.

“Are you okay?”

“Pardon?”

“You look a bit tired.”

“Ah… yes… well…”

Of course I would be.

“…We’re sorry about Na Noah.”

“What? No, you don’t need to worry about—”

“How can we not worry? We’ve caused you, the guardian, so much concern. I’m truly sorry.”

After all, I’d been dealing with magical girls since dawn today.

But since I couldn’t tell him that, I just nodded.

“Na Noah, or rather Iris, has shown herself several times.”

“Is that so…”

“Yes, we’ve attempted to capture her, but it’s not easy. However.”

Mr. Yu clenched his fist tightly.

“Our magical girls are also getting stronger day by day.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Yes, of course they should.

Someone’s been training them directly.

Over the past month, Iris and I have taken turns facing the magical girls.

So fiercely that onlookers would wince.

“It’s incomparable to before.”

On top of that, they’ve been enthusiastic about monster subjugation. They’ve absorbed a lot of essence.

“We’ll rescue Na Noah as quickly as possible.”

Mr. Yu said that with an apologetic expression.

He seemed to feel responsible.

Well, a high school student has been kidnapped by a villain and missing for a month. Not only would he feel sorry, but he’s probably under a lot of pressure from his superiors.

Thinking about it, I feel quite sorry.

They wouldn’t even suspect that this is all staged.

‘It does feel good to make the higher-ups suffer though.’

I should incapacitate those guys sometime.

‘For now, let’s focus on Lust. And…’

“What’s wrong?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing. Just wondering if everyone’s okay.”

“They are tired, but… they’re fine. They’ve all rallied together.”

I nodded.

First, let’s resolve the issue with Iris and them.

Lust will pop up in the last week of summer vacation…

‘…That’s next week.’

He’ll definitely appear sometime next week. This is the last chance, whether it goes well or not.

If we fail again, I’m planning to just return Noah. Whether their pride gets hurt or not.

“Are you okay?”

“…Ah, yes. I’m fine. Just a bit tired.”

“Go rest. I’ve told you everything the Association can share.”

Mr. Yu continued with an apologetic expression as he said that. Yes, he’s just an errand boy for the organization.

With the thought that I should mess with the Association sometime, I headed to the accommodation.

I’m planning to prepare Noah and send her out early tomorrow morning.

I wonder if I can get Noah back today.

‘Come on, win for once, you guys.’

.

.

.

.

.

.

“Noah.”

“Yes?”

“Do you think you can win?”

Noah was silent at my words.

After pondering for a while, she soon spoke.

“Honestly… it might be difficult.”

“Is that so.”

“Those guys, they’ve become incredibly strong over the past month. Almost like different people from before.”

I agreed.

“It might be getting difficult to handle them alone now.”

“Will we fight together?”

“No. This time, Noah will go alone.”

Noah nodded.

“Understood. I will respond to master’s expectations.”

Making a transformation sound, Noah changed into Iris’s form.

“Then I’ll be going.”

Having said that, Iris was about to fly but paused briefly. Her gaze turning to me seemed to expect something.

I was about to pat her head—

“Later.”

“…Pardon?”

“If you win, I’ll praise you a lot. Understand?”

“…Yes!”

I withdrew my hand.

After saying I’d praise her if she won.

“Then I’ll be off!”

“Yeah, be careful.”

Whoosh, Iris flew away.

“…Sigh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I should lift the hypnosis soon.”

“I think she’ll be similar even without the hypnosis.”

“…Don’t make me anxious.”

+++++

“…”

Yul, that is, Black Heart, closed her eyes and fell into thought.

“Black Heart, are you ready?”

“Stella unnie.”

“Too much thinking isn’t good either.”

“I guess… but… hmm, it’s still hard.”

Stella stretched her aching body.

“As always, let’s do our best.”

Looking back at what we’ve been through, it seems we’ve been quite wild.

“We’re different now from who we were a month ago.”

“Natal unnie too…”

“At least now we’re not just taking hits like before.”

Black Heart nodded at her words.

Yes, that’s right.

How have we lived for the past month?

Crushed by Kraken’s tentacles, fighting day and night to hunt monsters.

Although Iris has been doing this almost daily, so I don’t think we can catch up in such a short time.

“But Iris is alone, and there are three of us.”

“…Well, it takes three of us to be just about equal.”

Still, this is a significant improvement.

Compared to when the three of us would get completely beaten.

“…She’s coming.”

Black Heart slowly opened her eyes.

It was a magical energy that felt somehow familiar yet ominous. Her body seemed to remember being beaten by that magic.

Nevertheless, Black Heart had no intention of running away.

“…Hello.”

“Iris.”

“You guys don’t seem to get tired.”

“Yeah… well, I could do this all day.”

She just gripped her magic sword once more with her scarred hands.

The other magical girls were the same. They each released magical energy and glared at Iris.

“I’m sorry.”

“…Hmm?”

“I’m sorry, Iris. For running away and leaving you that day.”

Among them, Black Heart stood at the forefront.

The girl raised her black magic and pointed her sword.

“So, I’ll definitely bring you back to your senses.”

“…”

“And after that, I’ll apologize properly. For running away.”

“Alright, I’ll accept it.”

Boom!

“If that’s possible.”

Iris’s magic burst forth. It might have been an illusion, but the area around her seemed particularly dark.

“I’ll make it possible.”

“You can’t do anything.”

“No, it will be possible. I’ll make it so.”

A black snake (黑巳) coiled and pounced on Iris.

Iris saw red things staring at her from within the black demonic energy.

Snake eyes that pierced the heart.

They were piercingly sharp and eerie gazes, like a predator about to devour its prey.

“…Kuk!”

Though Iris shattered the eyes with her starlight fist.

From the shattered eye fragments, more gazes bloom.

One, then another. Instantly multiplied eye gazes began to pierce through Iris.

It’s creepy.

“…Tch!”

Iris’s eyes began to waver.

It had only been a month. It was just a month ago that the girl had tucked her tail and run away. Yet, in that short month, had she grown so much?

But.

‘The same goes for me.’

Iris had also been pushing herself harshly.

“…Burst.”

It explodes.

A massive magical power.

It shatters, scatters.

Red gazes.

Like stained glass, red glass crushes and scatters in the air.

“Good, now let’s go properly. Unnies, support me.”

“Yes.”

“Leave it to me.”

Starlight bloomed from the girls’ fingertips.

Seeing that, Iris also bloomed starlight.

Their starlight cancels each other out and forms a sea of stars.

“A spectacular sight.”

And such a scene.

“Now it’s starting to look worth watching.”

Shin Hyun was watching with a satisfied expression.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Massive explosions continue to erupt without stopping.

It’s the sound of Black Heart’s sword and Iris’s fist colliding.

“I’ll pray for you.”

Natalia’s buff.

“Leave the supporting fire to me.”

Stella’s shooting.

Though she catches the star arrows, they’re just decoys. Creating an opening for Black Heart to attack.

It was excellent coordination. They protect each other’s openings while aiming for the opponent’s.

The role distribution was also well-executed, making even those openings almost invisible, but.

‘After all, if you don’t know, you get hit.’

Past times come to mind.

Deploying tentacles to the maximum for bullet-hell level battles, and occasional shadow ambushes.

After countless battles that made one wonder if they would become mummies.

“Black Star!”

“Urgh!?”

Swoosh!

In the sea of stars, a particularly black star is visible. It grows larger and larger, losing its shape and collapsing.

Soon, it transforms into a black hole.

It pulls Iris in and.

“Got you.”

“…!”

“I’m sorry, unnie. I’ll definitely catch you this time.”

It had swallowed Iris’s starlight.

“…Excellent.”

It was a very satisfying result.

They’ve grown splendidly.

But.

“This isn’t the end.”

Iris slowly raised her body.

“…If I win this… master said he’d praise me…”

Slowly uttering those words.

“Don’t interfere.”

Her starlight began to shine again.

‘Really…’

Noah was starved for praise.