episode_0006

-!!!!!!!!!

With an indescribably grotesque shriek, the Corrupted Host lunges at Eirin once more.

The sight of a Grade 4 Corrupted Host charging forth is nothing short of a natural disaster.

Yet, in the face of that calamity, Eirin unleashes a surge of magical energy, radiating intense cold.

The frigid air emanating from her body soon takes the form of an ice dragon, clashing head-on with the Corrupted Host.

-Crackle!

In an instant, the Corrupted Host is completely frozen solid.

To encase such a monstrous, hulking creature entirely in ice—

It’s a sight that leaves no doubt: Eirin, too, is a force of nature.

But the enemy wasn’t so easily subdued.

-Crash!

With sheer brute strength, the Host shatters its frozen shell and roars furiously.

The shattered fragments of its body regenerate in real time.

Eirin’s expression twists ever so slightly as she watches.

“…It’ll take at least five more minutes for a Grade 4 or higher Purifier to arrive as backup.”

She wanted to end this swiftly, but the Host’s regenerative abilities surpassed her expectations.

It’s been months since she last faced a monster of this caliber.

“No time to waste.”

If she stalled for reinforcements, she might eventually bring it down—but by then, the surrounding area would be reborn as Corrupted Land.

That’s the last thing she wants.

“…..”

Silently, Eirin glares at the Corrupted Host with piercing intensity.

Her black horns begin to gradually bleach white.

Along with them, her blizzard grows fiercer.

-!!!!

As if refusing to back down, the Host bellows again and hurls its massive body forward.

Then—

“In the name of love and justice~ I make my grand entrance!”

A voice as innocent as a child’s rings out, followed by a barrage of pink hearts shooting from somewhere—

-BOOM!

—striking down the Host mid-charge toward Eirin.

A devastating attack, despite its cutesy sound effects.

Even Eirin, who wields the power of dragons, couldn’t easily replicate such destructive force.

-….

Beaten senseless by the hearts, the Host recoils at the appearance of a new enemy.

With a brief moment to spare, Eirin turns her head to identify the attacker—

And there,

“I don’t like this!”

floating in midair with puffed-out cheeks, is a magical girl with an androgynous beauty.

Magical Girl Park Jeong-hyeon possessed strength befitting a 4-star Persona.

A far greater reserve of magical energy than I had in my past life.

Physical strength unbelievable for a girl.

And techniques boasting overwhelming firepower.

She was the perfect Persona for a situation demanding absolute force.

It was almost a shame I couldn’t keep borrowing such a powerful Persona indefinitely.

But that didn’t mean I was entirely at ease.

Because right now, I looked like a magical girl straight out of a game or anime.

Borrowing a Persona didn’t drastically alter my facial features—

The only changes were my hair, outfit, and a slight reduction in height.

But why the hell did it suit me so well?!

Maybe because my original appearance was already unfairly pretty, but when I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t help but think, “This is a guy?!”

It felt like something fundamental about my masculinity was crumbling.

Ah, well, at least that part was still intact.

Borrowing Park Jeong-hyeon’s Persona didn’t change my actual gender.

The real problem was something else entirely.

“I don’t like this!”

= Fuck.

“Ughhh… My head’s pounding…”

= This is so goddamn annoying.

No matter what I wanted to say, it felt like my words were automatically filtered and translated into “magical girl speech.”

That’s right.

Borrowing a Persona forcibly adjusted my speech patterns to match theirs!

The Actor Persona’s way of speaking was similar enough to my own that I barely noticed, but with this excessively cutesy magical girl Persona, it was impossible to ignore.

Forced to roleplay at my age?

Ugh, I thought things were going smoothly.

And of all people, I had to put on this act in front of Eirin, someone I’d have to face regularly in Providence.

The bleak future ahead left me deeply unsettled.

“….Who are you? This place is dangerous. Step back.”

Just as I was mentally cursing up a storm, Eirin’s cold voice snapped me back to reality, her expression sharp with warning.

Wait—who am I?

Does she not recognize me?

Right now, my hair, outfit—everything defining my appearance—had shifted to match the magical girl’s.

Honestly, it wasn’t unreasonable for her not to recognize me.

Testing the waters, I spoke up.

“How heartless~ Have you already forgotten me?”

And immediately regretted it.

This way of speaking is killing me.

Save me.

“…I don’t recall meeting someone as strong as you.”

Eirin shakes her head slightly as she answers.

This confirms it.

She genuinely doesn’t recognize me.

Good—at least I won’t have to blush over this later.

“One last question. Who are you? If you don’t identify yourself, I’ll treat you as an enemy.”

The blizzard swirling around Eirin surges violently, as if ready to engulf me at any moment.

Of course she’d react like this—she was already in the middle of a fight when some random stranger barged in.

First, I needed to ease her guard.

“I am a magical girl who heeds the call of love and justice! To defeat that great evil, I need your power!”

I wanted to say, I’m not your enemy—we need to work together to take down that Host.

But—

God, I can’t do this.

“…..”

Fortunately, it seems she got the gist, as Eirin’s wariness lessens slightly.

“If I truly thought you were evil, wouldn’t my attack earlier have been aimed at you instead of that monster?”

I drive the point home as she hesitates.

Perhaps convinced, Eirin meets my eyes and slowly speaks.

A wise decision.

She’s in urgent need of backup, and turning me into an enemy now would be self-sabotage.

For her, it was a risky gamble—but ultimately, the right call.

“…That thing’s regeneration is stronger than expected. Even if we tear it apart, it’ll recover instantly. Even working together, subduing it won’t be easy.”

Regenerating even after losing body parts?

A regenerative-type Corrupted.

The kind that requires overwhelming firepower in a short time.

Incidentally, regenerative Corrupteds were the type I hated most in my past life.

I lacked the magical energy to deliver decisive blows in one strike, unlike other Hunters.

But now, things were different.

With the Magical Girl Persona, I had a sure-kill move capable of sending the Host straight to the afterlife—

And enough magical energy to use it.

In this form, I can do it!

“Eheh~ I have a way to make love and justice prevail! Just buy me a little time!”

Ah, fuck this speech pattern.

If there were a hole nearby, I’d crawl into it right now.

Whether she sensed my distress or not, Eirin nods firmly.

-!!!!

At the same time, the Corrupted Host lets out a deafening roar, now targeting both me and Eirin.

As if to prove it hadn’t been idle, countless smaller Corrupteds now swarm around it.

It mass-produced that many in such a short time?

If I hadn’t shown up to help Eirin… I don’t even want to imagine what would’ve happened.

“Then I’ll leave it to you!”

Taking a deep breath, I raise my ornate wand and begin chanting.

“…You who are warmer than love, purer than justice.”

As massive amounts of magical energy flow from my body, layers of pink geometric shapes form around me.

“By the name buried in duty, I hereby swear upon this line.”

The shapes gradually align into a single, intricate pattern.

Sensing the overwhelming energy gathering around me, the Host and its minions charge—

But I don’t stop the incantation.

Not when the so-called “Dragon Maiden” is guarding me.

“The heart of winter.”

-CRACKLE!!!

Eirin’s blizzard erupts in all directions, freezing everything it touches solid.

The stands, the stage, the walls, the ceiling—even the Host and Corrupteds lunging at me.

No wonder she’s called the Dragon Maiden.

As I marvel at her power, a splitting headache makes me grimace.

Magical energy depletion.

A sign that my reserves are nearly empty.

If I stay here much longer, the Host’s corruption waves could taint me too.

But there’s no need to worry.

Because soon, they’ll be erased without a trace.

The attack I’m about to unleash has that much destructive power.

“To the wicked who stand before us, I shall unite our strength and show them the great magic of love!”

-HUMmmmm…!

The patterns orbiting me converge tightly around the wand, forming a magic circle.

The light it emits is so blinding I can barely keep my eyes open.

“Haaah…”

Steadying my trembling arm, I point the wand at the frozen enemies.

And then—

I shout.

“ARCANA SLAVE!!!”

And—

-KABOOOOOOOOOM!!!

With a dazzling flash—

A pink laser, vast enough to swallow the world, erupts from the wand.