“It's a very rare type of Erosion Body.”
Star-trail hovered in the air above the three of them. Nuomi crouched beside it, its ears standing straight up and its tail nervously coiled around Star-trail's tail.
“The biggest difference between it and a normal Erosion Body is that a typical one has a single-core structure, where the core is the main body. But the Mana-Devouring Thorns has a dual-core symbiosis. One core is in the trunk above ground, responsible for absorbing mana, while the other core is deep underground—that's its true main body. All the vines on the surface are just tentacles it uses to hunt.”
Mingyue wiped the sap from her scythe's blade and said in a low voice, “So the barrier was also a decoy to mislead us? It made us think the core was in the trunk, so we directed all our attacks at the barrier, while it took the opportunity to absorb our mana and feed it back to the real core underground? What an insidious creature.”
“Yes. When you shattered the barrier just now, the underground core was already activated.”
“Then how do we fight it?” Seina drew her bow fully, her arrow of light shifting between the canopy and the ground. “If magic attacks will only be absorbed, do we have to dig a hole using the most primitive method, just like how we smashed the barrier?”
“No.” Star-trail’s tail gently slipped free from Nuomi's, and it floated forward slightly.
“There is a mana link channel between the underground core and the trunk on the surface. As long as we can locate where the link is most concentrated, we can lock onto the core. Then, we can inject a high concentration of mana all at once, detonating it directly before the core can absorb it, blowing it up from the inside.”
Just as it finished speaking, three lights suddenly burst in the distant sky—warm orange, light green, and deep purple.
Like three shooting stars streaking across the sky, they plunged straight toward them.
The warm orange light landed first. Kohinata slammed her hammer onto the ground, unleashing a shockwave that shattered the surrounding writhing small vines to pieces.
The light green and deep purple lights followed immediately after. Amamiya’s twin blades were already out of their sheaths, and Night Sakura landed steadily on the flank, carrying a portable video camera on her shoulder.
“Attention everyone! The Wings of Freedom livestreaming unit has arrived on the battlefield! Oh my, if it isn't our seniors from the Association! What a coincidence!”
Night Sakura zoomed in on Mingyue's bleeding cheek for a close-up. Meanwhile, Kohinata had already rushed to the front, sending an incoming vine flying with a swing of her hammer before waving back at Seina. Amamiya landed at the rear, twin blades in hand, giving a slight nod to Snowrealm as a greeting.
“Why are you here?” Mingyue rested her scythe on the ground, staring at the uninvited guests who had suddenly barged into the battlefield.
She had no good feelings toward the Wings of Freedom. After all, they had snatched Lightweaver away first.
“What do you mean by that? We're a legitimate Magical Girl organization, so of course we'd come when we received the news,” Night Sakura said righteously, pointing her camera at the regenerating Erosion Bodies on the mountainside.
“Besides, a massive B+ Tier like this is a once-in-a-century battle scene. It would be a shame not to record some footage. I'm counting on using this material to edit a recruitment promo.”
“This is a real battle, not a livestreaming show,” Mingyue said, frowning.
“There's no livestreaming going on~” Night Sakura turned the lens toward Kohinata, who was busy smashing vines with her hammer. “Besides, even though Wings of Freedom has a different stance from the Association, our goal in eliminating Erosion Bodies is the same. Now is not the time to be picky about that, is it?”
“Since all of Wings of Freedom is here,” Mingyue said, keeping her scythe planted on the ground, “where is she?”
“Who's she?” Night Sakura tilted her head, playing dumb.
“Stop playing. Lightweaver,” Mingyue said, switching her scythe to her other hand. “Since you've all mobilized, there's no way she'd be absent.”
“Oh—Lightweaver—” Night Sakura steadied the camera on her shoulder.
“She said she has her own arrangements and didn't come with us.”
“Did she come?” Mingyue pressed.
“Probably, but it's just not convenient for her to show her face. After all, this place is full of Association people. You know what she's like. For all we know, she might be crouching behind some rock watching us right now.”
Mingyue looked up, scanning the surrounding mountain walls, rocky crevices, and dead bushes once again, but she still couldn't catch any trace of silver.
Is Lightweaver watching?
Mingyue suppressed her chaotic thoughts and turned back to the regenerating Mana-Devouring Thorns at the mountain peak.
Night Sakura tilted her camera toward Mingyue, planning to capture another shot of her frowning while directing the battle, but out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a ball of silver-white light hovering in midair.
She lowered her camera and blinked, confirming she wasn't seeing things.
It was tilting its head and whispering to Nuomi, who was gesturing seriously with its two tails behind its back.
“Whoa.” Night Sakura shoved the camera into Amamiya's hands and took a step forward. “What is this? Whose Contract Spirit is this? It's way too cute! Wait, it can glow? Amamiya, did you see that? Kohinata! Kohinata, come look at this!”
“What, what, what!” Kohinata sent the last vine flying with her hammer and ran back, resting the hammer on her shoulder. Following Night Sakura's pointing finger, she froze as if under a paralysis spell.
“What is this! So cute! What's its name? It has stars in its eyes!”
Amamiya took the camera and expressionlessly adjusted the focus to zoom in close on Star-trail.
“You guys—” Mingyue pinched the bridge of her nose, pointing at the constantly regenerating vines. “The mission isn't over yet. That Contract Spirit is called Star-trail. It's Snowrealm and Seina's partner.”
Kohinata turned to Snowrealm, clasping her hands together. “Snowrealm-senpai! After the mission is over, can I touch it? Just once! Its fur looks so soft—”
Snowrealm took a half-step toward Star-trail, blocking it from the Wings of Freedom trio.
“...Mission first.”
“How is it? Can you see it clearly?” Night Sakura asked Amamiya in a lowered voice.
“No, it's too small and too far. I can only see a ball of silver light.” Amamiya returned the camera to Night Sakura, pausing before adding, “But it is indeed very cute.”
The Wings of Freedom trio was still chattering around Star-trail. Just as Mingyue was about to speak and drag these distracted girls back to the battlefield, a familiar voice suddenly cut into the communication channel.
“Night Sakura, share the communication frequency with me.”
The voice was crisp and clean, with a hint of coldness.
“Eh? You actually came?” Night Sakura's hands were already busy operating her terminal. “I thought you really wanted to stay invisible the whole time~ Alright, you've been added to the temporary party channel.”
“I'm here,” Lightweaver's voice rang out again, this time entering everyone's ears.
Seina's eyes lit up when she heard the voice. Snowrealm tilted her head slightly, saying nothing, but her grip on her sword relaxed a bit.
Mingyue suppressed a complex emotion that was a mix of joy and annoyance. “Where are you now? We've run into some trouble here. This Erosion Body absorbs mana.”
“I know. I've been watching you since the start of your battle.”
And she had watched the entire thing from Star-trail's perspective.
Rate on N.U.
