*
Like a video on loop the same scene played out over and over again. A quick strike to my abdomen, my regeneration crumbling down to nothingness and a crippled existence I became for a month. No matter how much I tried to ignore it, it felt like I was missing out on a lot without my original parameters. It had felt like a spear digging deeper and deeper into my heart without any reserve, gnawing at a point far inside my consciousness than anything else.
Maybe it was a product of being in this body. Magical girls, usually untransform at home or are not even transformed in the first place, what would happen to me who has maintained this state for a month? Even if I recover, would I be lagging behind the rest? I now have a larger grasp over magical particles, but everyone learns that in school. I now have a larger pool of magical particles to use, but what purpose does that serve if my body is so weak? Fragile, fragility, not only my body but my mind too. I can tell, I've gained at least the necessary amount of situational awareness to use in life, I can deduce, that I'm undoubtedly a loser.
***
"... Looks like you aren't going down easily. Kanou, I'll pin her down while you use your final skill." (Triney)
Locks of pure cyan fluttered into the wind as a fierce pressure blows towards Frey for heating up the air around her.
"... I won't let you restrict my movements. I won't let this cruelty go on anymore. I will kill the Eye God. You are mere Arc-maidens. I have a grander goal and I've been preparing, training for a long time. If you don't put your everything into it, it won't even be a fight. "(Celistane Frey, Warrior of the cursing sun)
"... Final skill, [Extremity of the materialistic End]. This is my final skill, this is the fruits of my very life. THIS is the highest potential of my VERY BEING!!! "(Triney)
The only reason she used chair legs in her attacks was that they were the simplest building blocks, the most cost-effective magical particle wise in terms of durability, and the easiest to manipulate. They were just poles, a large stick, a weapon used since time immemorial. That was why, her final skill commanded the obligatory use of complex structures. Whole chairs, tables, washing machines, light switches, fans, windows, bookshelves, television, beds, ceiling fans, picture frames, air conditioners, ceiling lights.
All of such structures intricately linked to form a giant humanoid shape, it was something similar to ultr⚪-man but with more chiseled abs and muscles, it stood glaringly tall and nearly reaching the hole in the ceiling of the labyrinth. As if it held its breath, all movements paused for a brief second--- before it attacked. Again and again, it's massive fist repeated struck into Frey's general direction, each impact causing dust and debris to float aimlessly into the air and obscure Frey's figure.
Regardless, the giant humanoid figure kept pin-point precision as it smashed its jagged fists into Frey. The fact that its fist hasn't melted like all the other attacks did said volumes of the extent that it had been reinforced. Each small cubic centimetre was packed to the brim with magical particles, enough to withstand the temperature of the sun. Squeezing every bit of force in, getting in a single hit more in the same amount of time, getting another hit in, growing in both force and speed by taking advantage of recoil and what little energy it had. The fists struck like a barrage of bullets, easily leaving the sound barrier behind it in its dust.
At the same time, metallic chains and rope have been rising out of the ground to gouge away Frey's flesh, some even materialising inside and exploding out of her torso in a grotesque manner.
"[Extremity of the materialistic End], Go beyond, -Supreme divinity enchantment- pass the mortal limit bound by mass." (Triney)
"?!... You've mastered it?!" (Kanou) Surprise painted her expression as her dark grey bangs bounced from her shock. Her eyes widened only to land its sight on a smug Triney. Paired with her vibrant cyan hair, Triney truly looked like a noble from an otome game with her puffy black dress.
"Naturally. I've been in this business from before the Great Disaster. Given this governing job because human society collapsed gave me a lot of work as well as money. I simply passed my work off to my subordinate and trained or research the whole time!" (Triney)
"... Huh... So that's why you weren't as unfit as the others. Some even got stiff muscles. No wonder you were confident in your ability. I myself spent half my time doing my job, and the other half patrolling. Those who break the law were too weak to even count as exercise, well if they were strong they wouldn't need to resort to it anyway. "(Kanou)
" Are you done? "(Frey)
" No... Way... "(Kanou)
" Hey! Weren't you suppose to use your final skill so we can go in for the kill! I did a good job restraining her! "(Triney)
Cold sweat poured down both their backs, an unknown pressure pressing down on their bodies. The pressure was far too large for an S-class magical girl to emit, it couldn't be Frey right?
" I did used my final skill [Inutile purgatory]... I've practiced enough to not need to say it out loud like a fool... She simply overpowered it..." (Kanou)
"Hey!... What was that about being loud like a fool?! Well, whatever. Right now we have more pressing matters." (Triney)
"Un." (Kanou)
They both stared on warily at their foe that was barely a tiny distance away from them. The giant humanoid structure had already stopped its movements, it didn't get melted or disintegrated like other attacks. This time, its attacks were dealt like how Kanou's attacks were. Sheer toughness. The dust had already cleared up quite a while ago, Frey simply stood there, observing. With one arm held up against both the giant humanoid's fists, the gradually glowed into a pinkish red tone like molten metal.
Having had enough of the 2 opponents messing with her, she stepped closer with a steady stride, determined to win once and for all.
"Final skill!! [Inutile purgatory] Full power!!" (Kanou)
"[Extremity of the materialistic End]!! Legion barrage!!" (Triney)
A light greyish dumb originating at Frey's foot expanded in an instant to engulf Frey's whole body including the floating sun insignia that rivaled her own height. 7 more giant humanoids made of furniture and electrical appliances materialised to unleash more punching barrages, their speed exceeding anything possible by modern science and their impacts laying hits that could wipe out mountain ranges. Sadly the fruits of their largest effort did not meet expectations.
"Are you done?" (Frey)
Moving her arms so fast, it seemed like they weren't moving at all, yet the giant humanoid warriors vaporised from the impacts of her strength alone. It far exceeded their imagination for Frey to have strength rivaling the god magical girls. With their divine augmentation, the humanoid warriors that Triney summoned could not be melted by heat anymore, the shattering and breaking apart into particles too fine to piece back together was done by Frey's physical strength alone.
".... You've seen her strength, only your divine enhancements can do any damage now. I'll be a decoy, try to ask for reinforcements while I distract her." (Kanou)
With extremely fast whispering, she gave no room for her teamate to give any input of her own. Things were bleak, like a cornered rat, Triney could only shiver under her opponent's pressure. Just Frey's presence alone drove enough fear now that she saw her attacks could get swatted off like flies. She could feel her bones creaking under her own anxiety, a mountain pressing on her mind desperately rushing for a solution. There was no way Kanou's suggestion would work after all, everyone residing in this labyrinth would get slaughtered. It was the birth of a new god magical girl, what could reinforcements possibly do?
Starting off with a leap, Kanou's moderate stature vanished into thin air as a deep cracking sound could be heard in the distance. Off in the distance of around 50 metres was Kanou in mid-air with her right knee pushing against the back of Frey's right palm. Both struggling to get the upperhand in this ridiculous tug-of-war, their bodies trembling vigorously under the strain of their own strengths.
Right now, Kanou had all her skills applied, which included her final skill forming a protective layer over her body. Her finale skill [Inutile purgatory] renders all magic attacks useless by sucking out magical particles fueling the attack. Except for the magical particles inside other magical girls, every attack including [will of the dying sun] was useless. It would be like trying to use a lighter without any fuel, all there would be left is a insignificant spark.
Her other skill [Damnation overshock] pairs well as making contact with the opponent or their magic stops the activation of any skill mid-activation. [Pain is for the still] granted her instant movement, her magical girl combat dress served the function of a map in giving her the visual data of the place she wanted to move to. This instant movement had the additional attribute of 'action priority' which allowed her to make the first move no matter what, even Frey who had surpassed her previous limits could only defend by blocking.
Waving her right arm away with her strength, Kanou experienced the release of no gravity as the force conjured by Frey's right arm was enough to sent her flying. There was no other choice, though the recoil was reduced by 90% by her combat dress, Kanou had to make full use of her first skill now. The instant movement of it was accompanied by immense strength if she arrived from a place extremely far away, the further the distance, the more power it packed. This naturally caused some of the force to enter Kanou's body in the form of recoil.
Her expression was dyed in a colour darker than any she had shown before, her elbows folded back to allow her hands to rest on her hips. Her eyes narrowed to focus on her target, Frey, and she vanished. Just like the many times that happened before, yet Frey could never get used to its element of surprise. Using her own magic, she tried to find if any new surges of magical particles appeared in the vicinity. The rabble would be one thing, but an S-class clump of dense magical particles would be very easy to detect with her instincts alone. In the end, she could not be found. She had travelled far further than Frey's detection range.
"... Ah, I see..." (Frey)
As magical girls grew in their endurance ability, their bodies receive more and more augmentations by magical particles, which boosted even their natural capabilities like sight. Frey had a function on her combat dress that prevented blinding from light, so she could stare straight into the sky. And see Kanou on the moon. Before Kanou vanished once more, an impact like no other struck the back of Frey. The ground she was standing on crumbled under the force and heated up to explode into tiny fragments, debris flew throughout the centre of the labyrinth as more relentless attacks by Kanou targeted Frey's blind spots.
It was a given that Frey could block her attacks, she could not counter back but she could play a game of attrition and wait for Kanou to tire out first. But what good would blocking do? There was nothing but her own magical girl strength to cushion the attacks, each hit slowly making a tiny chink in her durability. Contact was still being made, and accompanying it was damage.
*SLAM BANG THWACK*
A cacophony of violent collisions showering down like a rain fills the battlefield
***
"... Weren't you going to fight, Kaorin? When did you get so scared?" (?)
Looking up, a pair of familiar brown pigtails could be seen. Unlike her usual demeanor, her eyelids weren't opened up as high as usual, as if they were too heavy and pressed down by the mood. An aura of calm air drifted around her, allowing her to make composed judgements in times of uncertainty. Her cheerful demeanor was nowhere to be found, all that was left was a husk focusing on survival..... No, that was wrong. I'm the strange one for going to the battlefield and getting scared, Myuu... Knew...
"Well, I can't do anything about your fear. Mostly, skills are focused on combat or production purposes, I haven't seen one that heals mental states. Plus, you would probably get scared again if we relieve your anxiety artificially. Whatever, we can't die right now. You're going to move and live whether you like it or not"(Myuu)
With determined eyes, she picked me up with an arm as if I had a leg broken and started walking.
"This is an illusion barrier, Kanou wouldn't lose easily and she said she would bring reinforcements, right? For now, let's escape. This fear is from you, not an enemy attack. You don't belong on the battlefield. " (Myuu)
"?! An illusion.... I see, I just wanted to run away the whole time. " After 2 encounters of nearly dying, who wouldn't be scared? In truth, my legs are still shaking and wobbly trudging along with Myuu's support. It looks like I can't move on yet. Anyway, this was a problem for the professionals. I should try again after I finish the 1 year course. Maybe then, I wouldn't succumb to fear.