What appeared before my eyes was…

A skull like a rotting ram’s head, flesh sloughing off to expose bleached bone. Jagged fangs dripped translucent ooze that sizzled through the floor. A skeletal frame stripped bare of muscle or sinew…

A monster.

I’d never forget it.

This familiar face had shattered my world.

Dragging me into an abyss I could never climb out of.

Every time I used a card, my tether to reality frayed a little more.

Soon, I’d fully sink into this gray realm. Become one of its denizens. Fight these Bonesouls forever until I collapsed from exhaustion.

Yet I’d never once considered retreating.

Never regretted gaining this power.

Because this power…

Might just…

“Sorry, but I’m not leaving~ I came looking for you two, after all~”

I shrugged off their well-meaning offer, shaking my head with a smile.

My purpose here was clear—this ram-headed Bonesoul!

“Looking for it? Are you brain-dead? Look around the monster! I barely had the guts to stand up! I gathered courage for a lifetime—just accept it already!”

Shen Shiyu’s face flushed with frustration the moment my words registered.

Was she angry I’d rejected her kindness?

True, several headless or limbless corpses already littered the monster’s feet.

Fresh meals for the ram-headed Bonesoul.

But today, I hadn’t come to die.

My exchange with Shen Shiyu had drawn the Bonesoul’s attention.

Its head swiveled slowly toward me.

“Rude to speak that way to your savior, don’t you think?”

I flashed a faint smile as its gaze locked onto me, swiftly buckling my belt around my waist.

“Kyuubi, I’m counting on you to protect them. This fight might get… messy.”

Meeting the Bonesoul’s hollow stare, I let my smile twist into something terrifying.

Truly horrifying.

Shen Shiyu visibly shuddered when she saw it.

Did I seem like a stranger now?

No matter. Explanations were pointless.

By tomorrow, they’d forget everything here anyway. Probably reintroduce ourselves all over again.

The irony made my grin flicker into self-mockery.

I slid the fourth card into my belt.

“Card recognized…”

“Verification complete. Loading…”

“Loading complete…”

“Initiating role transformation!”

Seconds later—

I stood transformed once more: a silver-haired petite girl in a gothic black dress dotted with white lace. Gasps rippled through the onlookers.

No one expected an ordinary guy to become a five-foot-tall magical girl.

“You? You’re Yutou?” Shen Shiyu’s jaw dropped, her worldview visibly cracking.

Beside her, a young man’s eyes gleamed like he’d unlocked a secret achievement.

“A magical girl!!!! My life is complete!!!!”

Nonsense spewed from his lips—a Kyuubi-brained fanboy, no doubt.

I wondered if he’d seen *Madoka*. Would he spot Kyuubi on my shoulder and scream, “Die, source of all evil!”?

“Kyuubi, keep them safe.”

His reaction meant nothing to me.

My attacks might hit bystanders.

Better let Kyuubi handle cleanup. Last time, it was Kyuubi’s doing those two scumbags escaped unscathed.

After that, Lin Jincheng’s perfect image crumbled in my mind.

I’d even started despising him and his friend.

“No problem. Leave the aftermath to me~”

Kyuubi accepted without hesitation, leaping to Shen Shiyu’s side.

“Kyu… Kyuubi?”

“Is that Kyuubi?!”

“The source of all evil’s here!”

Chaos erupted the moment Kyuubi was spotted.

Fists clenched, ready to deliver “justice.”

“I’d back off if I were you. Missing limbs later? Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Kyuubi couldn’t be harmed by them, but I offered the warning anyway.

I’d never seen Kyuubi angry. Its blank face hid everything. Still, better safe than sorry.

“You made a contract with Kyuubi? Aren’t you scared?”

“Seriously! How can you trust it?!”

“Kyuubi’s dangerous, miss! Be careful!”

They ignored me, dancing on death’s edge—and turned their accusations on me.

“Keep this up, and Kyuubi might ‘forget’ to shield you. I can’t guarantee my fight won’t hit you.”

Sighing at their recklessness, I warned again.

“I’m fine. Focus on your battle. Handling the aftermath is my contribution.”

Kyuubi stood beside Shen Shiyu, utterly unfazed.

“Understood.”

After dodging the Bonesoul’s lunge, Kyuubi’s assurance freed me.

I began luring the monster away from the crowd.

This narrow corridor was no place to draw weapons.

I needed open space.

“Gurgle-groan…”

Seeing me retreat, the ram-headed Bonesoul lost its suspicion.

It followed obediently, chasing me relentlessly.

“Perfect.”

Near the atrium now—spacious despite scattered stalls.

An ideal battlefield.

I vaulted over the railing, leaping from the second floor.

Don’t be fooled by this petite frame.

My body surpassed human limits.

I landed gracefully on one knee, rising instantly unharmed.

The Bonesoul, unwilling to lose its prey, crashed down nearby.

Acidic drool melted overturned kiosks with a hiss, releasing a foul stench.

“This’ll do.”

The atrium was larger than I’d hoped.

Plenty of room to summon Fimilaharde.

But the Bonesoul wouldn’t let me.

It charged again.

Claws scraped the floor. Its rotten head lowered, bone horns aimed like spears.

Its wind-up was obvious. I dodged easily, already pulling Fimilaharde’s card.

“Trying to stop me? Impossible~”

I taunted it, slotting the card into my belt.

“System…”

“Manifest! Azure Godbow—Fimilaharde, the Eternal Frostbinder!”

Mechanical chimes echoed as Fimilaharde materialized.

My silver hair bled into ice-blue. My gothic dress shifted to a light blue mini-dress edged in white lace.

I hated this skirt.

A draft whispered between my legs. Zero security.

But distractions could wait.

An enemy needed erasing.

I nocked an arrow—

The Bonesoul recoiled instantly, sensing danger. It darted sideways, refusing to be a target.

“Not playing nice, huh?”

Space helped me aim… but helped it dodge too.

Fine.

I drew the bowstring slowly, tracking its frantic movements.

Arrow after arrow flew wide.

The Bonesoul gurgled—a sound like mocking laughter.

I ignored it. Only one thing mattered: landing a hit.

“GULP!”

It lunged during a split-second gap in my barrage.

Fanged jaws dripped virulent green, death incarnate rushing toward me.

“Heh. Exactly what I wanted.”

I’d baited it.

My fingers, already on the string, yanked it taut.

“Guh?!”

Mid-leap, the Bonesoul twisted its body, scrambling to change course.