Strolling down the pitch-black street, I followed the faint glow from lampposts toward home.
Must be rush hour.
People with briefcases hurried past, occasionally bumping into me.
Some apologized after collisions; others cursed my lack of eyes.
No matter the situation, I always responded with a smile.
Some things aren’t worth arguing over—the more you insist, the messier it gets.
If someone glares at you furiously, just smile back. They’ll lose interest and walk away after a few curses.
These types are everywhere.
Only truly troublesome people get my serious attention. Otherwise? I just laugh it off.
*"You’re really getting in my way!"*
As I crossed the bustling street onto a quieter road, an impatient voice cut through the air behind me.
I turned slowly toward the sound.
*"Can you just disappear?"*
The voice dripped with hatred and hostility.
*Who did I offend?* My eyes locked onto the speaker—a black-haired girl around 1.7 meters tall. Her youthful face radiated unnatural coldness.
Her sharp gaze felt like a blade, threatening to pierce my heart if I blinked.
A chill shot down my spine the moment our eyes met.
"Who are you?"
Sensing her killing intent, I knew this wasn’t a tea invitation.
*This one’s trouble.*
"Who I am doesn’t matter. You’re in my way, Chu Dongyu. So just die already."
Her frostbitten expression never flickered as she refused my question.
"I’d rather stay alive. Can’t we talk this over?"
I searched my memories—no recollection of this girl. Her Lolita-style dress was unforgettable. A beauty like her? I’d remember.
*When did I make such an enemy?*
"I have nothing to discuss with you. If you hadn’t interfered, I wouldn’t bother sanctioning you. But—"
"How do you know my name?"
Shock flooded me at the sound of my name.
Cautiously, I studied her face again. Nothing.
*How does she know me?*
"Doesn’t matter. I don’t waste words on the dead."
"Shouldn’t I die knowing why?"
"Shut up, insect. Today, I’ll show you hell."
She pulled a pistol from nowhere, aiming it at me. A cruel smile spread across her lips as her finger squeezed the trigger.
*!*
No cover in sight. Panic flared.
I looked back just as her trigger clicked—
*Clack.*
No gunshot. No silencer hiss. Just that dry click.
*?*
*Toy gun?* Relief flickered—
Then vanished.
A magic array flared at the barrel. A deep purple beam erupted toward me!
*Who is this woman?!*
My pupils contracted. I threw myself sideways, rolling across the pavement.
*Only a Magical Girl could do this.*
Since she meant to kill me—and the street was empty—I stopped hiding.
No time to waste. I sprang up, grabbing my transformation belt.
"Think again!" She fired again, trying to interrupt my transformation.
"Overconfident much?"
No invincibility frames during transformation—but her attack rhythm gave me just enough time.
As the magic array formed at her gun, I slammed a card into my belt.
"Transform!"
I snapped the buckle shut, facing her.
*"Card recognized..."*
*"Reading complete..."*
*"Initiating character replacement!"*
Light engulfed me. When it faded, my small silver-haired Magical Girl form stood revealed.
"Annoying as your height is—I’m ridiculously strong!"
The purple beam roared toward me, barely a meter away.
Unfazed, I raised my fist, ignoring the girl’s crossed-arms smirk.
*She thinks this frail fist can’t stop her beam?*
A smile touched my lips.
The moment my fist met the beam—
Her mocking grin froze. Her jaw dropped into a perfect "O".
Her attack shattered against my gauntlet.
"What?! Impossible?!"
She fired wildly, convinced it was luck.
*She thinks it won’t happen twice?*
"Manifest! Azure Trident! Fimilaharde—Eternal Bond of Winter!"
I seized her shock, slotting a weapon card.
Fimilaharde materialized in my hands.
*Using a bow against her gun feels almost unfair.*
Her power didn’t match her arrogance—a classic bullshit artist.
*Does she think she’s the protagonist?*
"A bow? How outdated."
She sneered, flipping her skirt to pull a bullet from her thigh holster.
She reloaded, aiming again.
This shot felt different. Dangerous.
I grabbed a skill card from Fimilaharde’s quiver—a trident symbol glowed on it.
*8,700 power?*
Compared to my Ethereal Blade cards, Fimilaharde’s skills packed serious punch.
No time to dwell. I inserted the card.
*"Skill card detected..."*
*"Loading Glacial Trident!"*
*"Ready!"*
"Roar! Ulthelugo!"
She pulled the trigger.
A massive magic array bloomed before her. Seven purple beams merged mid-flight into one colossal blast—like a ravenous dragon lunging to swallow me whole.
"Glacial Trident!"
I raised Fimilaharde, drawing the bowstring against the oncoming maw of light.
