The dark Magic Girl floated in the sky.
Star Realm Magic almost materialized around her, forming a few wisps of swirling magical dust.
Nan Jiayu swallowed.
She had seen Star Shadow before, but never anything like Iris.
Magic Girls are born to protect, and the Star Shadow form is based on their first transformation, generally without much change.
But Iris's form, as if she had become a different person... Can it really be called 'Star Shadow'?
Is this truly a new form born 'to protect something'? Or is it... a form 'to reclaim something'?
Killing intent.
She felt an aura on Iris that should not appear on a Magic Girl.
Was it because she thought she had kidnapped Tianqing, so she transformed into this Star Shadow-like form?
But this form doesn't look like it wants to rescue Tianqing at all! It's clearly trying to blow both her and Tianqing to smithereens! Just look at her two twin-linked magic cannons!
The firepower of four magic cannons in total, plus her current unstoppable massive magic power...
'Iris... what on earth...', Hellcat murmured.
'...It seems you don't intend to let her go.'
The dark Magic Girl said softly, her eyes vacant. Nan Jiayu couldn't tell where she was focusing, but the muzzles of those four magic cannons were already pointed at her.
Nan Jiayu didn't hesitate, immediately transforming into the Butcherbird form, with no intention of engaging her in a prolonged fight.
Let this Cat use half of her magic power to deal with this Star Shadow Iris? She'd rather hope this Cat takes Tianqing and runs far away first!
The magic cannons fired.
Without any warning, the light from the muzzles instantly engulfed the deep blue Cat Girl in front of them, drawing a pale magic cannon trajectory across the sky above Rong City.
But the Cat Girl was not hit by this volley. The Butcherbird form gave her unparalleled mobility. With an aerial acceleration, she dodged the beams and fled at full speed!
'Trying to run?'
Iris said coldly.
The girl turned to look at the deep blue figure trying to leave in the sky, decisively unleashing her magic power to follow closely. The four magic cannons transformed into scattered magic power, reforming into countless dense, slender gun barrels!
Countless magic missiles shot out from the barrels! Weaving into a dense anti-aircraft net!
'??!!'
Nan Jiayu maneuvered frantically in mid-air, jolting the unconscious Golden Fox in her arms awake, who then violently spewed rainbows into the air.
'Ugh, whoa!... Ugh ah ah...'
'Tianqing, are you okay?!'
'So uncomfortable... Ugh blargh blargh...'
Nan Jiayu at this point couldn't bother finding a comfortable position to hold Fox Fox. She simply let Fox Fox lie on her arm, violently spewing rainbows, while fully evading Iris's dense anti-aircraft fire.
Su Tianqing glanced behind the Cat Girl, momentarily stunned by the dense anti-aircraft firepower in front of her.
Was this still Iris's firepower? Did she develop a fear of insufficient firepower?
Even though Hua Ling was indeed known for her firepower, she was clearly a type that used magic cannons for long-range fire support! Why did she suddenly have such terrifying firepower, like dozens of anti-aircraft guns firing at full power?
But Fox Fox had no time to think deeply at this moment. With another large-angle aerial maneuver by the Cat Girl, Su Tianqing's stomach churned again, and she drew a Fox Fox rainbow across the sky.
...
A pursuit that spanned almost half of Rong City.
The sky above Rong City was enveloped by magic missiles and magic cannon beams. People watched in terror, dodging everywhere, as if it were the end of the world.
Hellcat stopped on the roof of an office building.
The deep blue Magic Girl was covered in injuries, her ceremonial dress already tattered from the dense crossfire.
But the Golden Fox in her arms was unharmed, not even a scratch, at most violently spewing rainbows due to motion sickness from the intense maneuvers.
Iris floated coldly in the air, looking down at the Hellcat who was heavily panting on the rooftop.
There was still no trace of rationality in her eyes. The four magic cannons glowed brightly, as if they wanted to melt the Cat Girl and the entire building in front of them.
Nan Jiayu gritted her teeth, unleashing her last magic shield, shielding the Golden Fox behind her.
Iris had completely lost her mind!
What kind of form was this? She had never heard of a Magic Girl having such an unreasonable mode!
'...Goodbye, Hellcat.'
The dark Magic Girl murmured, and the magic cannons bloomed with light.
But just as the magic cannons were about to fire, White Sable Spirit and Fox Spirit suddenly appeared beside Iris, disregarding everything else, grabbing her hands and forcibly raising the magic cannons' aiming angle!
'Xiaoyue! Push hard!'
'Alright!!'
Magic cannon volley!
'Ka-wong!!!!'
Four beams streaked across the sky above Rong City. The clouds were neatly cut by this volley, leaving a brutal scar in the sky, as if a wound left in the heavens.
The world was silent for a moment.
Iris silently tried to re-aim the magic cannons. White Sable Spirit hurriedly flew in front of her face, raised her paws, and forcefully delivered two big slaps!
'Slap! Slap!'
Two loud slaps.
'Iris! Wake up! Iris!!' Bai Ling called out anxiously.
These two slaps seemed to bring Iris back some rationality from the vortex of resentment. Her eyes regained their light, and she looked blankly at the White Sable Spirit in front of her, who was preparing to deliver another slap.
'Bai Ling?... I, what am I...'
Before she finished speaking, the girl's voice rose slightly. She reached up to cover her head, her expression pained.
A fierce headache surged like a tide, making Hua Ling unable to maintain the existence of the magic cannons for a moment. The four magic cannons instantly turned into swirling magic power and dissipated.
'Wake up quickly! If you keep fighting, your magic cannons will almost send both of them flying!'
'My... magic cannons...?'
The girl looked down blankly at her new ceremonial dress, as dark as night, and then at the Hellcat in front of her, who was protecting the Golden Fox with her body. She suddenly realized something.
She had just used magic cannon firepower to cover Hellcat, completely disregarding Tianqing Jie's safety.
And Hellcat had firmly protected the Golden Fox with her body, even choosing to take the magic missiles and magic cannons head-on, which she could have perfectly dodged...
'Ah... Ah ah...'
Hua Ling's mouth slightly opened, her face pale, realizing the grave mistake she had made.
Seeing Iris regain her senses, the tired Cat Girl deactivated her magic shield, placed the protected Golden Fox on the ground, stood up straight, and looked up at the bewildered Magic Girl in the air.
'Miss Iris.'
'I'll take her to the hospital. You... you'd best calm down, okay?'
Silence.
Iris didn't speak, looking lost, as if her soul had instantly left her. She stared blankly as Hellcat picked up the Golden Fox, held her in her arms, and flew towards the direction of the Association's affiliated hospital.
The Star Shadow gradually receded, and the girl transformed back into the pure white Iris.
The evening sunset fell upon the girl.
But Hua Ling felt an intense chill.
Starting from her fingertips, it chilled her to the bone.