“Senior! Should we interrupt this?!”
Hearing Red Rose shout the incantation for Mindscape World, Golden Taurus Magic Girl immediately controlled herself to ask Mercury.
The difficulty of releasing Mindscape World is extremely high, and the effects it brings must be commensurate with its super-high difficulty.
If Red Rose was willing, she could pre-arrange all the magic or her exclusive rules targeting herself within the Mindscape World. A large amount of Star Realm Magic would be required to counteract it and weaken the power of her Mindscape World.
“No need, let her unleash it,” Mercury said in a deep voice through the magic communication, her gaze fixed on Red Rose with solemnity.
Su Tianqing silently watched the Star Realm Magic gradually swell on Red Rose, and quietly let her familiar pull out the Xin Yue Magic Wand, hiding behind Nan Jiayu, and throwing the guardian star into her magic space.
“I need to be fully prepared,” Su Tianqing thought.
Mindscape World is different from any other Star Realm Magic; no one knows what rules Red Rose has defined within it. Only by personally entering it can one truly discover its secrets.
But if she had to go in herself...
Golden Fox looked at the Cat Girl who was shielding her, a slight tremor in her heart.
Her true body entering would mean she would temporarily disappear from Jia Yu's side, and Jia Yu would surely become suspicious of her disappearance.
...However, it was also time to be honest with Jia Yu.
Jia Yu was the person she trusted most, and she had a special attachment to Jia Yu.
For someone she spent every day with and who was always by her side, Su Tianqing was unwilling to hide too many secrets from her.
Not to mention that Jia Yu had already confessed to her that she was Hellcat, so Su Tianqing felt even more compelled to be open with her.
But these things could be discussed later. The priority now was to enter the Mindscape World unleashed by Red Rose and uncover the secrets this senior had hidden for many years!
The Mindscape World unfolded.
Magic enveloped the entire Sui City stadium, then dissipated in an instant. There was no longer any trace of the Magic Girl or Red Rose in the sky, as if the siege against her had never happened.
Nan Jiayu instinctively wanted to transform into Hellcat and take the Golden Fox behind her away from the scene, but as soon as she turned back, the empty space behind her made her suddenly freeze.
“...Tianqing?” the Cat Girl murmured.
But that golden figure seemed to have vanished from her side, leaving no trace, only a delicate shoulder bag with a fox carrot charm hanging from it.
...
Su Tianqing opened her eyes.
The Xin Yue Magic Wand was already in her hand, and she stood on the ground in her Xin Yuehu form.
The surroundings were still the Sui City stadium, but it was more dilapidated and desolate than in the real world. Many areas had collapsed, as if they had experienced a very intense battle.
But when Su Tianqing looked up at the sky, the huge wound on the firmament, overflowing with starlight from the Milky Way, made her tremble, and her hand gripping the Xin Yue Magic Wand tightened involuntarily.
“A Star Realm Rift? But... why is it so big...?”
“That is the largest Star Realm Rift in history, which once completely obscured the entire sky of Sui City.”
A somewhat familiar voice sounded beside her. Su Tianqing turned her head and looked at the azure figure standing beside her.
Magic Girl Mercury, her senior, Red Rose's old acquaintance, the world's first villain Magic Girl.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with such a decades-old senior, this feeling was quite novel.
“I’m sorry to have dragged you into this,” Mercury continued.
“This was originally a matter between Red Rose and me. I didn’t expect to involve a junior like you...”
“It’s fine. I was planning to investigate Senior Red Rose’s secret anyway. This just fulfills my wish perfectly,” Golden Fox replied, gripping the Xin Yue Magic Wand and gazing at the massive rift spanning the sky within the Mindscape World.
Seeing her say that, Mercury said nothing more, just smiled faintly.
“Heh heh... that secret codex, it should be in your hands, right?”
“!”
Su Tianqing froze for a moment, intending to pretend she knew nothing, but Mercury continued:
“Keep it safe. That was a revelation I obtained from the distant abyss beyond the Star Realm. It can help you a lot.”
“...Okay.”
All the questions in her heart were dispelled by Mercury’s words. Su Tianqing was silent for a long while, then nodded heavily.
Their attention turned to the rift.
“Do you see that wound in the firmament?”
“Mm,” Su Tianqing responded, “It’s an exaggerated rift, but how did it form? And why would something like this be in Senior Red Rose’s Mindscape World?”
Mercury gazed at the wound in the sky and slowly said:
“More than twenty years ago, such a huge Star Realm Rift appeared in the sky above Sui City. Countless Monsters and Star Realm Magic poured out from it, bringing immense disaster to Sui City.”
“Although Red Rose is very strong, she couldn’t find an effective way to close this rift, so she unleashed her Mindscape World, suppressing this rift within her Mindscape.”
“This is what you are seeing.”
Su Tianqing finally understood.
Why couldn’t Red Rose turn back into a normal person? Because an exaggerated rift always existed in her Mindscape World, and the massive amount of Star Realm Magic pouring out from it forcefully transformed her into a Magic Girl!
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to undo her transformation; it was that she simply couldn’t dissipate such a vast amount of Star Realm Magic!
If she forcibly severed her connection with the stars, once the Mindscape World collapsed and the rift reappeared above Sui City, it would inevitably cause an even more terrifying disaster!
“However, no matter how powerful her Mindscape World is, such a large amount of Star Realm Magic must eventually find a place to overflow.”
“And the overflowing, chaotic Star Realm Magic will seek out suitable targets for erosion and parasitism, creating a large number of Starry Sky Aberrants.”
“Could it be that the reason for so many Monster attacks in Sui City in recent years is because of this?” Su Tianqing was very surprised.
The reason was found: the fundamental factor that made Sui City so rich in talent was this huge rift!
“After all these years, only you can enter my Mindscape World so smoothly.”
The fiery red Magic Girl slowly descended from the sky, standing not far away and looking at the two in front of her.
“Long time no see, Feng Liqiu.”
“...Hey, is it really okay to call me by my full name in front of a junior?” Mercury raised an eyebrow, displeased.
“What does it matter? Even the abyss beyond the Star Realm has bestowed a secret codex upon the little fox next to you. Do you think she wouldn't know your name?” Red Rose replied with a smile.
“I really still don’t get along with you. After this matter is resolved, I’m definitely going to find you for a good fight.”
“Just like before?”
“Tsk, get to the point!”
Mercury gnashed her teeth, while Su Tianqing watched the drama with great interest.
“In any case, both Xin Yuehu and I are here to help. You’ve kept this thing sealed in your Mindscape for so many years; have you thought of any way to close it?”
“No,” Red Rose answered without hesitation.
“...No? Not even a single clue?”
“If you’re talking about a clue, there is one, but it’s a bit troublesome and very dangerous.”
The three exchanged glances, then simultaneously looked up at the sky.
“I will try to heal the Star Realm Rift little by little, but the overflowing Star Realm Magic will form countless Monsters in my Mindscape World, interfering with me.”
“What you two need to do is simple—during the time I am healing the rift, eliminate all Monsters that approach me.”
Golden Fox and Mercury looked at each other, a joyful smile appearing on their faces.
Dealing with Monsters? A group fight?
Isn’t this just perfect? Ben Hu is exactly specialized in this!
Mercury summoned her azure battle scythe, Red Rose gripped her twin-bladed greatswords, and Xin Yuehu re-summoned the Zodiac Twelve Witches behind her. All of them looked up in unison, gazing at the wound in the sky.
“Go, Red Rose!”