For a Magic Girl to awaken as a Star Shadow, many preconditions are required.
The resolve to protect others, the favor of the stars, and immense magical power—these three conditions are indispensable.
For an ordinary Magic Girl, generally only the resolve to protect others is needed to meet the conditions, but for other Magic Girls who lack an Observer…
They need to gather all three conditions simultaneously; they must obtain the favor of the stars at the same time their resolve blossoms, and possess a sufficiently vast amount of magical power, to unleash the Star Shadow under certain conditions.
And that condition is…
“Crack…”
Nan Jiayu glanced at the guardian star in her pocket.
The golden cross-star cracked and shattered on its surface, turning into a handful of dust that scattered away.
The stars do not recognize an ownerless guardian star, and if one forcibly transforms into a Star Shadow using an ownerless star, this ownerless star will disintegrate on its own and can no longer be used.
In other words, this is a one-time Star Shadow, the ultimate power born to protect someone who absolutely must be protected.
“…So what?”
As if conversing with the starry sky's whispers echoing in her mind, Nan Jiayu murmured softly, hugging the light, soft, petite girl in her arms tightly.
The original cat paw gauntlets transformed into pitch-black, lightless tiger claws, each claw seeming to be surrounded by an accretion disk of magic, emitting the most terrifying silent howl of the star realm.
“As long as it's to protect her, I'm willing to pay any price, let alone such a small matter.”
The girl's murmuring was quickly interrupted by the roar of the giant beast below her.
Leviathan floated in the air, opening its gaping maw and letting out an earth-shattering roar at the Cat Girl.
Along with the Monster’s magic cannon, countless Starry Sky Aberrants were also blasted apart, but they all re-gathered and revived after a brief dissipation of magic, all looking towards Red Rose, who had already healed the Star Realm Rift to its final step.
But it no longer mattered.
No matter how the Monsters swarmed, they could no longer stop the Star Realm Rift from healing:
The rift that once spanned the sky was reduced to its last opening, which quickly healed under Red Rose's magic, finally disappearing.
The fiery Magic Girl stitched and filled this tear in the starry sky; the massive wound of over twenty years finally saw its moment of healing!
Red Rose turned, looking at the giant beast Monster Leviathan from the star realm below, and the countless small fry Monsters.
“…Is it done?”
Nan Jiayu glanced at Red Rose, who had flown to her side, still tightly holding the Golden Fox in her arms, and asked.
“The Star Realm Rift has healed; there’s nothing else to worry about,” Red Rose said softly.
“However, these Monsters… they were formed by the rampant magic that surged out as the rift healed. If we let them continue to exist, they will inevitably affect the magical balance of Sui City and even the entire world. They must be dealt with quickly!”
“…In short, just kill them all, right?”
The one who replied was Mercury, not far away, her azure scythe at full power, igniting a surging blaze of magic!
“But if it’s just us few, trying to deal with this vast number… without that little Fox Girl, it would really take a lot of time.”
“No need to worry, aren't these children still here?”
With that, Red Rose raised her hand and snapped her fingers.
With a clear hum, the girl's Mindscape World instantly unfolded, encompassing all the Magic Girls waiting in the air!
“Eh?!”
“What, what?”
“Is it Senior’s Mindscape World? …Whoa!? What is that thing?!”
The girls looked down in horror, shaken by the colossal beast Leviathan, which was entrenched in the sky.
Without the magic surging from the Star Realm Rift, Red Rose's Mindscape World could operate at full power, easily accommodating so many people.
“Hyacinth!!”
Iris and Nightingale immediately saw their companion floating not far away, and both flew forward.
“You suddenly rushed into Senior’s Mindscape World with Hellcat just now. How are you? Are you feeling alright?”
“I’m fine, it’s just…”
Hyacinth turned her head, looking at the Cat Girl wearing the pitch-black claws in the distance, and the unconscious Golden Fox in her arms.
Just now, Hellcat and Xin Yuehu had blocked that magic cannon for Senior Red Rose, buying crucial time for the Star Realm Rift’s final healing.
They claimed to be villains, and they had been teasing themselves and causing trouble for the city before, so why would they do such a thing…?
“Magic Girls from all over, please listen to me.”
Red Rose’s voice interrupted Hyacinth’s thoughts, and also made the Magic Girls' gazes all turn to the fiery figure.
“Twenty-seven years ago, a massive rift appeared in Sui City, spanning the sky.”
“At that time, the Magic Girls of the world were still young and immature, and you and your predecessors were completely unable to cope with such a huge threat.”
“So, I used my Mindscape World to seal this rift, preventing it from expanding further, while waiting for a suitable opportunity to completely heal it and eliminate this potential huge threat.”
After a brief pause, Red Rose glanced at Mercury beside her and Xin Yuehu in Nan Jiayu’s arms, then continued:
“—We did it.”
“The scar in the sky has finally healed, and we will continue to fight! To completely eliminate the ferocious giant beasts awakened by this disaster!”
Red Rose’s flaming greatsword pointed directly at the giant beast Leviathan below, her posture heroic and dashing.
“Magic Girls from all over the world!”
“Please lend me a hand and completely eliminate these Monsters that have overflowed from the world’s wound!”
“In my Mindscape World, you don’t need to worry about getting hurt. My magic will protect every one of you; just fight with all your might!”
The passionate speech ignited a wave of excited cheers among the Magic Girls, and the Mindscape World transformed into a hunting ground for Magic Girls, who counterattacked the Monsters with renewed vigor!
Nan Jiayu flew to Red Rose’s side and handed her the Golden Fox in her arms.
“Hellcat? This is…”
“Protect her. I’m going to deal with that Leviathan.”
The Cat Girl’s words were beyond question.
“It hurt Fox Fox; I won’t let it off easily.”
For the first time, Red Rose felt a sense of pressure from someone other than Mercury, but she still took the small Golden Fox and nodded.
“I will protect her; you go ahead.”
“…Thank you.”
With that, the Cat Girl glanced at the unconscious Golden Fox, and without looking back, charged at Leviathan.
Red Rose watched her leave, and it wasn’t until the Cat Girl slammed into Leviathan like a pitch-black comet that she suddenly noticed a slight movement from the Fox Girl in her arms.
“Stare…”
Su Tianqing opened one eye, secretly tilted her head, and watched the Cat Girl, who was fighting Leviathan.
Then she turned her head and met Red Rose's gaze, jolting suddenly, and awkwardly scratched the side of her face.
“…Shh.”
The little Fox Girl smiled and extended a finger, making a shushing gesture, and gave a charming wink.