“Boom! ! ! !”
Magic cannons fired in unison.
Iris retreated two steps, reloading her magic cannon while observing the monstrous Leviathan, which had been solidly hit by the volley.
Leviathan collapsed in an anguished wail, Star Realm Magic dissipating from its body, transforming into countless shimmering magic dust particles.
Innumerable spells had left countless wounds on its body, finally causing this unprecedented Star Realm Giant Beast to fall before everyone.
But Iris knew very well—even her magic cannon volley could never bring down such a terrifying giant beast; the one who truly dealt massive damage to Leviathan and withstood its attacks was someone else:
“...You’re surprisingly resilient.”
Hellcat, whose cat paws had transformed into black tiger claws, floated in mid-air, glanced at the disheveled Hyacinth beside her, and spoke.
Hyacinth glared fiercely at the Cat Girl beside her but had nothing to say, enduring the pain as she clutched her arm and shoulder.
Just now, Hyacinth had a rare occasion to fight alongside Hellcat.
Hellcat in her Star Shadow state possessed astonishing destructive power; her Black Hole Cat Punch could shatter one of Leviathan’s teeth with a single blow, her output was off the charts, and her speed was incredibly fast.
While Hyacinth tried to keep up with the Cat Girl’s rhythm, she was completely left behind after a few exchanges and had no choice but to attract Leviathan’s attention head-on with the assistance of Nightingale and a group of support-type Magic Girls.
During this time, she took at least a dozen slaps but managed to get back up each time as if nothing had happened.
“In short, you got beaten up, right?” Nightingale quipped, casting a healing spell on Hyacinth.
“Even when you’re healing me, you have to mock me, Hakiying, you… you…”
“Where did you learn those bad jokes? Stay there and don’t move, I’m healing you.”
The Magic Girls celebrated their victory in battle.
The Cat Girl ignored the cheers and flew to Red Rose, taking the seemingly sleeping Golden Fox from her hands.
“Her condition is quite good; she should wake up after recovering a bit of magic power,” Red Rose said.
Nan Jiayu looked worriedly at the Golden Fox, who still showed no signs of waking, her brows furrowed with concern, and she sighed helplessly.
“It’s good that she’s safe… that’s good…”
“If you want to take her away, now is the most convenient time, while everyone isn’t paying attention,” Red Rose added.
Nan Jiayu glanced at the crowd in the distance.
Red Rose was right; if she wanted to leave, now was the best time, otherwise, if other Magic Girls followed them closely later…
“You like her very much, don’t you, Hellcat?”
“!!!…N-not that much… J-just…”
The Cat Girl’s cheeks instantly turned crimson as she spoke shyly.
“Magic Girls can only unleash Star Shadow when protecting someone crucial. Your current state already explains everything.”
Mercury appeared beside the Cat Girl at some unknown point, looking at this junior villainess.
“Let’s go, to a place where it’s just the two of you.”
“If your feelings can reach her, she will surely respond to you.”
After a long silence, the Cat Girl nodded heavily, transforming into a deep blue meteor and flying away, disappearing into the horizon.
The Magic Girls watched the receding deep blue meteor, their gazes seemingly filled with respectful farewells.
This was probably Hellcat’s final battle.
Her picked-up guardian star finally shattered into dust, exchanging for a brief Star Shadow, using it to protect someone most important to her.
From now on, this soaring Hell Shrike would never be seen again.
…
Su Tianqing opened her eyes, feeling a bit hazy.
She didn’t know when she had fallen asleep, but upon opening her eyes, she saw the setting sun of twilight, slowly descending above the concrete jungle of the city.
The setting sun…
She really could sleep; she had slept all afternoon.
“Are you feeling alright?” The Cat Girl’s voice sounded beside her ear.
Su Tianqing tilted her head curiously, meeting the Cat Girl’s worried gaze as she turned, and smiled wryly, wagging her tail.
“I’m fine, I just feel… I feel like I slept for a long time, a little sleepy.”
“Who feels sleepy right after waking up?”
The Cat Girl chuckled, her heterochromatic cat eyes curving into crescent moons.
The two sat side by side on the rooftop of an office building in Sui City, looking together at the distant setting sun.
“From this spot, you can get a great view of Sui City’s sunset.”
“Yes, it’s truly beautiful.”
Su Tianqing replied.
After a brief silence, the Golden Fox’s tail suddenly stopped wagging, her eyes lowered, and she softly said:
“…I’m sorry, Jia Yu, for hiding it from you for so long.”
“It was quite a long time; it made me quite worried.”
“If you’re angry, just scold me a bit,” Su Tianqing turned her head, her fox ears drooping on top of her head, and said to the Cat Girl beside her.
But what greeted her was the Cat Girl’s smile and a look of relief.
Of course, she was relieved!
She had an unclear relationship with two Fox Foxes simultaneously, and she had always felt immense pressure, expecting to be interrogated at any moment. Now, knowing that these two Fox Foxes were actually the same person, how could she not feel relieved?
“Not at all, I just found it very surprising.”
“I already guessed it when you were swallowed by Red Rose’s Mindscape World, but I’m not angry with you, I just…”
“…I was just very worried, afraid something would happen to you, afraid I would never see you again.”
The Cat Girl’s cat ears lay flat on her head as she gazed at the distant sunset, recalling the scene not long ago where the Golden Fox single-handedly took a Monster’s magic cannon blast.
She had never been so enraged.
But all that rage was directed at the monstrous Leviathan that had injured the Fox Fox, with not a shred of dissatisfaction towards the Fox Fox herself.
…Although she was a little bit angry, it was only because she felt the Fox Fox shouldn’t face such a huge threat alone.
At least tell me before rushing in! What if something happened? What if I hadn’t successfully transformed into Star Shadow at that time?
If she hadn’t been able to protect her then, what would have become of the resolution she had secretly made?
“…Tianqing.”
Nan Jiayu said softly, and the Fox Girl beside her immediately began wagging her tail, turning her head with anticipation.
“Mm-hmm? What’s wrong? Do you have something to tell me?”
“From now on, I won’t be able to protect you anymore.”
The Cat Girl murmured, lowering her head to look at the last fragment of the guardian star in her hand.
She had picked it up in Shanghai; perhaps it was accidentally lost by Bai Lili Squad or some senior. It had supported her for several years and finally fulfilled its last mission.
“Magic Girls are born to protect.”
This saying, from an Observer, resonated in every Magic Girl’s heart.
And she, as a villainous Magic Girl not favored by the stars, had finally fulfilled the mission of the Magic Girls, protecting someone important.
“An unowned guardian star won’t be acknowledged by the stars. I used the excessively abundant magic power in Red Rose’s Mindscape World to complete the Star Shadow transformation, but that was my last burst of brilliance.”
“I no longer have a guardian star, Tianqing. From now on, I can no longer be by your side as Hellcat—”
“…Pfft.”
A light laugh interrupted the Cat Girl’s monologue.
The Golden Fox’s laughter made Nan Jiayu freeze for a moment, looking at her in confusion, but then she was momentarily stunned by the sudden gardenia fragrance that enveloped her.
The Cat Girl’s cheeks instantly flushed crimson.
“Tianqing?! How, how did you suddenly…”
“Hahaha… Jia Yu, you’re so cute when you’re serious, it makes me want to tease you.”
Su Tianqing laughed happily, her fingertips lightly brushing the girl’s cherry lips where a faint imprint had just been left, while handing a shining golden cross-star to the Cat Girl beside her.
“Here. This is for you. Don’t say things like ‘goodbye’ anymore; I don’t like saying goodbye.”
“This is…”
Nan Jiayu dazedly took the brand new guardian star, heavy in her hand, identical to her original guardian star…
No, there was a fox carrot symbol imprinted where her thumb would go, as if it were a custom-made item.
“A guardian star?… Is this yours, Tianqing? But if that’s the case…”
Before she finished speaking, the Cat Girl looked up and saw a large handful of glittering golden cross-stars in the Golden Fox’s hand, like she was holding a handful of throwing darts.
Cat thinking.
Cat galaxy.
Cat universe.
Cat brain overloaded.
“It’s just a guardian star; I have plenty! I can give you as many as you want, Jia Yu!”
The Golden Fox showed a joyful smile, her tail wagging like an electric fan, looking like a guardian star reseller.
After a brief silence, the shy, blushing Cat Girl meowed and meowed, and the two of them burst into laughter on the rooftop.
“Damn it! Give me back my emotional moment! I went to save you with such determination!”
“Hehehe~ There will be more opportunities in the future~”
“But speaking of which, did you, Jia Yu, usually just pretend to go to the library to read, when in fact you were always looking for trouble with Hyacinth and the others with me?”
“…………D-did I?”
“Pfft! You silly Cat Cat! I’m going to tutor you starting today! You’re not going anywhere!”
The cheerful laughter of the girls echoed on the rooftop, and gradually, the sky filled with countless stars, as if offering silent congratulations.
— — — — — — —
Mercury’s Secret Message: See? I told you I’m a pure love warrior. The ending is still far away.
I’ve been very busy recently, but I can definitely guarantee daily updates. Thank you to all my readers for your support.