"Magic Cannon — Fire!!"
"Boom!!!!"
Inside Rong City Wetland Park, the tremendous roar of the Magic Cannon echoed through the sky.
As the magic dust from the muzzle dispersed, Iris fixed her gaze on the mud Monster lying motionless on the ground and let out a small sigh.
"Whew... We finally took this guy down..."
It was the tenth minute of the battle with the Monster.
The mud Monster in the lotus pond finally fell.
"Iris! Well done!"
Hyacinth poked her head out from the nearby bushes, covered in dirt, and cheered loudly for Iris, who was retracting her Magic Cannon in the sky.
Had she truly underestimated this mud Monster?
While using magic to remove the dirt and water stains from her body, Hyacinth muttered quietly to herself.
Ten minutes ago, she had confidently charged at the Monster.
This was Hyacinth's usual combat style—no matter who was on the other side, just charge in for close combat first!
And then she was met with a head-on blow from the mud Monster.
"Xin Yuehu must have done that on purpose!"
"Kick!"
Hyacinth walked forward, lifted her Dr. Martens boot, and fiercely kicked the mud Monster lying lifelessly on the ground in front of her.
"Of all things, why create something so disgusting!"
"Oh dear... Don't be angry, Hyacinth, haven't we already defeated it...?"
Iris landed on the ground, saying with a wry smile.
Then, Hua Ling recalled the sight of Hyacinth being grabbed by the mud Monster and slammed headfirst into the lotus pond.
She felt like laughing, but didn't dare.
"It infuriates me! I feel like I stink all over now!"
Even after using magic to clean all the dirt and water stains from her body, Hyacinth still made no attempt to hide the disgust on her face.
No matter who it was, if they were slapped into a pond by this Monster covered in mud, their mood would definitely not be good.
Iris could only continue to comfort her companion, but her gaze involuntarily fell upon the fallen Monster.
According to her magic perception, there were indeed traces of Xin Yuehu's magic on this Monster, so she must have summoned it.
But Bai Ling found Xin Yuehu's Monster-summoning magic quite unbelievable:
"The Magic Girls use Star Realm Magic, and as far as I know, there's no such Monster-summoning magic in the Star Realm at all!"
"I'll go back to the Star Realm to investigate these two days and will be back soon!"
These were the exact words the White Sable Spirit said when she returned to the Star Realm to seek assistance.
"Clang!!"
Lifting her greatsword, Hyacinth angrily slashed at the mud Monster a few more times, then let out a light snort as if she had finally vented her frustration.
"How annoying, our original plan tonight was to give you, Hua Ling, special training in flying, but I didn't expect Xin Yuehu to choose this time to do bad things."
"This lotus pond was quite beautiful, and she ruined it!"
Hearing this, Iris couldn't help but look around.
—A pavilion neatly cut in half by a greatsword, stone-paved paths full of sword marks,
and the broken plants destroyed by Hyacinth's frantic struggles after falling into the water, formed everything visible around them.
"I feel like you, Xiaofeng, caused more damage to the surrounding environment—"
Iris had something to say in her heart, but didn't dare to say it.
"Anyway, let's call it a night!"
After confirming that the Monster had shriveled into a puddle of mud, Hyacinth put away her greatsword and said to Iris beside her.
"Mhm. Today was quite easy."
Iris nodded lightly.
It was probably because Xin Yuehu and that Hellcat weren't around.
Her and Hyacinth's coordination was becoming increasingly seamless; as long as they weren't facing an opponent who was also a Magic Girl, dealing with one Monster was more than enough.
...Provided Xin Yuehu didn't show up.
Thinking of that golden little fox, Iris felt a complicated mix of emotions.
Hyacinth said she was a devious fox, but she didn't feel that way.
A mischievous little fox, and very cute too—that was her impression of Xin Yuehu.
But this strange feeling...
"Sigh..."
Iris sighed.
It seemed her mental state had indeed been quite problematic lately.
Not only did she have strange dreams every night, but the content of the dreams was always the same—
This and that, this kind and that kind, so and so, thus and so.
Even Hyacinth had appeared in her dreams.
Thinking of those strange dreams, Iris felt her face flush and quickly shook her head to dispel these dangerous thoughts.
Could this be the source of her strange state?
She must dispel such thoughts!
"Speaking of which..."
Iris looked at Hyacinth beside her and whispered into her ear,
"Xiaofeng, do you have Tianqing Jie's contact information?"
"Tianqing Jie?..."
Nan Xiaofeng blinked in surprise.
"Hua Ling, why do you need Tianqing Jie's contact information?"
"I have something I want to talk to her about. Xiaofeng, do you know how to contact her?"
"This..."
Nan Xiaofeng scratched the side of her face, her brows slightly furrowed,
"Sorry, I really don't, but Jia Yu definitely will. Should I ask her for you today?"
"Mhm, thank you."
"Thank me for what? We're friends, it's what friends do—"
No sooner had she spoken.
A burst of enthusiastic cheers and applause suddenly rang out in the sky, startling the two into hurriedly re-summoning their magic wands and weapons.
"Whoosh!~"
"Congratulations to the two of you for defeating the mud Monster! Fox Fox is very pleased~"
Xin Yuehu?!
But there was no magic reaction from Xin Yuehu around; how could she be...
A fluttering paper box above their heads caught their attention.
"Is that a Monster?" Iris asked, puzzled.
No, it didn't have the powerful Star Realm Magic of a Monster; it should just be an ordinary summoned object.
The sound was merely coming from a tape recorder inside the paper box.
"But!"
Xin Yuehu's voice came from the tape recorder,
"If the two of you haven't left yet, then the gift Fox Fox meticulously prepared for you should have already taken effect, I wonder if you've noticed?"
"Meticulously prepared..." "Gift..."
Hyacinth looked around in a daze.
The lotus pond, shrouded in twilight, was unusually quiet; not even the sound of insects could be heard.
It didn't look like there was any "surprise" at all.
Not to mention the sound was only coming from a tape recorder, making its credibility quite low.
—But.
That faint, almost imperceptible fragrant scent at their nostrils simultaneously caught both their attention.
"So fragrant..." Iris said softly.
"Where is this scent coming from? There shouldn't be any flower bushes that bloom at night around here..."
Then, the sudden surge of the lotus pond's water made their hearts tremble.
The water surged up, destroying the floating bridge and pavilion path completely. The two quickly retreated to the bank, staring dumbfounded at the mountain-sized dark shadow!
"So, so big?!" Hyacinth's pupils dilated.
—The pitch-black mud Monster reappeared, several times larger than before!
And countless lotus flowers were blooming on its body! Emitting that eerie, rich fragrance!
This scent seemed to contain a familiar aura... just like that sweet gardenia fragrance...
...No!
Iris suddenly froze, as if remembering something, and quickly covered her mouth and nose.
"Hyacinth! Quickly cover your nose! Don't smell this scent!"
"Hy—"
Before she could finish.
The blue Magic Girl felt her vision go black, and with a splash, she fell backward.
She seemed to hear Iris's scream and the sound of the Magic Cannon firing.
But after that—Hyacinth's consciousness was enveloped by a golden figure, slowly sinking into darkness.