Transformation or Death

 Loss, Preparation (5)

Rain made of lightning.

Many let out sighs and screams at this rarely seen disaster. It was hard to believe that a single villain had caused such a calamity.

Although the electrical systems in most buildings had stopped, no new light source was needed.

The entire sky was bright. When one lightning bolt ended, three more struck without delay. With tens of thousands of lightning bolts covering the sky, light was unnecessary.

The sound of thunder mixed with wailing, creating a scene from hell. In the midst of it all were the magical girls.

-Come this way! Over here!

-If you’re injured, come here!

-I will protect you!

Some led the evacuations, some treated the injured, and some used their bodies and magic to shield people from the lightning.

And some resisted the villain, even knowing it was futile.

“Damn it all…”

Orange Altair was one of them.

She shot arrows endlessly, but most turned to ash after being struck by lightning before even reaching the villains. The few arrows that did make contact barely made a dent. The lightning wreathing their bodies acted like armor, blocking the arrows.

If she took more time to concentrate magical power before shooting, she might be able to deal some damage. But she couldn’t do that.

The arrows shot incessantly from high places served as good shields, blocking the lightning falling from the sky, making evacuation easier.

If she were to reduce the number of these curtain fires, it was obvious that civilians would be harmed. Between certain protection and uncertain attack that might not even work, the choice was the former.

Her eyes were tired from the madly flashing lightning storm. For a moment, she took her eyes off to observe what others were doing. Even then, her hands did not stop.

Most of those trying to land effective hits on the villain were no different from Orange Altair.

“Aaaagh! Why can’t you exert any strength! Ganbare (hang in there)~ you trash!!! If you can’t even attack, why are you alive!!! Just shine (die)!!! Ah, already dead.”

Looking towards White Davi, Orange Altair heaved a deep sigh. It was a good opportunity to resolve never to become like that.

If only she had diverted some of those many skeleton soldiers towards evacuation instead of meaninglessly charging them into the lightning, the situation might have been better.

In the midst of this, she saw a new light welling up from the center of the lightning. It was an incredible amount of light. Enough to easily erase the flashes of lightning and dye everything in its own color.

A familiar pink.

For a moment, Orange Altair went blank. Her hand, which had been drawing the bowstring without rest, stopped for just a moment.

“…Deneb?”

It was a familiar starlight that she should no longer be able to see.

***

Ippotranslation 

*** 

[ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATION!]

What flowed from the belt was a vigorous mechanical sound. A celestial observation recited in the mascot’s voice.

Joo Ah-yoon saw a star.

A bright star that seemed like it would blind her. A star filled with a vivid pink light. But a small star.

This star too, she knew.

“…Deneb.”

The star she saw when she became a magical girl. The star that fell like a shooting star to her, who held an earnest wish.

Though it was a small light, it was never a shabby light.

She reached out and caressed the majestic light she saw again.

“Yes, I had forgotten you too.”

Joo Ah-yoon has no such thing as dreams. Nevertheless, the star came to grant her wish. Not to protect her dream, but to give her a chance to protect someone else’s dream.

“I’m sorry.”

But as time passed, Joo Ah-yoon gradually forgot her gratitude for the star. Circumstances overwhelmed will, fatigue consumed goodwill, and weakness erased courage.

“Now I won’t forget.”

Deneb.

This star bearing the name of a tail, was her tail.

Always an uncomfortable presence she wanted to detach, yet at the same time, a love-hate existence that made her lose balance the moment it disappeared.

“And, I won’t be ashamed either.”

[Deneb!]

The name of the first star was called.

“It might be shameless, but I have one more thing to say.”

The star that came to Joo Ah-yoon, this time she sought and chose it.

“You alone are not enough.”

She was no longer passively chosen. She directly chose her own light and drew the lines.

[Denebola!]

Denebola, the star of Leo.

[Deneb Kaitos!]

Deneb Kaitos, the star of Cetus.

[Deneb Algedi!]

Deneb Algedi, the star of Capricornus.

[Deneb Dulfim!]

Deneb Dulfim, the star of Delphinus.

Four additional stars bearing the name of a tail were selected.

She directly chose and selected the names of tails she always wanted to erase.

Constellations are originally not there, but a stigma in the sky drawn by people connecting star to star.

Then, if one is human, one can also connect distant stars and name them.

Joo Ah-yoon connected her possibilities with her tail.

“I don’t have to be the body. Being the tail is enough.”

She doesn’t need attention. She doesn’t need interest. There’s no need to shine with a grand sense of mission or justice. Other people are enough to be such protagonists. What she wants is not to be the protagonist, but a world where these protagonists can shine.

“As long as I can connect, that’s enough.

That’s why she is the tail.

Not the sentence, but the period.

The comma connecting sentence to sentence.

This much is enough.

Even if she’s at the end, if she can be the stability for someone who runs without rest, that’s enough.

The possibility she observed has been realized here in form.

Five different stars connected, completing an existing constellation.

[CASSIOPEIA!]

Cassiopeia.

It became a bridge connecting even to the North Star. A W-shaped constellation like a bird flapping its wings.

The constellation drawn to connect someone shining was, paradoxically, the shape of a queen who ascended to the sky.

Five pink lights encircled Joo Ah-yoon’s body. She placed her hand on the belt spread out in an M-shape. She firmly pressed the right wing. When she removed her hand, the folded wing slowly regained its original shape with elasticity.

Again, a mechanical sound leaked out.

[CONSTELLATION OBSERVATION!]

She saw the constellation.

Having seen it, all that’s left is to approach.

To wrap that sparkle around this body.

[Are You Ready?]

The belt, her mascot, asked once again.

Are you ready, it asked.

Are you ready to give up your happiness, are you ready to give up your well-being and peace.

Are you ready to challenge an endless path of hardship.

Are you ready to lose the tranquility you could have had.

“Why so formal.”

She merely recited her answer from just before once again.

Joo Ah-yoon doesn’t have the courage to dream.

“I’ve been ready for a long time already.”

But she has the courage to protect dreams.

Because she had already been a magical girl for a long time.

Because she had been a guardian.

Kwaaang! A fierce light shot up to the end of the sky.

A sacred stream of light flowed as if a celestial maiden was descending, and from within it walked someone adorned in pink armor decorated with white feathers and a white winged dress.

Soon the light stream subsided and gathered at her chest. An ornament in the shape of the Cassiopeia constellation formed, decorating her.

“Gotta give what’s due.”

Even Aquila could not ignore that light. He lowered his gaze that had been fixed on the insolent one who cut off his neck.

“Ho.”

He couldn’t help but marvel even in the midst of his anger. The appearance was clearly that of a monster, but what he felt was the power of a magical girl, and at the same time, that magical girl’s power existed in multiples.

A presence as if five magical girls were gathered. Aquila smirked.

“Even an ant flinches when stepped on, I see you have the skill to protect yourself in this situation.”

Aquila laughed haughtily and moved his hand again. Tens of thousands of lightning bolts moved according to his gesture. It was as if an organic colony made of lightning was moving.

“Wait just a moment. I’ll punish this guy and then have you.”

Tens of thousands of lightning bolts merged into one stream, becoming a thick bolt.

“Sleep for a bit.”

Kwagwang! Lightning the size of a mountain came down to the ground. The target was towards her.

“You? Me? You’re out of your mind.”

But the lightning didn’t reach the ground. The lightning was elegantly torn in half. From within the splitting lightning came a frivolous laugh.

“You’re too expensive for the likes of you to have me.”

Tung, she lightly dusted off her hands. What flowed from her fingertips was a shuriken resembling a butterfly. Aquila avoided the shuriken by just slightly tilting his head.

But at that moment. The positions of the butterfly and her were reversed.

Finding herself suddenly flying through the sky, she looked down at Aquila and shouted loudly.

“Listen well!”

Her outstretched foot came down towards Aquila.

“All you bastards will have is death, damn it!!!”

Before Aquila could even react, her kick struck his head. Pop! With a crisp impact sound, Lightning’s body and head were separated. His head flew through the sky once again.

“How dare you…!”

Aquila tried to reform Lightning’s body. However, just before the lightning could move, a shadow fell over his head.

A black-eyed villain composed entirely of white lightning. It was Watcher. He raised his brutish large axe high.

And then he brought it straight down.

Kwagwang! Thunder rolled and Aquila’s head landed on the ground without any delay.

“H-How dare you…!”

“You what.”

She, who had somehow already come down to the ground first, kicked Aquila’s grounded head up like a soccer ball.

Watcher, falling from above gaining gravitational acceleration, swung his axe aiming at that head.

A slash intended to cleave in two. But Aquila’s head ultimately did not split. In the end, Watcher decided to drive the axe into the ground with the head pinned under it.

Kwagwang! A thunderous sound like a giant tree splitting rang out and Aquila’s head was buried deep into the earth.

Aquila was still not dead. Watcher swung his axe again. But Aquila was faster. He spewed lightning in all directions. The lightning, emitted in the shape of a golden crown, easily melted and burned the surroundings as if melting chocolate.

“That won’t do.”

Just before the lightning touched Watcher’s body, she threw butterfly-shaped shurikens. In two directions simultaneously. One towards Watcher, one towards empty space untouched by lightning.

As the butterfly reached Watcher, he was immediately transported to the empty space.

The ability of teleportation, connecting end to end like a bridge. An ability once possessed was now back in her hands.

“How dare you insignificant things…!”

“Damn, he’s so tough.”

Aquila thrashed about in seething rage. No one here was intimidated by that anger.

One held the butterfly shuriken, one raised the axe.

Behind her back, an elegant wing-robe fluttered while behind Watcher’s back, lightning taking on the appearance of a cloak shook incessantly.

There were no words between the two. Watcher, focused only on the target, had no chance to properly observe her. Also, there was no particular reason to eliminate her who was helping to deal with the enemy. So Watcher neglected her. Watcher had no emotions towards her. No worry, no gratitude, no sadness. He had now lost everything.

She observed Watcher. Judging by the amount of lightning, it seemed like 30 seconds would be the limit to maintain his power.

“That’s enough.”

Behind the expressionless helmet, her expression was undoubtedly a smile. She pointed a finger at Watcher.

“Brother, let’s finish him first.”

The butterfly flew. The butterfly that passed behind Aquila’s head had suddenly switched positions with Joo Ah-yoon. She spoke final words to the arrogant head.

“Are you ready to dance with the stars?”

“What are you suddenly saying….”

She threw butterflies simultaneously. One butterfly soared into the sky, the other touched Aquila’s head.

And so Aquila’s head was transported to the sky. The butterflies did not end with just one. Tens of thousands of butterflies embroidered the area around him.

“Ah, no….”

Aquila, already guessing her ability, muttered in unease. He tried to emit lightning to scatter the butterflies, but the light just passed through. It couldn’t push away the butterflies.

One butterfly disappeared, and she appeared to strike Aquila’s head. Then another disappeared, and Watcher appeared to behead him.

There were still tens of thousands of butterflies left.

The 7.11 seconds it took for Aquila’s head to fall back to the ground. During those 7.11 seconds, tens of thousands of butterflies vanished and tens of thousands of kicks and slashes were repeated.

Hajyeokgak (Butterfly Kick).

To the point where one could not tell what was butterfly and what was attack, ephemerally and fleetingly, tens of thousands of trajectories decorated the sky. Pink and white lines were drawn for a few seconds.

In just a few seconds, Aquila experienced the torment of endless hell. No matter how tough a head, it could not remain intact in this endless agony.

Just before touching the ground, his head turned to powder and scattered.

“I guess… You weren’t prepared.”

Joo Ah-yoon muttered, watching the pathetic demise of the once-arrogant villain.

The sky had cleared up at some point.

The final thunderbolt cast into that dry sky.

“…You too, brother?”

Looking at Watcher, Han Jae-jung, she muttered sadly.

T/N: Your support is greatly needed, I am not one to complain but this novel cannot carry on like this.

Anyways… Happy Reading!!!

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