LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 53
The room I returned to after a long time had turned into a complete mess because of me.
I tried not to kill anyone. After all, I had a weapon in my hands that could annihilate a person in an instant.
With this, even if I hit an alien with full force, it would only leave them battered, but for a regular person, just falling from my grip could mean losing a limb.
The flames from the propulsion device could likely burn to the bone. Of course, I wasn’t thinking that this fire was the same as the one I knew, but at least it should have been enough to melt the wire that had fallen over my head.
There were two reasons I tried not to kill anyone.
One was the simple fact that I didn’t want to become a murderer.
I’m not a good person. Didn’t I come this far purely for the most emotional reasons at incredibly critical moments?
Even though I knew Noir Corporation was an evil group from reading webtoons, there were times when my life was at stake, and I would reckless rampage without a thought for my opponent’s safety.
Still, I didn’t want to kill anyone.
It was a line I didn’t wish to cross.
…Maybe one day I’ll be able to.
If the current chairman of Noir Corporation had been in front of me, I might’ve really killed him.
But no matter how lost I was, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it in front of Ji-hye. I didn’t want to.
So, I stood there with a stiff expression and gave those bastards a solid punch to each of their gas masks.
Splat.
It wasn’t just their masks that broke.
It wasn’t a military gas mask with two eye holes; it was an industrial gas mask made of a single large piece of transparent plastic, which didn’t adequately protect the face below from my fists.
Blood splattered everywhere.
My hands were covered in it.
Of course, it wasn’t my blood.
As the gas M pulled out their destroyed masks and inhaled the gas, they each crumpled down one by one.
They were still breathing, so they weren’t dead, but to the people watching, it probably didn’t look that way at all.
I mean, when you see someone knocked unconscious with bits of plastic lodged in their face, it would look as though their whole face had caved in.
Some fled, while others rushed closer to Ji-hye.
Neither action would help.
I caught hold of the neck of one fleeing and yanked them back, smashing my fist into their face. The guy, who was about a head taller than me, slammed the back of his head against the ground as his mask shattered and he slumped down.
The guy lunging toward Ji-hye… might have been trying to take her hostage.
I delivered a spin kick to his waist.
He flew back and crashed into my desk.
The CDs and player I had stacked all came crashing down, creating a cacophony of sound.
“……”
In the room that had been reduced to chaos in mere seconds, I stood frozen for a moment.
It was a disaster. There were blood stains everywhere, the desk was in disarray…
What should I do now? Should I just disappear?
For now, I broke one of the men’s legs at the knee. Their faces and legs would heal at the clinic anyway. This seemed to be a more reliable method than just tying them up haphazardly.
Then, dragging them along, I headed outside.
All the students and teachers were passed out.
In the hallway, there was a strange contraption. It resembled an oxygen tank used beside a critically ill patient, with various mechanical devices attached.
“….”
The circuits were still running. Perhaps I was feeling a much deeper despair now than when I was rampaging inside that building.
…Everything had fallen apart.
Because of me.
Even the only place I thought of as home.
How would the kids here view me now? What about the teachers? Would I be able to come back here again?
A black dot appeared in the void.
I released the grip on the people I was holding.
I didn’t know where they went, but the people were gone. At least those who had forcefully intruded this way were no longer here.
And the device too.
Would the unconscious people wake up again? How long would it take for them to recover?
I didn’t know.
I didn’t know anything. My mind wasn’t functioning well.
I opened the window of the building and felt the stale air ventilate, but…
I dashed toward the principal’s office. The principal was slumped over the desk, unconscious.
I picked up the receiver and dialed 119.
Please, please, please.
I hope everyone is safe.
I hope everyone is okay.
*
There were too many aliens.
No matter how strong the magical girls were, they weren’t omnipotent.
It varied with each alien, but generally, it took several magical girls to subdue just one at a time.
A monster rampaging with lost reason doesn’t care how many people get hurt around it—even if they die, it’s of no concern.
There’s a significant gap between fighting while worrying about minimizing damage and one that does not.
Moreover, the magical girls had to subdue the aliens without actually killing them. To revert the aliens back to their original forms, they had to banish them out into space and far away from Earth.
Those who return to their original forms forget all memories of being aliens.
No matter how many people get hurt or even die, they face no judgment.
“……”
Of course, the situation here was different.
Even if there was chaos surrounding us, it didn’t matter, but the number of aliens was far too overwhelming to subdue each of them without killing.
Rose’s gauntlet slammed into the face of a large dog-like alien. Despite being called a dog, it actually walked on two legs, resembling an armored werewolf.
“Gah…!”
The blow landed perfectly on its face, and even though the helmet shattered to reveal its interior, the alien swung its arm around recklessly. The claws it bore were sharp.
Clang!
When I raised the gauntlet in defense, it grazed past, leaving a chilling scar.
Smash!
But this time, something heavy hit me from behind.
A foot. A lanky, tall creature with long arms smashed into my waist.
“Rose, get down!”
Delphinium shouted.
Rose stumbled and threw herself to the ground. As she lay flat, I felt something hot pass over me.
Boom!
Oxygen ignited, causing a surge of pressure that rattled the air.
I heard two aliens crumple to the ground.
Dahlia unleashed magic above them to prevent the injured aliens from moving again. Thanks to that, alongside one that was already incapacitated, another one couldn’t rise from the floor.
Crack!
On the other side, Iris was shooting her gun.
The long rifle she typically used lay abandoned on the ground. There were no bullets left for it. Given the proximity to the aliens, shooting accurately with it was nearly impossible anyway.
While firing with a shorter gun like a submachine gun, she provided cover for Ha-yoon as she swung her sword.
As I glanced back slightly, I saw a pink trajectory dancing.
Ducking gracefully under the thick arms that swung towards her, she dashed forward with swift agility.
Swish.
“……!”
Ha-yoon’s circuit spun rapidly. The shining pink blade pierced through the alien’s armpit, emerging out the other side of its shoulder.
Even to the deafening roar of the alien, she didn’t flinch, pulled out her sword, and seized its back.
Then, she stomped down hard on the belt part that stuck out from that smooth armor and leapt up to stab the other shoulder of the alien.
Bang!
With a small explosion, something burst forth. Although an arm didn’t fall off, whatever device lay on its right shoulder exploded, revealing a burned arm.
The circuit.
The magical girls were struggling to determine the circuit’s location while fighting the aliens.
However, the exact location of the circuits was different for each alien. For those that bore silhouettes similar to humans, it wasn’t too hard to identify that part. Usually, they were found on the back of either shoulder. Maybe to directly pump energy into the joints?
But things changed with four-legged aliens or those that had extra arms or legs.
Still, Ha-yoon calmly reduced the number of aliens, one by one.
Smash!
“Gahh!?”
When the circuit got destroyed, the alien went wild. Its body might’ve weakened due to losing powered assistance, but conversely, the restrictions on its movements imposed by the suit were now lifted.
The alien jumped up and crashed against the wall, pushing Ha-yoon into the wall.
Gunfire rang again, and a single alien that took a bullet to the head from Iris collapsed helplessly.
But then two aliens lunged toward Iris.
This battle kept going on.
The count of aliens already felled reached double digits. Were there always this many aliens? The number captured by the magical girls was, of course, considerable, but this many being in one spot felt like too many.
Could it be that there’s a method to produce these aliens?
Everyone was thinking this, but—
“No way!”
I spotted an alien tossing Rose aside and charging towards us.
I couldn’t tell whether it was attempting to enter the broadcast room. Making that kind of judgment or issuing commands was impossible.
But simply being nearby was dangerous. The walls around us were already collapsing due to the furious battle with the aliens. If something charged into the broadcast room that had already lost its door, it wouldn’t be manageable anymore.
Ha-yoon dove toward the alien with all her might.
A groan escaped her mouth. It felt like slamming into a large boulder. I think I felt something crack, yet I still wouldn’t let go of my wand.
…Ji-eun must have had it much worse.
No, she would have had it tougher. While Ha-yoon fought with hope, Ji-eun had endured without any.
“……Aaargh!”
With a forced shout, I took a step forward, swinging my wand to sweep the alien’s leg, then stabbing it into its shoulder.
This time, since there was no circuit there, the alien seized Ha-yoon and hurled her away.
She barely managed to stop herself by grabbing onto the wall. I could hear dangerous cracking sounds from her fingers, but I ignored it.
I can still fight.
Ha-yoon reestablished her stance.
At the same time, the sounds of gunfire and magic flew past her. Dahlia and Iris attacked together, causing the alien to stagger.
They weren’t able to support me, as both were too busy dealing with the aliens charging towards them.
The bright light enveloped the alien, causing its movements to freeze for a moment. While Delphinium’s hurried spell struck the alien and sent it reeling, Ha-yoon quickly dashed behind it to slice at its back.
With a small explosion ringing out, the alien fell.
“Haah, haah… haah.”
Ha-yoon glared fiercely, holding her ground.
As she gritted her teeth and stared at the aliens, their movements hesitated slightly.
The instinctively driven aliens now seemed to feel a hint of fear.
The magic girl’s outfit was torn here and there. Some places were stained with blood, and there were also bruises everywhere.
But she still couldn’t fall.
Not yet, as Ji-eun hasn’t come yet.
It was Ha-yoon who had declared she would protect this place.
“…….”
The other kids were probably no different from Ha-yoon.
But still, no one left. Even if they did, I doubt anyone would say anything.
Ha-yoon’s sword flared up.
Slowly, she began to walk toward the aliens in front of her.
A few aliens stepped back.
No, I can’t let them go like this.
If they get out as they are, they will surely harm people.
The people in the building must have nearly all escaped, but the police remained outside. Not to mention, reporters had gathered.
If the aliens got outside, they would hurt those people.
…Is a magical girl really a righteous being?
I’m still confused about whether I was a righteous being or not. Perhaps I had just lost myself in my own world, not caring to observe what was around me.
But despite this, I didn’t want to give up on what I believed in.
Ha-yoon charged forward.
I won’t let a single one through.
I didn’t plan on letting a single one of them go.
The sound of gunfire rang again, and I saw magic flying through the air. The back ignited brightly. Delphinium was preparing the next spell.
Beside Ha-yoon, Rose dashed forward.
…I feel guilty.
If I had just remained silent, perhaps this situation wouldn’t have unfolded. No one would have scolded Ha-yoon if she just chose to stay still instead of following me.
What would happen next?
Would they also find themselves in danger? Would the Federation order them to return the circuit right away?
I was totally clueless. I couldn’t guess.
Ji-eun must have endured in situations like these.
“…….”
I grit my teeth.
At least I wanted to keep one promise, even if it was a promise I made unilaterally. That’s why Ha-yoon didn’t stop.
*
When I returned, it was chaos.
“……”
Aliens lay all over. Very few gloves remained intact.
Some were exposed with pieces of flesh or fur torn away, trying to force themselves up while their bodies were too weak to do so.
And there.
By the door, the four magical girls were slumped over.
Dahlia and Delphinium leaned against the wall, panting heavily. They didn’t even seem to have the strength to open their eyes.
Rose was on one knee, one arm raised, looking up at the ceiling with a slightly glazed expression. Her gauntlet was bent and battered.
Iris was still seated, holding her gun.
…Other than those four, there was one more.
Ha-yoon was standing.
As if to guard what was left of the broadcast room door that was now destroyed.
Beyond that door, the inside looked far too clean and intact compared to the hallway.
There were bloodstains around the door frame. Traces of someone who had gripped tightly with bloodied hands.
“……Why?”
I asked blankly.
What reason was there for her to stand after everything had turned to this?
What reason had driven her to come find me in such a state?
“Ji-eun.”
Ha-yoon smiled brightly.
Even in the midst of such wreckage.
Her body was glistening with sweat everywhere, mixed with black dust, making her completely messy. Of course, I also wasn’t much different—
“……”
Ha-yoon turned slightly and opened a path.
As I looked at Ha-yoon, I slowly entered the broadcast room.
“You’ve done quite well.”
A mocking voice echoed.
“I’m curious if you think it’s rational to act like that at such a crucial moment.”
But even as James said this, he stepped aside.
The drone was covered in wires, all connected to the broadcasting equipment, which was powered on.
“As expected, they cut off the internet and turned off the electricity.”
James continued to jibe.
But this time, his sarcasm wasn’t directed at me.
“However, what we needed was not the damaged equipment itself. The forces that could destroy everything have all retreated, and all the aliens were concentrated in here. It seems they were quite terrified of just magical girls. Quite foolish, really.”
“……”
As I listened to those words, I stepped further inside.
James was perched on a piece of gear that descended from the drone.
He spoke next to the microphone.
“The preparations for the piracy are complete.”
And with one press of a button, the mic lit up.
Is it… turned on?
Watching James, who exaggeratedly bowed as if to thank the audience after a performance, I grasped the wireless microphone.
Then I turned around.
Ha-yoon was leaning against the door frame, smiling at me.
Is this… what you want me to do?
I had many thoughts.
Why? What for?
You’re a magical girl. You have always remained in that position until now.
Even when you didn’t know me, even after you did, you stayed the same.
If it goes like this…
If it goes like this, then I can’t hate you.
I could win…
I gripped the microphone tightly.
I turned to look at James.
Yeah. But ultimately, this is all I have left. That chairman has torn apart even the last connection I had to my loved ones.
Surely Ji-hye and the people at the orphanage will be scared of me moving forward.
So I must—.
James pressed the broadcasting equipment button. I didn’t know what it would do, but when it turned on, my face was on all the screens.
In every monitor in the broadcast room.
Each screen bore the logo of the broadcasting station in the corner. Some seemed even decorated like breaking news reports. [Black Magical Girl, Another Terrorist Attack?] They sure are chatting a lot.
“I am—”
What should I say?
How should I introduce myself?
After thinking for a moment, I said it like this.
“I am not a terrorist.”
What will people think while watching this broadcast?
I had no idea.
“I am not the one who planted that bomb. I was merely one of Noir Corporation’s combatants, just one of those caught up in it.”
Once I began, the words flowed easily.
“Even if I say this— I don’t expect you to believe me.
I just couldn’t endure this anymore, as it felt so unfair. When I woke up without knowing anything, the only people who came for me were the police. I was just there, but I had passed out because I got swept into everything, yet people were dragging me off to a place I knew nothing about.
So I ran away. I just kept running and running. But as more people chased after me, I got scared…”
The screen shifted.
To a scene of me getting shot.
Dressed only in hospital clothes, the bullet pierced through, and I collapsed, bleeding on that spot.
The sight of heavy nets being dumped on top of me. At first, my figure was visible through the net, but soon enough, there were so many layers piled up that I couldn’t be seen anymore.
I looked at James.
Where exactly did he get this footage and how? Did he hack it?
“After that, I did my best to survive. I ran away, hid. …Yes, I did steal the generator. I didn’t like those who kept chasing after me. And that company just abandoned me. They shifted all responsibility onto me. I wanted revenge on a company like that.”
I kept speaking.
“I also tried to make a good impression on all of you. But even when I subduing aliens, all that came back were gunshots. No matter how many hostages I rescued, I was still just a terrorist.”
When the screen shifted again, my battles with aliens, and then the scene of getting shot appeared. All were captured on police body cameras.
“So, I came here today. I want to tell all of you about me. You might not believe it. The government, the company, and the Federation will just treat me as a terrorist.”
A screen cut away.
“But it was too unfair to stay silent…”
Another screen cut away.
“And…”
Yeah, and.
“Today, those bastards who crossed the line thinking they could stop me.”
I glared into the screen.
Several screens scrambled, and finally, just one remained in front of me. It was probably something still being controlled.
“……Those garbage who took hostages at the orphanage. I will never forgive you.”
I spoke through gritted teeth.
“I’m coming for you. I’ll let everyone know what you did. I’ll return everything that has been done to me and all those who tried to pull that stunt, piece by piece, and I will make sure you feel it completely.”
By the time we reached this point, I would have only shouted about my grievances.
But having reached this line, it couldn’t end like just that.
Once I crossed that line, there’s no way I could just let it go.
With sincerity, I said it.
“So, wait for me.”
Even the screen glaring back at me went dark.
My image reflected back in the black screen, glaring at me.
Just like Ha-yoon, it was a mess.
It was chaotic, but at least it wasn’t a powerless face.
As I had come this far, this was where it ended.
A new goal had emerged.