Chapter 52: The Battle for Tianze

Facing a moment as tense as a volcano on the verge of eruption, Polaris sprang into action without hesitation. Her movements were as swift as lightning, a relentless and determined flood, leading others toward the chaotic barrage of light and fissures unleashed by Liu Tianze.

In that instant, Polaris became the brightest focal point on the battlefield, her name living up to its meaning.

Black Mirror watched the figure charging forward in the rain, noticing that the others were following closely behind. Despite some lingering suspicion, they trusted each other as magic girls, even though they were technically enemies.

It was like a chaotic football match, where everyone struggled amidst the confusion. But when a pivotal player emerged, the others naturally began to rally around her, finding their own positions and roles. In this situation, cooperation and coordination became essential, even if their glory was tarnished.

The light remained undiminished, even more dazzling in the dark magic of the negative entity.

‘Use your powers to protect yourself,’ Black Mirror told Wen Qiusheng. ‘Once you’re safe, follow us.’ She then reached out to Ji Lanxin. ‘We should go.’

‘Yes, let’s go. We need to bring him back…’ Ji Lanxin’s words were cut short as Black Mirror pulled her up, her body floating effortlessly.

‘Wait, what’s—’ Black Mirror supported Ji Lanxin’s back with one hand and her feet with the other. In this position, Ji Lanxin instinctively wrapped her arms around Black Mirror’s neck, her head leaning against her.

‘Hold on tight, or you might fall.’

Black Mirror showed no sign of awareness that she was carrying Ji Lanxin in a princess hold, her movements fluid and graceful. Once she confirmed Ji Lanxin was securely holding on, she began to move, leaving Wen Qiusheng stunned and alone in the rain.

‘In the future, it should be my turn to do this…’ Wen Qiusheng’s soft murmurs were drowned out by the sound of the rain.

Meanwhile, the magic girls were relentlessly pressing against Liu Tianze’s movements. Polaris and her partner were attracting his attention, one using agility to dodge his attacks, the other shielding them with a barrier, occasionally aiding their comrades.

Their coordination was seamless, a result of Polaris’s experience with the Rainbow Team, where a fearless leader always took the initiative. For Asherah, this was a rare opportunity to prove herself after her defeat in a simulation.

Asherah was not only eager to impress Polaris but also had many unspoken questions. She wanted to know why Polaris had accepted Black Mirror and why she kept secrets. For the first time, she yearned to understand her mentor’s thoughts.

However, the urgent situation demanded her full focus. She channeled her frustration and curiosity into her actions, fighting alongside Polaris with renewed vigor. In this battle, she realized that she was finally fighting shoulder to shoulder with her idol.

One wish fulfilled, others began to stir. The cat inside her ignited into a ‘burning’ mode, her fighting spirit blazing despite the towering shadow before her.

At a nearby position, a young girl with a gun found her rhythm, targeting the fissures around Liu Tianze with precise, rapid fire. Her concentration was unyielding, even in the harsh conditions, as she systematically destroyed each fissure, creating a small safe zone for her teammates.

Violent rain drops occasionally grazed her gun, but she remained undeterred, her focus locked on her target.

Another girl, seemingly able to manipulate wind, used her powers to both hinder Liu Tianze and enhance her allies’ mobility, influencing the battle’s flow from a broader perspective.

With clear objectives, their actions gained confidence. Each member fought with all their might, striving to control the situation and suppress Liu Tianze’s power.

A beam of light swept toward Ji Lanxin and Black Mirror, its crimson glow forcing Ji Lanxin to close her eyes in fear.

‘Leave it to me.’

Black Mirror’s voice was calm and composed, exuding a forceful assurance that made Ji Lanxin feel an unfamiliar sense of dependence.

Carried by Black Mirror, Ji Lanxin’s vision constantly shifted, tilting and rotating, often brushing past the light beams. It was incredible how Black Mirror navigated through Liu Tianze’s focused attacks, moving swiftly and decisively.

Black Mirror’s relentless pressure drove Liu Tianze to escalate his attacks. Overwhelmed by the combined assault of the magic girls and the negative entity, he poured out immense magic to fend them off, unable to truly repel them but also denying them any opportunity to break through.

The crimson light sliced through the rain, leaving a ghostly warmth in the thin mist. Black Mirror danced around Liu Tianze, her movements leaving trails of destruction, all while calculating his energy expenditure.

‘You’re just a mindless beast,’ Black Mirror thought. ‘Let’s see how long you can last.’

As predicted, after a brief frenzy, Liu Tianze’s movements noticeably slowed. His massive eye, half-open and weary, revealed his exhaustion. Polaris seized the moment, using her shield to strike his lower body, and with Asherah’s timely kick, Liu Tianze was forced to one knee.

‘Get ready, it’s time to go down.’ Black Mirror, carrying Ji Lanxin, dove from the sky. Liu Tianze’s eye suddenly pulsated, and the fissures around him vanished, replaced by a surge of magic gathering in his eye.

‘Hold on tight.’

Black Mirror withdrew her hand from Ji Lanxin’s back and summoned her whip, striking Liu Tianze’s eye with a precise, lightning-fast movement. The whip, responding to her command, transformed into sharp, bone-like tendrils that ensnared Liu Tianze’s limbs and torso.

Each touch sent spikes of pain through his nerves, forcing him to howl in agony. His struggles only tightened the whip’s grip, trapping him like a spider’s prey.

‘Go,’ Black Mirror urged Ji Lanxin, giving her a gentle push from behind.

Ji Lanxin stood before Liu Tianze, her gaze falling on the familiar yet strangely alien face. She softly closed her eyes, her voice trembling with emotion.

‘You’re such a fool, Tianze. Why did you have to do this to yourself?’

Despite their proximity, he had countless chances to confide in her, yet he chose to shoulder everything alone. Why did he push them away, treating them as if they weren’t worthy of his trust?

‘Did you ever think about what you were doing?’

‘You keep everything to yourself, carrying all the burden alone. What do you think of us? Are we not worthy of your trust?’

‘You always said that as long as we’re together, there’s nothing to worry about… Those were your words.’

Liu Tianze’s response was a bestial roar, his eyes filled with aggression and madness. Words were meaningless to him.

‘Sorry, if I have to be forceful, I will. I’ll make you talk.’

‘I’ll bring you back, and I’ll listen to your true feelings. I’ll show you—’

‘I’m not just someone to be protected. Don’t underestimate me.’

Facing his cold, unfamiliar gaze, Ji Lanxin stepped closer, her hands gently cupping his face.

Negative entity magic surged from Jin Shiling, her already pale skin turning even more ashen. Black chains hung from her slender limbs, clinking with each tremble.

Her blurred, blood-red eyes flickered behind her, focusing on the chaos within. She clenched her teeth, pouring her power into Liu Tianze, searching for a connection amidst the void.

Searing pain shot through her spine, and she felt herself sinking into a quagmire. The more she struggled, the harder it was to maintain her power.

She couldn’t find any trace of a consciousness within Liu Tianze, only the overwhelming sense of being invaded. Yet, she persisted, driven by the faint hope that the half-closed eyes before her held the key to finding him.

‘Gah… ah… ah…’ Ji Lanxin nearly lost her grip, but a sudden force pulled her back, her hand slipping from Liu Tianze’s face.

‘Hold on!’ Wen Qiusheng grabbed her hand, linking their powers. The chains binding Ji Lanxin also wrapped around him, and the crushing spiritual pressure was transferred to him, leaving him gasping for breath.

‘Remember… I’m here too. I can be relied on, right?’ Wen Qiusheng managed a smile for Ji Lanxin.

Ji Lanxin hesitated, looking at the boy holding her hand. A spark of emotion ignited within her, a feeling she hadn’t known for a long time.

The rain and wind continued unabated, but Ji Lanxin felt something shifting—a crack in the barrier that had separated them from Liu Tianze, a wall that had kept them apart.

They might not be able to bring Liu Tianze back right away, or change anything immediately, but in that moment, Ji Lanxin knew: they were no longer fighting alone.

Her spirit stabilized, and her magic began to coalesce into a new order. The black chains grew taut, and her breath steadied in the wind and rain. The mark on her forehead, shaped like an eye, burned brightly.

Liu Tianze’s struggles slowed, and something deep within him stirred, awakening to their presence, even if it remained dormant.

‘…He’s responding to us,’ Ji Lanxin whispered, her tears mingling with the rain, no longer filled with just pain.

In this unspoken confrontation, everyone sensed a faint glimmer of hope piercing through the clouds above.