Chapter 19: A Desperate Sacrifice

Half an hour earlier, inside the morgue of Clear Sky City’s Second Municipal Hospital.

Eleven masked figures stood amidst a multitude of corpses.

“We are surrounded. Magical girls have been appearing in the vicinity, one after another.”

The person wearing a rat-head mask suddenly spoke. “I can already feel the nauseating, fervent magic of the magical girls—their so-called love and justice.”

“What should we do? With our current strength, can we truly defeat those magical girls? The Sheep Mask was forcibly annihilated by Amethyst. If they decide to act directly in this hospital, not even two of us would survive that Amethyst Storm.”

The speaker was a woman wearing a rabbit-head mask. Even though her expression was hidden, her worried tone conveyed her deep apprehension. She clearly harbored a profound fear of magical girls.

At that moment, the Dragon Mask finally spoke. “If they truly intended to do that, they wouldn’t just surround us like this; they would have unleashed an Amethyst Storm directly.”

Even though they seemed to be in an extremely perilous situation, he remained remarkably calm and composed. “Didn’t we choose to establish our base in this hospital precisely for this reason? The transfer of numerous patients here is a problem, and the medical equipment is another.”

“Magical girls cannot directly attack within this hospital. They are waiting for us to escape.”

“Dragon Mask, are you saying that as long as we don’t go out, they won’t dare to come in?”

The Dragon Mask shook his head. “That would be wishful thinking. While magical girls symbolize the power of love and justice, you are not children; you should know that justice often comes at a cost.”

“Even when pursuing the same objective, different magical girls employ varied approaches. Some might even be willing to negotiate with us for the sake of peace.”

“However, some magical girls will stop at nothing for peace. If we remain entrenched in this hospital, I believe you wouldn’t want to witness the power of Magical Girl Rainbow Jade.”

“Rainbow Jade?”

The Snake Mask suddenly interjected. “Isn’t that magical girl always known for her gentleness? Dragon Mask, why are you suddenly saying this? According to your own words, she should be the type to negotiate with us.”

“Had you said that a year ago, I would have agreed. But people change, and magical girls change too. Have any of you ever fought Rainbow Jade?”

Naturally, everyone shook their heads. None of them had been ‘monsters’ for more than two months, nor had they truly revealed themselves. How could they possibly have fought Magical Girl Rainbow Jade?

“I have fought her. You don’t need to speculate about my identity, but I must tell you this: abandon your preconceived notions. She is a cruel, merciless woman when it comes to monsters and monstrous demons.”

“The only reason I survived our encounter was sheer luck.”

No one could see the Dragon Mask’s expression, yet even so, they detected both fear and reverence in his words.

It was well known that the Dragon Mask was no ordinary individual.

Everyone understood that monstrous demons were irrational creatures. To be able to control one, use it for experiments, and cultivate their very existence… such a person now felt a profound dread towards Magical Girl Rainbow Jade.

“In that case, Dragon Mask, what do you propose?”

The Pig Mask suddenly asked, “Are we to simply flee?”

“We must escape. Our experiment has been completed.”

The Dragon Mask gave a resolute answer. “All of you were terminally ill patients, yet now you are not only cured but possess superhuman strength. Did I bestow this power upon you merely to watch you die?”

“Dragon Mask…”

“The world fears the power of monstrous demons, the power of monsters, yet no one has ever considered that this very power could be used to save humanity! The world scoffs at my ideals, my aspirations!”

The Dragon Mask suddenly became impassioned. “But you are different! You chose to believe in me! Even though the process was incredibly painful, you persevered! You gained newfound power!”

“Others may be prejudiced against me, but I trust that you understand my vision. This is a power that can benefit all of humanity!”

His words deeply moved many of the masked figures present.

Their willingness to believe in the Dragon Mask wasn’t truly born from such grand or noble intentions.

Rather, with terminal cancer and only days left to live, they had decided to gamble. Many of them had even known it was the power of monstrous demons before embracing it.

Yet, they thought that if becoming a monster meant survival, then perhaps it wasn’t so bad.

They were not noble.

Thus, they struggled to comprehend the Dragon Mask’s fervor at this moment, feeling a sense of shame instead.

“I know that your ideals may not align with mine,” the Dragon Mask suddenly stated. “But you have all witnessed the truth: my experiment has succeeded. You profoundly understand that the power of monstrous demons can be harnessed… merely knowing this fact is enough! Your possession of this knowledge is sufficient!”

He suddenly waved his hand!

A sealed container materialized. Inside, a silent girl appeared to be in a deep slumber.

Yet, on the girl’s left hand, there was a grotesque mass of flesh.

It pulsed and breathed, as if a living entity.

This was their “Saintess” and their “Holy Relic.”

It was the very foundation that allowed them to live and possess their current power.

It was the extreme emotions of a terminally ill girl, clinging to life, that had drawn together negative energy, on the verge of coalescing into a monstrous demon within her.

They had no idea what methods the Dragon Mask had employed to stabilize the girl’s transformation into a monstrous demon.

However, this girl was the root of all their power.

But now, at this crucial moment, why had the Dragon Mask brought out this girl? What was his intention?

“Everyone, you must escape.”

The Dragon Mask’s tone was grave. “By any means necessary, at any cost. Even if you truly cannot escape, surrender immediately. Whatever you do, do not die!”

“What?!”

The group was utterly bewildered; they couldn’t fathom what the Dragon Mask intended.

“I will unleash my full power to draw the attention of all the magical girls—you needn’t worry about me. You only need to use every possible means to escape while I distract them. As long as you live, I will not have failed. Even if I perish here, as long as you, the Saintess, and the Holy Relic remain, my ideals will never wither!”

He clenched his fist. “Since ancient times, no one has ever achieved their ideals without paying a price. I won’t delude myself into thinking success can be had without any sacrifice.”

“But—everyone! I have already succeeded! My life is this very price!”

His gaze suddenly shifted to the Ox Mask.

“Ox Mask, the Saintess and the Holy Relic are entrusted to you.”

The Ox Mask had not participated in the earlier discussion, but at this moment, he finally asked, “Why? Why me?”

“I won’t offer other reasons. I am entrusting the Saintess and the Holy Relic to you simply because you are the most adept at concealment. Ox Mask, if anyone can evade the magical girls’ pursuit with the Saintess, it is you. After all, an old ox is often a symbol of diligence and kindness. This is your best mask.”

There was another point: the Ox Mask might be the only one among them who hadn’t truly sought this power merely to survive. However, he deemed it unnecessary to share this reason with the others.

“I won’t deceive you. Even if I manage to attract the magical girls’ attention, you will still be pursued as you scatter. Whether you escape is another matter entirely.”

“I also won’t hide the fact that I’m having you split up to provide the Ox Mask with an opportunity to escape with the Saintess and the Holy Relic. In other words, you are also part of the bait.”

His honesty was so stark that it left everyone speechless.

“Therefore! Be ready! If you choose to surrender and be captured, that is your freedom. However, at that point, we will resist… We gathered for various reasons, but all that matters is that someone survives.”

He emphasized once more: “As long as someone lives! This hope will be passed on! This ‘future’ will not be extinguished! Even if you are villains! Criminals! Even if you merely cling to life! Everyone! Live!”

This somewhat peculiar monster organization, formed less than half a year ago, was now radiating something remarkable.

Beneath those masks, tears began to fall.

At that moment, the Dragon Mask looked up.

Through the ceiling and the towering buildings above, he could sense the shimmering, kaleidoscopic radiance.

“It’s time… I will pave the way for all of you.”

****

In that instant, time seemed to stand still.

Not a single soul remained in the entire morgue. Even the Saintess and the Holy Relic, previously held within the container, had vanished. In their place…

…was a deafening roar that shook the entire hospital.

The Dragon Mask appeared directly in the sky, numerous shattered concrete fragments still clinging to him.

He had already reached Magical Girl Rainbow Jade, his fist descending with force.

“Crack! Crack-crack!!!”

Only when cracks appeared on the kaleidoscopic mirror surface did Rainbow Jade seem to snap back to reality, taking two steps back. “Oh? Jumping out proactively, are we? I was just about to say I’d kill you all directly in the hospital… As the intelligence suggested, your speed is certainly high, but is there a momentary stiffness afterward?”

In her hand, a kaleidoscopic spear materialized.

With a fluid motion, she thrust the spear through the Dragon Mask’s body, lifting him and impaling him on its tip.

Her gaze, however, was fixed on the hospital, where several large holes had appeared.

“Is this to cover the escape of others? A monster organization, actually pulling off a self-sacrificing rear-guard action… making it seem like some noble deed.”

The magical girl’s lips curved into a slight smile.

She raised her other hand, and ten kaleidoscopic spears simultaneously appeared in the void.

“At least… more noble than you, Magical Girl Rainbow Jade…”

Rainbow Jade paused, slightly startled, her gaze falling upon the Dragon Mask. “How unexpected. My spear should inhibit your flesh regeneration. With such severe injuries, you haven’t lost consciousness?”

“I’ve waited a long time, Rainbow Jade! Don’t you dare think I am an opponent you can defeat so easily!”

The next moment, the already inhibited flesh began to spread wildly, climbing up Rainbow Jade’s spear and then reaching towards her own body.

Rainbow Jade’s brow furrowed slightly.

The ten spears reversed course, all plunging into the Dragon Mask’s body, one even striking him in the head.

The spreading flesh immediately ceased its advance.

Rainbow Jade shook her head slightly. The kaleidoscopic spears vanished, and the fragmented flesh naturally plummeted from the sky.

“I had originally intended to leave one alive—to inform the other magical girls and intercept those who escaped. We still need to know what they’re up to.”