Chapter 25: The Price of Heroism and a Conflicted Heart

Ah…

So this is what it feels like to be caught in an explosion’s updraft.

I’m about to be launched into the sky.

The monster, who hadn’t introduced himself and whom I’d tentatively dubbed “Bomb,” detonated without a moment’s hesitation.

The instant I transformed and gripped my scythe, I perceived the ‘cracks’ in his form.

The monster, plummeting like a meteor, resembled a colossal mech.

However, it lacked the cool factor of animated mechs; instead, black smoke billowed from its entire body.

Its brain and body trembled incessantly, as if on the verge of collapse, and all its parts glowed an overburdened crimson.

I was unsure if striking him would prevent the explosion, but if I failed to act—

Everyone in the stadium would be plunged into peril.

For Hayato’s sake, and for the safety of everyone else, I had no choice but to proceed.

Leaping into the air, I drew closer to the monster, gaining a clearer view.

Its eyes were crimson, seemingly filled with endlessly scrolling code.

Upon seeing me, it instinctively reacted with an attack.

The firearms on its arms were laboriously raised, then aimed directly at my body.

I would never allow it to succeed!

Raising my scythe high, I held my breath, as its fragile connection points revealed themselves unequivocally in my sight.

The closer I got, the clearer I saw.

The number of cracks, to my surprise, was steadily multiplying.

It was as if the monster’s body was on the verge of complete disintegration.

“Explo…sion…”

These words rasped from the monster’s throat.

“Live… on…”

“Don’t… want… to die…”

Its arms detached, falling like the debris of a plummeting rocket.

I heard the gasps of alarm from the crowd below.

But what in the world was wrong with this thing?!

My attack hadn’t caused it to show even the slightest intention of backing down.

Had its body become a machine, devoid of pain?

Yet, what was with the way the monster was looking at me?

Fear, helplessness, like an insect ensnared in a spiderweb.

It was a despair more profound than that of the crowd beneath.

This was the first time I had ever witnessed such an emotion in a monster.

Typically, they derived immense pleasure from destruction.

Their underlying numbness and agitation found their happiest release through acts of devastation.

For this very reason, monsters could never coexist peacefully with humans.

“Save…”

In the final instant before the explosion, I saw it—a plea for help in its eyes.

A crimson light, accompanied by scorching heat, surged directly towards my body.

It wasn’t particularly painful; I was merely swept up by the blast, then fell uncontrollably.

A vast amount of magical power had been consumed, likely used to defend against the explosion.

It seemed my attack had hastened the explosion.

Mid-air, the monster fragmented into countless pieces.

First its hands, then its feet, followed by its torso, and finally its head.

The sounds of explosions echoed ceaselessly.

Its various body parts did not dissipate into black mist; instead, they burned with flames, plummeting to the ground like shooting stars.

The people on the ground scattered in every direction.

I hoped no one was hurt.

Although I was closest to the blast, my body was surprisingly robust.

Even crashing into a tree wouldn’t cause any serious harm, would it?

The sky seemed to recede further and further.

The shouts from below grew clearer.

They seemed to be yelling “Magical Girl.”

Yes, I am the Magical Girl, the hero who saves everyone.

I watched helplessly as my body continued its descent.

‘No, my magical power is about to run out!’

To my surprise, my transformation wasn’t dispelling instantly as usual; instead, it was fading, spreading from various parts of my body.

If this continued, I would plummet to the ground and be splattered.

‘If only my corpse could be rendered unrecognizable, then Aoyama Ren would at least remain innocent.’

I figured that a boy becoming a Magical Girl would, after all, never be accepted by the general public.

Strange, my life is hanging by a thread, so why can’t I kiss Hayato?

I truly remain unwilling to accept this.

Mom always said, if you like something, you should get it early.

If you get it past its prime, the sense of surprise will be gone.

It was with such persistent, tireless advances that she got my dull, old-fashioned dad to agree to her proposal.

And yet, I never said anything about going back home to get married after this battle, did I?

Subconsciously, I searched for Hayato’s figure.

He was sprinting towards the direction of my fall.

With my improved eyesight, I could faintly discern his anxious expression.

Falling from such a height, if I were to hit him, Hayato would merely become my human cushion.

Rather than a happy ending where both of us were safe, it was far more likely that both Hayato and I would be severely injured.

If I could think of this, Hayato surely knew it too.

Nevertheless, he came rushing over, utterly reckless.

Please, don’t make me think you’re cool even in my final moments.

I recalled the scene yesterday on the basketball court, with all those girls bringing Hayato water.

If I were a girl, I would simply declare my ownership in front of them.

I could absolutely make them leave in tears.

Hayato wouldn’t refuse to hug me, nor would he refuse to hold my hand.

After all, we’ve already kissed.

This, without a doubt, was proof of love.

That’s what they always say in TV shows and movies.

If a man and a woman of similar age kiss, it’s definitely love.

I couldn’t possibly be wrong about this.

Mom also said that once you take someone’s first kiss, they’ll never forget you.

It’s a pity, though, that Hayato’s first kiss was stolen by some vixen.

In that case, I could only kiss him more times to overwrite Hayato’s memories.

I had no other recourse.

Lingling had disappeared, but thankfully, it had left my head when the battle began.

Otherwise, it would have been caught in the explosion.

‘If it were a fairy, it should tell me if Magical Girls have any hidden reserve energy, right?’

When I was still about ten stories above the ground.

Suddenly, a wind carrying pink particles gently lifted my body.

Softly, I finally landed in Hayato’s arms.

“Whoa!”

I stared at Hayato, my eyes wide.

Yesterday, I had held him in this exact same pose.

However, that height difference had seemed rather odd.

This way, with our roles reversed, it seemed much more fitting.

“…”

‘No, what am I thinking while transformed?’

I shook my head.

Almost the instant my body touched Hayato’s, my magical power completely depleted.

‘Whenever I transform, I lose control of my thoughts.’

‘Just as someone dreaming doesn’t find the logic within the dream unreasonable.’

‘The Magical Girl me, her mind was filled solely with Hayato.’

‘When I awoke from the dream, I remembered what I had done, what I had seen, and even understood my thoughts from that time with perfect clarity.’

Because of this, as I looked at Hayato’s face, I felt a strange flush of heat.

It was truly hot; how had it come to this?

It wasn’t the feeling of being watched, but rather as if my entire body were burning up.

“Um…”

I frantically tried to get Hayato to put me down.

At that moment, I heard a chorus of shouts.

“That Magical Girl, she seems to have landed here!”

“Really? Let’s hurry!”

“It’s my first time seeing her! She’s so cute!”

“In any case, we should leave here now.”

Hayato held me tight and ran in the opposite direction of the voices.

Along the way, there was hardly a soul in sight.

However, at the corner of the school building, I saw a tall figure.

He was smoking while gazing at the sports field.

That was Fujiwara No, the Japanese language teacher for Class 2-3, and also my homeroom teacher.

‘Hey, won’t a teacher get fired for smoking on school grounds during a commotion?’

From the moment I first saw him, I’d felt he didn’t quite resemble an educator.

In terms of his demeanor and aura, he seemed more like a yakuza boss.

Yet, young teachers who came to teach at Shinonome High School were, without exception, graduates of prestigious universities.

His teaching ability in Japanese class also proved his exceptional competence.

The moment the three of us met, Fujiwara No silently snuffed out his cigarette.

I buried my face in Hayato’s chest.

‘I couldn’t be exposed, otherwise, in my homeroom teacher’s eyes, Aoyama Ren would just be a naughty child faking illness to skip class.’

“Watanabe-kun.”

Fujiwara No said.

“Fujiwara-sensei.”

Watanabe-kun replied.

“If you want to get intimate with a girl, there’s no one over there.”

The middle-aged teacher remarked flippantly.

‘He’s mistaken.’

I tensed my body, gripping the fabric beneath Hayato’s collar.

“Thank you, Fujiwara-sensei.

And thank you for the morning leave as well.”

Hayato thanked the homeroom teacher of Class 2-3.

“No problem.

If you ever need help with anything, Watanabe-kun, you can always come to me.”

‘Fujiwara-sensei, are you really not some yakuza boss?’

I listened to their conversation.

‘Still, having longer hair has its advantages, I suppose.’

‘No one would mistake the person Hayato-kun was holding for Aoyama Ren.’

Faintly, I heard a commotion.

The students searching for the Magical Girl’s whereabouts were getting closer again.

“Sorry, Sensei, we’ll be leaving now.”

Hayato said to the middle-aged teacher, then carried me into the building.

As I recalled, this place used to be a science lab, part of the old school building.

Now, it was used for storing archives, some rooms served as small club activity rooms, and the infirmary was also located here.

At this hour, there truly wouldn’t be anyone here.

No wonder Fujiwara-sensei came to such a secluded spot to smoke.

“Ren?”

Hayato called my name.

I snapped back to reality; the surroundings had become quiet.

It seemed we had completely shaken off our pursuers.

“What’s wrong?”

Hayato didn’t answer.

Following his gaze, I suddenly realized I was still clutching the fabric beneath his collar.

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