Chapter 272: Reversal

Nest-building by Remnant Beasts is typically an activity carried out only in safe environments.

To gather sufficient materials and provide ample mana, most Remnant Beasts choose a relatively concealed location with abundant food before beginning to construct their nests.

This is also the primary basis upon which many Magical Girls hunt Pupa-stage Remnant Beasts; they use this standard to screen potential nesting sites, lie in wait, and eliminate those pupae that have not yet had time to build nests and cannot fully exert their strength.

However, there are always exceptions to every rule.

When too many Pupa-stage Remnant Beasts are hunted down for failing to build nests in time, and when too many pupae are destroyed by Magical Girls or even other Remnant Beasts after leaving the nest, the law of natural selection within the laws of nature takes effect; the Remnant Beasts that survive and successfully grow up mostly possess abilities that exceed the norm.

And now, Cornflower realizes that the opponent she faces is likely one of the survivors of natural selection, a top contender in the survival competition.

This Remnant Beast is using mucus taken from the scene to build a temporary nest for itself.

In fact, this is also the first time Cornflower has witnessed the process of a Remnant Beast nest forming.

The liquid flowing from the Remnant Beast, rising from the buildings and the ground, and even dripping from her and Nina's bodies all began to flow in the same direction as if possessed of life. These liquids mixed with the filth on the ground, turning into a yellow-green pus that no one would wish to look upon, swirling and rising around this block.

The space around seemed to be stretched along with the continuously circling liquid; the area that should have had a radius of only dozens of meters began to become infinitely vast. The clear street scenes also began to blur, as if covered by a filter; the colors of the buildings turned into an unpleasant blue-gray, and white foam and bubbles began to constantly emerge from the gaps between stone, wood, and bricks.

The entire space was melting.

Gazing at the mucus outer wall that was still continuously spiraling upward, now already over ten meters high and still constantly closing in, Cornflower realized that when this space completely sealed shut, she and Nina would likely fall into an extremely disadvantageous state.

Her Thread Magic Gear could not inflict real damage on this Remnant Beast's body, and the control achieved by her ruler could be easily shaken off; thus, the only remaining choice was the last one.

Unraveling all the threads that had become unusable, what she held in her hand became a pair of scissors.

This was a measure taken when there was no other way.

If possible, she did not wish to use her scissors at such a time, because once she activated the ability of Separation, she would instantly pay a huge amount of mana while having too much of her mana output occupied.

But if she allowed the nest below to close, then even if she used this ability later, she would be unable to turn the situation around.

"Ink Lotus, stop worrying about your clothes for now and activate your Magic Gear."

Healing her body with mana, Cornflower struggled to maintain her physical form and her ability to speak, giving orders to Nina: "Use your ability to fix an air wall along the path where the mucus spirals upward and block them."

"Eh, eh? Fixing air?"

Surprised for a moment by the plan Cornflower proposed, Nina obediently nodded: "Okay, I understand!"

She spread her hands, palms aimed at the nest's opening which was already nearly closed; while concentrating her attention, she gradually brought together several finger cots that had also begun to melt.

Crack.

"Waaah!"

However, before she could complete this series of actions, her figure became unstable, and she suddenly toppled over.

For in the midst of this process, one of her lower legs bent like melting ice, and scattered mana particles danced through the air like flying snow.

Although for a Magical Girl's mana body, such an injury was nothing; even if severed, it could be quickly healed with mana without any loss. But in the current situation, no matter how much she repaired her body, it would be of no use; indeed, the mana used to repair the body would also melt under the influence of the rules.

Cornflower, quick-eyed and quick-handed, supported Nina, but she had no time to offer comforting words, because if Nina did not use her Magic Gear to stop the nest from closing, everything would soon be too late.

"Act now!"

She could only shout this while extending her scissors forward.

The rules possessed by this Remnant Beast were simply too abnormal, too powerful for a Semi-Molt; at the same time, Cornflower found it hard to believe that such a rule, which was almost equivalent to "depriving Magical Girls of their ability to act," would have no restrictions.

The melting happening to her and Nina must have some overlooked limiting condition; if she could find this condition and circumvent it, the battle could still continue.

But at present, there was no time for her to ponder these things.

Her fingers controlled the scissors to close, while she silently intoned the concept of "mucus" in her mind; however, when she tried to cut down like this, the blade in her hand seemed to hit a steel bar, and she could not bring herself to strike no matter what.

Her total mana was no longer sufficient to completely separate the concept of the nest that was about to form.

Realizing this, Cornflower quickly changed the target of the Separation, turning the object into "mana," yet the blade remained motionless.

This was only to be expected; the mana on her body was constantly leaking away in the form of melting liquid, while the mana controlled by this Remnant Beast was becoming stronger as it controlled more and more mucus. Indeed, it was precisely the mana leaking from her that affected the balance required to activate the Separation ability at this moment.

With no time for her to think too much, Cornflower tried the branch concepts of "nest," "self-control," and "mana manipulation" respectively, yet she still could not cut; until finally, she thought of a concept sufficient to change the current situation.

— "Corrosion Resistance!"

Shouting out this word suddenly, the scissors in her hand blazed with light at the same moment; even though the liquid dripping from her eyelids almost completely covered Cornflower's vision, it still could not block this dazzling radiance.

Click.

Accompanied by a faint snipping sound, the scissors in Cornflower's hand closed at this very moment.

At the same time, Nina, who was already half-lying on Cornflower and barely maintaining her center of gravity, finally concentrated her attention and mana, and suddenly clenched her fist toward the forward direction of the mucus at the opening.

"Clench... gack... now."

Even as liquid constantly overflowed from her mouth, Nina, like a drowning person, desperately chanted the incantation name sufficient to activate her ability.

Thus, the blocked mucus finally stopped rising at this moment.

And the Remnant Beast before them, its movement also suddenly halted along with the closing of the scissors in Cornflower's hand.

They could both hear a certain booming sound slowly playing out from within its flesh.

They could both hear a certain tearing sound constantly echoing within its flesh.

They could both see cracks appearing on the Remnant Beast's body, which had previously been relatively intact.

"Cover your ears, Ink Lotus."

Sensing that the melting of her body had finally slowed, Cornflower had a spare moment of mind to give Nina this order. Then she raised her hand and covered her own ears.

The Remnant Beast seemed to hear her words, raising its twisted head.

— "ROOOOAAARRR!"

After a long pause, it opened its mouthparts and let out the loudest roar since its encounter with the Magical Girls.

Then, accompanied by the spraying and splashing of liquid, its entire body completely rotted away.