Chapter 72: In the Midst of Danger

As one of the basic types of magical techniques, the magic barrier is a mandatory course for the vast majority of mages, and even magical girls.

Barriers have many uses: first, they can be used for defense to block others' magical attacks; second, they can create enclosed spaces, which are very practical whether for trapping enemies, protecting oneself, soundproofing, or serving as an experimental site.

The massive magic barrier currently shrouding the Fuli Academy is also an application of this very technique.

It is just that Tian Sheng is incapable of that level; wanting to make a magic barrier cover such a massive building complex is impossible even for someone who has reached the level of a Controller, and it must be the work of an entire group.

Thinking about it, it must be the group of people chasing behind him.

Selecting the one that looked the newest from the dice in his hand, he gripped it, and as wisps of magic surged, fine, shimmering patterns lit up on the die.

The black-robed figure behind him also had light blooming in their hands, and immediately after, several crimson, burning-like magic projectiles shot out from their hands, aiming straight for Tian Sheng’s head.

At the same instant, just as the magic projectiles were about to strike, Tian Sheng passed the die behind him; no sooner said than done, a regular hexagonal magic barrier suddenly unfolded behind him.

Several magic projectiles struck the magic barrier behind Tian Sheng, almost instantly cracking the barrier and emitting a teeth-gritting screech like metal being torn apart.

The technique used by the black-robed figure is called Flame Bullet, a common offensive technique of the energy-shaping type; among techniques of the same level, it is considered to have relatively high destructive power, and its force far exceeds that of ordinary small-caliber thermal weapons.

During the confrontation, both could clearly see that apart from the Flame Bullets that hit the barrier, those that missed struck the walls of the corridor nearby, easily smashing out several deep craters.

The two techniques stalemated behind Tian Sheng for less than two seconds; in the end, the Flame Bullets extinguished, but his magic barrier also shattered instantly.

Boom!

With the structural technique shattered at the closest distance to his body, the intense shockwave generated by the Flame Bullet’s explosion pushed Tian Sheng, exceeding his original running speed, causing him to fly into mid-air instantly, and then, he began to tumble uncontrollably.

It seems this is as far as it goes.

While flying in the air, he realized this in a daze.

After he landed, the two people behind him would surely have the next technique ready, and at that time, he and the little girl on his shoulder would likely never be able to escape again.

He did not know that those people’s target was Bai Jingxuan, but that did not prevent him from hoping that this child, whose short ten years of life were full of misfortune, would live on.

In terms of technique research, he was a rookie who could not even be called a mage; but in real life, he was a caregiver at this Fuli Academy.

His duty as a caregiver told him that these children who had ended up here due to misfortunes in life deserved a happy future.

So he used his last bit of strength to let go in mid-air, choosing a relatively low angle to toss Bai Jingxuan, who was on his shoulder, away.

A moment later, he landed first, crashing onto the ground, wincing in pain.

Not far away, Bai Jingxuan was slightly better off; she landed on her side and rolled several times along the corridor before stopping.

She lifted her head, blinked through the dust and dirt, and looked at Tian Sheng with some astonishment.

"Your illness, it shouldn't be acting up for that long, right?"

Tian Sheng, lying on the ground, squeezed out an ugly smile at Bai Jingxuan: "Don't let Uncle Tian's efforts go to waste, run."

Only then did Bai Jingxuan realize that her legs had recovered some sensation.

However, compared to her legs regaining sensation and lightness, she felt her heart become incomparably heavy in an instant.

She was a sensible child; she knew when to do what.

Even if she was unwilling, she understood the current situation, heard what Tian Sheng meant, and knew that turning and leaving was the best way to honor him.

"Thank you."

Without hesitation, she said softly, then pushed off the ground with her hands, scrambled to her feet, and stumbled as she ran toward the distance.

Behind her, Tian Sheng grinned as he watched her leave, then gripped the die in his hand, a fierce look on his face, and resolutely cast the next technique toward his back.

The futile battle began once again.

Listening to the intense sounds of clashing techniques behind her, Bai Jingxuan almost turned back, but she suppressed the urge, gritted her teeth, and continued to run.

Before long, she finally reached the stairwell on the other side of the corridor.

It was also here that she encountered another existence she had not expected.

"...Moke?"

She saw a pink, cat-shaped fairy outside the corridor glass, tapping on the window continuously, its mouth wide open at her, as if shouting something.

With no time to hesitate, she pushed open the window and let Moke in.

"Xiaoxuan! Huff, huff... finally found you, run!"

Moke pounced in from outside the window, first shouting excitedly, then stopping to pant for a moment, before continuing to shout: "I heard their conversation, their target is you!"

It brought an outdated piece of information in an excited tone.

"Mm, I know."

Also panting, but with a heart devoid of ripples, Bai Jingxuan nodded.

"Eh? You already know?"

Moke was stunned at first, looking a bit awkward, then straightened its face and said seriously: "Anyway, the entire Fuli Academy is now sealed off by a magic barrier; trying to escape is unrealistic, but we can find a place to hide first!"

"Hide where?" Bai Jingxuan asked, somewhat lost.

"Eh? You don't know where to hide?"

Moke was stunned again, its face showing some embarrassment, but it quickly became serious again: "Anyway, let's start running! Those guys behind us are about to catch up! The sound of the battle just now will attract other bad guys too!"

It was not wrong about that.

Because it had also been attracted by the sound of the explosion.

After discovering that the Fuli Academy was sealed, the first thing Moke thought of was to go back and find Bai Jingxuan, but it heard the black-robed people's conversation on the way and learned that their target was indeed its friend.

Rushing to Bai Jingxuan's room in a panic only to find it empty, it could only fly around like a headless fly, searching for the girl's figure.

Coupled with the fact that there were magic fluctuations caused by mages everywhere in the Fuli Academy at this time, it completely confused its already weak sensory abilities.

It even thought the girl had already been captured by those people and had once wanted to go to a more dangerous area to investigate. If it hadn't been for the explosion that just occurred, it wouldn't have found this place.

But unfortunately, as a fairy with no combat power, even if it successfully reunited with Bai Jingxuan, other than providing that outdated piece of news, it could not possibly have any power to protect the other party. After a brief exchange, it could only urge Bai Jingxuan to find a safer direction to escape.

Thus, after picking a direction, they ran toward the third floor together.

They ran all the way to the third floor, and seeing people in the corridor running downstairs, they had to head to the fourth floor.

Bai Jingxuan was still running, but the scene in the corridor before her eyes gradually lost its meaning.

The act of Tian Sheng saving her from the crisis just now reminded her of a more distant memory.

Her thoughts were no longer in this Fuli Academy at all, but had returned to three years ago, during that disaster that changed her life, amidst the noise, the screaming, and the sharp pain in her left eye, feeling those arms that had wrapped around her from the air.

Amidst the fear and chaos, that was the safest harbor.

She could even remember, when she tried to open her right eye wide to see what was happening, the young girl who entered her sight, wearing a pink fluffy skirt.

Was that a legendary magical girl?

"Are you okay? Can you endure it for a while longer?"

The girl's hair color was similar to the color of her skirt, also a reassuring cherry pink; she looked at her with a worried and concerned expression, one hand held out, and several strange patterns invisible to the naked eye flew from her hand and landed on her left eye, which was already numb with pain.

Then, Bai Jingxuan felt that it didn't hurt anymore.

Her consciousness was dim at that time, and she didn't know what to say, so she could only nod gently at the girl, but she couldn't even say a word of thanks.

"Then, wait a little longer, you will be able to be at ease very soon."

The girl placed the Bai Jingxuan she was holding onto a relatively flat piece of ground: "If you're scared, just close your eyes."

Then, she took off into the air again amidst a pink glow.

Bai Jingxuan did not close her eyes; although she was scared and felt dizzy from blood loss, she still stubbornly watched the direction the girl left in, wanting to see the outcome of everything.

She saw the girl fly in front of the monster, she saw the girl block the monster's attack with radiant magic, and she saw a fancy magic wand appear in the girl's hand.

Then, she heard the righteous incantation belonging to that pink-clad girl:

"Magical Girl, Flower Card Certification Number, Sakura, extermination mission start!"

That was the last scene she remembered before losing consciousness.

The images in her memory began to blur, and Bai Jingxuan's footsteps gradually slowed.

She did not continue running; her speed became slower and slower, until finally, she stopped in place.

Moke, who was running with her, saw no one beside it, immediately turned back, saw Bai Jingxuan standing still, and asked with some worry: "What's wrong? Did your illness act up?"

"Fairy Mo... Moke."

Bai Jingxuan's thoughts gradually gathered, stepping out of the memory, and the scenery before her eyes became clear again.

The memory left to her by that pink magical girl in the midst of danger was like a seed, buried deep in Bai Jingxuan's heart all along.

After three years, this seed had been covered in dust several times, even losing its vitality, but now, in another moment of danger, she had found it and picked it up again.

The former her was just an ordinary victim in a remnant beast attack, looking up at the light of the magical girl from the ground, watching her own savior.

And now, everyone in the Fuli Academy was also in a crisis; the director, Uncle Tian, the caregivers, the other children, and the elderly... among these people who gave her help and lived with her every day, how many were in urgent need of such a savior?

It was time to make a decision, and time to stand up.

She took a deep breath, opened her mouth, and felt a clarity in her heart like never before:

"Please tell me, what do I have to do now to become a magical girl?"