Chapter 8: Chapter Eight: Magical Girl Cuique

When Lin Xiaolu and the fairy beside her were nearly hopeless, the anticipated horror never came.

The beast's claw, nearly piercing the girl's tender white neck, stopped at the last moment.

For in the flash of an instant, a deep blue wand, appearing from nowhere, crossed beneath its claw, blocking this fatal strike for the magical girl.

Lin Xiaolu stood behind the wand, still unable to comprehend the situation, barely registering that she had just escaped death, when a hand shoved her hard, sending her stumbling backward.

"Step back."

The newcomer said this.

It was at this moment that Lin Xiaolu saw who had saved her:

Deep blue mana, solid as flame, burned from within, scattering flickering light particles.

And standing within it, a petite girl with a cold expression.

A Lolita-style long dress in navy blue, adorned with elaborate, ornate ribbons, long blue hair neatly tied into a princess braid at the back, crowned with a large bonnet.

"You, if you truly wish to become a magical girl capable of protecting a city…"

She spoke softly, her voice like a nightingale yet carrying the authority of a superior: "Then watch closely—my battle."

As her words ended, the flame-like mana around her vanished completely.

"Magical Girl, Flower Card Certification Number, Senior Cuique, elimination mission begun."

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr—"

The two-headed beast, previously repelled by the mysterious girl's single-handed wand, finally realized the enemy had shifted and let out a furious, enraged roar on the ground.

For having its prey snatched away, it displayed near-human intelligence, fully revealing its shame and rage.

I'll kill you too.

If it could speak, this would likely be its line. Then, the beast surged again, its body's tubular appendages pulsing violently, emitting a faint green glow as they channeled something toward its legs.

In an instant, it reused its old trick and vanished from its original spot.

The mysterious girl, expressionless, raised her wand and lightly blocked to her side and rear.

Ding!

The beast, suddenly appearing in midair, launched its full-force strike—easily deflected.

After blocking the attack, the girl's face showed a hint of confusion: "This speed… is it a Huo? Why does a Huo exist in Fang Ting City now?"

Yet no one present would answer her question.

"Roarrrrrrrrrr—"

The beast's intelligence did not allow it to communicate rationally with the magical girl before it; it could only roar louder each time its attack was blocked. The sound waves alone nearly flipped Lin Xiaolu and Moke over where they stood.

Then, the beast's assault began again.

Greenish claws flashed in the night, descending from all directions like an inescapable net. Its massive size did not hinder its speed—in fact, even with such a huge form, Lin Xiaolu beside it could not track its movements at all.

But this speed posed no threat whatsoever to the petite, deep-blue magical girl.

She simply shifted her body in a simple motion, appearing effortlessly several steps away in an open space, dodging the beast's dense and swift attacks with ease.

This was not the end.

The beast, though missing its target, quickly reacquired it, lunged forward, and continued its assault.

"Sssssss—"

A grating, teeth-on-edge metallic screech erupted between them.

The mysterious girl moved with effortless grace, dancing within inches, occasionally drawing her wand to deflect overly sharp strikes, untouched by the beast's storm of claws.

"Roarrrrrrrr!"

After a prolonged stalemate, the beast clearly grew impatient. It roared, its body's green tubes flaring brightly, then launched a short, explosive dash—vanishing again just before impact, attacking from behind the mysterious girl almost simultaneously.

The terrifying assault lasted only a breath—if there had been the slightest delay in reaction, death would have been certain—but the girl blocked it with flawless precision, showing no strain.

Yet this still was not the end.

Both of the beast's massive heads opened their jaws simultaneously, revealing rows of white teeth and dripping saliva. At the instant its claws clashed with her wand, it seized the brief gap and bit down viciously toward her neck.

At this moment, watching from the side, Lin Xiaolu finally understood the battle's stakes—her heart nearly stopped.

This time, the girl about to be bitten merely stared, making no move to block.

The jaws came down.

But they did not close.

Time seemed to freeze—the beast's heads had reached the magical girl's face, yet could not advance even a millimeter further.

Upon closer look, it was clear the beast was still moving, but as if held back by something, only able to twitch slightly.

"—Movement defense demonstration ends here."

Beneath the beast's shadow, the petite girl suddenly spoke.

It took Lin Xiaolu a moment to realize the girl was speaking to her; she nodded dully: "Ah, okay… thank you?"

The mysterious girl glanced at her, then turned her gaze back to the beast, motionless for some reason, and continued: "Now, it is time to end this."

From start to finish, she had never regarded this beast as a threat.

She simply extended her hand, touched the air as if plucking a string, gently curling her finger upward—suddenly, a straight indentation appeared on her pale fingertip.

Then, deep blue mana slowly manifested from all around.

One, two, three, glowing with clear luminescence.

Four, five, six, weaving into a fine net.

What Lin Xiaolu saw was a shimmering blue net, entirely woven from mana threads.

Vast quantities of mana threads appeared without warning in the previously dark forest, illuminating the surrounding gloom, dispelling the beast's chilling aura, and locking the massive monster firmly at the center, motionless as an inanimate doll.

Lin Xiaolu then noticed that the mysterious girl's wand had vanished.

In its place, she held a small pair of ornate embroidery scissors, intricately carved with floral patterns.

"Magic construct, extract."

That is what she said.

Then, the threads of magic swirling around the remnant beast surged as if alive.

The deep blue threads of magic writhed and wove themselves. Strand by strand, they linked, threaded, and stretched, finally constructing a hollow short sword carved from wire like openwork metal.

The mysterious girl held it in her hand as if gripping a delicate toy, possessing no power at all.

She raised it, aimed at the remnant beast's brow, her expression blank.

Although the remnant beast was firmly suppressed by the magic threads and knew death awaited, its savage gaze held not a shred of fear, containing only the killing and destructive desires carved into its instincts.

Even to this point, it still struggled against the bonds, launching an attack at the magical girl before it.

So the girl waited no longer; she raised her hand lightly and slashed with a crisp motion.

Deep blue magic erupted with blinding light in the midnight forest, illuminating the surrounding night sky.