Chapter 494: Return to You

"How do you play?" they asked.

Ilya's smile froze for an instant.

(Huh? She really wants to play?!)

But the words were already spoken, and couldn't be taken back.

Ilya forced themselves, waved the ruby a couple of times, and performed a few classic Magical Girl transformation moves.

"That's it! Wave it, press this button, and it will glow!"

Huo Huo nodded.

Then they held out their hand: "Show me."

Ilya: "…"

(Give, give her a look?)

They stiffly handed over the ruby.

(Ruby! What to do!)

"Don't worry, Ilya!"

The ruby's voice rang in her mind, "I'm already bound to you! She definitely can't use it! At most it's just a glowing toy!"

Ilya let out a slight sigh of relief.

Huo Huo took the ruby, turning it over in their hand to examine it.

It was light, with a peculiar feel, unlike ordinary plastic.

There was a button on it, and they pressed it—

Nothing happened.

They pressed it again.

Still nothing happened.

Huo Huo frowned slightly, mimicking Ilya's earlier pose, and waved a few times—

Then they held down the button and swung forcefully!

(Ruby! You mustn't give yourself away!)

The ruby's voice sounded in her mind: "Don't worry, Ilya! It's bound, she definitely can't use it—"

"Ding—!!!"

A green light shot out from the ruby, instantly enveloping Huo Huo!

The glare was blinding, lasting about two seconds before fading.

After the light faded—

Huo Huo's appearance was completely altered.

Their ordinary clothes turned into a three‑tone outfit of teal, white, and brown, with Taoist talisman patterns embroidered on the cuffs and collar, and a few yellow exorcism talismans pinned to the lapel.

On their head, a pair of fluffy Fox Ears poked out from their hair, now trembling slightly.

Huo Huo lowered their head, staring at the familiar attire, and was stunned.

(This is…)

This outfit, this look, they know all too well.

This is the attire they wore at the Ten Kings Office.

Ten Kings Office.

The endless case files, the unending hunts for demons, the Han Ya sister who constantly chattered in their ear, the Xue Yi senior who always wore a cold expression, and the people who hid from them out of fear.

(Why did it turn out like this…)

They lifted their head and looked at the "toy" in their hand.

It was this thing that turned them back into this form.

(…)

They remained silent, their mood complicated.

Meanwhile, Ilya was completely stunned.

Ilya's mouth formed an O, and their eyes bulged like copper bells.

(Transformed, transformed?!)

(She really transformed?!)

(And why did she grow Fox Ears?!)

They frantically called out to the ruby in their mind:

"Ruby!!!"

They shouted in their mind, "Didn't you say being bound makes others unable to use it!!!"

The ruby's voice sounded very guilty, with a strange tone:

"Um... Ilya... this... that... because she was just too... too comfortable... I lost control for a moment... oh~~~~"

Ilya: "...???"

(What are you saying?!)

(What does 'too comfortable' mean?!)

(And what was that weird scream?!)

They stared at the little girl with Fox Ears before them, their mind a blank.

(What now? The other side surely realized this isn't an ordinary toy! Will she attack me? Will she summon a Servant?)

They quietly scanned the surroundings with their peripheral vision, ready to flee at any moment.

But Huo Huo didn't move.

Huo Huo just lowered her head, looking at her hands, her clothes, and the familiar talisman at her waist.

Huo Huo was silent for a long time.

Then—

She ended the transformation.

A flash of light, and she turned back into that little green‑haired girl in ordinary casual clothes.

She handed the ruby back to Ilya, with no change in expression on her face.

"Here you go."

Then she turned and walked away.

Ilya mechanically took the ruby, staring blankly at her back.

(... Eh?)

(Just like that?)

(She didn't notice anything?)

(She doesn't know she transformed?)

"Ruby! What's her situation?!"

Ruby's voice remained airy: "I don't know... ohoho... anyway she didn't act... should... be fine... ohoho..."

Ilya: "..."

She felt that Ruby seemed to have a problem.

At that moment, a familiar voice came from behind:

"Ilya?"

Ilya turned and saw Robin running from a distance, holding two bottles of drink.

"Got the drinks—hey, why are you so dirty?"

Ilya was about to answer when she suddenly realized a problem—

Robin Jiejie certainly wasn't hiding!

Her current form is a bright Servant shape!

That unique aura instantly shows she's not an ordinary person!

A strange chill rose in her heart.

Ilya suddenly looked back, gazing toward the direction Huo Huo had gone—

Huo Huo stopped walking.

She stood in place, slightly turning her head, looking this way.

(It's over!)

Ilya's heart rose to her throat.

(It's over, it's over, it's over!)

(She definitely saw! She will definitely discover that Robin Jiejie is a Servant!)

Sure enough, Huo Huo turned and walked this way.

Ilya's palms sweated from nerves, already contemplating in her mind whether to directly grab Robin and run away.

But Huo Huo walked up to her, bent down, and picked up something from the ground—

a jade pendant.

"I dropped something," she said.

Ilya was stunned.

She looked down and indeed there was a jade pendant on the ground, emerald‑green, emitting a warm glow in the sunlight.

It was probably dropped from her waist when the transformation was undone just now.

"Is... is that so..." Ilya let out a sigh.

Huo Huo straightened up, held the jade pendant in her hand, and looked at it in the sunlight.

Sunlight passed through the pendant, refracting a jade‑green beam that flashed directly into Ilya's eyes.

Ilya instinctively squinted—

Then she felt her body suddenly pulled backward!

"Watch out!"

Robin's voice rang in her ear!

The next second—

"Boom—!!!"

A deafening blast!

The spot where Ilya had been standing was smashed by a massive claw, leaving a two‑meter‑wide crater!

Earth splashed, and grass was torn up!

It was a colossal lapis‑blue claw, each tip a meter long, burning with a faint blue flame.

The claw's owner—

a gigantic fox.

It materialized behind Huo Huo, its size so huge it almost blocked the sunlight.

Lapis‑blue fur, burning flames, hollow and indifferent eyes.

It slightly lowered its head, overlooking the two uninvited guests before it, exuding a suffocating aura of pressure.

Huo Huo stood in place, back to the Giant Fox, still clutching the jade pendant in her hand.

Her expression still showed no change.

Only her green eyes now seemed even deeper.

"Servant."

She said softly.

Ilya was shielded by Robin behind her, and as she looked at the terrifying Giant Fox, her legs went weak.

(Too… too big…)

(If it hadn't been Zhigengniao Jiejie just now… I would have been turned into Ilya‑chan…)

Robin's green eyes stared intently at Huo Huo, shielding Ilya even tighter.

"What are you…?"

Huo Huo gave no answer.

She simply stood there quietly.