Oh Hye-in introduced the self-proclaimed Magical Girl known as 『Pure Rodeo』."I'll introduce you, this is Kim Ruru. As I just said, she’s a Magical Girl working with me to protect the village."
"Nice to meet you. So⋯⋯ your name was Oh Dae-soo? I saw you introduce yourslelf in class. Your name, I thought it was very strange."
Kim Ruru flashed a bright smile and extended her hand for a handshake, as if she had completely forgotten the earlier fight she had with Roderus. Roderus slapped it off with the back of his hand.
“That’s not my real name. I'm Roderus.”
“I learned it from English class during school! Are you from… uh⋯⋯ America!”
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
"Or Texas⋯⋯?"
She remained unfazed by Roderus' attitude. He didn’t know if this should be described as having grit, or simply as being full of self-confidence?
For some reason, Roderus didn’t like it. Roderus frowned and glared at Kim Ruru. Regardless, the conversation continued.
“Roderus is from another world. Ruru, you saw the 『Meteor』 falling a few days ago, right?"It fell with a massive amount of Pure Energy, mong. I thought it was the appearance of a new mascot, but it turned out to be Roderus, mong!"
"A girl from the sky huh⋯⋯ it’s interesting! I didn't know because I was sleeping deeply at the time! Hehet."
Kim Ruru seemed to have such a thick skin that she could sleep through when a huge mana movement occurred.
She circled around Roderus, examining him, and then suddenly turned to Oh Hye-in with a look of realization.
"By the way, Hye-in, you⋯⋯ didn’t fight alongside Oh Dae-soo, did you?" Are you not feeling well today? Or, is it just one of those days?"
"Please be mindful of what you say. It's rather embarrassing?!"
"There was an accident, mong. Hye-in's 『Transformation Device(Dreaming Mirror)』 is currently with Roderus! It’s more of a temporary loan, so to speak, mong."
"You can transfer that? I mean⋯⋯ Hye-in hates fighting. I don't understand why she dislikes something that’s so much fun, right~?
Kim Ruru raised her eyebrows and nudged Roderus with her elbow. Roderus recoiled and pushed her arm away firmly.
"⋯⋯Why are you suddenly being so friendly to me?”
"Uh I mean, when you were fighting just now⋯⋯ you were smiling so brightly!"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
"So, of course I thought you were in the same line of work as I am. You like to tussle, don't you?!"
Kim Ruru constantly jumped in place and punched the air. Her movements were clumsy, but she looked excited no matter how he looked at her.
Seeing Kim Ruru's sparkling eyes, Roderus felt a pang of confusion.
His mind cleared when he threw himself into a fight. The release from his worries was refreshing, so of course, he thought── he liked fighting.
However, he did not experience the joy that made his eyes gleam or a fluttering heart that made him stomp his feet. Instead, he felt good about the relief from his burdens.
As if he were a slave, who was getting endlessly lashed by a whip, he was sincerely grateful for the brief rest.
Swishswish.
Roderus shook his head to shake off his useless thoughts. He redirected his focus to another topic. Kim Ruru seemed to enjoy fighting very much.
There was no indication of any martial training.
Looking back on the shadow boxing just now and the punch that flew into his chest, Kim Ruru's movement was not technical. It was like how the children in the village just recklessly threw fists without thinking.
"⋯⋯For someone who claims to enjoy fighting, your movements were very peasant-like. I couldn’t bear to watch with my eyes open.”
"It wouldn’t be fun if I started using my abilities, especially since I’m already too strong!"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯??"
“The strong don’t use abilities.”
Crazy bitch.
Kim Ruru confidently proclaimed that she would fight like an uneducated peasant. As Roderus stood there dumbfounded and shocked, Hye-in whispered to him.
“Uh, Lulu is all good and kind but⋯⋯ she’s a bit unconventional. Should I say she’s a bit like a caveman⋯⋯?"
"Isn’t that a bit too much to dismiss as just unconventional?"
"What, now we're going to be working together as Magical Girls, wouldn’t it be better to get along?"
“No, I’ll do it alone. I’m fine by myself.”
He was serious.
An inept ally on the battlefield is more detrimental than an enemy. Roderus poked Kim Ruru's forehead with his finger, delivering a stern warning.
“Neuang”
"Don't even think about interfering in my fight. I’m going to fight alone, and I don’t want to ever get any help from you. Never!!"
Despite the threat, the two found themselves in front of the same target on the very next day.
===============================================================
The alleyway at the intersection pulsed with the presence of a monstrous-human signal. Oh Dae-soo glared fiercely at Kim Ruru and growled menacingly.
"⋯⋯I explicitly warned you not to intervene."
“Are you stupid? I wouldn’t pass up the chance to get into a fight. Also, I never told you that I was listening to your warning!”
Kim Ruru stood defiantly before Roderus, who was clenching his teeth. Then, she took out the 『Transformation Device (Dreaming Mirror)』 and spoke.
"Besides, Magical Girls need Pure Energy to become stronger. And Pure Energy increases when we fight! So I can't just give it up like that."
"Then let's settle this with a duel⋯⋯."
"And I heard from Hye-in that when two Magical Girls fight together, they also get double the Pure Energy! So you don't have to fight to monopolize the mana."
If that theory was correct, there would be no need to fight. But Roderus didn’t believe it. She might be lying, and it defied common sense.
“Why exactly is the Pure Energy doubled?”
"Seeing two people will make it twice as cute and twice as strong. So, the viewers will be twice as happy!"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
As expected, it would be better to just subdue Kim Ruru and monopolize the energy alone.
"You’re not wrong, mong."
Just as Roderus began to edge towards subduing her, a clatter from the outdoor unit in the alleyway interrupted them.
"⋯⋯What?”
"After all, it’s all a matter of efficiency, mong. Humans place a high value on appearances, mong."
“They care about looks?”
"It’s ridiculous, but⋯⋯even with Magical Girls fighting for them, there’s a significant difference based on whether the Magical Girl matches their preferences or not."
Human instincts were honest. Of course, if someone were rescued from a dire situation, like a collapsing building, they would express the maximum Pure Energy (gratitude), regardless of appearances. However—
For the audience watching from afar, cheering on the battle between Magical Girls and monstrous-humans, their support would be greater for the Magical Girl who aligned with their tastes, making them more immersed in the fight.
And Oh Dae-soo and Kim Ruru’s concepts were polar opposites.
"So, in a situation where you can choose between two types— a cool, beautiful girl and a lively, attractive girl— it greatly aids in gathering Pure Energy, mong!"
"Don't talk like that!"
Roderus wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. The thought of those commoners viewing him with ‘that’ kind of gaze made him feel dizzy.
Munggae swung its tail irritably from side to side.
"Didn't you like efficiency, mong? It's just a 『shell』 anyway, mong. You'll go back to being a man once you've gathered all the necessary Pure Energy—just a fleeting dream, mong."
"⋯⋯That, is.”
"Magical Girl Oh Dae-soo isn’t really Roderus, mong. What is there to be embarrassed about, mong?"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
It had a point. It was definitely right.
This wasn’t his real appearance. This wasn't how the real Roderus looked. Therefore, there was no reason to be embarrassed or shy.
It was literally just a shell.
Roderus took out the 『Transformation (Dreaming Mirror)』. The previous activation phrases had been emergency commands.
Even if it was temporary, now that it was completely linked to Roderus, he had created a formal command with the help of Munggae.
"Heup⋯⋯.”
Roderus looked at his reflection in the 『Transformation Device (Dreaming Mirror)』. A pretty girl looked back, clearly nervous. This was a shell. This was just a shell.
He delicately placed his fingers on the jewel-encrusted hand mirror, tapped twice, and then extended her arms.
“Dreaming Mirror, reveal my true self⋯⋯!!"
Pikang!
Pirongpirongpirong ♬
Light spread everywhere and as a long time of shame passed.
"⋯⋯ Twinkletwinkle! A shining move of victory, Pure Knight!"
He completed the Activation Phrase, which his mouth automatically said, and finished the transformation. Looking sideways, Kim Ruru also just finished transforming into 『Pure Rodeo』.
Her costume was similar to a red-colored matador. On top of it, there were several customized girlish decorations. Her main weapon was a gauntlet.
He didn’t like fighting alongside others, but to quickly gather Pure energy and return to his original form⋯⋯ he had to endure it. Roderus pulled out his rapier and ran into the intersection.
===============================================================
The intersection, bustling with vehicles, was in total chaos. Traffic had been halted by the sudden appearance of a monstrous figure, and people scrambled out of their cars, fleeing.
In the sky, a seductive woman in an alluring dress hovered and looked down. Her hair was pink, and she wore glasses.
Given the massive amount of Impure Energy she radiated, she was clearly one of the Four Heavenly Kings. She was a different one from whitish⋯⋯ 『Espoir de Eternal Dark』.
"Is it a new one that’s showing up today?”
"Yeah, I've never seen this Heavenly King before either."
As the Magical Girls looked up, the new Heavenly King, with her hands resting on her voluptuous chest, began introducing herself.
"I am one of the Four Heavenly Kings, the one who oversees lust within the darkness of humanity. I am 『Yuri Frostlover』, the Demon King’s loyal secretary and friend. You may address me as 『Master』."
Piching!
Her glasses glinted as she adjusted them. Beyond that, her yellow eyes glowed eerily. Roderus swallowed his dry saliva.
"Neither side has any ordinary bitches⋯⋯ could she be a succubus?"
Even with a female body, he felt an overwhelming aura of seductiveness. If he had been a man, his combat effectiveness would have been severely reduced due to the distraction of his Mental Barrier. It was a small relief amidst the misfortunes.
As Roderus thought about their approach…
"Now, witness my power! My strength! I, 『Pure Rodeo』, am coming!!"
Kim Ruru just charged in immediately.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
That Magical Girl, Pure Rodeo, could still potentially become his enemy . She might still be resentful from their first meeting.
So, if he used this opportunity to understand her combat capabilities, he would be able to prepare for the future.
And she was subdued in just five seconds.
Roderus looked up at Kim Ruru, entangled in plant vines and suspended upside down, and said.
"No, you⋯⋯ what are you doing? Is it a betrayal⋯⋯?"
"Betrayal?! I fought really hard!!"
Wrigglewriggle . Kim Ruru, who was captured, wriggled in anger. But now it was Roderus' turn to get angry. She was really, really bad at fighting.
If he could, he’d just lecture her all day long. Roderus picked only one of the most serious of problems and said it with his mouth.
"What do you mean you fought hard? You threw a clumsy punch that even a child could dodge! If that really was your best attack, you really have to learn the basics again!!"
"Ah, it worked before! It was supposed to work now!"
"For this kind of shit to work, you’ll need at least a hundred times more mana than you have right now! Think peasant, think!"
The ally was a fucking troll.
Heavenly King Yuri, observing the captured Lulu, then turned her attention to Roderus.
"You must be the new Magical Girl 『Pure Knight』. I’ll be sure to thoroughly check your skills."
"I won’t be the same as that idiot, peasant-kind."
"I’ll accept your apology along with your tears. Now, come out. Witness the heart of hatred, born from the pollution of humanity"
Rumbleeee-!
Gigantic flower buds erupted from the ground, shattering asphalt and pushing up mounds of dirt. The blooms were over five meters tall.
"This is 『Beth Eater』."
"For such a fancy name, doesn’t it just look like a normal plant stem?"
“Who knows⋯⋯."
Heavenly King Yuri smiled and clapped lightly. Then something very strange and repulsive began to emerge as the tip of the plant stem split.
Some parts oozed sticky substances, while others had vibrations and rotational movements. Its purpose was unclear.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Oh Dae-soo's instincts blared sirens. He had a gut feeling that if he got hit by it, something really bad would happen.
Should I run?
"Oh, if you're frightened by mere plant stems swaying in the air, I understand. Not all Magical Girls are brave and valiant. I won’t chase you, so feel free to run away. Little precious mite girl."
"⋯⋯I’ll at least take your head, peasant!!”
Unable to resist the provocation, Roderus charged forward.