Magical Girl Hero - Chapter 24

The peaceful atmosphere on the rooftop disappeared in an instant and was replaced by a storm of screams. There were people fleeing in panic, people who were so overcome with fear that they could not move, and people who were clearly feeling unwell. Each of them had different symptoms, but all of it was caused by a single “Wanderer”.

It is unknown whether this “Wanderer” was just born, or was moving from another place to here, but the deformed monster did not show any significant movement, as if it had not yet sobered. But even if it did not move, the mere presence of a “Wanderer”, who was spreading malice just by being there, would only make the situation on the rooftop worse.

Although we should escape before “Wanderer” started to take action, the evacuation was proceeding very slowly due to people swarming the stairways and elevators, the exit from rooftop, as well as the presence of many children.

The voices of the evacuation staff, the shouts of the evacuees, the unspoken screams of fear, and the cries of the children who did not understand the situation but were caught up in the environment around them.

Panic sparks panic, and in the midst of a situation that shows no sign of abating, “Wanderer” begins to wriggle its huge frame.

Now then, what should I do? I want to get rid of “Wanderer” as soon as possible, but there is no way I can transform in the presence of so many people. It would be nice if there was someplace to hide, but even then I can’t just leave the dazed Takanashi-chan like this, and I should probably evacuate her to outside first. The quickest way would be for me to transform myself without worrying about being exposed as a magical girl and quickly get rid of Wanderer.

Although the “Wanderer” looks larger than a small one, it is a still little smaller than the medium-sized ones I have subjugated so far. At this size, it won’t be a hard fight, and if I were to get serious, I should be able to kill it in seconds. Well, I’ll refrain from doing that because the secondary damage would be worse, but in short, it is not a danger at all to me.

However, I won’t transform and revealed myself here. It’s only natural.

Once again, the most important thing for me is myself. Even when I saved other people it’s only because I don’t feel that I am in danger, and when weighing the risk against exposing myself, I decided to put myself first.

After all, I am well aware of the threat of Wanderer, but I am also well versed in the “malice” of people. I have seen a lot of malice directed at magical girls, and I have eliminated a lot of it, so to me, people who are filled with malice are no different from monsters like “Wanderer”.

Of course, the majority of the people here are probably good-natured people who are unrelated to such malice. They don’t even have a shred of the idea of ​​demeaning magical girls, and they’re all people who genuinely support the heroes. But that is too weak a reason to expose that Blackrose and Roze are one and the same. Once it is exposed, it will hinder future activities. The hero inside me, must not reveal their true identity and must not be hindered by people’s malice.

In any case, I have to get Takanashi-chan to evacuate from here immediately. If we are together, I won’t be able to transform. The evacuation route is so congested that it will take some time, but let’s just say that we accidentally get lost in the middle of the evacuation. After that, as long as I can transform, it’s my win. Let’s show off my power as a hero.

In front of the panicked children, a hero appeared and saved the day, that’s really an ideal and convenient situation. There is no doubt that it will be the best move to secure Blackrose’s position as a hero. By all means, I want you to burn my figure and success into your eyes.

While trying to figure out how to get away from Takanashi-chan, I lightly grabbed her delicate hand and started walking to guide her toward the evacuation route, but Takanashi-chan stopped and stared at me. She looks a little hesitant, and seems want to say something.

“Takanashi-chan. It’s dangerous to stay here. We have to evacuate quickly!”

“Roze-chan. Evacuate first. I have to stay here.”

She gently puts her hand on top of mine and stares at me with eyes full of burning will, even though she is still trembling just a few moments ago. In a space where it seems as if I can no longer hear the clamor around me, as if she has made up her mind, Takanashi-chan speaks up.

“I’m… I’m a magical girl, Roze-chan. That’s why I can’t run away.”

“Takanashi-chan is… a magical girl…?”

“Yeah. I’m an apprentice though. I’m clumsy, I’m not good at sports, and I’ve even lost to ‘Wanderer’, a no-good magical girl. So, maybe I’ll lose this time too.”

After coming out that she is a magical girl, Takanashi-chan begins to de-mean herself in a calm tone, as if she has taken a load off.

Since she’s an apprentice. I wonder if he still hasn’t been given permission to fight “Wanderer”. There is also the fact that she has lost once, so there is a possibility that she is still under observation.

“Then isn’t it fine to just run away? You’re not the only magical girl, right? I don’t think it’s a bad thing to run away from someone you thought you couldn’t win right now.”

“That’s no good. The justice within me won’t allow me to run away anymore. If I run away from here, I can’t continue as a magical girl again.”

Takanashi-chan’s body tensed and her hands are clasped tightly. The trembling that comes from the sweaty hands clearly shows her feelings, but she still stands firm and does not show any sign of pulling back. She used to give the impression of being quiet and weak, but now she is stubbornly refusing to bend her will and is determined to push herself to the limit.

“I want to save someone! I have to save someone! If I don’t, there’s no point in me becoming a magical girl…! I know this is just me being selfish. Even if I run away, someone else might save them. My efforts may be futile. Not someone else, but I myself, want to be a hero!”

She unleashed her passion into words. I wonder how much she had been worried about this until now. How much had she been crushed, by being defeated by “Wanderer”, by giving up, and by her own selfish ego of wanting to save someone?

As she calmed her breathing a little more, she spun her words, still keeping her passion lit.

“Roze-chan said that, even if you failed and are not qualified as a hero, with someone’s support (cheers), you can become a hero again.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Being supported (cheers) by someone will give you more strength than you can imagine. No matter how many times you fail, it will give you the courage to stand up again.”

“Yeah. I came here today and felt it too. Even if it’s directed at the hero in the story, I felt that everyone’s support (cheers) gave me courage.”

Takanashi-chan slowly let go of the strength she was holding in his hand, and then took a step back. She put her hands in front of her chest as if she was praying, hoping.
 

“Roze-chan, please! Even though I’m so selfish and weak, please believe that, I won’t lose to monsters, and that I can save someone! Let me protect Roze-chan!! Even from afar is fine, so. Please support (cheer) me, Takanashi Momo…! !”

This must be the wish that has been nurtured within her. She wants to win against monsters, save someone, protect, and be cheered on. Even though it was a selfish wish, filled with her own desire, she still wished for it to come true.

“I believe it. Takanashi-chan is a splendid hero. And I’m rooting for you to not lose to ‘Wanderer’. So, do your best!”

“···Yes!!”

She replied strongly and looked up, smiling and crying and full of confidence that she was a hero once again.

Pulling one leg back a little, she turns around and there is no more hesitation in her back, only looking straight at her enemy, and takes a step forward.

She takes a deep breath and she exhales her breath deeply. There is tension, there is still fear. But more than that, there is strong courage that Roze gave.

To protect everyone, to defeat the enemy of humanity, she spoke the words to unleash her power.

“Transform!!”

Tender light swirls around her. The torrent of light becomes a thin line, wrapping around the her’s hands, and legs, and transforming her.

Lacy white gloves.

Black tights and red shoes with ribbons.

A yellow skirt that sways softly.

Wavy cream-colored hair that slightly hides her eyes.

Golden eyes with resolve to pierce her will through.

Sunflower-like jewels shine on the earrings.

The girl, who blots out all malice and lightly descends to the ground, points the stick in her hand at the monster and shouts her name.

“I’m magical girl Quartz! A hero who protects everyone!”

In response to everyone’s cries for help, a magical girl arrives.

“Well, what should we do, Mokyu?”

“You’re not going to help her, kyu~?”

After seeing off the magical girl Quartz, I was mixed among the evacuees and moved to a deserted place where I could not be seen by anyone. Here I could transform without anyone discovering me, and although I was a little late, I would be able to reach “Wanderer” easily. The hero who saved the day in such a pinch would be the one who would receive a lot of thanks from everyone. However.

“I’d be willing to lend a hand if push came to shove, but I guess I’ll have to wait and see.”

“Roze is quite strict kyu~.”

“It can’t be helped. If I help her here, I’m sure she won’t be convinced of herself. Even if she was grateful, she wanted to save someone by herself.”

As long as no one sees me transform, I am more than willing to help. In fact, on the contrary, it’s a chance to be a hero, even I have a desire to be in the limelight. In that sense, it is against my policy not to make a move here.

But it can’t be helped. Quartz is not looking for people to fight with her. She is just looking for someone to push her back.

Of course, if I don’t step in to help here, the damage probably will be worse. If you were to take the option to help as many people as possible, you can’t say you’re a hero if you don’t move here.

However, the one I want to save this time is not the people who have nothing to do with me, but a girl named Takanashi Momo. Even if 10,000 strangers were asking me for help, if I had to weigh that against a single acquaintance, I would choose that acquaintance without hesitation. That’s why, well.

“I feel sorry for the humanity, but for the sake of the hero who is trying to stand up on her own, please put up with it for a little while.”

“After all, Roze is more fit to be a villain kyu~.”

“How rude. There are times when even a hero has to choose who to save.”

Maybe magical girl Quartz will fail this time too. Like before, she may get discouraged. However, even if that happens, she is the one who chose it, so it can’t be helped.

But no matter how many times she stumbles, I hope she gets up again and again. Because as long as she keeps showing her will not to give up, I will support (cheer for) her.