Chapter 26: Vermouth, Make a Contract with Me and Become a Magical Girl!
The night was ink-black, swallowing the sleepless city of Tokyo. Neon lights blurred in the damp air, outlining the cold silhouettes of skyscrapers. In a single window of a graduate studies building at Touto University, a light was still on.
Subaru Okiya—or rather, Shuichi Akai—sat before a computer, his fingers flying across the keyboard. A complex stream of encrypted data scrolled across the screen. Citing national security, the US had strong-armed the Japanese police into sharing detailed data on the recent string of bizarre deaths, including the testimony of survivors who had been dismissed as mentally unstable. Akai had been granted the highest level of clearance, but to protect his cover, he was bypassing official channels, sifting through a chaotic mix of official cover-ups, survivor ramblings, and deliberate disinformation to find the truth about "magic."
"Magical girl," "Witch"—the terms appeared frequently in the encrypted files, buried amongst obvious red herrings planted by the Japanese government, like blaming ancient shrine curses or fictitious occult organizations. More interestingly, a few fragmented reports mentioned the existence of "Crimson Magic," the histories of fallen magical families, and even legends of a conflict between "sorcerers" and "stage magicians," with one report cryptically referencing the defeat of a master illusionist known as "Spider" at the hands of Kaito Kid.
It was a fog of truth and lies. The survivor testimonies were key. They described twisted pocket dimensions, grotesque monsters, and "girls" in strange outfits with superhuman abilities. The police had classified these accounts as PTSD-induced hallucinations. But Shuichi Akai knew better. He had seen it with his own eyes. The standoff at the pier, Gin in that absurd black dress, his impossible attacks. And Ran Mouri, the boy named Mitsuhiko, the tea-haired girl who so strongly resembled Akemi Miyano's sister... They all possessed extraordinary power. Magic was real.
Akai needed more concrete evidence to present to the bureaucrats who only believed in cold, hard data and cost-benefit analyses. He knew this report would likely be dismissed as another "absurd excuse to request more funding," but he had to try.
Under the same night sky, in another corner of the city, Vermouth stood alone on the roof of an abandoned building, the wind whipping through her long, golden hair. She stared out at the city lights, her expression unreadable.
A soft rustle came from behind her.
"You're here," she said without turning, her voice a sultry, knowing whisper.
A small, cat-like creature with glowing red eyes padded out of the shadows. It was Kyubey.
"You wished to see me, madam?"
Vermouth turned, her eyes narrowed in a look of cool assessment. "Tell me more about the Soul Gems."
She had been observing Kogoro Mouri for some time. The bumbling detective was radiating a strange energy she couldn't ignore. Through her own intelligence network, she had pieced together fragments of information about "magical girls" and "Soul Gems." And lately, Gin and Vodka had been acting even more strangely than usual. Something was spreading through the world, just beneath the surface.
"Soul Gems?" Kyubey tilted its head, its tail swishing gently. "They are the price of a miracle. The vessel of a wish. And the source of a magical girl's power." Its voice was like the serpent in the garden, seductive and smooth. "Make a wish. Any wish you desire. In exchange, you will receive a unique Soul Gem and the power to make that wish come true. Vermouth. Make a contract with me, and become a magical girl!"
Vermouth was silent. A wish? What did she have to wish for? Eternal life? Eternal youth? She already had those. Wealth? Power? Trivialities. Destroying the Black Organization? The thought had crossed her mind, but could she really do it, even with "magic"?
Her gaze drifted into the distance, as if she could see through the buildings to two specific people. Her "Silver Bullet" and her "Angel." That rainy night in New York, the cold muzzle of a gun, the fall she had almost taken... They had saved her, without hesitation.
"You don't need a reason to save someone."
That phrase had been a ripple in the stagnant, frozen pond of her heart. She, who had lived in darkness for so long, had been touched by a light she thought she'd forgotten. To protect them... the thought had taken root. If she had the power to ensure their safety in the coming storm...
Vermouth looked at Kyubey, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. "My wish... is for the power to protect those two."
Kyubey's red eyes glowed. "The contract is sealed."
A brilliant light enveloped her. When it faded, her clothes had been replaced by a sleek, form-fitting bodysuit, a design worthy of a master performer. Black and silver lines swirled across it, accentuating her perfect figure. A delicate silver mask covered the top half of her face, leaving only her smiling eyes and perfect lips visible. In her hand, a silver Soul Gem pulsed with a gentle light.
This new power flowed through her. She willed it, and her very form began to shift—her height, her build, her voice, her aura—transforming into a perfect imitation of a random passerby she had seen earlier. This was no mere disguise; it was a complete physical metamorphosis, far beyond any of her previous skills.
"Well now," she purred, her voice returning to her own. "This is a surprising power." She looked at Kyubey, a playful glint in her eyes. What was this harmless-looking creature's true purpose? It didn't matter. She had the power now. That was enough.
Meanwhile, Kyubey was processing the data from its duplicates around the world.
[Tokyo Area Energy Harvest Analysis: Core narrative subjects (Haibara, Mouri, Ran, Mitsuhiko, Gin, Vodka, Vermouth) demonstrate significantly higher energy efficiency than standard contractors. This aligns with projections and contributes significantly to the threshold required for trans-dimensional navigation.]
[Global Potential Contractor Analysis: Adolescent females remain the optimal choice for soul-energy extraction, consistently yielding higher rates than other lifeforms.]
[Preliminary observation data has met baseline parameters. World node parameters have been logged in the multiversal database.]
"Data has been synchronized with the main network," a Kyubey mused, scratching its head with a furry hind paw. "This world node's potential is satisfactory. Now, to ensure the next phase of the blueprint proceeds on schedule... the energy harvest will begin in earnest."
In Tokyo, in London, in New York, in every corner of the world, from the shadows of buildings and the cracks in the walls, an endless stream of small, white creatures emerged. Their mission was singular: to find adolescent girls with powerful wishes, to make contracts, and to gather the resources necessary for their civilization's ultimate exploration and conquest of the multiverse.
The global game of miracles and consequences had officially begun.
Black Organization. Secret base.
"Orders from the top," an operative said, handing Gin an encrypted file. "We have reliable intel that 'Sherry' will appear on the Bell Tree Express. There will also be 'rats'."
Gin took the file, a cold smirk on his face. "Ah, Sherry." He looked out at the dark night, the deep blue Soul Gem in his hand pulsing faintly.
Beika Town. An alley near the Mouri Detective Agency.
Tooru Amuro hid behind a dumpster, his heart pounding. Just moments ago, his surveillance target, Kogoro Mouri, had ducked into this alley, and after confirming he was alone, had been enveloped in a flash of light. When the light faded, the slovenly, idiotic detective had transformed... into a "magical girl" in a frilly red and black dress.
Amuro's entire worldview was imploding. Transformation? Magic? This was the secret to his impossible case-solving rate? This was more absurd than his own life as a triple agent. He forced himself to stay calm as the magical... Kogoro... vanished into the night sky.
Magical girls... Witches... the white creature... Rena Mizunashi's report... Shuichi Akai's ridiculous videos... All the pieces were suddenly slotting into place. So Gin and Vodka really are cross-dressing for power?!
This world was far more insane than he had ever imagined.
His phone vibrated. An encrypted message from the Organization.
[ORDER: Bourbon. Proceed immediately to the Bell Tree Express. Target: "Sherry." Eliminate all obstacles, especially any lurking 'rats'.]
Amuro's eyes narrowed. Sherry... Vermouth was also hunting her. And "rats"... did that mean the FBI? Shuichi Akai?
He slipped out of the alley and melted back into the Tokyo night. A new storm was brewing, and it was headed for that speeding train. The seeds of hope and despair, sown by the creature called Kyubey, were just beginning to sprout.