Central Headquarters.
"…Mm. Faust just found a familiar person in this department's main lounge."
Even while moving at a brisk pace, Faust never stopped thinking.
"Today seems to be her first official day as an employee. The Manager hasn't noticed her tendency toward similarity with a certain Abnormality yet…"
"For the sake of making the Manager's administration more convenient, should Faust hint at these related matters?"
"No… given the Manager's personality this time, he may proactively search for an employee capable of managing that magical girl…"
"I cannot let that AI discover Faust's abnormality… I only need to wait for the right opportunity."
"Then, Faust—begin work."
—
Inside the containment unit.
"…The world is divided into justice and evil, and I stand on the side of justice!"
The magical girl's muttering was far louder than when X had listened earlier.
"If I'm a good person, then there must definitely be bad guys here!"
It was obvious—her hysterical symptoms were rapidly worsening.
She didn't even notice Faust quietly entering the room, clad in the E.G.O equipment Magic Bullet. Instead, she repeatedly raised her slender arms and slammed them hard against the cold floor.
"If there are no bad guys, then what meaning does my existence as a magical girl even have?!"
"If that's really the case… then… then who's supposed to save the world?! Aaaahhh!!!"
"Please calm down…"
Faust quickly moved to the magical girl's side, lowered herself slightly, and knelt on one knee, speaking in the calmest tone she could manage:
"This world isn't purely black and white. You don't have to think that way, magical girl."
"You don't understand at all!"
Startled by someone approaching, the magical girl's voice suddenly rose even higher.
She thrust both hands forward violently, flinging Faust straight into the nearby wall.
"People like you have no idea how many villains there really are in this world! Shut up!"
"You're just a bunch of canaries raised in cages! You don't understand how lucky you are that someone like me exists!!!"
"…"
Pushed away so roughly, Faust said nothing. She showed not the slightest anger at the magical girl's hysterical shouting.
The expression on her face remained as calm as ever.
This near-arrogant composure wasn't because she didn't care about the girl on the verge of collapse—it was simply because she was long accustomed to such situations.
"Evil does not cease to exist."
Faust lowered herself once more, kneeling beside the magical girl, and continued soothing her in the gentlest tone she could muster:
"It may simply be hiding… waiting for a guardian like you to encounter an accident."
"They know that as long as you're still here, coming out to harm people would never succeed."
"When you—or other magical girls like you—are unable to appear due to various reasons, that's when they will reemerge and wreak havoc upon the world."
"So you must remain strong, magical girl. Perhaps those evil people are waiting for the moment you can no longer endure."
"…"
Hearing this, the magical girl finally raised her head, which she had kept lowered due to her agitation.
"…!"
Seeing this, the corner of Faust's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile.
She extended her hand toward the magical girl, attempting to help her up from the floor.
"…"
However, the magical girl did not accept that goodwill.
Only when her head was fully raised did Faust realize—she hadn't calmed down at all.
In those golden eyes that once brimmed with vitality and compassion, there was no trace of clarity or relief—
Only hatred.
"Stop talking! I don't want to hear it!!!"
O-01-04 clenched her teeth and roared at Faust.
At this moment, she was no longer a "girl."
"I told you! You don't understand anything!"
"Whether this place is truly peaceful or hiding dark undercurrents, I know far better than you do!!!"
"Don't talk to me in that tone you'd use to comfort a child! I am a magical girl—the protector of this world!"
"Get out! Get out! Get out of here!!!"
The magical girl clutched her head tightly, her teeth grinding together.
The force was so great that even Faust worried those pristine white teeth might shatter.
"And you too! You! You get out of my head as well!!!"
"…"
Beep.
—PE-box collection has reached the maximum value. This work session has ended.
Faust wanted to say something more, but the warning lights and the piercing alarm signaling the end of the task had already sounded.
She could not remain any longer.
Humm—
At that moment, a pink magic circle glowing with an ominous light instantly appeared beneath O-01-04's feet.
The magical girl, kneeling on the ground due to her extreme emotions, slowly began to float upward as the magic circle activated.
"Oh?"
In the office, X —who had been closely monitoring the containment unit—immediately noticed the change.
"Is this an escape… or a transformation?"
"Let me see what you look like after transforming… Faust, get out of the containment unit now!"
After reaching a position suspended midair, the magical girl—her eyes tightly shut—slowly raised her head once more.
But she did not open her eyes.
Several cold-glinting flying swords, appearing from nowhere, suddenly pierced straight through her levitating body!
The magic wand that had been floating beside her also flew above her head at some point—
And then smashed down violently!
Blinding light erupted, flooding the entire containment unit with pure white.
Immediately afterward, the magic circle beneath her feet flared intensely, and she vanished from the containment unit in an instant.
"…"
Though that figure only appeared for a fleeting moment, X was certain he had seen it clearly.
A massive, twisted, worm-like body;
A snake-like maw as large as a human head, with two venomous fangs dripping with slime and malice;
Two pitch-black, abyssal, emotionless hollow eyes;
Brutal, oversized hands with razor-sharp claws;
And a pair of broad, bat-like wings sprouting from its sides…
It was an enormous, cruel monster—one formed entirely from pure malice and hatred.
"You were such a pretty magical girl…"
Recalling that horrifying sight, X couldn't help but wail:
"Why did your transformation turn out like this?!"
⭐ Want more? Read chapters early on Patreon →https://www.patreon.com/BlackDevil808 ⭐
Advance chapters are finished—real readers aren't waiting, they're already reading.
BONUS CHAPTER SYSTEM10 reviews → Bonus Chapter
• 100 Power Stones → Bonus Chapter
🔥 If you love to read, you don't wait. Your support keeps the chapters coming faster.