The vine figure monsters behind them were drawing closer. Compared to the others who were running head-down, Violita, who was being carried on Marg's back, had a bit of spare energy to look behind them, making him even more aware of how dire their current situation was.
“…At this rate, we’ll be caught sooner or later,” Violita warned.
He spoke in a low voice, much of which was drowned out by the sound of the rain. Bai Ci, who was closest to him, only faintly caught words like “caught.”
“Dammit! Filthy creatures!” Arbiter was soaked through by the rain. Her complex pink Lolita dress had grown heavy and clung tightly to her body, yet it didn't hinder her steps in the slightest.
Hearing the notification chime that her skill charge was complete, she suddenly stopped, spun around, and stared with her crimson eyes at the vine figures that had nearly caught up to them.
“My heart's power overflows.” Arbiter pressed her hand to her chest, a faint pink aura suddenly enveloping her entire body.
Closing her eyes, she chanted, “In the name of the Abyss, bearing the duty of destiny, Magical Girl Arbiter, transform—”
As the incantation ended, a blinding pink light suddenly erupted, illuminating the rainy night for a split second.
Within the light, Arbiter’s pink Lolita skirt instantly became puffy and magnificent, her cuffs and hemline adorned with delicate silver threads, and a massive layered bow with trailing ribbons adorned her lower back, perfectly capturing the aesthetic of a Magical Girl.
A small gemstone tiara appeared on her head. Her hair, which had been soaked by the rain, became dry and fluffy, styled into meticulously groomed curly twin-tails.
Out of thin air, a pure white wand materialized in her hand, its tip set with a round, polished red gemstone that radiated a warm glow.
In reality, there was no such thing as time-stop or invincibility during a transformation sequence; for Arbiter, all these changes occurred in a single instant.
But she truly lived up to the name of a Magical Girl. Although the heavy downpour remained unchanged, Arbiter's appearance was locked in place after her transformation.
No matter how the wind howled and the rain lashed, her look remained completely unaffected.
Her hair stayed fluffy, and her ribbons remained elegant and flowing.
Aside from the fact that her art style had become incredibly jarring against the current grim setting, there was absolutely nothing to complain about.
Bai Ci watching this scene, suddenly felt a wave of relief.
A real Magical Girl capable of transforming, paired with a scene of being hunted down by monsters—none of those present felt any embarrassment or awkwardness. Instead, they felt only the sheer relief of being saved.
“Burn, flames of the Abyss, and become a protective blade!”
Arbiter gripped her wand tightly, and the ruby at its tip instantly burst with a sphere of blazing fire.
She swung her wand fiercely at the leading vine figure. The fireball tore through the curtain of rain, slamming squarely into the vine figure and instantly erupting into a roaring blaze.
Scorched by the flames, a large portion of the vine figure that had been pursuing them most relentlessly shriveled up, letting out a sharp, agonizing screech.
“It's working,” Bai Ci thought with joy, finally catching a brief moment to breathe.
Arbiter raised her chin proudly and waved her wand repeatedly. Fireballs rained down on the vine figures behind them in rapid succession. The flames danced in the rainy night, temporarily halting their advance.
However, the torrential downpour was simply too fierce. The newly ignited flames were quickly extinguished by the rain, leaving only wisps of black smoke that were instantly washed away.
The scorched vine figures soon began to writhe again. They grew even more frenzied, their vines thickening as if driven by some deep yearning and hatred, lunging toward Arbiter.
“Curse this annoying, evil rain!” Arbiter stamped her foot in frustration.
Frowning as she watched her flames get snuffed out by the rain, her voice was filled with vexation and indignation. “How can my sacred fire of Arbiter be so easily extinguished by mere mortal rain? This absurdity defies all logic!”
She unleashed another fireball, but the result was the same—the flames didn't last long before being extinguished by the rain.
Watching the vine figures draw closer, growing in number and madness, Arbiter's expression grew serious.
“Arbiter, don't rush. Now isn't the time to fight them head-on.”
“This rain is too heavy; it perfectly counters your power. This isn't the place for you to fight. Let's retreat first. Once the rain stops or lets up, we'll find a way to come back and deal with them.”
Bai Ci wiped away the rain that was making it hard to keep her eyes open, shouting toward the sparkling light.
The special effects of a Magical Girl were highly solid, glowing brightly even in the rainy night.
“Make your escape while you have the chance! I shall use the power of Arbiter to suppress these vines. Even if I am trapped, I can catch up later. Do not look back!”
Arbiter didn't look back, only raising her voice to ensure the others could hear her clearly over the storm.
The moment the words left her mouth, Arbiter shifted her grip on her wand, and the ruby at its tip flared with brilliant light.
“Fire of Arbiter, form a barrier and shut out all filth!”
As the incantation ended, a massive wave of fire erupted from the tip of her wand, shaping itself into a long barrier of flame before them, temporarily keeping the vine figures at bay.
Yet the rain continued to pour down relentlessly. The flame barrier grew weaker and weaker, its edges constantly being snuffed out, only for Arbiter to strain herself to replenish them.
Though her magical form remained bright and elegant, her increasingly rapid breathing betrayed her.
Clearly, continuously casting magic was taking a massive toll on her stamina.
In some slow-paced movies, there were always brainless teammates who would cry out about not leaving anyone behind, dragging their feet and refusing to go, completely wasting the escape opportunity created by the protagonist.
It was incredibly infuriating to watch.
Fortunately, none of those present were that kind of character. When Arbiter told them to run, the two of them ran forward without looking back, refusing to hold their teammate down.
Just then, an unusual sound of rushing wind suddenly swept past overhead.
Hearing this, Bai Ci instinctively looked up quickly. Naturally, nothing could be seen in the pitch-black night sky.
But the disrupted path of the wind and rain clearly indicated that something had just flown past above them at an astonishing speed.
“Watch out, something's there!” Bai Ci quickly warned Marg.
Arbiter also sensed the anomaly. While maintaining the flame barrier, she turned and shot a blast of fire toward the path ahead of Bai Ci and the others.
The fire struck something, finding purchase and flaring up.
Although the flames only lasted for a brief second under the pelting rain, the momentary flash of light was enough for them to see clearly.
Something was indeed blocking their path.
Standing at the front was a familiar figure—it was none other than the trainmaster, Wisteria.
Wisteria still wore his dark uniform, maintaining his human form, his hair and clothes soaked by the rain and clinging tightly to his body.
His face still bore that mask-like smile, like a statue with a carved grin. There was no meaning behind his smile, for he was simply incapable of making any other expression.
Rate on N.U.
