Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 84: White-hot

Vol 2 Chapter 84: White-hot

As Semi unfurled her Nest, Lin Xiaolu suddenly realized that, at some unknown point, she had been left completely alone.

She noticed it so quickly because Wood Lily had just been babbling nonsense a second ago—but as the Blue Moon rose into the sky, that voice vanished.

In the blink of an eye, all the companions who had been standing with her mere seconds ago had completely disappeared, leaving only the rustling of trees in the wind.

The shock Lin Xiaolu had just felt from learning that a Fairy had become a Ravager was instantly pushed aside. She snapped to attention, stopped letting her thoughts wander, and focused on carefully assessing her surroundings.

She didn’t have much combat experience with Ravagers ranked Egg-tier or higher, and truth be told, she hadn’t encountered many “Nests” either. If her opponent hadn’t explicitly used the word “Nest,” she probably wouldn’t even have realized what she was facing.

As for her vanished companions, she had some ideas. Her first instinct was: Rules.

She didn’t think Semi had taken them out—if Semi had that kind of power, then the one blocking Veronica and the others on the road earlier wouldn't have been that woman, but this very Ravager before her.

But if what was happening now really was tied to the Rules, that didn’t make things any more reassuring—because it meant she was now up against a Ravager at least equivalent to Chrysalis-tier. The last time she faced something like that... it had been Mors.

Lin Xiaolu didn’t want to think about that. And more importantly, she didn’t have time to.

Because although her companions had vanished, the enemy had not.

Now fully transformed into a Ravager, Semi sat atop the sand dune, its enormous single eye staring straight at her.

Night. A forest. Alone. Facing an enemy. For Lin Xiaolu, this was far too familiar a scene. She still remembered the night she first met Veronica. Strangely enough, the atmosphere now felt eerily similar.

And that night—if Veronica hadn’t shown up in time—she would’ve died under the claws of that Caterpillar-tier Ravager.

Even now, just thinking back to that moment sent chills down her spine. If not for the fact that a Magical Girl’s body didn’t rely on a heart to pump blood, her heart rate would probably be through the roof by now.

“You smell... a lot like Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye.”

Semi hadn’t completely lost its mind from the transformation. Its massive eye was still filled with bloodlust, but there was also a trace of rational thought. “What’s your relationship with her?”

“...Nothing much.”

Lin Xiaolu was used to these enemies always calling Veronica “Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye,” but that didn’t mean she was going to spill anything about Veronica. “We’re just teammates. That’s all.”

“Teammates, huh... heh. What a convenient, lightweight word.”

Semi chuckled for some reason, though it didn’t seem inclined to press the issue further. Instead, it slowly arched its back and raised its head. “If you won’t talk, then die with that answer.”

Whoosh!

In a flash, dark magic gathered across its entire body. Its massive form shot toward Lin Xiaolu like an arrow loosed from a bow.

But Lin Xiaolu was already prepared. Even though Semi was faster than expected, it didn’t stop her from leaping along her pre-planned flight trajectory, dodging the strike and taking cover behind a relatively thick tree.

However, as she turned her head to track Semi’s next move, the sight before her made her pupils contract.

All the trees along the path of Semi’s charge had been sliced clean through. Only half-trunks remained standing, while the upper halves had shattered into countless wood splinters scattered across the forest floor.

She reached out and caught a piece of falling wood chip. The edges were smooth and flat, as if cut by a machine. Not only that, but the cut surfaces had a pale, withered hue, as though they had been dead for a long time.

This wood chip was merely a byproduct of Semi’s movement—not the result of a direct attack. And the fact that there had been so little sound proved it hadn’t been raw power that broke the trees, but rather some invisible force that had sliced them apart.

Amid the severed woods, Semi rose onto its forelegs and turned its head. It didn’t bother to search—it just locked onto Lin Xiaolu immediately, as if it had known exactly where she was all along.

A powerful sense of danger surged through her.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she used her corruption technique, transforming her magic into a blazing white flame. Following her instincts, she solidified the flame into a spear and hurled it forward.

At the same time, Semi leapt once more from not far away.

The moment Lin Xiaolu threw the spear of white flame, she instinctively started sidestepping. But in her vision, Semi—who had just been mid-pounce—suddenly turned toward her again, with no visible motion to shift its weight, as though it had defied the laws of physics.

This time, Lin Xiaolu had no room to dodge. She knew it clearly, so she didn’t hesitate. She gritted her teeth, hardened her resolve, and channeled all her magic—charging head-on to meet Semi’s incoming strike.

BOOM!

Then, only the explosive roar of magic impact remained.

As midnight approached, the Blue Moon hanging above the peak was strikingly obvious. Even from several miles away, it could be clearly seen—and naturally, didn’t escape the eyes of the group halfway up the mountain.

No one knew what that moon actually was, but it was enough to tell Veronica and the others that the battle on the other side was heating up.

“That moon—has something to do with your teammate?” Amid their skirmish, Asou Madoka spoke up, half making conversation.

The Domain, once resembling a bar, had been wrecked in the chaos but still maintained its existence, which meant her Rule was still active. A few slivers of moonlight streamed through the shattered ceiling, unexpectedly lending a poetic air to the scene.

“You mean the moon? Yeah. Curious?”

Standing atop the wreckage of broken tables and chairs, Yuan replied with a cheeky grin as she swung her blade without mercy. “But it’s kind of a long story. I’m not sure you’ll live to hear the end.”

“Don’t trouble yourself.”

Using Hong Siyu’s cover to evade another strike and crashing into one of the few intact tables, Asou Madoka swirled her wineglass, eyes half-closed. “It’s just that the moon makes the sky look nicer right now. I’m not in the mood for some old lady’s rambling tale.”

“Oh, you’ve got a sharp tongue.”

Yuan seemed oddly amused, nodding in understanding. “True. A fine moon deserves a worthy battle—not boring stories no one wants to hear. I mean, what better symbol of a fight nearing its climax than a glowing moon in a pitch-black sky?”

“The climax, huh? You’re right.”

Asou Madoka agreed. “After all, the wine in your glass is already half gone.”

Throughout their exchange, neither had let go of their glasses. Compared to earlier, the liquid had clearly decreased. But Yuan’s had drained far faster than Madoka’s.

More than that—if earlier, the countless layers in Yuan’s drink had made it impossible to count, now the wine had started to settle, its layers becoming clearly visible—likely down to just a few dozen at most.

This aligned with Veronica’s earlier theory—every hit on Yuan reduced the “layers” in her drink.

From the moment they split off from Lin Xiaolu and the others, the three of them had kept up relentless pressure. Though Veronica and the others had taken some damage, they had also dealt heavy blows to Yuan.

Veronica’s Threads controlled the battlefield, Hong Siyu’s Rituals blanketed it with firepower, and Asou Madoka disrupted Yuan’s state. The trio moved like they’d rehearsed it countless times—their synergy transcended mere cooperation. It wasn’t just additive—it was transformative.

Yuan felt this deeply from the opposing side.

She had fought many Magical Girl Squads, including some quite famous ones. Some had developed high-level spells requiring team cooperation. But none had made her feel like this.

The Fangting City Squad’s trio had gone beyond technique—they had fused tactics and awareness into a single, cohesive force.

Try to attack Madoka? Hong Siyu’s firepower would stop her, and Veronica’s Thread traps would pull her in. Try to take down Hong Siyu? Madoka would get in close, while Veronica’s traps kept piling on. Go for Veronica? The other two would immediately counter.

Their offense was synchronized, their defense interlocking. It felt like they were sharing the same brain.

Even she had to admit—they lived up to their legendary reputation. If they had a fourth member, and if Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye were in top shape, she would’ve already lost.

Even now, she was teetering on the brink of defeat.

Veronica had guessed right. Yuan’s Beast Heart Release—her Martial Flow ability—was essentially “stacking her momentum to its peak and forcing open a ‘winning position.’”

Momentum was a core martial concept: “pressuring with force,” “striking while the iron is hot.” With enough momentum, one gained the upper hand.

Combined with her Magical Girl powers, this evolved into a near-tangible force. Her magic, speed, and power surged. It could even disrupt the enemy’s actions and magic flow.

Originally, her Martial Flow required slow buildup. But Beast Heart Release skipped all that—reversing cause and effect, letting her hit max power instantly.

It was like trading traditional discipline for unorthodox power—but it made her far more effective in combat.

Of course, such overwhelming strength came at a cost.

Because she began in her strongest state, every hit she took shaved off some of her momentum. Once she hit a threshold, she’d lose it entirely—falling out of Beast Heart Release.

It was irreversible. No amount of damage dealt could bring it back.

Still, Yuan had no complaints.

To her, martial arts was about steady growth. Her original Martial Flow had always been built up through hard-fought moments in battle—step by step.

Beast Heart Release was like burning the future for immediate power. If you couldn’t win outright in that state, then you deserved to lose.

Normally, no one could even touch her in this form—much less hurt her twice. Most opponents fell into despair long before her side effects kicked in.

In most cases, Beast Heart Release was far more effective than her original style.

But this time—she’d met opponents who could break it.

They could endure the power gap and trade blow for blow. They could see through her ability and know their hits mattered. They kept perfect sync and never let one of them fall.

At last, someone had found a way to turn the tide against her so-called invincibility.

Yuan felt pressure. She felt tension. But not regret.

If anything, she was thrilled—because she had fought with everything she had, and still, they had pushed her this far.

“Hahahaha! Half a glass? Yeah, I’ve only got half left.”

Unbothered by Madoka’s jab, she burst into laughter. “But what you see as ‘only half left,’ I see as ‘still half full!’ Doesn’t that mean this exhilarating, intoxicating battle is far from over?”

“Come! Keep showing me your power—your tricks, your techniques, your resolve!”

She spread her arms wide, hovering under the Blue Moon, eyes shining with joy. “I’m nowhere near satisfied yet!”