Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Chapter 8: Magical Girl Delphinium

Just as Lin Xiaolu and the fairy beside her were on the verge of despair, the expected tragedy did not occur.

The Ravager's claw, which had nearly pierced the young girl's delicate neck, was stopped at the last moment.

Because, in the blink of an eye, a deep blue magic staff—originating from who knows where—appeared horizontally under its claw, blocking the fatal strike meant for the Magical Girl.

Lin Xiaolu stood behind the staff, still unable to process what had just happened. She barely even registered the fact that she had just escaped death when a strong hand suddenly shoved her backward.

"Step back."

The voice came from the one who had saved her.

It was at that moment that Lin Xiaolu finally saw her rescuer clearly:

A deep blue aura, tangible in form, flickered like burning flames, scattering glowing embers into the night.

And standing at the center of it all was a petite girl with an expression of cold indifference.

She wore a dark navy Lolita-style long dress, adorned with intricate, elegant satin ribbons. Her long blue hair was neatly tied into a princess braid at the back of her head, and a large bonnet covered the top.

"If you truly wish to become a Magical Girl capable of protecting an entire city…"

She spoke in a voice as clear as a songbird’s, yet carrying an air of undeniable authority.

"Then watch closely—watch my battle."

As her words fell, the flame-like magical aura around her dissipated completely.

"Magical Girl, Flower Card Registration No. 41076—Delphinium. Commencing extermination mission."

"GRRAAAHHHH—!"

The two-headed Ravager, which had been forced back by the mysterious girl's single-handed staff strike, finally realized that its opponent had changed.

Enraged, it let out a furious roar.

It had been so close to claiming its prey, only to have it snatched away. Its reaction was almost human-like in its shame and fury.

KILL YOU TOO.

If it could speak, that would likely be its line.

The next second, the Ravager's body tensed. The pulsating tubes across its surface bulged and glowed with an eerie green light, channeling something toward its limbs.

Then—vanishing in an instant—it struck again.

The mysterious girl remained expressionless as she lightly lifted her staff and blocked to her side.

Clang!

The Ravager, which had suddenly reappeared mid-air, had its outstretched claws effortlessly parried.

After deflecting the strike, the girl’s expression revealed a hint of puzzlement.

"This speed… Is it a Caterpillar?" She murmured to herself. "Why would there be a Caterpillar in Fangting City?"

But none of those present could answer her question.

"GRRAAAHHHH!"

The Ravager lacked the intelligence for logical conversation. It could only respond to the failed attack with an even more enraged roar.

The sheer force of the soundwave sent Lin Xiaolu and Moko stumbling backward, nearly knocking them over.

Then, the Ravager launched another onslaught.

Its luminescent green claws gleamed in the darkness, striking down from all directions like an inescapable net. Despite its massive size, it moved with astonishing speed—so fast that Lin Xiaolu couldn't even track its movements.

But to the petite, deep-blue Magical Girl, this speed posed no threat at all.

With a simple shift of her body, she appeared effortlessly in an open space several steps away, completely evading the flurry of rapid attacks.

And it wasn’t over yet.

Realizing its missed strike, the Ravager wasted no time locking onto its target again. It lunged forward for another assault.

Zzzzt!

A sharp, ear-piercing screech rang out between them—the sound of metal grinding against metal.

The mysterious girl danced lightly through the battlefield, moving with effortless grace, as if engaged in a waltz. She barely needed to parry, only occasionally raising her staff to deflect the few attacks aimed at tricky angles.

Despite the relentless flurry of claws, she remained completely unharmed.

"GRRAAAHH!"

After a prolonged stalemate, the Ravager's patience wore thin.

It roared in fury, the glowing tubes on its body flashing violently.

Then, with a sudden burst of acceleration, it dashed forward—only to disappear again just before attacking, reappearing almost instantly behind the girl for a surprise strike.

A normal person would have had no time to react. Even a moment’s hesitation would have resulted in a brutal death.

Yet, the girl blocked the attack with absolute precision, showing no signs of struggle.

Still, this was not the end.

The Ravager’s two enormous heads lunged forward at once, baring rows of razor-sharp fangs, saliva dripping hungrily.

It had timed its bite perfectly—just as the girl’s staff met its claws, creating a brief opening.

At that moment, Lin Xiaolu, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally grasped the flow of battle.

Her heart nearly stopped.

And yet, despite the incoming attack, the girl simply watched, making no move to dodge or defend.

The massive jaws snapped shut—

And failed to close.

For a brief moment, time seemed to freeze.

The Ravager’s heads had reached the girl’s face, yet they couldn’t move forward even an inch.

A closer look revealed that the creature was still trying to attack—it was just… stuck. As if something invisible was restraining it.

"—That concludes my demonstration on evasive combat."

From within the Ravager’s shadow, the petite girl suddenly spoke.

Lin Xiaolu took a second to realize the words were meant for her. Dumbfounded, she nodded.

"Ah… Okay…? Th-thank you?"

The mysterious girl gave her a brief glance before returning her gaze to the immobilized Ravager.

"Now, it’s time to end this."

From the beginning, it seemed she had never truly considered the creature a challenge.

She reached out her hand, fingers lightly plucking at the air as if strumming invisible strings. A fine indentation appeared along her delicate fingertip.

Then, deep blue magic began to manifest.

One strand.

Two strands.

Three strands—glowing with a cool, translucent radiance.

Four, five, six—woven together into a dense, intricate web.

What unfolded before Lin Xiaolu’s eyes was a net of shimmering blue light, composed entirely of magic threads.

It illuminated the dark forest, dispelling the Ravager’s eerie presence and locking the monstrous creature at its center—rendering it as motionless as a lifeless puppet.

Only then did Lin Xiaolu notice—somewhere along the way, the girl’s staff had vanished.

In its place, she now held a small pair of ornate sewing scissors, intricately carved with floral patterns.

"Magical Construct—Materializing."

With those words, the threads encasing the Ravager began to shift.

The deep blue lines weaved and intertwined, merging seamlessly into one another.

Strand by strand, they linked together, stretching and reforming—until they took the shape of a hollow, intricately crafted short sword, as if sculpted from metallic threads.

The girl took the blade into her hand, holding it as if it were nothing more than a delicate toy.

She lifted it without hesitation, pressing the tip lightly against the Ravager’s forehead.

Even as it lay trapped, the beast's savage eyes held no fear—only the primal desire to kill and destroy.

Even now, it struggled fiercely, fighting against the restraints, desperate to lash out.

But the girl didn’t wait any longer.

She simply raised her hand—

And swung.

A deep blue radiance erupted within the forest, lighting up the midnight sky.