Hibiscus couldn't chat long with netizens, briefly ntioning the current situation before stopping attention. When she finished communicating, Yeta erged from her room in a black windbreaker with hat and sunglasses, hands also wrapped tightly in black gloves.
"...Well, how is it?"
"Actually our understanding might differ a bit, but it doesn't matter—close enough."
The next mont, the girl beca in reverse form, azure blue dance dress fluttering in the wind accompanied by magical power around her body turning into crackling electric arcs. Compared to the last catastrophe war, Magical Girl Edelweiss was more skilled. Not forced growth temporary Triple Awakening, but a more solid realm after adding her own magical insights.
She proactively extended her hand indicating a ride. Seeing this, Hibiscus grabbed the forr, ten fingers interlocked—in an instant Swift Thunder magic flowed through her whole body, and the two disappeared in a flash.
At the sa ti, Nan Zhiyi arrived under Five-Color Narcissus Company's banner.
UBS Group's leadership welcod her at the airport.
Normally, the famous Swiss bank wouldn't care about so new elite's favor—indifferent, whatever you want. But tis were different. During this period, the giant pharmaceutical enterprise's public welfare halo was too heavy, now also becoming a leader in electronic information fields—naturally couldn't neglect its president. Moreover, they were pressured by various forces and had to overdraw credit to withhold Magical Girl Managent Bureau assets, causing much suspicion and urgently needing to prove themselves.
No choice—so-called objective neutrality protecting user information banks actually suffered massive constraints and controls, limited to previous low-intensity gaming that could turn blind eyes.
Similarly, when Five-Color Narcissus Company revealed "hopes to transfer all European sub-market assets into UBS Group," they were overjoyed.
Custor satisfaction guaranteed.
Both sides needed each other, so bank managers and high officials provided high-standard reception.
Nan Zhiyi dealt with social pleasantries as usual, light and breezy, showing no hostility. Obviously, these people didn't realize they had withheld money that should belong to the Salvation Church, and she had co for this.
The manager said enthusiastically: "Our bank has over a century of developnt history, always keeping secrets and persisting against various pressures. Custor funds are all in safe places."
"Since that's the case, could I see the vault?"
"Normally of course not, but today we're willing to make an exception. Please follow —everyone will witness the world's thickest alloy doors and most solid super vault, storing the nation's 20% dostic gold reserves..."
The reason the bank manager was so enthusiastic was due to extensive dia attention, since they were also at the center of current Justice Departnt and Managent Bureau gaming.
During explanation, he ntioned the currently questioned environnt, making Nan Zhiyi beside him smile faintly—mysterious and beautiful.
An hour later, everyone arrived.
The vault location naturally wasn't just one. This ti they chose parliant building's underground hundred-ter nuclear shelter fortification, surrounded by "small drawer" cabinet structures. In a seemingly inconspicuous small alley at the hall's end were stored gold, cash, securities, and other assets.
"President, do you have any valuable items you hope to preserve?"
"Of course." Hearing this, Nan Zhiyi satisfactorily displayed the star-moon shell bracelet on her right arm. "Recently an important person traveled across the European continent, taking shells from every coastal city visited—88 total, symbolizing the complete zodiac constellations compiled by Greek astronor Hipparchus over two thousand years ago... For , the aning is extraordinary, worth more than gold."
The manager smiled knowingly: "You wear no other accessories, so the person who gave this gift must be very important. We'd be honored to preserve it for our client."
"Wait, the premise is naturally proving your absolute reliability after visiting the vault. Please forgive my caution."
"We welco suspicious clients—that's challenging."
To this, Nan Zhiyi casually knocked on the alloy cabinet, actually feeling so magical sluggishness—probably from so special relic effect, similar to rumored Relic Treasury power, consider it a rehearsal for sealed room operations. So forceful seizure definitely wouldn't work—at least needed to pass through the most difficult security door.
With this thought, she glanced at two additional accompanying shadows, always in cognitive blind spots, unnoticed yet following along.
Regardless, the crucial mont had arrived.
The group walked into the vault passage.
In view was a circular alloy door, giving an overwhelming sense of weight—solid as a rock, the world's top material-crafted super defensive barrier.
The conviction of wealth security in countless hearts, a golden signboard. For banks, most precious was trust. At this mont, leadership slowly opened the heavy door amid tallic friction sounds. But with just one glance, their scalps went numb—atop tons of stacked gold bars stood a figure.
High-heeled boots, black military skirt with red vest cape, silver hair cascading like a waterfall—no one wouldn't recognize this face.
"What an unlucky coincidence, but conveniently let tell you: that money doesn't need unfreezing."
Before finishing, a square opening automatically cut above Hibiscus's head. That door was relatively solid after special relic processing, but when doors were troubleso, everything except doors counted as entrances. From vault to hundred ters of rock and soil above, crack-crack-crack cut a passage.
"Ahh—"
Huge sounds made Nan Zhiyi pretend fear, covering her ears and falling. Her emotional loss of control seed to carry strange infectiousness, making people's mories confused.
At the sa ti, azure electric arcs filled the space, wrapping Hibiscus and the gold bar pile beneath her feet.
Sands of Ti, relative flow rate!
Hibiscus snapped her fingers with the vault as center—all phenona beca sluggish, like fra-dropping extre slowness.
In contrast, her surroundings flowed normally or even increased to 5x difference, making a full 100 tons of gold rise from the vault, like when she once fished Disaster Beasts from seawater. Before drastically expanded ti flow differences, material solidity was aningless. Speaking of which, were 100 tons of gold worth 12 billion dollars? Hibiscus, never good at math, was too lazy to calculate—anyway, the loss caused to enemies couldn't simply be asured in money.
The silver-haired girl stomped hard on the gold pile. Objects blessed with Swift Thunder magic rapidly rose from the passage carved by ti slash like an elevator, disappearing instantly.
Passersby around parliant building all witnessed rumbling sounds, then a huge piece of gold accompanied by thunder escaping into the sky, vanishing in spatial ripples. They couldn't believe their eyes, but alarm sounds told the truth.
UBS Group's New Year gift was an event actively written into history—such cases had revived since the Western frontier era.
Bank vault robbery.
Direct victims all had varying degrees of ntal confusion and mory disorders, while nurous witnesses spread the event far and wide.
Thanks to spatial relic Thousand-Li Viewing Mirror's rapidly improving performance under continuous material supply, it could now deploy temporary teleportation coordinates. Therefore, Hibiscus and Yeta could openly disappear with hundreds of tons of gold—the entire process flowing like clouds and water, supposedly heavily guarded super vaults making no sound.
When the gold pile thundered onto Hermit Island beach, both girls even felt unreal.
That's it?
Originally expecting a brainstorming battle or unexpected troubles, turns out just entering the vault solved everything. That level of defense was nothing before ti magic and attack speed buffs.
Yeta stared blankly at the gold pile: "Senior Hyacinth, I feel like my concept of money shattered everywhere. So easy!"
"Don't develop ideas about trampling rules—this is our retaliation against enemies, part of the struggle."
"Don't worry, I understand. What now?"
Hibiscus said confidently: "Freezing legal assets, seizing vault reserves—both behaviors count as robbery. See how they interpret it. What's important was never money but demonstrating deterrence. We actually didn't strike any people or objective entities—most hurt is the banking system and even credit economy. Modern economic operation relies on trust in absolutely safe equivalents."
"...Though I haven't studied this professional knowledge, isn't this too big a fuss?"
"To correct deviation, you must overcorrect—otherwise it's just for fun. In many people's eyes, we possess biological weapons no less than nuclear bombs, even proclaiming Magical Girls will impose terrorist rule—might as well try it. We at least didn't conduct nuclear tests for deterrence like major powers, just took a bit of what we deserved, right?"
The silver-haired girl's tone was sinister, making Yeta's scalp tingle yet vaguely anticipating so big event. How had she gradually developed a spectator ntality!
They stopped communicating and stored the full 100 tons of gold in Hermit Island fortifications.
Not returning it.
Compared to tens of billions in investnt obtained through various propaganda and even hustling, Magical Girls preferred "personally earned" rewards.
Which was more expensive—100 tons of gold reserves or 12 billion dollars cash? What mattered was the thod. The two had completely different security and credibility. For Hibiscus, money was just waste paper while gold ca from supernova explosions—prestige victory.
Hibiscus's mission was complete. Next, she maintained contact with all parties and let events fernt.
Nan Zhiyi, temporarily staying in Zurich, wouldn't return—she filed suit against UBS Group for "client fraud and endangering personal safety" in textbook victim-blaming.
She crafted a victim persona as the iconic figure of "major client hard by unsafe banking systems," causing panic.
Suing Swiss official-backed banks was difficult.
But the real intention wasn't the lawsuit.
The dignified new elite, unicorn enterprise, great public welfare company, trillion-asset unlisted group president becoming a victim was inherently topical. All tycoons felt insecure and withdrew assets—a catastrophic depositor flight began, spreading in 9-digit units of asset transfers. Anyone would be overwheld.
Those who rise by this will fall by this. Banks serving elites and famous for secrecy were thrown into chaos by Nan Zhiyi and Hibiscus's combined troublemaking, but this wasn't key.
Losing 100 tons of gold reserves before the whole world was most fatal—credit collapse, nearly zero risk resistance.
No need for finishing blows. Market wolves, tigers, and leopards were happy to kick them when down and devour them. Banks affected sovereign funds, pensions, governnt bonds, securities, etc., sliding across the board and spreading at alarming speed—economic turbulence was imminent.
A bit too big.
Hibiscus quite anticipated future developnts. When the Justice Departnt thought they were facing off with the Managent Bureau, they discovered table-flipping behavior.
She still hadn't specifically contacted Elsa for instructions, but strong support signals exceeded all communication. Now the Clover team knew the organization would definitely provide full support.
As idol Miss Ichiba fell silent, Magical Girl Chrysanthemum began exerting force instead. The next day, 12 civilian organizations, societies, and even religious groups related to the Salvation Church in Edo held conferences, becoming a political force that began influencing politics. Parliant already infiltrated by the Winter Company and publicly executed by Hyacinth, imdiately defected, launching a series of investigation cases against military bases.
Not mourning Swiss bank bankruptcy for a mont, the next to enter the battlefield were garrison staff officers.
Investigations imdiately pulled up turnips with mud—involved military leadership that was directly controlled, many belonging to North Arica but unable to return.
Edo officials were clearing out extraterritorial influence. Nurous compradors rooted for half a century faced isolation, investigation, scandals—new activities daily. Special Investigation Departnt was almost uprooted.
Elsa specifically tested opponent retaliation intensity without restraint.
The public only cheered and watched the fun.
That day she issued a declaration: "Let all enemies hate us, let inspired righteous people love us," causing political earthquakes as Church affiliates reached their zenith.
The power to make whoever you accused fall made everyone silent as cicadas in winter, not even daring harsh words.
The miserable state of ti magic executing congressn was a vivid mory. Now even massive banks involving various elites had collapsed overnight. With the Church's illustrious military record without defeats, people dared not use force.
As long as Managent Bureau representatives were willing to play within rules, that was acceptable.
But they all underestimated the combined power of "T0-level causal magic" and Elsa's own struggle experience. As more and more information began to be disclosed, so clues pointed to Justice Departnt investigators. Seemingly weak fate connections had been established, completely triggering magical chanisms.
This ti, she would strike hard.
Elsa used "hatred for self-investigation" as the cost to transform "love protection for idol Ichiba," shelving investigations and making so unfavorable evidence be suppressed or even destroyed.
The second transformation: "Those who investigate will suffer karmic reversal—those who love you will all hate, viewing you as enemies," sending out curses.
Forr stance allies who had united with Justice Departnt prosecutors, judges, lawyers, etc. began defecting. The Tax Bureau intervened in investigations. For the sake of establishing authority for the entire race, Elsa showed no rcy, causing related personnel to face suspension and investigation. Then ca a series of car accidents, street shootings, electrical fires, and even being suddenly shot by ntally unclear holess people while walking on the road.
Assassins acted openly with no common points, completely unconnected to Elsa. Ultimately, murderers confessed readily with only one motive:
They didn't know who he was, but disliked the person before them and thus committed the cri.
Within just two days, those involved in the "Managent Bureau Asset Freezing Case" review beca a death list—21 people total died in three ways.
No survivors.
The cost was Elsa suffering severe injuries, but she completed the task Hibiscus had assigned.
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
California mansion district. Miller, just returned from Washington D.C. travel-worn, received a mobile phone handed by his wife—Five-Color Narcissus Company's latest encrypted version that only contacted one number:
"Hello, my party opposition is all scared witless. Seems you made quite a scene."
His tone didn't sound like greeting his daughter but was full of enthusiasm and pride. For Miller, it was more like communicating with a solid political ally.
"...Should I restrain myself?"
"Listen well, Elsa. Once an offensive begins, don't stop, because you can't bear the cost of counterattack. End the political lives—or biological lives—of all who participated in besieging you. Don't worry about intensity. Tis have changed. Military leaders holding violence are becoming the era's main the. Otherwise, how could prosecutors be so easy to kill? We political officials aren't the power center anymore—no one cares about our lives or deaths."
"True. Since the military—no, Holy Relics—haven't jumped out, it proves the Justice Departnt actually lacks violent enforcent power. Otherwise, I'd be in hearings now."
"We're in the era of Caesar's return, and this ti he has an unkillable body."
While sighing, Miller couldn't help showing a trace of loss. The party whip position was within reach, but he felt he'd caught the last train. Era was changing dramatically—those who could defeat Disaster Beasts counted as heroes, and the public was quite tolerant, not demanding morality or rule of law from these killers.
Very scary.
You only pray for soone to be invincible without moral constraints, making their humanity fade while divinity manifests. The public was creating gods who could turn demonic at any ti.
Too many things were destroyed by frequent Disaster Beast outbreaks in the second half of last year.
Magical Girl Hyacinth repelled Catastrophic Disaster Beasts with incomparable power but also tolled the bell for collective violence machines.
As a high-level figure within the ruling group, Senator Miller felt insecurity from colleagues. Right, power centers were shifting. Behind-the-scenes masterminds would no longer be produced by popular election, constitution, or at least using these as facades, but returning to the most fundantal truth: violence equals power, power concentrates toward Caesars.
Systems created by countless thinkers and politicians had circled back after a thousand years.
"...Dad, anything else you want to say?" Even through the phone, Elsa read the worry behind this long silence.
Miller said aningfully: "The Justice Departnt side was handled efficiently but a bit rough. Still acceptable—at least better than your concert stupidity. Seems the Church is quite tolerant of you. Work hard. That Lord Hyacinth seems to appreciate my daughter, even giving trial-and-error space. Don't waste the ticket to the new era—stick close to your companions to survive in the future."
"Understood."
"Want to chat with your mother?"
After receiving "of course" confirmation, he handed the phone to Julia. Mother and daughter's topics leaned more toward getting along with friends, workplace experiences, etc.
Miller picked up a thick stack of docunts from the desk. Plain packaging actually contained complete materials on 80% of Congress mbers—would require simultaneous eyes and ears in FBI, IRS, Inspector General, etc. to collect. Thanks to this, his party whip position was without suspense.
Intelligence source? The Salvation Church. The other party seed to hire people to casually stroll through national institutions and walk away with materials—easy and effortless without traces. Really absurd!
He'd once asked contact liaison Jin Yulu, who answered "winter vacation workers"—witty yet truthful. Obviously ordinary Magical Girls were put to full use as intelligence agents, and invincible at it.
The Church's active political participation made Miller confident in putting his daughter on the war chariot—this proved Magical Girls were young but not stupid.
In his country, fewer people cared about elections each year. Little did they know, if you didn't care about politics, politics would find you soday.
On the other side.
In her office, Elsa stretched after hanging up contact with her parents.
She unwrapped arm bandages to see complete recovery. When users truly "loved and accepted themselves," they could quickly offset curse damage. At this mont, the girl even felt her Origin improve sowhat. Magical Girls relied on spiritual power—maturity also counted as evolution.
Couldn't worry seniors anymore.
Since Hyacinth created the world-shocking bank heist, subordinates should naturally cooperate. Subsequently, Elsa held a press conference to re-raise the frozen funds issue.
"We have reason to believe UBS Group lost Managent Bureau initial funds. They concealed the truth—losses go far beyond 100 tons of gold to include large amounts of cash, including raised funds. Next we'll introduce arbitration institutions and insurance companies for investigation. Must get justice..."
Everyone knew Church people felt losses exceeded gold reserves—aning perpetrators said "I didn't just rob this much, believe it or not?"
Believe!
Dared not disbelieve.
Elsa used vague wording to create space for dia to hype super-multiplied losses. Sure enough, as expected, a second asset flight wave against UBS Group began, spreading throughout the country and expanding to European markets—stock market panic. Yet no one dared accuse directly, because every press conference was a magical captive assembly—dia voices would always favor her.
No matter what press barons, dia giants, or journalist associations—useless. Those writing articles were people, and people would unconsciously look after Elsa unless they used magical power users.
In other words, though my organization robs banks, beats military, steals intelligence, there are almost no bad reviews.
As long as the reputation stayed good, many usable tainted witnesses, false evidence, etc. couldn't find pieces and had to be shelved. Moreover, most review teams had few living mbers.
She reported current work progress to the supre supervisor. Should she stop? Or continue uprooting? Hyacinth only replied one sentence:
"Press the remaining courage to pursue the desperate enemy."
Miller had also previously suggested not stopping once offensive began. Heroes thinking alike—turns out you two were the ruthless political creatures.
The next day, Elsa personally went to the Justice Departnt. Along the way, streets were empty with welcoming crowds. But the Inspector General's office was like avoiding plague, silent as cicadas. Today there were no hearings—what were you here for? The protagonist walked into a law firm, then news ca:
Elsa sued the persecution actions that groundlessly accused her. If investigations weren't withdrawn, struggle would continue forever, fighting to every last person—no one could stay out.
Threat!
Undisguised threat.
Whoever dared investigate cases would be ruined and accidentally die horizontally, guaranteed scientifically accidental deaths beyond reproach, without even chances to trigger "death rattles."
Ultimately, the historically most Justice Departnt personnel-involved prosecution case was settled with 100 million dollars in astronomical settlent fees, with officials stepping in to break up fights and force an end. So previously frozen funds were also unfrozen. Could banks that lost massive gold reserves plus runs pay back?
Who cared?
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