xico, Teotihuacan Ruins excavation site.
Dense night and quiet tropical rainforest made Dorothy feel strange, but she still confird this astral compass transfer work with her adjutant according to procedures.
A group waited beside the special airfield. On the runway sat a Hercules transport plane and several escort fighters, with Holy Relics following, about to fly across entire South Arica to central Antarctica. No interdiate landings—aerial refueling aircraft would relay to ensure constant fuel sufficiency.
Considering the current tense situation, security levels greatly increased. On-site guards ford layers inside and outside.
Dorothy instructed the pilot: "That relic actually isn't anything special—too many unclear aspects. Protecting your own life is also part of the mission. Be careful."
"Understood."
"Rest assured. Including excavation sites, most forces are deployed to your route, maintaining ground-air coordination. No one dares provoke."
The pilot suddenly asked concernedly: "Doesn't that make this place force-depleted?"
"No problem. Knowledge Poison here is strong—no one wants to act, plus heavy weapons that can't be easily moved remain at excavation sites. Not to ntion self-protection, attacking a small country would suffice."
"Alright, sir. We depart imdiately."
Simultaneously, a strictly sealed massive box loaded into the transport plane, with several corpse puppets guarding around it—after all, they could completely ignore Knowledge Poison.
Regardless of relic chanisms, conditions and other factors, sufficient pollution definitely ant high magic power output. Probably precisely because of this, higher-ups rushed to collect it even without understanding specific chanisms. But timing was truly bad—seed so force couldn't wait to promote relic transport to expose the Antarctic treasury, since carefully investigating along this planned route would definitely find treasury traces.
Though Dorothy had contacted Snow Maiden and knew her strength, rcenaries weren't pushovers either.
Moreover, were they doing right? Superiors preferred displaying cursed relics, even more terrifying existences—definitely a lose-lose situation.
Forget it.
She didn't think further but waved farewell. Soon the transport plane took off, simultaneously surrounded by blue magic barriers. This was a defensive Holy Relic's ability, resisting curses, poison, electricity and various attacks. In terms of frontal hardness, even bunker-busting earth-penetrating bombs couldn't break through.
Dorothy tid the countdown.
From now throughout the entire voyage, the top-secret transport would maintain closure. As long as no nuclear warheads, even intercontinental ballistic missile hits wouldn't matter—truly iron walls.
"Our mission's complete—clear responsibilities. Everything depends on them next. Everyone rest."
The Commander's instructions relieved subordinates. Many simply sat down—these days' constant busyness was exhausting.
Thud!
Suddenly a fighter exploded, debris flying before crashing, shockwaves hitting faces. Seeing this, airfield personnel imdiately crouched, air raid sirens wailing, night sky lit like day by searchlights, flares rising one after another, crimson making everyone's hearts race.
Having just flown several kiloters yet suffering an attack, no ballistic trajectories were found nearby—aning enemies had pre-positioned vertical-launch anti-aircraft missiles ahead.
Other fighters imdiately released heat decoys and took evasive maneuvers, but caught off-guard with too many openings. As missiles shot out one after another, each precisely targeted for kills.
"We're under attack—"
"Calling for reinforcents."
Radio channels filled with wails then lost traces. So pilots ejected but gunfire erupted in the dense rainforest—final parachutes hung only corpses slowly falling. Clearly opponents were brutal.
Dorothy ordered: "Launch all fighters to escort them, at least relay to the next stronghold."
She simultaneously had all human corpse puppets lie low. Next mont earth layers surged, forests collapsed in swaths, countless Disaster Beasts leaping out roaring skyward.
Want to fight? Then fight. She had the most chess pieces—destroy however many ca.
Suddenly forest beside the airfield produced camouflaged soldiers—vanguard suppressing with assault rifles, middle setting up submachine guns, then grenade launchers whistling to cover runways, making fighter takeoffs difficult. At this mont Dorothy's back went cold—how long had opponents buried ground forces? Never discovered? Hidden too well or inside help existed?
"Too fast—"
Air-breaking sounds pounded eardrums. A gorgeously dressed girl hugged a missile while screaming, then directly hit the transport plane with explosion clouds.
At the critical mont, that blue barrier actually opened a rectangular gap, simultaneously the girl herself vanished at so light door edge, letting explosions destroy an entire transport plane. The massive air giant wailed and crashed.
Dorothy frowned deeply—could confirm so special ability bypassed defense chanisms for direct hits. Probably in mortal danger.
"Rapid response teams to crash site for relic recovery. I'll handle these airfield guys."
Almost simultaneously, a Disaster Beast corpse opened bloody jaws spitting flas. All raiding rcenaries began burning without even pain cries.
Actually all fusion warriors—truly paying heavy costs.
Dorothy sneered, commanding another Disaster Beast to generate gales carrying iron fragnts sweeping past, cutting solid flesh to pieces, corpses scattered everywhere in complete silence. Originally she didn't want this, but had to race against ti—ans didn't matter.
"Told you not to advance rashly. Your mission ends at destroying the airfield." A purple-black Regalia girl wearing light veils erged from rainforest. "Leave the rest to ."
Fair skin, gentle features, wearing princess short skirts revealing long legs—overall style gave dark, profound feelings. Most eye-catching decoration was pink-white flowers atop her head. Dorothy, who'd cramd knowledge in this area, imdiately recognized the hair ornant as Flowering Crabapple.
"You're talking to dead people?"
"Yes, and no."
The Magical Girl beckoned. Ground iron fragnts automatically regrouped like video rewinding, previously fragnted corpses reassembling and healing, perfectly intact without damage traces. These rcenaries expressed endless gratitude without surprise—clearly long-term cooperation. But such eerie scenes shocked military forces. They desperately suppressed that terrifying thought yet couldn't help concluding: ti reversal!
"Don't let her fool you. This isn't complete reversal—should have range and preset conditions, otherwise we'd be dead long ago."
Dorothy wasn't actually certain but had to ntion it for morale.
"Sir, whether it's a reversal doesn't matter. The important thing is ti magic, the sa type as Hyacinth."
People inevitably associated with that strongest title.
Among various strange abilities, ntioning ti ant strength guarantee, not to ntion Hyacinth had given ti magic too much halo significance.
So excavation site garrison had participated in catastrophe war, witnessing her glory. Ti magic's unique power left indelible impact on them—no, the entire world. Symbol of the strong, savior, single-handedly establishing three-force balance.
A newly appeared ti magic girl undoubtedly brought them enormous pressure.
"Could she be as strong as Hyacinth?"
"Did the Church intervene?"
Various discussions made Dorothy increasingly worried. This brief standoff let fusion warrior super-rcenaries safely retreat. Crash site firefights grew intense—survivors on the flight should exist but probably couldn't hold out long. They needed support, yet now allies were preoccupied examining magical abilities.
"Don't compare to Senior Hyacinth. That's insulting her." Flowering Crabapple said quietly. "I have no grand ideals—just earning so money."
"So you're actually not threatened? Helping rcenaries fight for profit?"
"So deterrent components but overall mutually beneficial. Don't need to bear Church's great mission while taking care of myself—isn't that good? Admiration doesn't an following. Less militarized organizations suit better. If they're willing to offer separate terms that's fine too..."
Bang!
While speaking she flicked a stone like skipping water, bouncing to knock out several soldiers trying to sneak away.
"I'm chatting with you hoping to stop you all without resorting to force. Don't be ungrateful—no one's allowed to run from under my nose."
Dorothy flexed wrists and joints asking: "Sounds like you plan to stop us all alone?"
As if answering this question, the Magical Girl stepped forward, magic power surging and boiling throughout her body, blowing Regalia edges with flowing flas, entire person like a small sun emitting rolling heat. Such wide-range intimidation made several soldiers faint imdiately—obviously opponent's life level was quite high, probably Seedling Stage, plus currently known ti magic was even more bizarre.
She dared not underestimate, ntally commanding hundreds of Disaster Beasts stored in soil layers to slowly rise, roars echoing sky, then all converging toward her.
Here it cos!
The next mont, Magical Girl Flowering Crabapple shot forward like an arrow piercing several Disaster Beasts. Her strikes were clearly professionally trained, always precisely finding Disaster Beast weak points for one-hit kills. Ordinary puppets were completely insufficient. But Dorothy had other plans.
Suddenly ground split into ravines—a massive Disaster Beast opened bloody jaws attacking, catching the target off-guard.
Flowering Crabapple raised eyebrows, lightly jumping to dodge one strike, but Dorothy moved faster, leaping to zero-distance contact zone, fist carrying magnificent whistling fiercely pouring into chest cavity, blocked by right arm.
Brief collision's shockwave overturned earth and stone, sweeping airfields, making distant rainforests collapse in swaths.
Both couldn't help marveling at each other's strength.
The Pacific battle-hardened general's strength needn't be ntioned. This young person erging from the other side was quite talented even as Magical Girl—growth speed should rank among top.
Simultaneously, garrison soldiers rapidly supported crash sites. Tacit understanding let them know Commanders were dragging strong enemies to buy ti.
"None of you can leave."
Snap!
Flowering Crabapple snapped fingers. Monts later, soldiers who'd just run out involuntarily began reversing, concentrated in small areas yet precisely affecting every supporter, forcing them back to original points while retaining consciousness. This horrifying scene repeated shocked entire excavation base, especially those directly affected—one reversal actually drained all stamina, unable to move.
"Bunch of lazy guys not training properly in peaceti—suffering now." At this mont Dorothy realized so slightly higher magic power ordinary people still had stamina, but insufficient.
She no longer reserved, imdiately activating relic liberation process. Instantly, flesh deeply fused with it erupted energy like burning flas.
Opposite Flowering Crabapple stepped back—long ti since feeling such strong threat.
Holy Relics entering liberation multiplied all aspects, not to ntion they now mastered magic power release technology. However, she wasn't unfamiliar—once sparring with General Sid, he'd revealed this power's tip, slightly stronger than current Dorothy.
"Little girl, don't accidentally die."
"Only that won't happen."
Before finishing, Dorothy threw off military jacket, adding lightness. Flowing magic power actually raised an extrely destructive necromantic aura around her, all things withering, verdant rainforest taking on gray-white tinge. Those Disaster Beast corpses' preserved magic power all gathered to her. So this relic's essence far exceeded controlling puppets—usually spreading magic power for cultivation then recovery, even carrying original masters' attributes.
Flas, frost, gales, even virulent poison combined in dynamic balance, pushing Dorothy to new realms—a rarely seen form.
"...You have a corpse stench—really disgusting," Flowering Crabapple's gaze showed wariness.
"To survive in a crazy world, first you can't be so particular."
Before finishing, necromantic aura rushed forward. Even Magical Girls experienced montary sluggishness, herself and large rainforest areas frozen and withered.
Crack!
Dorothy held a military knife piercing past the sluggish girl's heart area, deliberately avoiding most vital points—superhuman vitality should hold out. So imdiately followed with several fierce stabs targeting kidneys, spleen and lungs, black and red blood gushing violently.
She promptly discarded the magic crystal-forged knife infused with massive magic power, this years-long companion weapon twisted and bent by protective Origin, fortunately completing final mission.
"Current indeed has gaps compared to your top Holy Relics, but if the goal is entanglent, no problem."
"Read title 'Physical Status' previous save."
Scattered flesh and blood floated by themselves, instantly flowing back to fill knife wounds, making Flowering Crabapple intact as before, including Regalia damage repaired, showing no injury traces. Even stamina and reaction were at peak—fighting so long with zero consumption.
Even with Dorothy's vast experience, she was dumbfounded. Compared to Disaster Beast abilities' various disgusting troubles, favored Magical Girls had another nature's power:
Miracle incarnate.
But she didn't forget analyzing enemy intelligence. Seems ti reversal was just external manifestation, not true reversal—otherwise too many inexplicable aspects. More like jumping to specific tis—describing as saves was apt.
But Dorothy's heart grew heavier—how to get around this?
Magical Girl Flowering Crabapple flexed wrists, boldly doing several exercise stretches before thousands of troops, showing no bitter battle traces.
"Everyone's quite capable, while I'm still immature. But if just entanglent, I won't lose." She earnestly advised: "Crash site people aren't executioners either—just safely transport relics and won't trouble anyone."
"Just now during the reversal you had sluggish unconsciousness, right? Loading saves needs process, and should have capacity."
Dorothy hit the nail on the head.
She probed step by step to deduce opponent's abilities.
Ti magic sounded intimidating and was indeed terrifying, but deducing specific abilities wasn't difficult. The basket was only so big—how much variety could it hold? Just those few types, unchanging essence. Compared to guessing technique or domain types, relatively easier.
Having seen various bizarre abilities, Dorothy believed the stronger the surface, the stricter the conditions. At least rookie stage Magical Girls couldn't break limitations yet.
"Won't give up?" Flowering Crabapple spread arms loudly: "Welco to all co together."
At this mont her completely unguarded gesture instead made entire base soldiers grip weapons tighter, not daring rash moves. Couldn't escape or defeat—pure stalemate, they were completely useless. Simultaneously, crash site firepower intensified, even magic power shockwaves transmitted—obviously another Magical Girl battling defensive Holy Relics. Firelight reflected forests, everyone's faces were grim, especially filled with shadows toward the ti magic girl.
One man holding the pass against ten thousand.
A person's reputation is like a tree's shadow—hard not to overlap with that silver-haired military uniform figure, the so-called world's number one projecting an iceberg's tip onto this small excavation site.
"Though you claim to be inferior to Hyacinth and the military, you show no signs of retreat. I admire people like you, but duty calls—you must step aside."
Dorothy's necromantic aura intensified further, gray-white mist drifting within ten kiloters, life withering.
At this mont she displayed large-scale destructive power. The liberating relic's energy continued climbing sharply, finally covering and enveloping the crash site. One could imagine the rcenaries there wouldn't fare well—countless undead legions awakened from soil to converge there.
"I'll beat you all down, and people will die."
"Big talk."
Flowering Crabapple reached out to find her skin wrinkling with age. Continuing like this would affect her dear sister acting on the other side. This top-tier Holy Relic was crazy enough—couldn't underestimate her.
"You're very much like , little girl. You don't join the Church just to earn so money and be satisfied. I also only do assigned work, never completing one bit extra. If this level doesn't work, I'll be very angry."
Dorothy suddenly waved her hand. In an instant, hundreds and thousands of puppets sward forward, surrounding in layers, each possessing necromantic aura erosion.
Facing the reacting Magical Girl, they were imdiately sent flying, but the vastly disproportionate numbers forcibly piled into a small mountain, sealing everything up.
Boom—
Magic power light condensed into sword blades cutting flesh, the corpse mountain completely collapsed unable to maintain itself.
Flowering Crabapple leaped from the very top, stepping on corpse mountains and blood seas, right hand with magic power as blade edge pressing forward. If she hadn't already mastered Seedling Stage Origin's internal magic power precision operation, it might have been troubleso. Even so, necromantic aura continuously surrounded her, persistently draining life force. The situation wasn't good—opponent was the type that grew stronger the more you fought, giving continuous weakening status.
So what? Flowering Crabapple wasn't a greenhouse flower. You can't retreat, I won't retreat either. Couldn't let this poorly matched power affect sister Dieffenbachia.
Suddenly the base released countless grenades in direct assault, instantly engulfing surroundings in explosions, oxygen deprivation, and flas.
She could withstand it with Regalia defensive power alone, but unexpectedly thermobaric bombs with massive explosive charges were mixed in. Red flas rushed at her face, ultra-high pressure tore even enhanced flesh together. The girl in the storm still stood firm, but rapidly consuming magic power was clearly competing in burning efficiency.
"Damn it!"
A mont's carelessness sent Flowering Crabapple flying backward. The Regalia protecting her body showed damage—even though she hadn't expected opponents to use weapons dubbed "sub-nuclear bombs."
Her performance was too poor, indeed not skilled at facing large-scale environntal destruction.
Little did she know her performance made the artillery position behind break out in cold sweat. What the hell takes a direct hit from thermobaric bombs with just scorched skin that quickly shed and regenerated? Even ordinary boss-tier Disaster Beasts would struggle. But next mont the entire base's crossfire coverage suppressed, gunfire drowning the Magical Girl, gunpowder smoke choking.
Flowering Crabapple relied on powerful Origin protection to still hold on, but prolonged defense ant inevitable loss. Had to shift direction.
"Don't underestimate military experience."
Suddenly a hand reached from corpse piles grabbing her ankle—pale and bloodless, revealing Dorothy's face equally lifeless. No wonder life force sensing had no reaction—this guy never counted as living from the start.
Such a sight made her scalp tingle, chills sweeping through her body. The death qi bursting forth caused irreversible terrible damage to her body.
"Load save."
With a thought, ti magic quickly reversed Flowering Crabapple's physical state, visibly repairing wounds while even Regalia damage was restored together.
"Brat, I've been waiting for exactly this mont."
Ignoring magic power intimidation, Dorothy death-gripped the Magical Girl's waist, pouring in death qi. Simultaneously, corpse puppets layered inside and outside to wrap both, sealed environnt further blocking magical operation. Now even if Flowering Crabapple recovered, she couldn't resist continuous erosion—ultimately no difference. Moreover, reversal was clearly affected, but facing crisis she instead laughed out loud.
"Listen, General. Signal flare sounds—operation succeeded. I knew she could do it."
"I've got you."
"Magic all has an equivalent exchange. If reversal has weaknesses that can be delayed, there must be compensating thods. Once you play more gas you'll understand." The girl smiled lightly. "Discarded the save, starting over."
Next mont light centered on her burst open, forcibly maintaining distance while being uninterruptible. Since creating new saves was equivalent to invincibility fras breaking all control.
"Abandoning saves triggers automatic status refresh to optimal, then I'll set this mont as new save."
"Finally, read title 'Area Status' previous save."
Then Dorothy and others felt pulled forward by so force to certain previous positions, including gunfire and damage all flowing back together. Except stamina depletion, it felt like just a dream. Looking toward rainforest direction, the Magical Girl's figure was nowhere to be seen—the battle officially ended.
If any magic gave people miraculous atmosphere, it must be ti magic.
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