I Became a New Magical Girl Priest

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What exactly are we supposed to do?

First, let’s check what I want. And also what these kids want.

…

Well, it’s a bit weird, but somehow it feels like what the kids want right now is what I want too. To be precise, since I want it, I guess they want it too.

I’ve had this feeling for a long time that helping to solve the problems I want to solve genuinely makes me happy, as if they’re standing beside me.

Well, that’s fine.

First off, Pang-pang is not only my friend but also a key person handling something in the company. At the very least, I can’t let her fall into the hands of that jerk… the current chairman. I’d rather die than see my friend used as a tool by someone.

So, what we need to do here is…

For now, let’s just leave the spaceship heading to that Noir Corporation station orbiting Jupiter as it is.

Instead, let’s deal with that alien while we’re at it. And let’s figure out what to do with that distant jerk too. If we can resolve these two things, we should be able to handle things a little more smoothly when we arrive.

Alright, we’ve set our goals.

Next up, all we have to do is execute.

“…”

Unlike other aliens, this one looks like a giant humanoid robot and doesn’t make a sound at all.

If it were just a regular alien, I could deal with it quickly, but the problem is that the circuits inside that armor are linked to my generator in my back.

The stronger our energy becomes, the stronger that thing gets too.

In that case…

“Then we just need to push even harder with greater strength.”

Ha-yoon said.

“It definitely seems to be an alien trying to buy time. It’s not assured it can completely win against us. It probably doesn’t think it can win against all of us magical girls alone.”

Maybe so.

Then, it doesn’t matter.

In this situation, before worrying about the goals, we have no choice but to fight that thing. It wouldn’t be great just to return to Earth now.

“Okay, then let’s go!”

When I said that, the kids leaped forward with vigor.

Circuits.

Our circuits are all running strong.

I will not despair. I almost did, but in the end, I was able to break free from it thanks to these kids.

Thanks to the kids who literally took off their shoes to help me escape despair, there’s no way I’ll fall into despair now. The fact that ‘there is hope’ is, for me, the greatest hope.

What hopes are my friends fighting for?

There are surely children who’ve received my hope too. Just as the alien’s armor resonates with our generator, the kids’ circuits resonate with the generator too.

However, I felt like I’ve never really seen those kids’ hopes properly.

At first, I thought their dreams held before they became magical girls were their hopes. Children from wealthy families, kids who became magical girls because of their parents’ choices, and those who had practically become child soldiers.

Even during times when they didn’t particularly enjoy being magical girls and struggled to fit in with other kids, they didn’t give up on those dreams.

Thanks to the hope that one day they could achieve those dreams, maybe they could keep doing what they hated and be magical girls?

Then, what about now?

That was quite a few years ago. After I became a magical girl and started stirring things up among the other kids, the story might have changed a little.

On the contrary, it seems like the kids are enjoying being magical girls now.

BAM!

“Ugh…!”

Seo-hee took a hit to her guard from the alien’s fist. Even with magic, it must have hurt. There’s a huge difference in physique, and that armor was definitely made specially.

But as Seo-hee was pushed back, Ji-eun’s expression was a wild smile that could even make me feel a bit uneasy.

It was like she was actually enjoying the situation. Determined not to lose, Seo-hee clenched her fists and charged forward again with power.

I couldn’t just sit back.

BAM!

When Seo-hee threw a punch at the alien’s face, I hit the alien’s waist from behind. The alien, attacked from both front and back, briefly floated in the air before crashing down.

“…Heh.”

Somehow, after our joint attack, Seo-hee gave me a dazed smile. Did something happen?

Not just Seo-hee.

Next up was Yeon-woo.

Yeon-woo was fighting up close, which was unusual. As she swung her wand, unleashing magic shot like the ones she once cast on me, I thought about how to help her when I suddenly kicked the alien’s waist as it tried to roll over.

The alien rolled right into the middle of the magic shots Yeon-woo had sent out. The sound of metal clashing with many magic shots echoed. Some parts were dented in.

Seeing the alien spring up from the ground, I pulled back and ended up in Ha-yoon’s arms. The slightly floating Ha-yoon smiled when she saw me come into her embrace.

The circuits were spinning powerfully, and Ha-yoon’s wand, the blossoms on it, sparked with a bright pink blade.

Ha-yoon leapt into the air, plunging the blade right into the alien’s chest.

As if something had popped, a bit of smoke leaked from the circuits. It didn’t go completely out, but…

Even after being hit like that, the alien struggled to get back up.

By this point, I couldn’t help but be curious.

What kind of despair created this thing?

The alien’s despair must be one-dimensional. I’m not trying to put down aliens, but it can’t be helped. Human emotions are complex. Especially hope or despair, which are determined by all kinds of thoughts mixed together.

How could such a pure despair that only causes pain push someone to keep struggling without even fainting? I can’t quite understand.

Even after rising time and time again, what kind of despair could make someone hold on without giving up?

…

For a moment, I wondered if the being inside that armor was someone I knew.

But that’s impossible. The only combatant I know is Pang-pang, and she’s nearby Jupiter right now. Moreover, an alien can’t even handle the circuits.

BANG!

When the alien charged at me, I raised my hammer, but Ji-hye got in front of me.

The alien’s punch crashed down on her shield. It was even stronger than when it hit Seo-hee earlier. The despair in the circuit had deepened, resulting in our energy resonating.

Honestly, that I met this nightmare before the damned weapon was mass-produced is just luck. If there had been as many combatants as we usually face…

I might have lost hope by now.

No, I probably wouldn’t have lost hope.

My hopes were right here beside me, just like now.

Ji-hye’s back hit mine deeply. Ji-hye looked up at me with a flushed face. This was a romantic gesture that wasn’t quite suitable for the situation, but being a magical girl means fighting with that very romance.

Ji-hye smiled at me, then dashed forward again with her shield. As the alien swung its fist again, she pushed it back, covering its fist with that shield, as if she were a bulldozer, pushing forward strong. As the alien’s upper body was forced back, its balance wavered.

The alien collapsed backward, like it was falling.

Someone was holding my hand.

When I turned around, it was Jua.

“I’ll lift you high with my magic!”

It meant she wouldn’t just make me rise but would literally shoot me up like a rocket.

With just the fact that she took my hand, it felt like I had found hope. Jua’s eyes were sparkling with determination. Jua’s circuits were spinning fervently.

“Please!”

At my words, Jua nodded her head, then from behind me—she hugged me tight.

It was a back hug.

“Huh?”

Wouldn’t that make my posture really uncomfortable with the generator on my back?

Before I could even question that…

BANG!

I heard the gunfire from Jua.

Did she use that gun like a rocket propeller while holding me?

But still, I can trust Jua’s words. She’s not the kind to say such things with no certainty.

Unlike in the stories, she perfected that warp technique before using it.

Our bodies soared vigorously into the sky.

“…”

Jua was looking up at me. The only one without any physical contact during this battle was Chae-yeon.

But Chae-yeon shrugged as if it couldn’t be helped and raised her wand.

…Well, that’s okay.

First, let’s resolve the situation.

After that, whether Chae-yeon grabs my hand or hugs me, we can figure that out.

I feel like it’d be fair that way.

I have no idea when our skinship started to hold this kind of meaning, but…

 

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