Mr. Magical Girl

Chapter: 111. Paradox Paradigm Parasism (2)

As the particles of the hourglass fell downward,

my consciousness began to plunge into a dark void.

For me, who is immune to almost all drugs and mental magic, the only sanctuary is the dark dream.

In that void, a silvery flash pierced down.

A massive spring-loaded cutter used by the Black Nurse.

Originally a tool for cutting small bones, but what the nurse held in her hand was far too large to simply take off a head. It fell before me, aiming right at me.

To be precise, it would be right to say I realized I was being targeted and that I stepped back to evade.

Although my tactile consciousness started to harden, there’s no way I’d be caught off guard by such a simple attack.

Thinking that, I made a sharp turn.

Several times, I had been caught by this Black Nurse. And, several times, she had helped me.

During my time at the branch, she consistently followed my lead and assisted me.

As my back arched from the reaction, my power surged forward.

The mighty hammer I wielded arced swiftly toward the face of the Black Nurse.

The Black Nurse stared at the hammer with an impassive expression. She seemed to know evasion was impossible.

Bang!

Another nurse exploded, vanishing from the battlefield.

Out of over a hundred nurses, only a few remained.

With somber expressions, they raised their weapons, surrounding me in a circle. Though that formation may seem threatening at a glance…

Those guys can no longer influence this battle.

They’re simply too lacking in skill.

The reason they’re still alive is that I haven’t clashed with my hammer as much.

The only one who could’ve posed any real challenge was the Black Nurse who just disappeared.

…It’s really hard when dealing with nurses.

From the rear, the Oxymoron stepped forward, who had only provided support fire until now.

Clank clank.

With scalpels dangling from each belt dragging on the ground and a saw in one hand, she took an unfamiliar combat stance.

Seeing the saw, it truly looked like she intended to engage me in close combat.

“Will you surrender now…?”

As soon as she spoke, her voice grew so elongated it was almost beyond control.

I can hardly stand being this sleepy.

After completely draining my body from the last incident, I expected my immunity to her drugs would carry over; however, it seems they’re not impacting my body.

It seems to directly affect my will…

Black…

Black…

…No, I can’t sleep.

If I relax my consciousness even a little, I feel like I’ll pass out.

I steadied my stumbling body as I swayed from side to side.

“The sleeping drugs seem to work very well. Everything is going according to plan.”

According to plan, huh…

“Hah! Do you think just because I’m sleepy… I can’t win…?”

With a loud yawn, I pointed the hammer at her.

…You won’t know until you try.

She countered my words with a slightly excited voice.

Her laid-back demeanor must have been a façade; recently, she seemed calmer and more mature.

But more than that, why is the Oxymoron so obsessed with this battle?

She’s deploying minions, injecting drugs, and provoking me. Why does she want to beat me so badly?

“Hah, why do you want to beat me so badly?”

It was a question I asked before the battle started; still, at that time, I received no answer.

Upon hearing those words, the Oxymoron stepped a little closer and opened her mouth.

Scrape.

The sound of a scalpel scraping against the ground echoed.

“If I win, I’ll tell you.”

“You’re targeting my vital spots, when I can’t kill you?”

“An appropriate penalty.”

An appropriate penalty, huh?

It seems the Oxymoron doesn’t intend to kill me or underestimate me.

Her targeting my vital spots means she really wants to win that badly.

She must see me as an opponent she can’t beat unless she gives it her all.

Then, I should respond in kind.

Holding back a yawn, I regained my stance.

Sticking my legs to the ground to stabilize my swaying body, I hoisted the hammer—still dragging it against the ground due to weak strength—onto my shoulder.

I’ll keep it short.

I can’t last much longer.

Even now, I’ve been feeling the sensation in my fingertips gradually fade.

My consciousness will soon vanish, so…

“I’m coming.”

Bam!

I charged forward first, kicking the ground.

Like an arrow shot rapidly, a hazy white fog began to block my vision.

The wreckage of the operating room, a shattered world.

The plaza began to crumble.

Surely, this surrounding space had reached its limit.

Due to the battle between me and the nurses.

And just moments ago, with my previous kick, everything began to shatter.

Crash!

A collapse caused by sheer force.

The tower in the background crumbled.

The soft ground that wrapped around the patients began to scatter.

The white fog started to turn into gray particles.

The operating room was forcibly released, and the world began to reclaim the color of doom.

Amidst that, the Oxymoron, maintaining her pure blackness, began to move.

Interception.

A leap backward and into a mid-range battle.

Counter.

Re-summon the nurses.

Though numerous possible actions for the Oxymoron were simulated in my mind,

the moment she moved, all those simulations lost all meaning.

A stationary jump.

A subsequent aerial spin.

The Oxymoron spun in the air as if showing off.

Not a rotation from left to right, but a strange spin with her head pointed toward the ground.

Her actions were entirely unpredictable, yet she pressed forward without hesitation.

Whatever she does, I believe I can handle it.

Even before the Oxymoron finished a full rotation, we both entered each other’s attack range.

The Oxymoron, large and wielding a short weapon,

and I, small and wielding a long one.

Both of us stood firmly in a range where we could kill each other.

Within the widely spread black belt of the Oxymoron.

The black belt spread across the world as if trying to capture me.

A web.

The moment that word came to mind, an ominous chill enveloped me.

There was something I missed.

I couldn’t understand what this current version of the Oxymoron, who had evolved beyond my past experiences, was capable of.

As I extended my hammer towards the Oxymoron’s shoulder, I thought to the end; yet, my consciousness plunging into the abyss failed to conceive anything else. I merely extended my hammer towards her.

To do what I’m trained to do best.

To crush the body of the Oxymoron.

Cling.

A refreshing sound echoed.

A familiar yet indescribable noise rang in my ears.

Silvery flashes burst forth from all directions.

Each silver tool connected to the Oxymoron’s belt hurtled towards me.

The small nurse fairies, adorned with wings, wielded scalpels shamelessly, dousing them in a transparent fluid and flew toward me.

Her sharp scalpel was—

There was no way to evade an attack that I had already engaged with.

A perfect trap.

If my body were in a proper state.

If I hadn’t leaped in recklessly.

If the remnants of the nurses clinging to me hadn’t slowed me down.

Perhaps…

Perhaps…

Self-reflection spiraled endlessly.

Simultaneously, admiration for the Oxymoron arose in my mind.

Did she assess everything just for this single move?

My personality, my patterns of behavior, my style of attack, everything about me.

As a magical girl, I sensed I had lost, yet I did not halt my hammer.

Even if I was cornered, I had not yet lost.

The scalpel comes from her abilities, and by striking her body, it should be able to stop her.

I absolutely will not stop under any circumstances.

Because I vowed that I wouldn’t.

In that fleeting moment.

As pain reached into the earth.

Just before the hammer touched her body.

The hammer and shockwave rattled her body more rapidly than—

Scratch.

Her scalpel was faster.

With the scalpel, the belt simultaneously swung and knocked me off course.

My arm was sliced by the saw.

The scalpel pierced my neck.

The hammer, held with a weak grip, was severed by my right arm and vanished behind me.

In the thick fog of blood, her face became visible.

Having completed her rotation, she was smiling, claiming victory.

Her face, previously obscured by a gas mask during the battle, finally revealed itself.

She beamed in triumph over having won against me.

…That’s quite the naive approach.

It’s not time to smile when the battle isn’t even over.

Now. As a hero, it’s my turn.

Click.

A metallic sound reverberated.

A sound like distant metallic echoes in my left ear.

Though my consciousness was fading away, the end was not yet here.

With my left hand, encased in metal gauntlets, I pulled the scattered belts around me.

In the final moment, the Oxymoron, who thought she had won, was drawn toward me.

She was tossed off the ground from immense force.

Seeing her collapsed at my feet, I continued to think with fading consciousness.

A faint metallic sound echoed where metal met metal.

My vision darkened.

From my body, black particles began to absorb everything around me.

Tangible black particles materialized and deflected the scalpels that flew toward me once again.

The battle reversed in an instant.

In my now blackened hand, a red stick appeared, and I swung it toward the Oxymoron’s head.

Thud. Crunch.

With the sound of fracturing origin, the verdict was delivered.

…What a bizarre twist.

I opened my mouth to ask her why she did such a thing, but only a strong wind sound emerged.

Did my vocal cords get damaged?

I thought I couldn’t speak like this.

“—You lost.”

She glanced at the sharp object that fell beside her head, unscathed.

With a strike that crushed the surrounding ground, yet spared her own head.

“After all that research, using my operating room privately, with everyone’s help, I lost.”

Vent like a whiny complaint about her situation, she continued to speak.

I barely wanted to hear the reason behind this whole mess; I’m too sleepy for this.

Though only air escaped my mouth, the Oxymoron seemed to understand my words.

“I wanted to show you.”

What?

“I wanted to show you, that I can fight like this.”

She continued.

“I wanted to show that now, I can stand alone in the place you helped me.”

Now she wants to stand alone; is she going through her rebellious phase?

She’s already a hero more respectable than anyone in this world. A hero who has survived the long front lines.

I would like to tell her; however, only wind emerged from my lips.

Unable to provide her with anything, my consciousness seemed to continue drifting away.

“Yes, I know. It’s weird.”

The Oxymoron continued her speech.

“It must be strange that I, who have fought for so long, am acting like this.”

Well… it seems she is aware…

“But, you don’t recognize me, do you?”

I’m not sure what she means…

I nodded my head faintly, lacking strength.

“Couldn’t you have consulted with me about the Black Marauder at least once?”

Her voice began to fill with emotion.

Like a child throwing a tantrum, she let out her frustrations.

Her voice rose sharply, filled with emotion.

“I thought you’d at least consult with me.”

Isn’t that an act of dragging someone else into your problems? A burden for her, who lived a miserable life under the old hero…

“Yet you never once reached out to me.”

She paused for a moment.

To me, as I was slipping beneath the surface, it felt like an eternity.

“You must not trust me anymore, just like before.”

No, that’s not true.

“So, I want your acknowledgment. Not from anyone in the world—just you.”

She leaned forward, presenting her face to me.

“So can you rely on me? Now, it’s my turn to protect you.”

She must know about my broken neck. Yet, she asks for my answer.

As if blaming me for not holding her hand in the past.

So, I gathered my strength.

With my last remaining power, I would respond to her.

Gulp.

My neck sparkled, and the pain dissipated.

I don’t need mercy.

At that moment I strongly wished for it; not only my neck but black light began to gather at the sites of my wounds.

My right arm glowed purple-black and moved again.

Like it would vanish at any moment, my weakly flickering hand stretched out and patted her shoulder.

“You did well.”

“It’s your power that pushed me into this corner, Oxymoron, entirely yours.”

Somehow, it felt like I was facing Linshua.

“You really… did well…”

My consciousness was fading.

It must be because I have used up my final strength.

The dark void consumed me.

“23! 79! Hurry!”

I could hear the Oxymoron raising her voice in panic.

Squish. Squish.

I could feel the nurses rushing over and grabbing me.

I saw the Oxymoron removing her gas mask, looking down at me worriedly.

That was my last memory.

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