Chapter 10: Great Scientist…?

“Damn it! We were supposed to have a nice mother-daughter meal. Who’s so blind to cause trouble now?”

Jiang Yao waved her bracelet, activated her transformation, and soared toward the chaos.

“Hurry, the Earth Demon Worm’s killing people!” Xiaobai yelled from her shoulder.

“I’m almost there!”

At Xiaobai’s urging, Jiang Yao burned more magic, boosting her flight speed.

“Arrived!”

Gliding over the city, she spotted jagged holes in the ground and black, spiky insects crawling below.

Drawing her sword, Jiang Yao swung her arms and dove from the sky.

Boom!

“Hiss—”

The struck worm squeaked like a mouse, dying swiftly under her magic.

Earth Demon Worms were just mutated earthworms—scary-looking but weak.

Their multi-purpose mouths dug, searched, and sprayed, but a magical girl had little to fear.

“I’m starting to think there’s a worm nest under our city. Why so many gross things?”

Jiang Yao grimaced, holding her sword ready, scanning for threats.

She knew her presence drew worms like moths to a flame.

“Maybe there is,” Xiaobai replied.

Before she could answer, the ground trembled as worms writhed below.

Bang! Bang!

Two manhole covers shot skyward.

“Whoa!”

Brown sludge gushed from the sewer.

“Ugh!”

Jiang Yao dodged, horrified.

“What is this?”

“Sewage pipes, not just drainage,” Xiaobai said, tiny hands gripping her shoulder armor.

“So…?”

“Waste and sewage, not exactly—”

“It’s shit!”

“Calm down! Look, worse is coming.”

Kucha!

A fat worm, oozing yellow acid, burst through the asphalt.

Its mouthparts aimed at Jiang Yao, its segmented body wriggling, yellow spots glowing with dangerous fluorescence.

“No way…”

“Yep, that’s what you think.”

Before the worm could spew brown-black filth, Jiang Yao gripped her sword and shouted:

“[Paladin’s Sword]—Light Infusion!”

White light gathered on her armor, lengthening her sword.

Warm, crystalline light sprouted, glowing brilliantly.

“Let’s not fight it,” Xiaobai said, hiding under her cloak.

“I’m not stupid.”

Jiang Yao stomped, leaping high.

Fighting that thing head-on? Even a win would feel like a loss if splashed.

“Crystal Break!”

Swish swish—

Crystals shot from her sword, piercing the fat worm, pinning it to the ground.

Filth and acid pooled below.

“Now, the rest—huh?”

Her eyes widened.

A worm leapt from the ground, jaws gaping to swallow her mid-air.

Two more flanked her, attacking in unison.

“Useless.”

Jiang Yao scoffed, beheading the first worm, splitting the second vertically, and dodging the third.

It crashed heavily, its yellow spots glowing as it aimed its mouthparts, charging another attack.

For two months, she’d fought these flesh bags.

She knew their tricks.

In soil, they were agile; above ground, their acid sprays missed agile magical girls.

As long as she avoided their bites…

Preparing to dive and finish it, a gust hit her back.

Xiaobai shouted, “Careful!”

No time to react, she raised her sword to block.

Clang!

Her blade met teeth, ringing metallically.

Gravity pulled, and the worm’s jaws dragged her down.

“This isn’t right. Tactics?”

The worm’s outer mouthparts clamped, trapping her deeper.

Her legs braced against pressing teeth; her hands held the sword, wedged in the jaws.

Sweat beaded on her forehead.

Her armor-type spirit outfit saved her feet from being pierced.

These worms were usually brainless, charging to their deaths.

Some even collided with each other.

But this was different.

In seconds, she pieced it together.

The earlier worms, including the one charging below, were distractions.

The real attack came from behind—a calculated ambush.

This was planned.

Tick-tock.

Acid dripped onto her.

“Escape, quick!” Xiaobai squealed from under her cloak.

“I’m trying.”

Gritting her teeth, Jiang Yao felt her magic draining.

The acid sapped her power, and she had to divert magic to repair her damaged armor.

This worm was unlike any she’d faced.

“It’s over. Am I dying here?” Xiaobai muttered.

“Stop yelling. I’m thinking.”

Jiang Yao snapped, but she was out of ideas.

“I need an opening. Xiaobai, can you slip through that gap?”

“Huh?”

Xiaobai peeked out.

The worm’s outer mouthparts weren’t fully closed, leaving gaps between its killing teeth.

“I’m doomed. If it comes to it, get out and tell my mom.”

“No, no!” Xiaobai’s eyes widened, whiskers trembling, tears forming.

“Don’t give up! There’s another way!”

“Heh.”

A faint smile curved Jiang Yao’s lips.

Her eyes deepened.

She hadn’t expected today to be her end.

As unwillingness, despair, and anger swelled, something stirred within.

Her light magic faded, her vision darkening at the edges.

She’d felt this once before—when she saved her mother.

That day, she’d blinked, and the worms were obliterated into gore.

She didn’t know how, but the anger lingered.

‘At least get Xiaobai out.’

Clap, clap, clap.

Three rhythmic claps sounded.

The worm’s mouthparts parted, revealing a gaunt old man in a suit, top hat, and white gloves.

“Magical Girl Crystal… hehehe… your death is inevitable.”

Worms slithered from his mouth as he spoke.

“You killed my children. You’ll pay.”

Xiaobai gasped.

“No way—a demon? There shouldn’t be demons here!”

“Really?”

Ignoring Xiaobai, Jiang Yao sneered.

“Now I get why these [Girl’s Curse] worms are so strategic. You’re the old [Girl’s Curse] pulling the strings.”

“Hehehe.”

The old man cackled, doffing his hat like an actor.

His skull and writhing worms beneath his scalp were exposed.

“Ladies and gentlemen!”

Behind him, massive worms crawled closer.

“Prepare for the Magical Girl [Crystal]’s meat-mincing show! Revenge for our kin!”

“Squeak!” “Ah!”

The worms screeched skyward, like a cheering crowd.

The old man, thrilled, extended a hand.

Dark magic poured into the worm holding Jiang Yao.

Her limbs suddenly felt heavier, strength fading.

“Remember, your killer is this century’s greatest scientist, leading humanity to ultimate evolution! My name is—”

Boom!!!

A pure white beam engulfed the old man.

“Ga?” “Squeak…?”

The worms froze, bewildered.

Step.

A figure landed, pink boots crunching the old man’s ashes.

A pink-haired girl with a staff spat on the ground.

“Tch!”

“What’s with the dramatic act in front of me?”

“Er, I mean, don’t show off like that.”

After fumbling “Whoa, showing off?” twice, her cheeks reddened.

She stomped, kicking the ashes.

“Ugh, stupid magical girl word filter! Even this jerk counts as a mom’s boy!”

‘Argh, I’m sick of this word filter. Even this creep gets special treatment.’