Chapter 21: Magical Girls: Civil War (Part 2)

The pink magical barrier trembled under Meteor Yellow’s relentless barrage, its light warping like glass on the verge of shattering.
Another golden magical bullet struck the barrier’s edge, eliciting a low, mournful groan from the shield.
As a support-type magical girl, Sakura Pink lacked raw destructive power, her main offense limited to shield-based counter-shocks. Worse, she couldn’t bring herself to hit Meteor Yellow hard—her hesitation against a former comrade left her stuck on defense.
Meanwhile, Meteor Yellow, her mind warped by “Lover’s” ability, was consumed by burning possessiveness for Dan and seething hatred for Tao Gong Qi. Her attacks were merciless, every bullet aimed at her teammate’s vitals.
Another shot grazed Sakura Pink’s shoulder, the magical explosion tearing part of her combat outfit, leaving charred edges smoldering. She stumbled back, her slender frame trembling, blood seeping from her shoulder, staining her pink suit a stark, dark red.
“Kirara-senpai, wake up! You’re being controlled, he’s using you!” Tao Gong Qi cried, voice hoarse, still desperately calling out.
“Heh, such touching sisterhood.” On the stage, “Lover” watched, his smile widening.
He stepped down, approaching Meteor Yellow, gently placing a hand on her shoulder, his voice soft as a lover’s whisper. “Darling, don’t go soft. For a sneaky little kitten like her, she needs to learn what happens when she tries to steal your love… don’t you agree?”
“Dan’s right!” Meteor Yellow’s eyes blazed with madness. “I’ll make anyone who covets him pay!” She raised her flintlock pistol, golden magic gathering at the barrel with unprecedented intensity, aimed at the nearly immobilized Sakura Pink’s heart.
“Die!!”
—BANG!!!
At the critical moment, as the golden bullet was about to pierce Sakura Pink’s chest, a black figure burst through the auditorium’s side door, tackling her out of the way by inches.
The bullet slammed into the spot where she’d stood, the explosion shaking the floor and leaving a charred crater in the wall behind.
Tao Gong Qi’s ears rang, her lungs tight as she hit the ground.
Opening her eyes, she saw a familiar face—stern, composed, with a hint of annoyed scowl.
Dongfang Cheng.
Kneeling, he shielded the barely conscious Sakura Pink, his icy gaze locked on the couple on stage.
“Dongfang Cheng, what a rare guest,” Dan said.
“Hey, flashy glasses, this whole festival mess is your doing, isn’t it?” Dongfang Cheng ignored the pleasantries, cutting straight to the point.
“Lover” looked at the boy who’d ruined his show, his smile not fading but turning gleeful, like he’d spotted an unexpected, amusing prey.
“Oh my, how should I put it? You’re here at a bad time, Dongfang, but I’ll answer you.”
He spread his hands casually. “Correct, as you can see, every female in this school is under my command. They obey willingly, ready to sacrifice for me—eliminating any discordant noise, like you.”
His tone was light, like chatting about afternoon tea, but the words chilled to the bone.
“Like you, a disobedient ‘extra’ barging in. I planned to play with those two magical girls a bit longer, but since you’re so eager to volunteer, I’ll adjust the script and make you the next to exit.”
Dongfang Cheng smirked coldly. “Thought you were some big shot, but you’re just a pathetic loser who can’t stand other guys stealing your spotlight, huh? What, every other man’s filthy, and you’re the noble, perfect one? Women should just brainlessly worship you to be ‘normal’?”
“You’re not wrong. Men are stupid, crude, driven by vile desires—utterly unnecessary. The world only needs one perfect male: me. And those lovely, pure girls? They should gaze up at me, adore me, offer everything for me. That’s their happiest state, isn’t it?”
Dongfang Cheng’s face grew colder at Dan’s delusional rant. He set Tao Gong Qi down and stepped onto the spotlighted stage, his gaze sharp as a blade.
His peripheral vision caught Sakura Pink, collapsed nearby, barely conscious from blood loss and exhaustion, her pink outfit stained with dirt and blood, looking utterly pitiful.
If not for her concern for the controlled classmates, this overly kind junior would’ve likely passed out from blood loss already.
Even so, Tao Gong Qi’s hoarse voice still struggled to call Dongfang Cheng’s name, trying to stop him. To her, an unarmed ordinary boy like him stood no chance against the unfathomably powerful Dan and the crazed Meteor Yellow.
“Dongfang-senpai… run! You can’t win—” Her words cut off as she fainted from blood loss.
Dongfang Cheng’s steps didn’t falter. The tragic, comedic loser knight from the play now stood alone in the vast stage’s center.
He faced the jealousy-twisted “heroine,” Meteor Yellow, and her smirking, cold-eyed “hero,” Dan.
Lover found Dongfang Cheng’s approach amusing.
“You dare come this close? Not running, but walking right up to die?”
“That pink magical girl tried so hard, like a student scrambling at the end of an exam, to warn you of my power. And you’re just going to walk up and throw your life away?”
Dongfang Cheng’s expression didn’t shift, his fists tightening.
“If I don’t get close, how am I supposed to smash that smug, ugly face of yours?”
“Ho ho, come closer then…”
“Dan, let me handle this clueless punk!” Meteor Yellow, eager to please, raised her flintlock, aiming at Dongfang Cheng. “I’ll blow his head off—you don’t need to lift a finger!”
Dan raised a hand, stopping her. “This prey is mine.” He wanted to personally, brutally crush anyone daring to challenge his “sole male” status.
Humiliating another man in front of women, trampling their dignity to highlight his own masculine charm—this was the kind of show “Lover” lived for!
A twisted, almost perverse smile spread across Dan’s face as he looked at Dongfang Cheng like a toy he was about to crush.