Chapter 65: Games

After fusing with the pollutant, the mad scientist had completely lost human rationality, becoming a terrifying monster.

His strength wasn’t overwhelming—Jasmine could handle him alone.

But this time, Jasmine’s mission wasn’t to defeat him; it was to train the two rookies.

A rare chance to face a weaker mad scientist for practice.

Who knew he’d be desperate enough to consume the pollutant for power?

He gained strength but lost his humanity in that moment.

He was doomed.

“You two okay?” Rose helped them up.

“Ow~ That hurt like hell.”

Iris grimaced but seemed fine.

“I’m okay, just startled.”

Pansy adjusted her disheveled robes, still shaken by the image of countless eyes on the scientist’s face.

It gave her goosebumps.

“Good. Jasmine’s got him pinned. You two take over soon.”

“Okay!”

They exchanged a glance, brimming with determination.

Jasmine wielded her golden lance, its light flowing.

One strike severed the scientist’s left wing. She shouted below, “Your turn!”

At her command, the two sprang into action.

Pansy split into three versions of herself—red, yellow, blue—surrounding the rising scientist from different angles.

Iris, from behind, charged a magic blast, firing just before Pansy closed in.

The pure white blast hit perfectly, exploiting the scientist’s distraction, piercing his chest.

Pansy followed, leaping and twisting mid-air, swinging her staff at his neck.

Three staffs, each a different color, struck simultaneously, their magic turning them into sharp blades.

Red, yellow, and blue sword lights flashed, and the scientist’s eye-covered head fell to the ground.

“Pansy, you’re so cool!”

Iris ran to her, eyes sparkling with admiration.

“It’s nothing. Your blast did the heavy lifting, or I wouldn’t have landed the hit.”

“Hehe.”

They traded compliments until Jasmine’s voice came from above.

“Good job. Let’s head—watch out!”

Watch out?

“Behind you!”

Rose charged toward them as they turned.

The scientist wasn’t dead—his claw was inches from their necks.

Oh no!

Everyone’s hearts raced.

A scarlet petal landed on the scientist’s claw.

A massive magic surge erupted, annihilating him completely, leaving nothing behind.

Jasmine and Rose instantly shielded the rookies, warily eyeing the sudden arrival.

The Pride Witch.

“All well, magical girls?”

“What are you doing here?”

Jasmine’s nerves were on edge. This enemy was beyond their ability.

A single thought from her could wipe them out.

“Do I need to spell it out? Didn’t you see what I just did?”

Save them?

The thought crossed Jasmine’s mind, but she didn’t believe a witch would save magical girls out of kindness.

She had to have another motive!

“Jasmine, looking at me like that hurts my feelings.”

Pride vanished, her voice whispering in Jasmine’s ear.

She appeared at the center of the group.

“Die!”

Rose shouted, swiftly aiming her pistol at Pride’s temple and firing.

Bang!

Rose despised Pride, still haunted by being bound and toyed with last time.

Her gunplay was lightning-fast, leaving afterimages.

But her magic level couldn’t breach Pride’s defenses.

The bullet stopped five centimeters from Pride’s temple, its momentum spent, landing in her palm.

“Little Rose, still so fiery. Seems last time didn’t teach you our strength gap.”

“But I don’t mind your hot-headedness. Everyone’s personality is unique, even if impulsive in different ways.”

“But I’m a bit upset. I didn’t touch you, yet you shot at me. That’s not nice, is it?”

As Pride spoke, flower buds sprouted beneath the four, vines shooting out to bind them from feet to necks.

“Damn witch, I won’t submit!”

Rose shouted, venting her frustration.

She hated Pride!

“Submit?”

Pride smirked, her fingertip tracing from Rose’s chest to her chin, tilting her face up.

“No, no, I don’t need submission. Just be yourself.”

“Pride, what’s your goal?”

Pride turned to Jasmine.

“My goal? Didn’t I just say?”

She pointed at Iris and Pansy—she’d saved them at a critical moment.

If Jasmine and Rose had tried, the rookies’ heads would’ve hit the ground.

“I know you don’t believe me, and I don’t need you to.”

“Just know a game’s coming.”

Pride’s right hand clenched, summoning an elegant otherworldly flower baton.

She rose into the air, looking down at the four.

Jasmine and Rose had decent combat skills but were stuck at their magic level.

Iris and Pansy lacked both magic level and combat ability, especially experience.

As a former Iris herself, Pride knew the grind from zero to mastery.

Today, she, the Pride Witch, would train these rookies.

“My game is simple. Pair up—veteran and rookie. Spar with your lives on the line. Winners leave. Losers… hehe~”

Pride didn’t specify the consequences, a playful smile on her face.

“That’d be bad, right, little Rose?”

Under Pride’s absolute power, the four were freed from the vines.

“I’ll suppress Jasmine and Rose’s magic to ordinary-level, so no worries about gaps.”

“Begin.”