Chapter 186

"I was already older than you to begin with."

Although she likely wouldn't have the chance to finish high school in this lifetime, Cahill, who was two years older than Tsukimiya Ran and still technically a high school student, felt even more helpless, her tone tinged with a faint trace of self-mockery.

"…However, if the Young Miss heard that, she would probably say—it is not age that makes a person grow up, nor is it a coming-of-age ceremony, but rather circumstances."

Circumstances.

Once those words were spoken, Tsukimiya Ran didn't know how to respond. After all, in her view, the circumstances that forced Hinata Haruna to grow up were having her entire family killed by the [Greed Demon]…

In truth, that was certainly not what Cahill meant.

…Simply "having one's entire family killed by bad guys" does not automatically make a person mature.

Experiencing pain cannot directly make a person grow.

If she could choose, Hinata Haruna would certainly be willing to give up her current power, if only it could bring back her parents, and bring back that daily life she had once disdained but now missed so dearly… It was just that, in this world, there was ultimately no chance to turn back.

Unfortunately, even after experiencing the loss of her parents, a death, the trials of becoming a Valkyrie, and resurrection… even after going through so much, Hinata Haruna could not immediately transform from a shy, socially awkward girl with braided hair into a social butterfly.

Therefore, the Magical Girl Cahill could not proactively explain these things very clearly.

In the end, it was Tsukimiya Ran who spoke first: "I used to… well, not that long ago, actually. It was half a year ago, after being saved by [Master Leipu], that I've always wanted to become like him."

"But, these past few days… I've become a bit unsure about what I actually want to do."

She said haltingly, not quite understanding herself.

Although she couldn't articulate it clearly, Cahill immediately understood a bit of how her old companion felt, and she immediately shook her head and said to her: "Don't think about becoming someone else."

"…Although it's strange for us Magical Girls to say this, [Transforming] actually cannot make a person grow up."

"No matter how much you [Transform], you can't truly become someone else; you can only ever be yourself."

"If you can't figure out what you want to do in the future…"

Thinking of her own mindset from before, thinking of herself just a few days ago who didn't even know how to fill out a career path survey, Cahill couldn't help but find it somewhat funny that she was now giving such advice to a junior. Could this be God's dark humor?

But she still voiced the first thing that came to her mind: "If you want to think it over first and take some time to settle your thoughts, then just put down the mission of a Magical Girl for a while."

"I will protect Tokyo, including your share."

This was something Tsukimiya Ran had never expected anyone to say to her… No, that wasn't quite right.

There was indeed one person who would say such things to the Magical Girls.

Stunned for a moment, Ran finally revealed a complex expression, as if happy, yet also sorrowful, and sighed:

"That's why I say… you've already left me far behind in terms of 'being like [Master Leipu]'."

"By the way, where is Miss Jingo Rin? I wanted to thank her today as well."

"How could I possibly reveal the whereabouts of my Young Miss."

Cahill retorted to Ran, then shook her head, "…The Young Miss went out with [Master Leipu] and Magical Girl Miaoshan."

"Artemina, you are still just a fan of [Master Leipu]; you are still far from the distance those two have with [Master Leipu]."

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Meanwhile, at the [Magical Girl Mutual Aid Association]'s Tokyo branch in Nerima Ward, in the newly repaired and rebuilt Magical Girl cemetery, Qi Xing personally laid flowers before the graves of the eleven Magical Girls who sacrificed their lives in this Tokyo anti-crime war, pressed his palms together, and silently paid his respects.

Miaoshan and Jingo Rin both followed quietly behind him.

The Loli Evil God floated above everyone's heads, bored, watching coldly from the sidelines.

"In this comprehensive crackdown, I believe I have done my utmost to reduce casualties. But even including yesterday's great chaos, quite a few people still died."

After a long silence, Qi Xing finally spoke, "The wicked have died, and I only regret that I couldn't kill them all sooner. But there were also many innocent people caught in the crossfire, and many heroes who sacrificed themselves. I cannot protect everyone; I cannot ensure that no good person is ever sacrificed in my war."

"I knew this would be the outcome, but I still chose to start the war. To prevent the officials from discovering that my heart was wavering, I deliberately put on a face of arrogance, acting as if I didn't care whether they lived or died."

"To win, I had to be fast. I couldn't give the enemy time, and even less could I let my allies hesitate. So I had to firmly tell everyone, 'I am right'."

He paused and sighed. "…However, now that we have won, reviewing and reflecting, I can't help but wonder if what I did was a bit…"

However, before Qi Xing could finish speaking, Sasa, floating above his head, retorted impatiently: [If you don't even dare to step on an ant, then you won't even be able to walk down the road.]

Sasa was not in stealth mode, and even if she were, Jingo Rin would still be able to see her. As soon as those words were spoken, the two girls immediately glared at the Loli Evil God.

[Qi Xing, you, before you met me on the cruise ship, were nothing more than a lone hero.]

[Running around on your own, possessing decent power, and saying things like "I want to save everyone I see who shouldn't be killed"—you might have dared to speak such chuunibyou teenage ideals back then.]

But Sasa didn't care about their gazes at all, continuing to speak to Qi Xing, rarely putting aside her usual playful demeanor, her tone becoming serious, [But you have become too strong now; you are already one of the Demon Lords vying for the world.]

[If you sneeze, a whole country will tremble for you. You are already an elephant. An elephant cannot walk around ants. Even if it could barely manage, an elephant trying to vie for the throne of elephants absolutely cannot worry about the ants under its feet.]

[You defeated the [Greed Demon] and obtained the third [silver coin], so I won't say anything too harsh today—but you should hurry up and throw away those chuunibyou ideals.]

[Wanting to vie for the world and change the world means many innocent ordinary people will die; this is inevitable, it is part of the chessboard. Weren't you determined to become a great hero initially because the girl you liked died? Isn't that enough? Look, even that girl has come back in one piece!]

As she spoke, Sasa impatiently pointed at Miaoshan, immediately making Miaoshan feel very awkward, [If that doesn't work, I'll tell you another secret: once you collect all thirty [silver coins] and obtain omnipotent divine power, you can just resurrect everyone who sacrificed themselves.]

She said it! Sasa finally spoke the option that Qi Xing had secretly thought about, but which was, no matter how you looked at it, a bit insane!

[All the sacrificed chess pieces can be retrieved after winning the game. What is there to hesitate about? Fight like hell!]

For a moment, Qi Xing was speechless.

Miaoshan, however, reacted, immediately speaking up and shaking her head violently: "You cannot think this way! Thinking about problems and acting with such arrogance will absolutely only lead to the path of becoming a devil!"

The Loli Devil scoffed.

"Hold on a second." Qi Xing had to turn to look at Sasa, "To be honest, after gathering all thirty [silver coins], what exactly can the complete divine power do—"

[Anything is possible.]

The Dark Creator replied proudly, [The fact that you aren't sure what it can do is exactly where your limitations as a human and your narrow-mindedness are reflected.]

[The world will be yours to change. Even if you want to grab the timeline of the universe and drag it back, it won't be a problem.]

[Dividing the entire world into black and white, letting all good people be happy, letting all the people you deem bad go to hell, or deleting them, can all be done in an instant. I don't recommend deleting the mechanism where desire brings power, but honestly, if you want to delete it, I don't care.]

[Everything you want to do can be done, transcending theory and logic. I don't recommend it, but even if you wanted all of humanity's thoughts to be inherently kind, unselfish, mutually helpful, loving, immortal, and healthy, that is something that could be done in an instant.]

In her own universe, Samael's divine power was indeed [omnipotent]. The only thing she couldn't do was make herself wise, make herself know things she didn't originally know, or conjure up methods she didn't even know existed out of thin air.

That was why she was an ignorant, omnipotent Evil God.

That was why she was a foolish false god who trapped herself, not knowing how to create her ideal world and ideal humans.

You ask why Sasa didn't create all inherently kind, immortal humans? Because she felt that wouldn't be good.

…As for what Qi Xing thinks is good and what he will do once he obtains this divine power, that is a matter for the future.

For now, he truly only understands that when the time comes, he will obtain an indescribable, immense power that he cannot currently comprehend.

"You cannot do that, Qi Xing, absolutely do not follow this devil's line of thinking." Miaoshan, however, shook her head continuously and urged, "Although I was resurrected inexplicably and saying this might not be convincing… but Qi Xing, if you indulge yourself in trampling on everyone's lives on the path of war just because 'you can resurrect everything in the future and make it so that no bad things ever happened,' even if you win the final victory…"

"…you will certainly no longer be the person you are now."

Is this the… naive sentimentality of a little girl, a Magical Girl?

But Miaoshan looked up at Qi Xing, her eyes devoid of urgency, containing only a calm admonition. "Qi Xing, your strength is already so powerful; you possess the possibility to save all living beings."

"That is the power to save others—something that ordinary, weak, and powerless people can never obtain, no matter how much they beg."

"It has been seven years. I don't know how many terrible things you have experienced, but I know those things must have left their mark on your heart."

At this point, Miaoshan paused, as if seriously considering her phrasing, before continuing slowly, "…But even so, wanting to help others, wanting to create a better world for the people of the world… I think this wish of yours is very beautiful."

"I am not asking you to be weak, nor am I asking you to hesitate—I just hope that while you possess this power, you don't let it turn you into someone else."

"That compassionate original intention that everyone once possessed, but which many adults have compromised away because of 'reality'—please, do not give it up."

Even having experienced death and resurrection, even having sacrificed herself once for the sake of the world, Magical Girl Miaoshan was still like a Bodhisattva with a thousand hands, wanting to save everyone.

Do not forget that there are still beautiful people and things in this world, hoping that everyone can be happy—these are words that only a child would say.

Qi Xing gave a wry smile and looked at Jingo Rin, who hadn't said much: "Jingo Rin, I thought you would also express your opinion?"

"I do not express such opinions." Jingo Rin answered indifferently, "However, Qi Xing, if you are determined to carry the world, but it causes you great pain, then there is no meaning in carrying it."

"Responsibility should be a driving force, not a burden. That is my only opinion."

Similar words, it seemed, had also been said to Qi Xing by Jingo Rin's father, though at that time, it was about matters of romantic relationships.

"Thank you both."

After a moment of silence, Qi Xing finally nodded, "No matter what answer I give in the future, I want to thank you both; no matter what happens from now on, I will not forget my original intention."

Sasa snorted, clearly unimpressed.

Last night, the remaining four hundred thousand or so Black Mud Evil Heart puppets were controlled and subdued by Miaoshan.

From now on, Japan's strongest Magical Girl would return and continue to protect this land.

It just so happened that Qi Xing would soon leave Japan, and Jingo Rin would go with him. Miaoshan's resurrection, along with the forty-odd thousand puppets with Terminator-level combat power, could just fill this huge supernatural defense void.

However, it was destined that Miaoshan could not follow Qi Xing out of Japan to adventure around the world and fight various Demon Lords.

She didn't even have much of a chance to chat with Qi Xing for a few more days…

But there was nothing that could be done about that.

Perhaps this was something that would inevitably happen in the process of "growing up."

"I think I have 'grown up' more than seven years ago. I should be ahead of you. And you haven't had consciousness for these seven years."

Looking down at the petite Magical Girl Miaoshan, Qi Xing suddenly laughed, "But Miaoshan, why do I feel that in some ways, you are more like an adult?"

"Hmph hmph. Because, Qi Xing,"

Magical Girl Miaoshan immediately patted her small chest, showing a look of confidence, "Although you have grown up, and are even married,"

"But I am a girl who could be your mother. It's different."

Yikes. Qi Xing felt that it would be better to forget about that.

Volume Four: Evil Magic City Tokyo: 170: [Death] God

[Congratulations on obtaining your third [silver coin].]

[The serial number of this [silver coin] is nine, and the concept it represents is [Death]—and [Death] has too many different ways of being interpreted.]

After returning to the hotel room, there were only Qi Xing, Sasa, …and Elaine, who had just returned from a meeting and was still wearing her suit, looking serious but quite cute.