Volume 4, Prologue Part 2

On the other hand, Tokyo life sphere that was swallowed by black mist was under the sky of underworld.

Under the sky that was covered by iridescent cloud shining mysteriously.

Wasteland spreading without end.

The area from the third defensive line that lost its protective wall until the townscape at the inner part was left alone carelessly in the middle of those.

The space including the life sphere was transported into this place, the deepest part of Eihort’s labyrinth by Homura’s sorcery.

And then, there was a silhouette walking on the wasteland, aiming for that city.

That person whose body was wrapped in red Magi’s Jacket that resembled the outfit of cowgirl, ……was the <Grim Bullet> Hoshikawa Sumika who should have died after meeting the betrayal of the <White Knight> in the previous fight and had her neck lopped off.

Before the girl was heading to the battle, she received the life stock――<Voodoo Doll> handed to her by <The Crawling Chaos>, due to that she only lost one life.

Like that Sumika who then woke up started walking in her attempt to return to the city so she could confirm the situation.

Judging from this situation, it was clear that something extremely bad had happened to the <Evil God User> who she respected but……, even so Sumika’s fighting spirit didn’t decline.

She didn’t suffer heartache appropriate for a girl her age.

Because the girl had the self-awareness.

She was an S-rank magician. One of the people who was the guardian of mankind.

Then, there was no way she could keep sleeping forever in this kind of place.

She had to return back to the people who she ought to protect even for a second faster.

――Correct, she was walking forward with strong will.

Hoowever,

“Haa, ……ha, -……!”

Her step was heavy.

The color of fatigue was thick on her expression.

She barely preserved her life, but for Sumika who had crushed the strongest battle strength of the <Holy Path Church> which was the <Special Missionary> essentially by herself, she was already at the end of her exhaustion.

And then――

“a”

Her leg caught a small protrusion on the dry surface and she collapsed without even bracing herself.

Sumika immediately filled her four limbs with strength and tried to stand, even so it was like she couldn’t find her strength.

No, far from that, she felt so heavy that she couldn’t even open her eyelids with her own strength.

Even if her heart didn’t wither, the limit of her body had come.

(Kuh……)

How pathetic.

Even after having been thoroughly protected by Homura until now, but now she couldn’t even fight for the sake of the so important world that Homura had staked his life to protect.

Even though that it was their duty now that he wasn’t here.

――In this kind of state, just what was she talking, about standing equal with him.

She couldn’t stand equal with Homura.

The voice of that Great Old One telling her that flashed in her mind, tear was going to come out from self-loathing.

But, at that kind of time.

“I’m glad……. So you manage to survive……”

“――――!”

A voice came to Sumika who collapsed on the ground.

Under this ominous sky.

Warm and kind, together with a light that was like sunny spot.

Sumika looked up at the owner of the voice from the gap of her eyelids that even now were going to close.

And then,

“Yo, you, are……-“

Looking at that person extending a hand to herself who collapsed on the ground, Sumika’s eyes opened wide from great shock.

Liked it? Take a second to support Novels on Patreon!