[Dance ......]

After a while, Selina finally spoke. [We would be better off finding a safe place to make further plans.] ]

The glowing shroud on the sturdy metal door buzzed at me. It doesn't make sense. There is no sign of any damage to Anasema attempting to enter the vault. So why? Why is it active?

"They activated the emergency shield." I thought to her numbly. "Why would they do that?"

[It's not unheard of for people to panic and go beyond automated systems to get involved with it,] Selina replied gloomily. [The shield is so powerful that only an extremely powerful curse can break it.] Knowing this, they decided it was safe and not regrettable to open the shield, even though it might condemn any survivors outside the shelter. ]

She...... Not wrong. I mean, every exercise we do in school, they emphasize that emergency shields are impenetrable and can only be shot down with a deactivation code.

That's why no one should open the shield manually, especially when the shelter is specifically designed to allow people left behind to enter without endangering anyone. The entrance is like an airlock, with two reinforced doors and a room in between. This way, if people arrive after the usurpation has started and the entrance is closed, the first set of doors can be opened to let people in. Then they will close and the door inside will open for people to enter.

But now that the shield is activated, no one can get in or out.

"Am I powerless as a magical girl?" I asked, my head buzzing.

[No, you can't do it without code.] When shields are activated, they are automatically generated and sent to Guardian commands. It prevents magical guardians from attempting to rescue survivors without authorization or without a proper plan to evacuate them. ]

"I see......" I silently stared at the door.

[Mai, I know it's difficult, but we should move," Selina said, her voice soft. [Brian starts to get scared.] ]

I stiffened and looked back. Brian was just a few steps behind where I had collapsed in front of the door. As he held the action figure to his chest, his eyes were wide open and full of confusion. He shivered as he stared at me. I cursed myself silently and stood up to wipe the moisture from my cheeks.

"Hey, come here," I said, gesticulating. He ran over and hugged me tightly with his arms.

"Why didn't they open the door?" He asked me. "What's that glowing thing?"

"They...... There must have been an emergency," I told him, hugging him tightly. "That means they're safe, but we need to find other places to hide."

"But I don't want to stay here anymore!" He walked away crying and looked at me. "I want mom and dad!"

I felt myself start to choke, so I cleared my throat and continued.

"I know. But don't worry. I've protected you from one of these things, right? I will definitely do it again. Besides, we're still carrying your lucky charms, aren't we? ”

He didn't seem entirely convinced, but nodded hesitantly. I smiled faintly and stood up to pull him away, only to stop and pick up the ice axe I had dropped on the ground. We walked back down the hallway, where there were stairwells and rooms with "Safety Only" signs. Selina stood in front of it, staring at us. I almost wanted to cover Brian's eyes to hide her, until I remembered that even if she was revealed, she was invisible to anyone she didn't want to see her.

[The room is unlocked and empty," Selina said. [This will be a good place to hide while I give you an introductory tutorial for new abilities.] I don't believe we'll be able to sustain ourselves longer without encountering more curses, so you'll have to be prepared. ]

I swallowed, and the thought made my body tremble. I nodded to Selina and headed towards the room.

The door opened, leading to what looked like a lounge or something, and like the rest of the mall, red emergency lights illuminated. There are vending machines, a sofa and a small coffee table with chairs around. There is another door that leads to a room full of monitors, and a third door to a room that looks like a small bathroom.

As we entered, I closed the door behind me and Brian let go of my hand and ran to the couch. There was a lock on the door that I could turn around, but I decided to move the coffee table to the front of the door as well, just in case. With that, I sighed. It's not much, but somehow, the locks and barricades make me feel better.

[Useful," Serena said, and I turned to see her sitting in a chair in the monitoring room, looking at me. [We have to finish the tutorial, we need it, because we've reached the limit of instant telepathy.] From now on, my words will be delivered to you in real time, just like we normally speak. If you can settle in, we can start right away. ok？ Ha. ]

Selene ...... "My voice faded as I tried to gather my thoughts." I risked my life and nearly lost my life, just to reach my only safety, only to find that it was locked down. I was tired, angry, and I didn't know what to do next. My only plan was to go to the shelter, but now I have nothing. Trouble"

[I understand," she replied in a soothing tone. [The situation is not ideal, but there is another option: we go to one of the other shelters in the building.] This mall is designed with a lot of people on each floor in mind, which means that there is a shelter on each floor. Let's go to the other one, good girl. ]

I sighed. She's right, Brian depends on me, and if I don't do anything, we'll both die. There is no other option but to move on.

I took a deep breath and nodded to myself as I turned to Brian. He curled up on the couch, playing with his dolls.

"Brian, I'm going to go to that room for a while," I said, pointing to the surveillance room. "I'll leave the door open, so I'll come in if you need me. If you, uh, hear me talking to myself, please ignore me. When I speak loudly, I only make the plan better. ”

He nodded to me, but didn't seem to pay much attention. His eyes were empty and full of shock, and I didn't blame him. I walked into the monitoring room, put down my backpack, and Selina gave me a chair and jumped onto the table in front of the blank surveillance screen.

"Okay," I whispered, consciously lowering my voice for the rest of the conversation. "So, let's go through this 'tutorial' so that I can fight A later

Athema's words. ”

[This will definitely help!] Selina said. [The tutorial itself is mostly a lot of information about your new features, and covers quite a bit of a topic.] Luckily, you already have a basic understanding of the special mechanics, which will greatly help you grow. ]

"Mechanical?" I asked. "What do you mean?"

[Similar to playing video games with you.] This is no coincidence. Since humans are an uncoordinated race and cannot access magic normally through willpower alone, Zenith has developed an advanced Magitech to provide access to humans. This device is called the "Soul Gem". During the contract ceremony, it is teleported into your brain and attached. By the way, this is also where I live now, know no. ]

"You've teleported a piece of technology into my brain!?" My eyes widened and I interrupted him in an angry whisper.

[Indeed!] I assure you, there is nothing to worry about. No fatalities have been reported so far.

The interface is designed to transform many aspects of using magic into a familiar medium. Without further ado, is it okay to invest a certain amount of willpower? ]

Status? I've tried, still trying to process the whole "sent to your brain" message.

Name: Mai Kuroki

Aliases: None

Level 1

Credits: 130

Health: 73%

Mana: 162/300 (5/min)

basic

Source:[hidden]

Aspect: [REDACTED]

Category: Locked

Signature: Unawakened

Statistics

Intensity: 10

Dexterity: 10

Vitality: 10

Dexterity: 10

Willpower: 30

Spirit: 1

Permissions

Grimoire/Vault

Capacity/Enhancement

є̶̘͇̀́г̷͇͖̥̏͐г̸̝͖̩̠̑๏̶͈͇̌̌̀̉г̷̩̪͔̐̓̄̍:̵̪̦̥̒ ̵̖̠̆͛̄̇ย̸̝̰̣̈͒̀͝ภ ̶̟͙̋͆ค̴̡̋๒̷̮̔ɭ̵̮̇́͆́͜є̷̞̆́ ̶̶̨̖̞̮̀̑͋̇̊͒̾๏̵̗̾๏̵̗̞̣̈́́̂ͅ ̶̜̰̻̊ค̴͘ ̰͙̄ς̶͚̗̀̐̀ς̶̥̹̈́̂̈є̶̨̲̤̍̎ร̵̮̔̆̄̚ร̵̢̩͎̽

Unique enhancements available!

First Aid Garage (General)

stocks

weapons

equipment

None of the none

I stared at the box that appeared in front of me.

Await.

Do I have a status menu now?

[I knew it was going to be a surprise. Selene said smugly. [Considering your credentials in Magical Girl Sunfall: Rebel and the incredible amount of playtime you've accumulated in a short period of time, I'm sure you'll get used to the system pretty quickly.] ]

"Wait. It's just that...... Wait," I pressed my hand to my head. "I need a little time."

I took a slow, deep breath and gathered my thoughts.

"Okay. First of all: what is the relationship between "Magical Girl's Sunset Rebellion" and "Magical Girl's Sunset Rebellion"? Isn't that just a game? ”

[Yes, a widely popular game, but it's also designed to mimic many aspects of the Magic Guardian.] The monsters in the game are based on A

Athema, the player uses a character based on the actual Guardian, and the stats managed are directly similar to the stats that the Guardian has in reality. For this reason, we have made a lot of attempts to get candidates to play this game. Do you remember the special bonus you received when you first logged in? ]

I blinked. "Yes, I could choose a free five-star character, so I chose Princess Blade. Wait, are you saying the bonus is because of you? ”

[Indeed!] Selina shook her head up and down. [We've made sure that giving Guardian candidates a very good selection of characters to motivate them to play the game will also give us an idea of what style of character you'll play.] In a way, the whole game is a soft way to unearth a candidate's abilities and mindset without any real-world risk. ]

I shook my head slightly. "Okay, but this ...... What's going on with the status menu? Why do I have it? ”

[It is the interface of the features provided to you.] While not a perfect representation, it simplifies many aspects of magic in a way that allows humans to use it. As a fairly primitive race, there are many restrictions and mechanisms that must be put in place in order for humans to be initially exposed to magic. Thankfully, video games, especially role-playing games, offer a well-functioning medium. ]

Selene's tail began to wag excitedly.

[There are two access rights to your soul gem: the "Gate" that you are already familiar with, and the "Arcane System", or simply "System."] An important part of this system is that it allows you to simply purchase a variety of spells and abilities. Instead of spending years learning even the most basic magic, the knowledge is sent and stored directly into your soul gem for use.

Instant access and control without any work! Computer-like: You just need to download a program and use it, not write it. ]

It's crazy. I always portray learning magic as a long and arduous process. In contrast, what the Magic Guardian does is actually cheating. Zenith teaches us the steps of magic and simply gives it to us. This begs the question......

"Why?" I finally asked. "Why do this for us? Why give us so much power? ”

[The curse is an existential threat,] Serena's eyes gleamed with an eerie light. [Existentialism.] Like, a threat to all existence, not just human existence. Allowing humanity to surrender without a fight gives the Cursed another foothold to use in their never-ending quest for consumption. They are predators, and reality itself is their prey. ]

I shuddered and nodded.

"Okay. So Ze

ITH gives us magic through the system, and we use points to buy access. Why not give us instant access to everything? ”

[The reason is simple: going completely inside without first getting used to the magic will make your head literally explode with magical energy.] As a result, the Soul Gem didn't reach its maximum potential in the first place. Instead, they grow with the user by absorbing mana as an experience (or simply "experience"). As the soul gem grows, so do your physical abilities. At the same time, the point system is designed to limit the spells you can use, and you earn points for completing tasks. In between, your physical and magical abilities remain under control, but not beyond your limits. ]

"Okay. And what about the second reason? ”

[It's the same reason you wouldn't hold a gun for a toddler, really,] Serena's Nine-Tails somehow shrugged cutely at the same time.

[Beyond the guns that shoot bullets, imagine spells capable of tearing apart the fabric of time and space.] By allowing the gradual introduction of magic, Zenith, humans, and other guardians can keep an eye on how anyone is using magic, discouraging the abuse of great magical powers. ]

"Oh," I said, feeling a little silly. "That makes sense."

[Great!] Now let's start with the menu! ]

"Of course. Anyway, I'm still pretty new to the game. I only started working on Magical Girl's Sunset Rebellion two weeks ago, and that's something that Lily is interested in......"

As my thoughts turned to her, my voice waned and my stomach tightened. Is she safe? She had said she wouldn't let anyone activate the Vault's shields, however......

I shook my head. Now is not the time. I can think whatever I want in the future. Now, I'm still stuck in a mall with monsters and I need to get Brian to safety.

Selina seemed to sense my absent-mindedness and waited for me to look back at her before continuing. [Not surprisingly, the "name" is your name.] "Alias" is the name of your magical guardian. Would you like me to call you a "Magical Guardian" or a "Magical Girl"? While the functionality is the same, it does have an impact on your look, brand style. Hmph]

"A magical girl is fine." "I guess I can choose my clothing style?"

Serena was silent, presumably still. Frozen? Even the tail behind him, which seemed to never stop wagging at all, stopped. It's as if someone has pressed the pause button on her. Selina sat there, staring at me, panic starting to rise up my throat.

"Selene!?" I raised my voice and asked, a little alarmed. "What's wrong? You okay? ”

Slowly, her tail began to move again. She blinked a few times.

[I'm sorry,] she said, her voice strangely tense and muffled.

【About Your Conversion...... I'd like to explain that this is a complex subject,]

What just happened, but ...... Well, Selina is my advisor. If she thinks it's better to wait, then I'll believe her. Still, the fact that a simple question elicited such an instinctive reaction bothered me.

"Of course," I said with a final frown, my eyebrows furrowed together in worry. "As long as you're okay."

She bowed her head to me in approval.

[Then say: You are your magical girl.] This is how you are mentioned in the performance of your duties. ]

The thought of having one more older sibling turned me to my stomach, but I ignored it. I thought Serena was talking about a brother who really cared about his family, not ...... Well, no matter what Dad twisted my brother into. Selina didn't seem to notice my aversion to her comparisons and continued.

[Next are "Levels" and "Points."] Both are self-explanatory and serve as an indicator of your current level of experience and the number of points you have. Experience and points can be earned through various activities, but the biggest source is beating A

athema。 Other tasks, such as the release of the system, the help of civilians, and the creation of happiness in general, also contributed. Know No]

"Can I be stronger by making others happy?" I asked.

[The curse feeds on negative emotions.] By cultivating positivity and ideals of joy, peace, love, and serenity, it weakens the damned and weakens their ability to tear through reality. As a result, cute, magic-wielding warriors end up being the best way to fight them. ]

"Wait," I felt a smile on my face. Ha, "Are you telling me that we're killing scary monsters in a cute way?" ”

[... Yes? ]

"Right. No, of course. It makes sense. Please continue. ”

[... When you gain enough experience, you "level up". This will give you 10 "stat points" to use for statistics. We'll fix these issues soon. "Health" and "Mana" track your body's overall health and magical energy. Your health is still recovering, but it will soon be at its current maximum. Speaking of health, you should now swallow the Intense Recovery Gum

Oh. I swallowed the gum and immediately missed the comfort it gave me.

I've seen the infamous magical girl transformation scene on the show before, where light surrounds the girls and dresses them in cute clothes, but I'm curious about what that means in reality. How it works, why it happens, and how my old clothes will really disappear before my clothes appear on me, this long sentence comes to mind, the judges love my Finnish taste, haha.

Agility determines how skillful you are at handling various things, your ability to move, how graceful you are, your speed will increase, and you will be more skilled at moving in the most efficient way.

Vitality refers to how healthy you are, how strong you are, and how strong you are.

Agility determines your movement speed and reaction time.

Willpower determines the raw power of your spells, your resistance to hostile magic, and the size of your mana pool. Each point in Willpower increases the maximum mana by 10.

Spirits determine how skillful you are at spells, which means how quickly you can cast spells,

How far you can aim at them, how much they penetrate magic resistance, and how quickly your mana regenerates. Each point of Spirit grants 5 mana regeneration per minute. ]

Selina paused and gave me some time to think it through.

Willpower is basically a combination of strength and vitality, and in addition to magic, the spirit is also the same, but agility and agility are combined. I'm a little surprised by the statistics of magic considering I'm a magical girl, but I don't want to argue. How good are more concise statistics?

[Next, we have "permissions."] The Spellbook and Treasury section shows what you've spent points to access. The first of eight tiers, each offering a better selection of items or spells, but also costing more. ]

"What are the other labels?"

[First common, then rare, masterpiece, arcane, legendary, mythical, ascendant, and finally sacred.] There is also a second set of labels for more ...... Esoteric projects.

There are also some oddities with the arcane system.

I couldn't help frowning. I gave my life to Ze

ith this "weird" thing, which doesn't give me confidence,

[The next section is "Skills."] Requires mana consumption to use, or has a cooldown before being used again. An enhancement is a passive or switchable version of a capability that is always active. Each boost reduces your total mana regeneration rate, even when not in use. You can have a total of seven abilities and seven enhancements, which must also be purchased with points. ]

"Can I see their requirements in advance?" I asked, wondering how far ahead I could plan.

I frowned, nodded, and glanced back at the status menu.

"Hmm...... I've always wanted to ask, but what's the deal with the creepy-looking red text in the Book of Spells and Shelter sections? For that matter, why do I have a "unique enhancement available"?

[Unfortunately,] Selina sighed. [These are all related to the "basic" part that we skipped.]

I squirmed. I'm really curious about some of the things we skipped right now, and seeing two entries with colored text on my status menu annoys me. It tickles me.

[Finally, your "Inventory" lists your weapons or equipment.] In addition to the basic sections, there is also a status menu. I should point out that you can always customize the way the status menu is displayed, as well as create additional submenus. Have any questions about what we've covered so far? ]

I didn't have anything, I shook my head.

I watched her tail twitch gently

"I want to ...... It's okay now," I said slowly, trying to decipher my feelings.

"But maybe it's just because you told me? I guess because you said you were hiding something, but explained why you did it, can I accept that? What worries me is that this seems like a big deal, but ...... Well, you're an expert. I guess it's a bit stupid not to trust your own judgment. ”

Selina breathed a sigh of relief and nodded deeply.

[What I can tell you is, bonuses.] For you, your origins give you a special magic book. It gives you a unique enhancement that we can explore for the time being. The next field, "Career", will be locked until you reach level 10. Classes refer to your fighting style, and choosing a class will give you rewards and unlock special spellbooks, treasury, and skills. As you know, many games have a similar system. ]

Nodding, I wondered what kind of class I would end up in. Usually, I play the fast, dexterous type, but I'm not sure if that matches the identity of a magical girl.

Selina continued to speak, pulling me back from my trance.

[Finally, your "signature" is your completely unique magical ability.] All Guardians have one, but no two are the same, because no two are the same. While your signature magic is still technically magic,

The power of the signature is so powerful that it can do almost anything, from truly stopping time to being temporarily invincible. They don't function according to normal rules or magical limitations, so they are incredible resources. ]

"So...... Is this like my own superpower? I asked.

"Yes," I agreed, thinking about some of the crazier superpowers I saw in the show. "It's probably for the best. What's next? That's the whole status menu. I think I'm well aware of what's happening now. ”

[Yes...... There is also a "Transformation Order" that Guardians can use......]

Her voice faded, then she sighed softly.

[Your "Transformation Sequence", officially known as your "Astral Transformation", is currently locked.] As a result, the benefits of your stats will be greatly reduced. You'll also miss out on the important protection that the garment you've created can provide. At the moment, the most relied upon resources are gates and anything you can buy from them with points. While not ideal, it ...... is manageable. ]

I looked at her carefully. It was uncomfortable to know that she was keeping a secret, even when she told me she was doing it. Something about not knowing is starting to bother me fundamentally. Maybe it's because I'm too reliant on making plans to get through the simplest of days. But how do I figure out what to do without the proper knowledge?

No, I shook my head at myself. Selina has saved my life and will definitely help me. Gave me my chance to live. In addition, although it is nice to talk about RPG mechanics, this does not eliminate the fact that we are still in the usurpation zone. Over time, more and more stronger curses will begin to flood the area. Our relatively brief conversation already felt too long.

"Okay," I said, gathering my thoughts. "So. I'm getting a little bit better now and every level helps. I still have 130 points to spend, and that unique enhancement. That's what we're working with, right? ”

Selina looked at me for a moment.

[You understand this very well, but yes, that's the gist of it.] Therefore, I recommend unlocking the arsenal and buying something. The vault costs 100 points, leaving 20 points for weapons. This should be enough to buy something that will keep you safe on the way to the first floor shelter.

Judging by your playstyle, I would recommend the Agile weapon. Two enchanted knives or a spear are good for you. ]

"Why not use spells? Wait, no, I think I get it. If my stat bonus decreases, any spells I use will be much weaker than normal. Also, if I run out of mana, I lose my weapon. ”

[Correct.] Selina nodded. [Even if your transformation isn't locked, a regular weapon with an enchantment is the best option at the moment, as casting does require some explanation.] ]

I feel unsure. I don't know how to actually use a sword or a spear, except for "piercing with a pointed tip". Ideally, what I need doesn't lead to a long, protracted fight.

"What the hell are those magic weapons you're talking about? What will they do?

"By the way, if I run out of mana, it will take a long time to recover. It's just going to have more time for more curses to come in......"

A memory flashed through my mind, popcorn and endless movie marathons, and suddenly I knew what kind of weapon I wanted, I had to. It's not traditional and probably breaks the image of a "magical girl", but now, anyway, I don't look like a magical girl. It's me who uses the weapon, not the magical girl character I want to develop in the future.

It can work, but it all depends on the answer to my next question.

"Selene?" I asked cautiously. "What do you think about guns?"