My hands hurt.

I rubbed, shivering in the cold air, and the tinnitus gradually subsided. I didn't notice this when I fought Spider-Man, but it turns out that shooting so many times in a closed room has consequences, even if I have a silenced enchantment on my gun. My heads-up monitor showed that my mana bar was about one-sixth full.

I've emptied sixteen magazines and nine more bullets. There were 249 bullets in total, plus I loaded 250 bullets at the beginning. In order to take down that beast, almost 17 ammo is needed. Give fifty points for all. Ha

I lack all the power of a magical girl, and it makes sense that it takes so many bullets to kill. But only fifty points? I expected more from my boss.

I shook my head. I'm so ridiculous. Just defeated a giant spider mantis centaur with a leg and sickle arm, and you're still worried about points? Why is this important when I just saved everyone in the vault on the third floor?

Gently, I pressed down on both sides of my ankles again. Celine told me that with the leftover regenerating ointment I had bought, the swelling had decreased significantly. Obviously, this ointment is very effective for conditions like sprains and bruises, I feel much better and I can walk and run normally

My legs and arms feel bouncy, which is a bit surprising. Is this what a real battle feels like? At most, it will only be a few minutes...... Is it really that tiring to fight?

[Congratulations,] Selene interrupted my thoughts. [You've done something that a lot of people thought was impossible.] Defeat a Cursed who is seventeen levels above you without an astral transformation...... Indeed, this is an extraordinary achievement. ]

My cheeks flushed with shyness.

"Thank you...... But I really couldn't do it without you. Me, huh...... I'm sorry for what happened to you. I can't-"

[Don't worry.] It's painless. I'm just frustrated because I can't help you more. That, combined with my forced disappearance, would complicate things even more. We'll get to that later, though. First of all, we should focus on closing the coolant pipes—]

A hissing sound interrupted Selene, and I was startled and drew my gun to aim at the spider. It didn't move, and I frowned until I realized that the gas coming out of the pipe was starting to thin out as the fizzing pitch was getting louder and louder. The hissing stopped when the gas stopped coming out of the pipe, and I slowly lowered the gun.

[Ahh Well, it's good to know that the emergency shutdown system is still working. By the way, freezing spiders with tubes is a great improvisation. I'm worried about how your fighting instincts will transfer from the game to real life, but it seems like I'm being overly cautious. ]

"I ......," I shrugged, fidgeting. It felt good at the time...... I should consider using it during our planning session, though. This will make things a lot easier. ”

[Maybe.] In any case, things went as expected. Especially against such a tough opponent. ]

"yes...... I can't believe it's only worth fifty points, though. ”

[Mai, it's just an ordinary curse.] ]

A chill swept through the body.

"W-What? But in the rebellion......"

[Oh.] Oh, Mai...... Sorry, my communication doesn't seem clear.

"Oh......" My heart sank slightly. Wait, so is there a special type of curse? Those who are actually like bosses? ”

[Yes...... The Elite Curser is of a higher level than usual. For example, the Elite Troll Hound has a level of six or higher. Then came the Rare Curse. These types are usually uncommon among the general public, and when they do, there is often no standardized level. Rare curses are very dangerous due to their unique abilities and intelligence. Very much in line with the standards of boss monsters. ]

Selina paused, as if considering her words.

[The above is an anomaly.] That...... That's something more powerful than the boss monster. They possess an intellect comparable to that of humans, as well as strength and magic comparable to that of magical girls. If an anomaly is found, multiple Guardian squads are usually called in to deal with it. Anomalies are one of the deadliest creatures, and once they appear, disasters usually ensue. If you encounter an anomaly alone, you will run away.

If you stay alone against the anomalous, you will lose your life and everything you fought for, and the world cannot afford to lose a magical girl in despair. Fight. Do you understand? ]

In a low tone, it sounded almost desperate, as if she was begging me to accept. I nodded into the empty air, gripping the gun tighter, and a hint of fear crept into my stomach.

[That being said, if your level is at least a hundred levels higher than that of a monster, you may be able to be on an equal footing.] In addition, anomalies are very rare and can be detected before they even arrive. They're not something you stumble upon on the street. ]

It made me feel better, and I was relieved.

Then, I believe you have recovered well enough. Let's go]

"Okay," I said, looking around the room. "Generator."

I started moving, towards the back of the room. Selena told me before the battle that I didn't have to worry about shooting anything other than the pipes because the generator itself was retracted into the floor. This is a security measure that helps protect the shielding station if it goes offline. All I had to do was use the access panel and get the generator back up and running.

Arriving at the back of the room, I was greeted by a closed metal box, just as Selina described it to me. There was a small dent in it, and I frowned when I reached out to pull the front panel open. There's a handheld scanner inside and something that looks like a card reader.

I put my hand on the screen and I almost jumped when the screen lit up blue. After a second it turned green, and the room was suddenly filled with the whirring sound of machinery.

The center of the floor opens automatically. The circular part of the floor first dented, then split in half, and then slid away. When the hole was cleared, there was a buzzing sound in the air, and a circular platform slowly rose, replacing the floor. I watched, and as the platform slowly approached, the sound of the machine suddenly stopped.

The circular platform is made of metal with only two objects on it. The first is a recessed cylindrical base that allows a perfect sphere to rest on it. Both are made of reflective silver metal with a hexagonal pattern engraved on them. The sphere itself is bigger than my head, and there is something about this object that makes me feel ...... Disturbed. There was something wrong with it, like my eyes couldn't see it exactly right.

[Try not to stare,] Celine advised me. [You're looking at an almost perfect sphere.] It was created and shaped according to the specification of the first million digits of pi. Your brain recognizes that it is indeed a sphere, but because it is very close to a perfect sphere, it causes a psychological response. You may feel a headache. ]

I turned away from the alien planet, blinking at the sudden nervousness they felt. I carefully avoided looking directly at it again and turned my head to look at the second object in the metal circle.

Is that...... A box. Large, made of ferrous metal, with absolutely no features other than a cable as thick as my legs that connected the box to the pedestal, and another cable went straight to the ground. Judging by the metal that has the same hexagonal pattern as the sphere and base, it's clearly Ze

Part of ITH technology.

"What is this?" I looked at the box with a frown.

[I don't know.] ]

I blinked.

"What do you mean you don't know? This is Ze

ITH technology, right? ”

[Yes, but...... I don't have any information about it in my database. ]

"Isn't that good?"

[Not at all,] Serena replied happily. [There's a lot of information that I either can't access or simply don't have the memory ability to save.] Because I was designed to fit your soul gem, the amount of data I could carry was limited. For example, I only know A

The first fifty levels of athema creatures, I can't figure out what that might be at the moment. ]

"Oh. But that's nothing to worry about, right? ”

[I don't think so.] It is a Ze connected to a mana generator

ITH technology, so it must have some kind of purpose. It could be some type of booster or it could be a safety device. But the Guardian has to buy and install it for some reason. Once we get back to the shelter, if you're still curious, we can ask machine.com. ]

"Okay......" I stared at the box for a few more moments before turning my attention back to the mana generator. So, what do I do now? ”

[There are a few things we should discuss before we move on.] The main thing is what the plan for the return trip is. 】

"Hmm." I checked my magic with my peripheral vision. "I only have 82 mana right now, so we should wait until I can ...... 220 points show you again, because I'm already level eight, right? ”

[Yes.]

"No, it'......" I sighed. Never mind. That makes sense, but it now puts us in a bad situation. ”

[How so?] We just have to wait an hour. That, or you can spend some attribute points on your willpower and spirit to quickly recover the appropriate amount. ]

"Hmm." How much time is left in the shelter before the shield falls and opens? I asked distraughtly.

[Three hours and sixteen minutes.] Even if we waited, they still had more than two hours to spare. ]

I frowned at that. This thought made me feel very uncomfortable. Waited for a whole hour, didn't do anything, and felt ...... Wrong. The thought of putting Lily and many others in danger longer than I had to do was uncomfortable for me. Of course, I've done everything I can to defeat some of the Cursed before reaching the generator, but this is to help ensure I have all the resources I need to save them. If I had the option to protect them immediately, shouldn't I?

Also, the thought of waiting tickles my heart, like I'm struggling to remember something important. It's just that...... It doesn't feel right.

"When we turn on the generator, can we know if the shielding station is online?"

[Yes or no.] There will be no direct response, but the generator control screen will notify us if power is being supplied or not. ]

"Once it starts to restart, it attracts all the curses. Therefore, the road to the shelter should be unobstructed. Especially if we go back to the same route we came here from. ”

After a moment of silence, Selena replied in a hesitant tone.

[Yes.] Wait until I can scout forward, just in case. ]

"I ...... Serena, this may be safer for me, but what about everyone in the Vault? I argued. I know they still have a lot of time, but ...... It doesn't feel right. I don't want their doomsday clock to tick for too long. Keep them at risk...... It's not appropriate for me. ”

[There are some advantages to this...... I guess if the shield station doesn't reopen, running back without waiting only increases the risk, and we can deduce this from the output of the mana generator. The shield activation sequence is too bright to attract the curse, which means the path must be clear. Even if there are people left behind, we have cleared a route to the stairs...... That's fine. It's a viable plan. ]

My shoulder breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Okay. So what should I do?

[We need to deal with the webbing in front of the door.] ]

"Ah, yes."

I went to work, collected scattered magazines from my room, and stored them in my backpack. Use my HUD to highlight them in gold, and I can see them in the dim emergency lights. I stopped on top of one of them, and as I looked at where it fell, something got stuck in my throat.

"Selene...... What happened to the body? I asked softly as I stared at the pool of blood.

]

"Oh...... But it was still a gun, lying in a pool of blood. It belongs to someone. People who try to use it to protect others. A person with friends, family, dreams. And now it's just ......

I suddenly remembered the blood stains on the back of my jeans when I fell. Blood stained my left hand...

I asked Serena to buy me three more full magazines, bringing my points down to 130. I could have bought ammo to replenish my empty ammo, but I really didn't want to stay longer than necessary. I had a couple of empty magazines outside my room that I had to pick up when I went out, and I made a mental note of doing so...... And told Selina to remind me just in case. Now that I'm no longer in any immediate danger, the tiredness is trying to return to me.

I stopped at the door, and when I started shooting safely, Selina and I expected the spider to build a web at the door.

I put my gun down for a moment and pulled out my ice axe over my shoulder.

[I recommend scraping the sides of the door frame and then along the outside.] ]

Following Selena's instructions, I got to work, scratching the walls and webbing. It went surprisingly well, and it only took me about five minutes to clear the door. However, it did require a lot of physical strength, my arm was sore, and I was sweating again.

"Okay," I put away my ice axe, picked up my gun, and blinked, and the part of the HUD that contained my gun's information reappeared, revealing that I only had six bullets in my current magazine.

I pressed my hand on it. After a while, it turned green, beeped, and then a holographic blue screen suddenly appeared in front of me. I took a step back in surprise and looked at the plethora of buttons and information presented in front of me.

Press this button here. Then, let's look at the third picture. As long as the line rises and plateaus, it means that it is providing mana. ]

Golden highlights appeared in my field of vision, marking the appropriate spots. A sudden uneasiness came over me, and my heart jumped wildly, and I raised my hand and pressed the button.

Pls work, pls work, pls ......

I pressed the button.

More precisely, my finger pressed the holographic interface and then passed through. The button lit up, and I quickly retracted my hand. The display turned into a new logo, and I found myself reading aloud.

"Warning: The mana generator is turned off due to mana overdraft. The default max mana generation is 80%. The attempt at a draw rate is 82%. Do you want to restart your generator without reaching your mana generation maximum? ”

[This is certainly the reason for the closure.] The person who installed the generator did not allocate enough capacity. ]

"So...... Was it an accident? I asked.

I frowned and looked at the machine in silence. Something is wrong with this...... But maybe I'm just trying to seek an explanation. than "Oops, we made a mistake"

"Why set to a maximum of 80%?" I finally asked.

[Two reasons.] First of all, more than 80% power should not be required to power all the equipment responsible for the shielding station. 75% is the highest value that should be produced at one time, even though the emergency shield in all shelters is activated, but a margin of error of 5% is added just in case. Second, 80% is a good way to gauge if something is wrong. If a shielded station is damaged and attempts to overdraw power, the restriction will result in a shutdown until the problem is resolved. The shielding station is Ze

A powerful technology from ITH that can actively convert large amounts of mana into energy, which can have catastrophic consequences if the shielding station is damaged. Therefore, restrictions are placed on all generators to prevent any unfortunate accidents. ]

[To the best of my ability.] The mana generator is only equipped with the basic elements to monitor itself and ensure its proper functioning. However, shielding stations are equipped with a wider suite of technologies, including security and monitoring equipment. I'm sure the software out there has tons of bug reports about what exactly went wrong and why more mana is needed than normal. ]

"Why don't mana generators have the same ability?"

[Because direct interaction with the mana generator can only occur when the generator is offline.] When the generator is running, the large amount of environmental magic contained in the room is highly toxic to normal people. There shouldn't be people in the room, so it makes sense to put control and monitoring equipment somewhere else. Even turning on the generator directly is dangerous for a normal person. Only your unique identity as a magical girl can protect you from magical poisoning. Become a "ma."

abo

"It also helps, albeit to a much lesser extent. ]

"Oh...... So it's like a nuclear reactor? You can't put the control and monitoring room next to the place where all the radiation is generated. ”

[I guess this...... Can be used as a comparison. The only reason to install the control panel into the generator is to respond to such emergencies. ]

I nodded, satisfied with my answer. I made up my mind again, put my finger on the "accept" button, and took a deep breath.

"Okay. Press the button, make sure it's generating mana, run out of the door, pick up my empty magazine, and run to the vault as fast as possible. Am I missing something? ”

[Nope.] I'll use the HUD to highlight your path so you don't have to refer to the minimap. ]

"Okay. Nothing ...... here."

I pressed the button and this time the interaction with the holographic display was better.

The moment my fingers left the display, a low buzzing sound began to emanate in the sphere, a low, hoarse sound. It was weak at first, then rapidly increased over the next few seconds until I could feel it in my bones. The edges of the hexagonal pattern suddenly burst into blue light, and the sphere gently rose and floated in mid-air above the base.

The sapphire glow gathered in the aura around the orb, enveloping the orb in a mist of shimmering particles. After a while, the mist began to descend and flow into the center of the pedestal, and I saw a small hole. The hexagonal pattern on the pedestal lit up this time, and the holographic screen in front of him also lit up with new information. A moment later, the mysterious box next to everything lit up with its own light.

[Mana output remains steady, and it looks like everything is going well!] ]

I nodded, turned away from the monitor, and trotted to the door. I put one hand on the handle and began to mentally count the seconds.

Without further hesitation, I opened the door.

I took a quick scan of the hallway, but found nothing but darkness.

I packed up my magazine, put on my backpack, grabbed my gun, and set off. As I ran, a green arrow appeared under my feet, and I followed without hesitation.

It was quiet all the way, and the sound of my footsteps was eerie from my haste. The arrow led me around another corner to a doorway where the door had already been broken, I cautiously stepped on the door and continued on, aiming my gun in front of me as I began to clear the doorway.

Then the lights came on.

One minute I had passed through almost complete darkness, the hall lit only by the dull red light of emergency lights, and the next minute, there was a scorching white light. I blinked, stunned by the sudden change, even though the hall was suddenly filled with the low hum of the air conditioner turning on. I had to squint to see anything, and even then, as I continued through the doorway, my vision was still limited and the gun was still aimed ahead.

"Selene, what-"

[Don't move now!] She screamed.

Before I could react, a shape popped out of my vision, wrapping around my left arm, and more wild, filamentous shapes approached me. I let out a scream as I instinctively tried to lean back, but what was wrapped around my arm tightened, and I began to fall as it pulled me back to the doorway. I fell from the right side and my shoulder hit the ground in pain as I tried to turn my body to face what was grabbing me. Despite the bright light, I forced myself to open my eyes and look into the corner above the doorway.

A clump of black vines tangled together, like some kind of monstrous plant body glued to the ceiling. Its tendrils have shark-like teeth, like some kind of crazy thorns. To make matters worse, in the center of this mass was a huge bloodshot eyeball that trembled uncontrollably, as if screaming.

More vines shot at me, and I screamed as they grabbed my arms and more vines reached for my legs. I tried to roll over and get the gun out of the way of me so I could shoot. Before I could react, the tendrils tightened along my left forearm and twisted. The pressure went up, something broke, and—

Pain.

The pain erupted in me, my vision disappeared into a flash of red, intense pain passed through my bones, and when the pressure on my arm reached its limit, lightning slashed across my arm and then snapped. A scream came out of my throat as my nerves caught fire. Every collision of vines tried to pull me closer, every spasmodic twitch of my arms, every tiny movement that made the razor blade dance in my flesh.

The vines didn't relax, they kept tightening and continued to twist their grip in violent, twitching motions. I was under pressure again in my arm until another crack gave me a second pain. As the process repeated again and again, the edges of my vision darkened, and the vines searched for new grips before breaking my bones. If I had a breath left in my lungs, I would scream, and the vibration of the vine monster would only send more sharp pain through my arm.

It hurts. It hurts so much, and it won't stop.

In desperation, I shoved the gun out from under me, aiming it at my body from below my side. The pain clouded my vision, I couldn't see anything, but I didn't care. Even if my arm gets in my way, I just want the pain to stop.

I pulled the trigger again and again until the tentacles on my arm finally relaxed, my arm slipped out of its grip and fell limply beside me, feeling like a jackhammer blow, and I let out another scream.

[Defeat (Corpse Flower - Level 6)]

【Reward: 10 points】

[Total new points: 140 points]

I was out of breath, pure torment beating in my arms with my pounding heartbeat. My eyes filled with tears and I blinked, desperately trying to figure out what was going on. Shadows danced in my vision, blurring everything and pain came at me, trying to overpower everything.

[Wheat.] You need to stay awake. Listen to me. ]

Serena's voice was calm and soothing, like a cold towel that resisted the pain all over my body. I grabbed the voice and grabbed it with every bit of willpower I could.

[That's it.] Good. Stay focused. Clarify your vision. ]

I tried to follow her instructions, blinking and blurring until I could see my surroundings clearly. I was lying on the ground, half leaning against the door. The black tendrils were still wrapped around my left arm, but they didn't move...... Everything felt far away, and the realizations and sensations came to me like they were coming through a tunnel. Everything, that is, except for pain.

[Great.] Sit up. Let go of the gun and push yourself straight with your right arm. Walk slowly and try not to move your left arm. ]

Pushing on the ground, my muscles felt like jelly. Even a small effort can bring me a new round of torment. As I straightened up, I found myself letting out a slight, wailing gasp and my head was dizzy. After what felt like an eternity, I managed to get myself on my feet, but could only put one hand on the ground.

[Perfect.] Now, glide along the ground to the right and away from the curse. You need to get your arms off the vines. Your clothes seem to prevent its teeth from tearing into your flesh, but they can get tangled in your clothes. ]

I pushed the distance, small movements pushing my arms and sending new pulses of fire inside me.

"Selene...... "I whimpered, tears streaming from my eyes." It hurts. ”

[I know, Mai, I know, we're going to fix this right away, okay?] Now, just focus on cleaning up your arms. ]

I did as she was told, and the tendrils fell off my forearm. Some of them got caught in my sweatshirt, forcing me to stop sliding and release them with my right hand. Slowly but surely, I managed to break free of the restraints, and I gasped when I saw my own arms.

It...... My hand is pointing in the wrong direction. I couldn't see anything under the sleeves of my sweatshirt other than the odd bumps and shapes, but my hands were ......

[Focus on the microphone and take a deep breath.] Shall I go buy something for you to heal? ]

"It really hurts." I closed my eyes and tried to stop the pain.

[I know, Mai, I know.] If I have the right to buy what we need to fix you, I just need your nod, okay? ]

I nodded, tears streaming down my cheeks. Anything that can make the pain stop.

[Purchase: Yunjiu Injection]

[-50 points]

[Purchase: Mana Molecular Bone Saw]

[-50 points]

[Purchase: Emergency Clot Spray]

[-10 points]

[Buy: Intense Repair Chewing Gum]

[-20 points]

[Purchase: MG Biosafety Type A12]

[-0 points]

[Points remaining: 10]

A large purple seven-pointed star suddenly appeared on the floor next to me, shimmering with purple light, and it condensed into five different boxes of different sizes, all but one with the coat of arms of the rabbit and the moon on them. It is rectangular in shape and has a red "plus" sign on it with the letters "MG" printed on it.

[First, open the small box closest to you.] ]

Following her orders, I pressed the release latch and opened the box. Inside there is a long, black metal tube, about the size of a syringe. It tapers at one end to form three distinct cones arranged in a triangular pattern, while the other end is covered by a plastic rabbit head.

[Almost.] Now, I need you to pick up the syringe and hold the tip tightly against your neck. Anywhere. Then, use your thumb to push down on the rabbit's head, as if you were pressing a button. ]

The first time I tried to pick up the device, it slipped off my finger. I fumbled around and finally grabbed it and put it around my neck, my hands shaking. I put my thumb on the rabbit's head and pushed hard. Three sharp needles pierced my neck, and the sensation was barely noticeable.

[Well done, wheat.] Now give it a few seconds and you should start to feel much better. ]

A strange cold sensation began to spread from my neck and quickly spread throughout my body. As it progressed, I distinctly felt my muscles begin to relax, and once a wave of relief hit my arm, it was like a pleasant ice touch in a burning hell. The pain subsided before it could be felt, and my rough gasps quickly turned into shaky breathing. I blinked a few times as my mind began to clear, but the new fog dissipated again. This one was gentle, though, like a blanket trying to wrap me up.

"Sherlyn?" I'm vague.

[Cloud Nine is a powerful painkiller that promises to allow you to retain enough mental function to keep moving, and that's what you need to do now.] You are not out of danger yet. Nod if you understand. ]

I did, looking around. The hallway was still clean, but I felt fear and nausea hit me at the same time when my eyes landed on that mass of black tendrils. The large, bloodshot eyeball in the center has burst and is trapped in multiple bullet holes. Beside me, I saw my gun lying there, its sleeve clicking back into its empty position.

It was difficult to open the latch with one hand, but somehow I succeeded and pushed the container open. Inside was an object I vaguely recognized, though it looked more elaborate. It's a slightly square blade with a curved handle attached to it, and the whole thing is made of dark metal, except for the blade with my white rabbit logo on it.

[This is a molecular molecular bone saw.] Using your mana, it will create a tip capable of cutting through most materials. Wheat...... I need you to take this saw and chop off your left arm. ]

My heart suddenly panicked, and my breathing became rapid

。

"What!?" My voice was hoarse. "I-no, I can't, you're-"

【Mai, look at your health!】 】

My eyes were fixed on the corner of the heads-up monitor, and then they widened. As I observed, the red bar was slowly falling, the number became 32%, and it only stayed for a few seconds, and then lost the entire percentage again.

[Mai, multiple bones in your forearm snap and shatter.] The fragments and edges of these bones have cut you, and your internal bleeding is healing faster than any medicine you can use. If you don't remove your lower arm, you will bleed too much. But this ...... This is the only way. ]

I watched as my health continued to deteriorate, and my fear grew.

30%。

My arm? I have to cut off my arm!?

29%

But if I don't—

28%

What am I doing without time!?

27%

I reached for the bone saw.

[opens the third nearest box first,] as I moved, Selina suggested, her voice still impeccably calm. [Have the emergency blood clotting spray in your stomach that you used earlier.] It needs to be applied immediately after cutting. ]

I followed her instructions, opened the third box, and picked up the bone saw. It's light and feels almost fragile. Putting it in front of me, I found that the blade was not sharp.

[Okay.] Now, raise your left arm. You will cut directly above your elbow in a clean slicing motion, placing the bone saw above your elbow. ]

I raised my left arm and stared at it. My left hand was completely limp and even through the baggy sweatshirt sleeve I could tell that something was wrong with my entire forearm. I lifted the bone saw and slung it to my arm. Sweat ran down my forehead as fear ran through me. My heart was beating so fast that I felt like I was about to tear apart.

Serena's soothing voice washed over me. [You can do this.] I believe you. ]

I nodded and took a deep breath.

As my mind directed to the bone saw, I felt a familiar attraction, a sense of emptiness missing something important. I pulled up the warmth in my heart and poured the gathered heat into the saw.

The purple light suddenly lit up along the edge of the saw, making a buzzing sound, and I gasped in surprise.

[Now, Mai, now!] ]

I swung down without thinking.

The saw cut my arm without resistance.

My lower arm fell to the floor.

I didn't feel anything.

The purple light on the saw flickered for a moment, then went out again.

I stared at my severed arm, a fluttering sensation washing over me, and a stream of blood gushed out.

[Clot spray, hurry up!] 】

Serena's voice got me back on my feet, and I put down the saw. I grabbed the canister, aimed the conical nozzle at my stump, and pressed the trigger the moment it blurred into place. Gray foam gushed out, and my arm trembled and splashed everywhere. I managed to smear a large mass of it around my stump, and when I looked at my health out of the corner of my eye, my breath got stuck in my throat.

19%

The foam began to tighten around my residual limb and condensed on its own.

18%

The pressure reached its limit, and then, as if by some silent command, the excess foam began to dissolve, dripping onto the floor, leaving my stump covered in a thick, uneven layer of gray matter.

17%

My health is no longer declining and I am allowing myself to breathe again.

[Well done, wheat.] Good job. Now, the fourth case, the one with a red plus sign on it. Turn it on and put your left forearm in it. ]

"I ...... What? I asked with a trembling voice.

[Bringing your left arm back allows us to reattach it.] Try not to leave the body parts of the magical girl as much as possible. Their mana density is relatively abundant, which can greatly stimulate the growth of the curser who consumes it. ]

I looked down at my severed arm and stared at its limbs.

That's my arm. My hand. The blood formed a small puddle from the cut above my elbow.

I shook my head away and threw up all over the floor.

[It's okay, you're doing a great job.] Say it.

I forced myself to keep going, not to think, not to act. Turning to the box with a red plus sign, I loosened the latch and opened it. The interior is covered in soft black wrapping foam, but there is also a square touchscreen at one end. Various statistics are shown, all of which currently read zero except for the battery, which is shown to be 100%.

Then I looked back at my left arm.

When I reached for it, I ignored it and grabbed my arm.

It was so thin that I could feel bones, sharp objects underneath the skin.

I gagged and pushed my limb into the box as fast as I could.

The display inside the box immediately came alive, with various numbers and charts appearing. I tried to read what was on the display, but for some reason the words didn't come to my mind. I would read them, but the meaning behind them seems to fade quickly. I'm not sure what I'm looking for, maybe something that tells me everything is going to be okay, but all I see are numbers and images in red.

[Case closed.] Then remove the potent regenerating gum from the last box. After that, you need to pack everything and return. Slowly. We're halfway there, but we need to be careful of any surprises. I'll guide you all the way, just follow my instructions. ]

I nodded and grabbed the gum. I just shoved it in my mouth and swallowed it whole. Then, I forced myself to stand up.

A bout of vertigo staggered me, the box containing my arm was surprisingly heavy, and the hardest part was reloading my gun. It took me a while to figure this out, but I succeeded by inserting a new magazine while keeping it on the ground with my feet.

Throughout the whole process, it felt very wrong. A blurry cloud descended on my mind, and if that wasn't bad enough, everything I did felt strange...... Aloof. It's like I haven't experienced it, just watching others go through the motions. Somewhere deep within me, however, I felt an emotion that was building up that I could recognize even in the gloom. It grabbed my stomach and tried to force its way down my throat. I pushed it down with a violent exercise, even though it screamed that my arm was missing.

I...... I want to cry.

It's really bad.

"Get me out of here," I pleaded with Cerene, her voice hoarse.

The arrows appeared, and I followed them.

The rest of the return journey passed in a blur. Serena asked me to stop at every corner and intersection to look at both sides before continuing. Every doorway we pass by now I look in to see if there are any monsters on the ceiling. We walked slowly and methodically, and what could have been done in two minutes became ten minutes.

We arrived at the stairwell without any problems. It was difficult to go up the stairs. My center of balance was off, and there was no free hand to grasp the railing, and I had to move slowly. In order to open the door, I had to stuff the gun into the crook of my left arm and hold it in place with my stump. Thinking of my lost limb, I felt a sharp pain, and the emotional storm in my heart almost overflowed, and I couldn't help but let out a wail.

[Almost.] A little more, Mai. ]

Serena's voice sounded like an angel, like an eternal rock in the surging waves of primal emotion within me. I grasped the words, opened the door, and looked down the entrance hallway of the vault. The coast was clear, and I quickly reached the shelter door, and when I reached the touch screen and pressed the call button, I stumbled and turned.

I wouldn't have had to bother. By the time I stumbled to the door, the door had already begun to open. When the door was completely apart, I squeezed in. It wasn't until the door closed behind me that I breathed a sigh of relief. It came out so broken and fast that I couldn't force it to slow down.

While waiting for the security scan to complete, I carefully secured the umb

a's security features are turned on. I felt my feet tremble and my eyelids grew heavier. When the entrance door finally opened large enough for a person to pass through, I saw Sergeant O'Malley and Ji Yu looking at me with undisguised fear.

"Mai!" She shouted and rushed at me.

I took a step forward and wanted to say something, but it was already at the limit.

The darkness engulfed me, and I gladly accepted it.