I'm just an internet cafe owner

Homura Akemi opened the refrigerator and took out a small piece of cream cake to treat herself. She had been too tired these days, having to attend classes during the day and make plans with another version of herself at night.

The other self's stance was very clear: neither she nor Madoka could sign a contract with Kyubey. She would bear all the suffering alone.

To share the burden, Homura Akemi took on many tasks: patrolling, fighting, and helping her other self cleanse the tainted Grief Seed.

Knowing the truth, she remained silent every time she used the Grief Seeds. She wondered if selling them after using them up was the right choice, since these Grief Seeds were originally magical girls.

While she was thinking

Time was stopped. Perhaps because the two were originally one person, Homura Akemi's stopping of time did not affect Homura Akemi in this world.

"You're here? Would you like some cake?"

Homura Akemi glanced at the cream cake, her favorite kind, and sat down on the sofa, picking up a spoon and taking small bites. Using time-stopping to eat cake was a bit extravagant, but she had plenty of Grief Seeds, so a little extra time wouldn't hurt.

"Breaking news: Mami Tomoe is about to enter the witch's barrier with Madoka and Sayaka. They will invite you to join the extermination after school. The witch that will be awakened at this time is the Snack Witch."

Are you going to provide support?

After hesitating for a while, she nodded. In countless reincarnations, Mami Tomoe caused the most team wipes, but even so, she wanted to stop it.

"Leave the witch to me, and Kyubey to you."

"Please, my other self."

"You've worked hard, my other self."

With two Homura Akemis on the move, Homura Akemi had to admit that two people were definitely more efficient than one. Especially when discussing problems with her other self, who had a special time-travel experience, she was always able to grasp the core of the issue.

It's as if in every reincarnation she is helplessly trying to stop Kyubey and Madoka from signing the contract, but after another version of herself looks at what she has done and what she has done from a different perspective, she discovers that she can stop and change many things.

Even if a contract is actually signed… she shook her head. Zero herself is the biggest variable, and she believes that this time she can make a change.

The biggest variable is her other self's ability. She silently took out the Golden Apple and the Undying Totem. Although the Undying Totem cannot be tested, the power of the Golden Apple is obvious. After eating it, speed, strength, and the duration of abilities are greatly increased, and even the speed of the Soul Gem's corruption will be reduced to the minimum.

That's enough, that's enough.

However, she didn't know what abilities her other self possessed, but the fact that it required gold and apples to make them caught her attention. So, when she went to borrow guns from the mob these past few days, she stole several tons of gold. She figured that much gold should be enough to make a lot of golden apples, right?

Homura Akemi also received a message from Mami Tomoe, and immediately arrived at the abandoned apartment building. Mami was preparing to go out with her two chosen rookies to fight the witch once more.

That's right, according to them, Homura Akemi has already defeated a witch once. She was puzzled as to why someone who wasn't a magical girl could defeat a witch, but the other party was very friendly and even exchanged contact information. Kyubey also said that he hoped she and Homura Akemi could build a bond, so she felt at ease and had a deeper relationship with Homura Akemi.

"Mami-senpai~"

Sayaka greeted Mami Tomoe, Madoka Komachi, and Sayaka the moment they appeared.

"Little Flame~"

Mami Tomoe had a smile on her face. Although Homura Akemi wasn't a magical girl, being able to fight alongside her made her feel like she wasn't alone anymore.

"Homura~ You can't try to steal the witch from me today~ I'm out of Lament Seeds~"

"I have enough. But if Mami-senpai needs it, I won't take this one."

So far, Homura Akemi has sold three Grief Seeds. She obtained the first one herself, the second one was from when she first met Mami Tomoe, after she defeated the witch first, so Mami didn't compete for it, and the third one was another Grief Seed that she herself gave away, which was about to become a witch.

Sayaka, standing nearby, also greeted Homura Akemi, saying, "Homura~ You're here too, hehe! I've made up my mind, I'm going to become a magical girl and work with Mami-senpai to sweep away the darkness!"

Xiaoyuan nodded in agreement: "Me too, that way we can defeat the witch together."

At that very moment, time stopped.

Homura Akemi walked up to Homura Akemi, her tone no longer as calm as before. She had run out of ideas. Based on her experience, no matter how she tried to stop her, Sayaka would eventually make a wish for someone else, and Madoka would make a wish to save the city.

"Don't panic! Leave it to me. You said that if no one helps this witch, Mami Tomoe will die. So... this time, let them know part of the truth."

"it is good!"

After saying that time would stop, only Homura Akemi remained on the scene.

However, Homura Akemi hugged Mami from behind before she entered the barrier.

At that moment, Mami Tomoe stopped. For some reason, Mami felt her heart racing as she was being held. Homura Akemi's body was a little cold, but being held together made her feel as if she had found a support.

"Flame? What's wrong? If you really need the Seed of Lamentation, I can give it to you. I have some left that can last a long time."

No, that's not true.

After obtaining specific information about Mami Tomoe and what she had done, she specifically consulted with professionals to understand why Mami Tomoe acted that way. She was a reliable upperclassman when they first met, so why did Mami immediately break down and even turn against her teammates upon learning the truth?

She asked many people about this, including Liu Yuan, and the answer was that she lacked something to rely on to survive. The simplest way to prevent her from breaking down was to give her something she couldn't give up her life for.

She already has a solution.

Chapter 144 There's nothing to be afraid of anymore.

Mami Tomoe certainly needs the Seed of Lamentation, but it's not yet urgent.

Before that, it wouldn't be unreasonable to give one more to Homura Akemi.

"No, it's just that I feel it's tough for Mami-senpai to fight all alone. Mami-senpai promised me that no matter what desperate things happen, I will stay by her side because I need her."

"Hey hey hey?"

"What?!"

Sayaka, standing nearby, was stunned by the scene, and even Madoka covered her mouth in surprise. Meanwhile, Homura, watching from the shadows, leaned against the wall, genuinely shocked that her other self could utter such cheesy words.

However, these words worked. Mami Tomoe was silent for a moment, then turned around and hugged Homura Akemi in return.

"No matter what happens, I'll be there. Let's hurry and defeat the witch and go back. I'll make you desserts when we get back."

"Okay~"

"Okay~"

The four entered the witch's barrier. The familiars inside the witch's barrier were like a hospital, with monsters that looked like nurses, various medicine bottles, and small witches patrolling.

The strange building was decorated with dessert-like items, and the familiars around it were constantly searching for the 'desserts'.

Large cookies were laid out on the ground, and countless familiars danced around them. It was like dancing, but also like mockery.

At this moment, Homura Akemi immediately entered battle mode. Her former diamond armor set had been replaced with a Nether alloy armor set. In addition, she had some special preparations, including potions from the Minecraft world.

The splash-type strength, speed, and resistance potion is crushed, and everyone around it is given a buff that lasts for eight minutes.

"Everyone, this is a potion I recently made. It lasts for eight minutes. Start the timer now. After seven and a half minutes, please gather around me and I will replenish your buff."

Feeling the power within her body, Mami Tomoe exclaimed, "This power is amazing even to those who have seen it before; it's like another kind of magic."

"Huh? If I became a magical girl, would I be as cool as you two?"

Before Homura Akemi could speak, Mami Tomoe said directly, "Of course! After you become a magical girl, we can team up to defeat witches."

Xiaoyuan found herself holding a Kyubey toy in her arms, and said happily, "Then I'll wish for a big cake so we can eat it together."

Sayaka jumped up excitedly: "Yay!"

Mami Tomoe already had the Soul Gem in her hand: "In that case, let's finish this quickly."

In an instant, Mami Tomoe transformed into a seasoned magical girl. A yellow ribbon protected Sayaka and Madoka, who were unable to fight. Mami's magic transformed into the ribbon, which then became a rifled gun, attacking the surrounding familiars.

"Having trusted companions."

"There are lovely juniors."

"I have nothing to be afraid of now."

This time, Mami Tomoe unleashed her full power, displaying terrifying firepower within the witch's barrier.

Her movements were so light, her marksmanship so elegant. Guns weren't her special ability, but she created guns with the appearance and power of firearms using her own skills.

Her movements were elegant and her methods swift and decisive, demonstrating strength far exceeding that of ordinary magical girls. No familiar could survive a single shot, and with her clearing the way, the group entered a spacious room where an adorable doll sat atop the ceiling.

Without any hesitation, he rushed forward...

"Mami-senpai, something's wrong!"

Although Homura Akemi had never seen such a small and harmless creature before, her time playing Terraria had taught her a lesson: the smaller and cuter a creature is, the more dangerous it may be.

These words had an effect on Mami Tomoe; she became even more vigilant and launched an attack on the tiny familiar without regard for magical power. Five shots and one cannon shot left the Snack Witch hanging in the sky, and finally, a magical cannon attack twice as powerful as before pierced through the tiny witch.

"Great!"

"Success!"

Just when Sayaka and Madoka thought they had won, the small witch's head suddenly transformed into a long, gaping monster that arrived in front of Mami Tomoe almost instantly.

"What…"

The speed was so fast that Mami Tomoe had no time to react, and at the moment when she was almost certain to die, time stopped.

Homura Akemi stepped out and calmly took the Soul Gem from Mami Tomoe's chest.

"Here you go, I hope you succeed."

"Ok!"

Homura Akemi received the Soul Gem, and her other self hid where Kyubey couldn't find her. Time then began to flow once more.

In the blink of an eye, Mami Tomoe's head was bitten off, and her body was devoured.

"what?"

"Hey hey hey?"

Everything happened so fast that Sayaka and Madoka, being ordinary people, had no chance to react at all.

However, Homura Akemi calmly put away Mami Tomoe's Soul Gem and took out the necessary items.

"A witch who likes to eat, huh? Come on, little one, I'll give you something good to eat."

As she spoke, Homura threw out an Ender Pearl, which would take at least five seconds to reach the ground after flying at a great height. Homura calmly took out TNT and lit it. Just as the Snack Witch rushed over to bite her, Homura jumped and threw several pieces of TNT into her mouth.

But then she discovered something: the Ender Pearl hadn't broken. The surrounding...

The ground was covered with various cakes and desserts, which created a slime-like effect. The ender pearl bounced around without any problem.

"Oops!"

Homura Akemi underestimated her opponent, and even more so, she underestimated Kyubey. Because Kyubey, who was standing to the side, had already shown a calm smile on his face when he saw this scene.

"Quick! Sign a contract with me! Whatever your wish, I can let you live."

"hehe…"

Homura Akemi chuckled. This situation was indeed unexpected, but… she was prepared. The Snack Witch bit her body in two, but the expected pain didn't occur because she switched into her cube form.