Toyokawa Shoko doesn't want to become a witch

Page 110

Chu Hua poked her head out from the kitchen and raised her voice to ask.

Xiangzi did not answer her, or rather, Xiangzi did not hear Chuhua asking her at all.

She bit the small blanket on the sofa, her tears unknowingly soaking a small patch of fabric.

Chu Hua silently watched Xiangzi's shoulders tremble, unsure whether she should be happy or sad.

I was happy because Xiangzi finally showed some emotion instead of lying there like a corpse; as for being sad... well, needless to say.

The tape recording continued.

The person who made the recording wasn't sure how much of their memory they would lose, so they gave some specific instructions on things like how to handle interpersonal relationships and where to go to school later—trivial matters.

Finally, she said again.

"I'm sorry, you can complain about me or hate me, but from now on, the fact that you are me will be the only fact. There can only be one Toyokawa Shoko in this world."

Really? You can apologize?

Xiangzi thought angrily, secretly complaining to himself.

But the next sentence completely shut her up.

—"But don't see yourself as a substitute for me. You are no substitute for anyone."

"I am Toyokawa Shoko, and you will be too. You are the real Toyokawa Shoko."

Xiangzi's heart skipped a beat, and his blood rushed to his limbs like ignited gasoline.

What do you mean...me too?

"You and I will work together to make the world believe that we are the same person, and that we have never changed."

"Everything that Toyokawa Shoko has—past, present, and future—is created by you and me."

sizzle-

The sound source seemed to have left the recording source and picked up a metal object that was placed aside.

"Whether you become a witch or Xiangzi, the decision should be in your hands."

"Thank you for listening to my rambling."

Say the last sentence.

boom!

A gunshot ended the last sound.

The tape continued spinning, but only background noise and ambient sounds remained until it reached the end and made a clicking sound.

Hey.

The play button bounced back.

Xiangzi held his Walkman, engrossed in the story.

Don't let us down again.

The words Miaomeng said before leaving came to mind.

The Tale of Nirvana: Keeping Your True Self: Chapter 133 Welcome Back

Of course, Xiangzi eventually pulled himself together.

She sent a message in the group chat, which had been silent for a long time, informing everyone to meet at Chuhua's house the next morning.

Although, things changed faster than expected.

The barrier "crashed open" on the second morning after Xiangzi rallied.

[What appears unchanged to ordinary people is completely transformed in the eyes of magical girls.]

=============

Chu Hua went through a long period of depression. During that time, every magical girl she saw made her feel like she was seeing them turn into witches, even when she looked at herself in the mirror.

Although those days of mental distress were gradually forgotten after her reunion with Xiangzi, Chu Hua still found it hard to forget those days that seemed like an endless, dark period.

She suddenly brought these things up not because she was starting to lament the passage of time, but because she saw a similar scene again today.

This time, she wasn't the only one who could see it.

In the eyes of all the magical girls in the Reed Plains, the city had changed overnight: the skyscrapers were taller, the streets were cleaner, the city layout was still similar but had also changed a lot, and the special building that the whole city had witnessed that day but had forgotten in an instant had reappeared.

the most important is.

In the eyes of the magical girls, their fathers, mothers, relatives, and friends have all turned into ghosts with "X" symbols on their heads and semi-transparent bodies.

Although they could still have normal conversations, the fact that the world in front of them had completely changed still terrified them.

As one of the magical girls, Hatsuka's experiences and observations were naturally the same as those of the other magical girls. In fact, she was much more familiar with the scenery before her than they were.

This is exactly the same as the barrier of Nirvana, except that the original mindless ghosts have been replaced by living people.

"What does this mean?"

Five people gathered at a coffee shop near Chu Hua's house. The one asking the question was Hai Ling, who was sucking on a straw and watching the "passersby" walk past her.

"What represents what?" Xiangzi turned his head to the side.

She dressed up nicely today, not in a fancy or extravagant way—she didn't have money to buy new clothes—she simply straightened her messy hair and put on some light makeup to make herself look much more presentable.

After all, she was the one who called everyone over, and she's going out, so she has to make arrangements for them.

“Of course it’s something from the barrier that’s entered reality…” Miao Meng finished the question for Hai Ling, then realized, “Oh wait, can you see it?”

“....〦[峮意齐陆引衤&三栮二（九）「..”

Xiangzi blinked.

She really didn't see anything.

Everything in the coffee shop was as usual. The morning sunlight shone into the shop through the transparent glass, but was mostly blocked by the ivy hanging on the glass wall, turning into scattered spots of light. The coffee shop felt like a forest.

The pretty waitress brought the coffee and black tea to their table, gave them a slight smile, and then turned away to attend to her own business.

Is there anything different? What major changes have occurred?

wrong.

Judging from their expressions, it seems like I'm the only one who can't see it? I'm neither human nor a magical girl, after all.

Emmmm......

Xiangzi closed his eyes.

My eyelids blocked out the view in front of me.

I am who I am, that's what I am, right...?

Well... I want to see that.

As Xiangzi thought this, he opened his eyes.

"...I think I know what you're talking about." Xiangzi narrowed his eyes, his expression turning serious. "The real world has become a barrier in your eyes, hasn't it?"

""""Um.""""

The other four nodded in unison.

Xiangzi saw a completely different feeling in them compared to the Crychic era.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"so......."

Xiangzi lowered his head, suppressing the slight excitement in his heart, and revealed a thoughtful expression.

She didn't say that she "saw" it because she was still an ordinary person in the eyes of the other four, and she didn't want them to know her true identity yet.

It's not a childish reason like "keeping everything bottled up inside to avoid bothering others, so I hide in a corner and silently wipe away my tears, wallowing in self-pity."

Since Xiangzi himself is Oblivionis, his original plan to "kill five familiars at the same time to end Nirvana" was greatly hindered.

She had to revise the original plan, using it as a last resort.

But whether we follow the original plan or the new plan, my identity is sensitive information. If I tell them my current situation in detail, either plan will definitely be affected.

So Xiangzi didn't plan to tell anyone, especially Chuhua.

"If what you say is true, and the barrier is starting to significantly affect the real world, then we can infer that Nirvana is about to 'emerge'. The worst-case scenario is that Nirvana will turn the real world into the shape of the barrier, and all ordinary people will become 'phenomena' without the ability to think, and the entire Reed Plain will become a dead city in an instant."

Xiangzi paused, picked up the black tea, and took a sip.

"In other words, the time left for us, for the Protagonists, and for the entire Reed Plains is running out."

"What does Xiang plan to do?" Mu asked, holding her juice glass and taking small sips.

"If what you are seeing is something that all magical girls can see, then it is very likely that the Protagonists have already begun to act. They do not yet know the characteristics of familiars. If this barrier, which has already begun to affect the real world, is reset, no one knows what will happen."

Xiangzi put down his teacup, crossed his arms, and buried his eyes in the shadow of his bangs.

"We must execute the original plan before they succeed, and..."

Xiangzi held up one finger.

"Only one chance."

"One chance is too much..." Miao Meng's lips twitched.

Last week, they conducted several rehearsals to ensure the smooth execution of the plan, but only succeeded once.

Now we have to add Oblivionis, which is quite difficult.

"Didn't you tell me you wanted to be a great hero? Now you're showing your cowardice?" Xiangzi raised his eyebrows, a smile in his eyes, as he looked at Miaomeng.

"No, who told you that?" Miaomeng rolled her eyes. "I said that wanting to be successful doesn't mean I want to be a superhero and save the world."

"They're all the same, there's no difference."

"It's not the same at all! The level of danger this time is obviously different!" Meow Dream's eyes widened. "We not only have to face familiars, but also Protagonists who could very well be enemies! Those are the 'big shots'!"

"Just one question: are you going to do it or not?" Xiangzi asked succinctly.

"What else can I do if I don't do it!" Miao Meng pouted. "You always know how to exploit my weaknesses."

"That's no problem."

Xiangzi shifted his gaze from Miaomeng to the remaining three people.

"What about you?" Xiangzi asked. "Although my plan would be completely impossible to execute without you, I still think I should ask for your opinions."

"So you don't need to ask for my opinion?" Meow Dream complained from the side.

"I'm fine," Hai Ling replied in her usual cool voice.

When she agreed to Xiangzi's request, she was already prepared to face any possibility.

Coincidentally, she was also very curious about just how much stronger the Protagonists, who ruled the Reed Plains, were than her.

"Okay." Mu nodded. "I'll do whatever Xiang says."

It seems like the Xiangzi she knew has come back.

It is no longer a vague and ethereal phantom.

The last one who hasn't spoken yet is Chu Hua.

Xiangzi glanced in Chuhua's direction, and then their eyes met in mid-air.

Chu Hua looked at Xiangzi, her eyes narrowing into crescents, and smiled, but said nothing.

"Chuhua, is there any other question?"

"No."