ALL NOVEL chapter 13
Chapter 13: The Appearance of the Demons
After shopping, the magical group and I were playing at the arcade.
“I did it! Another point!”
“Ugh… you’re strong…”
They were enjoying the games in a normal way, the kind where two people can play together.
“Everything here is too easy.”
“Yes, perhaps the settings here are lenient?”
Holding lots of prizes in both hands, the magical girls were playing in a completely different way. Among them, there was one magical girl who kept staring at a single machine and playing it repeatedly.
“No way… my calculations should be perfect…”
I’ve never seen anyone calculate for a crane game before.
“What are you doing?”
“Huh? Oh, Souta… no matter how many times I try, I can’t get it.”
—
—
Luna’s gaze was fixed on an adorably cute teddy bear.
So, this is what she had been aiming for all along…
“That’s a pretty cute teddy bear.”
“S-shut up… I can’t concentrate with you here. Go away.”
“…Can I try it once?”
“Huh? Sure, but…”
I inserted the money into the machine and started to play.
“Souta, need a hand?”
(No, it’s fine. I’m good at this type of machine.)
“Oh, really? Then show me what you’ve got.”
Back in the day, I used to play crane games repeatedly to get magical girl merchandise that could only be obtained through them…
Thanks to that, my crane game skills are now at a professional level.
I carefully moved the arm, positioning the claw over the tag on the teddy bear, and lowered the arm.
Successfully, the claw hooked into the ring of the tag, and the prize was lifted and carried to the prize chute, where it was dropped.
“A-amazing… I can’t believe you got it in one try…”
“Well, here you go.”
“Huh?”
I took the teddy bear out of the prize chute and handed it to Luna, who looked incredibly surprised.
“What’s wrong? Did you not want it?”
“N-no, it’s not that. I’m just surprised you did something like this.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Did she really think that low of me?
“But—”
Luna hugged the teddy bear tightly and smiled tenderly.
“Thank you, I’ll cherish it.”
“Yeah, please do.”
◇
“Wow, we had fun!”
“I couldn’t win…”
—
—
“I enjoyed it a little too.”
“I took too many prizes.”
After leaving the game center, we came to a stylish coffee shop. Apparently, today is the release day of a new product, and everyone is drinking it.
‘Yes, this is also delicious.’
(Well, it does cost quite a bit.)
I usually don’t drink it because it’s too expensive, but today Rena paid for mine with a black card because she accompanied me.
Still, a black card is amazing…
“Rena, that stuffed animal is cute! Did you get it?”
“Uh, yeah, sort of.”
Luna is proudly holding the stuffed animal as if to show it off.
“Really, it’s cute. Let me touch it a little.”
“No.”
When Christina tries to reach for the stuffed animal, Luna holds it even tighter as if to protect it.
“Just a little bit.”
“No.”
“Rena, you’re stingy.”
“Yes, I’m quite stingy.”
Seeing Luna holding the stuffed animal as if it were her own child, Christina gives up and returns to her seat, sipping her melon-flavored new drink with a dissatisfied expression.
Still, she really likes that stuffed animal.
“So, where should we go next?”
“Well… next is—”
At that moment, an announcement echoed through the shopping mall.
“Demons have appeared in the city! Demons have appeared! They are heading this way! Everyone in the shopping mall, please evacuate immediately!”
From the tense voice, everyone realized that demons had really appeared, and people around us started running to get outside as quickly as possible.
(…Voldia, is this for real?)
‘Yes, there is indeed a reaction from the demons.’
Alright!!
The demons have appeared!!
Seriously, the demons are always late, we’ve been waiting forever!
Trying to contain my excitement, I decided to observe the movements of the magical girls for now.
—
—
The magical girls, upon hearing the broadcast, exchanged a look that said “Let’s go!” and then dashed towards Issei.
“Hey, hey, where are you all going?”
After seeing the magical girls off until they were out of sight, I also left the store.
The surroundings were in a complete state of panic, filled with people aiming for the exit.
Yes, yes, this is what a panic should look like! This is getting fun!
While avoiding the crowd, I discovered a staff room that led to the exit and entered it, only to lock eyes with a demon-like creature wrapped in a sinister aura.
“……”
“……”
An awkward silence filled the air, as if I had witnessed something I shouldn’t have.
“Ah, sorry about that.”
“Wait, human.”
As I tried to leave, pretending nothing had happened, the demon stopped me.
“What is it?”
“I can’t believe a human witnessed us waiting to massacre everyone in the shopping mall… Well, no matter, dead men tell no tales. The plan remains unchanged.”
With that, the demon brandished a gigantic sword.
“Die by my sword.”
Just as the sword aimed at my heart was about to touch my skin, there was a metallic sound, and the demon’s sword was deflected.
“What! My sword—”
“Oh, I was going to let you go, but… well, never mind.”
I chanted.
“《Demonic Transformation Release》”
A black, ominous miasma enveloped me, forming a black robe and a creepy mask.
“You! You’re—”
“Dead men tell no tales… right?”
“Heh, so the true identity of Omega was just a student… But you’re naive. I am an upper-class demon, Kuza the ‘Mighty Sword’. You think you can defeat me so easily—”
“I don’t have time to deal with weaklings like you. 《Eye of Destruction》”
In an instant, the demon’s body vanished without a trace, without even a moment to speak.
“Wait for me, magical girls.”
I muttered into the empty space and walked into the darkness.