Chapter 274

Chapter 274: [Mirror Reflection] One Thousand Layers, Butterfly of the Underworld

The sound of the sword whistled as the light of blades flashed everywhere.

The old town, which had been mostly destroyed by the Spiral Demon Sword, was constantly being torn apart amid the roaring sound of steel. The ruins stretched from the high sky towards the distant salt river, and even the iconic Salzburg Fortress on the green cliffs was declared broken.

In reality, this city is still the gateway to the Alps, filled with ancient Baroque buildings. Visitors can stop to pray by the churches and monasteries, occasionally stroll through theaters, palaces, concert halls, and fountain gardens, or take a tour of Mozart’s birthplace, creating a scene of peace and beauty.

But in the other space, the two witches easily destroyed most of this historic city in Austria in just a few minutes, effortlessly overturning the legacy of human civilization that had stood on this land for many years.

This is Disaster.

And when the pure white shatters, a similar disaster will expand endlessly, quickly filling every corner of civilization with terrifying efficiency, declaring that the Calamity God will become the new ruler of this planet.

Even if this is the worst outcome,

Chu Yuanqing would not allow the top human warrior, Max, to be someone who cannot even utilize the basic abilities of their body.

Although it sounds too magical to torture or even train a captain-level character right after being "Fully Blooming," it easily invites unnecessary scrutiny and attention.

But unlike at first, she is now one of the "Lighthouses" in the Dazzling Stage project, regarded as a magical girl with the potential of Kline, and her status is already unique.

As long as she does not show any power related to Chu Yuanying, even if she displays extraordinary talents beyond reason, nothing troublesome will happen.

Rather, what humanity needs now is this kind of unreasonable "miracle."

So, apart from her red and black reversing magic, she no longer completely hides her residual combat instincts and the experiences she has accumulated, allowing the Magic Clone to unlock the hidden switch within Xie Qing Yu’s body.

Chu Yuanqing looked over the battlefield and whispered softly:

"You have made great progress for a human."

"But for a witch, this speed is simply too slow, as if it is holding back."

"Xie Qing Yu, what are you really afraid of?"

Swords clashed, and loud noises filled the air.

Xie Qing Yu’s progress was rapid; she seemed like a fish learning to swim for the first time, awkwardly using the strength within her body, each breath surpassing the one before.

—What does it feel like to break free from the limits of being human?

Xie Qing Yu once thought that when she first built her Magic Armor and truly soared into the air, she had surpassed the limits of humanity, but today Chu Yuanqing opened another great door for her.

Humans are fragile yet intricate beings, and the brain is the most important organ. It not only determines intelligence but also allows for thinking, emotions, touch, smell, taste, and many other functions.

The medulla controls breathing, heartbeat, and digestion; the pons coordinates muscle activities on both sides of the body; the midbrain manages the visual and auditory systems; the reticular system controls different levels of awareness, such as waking, attention, and sleep; the limbic system handles hormones, learning, and memory…

But for a brain that shatters after full bloom and can still think like a witch, does it really need to be a necessary organ?

Yes and no.

Although idealistic beings can be very free, freedom without boundaries and limits is just endless indulgence.

If you discard the brain, what will you use to anchor memories, control your body, regulate sleep, and create emotions? Will you create another organ, or use the soul as a vessel?

Magical girls need a body to anchor their self and to restrain the heart.

Xie Qing Yu was taught about this in a course by the Countermeasures Bureau after a mission.

If a witch completely discards human form and features, it will lead to an originally stable mind spiraling out of control, until it completely falls into darkness and becomes a monster.

The abbreviation for witch implies that magical girls also have dangerous forbidden zones they cannot enter.

But not being able to discard human form does not mean they cannot evolve.

Chu Yuanqing is right. Since we can fly, why do we need to breathe? We can already adapt to supersonic speeds and even adjust our sense of time, so why can’t we push beyond the limits of human nerve reflexes?

Magical girls can do many things that humans cannot. So, it makes sense to break through more limits in the name of evolution and become truly extraordinary beings within the boundaries set.

But…

That deep-rooted shadow is like a painful thorn, still haunting her to this day, bringing chains that bind her. Every little bit of progress she makes is proof of that courage growing stronger.

But it’s not enough, far from enough.

Courage is like firewood; no matter how much you pile up, if it doesn’t actually catch fire, it can never drive away the darkness.

"So slow! You shouldn’t only have this little reaction speed."

"What about your extrasensory perception?"

"Your body coordination has gotten worse."

"Why couldn’t that sword stop it just now?"

"To control the feeling of time, to grasp the magical vision, to try to… break me."

Chu Yuanqing’s voice echoed erratically on the battlefield. Every time it reached her ears, she felt the strike of the mercury sword, as if she were back in elementary school, facing the teacher’s ruler, correcting her mistakes with words, actions, and pain.

Xie Qing Yu should have felt anger and shame.

But the [true self] radiating from the lantern not only revealed extraordinary charm but also carried a heavy and cold majesty, making it impossible for her to see Chu Yuanqing as a junior. Instinctively, she placed her in Esther’s teacher position.

Therefore, instead of angrily using her magical advantage to forcefully escape the sword fight, she tried to battle her own shackles. Amid the clashing of swords, she forgot to breathe, fighting to suppress her instinct to drift into a daze or blankness, trying to prove something.

"What if…"

"What if before the sword fight ends, I manage to strike her once? Would that make me qualified?"

Xie Qing Yu had already adapted to the intensity of fighting against three Magic Clones.

Rather than saying it has adapted, it is more accurate to say it has become used to pain and defeat.

In simple terms, the fully developed Passive Field has nearly a hundred percent damage reduction; even if struck repeatedly by a mercury sword, it would only feel a slight dull ache, remaining undefeated.

Therefore, there is a chance of victory.

The girl holds a sword wrapped in Hell Fire.

Beneath the purple flames hides a black butterfly with withered wings that moves like flowing water.

— High-level spell: Butterfly Kiss.

As long as it hits the opponent even once, or just brushes against them, it can spread dozens of debuffs through magical power, intertwining and merging with the opponent’s magic, flesh, and energy to create a deadly poison.

Even a blue whale weighing more than a hundred tons could be instantly poisoned, and its remaining carcass would burn into many withered butterflies, returning to the sword to form a mark that strengthens the poison for the next attack.

Xie Qing Yu has no plans to use the mark.

The strength of these clones is not high, so there is no need to work on their power.

From this angle, the multiple Magic Clones can actually increase her chances of hitting the target.

And as her thoughts flowed,

The Song of Silver and Tin suddenly became grand.

The girl sensed the breeze, and she instinctively turned to look back, trying to block the thin mercury sword. But to her horror, there was no delicate and beautiful figure in front of her; only transparent threads shining with fine light in the dust.

Is that… thread woven from water?

Oh no!

Xie Qing Yu hurriedly turned around and saw the solitary figure, feeling confused for a moment.

Chu Yuanqing stood amidst the rising dust in the ruins, her delicate and calm face tinged with a hint of loneliness, her long and thick eyelashes drooping. She reached down to pick up a bunch of yellow roses, dusty and slightly wrinkled, and looked up with a smile:

"So foolish, to be tricked by such a small trick."

The moment Xie Qing Yu turned back.

Behind the silver sword, the strings controlling it transformed into three shadows, slashing dozens of times in turn.

In the end, this perfect use of speed and the terrifying harmony of striking dozens of swords at once, combined with the thousands of [Mirror Reflection] marks that appeared without notice, managed to successfully bypass the defenses of Hell Fire, the magical shield, and even the final Passive Field within the area as small as the blade’s edge.

Xie Qing Yu’s senses melted away; she didn’t know if she was overwhelmed by the swift sword strikes or was lost in that motherly and sacred affection, just like the powerful and lonely words of a brave hero.

The young girl was sliced through the back by the moonlight-like blade; her soft and fragile skin and flesh were directly pierced by the damage of [Mirror Reflection] into her spine, sternum, ribs, and heart, shattering her nerves and sending paralysis signals to her brain.

At this moment, the magical energy spontaneously flowed back to heal her, and Violet’s anxious cries were drowned in intense pain, but surprisingly, what remained in her memory was the whisper of the Pure White Witch.

Such a gentle voice.

If only my mother could speak to me in such a tone…

Xie Qing Yu’s eyes lost focus, and she coughed out a lot of blood. Her body fell forward weakly, but she still held tightly onto her sword. In her blurry mind, she remembered a girl who was also lying in a pool of blood, struggling but still being swallowed by a monster.

The bunch of yellow roses fell from the wind, scattering into bright and wrinkled petals, dripped into the blood, creating ripples as they slowly soaked and released the unique fragrance of flowers.

Chu Yuanqing took a step closer, watching the useless magical girl fall to the ground. Her shining golden hair was stained with blood, making it look dull. Her breathing became weaker, but the watch on her pale wrist sparkled brilliantly, signaling that the lantern was safe.

"Didn’t you learn close combat before? I heard from Dream Weaver that you graduated as an excellent student in all subjects with an S-class, yet you let me stack a thousand layers of [Mirror Reflection] marks in one minute. There are too many flaws."

The Pure White Witch had no awareness of being too exaggerated. With a calm expression, she picked up the petals, crushed them into light dust, and softly said with a hint of regret:

"Moreover, a qualified warrior can recover immediately and make a final desperate resistance, but as a magical girl, you still haven’t regained consciousness. That’s really disappointing."

After saying this, she stood up, ready to leave.

Just then,

Xie Qing Yu raised her sword. It seemed like she had been waiting for this moment. Ignoring her still-repairing body and forgetting the intense pain, she reignited the spirit in her heart, moving her limbs to create a sharp blade of light and a ring of fire that swallowed everything in a mile ahead.

Strangely, as the sword slashed through, the ruins and streets melted away again, but the person in front did not get cut in half. When she turned to look, she twisted and shattered like light and shadow, turning into a few scattered butterflies.

This is…

A mirage created by elemental magic?

As this thought arose, a few butterflies returned to the sword’s hilt, showing no sign of leaving a mark.

It was clear that the spell only consumed a bit of magic power, and the other person showed no weaknesses at all.

In the distance,

Pure White Witch stood among the ruins of the collapsed monastery, her pure white hair swaying in the wind. Her delicate eyes held little emotion, showing no surprise at the sudden attack, as she gazed at the other person from afar, her pink lips moving:

"Come on, don’t hold back, let me see your full strength."

As she spoke, the Magic Clone vanished in the wind.

Xie Qing Yu felt confused as she looked at the nearby yellow rose petals swirling around, slowly changing into magical dust. She felt a sense of sadness, as if she had been tricked by a deceptive girl until she had nothing left.

How frustrating! Why are Honey Xuan’s friends so incredibly strong and so cunning?!

For a moment, the broken and reassembled pain in her body felt lighter than the hurt in her heart.

Inside the lantern, a frightened little butterfly said:

"Wah wah wah, Little Yu, Honey Qing is really too scary! You should just quietly use [Blooming Flowers], then even if you get marked thousands of times, it won’t break your defenses. And using a knife to hurt people is not what a magical girl should do at all!"

The little butterfly grew angrier as it spoke. If it weren’t afraid of being harmed by Honey Qing, it would probably jump out to slap her!

"You are the team captain after all! It’s super embarrassing to be beaten up by a junior. I can’t imagine what Honey Xuan would think of you! Stop acting foolishly and competing with Honey Qing. Quickly use your domain and use Unrestricted Technique!"

Xie Qing Yu thought for a moment and realized, feeling very embarrassed. She said seriously:

"You are right, Violet. I can’t let Teacher Chu hit me like this anymore. I must fight back."

Violet was very shocked. Why did you call Teacher Honey Qing?

Although she looks super cool and strong, don’t you feel embarrassed calling a junior who is younger than you? Where is your rebellious rock spirit? Can’t you show the same stubbornness you have when you are with Honey Xuan? Isn’t this the same as kneeling down early?

Little Butterfly felt a little embarrassed, but if Little Yu had a better relationship with Honey Qing, maybe they could cuddle and smell the Flower of the Soul together?

Thinking about this, it seemed like Little Yu’s embarrassment didn’t matter that much.

Little Butterfly thought of this and suddenly felt happy. It flew playfully in the lantern, trying hard to cheer Xie Qing Yu on:

"Yay, Little Yu! You can do it! You must show Honey Qing our true skills!"

Xie Qing Yu was also filled with this positive energy. She completely forgot about almost being attacked, and with Violet’s encouragement, she quietly recited the flower language blessing and rebuilt the Magic Armor.

In an instant, the unrestrained purple magic flowed like a ribbon flooding the streets, radiating beautiful paths. The blessing patterns sparkled within, like a light of happiness, naturally brightening hearts.

In just a moment, the surging tide of magic reversed back to her body, instantly reshaping the form of the Magic Armor.

——[Blooming Flowers].

This is a skill unique to the [Fully Bloomed] stage. It is centered around blessings engraved in the soul and is completed by synchronizing with the lantern to merge the Flower of the Soul into the body, achieving the true meaning of a complete state.

In terms of numbers, magic power, defense, recovery speed, flight speed, physical strength, and spellcasting efficiency, among other aspects, have all been greatly enhanced. It would not be an exaggeration to say it has increased tenfold in one breath.

Even against a nightmare like the terrifying disaster beast, in a pure one-on-one battle without other elements, it is impossible to truly injure this captain-level [witch].

The mirror world nearly forced her into [Full Power Mode] because ninety percent of the factors were due to her role as a guardian, making it necessary to break through immediately and return to the performance scene.

Xie Qing Yu surged forward, her speed doubling again as she instantly broke through the heat barrier and the sound barrier, as if traveling through space, reaching an altitude of a hundred miles, returning to the stratosphere, and racing toward the enormous Mirror Tree, which stood three to four hundred meters tall.

In response,

Chu Yuanqing reacted quickly. As she dispersed the Magic Clone and saw the prelude of [Blooming Flowers] activating, she swung the Spiral Demon Sword in quick succession, creating a hurricane and thunder that covered a ten-mile radius around the Mirror Tree, transforming into a massive amount of rainbow light that spread like heavy rain.

This overwhelming strike cannot be avoided even by Xie Qing Yu’s speed.

But the key point is that the Spiral Demon Sword, which could still break defenses before, even though its power has increased four or five times after charging, now the scattered rainbow light is just like a light massage; it can barely tear through the Hell Fire that serves as a shell, and then it is completely powerless.

This is a clear difference in hardware.

Chu Yuanqing had anticipated this, so the attack launched by the Spiral Demon Sword had half of its force falling down on Xie Qing Yu like heavy rain, while the other half flowed backward to water the Mirror Tree, relying on the effect of space transfer, causing this giant creature to disappear from its original spot.

Violet felt no confusion about this; she said seriously:

"Little Yu, Honey Qing must have used the Spiral Sword to move the tree. Let’s not worry about that; let’s just go in and take Honey Qing down!"

Xie Qing Yu raised her eyes and opened the magic field, with illusory butterflies falling down, while Violet’s petals expanded rapidly with the particles, swallowing the entire Mortal Realm Barrier in just one second.

—Field.

This is the activation of [Blooming Flowers], a special skill that is entirely idealistic, allowing Salzburg’s territory to be completely included.

Chu Yuanqing cannot leave the barrier, so her movements will naturally be exposed.

But after being tricked many times and learning the lesson of being played with, she no longer trusted even the information from the fields.

But that’s okay,

As long as everything can be destroyed in one big blast.

In an instant, the sky trembled with a roar, and a deep purple magic filled everything in sight, with cracks in space overflowing with butterflies and bubbles.

——Patronus Magic·Butterfly of the Underworld.