A morning wind blew the cherry blossom petal to the sky. The tourists who came to enjoy the sight of Sakura flower in Maruyama-Koen park took out their cameras to immortalize the moment.

Meanwhile, I stood at a building a bit away from them.

[It’s ready, Asa. You just need to start the video, and I will handle the rest. Don’t do something idiotic that put you in danger, got it?]

“I won’t. Love you, Aru.”

[W-What are you saying?! A-Anyway, have fun out there.]

Just like that, Aru ended our call in a shy manner. That girl was unexpectedly weak with teasing. It made me want to tease her more.

But I have something more important now.

Looking to my right, Akari had already dressed in her Magical Girl costume. It consisted of a short-sleeved black and red sexy kimono with a short skirt. The kimono had a golden rose pattern and golden frill around the skirt.

Her face was hidden beneath a white fox mask with a red accent, and her hair was done in a high ponytail. She held a golden fan in her left hand and a short stick in her right. Somehow she got 2 wands, which was unbelievable.

No way this was possible. But I saw it myself, so I couldn’t deny it either. She had 2 wands, alright.

Kon and Ron were sitting at home. We couldn’t afford them to be seen by other Magical Girls.

“Are you ready, Akari?” I asked her as I transformed myself into Arsy. Now she was a head taller than me, making me look up at her. “You remember the plan, right?”

Akari turned to me and froze. Did she not hear me?

“Akari?” I called out to her.

“Ah! I am sorry. This is the first time I saw you transforming. It’s just… you’re really the one stopping the incident last Saturday.”

“I told you, no?” I smirked. “Are you impressed?”

“Yes!”

I certainly didn’t expect such an energetic reply from her.

“I am totally impressed at how you ignore those officials! It feels good! Screw the officials! We lead a free life!”

Akari threw her hand in the air excitedly. I could only chuckle seeing her.

This is it. This is the real Magical Girl that I want to find! Not those strict people who follow this and that rule.

“Yeah! Screw Magiya Celes! That’s why…”

I could see a certain building hidden behind a thin barrier near the Kyoto Imperial Palace from this park. The building had a castle-like structure, and it was where I was kicked out yesterday.

“…Let’s throw some chaos around Kyoto.”

“Ouu!”

Magical Girls' costumes could be modified with something called Magia Clothes. In this world, those modified clothes were called Mana Clothes.

Of course, I had many of those. Even the Military Uniform I wore right now was Mana Clothes that I modified from my real Magical Girl costume.

In order to hide my identity from Blaze, I decided to change it again.

If Akari’s theme right now was gold and black, then my theme was purple and red.

“Let’s have fun,” I muttered as my body was covered in purple light, changing my clothes.

***

I had a morning run in my black running shorts and dark blue tracksuit that I just bought last night. Morning run was something I did regularly once a week, or when I woke up too early, or when I had something in mind.

This time, it was because of the third reason. I remembered my conversation with the five newly turned Magical Girls yesterday. They looked… too out of it and couldn’t even create a Mana ball, an exercise for a new Magical Girl that everyone could do even when they got no talents.

It made me… suspicious of them. But the Mana reaction coming from them unmistakably belonged to Magical Girls. Just… there was no real distinction between their Mana reaction, which made it odder than it originally was.

That made me think. If only Arsy is here… No no no! You can’t depend on her! You can do everything by yourself, just like what you did for the last 3 years! You are Magiya Blaze!

I shook my head as I stopped in front of a vending machine. Without me realizing it, I had begun to depend on Arsy in something hard like this. My mind was plagued by that smug and perverted girl.

“Really, now?”

The sound of a bottle dropped in the vending machine was heard, and my hand reached out to the opening to take the drink I had just bought. It was just chilled water. I opened the bottle and drank from it slowly.

“Fuu… It’s so refreshing.” I wiped my lips with my sleeve and walked toward the nearby bench. Getting rid of unnecessary thoughts by running was the best. I really hoped my days would always be as peaceful as this.

“Ladies and Gentlemen!”

But that was just all hope as it was instantly shattered by a loud voice that I somehow heard from the direction of Magiya Temple, the center of Kyoto. I turned toward the voice, and so were the people on the street. It seemed like even normal people could hear it.

“I have a sudden announcement!”

Accompanied by the following voice was a huge shadow projected in the sky. A loud gasp escaped my mouth, and some people screamed while pointing at the shadow figure.

From the shadow’s body, I could determine it belonged to a short girl. She wore a purple and red Kimono with a short skirt and baggy sleeves. Her face was covered with a black and gold fox mask, but a certain distinction made me recognize her instantly.

I mean, who wouldn’t recognize those black and white horns crossing each other on top of the mask? When I saw that the bottle in my hand fell to the ground as I jumped off the bench in surprise.

What is that girl doing now?!

I had a bad feeling.

“Sorry, but… Kyoto will be destroyed if you don’t hurry and stop me! You have 3 hours to find 10 of these balloons!”

She raised her hand, and a strange red balloon with three white claw marks appeared in her hand.

“One of these balloons will summon a Dragon! To put it mildly, a single Dragon can kill more than a thousand Level 3 monsters easily! So…”

No no no, you can’t do this!

Somehow I could imagine a smug smile behind that fox mask. This was bad. Was it her revenge against Magiya Celes who kicked her out yesterday? I knew I should’ve just blasted Celes away at that time!

In a panic, I reached out my phone and called Commander Amamiya. When the call rang, the shadow finished her sentence and disappeared from the sky.

“Good luck in finding the balloons!”

[Yes? Is there any emergency?]

Commander Amamiya’s voice rang from the speaker. It was calming and made me able to think clearly. As expected of Commander Amamiya, even her voice was magical. That was why I respected her a lot.

Anyway, I needed to report it.

“Yes,” I replied as I took a deep breath. “Arsy is rampaging.” I continued.

[I know.]

Somehow there wasn’t a speck of panic in that voice. But… What she said next surprised me.

[I give you permission to help her. Have fun, Magiya Blaze.] And the call was ended one-sidedly by Commander Amamiya.

Looking at my blank phone, I thought. Let’s not think about it. I… am innocent.