The main body of Yoshino was with Homura Akemi, while the one accompanying Mami Tomoe was a clone she had deployed. After Homura Akemi learned that Oriko Mikami and Kikura wanted to kill Madoka Kaname, she had been investigating their whereabouts, but found no clues. Instead, there were recent reports of Magical Girls being killed. Their current location was in front of a slain Magical Girl.
"How terrible. She was cut in half, and her face has so many scratches." Homura Akemi knelt down to examine her condition. There were many marks of sharp weapon scratches on her body, especially the waist, which was cut in half, being the most severe. This was the main reason this Magical Girl lost her mobility, but the cause of her death was not this.
"Homura, this is her soul gem. Like the other slain Magical Girls, it was destroyed, which is also the main cause of her death." Yoshino, who found the shattered soul gem nearby, handed it to Homura Akemi. "It seems that to prevent Magical Girls from possibly recovering, Kikura incapacitated all Magical Girls before shattering their soul gems."
Homura Akemi nodded and took the soul gem handed by Yoshino. The gem part was already shattered, with only fragmented pieces remaining.
"Is it possible to restore it? Yoshino. Can the power of The Twelfth Bullet reverse it back to its original state?" After examining the damaged soul gem, Homura Akemi asked, thinking of Yoshino's ability. She remembered that in previous worlds, when she suffered fatal injuries, Yoshino used this power to help her recover. Perhaps there was still such a method.
Hearing Homura Akemi's words, Yoshino lowered her head, thought for a moment, then nodded, but then shook her head, understanding Homura Akemi's true intention. This left Homura Akemi puzzled, not understanding what she meant.
"Actually, theoretically, it is possible to restore the soul gem to its original state. Because the ability of The Twelfth Bullet is to reverse the time of the target." Yoshino explained, seeing Homura Akemi's confused expression.
"Then why did you shake your head? Is there something that can't be done?" Since it was possible, why shake her head? Wasn't that a bit contradictory?
"Well... although the soul gem can be restored to its original state, the soul of the girl contained within the soul gem cannot be preserved. You know, Homura, that the soul gem is the vessel for a Magical Girl's soul. Even if I restore the soul gem to its original form, it will only be a pretty-looking gem, and there's no way to revive her."
Yoshino said with some regret. Even though they both possessed the power of time, they didn't have the ability to retrieve souls that had already dissipated.
"That's such a pity. I thought I had found a hidden life-saving method, but it's still like this? It seems the only chances to restart are my time reversal and your The Twelfth Bullet's ability to return to the past, but even that is useless." After so many timelines, Homura Akemi understood that simply returning to the past was useless. If she didn't work hard, the future that was supposed to happen would still happen in the end.
"How is Mami doing? I heard you told her about Kyubey." Remembering something, she turned to Yoshino and asked.
Hearing about Mami Tomoe, Yoshino sighed. "It's very difficult. She feels betrayed, thinking that the Kyubey she trusted has been deceiving her all along."
"Hmm." That was to be expected. In other timelines, Mami Tomoe was more or less in a similar situation. "What else? Like knowing the secret of the soul gem and the secret of Magical Girls? These realities should make her collapse, right?"
"I didn't tell her those two. I'm worried Mami-san won't be able to handle such facts. Let's wait a while longer, let my relationship with Mami-san get better, then I can try to persuade her." These all have specific examples, and she didn't want Mami Tomoe to suddenly destroy her own soul gem without her knowledge after being told.
"Hmm?" Suddenly feeling something, Yoshino's clone appeared from her shadow, whispered a few words into her ear, and then disappeared again.
Hearing the news from her clone, Yoshino's brows furrowed tightly. She didn't expect this to happen so quickly; it caught her a bit off guard. Because of Oriko Mikami and Kikura, she had forgotten about this matter. She had to hurry back, or something bad would happen.
"What's wrong?" Seeing Yoshino's state, Homura Akemi asked curiously. For Yoshino to show such an expression, it seemed this matter was no small deal.
"The clone I sent to Madoka reported that when Madoka accompanied Sayaka to see Kyosuke Kamijo, a Witch's barrier appeared at the hospital. Now Madoka has gone to find Mami-san, and Sayaka and Kyubey have fallen into the Witch's barrier." Yoshino explained the news her clone had just brought. Hearing this, Homura Akemi raised an eyebrow. She had forgotten about this Witch while investigating this matter.
"I see, the Snack Witch (Charlotte)... This time, the one in trouble is Mami. It seems this investigation can only end here for now. We need to hurry back." For Madoka Kaname's wish of a happy ending, she had to resolve Mami Tomoe's crisis properly this time.
Near the hospital, Madoka Kaname finally arrived with Mami Tomoe, but they didn't see Sayaka Miki. Only her school bag lay on the ground.
Because Yoshino (clone) and Mami Tomoe were buying ingredients for dinner, Yoshino (clone) had taken the food home first. Mami Tomoe looked at the obvious crack in the wall and the grief seed, then said with a solemn expression: "This is it..."
Slightly opening her fingers, a light appeared from the soul gem in her hand, and then a peculiar mark emerged from the previously empty wall. Then Mami Tomoe heard Kyubey's telepathy, which made her frown slightly. She hadn't forgiven Kyubey for its deception yet.
But after knowing that Sayaka Miki was fine, Mami Tomoe and Madoka Kaname stepped into the white light gate Mami Tomoe had opened. When Madoka Kaname came to her senses, she found herself and Mami Tomoe already inside the Witch's barrier.
Not long after the two entered the barrier, Yoshino's figure appeared there. Because of Homura Akemi's time stop ability, she arrived here faster than Yoshino. Although Yoshino had used Void Flash with all her might, under limited conditions, she was still much later than expected.
Looking at the empty wall in front of her, Yoshino extended her smooth right hand, and then the mark of Magic of Darkness appeared on her hand. The negative energy of the mark reacted with the barrier, creating a light gate similar to the one Mami Tomoe had just made.
Seeing this light gate, Yoshino knew that Mami Tomoe and the others had already arrived, so she quickly walked in.
'I didn't expect the mark of Magic of Darkness to react with the Witch's barrier. It seems that Magic of Darkness has other abilities besides being used in combat.'
[It seems so, little master. The power of darkness is not just about combat. The Witches in this world are products of negative emotions, just as you can absorb the negative energy from Witches and help them find peace. 'Evil' is also gradually strengthening due to this energy.]
Hearing Astaroth's words, Yoshino nodded.
'I know, negative power is like a person's inner demon. Just like Reimu in Gensokyo had Hakurei Reimu, Hong Meiling also had the darkened character of Kuro Meiling. I, on the other hand, am 'Evil' who excels at reversal. I wonder if she has mastered the power of the inverse kabbalistic tree of evil.'
[Oh? You know a lot, little master. I don't remember her telling you these things. How do you know?]
'Because I can feel branches similar to those growing from the kabbalah tree of life within me. Although I can only vaguely sense them, combined with religious descriptions of the inverse kabbalistic tree of evil, and having had the experience of becoming a reversal, I sensed that it should be the evil tree opposite the kabbalah tree of life.'
Just like a mirror, Yoshino could feel the inverse kabbalistic tree of evil growing from the roots of the kabbalah tree of life. This appeared when she learned Magic of Darkness. It was just that because 'Evil' had been controlling it, and the necklace's suppression, Yoshino had not been affected by the evil tree.
'Now 'Good' controls the kabbalah tree of life within me, and 'Evil' controls the nascent inverse kabbalistic tree of evil. I guess I'm not wrong, am I?'
[...Ah~ You guessed right, little master. That's how it is.] Astaroth sighed. As the demon of the fourth sephirah of the inverse kabbalistic tree of evil, she naturally knew that this evil power was growing within Yoshino. But having no control over Yoshino's thoughts now, she was also working with 'Evil' to suppress its influence on Yoshino.
[If you have any requests, guardian, I can use sealing magic to seal the evil tree. That way, you won't have to worry about being affected by the evil tree.] Zadkiel's voice came. [After all, with your current abilities, guardian, without our help, you would be completely corroded by the evil tree in about a few months.]
'...Then to what extent must my strength reach before I can control this power?' Yoshino asked, hearing that it was because her current abilities were insufficient to control the inverse kabbalistic tree of evil.
[There are no specific examples for me to refer to, but using our current power as a reference, your strength, guardian, must at least reach the level of a god.] The Demon King controls the evil tree, and God controls the power of the kabbalah tree of life. After Yoshino possesses the power of a god, she will also be able to control this power to become a god.
'I see... Then there's no need to seal it, Zad. This power is still within control for now. In the future world, we will still need such power. You know, I will go to those high-level worlds sooner or later.'
Those who wield the power of rules, if she doesn't have some means to deal with them, she'll probably have a very hard time there.
[...Since it's your decision, guardian, I won't force you. But you must know, if anything happens, you must tell us. You still have us fighting by your side.] Zadkiel said seriously, [For your plan this time, we will eliminate all unfavorable factors for you.]
'...Mm, thank you, Zad.'
Need the power of a god to control this evil power? It seems it will be obtained very soon.
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