Inside the chat group named "Paradise":
[Edogawa Ryunosuke: @Sail Village, is Minamisawa Juhachi really you? ]
The outside world hasn't reported that Minamisawa Juhachi is Sail Village, nor has it been revealed that Akiyuki Shinbo uses the pen name Sail Village Soji. However, the group members had long ago deduced from Sail Village's earlier self-disclosure about working on a Magical Girl Anime production that he was likely Akiyuki Shinbo. This is why Ryunosuke asked the question now.
He wasn't the only one curious. The others were simply too busy with their various affairs to bother asking, but after Edogawa Ryunosuke's message, a few people followed up with inquiries.
It took over ten minutes for Akiyuki Shinbo to respond.
[Sail Village: No, that's not true. Minamisawa Juhachi, Minamisawa Jugo, and the like have nothing to do with me. ]
[Princess Kaguya: There's even a Minamisawa Jugo? Shocking! ]
[Sail Village: Regarding Minamisawa Juhachi-san, I only know he started making adult anime at Lin Zhiyan's suggestion. I don't know anything else. ]
[Edogawa Ryunosuke: Is it true that Lin Zhiyan has never made any adult animation? ]
[Sail Village: I don't know about that. He did post a clarification, so it's probably true. ]
[Edogawa Ryunosuke: Does he have any other dirt on him? I'm curious. ]
[Tokyo Handsome Guy: (′^ω^`) ]
[Sail Village: None that I know of. ]
Finding no valuable information, Edogawa Ryunosuke quickly gave up. The conversation in the group chat was soon steered by Tokyo Handsome Guy towards the anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica.
[Princess Kaguya: @Sail Village, I saw Lin Zhiyan post on the forum that the next part of Madoka Magica would be really depressing and soul-crushing. Is that true? I didn't feel that way after watching episode six. ]
[Sakurako: Episode six wasn't depressing enough? ]
[Edogawa Ryunosuke: I actually thought it was fine, not that depressing. ]
[Sail Village: No spoilers! The seventh episode is coming out soon anyway. You'll see for yourselves then. ]
In truth, the sixth episode of Puella Magi Madoka Magica didn't feel as bleak as many had expected.
While it contained a bleak development, it primarily left viewers in shock. After all, who could have imagined that Soul Gems were truly souls, or that magical girls weren't the idealized figures they seemed, but rather beings akin to zombies?
The shock outweighed the gloom, leaving many feeling the episode wasn't bleak enough. Once the initial shock wore off, they took to the internet to post comments like: "Old Thief Lin sure knows how to scare people. He kept hyping up how devastating the next episodes would be, and I actually bought it. Turns out, it wasn't that bad at all. This level of bleakness is nothing."
The post quickly gained traction, with many others chiming in to agree.
Then, on February 19th, at midnight, the seventh episode of Puella Magi Madoka Magica aired.
The episode's title was: "Can You Face Your True Emotions?"
The real devastation was about to begin.
It started with a short scene before the opening sequence.
Back home, Sayaka confronted Kyubey, accusing it of deceiving them. The creature frantically deflected blame, insisting it had acted for their own good, to make combat easier. "If you don't know, then don't know. It won't cause any trouble. In fact, even Mami never found out until the very end."
It then allowed Sayaka to experience normal pain, seemingly to demonstrate the benefits of separating her soul from her body.
But all Sayaka felt was hurt.
Her voice thick with tears, she asked, "Why? Why did this have to happen to us?"
"Didn't you have a wish you wanted to fulfill, even after accepting your fate as a magical girl? Hasn't that wish already been granted?" Kyubey retorted.
Sayaka froze.
His logic was irrefutable, leaving her speechless.
The next morning, Sayaka was absent from class.
During the break, on the rooftop, the Main Character and Homura Akemi leaned against the railing, talking:
"Homura, did you know?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Even if I had warned you beforehand, no one would have believed me."
No one would have believed me. The phrasing suggested that Homura had tried to warn others before, and failed.
However, the Main Character remained unaware of the underlying issue.
The conversation quickly shifted to Kyubey and then to Sayaka.
The Main Character felt Kyubey was being unfair and spoke up for Sayaka.
Homura Akemi countered, "Miracles are things that can't be bought even with human lives, and that creature is the one selling them everywhere."
She urged the Main Character to abandon Sayaka again, but the Main Character asked, "Why are you always so cold, Homura?"
"That's right," Homura replied, looking down at her hands. Her hair obscured half her face, hiding her expression, but her voice was clear: "It must be because I'm no longer human... Maybe."
The conversation between them ended, and the scene shifted to Sayaka.
She was curled up under the covers, only half her head visible, looking dejected. Kyoko appeared outside her house and called to her telepathically, urging her to come out.
Kyoko, who had previously caused so much trouble, now showed a gentle attitude toward Sayaka.
She led Sayaka to a dilapidated church and offered her an apple she loved. Sayaka refused to eat it and instead threw the apple to the ground.
Seeing Sayaka's terrible attitude, Kyoko became very angry. However, she quickly calmed down and began to tell her story, including why she became a magical girl and the bitter consequences of making a wish for someone else.
In essence, she had wished for her father, who was trying to spread a new faith but kept hitting dead ends, to gain followers. This allowed their family to escape their desperate circumstances and thrive. But one day, her father learned the truth and understood everything.
When he discovered that the increase in followers wasn't purely due to faith but to the power of magic, he flew into a rage. He cursed Kyoko, calling her a Witch who bewitched people. From then on, he became addicted to alcohol, went completely mad, and ultimately killed his family before committing suicide, leaving Kyoko all alone.
In short, it was a colossal tragedy.
Kyoko's resentment towards Sayaka for making a wish for Kyosuke Kamijo, and her constant targeting of Sayaka, likely stemmed from her own experiences.
She told Sayaka, "Miracles aren't free. For every hope you pray for, an equal amount of despair is released. Only when they cancel each other out does the balance of the world remain intact."
She said these words primarily to comfort Sayaka, but also as a signal of reconciliation.
After understanding the situation, Sayaka apologized sincerely, but she insisted she didn't regret her actions.
She didn't accept Kyoko's overtures and instead questioned how she obtained the apple, asking if she had paid for it. This earned her a scolding from Kyoko, who called her an "idiot."
Regardless, Sayaka still went to school the next day. Kyosuke Kamijo, who had been discharged from the hospital just two days prior, couldn't bear to stay home and arrived at school leaning on his crutches.
In the classroom, the Main Character nudged Sayaka's shoulder, urging her to speak with Kyosuke Kamijo. Sayaka hesitated and ultimately didn't approach him.
Then came the dramatic turn of events.
After school, Hitomi, a mutual friend of the Main Character and Sayaka, called Sayaka aside to the cafeteria. She confessed that she had admired Kyosuke Kamijo for a long time, though she had kept it secret until now.
Hitomi could see that Sayaka liked Kyosuke Kamijo too. Given their childhood bond and close relationship, she felt it was necessary to be upfront.
"Because you're my dear friend, I don't want to cut in line or steal someone's love... You've known Kamijō-kun longer than I have, so you have the right to make your move first."
Hitomi said solemnly, "After school tomorrow, I'm going to confess to Kamijou-kun. I'll wait all day. Sayaka, please make a decision you won't regret—whether or not you should tell him how you feel."
This approach was actually quite considerate. It was impossible for her to ask Sayaka to give up the person she loved, but for Sayaka, it was a fatal blow.
That evening, when they met at Madoka's doorstep, Sayaka, tears streaming down her face, finally poured out her heart: "Kyosuke is going to be taken by Hitomi, but I can't do anything. Because I'm already dead—I'm a zombie. With this body, I can't say 'Please hold me' or 'Please kiss me'..."
Madoka hadn't expected this either. She could only hold Sayaka tightly, her own tears falling, offering silent comfort.
Sayaka sobbed until her tears finally subsided. She forced a smile and, as usual, went with Madoka to fight a Witch.
This time, they faced the Shadow Witch. The entire screen was filled with the silhouettes of Madoka, Sayaka, and the monster—everything seemed to be cast in shadow.
In the distance, Kyoko watched with Homura Akemi, eating a popsicle.
This time, they didn't interfere.
The background music, "Destiny," began to play, its melody mournful.
Sayaka relentlessly attacked the Shadow Witch, but she couldn't gain the upper hand. Instead, the situation grew increasingly unfavorable.
At the critical moment, Kyoko intervened to help Sayaka, even attempting to demonstrate how to fight the Shadow Witch.
But Sayaka responded in a low, determined voice, "Don't interfere! I'll handle this myself!"
With that, she charged at the Shadow Witch and severed its head with a single strike.
Yet the Shadow Witch wasn't so easily destroyed. Instead, the force of the blow sent Sayaka flying backward, crashing to the ground.
The Main Character cried out in concern, "Sayaka!"
Kyoko stood ready to strike again at any moment.
But Sayaka slowly rose to her feet.
She didn't cry out in pain. Instead, she burst into wild laughter.
Her laughter grew increasingly frenzied as she charged at the Witch again, fighting with reckless abandon, willing to self-mutilate in her desperate battle.
After knocking the Witch down, she continued hacking at it with her blade.
Blood splattered everywhere, even on Sayaka's face, making it look as if two lines of blood tears were streaming down her dark features.
"It's true... if I'm willing, I can completely erase pain," she cackled madly, as if trying to drown out her inner anguish.
The screen went black, leaving only the Main Character's tearful, heartbroken voice: "Stop! That's enough! Stop it!"
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