The young girl walked through the alley as if no one else were there.
She was completely unaware that her every word and action was being watched by a cat hidden in the shadows.
Cipher observed the girl from the darkness.
A hint of surprise flashed in her sapphire-like pupils, her thin lips parting slightly as she struggled to hide her astonishment.
The girl before her was about 1.5 meters tall; though her talent wasn't exceptional, she barely reached the second rank level.
However, her peculiar outfit was truly eye-catching.
The overall color scheme was primarily blue and white, with exquisite gold and silver accents creating a fantasy atmosphere.
It featured a classic high-waisted puff skirt design with a light, airy hem adorned with bows for a touch of cuteness; paired with over-the-knee socks and Mary Janes, it exuded an elegant retro style.
Constellation patterns were printed on the skirt, shimmering with starlight.
Her long blue hair was tied in a high ponytail, full of vitality, with colorful ribbons fluttering in the breeze.
Her entire image looked as if she had stepped out of a fairy tale, radiating an aura of youth and magic.
Cipher almost slipped.
This outfit combination was so familiar it couldn't be more so—wasn't this exactly like those traditional 2D Magical Girls?
At this point, she was probably just one Magic Wand away from her final form.
Are the elements of this world really this complex? There are even Magical Girls?
Since both characters shared a 2D art style, Cipher momentarily felt a strange sense of kinship.
As if.
Even though I don't know what this Little Princess is up to, shouldn't This Cat do something?
Cipher, who had originally intended to give the newcomer a good interrogation, felt a moment of hesitation.
After all, they were both 2D characters; perhaps they weren't even from this world.
Since there was no grudge between them, Cipher felt a bit awkward about sending her straight to heaven.
Cipher flicked her fluffy tail, her fingertips unconsciously tugging at the tip of her ear as she quickly weighed the pros and cons in her mind.
Let her go back? Absolutely not. As for a game of cat and mouse, let's forget it.
Then...
...Cipher (=ↀ⩊ↀ=): Hehe, I've got it! Little Princess, don't blame me for being cunning!
At this moment, the Magical Girl had no idea she had already been targeted by a certain Little thief cat.
"Strange, could I really have seen a ghost? No way, could such a cute girl be a ghost!"
The girl murmured to herself, her face showing a look of surprise.
But then she immediately changed her train of thought.
"Oh, wait, no! I should believe in science. Even if there are ghosts, would they dare come out in broad daylight? But thinking carefully, logic tells me there's no such thing as monsters or ghosts. However... since there are Ability Users, ghosts wouldn't be that strange, would they? But who can say for sure..."
She rested her chin in her hands, her thoughts rolling around in her head like a ball of yarn, becoming more tangled the more she tried to sort them out.
"That's right, that's right!"
She slapped her thigh, her eyes lighting up as if she had discovered a new continent.
"That great beauty is most likely an Ability User! Otherwise, how could she vanish 'whoosh' like a magic trick? And she was in such a hurry; she definitely isn't a good person!"
Then she sighed, resting her chin on her hand again while her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes.
"It's a pity; why does she have to be a villain?"
She shook her head back and forth as she spoke, as if she had solved the mystery of the century.
Her unpredictable emotions even made Cipher, who was watching from the side, click her tongue in amazement.
Immediately after, the girl's pace became brisk, her face showing an impatient expression.
In fact, the girl's outing this time was entirely accidental.
The girl's name was Meng Xingyao; she was an Ability User who loved the 2D world.
While strolling through the streets today, she unexpectedly encountered a fellow cosplayer—another person dressed in a 2D style.
The 2D-loving girl was instantly attracted and decided without hesitation to go up and ask for a photo together.
What made her heart race even more was that this cosplayer's outfit was so unique she had never even seen it before; combined with her beautiful image, her excitement grew even higher.
However, after seeing the beauty enter this kind of small path alone, as a considerate Magical Girl,
she naturally felt it was her duty to step forward and protect her.
But she didn't expect the plan to end before it even began.
In the time it took to turn a corner, the other person had already lost her.
At the thought that this 2D character was actually a bad person,
the Magical Girl's heart immediately filled with indignation.
"How hateful! To deceive a young girl's passion, I must bring you to justice... and then ask where she bought her outfit."
Girl: (๑＞＜๑）
Cipher: (°ー°〃)
...Whoosh~
The girl walked alone through the alley.
Seeing the surroundings gradually darken, with only a few streetlights left for illumination.
"Hiss, why does it feel so eerie?"
The girl's expression gradually became tense, as if someone were watching her from the shadows.
This strange illusion made her feel an involuntary shiver down her spine.
However, she immediately slapped her cheeks hard.
"No, no, Meng Xingyao, your old habit is acting up again. You can't let your imagination run wild now; you must focus on the task at hand."
Just as the girl was encouraging herself,
in the next moment, a series of "bang, bang, bang" sounds rang out.
Every light bulb in the alley suddenly shattered.
The sound of glass shards hitting the ground echoed one after another,
causing the Magical Girl's heart to tighten instantly.
Now that the bulbs were broken and the area was shielded from external light sources,
the girl's field of vision immediately became narrow.
She trembled violently, her voice filled with lingering panic.
"You scared me... It was just the light bulbs suddenly breaking!"
Meng Xingyao took a deep breath and cautiously looked around; only after confirming there was nothing else unusual did her tense nerves relax slightly.
However, darkness surged in like a tide, preventing her from feeling completely at ease.
In a world without light, everything her eyes could see was swallowed by ink-like darkness.
Even familiar scenery was veiled in something eerie, as if some unspeakable thing might jump out at any moment.
Seeing this, the girl continued her mental suggestion therapy.
"Don't scare yourself. The light bulbs in a corner like this have been out of repair for years and aren't replaced often; they probably just burned out."
Just as she was comforting herself in this way,
Meng Xingyao's expression suddenly sharpened, and a blue Magic Wand appeared out of thin air in her hand.
She stared ahead vigilantly.
But after a long time, there seemed to be nothing unusual ahead.
This made Meng Xingyao feel a bit puzzled.
"Strange, I just felt like something passed by... Was it an illusion?"
Whoosh!!!
"Who's there!"
Meng Xingyao shouted, her eyes fixed intently on the path ahead.
This time, her nerves tightened instantly as she clearly caught something unusual—just now, a shadow seemed to flash by, as fast as a lightning bolt cutting through the night sky, appearing almost like teleportation in her eyes.
Unfortunately, it was too dark around for her to see clearly.
Meng Xingyao took a deep breath, trying to keep herself calm.
Looking at the pitch-black surroundings,
it was then that she suddenly remembered her identity.
At that thought, the Magic Wand in her hand immediately emitted a bright light.
"I really shouldn't scare myself; I almost forgot I'm an Ability User."
With her vision restored, the darkness receded like a tide.
Meng Xingyao's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and her courage grew.
She had just taken two steps when everything suddenly went black, as if someone had abruptly pulled a heavy curtain shut.
Even more terrifyingly, she discovered to her horror that her hands were empty.
The Magic Wand she had been gripping tightly had vanished without a sound.
Meng Xingyao (*ﾟﾛﾟ)!!: Where did my Magic Wand go!