Unless a martial artist reaches the Grandmaster Realm, they still find it difficult to withstand firearms.
Ability Users are no exception. Unless they possess a bulletproof or similar Special Ability, even a First-Level Esper can be killed instantly by a single bullet if they aren't careful.
But clearly, Cipher was not among them.
Cipher (=ↀ⩊ↀ=)੭ﾞ: "Goodness, is combat between Ability Users always this plain? There aren't even any special effects?"
The moment golden lightning coursed through her body, everything around Cipher suddenly slowed down, as though someone had pressed a slow-motion button. Every tiny detail became crystal clear before her eyes.
Looking at the bullet racing toward her, Cipher had a sudden idea and decided to show off a little in front of the Little Princess.
And so, under the dumbfounded gazes of everyone present...
Cipher slowly raised her right hand. Her fingers, painted with golden nail polish, curled slightly before she casually flicked the incoming bullet with a single finger.
Thud!!!
The high-speed bullet was actually knocked aside with a flick of her finger. The crisp metallic impact echoed through the dead silence, followed by the sound of everyone collectively sucking in a breath.
Meng Xingyao (✪ω✪): "So cool!!!"
As it turned out, the effect was excellent.
Since her goal had been achieved, Cipher looked at the group's wary expressions and decided not to play around any longer.
Just as the shimmering light of Divine Speed Power around her was about to erupt, and she was on the verge of taking down all five opponents in an instant, Meng Xingyao suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her arm.
"Cat Sister, wait! Leave two for me—I want to test my skills too!"
Meng Xingyao rolled up her sleeves and cracked her clenched fists, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she took two confident steps forward.
"How dare you launch a sneak attack in broad daylight! Do you really think I'm an easy target? Today, I'll definitely show you what I'm capable of!"
"Then I'll leave those two to you, Little Princess!"
Cipher had no objections. It was the perfect opportunity for the Little Princess to test her new Magic Wand.
"Bastards! How dare you look down on us like this!"
"Cut the crap! Let's take them together and show them what we're made of!"
Seeing the two women completely ignore their presence—casually discussing how to divide them up as though no one else existed—the expressions of the five men darkened instantly.
After all, it was five against two. The advantage should have been theirs.
Taking advantage of the fact that Cipher and Meng Xingyao were still talking, the group quickly exchanged glances and silently reached an agreement: eliminate the seemingly weaker target first, then work together to deal with that strange Cat Girl.
Unfortunately, while the plan sounded good, it was meaningless in the face of absolute strength.
Because in the very next second...
Just as the five were about to move, their vision suddenly blurred. When they looked again, three of their companions had vanished without a trace.
Only two remained, standing there dumbfounded as they stared blankly at the empty space beside them.
Before the two could recover from the horror of seeing their companions disappear into thin air, Meng Xingyao's cheerful voice drifted over.
"I said I'd take two, so two it is. The rest are Cat Sister's. Besides, you probably won't get a chance to see them again anyway!"
The two men gritted their teeth.
They no longer had the luxury of worrying about where the other three had gone, nor the time to think about just how terrifying that Cat Girl really was.
Their only thought now was to deal with the girl in front of them, who appeared easier to handle, and then escape this hellhole as quickly as possible.
As for the remaining three...
That was no longer their concern.
After all, in the current situation, life and death were up to fate.
"Hehe, it's finally my turn to show off!"
Meng Xingyao rubbed her hands together excitedly before summoning her Signature Weapon with a single thought.
"Then let's begin—Transformation!"
In the next instant, a dazzling, radiant light erupted, enveloping her entire body.
But just then, one of the attackers suddenly drew a pistol, aimed it directly at the transforming Meng Xingyao, and pulled the trigger repeatedly without the slightest hesitation.
The other repeated his previous tactic, stomping heavily on the ground.
The earth trembled violently.
Several dark brown Rock Spikes as thick as an adult's arm burst from the ground like swords piercing through the earth, stabbing toward the glowing figure from multiple angles.
Meng Xingyao, still in the middle of her transformation, calmly swept her gaze over the incoming bullets and Rock Spikes, her face utterly devoid of panic.
The bullets struck the layer of light surrounding her with piercing whistles.
Yet it was as though they had hit an invisible barrier.
Each one was instantly deflected, clattering harmlessly onto the ground.
At the same time, the thick Rock Spikes slammed fiercely into the glowing barrier.
But the moment they made contact, it was like stabbing into resilient rubber. No matter how much force they exerted, they couldn't push through even the slightest bit farther.
The instant Meng Xingyao's transformation was complete, the light surrounding her suddenly exploded outward like a miniature shockwave.
The surrounding Rock Spikes shattered into countless fragments under the blast, sending broken stone flying everywhere.
The astonishing scene left the two men pale with fear, frozen where they stood.
Meng Xingyao remained calm on the surface, but inside, she secretly felt a little proud.
After quietly checking herself over and confirming she wasn't hurt at all, she turned her attention back to the two men.
Meng Xingyao (๑꒪▿꒪)*: 'Phew—good thing this new Magic Wand comes with invincibility frames during transformation.'
Knowing about it was one thing, but this was still her very first real battle after all. It was only natural to feel a little nervous.
But now that the transformation had succeeded...
Then now—
The law of victory had already been decided!
"Take my Rainbow Cannon!"
Meng Xingyao wasn't joking in the slightest, opening the battle with her signature ultimate move.
She pointed the Magic Wand straight at her targets like a spear.
In the next instant, a brilliant rainbow aura surged toward the gem at the tip of the wand like a tidal wave, instantly condensing into a pulsating sphere of light that dyed even the surrounding air with fantastical seven-colored hues.
Then—
Boom—
An incomparably massive Rainbow Cannon roared toward the two men with world-shattering momentum.
Wherever it passed, even the ground was lightly scorched by the overwhelming magical power, wisps of smoke rising into the air.
The expressions of the two men standing directly in its path changed dramatically.
One of them, relying on instincts honed through years of combat, slammed his hands together the instant the Rainbow Cannon tore through the air.
The ground beneath their feet shook violently.
Towering Rock Spikes erupted from the earth like giant swords, intertwining and locking together as they rapidly climbed upward, forming an airtight stone wall in only a few breaths.
But the moment the wall came into contact with the Rainbow Cannon, it melted away like ice meeting blazing fire.
The solid rock let out a piercing hiss as its surface softened and cracked at a visible speed, while tiny stone fragments were instantly reduced to ash within the seven-colored flames.
The hastily erected defense lasted less than two seconds before completely collapsing.
Yet the Rainbow Cannon continued forward without losing any momentum, shooting straight into the sky before finally exploding among the clouds, transforming into a magnificent rainbow that stretched across half the heavens and lingered there for a long time.
To be honest, even Meng Xingyao herself was startled by the overwhelming power of the attack she had just unleashed.
Its speed was astonishing.
Its power was incredible.
What filled Meng Xingyao's heart with excitement was that the attack, which used to be an all-or-nothing move, was now nowhere near her limit.
She looked down at the Magic Wand in her hand, still faintly warm from firing, and an indescribable thrill surged through her.
Moreover, that attack had consumed less than thirty percent of her psionic energy.
If she went all out...
Just what kind of world-destroying power would she be able to unleash?
Meng Xingyao (✧∇✧): 'Whether it's raw power or psionic energy conversion efficiency, both are far superior to before.'
Even so, Meng Xingyao forcefully suppressed the excitement bubbling inside her.
She focused her senses and quickly detected two distinct life signatures.
Which meant...
The two men had not been reduced to ashes by the Rainbow Cannon.
The corners of Meng Xingyao's lips curled upward as anticipation flashed across her eyes.
She tightened her grip on the Magic Wand, and the air around her seemed to grow noticeably warmer as her fighting spirit surged.
"The 'no damage within the smoke' law, huh? In that case, let me show you the Magical Girl's way of fighting!"