Chapter 725 - 276: Food Sacrifice

While the battle in the Jade Book Gallery was still ongoing, Emerald Sparrow continued to organize security work in the examination field.

At this moment, it had been almost an hour since her companions at the Research Institute informed her that "Emerald has already taken action."

During this period, the enemy seemed really not to have any other plans, having taken no further actions for nearly an hour.

This inevitably made Emerald Sparrow a bit uneasy, wondering if the examination field was really just a decoy, and the real attack target was the Research Institute, with Emerald possibly having been defeated by now?

But such thoughts would only last a moment. After all, this was not wartime; the Kingdom's borders were secure, and there would not be a massive United Army or Feather Rank Beasts made from piles of corpses. It was quite far-fetched to think that Black Ash Dawn and Claw Mark, who had snuck in, could pose a threat to a Gem Wand Level entity.

After all, if the enemy really had the power to defeat a Gem Wand head-on, would they still need to hide for so long, dodging the Kingdom's searches all over the place?

In Emerald Sparrow's view, if there were intent to cause trouble in Luennolay, a month ago would have been the best time. At that time, there weren't as many Elite Magical Girls gathered here, and there was only Molu at the Gem Wand Level. But right now, there were 3 Gem Wands in full form, countless elite combatants, and even the Queen herself was stationed here. Even if Black Ash Dawn and Claw Mark brought forth battle power equivalent to that during the Garden defense battle of the past, it would still be difficult to cause any substantial damage in today's Luennolay.

Though it couldn't be said the Kingdom was a single undivided block from within either.

All in all, there probably wasn't a problem on Emerald's side. It was clearly more important for Emerald Sparrow to manage her own work at hand rather than worrying about how the Gem Wand might turn out.

—— "But please, don't be reckless, senior. If you really encounter an unsolvable problem, it's okay to retreat this time."

In the forest, atop a tree canopy, Emerald Sparrow floated there, holding her Magic Mirror. Hong Siyu's voice came from within it: "There are many skilled Magical Girls in the Kingdom, please don't act all strong and handle everything by yourself like before."

"Hmm, I know." Emerald Sparrow nodded.

"She says she knows, do you think she actually does?" At this moment, Asou Haruka's voice was heard from the other end of the Magic Mirror.

"Hmm... judging from senior's character and the way she speaks..." Hong Siyu hesitated a bit: "It's likely that she didn't really take it to heart."

"What do you say, sister?" Then Asou Haruka spoke again, this time obviously addressing Emerald Sparrow: "While you're fooling us, at least show some effort; even Xiao Hong can see through you."

"You guys..."

There was finally a touch of helplessness on Emerald Sparrow's previously expressionless face: "Right now, I'm in a collective operation, and I have so many teammates around me. What should my teammates do if I flee in the face of a difficult enemy?"

"Of course, everyone should run together," Asou Haruka replied, confident in her reasoning, "I'm not joking, sister, you know, I'm really worried about you, and I don't want things to be like they were back then..."

"It won't be." Emerald Sparrow quickly responded.

"What do you mean it won't be? It won't be ephemeral or you won't be reckless?"

"I won't watch anyone sacrifice themselves in front of me again."

"Huh? Wait, hold up..."

Sizzle.

Without giving Asou Haruka the opportunity to finish her words, Emerald Sparrow decisively cut off the Magic Mirror's communication.

The reason for such a firm action was because her Magic Mirror was prompting her that another call request was awaiting her, and at this moment in time, there should be no one else who could be calling her.

"Hello, I'm listening." Thus, she hurriedly reactivated the Magic Mirror.

—— "It's appeared, sir!"

"What has appeared?"

"It should be the enemy!" The Magical Girl reporting the situation was evidently a bit flustered.

"What do you mean by 'should be'? What direction, how many people?" Emerald Sparrow pursued with questions.

"East, on the eastern side of the examination field! Those Beast Children you mentioned to keep a close eye on, they've started to move!"

"What about the emergency response team? Aren't they nearby them?"

"Yes, yes, they are! However, the situation is a bit off..." the opposite speaker suddenly hesitated.

"Report directly."

"Alright! It's a barrier, there's a barrier! A barrier has suddenly appeared in the examination field, pulling all those Beast Children inside of it, isolating everyone else outside the barrier, and no one can get in!"

"Tried to break it?"

"Both forceful breakout and magic technique cancellation have been tried multiple times, even the Flower Card has been checked, but it still can't be broken!"

"Is the scene secured?"

"It's secured!"

"Okay, I'll be over there." Even before ending the call, Emerald Sparrow had already started accelerating towards the east side of the examination field.

"Understood, but sir, aside from this issue, there's also a rather suspicious situation that you might need to hear about."

"Go ahead."

"There's a patrolling Magical Girl who claims to have sensed a magical power fluctuation similar to Claw Mark's and also saw from a distance, a Magical Girl cloaked entirely in black..."

The call paused for a few seconds.

As though some switch had been flipped on, then off again, the silence came suddenly and left decisively.

"Where is she?"

This time, Emerald Sparrow's voice was more serious than ever.

...

...

When Mint came to her senses, she found herself in a strange space.

The last scene in her memory was her and Lin Xiaolu confronting a Pupa Rank Remnant Beast in the examination area, and if she remembered correctly, they were about to win at that time.

So, where is this place now, and where are her teammates?

Could it be because the pupa's nest broke apart, causing her to be thrown into a different area than her teammates?

"Bai Mei? Bo Xue—"

No matter how loudly she shouted, there was absolutely no response.

Were they the ones lost, or was she the one who wandered off?

Mint didn't know, but only at this moment did she have to accept the fact that she might really be lost from her teammates and began seriously exploring this area before her.

The first impression was darkness.

Although the surrounding topography was still forest, unlike the examination area she was previously in, the trees here were tall and the canopies dense, so that even the sunlight couldn't penetrate, leaving it pitch black.

The second impression was the stench.

A pervasive, not sharp but lingering smell of decay filled Mint's nostrils, with no relief no matter which direction she faced, as if the entire forest was the source of the smell.

It was this smell that made Mint, who was somewhat nonchalant at first, gradually withdraw her smile.

This smell was not unfamiliar to her.

To an ordinary Magical Girl, this smell might not have any special meaning, but she was a "Beast Child."

Every Beast Child could never forget this smell.

—"You're quite late."

A figure stood ahead, waiting for Mint.

A black and red mixed ceremonial dress, a towering stand-up collar, scarlet eyes; without a doubt, this person was another Beast Child, Arrowroot.

"What is going on?" However, Mint didn't give her a good face, "You're planning on acting in the examination area? I should have said, do as you please, but don't drag me into it."

"How long do you plan to deceive yourself?"

Arrowroot, however, didn't display that iconic arrogant smile, but instead looked at Mint with some pity: "Even a fool with a dull mind should know their situation by now, right?"

What is her current situation?

Indeed, Mint already knew.

Being suddenly brought into this unfamiliar space, along with the lingering stench here, all had an inseparable connection with a memory she quite loathed.

—Food Sacrifice.

Every Sacrificial Child who wanted to advance to Beast Child had to undergo an unavoidable ritual, or a calamity.

A ritual involving a Sacrificial Child and a hundred Remnant Beasts; some special rituals might even confine the Sacrificial Children in the same space, forcing them to kill each other.

Until only one person, or one life, remained, the space would reopen, allowing the victor to walk out alive.

And as a Beast Child who could stand here alive, Mint had naturally experienced more than one round of Food Sacrifice.

Now she existed here like an ordinary girl, or to flatter herself, like an active and sunny Magical Girl, but in her memory, she was not that way in the Food Sacrifice.

Constantly killing to survive, numbing the pain but still striving to kill the enemy, engaging in mutual devouring with monsters, merging the remnants of magical bodies of Remnant Beasts into one's Beast's Viscera.

That was a repugnant memory for Mint.

"Are you planning to start Food Sacrifice here?" Saying this, even she found it insane.

"Exactly speaking, it's us."

Arrowroot looked at her sympathetically: "From now on, only one person can walk out alive in this space, including you and me."

"I have never agreed to participate in your..."

"That's okay, the Remnant Beasts trapped here never agreed either."

Arrowroot grinned: "Isn't it because Food Sacrifice has started, we exist here, so participation is inevitable."

"You're truly crazy, you guys."

Mint was somewhat stunned: "I clearly came for the exam, why am I still getting drawn into something like this."

"You could also consider this an examination."

Arrowroot stepped forward slowly: "But in this examination area, only one person can pass, and the one who passes... scores full marks."

"Even if we walk out alive, the Kingdom won't let us off." Mint raised her Magic Wand.

"Indeed, but who knows who, or what, will be the last to walk out, right?"

Arrowroot also drew her Magic Wand: "It's rare for the Kingdom to prepare so many materials, thinking to mimic some beast disaster... Normally gathering so many Remnant Beasts is quite difficult, not to mention transporting them into the Kingdom."

At this point, there was no need for further discussion.

They were both Beast Children, and were well aware of the significance of "Food Sacrifice," so they also knew, upon meeting, it was destined for one to die here.

The Magic Wands in their hands simultaneously transformed into particles, shifting into a form reflecting their abilities:

"Blood Bat!" "Fuhui!"

Then, they battled together.