Chapter 2: C2 – Magical Girls

I had closed my eyes and resolved myself to death. But, a voice--that voice, cold as if stopping time spoke to me,

"Do you want to be saved?"

Salvation--like there could be something that whimsical. Where was it when my family unjustly died? Where was it when my uncle took what they left behind? Those warm memories, those warm days...

But, then again, it's my own fault that I couldn't do anything but stand there and take it. In the end, salvation doesn't exist: not for this world.

I hear the pavement slowly crack from the approaching [Curse]. It seems to be preparing the finishing blow. If only I could die here--

"Akito, live freely. If it's you, you can do anything."

That was my dad's last message in his will. Will dying here be betraying that? In the first place, 'live freely' is too vague. What did he mean? Will I die here not living up to those words--dying without doing anything? How is that different than what I've done so far!? I stand there and take the pain, take the hardship without an ounce of change. Am I satisfied with that?

"S-save me...I...have so much--"

I need to learn. I need to do. I need to experience. I need to live. I am responded to,

"Calculated. Now then, what is your name?"

My consciousness bounces back and forth.

"Akito Harada."

"Akito Harada, you are the one I've been looking for. This is the birth of a new hero, a start to a change."

Before I could question it, my consciousness cut and the world became dark.

---

I awoke in a daze but could faintly recognize the outline of my own room. Immediately, my mind began clearing and pulling up recent memories. The wound, the [Curse], the voice--what exactly happened? A hunger settled in again. In the end, that trip was unsuccessful in obtaining much-needed sustenance. I was even fatally wounded. But, then, how am I still alive and in my room? My clothes are unripped, with no blood in sight. I feel fine, creepily so.

"Have you awoken?"

I was greeted by a strange scene. A cat-like thing perched midair and spoke to me in its recognizable voice. It had no fur, it was just a pure smooth black so shiny it reflected the surroundings. 

"Y-yeah."

"Now then, onto business, Akito Harada."

"..."

"Check the time."

I look at my phone. But, the time isn't right. It can't be right. After all, this time is right before I decided to go outside. The day isn't wrong, the system clock is functioning normally...this can't be--

"What did you do?"

"Isn't it obvious? I turned back time to before you were nearly killed."

Time travel? Are you saying that the creature in front of me has the ability to manipulate time or at least turn it back? No, that's just ridiculous! Even then so, there must be numerous paradoxes associated with that power. How does it work? Why is my mind unaffected by the warp? This is ridiculous. But, the world situation is ridiculous to begin with...

"I have a lot of questions. But, for now, who are you?"

I ask with sharpness. 

"We are, I am, a [Focal]."

[Focal]?

I've heard the name before. The ones who grant [Magical Girls] powers. It wouldn't be wrong to call them the saviors, the hope of humanity alongside them: the only ones we can have faith in now that the world is like this. But, what is a [Focal] doing here? Why did it save me? What is the true motive...

"Why did you save me?"

"You are worthy of my power, Akito Harada."

Power? Like the [Magical Girls]?

"Wait a minute. What do you mean by power? Why am I worthy?"

The [Focal] ignored me and continued on.

"This is the power of a [Magical Girl] that we [Focals] give. It's the last hope of humanity, the least resistance. Abilities only granted to young girls of Earth. The first ability is physical prowess. [Magical Girls] instantly obtain superhuman agility, strength, reflexes, etc. The second is a personalized weapon. This weapon is a reflection of the soul, of your internal power, your mental psyche that can tear through [Curses]. The third ability is a supernatural power: a natural tendency for you to bend the laws of reality to your will. It could be manipulating fire or enchanting minds, it could be turning invisible or producing shields."

I'm overwhelmed by information.

"The [Magical Girls] are given these abilities for one reason: to defeat the [Curses]. They can rise up together or tackle them solo, they can join organizations or work undercover. But, their sole goal is to defeat [Curses]. That's why we give them power."

"W-what exactly are [Focals]?"

"The information related to that question is confidential."

"Then, why are the [Curses] coming to Earth? Why are you fighting against them?"

"The information related to that question is confidential."

"..."

"Then, even if I'm 'worthy'--why was I saved if I'm a guy? You said it yourself, that only young girls can become [Magical Girls]..."

"Correct. That is why you will become one."

"Huh?"

What?

"What do you mean...?"

"Hold still."

The [Focal] suddenly holds up a visor-like contraption to my forehead and I hear a charge-up noise increasing in frequency. 

*BAM*

---

"W-What the heck did you just do!?"

That pain was abnormal. It was like my insides were on fire, but it only lasted a few moments.

"[Magical Girl Conversion - Modified] executed. Congratulations, you are now a [Magical Girl]."

"What do you mean? I don't feel anything differen--!?"

My voice, since when, was it this high and smooth? I stand up. My hair--!?

"What the...since when was my hair this long?"

And since when was it this smooth? I feel around my own body. The chest is bulged out and so is the bosom. My waist is slimmer and my skin is cleaner as if porcelain. I rush over to the mirror.

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What I saw standing there was not me that existed for my entirety of life, but a bishoujo with similar features. There was free-flowing black hair that extended down to my waist, complemented by deep black widened eyes. I had impeccable skin and figure. Blushing, I looked away from my chest and the part that was no longer there.

"[Focal], what is the meaning of this!?"

"It seems it worked as intended. Akito Harada, [Magical Girl]."

Do I have to live this way my entire life now? What's going on!?

"Akito is fine. So, will this last forever or can I switch back?"

"Don't worry. You can switch back and forth between this body and the previous one once per day. I've calculated such an outcome."

"Thank goodness."

I breathe a sigh of relief. Anyways, at the moment, these clothes are a bit tight. It also looks very, how do you say, scandalous with the clothes I wore as a guy. Guess I have to grab some clothes as well as food when I go out.

"So, uh, what should I call you [Focal]?"

"I have a model name of my generation but that's just a series of numbers."

That makes me a bit curious as to what [Focals] even are but I hold my tongue.

"I'll name you then...um...how about--Yoru since you're as dark as the night?"

Is that too lame? It's just for convenience anyways.

"If you wish to call me that then so be it."

"Alright then, Yoru. Uh, from now on please take care of me."

"Likewise."

---

The crazy events of the day were circulating through my head. [First Contact], locking up at home, nearly dying, and then becoming a [Magical Girl]--really what is up with the pacing of my life?

For the moment, I waited until the next day to go back for a resource run, hopefully, the [Curse] has left the area by now. We could avoid it with prior knowledge of its appearance, time travel is pretty amazing.

Yoru also told me more about [Magical Girls] and my new powers in general. So, it seems that the [Magical Girls] that are all over today's news are all given power by [Focals] solely to defeat [Curses], humanity's enemy. Both the [Focals] and [Curses] are of unknown origin but the [Magical Girls] were all once normal young girls of Earth. They have three main powers granted to them: physical enhancements, weapon manifestation, and some type of ability. The logic of how these mechanisms work is unknown and 'confidential.' It also seems that some [Magical Girls] are better at utilizing physical enhancements than others. At the same time, some weapons are more useful than others just like abilities. A sword is more helpful in battle than a fishing rod. An ability to cause explosions is more helpful in battle than the ability to control flies. It seems that abilities, or what Yoru calls them, [Effects], are wide and broad in capability and that [Focals] initially don't know what kind of ability a [Magical Girl] has received. So, I have some kind of [Effect] that is unknown currently. I get a bit giddy when I wonder what it is.

Anyways, after waiting a day, we went out and I did the same routine as I did last time, but this time my body was a bit different. My center of gravity was off and my walking was a bit awkward, the height was lower than usual too. I should eventually get used to it.

I arrived at the supermarket, gathered food, and left for the department store as well to pick up necessities for what Yoru turned me into. Needless to say, my hands were full and so were Yoru's paws(?). 

"If we ran into a [Curse], we'd be at a pretty big disadvantage."

"Well, if I didn't have food to eat then I'd be disadvantaged later on."

We walked on the deserted pavement, well, Yoru just floated. Apparently, Yoru can freely maneuver through space at a limited speed and can even teleport short distances. I'm even more intrigued. Our conversation broke off without warning.

"[Curse] detected. 3 o'clock."

I look to the right and see the [Curse], it's a dog. My legs freeze up and my breathing grows heavier.

"W-what do we do?"

"We kill it," Yoru responded very matter-of-factly.

Kill it? Me? There's no way--but maybe I'm different now. I have power. Can I do it? I decided to give it a try.

"Imagine your weapon forging in your very hands: feel the flow of energy, the beating of your soul."

Manifesting a weapon...I'm once again reminded of how my life is changed forever. I feel the sensation envelop my smaller streamlined hands. The one I practiced yesterday with Yoru.

"My own...weapon..."

This is a development out of a manga or some type of novel. The dog made ugly barks as it mad dashed towards us.

"I have it."

My weapon manifests instantly and I close my eyes while slamming the approaching [Curse] with the blade. 

"Grroowh?!"

With a yelp of pain, it collapses to the left with a cut to its side. As expected, it wouldn't die from that. I hold my pearly cutlass in front of me with a sturdy stance as I mimic what I've seen before in anime. My limbs are shaking and my breathing verges on hyperventilation. But, still, I have to do this. I have to change my old self, I'm going to live--freely: unshackled and unrestrained. That is not by the circumstances, by the [Curses], by even the world.

"Aim for the [Core]. Every [Curse] has a [Core] somewhere in its body. When it's destroyed, the [Curse] will lose form and disintegrate. At the same time, dealing enough damage to the projected vessel of the [Core]--the physical body will also drop just the [Core] while the rest of the body disintegrates as it can't maintain itself."

"Good to know."

My shaky voice wavers but it's still cute...

"GRRRRAAHH!!!"

Enraged, the dog flies at me with another lunge and I bat at it again with the sword trying to hit it with the sharp edge. None of this would be possible without the physically enhanced body. I utilize the internal energy that I feel flowing within me. I move it to different limbs and whatnot to boost my power at will, a strange mechanic. I scrape the dog's neck out with a wavy slash--the cutting edge is unreal on this thing. A small jewel-like piece was spat out, the [Core]. The body melted away into thin air right after.

"I-I did it..."

"Is this what they call beginner's luck? To think the exact area where you cut at contained the [Core]..."

Apparently, [Focals] don't have the ability to detect the location of the [Core] in a body and can only detect [Curses]. It seems they leave the job of sniffing out the [Core] and killing [Curses] to [Magical Girls]. I pick up the [Core], it's colorless and bland like any other rock. I began letting out sighs of relief and I was about to get in a mood to celebrate. Yoru was about to say something but...

"GWAAAAHH!!!"

What the heck kind of yell is 'gwah.' But, I recognize it faintly. That is the bear [Curse]...!

"Crap, did the dog somehow attract it?"

I can't fight against that thing at my level right now. I need to run, why did it have to show up today too? I turn the corner but awaiting me there is that abomination already. The same one from yesterday? I couldn't tell. I take a few steps back. How unlucky can I be?

"Now that it's spotted you, the chances of running away safely are low."

"S-so, are you telling me to kill that?"

"You have the power. If it's you, you can do anything, Akito."

"It feels kind of weird to have you calling me that name in this body but thanks... I'll try it," I muster out. This is too unfair, I became a [Magical Girl] yesterday! I have to get used to this body and defeat ridiculous monsters on top of that, don't mess with me!

Honestly, I'm scared: scared of death and pain. If I could run away I would. But, things aren't that simple. I have to beat this [Curse]. I have to create a new life for myself, a new me. I've come this far, how could I stop now?

Manifesting my sleek white cutlass, no decoration, nothing unnecessary but all the while still breathtakingly beautiful...

I push power into my legs and prepare for the battle. After this battle, if I survive, I'm definitely naming this sword.

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