Mr. Magical Girl

Chapter 71. Thunder God (1)

In the middle of nowhere,

a whimsical atmosphere envelops the small town, with buildings rising haphazardly, perhaps thanks to the kids from the association who built them, leading down to the underground stairs.

~Polluters are welcome.
~No discrimination against otherworldly existences.
~Donations are accepted 24/7.
All various types of credit cards and bank transfers are possible.

As I pass by the mischievous slogans and advertisements, a woman slowly walks between the colorful buildings.

Even after a long time, I recognize her instantly.

Has time begun to show on her? Over ten years have passed, and she starts to exude a bright glow.

Though she’s still short, her overall feminine presence is striking as she wipes away the flowing sweat with her hand.

Her slightly damp blonde hair mixes with sweat, making it melt away.

The sweat and heat paint her golden skin, streaming down her body.

Her hair has become even brighter, almost electric compared to before. I’m drunk on her scent and change my steps.

Evening.

Maybe she sensed me as her face turns in my direction.

She’s always been sharp-eyed.

Did she say she could read the electrical currents unique to living beings?

If it were her prime, she might have noticed me the moment I arrived in Hokkaido.

Even if she says she regained her power, it seems it’s not to that extent.

She puts down the hammer she’s holding and rushes towards me.

I also raise my hands to welcome her.

“Oh, Thunder God, long time no see!”

Crash!

Lightning strikes.

Boom.

A thunderclap echoes as an electrical shock, comparable to that of a mid-tier hero, hits my body.

Though it’s brief, it was enough to momentarily paralyze me.

I see her brightly smiling at me, all lit up as her mouth splits into a wide grin.

Facing me, her electrified fist comes flying in.

“Long time? What the heck do you mean long time?!

Cherry Mallet, Haram Lee!”

After the pain has registered, her voice, filled with a tinge of lighthearted resentment, reaches my ears amid the loud crashing sound.

Enduring the pain and straightening up, I can’t help but also laugh.

“After giving me a hard time for ten years, you finally show up! What gives?”

“Do you seriously think there’s a reason for not showing up?!”

Her punches come flying in.

It’s a speed I’m not even aware of.

Though they feel light, the rapid blows carry sufficient strength to be worthy of a hero.

Indeed, she says she regained her power, and I’m beginning to get the idea of what that means:

Compared to when she was a hero, each impact feels weaker, but her electrical nature has become even stronger.

Both speed and sting have been enhanced.

Now, she can swing her fists covered in electricity freely. Back then, she only transformed parts of herself for use.

What weakened was the physical force she could exert while in that state.

Withstanding such rapid-fire punches, I swung my fists wide to try and shake her off me.

“You!”

“What are you talking about?!”

It’s fun, this tussle with her.

“So you’re still young, huh?!”

“Still small my foot! You don’t know what age I’ve lived through!”

BANG.

In the midst of our fierce fighting, something suddenly bashes into the back of my head.

It’s a dull and heavy object.

“Ah, I get it around here! Well, seems like that’s how it is.”

Prohibition suddenly appears next to me, armed with a massive shotgun.

“Hey, Hammer Kid. Calm down and reflect. Deeply reflect.”

CLANG.

A massive sphere is launched right before my eyes.

It’s not a real bullet, but something black and cross-shaped comes flying.

A rubber non-lethal bullet, terrifyingly effective since it could kill anyone who gets hit by it.

Filled with Prohibition’s power, that thing crashes into my body, sending me flying to the other side:

“It’s been about 11 years, huh, Thunder God?”

“Prohibition Unni, long time no see!”

“Long time! What brings you, Hammer Kid, in such a hurry? It seems something interesting has happened.”

Caught upside-down in the chaos, I witness two women engaging in conversation.

Unlike me, they’re smiling brightly and holding hands.

Why is Thunder God being so harsh only towards me?

Focusing through my flipped vision, I dust off the dirt clinging to my body and continue watching their reunion.

“Who’s that Magical Girl?”

“She’s Hammer’s student.”

“Haram’s student?”

“Hello, I’m Baek Sihyeon! Please take care of me!”

“I’m Han Ah. Nice to meet you.”

The two students bow to Thunder God.

“Is it true you’re Haram’s student?”

Thunder God narrows her eyes and looks closely at the students as though inspecting them.

For some reason, there’s an unsettling intensity in her gaze, making me anxious. Desperately, I try to intervene, squeezing between them.

“These two are students, and that one over there, Baek Sihyeon, wields electrical magic:

She’s been training as well to find you, Thunder God.”

Zap! Zap!

Suddenly, sparks start flying around Thunder God.

Is she feeling unwell? Increasingly, the electricity around her intensifies, becoming semi-transparent and unstable.

Why has she suddenly become uneasy? Why is the electricity acting like that? Is she retired? What in the world happened to her?

“Haram?”

“What?”

“How many years has it been since I told you not to see me?”

Her expression captures my attention.

It’s one I’ve seen often when we were younger.

It’s the expression she makes when she’s furious, grinning while showing her fangs.

“Ten years.”

Then how many years is it this year?

“About eleven, right?”

Is that accurate? Could it be twelve?

Thunder God did retire pretty quickly.

“Then even if you couldn’t come quickly, you should have made it in that ten-year mark, you fool! But were you really going to come just because of a student? Deadly!”

BAM!

Out of negligence, another punch strikes my head.

BANG.

Being hit squarely sends my head snapping back.

Another punch flies toward my completely raised jaw.

What’s this? Why is she so angry?

“Look, I had my reasons…”

Barely withstanding her punches and in the middle of conjuring excuses in my head,

BANG.

Once again, a gunshot rings out, and this time something yellow comes flying toward me.

Boom!

As the yellow explosive detonates, it activates the magic inscribed on it.

The sheer blast is monumental.

Add the sharp explosive heat onto the direct impact hitting my body.

Thanks to it, I’m rolling clumsily onto the ground.

Once again, through blurred vision, I see four women chatting amicably as they walk toward a building.

So, did you call me 10 years later to demand this? Is that what this is about?

“Yeah, but that idiot…”

“I think I understand why you’re so mad.”

“Why do you think the Hammer Kid doesn’t know either? She’s just a kid.”

“I don’t even know!”

“Shihyeon, just be quiet for now.”

BAM.

Leaving that exchange behind, the four women disappear down the stairs.

“Ah!”

To express my rage, I slam the steel door shut hard.

What now? Did I do something wrong?

Someone, please just tell me!

—

The Thunder God’s quarters underground turned out to be somewhat decent.

It’s a structure built by those kids at the association after digging a few times, and despite being buried beneath the ground, it’s not made of concrete or metal; it has nicely wallpapered rooms.

There’s a bathroom and shower attached, and seeing a modest refrigerator and television makes it clear that a fair amount of care was taken.

Nice place.

That’s the first impression I had upon entering, yet the ambiance inside contrasts entirely with that good room.

Sitting on the bed, Thunder God glares at her knees on the floor, fuming.

Originally, I wasn’t even allowed to enter the room and was kicked out, but after bowing my head and apologizing, I could finally get in.

However, it seems she hasn’t completely calmed down,

especially with my pathetic kneeling and apologizing in the situation.

In fact, I still don’t even know what I did wrong.

But if I don’t apologize, the vibes from Prohibition, Thunder God, and Han Ah trailing behind might kill me, so I keep my posture.

How much time has passed?

In that atmosphere, which felt like it would explode at any moment, Thunder God finally opens her mouth.

“So, you want me to teach this student how to handle electric magic?”

“Yeah.”

Thunder God gazes at me with her unfocused yellow eyes, then grabs Baek Sihyeon’s face with her right hand.

“This girl is your student?”

“I’m Baek Sihyeon.”

Under Thunder God’s gaze, Baek Sihyeon seems a bit intimidated, sweat flowing down her face as she stumbles over her words.

“To be honest, if it’s a request from Haram, I want to help…

Yeah, I need to train my skills since I’ll be fighting a 0-rank monster.”

“Haram should keep quiet.”

“Okay.”

At Thunder God’s words, I feel my heart sink:

I feel as though if we engage in battle, I will undeniably lose.

Though I’m sure I’d win by swinging the hammer, it strangely seems impossible to imagine myself winning.

Looking up at Baek Sihyeon reveals that she’s grimacing under Thunder God’s pressure.

I’m sorry I couldn’t save you, Sihyeon.

“Why should I have to teach a girl who’s attached to Haram?”

Doesn’t she usually have such a personality?

For some reason, Thunder God, who’s much different from Prohibition, starts emitting sparkles quietly.

Sparks are beginning to engulf Baek Sihyeon’s face, sparking off her skin.

Trying to seek help from Prohibition, I turn, but she just smilingly nods her head in Thunder God’s spirit.

A small red mark appears on Baek Sihyeon’s chin due to the electric shocks.

If this continues, it might leave a scar.

“Thunder God, that’s enough.”

Just then, out of sheer frustration, I shout out,

“Because I want to become like my teacher!”

Baek Sihyeon quickly opens her mouth, her voice calm and deliberate,

contrary to her usual self.

“I want to be like Haram.”

“What, as an existence?”

Sparks disappear from Thunder God’s hand, and her eyes narrow.

“A hero who can wander carefree while wielding a hammer in a place everyone’s given up on.”

Where did she see my image like that?

It’s as though she saw my very self with her own eyes, her voice filled with clear dreams and determination.

Hearing those words, Thunder God eases her grip from Baek Sihyeon’s chin,

then slowly starts to look her over.

From head to toe, inspecting her thoroughly,

she reaches out her right hand, grabbing Baek Sihyeon’s left hand.

Does she intend to spark her again?

“Thunder God, please stop.”

“A fool who doesn’t even know how to use their electricity should just sit still.”

Damn it.

“Baek Sihyeon, right? What’s your experience with electrical magic?”

“I’ve touched it before, but it often ends up hurting me instead.”

Baek Sihyeon starts fidgeting, her hands flushed pink.

“Is it a transformation type? A discharge type? If it’s discharge, where do you discharge it?”

“Yes.”

“It’s a discharge type. From my fingertips.”

So, does that mean her nails might fly off?

“Yes.”

Is she satisfied with the answer? Thunder God lets go of Baek Sihyeon’s hand. Baek Sihyeon immediately begins healing her left hand with her own mana.

“I get it now. I’ll teach you.”

Thunder God observes her while flashing a deep smile.

“I might have been a bit rough, huh? Sorry.

I’ve got this jealousy streak.”

Hearing the term ‘jealousy’ makes me wonder if it’s my fault:

Perhaps she’s upset that I brought on a female student.

What’s to be done?

It’s not like I chose that situation.

But then why isn’t Han Ah being bullied?

“She’ll be fine soon enough, because you pushed her hard.”

Thunder God says this while turning her back on me, sitting on the bed.

“So how long do you plan to have your students train?”

“About a month to two at most.”

That should be long enough. Where will they stay?

“We’re looking to rent a room here, but if that doesn’t work, we can rent from the Association.”

“Stay here. I’ll tell them you can use the room.”

“Is there even space available? Can I even ask the manager?”

“There probably isn’t, since there aren’t many volunteers, most rooms are empty.”

Saying this, she begins to smile bright.

“Besides, if Haram is here, wouldn’t it be hard to chat if we were far away?”

Her hand moves closer:

With her gloves still off, her unsteady electricity crackles near her palm.

Every time she gently touches my face, there’s a painful sting.

It hurts, but every time I touch her, that pain intensifies

It settles my heart.

What about the fear?

How is this power so unstable?

Why is she harsh towards her students?

Why is she so mad?

All these things I want to say,

all those questions I want to ask fill my mind.

Yet I can only feel her charm.

“You’re the same as you were ten years ago, Haram.”

“You haven’t changed much either, it’s all good.

Huh?”

Her finger gently grazes my lips.

As if to say, “don’t bring up my name,” I wonder anew why she insists on being called by her hero name.

“Thunder God.”

“Yeah, that’s Thunder God.”

I can’t call her ‘Honey’ anymore.

The sudden sting I felt stops.

She pulls her hand away from me and steps back.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

If you look at my red face, it’s hard to say there’s nothing.

Is it that I’ve been jolted too much with electricity?

With a flush face, she stands up from the bed and exclaims.

“Then everyone, go on and rest. You’ve had a hard time getting here, right? The door is unlocked, so just head in.”

Thunder God says this and leaps out of the room.

“Wait, we still have things to discuss!”

In the moment I try to grab her as she dashes outside,

“Hammer Kid, don’t push yourself like that.”

Prohibition catches my hand, gently retracting it.

“That’s right, it’s been a while since we met, so we need to chat:

It’s Thunder God’s message!”

Message? Since when?

Prohibition gradually leans in close, bringing her lips to my ear.

“Tonight, I’ll come to your room, so make sure to wait for me.”

Prohibition’s voice resonates around my ear,
making me feel tickled by her blonde hair.

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