498 Demon Fox? (1/2)

It was possible to receive actual damage to their physical bodies in this dreamlike realm that wasn't a dream.

Miyabi hadn't concretely understood what Seigo Harano meant earlier with those words.

She finally truly understood what this meant for the first time when she saw Yuuko Hashimoto being seriously injured.

This place was like a dream world, but it wasn't a dream.

People could get injured, could feel pain, and could possibly even… die!

Miyabi couldn't help but turn and take a final look as they left the area of battle.

She saw that Seigo Harano and the ghost child Ya-chan were still resolutely battling against the remaining zombie girls.

'I hope that they'll be alright.'

She prayed so in her heart before retracting her gaze and following after Matsutani who was carrying Yuuko. They speedily left this area.

After putting some distance between them and the battle, Matsutani put Yuuko down on the ground and pulled out the sharp arrow lodged within her body. He used a spell to stop the bleeding.

”Try using your powers to do something for her!” he told Nomura and Miyabi.

Nomura tried imagining and creating some magic healing medicine, but failed.

Miyabi took a good glance at Yuuko's face which was now a ghastly pale white. Miyabi then slowly shut her eyes.

She concentrated… then concentrated some more… to feel her own powers…

Earlier, when Miyabi was asked how she became more powerful, she had actually lied. She didn't accomplish it ”unknowingly” as she told everyone. Instead, she was able to feel a power within her as she concentrated.

As long as she continued to sense and accept this power, she could become even stronger… She had such a feeling within her.

However, Miyabi had been against becoming stronger. She felt that she would no longer be just an ordinary girl.

She was someone who didn't want to become out of the ordinary. She only wanted to be an ordinary girl and have a peaceful life.

Yet, she finally truly realized that this way of thinking was too selfish of her.

If she wanted to safely return home, she would have to show a sufficient amount of strength first! This was no mystical and fun adventure, this was a real battle for survival!

'I'm sorry, Hashimoto-san.

'I'm sorry, everyone.

'I won't avoid facing myself anymore.'

Miyabi was apologetic and resolute as she fully concentrated on accepting the full potential within herself.

Matsutani and Nomura saw the cat eared girl begin to glow white.

”This is… a Demon Fox?” Matsutani muttered to himself.

After the white glow faded and the transformation stopped, Miyabi opened her eyes which were now glowing red.

She then reached out and gently placed her palm on Yuuko's wound. A white glow enveloped her palm.

”Mrgh…”

Yuuko began moaning.

Moments later, Miyabi retracted her hand.

Yuuko's injury had completely vanished!

”This… it's healed!?” Nomura was astonished.

The author Yuuko slowly opened her eyes.

”I… what happened?”

”Hashimoto-san, do you still feel pain anywhere?” Miyabi asked her.

”I don't… Ishihara-san?” Yuuko blinked several times rapidly in surprise at Miyabi's new appearance. ”What happened to you… you changed in appearance again?”

Miyabi smiled in response.

Her smile was so alluringly beautiful that even the author Yuuko who was also female lost herself for a moment.

”She changed from a cat girl into a fox girl… does this count as some kind of evolution?” Matsutani was watching this scene.

”I think that it's more like a second transformation,” Nomura added with his opinion.

No matter what, it was a good thing that their companion became stronger.

Yuuko was truly grateful after she learned that Miyabi transformed herself and saved her.

”Where are Harano-san and Ya-chan?” Yuuko then noticed that there were two members of their team not present.

”They're still fighting where we were. We need to quickly go back and join them again,” Miyabi told her. ”Hashimoto-san, are you still able to face the idea of fighting?”

”I…” Yuuko paused for a moment. ”I'm scared… but it's fine. Let's hurry and return!”

Her hand was trembling at the prospect, but her expression was resolute.

”…Nomura-san, please focus mostly on protecting Hashimoto-san,” Miyabi told him.