"Homura Akemi came back from the future… That's right! Why didn't I think of that! This way, the previous sense of unease and the vague explanations can all be explained! No wonder Old Thief wrote her to be so mysterious, no wonder her previous use of abilities looked like teleportation; I originally thought she was a spatial ability user…"
Kousaka Kirino patted her knee, realizing with a sudden enlightenment.
Precisely because she was a time traveler, she understood everyone so well, cared so much about Madoka, knew the secret of the soul gem, and knew when the Witch Night would arrive.
Everything suddenly made sense.
"But what exactly does 'incubator' mean? What are Kyubey's true purpose and plan? It's a pity, I probably won't find out in this volume."
The girl felt a hint of regret, turning the page, already noticing that the main perspective of the story had once again shifted to the true protagonist of this volume, Sayaka.
Clearly, Homura Akemi's own story would likely be the focus of the next volume.
…
"…Nothing matters anymore. In the end, what was I cherishing, what was I protecting? I can't even figure it out anymore."
"The balance of hope and despair cancels out to zero…"
"If we wish for happiness, we are forced to curse others in equal measure. We magical girls, this is our structure, isn't it?"
Sayaka spoke to Sakura Kyoko, rambling on, her soul gem already completely tainted.
Her end had arrived.
She understood, but it was already too late.
At this point, even purification was impossible.
"I was such an idiot."
Tears welled in the girl's eyes, dripping onto her soul gem.
When curses spread, the soul gem transformed into a grief seed, and the magical girl became a witch.
The bloody truth lay before everyone!
For a moment, they were shocked into silence.
"In this country, growing females are called girls… So, you, who will eventually become witches, should be called magical girls, shouldn't you?"
Upon reading Kyubey's final words, readers suddenly awoke as if from a dream.
"Ah!!?"
Although she had somewhat expected Sayaka's tragic end would be heartbreaking, Kousaka Kirino never imagined it would turn out this way.
So, this is the true end for a magical girl!
And so, the two names, magical girl and Witch, can be interpreted in this manner!
"This is too ironic... The opponents one worked so hard to defeat, it turns out they might have once been magical girls just like oneself. In other words, everyone is actually killing each other!? This must be the most detestable thing Kyubey has ever done!"
Kousaka Kirino 's mood could be described as extremely complex right now.
This work had given her too many 'surprises,' too much shock, but it was also too hurtful, too depressing...
At this moment, her anger towards Kyubey and the desolate feeling when Sayaka transformed into a Witch had reached an unprecedented level.
She was mentally exhausted!
At this moment, she suddenly wanted to know how others felt after reading this volume, if they were as upset as she was.
If she could see others experiencing the same pain, perhaps her mood would improve a little.
...
At the Umezono Residence.
"Awesome!"
Senju Muramasa's voice suddenly rang out loudly.
"Eh, are you already practicing calling Izumi Sensei by his name?"
The half-open door was pushed open, and the blue-haired girl walked in, showing interest in Senju Muramasa's passionate voice just now.
Only things related to Izumi Sensei could make the usually composed Senju Sensei act so immature, right?
"No, that was just praise."
Senju Muramasa calmly put down her hands, then straightened the light novel she had finished reading and placed it on the nearby bookshelf.
"Praise?"
Shino Aki looked slightly puzzled.
"Because Izumi Sensei's plot for this volume was incredibly exciting, especially one particular interpretation that even surprised me."
Senju Muramasa calmly explained.
She wasn't particularly surprised by the ending, nor did Homura Akemi's identity as a time traveler exceed her expectations, but the characterization and some brilliant lines added significantly to the already exquisite plot.
Indeed, Izumi Sensei is still Izumi Sensei!
When the book was first released, she was a little worried that the magical girl genre wouldn't allow Izumi Sensei to fully showcase his potential, and even the plot of the first volume didn't meet her expectations, only being passable. However, starting from the second volume, as the plot became increasingly intense, she realized that the person she believed in was indeed worth believing in.
Even if it wasn't a hot-blooded battle-style work, it was still true.
"Really? Seeing Muramasa Sensei praise it so much, there must be some intense plot points later, right? What a pity, I only read half of it on the car and didn't get to the most exciting parts..."
Shino Aki sighed.
"You read it before you came?"
Senju Muramasa was curious inside, but her tone remained nonchalant.
"Yes, because it was boring on the car, so I wanted to pass the time. But I discovered... Izumi Sensei's works aren't really for passing the time; it's best to be mentally prepared before reading them."
As she spoke, as if remembering something, Shino Aki's expression darkened.
She was still bothered by the plot of the senior's death.
Initially, looking at the title, she also thought it would be a relaxing work and even believed Izumi Sensei was truly preparing to change genres.
But the facts proved her wrong, and ridiculously so.
The senior in the second volume left her deeply saddened, and it took her several days to recover from her gloomy mood.
"Is it that exaggerated? Your heart is too fragile."
Senju Muramasa said in a condescending tone.
She didn't understand.
"Muramasa Sensei, don't think everyone is as strong as you! As a delicate girl, isn't it normal to feel sad about such a plot?"
Shino Aki argued reasonably with her cute little voice.
"Is that so."
Senju Muramasa was indifferent.
"Indeed, Muramasa Sensei remains an existence I can't understand..."
Shino Aki sighed inwardly.
Then her expression changed, saying, "But Izumi Sensei's writing is truly excellent. Although there are some unexpected twists, it also made me love the feeling of reading. Before, besides drawing, I rarely had anything that interested me."
"Oh, and I like Muramasa Sensei's works even more."
Seeing Senju Muramasa's expression freeze slightly, Shino Aki added another sentence.
"That last sentence was unnecessary."
Senju Muramasa slightly lowered her head, hiding the upward curve of her lips.
Hearing others praise the person she admired made her happier than being praised herself.