SPOILERAfter the last battle,Manka rested for a week or so to get used to life with only one eye.She then returned to her witch-fighting role,acting like she had no grudge against Kyubey.Luckily,the white rat did not notice anything different,except that Manka was fighting much more aggresively,and often actively looked for witches to battle.
Kyubey was pleased,as he thought he finally can see Manka working hard to help him achieve his goals.However,he did not know that Manka had different plans…
Manka used to believe what Kyubey said about saving the universe,but her optimism soon faded out,turning into the weariness of a battle-hardened fighter.To her,witch-hunting has become a routine,merely a way to train her skills and to prevent her soul gem from getting tainted.
Meanwhile,Manka has also uncovered many horrifying details about being a puella magi,details Kyubey never revealed to her.Details such as what a soul gem really was,how witches drove people into suicide,things like that.She figured that Kyubey was deliberately hiding the truth from her,and that he shouldn't be trusted in the first place.
The same experience also took its toll on Manka's emotions.As she has seen far too much despair around her,Manka has slowly become indifferent,almost cold,towards things happening around her.Was she only trying to escape?To ignore?She didn't know,nor did she cared.To her,emotions were only a hinderance,affecting her road to her goal:To kill Kyubey and quit being a puella magi.
Every time she finished off a witch,Kyubey was always there,to congratulate her and to tell her about the next witch's information.Manka longed to kill Kyubey right away,but a part of her held her back from doing so,
"Not yet,"it said,"You're not ready."
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Finally,she was ready.
Manka sat on a small ledge near a crumbling city wall,the usual site where she and Kyubey meet at.She was already in her puella magi outfit,and she kept her staff ready as she waited for the target to appear.
"You're quite early today,Manka,"Kyubey trotted up and hopped onto the ledge,"It may not be a good idea to work this hard though.After all,it's almost time for the arrival of Shimed-"
WHAM!
Pointing her staff at Kyubey,Manka fired a large blast of energy at him.He was thrown back against the wall behind him,with a sickening crack as his backbone broke from the hit.Kyubey fell onto the ground,dead.
Manka almost jumped with joy.She finally killed him!
…Or did she?
From the shadows on top of the wall glowed a pair of red,unblinking eyes…a pair of very familar eyes.It then revealed itself as…another Kyubey?!
The new Kyubey jumped down from his perch,and started to eat his own corpse,chewing and swallowing until nothing was left.Manka gasped in horror,"How did…but you were just…!"
"Ah yes,I haven't told you yet," Kyubey calmly gulped down the last bit of his remains,"You see,I cannot be killed.Once you kill me,another Kyubey will simply take my place."
No!This is impossible!Manka sent Kyubey flying again with a burst of magic,yet another Kyubey took its place.She tried again and again,but the bastard kept showing up…
"See what I mean?I have many reserves."
Manka ignored him,continuing to fire more blasts at any Kyubey copies showing up.
"Stop it,Manka.You'll fully corrupt your soul gem if you continue doing that."
That also fell into deaf ears.Panicking,Manka kept up her barriage of attacks.She figured that there's a limited amount of Kyubey copies,and she will mow down every single one of them.
What she didn't notice was her soul gem being tainted by specks of black.
WHAM!
"I told you it won't work,why won't you listen?"
"Shut up!"
WHAM!
What used to be black specks,turned into black splotches…
WHAM!
"That's enough,Manka."
"I said shut up!"
WHAM!
Black smoke…
WHAM!
A murky,black fog…
WHAM!
"Hey,I think you should check your gem,it's turning b-"
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
Pitch black.
Manka collapsed,lying face down with her eyes blanked out in grey.Her soul gem hovered above her head and disintergrated,turning into a grief seed.
A great surge of energy exploded from the seed,and out poured numerous runes,all spelling out numbers.No…a murderous mantra.
Trois Sept Cinq Six Quatre…
3 7 5 6 4…
Minna goroshi…
Kill everyone…
Flashes of the newborn witch's barrier appeared,revealing chains,blood,an incinerator,hell's fire,the omnious,mournful sound of a flute…
Finally,more runes poured out,giving the witch her name:
Joubutsu Niisen.
Observing the whole ordeal from a safe distance away,Kyubey gave a genuine smile.
Just as planned.
burn-everything-to-the-ground thing.
herself as Manka when Senpuu's around.
And yes,here Shimedore is basically Walpurgis' Night.Yeahhh...