I plummeted toward the van like a comet, my ringed staff gripped firmly in both hands as the wind ripped around me.

  With a bone-jarring thud, I landed right on the roof of the van, denting it like a can of soda. The driver swerved, caught off guard, but I wasn't about to let them shake me off.

  I was pissed off and here to stay.

  I grinned, my eyes glinting with magic behind my mask. "Oh, we're just getting started, boys."

  Gripping the staff tight, I felt tempted to smash in the front of the car, but I barely stopped myself.

  What are ya doing, numbskull? They have hostages! I scolded myself.

  The dumbass thugs in the back of the van were probably shitting themselves, wondering what the heck had just landed on them. But I wasn't about to let them off the hook that easily.

  Instead, I slammed my staff at an angle against the roof and hooked the end under the roof of the van. The van tried to throw me off, swerving and skidding across the road, but I held on tight. The metal groaned and creaked as my staff bent the roof, finally giving away as I fired a pulse of magical energy through my staff and tore it clean off its hinges, sending it sailing into the air.

  It spun in the air like a giant metal frisbee, crashing down a good dozen or so meters in front of us and skidded along the road, kicking up sparks and debris as it scraped along the asphalt.

  The driver, panicking, slammed on the brakes. The van skidded and slid, tires screaming against the pavement as I rolled out my shoulders and dropped into the back, landing feet-first right on top of one of the gangsters who'd been riding in the back.

  He grunted under my weight, his face scrunching up in pain.

  There were two other gangsters in the back with me, and they were staring at me like I'd just dropped from the sky. Which, well, I kinda did.

  "Hey there, fellas," I said, cocking my head to the side. "How's the weather in the back?"

  They were completely off balance as the van decelerated, but I was ready. I swung the butt of my staff, catching the goon I was standing on in the back of the head as he tried to throw me off him.

  He went down like a sack of bricks, and I smirked.

  One down, two to go.

  A beefy-looking goon with a face like a brick wall charged at me and I sidestepped smoothly, extending my leg out for a trip. He slammed into the back of the van with a satisfying thud and I quickly followed up, blasting him in the ribs with another shockwave. I held back, of course. Not like any of these idiots deserved my mercy, but I didn’t want to accidentally kill them, either.

  "Beaten by a twelve-year-old girl," I snickered. "That’s gonna look great on your dating profile, buddy!"

  "D-Don't move!"

  The third goon, a scrawny guy who looked like he was about to wet himself, had grabbed a little boy and was holding him up like a human shield. He held a knife to the boy's throat, his hand shaking.

  I glared at him from behind my mask.

  "You've got to be kidding me," I growled. "You're a real piece of work, you know that, right?"

  My grip tightened on the Shakujo, and I took a step towards him. The boy's eyes were wide and terrified, but there was also a glimmer of hope there, a silent plea for help.

  I was going to save him. These shitheads were going to regret the day they were born.

  The goon, realizing I wasn't about to back down, pressed the knife harder against the boy's neck. "I mean it! I'll cut him!"

  A heavy, metallic thud shook the ground outside the van, and the goon's attention flickered to the door for just a second.

  I took the opening.

  I was on him in a flash, using my magic to yank his arm away from the kid's neck in a burst of orange mana. It caused him to keel over, and I rushed in, grabbing him by the throat with my other hand on his knife arm. He dropped the weapon, struggling and gasping for air in my iron grip as he tried to pull his head away.

  "You picked the wrong day to mess with the people here, fucko." My voice was a low growl, and I could see the fear in his eyes as I lifted him off the ground effortlessly, my fingers digging into his neck.

  He tried to speak, but all that came out was a strangled croak.

  I grabbed him in a sloppy, amateur side suplex, pulling his head down and smashing the back of his head and spine against the side of the van. I was pretty sure that wouldn't have worked if this hocus pocus didn't make me so stupidly strong.

  He went limp in my hands, moaning in pain.

  I let him fall, dropping him like the trash he was.

  The kid scrambled away, hugging the wall of the van, his eyes wide with fear and awe.

  I knelt down beside him, my voice softening as I raised my mask. "Hey, it's okay, buddy. You're safe now."

  He looked at me, his lower lip quivering.

  "Are you a magical girl?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

  I shrugged, offering him a reassuring smile. "Something like that. But don't tell anyone, okay? It's our little secret."

  He nodded, a small, tentative smile tugging at his lips. I turned to look at the other kids huddled in the van, their faces pale with fear.

  "Come on, guys," I said, my voice gentle. "Let's get you out of here."

  The sound of metal crunching caught my attention, and I turned to see the door of the van being ripped from its hinges like tissue paper. In its place stood…

  Oh come the fudge on. Not again. My heart raced, adrenaline surging through me as the towering figure stepped into the van. The kids around me started to scream and cry, huddling closer to me as if I could protect them.

  The newcomer was huge, easily over six feet tall and built like a tank. His bald head glistened in the dim light, a network of scars crisscrossing his face. Wires pumping some kind of creepy red fluid were connected to his arms, legs, and even his neck. It was like something out of a horror movie.

  I gulped, trying to steady myself. It was a different guy from the one who tried to capture my big bro and Pops's crew, but he was cut from the same cloth. One of those fucking meathead cyborgs.

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  "I'll take care of this," I whispered to the kids, putting on a brave face. I didn't want them to panic, and I definitely didn't want them to know how scared I was.

  "Hiya there, big guy. Didn't anyone ever teach you to knock before entering?" I said, my voice shaky. I was trying to keep my cool, but this dude was freaking me out.

  He didn't answer, just stood there, his cold, dead eyes fixed on me. It was like staring into the eyes of a shark. He didn't seem to be in a hurry, just studying me, sizing me up like a predator.

  "You know, this is really rude," I said. "You come barging in here, scare the kids, and don't even bother to introduce yourself. That's just bad manners." My voice was trembling, but I tried to keep my bravado. "But I'll go first. I'm Yomotsu-Shikome! The protector of this town. Aaaand you're in some deep shit."

  He didn't respond, just took a slow, deliberate step towards me. The kids behind me whimpered, their tiny hands gripping my cloak. I could feel their fear, their bodies shaking. I held a hand out, shaking my head at them and gesturing a knife across my throat while tilting my head at the cyborg.

  The kid who grabbed my cloak let go, trembling.

  "Listen, big guy, I get it. You're tough. You've got the whole 'silent killer' vibe going on, and the wires pumping meth or whatever are a nice touch, I guess. But here's the thing. You're messing with my city, and that just doesn't fly with me." My fingers clenched tightly around my staff, my knuckles turning white.

  I had to take this away from the kids. With a burst of speed, I ducked past him, narrowly avoiding his grabby, meaty paws.

  "Too slow, big guy!" I jeered, twirling my staff and sending a blast of magic at him.

  The shockwave slammed into him, pushing him back a few steps, but he barely seemed fazed.

  "Alright, tough guy," I muttered under my breath, readying myself for his counterattack.

  He lunged at me, his massive fists swinging wildly. I dodged and weaved, using my smaller size and agility to my advantage, but he was relentless. Every time I thought I had an opening, he was already there, blocking my attacks and trying to grab me.

  I swung my staff again and again, trying to keep him at bay, but he just kept coming.

  Whatever was in these Terran black markets was making these guys tougher than the average orc.

  A fist clipped my shoulder, sending me stumbling back. My staff clattered to the ground, and before I could react, his hands were on me, lifting me off my feet. I felt my ribs creak as he squeezed, a grin spreading across his face.

  "You're mine, little one," he growled, his voice guttural and cold.

  I quickly used the same trick I picked up the other day, releasing a burst of magic to free myself from his grasp. The energy rippled through the air, knocking him back a few steps.

  He wasn't as good as the ringleader from the other day.

  ...But truth be told, I sucked.

  I'd dealt with my share of schoolyard bullies, but those were fair fights with kids my age, usually. This? This was on another level. These guys were trained, and they had cybernetic enhancements that let them flip off conventional physics and biological limitations.

  He wasn't as good as the ringleader from the other day, but truth be told, I sucked. I didn't really know how to fight, and it showed. I was getting my ass beat, plain and simple.

  I'd never taken self-defense and practical martial arts with my dad seriously. It was just some weird hobby I'd do to hang out with Pops and Ikki on the weekends. I figured a girl my size would've been screwed anyway, so I'd just relied on my trusty revolver and my wits to get me out of trouble.

  But now?

  Yeah. I wished I had paid more attention.

  The cyborg feinted left, then swung right, catching me off guard. His fist slammed into my stomach, lifting me off my feet and sending me crashing into a nearby wall.

  Pain exploded through my body, and I gasped for air as I crumpled to the ground. My vision blurred, and I could taste blood in my mouth.

  The cyborg towered over me, his shadow blocking out the sun. I could taste blood in my mouth — and this guy? He was a freaking juggernaut.

  "Is that all you've got?" I spat, my voice hoarse.

  He laughed, a deep, menacing sound. "You've got spirit, girl. But it won't save you."

  And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, the distant roar of engines cut through the air. I looked up to see more vans and motorcycles heading our way.

  The motorcycles arrived first, their engines growling like angry beasts. They circled us, kicking up dust as they howled.

  I groaned, pushing myself to my feet. "Great, just what I needed, more assclowns to deal with."

  The cyborg just smirked at me, cracking his knuckles.

  I glared at the goons as they circled us like a pack of hungry wolves, their bikes spitting smoke and fire into the air. They were decked out in black leather and chains, their faces hidden behind visored helmets. Each one had a weapon of choice slung over their shoulder — chains, clubs, even a freaking flamethrower. These guys meant business.

  I held my staff tightly, my knuckles white. "Bring it on, fuckfaces," I growled. "I'm not going down without a fight."

  A pair of armored vans skidded to a stop in front of us, blocking off the street. More thugs poured out, wielding guns and blades, their eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger. They were all grizzled and mean-looking, like they'd crawled out of the city's darkest alleys just to have a go at me. Two had cybernetic upgrades, wires and tubes jutting out from their skin like metallic veins. Others were just plain old-fashioned ugly, with scars and tattoos.

  They were a motley bunch, alright, but they had one thing in common — they were out for blood.

  I spit on the ground, rolling my shoulders and taking a deep breath. "Really. Of all the things I expected to deal with out here. Fucking cyborg Nazis of all things..."

  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. But I couldn't let that stop me. I had to stand my ground.

  Suddenly, a streak of bright green and gold cut through the sky. It arced down, landing right between me and the thug I'd been fighting with a resounding crash.

  Dust billowed up around her, obscuring her figure for a moment. When it cleared, girl stood angled in front of me, her hair a cascading curtain of green that framed her delicate heart-shaped face. She looked like she was around my age, maybe a year older at most, but something about her felt off.

  I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but she felt familiar somehow.

  The girl looked like she came out of those Chinese wire-fu flicks my brother and I loved. She wore a traditional, long-sleeved robe, its silk shimmering in the sunlight. Her gaze was piercing — a deep, mesmerizing green.

  On her wrists, she wore a pair of golden bracelets that caught the light. A jade-colored gemstone was set on each one, and they seemed to pulse with a gentle, soothing energy. Her brown skin was smooth as porcelain, and the way her golden earrings glittered in the sunlight made it look like she was a goddess in disguise.

  She flared her wings, the green and gold feathers spreading out behind her in a dazzling display. The thugs stopped in their tracks, their eyes wide with awe and surprise.

  "Hey, hey! Who the heck is this chick?" One of the thugs shouted.

  "No idea, man, but she ain't from around these parts," another chimed in.

  "She's a damn magical girl, you idiot! One amateur is one thing, but two? That's bad news!"

  I stood there, stunned, as the mysterious new arrival turned to face the thugs. She didn't say a word, her eyes narrowed in a deadly serious expression. She drew a Chinese-style straight sword from a scabbard on her back, and the blade glinted in the sunlight, looking sharp enough to slice through anything.

  I was still in shock, my mouth hanging open. "Uhh, hello?" I asked, trying to get her attention.

  She didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the thugs. She was like a statue, her face a cold mask of determination.

  I cleared my throat. "So, uh, thanks for the save. I guess?"

  Still, nothing. No reaction, no acknowledgment. It was like she was in her own world.

  "Well, okay then," I muttered, feeling a little awkward. "Guess we'll just focus on kicking their asses."

  I tightened my grip on my staff, my knuckles turning white. But before I could even do anything, the burly thug I was fighting charged at her, his fists raised and ready to pound.

  The new girl was fast, so damn fast. I couldn't even see what happened.

  One second, the thug was inches away from her, his fist cocked back for a punch, and the next he was flying through the air, crashing into the side of a building with a sickening crunch. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.

  I couldn't help but stare, my eyes wide with disbelief.

  The girl turned to me, giving me a brief nod before her gaze snapped back to the remaining thugs. She held her sword in front of her, its blade gleaming in the sunlight.

  I could hear the thugs whispering among themselves.

  "Shit, she took down Mitch in one move!"

  "Who the fuck is this girl?!"

  "She's too strong, we gotta back off!"

  The thugs, realizing they were outmatched, scattered like cockroaches. But the girl immediately jumped back into action, leaping after them and cutting off their escape with a quick swing of her sword. An swarm of gold and green glowing threads erupted around her, the wires slicing through the air like whistles.

  "Run, you idiots!" One of the thugs screamed. "She's gonna kill us!"

  "Get the fuck outta here!" another shouted, hopping on his motorcycle.

  I stared blankly, my jaw hanging slack as she went to town on the thugs, moving so fast that all I could see was a blur of green and gold. They didn't even stand a chance.

  "Well, I guess that's one way to take out the trash," I murmured to myself.

  "OH GOD!" one thug shrieked. "My arm!"

  "AAAGH!"

  "FUCK FUCK FUCK"

  I sighed, leaning on my staff and watching the carnage unfold.

  "...And they say violence doesn't solve anything."