Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Under Miss Yachiyo’s lead, Kohin, Red Ponytail, and Tsuruno embarked on the quest to find the Word Spirit Shrine. During this journey, they learned from Miss Yachiyo about some details concerning the shrine, including the story behind it—yet, this knowledge provided them no help in locating the Word Spirit Shrine.

”Isn’t it truly Mizuna Shrine?”

After spending an entire day searching the streets, they still had no results, leading Tsuruno to voice her complaints. Mizuna Shrine was the largest and most famous, and the only shrine in the area. In fact, when people here thought of a shrine, Mizuna Shrine was the first to come to mind, but Miss Yachiyo clearly thought otherwise.

”Impossible, Mizuna Shrine has so many visitors every day, mostly praying for love fortune. In such circumstances, many people would write the names of their loved ones. If that were the case, there should be a noticeable number of missing people, and the police wouldn’t overlook this clue......”

At this point, Miss Yachiyo seemed to recall something, and her voice gradually softened.

”Yachiyo?”

Seeing Miss Yachiyo suddenly stop, Kohin and Tsuruno stared at her curiously, while Miss Yachiyo looked up.

”What a blunder, how could I forget something this important!”

”Huh?”

”Could you do me a favor?”

”Ah, yes!”

Seeing Miss Yachiyo’s serious expression, Kohin promptly nodded in agreement. Then, Miss Yachiyo quickened her pace, moving forward, and they immediately followed her into a—supermarket.

”Here, hold this well. Remember, each person is limited to two bags. Tsuruno, get the cans; Kohin, follow me.”

”.........”

Holding the discounted items in her arms dazedly, Kohin followed behind Miss Yachiyo, utterly bewildered.

”Miss Yachiyo, what exactly is this...?”

”Discounted Italian pasta can be preserved long-term, and more importantly, there’s a ten-fold cashback today, you understand?”

”Uh.........”

Faced with Miss Yachiyo’s explanation, Kohin didn’t know how to respond. Seeing her like this, Miss Yachiyo merely smiled slightly.

”You don’t get it? That’s why you’re still a child.”

”Ahahaha......”

Upon hearing this, Kohin could only helplessly chuckle, but just as she turned to look at Red Ponytail, intending to say something, she noticed that Red Ponytail was standing still with the discounted items, staring at the nearby shelves.

”Little Hong? What’s wrong?”

”There’s a witch’s presence.”

At this moment, Miss Yachiyo also noticed something amiss. Following Red Ponytail’s gaze, she quickly discovered the entrance of a barrier, resembling a snack package box hidden between the shelves—indeed, this was the witches known to the magical girls, appearing mainly in densely populated areas, with various fixed barriers, making it easy to hunt prey by opening the entrance.

”Seems we’ll have to abandon the discount deal......”

With a sigh of resignation, Miss Yachiyo was about to put down the items when she saw Red Ponytail making a surprising move—raising her right hand, flames emerged, and a greatsword appeared in Red Ponytail’s hand; she then single-handedly stabbed fiercely at the barrier entrance ahead!

”———————”

In a blink of an eye, brilliant flames erupted within the barrier, and the incoming heat prompted Kohin and Miss Yachiyo to retreat slightly.

Yet, this wave of heat swiftly passed, and after a few seconds, Red Ponytail retracted her greatsword. Meanwhile, both Miss Yachiyo and Kohin could sense that the witch’s aura had dissipated, leaving a Seed of Sorrow quietly at the former barrier entrance, narrating its master’s tragic fate.

”Eh? What just happened?”

Still puzzled, Kohin was bewildered, while Miss Yachiyo’s gaze towards Red Ponytail was tinged with apprehension. As an experienced magical girl, Miss Yachiyo certainly knew what Red Ponytail had done.

She had directly destroyed the entire Witch Barrier!

She could actually do such a thing!

This was beyond Miss Yachiyo’s imagination, right?!

Witches’ barriers were essentially their worlds, with the witches being the core. Generally, magical girls eliminate witches to dissolve the barriers. It’s akin to facing a warship; one would normally think about sneaking aboard to sabotage its power core, not punching a ship a hundred times one’s size into scrap metal.

No normal person would think that way.

However, this girl was clearly not an ordinary person! She actually incinerated the witch along with the barrier?!

Is this even humanly possible?!

Miss Yachiyo knew Red Ponytail was formidable, as evident from past encounters, but it wasn’t until now that she truly realized—this person was on a completely different level—you assumed she was a blood-sweating horse, only to find she’s a Ferrari...

Moreover...... she wasn’t using her previous sword?

Although Red Ponytail put away the sword promptly after vanquishing the witch, Miss Yachiyo clearly observed that the sword she summoned was different from before—a deep red greatsword exuding a unique technological aura. Additionally, the method Red Ponytail employed differed from prior battles; Miss Yachiyo recalled the Pitch Black Greatsword from before emitted a chilling aura, as if freezing one’s very soul.

Whereas this sword now radiated an intense heat likely to melt bones...

Is she truly a magical girl?

Looking at Red Ponytail quietly picking up items again, following Kohin, Miss Yachiyo’s confusion deepened. In her understanding, it’s not unusual for magical girls to possess special abilities. Madam Yakumo, for instance, could adjust others’ Soul Gems, a rare and perhaps unique skill.

Yet, this girl was exceedingly powerful to the point of absurdity. Typically, magical girls have fixed weapons post-contract, just one. But this girl had two, each with different attributes, and also lacked a Soul Gem, not requiring transformation like others to battle......

”Miss Yachiyo?”

Only upon hearing Kohin’s voice did Miss Yachiyo regain her composure, silently glancing at Red Ponytail before averting her gaze.

”Let’s go; there’s still time.”

As for Red Ponytail’s mystery, Miss Yachiyo could only keep it to herself.

After purchasing all the discounted items with satisfaction, Miss Yachiyo also breathed a sigh of relief. However, just as she was walking out of the supermarket doors, she stopped in her tracks once more upon seeing the discount notice posted at the entrance.

”What’s wrong? Miss Yachiyo, is something the matter?”

”Could there be another place having a big discount sale?”

”Not at all.”

Upon hearing Tsuruno’s query, Yachiyo helplessly sighed.

”I was thinking about the Word Spirit Shrine. I believe the rumored Word Spirit Shrine must be the Mizuna Shrine.”

”Huh?”

Upon hearing this, Kohin and Tsuruno were both taken aback.

”But Miss Yachiyo, you clearly said before it wasn’t.”

”Indeed, I thought so before, but now I’ve suddenly realized we might have overlooked a certain condition.”

”Condition?”

”Exactly, do you remember? I mentioned before that the rumor of the Word Spirit Shrine comes from an ancient legend where the Princess sees her beloved man who was killed. In the story, when does the Princess see her beloved man?”

At this point, Kohin’s eyes lit up.

”So, Miss Yachiyo, you mean we should go to Mizuna Shrine at the time the Princess sees her deceased lover, just like in the story?”

”Correct.”

Yachiyo nodded and then glanced at her phone.

”It’s about time. Let’s head out.”

When the four returned to Mizuna Shrine, it was already late at night. The Mizuna Shrine was now deserted, but unlike the peaceful atmosphere of the daytime, as the group stepped into Mizuna Shrine, they first felt an unusual aura.

It wasn’t the evil aura typical of witches, but rather a pure, chaotic force. And as they arrived again at the Torii of the Mizuna Shrine, there was a ”clatter” sound, followed by four wooden boards falling from above, landing in front of the group.

”It seems we’ve found the right place this time.”

Looking at the wooden boards in front of her, Yachiyo whispered.

”What should we do next?”

”............”

Yachiyo pondered for a moment, then looked at Tsuruno.

”Kohin and I will go in, you and the child stay outside.”

”Huh? Why?”

At Yachiyo’s command, Tsuruno was instantly displeased, while Yachiyo softly said,

”Because none of us know what will happen, so someone must stay outside just in case. And... I think you want to write the same name on it as I do.”

”Yachiyo...”

Upon hearing this, Tsuruno gazed at her with eyes full of excitement, and Kohin moved next to Red Ponytail.

”Um... could I trouble you and Tsuruno to stay outside?”

”.........”

Red Ponytail looked at Kohin, nodded. Seeing her agree, Kohin also breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

”Then I’ll leave it to you!”

Having confirmed their roles, Yachiyo and Kohin wrote the names of the people they wanted to see on the wooden boards, hung them up, and then turned to walk into the Mizuna Shrine. However, suddenly, several black hands extended from behind them, reaching for Tsuruno and Red Ponytail!

At the same time, strange voices echoed.

”Why aren’t you writing the names?”

”Why aren’t you writing the names?”

”You must also have someone you want to see, which is why you came.”

”So, hurry and write the names...”

”Otherwise...”

”Kohin, you all go quickly!”

Tsuruno suddenly turned, waving two fire-clad fans to block the black hands, while simultaneously Red Ponytail summoned her blazing red greatsword again, slashing at the shadows behind her.

”Leave this side to us!”

”Alright, I understand!”

Worriedly glancing at Tsuruno and Red Ponytail caught in battle, Kohin quickly turned and joined Yachiyo at the front. Then they closed their eyes and clapped their hands.

”Clap, clap.”

When they opened their eyes again, everything in front of them had completely changed.

Moreover, in their eyes, at the ends of the endless pier, appeared two figures that they longingly wished to see...