It was three in the afternoon when I heard reports of a floating island that had appeared south of Vineyard Town. People had already reported it; the lighthouse keeper had seen it drift in from the sea.
Its origins were uncertain. Our country, Esteria, contacted nearby nations as soon as we detected the unsupervised portal opening in the ocean. As far as we knew, the portal might have closed once the island exited, but there was a possibility it was still open, as monsters were still spilling out.
The island halted once it reached our coastal region. Several Magical Girls were sent to observe and reported that monsters resembling Harpy-like creatures, each about three meters tall, were actively pushing the island toward our coast. The island itself was enormous, around 800 square kilometers, and densely covered by trees.
As the fight intensified, I decided to join. I flew there using jets of fire from my hands and feet, choosing this method because summoning my superbike, Salamander, uses more mana than I prefer. There were no casualties on our side yet, as the Harpies were being shot down like flies.
Wild Tornadoes
When I arrived, Wild Tornadoes, a Magical Girl authorized to protect a nearby city, called out to me.
"Blazing Rider! Glad you could make it," she shouted over the rush of the wind she was generating. "I appreciate the help. I think the boss of the Harpies is about to show up."
"What's the assessment?" I asked, hovering.
"The Harpies are strong, but not durable. They must be built that way to allow for flight. Total glass cannons," she summarized.
Just on cue, a giant bird erupted from the floating island, towering over the trees. No more Harpies followed, so I assumed this was the last monster from that particular spawn. It looked like a Garuda and was as tall as a giraffe.
I expected it to attack the closest Magical Girls, but my assumption was wrong. It flew straight towards me.
The Garuda
Before it could reach me, I summoned my superbike. As Salamander descended, it struck the back of the Garuda, sending the monster plummeting toward the beach below. I dove down, landing a flaming punch directly at its head, destroying its right eye. The wound didn't even bleed, instantly cauterized by the flame coating my fist.
The giant bird struggled, but my superbike hit its right ribcage. Blinded in one eye and dazed by the blow, it didn't have time to react. Seeing the Garuda momentarily stunned, I seized the chance, plunged my hand through its torn beak, and filled its mouth and throat with fire.
The giant bird died instantly, unable to cause any further harm.
Wild Tornadoes landed beside me, her expression surprised. "That was incredibly fast, Rider. Faster than I could react."
I slightly doubted his statement, even though I was proud of my strength. "A leader of a city can't be weaker than me, right?" I asked her.
She smiled faintly. "I'm a leader not because I'm the strongest, but because I have leadership talents. I specialize in administration and crowd control, not one-on-one combat. You are one of the strongest Magical Girls I've ever met, Arthur. Don't let your guard down, despite that."
"I never do," I told her honestly. "A small mistake like that could cost me my life."
"Good. I'll handle the report and the political side of our job," she said. "I don't think this island is going to leave without outside influence. Normal wind wasn't enough; I tried pushing it with all my power, and it didn't move an inch." She paused. "I stopped before I accidentally broke the floating island."
I knew what came next. A few Magical Girls with repairing power were already on their way to fix any damage from her efforts.
I said my goodbyes and flew back home to get some rest. The fight itself wasn't difficult, but the journey there and back used a lot of my stamina and mana. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, too exhausted to even take a bath and wash off the giant bird's blood.
The Next Day
I woke up the next morning and immediately stripped the bed. The sheets and pillow were sent to be cleaned by the service provided by the apartment manager. That cleaning cost, along with my apartment rent, is fully covered by the government—one of the better benefits of being a Magical Girl. I truly couldn't imagine going back to a nine-to-five job. I love my job, even with all the danger involved.
Then, a sobering thought caught my attention. I remembered what Wild Tornadoes had told me: not all Magical Girls are created equal. It turned out I was among the strongest in the entire country.
I did feel a spark of pride, but I quickly suppressed it. It's okay to be proud, but I knew nobody would like me if I became an arrogant jerk. Staying humble is just as vital as staying alive.