My Magical Girl System

The team pressed forward, leaving the lagoon and Guardians behind. The path narrowed, winding between jagged rock formations until it opened into a wide, natural cavern.

The air grew cooler, damper, carrying the faint scent of salt and minerals. The cavern floor sloped downward, and at its center, a dark, still pool of water stretched across the space—its surface smooth as glass, reflecting the dim, bioluminescent glow of the cavern walls.

Ahead, the cavern floor dropped into the water, and Andrey could see the faint outline of a submerged passage leading deeper.

Sarah stopped at the edge of the pool, her gaze fixed on the dark water. Her voice was unusually quiet. "We have to go through that."

Sein’s gaze flicked to her, a sharp grin spreading across her face. "What’s wrong? Scared of a little water?"

Sarah’s jaw tightened. Her voice was flat, defensive. "I don’t know how to swim."

The words hung in the air. Sein’s grin widened. "What?! You can’t swim?!"

Sarah’s cheeks flushed. "I never had time to learn! I always skipped swimming lessons when I was younger."

Lisa’s voice was gentle, surprised. "You really can’t swim at all?"

Sarah’s voice was quieter now, carrying a hint of embarrassment. "Not even a little."

Andrey let out a long, quiet sigh, his voice carrying a note of dry disapproval. "That’s... really bad, Sarah. In a water-type dungeon, not being able to swim could get you killed."

Sarah crossed her arms, her voice sharp. "I know! But we’re here now, so what do we do?"

Andrey’s hand moved to his inventory, and a small, pearlescent pill materialized in his palm. It pulsed with a soft, blue-white light, its surface smooth and cool to the touch.

Lisa peered at it, her curiosity piqued. "What’s that?"

Andrey held it up for the team to see. "Mermaid Pearl. It allows you to breathe underwater for fifteen minutes. I bought a few from the system shop before we entered the gate, anticipating a water-type environment."

Sarah’s eyes widened, a mix of surprise and relief flickering across her face. "You... you bought those in advance?"

"I try to be prepared," Andrey said, his voice calm and steady. "We’re in a water-type gate. It made sense to have a contingency."

He handed one pearl to Sarah, then to Lisa and Sein. "Take one. Once you swallow it, you’ll be able to breathe normally underwater for fifteen minutes. But we need to move quickly—the effect won’t last forever."

Sarah accepted the pearl, her gaze lingering on it for a moment before she swallowed it. Her expression was a mix of embarrassment and gratitude. "Thanks, Andrey."

Sein downed her pearl, then smirked at Sarah. "Don’t worry—if you start sinking, I’ll drag you back up by your hair."

Lisa swallowed hers and murmured softly, "I wonder what it feels like... to breathe underwater."

Andrey turned to Sarah, his voice calm and matter-of-fact. "I’ll carry you. Hold onto my back, and don’t let go. If you start to panic, tap my shoulder twice, and I’ll bring you back to the surface."

Sarah’s cheeks flushed, but she nodded, moving to his side. "Alright."

Sein’s grin widened. "Look at that—Sarah, the damsel in distress."

Sarah shot her a glare. "Shut up, or I’ll drag you down with me."

Lisa giggled softly, the tension easing as she watched them bicker.

Andrey stepped into the water, his movements calm and deliberate. The cold seeped through his clothes, but he didn’t flinch. Sarah wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her grip firm but not panicked.

"Ready?" he asked.

Sarah’s voice was quiet, but steady. "Ready."

They descended into the dark water, the bioluminescent glow of the cavern walls fading as they sank deeper. The passage opened into a wide, submerged chamber—its walls lined with ancient carvings and clusters of glowing coral. The water was clear, and the team moved through it with practiced ease, their Mermaid Pearls shimmering faintly in the darkness.

Sein moved ahead, her flames extinguished but her movements fluid and confident. Lisa stayed close to Andrey, her barrier extended around them, a faint, shimmering dome that pushed back the pressure.

Sarah clung to Andrey’s back, her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. She was trying to stay calm, but her grip was firm, her body tense.

Andrey’s voice came through the Mana Link, clear and steady despite the water surrounding them. "Sein, slow down. We don’t know what’s ahead."

Sein’s voice echoed in their minds, carrying a hint of impatience. "I’m not going to let a little water slow me down. You just keep up."

They moved deeper into the submerged passage, the faint glow of the coral guiding their path. The water grew darker, the pressure increasing as they descended.

Ahead, the passage opened into a vast, open chamber—its ceiling lost in shadow, its floor covered in ancient, weathered stone. At its center, a massive, glowing crystal pulsed with a slow, steady rhythm.

Sein’s gaze swept the chamber, her voice carrying a note of cautious curiosity. "That’s the core."

As they drew closer to the glowing core, the water around them began to tremble. From behind the massive crystal, a huge creature emerged—drifting with slow, graceful movements, yet its presence immediately filled the entire chamber with an oppressive pressure.

Its body was bell-shaped, translucent with a blue-purple glow that pulsed in rhythm with the core behind it. Dozens of thin, trailing tentacles hung beneath it, each one crackling with static electricity that flickered like miniature lightning. At the tips of every tentacle, small sparks of electricity leaped into the surrounding water, creating shimmering ripples of light that danced across the cavern walls.

[Galvanic Lumen – Rank A+ Threat]

"Andrey," Lisa’s voice came through the mana link, calm but edged with urgency. "That creature is guarding the core. We won’t be able to reach it without going through the Jellyfiend first."

Sarah’s voice followed, carrying a note of unease. "That thing is huge... and it looks terrifying. And we only have fifteen minutes to destroy the core? That’s cutting it close."