Suzune Magica Chapter 5

This section may contain major spoilers!

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The chapter begins with a young Haruka standing before Kyubey. Her inner thoughts reveal she doesn't believe in Kyubey's ability to grant wishes, however she sees no harm in venting her frustrations. As she thinks back on this time, she believes that her parents and older sister really did love her but due to her childishness she was unable to understand this. A young Haruka wishes for her sister to disappear and as the contract is formed, we are taken back to the present where an older Haruka lands roughly on the ground after having been thrown by the witch from earlier. She gets up trembling, crying to herself that she is still just the same.

Meanwhile, the battle rages on in the alley as Arisa and Matsuri trade blows with Suzune, both looking for any opening but unable to get past Suzune's defenses. As she blocks an attack with her sword, Suzune unleashes a small explosion that blows Arisa and Matsuri away from her. Arisa quickly stands and unleashes her boost magic, coming at Suzune with rapid swipes of her scythe that push back Suzune despite blocking with her sword. As Arisa closes in, she calls out to Matsuri to unleash a finishing blow but not before Suzune uses her "Heat Shimmer" attack to seemingly vanish before their eyes. Stunned, Arisa and Matsuri stand there, unsure of what to do next. Although Matsuri can't hear Suzune's movements in order to track her, she instead tries to use her magic to detect Haruka's presence, convinced that Suzune will target her next.

Haruka stabs her spear through the witch, out of breath and at her limit. Breathlessly she laments her fate, declaring to no one that the reason she fights witches is not to save others but rather because she cannot bear the weight of the guilt she carries from the wish she made. As Arisa and Matsuri close in on the presence of two people, Suzune materials from thin air in a different area. She walks forward and comes upon Haruka sitting on the ground. Suzune says there is no need to ask for her name as she already knows it's Haruka Kanade and brings her sword up to the ready.