Oriko Magica Sadness Prayer: Chapter 20

Volume 4 resumes with Mami and Kirika's battle. Mami has managed to take her down and now prepares to shoot her. As Kirika lays there, she wonders to herself if she's lost and she affirms this as all that's left is for her to die. But another part of her asks if that's what she wants, and if she's fine with the fact that her wish won't be granted. A shot of her soul gem is shown, appearing to have a crack in it. Suddenly Oriko appears and saves Kirika from Mami's attack.

Meanwhile Kyoko and Yuma meet up with Kyubey at the top of a tower, with Kyoko angry at him for the fact that the girls he said he was gathering together to take down the black magical girl aren't here. Kyubey answers that he can't speak for Chihana and Kirika, he thinks it's unusual for Mami and Oriko to be late. Kyoko wonders if something got them and Kyubey says they can't ignore the possibility as the black magical girl has managed to make other girls vanish while evading any witnesses so far. Yuma urges for herself and Koyko to go help them as they fight bad guys together. Kyoko asks her what she's talking about and if she's forgotten what they came here for. She asks her what good could possibly come from them saving Oriko. Yuma says they came to settle things, which she wants to have her apologize and states that Oriko can't do so if she turns out dead. Kyoko says that's true but asks Yuma if that's what she really wants, to which the young girl says yes. Kyoko becomes exasperated over this and says that Yuma is making her look like a fool, to which Yuma begins arguing with her before being stopped by Kyubey. Kyoko says she and Yuma plan to go look for Mami and the others and if they're just late she's gonna give them a good smack. She tells Kyubey to wait here until a voice interrupts them and says there will be no need for that. Kyoko looks up and realizes the voice belongs to Mami.

In Oriko's house, she tends to Kirika's wounds and notes that the ones on her back aren't healing and wonders if it's because Kirika lacks the magic to heal it. She works on getting out a grief seed from their storage when she gasps as she notices the cracks in Kirika's soul gem. As soul gems house the soul of a magical girl, breaking it will cause her to die, setting Oriko into a panic as she doesn't know what to do. She cries out for help from someone, even her father, when Kirika wakes up revealing she is alive. Oriko is relieved, but Kirika apologizes to her for losing as she's supposed to be her pawn and says what good is she if she loses. Oriko tells her not to worry as it's fine, and that she is weak as she can't bring her father's wish to fruition and because of that same weakness she got Kirika injured and asks for forgiveness. Kirika notes inwardly that the Oriko she knew is gone and suddenly shouts at her for not being her and accuses her of being a fake that swapped places with the real one. Oriko becomes confused by this sudden outburst and tries to calm her down and says she is Oriko. As Kirika continues to question if she's really Oriko she quickly stops and asks Oriko if she found and saw "it" (referring to the notebook belonging to her father.) She says she hid it because she knew Oriko shouldn't see it but thinks she might've not hidden it well enough. Oriko has no idea what Kirika is talking about but Kirika goes on about how she has to protect Oriko, and before she can say who Oriko's only ally is her soul gem cracks once more and Kirika falls over in pain. Oriko becomes worried for her when she realizes Kirika fell asleep. She thinks about what Kirika was talking about hiding something and wonders if it was something she saw in her father's study, possibly an inheritance she doesn't know about or something. She wonders why Kirika doesn't want her to see it and thinks it might be related to her father as well.

Kyoko is surprised to Mami as Kyubey says it's unusual for her to be so late. Mami states that she was attacked by the black magical girl, surprising the other girls. Kyoko asks her if she finished her off but Mami says the girl got away. She goes on further to say that Kyubey's plan is a no-go and that Homura is not the black magical girl. She turns to Kyoko and asks her if she was searching for the white magical girl. Kyoko tells her it's none of her business but Mami says it's Oriko and that she has met her, noting she's a very intimidating girl than she thought. Kyubey asks Mami if she intended to come here with Oriko, and Mami says how could she when Oriko is the black magical girl's partner. She says that Oriko and Kirika are the two enemies they must defeat.

Elsewhere, Chihana jumps across building tops, struggling to get to the meeting in time as she's very late. She suddenly crosses paths with Oriko and asks her if she's part of the group that is going to take out the black magical girl. Chihana laughs as she's glad she's not the only one who's lost track of time and is late. She offers Oriko to come with her so that they can apologize to Kyubey for being late and hopes there isn't any scary magical girls within the group when they get there. However Oriko says nothing and glares at Chihana, surprising the other girl before she is hit directly in the chest by one of Oriko's orbs, killing her. With that Oriko silently leaves and goes off somewhere to confront someone. The next panel reveals that she had discovered her late father's notebook and read it. A section of it shows that Hisaomi had fallen into someone's trap after someone had hinted to him that this person would get him a seat in the National Assembly, but was instead made into a scapegoat for his crimes.