【Thanks to Boss Mu sharing the vast majority of Disaster Beast combat power, otherwise No. 1 lineup's losses would be much greater—even complete unit annihilation wouldn't be strange】
【What? Is it that serious? Currently it seems the Fallen Zone recapture war is going smoothly】
【That's because the Church changed too much in this simulated worldline. You haven't seen the original so you don't understand—this battle is more for political objectives, with insufficient actual combat power investment. No telling how much cannon fodder got buried】
【Got it, he's actually a Paradox Interactive player who loves filling the line with babies】
【Filling lines in naval warfare—what's that concept? You're dumpling-dropping, sacrificing ships by the unit. I don't dare calculate】
Indeed like Bull's style.
Through several interactions, Hibiscus gradually understood this ambitious person absolutely didn't hesitate to sacrifice, even including himself willing to risk everything. For instance, the Capitol Battle assault on Allied Forces headquarters—that move was crazy enough, yet sufficiently swift and decisive to establish victory.
Following him gave a "boss leads the charge" atmosphere, but the danger coefficient was definitely high, especially since Bull very much welcomed using war to assist achieving his goals.
Calculating carefully, Magical Girls during the original timeline couldn't handle things independently, basically providing support, not to mention lacking systematic magic power organization easily triggering magic power rampage and loss of control. Moreover, after the Holy Relic Civil War, mercenaries and military forces suffered severe losses—two breathless, injured giants supporting each other to launch operations... Just thinking about it made one's scalp tingle. It was remarkable he could give orders to launch the recapture war.
Hibiscus didn't offer excessive commentary, but raised her guard regarding allies.
Both sides should maintain distance—distance creates beauty.
She could maintain cooperation with such people because the Mercenary Alliance president was smart enough, but hoping for further mutual trust was impossible. What she could rely on from beginning to end was only her Magical Girl companions and Salvation Church.
"Let's get back on topic. From everyone's perspective, what risks will No. 1 lineup face? I'll relay the intelligence."
Only then did the comment section return to the main topic, otherwise without Hibiscus's supervision they'd drift further off-topic.
【@Hyacinth: Actually the situation is better than expected. According to headquarters reports, losses are within acceptable range, but different from the original, they divided forces】
【Dividing forces is taboo】
【Not that serious though. After all, No. 2 team, which should occupy the largest combat power proportion, was almost outsourced to Salvation Church. The remainder for sweeping outer zones was somewhat excessive, so dividing forces to improve efficiency is understandable. The key is this will lure Disaster Beasts to actively pursue, though they might want exactly that】
【In any case, according to current intelligence, they might be targeted by the western hegemon of the Fallen Zone depths】
【Beware of the Hegemon Disaster Beast codenamed Lurker—that guy likes sneak attacks and has spatial concealment abilities making it hard to kill】
【From a gaming perspective, it has immunity periods】
【It doesn't just act alone but helps subordinates together. How to put it... like Salvation Church operations—full lineup appears on stage, quite troublesome, easily causing direct warfare】
【@Hyacinth, supplementary materials provided, quickly forward them. At least some losses can be avoided】
Beep!
Not only that—even the system reacted, showing this step was very important:
[Suggestion "Relay Intelligence To New Allied Forces Headquarters To Establish Intelligence Advantage For No. 1 Lineup" Reward: 50 Free Attribute Points]
The system's reaction represented an omen that couldn't be taken lightly.
Hearing this, Hibiscus immediately acted, once again calling Josh with a serious tone to inform her of new supplementary materials, more detailed than the Fallen Zone atlas from before, even including corresponding characteristics of the Lurker hegemon cluster's main Disaster Beasts.
Having just asked questions then urgently replying scared the theater general quite a bit—after all, when a prophet shows concern for you then suddenly issues warnings, what does that represent?
Big news.
Josh first expressed profuse gratitude then hung up, relaying the message from Magical Girl Hyacinth to headquarters. Actually, theoretically it would be limited by the Fallen Zone's special electromagnetic environment, but the ordinary-grade relic Twin Music Box perfectly suited the current situation.
Don't look down on this lowest-grade relic—it could actually restore conversations across thousands of miles.
This ability became obsolete when telephones were invented, but who would have thought it would be brought out today to become one of the most useful equipment pieces? Facts proved the Relic Treasury's existence indeed held strategic significance, because you never knew when you'd remember a relic suited for the current situation—simply perfect. Fortunately the Twin Music Box existed, at least ensuring decision-making high command could share information with each other, otherwise everyone would be headless flies.
"Calling Dorothy, let me repeat the information..."
"I'm listening."
The two shared intelligence without any hesitation. On the other end of the call, the East Pacific Supreme Commander was extremely serious, because some signs matched up, like ship disappearances:
Currently she led No. 1 lineup's divided main force operating around the Galápagos Islands, with 3 warships mysteriously disappearing but no clues found, proving the enemy probably lurked in shadows, though it would take time to find them. Moreover, Dorothy was certain the culprit was roaming to commit crimes, perhaps not even within striking range at this moment.
The two old partners exchanged a few instructions then hung up, both very busy, plus overusing relics easily caused contamination.
Hibiscus on the island felt somewhat relieved after providing the message. The all-elite expeditionary force wouldn't make low-level mistakes—a reminder was sufficient.
The specific effects would await system notifications.
Thinking carefully, since entering the Fallen Zone, obtaining rewards seemed easier.
The silver-haired girl clenched her fist tightly, mobilizing a trace of magic power more surging and vast than before, representing her strength advancing further, with basic attribute growth bringing the most obvious effects. Now she could be called outstanding among Growth Stage Magical Girls, possessing dominant-level killing thresholds.
Even so, Hibiscus cautiously added: "Intelligence has been relayed. I feel many signs prove the Fallen Zone depths are undergoing changes—who exactly is it?"
Could it be closely related to intelligent subspecies? But it was mentioned before that the timing didn't match—they wouldn't take the blame.
【The answer is simple】
【—Regardless, humans' large-scale military action has already destroyed the Fallen Zone's fundamental ecology. The power balance accumulated over years has been broken, especially with outer zone Disaster Beasts fleeing encirclement into the core zone and depths, bringing new rounds of slaughter. The Church is also one of the driving forces—you left vacant ecological niches that sparked competition. Besides this, one person is crucial】
【Magical Girl Tulip is continuously hunting Disaster Beasts in the Fallen Zone depths. She feels the Fallen Zone's magic power is unstable, so she's seeking breakthrough opportunities】
【Got it, this wave belongs to mutual pursuit—let's go】
【It's not that easy. The deeper you go, the crazier the Disaster Beasts become. This stirring makes it even more chaotic—I don't dare imagine how lively this dungeon is now】
Hibiscus deeply agreed with the netizens' assessment. Indeed, Disaster Beasts were more aggressive than before, almost fighting every enemy they encountered.
When did you become so brave? Anyway, fierce enough. Precisely because of the ultra-high engagement rate, casualties remained high and difficult to control, so the Fallen Zone recapture war could easily evolve into an attrition war of who could bleed more.
According to Bull's personality, he should already have an answer in mind:
Nuclear bombardment.
Clearing the outer zones with maximum area but relatively little pollution was to give the world an explanation while leaving enough battle achievements for himself. The rest depended on whether Disaster Beasts would cooperate. If smooth, fight; if not smooth, then nuclear coverage. Even if it polluted oceans and spawned mutations, for him it was better than continuously adding oil tactics to the core zone.
Actually, Hibiscus had thought of this point too, so she simply raised it: "Would nuclear strikes on the remaining parts of the Fallen Zone work?"
Crazy enough, yet not failing to be a method.
【Of course it's possible. In fact, the original Fallen Zone war did exactly that in later stages, otherwise how could they withstand the sacrifices】
【But you must bear a cost: accelerating intelligent subspecies incubation. Not to mention nuclear bombs themselves would further enhance mutations, ultimately causing major losses anyway. Admittedly, strategically it gained breathing space for Magical Girls and Holy Relics to grow, even welcoming fairy assistance, but how do you weigh the trade-offs? Ultimately it still left huge trauma for human civilization】
【We mentioned before that Management Bureau weakened after this battle—actually it's a microcosm of the overall downward spiral. Everyone suffered greatly, with established order nearing destruction】
【Speaking mystically, according to original Jin Ruochu's dialogue evaluating the president: "You used destructive power to start strife, then vainly tried to end it with the same power—you were actually domesticated." Indeed as she predicted】
【@Hyacinth, one of the most important factors in this war is controlling losses】
【Whoever preserves more power gains more dominance in the next wave of historical currents—this is easy to understand】
【No, we need to distinguish who suffers losses】
【If mercenary and military power declines, it would definitely lead to rapid emergence of supernatural forces from all walks of life. Of course the Church would be freer too—depends on your understanding】
【Allowing official elite forces to be completely lost—what are we strategizing for? We need balance. They shouldn't fall too quickly, otherwise who will occupy the rapidly vacated ecological niches? The result is everyone fighting each other in rotation without anyone providing stable order】
【You treacherous rebels, watch me restore the Han Dynasty】
【The general is wise】
【Eight-sided majesty with killing intent, protecting the king and showing merit】
【Actually the original Salvation Church's path to dominance is reference enough—waiting for royal forerunners to stir up chaos one by one, hibernating through the most chaotic period then expanding wantonly. Never mind the process—they indeed conquered the world, the first to achieve it, an unprecedented existence in Planet Gaia history】
【The strategist has to be Hyacinth. Though Miss Manager is an operational genius, the one who truly grasps timing isn't her—final boss quality】
【As a character fan, suddenly feel no regrets. Regardless, the Time Priestess clearly achieved her goals, even ruling the world for 2 years—longer than many emperors】
【What? I only read the poster's simulated life thread, thinking the big villain's peak was just a flash in the pan, but turns out it was a complete life. Ruling all known human territory under one regime—should obviously count as a big winner】
【Totally won】
【Power alone couldn't achieve this. If power was strong enough to ignore intelligence shortcomings and still succeed, then don't question her brains either】
【You dare defy me, who possesses the power of time!!!】
Hibiscus was slightly stunned, only now learning that the original Time Priestess had actually ruled the world!
Objectively speaking, this was an unavoidable historical achievement regardless, not to mention it wasn't some joke dynasty lasting a few days or hundred days, but actually lasted 24 months.
Originally she unconsciously thought the original story's Church rose high, entertained guests, then collapsed, not expecting such achievements—this could also be called successful once. No wonder some fans were relieved. From an influence perspective, the Time Priestess was truly a grand slam, completing unprecedented great achievements in human records. Who could question it? Even her narrow defeat to Magical Girl Manjusaka didn't shake her historical position.
People like to admire strength, deep down yearning for authority to lead them, thus spawning politicians, popes, etc. The Time Priestess understood this very well.
Demonstrating power then ruling accordingly, providing a bit of stability in the apocalyptic world, putting on shows to distribute power and benefits—ultimately the wheels of fate rolled forward, destined to push her onto the throne she deserved.
Not strange.
But if governing such a large territory, there would definitely be countless trivial matters—truly brain-taxing. She found managing a company troublesome enough, so the Time Priestess wouldn't be a good ruler.
Hibiscus currently had no desire to dominate the world, but she'd need to train management abilities in the future.
She foresaw that future Salvation Church would grow large and definitely have to handle many matters. If the leader dragged everyone down, that wouldn't work. Not mentioning whether to rule the world, at least don't be like the Time Priestess who once united considerable numbers of Magical Girls, then caused panic and dissolution through various operations.
Out of curiosity, Hibiscus still asked:
"I guess that should be a period when Planet Gaia was rebuilding from scratch, so how was the Time Priestess's rule? Better or worse?"
Actually she already had some speculation but still wanted a definite answer.
【Hard to summarize with good/bad binary logic, but undoubtedly her life was harmful to all humanity, yet greatly beneficial for ushering in the Magical Girl era】
【Laughing so hard. That's really it. Even if the pink-haired protagonist defeated her beloved, she couldn't salvage the situation: the world slid toward high-concentration magic revival at extreme speed. A process that should have taken millennia evolved rapidly—who could withstand that? Sacrifices were inevitable, and the numbers were shocking. Not depicting this part was one of the original's rare mercies】
【Sounds like there was great hope before the Church's rule, when powerful Magical Girls would go crazy and cause trouble at any time】
【The world seems a bit urbanized】
【A round of strong music starts up】
【If there were more surviving Holy Relics and human leadership maintaining basic order then, it would definitely be better. Back to the point—ensuring more resources are preserved until the late game. @Hyacinth, therefore this long turning point of the Fallen Zone recapture war is crucial】
【Additionally, find Magical Girl Tulip as soon as possible. Her weakness is gourmet food—starting from this point has miraculous effects. In the fusion worldview, the Church needs strong people to join even more】
Even without special reminders, Hibiscus understood that investing such huge resources couldn't tolerate mistakes.
She replied seriously: "Rest assured, intelligence has been relayed to No. 1 lineup. I believe in them."
In a sense, Salvation Church was like half of the South Pacific Theater's headquarters, possessing information no less than staff groups.
Because the intelligence Hibiscus provided was too convenient and her combat power proportion was quite large, they didn't dare not share messages, even often actively reporting like seeking opinions—so humble. Over time she also understood No. 1 lineup's troop deployment. Digesting outer zone Disaster Beasts was no problem.
Variables depend on yourselves.
However, with so many people at headquarters asking for intelligence, they should have a scale in their hearts. Know yourself and your enemy to win every battle, plus General Dorothy understood battlefield advances and retreats.
If a military hardliner superior was in charge, she might insist on fighting to the death. Now with President Bull at the helm, this person was always flexible and unconventional. Though setting clear targets, the actual execution was to eliminate as many Disaster Beasts as possible while protecting one's own forces.
Hibiscus learned about Dorothy's style from the Ruan sisters—absolutely avoiding losses when necessary, never being stubborn.
When she shared this judgment, netizens also expressed agreement.
【@Hyacinth, let's not mention military matters. Are there more detailed segments of this battle? Not nearly enough to watch—I want behind-the-scenes footage too】
【I need to say seriously: perhaps there are details inside that the Church can't discover. Release them so everyone can study them for you—convenient for future union work, right?】
【Your calculations are too loud】
【Poster's short and weak. Such big scenes should be extended as much as possible—a little bit isn't enough to watch. Quickly serve it up】
Seeing the overwhelming enthusiasm, Hibiscus simply obliged, releasing pre-screened materials three times longer than before—the difference between edited and unedited versions.
Generally she'd choose condensed or extended versions depending on battle importance and information density. For instance, catastrophe wars should display as many details as possible. Conversely, a sudden encounter battle was just that—dangerous but not representing much intelligence value. However, responding to everyone's expectations, Hibiscus still provided material videos, mainly focusing on different Magical Girls' performances.
No wonder—after all, some character fans had less mainstream preferences.
They very much hoped to see if the poster had found "suitable cosplay" with sufficient attention to detail, and the results exceeded expectations.
For Hibiscus, actually every Magical Girl possessed unique value, understanding potential better than so-called game parties or setting parties, just that she wasn't skilled in ability combinations and mechanism operations.
Also good—if people with broader vision got involved, there might be new conclusions.
Salvation Church as an organization frequently engaging in collective combat had already explored general magic coordination methods. Coincidentally, presenting them in video format might provide some inspiration.
【Thank poster, I finally saw my favorite character's scenes—understand the transparent person's sorrow?】
【You must be referring to Angela】
【Wait, did you notice a phenomenon: part of Minase Kaori's Hundred Demons Night Parade has musical notes—this is the military band's effectiveness marker. Could Mahona's elemental magic have buffed her, so it counts as Magical Girls Minase Kaori and Magnolia fighting together】
【How didn't I think of this combination? Right, look how poor the Disaster Beasts' accuracy is—should be Universal Eraser reducing presence】
【Full of details, nothing to say. Beyond the camera, the poster also attended to different magic combination effects—excellence, all-encompassing, handling so many characters. Miraculous—Light Magic fans are terrifying】
【Why don't the original and game have such combinations? No, they were too perfunctory】
【Consider the media medium, okay? Original and games can't cover everything—poster's live-action filming can actually accommodate more possibilities】
【Inspiration came】
【Is there a possibility: have Zoe reclaim land from the sea to resolve naval combat difficulties, but Jin Yulu uses Earth Dragon Flip to demolish the terrain, washing everyone who just stepped on it. This isn't over—have Helen's Tropical Cold Current undergo rapid phase changes respectively. Temperature differences can make anything brittle. Then various strong attackers swarm up, brutally slaughtering targets that ate full debuffs】
【I completely agree with the thinking—there should be other combinations】
【I have an idea: Hundred Demons Night Parade assassination group. Simply put, have Universal Eraser add stealth to demons then send them out for backstabs】
Great idea!
Even Hibiscus couldn't help admiring in her heart, but she'd thought of this before. The reason for not practicing was that magic effects stacking actually implied certain risks.
Especially depending on users' usual cooperation, magic operation, mental intent, etc.—many factors.
However, facing benefits, risks weren't so important. As long as hard strength was sufficient, everything was easy. Magic coordination required at least Seedling Stage people preferring Regalia to guide, and users meeting limited conditions weren't many. Even searching the entire organization couldn't find large-scale experimentation.
The Magical Girls' regular training was already excessive. Next, the topic could shift toward mutual cooperation, like any two-person combination abilities...
In any case, Hibiscus noted down the brilliant ideas—they were worth their weight in gold.
【Don't forget Salvation Church is talented—strength lies in one functional ecological niche corresponding to more than one user. For instance, what about Military Band, Unicorn Light, Healing Rain—3 major supports plus 1 Save Point? Direct perpetual motion machine with full-field buffs non-stop】
【No good—wide-area support magic easily affects friend and foe alike, possibly letting Disaster Beasts also receive blessings... wait! So that's it—really need collective brainstorming for progress】
【Comment section forbids riddle people】
【Patch: use Fortune and Misfortune's effect reversal, setting conditions "Magical Girls receive fortune while Disaster Beasts suffer misfortune." This way the same Healing Rain would show opposite effects—if powerful enough, Disaster Beasts could even choke to death on rainwater】
【Another patch: have Love and Hate set support magic conditions "Disaster Beasts will find it disgusting"—should work】
【Hearing you talk like this deepens our understanding of human rights cards. Sometimes when combining to the end, you lack that one card—like highest-grade T0 causal magic】
【The field combat building mentioned earlier can be supplemented with Small Universe domain】
【Sands of Time: What about me?】
【Strongest magic belongs outside discussion. Like Domain Projection plus various magic bombardments—I don't dare imagine how satisfying. But time magic is very versatile, works with anyone—better used for emergency rescue】
Hibiscus couldn't help smiling and nodding. Indeed, she often had to play support roles, able to do much during time stops.
She had already gotten used to the style of both support and main damage output.
However, discussions should end. For now, note down novel ideas—she still needed rest, then lead the Church to help expeditionary forces quickly build the first core zone base.