Go! Guihunbusters!

I am told that this Singularity is home to all manner of ghouls and ghosts and other such supernatural beings!

Which means it is the perfect place for me, since I am definitely not afraid of those things. Nope, nope, nope. K-keh heh, keh heh heh.

Are you sure? 'Cause it kind of looks to me like your knees are trembling.

Th-then you must be seeing things, because they most assuredly are not!

Why did you bring us all here, anyway? What kind of team is this?

Yes, well, while I may have no issue with ghosts, my frail subject-slash-co-ruler candidatethat is, Master...

...would surely collapse into a blubbering heap on the spot if one were to appear.

And since if that happens we'll never be able to get rid of this Singularity, it falls to me to do some ghost hunting.

Ahh, how very magnanimous of me. It's all right, Cang Zhang (blue wand) and Xiao Lian (little sickle). If you simply cannot help yourselves, you are free to shower me with praise for my impeccable plan!

(So she dragged us along because she didn't want to go by herself.)

(Well, that's probably not the only reason. I'm guessing this is also supposed to be a training exercise to help her overcome her fears.)

(While I do find her desire for self-improvement commendable, I can't say I approve of her involving you like this, Miyu.)

What are you whispering about over there? If you are concerned about where to go, then worry not. I have already found the areas where ghosts seem most likely to appear.

Now come! This first Guihun (ghost) busting mission is officially underway!

S-s-so, this is the place... It certainly does look the part.

But, no. I cannot afford to stop here.

Rather than waiting around for a ghoul to pop up and surprise you, it is much better for your heart to just go after it yourself!

I don't mind doing this, since I know clearing out ghosts will help the survey team...

...but I still don't know why you chose me.

What do you mean? That scythe of yours is capable of killing immortals, is it not?

So surely it must also have some effect on ghosts.

Certainly more so than what I could expect from a typical Saber or Archer.

Well... I guess you have a point...

But I still think asking me for help getting rid of scary things is a mistake, since I'm kind of a scary monster myself...

Huh? What are you talking about? You are obviously not a monster at all.

No, I fear the kind of creatures that are positively dripping with malice, the kind where you can almost see their contempt for the living oozing out from their empty eye sockets like

I-I mean, never mind that! This is not about who may or may not be scared of what, anyway!

I-I am not afraid of ghosts! I am just doing this for my Master and subjects!

That is exactly why I have chosen the Servant resources I feel are best suited to the work.

Suffice to say there is no need for you to concern yourself with your empress's deployment choices. All you need to do is your bestand obey me, of course.

What about me then?

Why else would you be here? Based on that outfit of yours, you are obviously some manner of shrine maiden, no?

And since every shrine maiden possesses the power to exorcise spirits, I am now calling on you to wield that power on my behalf!

...(Sigh) I think you might have the wrong idea here. This form is just recreating my God Child traits. I don't actually have any shrine maiden powers.

...But, then again, I guess blowing them away with my magical energy cannon is basically exorcising them, so sure, why not?

By the way, there's one thing I'd like to say before we get started. Is that okay?

Hmm, very well. What is it?

Scientifically speaking, ghosts don't actually exist.

There may be things that kind of look like ghosts here, but that's all it is.

It just doesn't make sense for dead people's anger to stick around and attack living people, which means there's no need to be scared of it. That's all I wanted to say.

Oh... Oh! Ohhh!

(Startled) Wh-what? What is it?

That's it! That is exactly the sort of thing I wished to hear! I will have to see that you are properly rewarded later!

So, all I have to do is think that ghosts don't actually exist, which means I have no need to fear them... Hmm, yes, I like this.

I wonder if this means cats don't actually exist, either? That's certainly possible...

At any rate, this just goes to show how impeccable my Servant resource hiring decisions truly were!

Now that I know these spirits that may not even exist are nothing to fear, we can conclude our business for the day while humming a happy little tun

They DO exist!

G-ghhh! There's so many of them! Who do these ghostlike things think they are!?

That's a lot more than I was expecting. We might need to bring in more help for this.

It's too bad Illya's not here right now. Then we could just work together to get rid of them by razing everything in a two-kilometer radius to the ground.

!?

Oh, hello. Are you all out exorcising ghosts, too? That's great! I can really sense Mahatma's guidance at work!

Did you do that? ...Aha, now I see. You cannot pull the wool over this empress's eyes! That is no ordinary water gun on your back, is it?

Wow, good eye! That's right. This is a special magical energy projector I fine-tuned just for this summer!

More specifically, these tanks on my back are Mahatma Reactors!

The genius boys made the original prototype for me, which I then modified with my own theories. It works great on ghosts, wraiths, and other spirit creatures!

I don't know what those theories entail, but I can't argue with that logic. Would you mind helping us out?

Not at all! It'd be my pleasure!

In fact, would you like to use the spare I brought along?

Now that is what I am talking about. Anything that can help us eradicate these things faster is welcome in my book.

Well done, Jinxing Furen (Madam Venus)! You are now the newest member of the Guihunbusters!

Thanks! Oh, and if you two would like to try the projectors as well, just say the word! There's enough for everyone!

U-uh, okay...

So, these projectors work on theory I don't understand, but with a clear logic behind them, and they're showing up during a situation where we have to use them...

This is just like when I met Sapphire and became a magical girl.

Thank you, I'd be grateful to borrow one. This may even prove to be educational somehow.

Just what I would expect from you, Lady Miyu. Putting the question of whether it's even possible for you to understand these things aside, your thirst for knowledge is as insatiable as ever.

So, how do we use these things, anyway?

Don't worry, I'll show you.

Just be careful, because these things can be kind of dangerous if not handled properly.

Okay, so first off...

Keh heh heh! Talk about having nothing to fear! At this rate, we will have these ghouls eradicated in no time!

Then, finally, I'll never have to cower in fear ever again...

There! I suspect that decrepit old shack is their base! Come, fellow Guihunbusters, let us snuff out their nest at its root!

Uh-oh, she's getting carried away. That's never a good sign...

(Sigh) I guess we can't let her fend for herself now. Let's go after her.

Hup. Huh, this projector thing is heavier than it looks.

Yeah, I know. That's the part I need to improve upon next.

It seems following that staircase I found leading downward was the right move. This certainly looks like a den of nasty ghouls.

Oh? There's a monument here. Let's see what it says...

Uh-oh. That doesn't sound good. It says an extremely powerful evil spirit has been sealed away down here.

Again, scientifically speaking, there's no such thing as evil spirits.

That said, it's entirely possible that's just code to mean there's some sort of trap down here.

Either way, we shouldn't have to worry about it as long as it's sealed away, right?

Unfortunately, it looks like that seal consisted of a supernatural barrier of sorts generated by the activity of all the various spirits that had been roaming around here.

So now that we've been exorcising those spirits left and right, I wouldn't be surprised if the seal down here started to weaken

I knew it! I think the seal is broken, and it's about to come out!

Hmph. This creature must be running the show. Once we defeat it, the other ghosts left around here should dissipate on their own.

I'd like to think so too, but apparently, there's one trait in particular that makes it so powerful.

According to this monument, the creature can read your mind and turn into what you find scariest!

That sounds...bad. What if we have to face a primordial goddess? Or worse, my sisters when they're angry? ...Um, don't tell them I said that.

Oh gosh. What if it's Illya hating me? I don't think I could go on!

By definition, I don't think it's possible for an abstract concept to take a physical form...

...G-gnnn! Enough of this! I once united all of China! There is nothing under the sun I need fear!

This projector gizmo is all I need to make short work of any evil spirit! Come, fellow busters, and follow my lead!

Wait! Stop! If you get too close to it, your mind will

(I-I'm not scared of ghosts. I'm not scared of ghosts. The only thing I'm scared of is)

This is bad. It's starting to take shape!

Oh man, I just had a thought. What if it's Illya herself?

That'd be awful! But then, I'd also just be glad to see her, especially after we've been apart this whole summer!

You rang, and I came! That's right! One of the Felidae!

I am the Scariest Thing in the World, and I'm everything you fear come to life, bitches!

What do you think? Pretty scary, right? I'll understand if you want to break down sobbing and beg for mercy.

Not that it's going to stop me from ghost-killing you all to death, though. Might wanna start meowing your prayers.

Aaah! A cat! Dammit! I even tried my best not to think about cats!

Ghh. I can't believe I wound up creating such a hair-raising fiend...

I don't know what this is all about, but I think we've got a real shot at beating this thing! Recharging Mahatma Packs now!

It should be easier to fight than those incorporeal ghosts, so I'm feeling a lot more motivated all of a sudden.

I think now I'm willing to do whatever it takes to bring this thing down.

Teacher...? No, wait. I don't know what that thing is, but I do know it's not Illya. And that means it has to pay the Not-Being-Illya price.

That's strange. I thought I was supposed to be an evil spirit with enough paw-er to destroy the world...

But instead, I get the feeling they're treating me like some sort of joke! All right, that does it. I'll just have to show these people how fur-rocious I really am!

Muahahaha! Now who's the side story joke villain!?

Damn, this thing looks like a joke, but it's actually pretty tough!

...All right. I didn't want to do this, but it seems we have no choice but to use our last resort.

What is it?

We'll cross the Mahatma Packs' streams.

Excuse me, Helena. You said crossing the streams was bad!

It is, but...there's definitely a very slim chance we'll survive.

What do you say, Empress? Do you trust me?

Hm... I've always been a good judge of character, and I can see you're telling the truth, so...

I love this plan! I'm excited to be a part of it! Come on, Guihunbusters! Let's wipe this evil spirit off the face of the earth!

There's still no such thing as evil spirits, but if taking this enemy out now means Master and Illya won't have to fight it later, I have no reason to refuse.

No objections here. Whatever this thing is, it has no business here in reality.

Stop that! This may not be my true form, but that doesn't mean I like having my entire existence denied!

Gaaargh!

We did it! So, now what?

...Good, we've got an overload and excessive interference happening, so Mahatma should be freaking out a good bit.

I'm sorry, but we still don't have any idea what Mahatma actually is, so do you think you could explain in words we actually understand?

Oh, right, good point. Well, um, put simply...

It's going to explode.

...

...

...

W-we've got to get out of here!

This isn't over yet, Whateverbusters. You may have defeated me, but the second and third mes are sure to avenge my

Huh? It's just me out here? Oh.

Well, who cares! Long live the Felidae!

Hmm. These Mahatma Packs definitely, uh, pack a punch, but they're still not as stable as I'd like.

I'm not sure stability is the problem here...

I definitely prefer the weapon I'm used to. Not that I'm especially fond of this scythe or anything, but still.

Couldn't you have told us it was going to explode a little sooner!? We were nearly buried alive alongside that thing!

Still, that aside, it feels very good indeed to finally be free of ghost and cat alike! Now, at long last, peace should return to this Singularity once agai

Did somebody mention cats, woof?

Whoa, what happened to you guys? You're so covered with soot I almost thought you crawled out of a chimney. You must've been running around all over the place to get that dirty.

Well, lucky for you, this cat's special rice-stuffed omelet will have you all back on your feet in no time.

Just make sure you wash your hands before you dig in. See you at the battlefield (read: dining table)!

A-another cat...!

I see. So evil lives on in this Singularity after all.

All right. If that's how it's going to be, then fine!

I have not come this far only to give up now. I will not rest until my subjects can live their lives in peace!

The next group I form shall be known as the Yaomao (demon cat) busters!

You know, I AM pretty hungry.

Me too. And you should never let your magical energy get too low.

Besides, I can't imagine cats being anywhere near the threat that ghosts are, even if the latter aren't real.

Plus, I think Illya likes them.

H-hey! Where are you all going? You need to help me rid this world of demon cats before you go wash your hands!

Heeey! Get back here! That is an order straight from your empress!