MHGA Chapter 381 – Kinship Stone
It was only after finishing her Felyne Meal that Homura Akemi realized… she had eaten quite a lot.
But surprisingly, she didn't feel overly full. Instead, her stomach felt warm, and her whole body was brimming with energy.
This sensation was a first for Homura—she couldn't recall ever feeling this healthy before.
"Looks like your body's already improved a great deal," Granny Felyne said kindly as she watched Homura finish her meal. "Eating properly will help you become much healthier, you know."
"Hmm?"
Homura had wanted to thank Granny Felyne, but just as she stood up, she noticed something strange.
Her pocket was glowing…
And then she realized—her Soul Gem, which had previously been clouded by repeated time-stops, was now completely clean. The magic coursing through her body was roaring with renewed vigor…
The most obvious sign: her Soul Gem wasn't just clear—it was practically radiating like a 500-watt lightbulb, shining with a piercing violet glow.
"You're in great shape now!" Granny Felyne said cheerfully when she saw the glowing Soul Gem. "You can come back next time too—Granny will cook you another delicious stew!"
"…?" Homura stared at what she was holding in her hand—no, that was her Soul Gem, not a flashlight—and entered a momentary state of cognitive shutdown.
Just… what was this place called the Hunter Gathering Hub? And how had the Felynes done this?
What happened? What is this? What's going on??
"Give up."
While Homura was stunned, a voice called out from not far away—it was Lucy.
She looked at the newly arrived Homura with a hint of sympathy. "Thinking too hard about it won't help. This isn't the kind of place you can understand using normal logic…"
"As the Hunters themselves put it…" Lucy was about to finish when David, beside her, gave a thumbs-up and flashed his dazzling smile:
"Felynes can do anything!"
"…" Homura was speechless. She wanted to stop thinking too, but if she gave up now… what about Madoka? What about Walpurgisnacht?
Still, this place didn't seem dangerous—quite the opposite. Everyone treated Madoka very kindly. As long as Madoka was here, she'd probably be safe.
As Homura was thinking that, Granny Felyne pulled something from a small box and walked over to Madoka, speaking gently: "Madoka, your Kinship Stone—Granny's finished preparing it for you."
As she spoke, she handed over what looked like a bracelet embedded with a pink gem—Madoka's Kinship Stone.
"Thank you, Granny Felyne!" Madoka said gratefully. "I'll use it well!"
"What's that?" Homura asked, puzzled, glancing at the item in Madoka's hand.
Madoka didn't hide anything and explained openly: "It's called a Kinship Stone. It lets you become partners with monsters."
She looked a little embarrassed. "I'm not really good at fighting, so I asked Granny Felyne to help me find one that suits me."
"I have a lot of shortcomings compared to the other Hunters, so I want to work harder to help others—and future Hunters too." Madoka clenched her fist and shook it gently. "As long as I can find a monster companion that's right for me, I'll be able to use the Kinship Stone to act as a Rider."
Homura didn't understand all the terms, but she grasped the idea.
Basically, Madoka would be able to tame monsters and fight alongside them…
Just thinking about it made Homura feel a little jealous of whichever monster might become Madoka's partner. But knowing it would become part of Madoka's strength, she couldn't really object.
"Kinship Stone… I kinda want one too," Kazuma, who'd been playing cards earlier, tossed his deck aside after Shirou had quit and joined the conversation. "Sir Kazuma would love to have a monster partner to fight alongside!"
"Pffft—someone like you, a third-rate adventurer, would probably only end up with a frog," Aqua mercilessly mocked him from the side.
Kazuma grabbed her cheeks and the two began bickering off to the side.
"Oh oh! If I could pick a monster companion, I'd definitely choose that one!" Rakuro tore the sticky notes off his bird-headed mask. "Nargacuga! I haven't seen one in person yet, but its fighting style feels so right for me—like a ninja!"
"As for me…" Shirou tried to join in. "I'd probably pick Zinogre."
Recalling the monster designs he was familiar with, Shirou quickly settled on Zinogre.
Its noble, honorable appearance really appealed to Shirou Emiya—it gave him the impression of a samurai.
"If I had a monster companion…" David mused for a long while before finally saying, "I can't really picture it… But still…"
David suddenly posed a question with curiosity: "What kind of monster do you think the Guildmaster would choose as a partner?"
His question made the surrounding Hunters all tilt their heads, but in the end, none could come up with an answer.
Just then, Madoka and Homura's lunch break was about to end. The two girls quickly got ready to return to class.
Meanwhile, in the depths of a Witch's Barrier, Kairo Retsu—who was hard at work—suddenly let out a massive sneeze, nearly yanking down the lever of a device by mistake.
"Someone must be talking about me," Kairo Retsu rubbed his nose. "Good. The anti-Shagaru Magala and Walpurgisnacht fortress is in preliminary assembly—now it's time to add the finishing touches!"
He looked at the massive structure taking form before him, being rapidly constructed by Felynes, with pride all over his face.
Last time, they were caught off guard by the Shagaru Magala—but this time, he was going to make sure it never left alive!
As long as they could overcome Walpurgisnacht, then next… would be the finale the Monster Hunters had prepared for the magical girls.
"Winged Lion."
Kairo Retsu turned and asked, "How's your understanding of Witches and magical girls coming along?"
"A fascinating construction… and a terrible waste," the Winged Lion replied, materializing before Kairo Retsu and taking the form of a Felyne. "So much precious desire, just to be converted into raw energy. I'd never get along with those Incubators."
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