Kyubey words always seemed to make sense on the surface but were full of holes. For instance, right now, it sounded like he was being considerate of Madoka Kaname and the others' feelings, but in reality, he could have kept them out of this entire mess from the very beginning.
Since specific details weren't explained over the phone, why reveal any information at all? Was it purely to make Mami Tomoe and the others realize the gravity of the situation?
If Lancer were in the opponent's shoes, he would have absolutely hidden these matters from Madoka and her friends. After all, they couldn't help even if they knew; knowing more would only make them nervous, serving no purpose otherwise.
But Kyubey didn't seem to have any intention of letting others get a word in.
"Walpurgisnacht. It is one of the most terrifying enemies a magical girl can face. Every time it appears, it causes urban destruction and loss of life. Like a natural disaster, 'she' can be considered the most fearsome existence among 'Witches.' For all these years, no magical girl has ever been able to completely destroy it."
"For all these years? Does that mean it's existed for a long time?"
Even Lancer only knew about the terror of "Walpurgisnacht" without knowing the specific details, so he simply spoke up to ask.
"Yes. Walpurgisnacht could be called the first generation of Witches, though it has grown stronger and stronger as time passed. At most, each generation of magical girls has only managed to defeat it enough to force it into a temporary dormancy due to its injuries, but so far, no one has been able to truly eliminate it. However—Doctor Lancer, don't you mages have records regarding it? You should know that unlike other petty Witches, every appearance of Walpurgisnacht triggers signs akin to a natural disaster. Since you are mages with a long heritage, there should be records of such abnormal phenomena, right?"
Kyubey, who had been lying on the car seat, stood up at some point. Though he maintained that harmless expression, the question he asked was like a dagger pressed against Lancer chest.
Unfortunately, this kind of verbal assault wasn't enough to shake Lancer.
"Mages are rare to begin with. While it's possible a mage was present where your so-called 'Walpurgisnacht' appeared, it's also possible they sacrificed themselves, leaving no records behind."
"Perhaps."
The exchange seemed simple enough, but a hidden confrontation had already begun.
'Has this guy Kyubey found some kind of clue?'
Lancer couldn't help but start retracing his previous actions to see if anything might have caught the creature's attention...
Thinking carefully now, he really had done quite a lot during the day or so that the creature had been "missing." The most critical move was "abducting" Mami Tomoe.
'Was a flaw discovered after all?'
In truth, Lancer had hesitated for a while about whether to lay his cards on the table with Mami. After all, once he did, there was a chance Kyubey would find out, but after agonizing over it, he decided to go through with it.
Even though Madoka Kaname, Homura Akemi, and even Sayaka Miki would become significant combat assets once they became magical girls, Lancer didn't want to get the three of them involved. Therefore, the only combat power he could recruit was Kyoko Sakura and Mami Tomoe. Moreover, Lancer knew that as he did more and more, Kyubey would eventually notice something was off, so he had simply made his move on Mami directly.
'Even though I expected it, this guy really isn't simple.'
Even though its expressions and movements looked no different than usual, Lancer felt a massive sense of threat coming from Kyubey.
However, Kyubey didn't choose to relentlessly pursue Lancer, instead continuing to speak about "Walpurgisnacht."
"In fact, the cities that have mysteriously vanished over the years were all the handiwork of Walpurgisnacht. This time, it seems to have targeted this place. Once she succeeds, I'm afraid the entire city will not be spared. So, 'Madoka,' to protect this city, I hope you can become a magical girl."
Only then did Kyubey truly show his hand, revealing his objective.
His goal from the start was to turn Madoka Kaname into a magical girl. Faced with Kyubey sudden words, Madoka was completely stunned.
Although Kyubey had tried to form a contract with Madoka more than once, she had refused every time because she didn't have a wish she needed to fulfill through a "contract," nor a reason to become a magical girl. After all, Mitakihara City was quite peaceful under the protection of Lancer and Mami.
But now, Kyubey had forcibly manufactured a "reason" for her.
To become a magical girl to protect the city!
And that wasn't the end of it. After staring at Madoka for a moment, Kyubey looked toward Sayaka Miki and Homura Akemi sitting on either side of her.
"Sayaka, Homura, I also hope you can lend me your strength..."
But before he could finish, he was crudely interrupted.
"Kyubey, you said Walpurgisnacht is about to appear. How long do we have?"
"Probably within the next day or two."
Kyubey words made Lancer expression turn extremely serious, and they also confirmed a theory: these "Witches" were indeed influenced by Kyubey. Based on the fact that Witches and Familiars would still attack him, it was clear he couldn't completely control them, but it was no surprise that he likely possessed a method to catalyze them.
"In that case, I oppose your suggestion."
"Why?"
This was the first true confrontation between Lancer and Kyubey. Until now, both sides had been playing around the edges, but neither seemed to have the intention of starting a direct war. Aside from the three girls in the backseat who still looked confused, the other three in the car weren't surprised at all. Facing Kyubey counter-question, Lancer wore a strange expression.
"Even if they become 'magical girls,' the impact they can have is extremely limited. This has nothing to do with their determination or talent. I believe geniuses exist in this world, but being a genius doesn't mean you can reach the top in one step. Combat experience isn't something that can be gained in just two days. On a real battlefield, power that doesn't match one's awareness will only lead them into greater danger. Generally speaking, there is a common name for these kinds of instant-made soldiers on the battlefield—cannon fodder."
Perhaps because Lancer rarely showed a serious expression in front of Madoka and the others, the atmosphere inside the car became murderous as he unconsciously let his "bloodlust" spread. His deliberately drawn-out tone made the three girls swallow hard, and that cruel evaluation hit Sayaka Miki and the others like a bucket of ice water, chilling their previously determined spirits.