Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

May, the rainy season had arrived.

Thick, rolling clouds swept in, pressing down the sky. Standing in the windswept wilderness, one could clearly see the dividing line between heaven and earth. At the edge of those heavy clouds on the horizon, streaks of golden afterglow were cast, outlining the shapes of the clouds.

A flash of lightning instantly pierced the sky, like a twisted golden branch, followed by the whooshing sound of rain approaching from far to near.

Rain fell from the sky, striking the ground and splashing up bits of mud and water, then quickly soaking the ashen ground and turning it a wet and darkened hue.

The wind blew intermittently, causing the curtain of rain to sway in the wind. Wherever the rain struck, it brought up a misty fog, and the whooshing sound of the rain drowned out the cacophony of other noises, bringing unity and tranquility.

Inside a small town in North Third District, shoppers who had finished buying groceries stood at the supermarket's entrance, watching the torrential rain outside, reluctant to leave.

"It's raining, huh," lamented a voice from behind. The young man turned to see an elderly man just coming out from the cashier.

"Yeah."

"It finally came down. When it doesn't rain, you're always on edge, afraid of being caught in it some day. But when it actually rains, you somehow feel relieved," said the old man slowly, sharing his feelings before finding a bench near the supermarket's entrance to sit on.

"Would you like to sit for a while, young man?"

"No need, thank you," the young man responded as he took out his personal terminal to check when the rain would likely end, wondering if he should hail a taxi home.

Rain splashed near his feet, with small droplets dampening his shoes and legs, forcing the young man to step back.

"Better not to venture out in the rain, the first few rains of the season are very toxic," the old man's voice cautioned from behind.

"I know."

He was far more aware of the corrosive power of the toxic rain than the old man, as he worked in the Water Purification Industry.

Considered a prime culprit and a key factor in the environmental degradation of Jade Skirt, the corrosive toxic rain had been the subject of extensive research. The analysis of its composition was now quite thorough.

Beyond the chemical corrosion caused by certain industrial activities, the greatest danger of the toxic rain lay in its complex and heavy Transcendent impurities. These impurities were by-products from the production of specialized crystals years ago. A mix of various Transcendent substances with special properties combined to form a kind of indissoluble pollutant, which was the main villain affecting the environment of Jade Skirt.

If it were a single substance, even a Transcendent one, countermeasures could quickly be found. However, the pollutants dispersed in the water and atmosphere were extremely complex and could not be filtered out or neutralized by physical or chemical means, which made them particularly troublesome. Even though some water purification products claimed they could handle such pollution, they only offered limited filtration and treatment for a small portion, barely providing a potable water source. To use such methods to address the environmental water sources of an entire planet would cost resources comparable to astronomical figures.

Backing up to the shelter of the supermarket's canopy where the ground was still dry and untouched by the toxic rain, the young man was about to sit down and wait out the storm with the old man when a piercing sound roared past the edge of the street. It was followed by a rush of air and mist that stirred up the entire street, and some droplets hit the young man's face, causing a stinging pain.

Gray armored Mechas with sharp edges sliced through the veil of rain, speeding through the remote town in North Third District like bullets firing into the vast, rainy world beyond.

[The front squad has engaged with the rebels and is currently in combat. Second and third squads follow up, rushing to the battle location.]

The pilot inside the Mecha stared intently ahead, adroitly avoiding various obstacles and moving swiftly and smoothly.

As the Mecha drew closer to the point indicated on the map, they could already see remnants of the battle and flashes of light through their observation devices.

[Gray Parrot has arrived at the combat zone and will soon join the fight,] the pilot succinctly reported over the earpiece, followed by the voices of teammates acknowledging.

[Red-tailed Hawk following, will soon join the fight.]

[Emerald Falcon following, will soon join the fight.]

Afterward, three Mechas charged in a wedge formation, with blue thrusters lifting them from the rear as they gradually gained altitude.

In front of the rain curtain, four Swallow-level Mechas were in combat, while not far away lay a severed and damaged Swallow-level Mecha.

The combatants included the military police suppression squad from North Third District and the unidentified organization members piloting the other two Mechas. The groups exchanged fire and maneuvered through the rain curtain, occasionally engaging in close combat with Light Sabers like knights charging, bringing a vast amount of water vapor and scalding steam.

"To think they dared to flee here. They're really underestimating us," said the pilot inside the gray Mecha, recognizing the two familiar Mechas through the rain curtain. He pushed the throttle to the maximum, realizing that these two Mechas were among those that had gone missing from North Fourth District.

"Bang! Sss—"

The gray Mecha collided directly with one faction in combat, its green Light Saber firmly pressing down on the opponent's orange Light Saber. Sparks erupted continuously from where the two Light Sabers met, the fierce clash of energies sizzling, heating everything around them. Some raindrops didn't even have the chance to fall before turning to steam, drifting up once more in the heat and sparks.

Surprised by the sudden arrival of enemy reinforcements, the two rebel Mechas grew alarmed, realizing that not just one gray Mecha had appeared, but two others from the flanks were converging, seemingly with no intention of letting the rebel Mechas escape.