Magical Girl Vanguard

"He stared at the ship and the ship stared back." Cosmic horrors, the Yabanchi, interrupt Liara's first day back at Magical Girl Academy, when they invade her city and begin their slaughter of its inhabitants.  Stuck in an endless war between humanity and eldritch abominations, Liara has to navigate life as a new Magical Girl and face truths that will make her question the substance of her reality.  Meanwhile on the other side of the universe, an Imperial Vanguard soldier named Tanlon is subjected to human wave tactics and forced into battles that he is not expected to survive. The commissars promise him a glorious retirement after he serves in ten battles, yet no one ever successfully completes their tenth jump and lives to tell about it. Both of these main POV characters, connected by a twist of mercy and fate, have little more than shreds of hope to hold onto, as hands move behind the scenes and worlds are treated as pawns. Alongside multitudes of inhuman horrors, they will face immortal liches, insane artificial intelligences, and a hungering darkness that consumes the stars themselves. Can Liara and Tanlon make it to the end with their sanity intact?  This story is hugely inspired by Magical Girl Gunslinger, by Mikasane, with a point progression system that focuses on upgrading companions and mana skills. There are stats, but no levels, and expect a much darker tone with character deaths and a dystopian setting.  Cover art commissioned from/created by 狼Wølf Chapter releases will take place weekly on Tuesdays