The Eastern Witch hadn't yet figured out the complex question of "why would a house fall from the sky?" when the house already crashed down on her head.
The Eastern Witch, in her dragon form, was struck so hard that she saw stars, plummeting from the sky to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Bang!
"Ouch."
The Eastern Witch, now a giant dragon, had just raised her head to figure out what was happening when she felt a sharp pain in her back.
The house that had fallen from the sky was pressing down on her.
The already severely injured Eastern Witch couldn't withstand this; she felt as if her bones were about to break, and she spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Aurora had no time to ponder why the house fell from the sky; seizing the opportunity, she shot forward.
She rushed to the Eastern Witch and brought down a sword strike with all her might.
"No, no, don't!"
The Eastern Witch screamed in terror.
Crack.
The dragon's head was severed, and blood splattered onto the Green Field.
"Hooray!"
The Munchkins watching the battle all jumped up and cheered.
"The evil Eastern Witch is finally dead! We no longer have to work for her day and night!"
They cheered, high-fived each other, some happily jumped, and others sang cheerful songs.
These little people then ran over to thank Aurora:
"Thank you, our hero!"
"You killed the evil Eastern Witch and freed us all."
Only then did Aurora have time to observe these strangely dressed people around her.
Their attire was very different from other kingdoms on the Western Continent. The men wore pointed, round hats with small bells attached, which jingled as they ran and jumped. The women wore white robes adorned with small, glowing decorations.
Even more astonishing was that they all seemed quite old, with the men having beards and the women having wrinkles on their faces, yet their height was about the same as Aurora's!
This was much shorter than the people of the Western Continent's various nations—Aurora suspected they belonged to a similar race as the seven little people she had encountered earlier in the White Kingdom.
"Are these the Munchkins enslaved by the Eastern Witch?" Aurora wondered.
She had learned a little about Oz and the Eastern Witch through the magic mirror before and knew about the Slave Owner's wicked deeds.
"Thank you so much, noble sorceress. We don't know how to repay you," the Munchkins said.
"Sorceress? Who are you talking about?" Aurora was puzzled.
"Of course, it's you, our hero. You must be a powerful sorceress, right? That's how you were able to defeat the Eastern Witch. Our friend—the kind Northern Witch—couldn't even do such a thing," a Munchkin replied.
"No, no," Aurora shook her head, "I… I do know a little magic, but that's not my forte, and I never claim to be a sorceress."
"My teacher is a true sorcerer," Aurora added.
"I killed the Eastern Witch entirely through my martial arts and physical strength. Where I come from, warriors who possess physiques and combat skills far beyond ordinary people are called Super Warriors, just like me."
The Munchkins nodded, half-understanding.
"Oh my, can humans really slay a giant dragon with just physical strength? That sounds incredibly unbelievable."
Upon hearing Aurora's words, their eyes widened, unable to imagine the incredible power contained within the seemingly delicate body of the girl before them.
If anyone else had told them this story, they would never have believed it to be true!
But it was absolutely true:
This slender girl had just killed the Eastern Witch right in front of them!
"It seems that in Oz… well, at least in the understanding of this group of Munchkins, there's no such thing as a Super Warrior like me? But they still know that sorcerers exist."
Aurora roughly understood.
"This is a good thing for me," Aurora thought. This meant that other people here—including other evil sorcerers—would underestimate her and wouldn't believe that a small girl like her possessed the strength and martial arts to slay a dragon.
These little people surrounded Aurora, singing, dancing, and cheering. They continued for several hours without stopping.
They also brought out all the most abundant and delicious food from their homes to entertain the little hero who had saved them.
Aurora also took this opportunity to eat her fill and recover the physical strength she had expended during the intense battle.
However, even while eating, Aurora remained worried, her face clouded with concern, as if she were troubled by something.
"Respected sorceress—ah no, respected Super Warrior, our hero, what are you worried about? The evil Eastern Witch—the most terrifying witch in Oz—has been eliminated by you, what else is there to worry about?"
Seeing their hero looking dispirited, the Munchkins asked with concern, wanting to help alleviate the little hero's worries.
Aurora explained her concerns:
"You must have noticed that I came to this Oz from other countries outside. A powerful magic transported me here.
"My teacher, as well as another evil witch—people call her 'Black Witch Maleficent'—were also sent to Oz by this magic, just like me.
"However, I don't know where they are now.
"I'm worried about my teacher—he is a true sorcerer. I want to find him as soon as possible.
"At the same time, I'm also worried that Black Witch Maleficent is hiding somewhere in Oz, recovering from her injuries and plotting evil schemes."
Aurora was particularly worried about Maleficent, who was gravely injured and on the verge of death, recovering.
—As a dragon in human skin, her recovery speed must be much faster than an ordinary person's!
Previously, Rhine, using the advantage of the Scepter of the Sea on the ocean, controlled the storm to defeat Maleficent.
But dealing with this Black Witch on land would be much more difficult!
"Once Maleficent recovers from her injuries, we'll be in danger."
"I must reunite with my teacher as soon as possible, and while Maleficent's injuries haven't healed, find her hiding place, eliminate her, and completely lift the Rose Kingdom's curse!"
"Time is of the essence. Heaven knows how long it will take for Black Witch Maleficent to recover to her peak…"
Aurora's thoughts raced.
The Munchkins listened to Aurora's words, and upon hearing the little hero mention another evil witch, they all asked curiously:
"Is Black Witch Maleficent more powerful than the Eastern Witch?"
The Eastern Witch was the most powerful sorceress in their knowledge.
It was said that she was also the most powerful of all four witches in Oz!
"Of course," Aurora said gravely, "Maleficent is much more powerful than the Eastern Witch! One of her curses can affect an area as vast as all of Oz."
"Even the magic that turned the Eastern Witch into a dragon was taught by Black Witch Maleficent!"
The Munchkins were terrified.
"Oh my, there's actually such a powerful witch in the world? And a witch with such power is now in Oz? What are we going to do? Who can deal with her?"
The Munchkins, who had just been joyful and happy about being liberated from the oppression of the evil witch, all turned pale upon hearing Aurora's words.
Aurora comforted these little people:
"Don't be afraid. Maleficent was severely injured by my teacher before coming to Oz, so she must be recuperating now.
"As I just said, my teacher is also now in Oz—he is a very powerful sorcerer!
"As long as we can find my teacher and then find Maleficent's hiding place, we can eliminate Maleficent together!
"So, do you know how to find them?"
The Munchkins looked around, and soon came up with an idea:
"Don't worry, our hero!
"We've sent our fastest runner north to find our friends, the Munchkins' friend—the Northern Witch. To tell her that the evil Eastern Witch has been killed, and to invite her here.
"The Northern Witch is knowledgeable and skilled in divination; she will surely be able to help you find your teacher and Black Witch Maleficent!"
…
Soon after, an old woman arrived in the Green Field where the Munchkins lived.
According to the Munchkins' introduction, this kind and benevolent old woman was the legendary Northern Witch.
As soon as the Northern Witch arrived, the Munchkins excitedly gestured and described the previous scene to this kind witch.
"That girl fought the Eastern Witch, who had turned into a dragon, with a sword, and even forced the dragon to retreat repeatedly…"
"The Eastern Witch, in her dragon form, tried to escape, and just then, a house fell from the sky, striking the Eastern Witch to the ground, and our hero rushed forward and cut off the dragon's head with a single sword!"
The Munchkins recounted vividly, fearing they couldn't fully convey Aurora's bravery.
The Northern Witch was quite surprised, and looked at Aurora with some disbelief, then showed a gentle and benevolent smile:
"Foreign guest, hero named Aurora.
"On behalf of my friends—all the Munchkins in this land—I thank you. It is you who liberated them!
"However, why did the house fall from the sky? Could it be that you are a sorceress who moved this house onto the dragon's head?"
Aurora shook her head and looked at the house standing quietly:
"No, I don't know why the house fell from the sky either."
Just then, the door of the house opened.
A little girl and a cute little dog walked out. The little girl looked about the same age as Aurora.
"Oh my goodness!"
The Munchkins exclaimed, only then realizing there was someone else inside the house.
They gathered around the little girl who had emerged from the house, speaking one after another:
"Thank you for moving the house onto the Eastern Witch's head and knocking that evil witch to the ground."
"It was you and Aurora, two girls, who together killed the evil Eastern Witch! You are both heroes of the Munchkins."
"What's your name? You must be a sorceress, right?"