Chapter 26: True Form and Magical Construct

The night in the center of Fang Ting is always brightly lit; viewed from above, the neon lights and streetlamps interweave into a river of light.

Senior Cuique leaned against the safety net on the rooftop of a high-rise building, staring at the blue, incomplete disc in her hand with a dazed expression.

After several days of investigation, she had basically confirmed that this object was some kind of pipeline valve in the sewer. Undoubtedly, since this object was found inside the body of a Solitary Cavity-type Remnant Beast, it meant that the beast had once lived in the city's sewers.

But normally, this should be impossible. Given the massive size of the Solitary Cavity-type Remnant Beast, the areas it could successfully pass through in the city sewers were few; obviously, foraging there would be quite difficult for it, let alone hiding continuously without being noticed by anyone.

Unless there was some existence within the sewers that provided it with food while simultaneously concealing its tracks.

For instance, a "Pupa"-stage Remnant Beast.

In the two years since Tumi and the others left, what exactly happened in Fang Ting City that even a Pupa-stage Remnant Beast could take root and build a nest?

Senior Cuique had to take this issue seriously. Combining this with the urban legend of the "Song of the Sewers" she had previously found online, for the past few nights, she had been searching everywhere for that potentially existing Pupa-stage Remnant Beast.

Regrettably, there were no results so far.

— "Senior Cuique?"

The girl's voice came from not far away.

Senior Cuique raised her head and saw Lin Xiaolu and Xia Liang looking at her from the side; only then did she realize she seemed to have been daydreaming, and it was already time for class.

The same rooftop and terrace; this place had almost become her permanent teaching location. She only needed to send a notification via phone after work, and once the two "students" arrived, she could begin today's lesson.

"Nothing, just thinking about something."

After briefly explaining the reason for her distraction, Senior Cuique straightened up and walked toward the center of the rooftop: "If everyone is here, let's begin. Tonight, I will teach you some advanced things."

"Advanced?" Lin Xiaolu showed an expression of some interest. "Does this mean you're going to tell us how to deal with the Caterpillar?"

"I think your idea of 'advanced' is a bit too high and far-fetched," Xia Liang said helplessly with a smile.

"What I think has nothing to do with you, right?" Lin Xiaolu pouted.

The two started arguing as soon as they met. After repeating meaningless bickering for a distance with Senior Cuique, they saw her turn around, scan the area, clear her throat twice to signal them to stop and get to the main topic:

"Let's start directly. What we will discuss tonight is an ability very important to every Magical Girl: Magical Construct, abbreviated as Magic Gear."

"Oh!" The two Magical Girls reacted vigorously, clapping their hands respectively, accompanied by supportive remarks like "Finally" and "It's this one."

Senior Cuique paused for a while, waiting until the two finished clapping, before continuing: "Regarding Magic Gear, I have briefly introduced it to you before, but this time I will explain it in more detail."

"First, let me review for you: every Magical Girl masters their own Magic Gear when their Ability Bloom reaches the Bud level. Magic Gear is the manifestation of a Magical Girl's True Form, so everyone's Magic Gear is different and unique. You should all still remember this point."

"As for the True Form, it is the collection of a Magical Girl's magic power and soul. By training to increase magic power and by using spiritual insight to strengthen intuition, one ultimately develops the Seed of the Heart, causing the two to merge and unite, forming one's True Form."

"When a Magical Girl forms her True Form, her Ability Bloom stage reaches the Bud level. From this stage onward, the appearance of a Magical Girl's state will remain permanently constant and never change again, while simultaneously experiencing an explosive growth in magic power. Therefore, the Bud level is a very important step for a Magical Girl; once Ability Bloom reaches the Bud level, combat power is worlds apart from before."

When Senior Cuique spoke to this point, Xia Liang couldn't help but raise her eyes to ponder, then showed considerable initiative by raising her hand to indicate she wanted to ask a question.

"Ask away." Senior Cuique felt she wasn't thinking of anything good, but still extended her hand to signal permission.

Having received permission, Xia Liang immediately asked with a grin: "So, Junior Senior, did you reach the Bud level at 10 years old?"

As expected.

Senior Cuique couldn't help but lower her eyelids, feeling that she had already adapted to Xia Liang's style.

"Why are you asking such strange questions during class!"

Before she could give an answer, Lin Xiaolu stepped forward instead: "Show some respect to Senior Cuique!"

"Is this question strange?" Xia Liang looked innocent.

"You are clearly making fun of her height..."

Lin Xiaolu wanted to expose Xia Liang's disguise, but halfway through speaking, she realized it was inappropriate. She turned to look at Senior Cuique and found that Senior Cuique was indeed looking at her with a blank expression.

For a moment, she was neither able to advance nor retreat, and actually didn't know what to say.

"Hmm? Sorry, I didn't mean that. I was just curious in my heart."

Xia Liang squeezed her eyes and smiled apologetically: "After all, if one really entered the Bud level at 10, that would actually count as a very impressive genius, right?"

"Ah, speaking of which..." Lin Xiaolu, who had originally been frozen, finally realized belatedly and looked at Senior Cuique with curiosity as well.

"No, I just look young in age after transforming."

Facing the confusion of the two, Senior Cuique remained expressionless and answered in a rigid manner: "In terms of the age at which I became a Magical Girl, I am actually about the same as you two."

The rather cold reply obviously could not satisfy the other two Magical Girls, but she ignored the disappointed expressions on their faces and stopped this topic regarding age and height on her own.

"Let's get back to Magic Gear."

She clapped her hands to signal a return to the main topic: "After a Magical Girl has a True Form, the Magic Gear, as the manifestation of the True Form, will be born naturally. It will become the weapon most suitable for you, even if you don't know how to use it when you first obtain it."

"The innate potential of Magic Gear is differentiated; some Magical Girls' Magic Gear is simply stronger than others by nature. This point will have a dedicated assessment item during the Realm Assessment, so I will not expand on it here for now."

"However, even with innate deficiencies, Magic Gear can grow through the Magical Girl's postnatal efforts."

"When the magic power and soul that compose your True Form are significantly improved, the Magic Gear will also evolve accordingly, becoming stronger than its initial state. Ultimately, the power is also determined by magic power, soul, and mastery; these three are the basics when using Magic Gear."

"Next, I will demonstrate for you using my own Magic Gear..."

The lesson proceeded as usual.

Two weeks had passed since Lin Xiaolu became a Magical Girl, and Xia Liang had been a Magical Girl for over a week as well; the basic knowledge Senior Cuique instilled in them increased day by day.

From the most basic common sense at the beginning, to combat techniques later, and now to advanced abilities.

Lin Xiaolu's talent was neither good nor bad, but fortunately, her attitude was quite serious, so she managed to memorize everything she learned.

Xia Liang was an undisputed genius; although she always seemed somewhat absent-minded, she could actually master everything Senior Cuique taught very quickly.

In the past, Senior Cuique had not really mentored many newcomers. The only Magical Girl junior she had interacted with before retiring, codenamed Chaoyan, which was Hong Siyu, actually worked with her for less than half a shichen.

Now, watching the two newcomers grow bit by bit under her personal teaching, one of whom was her own daughter, she felt an indescribable sense of gratification in her heart.

Just like that, after about two hours, having finished teaching various fragmented knowledge, Senior Cuique stood on the rooftop, watching the two Magical Girls leave after bidding farewell.

She must provide them with a safer environment for growth.

The broken blue disc flashed through her mind; Senior Cuique waved goodbye with a calm expression while secretly making a resolve in her heart.