Off Work, Then Transform into a Magical Girl

Fangting City's downtown nights were always brightly lit. From a high vantage point, the intertwining neon lights and street lamps formed a river of light.

Cui Que leaned against the protective netting of a high-rise rooftop, staring blankly at the blue, broken disc in her hand.

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

But normally, this was impossible. Given the enormous size of a Melting Cavity-type Brutal Beast, there weren't many areas in the city's sewers where it could pass through smoothly. It would be quite difficult for it to find food there, let alone remain hidden without being noticed.

Unless there was something in the sewers that provided it with food while also concealing its presence.

For example, a Pupa-stage Brutal Beast.

In the two years since Tu Mi and the others left, what had happened in Fangting City that even Pupa-stage Brutal Beasts could take root and build nests?

We are ", find us on google.

Cui Que had to take this issue seriously. Combining this with the urban legend she had found online about the "Singing in the Sewers," she had been searching for this possible Pupa-stage Brutal Beast for several nights.

Unfortunately, there were no results so far.

—"Cui Que?"

A girl's voice came from not far away.

Cui Que looked up and saw Lin Xiaolu and Xia Liang watching her from the side. She realized she had been lost in thought, and it was already class time.

The same rooftop and terrace had almost become her regular teaching spot. She only needed to send a notification on her phone after work, and once her two "students" arrived, she could start today's lesson.

"Nothing, just thinking."

She briefly explained her distraction and straightened up, walking towards the center of the terrace. "Since you're both here, let's begin. Tonight, I'll teach you some advanced stuff."

"Advanced?" Lin Xiaolu showed a somewhat interested expression. "Are we going to learn how to deal with Caterpillars?"

"I think you're aiming a bit too high for advanced." Xia Liang smiled helplessly.

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

The two started bickering as soon as they met, following Cui Que for a while before she turned around, cleared her throat, and signaled them to stop and get to the point:

"Let's get started. Tonight, we're going to talk about a very important ability for every Magical Girl: Magic Assembly, or Magical Assembly for short."

"Oh!" The two Magical Girls reacted enthusiastically, clapping their hands and expressing sentiments like "Finally" and "So it's this."

Cui Que waited for their applause to end before continuing, "I've briefly introduced you to Magical Assembly before, but this time, I'll go into more detail."

"First, let's review. Every Magical Girl masters her own Magical Assembly when her ability Blossoms to the Bud Stage. Magical Assembly is the manifestation of a Magical Girl's True Form, so each person's Magical Assembly is unique. You should remember this."

"As for the True Form, it's the fusion of a Magical Girl's magic power and soul. By training to enhance magic power and strengthening inspiration through spiritual thought, you ultimately develop the Seed of the Heart to merge the two, forming your True Form."

"When a Magical Girl forms her True Form, her ability Blossoms to the Bud Stage. From this stage onward, the appearance of the Magical Girl's state will remain forever constant, never changing again, and she'll experience an explosive growth in magic power. So the Bud Stage is a crucial step for a Magical Girl, with a combat power vastly different from before."

As Cui Que spoke, Xia Liang couldn't help but ponder, then raised her hand, indicating she had a question.

"Go ahead." Cui Que had a feeling it wouldn't be a good question but still gestured for her to ask.

With permission, Xia Liang immediately grinned and asked, "So, little senior, did you reach the Bud Stage at 10 years old?"

As expected.

Cui Que couldn't help but lower her eyelids, feeling she had gotten used to Xia Liang's style.

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

Before she could answer, Lin Xiaolu stepped forward, "Show some respect to Senior Cui Que!"

"Is that question really strange?" Xia Liang looked innocent.

"You're clearly teasing her about her height..."

Lin Xiaolu wanted to expose Xia Liang's disguise but realized halfway through that it was inappropriate. She turned to look at Cui Que, who was indeed staring at her expressionlessly.

For a moment, she didn't know what to say.

"Um? Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I was just curious."

Xia Liang squinted her eyes and smiled apologetically, "After all, reaching the Bud Stage at 10 would make you a genius, right?"

"Oh, speaking of which..." Lin Xiaolu, who had been frozen, finally realized and looked at Cui Que with curiosity.

"No, it's just that my transformed appearance looks young."

Facing their confusion, Cui Que still answered expressionlessly, "In terms of the age at which I became a Magical Girl, I'm actually about the same as you."

Her rather cold reply didn't satisfy the other two Magical Girls, but she ignored their disappointed expressions and moved on from the topic of age and height.

"Back to Magical Assembly."

She clapped her hands, signaling a return to the main topic, "Once a Magical Girl has her True Form, the Magical Assembly, as its manifestation, will naturally be born. It will become the most suitable weapon for you, even if you don't know how to use it initially."

"The innate potential of Magical Assemblies varies. Some Magical Girls' Magical Assemblies are naturally stronger than others. This is evaluated during the Kingdom's assessment, but we won't go into that now."

"However, even if the innate potential is lacking, a Magical Assembly can grow through the Magical Girl's efforts."@@novelbin@@

"When the magic power and soul that form your True Form are significantly enhanced, the Magical Assembly will also evolve, becoming stronger than its initial state. Ultimately, its power is determined by magic power, soul, and mastery, the three basics of using a Magical Assembly."

"Now, I'll demonstrate with my own Magical Assembly..."

The lesson proceeded as usual.

It had been two weeks since Lin Xiaolu became a Magical Girl, and over a week for Xia Liang. The foundational knowledge Cui Que had been instilling in them was steadily increasing.

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

Lin Xiaolu's talent was average, but her attitude was serious enough to remember what she learned.

Xia Liang, on the other hand, was an undisputed genius. Although she often seemed distracted, she quickly grasped everything Cui Que taught.

Cui Que hadn't mentored many newcomers before. The only Magical Girl junior she had interacted with before retiring was Chao Yan, also known as Hong Siyu, and they had worked together for less than half a year.

Now, watching these two newcomers grow under her guidance, and one of them being her daughter, she felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

After about two hours, having covered various bits of knowledge, Cui Que stood on the rooftop, watching the two Magical Girls leave.

She needed to provide them with a safer environment to grow.

The image of the broken blue disc flashed in her mind. Cui Que waved goodbye with a calm expression, silently making a resolution in her heart.