Tokyo: Magical Girl Shatters My Dream of Going Public

The magical energy completely settled, and the blue light inside the cabin turned into a soft, standby white.

The sliding cover opens silently.

Chika sat up in the treatment pod and took a deep breath.

As soon as I left the constant temperature environment, my skin trembled slightly.

She didn't activate her combat suit, but the scene before her was already different.

The dust particles that were originally difficult to detect in the air now seemed to have slowed down, and their tracks became clearly discernible.

Light passes through them, tracing delicate, fleeting lines.

"Oh—!" she exclaimed softly, blinking. "It really has changed! Although it can't spray lasers anymore... this feels incredibly useful!"

Kurokawa handed her the printed body report.

"How are you feeling?"

Chika took the report, jumped lightly twice on the spot, and then quickly shook her head from side to side.

"Fantastic! I feel so light, and my vision... well, it's even 'clearer' now."

Kurokawa nodded and turned to Kaoru: "Kaoru, it's your turn."

Xun took a deep breath, took off her coat, and walked barefoot towards the treatment ward.

The simple light blue fabric clung to her body, swaying slightly with her steps.

"Kaoru, do your best!" Chika put down her report for the moment, leaned over to the edge of the cabin, and gave her a fist pump to cheer her on.

Xun turned around, gave her sister a forced smile, and lay down inside.

The sliding cover closes.

Kurokawa glanced at Chika, who stood beside him without a hint of worry.

"You seem to have a lot of confidence in her?"

"Of course!" Chika said, hands on her hips, chin raised, her tone brimming with undisguised pride. "Kaoru has always been better than me at everything! Studies, housework, planning... she's incredibly reliable!"

Kurokawa chuckled almost imperceptibly: "Is that so? Then I'll have to look forward to it."

Inside the cabin, Xun heard her sister's praise, but instead of relaxing, the pressure intensified.

She closed her eyes and regulated her breathing.

呲——

Pale purple magical mist surged forth again, filling the space.

Smoothly inhale them.

Thirty seconds later, the first set of preliminary data appeared on the control panel screen:

[Basic Magic Energy Release Rate: 28%]

"28%?" Chinatsu leaned close to the screen, almost pressing her face against it. "President, is that high?"

"Above average." Kurokawa stared at the data stream, his tone objective. "Slightly inferior to the 31% of the previous special forces captain, Kanzaki Jin, but already exceeding the initial values ​​of many professional combatants."

He quickly assessed the situation in his mind.

If it's only this level... it's not enough to make him make an exception and hire her.

"Let's check the species adaptability again," he muttered to himself, initiating the next phase of scanning.

New data columns pop up one by one:

[Adaptability to the Resentment System: 41%]

Legendary type adaptability: 46%

[Otherworldly Adaptability: 43%]

All three exceeded the 30% baseline, and even approached or reached the 50% threshold for "safe to try".

That's true, but he has absolutely nothing to do with the word "genius".

Chika also noticed something was amiss, and the excitement on her face faded somewhat.

She hurriedly pointed to the last item: "There's also [Spirit-type]! Xun might..."

Kurokawa remained silent, awaiting the final result.

The stats of the Spirit type increase extremely slowly.

10%... 12%... 16%... 22%...

It looks like it's about to hover and settle around 30%—

The number suddenly jumped up by a huge margin!

"It's gone up! It's gone up!" Qianxia's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but shout.

The numbers fluctuated: 38%... 45%... 51% —

stopped.

It remained steadily at 51%.

Chika's mouth was open, but the second half of her cheer was stuck in her throat.

From inside the examination pod came Xun's anxious question, her voice somewhat muffled through the internal speaker: "...How did it go?"

Chika scratched her head, her eyes darting around. "Uh... well, everyone's talent is different! Kaoru, you're already amazing!"

The cabin fell silent.

Xun didn't ask any more questions.

But she already knew the answer in her heart.

As expected... it still doesn't work.

She can't compare to her sister's brilliance, and she's barely even considered "excellent".

In my current state, I don't even have the right to stand beside my sister, let alone avenge her...

A feeling of loss slowly crept into my heart.

Perhaps I can only be a watcher forever?

Just when she was about to give up—

"Wait a moment." Kurokawa's voice suddenly rang out, calm yet carrying a rare hint of solemnity.

His fingers flew across the keyboard, bringing up a more in-depth analysis interface.

"I need to perform a more detailed directional scan on you," he said to Xun inside the pod. "It might be a little...special. Relax and breathe normally."

"Huh?" Xun asked, bewildered.

Kurokawa has pressed the start button.

This time, what spewed out of the bulkhead vents was no longer a pale purple mist, but an extremely thin stream of energy with a subtle peach-pink sheen.

Like living veils, they gently wrapped around Xun's body, even trying to penetrate through her skin pores.

Xun felt a slight, unfamiliar tingling sensation, like a subtle electric current sweeping through her body.

Outside, on the control panel screen, the previously frozen section for "[Spirit-type: 51%]" suddenly expanded with a sub-category menu:

[Spiritual Object System: Adaptability to Niche Markets]

[Mental and perceptual category: 7%]

[Physical Enhancement: 3%]

[Energy Manipulation Category: 97%]

[Rule-based games: 92%]

Qianxia stared at the screen, gasped, and her eyes widened in shock.

The first two are pitifully low.

The latter two are alarmingly high.

Energy manipulation, 97%!

Rule-making, 92%!

Kurokawa stared at the two sets of numbers that were almost at the top of the page, and couldn't help but sit up straight.

It turned out to be the case.

It's not that I lack talent.

It was because her talent was too "unbalanced" that she was severely underestimated in the rough overall test.

Most typical spirit-type adaptors tend to be "spirit" or "physical," and after being infused with [traits], they gain physical or sensory skills.

For example, the [Speed ​​Perception] skill that Chika acquired is a [Mental Perception] skill under the [Resentment] category.

And smoke...

Her talent is precisely directed towards the two rarest, most abstract, and most dependent on sophisticated thinking and logical frameworks in the material spirit system—energy communication and rule weaving!

This is no ordinary combat talent.

This is... the talent to understand, master, and even rewrite the inherent order and energy flow of "things".

Kurokawa slowly leaned back in his chair, his fingers unconsciously tapping the edge of the control panel.

He needs to be reassessed.

Kaoru Suzukawa....

This girl's value... may far exceed our imagination!

Chika stared at the four detailed data points on the screen, her brows furrowed.

"President, what... what does this mean?"

She clearly didn't understand what that meant.

"Simply put," Kurokawa said, his eyes still glued to the screen, "if your sister could find a specific type of spirit-type vengeful spirit that matches her talent, the power boost she would receive after injecting her with that special ability would be several orders of magnitude greater than yours."

Seeing that Chika still looked confused, Kurokawa changed his approach.

"Remember what I said before? Traits are like passive skills in a game, right?"

Chika nodded.

Of course she remembers.

"Let's say I make two identical combat suits for you and your sister, suits that can fire lasers." Kurokawa tapped the screen with his finger on the [Energy Manipulation: 97%] indicator. "When your sister uses them, the power, range, and accuracy of the lasers will be much greater than yours."

He paused, then pointed to [Rule Construction: 92%].

"Furthermore, she's more likely to acquire passive abilities related to 'rules.' For example..." he thought for a moment, "'Standing still for more than three seconds greatly reduces her presence,' or 'Gaining a stealth bonus under specific lighting conditions,' and things like that."

Chika's eyes widened: "That's amazing?!"

The microphone was always on.

Inside the cabin, Kaoru's voice came urgently: "Mr. Kurokawa... what's the result...?"

"Congratulations, Ms. Suzukawa Kaoru." Kurokawa pressed the call button. "I am now officially informing you that you have been hired exceptionally."

There was a moment of silence inside the cabin.

Then, Xun asked in disbelief, "Really?"

"Numbers don't lie." Kurokawa released the button.

Xun didn't say anything more.

But through the observation window, you could see that she had her eyes tightly closed, and her chest rose and fell noticeably.

My shoulders, which had been tense all along, finally relaxed.

I can stand with my sister now.

Chinatsu, however, was more concerned with practical matters: "President, so if we just find a vengeful spirit skilled in 'energy manipulation' and 'rule construction,' we can make Kaoru super—powerful, right?"

"That's right." Kurokawa nodded.

Xun's voice immediately came through: "Where are we supposed to find a vengeful spirit like that?"

"No need to look." Kurokawa's lips curled into a slight smile. "We have some on hand."

He accessed the archive, and a thumbnail of the [Maiko Doll] appeared on the screen.

"The characteristics of geisha dolls are precisely suited to precise energy perception and manipulation," Kurokawa explained, "which perfectly matches your talent."

He looked at Xun in the observation window: "If you'd like, I can inject its properties into you right now."

Xun hesitated almost without hesitation.

"Please, Mr. Kurokawa." Her voice came through the microphone, clear and firm.

Kurokawa said no more.

He operated the enhancement device and started the extraction process.

The familiar sound of energy gathering rang out.

This time, what was extracted from the pipes connecting to the geisha doll cages was a more viscous liquid with a pearly white sheen.

Inside, it seemed as if countless tiny, dancing points of light flowed and moved.

Syringe loading, injection port.

"The process may still be uncomfortable, but you are very adaptable, so the pain should be much less," Kurokawa finally reminded him.

"I see."

Injection begins.

Xun's body tensed slightly, and her brows furrowed.

But just as Kurokawa had expected, she did not struggle as violently as Chinatsu; instead, her fingers unconsciously gripped the edge of the platform, her knuckles turning white.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his breathing was slightly rapid, but he remained composed throughout.

The vital signs on the screen fluctuated, but remained well within safe limits.

Five minutes later, the injection was completed.

Energy mist assists in stabilization.

Kurokawa retrieved Kaoru's new report.

Add a new line at the bottom of the personal abilities section:

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

[Passive Trait: Multiple Manipulation (Spirit-type, F-rank)]

【Effect】

1. Significantly reduces mental stress and energy consumption when manipulating multiple puppets or sophisticated energy creations.

2. When equipped with a Spirit-type combat suit or plugin, performance attributes +4.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Multiple controls...significantly reduced power consumption...

Kurokawa's gaze unconsciously drifted towards the equipment room outside.

There, the "Battle Maiko" doll, which was just completed two days ago, is quietly waiting.

A perfect controller paired with the world's first magic combat doll that meets F-rank combat standards?

An unexpected yet inexplicably fitting combination.

The sliding cover of the treatment cabin opens.

Xun sat up, her face somewhat pale, but her eyes were clear.

She took the medical report from Kurokawa, her gaze falling on the newly added section, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.

"Congratulations, Kaoru!" Chika rushed over, hugged her younger sister tightly, and rubbed her chest against her sister's chest.

Xun blushed slightly, but didn't pull away. She gently stroked her sister's head and whispered, "Thank you, sister."

Kurokawa looked at the two of them and for a moment couldn't tell who was the older sister and who was the younger sister.

"Alright." Kurokawa clapped her hands, interrupting the sisters' heartwarming moment.

The two of them turned to look at him at the same time.

Kurokawa stood in front of the control panel, his face expressionless, but his eyes were more serious than usual.

"Although it may be a bit sudden, we don't have time to wait for you to gradually adapt to your new abilities."

He paused.

"We have a new mission. We're leaving tonight."

Chinatsu wasn't surprised, but she felt it was a bit too rushed. She blinked and asked, "Tonight? So soon?"

"Yes." Kurokawa nodded. "Time waits for no one. Our goal tonight is to contain the E-rank vengeful spirit, [High-Speed ​​Granny]. Also..."

His gaze swept across the two sisters' faces, and his tone became more forceful.

"In this mission, we are very likely—no, almost certain—to have a direct confrontation with magical girls."

The air suddenly became still.

Chika's smile froze.

Xun's fingers tightened suddenly as she held the report, causing the paper to rustle slightly.

"Be prepared." Kurokawa said, turning to leave. "I'm going to rush to make Kaoru's combat suit. We'll set off in an hour."