Chapter 444
"I wonder what the rules are for this competition?"
Xie Qingxuan drew circles with her fingertips, and dark magic spread out, forming a water mirror reflecting a scene dozens of miles away. After observing the area from different angles and positions, she said:
"I didn't see many ferries at the port, and there's no airport inside. There probably aren't any spectators from the island watching the show. I heard there won't be any judges this time, which might be quite different from previous years."
Chu Wangshu seemed lost in thought.
Speaking of judges, since the merger of the Capital and Sea Capital competition zones and the official debut of ten teams, the show "Flash Dance" has not had any judges.
In fact, as Flow State became more widespread and many contestants developed unique skills, evolving into a stage of superpowers, the value of judges diminished.
However, once the core of the Magical Girl is revealed, the judges' presence becomes even less significant. Firstly, they don't understand magic, and secondly, their aura as seniors has faded, making them less inclined to offer unsolicited advice to the contestants who have advanced to this stage.
From the current perspective, the judges only served a marketing purpose in the initial promotion, creating the impression of a "high-profile lineup that is worth looking forward to."
Chu Wangshu sighed:
"With the top three from other regions gathered together, there should be some really amazing idols, right?"
Tang Liuli perked up upon hearing this. After boarding the ferry, she stayed in her room browsing topics related to this subject. People on the Tieba had already analyzed the top three teams from each country.
These include: appearance level, singing and dancing skills, past achievements, team chemistry, [Flow State] ability, stage presence, and so on, and the list goes on.
After the expansion of the <Flash Dance> community, those who are not just fans of idols but also focused on Combat Power have also joined in, striving to use all available data to comprehensively calculate a slightly more reliable Combat Power ranking for the Donghuang Competition Zone.
The Green Eyed Cat is so sleepy because it didn't sleep properly and kept refreshing the gossip and data of other Little Idol in the Donghuang Competition Zone.
According to netizens' speculation, 99% of the top contestants in the entire Donghuang Federation are in a state of "Flow State," paired with a Magical Girl. Their stage performances almost always have "special effects" of magical energy and Heart Tide fluctuations intertwined, just like the glowing dishes in gourmet anime. They are of a standard that is difficult for ordinary people to distinguish, which is quite terrifying.
The most popular post even included detailed video links and screenshots of Little Idol transforming into Magical Girl in public for promotional purposes, to prove they weren't making things up and to bolster the reliability of the data.
Without exception, the number one ranked product is the domestic brand Pure White.
The reason for this arrangement is twofold: firstly, if we didn't do it this way, we would definitely be ganged up on and killed by local fans.
Secondly, because Great Xia is the most populous superpower in the Donghuang Federation, the top spot, selected from among a multitude of talents, naturally carries a higher prestige than other regions.
Thirdly, Charlotte's presence in the Holy United States region deprived Pure White of a formidable opponent and reduced controversy.
The rankings after that were quite chaotic. After the poster put Pure White in first place as the Sea Calming Needle, they started to go wild and pushed Ji Shuzhu's team down to sixth place, and the third place team was pushed out of the top ten.
Tang Liuli watched with great interest, only to discover that the "Flow State" state outside was actually much more interesting than she had imagined.
For example, Deborah from the Land of Agate has a "Flow State" that is a "Guardian Angel." An angelic phantom appears behind the stage during each performance. It will automatically grab the climax of the beat and melody, solidify at the crucial moment, and give itself or the audience a hug, or make it sprout wings. The special effects are very varied and very cool.
Of course, from the perspective of Magical Girl, as the prototype of her Destined Magic, the Guardian Angel, born from [Flow State], could probably actually materialize and descend, giving the Calamity Beasts a huge blow.
In addition, there was another Great Xia person who participated in a competition in another country, successfully debuted, and even made it into the top three. Her name was Bi Xuansu. Her grandfather was a Daoist priest who had been registered in the country. She had been studying Daoism since childhood. Later, due to business reasons, she transferred to a school abroad. Her process of becoming an idol was extremely tortuous.
This person's "Flow State" state is deeply influenced by their family, which is why netizens have praised it as "the Heaven and Earth as a Pill Furnace and earth." Its effect is very abstract. They can use the stage as an alchemy furnace and the dazzling lights as the alchemical fire to strip away all impurities and regard distracting thoughts and negative emotions as materials for refining the great medicine, allowing themselves, their teammates, and the audience to enter an extremely clear state.
Simply put, [Heaven and Earth as a Pill Furnace] can clear your mind of distractions, making you pure and clear, and increasingly peaceful and happy. After a performance, you will be sweating profusely, and a lot of fat will melt away and be transformed into substances beneficial to the body. It can be described as painless weight loss, rapid physical therapy, and colds and fevers will disappear instantly, just like taking a magic pill.
This isn't an idol-like item, but it's really useful.
When Bi Xuansu first debuted, her team ranked ninth. However, after her "Flow State" technique was demonstrated in the first tour, her team's statistics in all aspects skyrocketed. They gradually gained momentum and eventually surged ahead to take the top spot.
In the Donghuang team's Combat Power rankings, her team ranked fifteenth.
In the Donghuang individual Combat Power ranking, she is ranked sixth, a typical example of someone who can carry the whole team.
Tang Liuli felt that this [Flow State] had great potential, and it might even be able to be like Laozi's alchemy furnace, directly refining the Calamity Beasts as medicinal ingredients.
In addition, there are [Melting Heart], [Aurora], [Torch], [Fixed Time Domain], [Mandala Dance]... a series of interesting and novel [Flow State] experiences.
In comparison, their team's "Flow State" seemed too simple, not flashy at all, with a kind of straightforward and intense beauty, so it didn't generate as much discussion.
The Green Eyed Cat watched the island draw ever closer, then stopped snuggling up to the Little Moons. She stretched, her eyes sparkling, and sighed with emotion:
"Although I've seen many of them online beforehand, I really want to see other people's performances live."
Kiriwake Yayoi nodded in agreement, and said expectantly:
"Most of the people who are able to participate this time will likely become our future comrades-in-arms."
Xie Qingxuan remained silent. She didn't think many Magical Girl could meet her requirements for a comrade. Even though the [Wise King] hadn't recovered yet, not to mention the several awakened Destined Magic, the [Titan's Authority], after several layers of enhancement, had returned to 3% of what it was as the [Demon King].
This 3% may not seem like much, but it's enough for her to accomplish a lot.
For example, imagine causing this island, spanning thousands of square kilometers, to collapse, be destroyed, and evaporate instantly.
Among the new generation of [Witch] born in this season of <Flash Dance>, only her teammates who also inherited the experience and blessings of the first playthrough— Kiriwake Yayoi, Liuli after her [Full Bloom], and the exceptionally talented Xiao Shu —can fight on the same level as her.
The rest of the [Witch] are too weak.
This is not arrogance, but simply stating a fact.
At least in the Great Xia region, Ji Shuzhu, Chen Yining, and Lin Yuxia, who once ranked first in Capital, can compete on the stage, but in the Simulation Battlefield, they are as weak as clay chickens and earthenware dogs, unable to withstand a single move of the Law.
On the contrary, Liang Xiaoxiao, who is not Magical Girl but a knight implanted with the genes of Calamity Beasts and who controls the calamity with her will, left behind data in the Simulation Battlefield that gave her many unexpected surprises.
Although only a few months had passed, this former roommate seemed to have been tempered and hammered a thousand times, transforming from an ordinary and fragile mortal into an indomitable steel. In battle, she was like a nightmare burning from the black tide, a completely different style from the other frivolous Magical Girl.
Although it couldn't withstand the Blessed attack, [Titan's Authority] is essentially a cheat code, so it's normal that it couldn't be blocked.
At least, Liang Xiaoxiao can defy her orders.
At the same time, the opponent was extremely tenacious, with a fierce and savage killing intent. His application of cataclysmic power and authority was unrestrained and imaginative. His combat skills were simple and effective, and his occasional flashes of inspiration gave her a strange sense of déjà vu.
In short, as a newcomer to this chaotic arena, she is already exceptionally talented, showing signs of relentless effort and promising a bright future.
Xie Qingxuan wasn't very interested in the Donghuang Competition Zone's competition. Instead, she hoped that the expansion of the region would allow Dream Weaver Rabbit to merge the Simulation Battlefield from other regions, so she could see if there were any more interesting opponents than Xiaoxiao.
Of course, it would be even better if the match itself was a chaotic free-for-all.
Time passed, and a few minutes later, the Green Eyed Cat pointed to the island that was very close by and said:
"We're almost there, get ready to disembark."
The ferry from Great Xia arrived at the port, and the less than 20 Little Idol lined up to disembark, boarding buses adorned with national flags and heading towards the competition venue. Just five minutes later, the natural scenery along the shore completely disappeared, allowing a glimpse of the city to be seen.
Wearing a hat like a tour guide, the Dream Weaver Rabbit waved a small colorful flag and leisurely floated in mid-air. After greeting everyone, it began its introduction:
"This place was once the research base for Kindling Project, initially planned to be developed into Self-Circulating City, but after the draft of the <Flash Dance> project was released, the plan was changed and it was transformed into the current Stage City."
"There is one each in the Donghuang Federation and the Holy United States."
"As you can see, this island, as its name suggests, houses stages of all styles used for idols, each capable of holding over a million people, making them truly unique wonders."
Inside the car, the Little Idol chattered amongst themselves, while some curiously peered out the windows, gazing into the distance. They could vaguely see a cube-shaped structure on the horizon, resembling an inverted tower. Further away, they saw another strange building, like the Great Pyramid of Giza, but even more imposing.
The most eye-catching feature is a spiral building that Flowing Water Entwined constantly changing shape and shimmering in the sunlight. If you zoom in, you can see it spiraling from top to bottom through the water curtain, forming a long, relatively still dragon.
As Dream Weaver Rabbit said, these "stages" all have bizarre appearances.
Lin Bao'er was greatly shocked:
"Is this supposed to be a chair? The stage is in the middle?"
Dream Weaver Rabbit explained:
"That stage is called the Waterside Pavilion Stairs. It is constructed from fluids infused with Aetherial Substance. It has not yet been officially revived. Once it is fully unfolded, its form will move automatically according to the emotions of the audience, the Heart Tide fluctuations contained within the stage's [Flow State] state, and the musical melodies."
Ruan Wutong chewed the grape-flavored lollipop in her mouth and complained:
"Wait a minute, if the music gets a little more exciting and the emotions a little more intense, won't the audience be thrown out of their seats, or even shaken to the point of vomiting?"
Liang Xiaoxiao pointed out a more crucial issue:
"It sounds like the stage isn't fixed in place either. How can we still dance normally like this?"
Upon hearing this, Dream Weaver Rabbit smiled and said:
"It's impossible for them to be thrown out of the air. All the facilities provide perfect safety guarantees for the audience. At most, they'll be a little startled."
"As for whether you'll feel nauseous or uncomfortable from the shaking, and how you'll complete your performance when the stage is swaying, those are the questions you had to consider when you were drawn to this stage."
"If you want to get a perfect score, you must overcome all of these perfectly."
After he finished speaking, the Little Idol on the bus fell silent.
Wait, what does this mean? Does it mean all the competitions have to be held on these weird stages? That's just too horrific!
Although having a Magical Girl in the team allows them to use a spell in advance to help their teammates stand firmly on the stage and prevent accidents, singing aside, dancing will still suffer a very serious negative impact.
It's terrifying no matter how you look at it.
Upon hearing this, the Green Eyed Cat's pupils dilated in shock. She grabbed Little Sakura's arm tightly, her cute face tense. Just imagining dancing on such a stage made her brain tremble.
This...
It would be better to send her to fight the Calamity Beasts!
And at this moment,
Astrid glanced at the trembling Liuli Cat Cat, smiled, and kindly continued explaining the rules:
"Of course, this kind of duel alone should not be a difficult problem for those of you who have honed your skills in the Ideal Country and Simulation Battlefield for so long."
"Therefore, we will fill the audience seats with ten thousand dummies and one thousand [Calamity Species], and see how many Calamity Beasts your stage can prevent from hatching and how many audience members it can protect."
"I'm really looking forward to your performance."
Volume 1: 420. Resuscitation of fetal movement, countdown, one week.
Upon hearing this, the Green Eyed Cat immediately bristled and glared fiercely at the hateful Dream Weaver Rabbit. She really hated this red-eyed rabbit the most.
The girl pursed her lips, touched her arm which was covered in goosebumps, and looked very uneasy.
Although the memories of her first reincarnation, along with the countless fragments of experience that overflowed from her past lives, were enough to transform her into a super mature, powerful, and incredibly handsome enlightened being with unparalleled wisdom.
But how to put it, just like Little Sakura who became Witch maiden in one breath, she was filled with inferiority and heaviness, as awe-inspiring as a cold mountain in winter snow, and as sharp as someone who wanted to cut off the world. In the second cycle, they were ultimately dominated by their past lives in this life.
At the same time, subconsciously, everyone understood that Chu Yuanqing hoped they could live a relaxed, happy, and more vibrant life in this peaceful era. Therefore, the degree of integration in the first cycle was controlled in a different way.
For Kiriwake Yayoi, she tends to be more like Witch in battle.
As for Tang Liuli, she only becomes more like an enlightened being when faced with extremely critical moments; otherwise, she remains the Social Anxiety Cat she always was.
On the contrary, Xie Qingxuan is not much different from the Demon King. The only change is that she has matured a lot, and at the same time, her limit of obsession has been raised several levels.
Therefore, it was impossible for Tang Liuli not to be nervous about the rules of the <Flash Dance> competition, because subconsciously she didn't think it involved life and death.
Xie Qingxuan leaned out from the back seat and looked at the trembling Tang Liuli. She and Kiriwake Yayoi exchanged a glance and took the opportunity to pat the cat's head, pretending to comfort it. As expected, this quickly aroused the other's anger, thus successfully "overcoming" her fear.
Chu Wangshu watched this scene, blinked, and couldn't help but smile.
Yes, Pure White has a specific method for handling child prodigies, and it works very well.
Next door,
Liang Xiaoxiao noticed the commotion and a comment that had flashed through her mind when she watched the show last time popped into her head.
"Pure White only needs to consider how to appease the Green Eyed Cat, but we Green Eyed Cat have to consider so much more. We have to think about everything, from when they start trembling, when they get embarrassed and angry, to when they need to go down the stairs. It's very hard work."
The girl brushed a strand of gray hair behind her ear and recalled the funny scenes of watching Xiao Xuan Liuli when they were roommates. It felt like a lifetime had passed.
Thinking about it carefully, if we don't count the six months I spent in the ideal world, it was only a few months ago, but looking back now, it seems like a very long time has passed.
Life's encounters are truly wondrous.
When she first entered the audition, she never imagined she would end up like this.
Lin Bao'er tilted her head and looked at Liang Xiaoxiao, saying confidently:
"Xiaoxiao, don't be afraid, I'll use magic to lock you in place! No terrain will be able to shake you off!"
Indeed, after countless training sessions in Simulation Battlefield, she was able to calmly perform on stage during the Disaster Tide, consistently delivering 80% of her usual level of performance.
Although the Simulation Battlefield isn't reality, it's at least 99.9% realistic. Compared to the swarms of disasters that have already hatched and are constantly devouring soldiers, what is there to fear from a group of unhatched [Calamity Species]?
Yes, that's it, there's nothing to be afraid of!
Liang Xiaoxiao was silent for a moment, then complained:
"If it's really locked down, then there's no way to dance normally, right?"
Ji Shuzhu agreed:
"Compared to hindering the hatching of [Calamity Species], how to complete the performance on an uncertain stage is a more troublesome matter."
Looking at the Waterside Pavilion Stairs alone, it wouldn't be surprising if the stage suddenly tilted, rotated, swayed, or moved up and down. There are too many factors that could affect them during this time. If their feet were simply fixed to the stage, there would be no danger to their lives at most, but it would definitely affect the performance.
In other words, this stage is no longer simply about being an idol, but rather about teamwork within the Magical Girl genre.
Chen Yining frowned and said:
"Our team is doing well; four of us have completed [Lighting Up]. As long as we construct our Magic Armor and conceal it, we can levitate and fly. With our superhuman reflexes, the only remaining challenge is our magical micro-management."