Chapter 462
In other words, Magical Girl born after the First Year of Shining will gradually weaken after the age of 18 unless they can raise their magical power to the [Sea] Realm within one year of their transformation. They will completely lose their magical power at the age of 26 and will no longer be able to use magic, degenerating into "superpower" idols who can only use [Flow State].
In other words, unless one's aptitude is comparable to that of monsters like Tang Liuli, Kiriwake Yayoi, Xie Qingxuan, and Charlotte, who can stand at the top in the first playthrough, even if one becomes Magical Girl, one will not have the long lifespan of an elf in the game. After retiring, one will be no different from an ordinary human, essentially becoming a special eight-year position instead of a race.
The main reason for doing this is that the power base of the local world is limited.
Even though Chu Yuanqing expanded the world's capacity several times with [Void], and absorbed some of the calamity's legacy.
However, the essence of the Shadows of Many Realms is a poison that infinitely increases entropy. Their corpses have extremely limited benefits to the world itself and are difficult to digest. Their greatest use is to temporarily build cities, and they will eventually have to be replaced by the once-every-three-years Shining Tour.
Therefore, the maximum capacity of Magical Girl has only increased by nearly thirty times, far from being able to multiply infinitely. Without similar restrictions, the capacity would be full and <Flash Dance> would be unable to continue operating within a few centuries.
Furthermore, in times of war when the Disaster God still exists, all of humanity naturally shares the same fate, but in Peaceful Era, the extraordinary power, top-notch appearance, and long lifespan of Magical Girl are too conspicuous and can easily trigger new class conflicts and all sorts of filth arising from people's hearts.
Therefore, even if the capacity of the extraordinary source is infinite, there is no need for the world to give birth to too many Magical Girl.
It is worth mentioning that this is the very rule that Astrid, the former spirit of the Planetarium, the bond of the covenant, and the Primal Witch, miraculously resurrected and gained a new physical body. After discussing with a group of councilors, she offered her advice to the stars and officially finalized the rules.
Of course, Magical Girl born before the First Year of Shining are not bound by this rule.
The reason is simple: the Witch of the First Year of Shining, more or less, have contributed to the survival of humanity. It was their bloody battles that brought hope to the world. To take back this "privilege" so soon after peace has been achieved is tantamount to kicking away the bridge after crossing the river.
Secondly, these Magical Girl are all seasoned veterans.
Even the new generation selected by Flashdance has been tempered by the trials of the ideal world, global tours, and the Great Cataclysm of the world, shedding most of their naivety and timidity, and are fully capable of being put to good use.
What kind of logic is it to lay off all the "veterans" of one's own army just because the world has just achieved peace?
Therefore, in the six months following the establishment of Shining City, countries and regions around the world were gradually building platforms for their own Magical Girl, based on their past contributions, either by making movies, creating games, developing various IPs, or turning them into theme parks, sponsoring various brands, and giving them the status, honor, and fame befitting heroes.
Similarly, the same applies to Vienna, the art capital.
The area has a rich artistic atmosphere. As a sign of respect, many folk artists have replaced the graffiti on the streets with themes such as "Pure White," "Shining City," "Shining Giant," and local Magical Girl. In the bustling city center, you can often see people playing various musical instruments and singing the songs that were sung on "Pure White" back then.
At night, one can see the World Tree beacon, half-burnt and half-dried, sweeping across the neon lights of the entire city, its light spilling from patrolling airships onto the shimmering Danube River, celebrating the establishment of the Human Alliance.
Even in the bustling city center, at the very tip of a church, which is usually considered sacred and inviolable, one can occasionally see virtual digital musical notes dancing and randomly spawning cute Magical Girl figures.
The cartoon characters are all based on Magical Girl from the Vienna Division, including the Doomsday Diva has only held one concert in six months.
These cartoon figures, similar to offline VR Pokémon capture games, can be considered local specialties and have been incorporated into city style projects. They exist in top cities all over the world, somewhat like electronic pets that are admired by the entire population, each with a unique number.
Even though the "skin" varies from place to place, the cartoon character number for the same Magical Girl is unique. Citizens can also visit the local government's official website to receive electronic gifts such as flowers, ice cream, dresses, and pizzas to send to the recipient.
I heard that if you feed her enough to reach the maximum affection level, you can get a free concert ticket for the Magical Girl with that number.
However, you can only feed these cartoon characters if you encounter them, and you can only feed a limited number at a time. To raise their favorability to the maximum, you need to do so for at least a month.
Based on this, the official team also set different favorability biases according to the information forms submitted by the Magical Girl, so that giving the wrong gift will reduce favorability. They even adjusted the appearance probability in real time according to the popularity of the corresponding fans, making it as difficult as drawing an SSR to find the little people who are popular idols to feed.
At least for now, very few people in Vienna have seen Charlotte the Miniatures, let alone managed to get enough goodwill to win free concert tickets.
"What a pity! I finally got to travel here, but I didn't see any of the Easter eggs that people were talking about online."
The girl wore a coffee-colored coat, her long legs stretched beautifully by her jeans. She raised her pretty face and looked at the church spire. The vibrant spring rain fell in her face, then pattered on her little cousin's transparent umbrella, turning into water droplets in her eyes.
As she spoke, she enthusiastically handed Pei Xiaotong a steaming cup of black coffee, picked up the camera hanging around her neck, and took a picture of the church steeple and the azure sky in the spring rain through the umbrella.
Pei Xiaotong, like a wronged little wife, obediently accepted her sister's "bullying," and complained with puffed-out cheeks:
"I've already told you, Ling Bao, Xiaohongshu and Douyin are all scams! They're just trying to trick people into coming to travel and spend money. Only the luckiest people can see those things, and besides... you've taken thousands of these photos! Do you really enjoy taking pictures that much?"
Xu Ling put away her camera, took her coffee, sipped it, and answered confidently:
Even if you don't see Charlotte the cartoon character, Vienna is still worth a visit.
"Putting aside the fact that it's the art capital, this is the place Pure White spent the most time visiting during Flashdance! If it weren't for visa issues and a bunch of other hassles, we would have come here to take photos much earlier."
"It's a pity that the dance studios Pure White rented here have all been bought up by the Austria government. We can only visit the nearby ones, otherwise I really want to see the place where Yayoi practiced."
Pei Xiaotong also showed a hint of longing upon hearing this.
There was no way around it; the incident six months ago was too shocking and directly determined the future and fate of humanity. Pure White and Charlotte, as the key figures who directly created the Shining Mech and turned the tide, gained immense popularity and a global standing afterward, which is hard to describe.
World-class idols, the most dazzling Magical Girl, Savior of all mankind, heroes crowned and remembered by the stars... Too many titles and halos rained down on these people, but they remained the same as always, upholding the spirit of idols, ignoring all the titles and evaluations outside of these, and continuing to work, release new songs, and tour as usual, without any unnecessary airs.
Although there have been recent rumors that "Pure White is about to disband," "the four members will go solo," and "Tang Liuli is preparing to return to the entertainment industry to star in a movie," causing fans to be extremely worried and even cry out in despair.
Regardless of whether they disband or not, the status of Tang Liuli, Kiriwake Yayoi, Xie Qingxuan, Chu Wangshu, and Charlotte is unshakable. The number of fans behind them is almost equal to the total population of all mankind, and their halo is so sacred that even Jesus in the Bible would give way.
Why? Because Jesus only exists in mythology, but these five people truly saved all of humanity in reality.
Even the Bible, once hailed as the world's greatest book, has now been surpassed more than ten times in total sales by Pure White's debut album. The latter, like Charlotte's solo album, has been regarded as a new sacred object, with nearly 30 billion people worldwide owning it.
This is because the official Flash Dance game has temporarily suspended production.
So...
What Xu Ling said is not something that only extreme fans would do. In the past six months, Austria citizens have also been flocking to Vienna for pilgrimages, and the same is true for Zhelong Town in the Sea Capital, and other places related to Pure White.
Its economic impact was unprecedented, causing hundreds or even thousands of traffic jams in just six months. The surrounding areas and tours were even worse, to the point that police and security were useless, and every time Pure White had to step in, covering the entire city with [Flow State] and forcibly calming the audience with Soul Manipulation.
As a result, every subsequent tour was broadcast live online simultaneously. It was only after the four Little Idol posted appeals on Weibo that things improved somewhat; otherwise, who knows how many far-fetched news stories might have been created.
From this perspective, it's quite normal that their visas take so long to process.
After all, the number of fans in Great Xia Nation is hundreds of times greater than the total population of Austria, and with fans all over the world, Vienna would definitely be overwhelmed by crazy tourists if there were no visa restrictions.
Even now, Vienna's hotels are fully booked, and the streets are bustling with tourists, many of whom are from Great Xia, which makes Xu Ling and Pei Xiaotong feel less like strangers in a foreign land.
Pei Xiaotong kicked away the stones blocking her way, and the person next to her took a picture of the Magical Girl graffiti at the alley entrance. She turned her head to look at the dazzling array of shop windows. Many shops had Charlotte's advertisements on their windows, but unfortunately, all the merchandise, records, albums, and collaboration products inside were sold out, and she couldn't buy anything at all.
The little girl regretfully took a picture with her phone and complained:
"Even if we come here, we can't buy them. Is it like in China, where scalpers have bought them all up?"
Xu Ling was silent for a moment, then complained:
"Scalpers have been regulated for a long time, but they just have so many fans."
"Not to mention that Austria is Charlotte's hometown, and almost everyone from three-year-olds to eighty-year-olds is a fan of hers. If we want to buy her merchandise here, we can only manage to snag some unlimited shikishi (art boards), postcards, and 'Shine Front' standees. It's much better to just buy them on Xianyu (a second-hand marketplace app) back home."
Upon hearing this, Pei Xiaotong pondered:
"Charlotte eats here, and the owner probably doesn't even want to charge her; she's totally the group's darling."
Xu Ling blinked and said with a smile:
"Pure White gets the same treatment in Donghuang. In fact, it's the same no matter where they go or how they're recognized."
After the girl finished speaking, a mix of joy and bittersweet emotions welled up inside her, and she couldn't help but sigh as she looked up at the sky.
Although all her favorite Little Idol have undergone a super transformation, becoming superstars who save the world with their singing and dancing, as a fan she is naturally happy for them, but... they are just too popular, so popular that she and Tong Bao couldn't even get tickets to Pure White and Eden's tours for half a year.
Pure White held a total of 16 concerts in six months, including three in the Great Xia region. Each concert was expanded and rebuilt into a special giant venue to accommodate more audience members, allowing for the sale of 1 million tickets, which is quite a lot.
Furthermore, given the sheer number of viewers—a million—most of whom cannot get close enough to see their idols on stage with their naked eyes, this could theoretically deter many people.
Even so, every time tickets went on sale, the website was overwhelmed by a flood of people, and all one million tickets sold out in less than a second, it was incredibly popular.
The same thing happened three times afterward, and the various fan support groups were filled with lamentations. Very few people managed to get tickets, and even the usually lucky sisters failed time and time again, and could only stay at home and watch the live broadcast on TV.
As for why they didn't wait outside the venue...
Even after the armed police and security personnel blocked the way outside the venue, which was already packed with millions of attendees, there were still over 100,000 people crammed in, making it impossible to squeeze in even if you wanted to.
The subsequent thirteen concerts took place throughout Donghuang and the Holy United States, but they were all equally popular, leaving no room for anyone to miss out.
The situation was similar for Eden, Charlotte's solo tour.
After a six-month tour, both Pure White and Charlotte announced that they would be taking a break for a while and would not be touring or releasing new songs in the short term. Even their public appearances would be reduced, causing fans around the world to wail, cry, and have all sorts of wild thoughts. This also made most of those who couldn't attend the concert feel even more regretful.
Pei Xiaotong's eyes sparkled as she looked at the ubiquitous "Flash Dance" advertisements. She tugged at her cousin's sleeve and turned to say:
"Ling Bao, I also want to participate in <FlashDance> and debut as Magical Girl idol!"
Xu Ling reveals the harsh reality:
"Dream on, you're almost past your expiration date. Didn't the Countermeasures Bureau say that magic weakens after 18? The chances of becoming Magical Girl would naturally decrease, right? Besides, <Flash Dance> won't start for another two and a half years, so there'll be even less of a chance then."
Pei Xiaotong said indignantly:
"I'll only be a freshman or sophomore by then, super young, I can totally participate!"
"You can't sing."
The little girl's expression was stiff:
"Woo!"
"You haven't even learned to dance." Another blow to shatter dreams.
Pei Xiaotong felt as if her idol dream was shattering; she was almost in tears, but could only stubbornly insist:
"Damn it, isn't there a storyline where a complete novice with no singing or dancing experience participates in 'Flashdance,' overcomes all obstacles, Center position, and shocks the world?"
Xu Ling looked at the child who was beginning to have a hysterical episode with pity, and said softly:
"Hilarious! Do you think you're some kind of main character? How can someone like this exist? This is too surreal."
The girl reached out and poked her cousin's soft cheek again, continuing:
"If you really want to participate in <Flash Dance>, you should use all the time you spend playing games, watching anime, and slacking off on practicing dancing and singing. But even if you start working hard now, Tong Bao, you definitely won't be able to beat the other trainees."
Pei Xiaotong gave up her illusions in disappointment; she knew it was the absolute truth.
Since the official announcement of the whole truth and the disclosure of information such as Shining City and the <Flash Dance> project, the world has officially entered the Great Idol Era. Countries like South Korea, where the proportion of trainees among young people is extremely high, have begun to engage in large-scale and in-depth competition.
Although human governments have efficiently introduced more standardized laws, thoroughly cleaned up the gray areas at the grassroots level, and tried to prune bad branches and deformities to allow related industries to grow in a healthier, more ethical, green, and harmonious way, they have also limited the number of trainees.
But there are indeed more people around the world who aspire to be idols, or who are on that path.
In this situation, even if a monster like Charlotte doesn't emerge in the next episode of "Flash Dance," the minimum standard will definitely be raised significantly. Ordinary people who study in a highly competitive environment for two years beforehand simply cannot pass the auditions.
Of course, if one's temperament and appearance reach the level of Doomsday Diva, even if their singing and dancing are slightly lacking, they can still pass the audition. But then, how can one be considered an ordinary person?
Pei Xiaotong sighed:
"I wish a blessing would fall from the sky upon me!"
"That might be considered a talent, and they could pass the audition without any special requirements."
--Blessing.
According to information released by the Countermeasures Bureau, this is a gift from the stars to a select few lucky individuals. Currently, the number of people worldwide who have received this blessing is less than ten thousand, making them even rarer than Magical Girl in some ways.
Although most people's blessings are not as magical as some spells, as long as they receive a blessing, they will be given various preferential policies. Not only will the government pay their social security contributions, but they will also receive a monthly subsidy. There is also a chance that they will be specially recruited by the Countermeasures Bureau, making them the luckiest of the lucky.
Speaking of which, the person known to be most favored by the stars is Chu Wangshu from Pure White.
On the day the Shining City forged, the Planetarium recorded the glorious scene of several people returning to Earth, and spread it all over the world.
At that moment, countless blessings intertwined, like the overflowing brilliance of a starry sea, falling upon this person. At first, it was just a ribbon-like radiance, but it quickly evolved into a magnificent glow that could be seen across half the planet. In a trance, one could also hear the melodious hymns of the stars, making the scene exceptionally grand.
This is a stark contrast to ordinary people receiving blessings, who only see a streak of light, a shooting star, or a wisp of sunset. They are truly the pampered children of the world.
However, because Magical Girl are inherently strong, and Chu Wangshu was the darling of the group in Pure White, this incident did not arouse much jealousy. Instead, it reinforced her status as the darling of the group, and many famous and renowned musicians later wrote songs to praise her for it.
The most famous of them is "Sons of the Stars," a song dedicated to Pure White by a world-class rock band.
Pei Xiaotong can even sing it. She's recently taken to singing this song in karaoke, as if it were a mystical ritual to increase her chances of being blessed by the stars, and she sings it with exceptional devotion.
Xu Ling found it amusing.
However, more than half a year ago, she woke up to find her skin much better and she looked much prettier and younger, and she wondered if she had been blessed.
Looking back now, it was a complete blunder.
The Magic Countermeasures Bureau possesses the [Planetary Observatory], a divine Divine artifact for observing the threads of fate. Every person who awakens and receives a blessing will have their identity information immediately checked and entered into the Human Alliance's database. You may not even realize it before the officials have already come to your door to explain the relevant matters.
"Alright, stop dreaming. The DC Tower is just ahead. There seems to be a lot of people gathered around it. Shall we go check it out?"
Xu Ling patted her little cousin's head and then led her on a stroll in the spring rain. They walked to the foot of Vienna's landmark building, the DC Tower. Nearby, many citizens were taking photos and making noise. Looking up, the exterior of the building was a dark glass curtain wall with uneven surfaces. The angular undulations shone brightly in the sunlight and spring rain, reflecting a dazzling brilliance.
What truly caused the uproar and drew attention was the clear image refracted by the nano-projection: the stunningly beautiful and captivating world-class Diva, seemingly a bewitching enchantress, was sitting on a soft, bright yellow sofa. Her smiling eyes were warm and clear, and her azure hair tied in a ponytail resembled silk made from the essence of molten gemstones.
The young girl smiled sweetly and waved at the camera, looking like someone who had stepped out of a fairyland.
Pei Xiaotong was held firmly in place, her eyes glazed as she looked at that masterpiece-like face, and sighed:
"Wow, sis, is this the 'Time Personage' article from a month ago? I didn't realize it's already been recorded in the Virtual Projection. It looks completely different from watching it on TV!"
"As expected, ordinary cameras and videos simply can't capture Charlotte's true beauty. No wonder everyone's scrambling to go to her concerts."
-- Time Personage.
If we disregard the fact that it's called "Flashdance," it's the most influential and stylish show in the Holy United States, but compared to the Doomsday Diva, the presidents, international superstars, and the world's richest people interviewed in the past all pale in comparison.
Xu Ling was also stunned for a while, until she took a big gulp of black coffee, which barely neutralized the sweetness and excitement that involuntarily welled up in her heart after seeing Charlotte's projection. She sighed: