Chapter Summaries

After losing to White Thistle, Lin Xiaolu feared she would remain trapped at the Seed Stage and fall behind her teammates, but she could not bring herself to seek comfort from Larkspur. Margaret invited her to talk and explained that Magical Girls must treat any mana-based conflict as combat, regardless of how little mana is used.

• Lin Xiaolu recalled how White Thistle's mana paralyzed her through their mana-ball collision and made her own attack collapse.
• Lin Xiaolu's defeat intensified her anxiety about remaining at the Seed Stage while Xia Liang and Bai Jingxuan advanced, and she resisted seeking comfort from Larkspur.
• Margaret knocked on Lin Xiaolu's door, apologized for White Thistle causing trouble, and invited her to talk.
• Lin Xiaolu met Margaret, who said she was on Lin Xiaolu's side because White Thistle had provoked her and acted wrongly.
• Margaret explained that any conflict involving mana counted as combat, since even a small amount could be lethal depending on how a Magical Girl used it.

Asō Madoka explained why Lin Xiaolu had lost to White Thistle, but Lin Xiaolu rejected her attempt to apologize and insisted the match had been fair. After revealing her personal interest in Lin Xiaolu and teasing her, Asō Madoka offered to teach her while she remained at Seed Stage.

• Asō Madoka told Lin Xiaolu that White Thistle’s Leaf Rank, combat experience, abilities, and techniques made her the stronger fighter, despite Lin Xiaolu’s unusual magic power.
• Lin Xiaolu accused Asō Madoka of making a hypocritical apology to help Larkspur and insisted that she accepted her loss as fair.
• Asō Madoka apologized for treating Lin Xiaolu like an immature child and said she was curious about Anya’s daughter and satisfied with the person Lin Xiaolu had become.
• Asō Madoka teased Lin Xiaolu by asking to pat her head, then shifted the conversation back to business.
• Asō Madoka said she could not make Lin Xiaolu Blossom, but proposed teaching her while she remained at Seed Stage.

Lin Yun and Asō Madoka drove to the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau while discussing Lulu’s training and whether Emerald could help with her ability Blossoming. Lin Yun remained reluctant to involve his daughter with the Gem Scepter, and the chapter ended by recalling how Asō Madoka earned her Flower Card through mastery of combat technique.

• Larkspur and Asō Madoka left the villa after asking Bai Jingxuan to look after their guests and inviting the Bai'an City magical girls to use the base.
• Lin Yun asked Asō Madoka whether Lulu had agreed to train with her, and Asō Madoka confirmed that she had.
• Lin Yun asked if Asō Madoka could help develop Lulu’s ability Blossoming, but she said she was not an expert and suggested asking Emerald.
• Lin Yun hesitated to involve Emerald because he feared drawing Lin Xiaolu further into the Kingdom’s affairs, and he agreed to consider it while asking Asō Madoka to keep teaching Lulu combat technique.
• Lin Yun reflected that Asō Madoka had earned her Flower Card through years of persistence and mastery of combat technique.

Hong Siyu returned to the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau as Lin Yun’s secretary and prepared an elaborate welcome for her Senior. When a strange orange-haired woman arrived instead, Hong Siyu recognized her as Yuan Xiang and reacted with alarm.

• Hong Siyu enjoyed her restored youthful appearance and returned to work at the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau as Lin Yun’s secretary under the identity of her niece.
• Hong Siyu prepared the director’s office and dressed carefully, hoping to impress Lin Yun when he arrived.
• An orange-haired woman entered, rated Hong Siyu’s greeting 95 points, and invited her to show the way to the cafeteria.
• Hong Siyu recognized the woman as Yuan Xiang and was frightened.

Lin Yun, Hong Siyu, and Asō Madoka reunited in the director’s office, where their argument over a concert gave way to questions about their old squadmates. The chapter ended with Lin Yun wondering whether Su Shengzi had gone to the Interrealm to join Claw Mark.

• Hong Siyu confronted Lin Yun for leaving her out of the concert outing, and Lin Yun apologized for assuming she still needed treatment.
• Asō Madoka and Hong Siyu teased Lin Yun about her lack of hobbies before Lin Yun steered them back to exchanging information.
• Lin Yun asked Asō Madoka about Su Shengzi, the absent member of their former squad.
• Asō Madoka revealed that Su Shengzi had gone alone to the Interrealm twelve years earlier on a journey to find herself and had not been heard from since.
• Lin Yun wondered whether Su Shengzi had joined Claw Mark.

Lin Yun explained that he planned to enter the Magic Kingdom during next year’s Queen Year to obtain treatment for his injuries, despite the danger of the Queen recognizing him. He transformed into Larkspur and revealed a new problem with his Magic Armament: its mana threads had knots.

• Asō Madoka described Claw Mark’s open activity and explained that she could not rule out Su Shengzi having hidden in the Interrealm.
• Lin Yun decided to search the Interrealm for Su Shengzi after his injuries healed and said he planned to enter the Magic Kingdom for treatment.
• Asō Madoka warned Lin Yun that the Queen would personally observe next year’s qualification assessment and might punish him and his accomplices if she discovered him.
• Lin Yun transformed into Larkspur because he could no longer suppress mana leaking from his Heart Gem.
• Larkspur showed Asō Madoka and Hong Siyu the mana threads from her Magic Armament and pointed out a knot in one of them.

Larkspur explained that a knot in her Magic Armament signaled a new side effect from her untreated injuries, reinforcing her resolve to enter the Kingdom and reclaim her power. Asō Madoka offered her own strength and urged her to cherish her life, but Larkspur said she could not bear to let her companions face danger while she remained powerless; Asō finally relented.

• Larkspur showed Asō Madoka the knot in her Magic Armament and argued that it revealed an unknown side effect linked to her True Form and untreated injuries.
• Asō Madoka challenged Larkspur's plan to enter the Kingdom, while Hong Siyu and Asō briefly eased the tension by shaping Larkspur's magical thread like a cat's cradle.
• Larkspur explained that she wanted to seize the initiative and regain power rather than wait for a safer opportunity.
• Asō Madoka knelt before Larkspur, offered her strength and promised to stay in Fangting, and asked Larkspur to value her own life.
• Hong Siyu offered her help, but Larkspur said she could not endure hiding behind her companions while they faced danger.
• Asō Madoka sighed that she had lost after hearing Larkspur's resolve.

Asō Madoka and Larkspur voided the earlier agreement, making the upcoming match a chance for practice rather than a condition for taking the exam. Later that night, Xia Liang visited Larkspur and asked what she thought of her, leaving Larkspur with no choice but to face the question.

• Asō Madoka announced that winning or losing the match would no longer determine whether anyone could take the exam or go home.
• Larkspur said the match would still give the girls valuable combat experience, and Asō Madoka rejected Wood Lily's request to choose Lin Xiaolu as her opponent.
• White Thistle asked why the agreement had changed, and Larkspur said personal choice mattered and that she would accompany the girls to the Kingdom next year.
• Lin Xiaolu hesitated to ask whether the agreement had been canceled because of her, then withdrew the question.
• Xia Liang brought tea to Larkspur's room and asked about Lin Xiaolu and Bai Jingxuan before asking, "Then... what about me?"

Xia Liang asked Larkspur to teach her Spell Formulas so she could improve her combat ability before the match and assessment. After Xia Liang confirmed she would enter the dangerous assessment, Larkspur began teaching her Magic Barrier and explained how Fawo Runes formed Spell Formulas.

• Xia Liang told Larkspur she wanted to learn practical Spell Formulas while keeping up her magic power training.
• Larkspur explained that Spell Formulas were tools and that Xia Liang should study them more deeply only if she had strong aptitude or interest.
• Xia Liang confirmed she planned to take part in next year's assessment, arguing that its simulation would help prepare her for a real Great Beast Calamity.
• Larkspur agreed to teach Xia Liang Spell Formulas and demonstrated the basic defensive spell, Magic Barrier.
• Larkspur explained that Fawo Runes were the building blocks of Spell Formulas and that infusing the arranged runes with magic power activated them.

The squads held their friendly match, and Xia Liang faced Mimosa in the opening round. Mimosa transformed after challenging Xia Liang to attack first, leaving Xia Liang momentarily stunned by her opponent’s striking appearance.

• Larkspur prepared the girls for the match, teaching Xia Liang basic Spell Formula structures and tutoring Bai Jingxuan in school subjects while considering a cautious return to school for her.
• Moko drew the matchups: Little Brocade versus Mimosa, White Rose versus White Thistle, and Bo Xue versus Wood Lily.
• Moko announced the rules and started the first round between Xia Liang and Mimosa.
• Xia Liang and Mimosa stood without transforming until Xia Liang asked whether Mimosa wanted to settle the match by the special rule.
• Mimosa rejected the special rule and told Xia Liang to attack first because she was a year older as a magical girl.
• Xia Liang transformed and took an attacking stance, prompting Mimosa to transform into a boldly dressed magical girl and briefly distract Xia Liang.

Xia Liang sparred with Mimosa and discovered that Mimosa could overwhelm her Mana Beams with an unusual mana technique, leaving Xia Liang at a disadvantage. Drawing on Larkspur’s earlier lesson, Xia Liang combined her Magic Armament Deflection with a newly learned Explosion School Spell Formula and prepared to unleash everything in her next attack.

• Mimosa countered Xia Liang’s Mana Beams with her own, crushing them apart and demonstrating the strength of her mana technique.
• Xia Liang dodged Mimosa’s returning Mana Beams while her Magic Barrier shattered and the attacks left charred pits in the training ground wall.
• Xia Liang realized Mimosa had the advantage in both basic abilities and combat methods, and decided she had to use all her trump cards at once.
• Larkspur’s earlier lesson revealed that Xia Liang could pair Deflection with an Explosion School Spell Formula to extend its range and keep its power from reaching her.
• Xia Liang manifested Deflection as a long, aligned cylinder of mirrors and aimed the Spell Formula’s runes at one of them.

Xia Liang unveiled her Explosion-and-Deflection combination technique, but Mimosa neutralized it and won the first match for Bai'an City. Lin Xiaolu then used Turbidification against White Thistle and gained the advantage, leaving White Thistle astonished when Lin Xiaolu said she had learned it in about three days.

• Xia Liang fired her prototype combination technique at Mimosa, who weakened it with her tambourine and blocked the rest with Magic Barriers.
• Xia Liang ran out of strength and surrendered, giving Bai'an City the first point.
• Larkspur urged Lin Xiaolu to focus on showing her progress rather than worrying about winning, and Lin Xiaolu entered the arena to face White Thistle.
• Lin Xiaolu and White Thistle clashed mana spheres, and White Thistle used Turbidification to make her mana vibrate.
• Lin Xiaolu's mana began burning and overcame White Thistle's, revealing that she had also learned Turbidification.
• White Thistle asked how long Lin Xiaolu had taken to learn the technique, and Lin Xiaolu answered that it had taken about three days.

White Thistle’s jealousy drove her to unleash a fierce attack on Lin Xiaolu, who used the match to show the results of her training. When Lin Xiaolu tried to Turbidify her magic power a second time, it transformed into blinding white light, leaving the battle at a sudden turning point.

• Qiu Yun’s difficult childhood ended when Margaret recruited her as a magical girl, and she became White Thistle, a devoted student who admired her Mentor.
• White Thistle challenged Lin Xiaolu to a private match, defeated her by exploiting her unfamiliarity with Turbidification, and was reprimanded by Margaret for violating the spirit of a fair match.
• During their later match, White Thistle grew jealous when Lin Xiaolu revealed she had learned Turbidification in about three days, then attacked her with a barrage from Ornate Script.
• Lin Xiaolu dodged and countered White Thistle’s attacks while focusing on showing Larkspur how much she had improved.
• Lin Xiaolu tried to Turbidify her already-Turbidified magic power again, and the pale blue magic faded to white and spread outward.

Lin Xiaolu defeated White Thistle with an unusual attack that passed through her defenses, and the chapter explored White Thistle's hurt feelings toward her mentor, Asō Madoka. Fangting City won the team match 2–1 after Bai Jingxuan quickly defeated Wood Lily.

• Lin Xiaolu won the second match against White Thistle by striking through her defenses with White Magic Power, and Moko awarded the point to White Rose.
• Asō Madoka and Larkspur discussed Lin Xiaolu's unexplained ability, while White Thistle apologized for losing and then broke down over feeling neglected by her mentor.
• Larkspur explained that Asō Madoka's actions had made White Thistle feel overlooked, prompting Asō Madoka to apologize and comfort her.
• Lin Xiaolu reflected on her victory and asked Larkspur what she thought of her, but Larkspur's detailed praise left Lin Xiaolu dejected.
• Bai Jingxuan defeated Wood Lily in one minute, securing Fangting City's 2–1 victory over Bai'an City.

Yuan struggled with money after her construction job closed for the New Year, then received orders from White Wolf, Claw Mark’s leader, to capture Cornflower and Bai Jingxuan. White Wolf told her to kill up to one hundred thousand people in Fangting City to force the squad to obey, and Yuan submitted to the command.

• Yuan learned that the construction site would close for the New Year and argued with Semi about her gambling and dwindling funds.
• Yuan contacted White Wolf through a Magic Mirror after the crimson falcon mark on her hand began to glow.
• Yuan told White Wolf that Emerald had taken Cornflower’s Beast Source and that the Fangting City Squad was protecting Cornflower and Bai Jingxuan.
• White Wolf ordered Yuan to bring Cornflower and Bai Jingxuan back and suggested killing one hundred thousand people in Fangting City to force the squad to accept unequal terms.
• Yuan bowed her head and agreed to follow White Wolf’s command.

As New Year approached, Lin Yun planned to stay away from Lin Xiaolu’s celebration so he could spend the holiday as Larkspur with the squad. Lin Xiaolu instead invited everyone to celebrate at home and, after Lin Yun claimed he had bureau duty, decided she would spend New Year with him at his office.

• Lin Yun weighed his limited involvement with Fangting City’s government and explained why he could avoid working late or attending social functions.
• Lin Yun planned to tell Lin Xiaolu that he would be on duty at the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau over New Year so he could celebrate as Larkspur with the squad.
• Lin Xiaolu told Lin Yun she wanted to invite everyone, including the Bai'an City Squad, to celebrate New Year at home.
• Lin Yun said their home was too small for the gathering and claimed he had to work at the bureau on New Year’s Eve.
• Lin Xiaolu insisted she would come to Lin Yun’s office and spend New Year with him because he was her father.

Lin Xiaolu told Lin Yun she wanted to move back home for the holidays and finals, but after he pressed her, she revealed that she hoped Larkspur would become her stepmother. Lin Yun was left unsure how to respond, and the family question troubled them both.

• Lin Xiaolu decided to skip the squad's New Year's gathering and spend the holiday with Lin Yun, then announced she would move home until her exams ended.
• Lin Yun suspected Lin Xiaolu had another reason for moving and asked whether she had a problem with her squad.
• Lin Xiaolu denied having a conflict but eventually asked Lin Yun to keep her reason secret from Larkspur and the others.
• Lin Xiaolu explained that she feared becoming overly dependent on Larkspur and wanted to move home to reconsider what she should do.
• Lin Yun understood that Lin Xiaolu hoped he and Larkspur would form a family bond so she could regard Larkspur as her stepmother, and he had no answer.

On New Year's Eve, Lin Yun balanced his duties as Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau director with caring for Lin Xiaolu, who worried that Bai Jingxuan was taking Larkspur's attention from her. After Lin Xiaolu left the office, Yuan unexpectedly arrived to greet Lin Yun.

• Lin Yun finished dinner, checked in with Bureau staff, and brought takeout to Lin Xiaolu in his office.
• Lin Xiaolu learned that Bai Jingxuan visited Lin Yun regularly and complained that Bai Jingxuan clung to both him and Larkspur.
• Lin Xiaolu admitted she feared Larkspur cared for her only because of her mother and worried that Bai Jingxuan would take her place in the squad.
• Lin Yun urged Lin Xiaolu to eat and considered how Larkspur could help her gain confidence; Lin Xiaolu later left to find the restroom and discard the takeout boxes.
• Yuan, the Claw Mark officer, entered Lin Yun's office and wished him a Happy New Year.

Yuan visited Lin Yun at the Bureau on New Year's Eve and insisted they share a drink, then began to reveal why she had come. Lin Xiaolu arrived and mistook the two of them for having an affair.

• Yuan brought baijiu and duck necks to Lin Yun's office and persuaded him to drink with her.
• Lin Yun secretly warned Lin Xiaolu to stay away while he cautiously sipped the liquor and watched Yuan.
• Yuan and Lin Yun discussed her former identity as Gladiolus and Lin Yun's distrust of Claw Mark.
• Yuan approached Lin Yun to whisper the real reason for her visit, but Lin Xiaolu entered and asked whether they were having an affair.

Yuan revealed herself as an evil magical girl and challenged Fangting City's magical girls to fight her at Silver Screen Mountain, where a ritual threatened the City Barrier Network at midnight. Lin Xiaolu attacked Yuan as she tried to leave, but Yuan knocked her unconscious and escaped.

• Lin Xiaolu confronted Lin Yun and Yuan about their suspicious meeting, and Yuan claimed she had come to deliver a challenge to Fangting City's magical girls.
• Yuan revealed her evil magical girl form, and Lin Xiaolu transformed into White Rose and identified herself as a local magical girl.
• Yuan challenged the magical girls to meet her at Silver Screen Mountain and warned that a ritual would cause a massive explosion at midnight, threatening the City Barrier Network.
• Yuan told Lin Yun to notify Cornflower and said she had been secretly watching the magical girls fight Aberrant Beasts.
• Lin Xiaolu attacked Yuan as she tried to leave, but Yuan struck her unconscious and escaped through the window.