Warrior's Breathing Technique, Tier Four!

Home.

Eight o'clock at night.

After dinner, Molly sat down at her computer desk.

The glow of the screen fell softly across her eyes, tired but still bright.

The harrowing battle that day, followed by the rush to Clear Creek Town and everything she had dealt with afterward, had nearly drained her of energy.

Only now, sitting at her computer, did she finally feel a little at ease.

She opened her browser and scrolled through posts at random.

The A City forum was mostly full of everyday trivia, with the occasional speculation about "magical girls and Monster Demons."

But magical girls and Monster Demons were treated as urban legends. Hardly anyone took them seriously.

After all, people had trouble believing in things they had never seen.

And anyone who had seen them would be ordered by the authorities to keep quiet.

As she scrolled, a pop-up suddenly appeared in the lower right corner of her screen. It was an anonymous poll:

[Do you believe true love exists?]

[Yes/No]

Molly's finger paused.

The letter she had seen in Clear Creek Town that day, those sheets of draft paper, and the sight of Xiaoxiao and Lin Chen walking away hand in hand flashed through her mind like scenes from a film.

A faint smile tugged at her lips. She tapped the button.

[Yes]

She closed the poll and was about to shut her browser when a pinned post on the forum homepage caught her eye. Its title read:

[Spotted! Silver-haired magical girl takes down hundreds of men in black at A City's Jiba Property Complex! Movie shoot or real life?]

"!!!"

Molly's heart lurched.

She sat bolt upright and clicked on it.

The post contained a three-minute video.

The camera shook a little, clearly filmed by someone hiding nearby, but the footage was remarkably clear.

Onscreen, a beautiful girl with long silver hair wore a silver-white magical outfit and wielded Broken Sword. She cut through the Black Defectors like a goddess of death.

Her blade flashed, and the men in black fell like wheat beneath a scythe.

Her fierce movements and overwhelming strength made Molly's blood race.

And the silver-haired girl in the video was unmistakably Molly after her transformation!

Molly's breathing quickened.

"Holy crap, someone filmed me without me knowing!"

She scrolled down to the comments. They were in an uproar.

[Holy shit! Is this real? Those effects are way too convincing!]

[Look closer at how those guys move, and at the blood on the ground. Those aren't effects! This is definitely real!]

[She's so badass! Gorgeous and strong? I'm on my knees!]

[Does anyone know this magical girl's name? I want to be her fan!]

[That figure, that face... damn, I'm in!]

[Watch it. She's a magical girl. Get your mind out of the gutter!]

[Mommy!]

Molly rubbed her forehead as she read the comments, from astonished praise and lovestruck gushing to sober analysis.

The more blatant ones made her mouth twitch.

"Why are guys calling me Mommy...? Guess everyone really is pent up these days."

Molly muttered to herself and kept scrolling.

She didn't know who started it, but people in the comments began calling her "Magical Girl Pale."

—Probably because her magical outfit was silver-white and gave her a cool, distant air.

The name quickly caught on, and more and more people began using it.

Molly stared at the word "Pale" on her screen. After a moment's surprise, she laughed.

Who would have thought one battle would make her a minor internet celebrity?

She closed the post and was about to turn off her computer when she remembered something. At a thought, the Proficiency Panel appeared before her.

[Basic Swordsmanship: Tier Four 8290/10000]

[Warrior's Breathing Technique: Tier Three 9431/10000]

[Holy Judgment: Tier One 4500/10000]

Molly couldn't help marveling at the numbers.

"That battle was incredibly dangerous, but actual combat really is the fastest way to raise proficiency."

"Basic Swordsmanship shot past eight thousand, Warrior's Breathing Technique is almost at Tier Four, and Holy Judgment gained nearly a thousand points too."

"I could do without the part where I nearly died, though."

Molly muttered that last line and closed the panel.

She stretched, her joints cracking sharply.

Exhaustion washed over her like a tide, but she gritted her teeth.

Warrior's Breathing Technique was only a few hundred proficiency points away from Tier Four...

If she wasn't going to train now, when would she?

Molly stood and walked to the center of her bedroom. Transform.

Silver-white light flashed. Her familiar magical outfit covered her body, and Broken Sword appeared in her hand.

A faint glow flowed over the Cyan Radiance Ring on her finger, and power surged through her limbs.

She drew a deep breath, adjusted her breathing to the rhythm of Warrior's Breathing Technique, then swung Broken Sword and began her daily practice.

Slashes, thrusts, blocks, horizontal cuts...

Every move was precise and fierce.

[Basic Swordsmanship proficiency +1 +1...]

[Warrior's Breathing Technique proficiency +1 +1 +1...]

The numbers on the panel crept upward before her eyes.

Time ticked by, and the night outside her window grew darker.

In the bedroom, the only sounds were the whoosh, whoosh of her sword cutting through the air and Molly's slightly labored breathing.

Sweat ran down her temple, soaking the loose strands of hair across her forehead. It trickled down her neck and dripped onto her magical outfit, leaving no trace.

Two hours later.

Molly's gaze suddenly sharpened.

She inhaled sharply. The energy within her swelled, and she drove off the floor, leaping into the air. She raised Broken Sword over her head and brought it down with all her strength!

"Heavy Slash!"

At her sharp cry, Broken Sword tore through the air and sent out a silver-white arc of sword light.

At the same time, the number on the panel jumped—

[Warrior's Breathing Technique: Tier Three 9999/10000 → Tier Four 0/10000]

Warmth surged from deep in her abdomen and spread through every part of her body.

A wave of comfort swept through Molly, and her pores opened.

Countless foul-smelling black impurities were forced out through them, forming a thin layer of dark sludge!

She landed firmly and felt how utterly her body had changed.

Her physical abilities had soared. Her strength, speed, and reflexes were all on another level.

The healing power of Warrior's Breathing Technique had increased severalfold.

Before, it could only heal superficial wounds. Now even a wound deep enough to expose bone could heal rapidly as she breathed.

Of course, she was still nowhere near regrowing a severed limb.

"Hell yes!"

Molly couldn't help exclaiming. Feeling the power coursing through her body, she broke into a broad grin.

She quickly undid her transformation. The silver-white magical outfit vanished, revealing the sweat-soaked loungewear underneath.

Black impurities still clung to her skin, giving off a terrible stench.

"Nope, nope. I need a shower. Now."

Pinching her nose, Molly hurried into the bathroom.