"The headquarters received the request for support from the Beihai Disaster Countermeasures Bureau a long time ago. Originally, we planned to send Larkspur, since she had been here once before and saved many people. In particular, the newly recruited magical girl Keke also knows Larkspur."
In the living room, Iris, having regained her confidence and exuberance, sat at the Iris of the table. "But unfortunately, due to some unforeseen circumstances, Larkspur is currently in retirement and unable to go on missions, so this matter has been put on hold until now. It was only after hearing that the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau's Miracle Seed was lost that Headquarters asked me to replace Larkspur in helping out."
Upon hearing this, Keke's face showed a disappointed expression.
I haven't properly apologized to her yet.
Jiang Si also felt some regret.
He has never fought Larkspur before.
Before he obtained the Miracle Seed of the Magical Girl, he witnessed extraordinary abilities for the first time. In his eyes, the blue magical girl was like Heavenly Deity, the most dazzling light of hope.
The impression of being powerful, mysterious, and unparalleled was deeply etched in my mind.
Just as a fledgling bird takes the first thing it sees as its mother, for Jiang Si, the extraordinary power he saw at first glance—the magical girl Larkspur —was the most special and powerful existence in his heart.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she was his mother who led him onto the path of heaven.
Even though they entered the realm of Full Blossom early on, this impression has never disappeared.
But sixty years East and West of the River, and things are different now. Naturally, he wanted to fight the Larkspur Sparrow and let the magical girl who led him onto the path of greatness see his growth.
On the other hand, he also wanted to prove whether his abilities had reached the level he had aspired to back then.
Surpassing what was once looked up to.
Hearing the news that Larkspur had retired was naturally a great pity.
It would be great if I could defeat her myself, but being defeated wouldn't be bad either.
However, according to online novels, most of the protagonists' mentors tend to meet with misfortune or death in their later years.
Hopefully, nothing bad will happen to the Larkspur.
"Don't worry, Larkspur specifically sought me out before I came. She's been keeping a close eye on your activities, and she was very happy to hear that you became a magical girl. She's always believed you're a very promising child."
When Larkspur was mentioned, Iris's confident and Iris expression softened a little, and then she cleared her throat, "Ahem, anyway, Larkspur asked me to pass on a message to you."
"That was great, Keke! Keep up the good work and become an amazing magical girl, bringing happiness and miracles to everyone."
Keke scratched her head a little shyly, "Then, can I visit her sometime? I'd like to see Senior Larkspur again."
"Yes, the decision to retire is one that Larkspur has thought through carefully. She doesn't want anyone to bother her for the time being. If there's an opportunity in the future, I'll ask her about it for you."
"Thank you!" Keke replied happily, then paused, glanced back at Jiang Si, and asked, "Did the Larkspur deliver any message to Jiang Si?"
Iris glanced at Jiang Si with a slightly unnatural expression. "Uh, Larkspur just said she hoped you siblings could get along well."
"Thank you for your concern," Jiang Si said calmly.
Keke's eyes widened immediately.
Noticing her sister's gaze, Jiang Si glanced at her and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Without."
Keke instinctively gave a perfunctory reply, then muttered, "So that's how you talk."
He's never said that to me before...
"It brings happiness and miracles."
Li Yi, who had been staring blankly to the side, couldn't help but repeat Larkspur's words, and then said softly, "Can magical girls really bring happiness and miracles?"
"Even if the seed is destroyed, we must not lose faith in magical girls, Miss Li Yi."
Iris wagged her finger at her, "If you lose your heart of belief, you 'Witch Association corrupt the Miracle Seed, which is certainly hateful, but as long as you believe in miracles, a magical girl can surpass the evil methods of the Witch Association!"
That sounds nice.
Although Li Yi remained silent, Susan couldn't help but retort, "If miracles were so easy to obtain, they wouldn't be miracles. The so-called 'belief' is inherently a vague concept. Belief? How much belief is required? Who can give a reason if you believe until death and receive no response? If failure means a lack of belief, and success means sufficient belief, and there are no standards but only results, then what's the difference between that and superstition?"
The girl, who had once lost her powers, became increasingly agitated as she spoke, "How can you understand anything without experiencing the pain of losing your magical girl powers? Don't pretend you know everything. Wait until you've lost your transformation powers once before you try to teach the captain how to regain miracles. Magical girls aren't omnipotent just by saying you believe!"
Peony quickly tugged at Susan's sleeve, "Okay, okay, stop talking, Shanshan."
Susan glared at her friend. "I told you not to call me that."
"That's the easiest way for you to talk to me..."
Iris's expression also grew more somber. "Of course I know that even with a believing heart, various reasons can prevent us from achieving the desired result; miracles don't always happen. But I still believe that the more desperate we are, the more we can only strengthen our faith, because this is the only path we have, isn't it?"
Even Susan, who had just been angry, had quieted down.
Because, that is indeed the case.
Jiang Si finally took a good look at the magical girl Iris in front of her.
As a magical girl, she is exceptionally talented, even among the Azure Cloud Sect.
With such a state of mind, one has probably already entered the Middle Stage of Full Blossom.
This woman should not be underestimated.
Li Yi lowered her head, her voice weary, "Yes, Iris- senpai is right. It's just that I don't want to be a magical girl anymore."
Iris gently patted her head. "Don't worry, you're still so young. You have plenty of time. Take your time to think it over. There's no need to make a decision right now. Senior Larkspur thought about it for several years before deciding to retire. You should also think about it for a few years. As long as the Miracle Seed is still there, you can always find your own miracle again. There's no need to rush."
I'm a first-year high school student, sixteen years old.
"You're only sixteen? You... oh? Sixteen already?"
Seeing Iris's surprised Iris, Coco Keke n't help but chuckle.
She was actually quite worried about Yiyi; it was truly a pity that she didn't want to be a magical girl.
For some reason, the thought of what Jiang Si would say if she were speaking at this moment naturally came to her mind.
If you don't want to be one, then get out.
He quickly shook his head, dismissing the impolite thought, and then turned to glare at Jiang Si.
It's all his fault; he made me overthink things.
Then I saw Jiang Si make a phone call; she was probably ordering takeout.
With so many people staying home for meals, it would be too late for Jiang Si to cook, and she certainly wouldn't be interested in doing so.
Ordering takeout is indeed a good option, but I'm wondering if he has enough money.
We can't just order a few cheap dishes to entertain our guests; that would be too shabby.
While she was thinking, Iris started talking about the Magical Girl Combat Team's future plans, and then she mentioned some interesting stories about Larkspur.
It mentions things like Larkspur's love for dance machines and how he stands up for his juniors on those machines.
Keke and Li Yi listened intently, but Peony showed little interest.
She wasn't familiar with Larkspur, nor was she a fan of Larkspur, so her attention was focused on her friend Susan.
She noticed it the moment she arrived at Jiang Si's house.
Susan was very concerned about Jiang Si, but she never dared to look directly at her.
That's so strange.
He stared at Susan for a long while before lowering his voice and whispering in Susan ear:
"You haven't actually fallen for Jiang Si, have you?"
Susan froze, then immediately shook her head violently, her earlobes even turning slightly red. "No, no, no, don't talk nonsense."
Oh no, oh no, oh no!
Peony suddenly felt a darkness before her eyes.
This reaction is most likely the case.
After so many years together, how could she not know Susan's thoughts? If she were to refute him expressionlessly, it would truly be nothing.
Such a frantic attempt to cover it up will not clear his name.
Peony also turned her head and looked Jiang Si up and down.
You know what, this kid is pretty handsome, especially after witnessing how he brutally beat up a strong man more than twice his size. Now he's sitting there quietly, which complements his delicate features.
Return to Truth quite attractive.
The problem is, this is Shion's boyfriend...
Peony felt a pang of guilt when she thought back to the time when Shion cornered her.
" Susan, it's not that your sisters don't support you, but if you're going to compete with Shion for a man, I won't even talk about charm or looks; let's just talk about strength. What if Shion goes berserk and tries to kill you for stealing her man? Who can stop that? Oh, maybe Iris can actually stop her, but you can't rely on her alone."
Susan's expression was somewhat strange; she was even biting her lip tightly, as if she was trying to suppress something.
Peony immediately wondered if she had gone a bit too far.
In terms of looks, Susan isn't bad-looking, but she lacks a bit of feminine charm. After all, Susan always has a serious expression, dresses in a more masculine style, and doesn't really like wearing makeup.
It's easier to be awe-inspiring at first glance than to be attracted.
"In short, take my advice: there are plenty of good men in this world, don't fixate on such a troublesome guy."
"I already said no," Susan said, her tone almost reproachful. "Can you please stop making wild guesses?"
"Fine, fine, you think I'm annoying, huh? Anyway, I have someone I like. My girlfriends and friends are just passersby, I don't care anymore. I'll just kick them aside. I understand, I understand."
"If you keep talking nonsense, I'm really going to get angry."
Peony chuckled, knowing full well that Susan wasn't that heartless; she just habitually teased her friend like that. "It reminds me of the time when we were teammates. We used to chat late at night before bed, and I worried that if we kept being magical girls, clearing out Calamity Beast, we wouldn't be able to find lovers or get married."
"After we turn fifty, we might as well live together and look after each other," Susan continued, then scoffed, "It was just a casual remark, I'm surprised you even remembered it."
"You still remember, don't you?"
Peony gazed at Jiang Si and sighed softly, "Sigh, it feels like my best friend is about to be stolen away. That wretched Jiang Si, not only did she get Shion, but she even dared to seduce my best friend..."
Susan gave Peony a hard knock on the forehead to shut her up.
Susan hadn't originally thought of it that way, but Peony kept talking about it and talking about it.
That's why she inevitably started to misunderstand...
Jiang Si is Shion.
The person who brought about a miracle and saved her was Jiang Si.
As the face imprinted in my heart that night was gradually replaced by Jiang Si's face, a subtle emotion inevitably arose in my heart.
However, she quickly and forcefully extinguished these wonderful feelings.
Regardless, Jiang Si is Jiang Si, Shion is Shion.
The person I admire is Shion, not Jiang Si!
Then, he inevitably remembered that Jiang Si had taken half of his salary from here.
The thought that it was actually Shion who had taken half of her salary made Susan feel a little uncomfortable.
As the sect leader of the Azure Cloud Sect, how could he be short of money? Why would he skim off his own feet?
My salary was originally paid by the Azure Cloud Sect, that is, by Lady Shion. If you want to just deduct it from my salary, why bother with all this trouble?
You can't exactly say you also have special thoughts about yourself...
"In short, my main purposes for coming here are twofold: first, to retrieve our Miracle Seed; and second, to capture Shion and bring her back to headquarters."
Iris's frankness brought Susan back to her senses, and those words made Keke, Li Yi, and Jiang Si sit up straight.
Keke glanced at Li Yi first.
There's a Miracle Seed right here.
The Disaster Countermeasures Bureau initially refused to give Li Yi the seed, but the director made an exception and gave Li Yi the seed, thinking that if it could help Yinluo transform in the future, it wouldn't be considered a violation of the rules, since the Miracle Seed was meant to be used.
If resources are used to their fullest potential, the General Administration of Sport will not pursue the matter.
But now that Yinluo has passed away and the former director has been dismissed, Li Yi keeps the Miracle Seed and doesn't want to return it yet. As a keepsake originally intended for her sister, she wants to keep it with her for a while longer.
Iris probably just thought the Witch Association take the seeds away...
Then he glanced at Jiang Si again.
Despite being Shion's lover, Jiang Si showed no expression when she heard that Iris was going to kidnap Shion.
Keke didn't know whether she felt sorry for Shion- sensei or relieved.
Iris observed the changes in the girls' expressions and understood. "Don't worry, I know that Shion and her Azure Cloud Sect have a good reputation in Beihai these past few years. As Free Magical Girl Organization, they haven't done anything bad. On the contrary, they've been helping to clear out the Calamity Beast. The citizens of BH City support them. I won't rashly start a conflict and cause everyone's dissatisfaction."
"I'll first try to negotiate with Miss Shion and get her to come to headquarters with me voluntarily. If she refuses, I'll take her with me by force. Of course, I'll be careful not to hurt her, so don't worry."
The group exchanged glances, but remained silent. Finally, Coco Keke n't help but speak earnestly:
" Shion- sensei is the strongest."
"I'm the strongest too," Iris nonchalantly. "Besides, free-spirited magical girls like these, without training and education from the headquarters, can't possibly fully master the power of Full Blossom Element. So, although we're both Full Blossom, our strengths aren't on the same level. It's a bit unfair for a professional to fight an amateur."
Keke was momentarily at a loss for words to refute him; of course, she believed that Shion- sensei was the strongest.
But Iris does seem to be quite strong...
Adding to the fact that her opponent was so overconfident, Coco Keke became a little unsure whether Shion- sensei could actually win.
Sensing their doubts, Iris smiled slightly, deciding it was better to directly demonstrate her strength.
A blue seed shimmered on her body, and a magic wand appeared independently in her hand.
"This is called Magical Armament Manifestation. It allows you to summon a portion of your demon armor while not transformed, making it an ability used when you need to conceal your identity."
Peony and Susan exchanged a glance.
They figured out quite a bit of this themselves during combat; it's not exactly a high-level technique...
"There's also this kind of precise magic control technique, which allows one to constantly transform magic into whatever shape they desire."
Li Yi glanced at it; the magic power at Iris's fingertips was changing wildly, from a seed to sprouting, blooming, and finally withering, each change was extremely exquisite.
However, Li Yi also noticed that the changes in shape and outline were not so obvious, and it was clear that the more delicate edges were somewhat rough.
It's far inferior to Dandelion...
But then, Iris pointed to Keke, "May I borrow your seeds?"
When Keke took it out, she realized that the magic in the seed had been diverted without her permission.
Iris manipulated Keke's red magic with one hand and her own blue magic with the other, a confident smile on her face. "Simultaneously manipulating two types of magic is a required course at headquarters, but it's extremely difficult. Even among magical girls at the Full Blossom level, very few can control both types of magic with ease."
This time, the four of them finally showed expressions of amazement.
Simultaneously manipulating two kinds of magic was indeed beyond their comprehension.
"However, generally speaking, different magical powers can clash violently, easily harming oneself and causing serious consequences, even rendering one unable to transform. Therefore, the Bureau strictly prohibits magical girls from fusing two types of magic together. This method is an emergency measure used when one's own magic power is about to run out." Iris smiled confidently again, "Of course, it can also be used to steal the magic power of the opposing magical girl during battle. I won first place in the competition at the Bureau using this method."
"That's amazing," Keke exclaimed.
Peony and Li Yi both nodded, but Susan glanced at Jiang Si.
Iris quite agreeable.
Then she tapped her seed, and an even more immense blue magic instantly filled the entire house!
The immense pressure caused Peony and Keke to transform simultaneously, but Iris didn't look at them; her gaze was fixed on Jiang Si.
Since Susan and Li Yi couldn't transform, the pressure was only on Peony, Keke, and Jiang Si!
Even the two magical girls after their transformations were struggling to stay afloat; Keke even slumped onto the table, and Peony had sweat on her forehead.
But Jiang Si remained seated, showing no reaction whatsoever.
Iris's eyes flickered as she gazed at Jiang Si for a long time before dispelling the surrounding magical suppression.
Both Peony and Keke breathed a sigh of relief, even discovering that their magic power was almost depleted.
Even Li Yi and Susan, who weren't the ones receiving special attention, looked relieved; the sheer amount of magic they exuded brought considerable pressure.
Jiang Si, however, remained focused on her phone, her expression unchanged, not even her breathing altered.
"This is a magic suppression technique that can only be used at the Full Blossom Stage."
Iris rested her chin on her hands, watching Jiang Si with amusement. "Your strength is truly impressive, Jiang Si. You remained completely unfazed by this magical suppression. Since your sister is a magical girl and you're so powerful, why don't you join the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau Disaster Countermeasures Bureau? They really need your kind of strength."
The room fell into a deathly silence.