Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 66

Vol 2 Chapter 66

The ritual called "Explosion" had one clear advantage: sheer power. The high-energy conversion of magic could easily blast through a peer-level Magical Barrier.

However, its biggest flaw was its range and stability. It could only be cast centered on the user and couldn’t extend its activation duration at all. Once the Favored Runes constructed the structure for an explosion ritual, even if it wasn't activated, it would collapse on its own.

This made Explosion an extremely niche ritual. Its cost-effectiveness as an attack method was so poor that calling it "comical" would be putting it nicely—you had to be practically nose-to-nose with your enemy to use it, and even then, you'd have to stack multiple Magical Barriers on yourself just to survive the blowback.

Most of the time, Explosion was used when a Magical Girl knew she couldn’t defeat a Ravager and was willing to go down with it—throwing all her magic into one final desperate strike. Because of this grim association, most Magical Girls didn't have a good impression of the ritual.

Even so, a significant number of firepower-obsessed Magical Girls had refused to give up on it. They relentlessly worked on modifying the original Explosion ritual, trying to patch its weaknesses. Their efforts eventually led to the creation of an entire classification of rituals—the foundation of the Explosion school of magic.

Of course, none of this had anything to do with Xia Liang right now.

She wasn’t learning Explosion because she was interested in it, or because she wanted a mutual-destruction trump card. She was learning it for one reason only: to craft a combination move unique to herself.

Veronica had suggested she combine Explosion-type rituals with Guiding Departure, to cover for the offensive shortcomings of Guiding Departure and patch the flaws of Explosion itself.

It was purely theoretical advice, untested and unproven, but Xia Liang chose to trust it—and in just a few short days, she had managed to develop a prototype.

Now, that untested combo move was about to make its debut.

Trying to sustain her Magical Armor while channeling an Explosion—a ritual known for its heavy magic drain—made Xia Liang feel like her magic reserves were being sucked dry all at once. Her True Form fed back a crushing sense of exhaustion.

But there was no backing out. Once the ritual activated, she could no longer stop it.

"Are you sure it's okay? Should we step in?" Outside the ring, Veronica looked again at Asou Madoka. "If she pulls this off, even if your girl can endure it, we’re going to get a lot of complaints from the locals."

"…Let’s throw up a few extra barriers to protect the area."

Finally dropping her air of detached calm, Asou Madoka spoke up. "This move’s interesting. You came up with it?"

"Only the concept."

Veronica shook her head. "I wasn’t even sure it was possible until she actually pulled it off."

"From the magic flow alone, you can feel the destructive power. If she masters this combo, the assessment shouldn’t be a problem at all."

Asou Madoka gave her rare praise. "Impressive. You’d never guess she’s only been a Magical Girl for half a year—the level of polish is way too high."

"All that praise just for our girl? What about that Mimosa kid of yours?"

Veronica shot her a sideways look. "This much power isn’t something a regular Leaf-tier can handle. It’s way stronger than a standard Explosion. You’re not worried about her safety?"

"Safety, huh…?"

Asou Madoka chuckled, then finally turned to look properly at Veronica. "Sister, did you know what rank Mimosa got in the practical exam when she earned her White Badge earlier this year?"

"Practical exam?"

The words stirred faint memories for Veronica.

She remembered that when she took the qualification exam herself, it had been in her second year as a Magical Girl. She skipped the White Badge exam entirely and went straight for the Badge ID level. But the general process was similar: several written subjects, several practical tests, and even elimination rounds. Getting a high rank meant brute-forcing your way through with real skill.

Asou Madoka obviously knew that too—and she wouldn't bring this up for no reason.

"You probably guessed from my hint already. Mimosa placed third."

And with that simple declaration, the conversation ended.

Meanwhile, inside the training ground, the battle had reached its peak.

"Please don’t let this go too far…"

Watching the blinding amethyst-colored magic flaring up, Xia Liang swallowed nervously, then, clenching her hand, thrust the fully activated Favored Runes outward.

The purple light shot along the column of Guiding Departure markers, lighting the entire mirror-like track in a flash and blasting toward Mimosa.

Throughout all this, Mimosa stood still, quietly gripping her wand, without so much as flinching.

Contrary to Veronica’s worries, she showed no intent to dodge.

In fact, from start to finish, she hadn’t taken a single step from her spot.

She simply watched the ritual bloom in Xia Liang’s hand, then, as the deafening impact sound roared toward her, her lips parted slightly, and she softly chanted:

"Shield me, Eye Tap."

As the words fell, her wand transformed into a small handheld tambourine. She caught it in her left hand and, using a few fingers of her right hand, lightly tapped it.

Clink!

A crisp sound rang out, and with it, a faint reddish ripple of magic spread outward like ripples on water, visibly dampening part of Xia Liang’s oncoming attack.

Though it didn’t cancel it entirely, it was enough.

Each time Mimosa tapped the tambourine, more ripples expanded outward, each one sapping a portion of the attack’s strength, until it was severely weakened.

The whole exchange took barely a second.

By the time Xia Liang’s attack reached Mimosa, its structure was so tattered it posed no real threat—and she easily blocked the remnants with layered Magical Barriers.

All without moving a single step.

Meanwhile, Xia Liang, drained by the combo move, couldn’t even hold her transformed state anymore. Her magical attire dissolved, and she collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

"So... tired..."

She couldn’t even speak properly. Bracing herself with both hands, she lowered her face to the floor, feeling her sweat drip down onto the ground, mind blank.

Victory, defeat—it barely registered.

All she could do was breathe.

After all, you couldn't recover True Form exhaustion with a few deep breaths.

"Can you fire another shot?"

Across from her, Mimosa tilted her head slightly. "If there’s a second one, that could be trouble."

"…No more."

Blinking slowly, Xia Liang answered honestly.

She could tell she still had some magic left, but she couldn’t even lift her arms anymore. Bluffing was pointless.

She had known from the start that her opponent wouldn't be easy.

Even so, she hadn’t expected her trump card—the one that could cripple even a Chrysalis-tier Ravager—to be brushed aside so casually.

But surprisingly, she wasn’t upset.

Maybe, from the moment she knew her opponent was a "senior who advanced a year early," she had already been prepared to lose.

If she could, of course she wanted to win. After all, this had been a rare chance for solo training with her Little Senior—and winning would have been the perfect ending.

But now…

Still crouching low, Xia Liang glanced sideways at Veronica, who was watching with worried brows.

…Maybe it wasn’t a loss after all.

Smiling faintly, she took a few deep breaths, lifted her head slightly, and looked at Mimosa.

"I concede."

Simple, clean, decisive.

"Next match: White Rose versus Bai Ji... Will both contestants please enter the arena!"

Moko’s voice once again echoed through the training ground, though it sounded noticeably less spirited than before.

The first match had ended in defeat for the Fangting City Squad.

Upon hearing the announcement, Lin Xiaolu felt her nerves tighten, palms growing slick with sweat.

From her perspective, Xia Liang was undoubtedly their strongest fighter on paper.

Even if she wasn’t always convinced of Xia Liang’s superiority, the progress Xia Liang made in her Tier Advancement was undeniable—far ahead of Lin Xiaolu herself.

And now, Xia Liang had lost, and not even by a narrow margin. Worse still, it didn’t seem like their opponent had used her full strength.

Lin Xiaolu glanced nervously at Bai Ji, who had stepped forward from the opposing squad. She clenched her fists tighter, repeating to herself: Stay calm.

From everything she'd gathered, Bai Ji was likely the strongest member of the Bo'an City team. And now, it was up to Lin Xiaolu to face her.

Because Xia Liang had lost the first match, if Lin Xiaolu couldn’t win the second, Fangting City would lose the whole series.

At that moment, Lin Xiaolu felt an unbearable weight pressing down on her shoulders.

If I lose... will I fall even further behind Mom? Will Veronica be disappointed in me? If she’s disappointed... what will I do?

The air in the training ground was fresh, but Lin Xiaolu felt like she was suffocating.

Bai Ji stood calmly at the center of the field, staring straight at Lin Xiaolu, clearly wondering why she hadn't moved.

Lin Xiaolu forced herself to step forward stiffly.

——"White Rose."

A cool voice called out from behind.

Turning around, Lin Xiaolu found Veronica gesturing at her.

"W-what is it?" she asked hoarsely, her voice rasping.

"Don’t stress, and don’t focus on winning or losing."

Veronica’s tone was solemn yet gentle. "Just show me how much you've grown. Boldly reveal your weaknesses. Let me truly see who you are now. That’s the real purpose of this match."

Lin Xiaolu simply stared blankly at her.

Veronica sighed and repeated, "Okay?"

"...Ah, yeah. Okay."

Finally, Lin Xiaolu nodded. "I’ll do my best."

She turned back toward the field, locking eyes with Bai Ji.

Let Veronica truly see me...

She whispered the words under her breath, drawing strength from them, her gaze growing firmer.

The light of the Heartstone flashed, and her Magical Girl attire adorned her body. She raised her hand, gathering a small glowing blue Magic Orb.

"Let’s start from here again," she said, her gaze burning with determination.

Bai Ji looked puzzled at first, confused why Lin Xiaolu would pick a move she had already lost with.

Then, something flickered across Bai Ji’s face—like sudden understanding. She glanced at Asou Madoka standing outside the ring.

Madoka gave a silent thumbs-up.

"…I see. As you wish."

Bai Ji pressed her lips together, lowered her gaze briefly, then completed her own transformation, pale blue light swirling around her.

She raised her hand, a Magic Orb forming to mirror Lin Xiaolu’s.

For a brief moment, both girls stood still.

Then, as if on cue, they simultaneously hurled their orbs forward.

The blue and pale blue magic clashed midair—not dissipating on contact, but locking together, tangled in a fierce deadlock.

The clash didn’t end immediately.

But soon, Bai Ji’s pale blue orb began to tremble.

It vibrated like a roaring engine, and its frequency skyrocketed, beginning to overpower Lin Xiaolu’s magic, pushing forward with overwhelming force.

"Looks like she knows it too…"

Watching from the sidelines, Xia Liang blinked in surprise, then sighed. "This’ll be tough for Xiaolu."

"You mean 'knows it'—what exactly?" Veronica asked calmly from beside her.

"You saw it too, didn’t you?" Xia Liang pointed toward the dueling orbs. "The way her magic started vibrating all of a sudden? My previous opponents did the same thing. Somehow, even with equal magic, they always managed to tear through mine."

"Did you figure out what the technique actually is?"

Veronica continued questioning without commenting on her answer.

"The essence? That's a bit…"

Xia Liang squinted helplessly. "There’s no way I could figure something like that out after just two exchanges, Little Senior. You’re giving me too much credit."

Veronica stayed silent.

Truth was, she didn’t know either.

She had never seen magic used this way back when she was active as a Magical Girl.

And even now, she didn’t bother asking Asou Madoka—because she knew exactly who was responsible.

Instead, she kept her eyes firmly on Lin Xiaolu.

If there was an answer, Lin Xiaolu would show it.

And at that moment—something changed.

The pale blue magic, which had been steadily losing ground, suddenly steadied.

Then, almost like flipping a switch, its shape began to warp irregularly.

The scattered strands of Lin Xiaolu’s magic started collapsing inward, and then, all at once—

It ignited.

Her magic, which had once been a gentle blue, now blazed like fire.

Everyone watching reacted.

If Fangting City’s team had been shocked before, the Bo'an City squad was outright stunned.

Whether it was Mimosa, Wood Lily, or Bai Ji herself—there was only one word to describe their feelings: shock.

"You see it now, Sister?"

After staying mostly silent since the beginning of the matches, Asou Madoka finally spoke.

"This is the technique we developed over the past decade, spearheaded by me and the Investigation Bureau. It’s what allowed me to earn my Flower Card."

"What’s it called?" Veronica asked, still watching Lin Xiaolu.

"I usually call it 'Turbidification,' or more plainly, 'Simulated Deviation.'"

Still staring at the burning blue magic, Madoka explained calmly, "Simply put, it’s about artificially segmenting the 'base color' of magic to create special properties."

"Simulated Deviation? Deviation toward what?"

Veronica frowned deeply. "It doesn’t sound very safe."

She knew very well, from her conversations with Emerald, that a magic user’s base color represented their True Form—their very essence.

Magical Girls had the base color of a Magical Girl, and Ravagers had the base color of a Ravager. Changing it was usually unthinkable.

And people who did exhibit two different base colors were known as Deviants—unstable and dangerous, like the Scar Marks.

By all logic, "deviation" should not be something safe to encourage.

"It doesn’t deviate toward anything."

Asou Madoka laughed softly. "A Magical Girl’s base color remains pure. No foreign contamination."

"Everyone’s magic is inherently unique—just like their Magical Armor. Even though we all operate under the same system, everyone has different nuances."

"Turbidification just isolates part of that uniqueness and amplifies it—letting magic evolve to reflect individuality."

"So it’s only 'simulated deviation'—because the base color stays intact, even if the outward behavior looks different."

By this point, the magic orbs in the arena had reached their climax.

The tremoring pale blue magic from Bai Ji and the burning blue magic from Lin Xiaolu collided fiercely.

But in the end—it was Lin Xiaolu’s flame that won out.

Her blazing magic devoured Bai Ji’s trembling energy, overcoming it completely.

Lin Xiaolu—had seized the advantage.

Even she seemed surprised.

But the one who was truly shaken was Bai Ji.

She knew better than anyone what Lin Xiaolu’s capabilities had been a week ago.

When they sparred privately before, Bai Ji had used Turbidification to crush her, and judging by Lin Xiaolu’s shocked reaction back then, she hadn’t understood it at all.

Yet now—Lin Xiaolu had mastered it in just a few days.

And among all the people present, only Asou Madoka had the skills to teach it.

That was the first thing Bai Ji couldn’t understand: Why had Madoka taught her?

But the second—and far more shocking thing—was how Lin Xiaolu had learned it so fast.

This wasn’t a simple technique. It took enormous magical control and long-term practice.

Bai Ji herself had needed more than half a year to master it.

Even Mimosa had taken months—and Wood Lily hadn’t succeeded at all.

And now, this girl, this opponent standing before her…

"Did you seriously learn the instructor’s Turbidification... in just one week?" Bai Ji blurted out in disbelief.

"You mean Turbidification?"

Lin Xiaolu tilted her head innocently, rummaging through her memory for the answer.

"…I think it took about three days?"