Presided Over by Xingyue!

Inside a hot spring hotel.

“The Sea Gate was directly breached. The attacker was a humanoid being from the Sea of Realms. The stationed troops suffered over ninety percent casualties. Was that a dimensional beast?”

Ji Yue tapped her slender white fingers rhythmically against the table as she read the trending news about the Sea Gate.

“There are some dimensional beasts with smaller bodies,” she said.

“But one that’s both small and powerful—this is a first. To force a frontal breakthrough at the Sea Gate… At the very least, it has to be dragon-class.”

Dragon-class dimensional beasts were the deadliest threats magical girls faced.

Compared to the more common mortal-, ghost-, and king-class creatures, dragon-class sightings were rare.

But every time one appeared, it left death in its wake—sometimes even wiping out entire squads.

“Zining, you’re on break right now. You’ve only got one year of experience. Stay out of this.”

“Auntie, I—”

“Don’t give me ‘I.’ Last time you barely survived against a newly evolved king-class beast. Now you want to take on a dragon-class? Calm down and focus on building real combat experience first.”

Luo Zining had no rebuttal.

“Zining, do you know what it takes to become a first-rate magical girl?”

“Huh?”

She looked up.

Her aunt Ji Yue had, at some point, already transformed into her magical girl form.

Ji Yue’s transformation was different from others—

Simple. Efficient.

Those were the only words that came to mind.

“Auntie?!”

“We magical girls manipulate magic and, based on our magical affinities, learn to wield all kinds of spells.”

She shaped her magic into a visible form in her palm.

“But if that were all, the differences between magical girls wouldn’t be so drastic.

What really separates us—do you know what it is, Zining?”

“…It’s Unique Magic,” Zining replied in a muffled tone.

“Correct. Unique Magic is a personal gift—a skill that transcends your base magical power. It’s your individuality.

Only those who awaken their Unique Magic can be called true elites.

Each girl’s Unique Magic is different.

That’s why magical girls choose their future paths—and their role in a team—based on it.”

“If you want to become strong, you need to first find your place.”

“Vanguard, midline, rearguard, support…

My Unique Magic makes me ideal for the midline.

If needed, I can also lead from the front.”

Ji Yue pulled out a Magical Alliance evaluation report on Little Red Riding Hood.

“Your Unique Magic, ‘Brilliant Ant’, is without doubt rearguard-type.

You’re best placed at the back, using powerful firepower for support.

From now on, train to fit that role.”

Rearguard.

If one had to define it—it was a relatively safe position.

It didn’t require clashing blades with enemies up front.

Though, sometimes, excessive firepower would make rearguards enemy targets as well.

Still, most dimensional beasts lacked intelligence.

There wasn’t much to worry about.

Zining’s mind drifted to a particular figure.

She asked,

“What kind of positions do the Ten Seat magical girls hold?”

“The Ten Seat can’t be judged by normal standards.

In a team, they can fill any role.

But usually, they’re on the frontlines—

Engaging the enemy directly, winning battles by sheer power.”

“Because each of them possesses the strength to fight alone.

They can lead entire teams, whose only purpose is to support them.”

Ji Yue’s tone carried a subtle yearning—

But she quickly reined it in and returned to a stern demeanor.

“You don’t need to think that far ahead.

Focus on doing your job in the rear.

If you can’t even handle that, you’ve got no right to dream bigger.”

She still didn’t know that Zining had been granted Divinity Particles—

That was classified.

In Ji Yue’s eyes, Zining was just another average magical girl.

Fine for peaceful times.

She could do as she pleased.

But times had changed.

The Sea of Realms was stirring.

Hardship loomed.

This wasn’t a good era for rookies.

Life and death separations would become common.

Better to plan ahead than regret later.

But—

Zining didn’t want to be a rearguard.

She remembered when Elera had stood in front of her.

A king-class beast had trembled and fled at the mere sight of her—

And within a minute… no, subtracting the chase and return, perhaps not even twenty seconds had passed before the beast was slain by Elera’s hand.

To witness such overwhelming strength and not aspire to it—

That was impossible.

Sure, the rearguard was safe.

But that wasn’t the life she wanted.

[‘I still have to… become stronger.’]

Zining instinctively clutched at her chest.

The pendant holding her Divinity Particles hung there.

If she wanted to grow, those particles were her biggest advantage in the short term.

Perhaps even enough to touch the silhouette that once stood in front of her.

She raised her head sharply.

“Auntie, can you tell me about Elera?

How strong was she?

What do you all think of her?”

“……”

Ji Yue’s expression changed, subtly and unnaturally.

Her true thoughts?

She wanted nothing more than to find that woman, unload years of pent-up frustration, and lock her in a dark room for endless torment…

But she hadn’t yet told anyone what Elera had done to her.

So—for now—she went with the official version.

“She was so strong… that I stopped believing we were even the same species.”

“….I want to be like that.”

Ji Yue looked at Zining, her emotions complicated.

Once upon a time, she too had had that dream.

To surpass that woman.

To one day stand beside her, and see what the world looked like from there.

But the reality was—

The more she grew, the more she realized how unreachable that woman was.

Even now, as a Ten Seat candidate, if she were compared to Elera from ten years ago…

The gap was still staggering.

“A lofty goal is a good thing.

But for now, gain experience in the back row.

The frontlines are never short on people.

Wait until you…”

Halfway through her sentence, both their phones buzzed with an alert from the Magical Alliance.

[Signs of a gatebreaker spotted at the Canglan Ruins.

Brief clash occurred on-site.

Initial assessment: identity is likely Elera!]

“Elera?! She’s in the Nine Seas too?!”

Magical energy flared wildly from Ji Yue.

Her dense resentment made her completely overlook the gatebreaker report, focusing only on that name.

“Auntie, I get that you hate her, but rein in your aura!

This is not how a magical girl should look!”

Zining saw her aunt’s reaction and thought—

[Wait…

Did Auntie also get… ‘Elera’d’?

No, no!

Don’t go there!]

Ji Yue’s communicator beeped again.

A private message this time—just for her.

“Wha—?!”

Ji Yue stared at the screen, swaying on her feet.

Even Zining was startled by her sudden instability.

“Auntie, what’s wrong?!”

“Tomorrow morning…

The Ten Seat will convene a special council.

Presided over by Lady Xingyue herself!

And she asked me to bring Zhou Xi as well!”

Ten Seat councils weren’t held lightly.

Because she was a candidate, Ji Yue had been allowed to attend a few—escorted by the Seventh Seat, “King’s Advance”.

She wasn’t exactly used to it—

But today, her composure collapsed.

Because this time, it would be Xingyue presiding!

That legendary magical girl, gone for seven years—

Was finally returning!

“Eh?! Lady Xingyue? The Lady Xingyue?!”

Even with only a year as a magical girl, Zining had heard her name countless times.

A symbol.

A shining beacon ahead of every magical girl’s path.

Her feats were too many to count.

She had slain over ten dragon-class beasts—alone.

Ten years ago, at the Sea Gate, she coordinated with local forces to cast the Zero-Rank Spell.

She faced a light-devourer-class dimensional beast across the sea.

Though they didn’t clash directly, she forced it to retreat—

It didn’t dare cross.

Her legend had many chapters.

But its grandest was undoubtedly the final one—

Seven years ago, her world-shaking duel with Elera.

The result was unknown.

But after that, Elera vanished.

The Alliance’s greatest victory.

Sadly, Xingyue vanished at the same time.

But every magical girl believed—

In those seven years, she must’ve secretly thwarted world-ending threats again and again.

She was omnipotent.

A living legend.

“Even back then, Lady Xingyue had reached the peak.

Seven years later… what new heights has she reached?”

No one believed she had remained stagnant.

The return of Xingyue was like a divine shot in the arm.

Especially now—

With the Sea Gate broken, new entities emerging, and Elera active again…

It was as if Xingyue had returned just to face all of it.

A chosen hero.

The Magic Alliance’s moment of brilliance was about to begin.

“If Zhou Xi is being brought along, then this meeting must be about Elera.”

Ji Yue frowned.

If Xingyue herself was taking the lead, it meant serious action was coming.

Could Elera really handle that kind of pressure?

[Wait—!?

Why do I care if she can?!]

Ji Yue violently shook her head.

Drive out those thoughts.

Stay true to yourself.

Knock knock—

A knock at the door.

Outside, Luo You’s voice called out.

“Zining, I’m back. Open the door.”

“……”

Ji Yue stopped Zining.

Under her niece’s confused gaze, she walked up and opened the door.

And in that moment, while Luo You was unguarded—

She seized her wrist and yanked her inside.

As if heralding what was about to unfold,

The door creaked shut with a long, mournful groan…