Pheromone Overload

A potent lime scent permeated the air, causing Zhuang Xun to instinctively clamp a hand over her mouth.

‘This was terrible… Senior’s pheromones were beginning to leak.’

Zhuang Xun’s brows furrowed deeply, her mind racing to devise a plan to save her senior.

Having only transitioned into a girl and joined the magic department less than a month ago, her body was still far from fully adapted.

The scent emanating from her senior was, at this very moment, overwhelming all her senses.

Her body began to grow warm, a flush creeping over her skin. ‘If this continued…’ she thought.

Her hand, clutching her magic wand, trembled uncontrollably, and her voice wavered as she spoke, “Senior! Your pheromones are leaking!”

“Ugh…” Tears welled in Shen Xian’s eyes, her hands still bound to the wall by the tentacles. She struggled, her voice strained, “Little Zhuang Xun, quickly get rid of it! It’s really… ugh… so disgusting!”

The pheromone scent intensified. Zhuang Xun knelt, biting her lip, then forcefully dragged the sharp tip of her magic wand across her own arm.

“Little Zhuang Xun! What are you doing?!” Shen Xian’s shocked cry reached Zhuang Xun’s ears.

The metallic smell of blood filled the air. Zhuang Xun used the sharp pain as leverage, forcing herself to stand.

The effect was minimal, yet it was enough to sustain her until other seniors arrived to provide support.

She rose, pointing her magic wand at the tentacles binding Shen Xian. “It’s just to help me focus more.”

In this situation, she could only manage one strike. That strike absolutely could not fail.

As the scent of blood diffused, the tentacles wrapped around Shen Xian began to loosen, then abruptly lunged towards Zhuang Xun.

Zhuang Xun’s cheeks were flushed, but her expression remained impassive.

She murmured softly, “It seems a magical girl’s blood is more appealing than Senior’s pheromones.”

As long as she kept her distance from her senior, this would be easy enough.

Numerous tentacles stretched towards Zhuang Xun. Facing the transparent green tendrils, Zhuang Xun’s gaze first fell upon Shen Xian, who had slid to the ground.

It seemed her senior was safe for now.

Zhuang Xun refocused, directing her full attention to the tentacles. She tilted her head slightly, a cold smile gracing her lips as she chanted, “Winter’s breath, transform into my spear—Ice Bind!”

Witnessing this, Shen Xian immediately cried out, “Little Zhuang Xun!”

Amidst Shen Xian’s anxious voice, the tentacle monster froze solid, just a meter away from Zhuang Xun.

‘Had it succeeded…?’ The pain began to recede, only for the pheromone scent to flood her senses once more.

Her vision blurred. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, she vaguely saw Shen Xian grab her own magic wand and shout towards her, “Little Zhuang Xun, behind you!”

‘Behind… me?’ Zhuang Xun used her last vestiges of awareness to turn her head, spotting a massive tentacle with an open maw lunging directly at her.

‘Ah, it seems I’m going to die.’

‘Was she going to die after only a month of being with the senior she secretly adored?’

That had been her final strike. Now, her body and magic were too depleted to cast a second spell.

She slowly closed her eyes, awaiting the inevitable.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

Not sensing her demise, Zhuang Xun opened her eyes again. Before her stood a familiar back, one she had seen for three years.

Shen Xian, with her small frame, shielded Zhuang Xun, chanting, “Blizzard of Petals!”

Zhuang Xun reached out to Shen Xian, her voice laced with worry, “Senior! Your body hasn’t recovered, you can’t…”

Before she could finish, the soft tap of high heels and a string of incantations reached her ears.

“Myriad forms interwoven, love as the spirit vein. Aphrodite’s Regret—Cleave.”

At the instant the magic struck, the tentacles transformed into petals, fluttering down in front of Zhuang Xun and over Shen Xian.

‘That voice was…’

“Senior Ning…”

“Ning Qi! What took you so long to get here?”

“My apologies, I overslept. Why do you two look so disheveled?”

Ning Qi’s words carried not a hint of apology.

Shen Xian grumbled indignantly, “If you had come any later, Little Zhuang Xun would have almost died!”

Ning Qi replied nonchalantly, “Isn’t she still perfectly alive? Why get so worked up?”

“Look at my Little Zhuang Xun, how badly she’s injured!”

As Shen Xian spoke, she turned towards Zhuang Xun.

Their conversation blurred in Zhuang Xun’s ears. She wanted to speak, but her body uncontrollably tilted backward, and her vision turned to pure white.

Then, she fell into a warm embrace.

“Zhuang Xun? Zhuang Xun!”

Zhuang Xun opened her eyes once more. The familiar ceiling came into view, and the pungent scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils.

Her ears rang, as if her senior’s pheromones still lingered in her mind.

“Zhuang Xun? You’re awake?”

Shen Xian sat by the bedside, her eyes still red, her hair disheveled. It appeared she had stayed by Zhuang Xun’s side since she fainted.

As Zhuang Xun tried to sit up, Shen Xian immediately pressed down on her shoulders. “Don’t move! The doctor said you’re suffering from pheromone overload! Moving even a little more could make you faint again! I’ll raise the bed for you!”

“……”

Zhuang Xun remained silent, having already fainted once.

Moments later, the curtain was abruptly pulled open from the outside.

Ning Qi clicked her tongue, then said, “Shen Xian, why does it seem like you’re trying to push the blame for your pheromone imbalance onto the newcomer? With the amount you were leaking, you even strengthened the monster.”

Shen Xian’s face flushed with embarrassment. “I-I had no idea the tentacle monster would react so strongly to my pheromones! Besides, my inability to control my pheromones isn’t a new thing! Ugh… just thinking about that tentacle monster makes me sick…”

Shen Xian shivered. Seeing this, Zhuang Xun took her hand, reassuring her, “It’s alright, Senior. Senior Ning has already taken care of the tentacle monster.”

Shen Xian lunged at Zhuang Xun. “Ugh… you really are the best to me.”

Zhuang Xun felt the sudden weight on her body and blinked frantically. “Se-Senior?!”

“Are you crazy?” Ning Qi pulled Shen Xian away from Zhuang Xun. “Zhuang Xun just fainted because of your pheromones, and now you’re still getting close to her?”

Shen Xian instantly realized her mistake, nervously asking, “I just hugged you, are you okay?!”

Zhuang Xun waved her hand, unconsciously scratching her cheek. “I’m fine….”

Ning Qi rubbed her forehead. “How did you even pass the exam…?”

“I passed the exam at the same time as you!”

“Exactly, you’re actually my contemporary…”

“You!!!”

Zhuang Xun listened to their bickering, then turned her head to gaze at the ceiling, her mind occupied with something else entirely.

She—had not originally been a girl.

Due to a magical accident, she had transformed directly from a boy into a girl. For some unknown reason, her academic year had also shifted, making her naturally Shen Xian’s ‘junior.’

This was a secret she would absolutely never tell Shen Xian.

She had been in love with Shen Xian for three years, ever since their first meeting.

She had initially thought that changing gender would make it easier to let go of her unrequited feelings.

However, the opposite had proven true….

Now, even a glance at Shen Xian made her heart race more uncontrollably than ever before.

Therefore, she had decided… never to tell her, not in this lifetime.

“Why is your face red? Is there still residual pheromone after all?” Shen Xian leaned in, her face incredibly close.

With Shen Xian’s forehead resting against hers, Zhuang Xun felt as if she might explode.

“Se-Senior! You’re too close!”

“I’m just checking if you have a fever. I’m not going to eat you,” Shen Xian said, blinking her dewy eyes. “And you seriously racked your brain trying to figure out how to defeat the tentacle monster to help me. As a newcomer, not running away immediately is already very impressive.”

Zhuang Xun’s mind short-circuited on the spot.

Ning Qi rolled her eyes from the side. “Little Shen Xian, I think the best way to cool her down right now is for you to stay far away from her.”

Shen Xian turned her head, glaring at Ning Qi. “Am I some kind of walking fever?”

Ning Qi replied with a serious expression, “Indeed. If you keep this up, Zhuang Xun’s blood pressure will skyrocket to the point where she could generate electricity. We could even call it ‘Powering Up for Love.'”

“Hey! Don’t always say things that will make Zhuang Xun misunderstand!”

“Misunderstand?” Ning Qi was about to continue when she was interrupted by a doctor approaching.

“The patient is awake? If so, let’s do a check-up first.”