The following morning, having dropped Xiao Jiu off at kindergarten, Aya Tone skillfully navigated around the bustling crowds, seeking refuge in a secluded cubicle.
Ensuring no one was around, his mind stirred with a subtle intention.
A brilliant radiance erupted from within him, and as the light dissipated, a luxuriant cascade of silver hair tumbled over his shoulders.
Behold! Magical Girl Aya Tone made her dazzling debut!
“Tsk, it’s utterly vexing to transform into this every single time I channel magic,” Aya Tone muttered, a hint of disdain in his voice as he idly flicked a strand of his silver hair.
It was perfectly comprehensible for those with beastification abilities to assume bestial forms when employing their powers.
Yet, why was it that merely by wielding magic, he was invariably subjected to a complete gender transformation!?
Could it truly be solely because his awakened ability bore the name “Magical Girl”? That notion was utterly preposterous.
Furthermore, the unsettling sensation of emptiness below was deeply uncomfortable; the abrupt departure of his ‘second brother’ left him with a profound, almost phantom, void.
Naturally, it was not entirely without its merits; at the very least, his transformation was something he could control.
[The power of a Magical Girl stems from the heart; with sufficient spiritual strength, even deities can be brought to their knees.]
Such was the declaration inscribed within the awakening’s introductory text.
During his initial awakening, Aya Tone had, out of curiosity, experimented with it. In truth, there was nothing profoundly unique—merely abilities such as doubled magical potency and the manifestation of illusory spells.
To put it more plainly, it was simply—the power of ‘I reckon’!
Truly, it was quite useless, not even as beneficial as the inherent mosaic effect that accompanied his Magical Girl form, which at least offered a degree of information shielding.
Regrettably, this very ability to shield information had already been branded onto the pillar of shame the moment Fire Finch discovered him.
It proved utterly worthless.
Concluding his daily litany of complaints, Aya Tone produced his adorable magic wand and, with a flourish, traced a circle in the air.
“Teleportation.”
****
The Vermillion Bird Guild
Li Jia had been patiently awaiting his arrival for quite some time. As Aya Tone’s designated teammate, it was only natural for her to accompany him on this business trip.
“Aya, all preparations are complete.”
Li Jia cheerfully tugged her suitcase along, the thought of their distant business trip destination filling her with glee. This, she mused, was an excellent opportunity to enjoy some alone time with Aya Tone.
Aya Tone, so petite and delicate, would undoubtedly feel wonderfully comfortable to embrace, hehehe…
She was already lost in reveries of cuddling with Aya Tone as they slept that very night.
“Ah, let us depart then.”
Unaware of the peculiar thoughts swirling in Li Jia’s mind, Aya Tone concluded that since everyone was present, it was time to set off.
The sooner they embarked, the sooner their task would conclude. He still had to hasten back that evening to share dinner with Xiao Jiu.
“Oh, splendid!”
Li Jia, brimming with eagerness, employed teleportation magic to whisk Aya Tone away to the airport, blissfully unaware that she might well be spending the night alone.
****
The Four Symbols Guilds, integral to the nation, stood sentinel at the four cardinal points: east, south, west, and north, respectively.
Their current business trip was destined for Fengtai City, a region overseen by the White Tiger Guild, a journey that traversed fully half the nation from Yan’an City.
Despite having unexpectedly arrived in this world a considerable time ago, this marked Aya Tone’s inaugural departure from Yan’an City.
Perched within the aircraft, Aya Tone’s gaze remained fixed upon the world outside the window, a newfound wonder dawning on him as he observed the unique expanse of the sky above this unfamiliar realm.
“Wow, Li Jia, quick, look at that cloud! It’s so incredibly white! Xiao Jiu would absolutely adore it if she were here to see it.”
“Indeed, indeed, Xiao Jiu would undoubtedly find it delightful.”
Li Jia offered a resigned affirmation. Though she had yet to meet the child named Xiao Jiu, Aya Tone invariably invoked the name by her side during every single mission.
As time wore on, she felt as though she had gained a comprehensive understanding of Xiao Jiu’s every preference.
Should she ever have the chance to meet the child, she was certain they would swiftly become fast friends.
After a span of two hours, the aircraft gracefully commenced its descent.
“Eleven o’clock already?” Aya Tone murmured, a slight frown creasing his brow as he glanced at the time displayed on his phone.
The flight itself typically consumed nearly three hours, while Xiao Jiu’s kindergarten dismissal was scheduled for half past four in the afternoon.
Consequently, he would need to catch a one o’clock flight back that afternoon to ensure he could pick up Xiao Jiu on time.
“Li Jia, time is running short! Teleport us directly to the Guild entrance so we can claim the mission instance!”
With only two hours remaining until afternoon, he was compelled to clear as many instances as possible within that limited timeframe.
This was an opportunity that directly concerned their potential escape from a life of financial constraint!
Time was pressing, and the task was arduous; onward, onward!
“What? Shouldn’t we be having lunch at this hour?” Li Jia questioned, glancing down at her wristwatch. “It’s already eleven o’clock, isn’t it?”
They had consumed nothing throughout the flight; how could they possibly tackle the afternoon’s arduous expedition in such a state?
“There’s no time to spare. The sooner we complete it, the sooner we can clock out.”
“But I have no knowledge of the Fengtai City Guild’s location. Without precise coordinates, teleportation is impossible.”
Teleportation magic, after all, was not omnipotent; without specific coordinates, one could easily become disoriented and lost within the tumultuous spatial currents—a fact Aya Tone was well aware of.
“Very well,” he conceded. With that, Aya Tone strode purposefully, leading the way out of the bustling terminal hall.
If instant teleportation magic was out of the question, then they were left with no choice but to resort to the most conventional of methods.
Beyond the airport’s confines, a multitude of taxis idled, readily available to transport disembarking travelers.
Witnessing Aya Tone already settled inside a taxi, Li Jia, left with no alternative, reluctantly dragged her suitcase and hastened to follow suit.
“Driver, to the White Tiger Guild, please!”
Fire Finch had already relayed both their details to the “financier” via her phone; all that remained was for them to announce their arrival.
“The White Tiger Guild?”
The driver, a seasoned man, glanced at the two figures in the backseat through his rearview mirror. “Young ladies, you don’t appear to be from around here,” he remarked.
Typically, the White Tiger Guild was frequented by local adventurers; it was quite uncommon for out-of-town visitors to choose that destination.
The fact that Aya Tone and Li Jia, two seemingly foreign young women, would request a ride there, greatly astonished the driver.
Indeed, one could only conclude that Aya Tone’s feminized appearance rendered it exceptionally difficult for anyone to associate him with the formidable image of an S-rank adventurer.
“Driver, your eyesight is truly keen; to discern we are not locals with but a single glance is impressive.”
Aya Tone, having no inclination to conceal their purpose, added, “In truth, we’re here to assist with an A-rank instance.”
“An A-rank instance?”
The driver initially paused, taken aback, before an involuntary chuckle escaped him.
It was not that he possessed an overly low threshold for amusement; rather, the two passengers in his backseat simply did not, by any stretch of the imagination, resemble individuals capable of conquering an A-rank instance.
“My apologies,” he offered, sensing his impropriety in mocking strangers. “My daughter recently achieved a significant victory, and I simply couldn’t contain my delight.”
“Driver, is your daughter already attending university?” Aya Tone inquired, blinking innocently.
Typically, such “victories” were reserved for competitions among ability users. He had certainly not anticipated that this balding driver would boast a daughter already enrolled in university.
This thought inevitably led Aya Tone to ponder his own Xiao Jiu, who was still but a kindergartener.
By the time Xiao Jiu reached adulthood, he mused, he himself would likely be quite old…
“Indeed,” the driver affirmed, and the mention of his daughter seemed to flip a conversational switch within him, unleashing an unstoppable torrent of topics.
His daughter was, after all, his profound pride, and having at last encountered a young woman with whom he could converse so readily, how could he possibly let such an opportunity slip away?
“Ahaha,” Aya Tone offered a strained, awkward laugh, enduring the driver’s relentless and boastful monologue.
Mercifully, the distance from the airport to the White Tiger Guild proved to be rather short.
“Thank you, driver,” Aya Tone said, and only after closing the car door did he finally allow himself a sigh of profound relief.
The driver had been excessively enthusiastic, regaling them with tales of his daughter from her elementary school days all the way through high school. Had the journey not been so brief, he would likely have continued recounting her entire future.
Li Jia, still pulling her luggage, chuckled softly. “Who would have thought that driver’s daughter turned out to be your admirer?”
Aya Tone simply offered a dry, “Heh heh…” ‘Another mortifying moment to add to the annals of my past,’ he thought.