When Yuan Qing teleported home and canceled his transformation, Mizuho immediately stepped out from the swirling raven feathers.
“Morning.”
Mizuho adjusted her clothes slightly.
“Morning,” Yuan Qing said, looking at her. “Is there something today?”
“In a moment,” Mizuho said as she walked to his side. “You just fought ten?”
“Yes.”
“All one-hit kills?”
“Yes.”
Yuan Qing’s communication had always been highly efficient.
Mizuho paused for a moment, organizing her words. “Do you think you can defeat Miss Kazama as you are now?”
Raven whispered from the side, “Mizuho, did you run over here first thing in the morning just to say that?”
“Yes, that is exactly why I’m here,” Mizuho said, looking at Yuan Qing. “So my suggestion is to go and have actual combat with other Magical Girls. That way, you can gather popularity points from a different track and adapt to fighting real people in advance.”
Yuan Qing looked at her, and Mizuho looked back. Two identical faces stared at each other in the morning light.
Yuan Qing spoke. “As you wish. What do you want me to do?”
“Good. I already contacted several Magical Girls in my own name last night,” Mizuho said, opening her phone. “Though they are still a far cry from someone of Hifumi’s level, the rules of the matches and everything else have already been set. Do I need to explain them to you?”
Yuan Qing immediately went to the door and prepared to change his shoes. “Do you think I can win?”
“You can win.”
Mizuho answered without hesitation.
“Then there is no need for an explanation.” Yuan Qing put on his outdoor shoes.
Mizuho and Raven glanced at each other, sharing a smile for some unknown reason.
“Where is the first one?” Yuan Qing asked without looking back.
“Don’t be in such a hurry,” Mizuho said, taking out her phone. “Wait until I set up the livestream.”
***
At 9:00 AM, at a certain training ground for Magical Girls in Tokyo.
This was an inconspicuous building that looked like an abandoned warehouse from the outside. However, after pushing open the doors, the interior was a spacious indoor area with floors covered in special cushioning material and various training equipment hanging on the surrounding walls.
Yuan Qing stood in the center of the field, his black robe transformation already complete, with his wings folded behind him.
Raven perched on his shoulder and looked around. “This place is decent. I’ve only been here a few times. It’s usually used for training and sparring, but Mizuho borrowed it for today.”
Yuan Qing glanced at the phone screen. “The livestream has started.”
On the screen, comments began to flood the chat.
“Eh? Is Miss Raven going to fight again?”
“It’s not a monster? It’s a real fight?”
“Who is the opponent?”
On the other side of the training ground, the door was pushed open, and a girl wearing a combat suit walked in.
Her combat suit was a deep blue lace dress, and she held a staff. She stood ten meters away from Yuan Qing, took a deep breath, and then bowed slightly.
“I look forward to our match.”
Yuan Qing nodded.
Raven flew up from his shoulder and landed on the nearby spectator seats.
“The rules are simple,” it announced loudly. “The match ends when one side surrenders or is knocked down. Begin!”
The moment the words fell, the girl in blue shot straight toward Yuan Qing.
‘So fast.’
That was Yuan Qing’s first reaction, but he did not move.
Just as the girl’s staff was about to hit him, his body shifted slightly to the side, avoiding the strike by a hair’s breadth.
The girl did not stop. Using her momentum, she spun around and unleashed a sweeping roundhouse kick.
Yuan Qing folded his wings, and the hardened feathers blocked the kick.
*Clang — *
The sound of metal clashing echoed through the training ground. The girl used the force to spring away, landing 3 meters away and looking at him warily.
“So fast!”
“Miss Raven blocked it without even moving?”
“Who is that opponent? She’s also pretty impressive.”
Yuan Qing looked at the girl opposite him and formed a rough judgment in his mind. She was a speed type with sharp attacks but lacked power.
If he wanted to, he could end the battle right now using “Falcon.”
But he did not strike. He simply stood in place, waiting for the girl to attack again.
“I thought she was just known for her speed, but I didn’t expect her defense to be so strong as well…” The girl bit her lip and rushed forward again.
This time, she no longer moved in a straight line. Instead, she moved rapidly around Yuan Qing, trying to find an opening.
Yuan Qing stood in place, only slightly rotating his body to remain facing her at all times.
“Why isn’t she fighting?”
“She must be looking for an opportunity.”
“Miss Raven isn’t moving either?”
The girl circled him three times and finally could not help herself.
She suddenly accelerated, cutting in from the side and kicking toward Yuan Qing’s ribs.
Yuan Qing stepped aside to avoid it and simultaneously reached out his right hand to grab her ankle. The girl was startled and forcibly pulled back her leg, but she did so too quickly, causing her to lose her balance.
Yuan Qing did not pursue her. He simply stood in place. The girl stumbled two steps, steadied her form, and looked at him while panting heavily.
“Are you… holding back on me?”
Yuan Qing did not speak.
Raven shouted from the spectator seats, “He’s not holding back; he just wants to fight a bit longer.”
The girl felt a bit dejected.
“Fight a bit longer?” she murmured. “Does that mean I’m not even qualified for him to take me seriously?”
Yuan Qing glanced at her. “I just need to fight a bit longer.”
The girl looked at him, remained silent for a few seconds, and then she smiled.
“Fine. Then I’ll keep you company.”
She rushed forward again.
This time, her movements were more open than before. She no longer tested him cautiously but attacked with full force.
Punches, kicks, knees, and elbows.
Every strike was fast and fierce. Yuan Qing dodged, parried, and occasionally countered amidst the attacks, but he never landed a heavy blow.
The two fought for a full 5 minutes.
Finally, the girl’s stamina was exhausted. She knelt on one knee, gasping for air. “I… I surrender.”
Yuan Qing nodded to her.
Raven flew down from the spectator seats and landed on Yuan Qing’s shoulder.
“First match, over,” it said to the camera. “Next match.”
The chat screen instantly exploded.
“There’s another match?”
“How many is Miss Raven going to fight today?”
“Is she going to run the gauntlet? No rest?”
On the other side of the training ground, the door was pushed open again, and another Magical Girl walked in.
Her combat suit was fiery red, and she held a long blade in her hand.
“I look forward to our match,” she said.
Yuan Qing nodded.
After 5 minutes, the red-clad girl also surrendered.
Then came the third.
The fourth.
The fifth.
Every opponent’s style was different.
There were speed types, power types, technical types, and long-range types.
Yuan Qing fought each one, circled each one, and played with each one until they surrendered on their own. He had not taken the initiative to attack even once.
The livestream comments went from excitement at the beginning, to surprise, and then to absolute shock.
“She hasn’t actively used a single move yet?”
“It’s all defensive counters?”
“Five opponents have already swapped out. The gap is just too big…”
Yuan Qing wiped away a thin layer of sweat and stood in place in a daze for a moment, taking a short break.
Raven lay on the spectator seats, watching Yuan Qing in the arena, and suddenly shouted, “What are you dawdling for? There’s no bed for you here!”
The sixth opponent.
It was a girl in a green combat suit, holding a weapon similar to a bow and arrow. She stood at a distance and fired arrow after arrow at Yuan Qing.
Yuan Qing flapped his wings, scattering raven feathers. Every arrow was precisely avoided.
The girl fired over twenty arrows until her quiver was empty. She stood in place, panting, looking at Yuan Qing, and Yuan Qing looked at her.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds, then the girl smiled bitterly and lowered her bow.
“I surrender,” she panted slightly. “I can’t hit you at all.”
Yuan Qing nodded to her, and the girl turned to leave.
Raven flew down and landed on Yuan Qing’s shoulder. “That’s the sixth one. It’s not over yet!”
Yuan Qing looked at the phone screen.
The comments were going crazy.
“The seventh! The seventh!”
“How many is Miss Raven going to fight?”
“Good luck, sisters on the other side!”
He raised his head and looked toward the other side of the training ground.
“Are you satisfied yet?” he asked Raven.
Raven asked in return, “What about you?”
“I wasn’t expecting much to begin with,” Yuan Qing replied.
The door was pushed open again.
The seventh Magical Girl walked in.
Her combat suit was silver-white, and she carried no weapons, but her entire being exuded a calm aura.
She stood opposite Yuan Qing and bowed slightly.
“I look forward to our match.”
Yuan Qing looked at her and felt that something was different.
“Begin,” Raven shouted.