The Association’s evaluation of Magical Girls was multifaceted.
Besides the basic stats, they also had to consider real combat performance.
Therefore, the final part of the test required Xiaohongmao to spar against another Magical Girl.
Inside the Training Room, Xiaohongmao was preparing herself.
She felt very uncertain about this last test.
After each previous test, the Staff recording the results had shown strange expressions.
She didn’t dare to ask about her scores—perhaps her results were so bad that the Staff’s reactions had been so odd.
Outside the Training Room, Xiaoxi squinted slightly as she watched the other Magical Girl who was preparing herself.
“What’s wrong, A Xing? You’ve been staring at her for a while. Does that girl have a problem?”
“Nothing… I just think her hair looks pretty cool.”
The Magical Girl’s appearance was certainly eye-catching. She had a head of glowing blue long hair, and a pair of large blue butterfly wings gently fluttered behind her, looking like they were more than just decorations.
“Indeed,” Miss L nodded in agreement, “She’s a newcomer who just joined the Association. I think her name is Shandie?”
“The Association matches opponents for real combat tests based on strength. When Xiaohongmao first joined, her rating was D, so her opponent this time is also a rookie who recently joined with a similar power level.”
Inside the Training Room, Shandie noticed the two outside staring at her and whispering, which made her a little nervous.
Calm down… Although she had no experience being undercover, since Black Rose guaranteed her cover wouldn’t be blown, she couldn’t afford to show any weakness.
Besides, she was a Magical Girl—no one should be able to tell something was off.
Shandie glanced again at the data of the Magical Girl she was going to spar with from last month’s records.
Xiaohongmao… a D-rank Magical Girl? Hmph, if this was a real fight, she wouldn’t even last five moves under her hands.
Black Rose told her to keep a low profile to avoid drawing attention. So she planned to pretend to spar with Xiaohongmao for a bit before finishing her off quickly—keeping her performance around D-rank level.
Shandie didn’t take Xiaohongmao seriously at all. Even though this was last month’s data, Shandie knew that a normal Magical Girl wouldn’t improve much in just one month.
Standing on the Stage in the Training Room, Shandie looked at Xiaohongmao, who was so tense her entire body was stiff. That only confirmed Shandie’s judgment.
She was just a pure rookie. Frankly, Black Rose was being overly cautious—might as well throw all those monsters wasted before at the Association to overwhelm them.
Anyone could become a Magical Girl these days. The Magical Girl Association really was too lax.
After the Staff shouted, “Start,” Shandie lazily took her stance.
Xiaohongmao, however, planted her feet firmly, gathered her magic into her fists, and launched a punch like a battering ram.
Shandie: “?”
Before long, looking at Shandie being knocked off the Stage by her and then at her own fist, Xiaohongmao’s eyes couldn’t hide her confusion.
She had checked Shandie’s data in advance; the other girl was also a D-rank Magical Girl like herself.
Xiaohongmao instinctively believed she wouldn’t be able to beat an equal, so she had prepared to hold on as long as possible while going all out. But she was defeated in two hits?
Senior Eternal Star always said she was one of the worst among the same rank. She didn’t expect Shandie to be even weaker… Who can even become a Magical Girl now?
Shandie’s eyes widened as she was knocked off the Stage… This is supposed to be a D-rank Magical Girl?
Xiaohongmao was definitely hiding her strength. This girl must also be undercover!
Shandie suspected Xiaohongmao had concealed her power when she joined the Association. Unless she was personally trained by an Eternal Star level Magical Girl, there was no way Xiaohongmao could have improved so much in one month.
“Sorry, I think I went a bit hard just now. You’re not hurt, right?”
Xiaohongmao reached out a hand toward her.
Shandie snorted coldly, said nothing, and got up to leave on her own.
As Xiaohongmao stepped out of the Training Room, she saw Muxingge approaching with a tightly furrowed brow, holding a paper.
“Xiaohongmao, your results from the Ranking Test this time…”
“Sorry, Senior Xingge. I know my aptitude is terrible, but I promise I will keep working hard. Next time, I won’t mess up like this!”
Xiaohongmao thought her results had been so bad that even Senior Xingge was displeased and hurriedly lowered her head to admit fault.
“I haven’t said anything yet,” Muxingge handed over the Test Result Form. “How did you manage to nearly double your strength in just one month? Your ranking this time is D+, almost reaching C-!”
“If you call that ‘poor aptitude,’ then none of the other D-rank Magical Girls at the Association should stay! I’ve never seen a rookie improve nearly a whole rank in one month!”
“Who told you your aptitude was bad? Take me to see her. She clearly doesn’t know what she’s talking about!”
Xiaohongmao was stunned. She carefully examined the test results. This was the first time someone praised her… But shouldn’t it be the opposite? Senior Eternal Star said she was the worst trainee she had ever taken on.
Suddenly, Xiaohongmao felt like she had left a protective umbrella only to find there was no rain outside after all.
She had unconditionally trusted Senior Eternal Star’s words, but the Association’s test results were clear and black-and-white.
Was Senior Eternal Star lying to her? Why would Senior do such a thing?
“Xiaohongmao, be honest. Has another Magical Girl been guiding you recently?”
“No, I just… train normally every day.”
Xiaohongmao averted her gaze. Senior Eternal Star had forbidden her from telling others about her training.
Although Senior Xingge and Senior Eternal Star were acquaintances, Xiaohongmao chose to keep silent.
Seeing she couldn’t get any more out of her, Muxingge stopped pressing and encouraged Xiaohongmao before turning to find Miss L.
……
A moment later, inside Miss L’s office.
“Xingge, isn’t it a good thing that Xiaohongmao improved so much?” Miss L shrugged. “You should be happy. Who doubts their team member over something like this?”
“Don’t play dumb with me! You were there during Xiaohongmao’s test, right? Didn’t you notice anything strange? Don’t you think her fighting style and technique are especially similar to an old acquaintance of ours?”
Muxingge narrowed her eyes and scrutinized Miss L.
“I honestly didn’t notice. Xingge, stop testing me. I’m just a clerical staff. What do I know about this stuff?”
Miss L pretended ignorance on the surface but laughed quietly to herself inside.
She still remembered how A Xing had sworn to her when voluntarily offering to guide Xiaohongmao that she wouldn’t notice anything strange—and yet she had already blown it so quickly, hadn’t she?