“Senpai, don’t worry. I won’t give up. No matter how hard it gets, I’ll keep pushing through!”
Seeing that Xiao Keke wasn’t so easily scared off, Xiaoxi shook her head and started asking her some basic questions before beginning training.
She asked about things like when Keke awakened as a Magic Girl, when she took The Association’s Assessment, her magic power level, and so on.
It was a way to use her Eternal Star identity to find out all those questions “Big Sister” couldn’t ask.
So Xiao Keke had been preparing for this since high school? She hadn’t expected to have been kept in the dark for so long!
That stubborn girl… did they not even have the basic trust between family? Just hiding the identity of a Magic Girl for so long, as her sister, Xiaoxi felt truly heartbroken!
Putting herself in Keke’s shoes, if she had something so important she hid from Keke… oh wait, she already had. Never mind then.
During the questioning, Xiao Keke couldn’t help but straighten her back, standing awkwardly.
Had she upset Senpai somehow?
Then why did Senpai always show a very dissatisfied expression and sigh softly after every question?
That feeling was even more terrifying than when the venerable Old Doctor of Chinese Medicine silently shook his head and sighed after taking her pulse—without saying a single word!
Xiao Keke began doubting herself. Was her condition really that poor to earn such disappointment? But didn’t the Staff praise her talent during the Assessment?
No… looking at Xiaoxi’s dissatisfied expression, Keke suddenly understood: Senpai must be testing her mental endurance!
After all, fighting Magic Creatures not only requires strength but also a strong psyche to handle ever-changing battle situations… So their training had actually started the moment they met? Senpai really was impressive!
At that moment, Xiaoxi, quietly observing Xiao Keke’s reaction, couldn’t help but wonder… since when did her sister have a masochistic streak?
She had meant to pressure Keke with her disapproving attitude, but instead, Keke looked back at her with even more admiration and sparkling eyes. Was that girl okay?
Well, it seemed expecting Keke to give up after a few words was premature.
No worries… a sharp glint flashed in Xiaoxi’s eyes as she thought of the countless ways she could crush Keke’s resolve.
“Let me test your practical combat skills first,” Xiaoxi said, tossing a wooden training sword to Xiao Keke. “I’ll limit my power to D-rank when fighting you.”
Though she wasn’t truly at D-rank, Xiaoxi had plenty of ways to control her magical fluctuations to that level while actually exerting stronger power to easily beat Keke.
“The D-rank Magic Girls I trained before could hold their own against me for at least ten moves. I hope you won’t disappoint me.”
That was a blatant lie. Xiaoxi had never trained a single Magic Girl before. She didn’t even plan to let Keke last five moves.
Xiao Keke’s eyes grew serious. “Senpai, I’m ready!”
……
Half an hour later, watching Xiao Keke fall to the ground again for who knew the nth time, Xiaoxi shook her head with a look of utter disappointment.
“No way. Your skills are terrible. You can’t even last three or four moves against me. Are you really a Magic Girl who passed the official Assessment?”
Lying on the ground, Xiao Keke stared blankly at the sky, replaying the battle with Eternal Star.
She was just too strong—no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t defend herself. Should she say it was worthy of the title Eternal Star?
Though she wasn’t seriously injured, her muscles ached all over, and the muscles around her thumb were numb from the impact.
What’s more, both of their magic power levels were supposedly D-rank, yet she couldn’t block a single strike from Senpai. That didn’t make sense!
“Even though my battle experience and technique are better than yours, my actual power is still only D-rank like you. Can’t you even hold on for five moves against someone at your own level?”
“You’re honestly the worst batch of Magic Girls I’ve ever trained!”
Xiaoxi’s tone was cold and merciless, but her actual fighting strength was around C-rank, so it was no wonder Keke couldn’t keep up.
Lying there, Xiao Keke doubted her entire existence. After all, Senpai said the others she trained could last at least ten moves. A respected figure like Eternal Star definitely wouldn’t lie.
So her talent really was that bad? Was she truly unsuited to be a Magic Girl?
Keke felt crushed and also thought Senpai’s attitude today was… strange.
She had seen many interviews of Eternal Star before. The strongest Magic Girl always appeared gentle and approachable.
When they met by chance on Southern Avenue before, Keke didn’t find her difficult to get along with.
Maybe Senpai was just stricter during training. That would be fine—Keke actually hoped Senpai would set higher standards for her!
A stubborn fire rose inside Xiao Keke. She struggled to get up and assumed her battle stance again.
“Senpai, one more round!”
Xiaoxi was taken aback. This was the first time she truly felt her sister’s stubbornness firsthand. If she could, Xiaoxi wished Keke would just accept her limits and take it easy.
But it seemed she had to increase the intensity.
Another half hour passed. This time, Xiao Keke couldn’t even maintain her transformed state, sprawling out flat on the ground, gasping for breath.
“You didn’t last ten moves once today. Looks like you really aren’t cut out to be a Magic Girl. I suggest you find another career and not risk your life for this.”
Though she said it aloud, Xiaoxi glanced at the wooden sword in her hand in surprise.
She had fought even harder just now, consistently hitting Keke with C+ level power, yet Keke still managed to block up to seven moves?
A Magic Girl just reaching D-rank who could last seven moves against a C+ opponent? This girl had more talent than she thought.
Still, Xiaoxi didn’t give an inch. “I don’t think you can continue. That’s enough for today.”
She waved her hand, about to leave, but heard Xiao Keke’s hesitant voice from behind.
“Senpai, tomorrow… same time and place?”
“And, can we fight once more at the end? I want to record it on my phone and study it later.”
Xiaoxi stopped in her tracks.
She had expected Keke to feel discouraged or doubt herself after today’s ordeal. But this girl was so willing to work hard—it complicated things.
Damn, she never thought that one day, her own sister being too hardworking would become a problem!