Chapter 336: Ascending to the Magical Girl Planet at Just Fifteen

The farther down they went, the clearer the soothing jazz became.

When they pushed open the heavy soundproof door, a cool breeze carrying the scents of absinthe and mint washed over them.

The little music bar was dimly lit. On the miniature stage to the right, a young man and woman were singing and playing a mellow tune.

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A few tables of customers sat scattered below the stage, either talking quietly or relaxing with a drink.

It was completely different from other bars in the outskirts, where the air reeked of illicit chemicals and people were ready to throw punches at the slightest provocation.

Vivi walked straight to the bar on the left.

Behind it stood a female attendant. At the far end of the counter, a middle-aged woman with faded blond hair tied in a side ponytail sat on a tall stool.

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She wore an oversized gray jacket with the cuffs slightly rolled up and a pair of blue jeans. She looked to be in her early forties. Fine lines at the corners of her eyes did nothing to hide the mature charm of her features.

Although it was difficult to judge a superhuman’s age by appearance, the air of someone who had weathered the years was impossible to change.

At that moment, she was holding a pristine white cloth and leisurely polishing a tall glass.

Vivi walked up to the bar and looked at the woman. She took a deep breath, then spoke two words.

“Sis Yi.”

The blond woman called Sis Yi stopped polishing the glass and raised her eyelids to look at her. Her deep brown eyes reflected Vivi’s school uniform. Then she sighed softly.

“You’re here again.” Sis Yi hung the glass upside down on the rack and didn’t look at her again. “I’ve told you many times. Until you give up on becoming a magical girl, I won’t lend you a single credit point.”

She spoke mildly. “There are plenty of people on this street who owe me favors or have borrowed money from me, but lending you money for this is out of the question.”

The white-haired girl showed no surprise. She simply met the other woman’s gaze with her orange-yellow eyes and said earnestly, “I know. I’m not here to borrow money today. I’m here to buy potions.”

“And I’ve said many times that I’m going to become a magical girl, no matter what.”

She stubbornly added, “If you can keep your prices from going up, I’ll owe you a favor.”

“I’ll definitely pay you back someday.”

When she spoke to other people, her tone always seemed so sharp. Even when she was begging, she sounded more like she was picking a fight.

“…”

Sis Yi wasn’t angry, though. She simply turned around and looked quietly into her eyes.

A few seconds later, Sis Yi reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of long, slender cigarettes. She tapped one out and put it between her lips. The attendant beside her immediately stepped forward and raised her metal right hand, a flame flickering at her fingertip.

Blue-gray smoke rose between the two of them, obscuring their expressions.

“…Heh. You’re lucky, and quick on the uptake. You’re the first to come to me since the news got out.”

She spoke evenly. “Fine, I’ll sell them at the original price.”

“…!!”

A delighted light immediately shone in Vivi’s eyes.

Sis Yi said to the attendant, “Xiao Li, keep an eye on the door.”

Then she reached beneath the counter and pressed a concealed switch.

With a faint mechanical sound, the wall beside the bar slid inward, revealing a hidden door.

Vivi followed Sis Yi through it, clearly familiar with the way.

Beyond the hidden door was a small reception room, furnished with nothing but a cold metal table and two slightly worn fabric sofas.

“The usual?”

Sis Yi leaned against the edge of the table, her tone settling back into the calm composure of a businesswoman.

Hugging her one-shoulder bag, Vivi pursed her lips. “…If your potions haven’t gone up in price, I want to buy more this time.”

A faint golden light suddenly glimmered in the blond woman’s right eye.

The next moment, a signal reached the frame of Vivi’s glasses, and a long list popped up.

It was densely packed with the names and prices of all kinds of potions, including [E-Rank Physical Enhancement Potion], [E-Rank Magic Power Recovery Potion], and [E-Rank Nerve-Calming Solution].

Vivi’s gaze swept quickly over the list as she asked Lin Guang in her mind, “Teresa… I’m thinking of buying six bottles of E-rank magic power potions and six bottles of E-rank adaptability potions. What do you think?”

“My magic power rank is too low, so boosting my magic power should take priority over giving my body potions… That’s what I think, anyway.”

In Vivi’s shared field of vision, Lin Guang’s eyes swept over the long list as well, all the way to the bottom.

…There were even D+-rank potions.

The next moment, however, Vivi heard the other person make a rather unexpected request.

“Ask her if we can test those two first. A few drops will be enough.”

Vivi paused and looked at Sis Yi. “I want to test the potions first, the magic power potion and the adaptability potion. Just a few drops will do.”

“……”

A moment later.

Under Sis Yi’s cool gaze, Vivi uncorked the two vials one by one, carefully poured a few drops onto the back of her hand, and licked them clean.

“Teresa, it’s your turn.”

The slightly bitter, spicy liquid melted as soon as it entered her mouth, then turned into a faint but distinct warmth that quickly spread throughout her body from her esophagus.

Vivi closed her eyes and carefully sensed the potion’s effects as they moved through and blended with her body.

About ten seconds later, the calm, confident voice of the pink-haired girl sounded in her mind:

“Buy only the magic power potions. Get twelve bottles.”

“Huh? Not buying the adaptability potions?!”

Vivi froze, unable to stop herself from asking seriously in her mind, “Are you sure?”

Magic adaptability was, in a sense, even more important than magic power rank. It was no exaggeration to call it the foundation.

Adaptability determined one’s ability to withstand magic power, spells, and even casting units, magical mechs, and magical prosthetics.

If someone had D-rank magic power but adaptability below D, at D- or even E+, simply maintaining that level of magic power would continuously erode their mind and body.

And if they used spells at high intensity or operated equipment of a similar rank, the situation would become even worse.

That was why people who installed too many magical prosthetics, or frequently had spells and magic power injected into them from outside, easily went mad or died outright from the erosion.

So… if you trained and raised your rank without taking potions, that was one thing. But if you decided to use potions or other external means to improve your magic power, you usually needed to take supporting potions to improve your adaptability as well.

If you didn’t have enough money, you could grit your teeth and buy a little less.

But she wasn’t buying any at all?!

Wouldn’t something really go wrong?!

She might end up as the subject of a joke like, “Tragic news from Fourth Middle School: A middle schooler overdosed on medication and died at

</path> home, ascending to the magical girl planet at just fifteen!”

But the next moment, Lin Guang’s voice sounded in her ear again.

“I’ll take care of the adaptability problem.”

Her voice was still as gentle and unruffled as if this were only natural, yet it carried a force that made people instinctively want to trust her. “Since you’re trying to push your rank as high as possible, buy only magic power potions.”

Vivi froze.