Chapter 8: The Awakening Ceremony

Several days went by.

Bai Li sat in the classroom, Lin Xi pressed close beside her, so intimately that it seemed Bai Li was being squeezed against the wall.

After all, Bai Li’s seat was by the window in the back row, naturally leaving her sandwiched between the cool plaster and Lin Xi’s warm embrace.

‘…Xi Xi,’ Bai Li murmured, ‘people are watching.’

Though Bai Li reveled in inhaling Lin Xi’s delicate scent and feeling the soft press of her body, this surge of happiness was almost overwhelming. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest, its rate surely soaring past five hundred beats per minute. It was fortunate her physique was bolstered by her supernatural ability, or her blood vessels would undoubtedly have ruptured.

‘Mmm… it’s really nothing, is it?’

Even as Bai Li struggled to conceal her inner turmoil, her efforts were largely superficial, confined to her outward composure. Lin Xi’s Sensory Manipulation Magic, however, allowed her to perceive Bai Li as if through a transparent world, discerning every detail, even the frantic thrumming of her heart.

‘Sometimes, my little Bai is truly such a softie, despite usually radiating such a dominant aura.’

Yet, she overlooked a crucial detail: when their roles were reversed, her own vulnerability was never an act.

One could only conclude that they were two peas in a pod, an utterly perfect match—a sentiment often echoed by a certain black cat mascot.

‘Speaking of which, it’s well past lunchtime, isn’t it? Don’t you have to go to work?’

‘Not today. It seems my shift was rescheduled,’ Lin Xi replied. ‘So, I must seize this moment to replenish my supply of Little Bai energy.’

With that, Lin Xi nestled even closer to Bai Li, who, as if surrendering all resistance, allowed herself to be cuddled and rubbed against like a contented kitten.

The surrounding students, witnessing the pair’s blatant affection, couldn’t help but grumble inwardly, ‘Are these two truly not a couple?’

No, more than mere dating, they resembled an old married couple still utterly consumed by the throes of first love.

In short, their public displays of affection (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘sā gǒu liáng,’ referring to showing public displays of affection that make single people feel envious, like ‘feeding dog food’ to onlookers) were getting a bit excessive.

‘…The time is almost upon us. Everyone, return to your seats.’

Just then, the middle-aged teacher stepped into the classroom, prompting the students—who had been engrossed in chatter or quietly dozing—to swiftly return to their desks.

As for the two individuals still wrapped up in their affectionate bubble, he wisely chose—or perhaps, dared not—to intervene.

‘Alright, today’s session is rather unique,’ the teacher announced, ‘or perhaps it shouldn’t even be called a class at all, for this marks a profoundly significant day for each of you.’

As he spoke, the teacher glanced toward the classroom door and gave a slight nod.

Immediately thereafter, a group of uniformed individuals entered, pushing a wheeled cart before them.

‘Are those… the Weichangzhe Organization?’

Several sharp-eyed students swiftly recognized the badges displayed around their necks, identifying them as members of the Weichangzhe Organization—the most renowned official ability user collective in Tiangong City, and indeed, the very organization Lin Xi belonged to.

‘Precisely. Today marks your day of awakening,’ the teacher confirmed. ‘To that end, the Weichangzhe Organization has dispatched personnel specifically to elaborate on the details and offer their assistance.’

After a brief introduction of the visitors, the teacher took a few steps back, yielding the floor to the Weichangzhe member who appeared to be in charge.

‘Indeed, I trust you’ve all been eagerly anticipating this day,’ the leading Weichangzhe began. ‘And while you’ve undoubtedly heard this many times before, I must reiterate: a newly awakened ability, in itself, does not define your potential. With diligent application and unwavering effort, you can cultivate it to shine with unparalleled brilliance. Concurrently, remember that abilities, as a force distinct from technology, harbor numerous unsolved mysteries and inherent dangers. Never succumb to overconfidence, for arrogance will invariably lead to dire consequences.’

In a world where nearly everyone possesses some form of power, it was inevitable that certain individuals would wield their strength to oppress and exploit. Though courageous souls often rose to challenge them, the ensuing conflicts invariably resulted in substantial collateral damage, which was precisely why this admonition was so frequently repeated.

‘Very well. With the preliminary preparations complete, let us commence the Awakening Ceremony,’ the Weichangzhe declared. ‘We shall proceed by seat number.’

No sooner had the words left his lips than the student occupying the very first seat in the front row sprang up excitedly, making their way towards the crystal orb on the cart—an artifact that seemed to hold a miniature cosmos within its depths.

‘…It appears Little Bai will be the grand finale,’ Lin Xi remarked, her gaze sweeping across the classroom.

Given Bai Li’s position in the back row by the window, she was, by logical extension from the classroom entrance, indeed the last in line.

However, Bai Li’s attention was less on her turn and more on an entirely different matter.

‘So that’s it,’ Bai Li mused aloud. ‘The real reason you’re not at work today is this Awakening Ceremony, isn’t it?’

‘Ehehe, you’ve hit the nail on the head!’ Lin Xi giggled.

With both her parents being formidable Magical Girls, Lin Xi inherited a potent lineage and abundant resources, allowing her to awaken as an ability user far earlier than most.

The exact reasons behind both her parents being Magical Girls were, for now, irrelevant.

In any case, with the advent of abilities and the convergence with the [Otherworld], technological advancements had made same-s*x reproduction a commonplace and unremarkable phenomenon.

‘Speaking of which, Xi Xi, your innate ability, [Sensory Manipulation Magic], was ranked E, correct? And based on the comprehensive calculation for an ability user’s overall rank, that would place you around E+?’

Ability ranks and ability user ranks shared a similar naming convention but were by no means interchangeable. This distinction arose because an individual could acquire supplementary abilities beyond their inherent, innate ones.

One could loosely compare it to the interplay between skills and actual combat prowess in a game: the potency, variety, and sheer number of abilities an individual possessed differed greatly. Some abilities, intrinsically, lacked direct combat utility, demanding strategic thought for their optimal combination and application. All these factors collectively influenced an ability user’s overall rank. Furthermore, ability user types, such as Magical Girls or Cultivators, functioned as distinct professions, with detailed records typically prefixing the ability name with the user’s specific type for clear categorization.

‘Hehe, my innate ability has actually advanced to E+ rank now, and my overall comprehensive rank has likewise ascended to D-!’

‘Oh, is that so? Congratulations.’

D-rank, while marginally weaker than a pure D-rank, remained a tier far beyond the capabilities of an E+ ranked individual. An E-rank might still hold a decent chance against an E+, but the chasm between E+ and D- was an entirely different matter—a disparity so significant that the plus and minus designations were typically omitted in casual conversation, simply categorizing them as the same general tier.

Remarkably, Lin Xi had yet to even graduate from middle school, and having spent only half the time typically required by an average ability user, she had already ascended to D-rank.

Considering that many ability users began at F-rank, with some toiling for decades without advancing even a single tier, it became undeniably clear that Lin Xi was, without question, a true prodigy.

‘If you ask me,’ Lin Xi continued, ‘I’m far more excited about Little Bai’s ability. You’re already so powerful; with an awakened ability, you’ll likely become even stronger, won’t you? I truly hope you awaken as a Magical Girl too, so we can form a team!’

‘You’ve uttered that exact sentiment well over ten times now,’ Bai Li deadpanned.

Bai Li gently poked Lin Xi’s cheek, eliciting a playful ‘>ω<’ expression from her.

‘Well… it’s still hard to say what the reality will be,’ Bai Li mused, ‘after all, these aren’t the only ways abilities can awaken…’

‘This… this is!?’

Bai Li’s words were cut short as a blinding flash of light erupted from the podium where the awakening instrument rested, followed by a chorus of astonished gasps from the assembled students.