Chapter 243

Chapter 243: Little Sakura’s Awakening, the Lantern Responding to the Call

The bus was silent.

Charlotte’s words were overwhelming, and the young idols found it hard to digest them.

— We are already magical girls now?

Kirimi Miyuki’s first reaction was that after spending a long time kissing Honey Qing, she had silently transformed into a magical girl!

In an instant, Little Sakura’s clever mind realized the problem. She suppressed her feelings of shame and joy and immediately rejected the idea.

Yes, Honey Qing had mentioned that the magical connection caused by mana replenishment could lead the other party to take on some qualities of a magical girl. Over time, there was a chance they could blend into the same life form, but this method applied to her, Liuli, and Qingxuan, and had nothing to do with Little Shu.

If the green-eyed cat is the "pet" of the team, then Little Shu is the most innocent "mascot" in this respect. Honey Qing had always been careful that the other party would not find out, appearing as if she did not want to corrupt a child.

So, let’s assume Charlotte did not lie.

Then the words spoken by the other party must have another reason, and this reason is a common point shared by all four. Otherwise, why would someone who had hardly seen any magical girls in her life find a whole team of them?

Meanwhile, Holmes Liuli had already grasped the tail of the truth.

The green-eyed cat seemed to return to the night when Honey Qing confessed she was a magical girl. She analyzed every word from that time, as if wearing glasses filled with wisdom, and suddenly had a bright idea.

Honey Qing had said that [Heart Flow] is a sign of magical girl potential.

The show 《Dazzling Stage》, which involves an idol audition project on a global scale, stirred many conspiracy theories and hypotheses online when the project officially launched and revealed its underground base.

Among them, the most intriguing is the [Heart Flow] realm, which seems to only appear in supernatural idol shows, flourishing in the global program 《Dazzling Stage》.

Additionally, with the [Heart Flow] development room created for the contestants by Dream Weaver Rabbit, and the world-class crisis that Charlotte mentioned last night, does this mean that 《Dazzling Stage》 is not just a simple idol competition, but a grand trial to select magical girls?

The green-eyed cat was greatly shocked by this conclusion, nearly getting frightened and puffing up her fur. She raised her round, bright green eyes to the smiling face of The Last Diva and instinctively asked,

"So, 《Dazzling Stage》 was never pure from the beginning?"

"Did you become a magical girl on this show?"

Charlotte smiled at the words and clapped her hands in encouragement.

"Bingo, you answered correctly! One of the main goals of the 《Dazzling Stage》 project is indeed to train enough magical girls, just like you thought."

"Yeah, Liuli is still as smart as before, worthy of a performance!"

Charlotte seemed to give a little red flower to a kindergarten child. After praising her with a smile, she instantly changed to a "I’m sad" expression and said in a pitiful tone,

"But how can Liuli call me ‘you’? That feels so unfriendly; she should call me Sister Charlotte like she did yesterday, sweet and soft."

The green-eyed cat wanted to try hard to ignore this woman’s fuss, but for some reason, she felt weak-hearted. She dazedly lowered her eyes and stammered:

"Um, I’m sorry, Sister Charlotte. I… I didn’t mean it. I’m just not used to it."

Wait, something’s wrong!

Why should I apologize to this person? We just met yesterday!

Tang Liuli suddenly came to her senses. She glared at the bad woman pinching her cheek, too scared to push her hand away. She could only glare at Charlotte hard, her heart filled with angry murmurs.

How horrible, I’ve been charmed again!

This person definitely used magic, that super evil hypnosis magic!

Unfortunately, at that moment, the little idols shocked by the truth behind "Dazzling Stage" had no intention of helping the green-eyed cat break free from the "hypnosis magic." They were all busy digesting this shocking news.

Charlotte, while petting the cat, explained:

"Actually, this news shouldn’t have been told to you so soon, but Little Qing asked me so nicely, didn’t she?"

"So, I applied for your information rights from Dream Weaver Rabbit, and now you can ask any questions you have."

The Last Diva reluctantly put down her little hand that was pinching Liuli’s cheek, looked at her lovely daughter who was deep in thought, and smiled:

"Of course, before we start the question session, I want to give you all a promise to make you feel better."

"Even if you become magical girls, neither ‘Dazzling Stage’ nor the officials will force you to go into battle and fight monsters."

"’Dazzling Stage’ is not a deceptive plan; it aims to nurture idols who can show their charm to the audience and create a Shining Stage, only with a bit of magic added in."

"In this regard, you can continue to think of yourselves as pure idols."

Charlotte’s speech instantly shifted the tone from R18+ bloody violence back to a light and sweet atmosphere full of candy, making the golden retriever dog, who imagined itself wielding a giant magic axe and launching magic cannons everywhere, feel a bit disappointed.

Little Sakura sighed with relief, and once she regained her senses, her heart was filled with excitement and joy.

Magical girl + idol + stage + saving the world (possibly).

This whole combination was exactly the dream she longed for the most when she was little, wasn’t it?

The adorable daughter blinked and looked at her young mother, asking:

"Sister Charlotte said we are already magical girls, but I don’t feel any change in my body."

Charlotte pinched her daughter’s cheek and lovingly said:

"Because you haven’t transformed yet. Just like the magical girls in the cartoons change outfits to fight, it works the same way in real life. And magic is all in the mind; if you don’t believe you have this power, you will instinctively bind yourselves with limitations."

"But in reality, magic already exists within you; it’s just being used in a way that you can understand and accept."

Chu Wang Shu suddenly realized:

"Sister Charlotte said ‘Heart Flow’?"

Chu Yuanqing added:

"Well, that is actually the early form of magic. From the moment you step into the ‘Heart Flow’ realm, you are qualified to become magical girls. However, on top of that, you also need the lantern, which is the transformation device."

As her words faded, a moonlight-like magic swept through the room.

The gemstone ribbon in Chu Wang Shu’s hand.

The moon wings on Tang Liuli’s chest.

The goddess hem on Xie Qingxuan’s wrist.

The Rose Oath on Kirimi Miyuki’s earlobe.

These four Artificial Lanterns forged from Light Stone all transformed into shining colors under the magic of the Pure White Witch, returning to each little idol’s ‘Cocoon of the Heart,’ allowing them to see the idealist organs within their souls for the first time.

Little Sakura was lost in thought as she gazed at the shining "Cocoon of the Heart," feeling a completely different sensation than before.

It was as if another set of senses hidden within her body had been revealed; the magic that she could only vaguely sense while replenishing would suddenly become crystal clear, even allowing her to actively strengthen her will and attempt to control it.

This hidden power burst forth as her understanding unlocked the floodgates.

Kirimi Miyuki observed herself, watching the magic fall like cherry blossoms, constantly flowing into the mysterious light cocoon like returning migratory birds, as if nurturing new life waiting to bloom.

Xie Qingxuan possessed the ability of "Zen Meditation," and her talent in this area was clearly exceptional. After just three seconds of her divine dress merging with her soul, she could control the dark magic, letting it flow around her hands, taking the shape of various objects.

The most frightening part was that the speed and precision of her transformations improved almost every second, and soon she had sculpted flowers that seemed to wither in motion.

The girl’s pure and cool expression remained calm as she contemplatively summoned the divine dress back from the "Cocoon of the Heart," then recalled it again, trying a few times, and she began to faintly sense "The Power of the Titan" within her soul through her magic.

However, this blessing had not yet been greatly unlocked, appearing very obscure and hard to truly grasp.

Xie Qingxuan softly said:

"A wonderfully mysterious taste."

"Is the product we represent in ‘Dazzling Stage’ the so-called magic lantern? What a clever idea."

"I can feel it gradually transforming my body; this is a cycle of ongoing change. If I add more magic, it should speed up."

"So, ‘Heart Flow’ is actually a phenomenon that uses magic to express one’s will and spread it to others?"

Charlotte was not surprised; applying and controlling blessings is not much simpler than magic.

Little Xuan was exactly among the most talented in this field. As long as she regained some memories and instincts, becoming an excellent magical girl would be very easy.

Charlotte smiled at the golden retriever and gently replied:

"When your magic lantern completely merges with that light cocoon and you absorb enough magic, you can begin to build your Magic Armor, complete the ‘Lighting Up,’ and become a magical girl."

"In fact, it’s just a matter of time."

"As for [Heart Flow], what you said is not completely correct, but very close. If you’re interested, I can send you the specific document."

Xie Qingxuan politely nodded and said thank you.

The lovely daughter also found the trick. Her bright eyes sparkled as she looked at the glowing support stick she created, feeling very playful, and murmured:

"Is this magic? The color looks like Sister Charlotte’s eyes, a bluish-green like the stone called phosphorite! So pretty."

Chu Yuanqing gazed at this scene in a daze, her golden eyes shimmering, her pink lips curving into a smile, softly saying:

"Yes, it really is beautiful."

Chu Wang Shu became a little shy upon hearing this, and Charlotte, who was touched by the sweetness, couldn’t help but hug her lovely daughter closely.

The green-eyed cat puffed up her cheeks, looking at the peaceful and green glow in her little hand, feeling a bit annoyed.

Why is even magic green!

Although it looks very beautiful, having green eyes is enough!

In an instant, the four reserve witches in the car sensed the Cocoon of the Heart, skillfully controlled the Artificial Lantern, and began to play with their magic. Their high efficiency and rapid progress left Esther, who was observing this scene on Charlotte’s phone, in silence.

The speed at which these little idols advanced was unexpectedly incredible, and even the slowest among them could match records set by some captain-level witches.

As for Xie Qingxuan, she had already broken records; without any teacher, she grasped advanced magical mimicry in five minutes, learned the technique to disguise the color of magic, and even started to blend magic into her bones and blood for rough enhancement.

Her combat instinct was almost innate, utterly extraordinary.

Dream Weaver Rabbit began to doubt that after teaching her some spells, the sheer precision of her actions had already reached an extraordinary level, far beyond what ordinary people could achieve. Even those witches who completed the Lighting and initially gained Magic Armor enhancement had a chance of failing.

The nickname given to her in the showbiz circle—Great Devil—might now carry over to the realm of magical girls.

No matter how you look at it, Chu Yuanqing’s teammates were frighteningly high quality, almost all declaring they had captain-level potential.

While much of the evaluative value was still based on the Patronus Magic system and the magical categories that matched the nature of the magic, such performance had already far exceeded expectations.

Esther felt a bit confused.

It was strange; based on their initial progress and the results from big data analysis, they should not be performing like this.

Could it be that Chu Yuanqing has the ability to help witches become stronger?

Otherwise, why are all the trainees close to her, even Charlotte, quickly surpassing their own limits and achieving things that should be impossible?

On the bus, Little Sakura gathered her magic and hesitated for a moment; her eyes slowly became determined as she looked at Charlotte and asked seriously:

"If I don’t want to just stand on stage but wish to gain experience, strength, and power from fighting those monsters, can I still be an idol and continue to participate in the filming of ‘Dazzling Stage’?"

Yes, being a magical girl is amazing; her wish has come true. She can have magic and stand on stage, facing countless fans who adore her. It’s like a dream that far exceeds her expectations.

But if that’s all she wants and feels satisfied, how could she gain the power to protect Little Qing?

Magical girls and the stage are wonderful and light things, as lovely as sugar and spice.

But those monsters are not. Those… creatures in my memory called disaster beasts will eventually become a huge nightmare like a tide. If we do not think about danger in times of peace, we will only become a burden that Little Qing must protect.

Charlotte looked at the youthful face of her old friend and asked back:

"If my answer is that you cannot have both, do you still want to pursue those things?"

This is a harsh and heart-wrenching choice.

On one side is a dream that has been held for ten years, finally seeing the light of dawn.

On the other side is a path full of the unknown, filled with blood and fire, with risks to life.

Kirimi Miyuki hesitated as expected; the pink in her eyes sometimes withered and sometimes shone brightly. The recently glimpsed [Cocoon of the Heart] and Rose Oath trembled and roared, turning ten years of chasing dreams into a parade before her eyes.

Those fleeting images were filled with obsession, love, anticipation, joy, and tears mixed with sweat, representing dreams as precious as gold, and the loneliness paid for with youth.

How could anyone think of giving up? And how could anyone say they want to give up?

This is not something light and easy. If she withdraws from "Dazzling Stage," she will never be able to be an idol again. What will all her past efforts mean? Can she still be the same Kirimi Miyuki? Will she still be a shining star?

Moreover, even though she has not debuted yet, in the eyes of all her fans who love her, she is already a true idol. She already has the duty to meet her fans’ expectations, so what right does she have to selfishly make this decision?

But in that fleeting moment, filled with swirling thoughts and memories,

Kirimi Miyuki paused for a moment, then firmly gave her answer:

"I still want to pursue my dreams."

"But at the same time, I do not want to give up my path as an idol."

Kirimi Miyuki is not brave; she is just a girl with some determination in the idol world. But Chu Yuanqing’s words this morning completely ignited the passion hidden in her past.

The girl absolutely refuses to let her weakness become a burden to those she loves.

Based on that, she will not allow herself to hurt those fans who have watched her journey and hope for her to reach a world-class stage, for such selfish reasons.

So, she wanted to grasp everything. Even if it meant putting in double or even ten times the effort, it didn’t matter. No matter how hard it was, no matter how difficult, even if it risked death, it was all okay.

This was very greedy and very naive.

But at this moment, it was this greed that turned into a fiery courage, cutting away all unnecessary worries and thoughts, allowing her heart’s wishes and obsessions to unite, becoming a blazing fire of magical power.

The girl’s eyes sparkled grandly, as if they were forever clear and forever shining like pink diamonds. She breathed in the strength that burned from her heart, and the Rose Oath—an Artificial Lantern given by "Dazzling Stage"—began to melt and reshape in the light, transforming into the shape of cherry blossoms.

The little idols looked at this wonderful scene, somewhat puzzled.

Charlotte wore a heavy smile, as if she was not surprised at all.

Meanwhile, the super AI that had been hiding in the electronic devices, took the chance to project the virtual image of Dream Weaver Rabbit inside the bus, clapping and praising:

"Kirimi Miyuki, your brilliant shine and firm will make your lantern respond to your wishes. How could such a joyful scene not be rewarded?"

"I represent ‘Dazzling Stage’ in acknowledging your awakening as an idol, and I also represent the Counter-Magic Bureau in recognizing your qualification as a witch."

"When you truly light the lamp, I will train your team. Once you meet the requirements, I will allow you to take on the task of defeating the disaster beast."

"So, hurry and complete the performance! The day you shine and create that stage will decide the future of your whole team, and even the world!"