Chapter 5: Tutorial

"Alright. Our tutorial was cut short because of the Anathemas. Next, I need to tell you about the status screen," Felicia resumed her explanation.

"Status screen? Why do you talk like it's a game?"

"Oh. Although you've never played any video games, I'm surprised you're aware of the concept. It required some effort to discern your combat preferences without video game experience."

"I learned about it from a book. Plus, I've seen it mentioned on video sites and the like."

"I see. Well, first, let me explain what a status screen is. This is your status screen," Felicia said, projecting a message box before my eyes. "By the way, you can access your status screen by yourself simply by saying 'open status screen.'"

STATUS

Name: Yuri Shirayuki

Alias: None

Level: 2

Points: 91

Shield Aura: 0%

Mana: 100/100 (10/Min)

BASIC

Origin: Dark

Aspect: Ambivalent

Class: Locked

Signature: Unawakened

STATISTICS

Strength: 20

Dexterity: 10

Vitality: 10

Agility: 10

Willpower: 10

Spirit: 10

Bonus Point:10

PERMISSIONS

GRIMOIRES / VAULTS

ABILITIES / AUGMENTS

є̶̘͇̀́г̷͇͖̥̏͐г̸̝͖̩̠̑๏̶͈͇̌̌̀̉г̷̩̪͔̐̓̄̍:̵̪̦̥̒ ̵̖̠̆͛̄̇ย̸̝̰̣̈͒̀͝ภ̶̟͙̋͆ค̴̡̋๒̷̮̔ɭ̵̮̇́͆́͜є̷̞̆́ ̶̨̖̞̀̑͋Շ̶̮̊͒̾๏̵̗̞̣̈́́̂ͅ ̶̜̰̻̊ค̴̰͙̉̄͘ς̶͚̗̀̐̀ς̶̥̹̈́̂̈є̶̨̲̤̍̎ร̵̮̔̆̄̚ร̵̢̩͎̽

Unique Augment Available!

Spear Vault (Common)

INVENTORY

WEAPONS

EQUIPMENT

Cross spear

Javelin x2

Seraph Spear

Zeus Javelin

None

I blinked at the basic section of the status screen displayed before my eyes. A whirlwind of emotions churned in my stomach as I read it. Was this really how Zenith viewed me?

"Fel?"

"Well, I know what you're about to ask. But let's put that aside for now. As you can see, the status section includes shield, level, points, and aliases. You currently don't have an alias or shield since your astral shift is locked due to the Blacklight Protocol."

"Next are the statistics. This displays your stats as a Magical Girl. Stats can also have an effect in your normal form, though at a significantly reduced rate. So, even without access to your astral shift, it's beneficial to allocate any bonus points from leveling up now."

"What does each stat represent?"

"Strength, abbreviated as STR, measures the instantaneous power you can exert. This affects your ability to swing weapons as well as the impact of punches and kicks. Any strength-aligned weapon will benefit from this stat. By the way, all the weapons I purchased for you are STR-aligned since that's your highest stat at the moment."

"Alright." I mulled this over. So, I'm STR-aligned. I've watched many Magical Girls' videos battling Anathema, noticing some rely on speed while others on power. Was that fighting style predetermined from the start?

"Next is Vitality. This affects your stamina and physical resistance."

"What does physical resistance mean?"

"Physical resistance determines how well you can withstand damage. Have you seen Magical Girls getting thrown through walls without any injuries? That's thanks to the Vitality stat."

"But isn't that due to the shield?"

"If a shield were to activate for every contact, merely walking down the street would deplete it, as it would try to protect your legs. Shield aura activates beyond a certain threshold, which can be increased by Vitality."

"I see."

"Well, if you're considering the tanker class, which will be explained later, you could invest your stats in Vitality and Spirit."

"Next is Dexterity. Dexterity affects how well you can move your eyes or legs, influencing your accuracy with weapons. Many snipers or long-range Magical Girls invest in this stat. If a weapon is Dexterity-aligned, it will benefit from this stat as well."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Hm… Do I need it?"

"It's recommended for Magical Girls to have balanced stats, so I suggest investing in all of them. Oh, by the way, do you prefer to be referred to as a Magical Girl or Magical Guardian?"

"Isn't 'Magical Girl' for females and 'Magical Guardian' for males? Why do you ask?"

"Alright. Magical Girl it is. Next is Agility. Agility determines how quickly you can move your body. It's quite straightforward. Most speed-based Magical Girls invest more in Dex and Agi for their build."

"I think I'll focus on STR and Agi." I pondered for a moment. My stats were heavily skewed towards strength. Or should I balance Dex and Strength? Given my lack of astral shift, my stats are only applicable to my weapons.

"Next is Willpower. Willpower dictates your mana capacity, the potency of your spells, and enhancing willpower-aligned weapons, while Spirit influences your mana regeneration rate per minute and the strength of your aura shield. Currently, both are irrelevant to you since you can't access your grimoire, signature spells, and aura." Felicia's revelation caught me off guard, prompting me to seek clarification.

"What? It wasn't just astral shifts?"

"Your signature spell will be unlocked when you reach level 10. As for your grimoire, it's locked due to the Blacklight Protocol."

"So, my capabilities are limited to the Gate? The UNH really did cover all bases, huh?"

"At least you have augments. Your augments aren't locked."

*Sigh…

"Alright. What's my augment?"

"Dunno, nyaa…"

I glared at her as she swished her tail and shrugged her paws innocently. I hadn't realized Zenith robots were capable of cracking such unfunny jokes.

"I'm not joking. Here, take a look at the description."

[The Ambivalence of Virtue and Sin]

[You who dream of the stars, a sheep in wolf's clothing, a fangless tiger. The sin of envy is upon you as you gaze upon others. Like a hawk mimicking a parrot within a gilded cage—a cage of gold and jewels, unlocked yet basking in the glow of opulence. Now, you possess the power to obtain what you desire. See yourself as you wish to be.]

"Felicia? What is this?" I asked, puzzled by the message box's contents, which read like a cryptic poem.

"You see, we didn't invent magic; we discovered it. We've strived to codify magic so it can be utilized by humans and other alien races against the Anathema. But we haven't unraveled all of magic's mysteries yet. We developed the arcane system to make sense of mana and decipher magic for humanity. Since you've received a completely unique augment tailor-made for you, our arcane system has taken some liberties in explaining it."

"I see. So, I get something unique?" Unique doesn't necessarily mean powerful, but if Felicia mentioned it was tailor-made for me, it should be effective at the very least.

"Yes. Many signature spells have similar poetic descriptions since no two signature spells are duplicates. Everyone is different, after all. However, you need not worry. No augment has ever harmed its user, and I'll be able to understand the full extent of your augment once you've accepted it."

"So, how do I accept the augment?"

"Simply accept it in your heart and say 'I accept.'"

"I accept." In that very instant, my vision blurred, reminiscent of astigmatism, except the distortion constantly shifted, inducing a wave of vertigo. Seconds felt like hours until my vision cleared and a sudden weakness overwhelmed me.

[The Ambivalence of Virtue and Sin]

Level: MAX

[Virtue: Diligence

- **Ability**: Place mana-infused eyes, ears, and markings on surfaces you have touched. When applied to your mana constructs, access their tactile sensations.

- **Mana Cost**: 30 upon placement, 5 Mana per minute during active use, and 1 Mana per minute when idle.

- **Limitations**: Maximum of twenty eyes, with a 10km radius limit before disconnection and dispersion.

- **Keywords**: Wiretap, Dismiss ]

[LOCKED]

[LOCKED]

[LOCKED]

[LOCKED]

[LOCKED]

[LOCKED]

"Oh, what a powerful augment you have. Congratulations, Nyaa," Felicia praised my augment and offered her congratulations. Yet, each time I encountered ambivalent words, they stirred uncomfortable feelings within me. I—I am not a good person, and I despise my current life. I am greedy and malevolent.

"So, I've essentially received a spycam, and you're calling it strong? I could purchase one from an E-store for 200 dollars," I remarked, disappointment evident in my tone. I had expected more from technology crafted by Zenith, especially when Felicia mentioned this augment was tailor-made for me. However, what I received seemed merely like a spycam. It might prove helpful in avoiding ambushes, but I currently need something more substantial. Countless Anathema lay between me and the shelter; reaching it was my utmost priority.

"True, there are alternative methods to replicate what your augment accomplishes. However, none are accessible at level one. To offer some perspective, most of the augments others possess at this stage typically include enhancements like STR up or EXP up."

"I see." I was too greedy. I should expect something like this at lower levels.

"Let's test it right now. Place your hand on the wall outside the window and say 'wiretap.'" Following her instructions, a rectangular window materialized in the corner of my vision, displaying what appeared to be footage from a spycam positioned outside.

"It seems to be functioning as expected. The image quality is quite good, too," I observed, before realizing an additional feature. "Ah, it can also pan and tilt."

"Yes. And since I'm connected to you, I can also view and control the camera. This will ensure our surveillance is seamless."

"If you can assist, then that's definitely advantageous. I doubt I could monitor twenty of these feeds without missing something," I muttered. "Besides, I have to combat Anathema as well, right?"

"Yes!"

"By the way, what is a mana construct?"

"Mana constructs are entities or objects temporarily created with magic, such as illusions, clones, and even weapons. For example, take me. When you manifested me, I became a mana construct and could be made visible to others if I choose so. In fact, many beginner Magical Girls use familiars like us as bait or distractions in tight situations."

"You're okay with that? What if you get hurt?"

"Relax. It's impossible for familiars to die unless something happens to the soul gem inside your head." A tinge of red flashed across my cheeks as I remembered using Felicia as a scout earlier, before the encounter with those two Fomorian hounds.

"I see. So, you're fine with being used as bait or a distraction?"

"Yes! It's actually one of the primary recommended tactics to use familiars for scouting. I'm happy you're willing to utilize me to the fullest, Nyaa. However, if my mana construct is destroyed, there will be a cooldown period of about one or two hours before you can re-manifest me. So, please be mindful of that."

"Alright."

"Now, I've already explained status, statistics, grimoire, and augments. The last topic is about your basic status. This is where I was a bit hesitant to inform you. Are you familiar with what an origin is?"

"No, but please enlighten me. The Blacklight Protocol doesn't affect every Magical Girl, right?" we would have heard it by now if it affected every newly recruited magical girl in the world.

"Correct. The Blacklight Protocol specifically targets Dark Magical Girls or Guardians. You see, there are six origins: Pink represents Love, Red represents Adventure, Green represents Peace, Blue represents Hope, Yellow represents Wish, White represents Dream, and then there's Dark, which ostensibly represents courage."

"Hm? I don't consider myself courageous."

"No. We only told other Magical Girls that Dark represents courage because Dark Magical Girls receive the best benefits among the types. It actually symbolizes despair or other dark emotions."

"Hmm? Why would you…" I found myself stopping mid-sentence, words caught in my throat as Felicia continued.

"Dark Magical Girls are those who have experienced despair yet continue to live through it. They've thrived alongside their despair. I hope I don't need to elaborate on why. You see, there are many nuances among Dark MGs. They are formidable fighters against Anathema, but they often come with… how should I put it, issues? They are basically a problem child. But their talents are too good to ignore." I turned away from her, acknowledging internally that I indeed had my own problems.

"No, you don't need to explain any further. I understand. Let's move past that," I interjected, feeling a wave of discomfort at the thought. "So, that's why the United Nations of Humanity has imposed restrictions on Dark MGs…"

"Yes. I hope you'll keep this explanation to yourself. Others of the same origin might view you negatively if you intervene in their lives."

"Really?"

"Yes. Even in apparent disadvantageous circumstances, the situation is complex. In the case of a bullied person being a guardian, Being bullied for being different can isolate a person, and stepping in to protect them might inadvertently worsen their sense of isolation. It draws attention to their differences, potentially leading others to distance themselves even more. Furthermore, they no longer need any external help. We support a Magical Girl's lifestyle, enabling them to distance themselves from toxic environments whenever they want to. Their decision to remain suggests a personal preference for dealing with the situation in their own way."

"I see." I nodded, understanding the complexity. I, too, wouldn't want others meddling in my life. Now that I'm a Magical Girl, I could choose to end my forced marriage at any time, but I prefer to resolve it on my own. If I were to break free, who would I become? Despite my family's intentions to 'sell' me, I remain a Shirayuki, a part of the family. If others were to break my marriage, what would happen to my identity as a Shirayuki?

"Next, we have the aspect. It reflects your emotions. As for your class and signature spell, those will be revealed once you reach at least level 10. And that concludes our tutorial for Magical Girls. Now, let's figure out how to get you to the shelter, Nyaa."

I nodded as Felicia scratched her head with her leg, mimicking the actions of a cat.