Chapter 317: I Will Definitely Become a Magical Girl!

The pink-haired girl tilted her head, and those enormous treasures swayed along with Vivi's movement.

She looked as if she'd been struck by heavenly lightning, her expression shifting unpredictably. "You're not a demon, right? Then are you an illegal contract beast?"

"Signing this inexplicable contract with you, will it affect my future attempt to get a magical girl license?"

Compared to Vivi's agitation, the pink-haired girl merely tilted her head, her expression placid, and spoke softly:

"Don't remember. Don't understand."

Vivi was stunned again.

,How the hell is this face so goddamn beautiful?!

No, wait, she couldn't let her guard down. Who knew what kind of monster was hiding beneath this illusion!

She took several deep breaths, then spoke word by word:

"The contract is the final step to becoming a magical girl."

"A girl of the right age needs her magic power to reach at least tenth-grade, pass a series of tedious tests and certifications, spend a fortune buying a Soul Gem, then pay an enormous contract fee. Only after all that can she sign with a contract beast under the Company and become a true magical girl!"

"Illegal contract beasts are different. They're very likely something dangerous in disguise. The person who contracts them easily loses control. They're absolutely forbidden. If you're even suspected, they'd rather kill wrongly than let you go!"

She gritted her teeth. "Forget about taking the exam in two and a half months... if I get found out, I'm dead!!"

"..."

A profound radiance flickered deep within the pink-haired girl's eyes.

,Contract beast, Soul Gem, Company, certification...

She didn't press further, instead saying calmly: "Just now, it was you who responded to me."

"If you don't sign the contract, you'll die. You won't be able to do anything."

"Uh..."

Vivi felt her spirits plummet in an instant.

That was indeed the truth.

And the next moment, she suddenly heard the girl's voice drift over once more.

"Magic power level seven, does that mean E+?"

"You're saying that in two and a half months, you want to go from E- to E+? And also become a magical girl?"

Although her words carried no bias whatsoever, only pure curiosity, Vivi still couldn't help but flare up.

"Why the hell not!!"

"If level seven doesn't work, then level eight! If level eight doesn't work, then level nine! Level ten!!"

She clenched her fists tight, breathing heavily. "I will definitely become a magical girl!"

Her voice rang with conviction, echoing through the train car.

Vivi jutted out her neck stubbornly, but deep down she'd already steeled herself for ridicule and pity from this angel-like pink-haired girl before her,,because everyone who'd ever heard her say those words had reacted the same way. Without exception, they all thought she was chasing a pipe dream.

But then...

The next moment, she was slightly taken aback.

Because that devastatingly beautiful face held no ridicule, no pity. Those orange-yellow eyes simply watched her seriously, and the girl nodded without any hint of perfunctoriness: "Mm."

"..."

,Tch... must be an act. Either that or she really has amnesia and genuinely doesn't understand what I'm saying.

Yet for some reason...

Even though she reasoned it away like that, looking into the other's eyes, Vivi's nose still felt a stinging, sour sensation.

She forced her emotions down and silently calculated in her heart:

Regardless of whether this thing was an illegal contract beast, it was still far better than having everything stolen from her, then being unable to repay her debt and getting dismantled into spare parts by the Black Snake Gang and the Company.

But still... a contract?

Suddenly, Vivi's eyes lit up like a cat spotting dried fish. She extended her hand toward Lin Guang with a slightly shameless air: "You're willing to contract with me, so you must need something, right?"

"I've heard that official, legal contract beasts only take a thirty percent cut from magical girls."

"I don't care what percentage you, as an illegal one, want to take... but first of all, the stronger I am, the more benefit it brings you, right?"

"Is there anything that can help me? Some item or ability?"

The pink-haired girl didn't answer directly. Instead, she asked in return: "Do you have any food on you?"

Vivi blinked. "Yeah, why?"

"Eat it."

Having run such a long distance, Vivi did indeed feel her stomach was empty. Otherwise she wouldn't have been so completely exhausted so quickly earlier. It was just that she was used to frugality, always scrimping and saving.

But now she really had no choice but to eat. She needed to restore her stamina.

The next moment, she reached into her one-shoulder bag and pulled out her last tube of nutrient paste, tore open the packaging, and sucked it down.

Because she shared the girl's five senses, that nauseating industrial saccharine mixed with machine oil flavor instantly transmitted over.

The pink-haired girl furrowed her brow slightly.

"This is what you normally eat?"

"What kind of stupid question is that? Which family's young lady were you before?" Vivi bared her teeth. "Cheap and filling. A broke dog has no right to choose her food."

"Then in the future, you'll have the chance to choose."

The pink-haired girl said indifferently: "I'll borrow your body for a moment."

The next instant, that pink figure suddenly vanished from where she stood.

"?!"

Vivi's body instantly tensed. Terrifying rumors of people being soul-possessed by demons or demon beasts, their bodies taken over, flashed through her mind.

No way!

Yet the loss of control she'd anticipated didn't happen.

For some reason, the nutrient paste that had entered her stomach seemed to melt and was digested at high speed.

In just a few minutes, strength began surging up from within her body. Her previously parched magic power also flowed slowly through her like a gentle stream.

"I slightly stimulated your adrenaline secretion, took over your digestive system along the way, sped up your absorption and digestion rates, and provided some assistance to your magic power recovery."

That gentle yet flat voice sounded by her ear: "The price is that once the boost wears off, you'll be even more exhausted."

"But... you have something urgent to do right now, don't you."

Vivi gripped her fists uncertainly, watching orange-yellow radiance flicker at her fingertips. She had to admit the current sensation was unexpectedly good.

And for some reason, she even felt her control over her magic power had improved. The magic power that used to be somewhat unstable now felt so obedient.

The class had taught that contracting with a contract beast would indeed enhance both parties' various attributes through resonance...

It was really this effective?

Vivi was secretly alarmed. Then she looked up, glancing around with some confusion. "Speaking of which, where are you?"

The other's voice came from within her clothes. "Energy-saving mode. The magic power you supply is too little. Maintaining that high-frame-rate form from earlier is exhausting. Just knowing what I look like is enough."

"...Fine."

She clutched the silver orb, took a deep breath, and suddenly realized something. She then cast her gaze toward the five unconscious scavengers on the ground.

"..."

The expression in Vivi's eyes flickered erratically. Her hands hanging at her sides clenched and loosened, then finally balled into fists with resolve. She pulled a sharp dagger from her bag, crouched down in front of them, and pressed the blade against the throat of the woman at the head.

But her throat bobbed slightly, her hand trembling, and she couldn't bring herself to apply pressure.

"..."