Just as Su Mu’s gaze was wholly captured by Motes’s magnetic presence, a sudden splash of briny seawater doused her face, forcing her eyes shut in a startled blink.
“Pfft, ugh, so saltyā¦” she sputtered, wiping her face.
No need to guess who the culprit was.
Snapping back to her senses, Su Mu spun toward Miti, scooping up a handful of seawater and launching a counterattack with a gleeful grin.
Caught off guard, Miti, still reveling in her prank, choked on a mouthful of the ocean’s salty retort.
The two of them descended into a chaotic water fight, flinging waves at each other with the unrestrained glee of kindergarteners.
Too childish for grade-schoolers, perhaps, but just right for college students like them.
Such lively antics naturally drew the attention of the ever-energetic Motesāor rather, she’d been plotting her move all along.
A sudden jet of water blasted Su Mu’s back, relentless and ticklish, making her squirm and twist in a futile attempt to escape.
Motes’s water gun, however, was mercilessly precise, targeting Su Mu’s waist and eliciting a squeal of protest.
“Why aren’t you soaking Miti?!” Su Mu wailed, half-laughing, half-exasperated.
Motes flashed a mischievous grin.
“Isn’t it tradition for the newbie to get picked on? Besides, I’m not dumb enough to take her on. You two would gang up on me in a heartbeat.”
On the shore, Tang Nai watched the trio’s playful chaos, adjusting her sunglasses with a faint smile.
Youth, she thought, was a beautiful thing.
She shifted her umbrella to cast herself in cool shade, then pulled a handheld gaming console from somewhere unseen, settling in to play.
Meanwhile, Luo Jialan had found a secluded spot to change into her swimsuit.
After a cautious glance around, she began to slip out of her clothes with a soft rustle.
As she unhooked her bra, she gave a tentative squeeze, frowning slightly.
Nothing special there.
Was it a matter ofā¦ volume?
Her gaze drifted to the others splashing in the distance.
Even from afar, their fullness was unmistakable, and she pursed her lips, muttering under her breath about their shamelessness.
Yet, she couldn’t deny the undeniable gap in theirā¦ assets.
It was a competition she wasn’t equipped to enter.
Still, that alone didn’t stir the restless itch she’d felt beforeānot until her eyes locked onto Su Mu, mid-scream and flailing in the water.
The moment her gaze settled on the curves accentuated by Su Mu’s peach-colored swimsuit, a sudden heat bloomed in her palm, as if it were sinking into something soft and elastic, like a playful slime.
Her pupils constricted at the strange sensation.
Blushing, Luo Jialan turned her head, staring at her hand.
Small, delicate, and now inexplicably warm.
The sensation of something soft lingered, rising unbidden from some corner of her memory, but she couldn’t place its origin.
Shaking her head, she pushed the thought aside.
Dwelling on it would only make her feel like some clingy, greedy kitten obsessed with soft things.
Watching Su Mu get double-teamed in the water, Luo Jialan swiftly tied her swimsuit straps and hurried to join the fray.
No way was she letting them have all the fun.
Su Mu, meanwhile, could barely keep her eyes open, blindly swiping at the water jets while hurling empty threats.
“Just you wait! Once I’m done with this water gun, you’re toast!”
Whether she meant Motes or Miti was anyone’s guess.
But before she could make good on her words, a fiercer wave crashed over her, nearly knocking her flat into the surf.
Miti’s voice cut through the chaos, laced with mock innocence.
“That wasn’t me, Little Mouse. That was Lando!”
Only Luo Jialan could make such a splash.
But in the midst of her denial, the sly redhead seized the chance to douse Su Mu a few more times, pinning the blame squarely on Luo Jialan.
Caught in a three-way assault, Su Mu swiped the water from her face, her eyes blazing with defiance.
Her fists clenched, ready for battle.
Little Mouse was done playing nice.
Braving the onslaught, Su Mu zeroed in on Miti and lunged, dragging the smug girl beneath the waves.
Her face landed squarely in the “big yellow duck” zone, prompting a startled yelp from Mitiācut short as bitter seawater flooded her mouth.
“Glub, glub, gurgle!” Miti floundered.
Her swimming skills were lacking, and though Su Mu wasn’t much better, her smaller frame gave her an edge in agility.
For a moment, she had the upper hand.
Untilā
“Mmff! Glub, glubā¦” Under the water, Miti’s fingers found the soft spot at Su Mu’s waist, tickling mercilessly.
Su Mu, already sensitive, writhed like an eel, her movements only pressing her head deeper into Miti’s chest.
The redhead’s heart raced, caught off guard by the closeness.
Both girls, failing to hold their breath, began choking on seawater.
Su Mu’s mind flashed back to a dream she’d had, plunging headfirst into waterājust like now, except this time, she’d chosen it.
Determined to make Miti pay, she mimicked the tickling tactic, catching her opponent off guard until her fingers faltered.
Finally, Miti surrendered, tapping Su Mu’s back weakly.
Released, they both surfaced, gasping.
The two troublemakers collapsed side by side on the beach.
Luo Jialan, ever the opportunist, began piling sand onto Su Mu, encasing her like a mummy in a sarcophagus.
Su Mu, too exhausted to resist, could only muster a weak taunt.
“Hmph, scared you, didn’t I, you weakling?”
Pale and breathless, Miti shot back, “Tch, if I wasn’t worried about freaking you out, I’d haveāglubācough!”
“Weakling,” Su Mu wheezed, choking on her own seawater.
“Just a sip and you’re doneācough, cough!”
Luo Jialan burst into laughter, her body shaking as she watched Su Mu sputter.
Catching her amusement, Su Mu puffed out her cheeks indignantly.
Oh, you were in on it too, huh?
Too weak to retaliate, she settled for spitting a stream of seawater at Luo Jialan, who dodged with a giggle.
“Time to grill some fish, quit lazing around!” Tang Nai’s voice called from afar.
At some point, she’d set up a barbecue grill on the beach.
Miti sprang up as if nothing had happened, stretching languidly before sauntering toward the grill.
Drying out the seawater in her system was, for her, a mere thought.
Su Mu could only gape, watching Miti’s delicate footprints trail across the sand, fading into the distance.
“You can tweak your own state, dummy,” Irina’s voice chimed in, snapping Su Mu out of her daze.
She fumbled for her gaming console, ready to adjust her condition, when a sudden notification caught her eye.
[High-energy lifeforms detected: 6. Initiate scan?]
Counting herself, there were indeed six magical girls here.
But the console never included her in its count.
Six went in, seven came outāa classic horror twist.
No time to overthink.
Su Mu propped herself up, clearing the seawater’s effects with ease.
It was mundane, non-magical water, after allābarely a drain on her energy.
Instantly, she felt revitalized.
Let’s see who you are.
[Scanningā¦ Unknown entity: Ning Xi, No. 0. Magical power level: C-class under normal conditions. Perform deep analysis?]