In the modern year of 2055, mages existed in the world. Influenced by the "Cyclic Fluctuations of Universal Development," a surge of "Magic Power" emerged near Earth roughly every millennium. This unknown fundamental particle could be directly controlled by a small fraction of humans through brainwaves—mental energy.
Scientific research revealed that with sufficient Magic Power, mages could transform and manipulate it into any known substance. They could even control the "Higgs boson," the particle granting mass, wielding near-divine power.
…
The next morning.
Dark circles under her eyes, Su Fangwen walked up the slope to school. Classmates in identical uniforms surrounded her.
"Morning!"
"Good morning!"
"How was last night’s drama…"
"Did you finish today’s homework…"
Chatter filled the path, yet no one spoke to Su Fangwen. A breeze swept through, swaying her shoulder-length black hair.
"Good morning, Fangwen," called a girl with blunt bangs.
Su Fangwen hesitated, confirming the greeting was for her. She gave a faint nod, murmured a flat "Mm," and turned away without another glance.
Watching Su Fangwen hurry off, the bangs-clad girl’s expression turned regretful.
"Told you not to bother. She’s always like this—ignores everyone," a companion said.
"Yeah, like she looks down on us."
The girl’s name was Sun Xiaocui. Though classmates for two months, that had been their first exchange. Su Fangwen’s indifferent "Mm" left Xiaocui awkward. As class monitor with striking looks and a tall frame, Su Fangwen had been Xiaocui’s hoped-for friend since term began. Clearly, the feeling wasn’t mutual.
Her two friends just shook their heads helplessly.
"Xiaocui’s ‘save-strangers’ syndrome again."
"With Su Fangwen? Hopeless case."
Su Fangwen cared nothing for their thoughts. Her mind fixated on last night’s sleepless event: the mage who’d rescued her from two thugs. That mage was definitely her classmate, Yan Lingxuan. No mistake.
Stepping into the classroom, her gaze swept the room and locked onto her target. In the tiered lecture hall, he sat at the last seat of the fourth row by the window. Hunched over a smart notebook, he was deep in heated debate with friends. Su Fangwen approached silently.
The teacher hadn’t arrived yet. With morning reading time nearing, the classroom buzzed like a marketplace. Fifty students chatted, scrambled to copy homework—the noisiest moment of the day.
Amidst the clamor, the corner quartet’s voices cut through clearly.
"Your taste is trash! Black thigh-highs are the ultimate choice!"
"Nonsense! Bare feet rule!"
"What about blue-and-white striped panties?"
"Panties are off-topic! But white lace… might be unexpectedly perfect!"
The last seat of the fourth row—Yan Lingxuan’s territory, the otaku squad’s stronghold. His smart notebook projected holographic images of cute girls.
"BLACK THIGH-HIGHS, NO DOUBT!" Yan Lingxuan roared, using the notebook’s "outfit swap" function to clothe every hologram in sleek black stockings.
"NO! BARE FEET!" Wang Dongping shot back, stripping the stockings off the holograms in one swipe.
Their shouts drew stares even in the rowdy classroom. The otaku four ignored it, laser-focused on the debate. Yan Lingxuan’s screen overflowed with photos of girls in crisp uniforms—flawless faces prettier than idols, streamlined shirts, swaying pleated skirts. Earth’s true treasures. Uniforms Zhonghua Region’s schools had never possessed. These weren’t from their high school, nor Zhonghua Region—they were students of Valhalla Academy in Atlantis.
Every school in Zhonghua Region wore the same tracksuits. How many youthful dreams had those ankle-length pants strangled? A tragedy of their homeland.
The term "magical girl idol" (MGI) emerged five years ago. Back then, the gap between mages and ordinary people was vast. Especially after the Mages Guild seized Hawaii from the U.S. in 2039. Using immense Magic Power, they merged Hawaii’s 132 islands into one nation—Atlantis—within a year.
The world reeled. A U.S.-led coalition deployed twelve aircraft carriers to blockade Atlantis. Commentators predicted the first "Demonic Core War." Yet after three months of standoff, the U.S. quietly withdrew. The truth remained unknown. Though many argued mage sovereignty was justified, would nations heed such voices when interests were at stake?
The U.S.-led coalition’s cold war with Atlantis persisted. America blocked Atlantis’s UN membership, labeling it a terrorist state for "invading" Hawaii. The motion failed—thanks largely to Zhonghua Region and Russia—but economic sanctions continued…
Such worldly complexities mattered little. Unexpectedly, mage-ordinary relations shifted in 2050—the birth of "magical girl idols."
It began simply: photos leaked online showing daily life in Atlantis. Especially images from Valhalla Academy, the mage training ground.
A hack was undeniable. Yet no one cared about the breach. All eyes fixated on one thing: the stunning beauty of Valhalla’s female students.
For unknown reasons, mages were universally more attractive. Valhalla’s campus overflowed with gorgeous youths. "Mage Girl Fan Clubs" surged online. Within a week, membership hit 100 million—a force no nation could ignore.
Yes. *Cute is justice!* The internet’s universal creed.
The hackers calling themselves "Truth Eyes" remained a mystery. No one knew if it was one person or many. They caused no damage—only shared mage life photos. A puzzle worth pondering.
Today, Truth Eyes’ leaks continued. Valhalla student photos flooded the web daily. Fan numbers only grew, splintering into dedicated sub-clubs.
Thus, by 2055, though shadows lingered, the world outwardly embraced peace.
