Shu took a small sip of the black tea Mei had prepared for him, letting out a helpless chuckle.
Just as I thought. Kiana hasn't forgotten about this.
Even stripping away their desire to tease him, Kiana was genuinely, incredibly enthusiastic about this. And the others clearly felt the same.
"Sigh..." Feigning reluctance, Shu let out a long sigh. He knew there was no escaping this. Everyone's expectations were so high; how could he possibly disappoint them?
Since we're going to play... I might as well prepare a few extra options.
"I really can't say no to you guys, can I?" Shu set down his teacup and stood up.
Kiana and Bronya exchanged a glance. With lightning speed, they grabbed the coffee table and all the clutter in front of the sofa, hauling it away to clear a large, open space for him.
Then, they practically dove back onto the sofa, gripping their phones tightly, their eyes burning with anticipation as they stared at Shu, who was casually stretching.
"Just this once, okay?" Shu smiled, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers.
There was no exaggerated explosion of light or flashy special effects; merely a profound sense of tranquility, like the deep, silent surging of an ocean tide.
Under the power of [Wish], the casual loungewear Shu was wearing deconstructed and instantly reconstructed into complex, exquisite fabrics. Simultaneously, his physical appearance underwent a visible transformation.
Logically, Shu was perfectly capable of completing the transformation instantaneously, but considering his audience's viewing experience, he deliberately added a subtle, magical transition effect.
Ta-da!
With that crisp snap, Shu's appearance completely changed before their eyes.
His originally average male stature shrank significantly, yet the new form remained slender and elegant.
Silvery-white hair, cut short in the back with twin tails framing the face. A signature deep blue top hat tilted slightly on his head, obscuring half of his face, while the visible eye sparkled with an incredibly pure, teardrop-like azure light.
He wore a tailored, deep blue ceremonial suit. Golden tassels and intricate embellishments sparkled under the lights, exuding a regal aristocratic elegance, mixed with the slightly flamboyant flair of a stage actor.
But the most striking feature was...
The cowlick! It looked exactly like Kiana's, but arguably a super-plus version!
That single, bouncy ahoge completely shattered the regal aura, replacing it with an underlying sense of innocent, natural clumsiness. Combined with the petite, delicate figure of a young girl, it evoked an overwhelming sense of pity and affection.
Wait... why does this feel like a two-way street of pity?
Shu—or rather, "Furina" as he should now be called—curled the corners of her lips into a confident, prideful smile.
Mimicking the character's classic animation, she kicked her heel up slightly, sending the scepter spinning gracefully through the air. It twirled nimbly around her fingers before she planted it elegantly on the ground.
Finally, she raised her chin slightly, striking a pose that looked exactly like a curtain call.
"Waaaah~~" Kiana seemingly lost all language capacity the moment the transformation was complete. She could only express her shock and extreme satisfaction through a continuous, vibrating sound of awe.
"So... so pretty..." Seele covered her mouth, looking at the girl whose hairstyle was at least 30% similar to her own, and offered the highest praise one girl could give another.
"What an unexpectedly complete character design..." Although Bronya's tone remained flat, the rapid-fire click-click-click of her phone's camera shutter betrayed her true feelings.
Hearing the shutter sounds, Kiana snapped out of her trance. She quickly raised her own phone and began frantically snapping pictures of the Furina-ified Shu.
"To achieve this level of transformation—not just the physical appearance, but the aura and voice are absolutely perfect... Shu, is this another character from a game in your original world, just like us?"
Mei felt her heart beating a little faster, but she managed to maintain her composure, unlike Bronya and Kiana.
"Bingo! You guessed it."
Shu lightly tipped her hat and spun around joyfully.
"But wait, there's more!"
"Furina" winked playfully at the group. Then, bursting with a desire to perform, she struck the Splendor of Tranquil Waters against the floor and executed a cute, dramatic twirl.
A flash of light enveloped her. The bright, vibrant blue suit instantly inverted, transforming into a profound, mysterious black ceremonial outfit. The lively azure eyes shifted, revealing a deep, heterochromatic purple.
Her entire aura changed in a heartbeat. The flamboyant, attention-seeking "god" vanished, replaced by a calm, introverted presence—a "solo dancer" seemingly burdened by countless secrets and profound loneliness.
"This is the alternative state of mind." "Furina's" voice also deepened slightly, though it retained its unique purity. It felt as if the initial burst of excitement had faded, revealing her true, default state.
"How about it? Which one do you guys prefer?"
"They're both gorgeous! They're both amazing!" Kiana waved her hands frantically like a rabid fan, her eyes practically turning into stars. "But..."
She scratched her head, furrowing her brow as if struggling with a massive internal conflict.
"Although it's incredibly beautiful, and I absolutely love it... I just feel like this design..." Kiana pointed at the scepter and the elaborate ceremonial suit.
"Maybe it's more suited for an opera house or a theatrical stage? I feel like just standing there, she should be singing an aria or delivering some kind of... incredibly deep, dramatic monologue."
"Agreed," Bronya stated, offering what she considered an objective critique after taking exactly 100 photos. "The visual center of gravity for this design is too high, and it inherently possesses a 'theatrical spotlight' attribute.
"If Shu wore this to play the guitar or the drums, it would be a massive waste. This design is strictly suited for the visual center of the group: the lead vocalist."
"Yes, exactly, exactly!" Kiana nodded emphatically. "That's exactly what I mean!"
"But... isn't Shu going to be singing?" Mei raised an objection, looking at the two of them in confusion. "If he's the lead vocalist, isn't this design perfect?"
"Ahem—well... you see..." Kiana's eyes darted around shiftily.
"Bronya reserves her opinion," Bronya deadpanned, staring straight ahead.
It took Mei exactly one second to see through their little scheme.
"Alright..." She sighed helplessly. Though, truth be told, she was actually quite curious herself. "Shu, you have other designs prepared, don't you?"
"Hmm... I suppose I do." Shu's transformation was basically equivalent to channeling a deity. Even his thought process was deeply infected by the "Furina" persona.
"Very well! Since you have asked so sincerely, I shall grant your request!" But then, "Furina" tipped her small top hat down and lightly tapped her scepter against the floor.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the "young girl's" appearance began to change once more.