We gathered for the concert surprisingly quickly. Tutu and Mu Nu Jiao needed just forty minutes to do their makeup, hair, and slip into the suits I'd bought, which they loved. Though Tutu started side-eyeing me, wondering how I'd guessed their sizes so precisely.
Since I'd figured the girls would take forever, I'd left a huge buffer... an hour and a half. Oh well. At least I'd have time to additionally check on the "secret support group."
Zhao Manyan could be trusted, especially with organizing events, but verification never hurts. Plus, my "partner" would rate me a couple points higher if he saw me seriously inspecting his work. Profit.
When we arrived at the concert hall, we caught the backstage staff doing final prep, and off to the side, a motley group of fifty people led by Zhao Manyan, explaining something to them.
"Greetings. How's our support group? Ready to light up the event with their magic?" I said to the guy, extending my hand.
"Ooh, you're Mu Bai? Nice to finally meet you in person." The guy shook my outstretched hand.
"As for the support group, don't worry. All these kids are first- and second-year light faculty students. They can unleash magic pretty nimbly." Zhao Manyan swept his hand over the crowd of young girls and guys, who puffed up proudly. He had real charisma if they all craved his approval that much.
"Good. Given your rep, I'll take your word. I already transferred their promised pay to your account. Don't forget to distribute it. Yours I'll send after the concert." I glanced meaningfully at Mu Nu Jiao, and he winked conspiratorially.
"Kids, as your leader probably explained, your job is to shoot light beams across the hall when the concert starts. Then spotlight the most active fans in your opinion. Questions?" I addressed them.
With no questions, we girls stepped aside to wait for the show. The "backstage fairies" finished prep, and people started filing into the hall. We moved closer to the stage for a better view.
When the hall lights dimmed and music played from the empty stage, I quickly summoned Pikachu and Bul into the girls.
"Mu Bai, what the hell?" Pale Ai Tutu asked, her worst fears gaining evidence.
"If this is another of your jokes, it's not funny. Don't try to ruin the concert just because you didn't want to go." Irritated Mu Nu Jiao scolded me; she still believed university walls meant safety.
"Ooo, girls, this isn't a joke or even a training I organized. You dragged me here yourselves. So now enjoy the unforgettable experience I promised. With that, I take my leave." With a gentlemanly bow, not even hiding my anticipatory grin, I activated the Middle-tier speed-boosting artifact—shin guards—and vanished from their sight.
Now I needed to hurry and cast a few spirit element spells on the support group, so they'd see everything as part of the show and "spotlight" the most active fans—i.e., those turning into monsters. Way more mana-efficient for my reserves than constantly refreshing fear suppression on them.
Also don't forget to bark a few orders at them, or they might not give me mental points for commanding mages in an emergency. I wouldn't fight yet—the biggest fish hadn't hit the stage, and I needed to wait for her.
Ai Tutu, gradually realizing total shit had hit the fan and she was in it.
Tutu wanted to curse loudly. Why, when she and Mu's sister had schemed to drag Mu Bai to this concert, did it backfire and just confirm her boyfriend's paranoid rants that nowhere in this world was safe?
And Mu Bai had ditched them alone and bolted somewhere. But no, Tutu trusted him and knew if real danger threatened—one his summons inside them couldn't handle—he'd be here protecting them.
Since Mu Bai wasn't here, he was using this as extra training. He believed in their strength! Or rather, he believed his summons wouldn't let them get killed by local monsters...
Who, by the way, started bursting from surrounding girls' bodies after a weird cry from the stage depths, ripping through their skin. Horrific. And gross. Had to kill them all.
As she and her friend geared up to strangle and crush monsters with plants like training, Mu Bai's amplified voice boomed over the venue from somewhere with a mic.
"Esteemed combat-capable mages! People turned into monsters can still be saved by inflicting heavy but non-lethal damage on their bodies! Light element works great on them too—even beginner magic takes them out with one hit! So give light mages room to maneuver and protect them. And try not to kill your comrades, please." The last part was casual, like telling neighborhood kids not to scrape their knees playing.
Tutu, biting back curses, pushed with Mu Nu Jiao toward the light mages Mu Bai had hired to "light up the concert's dark vibe." Crystal clear now: the guy had set this up so they'd learn a lesson and train in a real dangerous incident.
Along the way, they encountered turned students. Green-scaled girls with reptilian eyes and big claws. Fast movers, but meh defense.
While fighting to the light mages and shoving monsters aside, they damaged one enough for an unharmed naked girl to emerge. Must be the "salvation" Mu Bai meant.
Finally they reached the hall corner where light mages stood in a semicircle—some smiling, some bored—hosing emerging monsters with beams, reverting them to humans.
The friends spotted other girl mages keeping monsters from the light crew and, exchanging looks, joined the defensive ring.
That's how ten minutes passed in constant defense against waves of incoming monsters. Started at about a hundred, but they infected nearby people, now around four hundred rampaging, constantly growing their ranks.
People quickly realized light mages were safe zones and huddled behind them. Many, after Mu Bai's periodic shouts from nowhere, bolstered their defensive line.
When Tutu noticed monsters thinning, she thought the nightmare was ending—but the Scaled Demon Queen leaped onstage with a horrific cry. Apparently displeased her minions were dwindling, she came personally to crush the cause.
Feeling the beast's aura—barely weaker than Bul inside her—Ai Tutu nearly bolted, but turning, saw people hiding behind her. Lots of people. Right now, they counted on her as one of their protectors.
In that moment, Ai Tutu truly understood what being a mage really meant.