My Magical Girl System-Chapter 14: Absorb Damage

The pink barrier faded away completely, and the three of them finally exhaled in unison.

After a quick round of showers, they reconvened in the living room. Sarah’s brown hair was still damp, loose waves clinging to her neck and shoulders as she lounged in an oversized white t-shirt and short cotton shorts that hugged her hips just enough to be distracting. Lisa sat beside her, twintails undone into loose dark waves that framed her face, wearing one of Andrey’s spare hoodies (which was comically big on her) over tiny sleep shorts, the hem riding up whenever she shifted.

Andrey, in a plain black t-shirt and gray sweatpants, had just finished unpacking the delivery bags on the coffee table when the girls walked in. The aroma of hot food filled the apartment — thick-crust pizza, spicy chicken wings, fried rice, and a few boxes of sushi rolls they’d ordered in celebration.

Sarah flopped onto the couch with a satisfied sigh, grabbing a slice of pizza immediately. "This... this is what money is for. Eating delicious food after almost dying."

Lisa giggled and sat right next to her, picking up a pair of chopsticks for the sushi. "I second that. I’m starving."

They dug in hungrily, the sound of chewing and soft moans of satisfaction filling the room as they watched the large TV. The evening news was playing footage of multiple gate anomalies across Elysium today — swirling purple rifts opening in different districts, monsters spilling out, but every single one had already been handled by established guilds.

Lisa pointed at the screen with her chopsticks, mouth full of sushi. "Wow... so the anomaly wasn’t just us. Other places had the same thing."

Sarah nodded, licking sauce off her thumb. "Gates these past few weeks really feel unstable lately. Good thing we made it out alive. If Andrey hadn’t bought that bomb, we’d probably be lizardman snacks right now."

Lisa turned to Andrey with sparkling eyes, still chewing. "By the way, that Mana Bomb was insanely strong! It literally saved our lives. How did you even know it existed?"

Andrey swallowed his bite of fried rice, setting his plate down neatly. "It was expensive. Really expensive. I had to trade in almost all the reward points we earned today just to buy one. That’s why we need to level up as fast as possible. The stronger we get, the less we’ll have to rely on one-time consumable items like that."

Lisa grinned, raising her glass of iced tea. "Sure. More levels, more food money, less near-death experiences."

Andrey allowed himself a small smile as the three of them clinked their drinks together.

With dinner wrapped up—the empty takeout containers stacked neatly and the last of the sushi devoured—the trio lounged in contented silence for a moment. Sarah stretched out on the couch, patting her stomach. "That hit the spot. I’m out—gonna crash in the guest room if that’s cool."

Lisa yawned, nodding as she stood. "Same. Night, you two."

Andrey gave a small wave, already gathering the trash and wiping down the coffee table with his usual efficiency. "Night. Rest well—we grind tomorrow."

Once the girls had retreated to their rooms, Sarah claiming the guest bed, Lisa curling up on the armchair with a blanket, he finished tidying up, the apartment falling into quiet.

The TV droned softly in the background, now switched to a late-night hero analysis show, but Andrey ignored it.

He sat on the couch, pulling up the system’s holographic shop interface with a mental command. The pink screen shimmered to life, listing skills, items, and upgrades in neat categories. In his mind, he thought, ’That was too close earlier... I need to use these points more effectively. I could buy a skill that helps me fight upfront too, since Sarah’s a ranged attacker and Lisa’s support. I have to be the tank.’

Andrey scrolled through the skill tab, eyeing options critically. A few caught his eye but didn’t fit—Enhanced Speed (too evasive, not tanky enough), Mana Burst (offensive, but he needed defense).

Then he spotted it: Absorb Damage. Description: Absorb physical or projectile damage and store it as counter-energy, limited by your body’s capacity. Release stored damage in a shockwave counterattack. Cost: 150 Mana Points.

’Hmm, this’ll be useful for holding the line and striking back. Price isn’t too bad either. Alright, I’ll buy this one.’

He confirmed the purchase, feeling a warm surge as the skill integrated—his muscles tingling like they’d been reinforced. The system chimed: Skill unlocked: Absorb Damage (Level 1). +10% absorption capacity.

Satisfied, Andrey browsed further. Other skills looked tempting—Barrier Projection, Elemental Resistance—but they were pricey (300+ points each) and didn’t align with his tank role right now. ’Too expensive, and nothing else fits yet.’

He switched to the item tab, scanning consumables. A few stood out: Stun Bomb (temporarily paralyzes C-rank or lower foes in a small radius), Mana Flashbang (blinds and disorients with a mana burst), and Mana Disruptor (temporarily suppresses enemy skills). Each was relatively cheap at 50 Mana Points, labeled as support items but perfect for crowd control in a pinch.

’These are affordable and just support tools, but they’ll come in handy for fights. Better safe than sorry.’ He bought one of each, watching his points deduct as the items materialized in his inventory—small orbs that fit neatly in his tactical belt.

System: Purchases complete! Smart choices, Host~ You’re turning into a real frontline hero. Affection bonus for proactive management: +5 with each girl ❤️

Andrey finished browsing the system shop, dismissing the holographic screen with a satisfied nod. He stood, stretching his arms, and headed out to check on the girls before turning in.

Sarah had claimed the couch, sprawled out with one arm dangling off the edge and her damp hair fanned across a pillow. Lisa was curled up in the armchair, her legs tucked under her like a cat, face buried in the hoodie sleeve. They’d insisted on not taking his bed earlier—Sarah muttering something about not wanting to impose more than they already had, Lisa agreeing sleepily.

’They’re sleeping all haphazardly like this...’ Andrey thought, shaking his head. ’Fine, if they won’t listen, I’ll handle it efficiently.’

He approached Sarah first, sliding his arms under her gently—one behind her back, the other under her knees. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake, her beautiful face peaceful in sleep, lips parted softly. As he lifted her, Andrey was surprised—she wasn’t heavy at all, her body soft and plush against him, carrying a faint, pleasant scent of shampoo and something floral from her shower. ’Is this because I’ve gotten stronger?’ he wondered, carrying her effortlessly to his bedroom.

He laid her down on one side of the bed carefully, her head sinking into the pillow. She mumbled incoherently in her sleep, shifting to get comfortable.

Next, Lisa. Andrey scooped her up the same way, her smaller frame even lighter. Unlike Sarah’s elegant beauty, Lisa looked utterly cute asleep—her features soft and innocent, cheeks slightly puffed like a child’s. Her body was gentle and yielding against him, with a sweet, clean fragrance lingering from her bath. He placed her on the other side of the bed, next to Sarah, and pulled the comforter over both of them, tucking it in gently so they wouldn’t get cold.

The two girls settled in without waking, looking peaceful side by side. Andrey yawned deeply, the day’s exhaustion finally catching up. ’Tomorrow’s more grinding... better rest up.’ He turned off the lights, grabbed a spare blanket, and crashed on the couch himself, drifting off almost immediately.