It was simply a matter of not finding the right frequency, not a lack of comprehension or insufficient skill in operation.
It only took two days for Bayonetta to find the trick and successfully cast the spell for the first time.
Of course, a first success doesn't guarantee future successes. Magic, no matter how simple, still requires a certain level of technical skill. To achieve stable casting, even a talented witch like Bayonetta needs practice.
"Sister Bayonetta, why is your door different from everyone else's?"
On the third day, which happened to be Saturday, Kanna, curious, followed Bayonetta to the Sanctum to play.
She ate popcorn and watched, a very well-behaved little girl, quietly observing Bayonetta casting spells under Daniel Drumm's guidance.
After finishing her last piece of popcorn, the little girl couldn't help but ask a question in a clear voice, comparing Drumm's summoned portal to Bayonetta's creation.
"Don't you think mine looks better?"
Bayonetta turned her head and replied to the little girl while trying to maintain the shape of the halo.
For other beginners, one of the most common reasons for failed spells is a lack of concentration. But for Bayonetta... perhaps because she often had to face numerous enemies and dodge attacks from several different directions in combat, she had long mastered the art of multitasking and perfected it.
Even though she was distracted by Kanna's question, the halo in front of her didn't change.
It remained unstable, just like before.
It neither improved nor collapsed. Its oval shape resembled the egg Leonardo da Vinci drew as a child.
Of course, the 'different' Kanna referred to definitely wasn't the shape of the portal. After all, she was still a child, and the slight difference between an oval and a perfect circle wasn't that important in her eyes.
What truly piqued Kanna's curiosity was the color of the portal Bayonetta summoned.
Perhaps due to different sources of magic, all other sorcerers, including the Ancient One, summoned orange-red portals, with sparks flying everywhere, much like the sparks generated when cutting metal with a chainsaw.
However, the one Bayonetta summoned... not only had its color changed to a bright yet alluring pink, but its manifestation was also completely unlike sparks.
It was somewhat like lingering mist, and somewhat like paint spreading in water, without a trace of smoke or fire, full of the unique gentleness and grace of a woman.
"Mm-hmm, yours looks better."
Which woman doesn't love pink? Little Kanna nodded vigorously, giving Bayonetta the answer she most wanted to hear.
As they spoke, another halo suddenly appeared in the training room.
"Old Wang, thanks."
"It's nothing, don't mention it. Come, let me give you a hand."
Shi Xiaolei's voice came from the other side of the portal. A few seconds later, he and a chubby sorcerer stepped through the halo one after another, appearing before Bayonetta, Kanna, and Daniel.
"Oh, everyone's here," Shi Xiaolei said with a chuckle, carrying two stacked foam boxes in his arms, greeting the three of them.
"Daniel."
"Wang." Daniel Drumm greeted Old Wang, the sorcerer stationed at the Hong Kong Sanctum, and asked with a smile, "Did you get everything?"
"Of course, with me on the job, how could I not gather everything?" Wang the Fat Man lifted a tightly bound pile of items in his hand and smiled proudly, "See? It's all here."
"Xiaolei, Xiaolei, can we make delicious food tonight?" Kanna jumped off her chair and pattered to Shi Xiaolei, tiptoeing and reaching out her small hand to open the lid of the foam box, wanting to see what ingredients were inside.
That's right, Shi Xiaolei had just made a trip to Hong Kong.
The story began that morning when he left home.
In two days, the restaurant would reopen. To prepare for the reopening, Shi Xiaolei had made a list and was planning a big shopping trip.
It was mainly for ingredients, and a small number of special kitchen utensils that couldn't be obtained through the renovation company, such as bamboo steamers, wooden barrels for steaming rice, and jars for pickling vegetables.
He thought that after dropping Bayonetta off at the Sanctum, he would go to his fellow countryman's store by himself. After replenishing those kitchen utensils, he would then go to the wet market, greet the boss he had previously collaborated with, and ask if he could provide a 'daily vegetable delivery' service for his new store.
After all, the store had expanded significantly, and the daily consumption of ingredients was much higher than before. If he still personally went to the market every morning to select and purchase, it would be too time-consuming. Conversely, if the boss helped deliver the vegetables, because it was a large order from a designated partner, there might be a certain discount on the vegetable prices. Calculating everything, it would not only save trouble but also be more cost-effective.
He had a good plan, but upon arriving at the New York Sanctum, things changed.
Because of Daniel Drumm's remark, 'To avoid unnecessary attention, it's best to choose the other two Sanctums as destinations for practice, and open the portal in the training rooms there,' Shi Xiaolei suddenly had an idea—since he was going to open a portal, and the other side of the door was Hong Kong, why not take the opportunity to shop there directly?
He might not find the specific items he wanted at his fellow countryman's store in New York, but in Hong Kong, a stroll through the market would surely yield satisfactory results.
Moreover, when it came to ingredients, Hong Kong offered a wider selection. It's worth noting that ingredients like lotus root, wood ear mushrooms, daylilies, bamboo shoots, soybean sprouts, bitter melon, shepherd's purse, and wild rice stems are virtually impossible to find in Western supermarkets. Even daikon radish, chives, tofu, and various soy products are relatively rare and hard to come by in the market.
Previously, by relying on 'authentic Chinese flavors,' he had attracted many repeat customers, and Shi Xiaolei naturally considered this a very successful business strategy. After the store's renovation, he intended to continue adhering to this principle and further develop it.
Once the idea popped into his head, it couldn't be stopped. Plus, Daniel Drumm, who was in charge of affairs, was already a regular customer of the store... They hit it off immediately.
Bayonetta stayed in the training room of the New York Sanctum, accompanied by Kanna, continuing to practice her newly learned spell. As for Shi Xiaolei, Daniel sent him to the Hong Kong Sanctum, and through his introduction, Shi Xiaolei met Wang the Fat Man, who was stationed in Hong Kong.
Coincidentally, Wang the Fat Man had just applied for a bottle of red potion from Kamar-Taj a week earlier, saving a childhood friend who was on the brink of death due to a severe car accident.
The subsequent development, I believe everyone can guess—under Daniel's introduction, he learned that Shi Xiaolei had a good relationship with the Ancient One. Upon further inquiry, he discovered that Shi Xiaolei was actually the provider of the potion, who had just helped him immensely not long ago. So, without another word, Wang the Fat Man immediately showed his enthusiastic side and actively offered Shi Xiaolei a reward.
"Old Wang, thank you," Shi Xiaolei said, thanking Wang the Fat Man, and then casually added, "Why don't you rush back? Didn't you say you haven't eaten yet? I'll start cooking right away, and it'll be ready soon. You can just grab a bite here, save yourself the trouble of cooking when you get back."
"This..."