《Extreme Flame Wizard》 Chapter 1: Lecture Concerning Compatibility Oye Igni, listen well. Igni did not take his eyes off the man sitting in front of him. Its no secret that the man before him is one of the strongest in the world. He is none other than the Extreme Wizard. He has aged, sure, but he has mastered the magical arts, and against any common foe, he would turn them to ash in less than a second. Igni: Whats up, grandpa? Igni suppressed his nervousness as he inquired his grandfather. His white hair tied in a ponytail, his grandfather wore a robe that covered most his wrinkled skin. Even at his age, his eyes still looked like a hunter searching for his prey. Lucas: The Secret Art of Being Popular - Lesson #1. WOMEN LOVE STRONG MEN! Igni: W...women love strong men! The one known as Extreme, one of the strongest wizards ever known, spoke solemnly and seriously with his grandchild. Lucas: Yes, I have been loved and adored by women because I became the strongest. Igni: Because Grandpa is the strongest! No one doubted this fact. If you ask 100 people passing by, all 100 would say that grandpa is the strongest. Lucas: That is why, Igni, the upcoming Compatibility Ritual will determine everything! Igni: O-Okay! The Compatibility Ritual. This was a custom carried out by every country in the world. Magic - a source of power beyond human strength. That magic was broken into several various types. [EARTH] ?[WATER]?[FIRE]?[WIND]?[LIGHT]?[DARK]?[LIFE] All children reaching 12 years of age attended the Compatibility Ritual to learn their Magical compatibilities and affinities to any of the major types of Magic. Once they know what kind of magic they are compatible, that itself will determine their future. There are those who research magic. There are those who become adventurers. There are those who abandon all hope in the magical arts and live a common life. Lucas: Igni! If you want to be popular with women, you will have to be compatible with the strongest of types! Igni: The...strongest type?! Lucas: Yes, and that strongest type is <<<<>>>> Igni. Igni! Are you awake? Igni: Y-Yes father! Igni woke up to his fathers voice.. It looks like he was having that dream again when he met his grandfather a week ago. Even though he just fell asleep in the carriage, Ignis father burned red with anger. Father: Oh please! You dont listen to anyone when theyre speaking. You leave home without permission. Do you even understand your position as the first born son of this family?! Igni: Im Im sorry, father Igni shrunk back in his seat. Father: Why is it that your younger brother Fray is so much more advanced than you are? How could you be so useless? Fray: Father, please do not scold my brother. He was staying up late last night studying and must be tired. Igni was embarrassed that his brother had to cover up for him. Father: Do you understand? We are going to the Awakening Ceremony, and you MUST inherit the [LIGHT] trait. The Talcoyz Family trait must be carried on! "Yes, father." " Both nod their head in agreement. Father: Affinity to any other trait is unforgivable. The Talcoyz Family has always been a Clan of Light. We MUST have someone become the Extreme....if only if it wasnt for that despicable man Ignis father curses as he spat out the words. That despicable man. You didnt have to ask who he was talking about. Although he was the first Extreme in the family lineage, his various associations and relationships with women almost destroyed the familys reputation. This was Ignis grandfather - Lucas Talcoyz. But now, he is simply Lucas after he was expunged from the family tree and purged of his Talcoyz last name. Ignis father has called him the worst atrocity to incur upon the family, and the utmost embarrassment. A noble must live as a noble does This is what Igni''s father always tells us. As Igni was thinking about this, the carriage stopped. ...they must have arrived at the church. Peeking outside, he sees other children his age nervously entering the church premise. Father: Igni and Fray. Dont disappoint me. Approach this with the utmost importance. We MUST gain another Extreme for the sake of the family. Igni: ...I understand, father. Fray: Of course, father. Igni and Fray bow before leaving the carriage. They mix-in with the group of children, and on their way to church, someone taps Ignis shoulder. Have you been well, Igni? Igni: Oh, Rose? He was surprised to find who was behind him. Behind Igni was Rose Aquilmarun. She is the only child and daughter of the prestigious family Aquilmarun. And she is also Ignis fianc. With sky blue hair and almost transparent blue eyes, she is an extraordinarily beautiful girl. Rose: Lets do our best today, Igni. Igni: Yes! Rose: Ill be [WATER]. Igni, you be [LIGHT]. Together, lets both become Extremes. Igni: Of course! This was a promise they made when they were 6. Rose brings this up every time they see each other, and Igni cant hide the embarrassment that wells up inside him every time this happens. Fray: Brother, we all know that Im going to be the Extreme and not you. Igni: Haha. Sure, then lets see wholl get there first. Fray and Igni are step brothers of the same age. But they have gotten along just fine up until now. Fray has many strengths which Igni lacks, but even so, Fray has supported his brother up till now. Rose: Look at all those priests, Igni! Igni: R-Rose, you shouldnt point at priests like that Inside the church, the typical 1 priest turned into 10. Looking intently into a magic crystal, all the priests shouted the affinity and compatibility of each child. [WATER] : [B]! WHOA! B-Rank?! You heard the shouts come up from the crowd. Rose: Look, at B-Rank, isnt that amazing? Igni: Dont worry. Well even top that. The priests will only shout the magical trait you are most compatible with. Other affinities and traits will be spelled out in something called a Status which is written on this board they give you. The common rank is D or lower. The boy who discovered his B-Rank had a wide-spread smile on his face. [LIGHT] : [D]! [FIRE] : [C]! [DARK] : [E]! The priests continue to process each child swiftly and efficiently. Next! Come forward! Rose: Its...its my turn. Here I go. Rose was called and steps forward. She looks nervous and stiff as she walks to the priest. Oh this is?! D-did something happen?! The priest who looked the most extravagantly dressed peered into the crystal and widened his eyes. Th-this, could this be?! Is something wrong?! H- [HOLY] : [S]... The priest trembled as he spoke the words. A [HOLY] Trait?!?! At the news, murmurs erupted from the crowd with Igni. Th-the [HOLY] Trait?!?! That trait that only appears every 100 years?!?! And shes S-RANK?! This has to be some sort of joke, O Holy Priest! I I am not joking! The crystal never tells lies.! The priests began to hurriedly run about, as Rose just stood there in disbelief. That cant be?! A [HOLY] Trait S-RANK?! Theres never been any occurrences like that Its...its the beginning of a legend!! The crowd is even more excited than the priests. I wonder if Rose even understands that meaning of this news. The [HOLY] Trait is a tier higher than the [WATER] trait, and any person who inherits this trait is determined as a saint, and the country will protect them with the utmost urgency. And whats even more shocking is that an F-Rank [HOLY] Trait is several levels ABOVE an S-Rank [WATER] trait. The S-Rank of the highest of highest tiers. Rose has already one foot set in the Extreme realm. Its only a matter of time now. Unbeknownst to everyone around him, Ignis heart beat strongly in his chest. ...Ahem. You are the child of Aquilmarun, are you not? You will receive a letter from the King later today. Until then, the Royal Guards will keep you safe. Do not fear. It only means that you have been blessed with more talent than the average person. The next child, come forth! Fray is called up next. Igni: You got this! Fray: Thank you, brother. Fray steps forward. Oh, you are a child of the Talcoyz, are you not? Fray: Yes I am. Then lets begi what?! What is it now?! No, this...this cant be The priest again shows disbelief at what is shown to him through the crystal. [EXTREME LIGHT] : [SS] E-[EXTREME LIGHT]?! The higher tier above the Light trait, the Extreme Light, and hes a SS-rank?!?! Thats another trait that only appears every 100 years or so. But thats not the most surprising thing about this. The tier above the Light tier is only heard of in fairy tales. And Fray inherited it! We have two upper tiers. We are really lucky this year. NEXT! Come forth! Its finally Ignis turn. Igni: Y-Yes!! Igni steps forward. Rose: Good luck. Rose whispers encouragement quietly into his ear. .yes, for sure. Im going to give this my all. Alright, what kind of trait am I going to have? [LIGHT]? Or maybe [EXTREME LIGHT]?? Or maybe [DARK]? Or maybe something even more legendary and mythical like a unique [ORIGINAL] trait?! As Ignis excitement boils over, the priest quietly pronounces. [FIRE] : [F] At that moment, the entire church fell silent. Igni: ....Excuse me? What? You didnt hear me? [FIRE] : [F] Igni: ....w---wait wait wait wait wait. No, no no no, that cant be. His mind goes blank. Something ice cold crawls down his spine. Thats impossible! His most compatible trait is [FIRE]?! And hes an F-RANK?!?! Igni: ...one more time. Please, check again. But before those words left his left, the priest called to the next child. NEXT, COME FORTH! .its over. That was it. All other thoughts escaped him except this one fact. Chapter 2: The Awake Wizard I cant remember how I got home after the ceremony. I vaguely remember sitting in the carriage in silence among father and brother, Fray. F-Rank. The lowest of all ranks. The priest will only proclaim the magical trait you are MOST compatible with. Igni stared at the Status he received for the hundredth time. <<<<>>>> Igni Talcoyz Age: 12 [EARTH] : none [WATER] : none [FIRE] : [F] [WIND] : none [LIGHT] : none [DARK] : none <<<<>>>> The Status with the none engraved literally meant that using that line of magic is impossible. In short, Igni could ONLY use [FIRE], and worst of all, his compatibility to it was F-Rank. Two months passed since the nightmare of the Compatibility Ritual. This is about the time when those with C-Rank would start learning the first steps of using their new found powers. And Igni began using [FIREBALL], the very first, elementary [FIRE] spell, and even then, he had difficulty casting it. Igni: I wonder how Rose is doing I havent seen her since the Compatibility Ritual ended. Thats because her knights who guard her refused him entry. Well, even if I did see her, what could I possibly say to her? She became a Saint that the entire country celebrated at her arrival. And then theres me, whos magical talent is scraping the absolute bottom of the barrel. Ignis father has been working furiously to make sure no one knew about his sons F-Rank, but it was only a matter of time until the news got around. These past 2 months, Igni has been held captive in his own room. The servants would bring him 3 meals a day and 1 Wizard textbook per week. Besides that, he was forbidden from leaving his room. Even his secret escape pathways he used up until now were now all blocked by his father. Igni: I guess Father always knew and just let it pass Igni''s father was strict, but there was a grain of love in his words that only his father could muster, but now, Igni would never hear those words ever again, and his heart broke. For the first time, Igni wept. Servant: Sir Igni, the master is calling for you. Igni: .....okay. Igni, with a deathly, hollowed out expression, weakly stood up. Its been 2 months since he spoke to his father. What is Igni supposed to say when he sees him? His body did not feel like his as he walked to his fathers chambers. Every step, against his will, just kept happening, and he did not know how or why. And before he knew it, he stood before the chamber doors. The knob of the door clicked loudly as the servant opened the door. Father: ...Youre here, Igni. Igni: ...yes. His father looked pale, fatigued, and worn out compared to 2 months ago. Father: Ill give you two options. Igni: ...two? Igni: (Is he not going to say anything?) Why he would not see Igni for 2 months. Why he did not allow anything except meals and magic study. Father: One. Ill permit you to live inside this mansion, but you will remain here for the rest of your life. Igni: "............" Father: Two. You will abandon the Talcoyz name and have nothing to do with this family going forward. Igni: (.that means...) Ignis eyes widened, but no words came out of his mouth from the news. Servant: Master! Please! That is too harsh! Father: A noble must live as a noble does. Servant: But your son is only 12 years old! Father: I cannot permit the Talcoyz name to be disgraced any further. I almost fainted as the strength in my body left me. My sight is colored red, but Im still at a loss for words. Father: The heir to the family is Fray. I NEED to say SOMETHING, but nothing is coming out. JUST ANYTHING...ANYTHING AT ALL..!! Igni: F-...Father. No, Sir Master of the Talcoyz House. I need to consider that even being given an option was merciful for that man. At my words, the servant stood wide-eyed. Servant: Master Igni I silence the servant with a hand gesture. Im no longer a master in this house. Igni: I will depart from this family. ...consider that the fact that youre being left alive is merciful enough! Father: I see. If that is your choice, leave this premise immediately. I turned my back on father and left the room. Fray: Its been a while, brother. Igni: ...Fray. His little brother of the same age. If it was him, what would he say? Would he leave me with any kind words? Fray: Hahaha, Serves you right, brother! Igni: Fray? His voice was different, like it was coming from a stranger. I tilted my head in confusion. Fray: Didnt you see this coming? You never studied. All you thought about was escaping the mansion to go on one of your stupid little adventures. Werent you embarrassed doing that as the heir to this family? And this whole time, I was the one who studied and seriously trained while you were out there playing. God saw this and judged us accordingly. Igni: ...Fray, is that what you thought this whole time? Fray: Address me as Sir Fray, you lowly commoner! BAM! Ignis body fell hard against the floor. Igni: S-so heavy Fray: Gravity magic. How is it? While you were practicing your petty [FIREBALL], Ive been learning spells like this. Igni: .Fray!!! Fray: Why dont you lick my shoes, . Frays boot was placed in front of Ignis face. Igni: ...damn...it He has no choice but to do as Fray asked. Igni stuck his tongue out to lick Frays shoe. Fray: HAHAHAHA! Igni, you are the worst! I almost feel sorry for you! The magic lifted and vanished. Igni immediately got up and ran as soon as his brother lowered his guard. No, he let Igni run away. It was Frays way of flaunting how much control he had over the situation. And Igni ran out of the mansion. Its been two months being smothered inside, but the fresh air did nothing to lift his spirit. Igni: ...dammit! Dammit, dammit, dammit!!! The sky was cloudy. The humidity clung to his skin, and wrapped around his body choking him. Igni: GODDAMNIT!!!! It wasnt supposed to be like this! IT WASNT SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS!!! Tears fell from Ignis face as he kept running down the road. <<<<>>>> A year passed since that day. Hey, wake up, ditch cleaner. Igni: ...huh? The storage room of a tavern. In that room, under a ragged, tattered blanket, Igni woke up to the voice of the tavern keeper. Got a job for you. Get up. Igni: ...yessir Igni got up and left the tattered blanket behind inside the storage room and went outside. The sun was not out, and the sky was dark with a chill in the air. Alright, same job as always. Clean out the ditches like you usually do, but before you go, bring in the food supplies to the kitchen. Igni: YESSIR! No home, no family, no magical abilities, no chance of becoming an adventurer, and even lesser chance of becoming a Wizard. The Tavern Keeper was the only one willing to take him in. Well, it wasnt for nothing. He got a cheap errand boy to do all the dirty work. Igni earns 30 bronze coins per day working as the ditch cleaner. Out of his pay, 15 is taken for the lodging, and 10 for 3 meals. His meals consisted of moldy bread and a soup that was mostly water. But a proper lodging would cost 60 bronze per night, and meals would cost 20 each. ...ditch cleaners were for anyone with no magical talent and no other skills. Thats why its only a step above slavery. Thats because to wash anything, a [WATER] wizard would only have to cast magic, and the job would be done. A job that can be easily done with a single spell. But this is a job that would be a for even one spell, so Igni had a way to earn his living. Igni followed the Tavern Keepers orders, and set off to clean out the ditches. Alright! Today, we will be cleaning the sewers below the city! Itll be dark inside, but make sure you clean thoroughly! At the entrance of the sewers, Igni and several other men in the same boat stood there with no life in their eyes. If you get it, now go you piece of ****!! With the supervisors yell, the men dragged their feet carrying dented buckets and entered the sewers. Ditch Cleaners periodically clean the areas where waste water flows. If too much waste stays in one place, monsters will start nesting there. Before that happens, the Ditch Cleaners take care of it. But were talking about Slimes in this case, the weakest of all monsters. So really, there isnt a problem. There isnt a real problem, but it slightly the city folks. Igni has a job because of their annoyance. He has to be thankful about that. Igni lets out a huge sigh. Igni is probably in the dirtiest of spots, shoveling waste into his beaten up bucket. Igni: How long am I going to keep doing this? Igni mutters the words at no one, but because theres no one around to hear him, the words echo more loudly inside of him. Igni mindlessly shovels more waste into his bucket, when suddenly, light fills the sewers. The light is coming from upstream. Igni: What the Wait, did monsters appear?! If thats the case, Igni is neck deep in trouble. Even now, all he can cast is [FIREBALL]. But with Ignis magic, he cant even one measly slime! But looking closely, the light is following the flow of the stream and slowly approaching Igni. Its following the flow of the stream? Then maybe its not a monster? Fearfully and carefully, Igni approached the light and felt his knees give out when he saw what it was. Igni: ....G-GRANDPA?!?! Yes, what came down from upstream and followed the flow to here was the Extreme of [LIGHT]. -it was Lucas himself. Igni: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?! Igni could not contain himself. A thin light wrapped around Lucas keeping him from getting dirtied by the sewage around him. Lucas: What? Igni, is that you? Igni: Yeah its me! Grandpa, what the heck are you doing here out of all places?! Lucas has a habit of wandering. It was one additional reason why he was excommunicated from the family. He was THAT prone to constantly wander. While Lucas still carried the Talcoyz name, Igni heard that it was typical for Lucas to disappear for years at a time. So in Ignis heart, he was hoping to run into his grandfather somewhere in this world. And his wish finally came true. Igni almost cried on the spot. His grandfather might be able to help him get out of this situation! He might be able to turnaround this hopeless, nightmare of a future! Whether Lucas noticed his grandsons fervent gaze, no one could tell, as he spoke nonchalantly. Lucas: I was found cheating again. Igni: No, seriously. What are you doing with your life? Unchanged, his grandfather was his grandfather to the end. Chapter 3: The Wizard of Secret Arts Lucas: Its not that big of a deal. It was getting good when the husband came back, and I was in such a hurry that I escaped to the bathroom. Igni: ...the bathroom? Although Lucas walked all the way here from upstream, he did not have a single drop of water on him. It was because of the defensive field he had that encircled his body. This defensive field was known to be only second to the [EARTH] Extremes defenses. There are even legends that say that it withstood the blast of the highest tiers dragons breath. No one would believe me if I told them that he used it to keep sewage waste water from getting on him. Lucas: Well, so I was in the restroom when the husband said his stomach was not feeling well. Igni: ...and then? Lucas: Hmm. So if there was a window, I would have escaped through there, but there wasnt one. So I thought, the only way out is through the toilet. That was the brilliant epiphany me, the Extreme, had. Igni: Yeah, that makes no sense. Lucas: But the hole to the restroom is too small. A person could not fit through there." Igni: ........yeah, thats true Why am I even listening to this story? Lucas: So I disintegrated my body into molecules, and flushed myself down to escape. Once I was in a bigger space, I returned my body to normal. See! It worked. Wait, what the heck are you even talking about. And he even mentioned nonchalantly a spell that no ones ever heard of. Lucas: Its just more fun when you know theres a husband around. Igni: ....is that so.... Lucas: So Igni, why are you of all places doing here?" Lucas gave a piercing glance staring intently into Ignis eyes. No matter how aged he is, his stare was intense as always. Igni choked on his words. .He choked, but that was only momentary. Everything is now just a thing of the past. Igni: I got kicked out. Lucas: Oh? You are the same as I am then. Lucas laughed merrily. Igni: ...no, were not the same. I had no talent. Igni could smile a bit watching his grandfather laugh. If he couldnt laugh about it, it hurt too much to speak about it. Lucas: The Compatibility Ritual? Igni: ...yeah. Lucas: And the result? Igni: [FIRE] : F At this moment, a complicated inscription forms in Lucas eyes. Lucas: ....Oh. I see. This is interesting. Very interesting indeed He seems to be satisfied with his analysis. This is Grandpas most famous spells, [APPRAISAL]. Lucas only uses this spell under 3 circumstances. 1. When he needs to see someone elses [STATUS]. With [APPRAISAL], you can analyze the [STATUS] of others. 2. When going against a strong enemy. If you know the enemies magical trait, you can use the magical trait strongest against it. 3. When checking out a womans chest, hip, and waist size. Only under these 3 circumstances! But not a lot of people know about the 3rd condition. This is something only Lucas and Igni has kept a secret between each other. Igni: ...Grandpa. I... couldnt get strong. Igni laughed at himself as he spit out the words. Lucas was the real deal. His [APPRAISAL] is far more sophisticated than the Churchs magic crystal, and is said to be able to see depths of a human potential. So he should be able to see that Igni, who is a [FIRE] user, can only use the [FIREBALL] spell. But Lucas silently stared intently at Igni. Lucas: Oye, Igni Igni: ...Yeah? Lucas: You still want to be popular with the ladies? Igni: ............. What is. What is this person even talking about? Igni: Grandpa, were you even listening to me? I told you, I CANT GET STRONGER!! Lucas-Style Secret to Popularity Rule Number 1 Women love Strong Men If thats true, then I have no chance at stepping into that realm. I cannot imagine myself, incapable of getting stronger, standing in that ring. Lucas: Oye, Igni, Ill ask you once more. Do you want to be popular? Igni: ..........I I do. Up until the Compatibility Ritual, I vaguely thought about those things. Lucas: Igni, you want to be popular, right? Igni: Grandpa, its not right. I already have a fianc. Lucas: A true man does not settle with just one. Igni: W-wait, really?! The banter continued between himself and Lucas. For the last year, not once did Igni think about what Lucas just said. .Do you want to be popular? I consider the question carefully. I cannot see Rose ever again. Im pretty sure the marriage arrangement has already been dissolved. But whats the point of becoming popular in this state? I cant use magic. I cant even get a job. .A man like me could never be popular. Igni: Grandpa, I I cant be popular. Lucas: Listen to me carefully! BAM!! Grandpa only screamed and yet something thrust me against the wall. Amazing. He just exerted raw magical force, and it blew me into the wall! Lucas: Im asking you if you WANT to be popular. Im not asking if you are or are not presently! ...such pressure. Igni forgot to breathe and just stared back at his grandpa. Lucas: You decide your fate! Right now! Im this moment! Do you want to go back to your comfortable hell or do you choose to be molded in a storm of real fire and brimstone in an actual hell! Igni: ....I. Its like trying to wring out the words out of my body. Why am I so nervous? Lucas eyes lock hold of Ignis. ..I cant breathe. I I only have the strength to say one more sentence. Yes, this is the first time Igni saw his grandfather in his Extreme mode. He isnt known as Humanitys strongest for nothing. Lucas is also going to determine everything by Ignis next words. It will determine the rest of Ignis life.! Igni: I..want..to be. popular. Lucas: Oh ho Igni: I want to be popular, grandpa! Lucas: Well said! Thats my grandson! The nervous tension is released. I take a deep, slow breath. Without bothering about how bad the sewers smell, Igni continued to take a few slow breaths. Igni: But but grandpa. Lucas: What is it? Lucas reverted to his normal self and responded as he has always done to his grandson. Igni: Im super weak. Lucas: For now, yes Igni: I can really get stronger? Lucas: Yes, no doubt about that. Igni: ....and popular? Lucas: my dear Igni, maybe its time that I taught you the ultimate secret of becoming popular. Igni: T-The ULTIMATE. SECRET?!?! Lucas: Yes, listen well and listen carefully. And without any hesitation, Lucas boldly exclaims the next words: Lucas: THE SECRET TO BEING POPULAR RULE NUMBER 1: WOMEN LOVE STRONG MEN!! Igni: I ALREADY KNOW THAT!!!! Lucas: But they love even more MEN-WHO-ARE-TRYING-THEIR-HARDEST!!!! Igni: ......!!!! You could see the revelation strike Igni across his face. W-wait. So that means In that case.. At that moment, Igni saw the . He trembles uncontrollably at the newfound truth in his hands. Igni: I.I-I-I. I can be p-p-popular..! Lucas: Yes, Yes Igni! You most definitely can!! Now follow me!!! Igni: Ill follow you to the ends of the earth!! Lucas: Alright then! Lets stop wasting time and start training!!! Igni: W-wait, grandpa!! Igni sticks out the waste filled bucket towards his grandfather. Igni: Lets get out of here first. Lucas: Yes, lets. Chapter 4: The “Extreme” and the Wizard Lucas: Oye. Listen well, Igni. In this world, there is such a thing as compatibility. As they exited the sewers, Igni continued to follow whatever direction his grandfather chose to walk. Normally, the supervisor would have thrown a fit to see Igni abandon his work, but seeing as how he was standing next to the [LIGHT]s Extreme, they were so astonished that they let Igni and his grandfather pass without saying a word. Thats the power of being Grandpa. Lucas: For instance, I am [LIGHT] : [SSS]. Igni: Yeah, I know. They say theres only one SSS-Rank per millennium. Lucas: But there are other compatibilities as well. Lucas gently grabbed Igni by the shoulder. Igni: Whats wrong, Grandpa? Lucas: Were going to fly. The next moment, Igni saw the ground far, FAR below him. Igni: Wh-----------!! Lucas: A spell for relocation. I use it when Im caught cheating. Igni: .......... This guy, seriously... Lucas: Theres a perfect location for training you. I didnt want to use this spell since it wears me out so much but... Igni: I-is that true? Lucas: It was a joke. How could an Extreme get tired from using just one spell? Dont be ridiculous. Igni: Youre jokes arent funny. Lucas: What? As soon as Lucas responded, their feet touched the ground. Igni: ...Where is this? Igni looks around. The place was surrounded by thick with trees. The sky was cloud-covered, and the air felt thick and heavy. Igni: G-Grandpa! No seriously, where are we right now?! Lucas: Hm? Were in the Demon Kings realm. Igni: Whaaaaaa?!?! Grandpa! Youre gonna get us killed! The Demon Kings realm. Back in the day, the Demon King conquered 90% of the world, and were in HIS realm. A lot of the land was reconquered by human hands, but there is still plenty of territory left untouched. Any land the Demon King lays his hands on becomes so magically corrupted that unbelievably strong monsters emerge in that area and make nests there. Even the strongest species of dragons do not make their nests in the Demon Kings realm - thats how dangerous it is. Lucas: What are you talking about? The Demon King has been dead for over a 100 years. Igni: Even if hes dead, arent there monsters being born from the Demon Kings body?! Thats why its so dangerous to walk into the Demon Kings territory. Lucas: Igni, this is the path you chose. You said you wanted to become popular, did you not? Igni: B---but, you didnt say anything about stepping into the Demon Kings realm! Im going to die here! Lucas: The Ultimate Secret Art of Becoming Popular: Rule Number 1 Lucas stared intently into Ignis eyes as he spoke these words. Igni: ...Women love strong men. But they love even more men-who-are-trying-their-hardest Lucas: Thats right, Igni. You are still young. So you have to look 5 years, 10 years into the future. Igni: 5 years into the future?! Lucas: Yes, you will be so strong that women will be surrounding you in taverns. Igni: I-in taverns?! Lucas: Yes, and when that happens, the women will ask you, ''Where did you get so strong?''" Igni: A-and then?! Lucas gives Igni a sly smile. Lucas: You will tell them, ''In the Demon Kings realm.'' Just like that. Lucas: WHOOOOOOAAAAA!!! Igni: (What?! That sounds so cool! I would definitely be popular just doing that!) What was most unfortunate about Igni was that he was a genuine idiot. Lucas: Do you understand now, Igni? You will get stronger here, and you will have things to talk about that will further increase your popularity. Do you get it now?! This is all part of my ultimate get-popular strategy guide! Igni: G-grandpa! Youre amazing! Youre the best, Grandpa! It was unfortunate that no one was present to point out the obvious flaws in Lucas logic. Igni: S-so, what do I need to do here?! Lucas: Yes. That. Hmm Lucas coughed to clear his throat and looked at Igni again. Lucas: You will completely use up every scrap of magic inside of you!! Igni: M-my magic?! Magic is the basic and fundamental source of energy that powers spells during casting. The amount you have inside you is mostly determined by birth. And between each individual, they say that the magic inside each person is also subtly different. For instance, Wizard A will have magic within their body that is more compatible with [WATER] compared to Wizard B whos magic is catered towards [FIRE]. These kinds of things apparently happen. And this is why the High Priest uses a magic crystal to understand these characteristics, and Lucas uses his [APPRAISAL] spell which does the same thing. Lucas: Thats right. Use up everything you got. Igni: But if I use up all my magic, I will die from magic exhaustion! Lucas: Dont worry. That is the very reason why were here in the Demon Kings realm. Igni: .....!! Igni must have understood something of what Lucas said, and he clumsily chanted and cast his [FIREBALL] spell at the ground. It made a dinky POOF sound and disappeared on impact. In the Demon Kings realm, the territory is so magically corrupted that people cannot live here. The main reason why is that the Demon Kings unbelievably large amount of magic energy still resides in these lands. Igni: *haaaa. haaa.. (sfx breathing hard) With a measly 3 shots, Igni starts turning blue and pale. Sweat beads the size of marbles dribble down his face. Igni: .......fwew. But as he took deep breaths, blood returned to his face, and his complexion improved significantly. Lucas: Now do you understand? Igni: My magic recovery is amazing compared to before. Lucas: Thats right. The amount of magic that is in the air here within the Demon Kings realm is anywhere from 10 to 15 times thicker than where you were before. That is why by just breathing, you are able to recover your magic faster. Igni: Grandpa! Is there any meaning to doing any of this?! Lucas: What? This? Were increasing the amount of magic in your body. Igni: Every textbook says you cant increase the amount of magic in your body though! Lucas: Oh that. Thats a flat out lie. Igni: WHAAA---------?!?! This was a scandalous revelation. Its like being told that you can still grow taller after becoming 80. Thats how much it defied the most basic, fundamental assumptions and assertions of this world. Lucas: Well, rather, its not accurately stated. To be more precise, the more you experience magical exhaustion, the reserve magic contained in your body grows relative to the exhaustion. Igni: Relative to the amount of exhaustion? Lucas: Thats right. In about 3 days, you should be able to double your current magic reserve. Igni: D-d-d-double?!?! Even through the shock, Igni continually fires his spell towards the ground. Igni: That reminds me. Grandpa, about what you were saying before. Lucas: Hm? Igni: About compatibility. What were you about to say before? Lucas: Oh that. I was going to say Before Lucas could speak, his head fell to the ground. Igni: G-grandpa?!?! Igni tried to move toward where his grandpa lay, but he realized that he couldnt move his body. Igni: W-why? On careful inspection, there are numerous strings of webs stretched out all over the place. A web was linked around Lucas neck, and must have decapitated him when it constricted. And right now, Ignis body was constricted by the same webs. So of course, the culprit would be... SHAAAAAAAAAA!!! A high shriek ripped through the air, as a 5 meter giant spider jumped out from the forest. Igni: H-HELL SPIDER!! Igni has only seen this creature in an encyclopedia. Its an A-Rank Monster, and typically, it would take 4 A-Rank Adventurers to take it down. The Hell Spider rushes forward towards Igni. Igni: (...it must have been looking for an opportunity to sneak attack us) The Hell Spider understood the difference in strength between Lucas, Igni and itself. So it assassinated the greatest threat, Lucas, and then plans on gobbling up Igni! Igni: D-dammit!! Igni fires off several [FIREBALL]s. The spells hit the Hell Spider, but it doesnt even notice it as it continues its approach to Igni. Igni: ...w-why? Your spell power is too weak. From high above, a voice rang. [SEPARATE] A short command from Lucas, and the light born from him cuts the spider in half. The purple liquid from inside its body splatters everywhere, and the web that was tied around Igni also fell to the floor. Lucas: Now, we were talking about compatibility. Lucas should have been dead, but his dead corpse disappeared long ago. Igni could not understand at all what he did. Igni just held his eyes wide open as he waited for his grandfathers words. Lucas: Rarely, VERY rarely we are talking maybe 1 out of a million There are children who are born with the ability to use only one type of magic. Igni: ...youre talking about the unique magic type specialization Element One, right? Igni has only heard rumors about it. But, its a known condition, and hes heard of it. In exchange for only being able to use one magic type, they receive an abnormal amount of strength or so they say. Lucas: But if that is true, then I theorized that there may be some who are born with the ability to only be able to use one spell. I have been looking for that person for a long time now. Just one spell. That sounded like Igni... Lucas: And I found him. Lucas looks at Igni. Lucas: I call that condition, the Unique Spell Specialization Spell One. Lucas: S---, Unique Spell Specialization SPELL ONE?!?! Lucas: Yes. Because that wizard would be limited to only being able to use one spell, by theory, that wizard should be . That is you, Igni. Igni: ME?!?! Igni could not contain his excitement. From his hand, you could see the continual firing of his [FIREBALL] spell. Lucas: Thats right! Therefore, Igni! When you go to the tavern, you will be surrounded by women as you say the following! Igni: S-saying what?!?! Igni swallows hard, and the sound could be heard from a distance. Lucas: IM ACTUALLY A UNIQUE SPELL SPECIALIZATION ''SPELL ONE''!!!! Igni: THAT WOULD BE SO COOL--------------!!! Okay, no seriously. It is a pity that no one is here to point out the obvious flaws in this conversation. Chapter 5: The Strongest Wizard Its been 2 years since Igni started training. Igni: Sh! Ignis body soars through the air. Following him around are 5 balls of flame circling around his body. On the ground is a gigantic spider at least 5 meters tall. A-RANK Monster Hell Spider. 15 in total. They watch for Ignis approximate landing area and set up a trap. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] Through Ignis incantation, the balls of flame around Igni, [FIREBALL] shine brightly all at once. In a sudden flash, the red glow of the flames turns pure white. [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] is done by magic manipulation. Limited to balls of flame created by your own magic, the spell focuses on increasing the potency of [FIREBALL] and will subsequently explode in attack damage and explosion radius from tens of times to a several hundreds of times more. Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!! The white [FIREBALL] spells around Igni propel forth from him with unbelievable speed and make contact with the earth. *DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNN!!! (sfx Earth Shaking Impact) 5 consecutive explosions blow away the Hell Spiders and take the ground with it. It would take 4 A-RANK Adventurers to take down 1 Hell Spider, and Igni cleaned up 15 just now as he landed and bounded off the ground with acceleration. The true enemy is not them. Lucas: Oye, Igni. There are still many more. Igni: .....I know Igni quietly answers him. Theres a reason why he kept his voice low. The Secret to Popularity Rule Number 4: A Mysterious Man is Very Attractive. It was just for this reason. The mysterious man envisioned by Igni who lacked significantly in the brain department, came to the conclusion that a silent man is really mysterious. Lucas: Look up. Lucas voice reaches Igni as a humongous DRAGONS?BONES fall from the sky on top of him. *ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAARRRR!! SKULL DRAGON. An SS-Rank Monster. One of the strongest dragon species. Dragons are said to live past a millennium but like all creatures, they also have life spans. And thus, they also leave behind remains. During the war between the Demon King and Humanity, the Demon King collected the remains of the strongest dragon species and brought them , and placed them under his rule. This was one of his servants - the forgotten relic of a war ended a century ago. Igni and Lucas started from Lucas training ground, and as Igni grew in strength, he began to invade further and further into the Demon Kings Realm. As a result, he arrived at what humanity would deem as an impassable territory located in the surrounding area of the Demon Kings Castle. Lucas: Oye, Igni. Keep up your firepower. Igni: I know that too. Igni creates a tiny [FIREBALL] at the end of his fore finger. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] A noise like metal striking metal pierces the air as an incredible amount of magic is consolidated into one point. Igni blasts an impossible amount of magic concentration stored in his [FIREBALL],. Igni: Once more, you will die here. The ball of flame leaves Ignis hands and directly strikes the Skull Dragon in the head and scatters and destroys it completely, killing the Skull Dragon instantly. Before the Skull Dragons remains reach him, Igni dashes out from underneath. Lucas: Oh ho--- a spell that concentrates all your magic into one singular point, eh? Igni: Thats not everything I got. I still have some reserves left. Lucas: Good, good. VERY good. Im impressed. Your magic reserve has grown significantly, I see. Igni: Well, I am still hitting my growth spurt. Igni said it with a childish smile, but hes not wrong here. Magic Exhaustion leads to a loss of consciousness and subsequently, death. Knowing that, no one dares to even get close to exerting all of their magic at any given point. But Igni continued to do so for 2 straight years. There was a time he had to walk 1 week without eating or drinking in the Demon Kings realm. There was a time he had to continuously fight monsters blindfolded for a full month. There were other times when spells were forbidden in combat against monsters. And in all times, every day, he would continue to expend all of his magic. That alone would cause your magic reserve to grow exponentially. But that was not all. Igni was just hitting his growth spurt in the prime of his teenage years. Because of those two factors, Ignis wizardry reached unbelievable heights! But of course, that is a thorny, perilous road. Because he used magic endlessly, there were days when he had a fever for days on end that could have burned up his brain. He did not lose limbs just once or twice either. But Igni still grew stronger because of one thing. -----He really, REALLY wanted to become popular. I mean, he regrew his limbs immediately after Lucas gave him the elixir. Igni: Grandpa, did I PASS?THE?TEST? Lucas: Hmph. I guess if you can defeat a Skull Dragon by yourself, its sufficient. The specks of light flying around Igni this whole time consolidate into one, and takes the form of Lucas. This is one of Lucas wizardry - Molecular Wizardry. Yes, this man. Though his grandson was fighting for his life, he was watching all of this by his side without any risks or danger. Igni: So grandpa, I can become an adventurer now? Igni is struggling to keep his enthusiasm at bay. An Adventurer. A world where only strength and power matters. Ignis goal is to become an adventurer, and eventually become the strongest and most popular in the world. Lucas: Uh, no. You are forbidden from becoming an adventurer. Igni: WH------WHAAAAAAAAT?! WHY GRANDPA?!?! Without the slightest hesitation, Igni protested. You cant blame him. For 2 long years, he has slipped through deaths fingers over and over again just to make this dream come true. Lucas: You broke character with your mysterious persona, Igni. Theres a reason why you cant become an adventurer. And thats because Its not possible that Lucas has absolutely no logical, very reasonable explanation for saying such things. Thats why Igni held his breath and waited for his grandfather to speak. Lucas: .....Adventurers have NO *FATEFUL ENCOUNTERS!!! Igni: ....N-NO FATEFUL ENCOUNTERS?! Ignis thoughts freeze with the sudden revelation. Lucas: Have you not read the stories of past heroes? Black Silver. Red Blood. and myself THE ULTIMATE LIGHT Lucas. We are all heroes who stepped out from Adventurer origins. But even so, Igni. This is something that is universal across ALL ADVENTURER HEROES...an unshaken, INSURMOUNTABLE FACT! DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW?!?! Igni: ..........!! Only for getting popular alone does Ignis brain flash with sudden epiphany. Igni: .....everyone. EVERYONES A MAN!! Lucas: THATS RIGHT!! THERES ONLY MEN AMONG ADVENTURERS! IGNI! YOU MUST NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES AS I HAVE DONE! I ALSO THOUGHT THAT BECOMING AN ADVENTURER MADE YOU POPULAR!! BUT WHAT AWAITED ME WAS A SWEATY MAN-FILLED HELL!! Igni: ....N..n-no. then what am I supposed to Even against the Skull Dragon, Igni did not drop to his knees once, but now he crumbled in utter defeat. But honestly, how deep down can this young mans despair really go? Lucas: Do not fret! That is why me, the EXTREME Wizard will guide you to the right path! Igni: G--grandpa!! Lucas: You must now head to the Wizard Academy! Igni: Wizard Academy?! This is a school for educating and nurturing future wizards. Lucas: Mmhmm. The Spring Flora. The Book Flying Elulu. The Stone Shards Shalum. The Heroes that emerge from the Wizard Academy ARE ALL WOMEN!! Igni: THATS SO TRUE!! Women are more adept at magic. It is said that when God created man, he divided man into two things. He gave muscle to men. And he gave magic to women. So that is why it is no surprise that all the female heroes are from the Wizard Academy. Lucas: So I am sending you to the SUPER ELITE & FAMOUS INSTITUTION OF WIZARDRY!! THE ROLMOD WIZARD ACADEMY!! Igni: Rolmod Wizard Academy?! THATS THE MOST ELITE SCHOOL THERE IS!! That is a famous school that Igni has heard of. They recruit the most talented wizard children, and in Ignis home country of Anthem Kingdom, they are the secured top rank of all educational institutions. Rolmod Wizard Academys greatest quality is their motto of Strength is Everything'''' and will admit anyone with the talent to become strong. To Rolmod Wizard Academy, your family lineage doesnt matter. They seek only one thing -- your talents as a wizard. Lucas: Yes! Rolmod Wizard Academy was a female-only school up until 10 years ago! Igni: Wait, is that true?! Lucas: Well, it basically ended up that way because women were defeating all the men at the entrance exams. Igni: Is it different now? Lucas: There are a few men but the ratio is 4:1! 80% of the school is girls! Do you understand what this means?!?! Igni: Y-yes, I get it. I get it, grandpa. Igni nods. One of Ignis dream is to fulfill the fantasy of a happy, harem-filled school life. He wanted to swing his head in agreement vertically till it ripped off, but then he would no longer be mysterious, so he resisted this with all his might. Lucas: Here is the Entrance Exam Pass. This one is yours. Igni: WHAT?! You already have mine reserved?! Lucas: Of course! Dont underestimate me, The EXTREME!! Igni: Y---youre amazing grandpa! So when is the exam?! Lucas: TOMORROW! Igni: .......wha? Igni broke character again. *************************** CHONKY NOTES *************************** *Fateful Encounter (Fateful Meeting) (deai) (pronounced deh-aye) (ᤤ) -- is a serendipitous or fateful encounter with your one true love. There, I said it. And now Im itching all over from just mentioning it, but it is the ultimate life event for all romantics. Chapter 6: The Girl and the Wizard Igni: Dangit, grandpa! Youre always too spontaneous! Igni was muttering to himself inside his room at the inn. This is a place far away from where he and Lucas trained in the Demon Kings realm. He is currently at the capital of his home country - the Anthem Kingdom. At the capital, people, goods, money, and all other things gather here. The Rolmod Wizard Academy is located here as well inside the capital. Igni: Geesh, seriously. I havent even done anything to prepare for this entrance exam And worst of all, Grandpa disappeared after giving him the entrance exam pass. He said something about talking to an old friend to discuss some business but... Igni: Oh well. Even if Grandpas not here, I just have to pass the exam on my own. As Igni said that nonchalantly, he gracefully let his body sink into the bed. Igni: How long has it been since I slept in a bed It might be since leaving the Talcoyz mansion... During his training with Lucas, he slept on the ground, and for a year, he slept on a dirt floor in the basement of a tavern. Maybe thats why... Before he knew it, Igni was falling right to sleep. Igni: When...the morning bell rings the exam. begins so I need towake.. Igni fell asleep.. GOOOOONG GOOOOOONG GOOOOOOOOG!! (sfx bell sounds) Igni: Huh? Igni woke to the sound of the bell. He quickly removes the warm covers. Igni: .......crap. From his window, the sun shone brightly through. Hes late. Igni: CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!!! Jumping out of bed, Igni grabs his entrance exam pass, and jumps out the window. Igni: IM LATE!! As he tumbles out the window, he runs full speed towards the examination location. [Oye, Igni] As Igni runs, he suddenly hears Lucas voice inside his head. [The Secret of Popularity Rule Number 2 --- A calm man gets the girls attention, got it?] Igni: UUUUUUOOOOOOOOGHHHHH!!! But Igni ran. Igni ran FULL SPEED in the smack dab middle of main street. Igni: I KNOW BUT I CANT BE LATE---------!! Yes. Even if Igni was to calm down and walk with confidence towards the examination location, if he gets disqualified for being super-late, then his dream of being surrounded by girls fawning over him would turn immediately to ashes..! Igni ran with everything he got. Above him, something soared passed him. Igni: Huh what is that? He looks up, and sees a girl with a desperate expression zooming across the sky on a broom. Shes wearing a very large hat, and her golden hair is peeking out underneath. In her hand is the same entrance exam pass as Igni. Igni: Wait----I can s----I can s---- Shes wearing a skirt, but somehow, although he can almost see it, he cant. You may wonder, What happened to the mysterious persona? but Igni is also a man. A man must always try his best, must he not? Igni: Oh! I wonder if shes running late too! Even being in the exact same situation as her, Igni still wonders, and then a light bulb goes off in his head. Igni: Thats right! The sky!! Igni dashes into the sky with a jump. He wraps magic around his feet and jumps to the same height as the girl. He fires a [FIREBALL] in front of him. And he and kept moving forward. Secret of Popularity Rule Number 5 -- Always help a woman in need. Igni: Are you also running late? Wh-- WHO?! HOW ARE YOU TRAVELING IN THE AIR?!?! The girl shouts at Igni while looking at his face and the [FIREBALL] beneath him alternatively. Igni: Im taking the entrance exam as well. I know of a way to teleport to the location, but do you want to come along as well? R---REALLY?!?! Igni: Yeah, I saw you and thought of something. ......fine, I dont have any more time left anyways. Igni: Then excuse me. Igni then wrapped his arms around the girls waist. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR -- IGNITE]!! He pours magic into the fireball beneath him and changes its direction. Igni: [LAUNCH -- FIRE]!! BOOOOOOOM!! Igni lets the [FIREBALL] explode beneath them, and from the impact, they both hurtle through the air. KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! Igni: .....sorry, but were almost there. He would have never made it by foot, but Igni used a single spell to take the ultimate shortcut. Igni flips in the air and turns around, and he gently catches the girl in his arms and lands on the ground. Both of them were going at a significant velocity, and normally, the impact should have AT LEAST crushed the bones in his legs, but Igni poured more magic into his feet and avoided such disaster. ZUZAZAZAZA!! (sfx dragging feet on ground) Igni drags his feet hard into the ground to decelerate, and they both arrive at the examination location. The entrance exam is being held at Rolmod Wizard Academy itself. Both Igni and the girl look up to see the giant castle-like structure towering before them. Wh---who are you?! A surprised school faculty worker comes running out to see what the commotion is. Igni: My name is Igni. Im eligible to take the entrance exam. Here is my pass. Igni slowly lowers the girl to stand on her feet and shows the man his pass. M--My name is Alicia Esmeralda! Im also a entrance exam participant! Alicia presents her pass to the faculty worker as well. The faculty worker confirms both passes and nods. Both of you, come this way. Igni and Alicia were about to follow the faculty worker when Alicia mumbles Thanks. Igni: ...Did you say something? Alicia: N---No! Its nothing! And with that Alicia looks the other way from Igni. Youre welcome. Igni smiled as he said those words. Popularity Etiquette Rule Number 3 --- Always accept thanks with confidence. Alicia: Why you--- you heard me the first time?! And Igni got whacked in the rear with Alicias broom. Igni: (.....why?) Igni tilts his head to the side inside his heart. <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni] Igni: (....Grandpa?!?!) [Do not try to understand women. Women are beyond understanding.] Igni: Whreally?! <<<<>>>> An epiphany hit Igni on the head. Igni: (Grandpa! I think I understood what you said just now!) And Igni, ignorant as ever, and Alicia, who did not know what just transpired in Ignis head, walk through the entrance gate. We were just about to start the instructions for the examination. Im glad. You both barely made it. The faculty who led them here went ahead, and stood facing the many entrance exam participants. Before him is some sort of platform. Is the teacher going to stand there? You can wait here. Its just about to begin. Saying that, the faculty hurriedly went somewhere and disappeared. Alicia: U---umm so Hey, sorry for hitting you back there. My name is Alicia. What is your name.? Igni: .....50% .no 60% are men? .he lied to me that old geezer Alicia: H----hey, dont ignore me! Alicia taps Igni on the shoulder. Igni: Oh! Im so sorry. I got wrapped up in my thoughts. Whats up? Alicia: O--oh, its nothing. I just wanted to say thanks for helping me before Igni: Dont worry about that. I wanted to help you because I saw that you were in trouble. Popular Etiquette Number 1 -- Treat every woman special. Alicia: Oh, uh, thanks. Igni...was it? Im Alicia. Good luck with the exam. Igni: Good luck to you too, Alicia. Igni held out his hand to shake Alicias. Inside him, a storm of murderous intent raged against his Grandpa. Chapter 7: The Entrance Exam and the Wizard Alicia: Igni, it looks like were relocating. Igni? Hey, are you listening?? Igni: ....huh? Oh, sorry. Thank you, Alicia. When Igni came to his senses, the explanation for the entrance exam was finished. Seeing that half the entrance examinees were men was too much for Igni. And so he stood there hurting, confused, and mainly sulking like a child as the entrance examination instructions took place and ended. If Alicia did not tell him, he would have forever stood in that spot sulking forever. Igni: ...Sorry, Alicia. Where do we go now? Alicia: Werent you listening? Were going to break into 6 groups according to your number. Igni, whats your number? Igni: Im 120. Alicia: Then youre in the same group as me. Come on. Follow me. Igni: (Im really glad I got to know Alicia.) [Oye, Igni] Igni: (G--Grandpa?!) Inside his mind, he clearly heard the voice of his grandfather who was not presently here. [Secret to Popularity Rule Number 2 -- A man always leads! got it?] Igni: (.......!) Igni sucked in his breath with sudden realization. Igni: (Th---thats right! I almost forgot.!!) Igni gritted his teeth as he walked behind Alicia. Igni: (....Im completely being led right now.!) [Oye, Igni] Igni almost went back to sulking mode when Lucas voice called and echoed to him again. [At times, a man who lets a woman take care of him.. can be popular too.] Igni: (Grandpa.!) Igni may not have failed completely yet. Regardless, Igni didnt have a choice at this moment EXCEPT to follow Alicia, so he took his grandfathers word to heart and kept walking behind her. Alicia: Okay, were here, Igni. This is where you will declare your compatibility. There were many examinees lined up to where Alicia took him. Igni: Our compatibility? Whats the point of doing that? Alicia: Depending on your compatibility, theyre going to change the test contents. Thats what the principal was saying earlier. Igni: Oh, yeah! I... uh... remember now.! Hahaha Igni forced a smile and laugh, but Alicia stared coldly at him as she wondered if he was okay in the head. Alicia: Entrance Examinee Number 354. Alicia Esmeralda. My compatibility is [WIND] : [A]. Please please put on this green armband. As Alicia declared her compatibility, the faculty gave her a green armband. Igni: I see. So depending on your compatibility, the armband changes. Alicia: Thats right. Im going ahead. Good luck. Igni: Thanks. After watching Alicia go ahead, Igni spoke to the faculty worker. Igni: Entrance Examinee Number 120, Igni. My compatibility is [FIRE] : [F]. ...............[F]? The faculty looked at him in astonishment and confusion. Igni: Thats right. [F]. .....Ummm, I dont think we can allow a compatibility [F] to I thought in this school, strength is everything. Well, that is true but. Being cornered, the faculty was trying their hardest to figure out a way to dissuade Igni when another examinee butted in between them. Hey hey. Are you taking this exam as some sort of joke? Or you just trying to make good memories? Why would anyone with the worst compatibility potential be out here of all places? There was a blondie with short hair pulled back, with gaudy, overly extravagant clothes which he seemed oddly proud of. But, Igni ignored him. Igni: [FIRE] is the red armband, correct? Oh, uh, yes. Hey you! How dare you ignore me! Are you even listening to me?! Igni ignores him. But hes not JUST ignoring him. No hesactually...!! Secret of Popularity Rule Number 2 -- Women love a calm and confident man. Igni knew that he would get called out for being a F-Rank, but if he responded to each and every person who picked on him, it would be Igni wholl be accused of being the petty man. H----HEY! YOU! DONT IGNORE ME!! Igni: Oh, where do I go after I put the armband on? Please go straight down to the left side. Igni: Thank you so much. Igni bows. He tries to leave immediately, but the other examinee grabs him by the shoulder. YOU! STOP IGNORING ME! ARE YOU LISTENING?! Looking at the guys frustrated red face, Igni gestures and exaggerates a deep sigh. Igni: Dont you know that in this school, strength is everything? Im not letting the lowest rung compatibility trash talk down to me! Igni: Well, see ya. With that, Igni turned his back on him. He didnt even bother to ask the guys name. Alicia: So you WERE a [FIRE] type. Igni: Do I look it? As he enters the building, Alicia was waiting for him near the entrance. Alicia: Yeah, because when we came here, you were using something like [FIREBALL]. Thats why. Igni: Oh, that was [FIREBALL]. Alicia: Really? No ones ever heard of a spell you can ride on. Igni: Thats a secret. If you show people that you have secrets, theyll want to know more about you. Alicia: Thats true. A true wizard shouldnt reveal his secrets. But Alicia nods, agrees and moves on. Igni: (Huh? W----wait. Hold on. Why wasnt she interested in hearing more about me?) Igni didnt like how things went down just now. And with impeccable timing, as if to completely cut their conversation short, one of the Examiners opened their mouth to speak. Firstly, we will grade the power of your spell. Of course, we are not just looking at the power alone. The speed of your spellcrafting. The control of your magic. We will be reviewing several criteria such as these to tally your total score. You will only be required to hit one target, and we will be judging your accuracy as well! Keep that in mind! Mr. Examiner. If its just regular target, wouldnt it be destroyed by our spell? A cold voice sounded from the crowd and questioned the examiner. Do not worry! On the target, we have cast an appraisal type spell inscription as well as a magic diminishing spell inscription. I will you that examinees such as yourselves will not be able to destroy it, so give it your all! The voice came from a girl with long black hair, a confident composure, and one sword held at her waist. Igni: A magic swordsman, huh. Igni mutters to himself. Hes read about them in stories, but its his first time to see one in person. Alicia: Whats a magic swordsman? Igni: Its someone who uses swordsmanship and magic together to fight. Alicia: That sounds difficult. Igni: True. Youd have to be proficient in both magic and swords at the same time. And its not like cramming multiple things together makes you automatically strong either. If your magic is better, than youre just a Wizard using a sword as a sub-weapon. If your swordsmanship is better, than youre just a swordsman with some alternate sub-tactics using magic. A true magic swordsman requires both your magic and swordsmanship to be top notch. Igni: Coming to a famous Wizard school and being a sword user she must have a ton of confidence. Alicia: I see.... Alicia looks admiringly at the girl. Then lets start with Entrance Examinee Number 6. Please step forward. From there, the exam began with no interruptions in between. The examinees one by one cast their spells against the target, but before it even reached it, their spell . 3 examiners observed the results from various angles and are taking rigorous notes with each spell casting. Alicia: Igni, arent you nervous? Igni: Nah. Not at all. Alicia: ....wow, youre so confident. Is your compatibility perhaps [S]? Igni: Why do you think so? Alicia: Because of the way you were able to use your magic. You were good. Igni: Being able to use magic well and your compatibility has nothing to do with each other. It just depends on how much you understand your own magic. As soon as Igni said that. Entrance Examinee Number 120! His number was called. Igni: Oh, looks like its my turn. Alicia: H---hey! Do your best! Got it?! Igni: Yes, thank you. Taking Alicias encouragement to heart, Igni stands at the line. Without stepping over this line, shoot straight at the target. You can use any spell of your choice. Any spell of my choice? Well, I only have one choice - [FIREBALL]. Igni points his pointer finger straight at the target, and his thumb pointing up. In one flowing motion, he creates two [FIREBALL]s at the tip of his pointer finger. The [FIREBALL] at the front will be hard, and the [FIREBALL] in the back will be soft. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR -- IGNITE] Next, he raises the power The two [FIREBALL]s begin to spiral around one another turning from red to slowly blue. Igni: [LAUNCH -- FIRE!!] DODOOOOOONNN!! (sfx) A cataclysmic, loud crash echoed through the exam hall for the first time. The smoke and dust from Ignis spell settled. Igni fired two [FIREBALL]s and as both propelled forward, one exploded in midair to give the harder [FIREBALL] further acceleration. Because of that, he was able to the indestructible target. 3 examiners stood dumbfounded at the sight. Igni: ........Secret of Popularity Rule Number 3 --- Women love a man who stands out. Igni quietly speaks to himself. Igni: .....I I WILL DEFINITELY BECOME POPULAR!! No one can stop him now. Chapter 8: The Practice Battle and the Wizard Igni: Hey teacher, is the next test going to be here? Yu~~~p, thats righ~~~t Igni asked the really short woman in front of him. Igni: Why am I the only one in a separate exam room.? If hes the only one here, he cant get any recognition. Without recognition, how is he supposed to get popular? Fear and anxiety start filling Ignis mind. It will still take some time before he realizes how far fetched his reasoning has become. Thats bec~~~ause you broke the target''... Dont you remember? Igni: Well, yeah, I know I broke it but But Igni was brought to the practice battle field. In the Rolmod Wizard Academy, they are a school that teaches spells to student, and thus, they naturally teach spells appropriate for fighting monsters as part of their self-defense training. But this also includes fighting hypothetical human enemies as well. Before him is a woman of very short stature who is a teacher at this school. At a glance, she is about 140 cm (4 7). Even for Igni, he is almost looking down at her from his height. <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni] Igni: (Grandpa!) [Short women are, amazing] Igni: (I get it, Grandpa! I really get it!) <<<<>>>> If she had more to offer on her chest, she would have been invincible. Grandpa may disagree with me here, but I think its always better to have something there. Hehe, sometimes, only ve~~~ry rarely sometimes, there will be examinees like you every 20 or 30 yea~~~rs teacher, how old are you? Igni almost let the words spill out, but he barely held it in. Secret to Popularity Rule No. 8 --- Never ask a woman her age. Kids like that dont have any other tests to take, so they have to face off with a teacher of the schoo~~~l. Igni: Why is that? What do you mean why? You broke a target with THAT many spells casted on it. Of course, youll be considered . Giving examinees like you regular tests would be a complete waste of time, dontcha thi~~~nk? Igni: I see. Oh, ye~~~ah. I forgot to tell you my name. Im Mila. The Gateway Mila. Im one of the few unique [Original] Wizards. Im responsible for 3rd Years in Class B~~~. Do you have any questions? Igni: ......teacher, are you an Elf? Milas ears are slightly pointier than most people. Thats why he had to ask the question. The only answer he could come up with was that. Mila: Thats ri~~~ght, Im 254 years old this year. Igni: What? Thats amazing! I thought you would be around 180 years old! Mila: Oh~~~, thank you, Igni. Youre so good with wo~~~rds. Popularity Etiquette No. 8 -- Never ask a woman her age. If they ask you how old you think they are, always lowball your guess. Mila: Shall we? She claps her small hands together and laughs. Igni: How do we determine the winner? Mila: Hm~~~, how about if you lay a hand on the other person, you win. Igni: Thats a really simple. Mila: Oh~~~, youre a confident one, Igni. Mila disappears. No, she didnt disappear. Igni: ..........! Igni kicks the ground and takes a step back. At that moment, Mila appears in front of him. Mila: You have good reflexes~~~ Igni: Thank you! Igni smiles, and behind him creates 3 [FIREBALL]s. And lets them explode. DOUUUUUUU!! (sfx explosion) With the explosion behind him, Igni thrusts forward suddenly. Mila: Wh~~~! Having Igni suddenly jump towards her, Mila twists her body. Ignis hand goes through the air above her, and his body is pushed up to the sky. Mila: Good move, Igni. Igni: You as well, Ms. Mila. I didnt think you would be able to react to that. Mila: Youre underestimating your teachers too mu~~~ch She gives Igni a polite smile. Mila: [LONG JUMP - LEAP BULLET]! Mila chants her incantation, and suddenly, before Ignis eyes, several metal balls moving towards him at explosive speed. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE]! Igni with his sight, an accurate count of the metal pieces, and creates the same number of [FIREBALL]s around him. He then faces the metal balls and Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!! Releases them. DODODODODODODODODODO!!! (sfx rapid explosion and collisions) Two spells collide and cause an explosion. Igni: Teacher, your magic compatibility type.... What is it? Mila: Its a secr~~~et. Youre free to guess though. Igni: Its okay. Ill end it here. Igni creates 5 [FIREBALL]s around him. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE]! Eating up his magic as fuel, the burning [FIREBALL]s change to a bright white color. Mila: I wont letcha~~~ Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]! Mila: [LONG JUMP - LEAP] Milas body disappears. Igni: (...its the same as last time!) Ignis white fireballs flies through the air hitting nothing. Igni very gently reaches out in front of him. Pon (sfx light touch), Ignis hand touches Milas body. Mila: Oh wha~~~t? Igni: .....I figured out your magic. Igni immediately releases his hand from her body. Secret to Popularity Rule No. 4 ---- Always be a gentleman. Very slowly and in a slightly exaggerated motion, Igni takes his hand away. This was Ignis best effort of being gentlemanly. Mila: Let me hear your theo~~~ry Igni: I think your magic. It utilizes [SPACE], does it not? Mila: Why do you think so? Igni: When you first disappeared, I thought you kicked the ground and moved at an amazing speed, so thats why I stepped back to dodge. Mila: Thats right. Igni: But then you appeared before my eyes. In the same way, those metal balls also appeared. Mila: Wow, you have good eyes. Igni: Am I right so far? Mila: Yu~~~p. You got it~~~ Mila smiled at Igni as she said that. Mila: Well, just remember that I didnt use all the tricks in my bo~~~ok Not wanting to concede completely, Mila left Igni with that warning. Mila: But then again, Im sure you had more tricks up your sleeves too, huh~~~? Igni: ....thats a secret. Mila: Wha~~~t, why you~~~ Mila seemed a little upset by that and puffed her cheeks out. Igni: Well, did I pass? Mila: Of cou~~~rse. Well, actually, you already passed after blowing that target up! Igni: What, is that true?! Mila: Yup, this was just to help us determine your gra~~~de. Igni: You could have told me that at the beginning. Mila: No~~~pe, some kids dont give it their all if I do~~~ Mila looked away as if to remember a distant memory. Mila: Igni, are you a [FIRE] : [SS] compatibility? Or are you a higher-tier type? Igni: Oh, not at all. Im a [FIRE] : [F] Mila: [F]~~~?!?! Igni: Yes, you got it. Mila: Wha~~~t... Are you lying to me? Igni: I would never Ms. Mila, Im actually a UNIQUE SPECIALIZED SPELL TYPE - [SPELL ONE]. Igni reveals his biggest secret waiting to see Milas reaction. Igni: (Alright! I did it! How is she going to react?!?!) As if to resist laughing at his own punchline, Igni anxiously waits for the next moment with the biggest smile. But Mila: ......uhhhhhh. Whats tha~~~t? Mila did not get it. Chapter 9: The Boku-Girl and the Wizard ``` PASS ``` Reading those words, Igni let out a huge sigh of relief and threw himself on the bed. Lucas: What is with that face? You passed so you should be more happy. Igni: What are you talking about Grandpa. Remember, Im the cool, calm type of man. Lucas: Ha! Whatever you say, boy. Lucas laughs and teased his grandson. Lucas: The Rolmod Wizard Academy has dormitories, so youll be living there a while. Igni: Dormitory? Like a male dormitory? Lucas: Of course. What else did you expect? Igni: ........... Igni never thought the day would come when his grandfather would say something so normal. Lucas: So Igni, I heard that you destroyed the target? Igni: Yeah, they told me that it was indestructible, so I had to prove them wrong. Lucas: Kuhahaha!! Good! Very good! Keep standing out like that. And keep sharpening those skills. If you keep doing so, there will be a woman wholl be interested in you. Igni: You think so? Lucas: I know so. You have to believe me, Igni. Ive been around a lot longer than you have. Igni: Y--yeah, youre right, Grandpa! Because Igni has followed his grandfather this far, he was able to become stronger than he could have ever imagined. If he was this right about the training, Igni should trust him about becoming popular. This was Ignis conclusion. Lucas: Youll be able to move into the dormitory tomorrow. Luckily, youre luggage isnt that much. Igni: Yeah, all I need is this body. Lucas: Yes. You have been given 3 years. Expand your horizons and relationships as much as possible during this time. Igni: You dont have to tell me twice. Especially in respects to female relationships, no one could outdo Ignis passion and motivation. Lucas: Then, its time for me to go as well. Igni: What? Where are you going, grandpa? Lucas: What are you surprised about? I, the Extreme, am a very busy man. Lucas: What do you mean busy? All you do is play around with women. Igni exaggerated his shrug and let out an exasperated sigh. But Lucas didnt respond. Igni: Grandpa? But looking at the spot where his grandfather was, he had long disappeared. Igni: ....H---he ran away again. It looks like Lucas wandering habits havent changed. Igni let out a sigh and decided to go to sleep. <<<<>>>> The next morning. Igni: So this is the dorm, huh. With the invitation from Rolmod Wizard Academy, very early in the morning, Igni looked to the place where he would live for the next 3 years. Igni: Sucks that I dont get my own room. How will he invite girls to his room in that case? On a side note, that is EXACTLY why the policy of multiple people to a room was implemented, but for now, Igni remains in blissful ignorance and searches for his room. Igni: A male dorm, huh. Apparently, this building used to be a girls dormitory. On another side note, this is a dormitory catered towards the familys with less wealth, so the rent and services are free. Even breakfast and dinner are included free of charge, so for any penny-less student, this was a huge life-saver. Igni: 203.. 203...oh, here is it. According to the Welcome Pamphlet, its a two-person room. There might even be someone already here before him. Igni: (I really dont need guy friends so I hope hes the quiet, silent type. Yeah) Thinking only about himself at full throttle, he opens the door. The knob of the door clicks loudly as the door creaks open. Oh! Uh! S-Sorry! I still havent cleaned up my side! ..a high voice. Igni: (Is it the janitor?) Looking inside the room, there were large moving boxes and in between was something white swaying side to side. Igni: Huh? Oh, I-Im sorry! Are you a student? The white something got up and turned out to be a person. She was a beautiful girl with short, white hair. She had unblemished skin that resonated with beauty. Igni: Uh this is a males dormitory, right? Oh, *I-Im, also supposed to live in this room. {{Chonky Note The girls using the masculine I boku versus a more typical feminine I watashi}} Igni: Uh, me too but Oh! Then you must be the new roommate! Im so glad! You look like a kind person! Igni: I-It-its a boku-girl?! At that moment, Igni dives straight into a flashback. <<<<>>>> [Grandpa, what do you think about tomboys?] [........good. Very good.] [Whaaaaat, dont you think its weird.] [Kuhahaha! Igni, my boy, you are too young and inexperienced. True, most women say watashi. But but thats why it is great when you meet one who says boku!] {{see Chonky Notes at bottom of chapter for explanation}} [.....great?] [Yes. Its called experiencing a gap. Do not worry. One day youll understand.] [Whaaaaat, Ill never understand that, Grandpa.] <<<<>>>> No! Now I get it! I understand, Grandpa! I get what you were saying now! Its true that it may be strange for a girl to call herself boku! But a boyish girl saying boku is completely different! Its COMPLETELY different! Although that habit alone should work against the girl, but with a slighly masculine personality, youre suddenly drawn to that person!! The minus was transformed into a positive trait.!!! This is what you were talking about! Right, Grandpa! My name is Yoori. Im a commoner, so I dont have a last name. Igni: Im Igni. Nice to meet you. Yoori offers her hand, and Igni takes and shakes it. Its..so..soft!!! This.this is a girls hand?! Yoori: Igni, you dont have any moving boxes? Igni: Yeah, all I have is the school uniform, and what Im wearing now. Yoori: Thats it?! Igni: Its like this for most people. So far, Igni was able to hide most of his tumultuous emotions, and kept a calm expression. He came thus far with a perfect poker face! Igni: Yoori, is this all your luggage and furniture? Igni glances at the mountain of boxes stacked up high filling the 2-person room. Yoori: Y-yeah. When I was accepted into the Academy, the townspeople sent me off with all this stuff. Igni: Oh really? Wow, thats great. Yoori: ....they kept saying how I was a genius, a savior of the town. Yooris expression became very gloomy. Igni: Whats wrong? You look really troubled. Something happen? Yoori: No, its nothing. Did you hear the rumors at the entrance exams? Igni: No, what kind of rumors? Yoori: It hasnt happened in a while, but they said it happened this year. Someone...broke the target. Igni: Oh really I didnt know about that. Secret of Popularity Rule No. 6 --- Avoid bragging. Igni: (I better keep quiet about this) Grandpa was saying how when people talk about you, how that is so cool, so I dont have to say it myself. Yoori: But now, I dont know what Im supposed to say to the townspeople. Igni: Really? Just because someone broke the target, what does that have to do with not being able to face your townspeople? Yoori: It does! Im the first ever man to become a Wizard from that town! Igni: .........man? Igni locked on to a very specific part of the conversation at lightning speed. Yoori: Uh...um, yeah. You said so yourself. This is a male dormitory, right? Igni crumbled to his knees. ********************** CHONKY NOTES ********************** *Boku-girl (bokutko) (ܥå) (W) - In Japanese, there are many ways to say me or I. Typically, young girls say watashi (˽) and young boys say boku (W). A bokutko in this case is a girl who calls herself boku (masculine). Both male and female adults (especially working professionals) can say watashi because it is the formal/subservient way to address yourself. A more older, masculine way of saying me is ore (o-reh) () or washi (亮) if youre elderly. There are also countless Japanese dialects to say me like the Kansai wai (磻) or wate (wa-teh) () or uchi (). Going back to the main point, girls CAN say boku but this is a more masculine, male way of representing yourself (o-re is more masculine than boku). Girls who want to hide their gender/sex will address themselves as boku in Japan (i.e. any narrative like Mulan). I was called out for using the feminine I uchi and made a lot of people uncomfortable. I used it because thats how the people in an anime I liked said me (it was a female MC - Jarinko Chie ?). Chapter 10: The New Semester and the Wizard! Igni~! I~gni! Igni! Ocean! Im at the ocean! Girls in swimsuits are calling Ignis name. Hey! Ignis going to play with me! What?! No! Ignis coming with me! What you talking about! Igni is mine! Oh, the 3 are fighting over me. I need to intervene very coolly. Igni, in an exaggerated fashion, exhales and catches their attention. He shrugs and looks at each of them. Igni: Its simple, why dont we all play together? Oh Igni! Youre such a genius~!! Y-youre right! I never would have thought of that! Igni, youre so smart! Youre so cool, Igni! Youre so awesome~ Igni: Fufufu, yeah, yeah, I know. I know Im super cool. With the burning sun behind his back, Igni has a conceited smile stretch across his face. (IGNI!!) Igni hears a distant voice from somewhere. But he ignores it. Igni: (How could I abandon these ladies?! What kind of man would I be if I leave now.!) (IGNI! ITS MORNING!) But the voice keeps nagging and annoying Igni with multiple attempts. Igni: What do you mean morning?! Its noontime here! Igni, whats wrong? Yeah, cmon, Igni. Lets go play. Igni? The 3 look at Igni curiously. (IGNI! WERE GONNA BE LATE! CMON ALREADY!!) At that moment, Igni woke. Yoori: Oh thank goodness! You finally woke up! Yoori breathes a huge sigh of relief. Igni: ....huh? Wait wheres the ocean...? Yoori: Ocean? What are you talking about? Hurry up and get dressed or youll be late! Igni: .......... Realizing what just happened, life fades from Ignis eyes as he steps off his bed like a dead man walking. Igni: .....thanks.for waking me up, Yoori. Igni thanks his roommate. Even though Igni is not a morning person (understatement), Yoori has been diligent in waking Igni up every morning. Even if that was the best part of the dream that Yoori was interrupting. Yoori: Hey, dont worry about it! Back at home, I had to take care of my little sisters. Yoori is cute with a smile. The morning light reflects on the white hair, and it almost looks mystical. Even though hes a guy. The beauty almost matches that of the supposedly extinct fairy race. Even though hes a dude. Igni: ....no, thank you.Im really not a morning person Yoori: You had a great expression on your face. What kind of dream were you having? Igni gets dressed into the school uniform, and Yoori sits in his chair and swings his legs around. Every movement is really, REALLY cute. Even though hes a man. Igni: .....the ocean Yoori: Oh yeah, you mentioned something about that. Igni: ...Yeah, it was .a dream about .fighting at the beach My lies have been getting more refined and extreme lately. But even so. Igni understands that the man who broadcasts that he wants to be popular with the ladies IS the man who WILL NOT be popular with them. You cant be a hungry, ravenous wolf, and you cant give off the aura of a ravenous wolf. So thats why Igni decided on a school persona on someone whos constantly obsessed with fighting. Secret to Popularity No. 5 --- Women love a man with a core character. Yoori: Even though you were fighting, you were smiling Igni: It was an easy victory. Yoori: Ah, got it. Igni finally felt awake, and took the bread that Yoori brought from the school cafeteria and went outside. Yoori: Finally! Its the first day of classes! Igni: Yeah, time really flies. Yoori is shorter than Igni. So when they walk next to each other, Igni has to look down to talk to him. And even though Yoori is a guy, he stands very close. He says its a habit he picked up from his rural country town, and seeing his face up close just confirms how cute his roommate is. UGH, but Yoori is male. HES...A...GUY!!! Yoori: Because you helped me with my moving boxes, we got the room organized a lot faster. Igni: Well, its my room too. Yoori: Fufu, were going to be together for 3 years. Yoori blushes a bit. THIS...GUY.REALLY?!?! Igni: Hey, Yoori. Yoori: Whats wrong, Igni? Igni: Why are you a man...? Yoori: What?! What a deep question!! Well, as we talk, we arrive at the school. Because we live in a dormitory on campus, the walk is less than 5 minutes which is a huge plus. The downside is that we cant invite girls to our rooms. Igni: Hey, look over there. They posted all the class rosters over there. Yoori: Youre right! Everyones checking it out! Lets go! Yoori pulls on Ignis hand, and they both run. Yoori grew up on a farm in a rural area, but his hands are incredibly soft. Theyre soft, and theyre warm. Igni: (.....sigh) Yoori: Huh? Igni, you okay? What was that sigh about? Igni: Oh, no, that wasnt a sigh! It was nothing! Igni: (.....sigh.) Anyways, I let out a huge, disappointed sigh inside my heart. Im sure its well deserved. Yoori: HEY! LOOK IGNI! Were in the same class! Were Class D! Igni: WHAT?! D?!?! Igni could not ignore this fact and stands up. Igni: Thats 4th from the top!! Igni: (Th---this is bad! Women like strong men so!!) But this is Igni, were talking about. His genius mind had a sudden, well-timed epiphany. Igni: (Y--yeah, even if Im Class D, I just have to move up to Class A next year, and the girls will see my hard work with results.!!) At this moment, Ignis motivation climaxed as he anticipated this upcoming year. But Yoori kindly smiled and let Igni know. Yoori: Igni, youre class is irrelevant to your grades the first year. You didnt know? Igni: What?! Is that true?! Yoori: Yeah, they start rating you by classes starting your second year. The teacher at the entrance exam said so. Igni: Oh...d--did he? At that time, all Igni could think about was murdering Lucas. He feels a pang of guilt which shows on his face. Alicia: Oh? Isnt that Igni?! Talking with Yoori, Igni hears a voice from above. Igni looks up and sees a witch on a broom. .I---I can! I can see inside her....sk...!! Igni: Oh, its you, Alicia. Its been a while. Since its a girl, unlike Yoori, Igni goes full throttle on the charm. Alicia: You dont have to be so dramatic. Im in the same Class D. Good luck in the class. And she brushed it off completely unaffected. Yoori: Oh! Youre Class D too? I am as well! Its nice to meet you! Alicia: A...a boku-girl?! Just like Igni, Alicia is reacting to Yoori in exactly the same way he did with just as much curiosity as she takes Yooris hands. Alicia: Im Alicia. Its nice to meet you. Yoori: Hi, Alicia. Its a pleasure meeting you too. Both shake hands with a smile. Later, Alicia approaches Igni. Alicia: (How did you get to know a boku-girl like her!) Igni: (Were in the same dorm.) Alicia: (The same dorm?! Does this school have a co-ed dorm?) Igni: (Of course not) Igni couldnt help but laugh mischievously. Hes already forgotten about what happened to him a few weeks back. Alicia: (Yeah, thought so) Alicia was thinking about this for a while. Alicia: (WAIT! ARE YOU IN THE GIRLS DORM?!) Igni: (Of course not. Its a simpler answer.) Alicia: (...........?) Igni: (Yoori is a guy.) Alicia falls to her knees. Chapter 11: The First Day and the Wizard Principal: ...The next 3 years will pass by quickly, but we look forward to see the results of your efforts. The principal finished his long-winded speech. All the newcomers were gathered into one large lecture room and held an entrance ceremony. 80% of the students there were female, so Ignis motivation exponentially grew. He thanked his grandfather inside his heart many times. Yoori: The principals speech was long, right? Alicia: Its the same no matter where you go. Yoori and Alicia share their impressions of the ceremony. Igni: (Long? Really? There wasn''t enough time to memorize all of their faces.) Of course, Igni was talking about memorizing all the girls faces. Men were shut out from his line of vision. And as a side note, Yoori is hovering on the outside of Ignis *safe zone, and then tricks Igni and creeps over the safe line at times. {{Chonky Notes - *Safe to like romantically}} Alicia: Lets go to the classroom. Alicia gets up abruptly. Yoori gets up as well as the other students. It looks like as soon as the entrance ceremony is complete, everyone is moving to their own classroom. Igni: Alright, lets go. It was Class D, right? Yoori: Yeah, thats right, but where is the classroom? I havent quite gotten used to the layout here. Alicia: Oh, me too. I hope we run into someone who knows where it is. Igni: I know. Just follow me. Yoori: What?! Really?! Alicia: You just memorized where the classroom is? Igni: Yeah, of course. Its a lie. Igni will undertake any and all extreme methods to become popular. Secret of Popularity No. 2 ----Men should always take the lead. Following this rule, in order to become good friends with girls at the Entrance Ceremony, Igni went around exploring the campus prior to the Entrance Ceremony and memorized all the important buildings and classroom locations..! This is OBSESSION. The obsession to want to be popular with the girls! Alicia: Oh yeah, Igni, do you remember the 1st Year Rep? Igni: Yeah, theres no way I would forget. As we walk in the hallway, Alicia whispers to Igni. During the Entrance Ceremony, there was a speech from the 1st Year Rep. And this was someone Alicia and Igni knew. Yoori: ....uh huh? What kind of person was she again? Yoori tilts his head to the side as he tries to remember. Alicia: Yoori may have been in a different Entrance Exam location than us. The 1st Year Rep was actually the same location as ours. Thats why we remember her. The Entrance Ceremony. At the podium, she stood their proudly with a sword to her waist. Alicia: Shes a Magic...Swordsman, was it? She must be a really amazing person. Igni: Im curious if shes the type that put in the effort or just has a lot of talent. Yoori: What?! That girl, shes a Magic Swordsman?!?! Yoori is quite surprised, but I dont blame him. Thats how rare the Magic Swordsman is. Igni: Oh, I never asked you. Yoori, whats your top magic type compatibility? Though hes spent quite some time together at the dorm, Igni didnt know Yooris compatibility type. Well, he probably ignored it until now because Yoori is a guy, and Igni just didnt care... Yoori: Me? Im [DARK]. Igni: Wh-- really?! Alicia: Is that true?! This caught both Igni and Alicia by surprise, and they both look at Yoori. Yoori: Uh...y--yeah I know its a little rare Alicia: A LITTLE RARE?! Youve got to be kidding me! Igni: Y---yeah. I see. So Yoori is a [DARK] type In general, the [DARK] type wizards are rare. And that is partly because the traits of the [DARK] type have not been fully understood and are not as consistent unlike the other magic types. Its not as unusual or as far off out as the unique [ORIGINAL] types, but the abilities of [DARK] wizards differ greatly between each other. Igni: So Yoori, what kind of magic are you good at? Yoori: Me? Its mostly Support magic. Yoori seemed to hesitate with his answer. Alicia: Oh really? What kind of Igni: What about you, Alicia? What kind of magic are you good at? Igni did pick up on Yooris cue and decided to not press on the issue. An insensitive man will not be popular. This isnt a secret or a rule or anything. This is just common sense. Alicia: Me? Im a [WIND] type so Im better at attack magic and attack support magic. Igni: You plan to be a Wizard in the future? Alicia: No. I come from a nobles family, so I wont be free to decide my future like that. Alicia seemed a little frustrated about her situation. I was trying to avoid an uncomfortable subject, but I managed to step on another landmine. Yoori: Oh! Uh what about you, Igni? What are you good at? Igni: Me? Im a [FIRE] type so Im good at [FIREBALL]. Yoori: ....oh, do you like making jokes with a serious face? Trying to change the atmosphere, Yoori swung the question back at Igni, but he didnt know how to take Ignis answer. Igni: No, Im really good at [FIREBALL]. Ignis face is totally serious, and there is no hint that he is being sarcastic or joking. Hahahaha! [FIREBALL]?! Really?! Thats what youre good at?! I cant believe a guy like you was able to enroll in this school! Suddenly, they hear someone laugh from the side. But the voice is a guys voice. Igni had zero interest and decided to ignore it completely. I bet your grades were just barely passing then? Be careful not to get kicked out with your piss poor grades! A second one. This ones a guy too. Igni: (Strange. If the school is 80% women, why arent the girls talking to me..?) Igni is super serious in pondering this enigma and tilts his head in thought. Hey! Y---YOU!! YOURE THAT!! But Igni recognized the 3rd voice. What? You know this guy, Sir Edward? Yeah I know him! This guy had the nerve to ignore *me during the Entrance Exams! {{CHONKY NOTES: Edward addressed himself as boku}} Igni: ......... Igni: (Youre a BOKU-guy too?!) Igni couldnt help but to point this out inside his head. Alicia: Igni, you know him? Igni: Yeah, we ran into each other during the Entrance Exams Igni wanted to forget, but unfortunately, he still remembered. Igni thought that the guy looked like a spoiled brat from a nobles family, and he was right on the money with that guess. The two who were mocking Igni a moment ago were now standing beside Edward and were expressing their discontent and disdain towards Igni. So it was you! Youre the commoner who had the nerve to ignore Sir Edward! And arent you a [FIRE] : [F] compatibility?! How did you sneak into this school! The two goons or I guess theyre maybe Edwards servants? Theyre both annoyingly spatting out anything and everything rude thats coming to their mind. Igni: How? What do you mean how? I passed so Im here. Getting involved with these guys would be a huge waste of time. Igni: (I need to get to the classroom so I can get to know the girl sitting next to me) Ignis heart is always pedal to the metal when it comes to his desires for women. Edward: Y----YOU INSOLENT! I cant allow you to insult me any further! Igni: Uh what? Edward: You must have cheated at the Entrance Exam! Thats it! YOU CHEATED!! You wanted to enroll so much that you broke the law to do so! Alicia: Hey! Youre the one being rude! Igni passed the exams fair and square! I watched him do so! Alicia intervenes to try to protect Igni. But at that moment, the school bell went off. Igni: Alicia, Yoori, lets hurry. Yoori: Yeah, lets. Alicia: I guess it cant be helped A man who stands out can be popular, but a guy whos tardy doesnt necessarily become popular. So we hurry to the classroom. Fortunately, the teacher has not arrived yet, and its free seating. Igni selects a seat at the edge where it was free, and Yoori sits next to him. Igni: Uh...hey.! Yoori: Hm? Whats wrong, Igni? Igni: Uh, no. Its nothing Igni: (My plans for the girl sitting next to me) Alicia: Then Ill take the seat in front of Igni! And very quickly, Ignis seat next to him and in front of him get taken by his acquaintances. Igni: (.....but the seat behind me is still.! Sir Edward, we barely made it on time. Edward: Yes, a tardy on the first day would put a scratch on my family name. Igni: (...YOU GUYS ARE THE SAME CLASS AS US?!?!) This caught Igni off guard. Yoori and Alicia visibly showed disdain in their expressions too, and Igni did not miss that. Sir Edward, it looks like this seat is open. Edward: Very well, I will sit here for now.HEY! ITS YOU!! Igni: (Dont sit behind me!!) Igni quietly intimidates Edward. Edward: It is not like I want to! But this is the only seat open! Igni: ....gunununu (sfx grinding teeth) Igni grinds his teeth in frustration. And without any other choice available, Edward sits behind Igni. Igni: GUNUNUNUNUNUNU.!! Ignis teeth grinding escalates. Edward: Hey! What is your problem! Do you really not like that I am sitting behind you?! ************************* CHONKY NOTES ************************* Edward - Men who address themselves as boku. If its hard to understand how weird Japanese people feel when they see a teenage boy address themselves as boku, its about the same as when a person addresses themselves in the 3rd person. Its puzzling because there is a social stigma for an adolescent male to address himself as a little boy would. Masculinity is subtly but strongly emphasized for Japanese boys and most will shed the boku pronoun as soon as they can. Using it can seem weak because proper young boys use boku. The rough boys use o-re (). Chapter 12: The Teacher and the Wizard So~~~rry Im late everyo~~~ne As Igni audibly grinded his teeth due to Edwards intrusion, the doors at the front of the classroom opened, and one woman walked in. She looked like a calm, peaceful type with long brown hair hanging down to her waist. She wore thick glasses, and underneath her teachers uniform, she carried two giant bombs. Then lets go ahead and take attendance. Here we go, everyone to your sea~~~ts. Yoori: Is she the teacher? Yoori looks curiously at the woman. Alicia: She must be. Shes holding the class roster. Alicia quickly answers Yooris doubts. Alicia: Well, Igni, at least she looks like a nice teacher. Igni: ............. Alicia: Igni? Whats wrong? Igni: .................?!?! B----B-B-Big Breast Glasses Girl!! <<<<>>>> [Hey, grandpa, arent glasses the worst?!] SLAP!! (sfx) [OW!! WHA---?! You didnt hold back at all with that one! [Oye, Igni. You are still young. You are ignorant of many things in this world. But even so. EVEN SO, you do not have the right to judge things you have absolutely no knowledge about.] [Wh---what are you talking about?! Any girl who takes off their glasses will look cuter!] SLAP!!! (sfx) [WHWHY DID YOU HIT ME AGAIN?!?! [OYE, IGNI] [Whwhat is it, grandpa.?] [HOW CAN YOU CALL YOURSELF A MAN IF YOU CANT ACCEPT THE WOMAN AS SHE IS?!?!] [G---GRANDPA!! YOURE RIGHT!! YOURE SO SMART AND AMAZING!! ILL FOLLOW YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, GRANDPA!!] <<<<>>>> .I...I understand.!! I see it! I see the hidden truths of this universe, Grandpa!! My Girls shouldnt wear glasses was such a shallow, ignorant thought.!! A mistake due to cursed youth..!! Glasses.. ARE GOOD!! Glasses do not detract from a woman at all!! No!! Its completely backwards!! Its a plus!! AN INDISPUTABLE PLUS!! Oooohhh now I understand why grandpa slapped me that time! I was completely ignorant and lost in my ways.!! I deserved to be slapped around.!! Yoori: Igni? IGNI?? Yoori shook Igni and brought him back to reality. Igni: Oh...sorry, I was deep in thought. Yoori: You had such a painful expression. I thought thats how much you hated having Edward sit behind you. Edward: Wha, ME?! Edward was hurt by the comment. Igni: No, thats not it. Edward: Oh, thank goodness. Wait, is that good? Behind him, Edward was also lost in his own little world. Igni: Just a little. Yoori: Are you not feeling well? Igni: No, just a little... I saw just a little of the hidden mysteries of this universe. Yoori: ?????? Yooris head filled up to the brim with question marks. But true wisdom and revelation cannot be acquired so easily, and thats what makes it so difficult yet so special. Okay everyo?ne. For the next year, I will be your teacher, Elenoir. My most compatible magic trait is [LIFE] : [B]. I guess that puts me below most people he?re. Elenoir mentions the fact laughing to herself as if nothing is wrong. But out of all the classmates, out of 30 students, only Igni did not tense up at the statement. Yoori: ....that teacher. Yoori mutters the words. Alicia: Is a true monster Alicia finishes Yooris thought. Rolmod Wizard Academy is one of the top Wizard schools in the world. Of course, if you are a teacher there, you are among one of the many monsters that governs the school. Just looking at compatibility alone, the majority will tell you that they are [S] or even [SS]. The 1 in a 100 years genius or the rare 1 in a million is just another pebble on the mountain at this institution. So in that kind of environment, to be only a [B] compatibility is an astonishing, but at the same time, a fear-inducing fact. Of course, its not like Igni is ignorant of this. But he held a slightly different thought from the other 29. In other words, he was thinking this....!! ..is the teacher wanting to be popular too? Igni started at the bottom of the lowest rung at [FIRE] : [F]. But with 2 years of hellish training, he molded and transformed his [FIREBALL] with only the desire to become popular with the ladies. Knowing what he had to go through, he could now imagine the amount of blood stained effort Elenoir had to endure to be where she stands today. But as for her reasons and motivation, Igni couldnt have been more far off. Elenoir: I dont like saying this because everyone looks at me with such sca?ry expressions. But if I dont say it, the principal will get mad me so? All the students felt immense pressure as Elenoir mumbled to herself. All of Ignis classmates were busy discussing among themselves about Elenoir that they missed what she was mumbling to herself. Only Igni, who had all 5 of his senses trained to their limits in the Demon Kings realm, overheard what the teacher said. Elenoir: And theres a student I think I can get along with so I need to work extra ha~~~rd. Igni: (Is she talking about me?) The fact that Igni didnt doubt that she was talking about him is his strength and also his weakness at the same time. Elenoir: Okay, everyone. Quiet down. Quiet down. Elenoir claps her hands, and the classroom instantly became quiet. Elenoir: Before we do roll call, I need to explain the most important rule of our schoo~~~l. Elenoirs voice echoes across the classroom. Elenoir: In this school, [STRENGTH IS EVERYTHING]. The strong will be justified, and the weak will be wrong. Teacher~! I have a question! As soon as Elenoir paused, one student immediately raised her hand. Igni: (That girl she was the one sitting in the far back during the Entrance Ceremony). Igni recalls and checks his memory. No one knows if he will ever realize how creepy this kind of memorization is to others - especially the females. Elenoir: Oh, hold o~~~n. Wait. What was your name again? My name is Iris. I am a [EARTH] type. Compatibility is [S]! Elenoir: Oh okay. Miss Iris. Got it. Go right ahea~~~d. Iris held out her small chest and pointed at Elenoir. Iris: That means! If I beat you, then I get to be the teacher, right?! Elenoir: Of cou~~~rse Elenoir kept smiling as she answered Iris question. Elenoir: But I wouldnt recommend it~~~. Im definitely stronger than you~~~ In the next moment, Iris wavers. Her eyes goes blank and without saying another word, she sits down. Elenoir: Fufu. I will always accept your challenge, but youll have to challenge me when Im not teaching, oka~~~y? Elenoir smiles. This happens every year in her class. No one is surprised at what happened just now. And only a handful of students recognized what just occurred. Yoori: Wh-what did she do? Miss Iris just went quiet and sat down Yoori is bewildered by the quick developments. Alicia looks equally confused. Igni: Spores. Yoori: Spores? Yoori turns to Igni as Igni spoke. No, it wasnt just Yoori. The entire classes attention turns to Igni. Igni: Yeah, I the teacher send out spores. She used her magic to direct it so that only Ir-- Miss, Iris received them. Once Miss Iris inhaled the spores, she was under the teachers influence. Elenoir: Thats righ~~~t. You get a gold sta~~~r. Elenoir is smiling. Elenoir: Its been a while since someone was able to guess the right answer so soo~~~n, Mr. Igni. Igni: (....she knows my name!!) Even though she didnt know Iris name, she knew Ignis. That could only mean one thing Igni: (My days of female popularity... HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!) Igni seriously believed this. Chapter 13: The Gentleman and the Wizard Igni thought spring had finally come when women would flock to him like ducks to bread, but the class went on with some general explanations and ended. Nothing else happened. Elenoir: Hehe. Okay everyone~~~, Lets make sure to study hard starting tomorrow~~~ Elenoir left the classroom with these words. The remaining students all took different actions. Some left immediately for home. Others gathered together with old acquaintances. Yoori: Hey, Igni. I found a really good cake shop recently. Do you want to go together? Yoori takes Igni by the hand and tugs gently. Alicia: Yoori, youre really a guy...right? Besides Yoori, Alicia cannot help but be concerned. Yoori: What are you talking about, Alicia! Im a guy no matter which way you look at me! Alicia: Um. yeah. I guess? .. well. actually.. Alicia does not seem convinced. Igni: Lets do cake afterwards. There is something more important to do first. Yoori: Like what? Igni: We need to help that girl. As Igni said this, he pointed out Iris who challenged Elenoir with full confidence and got whipped in mere seconds. Yoori: Really? But the teacher said shell turn back to normal eventually. Igni: .....no, I dont think so. Yoori: What do you mean? Yoori tilts his head in confusion. Igni: Im sure the teacher went easy on her but. Iris is much than the teacher thought, so if we leave her as she is, she may not return back to normal. Identifying the difference in strength. Without this absolutely necessary skill, it would have been impossible to survive in the Demon Kings realm. If you cannot identify the combat strength difference between yourself and your opponent, you would easily forfeit your life. Of course, you absolutely need this skill to be popular as well. But Igni only got to use it one time in this aspect. Yoori: Wait, REALLY?! What should we do?!?! Igni: We need to make her drink water. LOTS of water. Make her drink until she throws it all up." Yoori: W-water? Igni: Thats right. Water has the property to wash out any toxins in your body. Iris continued to sit upright in her seat, and Igni helped her by the shoulder and forced her to stand. Edward: C-can I help? Igni: No, its okay. Edward: O-okay. Behind Igni, Edward sags his shoulders. Completely ignoring the down and depressed Edward, Igni takes Iris to the drinking fountain. Behind him, Alicia and Yoori follow after him. The Secret Art of Popularity No. 5. Lend a hand to any damsels in distress. SO, Igni took Iris to the drinking fountain and put her mouth near the faucet, and she began to instinctively start drinking. Yoori: Wait?! What did you do, Igni?! Igni: I didnt do anything. Her body must have been thirsty for water. Yoori: W-WOW, IGNI! Youre not only good at magic, but youre also skilled in knowing how to deal with these situations! Igni: ....thanks. Igni: (IF ONLY YOORI WASNT A DUDE *SIGH) Igni got seriously depressed. Igni: (His looks and personality are all super cute BUT HES A GUY) Iris: *COUGH. *CHOKE. *SPAT Iris begins to cough and spit up the water. Igni: Good job, Iris. Keep going. Just throw it all up! Iris: *COUGH. UEHHHHHHHH (sfx throwing up) From Iris mouth, a yellowish, doughy liquid comes crawling out. Igni: Okay, now youll be okay. Do you feel better? Igni looks into Iris eye to confirm. Unlike before, light returned to her eyes. Iris: It was so scary!! UWAAAAAAAN!!! (sfx crying) Large tear drops fell from her eyes as she rushed into Ignis arms. But she still had the yellowish liquid on her mouth and it *SPLATTED all over Ignis uniform. Plus she was crying so her tears and everything else also stuck all over Ignis uniform further dirtying it. Alicia: Oh gosh Alicia was a little grossed out. But. but Igni is different!! Igni: Yeah, it must have been really scary. Iris: It was dark and I couldnt see and I couldnt feel anything. and!! Igni: Dont worry. Its okay now. Yes, Igni trained 2 years to become popular! This guy was different!! Secret of Popularity No. 4 Always be a gentleman. Following this commandment, he did not ONCE show any irritation or disgust towards Iris, and takes it all in. Igni: (....THIS!! THIS IS IT!!) YES, THIS! THIS IS WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR!! Igni: (Thank you, Grandpa. Thank you, Rolmod Wizard Academy.) With ultimate satisfaction caressing his face, Igni takes all of Iris in. Iris: Thank you. Thank you for helping me!! Igni: Dont worry about it. Were classmates, arent we? As Iris continues to let it out without a smidgen of self-consciousness, Igni reaches the pinnacle of joy. And there were two bystanders who didnt know what to make of the situation. And the scene went unchanged and only more time passed by. Yoori: Oh, Miss Iris also lives in the dorms. Iris: Yeah, my parents said, If youre enrolling into a school, you need to live in the dorms... Yoori: Igni and I are also living in the dorms. Iris: What?! Sir Igni is too?! Yoori and Iris are conversing happily in front of Igni and Alicia. ..they both didnt know what to make of this sudden upgrade in Ignis title, so it was ignored. Alicia: I think she got rounder in her character. Igni: Im sure she was nervous because it was the first day. Alicia: Yeah, I think youre right. Alicia rides on her broom low to the ground. The title of A-Rank [WIND] Wizard is not for nothing. Alicia: huh? I think she likes you, Igni. Igni: Uh, yeah, you think so? Something was not right with the sequence of events compared to what Igni imagined would happen, so hes still processing the situation. In his mind... [ITS OKAY. I GOT YOU.] [I LOVE YOU!] Or something along the same lines as that But in reality [YOURE OKAY NOW] [I WILL FOREVER BE IN YOUR DEBT! WHAT IS YOUR NAME?] [ITS IGNI] [SIR IGNI?!] And it happened like that. So this was not quite as Igni hoped?...no, is this sequence of events off? Igni just didnt know what to make of this. Iris: Does Sir Igni live alone in the dorms? Igni: No, its a 2-person room. Iris: What?! Im so envious! I would love to live with you, Sir Igni! Igni: Uh, yeah. Thanks. Igni: (Wait? What? Did women come on this strong?) It was sad, but Igni can count on one hand the number of times he actually talked with a girl, so he had no baseline of comparison to know what is normal and what is not. Yoori: Hey, the male dorms are close, so well head that way. Yoori grabs Igni by his hand and pulls him in that direction. Iris: HHEY!! Even if its you, Yoori! I cant forgive you for taking Sir Ignis hand like that! The light in Iris eyes fades quickly. Yoori: Huh? What? What do you mean? You know its me thats Ignis roommate, right? Iris: WHHOWWHOWHAT?!?! Iris looks between Yoori and Igni. Alicia: Yoori is a man. Iris: WH!! Iris faints from shock. Chapter 14: The Practice Battle and the Wizard Welcome 1st Year D-Cla~~~ss The class for Practice Battle Simulation was in a different location, so Ignis class all went to the Practice Field and heard a familiar voice. Igni: Ms. Mila...! Yoori: Igni, you know her? Yoori inquires Igni. Igni: Yeah, during the Entrance Exam, shes the teacher that tested me. Yoori: Oh wow. But shes a small teacher. Igni: Well, she is an Elf. Yoori: Wait, really?! Ive never met an Elf~ Igni: True. Elves dont usually mingle with people. Elves do not typically leave their own territories. Their territories reside deep in forests or the mountains. They prefer locations that are abundant with nature. That is just part of their lifestyle. But Mila is different. Mila: Its been a while, Igni~~~. Youve been well? Igni: Yes. Ms. Mila, you look...well. Mila: Thanks~~~. They dont call me the closest to the Extreme for nothing. Igni: Are you striving to be an Extreme? Mila: Oh no. No interest at all~~~. If I really was interested, I wouldnt be wasting my time as a teacher here. Well, thats true. As they were talking, another class entered the Practice Field. Igni: .....its Class C. This class is performed by combining two classes together. And the person leading Class C is Yoori: Oh, isnt that Igni: Its the 1st Year Rep. {{Chonky Notes - Shuseki (ϯ) Literally head seat implying that shes No. 1 or leader of the 1st years}} It was the Magic Swordsman. The organization and order imposed behind her was incredible. They walked in two rows of perfectly straight lines as they entered the field. We apologize for our tardiness. Our last class lasted longer than expected. Mila: Dont worry about it~~~. Well, lets begin. Go ahead and start pairing up. As soon as she finished saying this, the students began to look at their classmates next to them. Its only been one week, but all the kids who were now friends group up together. Iris: Id like to pair up with Sir Igni! Alicia: Then Ill pair up Yoori then? Yoori: Looks like it. Theres only 4 in Ignis group so the pairing was going to be fairly simple... Mila: Oh, Igni and Elina will be separate, okay? Igni: .....what? Elina: Understood. Or it was SUPPOSED to be simple... Igni tilts his head as he tries to figure out why he was called out. The other person called out with Igni was the 1st Year Rep. Her name was Elina and was a Magic Swordsman. Igni: (So her name is Elina, huh.) Igni memorized her face and name. He will NEVER forget it. Its because shes beautiful. Mila: Alright you two, please come to the front. Igni: Understood. Elina: Yes. Both come forward. Mila: Alright, lets begin by having these two do a practice battle~. The win condition is if one side admits defeat. Or if I have to stop the battle. Anything goes. Spells, weapons, or even if you know how to use it. Any questions, you two? Igni: No questions. But another voice followed Ignis. Elina: I have a question. Mila: Whats wrong Miss Elina. Elina: Why do I have to battle this man who I dont even know? Mila: Why~~~? Its because its going to be exciting watching you two fight! Elina: Exciting? Ill finish him in an . Elina glares at Igni as she says this. Mila: Miss Elina, I know about your background, but you should be more careful calculating your opponents strength. Elina: Ms. Mila. Are you implying that this man is stronger than I am? Mila: I said no such thing~. What I meant was that Ive seen many students lose their lives because they miscalculated their opponents strength. Mila says this nonchalantly. Yoori: Wait, did she say they died? Behind Igni, the blood from Yooris face withdraws and turns a blueish white. But this is not an uncommon occurrence. A Wizard will have to fight any strong monsters that appear. Thats why if they miscalculate their opponents strength, they die. Mila: So Miss Elina, you have full confidence that youll win no matter what? Elina: Of course I do! Please dont underestimate me! Mila: Then lets have a penalty game if you lose~~~. What about ''the person who loses will have to do whatever the winner says for a month.'' Hows this~~~? Igni: Ms. Mila, I will not do that to any girl. Mila: Wow~~~! Such a gentleman~~~. And Igni thought he successfully executed a Popularity move, but Elina: How dare you! Do you think I would lose to the likes of you! For some reason, this only angered Elina further. Elina: Fine. I accept. If you lose, you will be Class Cs slave for a month. And its with a penalty game included. Mila: Alright you two~~~, do your best~~~! Mila is acting out she has nothing to do with whats about to occur, and guides the two to the practice battle field. Yoori: I-Igni! What are you going to do?! As they move towards the spot where the battle will begin, Yoori and the others go up next to Igni. Iris: Y-Yes, Sir Igni! Your opponent is Elina Owlight. Shes the eldest daughter of the Owlight family! The Owlight Family. Similar to Ignis former home, the Talcoyz Family, this was another noble family desperately seeking to obtain an Extreme to come out from their family. Igni: (I see. So her infatuation with strength and pride comes from there.) Edward: Thats right, Igni! Dont do this! Arent you a [FIRE] : [F]? Youll die out there! IIll go out there in your place! Igni: Whats wrong, Edward? You worried for me? Edward: Wh, NO! If I defeat Elina, then I will be the strongest in our class, right?! ...is what Edward was saying but Thats right! Sir Edward is being worried for you! Understand his feelings, you nitwit! He was originally planning to do you in, but suddenly an even stronger foe appeared, so hes confused! Edwards friends kindly let Igni know Edwards inward thoughts. Igni: Thanks, Edward. Ill just take your concerns to heart. And Igni stood at the starting line. Elina: Huh. At least you got the face of a first-rate man. Igni: Is that a compliment? Elina: Ha! Igni: (She scoffed at me. Which is it?) Yoori: What should we do, Alicia! Ignis gonna die! Iris: Alicia! We have to stop him! Alicia: Hell be fine. Knowing Ignis strength and abilities better than anyone else here, Alicia remained calm. Alicia: That guy, Igni, hell be just fine. You better give up now-! You think you can win against Ms. Elina?! That guys apparently a [FIRE] : [F]! What?! How did you get into this school? Bribes?! Class C is pretty rowdy. Elina: Im sorry our class is being loud. Igni: Oh, I dont mind. If I turn this situation around, popularity awaits. Elina: Did you just say something? Igni: Nothing. Just saying its my usual routine. Mila stands between Igni and Elina at the center. Mila: Both sides, prepare. Igni releases 5 fireballs around him. Elina places her hand on her sword handle and lowers her stance. Igni: (Sword Drawing Technique, huh) Igni prepares himself. Mila: BEGIN! With Milas signal, Elina immediately draws her sword. Her sword aims for Ignis neck to behead him. Elina: (WHAT?! MY ARMS WONT MOVE?!?! The next moment, Elina recognizes an abnormality with her body. Elina: (Whats going on?! Whats happenin...g...) That is when Elina realized that something was holding back her arm. Igni: ....when you fight with a Magic Swordsman, the standard strategy is to restrain them before they draw their sword. Igni was holding Elinas right arm from above making sure that she couldnt draw out her sword. Further more, she had 3 [FIREBALL]s before her eyes and 2 in the back. She was completely surrounded without any room for escape. An instant. The battle ended in just one instant. The rowdy Class C instantly goes silent. Mila: Its over. With those words, Igni releases Elinas arm and erases his spells. Mila: See, Miss Elina? You have to measure your opponents strength more carefully next time. Igni stretches out a hand to Elina. Igni: Thank you. Because of you, I was able to go all out. In order to protect Elinas pride, Igni worded it this way, smiled, and stretched out his hand for a handshake but Elina: ....dont Igni: Dont? Elina: DONT **** WITH ME!! Igni got punched across the face. Elina: UWAAAAHHH!! (sfx crying) And Elina ran off the field crying and went far away. Mila: Whaaaaaa?!? This caught Mila off guard. Igni: Ms. Mila, leave this to me! Ill chase after her! Mila: Okay Igni, good luck! Okay everyone, lets get back to class Secret of Popularity No. 7 -- If a woman is running away crying, chase after her. For some reason, Igni felt that the situation was different from what the rule intended for, but he chased her anyways. Chapter 15: The No. 1 Wizard Igni: So you were here Igni looked around the school campus, and finally located Elina who was behind a school building in a well hidden spot, and crouching low to cry. Igni: Were you that hurt about losing? Elina: ....no. Elina remains crouched, and buries her face in her thighs. From the outside, she just looks like an egg. Elina: I...I rounded up Class C just using strength. I I only have strength. Igni: I highly doubt anyone would think that you were weak after that fight. Elina: Its the first time I lost without even drawing my blade Igni wanted to give her some advice, but resists the urges. Secret to Popularity No. 9 -- Women hate men who give unsolicited advice. Igni: Is that why you ran? Elina: ....uh huh. Igni: (uh huh? . Shes so cute.!) Igni is easy to impress. Elina: I thought I could beat you if I drew my sword, but I never dreamed that I would lose before I got a chance to draw my sword. Igni: ...but thats Elina: I know. All that matters is who won and who lost. I was full of myself I didnt believe there was anyone who could match me They told me at the Entrance Exam that I would be the 1st Years Representative. Igni: Yeah, I know about that. Elina: Hey...Igni do you know what they call our generation? Igni: Nope. Sorry. I dont know that one. Could you teach me? Elina: They call us the Golden Generation. The Dawn of Light Fray. Hurricane Alicia. Warped Erumi. Legion Estea. ..I was . No. 1 Igni: (.Fray?) Igni thought he heard a familiar word, but Igni was more drawn to Alicias information. Elina: ...this year, there were more who already had a second name before entering this school than any other year Igni: I see Elina: ...And I I was No. 1 but And as she said this, the atmosphere around Elina darkened and twisted around her. Igni: (This girl really knows how to be down and depressed.) Igni did not realize that she would be feeling down this much. His grandfather Lucas did not prepare him for this kind of situation. .wait! Thats not true! Did he really not say anything?! Search deeply, Igni! Search deep within yourself! <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni] [What is it, gramps? Can you not bother me? I cant see in front of me right now] This was during his blindfolded training in the Demon Kings realm. He was being cruelly punished... I mean, trained. Yes, this happened during training as he walked blindfolded through the Demon Kings realm. [What you going to do if a girl is crying in front of you?] [What~? A girl? Ummm Ill hug her and whisper Its going to be okay in her ear!] [You sick creep!] SLAP!! (sfx) [OW!! I cant see right now so dont slap me in the face!!] [You can only do that when youre already in a good relationship and the mood is right with the girl! If you do that outside of those circumstances, thats so gross youll make her cry for a different reason!] [Wh--what. But then what should I.?!?!] [.....Listen to me] [..........?] [Listen to her concerns! And from her concerns, draw out a way to resolve it! [B--but...thats impossible. Thats too hard.!] [Dont say its impossible! Dont you want to be popular!] [I...I do! I do want to be popular!] [THEN DO IT!!] [Alright! Ill do it!!] <<<<>>>> ...I...REMEMBER!! I think we had something that resembled that kind of conversation in the past.! But I already heard Elinas concerns! Shes crying because she was No. 1 but lost.! Thats it! Ill have to figure out something from there.! Igni: Eli. Miss, Elina Elina: ............. Elina has rolled up into a perfect egg and is now ignoring Ignis words. But Igni did not flinch and proceeded forward. Igni: Miss Elina, out of all the opponents I have fought in my life, you were the . Elina jerked slightly at the words. Igni: Ive fought with Ms. Mila before but. I think Miss Elina is still the Its a downright lie of a lie but it cant be helped. Its . A WHITE LIE!! Igni tries to convince himself of this. Elina: .....Im.No. 1.? Igni: Y--yes. Thats right. Miss Elina, you are Elina: ....really?! Why am I No. 1?! Igni: (CRAP! SHES ASKING WHY What should I say?) Igni had his back against the wall. The long pause is making Elinas expression grow darker by the second. But! But, even so..!! Ignis brain had an epiphany..!! Igni: Th-thats because. Miss Elina, you are the prettiest girl Elina: Im the .... Elina blushes. Igni no longer knew WHAT he was saying, but his mouth wouldnt stop. IT WOULDNT STOP. Igni: Yeah, yes. Yup. Youre the Prettiest girl so youre also the Strongest too. Igni convinces himself, desperately persuades himself that this is true. Igni: (I dont even know what Im saying any more...) Elina: .....I see. Elina quietly stands up. And she takes Ignis hand with both hands. Elina: Am I Am I really ?! Igni: Y---YES! Miss Elina, you are ! Elina: So I am ?! Igni: Of Course! You are ! Elina: Thanks, Igni! I feel so much better now! Igni: Dont worry about me! Because Miss Elina is ! None, yes, absolutely NONE of this makes ANY sense. Elina: Igni! You can just call me Elina! And in return, let me call you Igni from now on! Igni: Of course! They both shake hands. As a side note, Igni is completely pushing through this situation with pure enthusiasm and raw energy, and he no longer knows what he is doing or saying anymore. Igni: Lets go back, Elina. The schools No. 1 shouldnt be in a place like this. Elina: Y--yes, youre right. I, the No. 1, should not be in seen a place like this, yes. Although he has no understanding of it, Igni has now obtained the ultimate master command key to handling Elina. Igni: Lets go, Elina! Elina: Of course. Thank you. Igni, Ill beat you there! Igni: Well, you ARE No. 1! And Elinas face ripples with laughter. Igni: (Wow, shes so impressionable and easy to manipulate.) Without ever glancing a moment to see himself in the mirror, Igni chases after Elina. So the two came back to the Practice Field. When they enter the field, Class C and Class D were all doing practice duels. Mila: Oh, finally~~~. Welcome back~~~. I was starting to get worried because you guys wouldnt come ba~~~ck Elina: Im so sorry to worry you, Ms. Mila. Im okay now. Mila: I see. Thats great, thats grea~~~t. I had to find a way to break your arrogance~~~. Im so so~~~rry. Elina: No, please. I do not mind at all. I know that even if I lose, I am still No. 1. Mila: Oh good, good. I see that you are able to distinguish and separate confidence and arrogance~~~. Igni must have taken good care of you~~~. Mila nods understandingly and then says, Then the penalty game starts from today, right?! Elina ran away again. Chapter 16: The Breasts, the Club, and the Student Council Thats all for today. Make sure to turn in your homework next week. The school bell rings as if they meant to end right on queue. Iris: Sir Igni! Lets go to the school cafeteria! And as always, Iris will come over to Igni as soon as class is over. Igni: The school cafeteria Now that I think about it, I havent gone there yet. Iris: Yes! So lets go together! Alicia: That sounds good. Ill go too. Yoori: Oh, then me too. And the four of us head to the cafeteria. The Rolmod Wizard Academys food stands and cafeteria are nothing less than the most exquisite, 5 star menu items. As a Wizard school, you may assume that there is not a huge overhead cost to maintain, but this is more related to the schools reputation and culture. In other words, Only the first-rate are born from first-rate. Of course, many students come from poorer backgrounds, and because of that, the food is offered at a practically free price. And the reason why they havent gone to the cafeteria up until now is because of Igni. Igni brings his own lunch. And of course, this is lunch that Yoori made. But they are students, and they wanted to do student-like activities. So, all things considered, they all decided to go to the cafeteria. Yoori: Wow! Look, look Igni! Today is Mandrake Soup and Wyverns Breast Meat! Check it out! This is amazing! I never thought they would use something so expensive for a school meal! Yoori is super excited. The other 3 do not know too much about the ingredients just look at each other. Alicia: ....Sorry, is a Wyverns breast meat an expensive delicacy? It was Alicia who had broke the silence to ask the excited Yoori. For Igni, when he didnt have anything to eat in the Demon Kings realm, out of desperation, he chomped into a monsters flesh and remembering the taste, he began to lose his appetite. Yoori: Wh-what are you talking about! Of course its an expensive delicacy! Do you know how hard it is to take a Wyvern down?! Wyverns are among its dragon kind, the most adept at flying. They are called the fastest species for that reason. In order to fly in the air, they use magic so they are able to fly freely in the sky. Igni: (Yeah, they were difficult to defeat.) Igni vaguely recalls the trouble he had with them. Alicia: Oh, uh I didnt know. At home, we ate it regularly so Yoori: ...Alicia, is your family well off? Alicia: Um, yeah, were pretty...well off? Yoori: But...but Alicia, how could you! I thought we had more in common...!! Iris: Didnt you know that she didnt live in the dorms? You should have guessed as much. Yoori seems pretty shocked, and Iris is comforting him. So the four order the lunch of the day and sit down. There were a lot of people there, but it wasnt crowded per say. Alicia: Hey, have you guys decided what you want to do for club activities? Igni: Club activities? Igni tilts his head at Alicias question. Alicia: Yeah, dont you remember all the pamphlets we got about joining a club? Igni: Oy yeah Igni remembered that something like that did happen. He did not even look at it after going home, so its all still stuffed inside his bag. Alicia: Im actually interested in the Fortune Telling Club. Care to join me to take a look today? Igni: Fortune telling? You had interest in fortune telling, Alicia? Alicia: Of course! Its [Ancient Magic]! Doesnt that sound fun?! Yoori: [Ancient Magic], huh? Im interested too. Iris: Is that the club where they will tell your love fortune as a club entrance experience? That sounds like fun! Sir Igni, why dont you come with us! Igni: Oh, me too? Well, its not like Igni had anything to do at the dorm, so tagging along to check out the club was fine. But there was one question nagging him. If I join the Fortune Telling Club, will that make me more popular? This was his only concern. Edward: Oh, Igni, can I sit next to Igni: GRRRRRRR!!! Edward: Okay! Im sorry! Ill sit somewhere else! Igni chases away Edward with a growl. Elina: Oh, its Igni. May I sit next to you? Igni: Oh, Elina. Of course. Seat was open anyway. The Class C Miss No. 1 also eats at the cafeteria. Elina: What were you talking about just now? Igni: About joining a club. Have you decided on a club? Elina: Me? Im actually going to the Fortune Telling Club. Alicia: Oh, I didnt think our 1st Year Rep would be interested in fortune telling. Are you also interested in having your love fortune told? Elina: O-of course not. I already have the No. 1 partner. Yes... yes so I dont have to do that. Im just a tiny bit curious. Thats all. Igni: ............. Igni remains silent. No matter what comes out of his mouth, this section of the cafeteria might devolve into hellish chaos so he maintains his silence. Elina: Igni, is there a club youre interested in? Igni: (Anything that would make me popular is fine) This is all Igni is thinking about, but he answers after thinking seriously. Igni: A place where I can sharpen my skills, I think. Igni could not suppress the smile after saying what he knew was cool. Iris: Ththats amazing! Thats just like you, Sir Igni! Elina: Thats very stoic of you, Igni. Yoori: Yeah, you impress me as always, Igni. Alicia: ...Do you guys seriously not see his ridiculous smile? Alicia is catching on to Ignis actual character and nature. Igni: (How is that possible? My acting is flawless) It doesnt look like Igni will be able to stop himself from breaking out a smile every time he does something remotely cool. If you want a place to place to sharpen your skills, come to the Student Council! Something lands on Ignis head. When he looks up, all he sees are giant breasts Igni: (Huh? What? Is this heaven?) <<<<>>>> [Grandpa! I, I really like women with big chests] [Oye, Igni] At Ignis words, Lucas looks down coldly at his grandson. [Wh--what grandpa? Are you gonna slap me again?!] [Why do you have to say something so obvious so loud!] [B--but grandpa! Dont you like big breas] [Of course I do! Who do you think I am!] [Grandpa! Ill follow you till I die!] [Then come with me, Igni!] <<<<>>>> Igni: ..........!! This this is what I dreamed of this angle... this view from the bottom!! Such pressure!! Such presence.!! This...overwhelming power..!!!! What does it matter if youre the strongest...! What does it matter even if youre the Extreme....!! Theres no way you could ever defeat big breasts..!!! Iris: Hey!! Get away from Sir Igni!! Who are you anyways!! And with Iris help, the big breasts were removed. Igni: (I think Im going to cry) What? You dont know about me? Im the No. 1 famous girl in school. Elina: What? No. 1? That word got Elinas attention. Yeah, of course! Because, Im the Student Body President " " " "....Student Body President... " " " " Multiple voices echoed and overlapped with one another. Among the Strength is Everything school, only one person can stand above all others. Among the students, only the strongest can stand at the top. Yeah, Ive been recruiting all the promising 1st Years. Ive already asked Fray and Erumi, so that leaves Hurricane Alicia and the 1st Year Rep Elina! And I came to invite Igni who seems to be shrouded in a lot of mystery too! Igni: ....me too? Yup. Igni thinks about this. Well, I know its hard to make a decision now. You dont know much about the Student Council, right? Igni: Thats true What do you do in the Student Council? We call ourselves the Student Council, but we mostly maintain the peace. Strength determines everything in this school, so when someone weird starts moving up to the top, the school turns into chaos. So if you want to join the Student Council, you have to absolutely be strong! So, how about it, you three? Alicia: Ill pass. Im not interested. Alicia rejects the offer without a second thought. Elina: ....me too. I still have to grow in many areas. Oh, is that so? Thats too bad. How about you, Igni? Igni: Hmmmm. Igni: (Does being in the Student Council make you popular? Wait, she said something about maintaining the peace, so maybe its not a popular place to be?) If you join the Student Council, youll be flooded with benefits! Youll be trusted by teachers! Youll be excused from homework by certain classes! Theres a lot of strong people so you can become stronger! And best of all, if youre a guy, youll be very popular with the girls! Igni: .....!! W-wait. Could you repeat what you said after being excused from homework once more? Yeah! Youll become stronger and youll be popular with the girls! Igni: Please sign me up!! Great! Then lets start by visiting our club~ Igni already made his decision within his heart. Chapter 17: The O-Leh Girl and the Wizard So the Student Council Meeting room is over here, Igni. Igni: Thank you so much. As soon as Class D was done with their classes, the Student Body President charged into the room, and Igni was practically abducted out of the classroom. Only Yoori chased after the two. Alicia and Ellis were both highly interested in the Fortunate Telling club. You dont look so excited, Igni. Igni: Really? Im acting no differently than usual. Igni makes the comment while following after the Student Body Presidents chestnut hair. But you were so much more enthusiastic the first time you said youd join us. Igni: Oh, that. Yes Im very sorry. I got carried away at the time. If anyone who knew Ignis true nature was around, they would have immediately made a terse comment, but there is no one at this school like that yet. So, Igni can get away with saying comments like these. And...was it Yoori? Did you also have interest in the Student Council? Yoori: No, Im just with Igni. Oh, were you two together?! Igni: No, were friends. Hes a guy btw. Wh-, a guy?! Yoori: Im a guy no matter how you look at it! Wh....but..!! The Student Body President was impacted hard by these words. .....OH! I completely forgot to introduce myself! Im Miru. Im a [DARK] : [SS]. Im looking forward to this semester with you! Yoori: Miru... wait. Miss Student Body President, are you perhaps Miru, The Undoer? Yoori recognized the name and had to ask. Miru: Thats right! Thats my *nickname! But Igni did not know about her. Igni: (.....Hey Yoori, is she famous?) Yoori: (Y-yes. Shes a genius who came to this school at the age of 13.!) Igni: (Impressive) Yoori: (Be careful, Igni. They say shes REALLY strong!) Miru: Okay, were here~! Miru opens the door to the room that says Student Council. Miru: Ta~da~!! Here are some potential 1st Year recruits! 3 sets of eyes stare at Igni and Yoori. Miri: Okay! Igni, go ahead and introduce yourself! Igni: Hello, Im Igni. My compatibility is [FIRE] : [F]. Its nice to meet you. Igni bows politely. Da ****?! Compatibility [FIRE] : [F]?! Hey, Miru! Just because you cant find anyone to join the council means you can just bring anyone! Hey, Miko, dont be so upset. If hes really a [FIRE] : [ F], being able to come here really means something. ....the teacher was saying there was one, this year, who broke the target. Igni, was that...you? ........ Out of the 3, one seemed to be pretty violent and rough on the edges. She was called, Miko. Another person seemed very calm, but she seemed to have trouble talking. .and the last one is a mystery. He or she is wrapped up in bandages like a mummy. Igni: Yes. Yoori: Wait, that was you?! Yoori is surprised to hear that it was me who broke the target. I forgot that I never spoke to him about it. Miko: HA! Interesting. Yo, Igni! You wanna go a round with me?! Igni: ...Are you being serious? Miko: Very! Cmon, lets go! Lets go now! And we switched locations. We came to the Practice Battle Field. And all of the Council members came too. Miru is rooting for me, and the quiet person remains silent. I dont know about the bandage person. Its hard to gauge him or her one way or another. Miko: Trying to figure out Vala? That mummy is collecting curses right now, so you wont hear her say a peep. Igni: I see Igni: (Its likely related to a certain type of magic.) Mira: Miko, Igni, are you both ready? Igni: Yes, Im ready. Miko: All good. Mira: Then here we go! Let the battle...begin!! The practice battle began without much momentum. Miko: Okay, Igni. Show *me (o-leh) what you got!! Miko kicks the ground hard and charges in head first. Igni: ....o, o! Its an O-LEH girl?!?! <<<<>>>> [Grandpa, arent girls who act like boys scary?] [Huh? What are you blabbering about. Focus on your training.] [I dont like boku-girls but I dont like o-leh girls either.] [Igni, you will one day eat those words.] [?] [Firstly, you have no clue about the true qualities of an o-leh girl.] [What qualities? There are none.] *SLAP!! [OW!! WH?! WHY ARE YOU SO PISSED?!?! [YOU FOOL!!] [WHY YOU SO TRIGGERED?!?!] [Yes, its true that girls who say o-leh can be tomboyish and rough around the edges! But! Now listen to me, Igni! BUT! In that rough demeanor, you will find a wisp of kindness! Its that gap in their personality that makes them so great.!!] [Yeah, whatever gramps. I dont get it.] *SLAP!!!! [OW?! AGAIN?!?!] <<<<>>>> For a second, for just a second, I grasped the o-leh girl quality very briefly. But Miko arrived faster than Ignis flash of epiphany and stood right before his eyes. Her legs were muscular beyond what any human can do. Igni: (The [Physical Enhancement] of a [LIFE] magic type. A single hit would put me out of commission.) Igni: (Her thighs are amazing. I wish I could be squeezed by them.) Igni runs two parallel thoughts at the same time. Igni creates a [FIREBALL] and... *BOYON!! (*sfx jiggly bounce) Miko: .....!! And Igni used his [FIREBALL] as a and absorbed Mikos fist. The jiggly [FIREBALL] instantly changed shaped and wrapped around Mikos arm. Miko: Ew. What is this? And all of Ignis [FIREBALL]s remains under his complete control. Thus... Igni: [FAME ARMOR - IGNITE] The sudden concentration of magic flowing into his [FIREBALL] strikes the air with a piercing ring as the temperature rises... Igni: [EXPLOSION C - FIRE]!! The [FIREBALL] detonates. BOOOOOOOM!! The entire Practice Field trembles and shakes from the impact. From the smoke, Miko holds on tightly to her right arm as she steps back quickly to get away from Igni. Miko: His spells are strange. Miru: I told you so~. Isnt Igni a good kid? Miko: You call anyone who can use magic well a good kid. Miru: Thats not true~ And Miss Miru laughs light-heartedly. Igni: This time, Ill come for you, Miss Miko! Miko: Bring it, Igni! Igni creates 3 [FIREBALL]s around him. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] And he pours magic into each one. But Miko again closes in the distance between her and Igni in a flash. Igni: Miss Miko, you say way too much with your eyes. The next moment, the ground beneath their feet grow red hot. Igni: [DETONATE - FIRE]! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!! Igni detonates the [FIREBALL] he created inside the ground of the Practice Field. Out of the flames, Igni allows the impact of the explosion to push his body away. But Miko remains standing where she is. Miko: ....Youre quicker than you look. Igni: Thanks Igni created 512 small [FIREBALL]s as he detonated the one in the ground, and connected them together, and surfed away with the wind created from the explosion! But Miko did not expect the ground they were standing on to explode and was caught in Ignis [FIREBALL]s explosion. Igni: I thought you would be able to withstand this much, Miss Miko. Miko: ....ha! Such a big mouth. Miko was covered in smoke, soot, and dirt, but Igni remained practically unchanged from the start of the battle. Miko already finished tending her wounds with [HEAL] magic. ..It was apparent who the victor was for this round. Miru: See~?! I told you hes a good kid, Miko! Miko: ....fine. Yeah, I admit that hes a good find. Miko: Hey, Igni! You got a scratch on your cheek. Igni: Huh? Putting a hand to his cheek, Igni realizes that there is blood running down his cheek. Miko: Come here. Ill fix it for you. Miss Miko grabs Igni, and gently places her finger on his cheek and performs her [HEAL] spell. Miko: There, its fixed. .its..IT-----ITS THIS!! At that moment, Igni understood everything. Igni: (Grandpa...I...understand now. THE QUALITY OF A O-LEH GIRL!!) Yes, Miss Mikos personality is rough and boyish! But that faint hint of kindness she just showed.!!!! I GET IT NOW..!!! Igni arrived at the answer. Yoori: Youre amazing, Igni! You beat one of the Council members!! And all of a sudden, Yoori jumps into Ignis arms. Igni: (...why isnt Yoori a girl..?) But Ignis complaint did not reach anyones ears. ************************ CHONKY NOTES ************************ I already had a spiel about BOKU (W) (younger masculine) and BOKU-Ko (W). Here, it is O-LEH () (like OL!) which is an older masculine pronoun. It should be written as ore in romaji, but that invites too much mispronunciation for my taste. In general, the current level of sexism in Japan is roughly about the level of 1980s U.S. culture. And I am NOT a proponent of discrimination by gender or sex. Just putting that out there. In Japanese culture, women are not encouraged to use masculine pronouns. Hence, Ignis categorization of women who do so. *Wizard Title (Futatsu-na) () -- The futatsu-na is literally translated, your second name. It is similar to a nickname or title, and it is used in many genres of literature. It could be thought of as an unofficial professional title (or how you are known in a certain field). e.g. The Wolf of Wall Street. Like when a movie character says, Do you know what he or she is called? or Do you know what he or she is known as? Unlike a business or professional title, the name usually signifies a certain unique trait that separates you from the general pack (this is how it deviates from how some nicknames are used in the U.S.). If you want more examples, read Naruto or One Piece. They are chock full of it. In general, Japanese people are embarrassed by a second name because it reveals something that sets them apart from everyone else, and the entire culture of wa (peace) () is based on blending in completely. You could argue that the rampant use of it in Manga and Anime culture stems from severely repressed desires for individuality. But dont take my word for it. Chapter 18: The Invitation and the Wizard! Elenoir: Hey, Igni. Igni: What is it, Ms. Elenoir? During the lunch break, Igni was eating with his usual group when Elenoir called him to over to talk to her privately. Elenoir: Its about this~~~ Saying this, Elenoir takes out one sheet of paper. On the sheet of paper, Ignis name, age, and address is written down. His compatibility [FIRE] : [F} was also included as well. Igni: Is this about my compatibility? I thought at this school, my compatibility didnt matter? In order to enroll into the Rolmod Wizard Academy, you had to score a high enough grade during the Entrance Examination. That was all. It was no more or no less difficult as long as you surpassed the average score. But on the other hand, reaching that average score is no easy feat. Elenoir: No, thats not it. I know that better than anyone else. Im not talking about that~~~, and its hard for me to say but~~~... Igni: Yes? Elenoir: Do you want to participate in the Tournament? Igni: Um, what? Igni didnt understand what she meant. Elenoir: Well, I dont know if you know or not but~~~ Igni: Yes? Elenoir: Just once a year, there is a Tournament that determines whos the strongest in the Kingdom. And I was thinking I wonder if Ignis would be interested~~~ Igni: A Tournament... huh Igni takes the piece of paper from Elenoir and looks again. Yes, there were details written about the Tournament there. Participation Requirements: None Age Requirements: None All that is required is strength. Igni: Is this a famous Tournament? Elenoir: Yeah, a lot strong people from various countries gather together. We usually have a lot of participants from our school but~~~......well, this year, we dont have that many people going Igni: Not that many? How many people usually go every year? Elenoir: Umm~~~ about 10? Igni: And how many people are going this year? Elenoir: 3 Igni: What? Elenoir: Yeah, so, um. 3 people. Elenoir said this and then fell silent. Elenoir: ........so...um..well? Basically.what Im trying to say is Igni was wondering why she was mincing her words so much but then Elenoir: Okay, we just need you to participate to just boost our numbers~~~.... She got tired of trying to find a way to rephrase it and just shot it to him straight. Igni: ....and who else is participating this year by the way? Elenoir: Frenda from the 2nd Year, Fray The Dawn of Light and Warped Erumi from the 1st Years Igni: Wait, what about the 3rd Years? Are none of the Student Council members going to this? Elenoir: Well~~~, so the 3rd Years are really busy with their missions. Igni: Missions? Its the first time Igni has heard anything about this and tilts his head. Elenoir: Uh, oh, well, Im not supposed to talk with any 1st Years about this but.. Elenoir asks Igni to keep what shes about to say a secret, and begins to explain. Elenoir: The Rolmod Wizard Academy 3rd Years have really advanced Wizards this year, so for those that are way ahead of the others, they have been given missions and quests from outside the school~~~ Igni: ....ah, I see. Elenoir: And especially the kids in the Student Council are super serious and responsible by nature, so they are really popular. And now they are flooded with mission requests~~~ Igni: Now that you say it, it all makes sense now. I have one question though. Why arent you allowed to share this with the 1st Year students? Elenoir: Its because~~~, there will always be students who will ask to be selected for missions~~~ Igni: .............. Yeah, there are definitely many 1st Years who will definitely say that. Elenoir: SO~~~, I want Igni to join this Tournament, but what do you think? No~~~? Igni: I dont mind. If this is what you really want me to do. Elenoir: Thank you so much~~~. With this, Ill be able to survive till next month~~~... Igni: .....huh? Elenoir: OH! Well~~~.... So you need to keep this a secret too but Igni: Yes? Elenoir: If a student from your class joins the Tournament~~~, you get a bonus on your salary. Igni: Uh huh... Elenoir: And then~~~... and so~~~... if that student moves up in the Tournament, you get an even bigger bonus. Igni: Uh.. huh... Igni couldnt believe that they had such a system in place at this Academy. At this, Igni couldnt hide his shock. Elenoir: So~~~.... Igni, please do your best. Igni: Ohh. Got it. Ill do my best. Igni didnt feel quite as motivated, but he accepted the invitation to join the Tournament. Elenoir: Oh, and just so you know if you win the Tournament, youll win some money~~~ Igni: Did you want the cash prize? Elenoir: Oh, no. I do want it, but thats not what I meant~~~.... What Im trying to say is, Igni, if you win, youll get a lot of nobles asking for you. Igni: Why is that? Elenoir: Theyll ask you to marry their daughter and stuff Igni: .........ohhh Being someone with a former fianc, that was something that bothered Igni. Elenoir: Huh~~~?? Youre not happy about that~~~??? Igni: I just. dont like the idea of two households forcing people to marry. And maybe it was because Igni was discarded from being too weak by nobles in the past ...NO!! WAIT, NO, IGNI!! A man would not back down from such an offer just for reason.!! But a memory from the past, some deep down and repressed began to resurface.!! And in Ignis mind, one particular memory begins to take shape..!! <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni. Do you want to go back being a noble?] [Huh? What? Grandpa, whats with the question suddenly?] [Well, I mean, its something important, so I wanted to ask you to see what you thought.] [Well..hmmmmm. If I can go back to being a noble, I would. Wouldnt I be more popular? [.....HA.] Lucas mouth twists into a smile. [Igni. Being a noble, doesnt make you popular] [..............WH..A...T.?!?!] The revelation left Igni slack-jawed. [You were once a noble yourself so you should know. The uptight culture. The complicated and bothersome family relationships. And to put matters to worse, adventurers make more money.] [.......no.wait! ..but then..I...then I..!!] [Yes, Igni. Welcome to side] [WHOOOO!!! FATHER!!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU, FATHER!!!] Igni thanked his father with tears streaming from his eyes. [Im so glad Im no longer a nobleeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!] <<<<>>>> Igni: A man should attract a woman with his own strength. Igni could not hide his ridiculous smile as the words spilled out of his mouth. Yes, this man... He just didnt want to go back to being a noble. Elenoir: Oh~~~, Igni. Youre so cool to say that~~~ Igni: Hahaha, no no. Im not THAT cool Elenoir: And youll also become popular with the commoner girls too~~~ Igni: I WILL GIVE IT MY ALL!! Ignis motivation just skyrocketed and broke the gauge. Elenoir: Okay~~~ now that were set, could you go meet with the other 3 right now~~~? Igni: Just to introduce myself? Elenoir: Yup. So~~~, you see, at the Tournament, youll be competitors~~~ but youre all from the same school~~~ so~~~ just to get to know each other~~~ do you understand? Igni: Oh yes. I understand. I get what youre saying. Elenoir: Theyre in the room next door~~~. Dont worry, itll be over before the lunch break ends~~~ And so they move to the room next door. There were 3 already sitting there. Elenoir: Im so sorry~~~ for being late~~~ Here is a participant from my class. This is Igni. Igni: Hey Igni bows. Igni: (Is this good enough?) Igni wondered this as he looked at the 3. First was a girl. She had light, cream colored hair and had her head on her desk and slept. Igni: (Did she not get enough sleep? Thats kinda cute.) Igni ignored the second one. It was a dude. Plus hes one of those handsome types and got on Ignis nerves. NEXT. The 3rd is a girl. Shes wearing a bandana around her forehead, and shes fidgeting in her seat. Igni: (Is she the athletic type? Shes cute too.) Teacher! *Iz he a 1st Year?! Hes cute!! {{Chonky Notes: Frenda has an unique Japanese dialect that emphasizes the S sounds.}} Igni: WHAT?! The 3rd athletic looking girl said that. Igni: (FINALLY?! My popular days are here?!) This is all Igni really thinks about. Elenoir: Hey hey, Frenda. Dont scare the 1st Years~~~ Frenda; Imz not scaring them! Hey 1st Year! Imz Frenda! Nice to meet you! Igni: Its nice to meet you too. My name is Igni. Frenda: You has a nicknamez? Igni: Nopez! Igni couldnt help but copy the way she spoke. Frenda: Then youre the samez as me! These two already have nicknamez?! Iznt that scary? Igni: Um not really Frenda: Why notz?! I also want a nicknamez! Well, a nickname isnt necessary for a Wizard to be popular (Per Lucas). Elenoir: Alrighty now, everyone~~~ please introduce yourself. Okay! Erumi, go! Erumi: Be quiet. Let me sleep. Without even raising her head, she said this and went back to sleep. Igni: (......oh wow.) Elenoir: Then Fray, youre next Im Fray Talcoyz. Nice to meet you. Igni: .............hm? ? Fray: Yeah, thats right. What, do you have a.problem.with that.. Startling revelation instantly overcomes Igni and Frays eyes. Fray: IIGNI?!?! Igni: WHO ARE YOU?!?!?!?!?!?! Igni: (I dont know anyone THIS handsome!!!) Chapter 19: The “Shuraba” (crisis) and the Wizard Igni: FFray? But. Ignis memories rush back. Who.who was that again..? The Talcoyz Family.. Fray..? Igni: OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! NOW I REMEMBER!! ITS MY LITTLE BROTHER!! Fray: HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE HERE?!?! ALL YOU COULD USE WAS [FIREBALL]!! AND WHATS WITH THAT REACTION!!!! Even Igni broke character at this moment. Elenoir: Oh wow~~~ Igni, so you can only use [FIREBALL]? Igni: Uh, yes. Ms. Elenoir was still smiling jovially as she spoke to Igni. Igni didnt mean to hide that fact, and doesnt mean to hide it going forward. In his mind, everyone completely underestimated [FIREBALL]. And she completely ignored Ignis little brother statement. Thats why shes the teacher. Erumi suddenly looked up from her sleep. She stared intently at Igni without blinking. Igni: (Oh no! She must be falling in love with me!!) Even in moments like these, Ignis preternatural instincts to want to be popular overwrote all other logical possibilities. Fray: Y---You cant be serious?! What kind of loophole did you use?! WAIT!! ..Did you.DID YOU ASK LUCAS AND FORCED THEM TO ENROLL YOU?!?!? Igni: I PASSED THE TEST AND ENROLLED NORMALLY, IDIOT!! Elenoir: Everyone~~~, dont share this with anyone else, but Igni is the Wizard who broke that target that hasnt been broken in 45 years~~~ Fray: ....he broke.the target......? As Elenoir spoke, Fray raises a suspicious brow as he contemplates her words. Frenda: I---IGNI, YOU LIARZ!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE SAME AS ME!! Frenda began crying. Igni: Wait, Miss Frenda, what are you talking about?! Frenda: You said you didnt have a nickname so I thought we were friendz! You didnt tell me that you broke the targetz! Igni: (......what am I supposed to do in this situation?!) My little brother who seems intent on antagonizing me. The girl with not enough sleep who is now staring at me without saying a word. And my athletic upperclassman who is now crying because of me, and the teacher isnt doing anything! This must be.what they call a *shuraba (crisis)...! Igni: (Wh-what.) Igni: (WHAT SHOULD I DO..?! Igni: (THATS RIGHT!!) Igni: (THINK, IGNI, THINK!! SEARCH YOUR PAST!!) Igni: (THERE MUST BE A HINT SOMEWHERE..?!?!) <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni] [What, grandpa?] [When you do get popular, there will be an unavoidable path you must take] [?] [That is SHURABA (crisis)] [Shuraba.....?!] [Yes... those women you attracted will now go to war over you.] [WOW! Really?! You think Ill get there one day?!] [I was stabbed because of it.] [Huh?] [Look here, I still have the scar.] Saying so, Lucas rolls up his shirt. There, his body was riddled with numerous scars. [Lets see here its this one, and this, and this one too] [Wow, thats a lot of scars.] [Thats right! Thats why you must avoid shurabas at all costs..!! You must promise me this, Igni!!] [But...what if it happens?! What should I do then, grandpa?!] [You must run away] [.....okay grandpa. I understand. But grandpa?] [Yeah?] [Those scars. They werent from dragon claws, huh] [......no...] <<<<>>>> Igni: (WAIT! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WISDOM TO GET THROUGH THIS SITUATION?!?!) Igni searched his past, but all he could find was a warning to run - to run as far and as fast as he could. And even worse, now that they are all participating in the Tournament, they cannot avoid seeing each other again in the future.!! And as Igni struggles with his internal monologue Frenda: UWAAAAAANNN!! (sfx crying) MY..!! MY FRIEND ISNT ANYWHEREZ!! And Frenda ran from the room crying. Igni: Miss Frenda!! Excuse me!! I need to go after her!! Popularity Rule No. 7 --Always chase after girls if they run from you crying. And Igni tried to escape, but GYUMU (sfx squeeze), he was grabbed by the back collar of his shirt. No, you cant go. I have something I need to ask you. Igni: E---Miss Erumi?! Erumi vanished from her seat only to appear next to Igni and had him by the neck. Now, Igni couldnt chase after Frenda. Igni: (OH NO?! AM I ABOUT TO BE STABBED?!) Igni alone thought he was in the midst of a Shuraba. Fray: Hmph. I see. I dont know what you did or how you got here but if Igni is entering the Tournament then my feelings have changed. Fray takes a deep breath as if he was able to digest something finally. Fray: At the Tournament, there will be many people watching, and I will crush you in front of everyone . Fray spat out the words and left the classroom. Igni: (What.? But. I didnt even say anything) Igni: (Was he upset that I completely forgot about him?) Igni: Oh, um Miss Erumi? If you have something you want to ask, could you please hurry it up and ask me already.? Ignis neck started hurting. But at that point, the school bell rang to signal the end of lunch. Elenoir: Oh my~~~, class will start~~~. Lets all go back. Erumi: After school, well, talk. Igni. Whats, your class? Igni: ....D.its D. Erumi: Understood. Wait for me. Igni: (.....My Popularity Fest must have seriously begun) Igni got a little excited. Elenoir: And wow~~~ Igni: Yes, Ms. Elenoir? Elenoir: This year, everyone is getting along so well~~~ Igni: (...uh how?) But Igni decided to keep his comment to himself. <<<<>>>> Erumi: Igni, found you. As soon as class was over, Erumi invaded the Class D classroom. Her light cream-colored hair really stood out. Igni: Miss Erumi.? Erumi: Just Erumi. Follow me. Iris: Hey! Wh--?! Who are you?! Dont touch Sir Igni!! Iris slaps Erumis hand away from Ignis. Erumi: Im going to the Magic Gladiators Tournament. With Igni. Who are you? Iris: ...huh? Iris froze. Igni: (So that was the official name of the Tournament) And Igni makes note as if this didnt involve him. Iris: I-is that true, Sir Igni?! Igni: Yeah, Ill be participating. Could you come root for me? Iris: Of course Ill be there! Sir Igni!! Iris was easy to please. Erumi: So, lets go. Igni: Hey! You dont have to grab me by the scruff of my neck!! And Erumi continues to pull and drag Igni as she pleases. Yoori: Igni~! What time will you get back~? Igni: I-I dont know!...if Im not back earlier, just start eating without me.! Igni leaves a message to Yoori like a husband having to work late at his job, and Igni and Erumi arrive at the practice field. Igni: What is it that you wanted to ask me? Erumi: Is it true that you can only use [FIREBALL]? Igni: Yeah, its true. Around them were other girls who were seriously training their skills after school. Erumi: And you broke the target? Igni: ....yeah, thats true too. Erumi: I want you to hit me with the same spell. Igni: .....excuse me? Igni: (What is she saying all of a sudden?) Erumi: I said, I want you to hit me with that spell. Igni: ....um...why? Erumi: I want to know how far my spell can go. Igni: Oh, so its like that If its about testing your limits, Igni understands that feeling. Erumi: I am Erumi The Warped. Strike me with everything you got. Igni: .....okay. Igni points his forefinger at Erumi and creates two [FIREBALL]s. In front is the hard [FIREBALL]. Behind is the soft [FIREBALL]. Igni: FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] And he concentrates his magic and exponentially increases its power. Igni: LAUNCH - FIRE]!!!! DODOOON!!! (sfx two blasts exploding) The wind blows in all directions from the impact. At that moment, all the girls training look up and focus on Igni and Erumi. Erumi: .........amazing. Igni.! From the swirling winds, Erumis voice shakes and quivers. Erumi: It..it feels good..!! Igni!! When the flames disperse, there was only Erumi standing there with pure ecstasy in her expression. Erumi: Hit me...again.!! Igni: ......huh? Erumi: SHOOT ME!! SHOOT ME AGAIN!! Igni: (SH--SH--SHES A SICK MASOCHIST?!?!?!) <<<<>>>> [Grandpa, arent masochists, sickos?] SLAP!!! [THAT WAS FAST!! YOU HAVENT EVEN SAID ANYTHING!! [Igni, you are still young. Thats why you dont understand the wonderfulness of masochism.] [Of course I dont! Its just gross!! SLAP!!!! [DONT MOCK OTHER PEOPLES TASTES!!!] [G-GRANDPA?!] [EVERYONE HAS THEIR PREFERENCE!! EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT!! AND DIFFERENT, IS GOOD!!!] [E--everyone...is different, and different.is good?!] [Whether youre a sadist or a masochist, it doesnt matter!!] [It.doesnt..?! [YES!! WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO ACCEPT IT ALL, THEN YOU CAN TRULY BE MEASURED AS A MAN!! [I...I get it now. I get, grandpa!! I was wrong!!] [Im glad you understand, Igni. Im glad.] Lucas smile looked wild to Igni.. <<<<>>>> Erumi: Igni! Please! One more time! Shoot me one more time ? Erumis voice trembles as she calls out for Igni. Igni: ........................ Igni: (I. I think I can almost..understand.!!) Igni: (Its.so close!! Im so close.to understanding.!!) Igni: I.!! Igni shoots [FIREBALL] at Erumi. Erumi: M.more.? Igni: (......no, I dont .understand.!!) Igni: (NO! I cant.give up.!!) Igni: (I need to.I need to grasp it.but grasp what?!) Igni: (Im.going to be..popular.!! This is.just one .more step.!!!!) Igni: Ugh!! I almost have it!! I almost get it..!!! Erumi: Yes!! YES.!! IGNI!!! ITS SO GOOD!!! Igni: No.I.I dont get it. Erumi: Once more ? Igni: OH!! Igni: (I see it!! The stairway to glory!!!) Igni: (So.so that was it..!!) Igni: (If I feel disgust towards a masochist, Im just a 2nd rate!!) Igni: (NO!! Im a 3rd-rate!!) Igni: (Its easy to fall in love with a masochist.!!) Igni: (SO EASY.!!) Igni: (I JUST HAVE TO BECOME A SADIST.!!!!!) Igni: (I MUST AWAKEN MY INNER CRUELTY.!!!!!!) Igni: (Thats it.!! Thats all I have to do.!!!!) Igni: (LOOK, IGNI!! HOW CUTE THAT MASOCHIST IS.!!!!) Igni: (LOOK AT THAT EXPRESSION FULL OF ANTICIPATION FOR ME TO DELIVER PAIN.!!) Erumi: I-Igni?! Youre, youre magic is getting so refined.!!!! Igni: I understand..!!! I GET IT NOW!!!!! THANK YOU, GRANDPA!!!! THANK YOU, ERUMI!!!! That day, Igni took one step forward as a man, as a Wizard! And at the same moment, he also lost something he could not express in words. {{As did the translator || }} ********************** CHONKY NOTES ********************** *Crisis (shuraba) (_) -- The word itself has really changed meaning due to Otaku anime culture. The original word has the word shura (_) which is pretty close to the term berserker or someone who is engulfed or consumed in battles or fighting. Ba () means place. Put it together and you have a place where Shuras hang out. Thats a ****ing terrifying place. Now bring it in to the 21st century. Imagine getting caught cheating. Thats a shuraba. Youre going through a shuraba at that moment because your relationship is in crisis. Any really intense situations where you feel your life is on the line could be considered a shuraba. Chapter 20: A Guy Friend and the Wizard Igni~~~! I~~~gin~~~! Igni! The ocean! Were at the ocean! The girls in swimsuits are calling Ignis name. Hey! Igni is going to play with me! What?! Whatever! Hes playing with me! What are you guys talking about?! Ignis coming with me to play! Oh, better stop them from fighting. Lets stop this with one cool, swift comment. Igni let out an audible, exaggerated breath and shrugged his shoulders. Igni: Its simple girls. Lets all 3 play together. And Igni could not resist letting a huge smile surface as he said this but... What are you talking about?! Im No. 1! One of the more prouder, demanding girls picked up Igni and held him close. Elina! Let go of Sir Igni or Ill crush you! HAHAHA!! Lets just see you try!! Im No.1! Die! [EARTH TETRA - SPIRAL TORQUENT]! The ground twisted and with the command from the servant-like girl, the beach sand turned into a spiraling spear and tried to pierce Elina! GAKIN!! (sfx metal clashing) Elina pulled out a sword from nowhere and blocked the attack. Hey! Stop that fighting right now! Be quiet, Alicia! Im tired of you always looking down on us!! Ill crush you too! Its no use, Iris. Im much stronger than you are. My compatibility is higher! Leaving Elina alone, Alicia and Iris begin to fight. That looks fun~! Let me in on the action! M-Miss Student Body President?! Me too. Miss Miko?! Alicia rides on her broom while blasting multiple [WIND] magic. On the ground, Iris was struggling to find ways to block it with her spells. Igni Whoa?! Erumi?!?! Again, hit me again ? W-Wait here?! While everyone else is watching?! Just shoot me. See? Shoot me ? Hm? What are you saying? Igni, Im No. 1, right? Igni is surrounded two of which words have little to no meaning and he cries out. Igni: AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!! He wondered as he screamed, was this really the world he desired? [IGNI! WERE GONNA BE LATE!!] Igni: ...............!! Igni awoke. Igni: ......Oh my gosh.it.it was just a dream. Yoori: You were tossing and turning in your sleep. Are you okay? Igni: ......dream..it was a dream but..it wasnt.a dream...maybe? Yoori: Are you really okay? Igni steps off of his bed. Igni: ......Im.okay. Yes, Im okay.. Igni: (Wait can I honestly say that I am popular with the ladies now?) Igni re-examines his current situation. Igni: No, I still have a long way to go. His brain decided to reject all understanding and reasoning. Yoori: Whats wrong, Igni? Igni: Its nothing. Lets go to school. Early in the morning, the two leave the dorms. They are arriving at school much earlier than usual. Its because Yoori wanted Ignis help with his combat training. Yoori: But this was really unexpected. I didnt think you would really help me train this early in the morning. Igni: Its a request from a friend. Of course Ill keep my end of the bargain. Yoori: .....friend. Yeah, I guess youre right! Because we are friends now. Yoori says this and his cheeks redden. Igni: (Why is it always like this?) As they walk down an emptier path than usual, they arrive at the school and head straight to the practice field. The Rolmod Wizard Academy operates 24/7, and a faculty or someone is always at the school doing spell training, research, and development actively all year-round. Of course, research too. Because of that, the practice fields for battles and spells are open to the students 24/7, and those who put in the time continuously develop their skills without hindrances. Yoori: Igni, go easy on me. Igni: Of course. Yoori is not a combat Wizard. Igni: But Yoori, is this really okay? Fighting me and all? Yoori: Um yeah. Im a support-type Wizard, but I do need to be able to fight if the situation comes up. Igni: Thats a good mentality to have. Yoori: Oh, th-thanks. Igni: (So why do you blush..?!) Yoori: Here I come, Igni. Igni: Bring it. A black mist surrounds Yoori and wraps around his body. Yoori: UAAAGGGHH! Yoori kicks the ground hard. DON! (*sfx) The dirt beneath Yooris feet explode backwards as he approaches Igni with incredible speed, but Igni takes two steps to the right to dodge. Yoori: Its not over! Yoori kicks the ground beneath again to forcefully change his direction. Yoori again springs toward Igni. Yoori: UWAAAAHHH!! Yoori is coming towards Igni swinging his fists wildly, but Igni dodges again and jumps into the air. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] He pours magic into the [FIREBALL] he created. Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE] DON!!! (*sfx) The [FIREBALL] explodes in a way to push Yoori off to the side. When the wind from the impact calms down., all the black mist that was surrounding Yoori is gone. Yoori: Ughhhhh.I surrender Igni was going easy, but the match ended just as quickly. Igni: ...I dont think close range combat is your thing. Yoori: Do you think so too, Igni? Igni: .....I hate to say this, but...your fundamentals are too lacking at this point. Yoori: Oh.yeah, I know. Yoori is a [DARK] type Wizard. Out of all the Wizards, the [DARK] type spells have not been systematically categorized and organized, so in general, people are only aware of [SHADOW BALL] and [SHADOW LANCE] as the only spells for [DARK] Wizards. For [DARK] Wizards, they must come up with their own spells from scratch. Among that, what Yoori is good at is to make and use this black mist for support type spells. He can block the enemys view, he can wrap it around his body to increase his physical strength, he can use it to stop bleeding, and it has a lot of uses for it in general, but because of that, it also lacks in power and strength. Yoori: I wish I could make a [SHADOW BALL] the same way you make your [FIREBALL], Igni. And just to try it out, Igni explained to Yoori how Igni creates his [FIREBALL] in very detailed terms, but when Yoori tried it, he completely and had to give up. Igni: Yoori, instead of trying to figure out something new every time, you should think about how to use what you already have to its fullest potential. Yoori: ....thanks, Igni. Igni: For exampleyeah. If you put a [SHADOW BALL] right behind a [SHADOW LANCE] and put them together and fire off the spell. Yoori: O-okay? Igni: And if you make the [SHADOW BALL] explode, the [SHADOW LANCE] will suddenly accelerate right before it hits the enemy. Yoori: .....!! Wait, thats!! Igni: Thats the spell I used when I broke the Target. If you use this, even if you can use only one spell, you can increase the potency and power of that one spell. As soon as Igni was done speaking, the gates of the practice field flung open with a BANG! The spell that broke the Target?! Igni: E..ERUMI?! Erumi: Igni! Please! Just once! Just once more! And because of the super-masochists entrance, Yooris training was postponed. Chapter 21: Practice and the Wizard Alicia: You want to do a practice fight for the Tournament? Igni: Yeah, I thought you would be great to practice with, Alicia. After classes were over, Igni invited Alicia. Secret to Popularity Rule No. 13 -- When you need help, ask for help properly. Alicia: Why not ask the Student Council members for help? Igni: The 3rd Years are all very busy. Alicia: Oh, I see. The 3rd Years are out and about completing quests and missions, but this was something Igni couldnt share, so he kept the details vague. Iris: Ssir Igni! What about me?! Igni: Of course, Iris too. I would love to fight with an [EARTH] : [S] genius. Iris: Yyes!! Its the first time Sir Igni needed me.!! Iris shouts something incredibly heavy and depressing but is jumping up and down for joy. Igni was used to this, and it would be no use trying to talk to her about it, so he ignored it altogether. Erumi: Igni, Ill help too. Igni: No, Erumi. Erumi: But...why? Igni: Because with you.. It wont be practice. Igni strains a smile across his face to kindly refuse Erumi who just suddenly appeared in the classroom. The Secret to Popularity laws are all ingrained in Ignis genes. So the fact that he was able to refuse Erumi like this showed a small crack, a small deviation to who he is. Edward: H--hey! Why dont I help too? Igni: Oh, no Edward He was about to say, There just wouldnt be enough time today but before he could say those words. Edward: HMPH! FINE! I thought so! He got his two splunkies and ran out the classroom. Hes always so energetic. Yoori: Then Ill just watch from the sidelines. Yoori, who is not a combat type, smiled as he said this. So, lets move to the Practice Field. The first fight will be between Alicia and Igni. Alicia: Im a little surprised that a Wizard of your level still wants to practice. Alicia said this as she got on her broom. Igni: Yeah, I dont have much experience fighting people. This was a lie. BUT to be frank, his opponent was the Ultimate Light Lucas. For Igni, this would be a precious opportunity to see how far his abilities have come between him and the people around him. Between Lucas and the Tournament Participants, there was a bottomless void that separated how far apart their strengths were. Thats why if Igni doesnt properly understand the difference between himself and someone who is not an Extreme, he may misjudge and accidentally kill them. Yoori: Let the fight...BEGIN!! With Yooris shout, Alicia jumps up into the air. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE - SHOTGUN SHOT]!! Igni chants his incantation. The [FIREBALL] he created splits several times. In one breath, it splits into several hundred smaller segments. Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]! DODON!! (*sfx) With Ignis shout, several hundred [FIREBALL]s launch into the air! They come heading straight for Alicia. Alicia: [Be Blown by Wind - Victomb!] GOU!! (*sfx wind) Suddenly, wind erupts below Alicia, and Ignis [FIREBALL]s get caught up and carried off. And Alicias skirt also flaps wildly. Igni: (.....I can s---...I can almost se!!) And Igni will always be Igni even in times like these. Actually, nevermind. Hes always like this. Alicia: Igni, is that all you got?! Alicia looks down after all the [FIREBALL]s are caught by her wind but Alicia: Wwait! Hes gone! Igni: Behind you. Alicia: Huh?! Oh no!! Igni rode of his [FIREBALL] and transported himself in the air, and Igni placed one hand on Alicias shoulder. Igni: [IMPACT - FIRE]! The [FIREBALL] in his palm explodes but only towards Alicia and blows Alicia away! DON!! (*sfx) With the loud sound, Alicia is blown off her broom. Alicia: [TO ME, WIND! - VENTOS]!! Alicia regains her balance in midair and uprights herself, and then Alicia: [WIND - LANCE]!! She fires a lance made of wind towards Igni! Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]! Igni hits it with a [FIREBALL] and nullifies it! Igni follows up with two more shots. Alicia: Regular [FIREBALL]s wont work on me!! And Alicia gets ready to cast her next spell but Igni: [ERUPT - FIRE]!! The two [FIREBALL]s explode in midair! Flame and smoke completely block everyones sight!! At that moment, Igni ignites and explodes a [FIREBALL] beneath his feet. In a flash, he covers the distance between him and Alicia. Igni: ......its over. Igni gently places a finger on Alicias forehead. If he were to use a spell in this position, Alicia would definitely become incapacitated. Yoori: The match is over! Yoori delivers the decision a moment too late. Alicia: Wow, I would expect nothing less from you. But you still went easy on me, didnt you? Igni: Of course not. Alicia: I dont care about your excuses. If you defeated the 1st Year Rep in an instant, theres no way you couldnt defeat me in an instant. Igni: .....okay, I went easy a little bit. Alicia: I knew it. You said you needed experience going against people, but it was actually learning how much you had to go easier against people, huh? Igni: ....yea 90% lies. 10% truth. Yes, this man... Its true that he does lack sufficient experience against other human beings, and he did want to practice, but that was only 10% of his reasons. What is the other 90%? Igni: (.....I just want.to touch girls..!) Any boys going through puberty would start carrying around this desire, so Igni had to think of a way to fulfill it. And using his lacking brain cells, he came to one desperate, final conclusion.!! Igni: (....I...touched her!!) For a man who is aspiring to become popular, he is really setting himself some extreme low bars, but recently, the only chance Igni got to touch other female students were during the combat training with the Council Members, and this was all with Miss Miko. Miss Miko is a great person, so Igni would love to ask her to practice more, but she has been booked with missions. Being unable to release some of the tension and stress of touching girls, Igni decided to invite his classmates for practice fights. Igni himself believes that he is reaching new heights, and it will take some before he realizes how incredibly creepy his motives are. Iris: Nnext is me! Sir Igni! Igni: Thank you, Iris. Erumi: Wait! Let me just get hit once.? Igni: NO.! Igni is barely able to hold back Erumi who suddenly appeared out of nowhere with a command to stay. Erumi: H--hes intentionally. Ignoring me!! If shes this happy about being left alone, Igni begins to think that this may be the best way to deal with her going forward. So, Igni begins his practice fight with Iris. Igni began to think really hard about how he could touch Iris without it being creepy. And did not realize how creepy this thought was in the first place. Yoori: Miss Alicia, you come from a nobles family, right? Yoori thinks Igni will win anyways, so stopped refereeing. And Alicia just fought and wont get a chance to fight again so she is bored too. And so Yoori decided that this would be a perfect time to catch up. Alicia: Why did you think so? Yoori: Your clothes were.really fancy and pretty. Alicia: Yup. Youre right. Its no use hiding it, but yes, I come from a nobles family that is pretty high up there. Yoori: And Im sorry to ask this, and you dont have to answer if you dont want to, but why do you go by Alicia in the school? Alicia. In the school roster, she her family name. Alicia: Thats a secret. Ill tell you when the time comes. Yoori: Okay, got it. And their conversation ended. Because thats what it means to be friends. DOOOOOOOON!! (*sfx) And with a large explosion, the match ends. Iris: Oh no! Wait! Sir Igni!! Please wait a moment! Please! I practiced this one spell just for today!! Please dont let the match end here?! Igni: Ummm.. But.we already ended the match. Here, show me your spell, and well call it a day. Iris: Here I go!! [THE LOVE NEST - LOVE HOUSE]!!! Iris finishes her incantation, and the ground around the two swirl together like snakes and wrap the two together. Iris: Now well be together forever! Her eyes are ?s, and Iris is glued to Igni. Plus her breathing is really heavy and irregular. Igni: (.............wait...am I..am I being popular.?) <<<<>>>> [GRANDPA! GRANDPA!] [OYE, what is it, Igni] [I want to become super popular like you, Grandpa! I want girls to tell me that they like me even if I dont do anything!] SLAP!! [DONT BE RIDICULOUS!] Grandpas shout stings and slices through the air. [Wh----whaaaaa.?!] [Dont be so naive!! Why are you learning how to be popular?! For what end do you seek to polish your popularity skills?!?!] [Th--thats..] [Popularity! Wizardry! They are all the same! There is a height that only those who have sharpened their skills to the heavens can achieve! Dont be spoiled! Dont let your guard down! Heaven and Hell are just the different sides of the same coin!!! Igni then realized something. [I---Im sorry, grandpa! I was wrong!!] [Its okay, Igni. Im glad you understand. Im glad.] <<<<>>>> Grandpa! I finally arrived.!! I arrived in Heaven!! This was it!! This is Heaven!! This was Heaven all along.!! 2 years... of miserable training.!! Some days seemed to never end.!! But it was all for this day.!! And just when Ignis spirit was about to reach its pinnacle Alicia: [WIND - BLAST] Alicia destroyed Iris spell. Alicia: What.are you guys doing? Alicia looked creeped out. And not a single person there knew how Igni hit rock bottom to the point of dying of embarrassment that day. Chapter 22: The Tournament and the Wizard! Yoori: IGNI!! Y-YOURE GOING TO BE LATE!! Igni: Please....5....more...minutes Igni rolled over to the other side of his bed. YoorI: Igni! If you dont get up now, itll be too late.! It-its today! TODAY, IGNI!! Igni: Today.Im not.having nightmares.! Igni is currently being surrounded by the ladies and having a lovely time. Yoori: Im telling you! The Tournament is about to begin!!! Igni: ......!! PAAAAAAAAN!! (*sfx loud slap like sound) Igni threw off his blanket with unbelievable speed, and jumped out of bed. He dived straight into his uniform with fluidity and ease of one who has done this one too many times. Once he changes clothes, he holds out his hand for Yoori to grab. Igni: Were going to fly! Yoori: F-FLY?! Yoori didnt understand what was going on, but he grabbed Ignis hand anyway. Yoori: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!! Igni lands as Yoori continues to scream. ZUZAZAZAZA.!! (*sfx feet dragging hard on the ground) Ignis feet dig deep into the dirt as they decelerate and arrive at the Gladiators Colosseum. Alicia: Youre late! Where have you been?! Iris: Sir Igni, theyre about to begin! Yoori: Hhe was sleeping in like usual! Alicia and Iris were waiting for Igni at the Gladiators Colosseums entrance. The one who answered them was Yoori who was still recovering from the sudden acceleration and stop. He looks exhausted already. Elenoir: Oh Igni~~~ thank goodness you made it in time~~~ Igni: Ms. Elenoir, you came too? There, Igni also saw Ms. Elenoir, the teacher. Elenoir: Of course~~~ you were recommended by me~~~ the person who made the recommendation should be here too, dont you think? Igni: Ohh, that makes sense. The Tournament has two types of participants. The previous Champion of the tournament, or someone who has been recommended by someone with comparable accomplishments. Or someone from the public participants list who fought and climbed their way up with their own strength. . Elenoir: Right now, theyre still doing qualifying rounds~~~ Igni: Qualifying Rounds? Elenoir: Yes~~~ theres so many people from the public who want to participate, so they narrow it down to 25 participants~~~ Igni: Its the first time Ive heard that. Elenoir: I explained it to you during the friendly meet up~~~ Shes referring to the meet up of all 4 Rolmod Wizard Academy participants gathering together one more time after their initial meeting. And at the time, Igni was desperately calming and comforting Miss Frenda so she wouldnt run away again. Elenoir: Theres only 7 who were recommended this year. Thats a very small number~~~ Igni: When will the Recommended Participants fight? Elenoir: Once the Qualifying Rounds are done, theyll make the Tournament brackets and youll know~~~ Ms. Elenoir smiled as she told Igni. Hey, its Igni! Igni hears a familiar voice. Igni: Oh, hey Edward! Edward cuts through the Gladiators Colosseum crowds and comes towards Igni. Edward: Hmph, youre here to watch the Qualifying Rounds? You have too much time on your hands. Edward seems to spit these words out with some contempt. Hey, Igni! Sir Edward came all the way out here to root for you so dont you dare embarrass us! Sir Edwards been nervous for you since yesterday! You better not lose, Igni! Edward: H-HEY! STOP BLABBERING ABOUT!! Igni: Thanks, Edward. Edward: Hmph! Having his classmates root for him leaves Igni with a satisfied feeling. Elenoir: If thats all your questions~~~ lets go watch the qualifying rounds~~~ Ms. Elenoir apparently finished registering, and Igni and his friends headed inside the Gladiators Colosseum. YEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH Just walking into the crowd, they were instantly surrounded by loud cheers. Yes! You got him now! Right there!! KILLLLLLLL HIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMM Use your spell! Thats right! You got her now!! The crowds jeer and yell at the participants. Before them was a , circular ground surrounded by a . Igni: Water? Elenoir: Thats right~~~. In this Tournament, you lose if youre incapacitated or fall into the water~~~ Ms. Elenoir continues to move forward through the crowd as she explains this. Elenoir: Because I recommended you, we get VIP seats~~~ And Ms. Elenoir guides the students very near the very front seats. Elenoir: You can see better from here, right~~~ Ms. Elenoir gives a satisfying glance at the students. But before Igni could answer, one of the participants catch his eyes. Igni: (Th--thats.?!) Igni drew in a sudden breath as he could not believe what he just saw. B B BIKINI ARMOR?!?!? <<<<>>>> [Grandpa! Whoever thought of this armor must be an airhead!!] This happened on the day when they went back briefly to town to buy Igni new clothes. In the Armor Shop, Igni points at a Bikini Armor display and tells Lucas. [Oye Igni. You really are an idiot.] [Wh-what do you mean an idiot?! Even if its you, theres things you shouldnt say, Grandpa!] [*sigh] [Wh-what are you sighing about.?! And.and! Look! Whats the point of that armor?! Youll easily get hurt with all your vitals showing.!! Its dangerous!!] [You stupid kid!!] [.........?!] [Igni! You are still just a child..!! Just an ignorant child who cannot see the truth of the matter.!!] [G--grandpa?!] [You.... you said that Specialized Unique Spell - Spell One was awesome, did you not.?!] [Y--yeah, I did say that. [BUT!! Think about it carefully.! How can a Wizard who can only use one spell be better than anyone else..?! [........?!] Igni trembles with realization. [....th-theyre not better than anyone else.!!] [But what is cool is what..?!] [Th--the ULTIMATE Specialized Unique Spell - Spell One.....!!] [Do you understand now, Igni.? This.this is the *ultimate ideals of a man*ROMAN!!] [ROMAN..?! G--GRANDPA!! GRANDPA!! Will I one day understand the meaning of this armor?!] [Do not fret. Youll come to understand sooner than later. Lets go home.] <<<<>>>> Igni: (.........I UNDERSTAND!!) Igni: (I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING..!!) Igni: (Now I get it, Grandpa!! I understand.!!) It doesnt matter if the defense is non-existent!! But its because you have no defense that it will force you to dodge.!! By throwing your defense away, you gain more offensive power.!! And the ultimate weapon..!! Those two large weapons that are so pronounced on your chest..!! Igni: (I.I cant win..!!) Igni: (As long as Im a man, I..definitely cannot win against that!!) Igni: (Ill...lose..!!) This..!! This is the power of ROMAN..!!! Yoori: Hmm? HUH?! Igni?! Did you already find someone amazing in there?! Yoori questions Igni, but the words do not reach Ignis ears. Yoori: ....amazing...hes already so focused on the fight. Iris: Of course! Were talking about Sir Igni! Edward: His concentration is incredible as always. Yoori, Iris, and Edward all gaze admiringly at Igni. Alicia: Guys..follow his gaze and look where hes looking.. But to Alicia, its apparent to her what Ignis eyes are locked on. BUT Igni: (WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF ONE PERSON FINDS OUT!!!) Igni allowed his natural instincts to be swallowed up by his desires. Igni: (Please.dont lose! Miss Athlete whom I dont even know your name!!) The woman wearing the bikini armor swung her sword and continued to defeat the enemies around her. In general, women are more adept at spells than men. As a women, she could have entered the Tournament as a Wizard, but she didnt. Igni: (I want to know what drove her to make that decision..!) In his heart of hearts, Igni was standing straight up and saluting with the highest respect to the woman in the bikini armor. Igni: (And if fate allows.let us meet in battle.!!) And his mind was dumped, sealed, and shaken in an iron barrel brimming full of desire. But Igni: N-NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! The woman in the bikini armor was blasted by a spell and was thrown into the air. Igni: .......no And as Ignis voice failed, there was a SPLASH, and she hit the water outside the ring. She lost. Igni: ..................... Yoori: His face got so serious just now?! Whats going on?! Iris: Sir Igni! Is there someone THAT dangerous participating?! Edward: H-Hey, Igni! Will you be okay?! Igni: (......I wanted to be the one to push her off the field) Igni is Igni as usual. ********************** CHONKY NOTES ********************** *Ultimate Ideals -- *Roman (like romance - not like the Roman Empire) (ޥ) () -- This one is especially difficult to translate because its not a real word per se. The Kanji (chinese characters) speaks of a man in the wild west. The lone cowboy. The wanderer of the desert. Now think of the lone samurai, the ronin, wandering through the lands. They are journeying through these harsh lands seeking out something that cannot be put into words. In a sense, they may be seeking an unachievable ideal, dream, aspiration, or goal. Though its unachievable, the journey to seek it out still draws them to their quest. Hence, there is some quality there that resonates with us. Yes, there is a masculine context to the word, and it could apply almost to anything. When you say something that is lacking in dreams, you can say you have no ROMAN or if you are aspiring for something greater, you say you have ROMAN. Chapter 23: The First Match and the Wizard Chapter 23: The First Match and the Wizard Elenoir: igni~~~ its time~~~ Ms. Elenoir takes Ignis hand as they stand up. Igni: (Its so soft.!!) An overwhelming sense of joy overcomes him as his face crumples into a smile. Elenoir: Alrighty~~~ Im taking Igni to the participants waiting area, so everyone please wait for me here~~~ Alicia: Igni, do your best, got it?! Iris: Sir Igni! Ill be rooting for you right here! Alicia and Iris give Igni their encouragement. Yoori: Igni! Ill be right here rooting for you too! Edward: Igni, you represent all of Class D so dont you dare lose! Igni: I know. And he welcomes the encouragement from his male classmates. Elenoir: Alright, then lets go. Allowing Ms. Elenoir to guide him, Igni proceeds forward. Elenoir: Ill be honest. When I first saw your Compatibility Report, I was quite shocked~~~ Igni: It is a [FIRE] : [F] Now, Igni was able to admit it without any reservation, worry, or concern. Elenoir: But more than that, I thought, Wow, he must have worked really hard~~~. I was the same way. Igni: [LIFE] : [B]..... The first Wizard below A-Rank to have ever won the Tournament. Elenoir: Oh~~~ Igni, were you curious about my background? Im so happy~~~ Battle Strength Analysis - the ability to decipher each others difference in strengths was a skill necessary to survive. The higher level the Wizard was, the more they performed this as naturally as they breathe. Igni: After that incident with Ellis, I wanted to.know more about you. Elenoir: Oh my, thats so embarrassing~~~ Igni: Elenoir The Puppeteer. You are the record holder for the shortest Finals fight ever, am I correct? Elenoir: Hehe. Yes, youre right~~~ but thats because no one took me seriously~~~ Igni: .....then Ill have to beat that record. Secret to Popularity No. 3 --- Women love men who stand out. If Igni doesnt stand out in this Tournament, then when will he ever be able to..!! Elenoir: Im looking forward to it~~~ They arrive at the waiting room. Since the beginning of the Tournament, every participant has their own private room to prevent any fights from breaking out. Igni enters the room that was made just for him, and sits down. Elenoir: For me~~~ I only have compatibility with [LIFE] magic but~~~ I only have one spell that I can use for combat~~~ Igni: You mean those spores? Elenoir: Yup~~~ Igni, arent you the same? Igni: Yes, mine is [FIREBALL]. The most basic of all basic spells. It is so basic that a Wizard without any compatibility to [FIRE] can cast this spell. Elenoir: So thats why~~~ I think you and I are very similar~~~ Igni: Youre right. We are similar... Responding to Ms. Elenoir without much thought, Igni realized something. Igni: (.........Secret to Popularity No. 11!!) --- Find things in common with a woman. Igni: (If Ms. Elenoir is the one saying this, then..!) Igni has heard that women like people that are the same as them. Igni: (I won!!!!) Out of all the participants attending the Tournament, Igni was the first to be certain of his victory. As long as he can become popular, the Tournament doesnt matter. Elenoir: Yup. And~~~ I actually have my hopes in you~~~ Igni: ....hope? Igni: (Wait...wheres this conversation going?) Igni thought Ms. Elenoir was just about to confess her undying love to him, but the conversation suddenly derailed off-course, and he seriously tilted his head in confusion. Elenoir: Yes, even without talent~~~ you can still do anything. Im hoping that you will teach everyone in the Kingdom that~~~ Igni: Leave it to me. Igni nods deeply in agreement. Igni: I will definitely measure up to your expectations! Secret to Popularity No. 10 --- Always exceed every expectation. Igni: I will win no matter who I go against!! Elenoir: Ill be rooting for you~~~ Ms. Elenoir smiled warmly at Igni. <<<<>>>> Will the A-Block Participant please report to Gate C. I repeat A voice using a [WIND] spell carries through the air. Igni: Ms. Elenoir, Ill be going now! Elenoir: Do your best~~~ With Ms. Elenoir cheering for him, Igni heads to the gate. Before him at the starting line stood a handsome man. He had a large sword on his back and was probably an adventurer. He was well built, and he had chiseled, deep features on his face that only enunciated his handsomeness. Igni: (..........hes really good looking.) A small spark ignites within Igni. The first match in Block A will be contestant Igni versus contestant Dovan! Both contestants please take your position!! Igni: ........!! Igni instinctively turned around in response to a beautiful womans voice, and sure enough in the announcers booth was an EXTREMELY cute girl. OOOHHH!! Whats going on?! Contestant Igni is looking this way!! Is it because Im so cute?! Igni wanted to shout YES!! but Secret of Popularity No. 4 -- Women love a mysterious man takes over his brain, and Igni refrains. Igni: (That was too close. I almost became an unpopular guy.) Igni puts a hand over his chest and lets out a sigh of relief. <<<<>>>> Iris: I wonder why Igni suddenly looked towards the announcers booth?! Amongst the crowd, Ignis classmates were confused at Ignis sudden actions. Yoori: Was he about to pick a fight.? Edward: O-or he was about to declare his victory.? Alicia: Okay, seriously you guys. Do you really not see what hes doing.? Being the only one to realize what is happening, Alicia lets out a huge sigh of disappointment and lets it go. <<<<>>>> Let the match begin!! A cute voice rings throughout the Gladiators Colosseum. Dovan: Youre so young. Are you a student? And even though the match just started, the contestant Dovan began talking to Igni. Although the cheers and jeerings of the crowd made it difficult to hear what anything was said, Ignis hearing caught every word without fail. Igni: Yeah, Im a 1st Year at Rolmod Wizard Academy. Dovan: Im envious of...talented people like you!! Dovan suddenly dashed forward! Igni: Talent...huh Igni creates one [FIREBALL]. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE : MAX GIANT SIZE]!!!! And he creates a size [FIREBALL]. He increased the size of the [FIREBALL] by pouring more magic into it. Dovan: Wh----! How is this fair?! The [FIREBALL] covered the entire field and with nowhere to run, Dovan was slowly being cornered to the edge as he retreated. THATS AMAZING!!! IVE NEVER SEEN A [FIREBALL] LIKE THAT!! WHAT KIND OF MAGIC CAPACITY DOES THAT GUY HAVE?!?! Thats way too big. The cheers that rose from the crowd perked Ignis ears. Igni: .......Dovan...I do understand your feelings. Dovan: Wh-what are you saying all of a sudden! You obviously have PLENTY of talent!!! Igni: .......being born with a handsome face..being born handsome..its so unfair... Dovan: HUH?!?! What are you TALKING about?! Igni: .....I get it. I totally understand no matter how hard you work, you cant beat that handsome face they were born with!! Dovan: Wait! Hold on!! HEY!! ITS TOO BIG!! Youre [FIREBALL] is too big!! HOT!! HO-H-H-HOT?!?! WAIT?!?! Do you plan on casting THAT?!?! It wont just leave me with a burn!!! Igni: CURSE YOUR HANDSOME FAAAAAAAAAAAACEEEEEEE!!! Dovan: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Dovan dove straight into the water himself. ROUND 1 WINNER IS CONTESTANT IGNI!!!!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH In the midst of the cheers, Igni felt a stronger sense of accomplishment than ever before. Chapter 24: The Upperclassman and the Wizard Igni won the 2nd and 3rd round without any problems, and now came the semi-finals. Okay everyone~! The moment youve been waiting for~!! Block A Semi-Finals will be fought between these 2 contestants! Igni walks out through the gate. Using only the most basic spell [FIREBALL], he has climbed all the way up till now, contestant IGNI~!!! And from the otherwise, a familiar face appears. And going against him will be another contestant who has climbed up the ranks with no problems! Contestant Frenda~!!! No one could keep up with her tricky spells, and she has won every match unscathed!!!! Its Miss Frenda from Rolmod Wizard Academy. Igni: Miss Frenda, congratulations on winning your matches. Frenda: Of coursez. Im not going to lose to youz, Igni!! Igni: I have no intention of losing either. I cant be popular if I lose. I can be popular if I win. Was it always this simple? No, and it probably wont stay so simple in the future. The two attend the same renown, elite Wizard education institution!! Currently both students at the Rolmod Wizard Academy!! And it is no coincidence that in Block B, the Dawn of Light Fray and the Warped Erumi are also from Rolmod!! All these contestants from Rolmod are tearing up this Tournament!! The Golden Age Generation holds up to its name~~!!! The super cute announcer girl lets Igni know the situation of Block B. Igni: (......I see. So Fray is moving up the Tournament ladder as well.) Frenda: No hard feelings no matter who winz! Here I come, Igni!! Igni: Yes, Ill also give it my all, Miss Frenda. Igni and Frenda both get into their battle stance. MATCH!! BEGIN!!! The referee signals the beginning of the match!! Frenda: Igni! I havent told you my compatibility yet, havez I?! Igni and Frenda both begin concentrating their magic into their palms. Frenda: My compatibility is [WATER] : [A]! Youre absolute worst enemyz! Igni: [WATER]....?! Frenda: Here I comez! [WATER BLAST]!! Frenda fires a mid-tier spell to see how Igni would react. A spout of water gushes from Frenda and hurdles towards Igni! Igni: Too bad you cant hit me, Miss Frenda!! But Igni easily dodges the attack. Frenda: I thought you would dodge itz, Igni!! But Frenda smiled as Igni evaded her spell. Frenda: Got you!! [WATER is AQUA ? Wrap Around COIL]!! The next moment, the water began circling around, and like a drill stabs Igni in the chest!! Frenda: I just have to push you out now! Its over!! As soon as Frenda finishes her sentence BASHUUUUUUUU!! (*sfx water hissing from high temperature) A high amount of steam and heat explodes. Frenda: Wh--what just happenedz?! Igni: Miss Frenda, you didnt have enough z!!! Igni picks up Frendas habit of speech as he yells. And thats when Frenda caught a glimpse of what happened. Between Igni and her rush of water, a small [FIREBALL] stood in between! Frenda: WH----?! Youre telling me that you stopped my spell with that dinky little [FIREBALL]z?!?! IgnI: Yes I did!! Igni lets the [FIREBALL] explode and gets rid of the rest of the water and starts running. Frenda: .....ergh!! [WATER ? BULLET]!! Frenda fires off her spell towards Igni who is running towards her. Igni: RETURN FIRE - FIRE]!! As soon as Frendas spell touches Ignis, another explosion of steam fills the air! The two are caught in the blast of steam and mist as it fills the space between them. Frenda: N--no!! I cant believe I lost to Ignis [FIREBALL]!! Igni: Its not just a normal [FIREBALL]!! [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] Igni concentrates his magic in his [FIREBALL]. The red flames changes to a blue shade. Frenda: Not good...!! [WATER ? WALL]!! Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!! Ignis [FIREBALL] rips through Frendas defensive spell, and pushes her back!! Igni: Its not over yet! Frenda: No, this is the endz!! As Frenda finishes saying this, an incredible amount of magic power begins swirling around. Frenda: [Flooding River ? AQUA TORNADO]!! And a giant appears onto the field. GARI-GARI-GARI!! (*sfx sound stone grinding) It lands onto the field and stands between Igni and Frenda!! Igni: An Epic-Scale Spell?! Frenda: Yesz! Im sorry, Igni, but Ill have you blown away!! An Epic-Scale Wizard Spell. As the word implies, it is a spell of proportions. A spell powerful enough to wipe out one entire city. Igni: .....Im impressed Miss Frenda! Theres only a handful of Wizards who can perform an Epic-Scale Spell!! Frenda: Haha!! Are you impressed now, Igni?! Igni: Ive always been impressed with you!! Frenda: Hehehe, could you say that againz?! Igni: Ill say it as many times as you like! I think youre amazing!! Frenda: Hehehehe An uncontrollable smile spreads across Miss Frenda. Igni: (So cute) Igni: But. BUT I CANT LOSE!! Frenda: Come at me, Igni!! Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE : ANTI-ARMOR PIERCE] Igni creates a [FIREBALL]. And he it. GYURURURURURU!! (*sfx high rotation sound) A high pitch squeal pierces the air as the [FIREBALL] . Igni: Here I go, Miss Frenda! Frenda: Ready whenever you arez!! Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!! Igni releases his [FIREBALL]. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNN!!! (*sfx explosion) Spinning at the speed of light, the [FIREBALL] collides with the tornado!! And with its spinning, it rips a large hole into the tornado. Frenda: Amazingz! But I can easily fix a hole that sizez! .wait, huh? Wherez Igni?!?! But beyond the gaping hole of the tornado, Frenda could not find Igni and tilts her head in bewilderment. Igni: Behind youz! Igni places a hand on Frendas back. Igni: [DETONATE - FIRE]!!! DON!! (*sfx) Igni sends the explosion only towards Frendas body and sends her flying!! Frenda: I didnt think you would suddenly appear behind meeeeeeeez!!! SPLASH!! Frenda hits the water. AND ITS OVERRRRR!!! BLOCK A Winner is contestant Igni!!! -----YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! The crowd goes wild with Ignis victory. And it whats this?! Block Bs match is also over!! The announcers voice echoes through the Colosseum. Block Bs Final contestant is of course THIS MAN!! Igni listens to the distant announcers message. THE MAN AWAKENED WITH THE UPPER TIER MAGIC ELEMENT - THE [ULTIMATE LIGHT]!! THE UNDEFEATED!! THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR!! -----deep breath. FRAY TALCOYZ---------------------------!!!!!!!! --------YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! The two shall once more, meet again. Chapter 25: The Younger Brother and the Wizard (1) LADIES AND GENTLEMEN~! ITS FINALLY TIMEEEEEEE!!!! Fray stands before Igni. He is a talent that is only born every 100 years!! Awakened with the [ULTIMATE LIGHT] Magic type!! His compatibility is a jaw-dropping [SS]!! He is the next EXTREME candidate.. FRAY!! TALCOYZ~~~~!!!!!!! PLEASE WIN, FRAY!!!! (female) YOU CAN DO IT, FRAY!! (female) FRAY, PLEASE TURN THIS WAY!!! (female) And his beautiful face attracts many women followers!! And standing across from him is this man!!!! Igni: (.........FRAYFRAY IS SUPER POPULAR..!!) Igni felt himself shrivel up even before the fight began. He has only used [FIREBALL] up until now!! His [FIRE] compatibility is an unbelievable [F]!!! With just one spell, he has climbed his way up to victory!! THE DARK HORSE!! THE ONLY -- IGNIIIIIIIIIIIII~~~~~~!!!!!!!! YOU CAN DO IT, IGNI~~~!!! (male) YOURE OUR HOPE, IGNI!! (male) SHOW THEM THAT YOU CAN WIN EVEN WITHOUT ANY MAGIC COMPATIBILITY!!! (male) BEAT AND REARRANGE THAT HANDSOME FACE OF HIS, IGNI!! (male) Igni hears the men cheer for him. Igni: (..........No, I just have to win.!! Then Ill be popular..!!) Ignis determination to win slowly hardens. It hardens into a solid diamond. Fray: Why is Igni, who can only use [FIREBALL], here? But with no knowledge of how Igni is feeling right now, Fray glares at Igni. Igni: Simple. Its because Im strong. Fray: HA!! STRONG?! A Compatibility [F] trash like you?! Igni: Yeah, Im a [F]. I can only use [FIREBALL] too. Fray: Well, I should consider myself lucky that its you, Igni. Now I can definitely beat Puppeteer Elenoirs shortest Finals Fight record. Igni: Nope. Im the one thats going to win. Fray: A WEAKLING WHO CAN ONLY USE [FIREBALL] TALKS REAL BIG!! Igni: Its because I can ONLY use [FIREBALL], thats why. The referee looks at both contestants. Igni: I my one and only spell. And Igni stated this fact plainly and clearly right in front of Fray. Fray: Mastered? MASTERED?!?! Frays expression darkens with rage. Fray: YOU!! THERE IS NO WAY YOU OF ALL PEOPLE CAN MASTER A SPELL!! Let the fight, BEGIN!!!!! With Frays angry retort, the match begins!! Fray: [ULTIMATE LIGHT SWORD AURORA ? JINN]!!!!! A bright light flashes in Frays hand as he completes his incantation!! The next moment, the foundation of where the audience was sitting, behind Igni splits in two!! Contestant Fray opens with a big move!!! Igni: You missed!! But Igni already evaded Frays spell. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] Igni concentrates his magic and Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!!! Fray: [ULTIMATE SCATTERING LIGHT ARRAY AURORA ? PRISM] A bright occurs and light scatters Ignis [FIREBALL] until it disappears. Igni: Magic scattering! A high level magic defense technique! Fray: Of course! Im a Wizard genius!! As he runs around the field, Igni fires off multiple [FIREBALL]s!! Fray: You think that will work?! [ULTIMATE LIGHT AURORA ? JINN]!!!! DON!! (*sfx heavy impact) And behind Igni a large sound occurs. Fray: ....HOW?! HOW ARE YOU IT?! Frays spells wont even brush Igni. Igni: Youre too obvious. [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] Fray: ...........!! [ULTIMATE LIGHT BROADSWORD AURORA ? BLADE]!!!! VUNN!! (*sfx air) After the spell passes by, a sound of air vibrating hums for a second. And the spell misses Igni, yet again. Igni: [ROTATE - SPIN]!! Fray: [ULTIMATE SCATTERING LIGHT ARRAY AURORA ? PRISM]!!! Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE] The [FIREBALL] leaves ignis hands and flies forward. The [FIREBALL] follows a wide curve avoiding the magic scattering defensive spell, and makes contact with Fray.!! ZUDON!! (*sfx heavy impact) An explosion of flames pushes Frays body back! Fray: ARGH?!?! [ULTIMATE LIGHT BEAM ? LAZER]!! WHOOSH!! The light beam penetrates the flames and pursues Igni. But it misses, again. Fray: WHY?!?! WHY CANT I HIT HIM?!?!?! Fray cries out in frustration. Fray: My spells.! They fire at the !!! Fray sends a rapid fire of his spells. But Igni continues to evade every spell. In Ignis mind, he slowly remembers a certain event. <<<<>>>> [Do you know what the fastest thing in this universe is?] [Ummmm.WYVERNS!!] [No. Its light.] [Oh, really? I didnt know that.] [What kind of reaction is that? Im about to tell you something very important.] [What? About breasts?] [No. Wait... Igni, whats wrong with your head today?] [Grandpa, Im kidding.] [Well, if youre really joking....regardless, what Im about to teach you is necessary if you want to be the strongest. Listen well.] [What is it?] [It is how to fight with Wizards who use the fastest spells. In other words, how to fight [LIGHT] Wizards.] <<<<>>>> Igni is Frays magic power. There is nothing strange about this. If you are a Wizard, there may be differences in the degree in which you can do this, but all Wizards can sense magic. But what Igni was doing was a that Lucas taught him because he could use no other spells. Igni: HA! YOURE BEING TOO OBVIOUS!! I CAN SEE EVERYTHING, FRAY!! The way a spell activates is simple. Inside the body, magic power weaves together, and it solidifies around the body, and then activates. But with every spell, there exists a . Fray: HIT HIM! HIT HIM! HIT HIM HIT HIT HIM!! HIT HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM!!!! Fray continues to blast spells all around him. But Igni is weaving in between through all the blasts of light. Igni: Fray! Your spells are nothing compared to Grandpas!! A veteran Wizard will be able to shrink the time lag to almost nothing. The Extreme Wizards have all but nullified the time lag close to zero. And so, if an Extreme trained Igni ceaselessly for 2 years Fray: DONT **** WITH ME!! STOP GETTING IN MY WAY, IGNI!! Igni: Im not in your way. Frays spells are too childish. Fray: Im.IM GOING TO BECOME THE NEXT EXTREME!! Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] Igni finishes his incantation. Behind him < 1 ? 0 ? 2 ? 4 > [FIREBALLS] appear!!!!!! And all of it begins to change colors from red to white---------. Igni: [EXPLODE - FIRE] ZUDODODODODODODODODO!!!!!! (*sfx rapid machine gun like impact) A CATASTROPHIC noise erupts and pounds the ear drums!! The impact lifts the audience from their seats!!! Fray: ...............Im...going to..win! After all the [FIREBALL]s have exploded, Fray barely stood on his feet. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] Fray: IM GOING TO WIN!! Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE] Another explosion. But there is no sound of Fray hitting the water. Fray: [GLORIOUS FLARE OF LIGHT ? BURST] A rugged and worn out Fray is on one knee and glares at Igni. A light envelops Fray and begins to brighten. Fray: Igni!! Im serious now!! Igni: ......oh yeah? Igni lets out a deep, slow breath. Igni: Fray, Im going to beat you. ..with solemn promise, Igni declares his victory to Fray. Igni: Ive been fighting you seriously from the very beginning. Igni envisions his dream world spreading out before him. Igni: (ONLY ONE MORE STEP TO MY SUPER-POPULAR-WITH-THE-LADIES DAYS!!) No one still has discovered Ignis true nature. Chapter 26: The Little Brother and the Wizard (2) IGNI?! Is that really Igni..?! Im the audience, the head of the Talcoyz family, Aurelio Talcoyz sat in the audience with his eyes wide open. Aurelio: Impossible.!! How did he!!! Confusion overtakes him as he grabs one of the servant to demand answers. II dont know, sir!! Aurelio: Dont play me as a fool!! Wasnt that boys talent a [FIRE] : [F]?!?! The nobles are seated separately from the commoners. They are given a private room for viewing the tournament. It was set up this way to prevent nobles from clashing with each other, but mostly, its to help prevent any crimes from occurring to ensure their utmost safety. The security is tight to not allow any unauthorized visitors. Not talent. Its compatibility, you fool. Thats why the room fell silent. One man somehow entered the room unnoticed. He was wearing a hooded robe, and hid his face underneath his hood. Even if he has aged, his eyes still searched for his pray and pierced everyone in the room. Aurelio: ..........YOU!! Compatibility simply defines how much trouble youll have learning certain spells. It has nothing to do with talent. But, I guess you wouldnt know the difference. Aurelio: What are you doing here, Lucas?! Lucas: Call me father, Aurelio. The Extreme Light was in the room. Aurelio: HA!! Are you joking?! How could I possibly call you my father!! Aurelio screams at Lucas. Lucas: I just came to watch my grandson fight. Aurelio: Grandson...you say? Wait, the reason why Ignis here is because!! Lucas: I trained him. Lucas said this as if it was nothing. Aurelio: ......ha..HA HA HA HA!!! Have you gone senile, old man?! No matter how much you train a bottom dwelling [F] talent, you will only be left with an [F] trash! Fray will win this fight! Lucas: ....your short-sighted, simple-minded thinking hasnt changed at all Aurelio: .....what? Lucas: Igni will win this fight. And Lucas gave his son a wild smile. Lucas: Their is different from its very foundation. <<<<>>>> Fray: [ULTIMATE RIVER OF LIGHT - AURORA ? BURST]!!!! Igni twists his body and dodges Frays spell! Its obvious that Frays time lag decreased. Igni: Hes closer to my [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] speed. Igni mumbles as he talks to himself. [Glorious Light - FLARE BURST]. By 90% of the magic power inside your body beforehand, its a technique that increases your magic power and spell casting speed. But doing so also means Igni: Its like carrying around a bomb that can detonate at any moment, right Fray?! Fray: SHUT UP!! BE QUIET!! Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE : SHOTGUN SHOT]!! With one spell incantation, Igni creates one [FIREBALL] with countless [FIREBALL]s stuffed inside. Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!! BOOM!! The countless [FIREBALL]s spread out in a wide radius and explode in mid-air. Frays defensive shield [ULTIMATE SCATTERING LIGHT - AURORA ? PRISM] shatters!! Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] Fray: [ULTIMATE LIGHT SCATTER - AURORA ? SPREAD]!! The light beams pierce Ignis [FIREBALL] and explodes!! Fray: [Gravity Increase - GRAVITON]!! Igni hurriedly steps back. ZUDON!! (*sfx heavy impact) A moment later, a crater appears where he was just standing. ITS AN AMAZING SPELL VS SPELL FIGHT!! THiS IS THE FIGHT OF THE GOLDEN GENERATION~~!!!! FRAY! DONT LOSE!! (female) YOU CAN DO IT, FRAY!! (female) TAKE HIM DOWN, IGNI!! BEAT THAT PRETTY BOYS FACE TO A BLOODY PULP!! (male) WIIIIIINNNNN!!! IGNI!! (male) From the audience, the crowds wildly cheer on the two contestants. Fray: (Yes. I will. I WILL WIN!!) Fray: Igni! ITS OVER!! The moment Igni was about to cast a spell, the sky above is enveloped in the [ULTIMATE LIGHT] aurora. Igni: .....this is?! AN EPIC-SCALE SPELL!! Fray: My Wizard Name is the Dawn!! THE MORNING LIGHT OF DAWN!! Fray digs both feet into the ground and places a hand towards Igni as if to push him away. Fray: THIS IS SPELL!! Massive amounts of magic power begin concentrating inside Frays hand. Igni: Then I will have to show you something too. Igni stands right before Fray and his spell. ULTIMATE SECRET ART OF POPULARITY NO. 1 ------WOMEN LOVE STRONG MEN No matter what his motive is, Ignis strength is as real as it gets. Igni: Fray, why are you so intent on winning this tournament? Fray: I will become the next Extreme! Father will then accept me as a noble!!! Igni: ..........I see. Igni was a little taken back by meeting someone who is willingly trying to become a noble. Igni: And what will you do once youre a noble? Fray: Thats.THATS MY DREAM!! ILL CRUSH YOU, YOU PIECE OF TRASH!! Igni: HA! Lets see you try! Ill break through your spell from right here!!! Fray: LETS SEE YOU TRY THAT!! YOU STUPID FAILURE~~~!!!!!! Ignis magic power passes through his body and concentrates behind him. A ring of light forms around him. <<<<>>>> [GRANDPA! GRANDPA!] [What is it, Igni] This happened a few months after Igni arrived in the Demon Kings territory. [How do I increase the power of my spell?! How do I defeat the Hell Spider with my fireball?! [There are two ways.] [TWO?!] [One, increase your reserve magic. If you put more spell power into your spell, the increased density will then multiply your spell power.] [And the second?!] [Raise your speed.] [My speed?] [Thats right. Push your spell up to the speed of light.] <<<<>>>> Igni arrived at this pinnacle when dealing with the fastest species of dragons - the Wyverns. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE : ULTIMATE MINI-SIZED MINIMA] What he created was a [FIREBALL] so small that it cannot be seen by the naked eye. And it begins to accelerate using the ring of magic that Igni created behind him. Igni: [VELOCITY - ACCELERATE]!!! Formulating his magic into a giant, circular accelerating ramp, the molecular sized [FIREBALL] begins its acceleration. --------KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNN!!! (*sfx high pitch ringing) Accelerate. ACCELERATE!! -IIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!! (*sfx continued high pitch ringing) And finally, it arrives at the speed of light. The next moment. Both lock onto each others eyes. A single moment when time completely stops At that very moment Fray: MORNING LIGHT OF DAWN - SUNRISE ZERO]!!! Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!!!!!!!!!! Fray shoots a huge beam of light! An energy so concentrated that it dissolves anything that comes near it!! Ignis spell collides with it from the front ------ AND BEGINS CUTTING THROUGH!!! UOOOOOOOOOOOOOGGGGGHHHHHH!!! (*sfx yell) Both pour more magic power into their spells! Fray: I..I WILL..I WILL WIN!!!!! Igni: NOPE, IM GOING TO WIN!!! ZUDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNN!!!! (*sfx explosion) Ignis [FIREBALL] pierces through Frays [MORNING DAWN OF LIGHT ? SUNRISE ZERO]!!!! Igni: [BLOW UP OUT OF MY SIGHT - FIRE]!!!!!!!!!! The molecular-sized [FIREBALL] explodes!!!!! Frays tattered body flies backwards!! Fray: NO!! NOT YET!! I HAVENTLOST YET!! Fray reaches his hand to grasp the empty air. Igni: No. This is------ SPLASH!! Frays body hits the water. Igni: -----your loss. THE WINNER OF THIS TOURNAMENT IS CONTESTANT IGNI~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! The Colosseum rumbles as the applause floods in. <<<<>>>> Aurelio: I----IMPOSSIBLE!! Fray.lost?! Lucas: Oye, I told you Igni will win. Aurelio: Y----YOU CHEATED!! FRAY IS AN [ULTIMATE LIGHT] TRAIT!! HES A [SS]!! Lucas: The intricacies of their spells were different. Aurelio: Theintricacies.of their spells.? Lucas: Yes, Frays talent is amazing. But even so, he has stretched himself too thin learning too many different types of spells. Among the common Wizards, yes, he may be on top, but that also means that his variety is his only weapon. Aurelio: .....his weapon? Lucas: Yes. Each Wizard carries a weapon. A weapon they hold with absolute confidence. But that is why Frays Epic-Scale spell lost to Ignis. Aurelio: .........n.no...thats...thats impossible. Thats impossible THATS IMPOSSIBLE!!! Lucas: Oye, Aurelio. Youre blinded by the title of Extreme, and now you can only see your son as a tool. I cant leave my grandchildren to a man like that. Aurelio: SHUT UP!! HOW COULD A WANDERER LIKE YOU EVER TALK ABOUT PARENTING?!?! Lucas: HA HA HA!! TRUE!! I cant say anything once you bring that up!! Aurelio: Even if Fray loses..theres still Igni.! If its Igni..he can reach Extreme.......!! Lucas: You are correct in that he will reach the Extreme, but I doubt that he has any intention of returning to your household. Aurelio: SH----SHUT UP!! THIS IS ABOUT THE HOUSE!! MY HOUSE!! YOU HAVE NO PLACE TO SAY ANYTHING TO ME!!! And with that Aurelio runs out of the room. The remaining servants and Lucas look at each other and both let out a deep, exasperated sigh. Chapter 27: The Father and the Wizard Contestant Igni, congratulations for winning the tournament!! Igni is handed the Tournament Champion Ring and the prize money. Igni: What does this ring do? Igni asks the question to the cute woman in front of him. This is the same girl that has been doing the broadcast announcements at the Gladiator Colosseum. This ring is a [CATALYST]! If you have it on, it will help support the activation of spells. This ring is made ONLY for this tournament, and as long as you have it equipped, it will raise your spell activation by at least 3 times! Igni: 3 times?! Thank you so much! Igni respectfully shows his gratitude. Fray received a different reward as the runner-up. He was treated by the Healers on standby after their battle was over and has recovered from all his wounds. But his face is still full of discontent. Fray: ...............Igni...you. Igni: Hm? With still a darkened expression, Fray speaks to Igni. Fray: Youre strong. Igni: Yup. Fray: Im..weak, huh He looks pretty shocked and depressed from the realization. Igni: (........what should I do?) Igni: Youre still the runner-up. You should be proud. Fray: ........but..but if I cant win the tournament.. Igni: Was it that important to you to win? Fray: .........yeah, its important. I...I need to become the next Extreme. Igni: You dont have to win a tournament like this to become an Extreme you know. Fray: .......but Igni: Why do you want to become an Extreme so bad? Fray: What do you mean, why? Its because Father wants it so badly Igni: I see. Igni pondered for a second about what he should say to Fray. Igni: You should be more honest about what you want. And that was the advice that came out. <<<<>>>> Yoori: Igni!! Congratulations on winning the tournament!! Iris: Sir Igni!! What was the last spell you used?! The one that went POOOOW!! Like that! It went POOOW!! Alicia: I knew you could do it! Way to go!! Edward: Ha! I expected as much from you! As soon as the Tournament was over, Igni returned to his audience seat and was immediately surrounded by his friends. Erumi: I knew you were something special, Igni. I cant believe you won though. Igni: Erumi! You were here too?! Erumi: Yeah, I lost to Fray. Thats right. I remember hearing her name in Block B. Erumi: I think....for a time, I want to postpone our practice sessions. Igni: (I cant believe a masochist like Erumi just said that.?!?!) In many ways, what Erumi just said startled Igni. Elenoir: Then should we have a celebration party~~~? Elenoir asks the group with her head tilted. Iris: Are you paying, Ms. Elenoir?! Iris follows up quickly with her question. Igni: (Oh, but Ms. Elenoir is broke, isnt she.?) Igni: Hey, lets use this prize money to buy food. Iris: Sir Igni, are you really okay with that?! Alicia: Wow, thats very gracious of you. Is everything okay? Igni: I wouldnt know what to do with this money anyways. I rather use it for something everyone can enjoy. Edward: Dont be ridiculous! Ill pay today!! But Edward immediately steps in. Igni: um....huh.? Edward: Igni, you just won the Tournament. To make the winner pay for our meals like that would damage my reputation! So Ill pay today! Igni: W--wait, are you sure, Edward? Hey! You should graciously accept anything from Sir Edward, Igni! Thats right! Cant you understand how kind hes being right now, Igni?! Igni: I see. Thank you so much, Edward. Edward: Hmph. Dont worry about it. Elenoir: But in that case~~~ where should we go~~~? Edward: I know of a good place to eat! Everyone, follow me! Yoori: A restaurant recommended by a noble?! Thisll be amazing! I want to go!! Edward: Of course! Im a regular there so theres no way theyll turn me down! A huge, prideful smile spreads across Edwards face. Today, Edward is more dependable than usual. Igni! I finally found you!! But a voice suddenly interrupts their conversation. Igni: ...........father. Aurelio: Im so glad I found you here. Aurelio lets out a small sigh of relief. In other words, Ignis father arrived at the scene. Igni tells his group to wait for him and changes locations with his father. Aurelio: I saw your match with Fray. Igni: ........thanks. Since their parting, these two no longer have anything in common and lived as complete strangers. When Igni tries to leave with just that, Aurelio grabs Igni by the arm. Igni: .......huh? Aurelio: Igni.Igni, if its you, youll be able to reach the Extreme some day!! Igni: ........................HUH??????? For a moment, Igni couldnt understand what was being said. And he couldnt foresee what was about to be said either. Aurelio: That spell you used that defeated Frays spell, that spell was amazing! What kind of spell was that?! Could you please tell me?! Igni: Uh..what? Its [FIREBALL] but Auerlio: I..I seeso youll just keep it secret Igni: (UH, NO. Its not a secret but.) Igni: (Are we just going to keep talking past each other?) Aurelio: Igni. If its you, I know that YOU can become an EXTREME some day! Come back, Igni! Igni: Come back..where? Igni couldnt understand where this conversation was going and tilted his head with confusion. He could not understand a smidge of what his father was trying to tell him. Aurelio: To Talcoyz, Igni! If you come back, our household will have an Extreme be our legacy! Igni: ...........Ohhhhh. As realization began to seep into Ignis brain, his voice also began to cringe at where this was going. Igni: You mean, you want me to go back being.a noble? Aurelio: Thats right. Igni: NOPE. No thanks. Aurelio: ..............................b--but why? Igni rejected the offer so quickly, Aurelio could barely manage to follow-up with a whisper after Ignis reply. Igni: Why? Because I cant be popular being a noble. Aurelio: .........you.. Now it was Aurelios turn to tilt his head in confusion. Aurelio: Wait, what are you saying..? The man who seeks Extreme and the man who seeks Popularity. There is no universe where these two would understand and accept one another. Igni: If thats all, see ya. Aurelio: W--wait.. Wait, Igni! Please wait!! Aurelio reaches his hand towards Igni who is walking away. But someone else grabs Aurelios hand. Thats enough, Aurelio. Igni: Grandpa?! Igni suddenly turns around on the spot. Lucas: This is why youre not popular with the women. Aurelio: Dont get in my way, Lucas!! Lucas: The rules of popularity are rules of human relationships. Igni, what is Popularity Rule 15? Igni: ...........[Dont push your agenda on women]. Lucas: Thats right. Igns able to do that, but what about you, Aurelio? Aurelio: ......URGH!! What does any of that have to do with anything?! Igni, please! Please come back to us!! Aurelio releases himself from Lucas grip and walks towards Igni. Lucas: See? All you do is push your agenda on others. Lucas laughs heartily. Igni didnt miss a word of what Lucas was saying to his father. Aurelio: Igni! You could become an Extreme! Why wont you come back to the family with me?! Lucas: You make it sound like its for Igni, yet in reality, its all about you. Igni, Popularity Rule 12? Igni: ---------[Learn to like the other person first and foremost]. Lucas: Thats right. If you learn to like the other person, you wont do anything to them that theyll hate. At the very least, you wont seek that other person for your own selfish gains. Igni: I..I see. Having someone exemplify these principles really helps. Aurelio: SHUT UP, SHUT UP!! Im talking to Igni right now!! Lucas: Igni, Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 2? Igni: [Women love a man with confidence]. Lucas: And No. 5? Igni: [Women love a man with a core and foundation]. After Igni finished saying this, Lucas could not help but laugh harder. Lucas: You havent followed any of this, Aurelio. Aurelio: .......!! Aurelios face burns bright red. Igni thought for a moment before opening his mouth to speak. Igni: Dont be so mad, Father. Im really to you. Aurelio: Then...then in that case! Igni: Im really thankful you kicked me out of being a nobility. No really, Im thanking you from the bottom of my heart for that. Aurelio: ......wh---what are you saying?! Cant you see that Im..!! Igni: , father for setting me free. How did Igni look to Aurelio at this moment? Igni: So thats why its goodbye, father. Aurelio: W--wait!! Please wait!! I beg you!! Igni spins on his heels and turns around. Igni: Ill see you later, Grandpa. Lucas: Of course. Igni greets his one and only family member and leaves. Aurelio: PLEASE!! I WAS WRONG!! PLEASE, IGNI!! PLEASE COME BACK!! But from that point on, Igni never once looked back. Chapter 28: The Celebration and the Wizard! CHEERS! Igni and his friends all lift their glass mugs and clink it in the air. Alicia: When Edward said he knows a good place, I thought it would be a pretty fancy restaurant, but its just a normal bar, huh? Edwards: In times like these, its better to be in a place where you can make a ruckus and not get in trouble, right?! Igni: Good thinking, Edward. Thats really considerate. Igni gave a rare compliment to Edward. Edward: Hmph! Whatever, Igni! Thats right! Sir Edward looked all over town to find a place where you can be noisy and have fun! This was the only store that accepted his request! Igni: Thanks again, Edward. Edward: HMPH! Edward looks away. Thats just like him. Iris: Sir Igni! That last spell you used was so amazing!! Igni: Thanks. Iris: How did you cast a spell like that? Igni: How? You make a really small [FIREBALL] and then you accelerate it to the speed of light. Thats it. Iris: ...............??????????? Iris is trying to understand and tilts her head to the side. Igni: Well, its not like youll need to use a spell like that. You can already use more powerful spells than me. Igni can only use the spell [FIREBALL]. So he had to train with that spell alone. But Iris would not need a spell like that. With a [EARTH] : [S] compatibility, she should be able to easily exceed Igni without as much training. Iris: What?! No! Sir Igni, youre the No. 1 Wizard!! Igni: ........No. 1, huh. Just hearing that word reminds Igni of one person. Yoori: But its really true that you can only use [FIREBALL]... Igni: My compatibility is [F], so yeah. Yoori is astonished and in disbelief. Alicia: Oh, that reminds me. What were you and Fray talking about? Igni: Um..nothing important, really. I already forgot The memory was almost completely forgotten and erased without a trace from Ignis brain. Igni wasnt trying to avoid the question. He genuinely forgot. Elenoir: Ive never seen Fray with such a desperate expression on his face~~~ Igni: Is that so? Every time Igni sees Fray, Frays expression twists up into knots, so to Igni, that was Frays regular face. Igni: (Hm? Does that mean that he dislikes me?) And Igni arrives at the truth but.... Igni: (Meh, who cares if a dude doesnt like me.) He quickly moves on. Alicia: So Igni, how did you become so strong? Alicia was waiting for the food to arrive, and looked at Ignis face while asking him. Igni sipped his fruit liquor as he thought about his answer. Igni: .....maybe determination? He cooly and mysteriously left it at that. OOOOHHHHH. And the people around him are taken back by his reply. Igni: (YES! That was so cool to say that!) His overjoyed smile spills over into his face. And its no secret that Alicia completely saw him do this. And as they talked, the food was brought to their table, and the questions to Igni ceased for the moment. Yoori: Do you have anything you dont like to eat, Igni? Yoori sat next to Igni as he served salad into Ignis plate. Alicia: Hes so graceful at the table.... Alicia was taken back by how naturally Yoori took care of Igni and his food. And Igni also couldnt help but notice either. Igni: (!!...........wait!! I can learn from him!) [A caring man is a popular man] is too much of a common sense to be put into a rule or law, but Igni was inspired by Yooris movements. Igni: No, I dont have anything I cant eat. Yoori: I see. Then Ill just serve you regularly then. And with that, Yoori puts food on Ignis place, and he also serves food to one of Edwards minions. ......oh.um, thanks. Edwards Minion A blushes slightly at Yoori. Igni: (Even though I dont know your name, I hope you know that Yoori is a man.) Igni kindly warns the man in his heart. Edward: Then lets eat!! With Edwards words, everyone started reaching for their food. <<<<>>>> Iris: Hey Alicia, can you do any fun party tricks? Alicia: Party tricks? Youre asking for a lot, Iris. Iris who got a little tipsy begins to tease Alicia. Alicia: But I do have something I can show you. And with that, Alicia pulls out a deck of cards. Alicia: See? You know what this is? Iris: Fortune telling! Iris exaggerated reactions are fun to watch. Igni: (I wonder if they had planned this beforehand?) Alicia: Alright! Alicia the Genius Fortune Teller will tell you your fortune tonight! Iris: You mean, youll tell us of our misfortune, right? Iris laughs heartily. Alicia: What do you mean! The two get along so well. Alicia: Cmon! Give it a shot. Ask me anything. Edward: Oh, then can you tell me my fortune? Alicia: Sure thing. Edward raises his hand to go first. Edward: C--can you tell me if Ill graduate from this academy?! Could you read my future?! Alicia: Um, what? Are you worried? Edward: ......just a little bit. Alicia: Hmmm...thats a little boring. Isnt there a more fun fortune I can try to read? Yoori: Oh, I have one. Alicia: What is it? Yoori: Could you see if well all still be able to drink like this together in 10 years? The table falls silent. Alicia: Yoori, you.youre such a kind child. Yoori: W--was that weird? Alicia: No, of course not! Leave it to me!! Alicia sits up, and places a few cards on the table. Alicia: Alright, just you wait and see!! With a she flips over her first card. Alicia: ..............the reaper? There was a Death Reaper-like Skeleton dancing on the card. You could tell that it was not good omen with a glance. Immediately, the atmosphere of the table cooled to sub-zero. Yoori: .......ummmmmmm, Alicia? Alicia: N-NOPE! REDO!! THAT DOESNT COUNT!! Iris: SEE~~~!! Alicia, youre a genius *MIS-Fortune teller!! Alicia: WHAT?! NO IM NOT!! Here let me try again! The conversations around the table gets lively once again. Igni smiles as he watches his peers, and Ms. Elenoir who was sitting next to Igni whispers into his ear. Elenoir: Igni~, why didnt you go all out with your match with Fray~~~? Igni: ?? What are you talking about? Elenoir: Because Igni. You can use , cant you? Igni: ......if I used magic on Fray, he would have died. Elenoi: Ohhh~~~ Ill just accept that as your answer then~~~ Elenoir is smiling. And Igni returns the smile in kind. Igni: What about you, Ms. Elenoir? Elenoir: What? Me~~~? Nope, I cant~~~ Elenoir smiles at Igni once again. Iris: HE~Y!! Ms. Elenoir is flirting with Igni!! Elenoir: Oh you caught me~~~ Ms. Elenoir grabs hold of Igni and hugs him tightly. Igni feels something very soft against his face. Igni: (B---Br---BRE------....!!) Iris: AAAHHH!! NO!! Stop seducing Sir Igni! NO, MS. ELENOIR!! You cant do that with students!! Elenoir: What~~~ Im not doing anything~~~ Iris: No~~~!! Ms. Elenoir!! Let go of Sir Igni!! ALICIA!!! HELP ME~~!!! MS. ELENOIR IS TOO DANGEROUS~~!!! Alicia: What do you mean dangerous? Look, Igni looks like hes enjoying it. Just leave him be. Iris: OF COURSE WE CANT JUST LEAVE HIM LIKE THIS!! SIR IGNI!! STOP MAKING THAT FACE AND GET YOURSELF OUT OF THIS!! Ignis heart was currently overflowing with bright glowing flowers and all the colors of the rainbow, but Iris comment did sting his conscience for a moment. And then he returned immediately to the soft sensations he felt on his cheeks. The breasts were too strong!! =============== CHONKY NOTES =============== There was a pun that Iris intended that wouldnt translate from Japanese to English. Genius - Ten-sai (Heavenly Talent) Natural Disaster - Ten-sai (i.e. Great Disaster; Act of God) Ten-sai Alicia = Genius Alicia Ten-sai Alicia = Great Disaster Alicia Magic (Ma-hou) (ħ) - its been getting implied for a while but Ms. Elenoir and Igni finally drop a hint at what they potentially mean when they say magic (mahou) (ħ). They do distinguish this with spells (majutsu) (ħg). This is a very atypical way of using the word. Like, everyone knows ninjutsu (g) which is a ninja technique (or ninja move). Ninpou (̷) is the traditional way of the ninja and it doesnt really allude to a specific technique. You cant really say Ninpou is a type of move that is greater than ninjutsu. Similarly, the author here is using mahou (ħ) which is traditionally translated as magic, is not only different but a tier above majutsu (ħg). Yes, Japanese authors use mahou (ħ) interchangeably with majutsu (ħg) which doesnt help us. I think other works in English will talk about low-magic or high-magic (old magic or ancient magic), to distinguish it from modern magic but this gets into a lot of semantics and differences in magic systems for different universes. In short, similarly, the author is trying to redefine magic (mahou) as something greater than spells (majutsu). Chapter 29: The Late Night Visitor Yoori: Wow, tonight was so much fun, right Igni? Igni: Yeah, youre right. It was a lot of fun. The two spoke while lying in their bunk beds. This was something that naturally became a daily custom and habit for the two. Yoori lies on top, and Igni on the bottom. They talk about what happened during the day until one of them falls asleep. What their doing is very much like any other romantic couple, but the two do not realize this. Yoori: It really was fun?. I didnt know Edward could do so many party tricks. Igni: Yeah, I didnt think Edward could do something like that. It was an act that completely took the group by surprise, and they all had a good laugh about it. Igni: It really was an unexpected side of him we got to see Yoori: Yeah, even though we had our differences, Im really glad that we got to know about each other like this - even the unexpected sides. Igni: Unexpected sides, huh Igni: (Like.Iris codependence? Stuff like that?) Igni: (Oh, but thats something that was obvious from day 1, huh.) Yoori: Youve fought all those matches, and youre not even tired? Igni: Hm? Oh, yeah, Im not tired at all. A single day in the [Demon Kings Realm] was so much more difficult and harsh. Yoori: You really are amazing. Any guy would look up to you. Yoori spoke those words with great admiration. The window rattles on its hinges. Looks like theres a strong wind tonight. Yoori: My bodys not that strong, so if I fought as much as you did, Id be pooped. Igni: Everyone has their own strengths. Everyone is different, and thats why its good. It was his grandfathers words that Igni shared with Yoori. Yoori would never dream that these words came out of a lecture on the topic of extreme masochism. Yoori: But.I really wanted to be more manly than I am now~ Igni: Oh.um Looks like Yoori himself recognizant that he isnt very manly either. Igni: W`well.um...isnt that okay? To be just who you are now....? Igni has a hard time knowing what to say and only babbles vague compliments. The words taste bitter in his mouth as it comes out. The window rattles again. Along with it, the sounds of a thunderstorm also follow in the distance. Looks like a sudden storm is upon them. Igni: The weathers looking bad. Yoori: Is it a hurricane? Igni: Cant be. It was so sunny all day today. Yoori: You know that hurricanes can suddenly hit you, right? Igni: Really? Yoori: Yeah, like when a Dragon sudden flies overhead a town. Igni: Ohhhh. Yoori: Or when someone uses an Epic-Scale Spell. Something hits the window hard. Yoori: WAHHHH!! Yoori falls out of his top bunk and jumps into Ignis arms. Yoori: Wh`wh`WHAT WAS THAT?! Igni: Wh`Yoori, why are you hugging me.?!?! Yoori trembles like crazy while holding onto Igni. And Igni cant help but feel how soft Yooris body is. And something hits the window once again. Yoori: I`Igni! Someones outside the window!! Igni: Were on the second floor. You sure that its not just the wind? Igni: ........nope, thats a person. Igni drags Yoori with him as he approaches the window and pulls open the curtains. OPEN UP!! Outside the window, Alicia who was drenched in the rain was there. Igni: ..........what are you doing? Igni opens the window. The next moment, Alicia dives into the room, and quickly shuts the window and closes the curtain. Alicia: You need to hide me! This was the first thing Alicia said to Igni and Yoori. Igni and Yoori look at each other. Igni: I dont mind, but you know that girls arent allowed here, right? Yoori: Plus, were guys, so we dont care but Its strange to hear Yoori say this. Alicia: I dont mind. Please, let me stay here for a bit. Alicia is trembling as she pleads with Igni and Yoori. Looks like she has her reasons. Igni: (.........okay, guess its a good chance to be popular!) Igni turns on his mysterious switch and smiles at Alicia. Igni: Youll catch a cold wearing those damp clothes. Let me find you something you can change into. Alicia: .....thanks. Igni: Lets get you some hot tea too. Yoori, can you bring the water? Yoori: Yup. Igni brings the kettle, and turns it towards Yoori. Yoori casts the beginners'' elementary magic [WATER BALL] and fills the kettle up. Igni uses [FIREBALL] to boil the water. Igni: We only have our own cups, but thats okay, right? Alicia: Yes, thank you. Igni: Yoori, could you get Alicia a towel? Yoori: Y`yeah, sure thing! Igni quickly and efficiently gives out orders and takes care of business. His caregiving is 1st rate. Igni: Hmm...I only have my clothes so what should we do Yoori: Oh, when the villagers gave me clothes, there were some girls clothes in there so we can use that. Igni: ........okay. Igni got a glimpse of a darker side to Yooris village. <<<<>>>> In a darkened room, Alicia held a cup with steam rising and warmed up her cold hands. Alicia: Thank you, Igni, Yoori. Igni: Dont worry about it. Arent we friends? Yoori: Y`yeah, were friends, Miss Alicia! Alicia is quiet after hearing Igni and Yooris words. Igni: But Im impressed that you were able to find this room in the first place. Igni tried to change subjects and brought up something he was curious about. Alicia: Yeah.I sensed Ignis presence here...so Igni: Presence? Igni: (What is this girl saying all of a sudden?) Alicia: Hehe, just kidding. Yoori: Oh, um Miss Alicia likes to joke around too..haha Yoori tries to keep the conversation flowing. Yoori: B`but, what should we do about the bed? The room is meant for two. And there is only a bunk for 2. Igni: ........Alicia, use my bed. Ill sleep on the floor. Yoori: What?! No, dont do that Igni. Youll catch a cold! Igni: Dont worry. Im used to sleeping on the ground. Yoori: Y`you can sleep with me Igni: ............................... Igni: (Why did God make Yoori a boy?) Igni used all of his brain power to find an answer. But he could not find one explanation. Alicia: Hey, you know what? Ill just When Alicia was about to say something Someone breaks through the window!!! ......So...you were here this whole time A beautiful woman wrapped up in full body armor. She bounded her blue hair behind her in a long ponytail and carried a sword on her back. She must have been in the rain because she was drenched, but with a devilish smile on her face, she stretches a hand to Alicia. Alicia: ......! Sis?! Sis?! Igni and Yoori shout at the same time. Well well, that was quite a shock. I never thought you would be able to use an Epic-Scale Spell already. You truly are my younger sister. Alicia: .......sis..I.. Lets go home. The people are worried about you. The armored knight grabs Alicias arm. Igni: Hey, wait, wait. Hold on. Could you at least explain the situation to us? And Igni interrupts and butts into the conversation. Igni: First of all, who the heck are you? Me? Im Celia Esmeralda. The first Imperial Princess of the Esmeralda Empire. Igni: ..........what? Igni tried to chew on this answer but could make nothing of it. Yoori: Celia..?! Do you mean Undeath Celia.?! Igni: D`do you know her, Yoori?! Igni was more shocked that he didnt know who this beauty was. Yoori: H`HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW, IGNI?! Shes an [Extreme]! Shes an [Extreme] of [LIFE]!!" Igni: WHAT?! An [Extreme]?! An individual who has completely mastered spells and has arrived at the pinnacle of a living being - those who accomplish this in life are called [Extreme]''s. As a single being who reached perfection, they are given the title of [STRONGEST]. That is why people love to rumor and gossip. ```Who among the [Extreme] is the strongest? Is it the "Ultimate Light" Lucas who with his unparalleled attack power was able to defeat that dragon alone? Or is it the one who glimpsed into the universal principles of spells and gave birth to their own [MAGIC TYPES], the researcher The Deep Abyss? Or would it be the one who was unable to cast spells, but trained her martial arts to its ultimate form, The Sword Kulara? But amongst them is another monster. Although she was born into royalty, the one who has mastered and conquered her own spell. The one who threw away her birthright and only sought the path of the Wizard. The one who stretched out her hand into the ultimate depths of spells and life. That is why she was able to reach the pinnacle at the mere age of 20. The [Extreme] of [Life] Celia Esmeralda. The proud Empires [STRONGEST] Wizard. Celia: Okay, Alicia. Lets go back home. Alicia: I..I..!! Alicia glances at Igni. Igni: (Its...its...ITS A PRINCESS KNIGHT?!?!?) But Igni was completely thinking of something else at the moment. =============================== ?~Discord~? https://discord.gg/CdjxzQBvRt =============================== CHONKY NOTES LiT (Lost in Translation) =============================== (mogari) -- I know enough Kanji but this ones a new one and had to look it up. Translation says mogari. The author translated this as shinazu (ʤ) -- that which cannot die or does not die or that which did not die. The character is derived from an ancient Japanese burial process where the body is mummified in hopes that it returns back to life, and its a process to allow the body to lay post-mortem until they are absolutely certain of the passing of the individual. Other options for translation include: The Funeral Celia Undead Celia Celia The Mummy this one might be appropriate depending on what kind of she uses. Following my gut here and stuck with Undeath _()_/ =========== TL''DR Credits =========== Chapter 30 The Dark Night and the Wizard [Grandpa! Why is this person fighting even though shes a princess?!] This was when Igni was listening to Lucas tell one of his stories. [What do you mean? People can have all sorts of reasons for fighting.] [But shes a princess! It''s definitely weird that she has to fight!] [OW! Hey! Why cant you warn me before you hit me!!] [Stop being so ignorant!!] [GDgrandpa..!] [You understand nothing..!!] [WhDwhat do you mean..?!] [A princess fighting as a knight? Whats wrong with that!!] [BDbut.!! But.] Igni: (Waitwhat IS strange about that.?) [For her country, for her people, she places these things above her own well-being and fights..! A Princess Knight is that kind of individual!! Do you still not understand, Igni?!] [............!!] [They consider what they could do being born into royalty, and they chose the path to master their spells..! Such innocent, undeterred passion! How could you not understand that?!?!] [BDbut..! When they get captured by the enemy, and they say, *Ergh! Just kill me and be done with it! Isnt that insane?! If they die, what would be the point?! [YOU FOOL!! YOU STUPID FOOL!! I DONT REMEMBER RAISING YOU TO BE LIKE THIS, IGNI..!!] [Igni, this is one of life''s wonderful, fateful in your journey where if you search deep within the words, you will find a separate meaning!] [A.A separate meaning?!] [DO YOU STILL NOT GET IT?! Beneath these words is an unblemished, dignified soul!! A soul that cant be tainted!! THE PRIDE OF ONE BEING OF ROYAL BIRTH!!] [SDsoul?!] Igni trembles in awe. [But Grandpa, doesnt that mean they wont die?] [OW!!] [OF COURSE!! WHAT WOULD BE THE POINT IF THEY DIED?!?!] [Huh..???????] <<<<>>>> Igni: (.the dignified soul!) Igni: (The pride of Royalty..!) I understand! I understand now why Grandpa slapped me across the face..!! A is different from the thing.! Igni: (Whats right before my eyes is undeniable REALITY!) AND SHES THE OLDER SISTER OF ALICIA! A BLOOD RELATIVE.! THIS IS INCREDIBLE!! Celia: Lets go home, Alicia. Alicia: No! I wont go back! I...I never want to kill anyone ever again!! .hm? A bombshell just dropped out of nowhere, and as if being splashed with a bucket of ice cold water, Ignis head cooled immediately. Alicia: Igni! Please help me!! Alicia turns to Igni for help. Thats why... Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE]!! Igni initiates his spell with zero time lag. Popularity Rule No. 5 ``Save any woman who is in trouble. If a woman asks for you help help them. Celia: Oh? Celia reached out her left hand towards Ignis [FIREBALL]. Igni: [DETONATE - FIRE]!! Igni points the explosion in one direction!!! Celias body blows away backwards a great distance!! Igni: Yoori! Take Alicia and run! Yoori: R`run? But where.?! Igni: To the school! Find a teacher!! With that Igni kicks the ground and dashes outside. The heavy downpour immediately drenches Igni. Celia: .........how long has it been since I was blown away like that.? Celia laughs as she gets up. The rain drums heavily on the two bodies. Celia: I recognize you.Youre the one who won the tournament. Youre Igni Igni: Were you.at the Gladiators Colosseum? Celia: Of course I was. I cannot NOT be there if anyone is trying to proclaim the title of [STRONGEST]. Igni: ...........is that how you found Alicia? Celia: A complete coincidence. As I was following and watching the winner, I saw her. I thought of taking her back quietly without causing anyone trouble, but...this was the result. Celia looks toward the raging storm above. Just a few minutes ago, there was only a clear starry night, and now a violent thunderstorm flashed down lightning and poured down torrential rain. An Epic-Scale Spell. A spell that overwrites weather, and leaves not only a mark on humans, but also on the land they stand. This was probably Alicias doing. She cast it just to escape from Celia. Celia: Im glad to see that Alicias improving. Igni: ..........Alicia..doesnt want to go back with you. Celia: "Whether she wants to or not is irrelevant. Under the circumstances, she is not free to decide such a thing for herself. Celia shrugs as she speaks to Igni. Celia: But . Why is it that you interfere? I just want to take Alicia back home. Igni: Because Alicia asked for help. Celia: ...........I see. Celia lets out a deep sigh. Celia: I am Alicias elder sister and her family. Do you dare interfere in our family business? Igni: Even if you say family The rain continues to pour down onto Igni as he answers. Igni: Family is your greatest ally, but they can also be your greatest , no? Celia: Ah, so you also have had some rough experiences in your past too, havent you? Celia roars and laughs in a predatorial voice. Celia: Im sure you know who I am. Igni: Yeah, I heard just now. SO ? Celia: Then I will just force my way through. Igni: Sorry, but I cant let you do that. Celia: .........hmm... The next moment, the ! Celia: Oh, you dodged that. Igni: Youre too obvious. Celia had drawn her sword and swung down in a blink of an eye. Her speed and power was beyond imagining. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] Igni: (...not good. Itll be hard to fight in a residential area.) Igni mumbles to himself quickly and then Igni: [SHOTGUN - SHOT] Igni increases the distance between him and Celia as he creates [FIREBALL]s. Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!! Celia: Hmph!! Celia swings her sword once again. VUUUUUUUUUUUN!! (*sfx strong swing) An explosive wind erupts from her swing and scatters Ignis [FIREBALL] in all directions. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - ARMOR PIERCING SPEAR]! Ignis [FIREBALL] gains as he poured his magic power into it as a noticeable (*sfx) sounds from it. It begins to accelerates rapidly and causes friction with the air around it!! Igni: [ARTILLERY - FIRE]!! Celia: .................SH!! (*sfx explosion) But Celia slices Ignis artillery shell like [FIREBALL] with her sword!! Celia: Hmm...not bad Celia smiles with ease as she watches Igni. Igni: Thanks. In that moment, Igni creates five [FIREBALL]s behind him. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE] And all goes whiteDD. Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!!! ZUDODODODODO!! (*sfx rapid firing) Several consecutive [FIREBALL]s come after Celia! She weaves through in between the [FIREBALL]s and deflects the one which she could not evade with her sword. Celia: Im impressed. Its no wonder that you won the tournament. You use excellent spells. Igni: [FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE]. Igni creates of [FIREBALL]s!! A solid [FIREBALL] in the front! A softer [FIREBALL] in the back!! Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!! DODON!! (*sfx two shots) He fires a [FIREBALL]l that is 50 times more powerful than what he fired at the entrance exam!! Panic lightly brushes across Celias face for a faint moment as she dodges the spell by the skin of her teeth. Igni: [EXPLODE - FIRE]!! Though Igni already shot the [FIREBALL], the spell is still a part of Igni. Igniting it into an explosion mid-air is nothing to him. Celia: .............now that one was closer than I prefer. Celias voice came from Igni. Igni: ......youre fast! Celia: Of course! Celias fist flies towards Igni. But a [FIREBALL] appears in the path of her punch! Igni: [EXPLODE - FIRE]!! Igni lets a [FIREBALL] erupt towards Celia and her arm! Igni allows the resulting wind to carry him back away from Celia. Celia: Good response with close-quarter combat. Good tactics with mid-range combat. And as far as I can tell, you can defeat a Epic-Scale Spell. And although its right after the ''Tournament,'' you are able to move this much. Incredible. Igni, why not come over to the Empire with us? Igni: ............if I go, will I become popular with the girls? Celia: .......huh? Igni: Im kidding..! Although Igni did ask that last question pretty seriously, Celia gave him a what-the-heck-is-this-guy-saying look so Igni let the question pass unanswered. Celia: But what I dont understand is why you only use [FIREBALL]. If you want piercing strength, use a [FIRE LANCE]. If you want a defensive spell, use [FIRE WALL]. Why only use [FIREBALL]? Igni: Unfortunately, Im a [Ultimate Single Spell Specialized SPELL ONE] so I cant.! Celia: An [Ultimate Single Spell Specialized SPELL ONE?] That sounds so cool. Igni: ...............!!!!!!!!!! Ignis movements stopped abruptly. Igni: MDmaybe shes a good person underneath.? Celia: ? What are you talking about? Celia returns Ignis comment with a question mark. Celia: Well, whatever that is, it''s of no consequence. Im just going to take Alicia back with me. Igni: Alicia is...shes not a child. You need to respect her will and decisions. Celia: Ha! Her will? For Royalty? That kind of baggage is completely unnecessary. Especially if youre the 3rd Imperial Princess. Besides, Alicia is not the person you think she is. Igni: All women have secrets. Celia: Even if its the fact that she killed a person? Igni: And? Celia: ......what. Igni looks at Celia completely brushing off the fact as inconsequential. Igni: A good man doesnt get tied up in a womans past. Celia: Oh yeah? Popularity Rule No. 14 DDD Accept a womans past. Igni: So it doesnt matter to me. Celia: ........ha! Celia also mocks Ignis response. Celia: Are you saying that you will accept her no matter whats shes done?! Igni: Yeah, ! Celia: ......................? Igni: We cant go back in time. We only have the future! !! THATS ALL! No matter what Alicias doing, no matter what shes about to do, ALICIA IS MY FRIEND! I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT HER PAST! His grandfather Lucas once said. A mans worth is determined by how much he can carry with the woman. Igni: (Then..if thats the case.) Igni thought. Igni: (Im going to carry it all. EVERY. LAST. BIT.) From the day he decided to become popular, he already made this decision. Quietly, Celia takes a stance and readies her sword. Celia: Then I will just have to defeat you, right here. Igni: I wont be defeated, and I wont let you pass. Celia: I will pass through. That is what it means to be an [EXTREME]. Both pierces each other with their glare in the midst of the thunder and pouring rain. ============================== Chonky Novels LiT (Lost in Translation) ============================== The Captured Female Knight Trope. Kukkoro Kishi (åTʿ I really dont want to explain this In Otaku culture, the capturing of a dignified female knight had a trope developed where the female knight would then ask that her captors end her life rather than suffer the humiliation of capture and defeat. And then it all goes south from there depending on whos writing the story. Its not safe to Google this at work or around your parents. The phrase, Kuh! Korose! means something like, Ugh! Just kill me and be done with it! This can be a Princess Knight, a Queen, or basically any female with authority who has a shred of dignity. The phrase was then shortened to Ku-Koro (å) so youll hear references to Ku-Koro Knights in harem novels as it became sort of a novelty to run into someone in an Isekai journey that would say that phrase to you. ================================== ================================== ======= Credits ======= Chapter 31: Resolve and the Wizard Igni: [Flame Armor - Ignite]! The dormitory is surrounded by residential houses! You cant use large-scale spells here!! Igni: [LAUNCH - FIRE]!! So as a result, Igni had to hold back his spell power. If he uses anything near what he used against a [Hell Spider] or [Skull Dragon], this entire area would turn into cinders and ashes. Igni couldnt do that. Celia: You look like youre having some difficulty, Igni. Igni: Nope, not at all. But theres no point complaining about that right now. No matter when, no matter where, you have to dish out results on a regular basis. If he cant do so, there is no way that hell ever become the [STRONGEST]. Celia: Your spells are getting more and more refined. Im impressed that you can continue fighting in this pitch blackness. Igni: Ive been trained a lot! This was not just from Lucas. He learned this technique while training with Erumi. By thinking of how the other feels when receiving the spell, Igni was able to further refine his own spells. Celia: FU!! (*sfx quick breath) Celia the ground beneath her, as she positions herself to lunge forward. (*sfx strong impact) In a flash, the ground beneath Igni . Just by digging her feet into the earth, she moved the entire earth beneath them! Igni: [FLAME ARMOR ACTIVATE - BOOT ACCELERATOR]!! With the ground beneath him pushed up, Igni created a few thousand [FIREBALL]s!! Igni: [ACCELERATE - BURST]!!! He detonates the countless [FIREBALL]s beneath him to explode in a specific direction! He forces his body to move mid-air while dodging Celias sword cutting through the air!! Celia: Youve refined a basic [FIREBALL] to this degree. It''s astounding. Igni: I have more than just this! Igni manipulates the [FIREBALL] beneath him, and transports himself beneath Celia who jumped into the air. There is nothing in the sky. Then Igni can use an here! Igni: [Flame Armor - Ignite : Ultimate Mini-size MINIMA]!! Is there anyone who could this [FIREBALL]? A [FIREBALL] shrunken down to its molecular size. And right now, it numbers in the trillions. Igni forces it to rub against the other molecules around it, and the negative magnetization seeks for its positive counterpart. This is the law of nature. Thus Igni: [LIGHTNING STRIKE - FIRE]!!!! (*sfx explosion) A lightning Celia. This was a spell that Igni coincidently learned while being inside the [Demon Kings Realm]. Being trapped in the thunderstorm and rain where Igni would always be at a disadvantage, this was a spell and technique to help flip the tables. Without taking any defensive measures, even an [EXTREME] would not come out of this in one piece. Celias body greatly bounces up once...and lands with her sword stuck in the ground. Celia: ...........I see. You''re not limited to just "shooting" [FIREBALL]s. Celias body is covered in deep burns. But her wounds heal altogether in mere moments. This is the power of the [EXTREME] of [LIFE]. Healing magic is nothing but childs play to her. Igni: Howd you like the taste of lightning? It was the first time Igni used the spell on a person other than Lucas. Of course. Anyone else would have died from being struck by lightning. Celia: Oh, its great. Its been a while since I wanted to in a fight. When Celia stood up, all her wounds were healed. Igni: I have more spells if you want to see. Celia: Its a [FIREBALL] flea market bonanza inside of you, huh. Igni: Dont worry. Ill never run out of goods here. Celia: But I still dont understand. Why fight against me for Alicia? What do you gain from all this? Igni: She asked me to help her. Celia: Alicia did? Igni: Yup. Celia: And just like that, youll fight me? Igni: What other reason do I need? Igni was serious - dead serious. And Celia couldnt help but burst out laughing. Celia: HA HA HA HA HA HA!! And for THAT, youll fight an [EXTREME]?!?! You are insane, Igni!! Igni: ................? What are you saying? She asked me to help. Of course Ill help her. Celia: Well, well. Alicia found herself a good man!! As soon as Celia said this, she readies her sword but.. Alicia: WAIT!! Alicia jumps in between the two. Alicia: .........wait..Celia. I...Ill return to the Empire with you. Igni turns around to see knights wearing the same armor and design as Celia. They all had their swords pointed at Yoori. Yoori, now held hostage, holds his tears back and looks towards Igni. Igni: ...........so you werent alone. Igni lets out a deep breath. Yoori is not a combat Wizard. If they hold him down, Alicia wouldnt be able to fight either. Celia: Let me ask you this as well. Why would you ever think that I would be alone? Celia lets out an exasperated sigh. Alicia: ..........sis. This is unfair.. How could you..?! Why would you resort to hostages?!?! Celia: Unfair? As long as the mission is complete, there is nothing else that matters. Celia quickly brushes off Alicias words. Celia: Well, were done here. Lets go home, Alicia. Celia returns her sword to her sheath and walks away. Igni: W`wait! Let Yoori go!! Celia: The boy will be released as soon as Alicia gets on the ship. Until then, he will remain with us. Igni immediately consolidates his spell power and points at the knights with swords drawn at Yoori. Alicia: WAIT! IGNI!! YOU CANT!! YOORI WILL DIE!! With Alicias words, Igni disperses his spell. ...With those words...he had no other choice. Alicia: Im sorry, Igni. Im really sorry for dragging you into this...please, forgive me.. Alicias expression darkens slightly as she says farewell to Igni. Alicia: It was a short time, but..it was a lot of fun, Igni. Igni: ..........Alicia..you.. Alicia: Thank you for helping me when I was running late. With that, Alicia turns away. Celia: Your friend will return here by morning. With that, Celia also turns away with Alicia. Igni: Alicia! Are you okay with this?! Alicia: ........................ Alicia did not answer and continued to walk away without ever turning back. Alicia: Thank you. And goodbye. Alicia walks away with those last words. Along with Yoori who was taken hostage. Igni: (...........why..why are you crying) Igni could not say those last words out loud. And Celia and the knights took Yoori who could not move and Alicia and leaves the dorms. Igni: ............what would grandpa do. As rain continues to hit him, alone, Igni continues to mumble to himself. The sudden visitor. His friend taken hostage. His enemy, the [EXTREME]. Igni: ..........what would an [EXTREME] do A battleground where he cannot go all out. A situation where he could do nothing. A girl that was crying. Igni: Yeah.of course.. Igni fires a [FIREBALL] at the sky. It flew high into the air and as a sound erupts and rips through the air, all the clouds and are . The thunder and rain disappear, and a sky full of stars peer through the night sky. Igni: They would blow it up and push through. Popularity Rule No. 7. ``If a girl is crying and runs away, chase after her. Igni: ..............if I dont do this now. Ignis eyes light up with fire. Igni: .....whats the point of being a man? Igni is overflowing with spirit and fight within him - more than usual. The Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 1 ``WOMEN LOVE STRONG MEN. Igni: I am...strong. Magic power envelopes Ignis body. He already made up his mind 2 years ago. ================================== ================================== ====== Credits ====== Chapter 32: Declaration of War Celia: Alicia, why did you attend the [Tournament]? You should have known that we were coming to watch. As the carriage headed towards the ocean, Alicia gripped her hands tightly together as she sat before Celia. Next to Alicia, Yoori sits next her with a frightened expression on his face. Alicia: .......if I chose not to go watch the tournament, my chances of discovery was 87%. On the other hand, if I went, my chances of discovery was 60%. Celia: Oh, interesting Youre fortune-telling? Alicia nods. Celia: That is peculiar for the [The Hurricane] Alicia to rely upon such unreliable methods. Yoori: .............[The Hurricane] Alicia In astonishment, Yoori lets out the words quietly to himself. Hes heard the rumors. The Witch riding on a broomstick and flying across the battlefield. A rumor of a Witch whose power alone would pulverize all air forces in the sky. Alicia: Its unfair...sis. Celia: Hm? Alicia: Unlike me, youre free to do as you like! No matter what you do, they forgive you! Even when you threw away your claim to the throne! Even if you go stand on the front lines! You can do anything and be forgiven!! Celia: Youre wrong, Alicia. Celia stops Alicia right there. Celia: When I first began learning martial arts, I was surrounded and pushed down by mockery and ridicule. Why is a woman learning to fight? Like that. When I started learning spells, I was equally criticized. An Imperial Princess has no business learning spells. That''s what they said." Alicia: Th`then Celia: I silenced those voices with results. Do you understand now, Alicia? You were brought back because you are too . Alicia: ............!! Celia: People will shut up if you show results. It has been like that from the beginning. Crush their voices with your power. If you can''t even do that, then shut up and sit there quietly. Alicia has no retort to what Celia said. Celia: Hmph. You used to have such an unreadable expression even when you were raining down blood and death on the battlefield. Now I can read you like a book with all those emotions on your face. I guess the fortune-telling wasnt all the reasons why you went to the [Tournament]. Alicia thought over her words carefully before responding to Celia. Alicia: He...was a friend Celia: Hm? Alicia: Because it was the match of my very first . Celia: Youre speaking of Igni Celia shifted in her armor as she nodded. Celia: Certainly, that man is strong. Hell eventually be in arms reach of the [Extreme]. Yoori and Alicia nod at her words. The carriage begins to slow down. They must be close to their destination. Celia: But its not enough. He doesnt have enough resolve to make it there. Alicia: .........resolve? Alicia tilts her head at Celias answer. Celia: The resolve to completely discard human life. Even if it means to sacrifice your friends life, you need the resolve to fulfill your goals. A high pitch sound echoes inside the carriage. Alicia: Dont...dont be ridiculous!! It was the sound of Alicia slapping Celia across the face. Alicia: Igni abandoning his friends? He would never do that! Igni is..! Igni is! Hes a good man!! Celia looks straight into Alicias eyes. Alicia: Throwing away your friends lives is not courage!! Thats just cruelty and cowardice!! Yoori: M`Miss Alicia Yoori trembles in his seat as he continues to mumble to himself. The carriage comes to a complete stop. Celia: It looks like we reached the port. Alicia, our conversation ends here for now. Lets go. Normally, Celias subordinates would open the door at this point, but nothing happens. Celia: .....hm? Celia peeks outside the window. Before her was the plain view of the main road. There is some distance to the port. Celia: Hey, why did we stop? Celia speaks to the driver, but there is no response. The driver just quietly sits there. Celia: Hey, whats going on? As if to overwrite Celias voice, a sound like a lightning strike booms within the carriage. Sorry Im late. The roof of the carriage breaks as an intruder steps inside without a hint of remorse. I`Igni!! Igni: Lets go. Igni grabs hold of Yoori and Alicia by his side.He detonates a [FIREBALL] beneath him and flies into the sky. Celia immediately gets up to follow after Igni. Celia: I see. [The Puppeteer] Elenoir is here. Celia immediately assesses the situation. Elenoir: What???I have no idea what youre talking about???. Looking closely, the knights that held Yoori just sat there unmoving. It was obvious that they were under some influence. Igni: {FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE} With the two in his arms, Igni creates a {FIREBALL} before his eyes. Igni: {LAUNCH -FIRE}!! He fires a spell at Celia who is now flying through the air to catch up to them and knock her out of the sky!! But Celia concentrates her magic power into her fist and deflects the spell, and reaches towards Igni. Igni: SH!! Igni erupts a {FIREBALL} in between Celia and himself, and pushes their distance further apart. A moment later, they land on the roof of a building Igni: Yoori, Alicia! Get out of here! Yoori: Y`yes! Yoori nods and begins to run but... Alicia: WH`WHY?! Why did you come?! Alicia stood her ground. Alicia: I...I told you that Im okay!! You didn''t have to come save me..!! Igni: ...okay? Igni looks down at Alicia as he questions her.. Igni: Then why are you crying, Alicia?! Alicia: My sister is an [Extreme]!! Im the 3rd Princess of the Imperial crown..!! And..I dont have any friends! Celia draws out her sword. She plans on fighting here. Igni and his friends are in the middle of the main street. If they fight here, countless lives would be lost. Alicia: I wanted to make friends.I wanted to be free. so I ran away! But.! But! That was never going to be allowed..!! Thats why..! Igni: ......who cares if its allowed or not? Anger wells up inside Igni''s voice. Igni: ALICIA!! What is it that want to do?!?! Alicia: Its no use.its impossible to beat my sister. Igni: LISTEN TO ME!! Ignis magic power presses down upon Yoori and Alicia. Igni: IM ASKING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO!! ITS NOT ABOUT WHETHER ITS POSSIBLE OR NOT!!! THAT DOESNT MATTER!!! It was Lucas words - the same words that lifted Igni from the depths. Igni: Decide for yourself, Alicia!! Right here!! Right now!! Will you follow your heart?! Or will you follow the will of the people!! Alicia: I. Alicias voice trembles. Alicia: ...........................please.save me, Igni. With a barely audible whisper, she wrings the words out of her heart. Alicia: Please...save me already, Igni Tears flow out with the words. Igni: Of course!!! You got it!!! Igni shouts at the top of his lungs. Igni: Trust us, Alicia!! You can count on !!! The next moment, a giant magic spell circle appeared around them. Oh so?rry?! Alicia got caught in the circle too?? Alicia: Ms. Mila?! Alicia cant hide the surprise from her face. Behind Ms. Mila, Ms. Elenoir stands behind her with a huge smile on her face. Popularity Rule No. 13``When in trouble, always ask for help. Elenoir: We''ll, you see?, Im a teacher so its hard for me to say no when my students ask for help???. Celia tries to escape out of the spell, but she realizes that her body is not moving and begins to frantically fight against it. Celia: [The Gateway] Mila?! Then this is a teleport spell!! Celia growls under her breath. Mila: Thats ri?ght. But only you 3 are going away. Mila laughs heartily. Mila: 1 hour, Igni?. Igni: Yes. Mila: 1 hour and everyone will be brought back here. You better finish things before that happens, okay?? Igni nods. Mila: Now go, Igni! GO PROTECT YOUR , OKAY?! Igni: LEAVE IT TO ME!!!! Popularity Rule No. 10 ``Always exceed all expectations. Celia: HA! Do you really a of a Tournament has any chance against me?!?! Igni: I..I cannot forgive you. I WILL NOT FORGIVE ANYONE WHO MAKES ALICIA CRY!!!! Celia: HA HA HA HA!!! Dont be so full of yourself, Igni!! Do you really think just being able to win that Tournament means you can beat me?! Igni: I will beat you. I am ``THE STRONGEST. It was Alicia who was uplifted and saved by those last words. The next moment, they vanish with a , and the 3 disappear from sight. The remaining 3 look quietly at the magic remains of the spell. Elenoir: I hope Igni will be okay??? Elenoir seems a little concerned. Mila: Me too?.... And Mila agrees but Mila: I wish?my younger days was like theirs?. And mumbles something extra. Elenoir: Ms. Mila...really Elenoir was a little taken back by her comment. Mila: You don''t feel the same way, Ms. Elenoir?? Elenoir: Well???, I would have loved to have a classmate like Igni???. Mila: Righ?t? So you do get it?. Yoori didnt know what to make of the relaxed chitchat between the two teachers, and finally summed up the courage to interject with his question. Yoori: Wh`where is Igni?! And Miss Alicia?! Elenoir: Oh?, Yoori, youll be a little surprised to hear the answer???. Yoori: Surprised? Elenoir: Of course??? Because Igni... Elenoirs smile widened.. Elenoir: ...just went to go defeat an [Extreme]. <<<<>>>> <<<<>>>> CREDITS Chapter 33: The Witch and the Wizard Igni: Alicia, dont leave my side. Alicia: What? As the Teleport Spell opened a path, at the same time, Igni took hold of Alicia and rose into the sky. As they rose up to the sky, Alicia looked at her surroundings and gasped. There was only sand all around them. A desert as far as the eye can see. Celia: Where..are we? A moment later, Celia realizes her situation. Igni: This is the Gargante Desert. It is a desert right next to the [Demon Kings Realm]. There is no one here for dozens of miles around. Whether you use Epic-Scale Spells or Disaster-Scale spells, or even , you wont hurt anyone here. Celia: ............youre speaking to me from quite a ways above. Igni held Alicia close as he looked down upon Celia. Igni: Im..not that smart, but I thought a lot about this. How I can save Alicia without leaving any messes or unfinished businesses with you Celia: And your solution? Igni: I.I just need to defeat you. Thats all. Celia: Hm? Igni: Im going to defeat the [Extreme] of [Life]. But youre THE STRONGEST Wizard. Even if you here, you would never be able to admit that to the people of the Empire.isnt that right? Celia: Hmph. Igni: Then Ill just have to defeat you. Ill use that as leverage to have you leave. If you , you will have to leave. You cant have the [STRONGEST] [Extreme] lose to a student. And its not just you and I here. The 3rd Imperial Princess, Alicia, is also here. She will stand as our witness. And now, the stage is set. No matter how much Igni tells everyone that he defeated Celia, no one would likely believe him. But if Alicia was to say that Igni defeated Celia, that would be a different story altogether. She is an Imperial Princess after all. Celia: Amusing. But Igni, you have made one fatal miscalculation. Igni: Miscalculation? Celia: I will not lose. That is a fact. Igni: No, you will. You will lose to me. As soon as Igni finished saying that, an unbelievable amount of magic power flows out of him. Igni: {FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE} : {COMET METEO} A {FIREBALL} that completely covered the skies is born. The world became as bright as the noonday, and heat and light lick the surface of the earth. Igni: I. cant use Disaster-Scale Spells. I have no talent for it. Celia: ......................... Igni: But I can use a Disaster-Scale-Class Spell. With that Igni smiles. Igni: {METEOR - FIRE} A star fell from the heavens. Celia: Its huge. Celia gazed at the {FIREBALL} and smiled. Celia: I told you, Igni. I. will. not. lose. Celia draws her sword. Celia: {PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENT - ACTIVE} BAN!! (*sfx heavy impact) In a flash, Celias muscles bulge and grow. Celia: FU!! With on breath, she swings her sword. The next moment, Ignis {FIREBALL} as large as the sky is cut in half. Celia: Ohhhhh. This.. Igni blinked, and Celia was right before his eyes. With a predatory smile, she growled the next words. Celia: ........will be difficult not to kill you. Igni: {FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE} But Igni saw through her movements. Igni: {EXPLODE - FIRE} Celia: How many times have you used that trick now?! Celia slices the explosion in half and reaches towards Igni and Alicia. But once the smoke cleared, they were not there. Igni: {FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE} : {SNIPER ROUND SNIPE} Igni creates 3 {FIREBALL}s in front of him, and they begin to spin rapidly. Igni: {LAUNCH - FIRE}!! DODODON!! (*sfx 3 explosions) As the explosions erupt, they violently vibrate the air, and the impacts echo, all the shots hit Celia. But Celia lands on the ground without noticing. She stretches out her sword as she charges right at Igni. Igni: Is it not working? Alicia: No, its working. Igni creates {FIREBALL}s below his feet and allow it to explode in a specific direction. He travels the ground with his {FLAME ARMOR TRANSPORT} : {AXLE BURST} and waited for Alicia to speak. Alicia: But she heals. She heals immediately, you see? Igni: Healing Spells, huh The spells that can heal the human body are the [LIFE] Magic Types most well known ability. Igni: Thats the fastest Healing Spell Ive ever seen. Alicia: Of course, youre dealing with an [Extreme]. Igni: True Igni will not allow Celia to come near him. Its because Celia is a close-combat specialist. Close-range combat is her realm and domain. Igni: {FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE} : {HEAVY ARMOR PIERCER} Igni gains about 50 to a 100 meters of distance and Igni begins his spell incantation. He creates 3 {FIREBALL}s that spin rapidly at a high rate. Igni: {LAUNCH - FIRE}!! Celia kicks the ground and readies her sword at the same time. Celia: HA`!! With one yell, she deflects, cuts, and dodges Ignis {FIREBALL}s. Celia: {PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENT} : {ARM} Celias spell incantation. Celia: A quick horse HIIIIIIIIIIINNNNN!! (*sfx a metal ringing) A cold sound of metal vibrates in the air. Celia: ......cannot run without its feet. Igni: .........!! Ignis legs , and Igni loses his balance. Igni: Alicia!! He braces Alicia behind his back as he falls but Alicia: {COME MY WIND - VENTOS}! Alicias spell picks Ignis body back up. Alicia: Igni! Your leg!! Alicias voice strains as she realizes that everything below Ignis thighs are missing. Igni: {FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE} : {MOLECULAR MINIMA} Ignis legs are lying somewhere far behind him in a spray of blood. Igni: {GROUP GENERATION - GENERATE} The next moment, countless {FIREBALL}s replaces and acts as Ignis legs. Each one is small as if to replace Ignis lost cells, and his {FIREBALL} will not be his feet. Igni: ............!! And with it, Igni cauterizes his wounds to forcefully stop the bleeding. In the [Demon Kings Realm], Igni faced many situations with lost limbs. So he came up with this spell to help him recover temporarily until the fight is over. But of course, there is nothing he can do about the pain. The pain of the wound. The pain of the burns. He directly burned all of his pain receptor nerves directly with fire. The pain is unimaginable. But Igni grits his teeth and stands up. Alicia: Igni! Its.its enough!! Ill be okay now so please!! Im sure if I ask my sister, shell heal your legs so please!! Lets just apologize and be done with this!! I just have to go home.. So please, Igni. You can let me go.. Igni: Alicia..you...how many times have you had to kill yourself inside to stop yourself from feeling? Alicia: ......no! Thats not true! Im not! Igni: You can..you can be a little spoiled and ask for what you want. A demanding girl, if its just a little, can be cute, you know? Igni smiles while enduring the pain. Celia: That was a painful process to stop the bleeding. Im sure that must have hurt a lot, Igni. Igni: .......HA! Doesnt hurt.one bit. Celia catches up to them, but Igni spats her words right back at her. Igni: Losing legs.? This isnt anything compared to real pain. Celia: Hmm? Igni: True pain comes from the heart! The pain Alicia felt.. its at least 100 times worse than what my legs felt just now!! Celia: HA! You bark too loudly, Igni! Igni: {FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE}!! Igni creates 2 {FIREBALL}s! The front is hard, and the back is soft.! Igni: {LAUNCH - FIRE}!! DON!! (*sfx explosion) As soon as the explosion occurs, Igni kicks the ground. Igni: Now look to the sky in wonder, [Extreme]!! In a blink of an eye, a {FIREBALL} covers the entire sky. But its different than the {COMET METEO} from before. Each {FIREBALL} is a standard size, but its numbers overwhelm the skies above. Celia: You have incredible magic reserves, Igni!! Igni: Ive trained a lot! Igni smiles. Igni: How about 16,384 {FIREBALL}s? Try dodging this if you can!! Celia: Incredible! Theres not many Wizards in the Empire who can cast this many spells at once! Igni: {FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE} The {FIREBALL}s in the sky turn bright white and Igni: {BOMBARDMENT - FIRE}!!! ZUDODODODODODODODODODO.!!! (*sfx infinite machine gun fire sound) Unthinkable violence rains down upon Celia. Alicia: Igni! Please! Give it all you got!! Igni: You got it! Alicia: My sister wont ! Igni: .......she wont die? Alicia: So please! Dont hold back! Do it as though you''ll finish her off!! Of course, Igni didnt believe that this would be enough to take down an [Extreme]. So he already has the next spell ready, but Alicias words puzzle him as he slightly tilts his head to think. Igni: {FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE} : {MOLECULAR SIZE MINIA}!! Igni creates the particle accelerator with his magic power behind him. Igni: {EXTREME ACCELERATION}!! ``KIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNN!!!!!! (*sfx high-pitch ringing) As Ignis {FIREBALL}s rain down on Celia, another Epic-Scale-Level Spell is initiated! The {FIREBALL} reaches the speed of light. Alicia: DO IT, IGNI!! Igni: {LAUNCH - FIRE}!! With Alicias wishes, Igni fires his spell!! ZUDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNN!!!! (*sfx huge explosion) The {FIREBALL} directly hits Celia and an explosion erupts!! The explosions and impacts lift the sand into the air, and it rains down upon them. Celia: ..............I.see.that..hurts. But Celia withstood all of Ignis spells and stood up. Igni: .......are you serious..? She didnt use one defensive spell and..she can still talk. An exasperated breath escapes Igni. There was a lot of confidence behind those spells that just got wiped away. The wind blew, and the dust and sand settled back down. Celia, broken and tattered, stood there. From the countless explosions from Ignis spells, her skin was turned to charcoal and her right arm was gone. With her remaining left arm, she used it to support her weight with her sword. It was a gruesome sight not worthy of an [Extreme]. Celia: Let me {RESET}. And Celia, with those words``decapitated her own head. Igni: WH``?!?! Igni couldnt hold back the shock that surged forth. The next moment, Celias body turned to tiny balls of light and as her body transformed, they regathered and began to take shape. Celia: Oh, no need to be so shocked. This is my MIRACLE. And a completely wound-less Celia appeared and laughed in her armor. <<<<>>>> There are Wizards who are called [Extreme]s. They are living beings who have reached the ultimate pinnacle of spells, and they are also known as`` ``Magicians. Using Spell Power, you can make 1 into a 10 with a spell. Using Spell Power, you can make a 10 back into a 1 with a spell. But with ... Celia: From nothing, you can make something. If there was such a thing, would you not call that a miracle, Igni? Quite appropriate if I say so myself. From 0 you create 1. Igni: ........yeah, youre right. Igni groans as the words leave him. The [Extreme] of [Life] Celia Esmeralda. Also known as Celia The Undeath. Her is appropriate for the [Extreme] of [Life] ``The Miracle of Immortality. By inscribing a spell into your soul, no matter how much your body is injured, [DEATH] merely becomes a trigger that activates a [RESET] for your body. The Immortal Magician. That.. is Celia Esmeralda. Its an impossible situation, and Igni feels despair creep up, but another memory comes up at the same time. <<<<>>>> [OYE, IGNI! What are you going to do when a woman stronger than you appears.] [Grandpa, Im trying to sleep.] That was when Igni walked around the [Demon Kings Realm] without sleeping for 1 full week. [Im asking you what you will do.] [..........get away] [Oye, why?] [Because women like strong men, right? If you have someone that strong around, you cant be popular any more.] [OW!! THAT HURT!! BUT IM AWAKE NOW TOO!!] [YOU THINK A MAN WHO RUNS WILL BE POPULAR?!?!?!] [...................?!] [There are MILLIONS of women stronger than you now! Do you plan to run from all of them?!?! [.......I..I!! [Stand up to them! Catch up to them!! AND FOR GODS SAKE, OVER TAKE THEM!!! [G`GRANDPA!!] [When people see that, there is something that shakes them from the foundation of their very being!!] [I..I see..!!] <<<<>>>> ...I see..I really see now. Thats what you meant.. Celia: Whats wrong, Igni? Are you through? Celia provokes him. Although every one of his attacks came to nothing, Igni smiled - if for anything else, just to reassure Alicia who was looking so worried at him. Igni: No. Just one. I just arrived at one principle truth of this universe. Celia: Truth? Igni: Yeah...the importance of..trying - giving it your all.. The Ultimate Secret to Becoming Popular Rule Number 1. ``Women love strong men. But they love men who give it their all even more. Igni finally the meaning behind those words. Igni: The [Extreme] of [Life]. The Immortal Magician. If thats the case, then Ill just have to use my trump card. Igni smiles. Celia readies her sword, and``kicks the ground. Igni: Alicia, dont let go of me. Igni lifts his right hand towards Celia. Igni: Ill show you my . <<<<>>>> Chapter 34: The Magician Celia: ? Did you just say ? Celia begins laughing at Ignis last comment. Celia: HA HA HA HA HA!! Are you telling me that a kid like you was able to master a spell?!?! Igni: Yeah, I mastered my spell. Igni grits his teeth as his own {FIREBALL} continues to singe his thighs. Celia: Then show me! Show me your so called !! Celia steps forward and charges in. At the same time, Igni blasts [FLAME ARMOR TRANSPORT] : [AXLE BOOT] behind him. Igni: Alicia, I have a favor to ask. Alicia: Wh`what is it?! Igni: When I use my , I can no longer use {FIREBALL}. ..can you be my legs? Alicia: Got it. Alicia nods without hesitation. Alicia: {Come, My Wind - VENTOS}!! Wind envelops Igni and Alicia gently, and as if to guide them to the skies, their bodies lift up. Celia: Do you think Ill let you escape?! Igni: {FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE} : {MOLECULAR SIZE MINIMA}! Ignis {FIREBALLS}s circle around behind him and then. Igni: {EXTREME ACCELERATION}!! He forces the {FIREBALLS} to accelerate to the speed of light!! Igni: {LAUNCH - FIRE}!! Celia: .......................!! KYUUUDOOOOHHH!!!! (*sfx fast impact) Without giving her any time to react, the {FIREBALL} collides with Celia! It completely wipes out her left side and continues past her! But Celias body is enveloped immediately in light. But shes vulnerable for this one critical moment. This is what some people would call an opportunity. Igni: "{FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE} : {COMPLETE COMBUSTION - FULL BURST}!!!!! With Ignis incantation, his enormous magic power begins to quickly collect and consolidate in front of him. Celia: ........oh? Celia was swatted back down to the ground, and as she looked up.she held her breath at the sight. Celia: Light is...no the ENTIRE WORLD is twisting around you, Igni! How much magic power do you have?! Igni: .................this is everything I got. Igni exerted every last bit of magic power from his body. He feels terribly dizzy from the magic exhaustion, but even so, his hand pointed at Celia did not waver. A that he can perform only because he is so close the [Demon Kings Realm]. Igni: ............do you know how this universe began? Celia: Its beginning? Of course. God created it. Igni: Yeah, exactly...youre absolutely right.. In Ignis hand, a light was born. Igni: What God made in the very beginning..was a tiny..very tiny {FIREBALL}. The very beginning of the universe, of space and time, was a tiny {FIREBALL}. In a single moment, it expanded rapidly, cooled, and in the void of chaos, the laws of the universe were born and the world was created. Then if Igni can only use {FIREBALL}, this is the most appropriate pinnacle of his spell for him to arrive. His : The Miracle of Beginnings - THE BIG BANG. In short, the creation of the universe itself. Igni: My is a reflection of the very beginning. Do you understand what that means..[Extreme]?! Celia: Yeah, of course I would know. You and I are both grave sinners who have reached into the hands of God!! Ignis is . Igni: My world will disappear.........in about 250 billion years..but this is the universe I created...until my time is up...I can use it however I like. The small universe that Igni created in his hand will disappear 250 billions years - which means that hes controlling 250 billion years of time and energy all at once - its that kind of . Igni: My .is THE STRONGEST." Celia: Dont get so cocky!! Celia screams. But as she screams, her arm and leg blow away. Celia: ................?!?! Igni: You cant understand, right? Even an [Extreme] cant keep up with..the speed of my Celia immediately heals and recovers her lost limbs. Celia: HAAA!!!! Celia immediately swings her sword towards Igni and Alicia. But in a blink of an eye, both disappear before her eyes. Igni: We now live in different universes. Your attacks..will no longer reach me. Igni appears behind Celia and quietly makes this declaration. Ignis face is completely blue, no even the blue is drained, and he has gone completely white. But the {SMALL UNIVERSE FIREBALL} in Ignis hand continues to shine brightly. Celia: ...........YOU!! .YOU BENT TIME.?!?! Igni: This is MY world. I can do as I please with time. Then of course I can attune ourselves to it too. Celia: .......your is absolutely ludicrous.. Igni: HA! An immortal being like yourself has a right to tell me that? Celia laughs defiantly at Ignis words. Celia: Youre absolutely right. As she laughs, she swings her sword. But her sword wont reach Igni. It cant. It will.NEVER reach him. Igni: To you, you may be talking normally, you may think youre moving normally.but to us. Celias head is blown off. Her body is enveloped in light and is immediately repaired. Igni: Youve completely stopped in our eyes. The world created by Ignis , its laws and forces will apply to Igni and only to those Igni has allowed. But in truth, there is not a whole lot Igni can do. He can manipulate time, and hit his foes with pure energy. Thats all. That may be it, but Igni: You cant reach me, right? He can become THE STRONGEST. There is only one person who can fight against Ignis . The one person who can move at the speed of light, Lucas. Igni: Stop. With Ignis words, time itself stops. To be accurate, Igni took his {SMALL UNIVERSE FIREBALL} and accelerated its time entirely to infinite acceleration, and Igni and Alicia are attuned to that acceleration. Hence, the difference between the regular world around them and the speed of Ignis universe causes the illusion that time itself stopped..or looks as though it stopped. Igni: Alicia, take me behind her. Alicia: Okay. They move behind Celia who looks frozen in time, and Igni takes out energy from the {SMALL UNIVERSE FIREBALL} and shoots the energy at Celia as a {FIREBALL}. And the regular worlds time catches up with Ignis world and time moves together once more. Celia: .............!! Celia realizes that both her arms are blown off and finally realizes this. Celia: .........certainly. KIN!! (*sfx high metallic sound) Celias sword strikes and buries itself into the desert ground. Celia: Certainly, Igni. Youre is.strong. Its probably one of the strongest there is. But I wont die. This that I have inscribed on my soul will never run out of magic power. Igni: I thought so. I also have 250 billion years of energy, so Im not running out any time soon. Unlike Spells which use Magic Power as a source of energy, which creates something out of nothing has no limitations as far as anything like running out of magic power. Celia: Then we are at a stalemate. Igni: No, the stalemate will break. Igni smiles. Igni: I just need to break your will. Celia: ...........? Igni: Try 10 Yearsfirst. The next moment, Celia realized that everything around her slowed down. Celia: ..............what.what is this Igni and Alicia, who is hugging Igni from behind is not moving at all. Its as if the world completely stopped. Celia: ...............! My body..!! Celia tried to move her body in the frozen time bubble and realized that she couldnt. Celia: 10 years.! Thats what he meant! At that moment, Celia understood Ignis words. <<<<>>>> Igni: How was10 years? Celia: ............I...I can.move...My body...is moving.. Trapped in frozen time, without being able to move her body at all for 10 years, even an [Extreme] had a hard time mentally and emotionally recovering from the experience. Igni: I attuned just the time around you to my universe. Next is 100 Years. Celia: ...........!! Without realizing it, Celia immediately raised a fist and jumped towards Igni but.. Celia: ......................no.. Her expression was that of realization, and she fell to the ground. At that moment, 100 Yearsof time had passed for her. To Igni, it was just a flash of a second. But to Celia, the 100 Years was something akin to eternity. If I wanted to, I can stretch it to 1000 years or 10,000 years or even 5 billion years.would you like to experience 250 billion years? Ignis {SMALL UNIVERSE FIREBALL} flames dance in Celias eyes. Her knees fall to the floor. Celia: .....................its Ignis {SMALL UNIVERSE FIREBALL}s light dances and flickers... Celia: my loss. With those words, Igni, Alicia, and Celias body is enveloped in light. Igni: Its been 1 hour. Celia: 1 hour..I see..so only 1 hour.has passed up to now. Celia mumbles to herself as her eyes show a gleam of surrender, and she closes them. And this entire time, Ignis heart pounded hard as he waited for Celia to say, Ergh! Just kill me now! <<<<>>>> Chapter 35: Another Newcomer! [Who are you, grandpa?] On a battlefield raining with blood, a robed figure stood there with his hood pulled deeply over his head. [I thought there was a child crying, so I came.] [This is a battlefield. There are no children here. The young girl rode on her broomstick and floated in the air to avoid stepping on a charred corpse. [Hmmm, strange. I swear theres one right before my eyes.] [Im not crying.] [Is that why you keep such a serious expression on your face? You do not cry, but you do not laugh either. I see. Just as the rumors say, you are quite the iron maiden.] [What are you, grandpa? An enemy?] [Im not your enemy, but Im not your ally either. I came to fulfill a promise to an old friend. I came to give you your freedom.] [Youve been saying nothing but gibberish until now.] [If.if you do not like now, then run here. Here. I have your admission documents prepared right here.] [..........what is that?] [Its admission papers to the Rolmod Wizard Academy. Its a Wizard Academy located in the The Kingdom.] [.....................not interested.] [Youll make friends there.] [..........friends.] In the fables, the heroes would always be surrounded by friends. [Hey grandpa. There.. But for Alicia. [No, never mind.] Instead of being a weapon for killing... [Yes, there is. Theres a man who can save you.] ...she wanted to be a princess. [.........who] [Oye, my grandson.] [Whats his name?] [Igni] That was when The Hurricane Alicia and The Ultimate Light Lucas crossed paths for the first time. This was the day before the entrance exam. <<<<>>>> Yoori: ..........THEYRE BACK!!! Yooris voice echoed into the quiet air. They finally returned back to the Kingdom. Igni continued to monitor Celia closely without letting his guard down. Celia: .....Ill..go home for now. Igni: Please do. Igni was able to keep his eye level even with Celia because of Alicias spell. Igni: Youll withdraw for now. In return, I will not let the citizens of the Empire know that I defeated an [Extreme]. Do we have a deal? Celia: Yeah. Celia nods with a tilt of her head. Igni: Then we have a deal. Igni smiles. Celia: Your legs Ill fix them. Celia lays a hand on Ignis shoulder, and as soon as her hand touches, Ignis feet are restored. Even though he incinerated his thighs with his {FIREBALL}, no scars or wounds remained, and he was healed completely. Celia: Alicia, you found a good man. Alicia: .........yes. Celia turns around. Her cloak waving gently in the air. Celia: I see now. I understand a little of why the town girls chase after men. Igni: ...........? Igni tilts his head in response. Celia: All I am saying is that strong men are popular, Igni. Igni: Huh? Oh, yeah...sure Suddenly, the conversation turned into something about popularity, and Ignis head tilts again. Celia: You are dense, Igni. Im confessing my love to you right now. Igni: ..wait, WHAT?! Shock and surprise overtakes Igni and his voice flips an octave higher. Igni: (Did my *season of popularity just arrive?!?!?!) With his rusty brain, he tries to churn and crank his thinking into motion. Celia: What a cruel man. I was staring at you for 100 years, you know. Igni: Thats why..????? Wait, what? Thats why? If you stare at a person for 100 years, would you fall in love with them? Thats not written anywhere in the Rules of Popularity?!?!? Alicia: Sis! You know you cant!! But Alicia pushes her sister away from Igni. Alicia: Youre the 1st Imperial Princess! You cant just choose your fianc just like that?! Celia: If anyone objects, I will remove those obstacles. Alicia: No! For crying out loud, just go home already!! Alicia pushes Celia from behind. Igni: (What?! Huh?! Whats going on..?!?!) Magic Exhaustion was taking its toll and Ignis mind spun uselessly and Igni: (Im.Im popular?!?!?!?!?) But as he reached his answer, his mind completely shutdown, and the world blacked out. <<<<>>>> Alicia: Good morning, Igni. Igni: Where..where are we? Igni wakes up in a bed he didnt recognize. Next to his bed, Alicia sat in a chair beside him. Next to her, Yoori slept with his face planted on the bed. Alicia: Were in the schools nurses office. You suffered Magic Exhaustion so they brought you here. Igni: ......I...see Igni rises to sit up and looks at Alicia. In the [Demon Kings Realm], Igni constantly underwent Magic Exhaustion, so to him, this was nothing, but to the average Wizard, Magic Exhaustion can lead to death. Hence, that is why their care for Igni was so overboard. Alicia: Yoori was awake until a moment ago, but he just fell asleep. Igni: Alicia..are you okay? Alicia: What do you mean? Igni: Like school Igni tries to remember the events before the Magic Exhaustion, but his memory is foggy, and he cant recall the details. Theres.theres something really important that he cant remember.or at least it feels important ...a knight...a princess Ergh, just kill me?........? ...no, thats not it. Alicia: Dont worry about me. Because of Ms. Mila and Ms. Elenoir, Im going to be able to live in the dorms starting tomorrow. Igni: Oh yeah..now that I think about it, where were you living before? Igni assumed that she was commuting from home all this time. Alicia: Um...well...a secret hideout. Alicia lets out a giggle as she answers. Igni: ......a secret hideout, huh. Igni didnt know how to respond to her answer, and just repeats Alicias answer to himself. Alicia: Um.Igni.? Igni: Hm? Alicia: I just wanted to say thank you. A soft sensation lands on Ignis cheek. Alicia: See you tomorrow. Her face completely red, Alicia leaves the room. Igni: ...........hueghhh..? Being left alone, a strange sound escapes his throat. Igni: Wh`.....just now...wh`, wh`, what just.. Ignis brain explodes and deflates and only broken words form and spill out of his mouth. Igni: What just..happened? As Igni questions reality itself, the soft light of the moon quietly shone through his window. <<<<>>>> *Madam Saint. We finally found him. In the Holy Nation of Santaruman... In the center of the Capital lies the Great Temple. In the far back of the Temple, in a private room, an attendant disturbed the prayers of the girl inside. She had sky blue eyes and without turning around, she spoke. I see. Where is he now? He is located in the Rolmod Wizards Academy in the Anthem Kingdom. .......a SCHOOL. So God did not abandon him after all. At the age of 13, the girl was deemed to be compatible with the [HOLY] Magic Trait, and she lifted her gratitude to God and smiled. Its okay. Its going to be okay. I have been praying all this time for this moment. Im sure.Im certain that he hasnt forgotten about me. She speaks to herself quietly as if to convince herself of something. We PROMISED, didnt we? Oh, Lord. I knew we were tied together by fate. .let us depart immediately. Make the preparations for the journey. As you wish. 2 years...it was too long. It was way too long. Her laughter was tainted with the sweet scent of insanity. But it is all right now. Fate has brought us back together. No matter how much the world pushes us away, no matter how much they deny us, we are destined to meet. She gazes as . Igni, everything will be okay now. Rose Aquilmarun smiled warmly towards the portraits. Rose: Im here for you. To be continued {{literally written in English in the raw Japanese text.}} [END OF BOOK 1] <<<<>>>> <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) *Season of Popularity - mote-ki () - Slang Japanese word for a time or season when you become popular with the ladies. *Madam Saint - seijo-sama (}Ů) - So shes a female saint....of the world? In Japanese, its easy to make titles and turn them into formal names. The formula is [Your Title] + [Sama]. The ending sama is the highest honorific you can give to any individual. It is still used in modern Japanese culture, and it can literally be applied to ANYONE to show respect. This would be similar to the honorific Sir and Madam in English. I actually had to Google How to address a Saint and the suggestions were Your Grace, Your Excellency, or My Lord. Since the Saint part was emphasized so heavily in the flow of the text, I cringed, but used Madam Saint to see if it sticks. Chapter 36: The Seeker of Popularity [BOOK 2] Yoori: Igni, whats wrong? You look dazed. Igni: .......hm? It was the next day after the intense fight. Igni and his friends were attending school just as usual. It didnt matter if the day before, Igni just survived an intense life or death battle or whether he fought an [Extreme] - regardless, the next day started and continued without pause or change. Yoori: Are you okay? Are you still experiencing Magic Exhaustion? Igni: No, Im okay. Its really nothing. This manis a liar. Although he said, Its nothing, in his mind, he is replaying that moment with Alicia. He replays it over and over and reminisces on how soft it was Igni is drowning in his own thoughts. But as he drowns, he also had a parallel thought running simultaneously. In short, Does Alicia like me?........that was his hypothesis. But.is this something he could talk about with Yoori? NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! Theres no way he could do that.! Iris: Sir Igni! Good morning! Igni: Good morning, Iris. How are you doing? Iris: Yes! Sir Igni, did you sleep well last night? Igni: Yeah, I was able to . There was no way he could tell her, I just fought an [Extreme]".......theres no reason to tell her, and she wouldnt believe him anyways. No, if its Iris, maybe she would believe him? Yeah, she would believe him. Iris: Oh, so theres big news today! Igni: Big news? Igni tilted his head at Iris comment. Iris: Yes! ''That'' Alicia moved into the dorms! Alicia: What? Are you saying that I shouldnt live there? Alicia sat on her broom and smiled. Even though she went through so much yesterday, shes her usual self today. Igni: Isnt that a good thing? Now all four of us can walk to school together. Yoori: Igni! Youre sharp as ever today!! Igni received a compliment from Yoori. And as they all talk about this and that, they head to the school. Iris: Can you believe it, Sir Igni? My parents sent a letter over to me immediately after the Tournament and was asking if they could meet you!! Igni: What did you tell them? Iris: I told them that they were the WORST for only contacting me after seeing those results! I told them about how you saved me before, and they said nothing! Isnt that crazy?! Igni: Hmmmm..yeah. Iris: Thats why I hate my dad! Iris pouts and puffs her cheeks. Shes cute. Shes cute, but right now, Igni is being distracted by something completely different..!! Inside Ignis mind, he cant help but set his attention on the witch riding on her broom! Yoori: Are you okay after yesterday, Miss Alicia? Alicia: Thanks for your concern. I got a letter this morning saying that my sister apologizes and wants to see Igni, and please relay that message to him. Yoori: Are you going to tell him? Alicia: Of course not. .I can hear a pretty intense conversation over there. But Alicias sister is the [Extreme] of [Life]. Igni tilts his head as he couldnt recall what he did that would prompt her to want to meet with him. ...wait, maybe she fell for me?! This manhe lost his memory from when he started suffering [Magic Exhaustion] and up until the point where he fainted. He does remember using his to corner Celia, but thats it. But he did come to the correct conclusion. This is a classic example of the saying, Even the blindman will eventually hit the target if you give him enough bullets. Igni: Hey, Alicia? Alicia: What is it, Igni? Igni decided to just ask Alicia directly. But her response was so ordinary that Igni: .....hows life in the dorms? Alicia: I love it. I especially like that they serve breakfast. Ignis words were easily brushed away. Igni: (............is it my misunderstanding?) ``[Misunderstanding]. From the beginning of history, many men and women have been eluded by this one word. One man misunderstood and thought the woman liked him, and confessed his love and was rejected. Another misunderstood and thought the woman had no interest in him, and he held secretly onto his feelings until he reached his grave. For those who seek the path of popularity, [misunderstandings] are blood-sucking pests, the deadly virus, the subtle miscalculation in a beautiful equation Something that absolutely must be removed..!! .and of course, this is not something those who seek to master the art of popularity can readily ignore.! Igni: (..........oh!) At that moment, images of the past flashed into Ignis mind. <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni. So youll be going to school from now on.] [I have no problem with that. Youre the one who taught me that Adventurers dont have fateful encounters.] [Im sure that you will follow the Ultimate Secrets of Popularity rules and will be able to indulge yourself with many women.] [.................!] Hope ignites in Ignis eyes. For 2 years, he scraped at the bottom of Hell, and now his efforts will come to fruition. [That is why, Igni. There is something I must tell you. [Something.you must tell me.?] Before Igni is an [Extreme]. He is the representation of the heights man can achieve. Igni waited patiently for Lucas next words. [Listen to me. Ive made this mistake countless times and was resented for it.] [Resented.?! [Oye, Igni. To be popular...is to entice women with your charm. Once they fall for you, you cannot just cut them off there and say, That is the end.......! No, its actually the opposite!!] [The opposite.?!] [To be popular...! It means that any woman who falls in love with you, you must ...........!! [.....................!!] At that moment, Igni wanted to punch himself in the face for being so na?ve. [Listen. Listen to me, Igni. You are now a student. You are also young. You will meet many women, and you may have enjoyable moments with them.] [*Enjoyable moments.!!] [But.even so, Igni! Just because you were intimate once with a woman..a man who suddenly thinks of himself as her boyfriend...he will inevitably be rejected!!] [Wh`......! WH`WHAT?!?!] [WH`?! WHY DID YOU SLAP ME?! WHAT DID I SAY THIS TIME?!?!] [I CAN READ THOSE NAIVE THOUGHTS OOZING OUT OF YOUR NEANDERTHAL BRAIN!! IGNI, JUST NOW...YOU THOUGHT THAT DOING THOSE ENJOYABLE THINGS WITH WOMEN WAS THE GOAL, DIDNT YOU!!! [.......................!!] [NO!! NO, IGNI!! DO NOT MAKE THAT MISTAKE!! DO NOT MAKE THAT YOUR END GOAL!! NO...THAT IS ACTUALLY YOUR STARTING POINT!! .IF YOU DO NOT CHANGE THAT WAY OF THINKING...YOU WILL BE ULTIMATELY..REJECTED..!!!!!!!!!!] [...........WH`?! WHA``T?!?!?] [SUDDENLY ACTING LIKE HER BOYFRIEND.! FROM HER PERSPECTIVE, YOURE JUST A FOOL WHO MISUNDERSTOOD.!! HOW EMBARRASSING..!! YOU MUST BE ABLE TO READ THE DISTANCE..IGNI!!! [O`Okay, I understand, Grandpa] [Well, Im sure you only understood about half of what I said, but one of these days, youll understand what I mean.] With that, Lucas gleamed a wild, manly smile at Igni. <<<<>>>> Is it this..?! Is this what Grandpa was talking about..?! That was close! From just one kiss.! I misunderstood her feelings because of a kiss to the cheek and thought she liked me...how embarrassing.! A lifelong shame! But this is just the beginning.!! The path to popularity is a path of barbs and thorns!! Iris: Sir Igni, are you okay? Igni: Hm? Iris: Its just.you looked like you were deep in thought. Igni: Yeah, Im fine..I just needed to remind myself that I still need to work even harder from now on. Iris: What?! Already?! You truly are something special, Sir Igni! Its just the day after you won the Tournament!! Yoori: Igni, I really do admire that stoic personality of yours. Igni: Thanks. Igni couldnt hide his self-satisfied smile flooding over his face. And this would be very typical, but no one noticed the slight blush that appeared on Alicias face as she peered at Igni. <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) *Enjoyable Moments - mufufu things (եդ£- In Japanese, you may hear a character laugh quietly with mufufu (ե) as the text. You will see this typically when someone is indulging in their imagination, and it could refer to any satisfaction ranging from achievements, rewards (items, money), revenge, sex, etc. When a male character is having a mufufu moment, it typically (but not always) refers to some sort of sexual fantasy. To be clear, women can laugh with mufufu moments, but its usually more oriented towards everything other than sex - it could be imagining romantic moments with their crush, having a relaxing day, indulging in food, becoming someone with authority, etc. I do not mean this to be sexist or to reinforce any gender stereotypes, but this is strictly just to clarify what context you will find these things in Japanese language and culture, and especially in the context offered in the novel just now. <<<<>>>> ?~Illustrations~? https://discord.gg/2SWtrgTbUG Chapter 37 Elenoir: Hey, Igni Igni: Yes, Ms. Elenoir? This was during the lunch break. Igni was with his usual friends eating lunch together when Elina and Erumi barged in on the group, and Alicia and Iris were making a big fuss. Thats when Ms. Elenoir called him over, and they were speaking in a meeting room. Elenoir: Its about this With that Ms. Elenoir pulls out one piece of paper. Igni: Whats this? There was a piece of paper with his name, age, and other information written down. Elenoir: We got an Official Quest Request for you Igni: A Quest? You mean, the same thing the 3rd Years are doing? Elenoir: Yup. But because you won the [Tournament], someone directly requested for you Igni: They requested for me? So..they requested me directly by name? Elenoir: Youre exactly right Gold star for you Igni: How long will this take? Elenoir: It will start about one week from now, and might take...about a week? Igni: 1 full week. Thats a long time. What would I do about my classes? Elenoir: Youll have official leave And depending on the contents of the Quest, youll receive additional credit for courses Igni: What kind of Quest is this? Elenoir: Its a request to transport a [Weapon] Youre being asked to protect an Elves[Weapon] through the Kingdom all the way to the Principality. Igni: Principality..oh, you mean the Lilitalia Principality. Its right below the Holy Nation of Santaruman. Elenoir: Thats right Igni thinks about this. He doesnt have any problems with taking on this Quest. But will this Quest help him become more popular? That was his only concern. Elenoir: If you dont want to, you dont have to acceptYou see, the Elves dislike humans soStuff like this rarely happens Igni: They dislike humans.. Its true that Igni has heard several rumors that Elves in general disliked humans. Igni: But what about Ms. Mira then? Elenoir: Shes special Igni couldnt argue with that. Elenoir: To be honestAll the teachers are pretty surprisedNo one thought the Elves would request a Quest from us and on top of that, they requested a student Igni: .......hmmmm Igni thought some more. Igni: Would that mean that I would be the first ever to receive a Quest from the Elves? Elenoir: Yup Igni: Ill do it. The allure of being the first caught Ignis attention. Elenoir: Really? Thank you And with that Ms. Elenoir hugged Igni. Elenoir: Youre such a good kid Igni: M`Ms. Elenoir?! Since Igni won the Tournament, Igni felt the distance between him and Ms. Elenoir was much closer than before. Elenoir: Okay thenIll let them know that you accepted the QuestThey also wanted two others to go with you, so Ill take care of that part Igni: Its okay if I dont choose? Elenoir: WellSo you have to get used to performing Quests firstAnd then youll start selecting your party membersThe most important thingabout doing Quests is to make sure you complete the Quest objectivesSo if you choose students who are not used to QuestsYoull find yourself in a difficult situationSo Ill help choose people who will help support you Igni: I see. If thats the case, thank you for your help. Igni immediately understood what Ms. Elenoir was trying to say. There were no objections from him. Elenoir: So yeaDo you have anyone who you cant work with or dont get along with? Id appreciate it if you let me know now Igni: Oh, theres no one like that. Elenoir: GreatThen Ill go ahead and make my choices then Igni: Thank you again. Igni bows politely. Elenoir: Youll know in about a week And Igni leaves the meeting room with that. <<<<>>>> 1 week has passed. Igni arrived at the school gates 10 minutes before the meeting time. Iris: Sir Igni! Over here!! And Iris is hopping up and down trying to get his attention. Igni: Iris? Why are you here? Iris: Ms. Elenoir asked me to come! She said for me to help you on this Quest! Igni: So youll be supporting me? Im grateful, Iris. Iris compatibility is [EARTH] : [S]. She doesnt have Ignis firepower, but shes more geared towards . Igni: (Thinking of it that way, shell be a solid member to this party.) Igni is attack-oriented with supreme firepower and has the ability to respond to any situation. Alicia is also a frontline attacker. Iris is a mid-line supporter. Yoori is a back-line supporter. And if a Healer joins the group, they have a well-balanced party. Iris: Sir Igni! Im so happy that my first is with you! Igni: Im also glad that my first is with you too. Iris: Really?! Iris grabs hold of Ignis arm and holds him tightly. But its a little sad. Iris is a little thin. But as soon as the word thin crosses his mind, simultaneously, a painful memory erupts in his cheeks. It was an unforgettable moment 1 year ago. <<<<>>>> [Grandpa, I dont want to be popular with anyone without breasts] (*sfx super heavy impact) [Y`YOU PUNCHED MY FACE?!?!] As Igni screamed in protest, Lucas fists flew at him. [YOU FOOL!!] [?!] [A FOOL OF A FOOL! YOU ARE THE BIGGEST FOOL THERE IS, IGNI!!] [M`me? Im a] [YOURE WORDS ARE THE WORDS OF THE WEAK!! YOURE JUST A **** HEAD KID WHO DOESNT EVEN KNOW THE VALUE OF A FLAT CHEST.!!] [W`whats so good about a flat chest?!?! Having a big chest is so much better!!] [Y`youre slapping me now..?!] [There is no dignity in discriminating by size. [...........wh`what are you.] [Ill say it again! THERE IS NO DIGNITY IN DISCRIMINATING BY SIZE!!!] [......I, I DONT GET IT, GRANDPA!!] Lucas slapped Igni so hard that Igni thought his head came off. [Igni, you are only looking at the breast] [............?!] [But is that truly where the value of the woman lies?] [Th`thats..] [The value of a woman is not limited to just that, am I right?] [.........oh.OH!!] [Are you looking on the inside? How about her face? Her clothes? Is she kind?] [..........OH...OHHH!!] [OYE, IGNI!! OPEN YOUR EYES ALREADY!!!] [................!] [LOVE HER!! LOVE HER JUST AS SHE IS!!] [Grandpa.Grandpa, I was wrong.!!] [Im glad you understand.] [But grandpa] [What is it?] [Im more surprised that you gave such solid advice] [..............................] <<<<>>>> Yes, to only love big chests is something only a 2nd rate would do. NO, A 3RD RATE.! Youll be scraping at the bottom as a man..!! What you need to do is love every part of the girlher whole being.! You cant just go around ranking breast sizes!! Iris: Then lets go, Sir Igni! Ms. Elenoir said shell walk with us for part of the way there! As Iris tried to pull Igni away from the school gates, a voice called out from behind. Hey, wait wait!! Dont leave me behind!! Igni: (...............................hm?) In Ignis mind, it was just going to be him and Iris, but when he turns around Im here too! Dont forget about me!! Igni: Edward?! There stood Edward. Edward: Of course its me! Dont worry! Ill patch you guys up if you guys get hurt!! Igni: ..........hm? Patch us up?? Edward: Hm? Of course. Im a Healer Wizard. Igni: .......oh, ohhhhh yeah. Thats right Igni couldnt tell him that this is the first time hes heard. Edward: My compatibility is [A] so I can restore lost limbs if it comes down to it! But dont overdo it and get hurt, got it?! Do you understand?! Iris: Hey! What are you talking about?! Like Sir Igni would ever get injured!! Edward: Thats true. Iris: Of course its true! Sir Igni is the best! Edward: Yeah, Igni really is something else. Igni: Um, hey guys....that''s enough. Lets just get going. Igni learned of Edwards skills as a Healer Wizard and was unable to deal with the shocking realization. Igni: (........h`he might.Edward fits into my party formation..?!?!) And suddenly dread overwhelmed him. <<<<>>>> ?~Illustrations~? https://discord.gg/2SWtrgTbUG (found some fan-art? Share it here!) Chapter 38: The Rumor and the Wizard Hey! Thanks for coming, Igni! Igni: Sure thing. Its been 5 hours since they got onto the carriage. Inside a forest far away from the Capital, Igni and his group met with the Elves. My name is Lura. Im the Captain of the guards for this mission. Well, theres only two of us though. Lura smiled as she said this. Her green hair almost melted into the background. Igni: Its nice to meet you. Igni bows his head politely. Lura: I watched your fight at the Tournament! I was so moved!! Igni: Thank you so much. Igni puts on a warm smile. But also dances excitedly inside his mind. Lura: I cant believe you can do so many things with just {FIREBALL}! Igni: It was the result of a lot of effort. Lura: Thats still amazing! Thats the first time I was so moved by another persons Spell!! Igni: Really?! Ignis ears prick up to the words, First Time. Its a guy thing. Lura: Yes, really! Its only until we get through the Kingdom, but thank you for your help! Igni: Yes, no problem. Iris: Um...is there anything that we should be doing? Iris asks as she hides behind Igni. Lura: Yes! Great question! I need you to protect the carriage! The carriage she is referring to is a carriage that has been next to Igni and his friends this entire time. It looks more like a carriage for a noble than something that is transporting any goods. Igni: I understand. Please leave it to us. Igni offered his hand for a handshake. And Lura obliges and shakes his hand. Captain Lura, are we really going to rely on these humans? But as they were shaking hands, a voice comes up from behind Lura. Lura: What are you saying? We already decided on this! And you saw Ignis amazing Spells too!! Yeah, I saw it, but hes used {FIREBALL} the entire time! Apparently, the other Elf wanted to bring up her complaints. Lura shrugs her shoulders. Lura: Have you ever heard of any Wizard who beat an Epic-Scale Spell with a {FIREBALL}? Thats. Lura: Thats the point! And its only until we reach the borders to the Principality. Cmon, please get along with them just until then, Lilly. Igni looks at the girl called Lilly, and she immediately looks away with a hmph! Igni: (.....a *tsundere?) And Igni was clueless and himself as always. Lura: Then lets get going! With Luras shout, the carriage began to move. With Lura and Lilly joining Ignis party, they set off. <<<<>>>> Lura: Wait, you can only use {FIREBALL}?! Igni: Yes, I was born that way. My compatibility is really low and Lura: Wow! Then youre kind of like a [Ultimate Specialized Spellcaster ? Spell One]!! At that moment, lightning struck Ignis mind. ..she.she understands..?! Igni: I`Im actually an [Ultimate Specialized Spellcaster ? Spell One]!! And Igni immediately jumps on her words and Lura: Is that true?! Thats amazing!! Now I understand why youre able to cast that {FIREBALL}!! Iris: Sir Igni, what are you talking about? They were walking down the road together and talking, and Iris jumps in with her question. The carriage noisily clonked down the rocky path, and it was a little difficult to hear so Igni raised his voice for Iris. Igni: Were talking about my compatibility. Lura: Amazing! They actually existed! The [Ultimate Specialized Spellcaster ? Spell One!!] Igni: .........are they famous? The term [Ultimate Specialized Spellcaster ? Spell One] was only used by Lucas, so Igni was happy that Lura knew about it, but at the same time, felt a little disappointed at the fact as well. This man....he just wanted to feel extra special. Lura: Hmmmmmmm.I guess its not that famous. Its just a rumor. The very first [Extreme] was a [Ultimate Specialized Spellcaster ? Spell One] apparently. Well, thats just an unconfirmed rumor, so I dont know if its true or not. Igni: The very first [Extreme]? Wouldnt that be the [Hero]? The [Hero] died 90 years ago. After defeating the Demon King, they say that the [Hero] spent the rest of his days rebuilding humanity and died being surrounded by his children and grandchildren. When he defeated the worst crisis to ever befall on humanity, the Demon King, it is said that he was the first to ever use . Hence, why he is the first [Extreme]. Lura: Yup yup! But its just a rumor at this point! Igni: But wasnt the [Hero] a genius Wizard said to have compatibility with all Magic Traits? Lura: Thats how his story was written. Thats why its only rumors. Lura laughs after Ignis question. Igni: (I see. Its just rumors huh.) ...rumors. <<<<>>>> [GRANDPA!] [What?] [Is that rumor true that you charmed and played with 5 daughters of a famous nobles family all at once, and then got tired of them and threw the problem at father?!] [Who did you hear that from, that rumor?] [The servants in the house were talking about it!] [Oye, Igni. Im going to tell you something very important, so listen well. [What?] [A man should always take care of any problems that he creates with his own hands. He can borrow some help from others, but ultimately, he should never completely abandon the problem itself.] [I see!] [So of course, I took care of it myself.] [Th`then..!] [Its true that I got involved with 5 daughters from a noble.] [W`whoa.] [And the scars I showed you from my Shuraba was made during that time. [Grandpa.really.what are you doing?] <<<<>>>> Igni: (So rumors are just that. Rumors. Yup.) Iris: Oh, if youre talking about rumors, you have a lot of rumors too, Sir Igni! Lura: Oooohhhh...like what kind of rumors? Please tell me too. Lura seems to be more interested in Ignis rumors than Igni himself. Iris: Um, well. Theres a lot! Like Sir Igni is the son of a noble, and Im your servant! Like rumors that were going out! And Sir Igni enjoys forcing girls to address him as *''Sir''! LIke that. Igni: (Wait, theres rumors like that going around?!) Igni: (Is that why theres no girls coming to me?!) Iris: Theres others like hes going out with Alicia, going out with Erumi, and going out with Elina! Can you believe that?! None of that can be true!! And every time a new rumor starts, Edward calls them out on it! Igni: Oh, really?! Edward did?! Edward was caught off guard being pulled into the conversation all of a sudden, and answered a little clumsily. Edward: Oh, uh, yeah. I know Iris likes to hang around Igni, and I know Ignis not the kind to force anyone to call him sir, so it annoyed me to hear these false accusations towards someone I know. ..hey, it wasnt for your sake! It would tarnish the ways of Nobles if I didnt speak up! Thats all!! Igni: Thanks so much, Edward. Edward: HMPH!! Edward hurumphs and scowls at Igni. Edward is also Edward as always. But a sound like a door latch comes out from the carriage as Edward spoke. <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) Tsundere - This is straight from Urban Dictionary, and it''s well written. Tsundere (ĥǥ, pronounced ts?nde?e) is a Japanese term for a character development process that describes a person who is initially cold (and sometimes even hostile) before gradually showing a warmer, friendlier side over time. The word is derived from the terms tsun tsun (ĥĥ), meaning to turn away in disgust, and dere dere (ǥǥ) meaning to become ''lovey dovey''. Originally found in Japanese bishjo games, the word is now part of the otaku moe phenomenon, reaching into other media such as maid cafs, anime, manga, novels, and even mass media. The term was made popular in the visual novel Kimi ga Nozomu Eien. *Igni-sama - This is how Iris addresses Igni (I translate it as Sir Igni to make it more English-centric). It is the highest honorific you can give to anyone you respect or anyone with authority. If you go to a restaurant or hotel, you are a customer-sama (okayku-sama) (͘). Calling your peers sama can be a little weird as it shows an inordinate amount of admiration towards them. <<<<>>>> ?~Illustrations~? https://discord.gg/2SWtrgTbUG (found some fan-art? Share it here!) Chapter 39: Tsundere and the Wizard Lura: Lets make camp around here. Well need to let the horses rest. As evening approaches, Lura stopped the carriage. Iris: Are we not going into town, Miss Lura? Lura: I understand what youre saying, Iris. Youre wondering why were not stopping at an Inn, right? Iris: Yes. Lura: Yeah, its definitely safer if you spend your nights at an inn rather than outside. Youll be able to recover from your fatigue better too. But we have our reasons why were not doing that. Can you guess why, Edward? Edward: Because were transporting a weapon. Lura: Yes! Thats right! So thats why an Inn wouldnt necessarily be safer. What if someone steals the carriage? What if someone finds out whats inside? With that in mind, thats why itll be better if we can always be next to the carriage to ensure its safety. Iris: I see.! With Luras clear explanation, Iris nods her head up and down. Igni: Then lets go ahead and determine the guard rotation for tonight. Lilly: I prefer to be with Captain Lura!! And immediately, Lilly, who hasnt spoken a word up until now, raises her hand. Igni: (..wow, she must REALLY not like humans.) Lura: No Lilly. Like I said before, we have to start getting along better for the sake of our mission. Oh! Then lets pair you and Igni together! Lilly: Wai`?! Captain Lura?!?! Lura: Is that alright, Igni? Igni: Yes, thats fine with me. Igni smiles. This man...hell smile as long as its a girl. Hes being Igni as usual. Lura: Then Edward and I will handle the first shift, and Iris, you can have a break from guard duty tonight. Alright, its settled! Lilly: Noooooooooo!! I dont want to!! Why do I have to be with a human?!?! Lura: Igni is a [Ultimate Specialized Spellcaster ? Spell One] though. Igni: Yeah, Im a [Ultimate Specialized Spellcaster ? Spell One]. Igni parrots Luras words and a wide smile spreads across his face. Lilly: So what if youre a [Ultimate Specialized Spellcaster ? Spell One]?!?! Youre just a good-for-nothing who can only use a single Spell!! Igni: Oof Igni took one straight to the heart and fell. Lura: Lilly, it also doesnt really matter then if you can use a lot of different kinds of Spells then, right? Lilly: .............but Captain.. Lura: This is a direct command from your Captain. Alright! Lets collect firewood! Its almost nightfall! Pick up the ones that are dried out on the ground, okay? I wont forgive you if you break branches off trees!! And with an unusually strict glare from Captain Lura, Igni and his group began collecting firewood. The firewood crackles inside the campfire. Edward: Igni, its time for the shift-change. Igni: Hm..? Oh, its you, Edward. Edward wakes Igni from his sleep, and Igni sits up. Igni: Did anything happen, Edward? Edward: 2 Goblins appeared. Thats all. Edward yawns and lays down to sleep. Igni rotates and swings his arm and shoulder around in circles as he wakes up and sits besides the campfire. Igni: ........good morning, Miss Lilly. Lilly: HMPH!! Lilly comes over while Igni is sitting by the fire. He tries to greet her kindly, but Lilly looks away. Igni lets out a deep sigh and looks at the campfire. Igni: (........this brings back some memories) <<<<>>>> [SLAP!!!] [OW!! WHAT?! I DIDNT EVEN SAY ANYTHING!!] [Igni, I bet you just thought, man, I want to be so popular that I dont even have to do anything and women would just start swarming around me.] [I`um...yeah, I did think that but...how did you know?!?!] [Your face said it all.] [.....really?] Igni touches his face. [Oye, Igni. If you were at my level, then yes, that may be possible, but for you, its an impossibility!!] [I`impossible..?!] Igni feels his confidence snap in half, but holds the two pieces barely together as he awaits his grandfathers next words. [YES..! AND THATS BECAUSE! !!] [No one knows about me..?! But what do you mean by that..?!] [A man whos not well-known..cannot be popular.!!] [N`no..! That cant be!! You said in your Ultimate Secret to Popularity Rules that Women love mysterious men!!] [Think about it from their perspective.! Youre walking down a street inside a city and pass by a woman..! Would they immediately fall in love with you.??] [N`no, that wont happen..] [Yes, being mysterious is ......!!] [.........?! Th`the door?!] [And once you catch their attention, you show them your charm and THATS when you start becoming popular..!!] [......................!!!!!!!!] [OYE, IGNI!! LISTEN WELL!! Ultimate Secret to Popularity Number 4``Women love mysterious men!!] [.......women.love.mysterious men!] [But from that point, men with charm will be even more popular.!!!!] [...................?!?!] [You cannot fall in love with a man you do not know.!! But you can still catch their attention even if they do not know you!!] [WH`WHAT FLAWLESS LOGIC.!!] [YOU ENTICE THEM WITH CURIOSITY AND THEN IF YOU CAN CHARM THEM, YOULL BE POPULAR!! THAT IS THE !!] [Y`YOURE AMAZING, GRANDPAAAAAA!!!!] And all that was left was Lucas with an overly gloating, self-satisfied smile stretched across his face. <<<<>>>> Igni: (..I still have a long way to go.) Igni lets out a sigh and a small chuckle to himself. Yes, Igni has not spoken anything with Lilly! From Lillys perspective, Igni is just another unknown human being!! This is the opposite of popularity..! He is just another face in the crowd!! In order to become popular, he must .......!! In short, talk about himself!! But the problem is timing..!! Its now!! THE TIME IS NOW.!! Igni: Miss Lilly? Lillsy: ..............hmph. Lilly turns to look the other way. Igni: ...........?! LILLY!! Igni pushes Lilly to the side. The next moment, a giant monstrous bird swooped by!! Lilly: Wh`what was that for..! In the sky, the Monster Bird starts to turn around. Igni: Its an Abductor Owl!! Lilly: Wh`........?! An Abductor Owl is a 2 meter (6 5) monster. They love human children, and they abduct children from towns and feed on them. Lilly: Wh`why is it coming after me?! Igni: They were planning to eat you. Lilly: A`are you kidding me?! Igni: Its true! Ive been kidnapped once before!! But in the [Demon Kings Realm], the Abductor Owls were actually 3 times this size but Igni: [EQUIP FLAME] {IGNITION} : [SNIPER MODE] {SNIPE}!! Igni has several {FIREBALL}s created around him, and they begin to spin and rotate. The Abductor Owl finishes turning around and comes down for Lilly once more. Igni: [LAUNCH] {FIRE}!! DON!! (*sfx impact) The owl had its head pierced and fell to the ground. Igni: Youre okay now. Lilly: ..................... Lilly looked at Igni, and then the Abductor Owls remains, and then Igni once more. Lilly: .................th`thank you Igni: Youre welcome. Igni smiles at Lilly. Ignis mood is up and up after being able to protect a girl. Lilly: ........h`hey Igni: Hm? Lilly: Do you mind if I sit over there? Lilly was sitting across from Igni and points at a spot closer to Igni. Lilly: D`Dont get me wrong! Its not that I thought that youll protect me if Im sitting next to you, but I just thought itll be safer, okay?! Igni: ..................thats fine. Igni didnt know how to respond and patted the seat next to him. Igni: (........yup, shes a tsundere.) Ignis joy peaked at this moment. <<<<>>>> ?~Illustrations~? https://discord.gg/2SWtrgTbUG Chapter 40: The Calm Before the Storm [Grandpa, I dont like tsunderes!!] [Hmmm? Why is that??] This happened while Igni was training at a waterfall in the [Demon Kings Realm] [Because theyre difficult! You cant tell if they like you or not!] [I see, I see] Lucas thinks about this and [WH`?! BUT GRANDPA!! ARENT YOU THE SAME?!] [DONT PUT ME IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS YOU!!] [..........b`but why?! Its a tsundere were talking about! Theyre so irritable and agitated!! Isnt that scary to deal with?!] [You idiot!! Thats the best part of them.!!] [Th`thats.the best part? What are you saying, Grandpa?! Have you finally gone senile?!?!] [Of course not!! Igni!! I can see right through you!! All youre trying to do is have an easier time!] [..............?!] [Looks like I was right judging from your expression. Igni, your weakness...your fault is that you always try to move towards the path of least resistance....the easier path.] [.......th`.....the easier path..?] [YES! YOU WANT EVERYTHING TO JUST BE EASY!! FOR EVERYTHING TO START OFF AND REMAIN EASY!! YOU WANT THEM TO LIKE YOU FROM THE START?!? DONT UNDERESTIMATE POPULARITY, YOU FOOL!!!] [G`grandpa.!!] [ARE THEY IRRITABLE AT FIRST..?! IS IT DIFFICULT TO READ THEM?! BUT THAT IS IT!! THAT IS..SO GOOD!!!] [Th`that?] [EXACTLY!! ITS THAT DROP BETWEEN THEIR DISLIKE AND LIKE..!! ITS THAT GAP THAT DRAWS YOU IN..!!] [YEAH?!] [IF YOU SEE A BAD GUY SAVING A CAT, IT MAKES YOU THINK, MAYBE HES ACTUALLY NOT THAT BAD? AND THAT THOUGHT IS UNIVERSAL..!! AND IT''S THE SAME WITH TSUNDERE!!] [............!!] [OYE, IGNI, JUST IMAGINE..! SHE HATES YOU AT FIRST..! YOU FIGHT OFTEN!! BUT ONE DAY, SHE SUDDENLY SHOWS A GLIMPSE OF KINDNESS..!!] [........OH.OHHHHHHHHHHH!!] Igni shook. [DO YOU UNDERSTAND, IGNI..?!?!] [I.I GET IT..!! GRANDPA!! ME TOO.! I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE GOODNESS OF TSUNDERE!!] <<<<>>>> Igni: (I guess its finally my time too) Igni stares at Lilly while thinking very strange and perplexing thoughts. High in the sky, the sun is beaming down on them. They have departed from last nights campsite and have traveled a few hours now. Lilly: .....what is it? Please dont look this way. Lura: Hey hey, Lilly. Cmon. You have to get along better than that. Lilly: HMPH!! Lilly turns the other way. But Igni is now able to look upon her defiance with overflowing patience and forgiveness. Igni: (Yes! Its because Lilly is a tsundere!!) Igni: (This is the tsun (the disliking me) part of her!! ) .or at least, Igni had to convince himself of this or else her persistent dislike of him breaks him. This is because as soon as Lura woke, Lilly became extremely irritable and antagonistic towards Igni. Igni was sad. Igni: Iris Iris: What is it, Sir Igni? Igni: If a mans really irritable and angry at first but... Iris: Yes? Igni: .....but suddenly becomes nicer to you, what would you think of him? Iris: Umm.well, I think he would be scary to deal with! Igni: (I see...shes the same as I was 2 years ago.) Igni let out an well-aged, parental sigh inside his heart. Igni: (Iris, you have a long way to go.) Iris: Because if you think about it, isnt that just like how Edward is? Edward: Did you call for me? Iris: No we didnt. Igni: ......................................................hm???? Igni: Wai`....Iris, what did you just say?? Iris: Huh? I said that sounds just like Edward. Igni: .......................................... Iris: S`Sir Igni?! Whats wrong! All the blood just drained from your face!! Edward: W`wait! I havent done anything!! Igni: (...........hey) Igni: (...................hey now) Igni: (.....................wait wait wait wait.!!!) Igni: Edward Edward: Wh`what is it?! Igni: Dont.push yourself too hard Edward: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOURE TALKING ABOUT!!!! A tsundere man, huh.. Yeah..a man.. Igni: (.................................) Igni: (.......................................................) A man. Why is it all men..? In his mind, a white-haired young man came to mind. And Ignis thoughts were thrown into darkness and chaos. Igni is just being Igni as usual. Lura: Oh, stop the carriage! Lura asks the driver of the carriage, and the carriage comes to a halt. And Igni and Lilly also realize what is happening. And both look at one another. Lura: Were pretty far from the Capital, so I thought it might be about time they start coming out. Lura shrugs. Iris: What should we do? Sir Igni, should I go ahead and cast my Spell? Igni: Wait, Iris. You might accidentally kill them. Right after those words, armed men appear. Give us the loot and no one loses their life!! HA HA HA, if you dont wanna die, leave all the good here!! Bandits. Lura: Igni, whos territory are we in? Igni: If were this far from the Capital, its not related to the Royal Family. I cant tell who theyre working for. Although its not often that you run into bandits in the Kingdom on the main roads. The security is not that lax or non-existent, but regardless, there are still bandits here and there. Theres even some who work for the Governor of the territory and steal money from travelers. Igni: 2, 3...5 total. Igni identifies the magical powers around him and determines the exact number. HEY! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING?! Igni: Iris, go ahead. Iris: Yes! [EARTH BENDS] {Tetsura ? DeForte!!} The below the bandits and with a , their lower bodies fall into the earth. Iris: How was that? Igni: Awesome, good job, Iris! Iris: Yes! Its the first time I was complimented by Sir Igni!! Iris is ecstatic even though she dropped a super-depressing bombshell of a statement. And Igni continues to be wary of how hes going to handle her going forward. Igni: Okay, lets get going. Lura: Yes, lets. And with that, the carriage starts moving again. WAIT!! HELP US!! PLEASE DONT LEAVE US LIKE THIS!! WERE GONNA DIE!! THIS AREA IS FULL OF ORCS!! But the carriage continues to move on. Iris: Theyll be able to get out in about 30 minutes. Iris mumbles this to herself, and the group leaves the bandits behind. <<<<>>>> The firewood crackles. Lilly: WHY AM I PAIRED WITH YOU TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW?! Igni: Lilly, youre being too loud. You''ll wake everyone up. Yes, Lilly and Igni were on guard duty together again tonight. From yesterdays rotation, Iris switched out with Edward, and Edward is on break from guard duties. Lilly: And why are you *calling me casually by name all of a sudden! Igni: Oh, youre right. Im sorry. Lilly: W`well, its okay but..! Igni: (........hm?) Lilly: Why did you look my way when the bandits arrived. Igni: ........just because? For Igni, there really was no definitive reason. It just happened that way. Lilly: Well, if you dont want to tell me, you dont have to. And with that Lilly turns away. But is her cheeks a little red? From the firelight, Igni thought he saw that. Igni: (............HMMMM????) Lilly: .......hey, Igni. Igni: Y`YEAH?! Having her call his name for the first time, it caught Igni off guard. Lilly: Can I sit over there again? Igni: .........hm? Lilly: N`no! I mean, after yesterdays incident...you know Igni: Oh, ohhhh.. Shes talking about the Abductor Owl incident from yesterday night. Igni: Of course. Lilly: "Thanks. Lillys voice goes slightly higher than usual. And Lura was listening in on their conversation the entire time. Without noticing, Igni throws up a fist within his heart. <<<<>>>> Elenoir: Oh Alicia, youll be excusing yourself from school for a while? Alicia: Yes..Im sorry. My is asking for me. In the teacher/student meeting room, Alicia sat in front of Ms. Elenoir. Elenoir: Are you sure? Because if its your sister, she. Alicia: ......its okay. Its something I have to do now. Elenoir: Okay. Well, its about , and its a [Designated Quest] requesting for you specifically so your absence will be noted as official leave Alicia: Thank you so much. Alicia bows her head. Elenoir: But its such a weird QuestWhy do they want you to suddenly head to the Principality? Its not like anything big is going down in the Principality Ms. Elenoir places a hand on her cheek and considers this. Alicia: Yes, I am not sure either. Alicias expression hardens. This is all to keep Ms. Elenoir from realizing her plan. Just the other day, a single letter reached Alicias hands. The letter was written in Imperial Code and spoke briefly of the The Saint Abduction Plan. Within the letter, information about the Saints movements along with her relations were documented. Alicia saw one line within that summary and immediately moved into action. Fianc: Igni Talcoyz Notes: Igni Talcoyz has been excommunicated from the Talcoyz Family and has currently abandoned his family name. It is presumed that Saint Roses goals concern her former fianc." Alicia: ........really. I wonder why theyre calling me there? Alicia smiles towards Ms. Elenoir. Alicia is a reserve force concerning the plan in motion. Her participation is not mission critical, but all competitions must be removed.! The Iron Maiden Alicia is still present in the here and now..!! <<<<>>>> ?~Illustrations~? https://discord.gg/2SWtrgTbUG Chapter 41: The Adult Business and the Wizard Show us your pass. Lura: Yes, here you are. It is now evening. This is the border gateway town to the Principality - Luluterra. Igni and his group were stopped at the gates of the town. Can we inspect inside the carriage? Lura: Unfortunately, no. Hold on. Lura digs inside her luggage and found one document. Lura: Found it. Here you go. Take a look at this. ................I see. On the sheet, there was one of the Principalitys Governing Nobles signature. On it, it probably says something along the lines of letting the carriage pass without inspection. Igni uncharacteristically noted these things as they happened. Lura: We have a cooperator of the Elves in this town. Tonight, well be able to stay in an inn! Iris: An inn?! YES! We dont have to do night guard duties tonight! Edward: Well be able to get some good rest now, Igni. Edward and Iris are ecstatic. But.. Lilly: ......oh, we dont have....guard duties tonight. Lura: Whats wrong, Lilly? You look a little sad? Lilly: I`Im not! Im actually happy!! There was a tinge of remorse in Lillys voice just now. Lura: Oh, youre so cute. You say that, but you must be sad that you lost your time with Igni tonight. Lilly: What?! Youre wrong! Captain Lura, you idiot!! Igni: (Oh.am I finally becoming popular??) Igni''s thoughts always swing in this direction. Okay, you can enter the town. With the guards voice, the gates open. Lura: Lilly, dont forget to put on your hood. Lilly: I know, I know. Lilly, Lura, and the driver of the carriage wear their hoods over their heads. Elves rarely appear where people are. And if word gets out that Elves were spotted in a provincial town like this, it would draw unnecessary attention. Hence, the hoods. Lura: Ill take the carriage to our cooperators location. Lilly, could you find us an inn? Lilly: ........yes. With some reluctance in her expression, Lilly nods her head. Lura: Dont be so upset. Tomorrow, well be back camping, and youll get your time back with Igni. Lilly: Its not like that, really!! Lura: Hahaha. Alright, I will meet up with you guys later. And with that, Lura and the carriage disappeared into town. Iris: Then lets look for an inn, shall we? Edward: Yeah. Igni: (................an inn..!!) A place where a man and woman will spend a night under the same roof..!! There...there might be a *playful, giddy time awaiting him..!!! What? Havent we just spent many days outside camping together.? Its DIFFERENT!! YES, THATS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT..!! Friendships and ties are born from campouts!! A trust that develops from protecting each other - trusting each other with their lives!! But...an inn is different..! You are in a safer place....!! Then..just there..!! Youll find the bonds of a man and women!! There must be!! Iris: I want to be in the same room as Sir Igni. Lilly: Of course not! Men and women are separate! Iris: Awww....why.. Iris suggestion was immediately shot down by Lilly. And without anyone noticing, Igni fell to his hands and knees inside. <<<<>>>> Lura: Wow, you guys secured a really good inn. At the tavern, they were eating their dinner as Lura looked around. Lilly: Yes! I selected an inn where we wont be bothered by any suspicious characters! With pride, Lilly smiles broadly at Lura. Shes cute. Lura: Good. You did well, Lilly. Lura smiles and nodes as she sips her beer. Igni: (Shes such a grown-up. Shes so cool.) And Igni sips his fruit wine as he watches Lura. Iris: But how old are you two by the way? Lura: Whathow could you ask that Iris Lilly: NoIm not gonna tell you Lura is a bit drunk but in good spirits. On the other end, Lilly seems to be in a more disgruntled mood. Shes cute. Lura: Im only 140. Still young. Iris: A hun.! Lura quietly mentions this to Iris so the people around cant hear. Igni: (100? Wow, they dont look it at all) Lura: Lillys only 20. Shes closer to your age. Lilly: C`Captain! Why would you tell them?! Lura: Its okay Youre so cute when youre mad Lilly: You can be so mean, Captain! And Lilly chugs down her drink. Iris: Why is it embarrassing to be 20, Miss Lura? Lura: Mmmm.well, theres nothing wrong with it, but for us Elves, our age correlates directly with our status and respectability. You guys have something similar too, right? Like respecting elders or seniority. Iris: I see Lura: Elves have a hard time having children, so our age becomes even more important. Lilly is the youngest in our valley. Lilly: CAPTAIN!! Youre talking way too much!! Lura: Hahaha. Shes so cute And Lura wraps her arms around Lilly and messes with her hair. Looking at them, you would think they were sisters. Iris: You two are like siblings. Iris says out loud what Igni was thinking. Lura: Hahaha. Yeah, were like family. Were really close! Lilly: Captain And being completely drunk now, Lura wraps her arms around Lilly tightly. Igni: (Whats going on here?) After that, the group disbanded after Lilly could no longer move from drinking too much. Igni: Fwew.that was fun Igni only drank enough where the alcohol didnt affect him, and in a good mood, sat on his bed. Edward is sitting a little apart from him. Edward: ...........Igni. Igni: What is it, Edward? Edward: .......its just us two here. Igni: Uh...umm...yeah, thats true Igni: (What is it all of a sudden?) Edward: Theres no one keeping an eye on us. Do you see, Igni? No one else is here right now. Igni: Uh huh.. Edward: .......lets go. Igni: Wh`where.?! Edward: To that [place]. Igni: Y`you mean?! Ignis brain starts spinning into high gear. Although the alcohol made him a little dense, Edwards words were like a splash of cold water that instantly woke him up. Edward: Yes..! THAT kind of store...the *brothel!! Igni: B`brothel..!! THE BROTHEL!!! It is not an exaggeration to say that it is the oldest profession in human history..! As long as the supply and demand are present, that profession will always exist..!! And the profession to fulfill one of lifes *3 greatest desires would always exist..!! And thus!! The brothel!! Edward: Igni. This is our chance. We can finally climb the ladder to become adults!! Igni: ...........!!!!!! But before Igni could nod his head up and down, a sharp pain shoots through his cheek and stops him. Igni: (..................?!?!) Igni: (Th`this pain.?!) <<<<>>>> It occurred when they were out to the city to buy new clothes. [G`grandpa! That store.!! [Hm? Oh, the brothel] [Wh`what kind of store is that.?] [Its a store where you get to do that] [.........!! I want to go!!] [OW!!!!] [*KA``````TSU!!!!!!!] [My ears!!!] [Igni! That store is only for !!!!] [S`Skilled veterans?! WHY?! You just have to pay money, right?!?!] [NAIVE! SO NAIVE YOU MAKE ME SICK.!! YOU HAVENT THOUGHT THIS THROUGH AT ALL..!!] [..................?!] [Think about it, Igni. How many men thought the exact same thought as you! How many do you think stepped into that store..!] Igni thought for a moment, and as the calculated number grew exponentially, he began to tremble. [L`lots.!] [YES!! Meaning the women of that store are used to men..! Do you think a beginner can charm a woman with that much experience?! You think you can be popular there?!?! [Y`You dont know if you dont try..!] [RECKLESSNESS IS NOT THE SAME AS COURAGE!! THIS IS THE SAME AS YOU CHALLENGING THE HELL SPIDER AT YOUR CURRENT LEVEL!!] [............................?! Grandpa.will I die?!?! [.................you will] [............!!!!!!!!!!] Terror sank deep into Ignis bones as he trembled and shook in fear. [Igni, you must first gain experience, confidence, and skill before you can go there.] [I`I understand..! I understand, Grandpa!!] <<<<>>>> Igni: (...........no, not yet.) Igni: (Im still.Im still not ready.!!) Im too weak.!! Im too feeble..!! I cant..avoid defeat.!!! To go in knowing youll lose is..reckless!! It''s not courage..!! Igni: ...........Edward. Edward: Whats wrong, Igni? Igni: I..I cant go there yet. Edward: W`wait, really? Igni: Yeah...I cant die just yet. Realizing something in the weight of Ignis words, Edward understands. Edward: O`Oh.I see...You must be going through a lot, Igni. Igni: Thank you for inviting me. Im sorry to decline. Edward: Dont worry about it. I wont go in that case, either. Igni smiles at Edward as a small chuckle comes out. Edward: Haha... The night at the inn. Though there was no bonding between a man and a woman, the friendship and comradery of two men solidified and deepened. <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) *playful, giddy time - Author wrote kya-kya-ufufu (äáդ) time. Simply put, kya-kya (ä) is the high-pitch, giddy laugh from girls. Ufufu (դ) are indulgent times or moments previously explained in another CHONKY LiT note. Please note that this is a made up adjective using Japanese onomatopoeia. Although, you might get the point across if you say this outloud (with some cringe reactions), its actual usage would be limited to written, literary context such as in a novel. *brothel - Here, the author does use more innocent terms - Ecchina Omise (åʤ). Ecchi is a term thrown around a lot of 18+ sites, but its actually a more innocent term. The direct translation is perverted in English, but youll hear Japanese kids use the term without any repercussions. Sex in the English language is a more sensitive subject so its difficult to translate a store to meet and do fun things with girls as a sex shop, sex store, girl shop. The term omise is literally a store or business which doesnt translate well in English either. Hence, brothel has a harsher, less innocent feel, but its what theyre referring to. TL;DR - Interestingly, though Japanese culture does not hesitate to term things as sexual or perverted, they will directly avoid the word sex. This is similar to the U.S. culture by replacing the word with nani (ʥ) which is the word for that or it (i.e. doing it so in Japanese, it would be doing THAT). *3 greatest needs (sandai-yokkyu) () - a popular Japanese term to signify the 3 greatest desires of living beings - eat, sleep, and sex. *katsu! (Ȥ!) - Not to be mistaken with fried pork steak. A common shout of Buddhist monks to scare the desires out of you. Buddhism is all about detachment from this world, and if you are distracted by anything, they will usually shout this, and if youre training, youll get a bamboo stick to your back. Chapter 42: Youth, Passion, and the Wizard! Your grace, we will be arriving at the Capital of the Principality shortly. Rose: We are going too slow. Can we not make this go any faster? My apologies, your grace. Rose: Thats fine. Ive waited for 2 years already so a few more days is nothing. The female Wizard who sat next to Rose lowers her head. The two are currently inside a carriage. After they got news of Ignis whereabouts, Rose and her group left the Holy Nation as soon as possible, but she is still a Saint. She is not in a position to be able to move around freely or do as she pleases, so with a lot of painstaking politics and maneuvering, she finally got the preparations to leave after some time had passed. We will be arriving in the Capital of the Principality Lyheria in about 3 days time. Afterwards, we will immediately set out for the Kingdoms Capital. Rose: I know already. This is the 5th time you told me, Floria. Floria: I only mention it due to its importance, your grace. Floria. For those who know her will tremble at the mention of her name. The Ocean Floria is one of humanitys [Strongest]. Her compatibility is [Water] : [SS]. She has mastered the control of all fluid spells. She is the pride of the Holy Nation, the guardian of the Saint. Her God-given talent was proven true by mastering her spell at such a young age. In other words, she is the [Water]s [Extreme]. Rose: Ohhhhh...I cant wait. Im sure hes waiting for me to arrive. Dont you think so too, Floria? Rose admires 15 of her drawings of Ignis portraits laid out side by side. Floria: ...........yes, of course. Even the [Strongest] of humanity had to just let that question pass. <<<<>>>> Lura: Oh! You can see it now! Lura points further down the road. Lura: Its the city walls. As they approached, they could see the walls encircled the Principality Capital of Lyheria. Lura: Okay! Just a little bit farther! Iris: So we just need to get there, right?! Iris responds energetically to Luras comments. Igni was about to reply as well when Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! He began his spell incantation. Igni: Iris! Place a defensive wall on the opposite side!! Iris: Y`yes! [Stone Wall] {Tetsura ? Wall}!! Igni: [Anti-Air] {Fire}!! (*sfx impact) With the sounds of spells colliding, the men who had their presence hidden up to that point came crawling out of their hiding places. There were 20 in total. Lura: More bandits? Lura mumbles nonchalantly. Dont be comparing us to trash like that! One of the men raises his voice. Thats right! Were doing this out of our good will!! Ha ha ha!! The equipment the men have on are of solid quality. Unlike bandits, they have proper, full-plated armor. Edward: Knight Robbers.?! Edward lets out a worrisome groan at the realization. Igni: Whats that? Edward: How could you not know, Igni?! Knight Robbers are those with Knight statuses that have turned to robbing the people! Theyre usually leftovers from previous wars who lost their occupations! Igni: Youre very knowledgeable, Edward. Edward: C`Complimenting me wont get you anywhere! Edward turns slightly away from Igni quickly. Lura: WowIm surprised that they think they can get away with robbery this close to the city. Lura continues to mumble to herself. Igni: Alright, Iris. Go ahead and drop them. Iris: Okay! [Earth Bend] {Tetsura ? DeForte}! As Iris finishes her incantation, the Knight Robbers all jump. They dodge Iris spell!! Youre too obvious!! Ha ha! Your spellcasting is way too slow!! But Igni already had a {Fireball} created in front of him. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition : Shotgun Shot} And... Igni: [Launch] {Fire} (*sfx) Ignis {Fireball} scatters and blows away the Knight Robbers in the air!! Lura: [Come Wind] {Ventos} And behind Igni, Lura casts her spell that drops the Knight Robbers to the ground. The Knight Robbers with a falls into Iris liquified earth and buries their lower half of their body into the ground. AGH?! THE GROUND IS ALL LIQUIFIED!! What is this.?! I cant get out..!! Iris: [Stone Fragments] {Tetsura ? Bullet}!! (*sfx) With Iris incantation, rocks shoot out from the ground, and the men fall to the earth. All the men were completely defeated and restrained within minutes. Iris: ..........theyre so weak. Iris was a little shocked at the ease of the victory. Her main question seems to center around how they even managed to be robbers in the first place. Lura: They became robbers because they didnt have the skills for legitimate employment from the beginning. Cmon, lets go. Lura tries to hurry the group along when... Thats the second time..Lura. A voice echoed from . ..from the sound of a voice, its a girl!! Igni almost instinctively turned around, but restrained himself to follow the Secret Ways of Popularity. Lura: .........! Please forgive me, my lady!! And Lura immediately turns towards the sound of the voice and her body freezes. At the same time, Lilly also seems frozen in place. Igni: (...........whats going on..???) Why..did you let them live.? Lura: They were not even worth the trouble, my lady!! I see...but..you should punish them. As soon as the owner of the voice finished saying that, an overwhelming blood thirst spread out from the carriage. Luras face turned white, Edward began to hyperventilate, Lilly had tears well up in her eyes, and Iris lost the strength to stand. Igni hurriedly grabbed Iris by the shoulder to support her. Igni: (Th`thats an amazing amount of blood thirst.! Its just like Grandpas!!) And among them, only Igni, who was the , was impressed by this display. But none of the Knight Robbers could have withstood it. Some fainted while foaming at the mouth. Some lost control of their bladder. Others turned blue in the face, and there were a variety of other responses from each of them. Well..that seems..appropriate. And the blood thirst diminished as soon as the owner of the voice finished saying that. Oh..you seem..just fine.. Igni: .....oh me? Yes, you. Igni answers the voice from the carriage. Come.to the carriage.and show me.your face. Lura: W`wait! We cant! Lura Lura: .........! Lura immediately stops in her tracks. Please open.the carriage door.for him. Lura: .....as you wish. The door latch noisily opens as the carriage door opens. Igni: (......we were supposed to be transporting the Elves'' weapon) Igni readies himself as he walks into the carriage. Oh.I apologize for the inconvenience..You see.my eyes cannot see. Come..closer.. Elves typically all have slender figures. BUT!! The Elf who was before Igni was different! As Elves age, their bodies respond differently than humans..! So of course, the Elf girl in front of him also had a very young look..! But.her chest..!! Ohhhhhh...how could this be..?!?!? Oh God!! Her innocent face had a bandage wrapped around her eyes..but that did nothing to diminish her beauty.!! But because she is blind..because her eyes are hidden...it only further enhances her goodness..!! But.! Whats important is not there!! Her chest.!! Within her chest..!! Though she looks young..on the contrary! Its HUGE.!! Its overwhelmingly..large!! So large that Igni immediately began to bow his head and pray!! And one long sword sat and was held between her breasts. Igni: (...I..I want to switch places with it!!) This...this truly is..! Igni: (This..this is truly a [weapon]!!!!) Unbeknownst to the people around him, Igni screamed within his heart. <<<<>>>> [.........Grandpa. There is something I need to tell you.] [...........tell me.] [I...I love Loli''s with big breasts!] The next moment, Lucas lightning fast slap hurtled its way towards Igni!! But.Igni dodges!! [E`Evil!! That is pure evil, Igni!!!] [Grandpa.youre the fool!!!] (*sfx heavy impact) And in return Igni returns the blow with a headbutt!!! Lucas who had his guard down takes one straight in his gut!! [Wh`what do you think youre doing..Igni?!?!] [.........it is.NOT...EVIL!] [H`how dare you! Has the training gotten to your head?!?!] [No.! Youre wrong.!! You have it all wrong, Grandpa!!!] [.......I have it.all wrong, you say?] [A Loli with big breasts..is not a Loli!] [H`HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND, IGNI?!?!] [The Loli''s looks..is just to draw out the large breasts even more..!! But the main will always be the...the breasts!!!] [......................?!?!] [Grandpa!! Have you forgotten!! Have you forgotten your passion?!?! Your heart?!?!] [What do you..!] [The Loli and the large breasts.! The two complete opposite traits.! But when they combine.!! A GAP IS BORN.!!] [............?!?!] [Its the same as a Tsundere!! Because two opposite traits combine together...there is something new that is made.!! You can finally see something that wasnt there before..!! Something that only stands out because the two combined!!!!] They both look at one another in silence. [.........................ha] And Lucas laughs. [I never thought the day would come when I would learn something from you.] [.........................] [You are right.I had forgotten.] Lucas offers his hand to Igni, and Igni grabs hold of his hand. [I had forgotten my.youth.] And then. [ [ ``HA HA HA HA HA HA!! ] ] Both men laugh heartily from the bottom of their hearts. <<<<>>>> .YES!! ITS THIS!! ..THIS IS THE REAL THING.!! This isnt some sort of fake that you see in drawings or read in stories..!! This is the real [Large Breasted Loli]!! Its overwhelming! So absolute.!! It is [The Strongest].......!!! What..is your name? Igni: I am Igni. Igni offers his hand to the girl. I see..so.you are Igni.. It was I who selected you Igni: .......you...selected me? And you are? Igni recalls that this Quest was first brought to them by the Elves. Igni: (A girl this cute nominated me for the job??) Igni: (Im so glad I enrolled in the Wizard Academy..) I am..Kurara. Igni: (..hm?) Ignis rampaging passion was immediately brought back down to reality with her name. Igni: ......KuraraThe Sword...... The Elf smiles at his words. Igni withdraws from his database, a database where once a girls name is inputted, it is never forgotten. From there he gets one hit. Kurara: It...is nice to meet you. Igni: (............SHES THE [SWORD]s [EXTREME]?!?!) Chapter 43: The Man, the Woman, the Wizard and… The Sword Kurara. This is a Magician who is unable to use any spells. Kurara: I.took a real interest...in you Igni: Me? Kurara: Yes...because..you..you can only use {Fireball}.....right? Igni: Oh, yes. Well, thats true that I can only use {Fireball}. Kurara: So you see.youre the same...as me. Igni: Sa`me? Igni repeated Kuraras words. Popularity Rule No. 11``Find commonality with women. Igni: (Requirement Cleared..!!) Igni celebrated inside his mind. Kurara: Thats right...so...thats why.I like you Igni: Thank.you? Kurara: hehe Kurara quietly smiles and chuckles. ..its here. My spring is finally..here!! Kurara: Okay..Lura. Lets go. Were almost at Lyheria.....right? Lura: .....! Y`Yes! Igni, please get down from the carriage. Kurara: Oh..he cant...ride with me.? Lilly: N`No, Lady Kurara! But it was Lilly who answered Kurara. Kurara: I see...what a..shame. And with that Kurara . She shouldnt be able to see. But she looked straight at Ignis face. Kurara: Ill..see you.again And ended the meeting with that. Lura quickly hurries Igni off the carriage as he reluctantly follows her orders. Iris: S`Sir Igni! Are you okay?! Edward: Y`yeah! Igni! Did she cut you anywhere?? Igni: Im fine. She was a nice person. His two friends approach him with concerns, but Igni laughs off the incident. She did emit an abnormal amount of blood lust, but talking with her, she was just a regular girl. Igni: (Just because shes an [Extreme] doesnt mean I should treat her differently. Yeah, it was a good reminder.) Igni repeats the lesson he learned inside his head. Popularity Etiquette Rule No. 1 ``Treat all women as special. To Igni, EVERYONE is the ONLY ONE!! (applying to females only) And Igni was in an especially great mood right now because he got see something special in the carriage. Edward: B`but I cant believe the weapon we were transporting was an [Extreme]... Before reaching the city walls, Edward mentions this quietly. Iris: Its not that unusual. The Kingdom and the Empire both use people as weapons. Igni was a little surprised to hear this from Iris. And that also reminded him that a few weeks ago, he learned about Alicia being used as a weapon. Edward: I guess thats true Edward nods with Iris'' words. Edward: With something as crazy as an [Extreme] around, I guess thats how it will be naturally And came to his own conclusions. Edward: I guess its the Ultimate Light Lucas whos the only [Extreme] not associated with any country and lives freely. Igni raised a brow at the mention of his grandfathers name and thought about saying, I know! Thats my grandpa for ya!, but reconsidered it immediately since it wasnt something a popular person would brag about. These things have more impact when its revealed more subtly like the bikini armor. As Igni was considering and contemplating these theories(?), Lura turned around to smile right at him. Lura: Just a reminder to make sure to keep this a secret. She places her pointer finger over her mouth. Igni: Of course. I understand. Lura: Thank you, Igni. I knew you would. Igni: Yes, you cant reveal something of that magnitude or it would cause mass panic. Lura: Thank you. Im so glad that you understand. Igni smiles at Luras words. If Alicia was here, she would have immediately realized that Igni and Lura were not talking on the same wavelength. But shes not, and there was no one else to point this out. Iris: But in that case, why are we doing the transport this carefully and slowly, Miss Lura? Lura: Well, thats just to make sure that nothing goes wrong. Iris: Like how? Lura: Well, so if we guard the carriage too tightly, it would be like telling everyone around us ''Were carrying something really important!'' and bandits and the Kingdom-side people would all realize this. Then at that point. So weve limited the number of guards, but that also means that to Lady Kurara while were not keeping our eyes on her either. . It is just a possibility, but it is simply not a possibility that can be ignored. Especially since it involves an [Extreme]. But.is this really true? There was something primal and instinctive inside Igni that made him doubt Luras words. Lura: Especially because Lady Kurara cannot use any spells. But with these words, Igni forced himself to agree with Lura. The one year that Igni couldnt use spells Until he was rescued by Lucas, every day was just another day in Hell. Lura: Alright, lets enter town. Edward: Our duties were to help guard the Elves weapon to the Lyheria. Doesnt that mean that our mission ends here? Lura: It does but it doesnt at the same time. Edward: ....what do you mean? Lura: Technically, we are escorting Lady Kurara to the Grand Duke. Your duty is not over until she reaches him. Edward: I see. Edward understands and nods to Luras words. Lura: But even so, we are just guards in the end. We will be standing before the Grand Duke, but you dont have to be nervous. Lura laughs cheerfully. Lura: Okay, lets go in. And with that, she shows the guards at the gate her official documents. <<<<>>>> H`hey, Miss Alicia. Do I really have to.dress like this? Alicia: Yes. Inside the horse carriage, a white-haired girl and a girl wearing a large hat are sitting next to one another. B`but...these are girls clothes. Alicia: I know that. Thats why youre wearing them. I`Im a..boy though Correction. Its a white-haired sitting next to her. Alicia: You dont get it, Yoori. Who would give us a discount for the carriage and at the inn if a man and a woman were traveling together? Alicia didn''t understand Yooris reservations and tilted her head at him. Alicia: Do you understand now? Because are traveling together, were getting treated better with better discounts. Thats why you have to wear those clothes. B`but. Alicia is simply keeping down their travel costs. With everything thats happened, Alicia did receive permission to attend the Wizards Academy, but that is more in the form of a confidential acknowledgement. Alicia will receive no support from her family, and she will have to find ways to pay for her own travel fees to the Principality. She will receive something from her sister as soon as they arrive, but her sister will only be able to give Alicia money from what she has on hand. And so.this is how it ended up. Its not that Alicia really, REALLY wanted to see Yoori in girls clothes! And Yoori was also brought to help Alicia camouflage and go undercover better. If Alicia heads to the Principality on her own, the other countries intelligence groups will make a move to get in her way. But if shes with Yoori, then she can pass for doing something related to the Wizards Academy. Yoori: A`Are you sure? I still get discounts even while wearing my normal clothes though Alicia: .....................ohhhhh Alicia let out a deep sigh of grief at Yooris words. Alicia: .......thats right. I forgot, Yoori. Youre that kind of person Yoori: Huh? Wh`whats wrong..? Alicia: You can get changed in the next town. Alicia got too used to being around Yoori. Yoori is the type where people would question why hes wearing boys clothes in the first place. Yoori: R`Really?! YES!! No matter how hard she tried, Alicia could not see a hint of masculinity in the boy celebrating next to her right now. Chapter 44: The Pain and the Elf Lura: Lilly, could you go find us an inn again? Lilly: Yes, Captain Lura. Lilly nods to Luras orders. Lura: Ill be dropping off the [weapon] to our friends. Oh, and Ill be spending night over there, so you dont need to rent a room for me. Lilly: Y`Yes! I understand!! Lilly nods respectfully to Luras words. Lura: Okay then. Ill see you tomorrow. And with that, Lura disappears with the carriage into the city somewhere. Lilly: Okay! Lets go find ourselves an inn! Edward: Leave that to me. Igni: Whats wrong, Edward? Edward: Ive been here a few times. If youre looking for a decent inn, leave that to me. With that Edward proudly puffs out his chest. Well, he is a nobleman so letting him decide the inn should be no problem. The other threes opinions align, and they let Edward take the lead. This man had a solid record so far when he chose the restaurant for the celebration party. Igni and Iris nodded without any hesitation when Edward said he will do it. Edward: Were here. And the inn that Edward pointed to was.normal. It looked absolutely normal. There was nothing in particular that was special or strange about it. Igni: H`here? Ignis hopes were a little dashed, so he asks Edward again. Maybe hes joking. Edward: Yeah. This is the best inn we can stay at with the current budget we have. Igni: Oh, I see! Lilly: Way to go, Edward! Edward: Hmph! Complimenting me wont get you anywhere. And with that, Edward looks the other way from everyone else. The good part about Edward is his ability to set aside his standards and wants and look at the overall financial situation of the group. Igni: Edward, I think youll be a good businessman or investor in the future. Edward: Nobles have to manage businesses and investments, so you have to be able to do at least this much easily. But the way Edward said these words were eerily quieter than usual. Everyone around him noticed and tilted their head at him. Igni felt a slight darkness within Edward, but since Edward was a man, he ignored it. Lilly: Then lets go reserve a room. Iris: I want to room with Sir Igni!! And per the norm, Iris put in her usual request. But at that, a slight pain crosses Lillys chest. And her emotions also respond to the pain. Lilly: Of course not! Men and women are separate!! Iris: But why... And Iris is disappointed yet again. But Lillys frustration only increases seeing Iris this way. Lilly: (........why am I feeling so upset right now?) Without understanding the pain or frustration, Lilly enters the inn and finishes the paperwork to get their rooms. <<<<>>>> Iris: Hey, Lilly. Lilly: What is it? As they enter the room, Iris immediately begins to talk with Lilly. Iris: Why are you so cold? Lilly: Im not cold. Iris: But if you smile, youll be so cute And with that, Iris places her luggage on the next bed. Lilly: ........cute? Iris: Whats wrong? Lilly: Its nothing. But after repeating Iris words, Lilly looks away. Iris tilts her head at Lilly. Lilly: Lets get ready quickly and go. The tavern is going to fill up pretty quickly. Iris: Yup. Lilly: Ill go on ahead. Iris: Okay As Lilly left the room, Igni walked out from the room opposite of her. At that moment, all the irritation she felt earlier immediately vanished into thin air. Igni: I guess well wait for them here outside. Lilly: Yes, sounds good. And surprisingly, her mood improves. Igni: Hey Lilly...did you know? Lilly: About the [weapon]? Igni: Yeah. Lilly: Yes, the lady sleeps quite often so.I presumed that she was sleeping inside the carriage the whole time. Igni: I see. Just having Igni speak to her, joy fills her heart, and her mood continues to improve. Igni: I guess itll be over by tomorrow. Lilly: Yes..thats true. And at that moment, Lilly felt something take hold of her heart and squeeze it tight. Lilly: (..........why?) Igni: Itll be sad to be separated from you. Lilly: D`do you really think so?! Igni: Of course. Although Igni is saying these things as if it was nothing Each of his word tightened around her heart more. Iris: Sorry to keep you waiting! And as Iris enters the hallway, she takes hold of Ignis right arm. Lilly: ..........uh. But what left Lillys lips was something like a quiet scream. Lilly: (It hurts..it hurts) Her chest hurts. Its hard to breathe. Edward: Hey, stop flirting at the entrance. Youre in the way. And with that, Edward separates the two. Iris: Hey, Edward! What was that about?! Igni: Oh, Iris, we were in the wrong just now. Iris: Oh really? Im sorry, Sir Igni. And Iris lowers her head to apologize. But watching those two, the stirring inside Lillys chest did not stop. Lilly: (What is this.? Really) That night, Lilly decided to drink to her hearts content. <<<<>>>> Hey ladies. Are you two traveling through here? Alicia: Yes, were on our way to the Principality. Yoori: L`lady? Alicia closed Yooris mouth as he tried to say something and laughed. Those clothes.you must be students of Rolmod Wizard Academy! Alicia: Oh, Im surprised you know. Of course I would! Anyones whos lived in the Capital would know! But why to the Principality? Alicia: No clue. Im just being called over by my family. What about your lady friend? Yoori: Im (boku) just a friend traveling with her. Oh(boku)? The man tilts his head in confusion. But if its just the two ladies, you better watch yourselves at the Principality. Alicia: What? Is it dangerous there? Yoori: I`Im not..mmmmrrrrrfff?! Alicia has a hand over Yooris mouth. Yeah, according to rumors, the top brass in the Principality are consolidating the bandits and Knight Robbers in order to gather more money. Alicia: Really Alicia just goes along with the mans comments. Its just a rumor with no evidence or proof behind it. Anyone would be a fool just to take him at his word. And theyre so tight on money that.theyre selling a certain information to other countries. Alicia: Information? Yeah, oh, you finally look interested, young miss. What kind of rumor do you think? Youll be shocked. Its info on the [Saint]. ............on the [Saint]? Alicia takes a mental note out. It was the information on the [Saint]s whereabouts and actions that was supposedly gathered by the Empires intel agency. But what if this information was not collected by the Empires intel agency, but something sold to them by the Principality? If you wanna talk about the [Holy] trait, its the only magic trait that has any chance of restoring the corrupted lands in the [Demon Kings Realm]. Im sure every country is looking to find a way to capture her. Theyre saying that by now, a lot of people from different countries are gathering in the Principality to capture the [Saint]. Alicia: What an interesting rumor Isnt it?! Alicia: But thats a strange story. Why would the Principality be that desperate for money in the first place? Well, they say that the new Grand Duke is a really money waster. Apparently, he accumulated a huge amount of debt. But the people didnt just sit around and do nothing. They tried to export more wheat to pay off the debts." Alicia: Thats right. Wheat is a huge export for the Principality. But the wheat harvest this year was abysmal! Being unable to pay off their debts, they desperately sold info to the countries around them to the highest bidder. The man laughs merrily. Alicia: Thats amazing that you know so much. Ga ha ha! If youre an Adventurer, youll hear a thing or two. Oh, looks like were here. The carriage noisily comes to a full stop. Looks like they did arrive to the next town. Alright! Nice talking to ya, ladies! Be careful out there! Yoori: H`hey! Im..Im actually a boy...you know? ..........what? Youre kidding...right? Yoori: N`no! Im a b`boy!! .............seriously? The Adventurer falls to his knees in shock. Chapter 45: The Date and the Wizard Lilly: That meeting with the Grand Duke was so brief, Captain Lura. Lura: Im sure the nobles are all very busy people. The Grand Duke is the top leader that is governing the Principality. It was easily assumed that such a person would be incomparably busier than the common folk. Kurara: Could..you walk..a bit more..slowly? Lura: E`Excuse us, Lady Kurara. Kurara walks using the sword as a walking stick and walks slowly forward. Seeing her like this, you would never imagine that she is an [Extreme]. Shes just a cute girl. Kurara: Igni..are you free..after this.? Igni: Huh?! Um...yes, I am free afterwards but All thats left now is for Igni and his party to return back to the Kingdom. Kurara: Then..could you..take me.on a tour....through town? Igni: Of course, if its okay with me being the guide. Igni stretches out a hand to Kurara. Popularity Etiquette No. 2``The man should always take the lead. Since yesterday night, Igni memorized the stores in this area. Lilly: W`wait! You cant do that!! But it was Lilly who objected. Kurara: .......why? Kurara tilts her head towards Lilly. Igni is also a reflecting on Lillys actions. Igni: (..........she seems to be more tsun {prickly} than dere {loving}...) Lilly: B`But! Wont you be in danger?! Kurara: Danger.? Lilly.I am.an [Extreme].... Lilly: .........thats true but. Lilly is obviously trying to come up with something on the spot and her eyes are swimming back and forth. Kurara: Besides..thats why..Im taking..Igni with me.. Lilly: Oh...but. Lilly wanted to say something, anything that would stop them. Lilly: B`but what if something happens? Kurara: Nothing..will happen.. Lilly: Ughhhh.. This was rare. Lilly will typically easily accept orders given by Lura and Kurara. Its rare sight to see her objecting this much. Kurara: Dont you..think so..as well..Igni? Igni: Um...well, yes. Ignis words were also a little garbled. Its just taking a guided tour around the city with Kurara. Is it something that should bother Lilly that much? So Igni had a hard time recognizing what bothered Lilly and tilted his head in thought. Lura: Lilly, its just as Lady Kurara says. Theres no chance of anything happening. Lilly: But..but.. Lura: But? But Lilly had no response to Luras question. Lura: Lady Kurara, when can we expect you to return? Kurara: Lets see..well be back..by the evening Lura: Then we shall see you back at the inn in the evening. Lura bows her head. Igni: .....are you sure about walking around town? Kurara: If its.just a littleitll be fine. And...you dont .need to be..so formal.with me. Igni: Sure thing if thats okay with you. Kurara: Its just.a date.between.two good.friends.Formality.will just.get in..the way.right? Igni: (Good friends? A date??) Igni: (Has our relationship already progressed that far and deep?!) Since there is no one to correct Igni, his imagination wanders onto the wildest paths available. Kurara: Okay.then.lets go. Igni: Y`yeah Igni: (But where should I take her.?) Igni: (Since shes blind, where would she want to go?) Igni: Is there...any place you like to visit? Kurara: ......Ill leave that... to you And as Igni thought, a memory of his past slowly resurfaced gently. <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni] [Whats wrong, Grandpa?] [If youre a man, always have at least 5 dating spots ready.] [F`five?! Thats impossible!! [OWWW!!! TH`THAT HURT!!] [What kind of idiot gives up before he even tries! You fool!!] [B`BUT.FIVE..?!] [YOU FOOL!! I TOLD YOU FIVE BUT THATS THE BARE MINIMUM!! WHAT YOU NEED IS A MEMORABLE LOCATION THAT THEY WILL NEVER FORGET!!] [.....N`NEVER?!] [EXACTLY!! IGNI!! SO WHATS A MEMORABLE PLACE YOU CAME UP WITH RIGHT NOW?!] [Th`the weapons shop?] [UUUUUUUUUGGGHHHHH.!!] [.......A FOOL!! A COMPLETE AND UTTER.FOOL!! THE PEOPLE THAT LOVE WEAPON SHOPS ARE..MEN!!] [WHAT?! REALLY?!] [THAT''S RIGHT! SO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS..GO TO A STORE ENJOYED BY WOMEN!! THAT IS THE ONLY WAY!!] [..........!!! I..I SEE!!.....YOURE RIGHT!!] [BUT DO NOT WORRY, IGNI! I WILL TEACH YOU THESE THINGS.!!] [WHOOOOOAAA!! GRANDPA!! THATS WHY YOURE THE BEST!!!] <<<<>>> Igni: (.........TH`THINK, IGNI..!!) Igni: (This is why we have brains..!!) Igni: (If I dont use it here...then whats the point of having one.!!) Igni: (What is necessary to allow Kurara to have..a good time..?!) Igni: (A place where women love to go!!) Igni: (A place...women.love...to go.!!) The next moment, a lightning bolt struck Ignis brain. Igni: (S`sweet things!!!) Igni: Kurara, this way then. Kurara: Wow.are you...used to....these kinds ofthings....? Igni: Definitely not. Igni takes Kuraras hand and they begin walking into the city. And Lilly watched the two go off as a dark, thick swirl of emotions ravaged inside her chest. <<<<>>>> Kurara: Its.sweet Igni: Its fruits covered in honey. Do you like these kinds of things? Kurara: Hehe...yes.I love them. Igni: Thats a relief. Igni: (Fweeeeeeew!! Im so glad.....) And Igni secretly let out a huge sigh of relief without anyone noticing. Igni talks about becoming popular and popularity this and popularity that, but this is his actual, first-ever date with a girl. Igni: Oh, the honey. Igni was watching Kurara eat the fruits when honey drips from the fruit shes holding. He quickly catches it with his fingers and Kurara clapped her mouth over Ignis fingers. Igni: OH.......?!?! Kurara: Oh.I didnt..want it..to drip on the clothes. Igni: B`but my hands might be dirty?! Kurara: Its okay And Kurara smiles at Igni. Igni: (She must be an angel) Kurara: Im done..eating Igni reminisced on the softness of Kuraras mouth over and over again in his head as they headed to the next location. Since Kurara cant see, they would have to go to a location that wouldnt require sight to enjoy. Kurara: Where..should we.go next? Igni: Next. And Igni thought about where to go next when a horse carriage stopped next to them. Igni! Its Igni, right?! And from the carriage, and girl jumped down. Hair the color of the blue skies and blue eyes. I knew it! That face! Youre definitely Igni!! Igni: (I know her) Igni: (That face..) Ignis mental database crunched, churned, and spit out a girls name in less than a second.. Igni: R`Rose?! Is that you?! It was - his former fianc. Igni: (Why...is she here``) But before that question left his lips, Rose spoke first. Rose: So you came here too! I knew it! I knew we were tied together by destiny! Igni: D`Destiny.?? Igni: (Wait, somethings not right. Was Rose always like this?) Rose: Yes! Destiny! It was God who brought us together!! Igni: I`Is that...so? Igni tilts his head to wonder, but Rose smiled as she pointed at Kurara. Rose: So whos the girl? At that moment, Igni felt all of his instincts scream that his life was in danger. Chapter 46: The Way Out of a “Shuraba” (Crisis) Rose: So whos the girl? Although she smiled cheerfully, Igni sensed something ominous and dark behind her words, and cold sweat dripped from Ignis face as he said truthfully. Igni: Sh`shes someone Im guarding...for a Quest given to me by the school. Kurara: Im...Ignis...girlfriend...too Igni: Excuse me? Igni tilted his head at Kuraras words. Normally, these words should have excited him, but every piece of Ignis instinct is screaming that this is not an appropriate time. Igni: (Th`thats DEFINITELY a subject we should not touch at the moment..!!) Rose: Ignisgirlfriend? Rose tilts her head with the smile frozen on her face. Rose: OHHH!! I understand now! Thats your ! But from Roses end, more mysterious words flooded out. Rose: Because you cant see, right? And Ignis excommunicated from his family! Igni: How do you know about me getting thrown out.? Rose: I know EVERYTHING about you, Igni! An answer that really didnt answer anything was the reply, and Igni couldnt continue the conversation. It was Ignis defense mechanisms and instincts that warned him to not poke any further. Kurara: ......character setting.? Rose: Yes! Exactly. You must be..Ignis step-sister! After Igni was thrown out of his house, your family took him in. And kind hearted Igni couldnt just leave his blind-sister alone, so he is taking you out around the city. And since youve never had a boyfriend before, kind, big-brother Igni said hell be your boyfriend for the day. Yes, a magnificent deduction from an ace detective if I say so myself. Igni: (Wow, shes really gone over the top with that storyline) Igni emotionally detaches himself and observes the situation as a bystander. Kurara: No.youre wrong. Igni and I..are..dating. Rose: For just today, right? Igni: (Th`this isnt good..!) Igni: (The two arent communicating on the same wavelength!!) Although its about him, Igni''s bad habit kicks in as he still observes this meltdown as a bystander. Kurara: ........no...its true.. Rose: OHHH!! I understand now! You must be a princess of some country or the daughter of a noble! So thats why you asked Igni to guard you! Ignis the winner of the Tournament, so theres no better man for the job than him! Igni: How do you know about the tournament.? Rose: Well, I can understand that. Ignis strong and so amazing! So I can understand why as one of his devoted fans, you asked him to escort you around town as a boyfriend. I know every good thing about Igni, so I can understand your feelings well! Igni: ................ Rose completely ignores Ignis interjection and continues to talk uninterrupted. Kurara also didnt know what else to say to Rose and fell silent. Lady Rose, please do not move around on your own so much within the city. And out of a horse carriage, a beautiful woman stepped out. Igni: (Is Rose always with someone beautiful like that?) ....is what Igni was thinking as he tilted his head when !! Lady Rose! Please step away from that woman!! And as soon as the lady accompanying Rose yelled Igni was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and pulled back quickly. {Water Bullet}! And she fired a spell in the middle of town! And Kurara, who pulled Igni behind her, responded calmly and quickly``. Kurara: .....[Dull] {Sloth} . Igni: .............huh? Ignis head tilted at the incomprehensible scene. Igni: (Was it possible to cut a spell with a sword..?) Youre still carrying that annoying Magic Artifact. Kurara! Kurara: .......and you still..in the middle of town..use spells.Floria. Igni: (........she knows her?) Igni: Is that someone you know, Kurara? Kurara: Shes the [Extreme] of [Water]. Igni: Oh, I see. Shes a beautiful woman so Igni memorized her face and name. He will never forget it now. Because Floria fired her spell, the people around them are panicking. The crowds disperse and are scattering in all directions away from the two. Rose: Hey, Floria! That could have hit Igni! Floria: Do you think I would make such an error? Rose: Theres always a possibility!!! Igni: (I`I dont know whats going on, but Rose is scolding her.) Kurara: Floria..I have.Igni with me. Floria: .......I dont know how you got hold of the information, but Im not letting you take Lady Rose. Kurara: Thats not..your choice.to make. Kurara laughs and a single, silver-white longsword is held in her hands. Although Kurara shouldnt be able to , she had her sword in a ready stance straight towards Floria. Kurara: Okay, Miss [Saint]. Ill give you..two choices. Rose: A choice? In between Igni and Rose stood Kurara and Floria. Both are [Extreme]s. If they fight in the middle of town, theres going to be an unbelievable amount of collateral damage towards the common people. Kurara: Yes. I will...break up.with Igni..but in return..youll come to..[Alelimenia]. Otherwise.I will continue..to date Igni. So which.do you choose? Igni: (Alelimenia is the Elves country. Why is Kurara trying to take Rose there?) Igni: (And why is Kurara saying that were going out?) Igni: (........wait...has my reign of popularity finally begun???) Rose: (O`Of course Ill go! Ill never let anything come between the bonds of Igni and myself`` Floria: Lady Rose, shes lying. Rose: L`lying?! Whats she lying about, Floria?! Floria: Shes lying about being in a relationship with Sir Igni and herself. Rose: H`how do you know that?! Floria: Theres no way someone who is that depraved would be able to date anyone. Igni: Oof.! Misunderstanding, Igni threw himself in the path of the comment and his heart was shattered... Kurara: Igni..those criticisms...were directed towards...me. Realizing what happened, Kurara reaches out a helping hand towards Igni. Rose: Oh, thats a relief. Theres no way Igni would date anyone other than me. Floria: ..............................yes. Florias reply is brief. In her many years, her experience has taught her to say as little as possible during these situations. Rose: Now give back Igni! We know that you two arent dating! Kurara: ........thats.a problem. I was...going to..bait you..with Igni.. Igni: .......what? Igni reflected on Kuraras words. B`bait? What does she mean.? Kurara: Igni...is the easiest way..to get..the attention of.the [Saint]....so..walking around..town like this..would probably..draw her out..is.what I..thought. His delusions of popularity were washed away by the cruel waves of reality and Ignis heart was on the verge of crumbling to pieces. Feeling dizzy all of a sudden, Igni forgot all the Secret Arts and Etiquettes of Popularity and asked Kurara upfront. Igni: Y`You were just using me for my body?! Kurara: Thats.not the..way I would..put it but. Igni: What about your interest in my spell? Kurara: That was..true. Kurara answered him clearly. Apparently, her intentions there were genuine and sincere. Rose: So what! I have interest in Ignis spell too!! Floria: Lady Rose, theres no reason to compete with that woman. Rose: ERRRGH!! FLORIA!! GET THAT WOMAN AWAY FROM IGNI!! Floria: Yes, that was my intention all along. Water balls appear around Floria. Three water balls orbit and rotate around her very beautifully. Facing her, Kurara has not moved an inch and held her sword with her right hand. Rose: Beat her to a pulp! Teach her what happens when you place your dirty hands on my Igni! Kurara: Igni...please..protect me...2 versus 1...is..too much of a..disadvantage. Combat Analysis. Igni doesnt know how she calculated the combat strength difference between herself and the other two, but she reached out for Ignis help. Rose: NO! IGNI!! YOU CANT PROTECT HER!! Kurara: Igni.please Rose: IGNI!! Both Kurara and Rose throw their words desperately towards Igni. Igni: (Wh`what..should I do!!) He feels his heart get wrenched and burned from the pain!! Igni: (Wait! Yes.havent I...somewhere?!) <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni. If you become popular, there is a fate you cannot avoid.] [What is it?] [You will encounter a shuraba {a romantic crisis}] [You told me about that already.] [Yes, but we should review regardless. Listen well.] [O`okay] [When I was young, I was going on a date with this woman.] [And?] [I forgot that I double-booked with a different woman, and both women met on the same day, at the same place, at the same time.] [........huh?!] Igni felt sweat in his palm as his tightened his fists from the drama that must have ensued. [G`Grandpa..so..how did you resolve that..?] [For starters, I let them punch me.] [Excuse me?] Not understanding, Igni tilts his head. [There was..no other way!!] [.............................................] [You cannot.lend a hand to either side..!!!] <<<<>>>> Igni: (I didnt understand what he meant at the time but...hes right!!) Igni: (G`Grandpa was..always right!!) Igni: (He was not wrong..!!!) Igni: (Youre.amazing, Grandpa!!!!) Igni: (Thats why youre..an [Extreme]!! Kurara: ......Igni. Rose: IGNI!! To quiet down the two, Igni raises his palms up towards them. Igni: I understand now. You two. Kurara: You understand..what..? Rose: I knew you would understand, Igni. Coming to the perfect solution, Igni looks at both Kurara and Rose with joy spilling over from his smile. Igni: Fire those spells.at me. In a flash, a heavy silence fell over the entire scene. Chapter 47: The War for the Saint Ignites Rose: Wh`What are you saying, Igni?! I could never fire my spell at you!! Kurara: ......yes..and..arent you..supposed to be...my bodyguard.? Igni: I dont care! Just shoot those spells at me! Kurara, Rose, and Floria didnt know how to interpret Ignis action and terminated their spell initiation. Floria: Lady Rose, is Sir Igni that kind of person? Rose: What do you mean that kind?! Ignis just trying to stop us from fighting and placed himself in the middle! Your interpretation is very insulting! Apologize to him now!! Floria: .......Im sorry. Its just the four of them in the main street, but its still lively as ever. Kurara: ......we''ll.yes...thats one way..to resolve this...but..isnt that too dangerous? Igni: I cant bear to see girls get hurt instead. Popularity Etiquette No. 4``A man should always be a gentleman. Rose: Awwww!! Hes so cool!!! Thats my Igni!! The comment struck the heart of one girl in particular. And of course, that would be Rose. Rose: ......but we cant do that, Igni. And she immediately cooled down and changed her composure. Rose: You cant be with anyone else. Magic surges and swirls around Rose. Rose: But I guess thats only natural that other women catch your eyes. So Ill help you forget them. [Saintly Restraints] {Holy Bind}. Igni: ...?! Igni immediately evades Roses spell. Rose: Why did you avoid that, Igni?! Igni: Rather than be caught by girls, Id rather do the catching. Igni couldnt help but show a wide grin when making the remark. Rose: H`Hes so amazing Roses eyes transform into hearts ? as she admires Igni with glee. But Kurara and Floria are observing with cool, calculating eyes. Kurara: Miss [Saint].....what will you do.? Will you come to.Alelimenia? Or...will you not? Hyu! (sfx sound of something cutting through the wind) And Kuraras sword was now pointed at Igni. Floria: Thats below the line, Kurara! You cant take the students as hostages!! Floria yells her protest. Igni: (Im a hostage?) Igni: (Whats going on..??) Igni, who is not quite following the situation tilts his head to the side. Igni: Hey, Kurara, whats happening here? Kurara: .....oh, thats right..we havent discussed..any of this..yet, Even with a sword pointed at him, Igni is carrying on a conversation with Kurara as if nothings happened. In fact, he is not bothered one bit by the sword. His gut instinct is telling him that Kurara would never kill him. And he is right. Kurara herself realizes that the [Saint] would never come to Alelimenia if she kills Igni. So this is just her bluff. Kurara: Igni...what is..the [Saint]s magic trait..? Igni: Shes a [Holy] type and.? Kurara: Yes...that is.the only type..that can cleanse...and purify.the [Demon Kings Realm]..... Igni: Oh yeah. Theres that too Igni lived far too long inside the [Demon Kings Realm] that he almost forgot the obvious. Normally, . 100 years after the death of the Demon King, inside the [Demon Kings Realm], not only has the local fauna drastically mutated due to the overwhelming amount of magic pouring out from the Demon Kings corpse, but the Monsters that live there are several times stronger than usual. And on top of that, the left-over remains of the former Demon Kings Army roam around the area. Floria: Sir Igni. Have you forgotten? ...the [Demon Kings Realm] will infect and swallow its neighboring regions. Hence, if you do not take any measures against it, all of the lands will become part of the [Demon Kings Realm]. Igni: ........oh yeah. I remember now. With Florias words, Igni is reminded of another important characteristic of the [Demon Kings Realm]. Kurara: And..the one..who can stop it.are the [Saint]s. Igni: Thats why countries are tasked with protecting the [Saint], huh Igni mumbled as he reminisced on the many fairy tales and stories he read long ago as a child. Kurara: .......yes. Thats how..it is Igni: And Kurara, you want to take Rose back to your country in order to expand the Elves lands? Kurara: .........yes. The Principality is surrounded completely by uninfected lands, so it has no use for the [Saint]. But, starting with the Kingdom and Empire, many countries have at least one border that is adjacent to the [Demon Kings Realm]. Then it is only a matter of time before their country is swallowed up by the former Demon King''s territory. Kurara: It is rare..for someone...to be born with..the Upper-Tier...Magic Trait of [Water], [Holy]......and the current [Saint].....was born with [Holy] : [S]. Its like...she was blessed...by God Floria: Its not just like she was blessed. She was truly blessed by God! The two [Extreme]s glare at each other. And Igni stepped in between them. Igni: But.it should be Rose who gets to decide where she should go. A slight breeze blows at Igni and the groups feet. Igni: This isnt something we should decide for her. Rose: I`Igni! Look, Floria! Look at how cool Igni is!! Floria: .......Sir Igni. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Floria ignores Rose and informs Igni. Igni steps in front of Kurara and faces Floria. Igni: What..do you mean? Floria: Lady Roses schedule for the next 40 years has already been determined. Igni: Thats.. Floria: .......this is already something that has been determined. By the coalition of countries who abide by the [Saints Agreement], the order of the countries the [Saint] will visit has already been determined long before the [Saint] was born. Igni: Then.Roses life is already. Floria: Yes. Every single day has all been determined. Igni looks at Rose. Igni: Rose.are you okay with this? Rose: Yes, I am. She quietly laughs. Rose: That is.the mission, the ultimate goal of being a [Saint]. Igni: ........... Igni bit down on the next words that almost came out. Calling out a girl who has chosen her own path in life would be dishonorable as a man. Igni: But..really...are you really okay with that?! Rose is only silent to Ignis question. Already coming to terms with this fate, she just continues smiling. But it was Kurara who broke the following silence. Kurara: .......being tied down..all your life...how could you...ever be.happy.? The wind blows harder, and Kuraras bangs float up revealing the bandage covering both her eyes. Kurara: You are...far too youngand foolish.to already...determine your...whole life. Rose: Is it really? I can look back and be proud of my choices in life. Kurara: .......I...understand. If you..come to Alelimenia.then, I will.guarantee.your freedom Rose: Ummm...thats a really appealing offer, but I have to decline. Kurara: You can...have Igni.as a bonus. Rose: When do we leave? Floria: Lady Rose!! Igni: (Im just a bonus prize...) Igni: (But its all girls here so I guess thats okay.) Kurara: You...are getting.in the way.Floria. Floria: Im in the way? You just have to keep your hands off Lady Rose, Kurara. The two face each other once again Floria: {Water Whip}!! Kurara: .....fuh GIGIGIGIGIIINN!! (sfx: metal clashing with metal) The next moment, the sound of dull metal connecting with spells rings through the air!! The air explodes outward and pushes everything around the collision point outwards!! Rose: Floria! Wait! Floria: If she was someone reasonable whom we could talk this through, we wouldnt be in this position in the first place. Floria creates vines of magical water whips - a total of 15 whips slices through the air. Igni: Kurara!! Kurara: Do not.worry.I will not..take her life.. And with just a single sword, Kurara blocks all incoming attacks even while being blind. But the wheels of fate already began to turn at that instant. The ground below Roses feet . Igni: ROSE!! And , Igni kicks the ground hard, leaping towards Rose with his hand outstretched. Floria realized what was happening a moment later and stretched her water whip towards Rose as she sunk quickly into the ground. But countless [Earth] {Tetsura Bullets} showered towards both of them and stopped them in their path!! Igni: [Shoot Down] {Fire}! As soon as Igni takes out all the [Earth] {Tetsura Bullets} coming towards him, Rose completely disappears into the ground. Floria: I`Impossible!! Floria screams, and Igni agrees with her assessment. Floria: How did they use a Spell without stirring Magic?! Kurara: ........how? Kurara is also equally confused as Floria continues to scream. A Spell begins with the stirring, manipulation, or ignition of Magic. In other words, you cannot perform a Spell without touching Magic in some form or fashion. Thats why for Wizards who have mastered their spells, they can detect Spells by seeing magic being agitated and respond accordingly. Hence, what happened to Rose just now was well beyond anything Igni or the others could have ever expected. Igni! That way!! Another party intruded into the fray. Igni: Alicia, is that you?! I`Im here too! Behind the girl on the broom soaring in the sky was a boy who most definitely looked like a girl no matter what angle you saw him. Alicia: She was carried that way! And Alicia pointed to a direction outside the Principality of Lyheria. Igni: [Equip Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}!! Igni explodes a {Fireball} beneath him and rises up immediately to Alicias height off the ground. Alicia: Igni! You need to get the [Saint] back, or its going to be bad! Igni: What do you mean bad?! Igni skips over any explanations of why theyre here to not waste any more time. Alicia: Ive seen that exact same spell on the battlefield! That spell was cast by the Marionette Ruler -- the [Original] Magic Trait Wizard!! Igni: An [Original] Wizard.! Igni roars. Floria grits her teeth, and Kurara stabs the ground with her sword to begin her tracking Spells. Igni: Ill go after her! Alicia, follow me! Alicia: Understood! And at that moment, on that day, the [War for the Saint] commenced. Chapter 48: The Rescue Wizard Lilly looks at the remaining members and lets out a deep sigh. She had a bad feeling for a while now. Her chest has been hurting since Igni and Kurara left together. Lilly: Captain Lula.. Lura: Whats wrong, Lilly? Lilly: .......no, its nothing. Im not feeling well, is what she wanted to say but couldnt. So although she was the one who started the conversation, she fell silent. Iris: Miss Lilly, is something the matter? Are you not feeling well? Lilly: No, Im fine. Its really nothing. Lilly shakes her head in denial to Iris question. Lilly: (Yes, its nothing. Nothing at all.) Lilly was trying to convince herself that she was just feeling off. Edward: Iris, why not you and Lilly go out into town together? You have plenty of time before Igni comes back this evening. Just hearing the word, Igni made her heart flutter. Iris: Huh? Im fine with that but what will you do? Edward: Me? I dont have any business with the town. But Lilly looked like she wanted to go. Lilly: N`No I didnt! She outright denies Edwards words. Lura: Why not go, Lilly? We dont have anything to do until Lady Kurara returns. Besides, this place is different from Alelimenia, so it will be a good learning experience to walk around a city different from ours. Lilly: But Captain.. Lura: Go on and have fun. Lilly nodded. She didnt understand why, but the hope of going into town made the pain vanish. Lilly: (Did I really want to go to town?) Recently, she has been understanding herself less and less, and it left her feeling confused and frustrated. Iris: Then Miss Lilly, you ready to go? Lilly: Y`Yes. And with Iris tugging at her sleeves, they leave for town. And after coming to town, her heart wouldnt stop beating quickly. Iris: Wow look at all these people! Lilly: Does the Kingdoms Capital have more or less people than here? Iris: Um well, Im sure the Kingdoms Capital has more people, but theres not a whole lot of places where this many people gather! In the Principalitys Market Place, many people are coming and going. It would be easy to pass by someone you know in this sea of people. Iris: You think we can find Sir Igni? Lilly: Hey, why are you looking for him?! Iris looked around curiously, and Lilly felt a pang of annoyance. She tugs at Iris clothes. Iris is very capable overall but just on the subject of Igni alone, she becomes practically blinded by his presence. Iris: Hehehe, Im kidding! Sir Igni wouldnt be close by in a place like.. The next moment. (sfx impact) Something crashed into the City Walls, and the impact echoed across the area. Lilly: ..........what was that? A bad feeling crept over Lilly as she glanced at Iris. Iris was also looking back at Lilly. Iris: We need to go. With those words, they sprang into action and located the source of the sound. With just four people left on Main Street, Lilly saw Igni talking in the distance. A deep relief crossed her mind as soon as she caught sight of him. Lilly: (Good. Hes okay.) But she tilted her head in confusion at the thought. Lilly: (.........Im glad hes okay? But Igni is stronger than I am.) Lilly: (Next to Igni is Lady Kurara.) Lilly saw that Kurara had her sword drawn and was talking to 2 others. Lilly: (Wait...why.why am I not relieved to see her?) She places a hand on her chest. Nothings changed. Lilly: (Why did it change with Igni, but not with Lady Kurara..?) And in the next moment, after an intense collision between Kurara and someone elses Spell..Lilly saw a girl drop into the ground. Iris: ........Alicia? Iris who was standing next to Lilly looked up into the sky and mumbled something quietly. Iris: Why.is she here? The next moment, the wind carried Ignis voice. Igni: Ill go after her! Alicia, follow me! Alicia: Understood! Lilly saw that just with those few words, the two understood each other completely, and this time, an excruciating pain gripped her heart. Lilly: (.......what is this..) .........but there was no one here to answer her question. <<<<>>>> Igni used the [Equip Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} and looked down from the sky, and from there, he saw that someone was taking Rose away underground like a mole. Alicia: Igni, listen carefully. The [Principality] sold intel about the [Saint]s location to many countries. So there are many countries right now trying to capture the [Saint] for themselves. Igni: ........so the Ruler Marionette is.. Alicia: A mercenary of the Southern Union! Hes weaker than me in a direct fight, but hes annoyingly clever! Igni: .........the [Southern Union]. Its that place where slavery is still legal, right? Alicia: Yes! Thats why we have to stop them here, or the [Saint] will be drugged to the bones and used as a puppet! Igni: Dammit! Then well just have to find her! Igni holds back his panicking brain, and traces the trail in the earth, but the trail disappears at a certain point. Igni: .........did he dig to the depths from here? Alicia: He got us.! It might have been a diversion this whole time.! Yoori: L`Leave it to me! Yoori gets off the broom from behind Alicia and places a hand where the trail ended. Yoori: [Those who swarm and crawl in the darkness...come out] With Yooris incantation, a ball of darkness poofs out before him. The strange ball of darkness wriggles and squirms as Igni and Alicias gaze falls upon it. Igni: (.......what is this?) Yoori: {Follow the magic residue} The ball of darkness jiggles and shakes and suddenly screams, Peep! like a bird and begins to go in a different direction from what Ignis group was following previously. Yoori: This way! Igni: Youre a life-saver, Yoori!! Alicia: Well fly there!! Igni is reminded that Yoori is a Support Role Wizard. He cant Heal like Edward, but his expertise falls in a Spy-like role such as reconnaissance, tracking, and disarming traps which are his specialties. Igni: [Acceleration] {Burst}! Igni explodes a [Fireball] beneath his feet and instantly accelerates his body into motion! Igni chases down the dark mass created by Yoori!! A few kilometers outside of town. There, the Dark Mass was hovering over the ground. Yoori: Igni, there! Below it is the [Spell Workshop]! The [Saint] is held here!! Igni: How deep?! Yoori: Wait, give me some time. .okay, around 15 meters (49 ft)! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : [Molecular Size] {Minima}! Behind Igni, he loads the Magic Power Accelerator, and a ring of light shines behind him. The molecular size [Fireball] is cast behind him as it begins its acceleration! Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! (sfx ground exploding) The [Fireball] Igni launches unearths the ground covering over the [Spell Workshop] and completely uncovers the workshop! Igni: Im taking her back! [Equip Flame] {Ignite}! Igni places a hand on the wall of the [Spell Workshop] and as he creates a [Fireball], he charges it with magic! Igni: [Explode] {Fire}!! And he sends the explosion in a single, unified direction!! The wall crumbles with the explosive impact! From there, Igni and his group jump inside the facility. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite}! Ready to fight, Igni immediately prepares a [Fireball]. What Igni saw was Rose who was being surrounded and captured by Golems. Rose: Igni! You came!! And there was a middle-aged man with a fatigued expression with a cigarette in his mouth. .......you already found this place? Arent you a little too fast?? His eyes widened just slightly with his surprise. Alicia: Igni! Thats him, the [Marionette]! Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! WHAAAAT?! HEY.?!?! The [Marionette] hurriedly dodges. But at the same time, the Golems standing next to him shield him from Ignis Spell and protect him. Geesh. You fired that without any warning. Youll scare the s*** out of old farts like me. The [Marionette] spits out his cigarette and exhales a heavy sigh. I cant believe you arrived here but.....I welcome you. You are..oh, I recognize the boy. Youre Igni, right? Igni: .......how do you know my name? Huh? Ohhh...yeah, Miss [Saint] here wouldnt stop talking about you. Igni: Im honored. The girl is..oh, I remember you. Youre the Aerial Weapon of the Empire, right? Sheesh. I just wanted to capture the [Saint] and get out of here but.you guys wont let me, huh The [Marionette] claps his hands and . Well, I welcome you, Igni and Alicia. This is my castle. I only have Golems here, but..enjoy yourselves. Alicia: I`Igni! These Golems have great resistance to Spells!! Igni: (So thats why Rose remains captured then.) Igni: Rose, its going to be okay. Igni laughs and smiles Rose to reassure her. Igni: Havent I told you before? I prefer catching my girl. Rose: ........huh? Igni: Im going to definitely take you back myself. Rose: Igni...............I love you Roses face reddens with Ignis words. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : {Scatter Shot}!! Igni surrounds himself with [Fireball] and applies just enough Magic Power to not place Rose in the radius of the blast and Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!!! (sfx rapid impact) The sound of countless Golems getting blown away echo throughout the [Workshop]! ............really? The [Marionette]s jaws drop open with his voice. Igni: Im going to take back Rose with me. Igni drops the statement as a matter of fact. The five [Fireball]s surrounding him begin to shine into a bright white. All of them are directly aiming at the [Marionette]. Ohhhh.uhhhh. The [Marionette] looks at Igni and Rose and exhales another exasperated sigh. One of the Golems places a hand on the [Marionette]s shoulder as if to comfort him. ..........must be so nice..to be so young. Wistful sorrow seemed to envelope his body. Chapter 49: The Confession and the Wizard I still have plenty of Golems you know. The [Marionette] laughs as more Golems swarm out of the ground. Igni: [Equip Flame] Ignite] Around Igni, he created [Fireball]s that looked like small dots. Once they all whitened with increased heat. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! ZUDODODODO!!! (sfx rapid impact) Tiny explosions of air erupted around Igni, and Ignis tiny [Fireball]s struck the Golems and went right through! They rained down and drilled holes into each Golem!! Wait...really? What are you.? These Golems should be able to withstand Spells up to [S] Compatibility but. The [Marionette]s face looks strained as he places a new cigarette in his mouth. ......ah well. We have plenty more where that came from. The [Marionette] spreads his hands. More hordes of Golems bubble out of the ground. Igni: Alicia! Whats with his spell? Golems are an [Earth] type Spell. If hes an [Unique Original] Spellcaster, then he should be using those kinds of spells but.! Alicia: He uses a limited Area Control Spell! Within that Area, he can rob the people within a certain part of their senses! Igni: Understood! Igni: (So thats why we couldnt detect the manipulation of Magic before..!!) Igni casts [Equip Flame] {Ignite}. With all the [Fireball]s he created, he strikes the Golems again and sends it flying towards the [Marionette]. In that split second, he goes and takes off Roses restraints. Igni: Can you stand, Rose? Rose: I`I, cant. Igni: Here, hold on to me tight. Rose: S`Sure....... Igni carries Rose in his arms. He felt a stabbing glare from Alicia, but he concludes that it must have been his imagination. Igni: Sorry, but I cant let you have the [Saint]. The [Marionette] spits out his cigarette and raises his palm towards Igni. Igni instinctively jumps away. The next moment, the ground beneath Ignis feet melted. What? You can dodge that?? Igni: Is that your Spell?! Again, he felt no manipulation of magic before the Spell! You think I would tell you? Igni: Ill make you talk! [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : [Armor Piercing] {Fire}! Before Igni, a giant [Fireball] was created and began to rotate and spin!! The friction caused between the air and the [Fireball] began to screech!! Let me take away your sight. (sfx) Ignis sight is swallowed in darkness. Igni: Alicia! Alicia: Leave it to me!! Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! Alicia: [Come My Wind] {Ventos} : [Guide Them] {Duux}! DONNNNNNNNNN!!!! (sfx explosion) The [Fireball] fires off with a massive explosive sound and with Alicias guidance, it heads straight towards the [Marionette]........but the Golems intervene! Igni: Pierce right through them!! (sfx dull impact) With Ignis shout, the Golems body crumples and is blown backwards taking the [Marionette] with it!! Owwww When the [Marionette] was blown away, Ignis sight returned. Igni: I heard from Alicia, [Marionette]. Igni holds Rose as he glares at the [Marionette]. Igni: I heard that youre quite weak. Wow, thats rude Hasnt someone taught you to respect your elders? The [Marionette] pushed the Golem aside and stood up. But from a glance, hes been beaten up pretty badly. Well...yeah, that is true. Its just as you say. Im not that strong. If I had to fight head on with anyone, I would probably even lose to students. Igni: Then withdraw. Youre letting me go? How kind of you. The edges of the [Marionette]s lips curve upward as he laughs. But that kindness during a battle is a [mistake]. Below the [Marionette]s feet, the broken Golem is reconstructed. Igni, I havent seen you use any other Spells except [Fireball]. Igni: Yeah, thats the only Spell I can use. I had a feeling that that was the case. The [Marionette]s face instantly twists into a wicked smirk. So just for you, I created a Golem that cant be destroyed by heat. [Heat Resistant] Golems surround Igni. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} Its no use! I put a lot of work into this! It cant be destroyed by [Fireball]!! Igni: [Change] {Heavy Equip} ..............what? You could almost hear Ignis [Fireball] fattens up with a (sfx heavy weight) as it increases not in temperature but in Magic Power! Igni: [Artillery] {Fire} DODODON!!! (sfx multiple impacts) The heavy sound almost rips everyones eardrums!! The air rips to pieces and howls!! The [Fireball] Igni created the Golems as they are blown away! Igni: A [Fireball]..........is not just about temperature. Are you kidding me? The [Marionette]s jaws dropped as he envisioned a completely different outcome. And Igni stood before his eyes and pointed a [Fireball] at him from point blank range.. Igni: So what will you do now? Will you surrender? Or will you fight? The [Marionette] raised both his arms in a sign of surrender. Of course Ill surrender. Im not paid enough to bet my life on this. I feel bad for my employer, but.Im giving up on this job. Alicia: Your employer? ..arent you a mercenary of the Southern Union? Alicia restrains the [Marionette] with techniques she learned from the classes at the Academy. The Southern Union? My contract with them ended last year. Alicia: What? Then who are you working for? You really think I would divulge information about my employer? Alicia: ......... This was his dignity as a mercenary. And drawing out this information is not Igni and his groups job. Alicia: Alright, lets get out of this Workshop. Cmon. Guide us to the exit. Alicia smacks the [Marionette] in the head. Hey! Im still an older man so treat me with more respect.. Alicia: Youre a CRIMINAL who tried to abduct the [Saint]! The [Marionette] tries to defend his position that hes an [attempted] abductor, but Alicia hurries him forward. Rose: Th`Thank you, Igni. With dreamy eyes, Rose thanks Igni while still being held in his arms. Igni: Dont worry about it. Youre a girl I wanted to catch. And Igni smiles warmly at Rose. Igni: Can you stand? Rose: Y`Yes. They exit the underground [Spell Workshop]. Yoori was waiting for them outside. Yoori: W`Welcome back! ........you still had one more person standing by. The [Marionette]s shoulders sag and drop. Rose: Hey, Igni. Igni: Hm? Rose, who was walking behind Igni takes his hand. Igni: (Oh, her hands are soft.) Rose: I have a wish I want you to fulfill for me. Igni: A wish? Igni tilts his head at Roses request. Rose: Um, well. Igni, I really like you! Igni: Th`Thanks..? Ignis brain crashes at the sudden confession. Rose: And so..I want you to go with me. Igni: .....go with you.? Rose: Im going to be going to a lot of different countries for the next 40 years. Igni, I want you to come with me and do this together. Igni: ...together Rose: Yes. But...you dont have to answer me right now! I know our destinies are tied together!! And I understand how you feel about me after you rescued me today!! Igni: .......my feelings Igni could only parrot Roses words. Rose: Ill be here in this country for 3 days. So I want to hear your answer before I leave. Saying everything she wanted to say, Rose smiled brightly. Chapter 50: All the Pieces Begin to Move!! ``A confession There are men who confess to women, and some women who confess to men. And for anyone walking the path of Popularity, it is a path you cannot avoid! Alicia: I`Igni, what are you going to do? Igni: ....do? Um.. Rose left in high spirits, and Igni and Alicia watched her go as they spoke without turning to face each other. As far as Kurara goes, she only accumulated murderous hate from Rose for using Igni as bait, but that was it. As for Alicia, Igni rescued her, and being classmates, their friendship deepened significantly. But Rose was a different story, and Igni groaned as he tried to process the situation. Oh, and they handed the [Marionette] to the City Guards. Alicia: You know what Im referring to. The [Saint]s confession to you. Are you really thinking about accepting it? Igni: ............ Igni remains silent. As one who pursues the path of Popularity, its not like he hasnt considered situations where girls confess to him. Igni: 40 years...huh Yoori: We would all be in our 50s. Igni mumbles to himself as Yoori chuckles at the thought. Igni: (But I never thought someone would ask me to be tied to them for 40 years.) Igni: Our 50s.huh. Ignis mumbling continues. Hell still be younger than Lucas, but thats about it. Alicia: Igni, think about it carefully! The majority of that 40 years with the [Saint] is just travel time!! Youll spend the majority of that time on the road traveling by carriage, and there will be days when youll have to protect her from attacks just like you did today! Igni: Yeah, I know. Igni nods in affirmation. Yoori: What makes this decision so hard for you? Is it because you were confessed to? Igni answers Yooris question. Igni: I...I want to remain at the Academy. Igni: (Is this because I still want to be Popular?) Igni: (Or is this because my very first friends are there?) Igni: But I also want to support Rose Alicia: Well, you cant do both. Igni: I know Igni groans. Igni: That''s why this is so hard Yoori: Hmmmm...then what about this? You can remain at the Academy for 3 years until you graduate and then go with the [Saint]. Igni: I thought of that too, but. Igni quietly answers Yooris suggestion. Igni wants to be Popular, but he also wants to be there for Rose. Igni: (But isn''t meeting Roses expectations a part of being Popular?) Ignis brain goes full circle over and over again. Yoori: Igni, this might be a good time to consult with someone - someone dependable. Igni: Dependable? Igni parrots Yooris words. Yoori: Yeah, like..someone with more life experiences that you can trust. Igni: ......oh. Ignis brain flashed. <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni] [What is it, Grandpa?] This happened when Igni was training nearby the Demon Kings Castle. [If you live long enough, there will be times when you are faced with two difficult options.] [What do you mean?] Igni was in the middle of hunting down a higher-level species of Goblins called Gaki {Hunger Demons}. [Hm, for instance, lets say that you are working as a miner.] [Okay] [But while you work, the brakes on the trolley malfunction, and the trolley can no longer stop. If you allow the trolley to proceed onwards, it will run over and kill 5 fellow miners. But, Igni, if you were to switch the rails to let it head down a separate path, only one of your friends who was working there would be killed. So Igni, which would you choose? Would you pull the switch on the rails or leave it be?] [Huh..?] Igni was more taken back that his grandfather started speaking about something so serious. [It...depends on who it is.] [Oh? Who would you push the switch for?] [Father] [HA HA HA H!!] Lucas bursted out with laughter. [H`Hey! Besides, that question isnt fair! Theres no right answer right?! What would you do in this case?!] [Me? If it was me] Lucas smiled wildly as the edges of his lips curved upwards. [I would.destroy the trolley.] [What?! Thats cheating!!] [Its not. Its because we have the power to bend the rules that we are called Extremes.] [Grrrrrrrr..] [You understand now, Igni? When the time comes, make up your mind and] [Wh`what?] [When you dont know what to do, destroy the problem from its foundations.] <<<<>>>> Igni: ...............?! Igni: (So..this is what Grandpa meant!!) Yoori: H`Hey.Igni? Are you okay? Igni suddenly went silent, and Yoori looks into his eyes worriedly. Igni: Yoori! Why does the [Demon Kings Realm]s territory continue to spread?! Yoori: Huh?! Um...well, the [Demon King]s corpse is buried in the [Demon Kings Realm] and the Demon Kings Magic is pouring out from it! Igni: Yeah, thats right. Thats what they say. Yoori: Wh`what is it with you all of a sudden? And to confirm his theory, Igni turns to Alicia. Igni: Alicia! Why hasnt humanity disposed of the Demon Kings body? If the Demon Kings remains are the cause, they could burn or destroy the corpse so that it doesn''t emit any more Magic, no?! Alicia: S`Seriously! What is it with you?! Thats . The [Demon Kings Castle] is at the heart of the [Demon Kings Realm] and the monsters there are too strong for anyone to even get close! Igni: In other words, if you can get close enough, you can do something about it, right? Alicia: What?! ...um, yeah. The Empire has invested a lot of time and research into stopping the spread of the Corrupted Magic, and they succeeded on a small scale. But the lands connected to the [Demon Kings Realm] covers far more land than we can handle.if we use that technology, we may be able to stop the [Demon King]s magic at its source. Igni: Thank you. Igni went over his idea over and over again in his head. Igni: It was simple from the beginning. Yoori: Igni, a`are you okay? In the Rules of Popularity, the most Secret of the Arts always contains a public-facing surface, and the actual core of a similar law hiding underneath it. Hence, the Rules of Popularity No. 2 states: ``A man who takes the lead will become popular. But the core of that rule is: Igni: Were going to save her. Yoori: Huh?! What are you talking about?! ``But a man who takes charge is even more popular. Igni: Were going to release her from 40 years of imprisonment. Ignis eyes burned with hope. The answer...was right in front of him. <<<<>>>> In the middle of night. After everyone fell asleep, in the shadows of Main Street, two people met. So you failed your mission, huh? I apologize. I did everything I couldbut The Ruler [Marionette]. Although your individual combat skills are lacking, your above 90% success rate to complete missions was very impressive. It was the exact reason why I chose you in the first place. Well, to be fair, I had the entrance boobytrapped, but.I never thought that they would tear through the roof to come in. I didnt come to hear your excuses. The girl cuts the [Marionette]s words short. The [Marionette] who escaped the prison like it was nothing lowered his head deeply. The girl had a slightly different appearance. Curved, spiraling horns and dark gray, almost black skin complexion. Her silver, shining hair contrasted greatly with her skin tone. From a glance, you could tell that she wasnt human. The girl held a crystal ball in her hand, and looks deeply into it. There are 3 [Extremes] in the town. There are 5 [Extreme]-Level people total, huh. even so, I cant have [humans] taking the [Saint] from us. I know one [Extreme]-Level would be Igni. Whos the other? Im one of them. Oh...s`so you included yourself in the count The [Marionette] couldnt hide his surprise and confusion Okay! Lets makeem fight! Well gather them all in one place, make''em fight to the death, and as soon as theyve weakened each other, well take the [Saint]!! Wow? thats a bit devilish even for me.you made me cringe there for a moment Of course. They call us devils for a reason. She was one of the forgotten remnants of the Demon Kings Army from a century ago. Anyone who stands in the way of our [Demon King]s return will be massacred!! When the [Demon King] and humanity fought, there was one race that was enslaved under the [Demon King]s rule. Why not just kill the [Saint]? What?! No way! Dont you know how valuable a [Saint]s Magic Trait is as a research sample?! I apologize. An outsider should not be advising you on these matters. Yes, its perfect! Completely and undeniably perfect! My fortune telling is 100% flawless!! ......I see youre using [Ancient Magic], correct? Before the fundamental principles of Magic was established, this race used Spells. They called them, the Demon Race. Chapter 51: The Wizard who Takes the Offered Hand Igni: Kurara, I have something I want to discuss with you. Kurara: .......what..is it? It was the evening. Ignis group walked into the room of the inn where Kuraras group was staying, and Igni faced Kurara as he spoke to her. Kurara: Is it..about our date...earlier today? .Im sorry..I played...with your feelings. Lilly: D`Date?! Surprised, Lilly suddenly shrieked the word awkwardly and looked between Kurara and Igni multiple times. Igni: (Has Lilly never been on a date before?) ......says the man who just went on his first date today. Igni: No, I dont care about whats already past. But I have something to discuss that will affect both of us in the future. Kurara: .......our future? Igni: Theres a way to stop the [Demon Kings Realm]s expansion without having to rely on the [Saint]s power. As soon as Igni finished saying this, the entire room jumped up in surprise. Its likely that everyone in the room is an Elf or an Elf ally. Kurara: Lets...discuss this...privately.Lura, Lilly...please...prepare a..room. Lura: Yes, please wait a moment. With that Lura went out of a room and came right back. Lura: Looks like there was already a room ready. Lady Kurara, Igni, right this way. The two follow Lura out of the room. Behind Igni is Alicia and Yoori with worried expressions. Lura: Right this way. And Lura opens the door, and they sit on the sofa that was inside. Kurara also carefully found and sat on the sofa. Kurara: Could you.elaborate? Igni: First, I want to confirm our premise. The [Demon Kings Realm] continues to spread because the [Demon King]s body is overflowing with Magic Power. Kurara: .......yes..you are correct. This is not something you have to confirm normally. If you were born in this world, anyone would know this fact. Igni: If that is the case, then why doesnt any country try to dispose of the [Demon King]s body? At Ignis question, not only did Kurara tilt her head, but Lura and Lilly as well. They all have, Why are you asking such basic questions? written across their faces. Kurara: ......you cannot..dispose of it.the reason being...the [Demon Kings Realm]s monsters..are strong..and...you cant get near..the [Demon Kings Castle]........where the[Demon King]s body.is said..to reside. Igni: Yeah, thats right. But in other words, if you can reach the [Demon Kings Castle] where the [Demon King]s body is laid to rest, then there is a possibility that we can do something about this situation. Kurara: ......that, is true.. Kurara could not understand where Igni was going with this, and just agreed to his logic for now. This is just a rehash of a theory that has been discussed many times over. And of course, it has been tested many times as well. But all of it came to an utter and complete failure. Hence, it was just an empty, impractical theory - an improbable fantasy. Igni: Thats why Ill go. Kurara: ..........come again? Kurara tilts her head once again at Ignis words. Kurara: .....what..are you saying? Igni: Ill go to the [Demon Kings Castle] and dispose of the [Demon King]s body. That way, the infection spreading throughout the territories will stop. Kurara: Igni.you are...misunderstanding. Igni: Misunderstanding? This time, it was Ignis turn to tilt his head. Kurara: Yes.after watching you.today...and during the.......fight....at the..... [Tournament].......you are.indeed strong.. Kurara struck the ground with her sword, and her abundant chest waivered. Kurara: And..youth and drive.are good things..but.you must..not get swallowed.by such...what you are..attempting...is futile. Igni: Ohhhhh, thats right. Igni let out a small whisper. Thats right. He must say it or it wont be understood. ``yes, its that easy. In Ignis mind, a memory begins to flow. <<<<>>>> That was when Igni was first taken to the [Demon Kings Realm]. [Grandpa! Why did you bring me to the Demon Kings Realm?! Im going to die here!!] At Ignis screaming protest, Lucas just casually smiled and chuckled quietly at him. [Oye, Igni. You are still young.] [.........y`yeah.?] [Thats why you must look 5, 10 years down the road.] [5 years.ahead.?!] [Yes, and when you are strong, youll be surrounded by women in a tavern.] [In a tavern?!] [Yes, and then, all the women will be asking you this one question. How did you become so strong? like that.] [A`And..?!] Lucas smile widens across his whole face. [And youll tell them, In the Demon Kings Realm, like that.] [WHOAAAAAAAA!!!] [Isnt that cool?] [ILL BE SUPER POPULAR!!!] <<<<>>>> This..! THIS IS IT!! Im not in a tavern, but I am surrounded by girls..! Theres one that looks like a girl but thats okay! THAT.IS JUST...A MINOR DETAIL IN THE END!! THIS IS THE MOMENT IVE BEEN WAITING FOR!! IF I MISS THIS! MY DISCLOSURE OF MY TRAINING LOCATION.WILL BE LESS IMPRESSIVE!! Igni: Thats right. I forgot that I havent told anyone yet. Igni paused and stretched out the moment as much as possible as he opened his mouth to speak again. Igni: I was..very weak at the beginning. Kurara: .......yes. Kurara nodded. Igni: (Was she also weak in the beginning too?) Igni: I could only use [Fireball], so I was excommunicated from my household. After that, one man found me and saved me. Kurara: A..man..? Igni: It was my grandfather, Lucas. With Ignis words, the people around began buzzing with astonishment. Lura: Lucas..?! The [Ultimate Light] Lucas?! Lura raised her voice in shock. The [Extreme] of [Light] shouldnt be underestimated. His fame is known throughout the countries. Igni: And with my grandfather, he took me to.a certain place and trained me to death there. Yoori: Tr`Trained? Where.?? Yoori couldnt hold back his curiosity. And being asked the question he was waiting for, Igni took a moment to set the tension in the room to its maximum height. Igni: In the [Demon Kings Realm]....... Silence fell upon the room. Igni: (H`HUH?!) Igni: (Did I mess up my punchline.?!) Igni panics and looks around the room at everyones faces. Lura and Lilly turned into stone with startled expressions. Igni: (I see. They werent able to process the news..!) Kurara was still trying to determine the veracity of Ignis statement and sat back deeply into the couch. Her face was hidden by the blindfold, so Igni could not read her expression. Turning around, he saw Yoori with his jaw dropped. Igni: (Looking at him so close, hes still...cute..) Igni turns his eyes to Alicia..but he couldnt read Alicias expression. But she blushed a little. Igni: (Wh`why..??) Yoori: I..I see! So thats why. Igni: "Yeah, I forgot that I havent told you guys. Yoori: No wonder youre so strong..! But.its still unbelievable! You really trained inside the [Demon Kings Realm]?! I didnt know anyone could do that. Igni: It was all thanks to my grandpa that I was able to get strong. Igni kindly answers Yoori, but turns back around to face Kurara. Igni: During that time, we have gone as close as the [Demon Kings Castle]s vicinity. This isnt a lie. You can confirm that with Grandpa...Lucas if youd like. Kurara: .......I see.after you were.excommunicated..from the Talcoyz family...we knew this much..but.training in.the [Demon Kings Realm].......huh Saying this, Kurara let out an exasperated sigh. Kurara: If that...is true...you may.be able to...stop...the [Demon Kings Realm]......from spreading...further Igni: Right? Kurara: .......it may...be worth.putting our...hopes..in you With Kuraras words, Igni quietly spoke. Igni: Thats why..I want you to stop pursuing Rose. Kurara: I will..carefully...consider.your words. With that, Kurara offered her hand to Igni. Igni took her hand. Igni: Thank you. And both, gently but firmly, shook hands. Chapter 52: The “Magicians” (1) 3 days later. Igni came to the location where he would meet up with Rose. Edward: Igni, are you sure this is going to work? Igni: Were going to make it work." Edward was next to Igni. Igni thought that it would be better to explain with someone next to him, but Rose would be upset if it was a girl, so Alicia and Iris are out of the question. Igni is 100000% certain that Yoori would cause a misunderstanding, so hes out of the question. And thus, Edward was selected for the role. Edward: Was there a specific time selected? Igni: Noon is the deadline. The noon bell had already rung 30 minutes ago. But in case something had happened, Igni and Edward patiently waited at the meeting spot. Edward: Is the [Saint] lax about time? Igni: .....no, thats not like her. At the very least, when they were still children and engaged, Rose was never once late. Igni: Edward. Edward: Hm? Igni: Youre...a noble, right? Edward: Oh, uh, yeah! A very famous family too! Igni: Then, you should have information about the [Saint], right? Edward: ....a very limited knowledge, but yes. Igni: Then tell me. Which country is after her? Edward: ......Im not sure. There are too many countries going after her, but.I can narrow it down! Igni: I knew I could count on you. Edward: I`Im not looking for compliments! ...but if I was to guess, it would be the countries that are lined up at the later order of the [Saint Agreement]. For instance, countries like the Empire and Alelimenia. Igni: Out of those, how many countries could beat the [Extreme] of [Water]? Edward: The [Extreme] of [Water] is strong so.countries that would be able to do that would be.. Edward is currently arranging all the information inside his head. Its one of his specialties. Edward: Oh, there is one country. Edward placed a fist in his hand as he said this. Edward: The [Undeath] Celia. As soon as Edward says this, a woman wrapped in bandages arrives at the meeting place. ..........Sir Igni. Igni: Miss Floria?! Floria arrives covered in wounds. Igni: Edward, please treat her! Edward: I`I know! {Heal}! Igni: What happened, Miss Floria? Floria: .......Lady Rose...was taken. Igni: What? Floria: ......they were..after her this whole time..the [Demon Race]...... Igni: The [Demon Race].....? Igni and Edward both tilt their head. Edward: Hasnt the [Saint] been abducted?! Theres no time for jokes Igni holds back Edwards words. Igni: Could you tell us more about that? Popularity Etiquette No. 17 ``Always listen to a womans story to the end. Being encouraged by Igni, Floria slowly recalls one by one, the events of last night. <<<<>>>> The time is about 12 hours before Igni and the [Extreme] meet. Most were asleep by this time, and one person roamed the hallways of the inn. ....................... The intruder breaks open the door . The next moment, the Spell Charms set on the door ignite! Countless metal spikes stab the intruder!! ........the was right. Floria mumbles at the sight. Inside the room is just her. Floria: What a fool. There is no way we wouldnt be guarding the inn at night. Floria looks down upon the corpse which had a spike protruding out of its head. From the countless wounds, blood spills everywhere. There was only 1 intruder. They were wearing a hooded cloak, and you couldnt identify the sex of the victim. Was the intruder that confident in their ability? But why would they come in completely unaware? Was the intruder that incompetent? She was going to ask the Principality to dispose of the body, and she thought of how much trouble it would be to reset the Spell Charm trap again when the body moved. ..........I guess...I was being way too careless. Floria: ..........?! Floria initiated her Spell and immediately distanced herself from the corpse. Floria: Was it a fake? What? Why would I bother with petty tricks like that? The corpse takes off the hood and draws her sword. And without another word, the intruder sword cuts through Floria and sends her flying backwards!! But the intruders sword only relays the sensation of cutting through water. In the intruders eyes, Floria changed her body to [Water] to avoid being cut by the sword. And Floria also saw who the intruder was. Floria: You..!! Youre Celia?! There stood the [Immortal] Magician. Hence, it makes sense why she walked in nonchalantly into the room. If you cant die, what is there to be worried about? Celia: You are correct. Looks like the [Saint] is not in this room. Floria: Of course she isnt! Floria screamed and created five {Water Bullets}!! Floria: Leave this place! And with her next shout, the {Water Bullets} launch!! All the bullets find their mark, and Celia is blown out through the window to the main street! Celia: A good attack. But did you really think that this would work on me? Floria: Of course I didnt. Standing at the pinnacle of humanity, the [Extreme] of [Water]s most effective attacks are mid to long-range. In short, she is slightly disadvantaged with close-range combat. Celia: The [Extreme] of [Water]. If you tell me the location of the [Saint], the amount of time you suffer will be significantly reduced. Floria: If anyone should give up, its you. Do you think Ill really oblige you, and stay in your preferred combat range? Celia: And the reverse is true as well. Do you believe that I will stand in the attack range you prefer? Floria: Not at all. Thats why I will not be fighting you alone. Floria laughed, and at the same moment, Celia felt bloodthirst from behind and placed her sword behind her. (sfx metal clashing with meta) The sound of clashing metal explodes into the night as Celias body was engraved with countless slashes!! ......Celia.your sword skills..have dulled.considerably. (exhale) HA!! WELL, WELL.!! Celia let''s out a beastly laugh as she swings her sword around broadly. The single swing of the sword blasted away a store stand on the side of Main Street. Celia: Well, if it isnt my dear Kurara Kurara: .....I only taught.you...that one.day. The [Extreme] of [Sword] chuckled at the comment. Celia: I see. So its 2 against 1. This will be difficult. Yet her bestial smile did not waver for one moment. Floria felt a chilling bloodlust fill the air, and repositioned her stance once more. Celia: Im surprised though, Master Kurara. Why do you stand with the [Saint]? Kurara: I made...a promise.with.a person. I.will place..my hopes..there. Celia: I see. I thought that you were a more reasonable, more pragmatic kind of inidividual, but maybe I was wrong. Kurara: I am...an idealist..cant you tell.by my. [Magic]....? Celia: Haha!! Then I, myself, am not one to say so as well! Both have achieved their dreamed ideals through their [Magic] - both are [Extreme]s. Celia: Master, prepare yourself. Kurara: ......prepare? Kuraras bloodthirst overflows out of her. Celia was in its direct path and her body tensed immediately. Kurara: .......I guess.this is.your first time.Celia..to see this.. The blind Kurara quietly readies her sword and smiled. Kurara: .....it is said.that my sword...has reached.God himself.. Celia: I am aware of the rumors! That is exactly why I sought out your instruction!! Kurara: This is...why. Floria saw the [Magic] the next moment. With a dull thud, Celias head landed on the ground. In a blink of an eye, Kuraras body was 10 meters away from where she started and finished swinging her sword. Celias sword remained inert and untouched although it should have been in the direct path of the swing, But she was simply and precisely beheaded. Kurara: I will not...allow you..to move.. Kurara smiles towards Celia. In order to increase the potency of an attack, you can simply increase the speed or weight. But being born an Elf with an extremely long lifespan, Kurara could not gain more weight. Hence, she sought speed. Faster, even faster, even more faster. Gripping the sword made it slower. Drawing the sword made it slower. Swinging the sword made it slower. The very act of swordplay as it existed made it all slower. Thus, she concluded. ``it just needed to be cut from the beginning. She cannot use any Spells. But her blind faith, an insanity-gripping, burning obsession drove her to the pinnacle of an [Extreme]. Kurara: [My Sword that reached God himself - Porus Gladio]. Magic can create something out of nothing, start from zero and turn it into an 1.and on the same line ``It can turn all things into nothing - a 1 into a zero. Kuraras [Magic] erased the conditions needed to use swordplay. Hence, only the result remains. Ignoring all conditions and consequences, the result of being cut was forced upon her targets. Hence, it was the [Magic] of the [Sword]. The Magician who couldnt use a Spell. It was her absolute, merciless attack. Chapter 53: The [Magicians] (2) The headless Celia stumbles slightly, but light envelopes her wound immediately. Celia: Wonderful, Master! That was a wonderful sword technique!! But even if the Magic is guaranteed to deliver certain death, there is one who will not die. Celia: But for a person who has endured [100 Years], its now just a childs play. Kurara: [100 Years].......? Kurara tilts her head. Celia: Yes, I lost to an amazing [Magician]. Kurara: Thatsquite an..amazing feat..I look forward..to that...Magicians.future. Kurara kicks the ground hard. She steps on top of Celias sword that was aiming for her legs, and as she jumps into the air, she strikes Celias heart! Kurara: I also..have a[Magician].......Im betting.on.. HIIIIIN!! (sfx) The cold sound of steel. At the same time, Celias healed arms flies away. Celia: Amazing, Master Kurara! Your sword is simply awe-inspiring! Kurara: Thank..you.. Kurara flips in the air and kicks the side of a building, and cuts off Celias leg at the ankle. Celia: I see...It would be foolish of me to take you on, Master Kurara. Kurara: Then..please..retreat Celia: Hm. Celia lets out an inaudible groan. But all eyes turns towards the source of the that appears on the scene. Hello I see that everyones here. There appeared a man holding a cigarette in his mouth. His expression was one of pure fatigue, but although he faced 3 [Extreme]s, his continued nonchalance and uncaring attitude was eerie. Oh, Im too old to have such young girls stare at me like that. You make me blush. The man put on a troubled smile.the man known as the [Ruler], Marionette. Kurara: Celia..stand up.. Celia: .........yes. . At that moment, all of the [Extreme]s determine the Marionette to be the weakest of the group. Hence, he is the first target to be eliminated. Wow so scary Thats why a small fry like me should not come to these gatherings. Floria: {Water Bullet}!! Out of the 3, Floria who is the most adept with long-range attacks, fires the first Spell. But the Marionette makes no moves and the Spell directly hits!! His head crumbled away as.dirt fell to the floor. Floria: A Golem?! Of course. Why would I face monsters like you squarely head on? As the Marionettes body turns into the original Golem, a voice is heard from somewhere else. Kurara: ......where...is he? Kurara stabs the grab with her sword to search, but she doesnt feel him anywhere. Celia also uses her Magic Power like a radar but.nothing. You took such good care of me last time. The funny thing is though, once you win against an opponent, you tend to underestimate them. This old man prefers to lose his first fight for that reason. The Marionette blows out a purple smoke. He suddenly appeared way out in the distance than before. But its likely that that figure is also a Golem. If I do so, it makes the second round much easier, right? Floria: Coward! The Marionette shrugs off Florias words. I prefer it if you called me clever. Well, honestly, this wouldnt work on anyone whos aged a bit though. No one could detect the Marionettes presence. So the reason you lost today...would be your youth and inexperience. Kurara: Im..actually..quite old but. Oh, please excuse me. The Marionette apologizes immediately for his rudeness. Well.regardless, the reason why I came here today was to deliver the Declaration of War from my [client]. Behind the Marionette, a girl appears. Behind the girl, Rose, fast asleep, appears. As soon as they saw Rose, Celia and Floria sucked in their breath. We will be the ones to take the [Saint]. Celia: ........the Demon Race.... Celia exhales slightly at the girls words. The [Demon King]s resurrection is near. With that, the girl behind the Marionette disappears. It was all an illusion. That is why Floria.. Floria: Celia! Celia: What, [Extreme] of [Water]? Floria: the earth! Celia: I see. Celia nods and with strengthened feet, she kicks the ground until it collapses!!! (sfx) For a single moment, the ground bulges and a large wave pulses out to its surroundings and shakes the earth. The Golem that was posing as the Marionette could not remain standing and fell to the floor. Floria: [Rising Dragon Gate] {Water Fall} In that situation, being the only one who could move, Floria jumps on top of the water and looks around her surroundings. Floria: Kurara! 10 OClock from your direction! Hes up the path where you turn right! .......are you kidding me? The Marionette is shocked as his exact hiding spot is revealed. You caused an Earthquake to stop my movement and identified my location. You guys are really unbelievably frightening. But the Marionette did not run. Hmmmmm but yeah. I dont think its very manly of me to run away from girls. Kurara: .......you will.spill.everything you know.. While the earth shook, she moved through the air in a blink of an eye and came in range with the Marionette as she spoke. Oh, definitely not. The Marionette takes out a black sphere and swallows it. Have you...already forgotten my Wizard Title? Kurara: Prepare yourself. ``THE RULERS MAGIC At that moment, the 3 were swallowed by darkness. <<<<>>>> Igni: And then, what happened?! At Ignis words, Florias treatment was complete, but she fell silent for a moment. Floria: I...I was able to return using my [Magic]. But..only I returned. I havent seen Celia or Kurara.. Edward: Wh`what do you mean by [Quasi-Magic]?!?! Edward panics and asks hurriedly. Floria: I dont know.we were trapped in a strange [world]. But that wasnt true [Magic]. It didnt create something from nothing...I believe it used a [world] that existed. It was a [quasi-construction of a world]. So...we were.in a different [world]....... Igni: What about the Marionette?! Floria: I didnt see him in that [world]. I think..he ran..thats my guess. Igni grinds his teeth hard. Igni: Edward, please contact Yoori. Please ask him to come to Roses inn. Edward: Understood! What will you do, Igni!? Igni: I have more questions for Miss Floria. Edward: Then I will see you at the [Saint]s inn! With that, Edward sprints away. Igni helps Floria who is weak and stumbling and heads towards the inn. Several eyes watched and monitored them from behind. From the shadows, they were watching Ignis group. Chapter 54: The Targeted Wizard Edward: Sorry, Igni! Were late! Igni: No, its okay. Igni reunites with Yoori and Edward. Yoori is guided by Floria and is taken to the room that Rose was staying in. Floria: Its here. Yoori: [Those who crawl and swarm - come out now] Yoori finishes his incantation, and the Dark Soul Cloud-like being appears for the second time. It floats and jiggles in the air and awaits for Yooris command. Yoori: [Follow the traces of magic] The Dark Soul Cloud jiggles and shakes, and then immediately heads towards Floria. Yoori: N`No! Not that one! [Follow the other trace of magic]! The Dark Soul Cloud sags a little as it shrinks, and then exits outside through the window. Igni and his group follows close behind and dives out of the window!! Igni initiates his [Equip Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} and lands in the air once and BURSTS!! Igni chases down the Yooris Dark Soul Cloud! Behind him, Floria follows close behind. Edward casts a [Physical Enhancement] Spell on Yoori, and runs after Igni and Floria. It might take them longer, but they should be able to catch up. Igni turns his attention back to the [Dark Soul Cloud] and flies behind it when a Spell from the ground pierces the [Dark Soul Cloud] from underneath! Igni: What?! Floria: Sir Igni! Below us!! With Florias words, Igni looked below, and there were 3 Wizards huddled together in a back alley. In their hands, another Spell was already about to be released. Igni: [Intercept] {Fire}! The 3 fired a {Fire Lance} together, and Igni stops it with his {Fireball} and drops down and lands on the ground near them. He looks again at the shadows where the 3 Wizards were hiding. Igni: Who are you? Hehe. You.youre Igni, huh. Igni: Yeah, so what? Give us the [Saint] NOW! One of the three spoke. The biggest of the three steps forward and reveals the blade of a knife. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} Igni carefully hits only the knife with his Spell. Was that a [Quick Draw] {Fire} Spell?! One of the men shrieks in surprise. Igni: Its nothing that fancy. Igni quietly retorts. A [Quick Draw] {Fire} Spell is a technique used to shrink the time it takes to initiate a Spell from its incantation. But for Igni, he does not need such a technique to initialize his {Fireball} Spell. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} This was how Igni was chained down by God. But in exchange for his limitation to be able to use just one Spell, the effect and power of that Spell and the speed in which the Spell can be initiated was extraordinarily increased - one of the few merits of being a [Specialized Unique Spell Caster?Spell One]. Igni: [Explosion] {Fire} Igni places a {Fireball} in his palm, and places it against the body of the man before him and``the {Fireball} explodes only in a single direction!! The tall man Igni had to look up to see is blown backwards!! Get him!! Hes only a [Fire] : [F] compatibility! Igni: How do you know that? Igni tilts his head as he creates five {Fireball}s behind him. {Water Wall}! One of the remaining men put up a Water barrier in front of them. But that would be simply.. Floria: "[Cloudy Waters] {Muddy Stream,} Before Igni finishes his incantation, he hears another voice from behind. The next moment, the water bubbles.and the {Water Wall} begins to turn into a muddy color and , it transforms into a fist-like shape and slams the two away!! Floria: Only the biggest fools would try to use [Water] type Spells around me. Igni: What was that just now? Floria: I hijacked their Spell. Igni: Amazing. A technique that Igni didnt know about just came to light. That is why she is called an [Extreme]. Igni turns back around, and looks down upon the one man that is still conscious. Igni: How do you know about us? You think Ill tell you?! Igni turns and meets his gaze with Floria. Floria nods affirmatively. <<<<>>>> I`Ill talk! Please! Im sorry! I was wrong``!! The water moved like a living creature and wrapped itself around the mans ankle and lifted him off the ground and...held him upside down. Blood started pooling in his head, and with a reddened face, he begins to beg the [Extreme] and the boy next to her. I`Information was passed down to us! Igni: Information? At the tavern or the Adventurers Guild..theres a lot of posters saying theyll hand 100 gold coins to anyone who brings the [Saint] and 50 gold coins to anyone who catches [Igni] who knows her whereabouts! And when we found you, we!! Igni: 50 gold coins? You get quite a bit. Igni mumbles quietly as if this has nothing to do with him. He has very little interest in money in general, so he could care less about this though. Igni: But capturing the [Saint], huh. And getting a 100 gold coins on top of that. Theyre being generous. Floria: Sir Igni, thats most likely a camouflage. Igni: Camouflage? Floria: Yes, their true intention is to have Sir Igni captured. Igni: Could you explain? Igni asks Floria kindly. Floria: The [Demon Race] has hold of Lady Rose. And the [Demon Race] had intel about us for some reason that they received from someone else. And after other [Extreme]s including myself were captured by the Marionettes [Quasi-Magic]......who do you think will make a move to get Lady Rose back? Igni: ......it would be.me.. Floria: Yes. So giving out false, misleading information like this, many Wizards from all over with any bit of confidence in their skills will try to capture you to draw out more information so they can obtain the total 150 Gold Coins after they capture Lady Rose. Igni: That makes sense. Igni thinks for a moment. Floria: Should we retreat once to rethink our plan, Sir Igni? Igni: No, well have Yoori use his Spell once more and...well proceed forward. Floria: The enemy knows about us. Would it not be too risky? Igni: Theyre putting in a lot of work trying to interfere with us because theyre weak." With Ignis words, Florias expression changes slightly. Igni: If they were strong, they would not need to sneak around like this. But because they cannot defeat us coming at us head on, they create these diversions and traps to intercept us. If we use Yooris Spell and head straight into a fight, well have a higher chance of winning. Thats what I think. Floria: S`Sir Igni Igni: Miss Floria. You are thinking one step behind. That is why you are uncertain of our next step . Please have confidence! You are one of our truly great [Extreme]s! Igni explains to Floria with some encouragement. Floria; B`But.. Igni: Dont worry Miss Floria. Igni takes hold of Florias hand and his eyes capture hers. Igni: Floria: O.oh. Igni: Lets go. Theres nothing to be afraid of that can stand in our way! The next moment, Igni senses bloodlust from behind him. Florai: [Aqua Barrier] {Water Wall}! Florias Water Barrier splashes as a metal blade is stopped by it. What the?! You can stop that? Igni: Who is it?! I came to...take Igni away. Although theyre speaking plainly, Igni detects a slight dialect in the speech. The girl who was hiding in the alleyway and observing Igni was most definitely not from the Kingdom. As if to prove so, he saw her black hair and dark eyes. Now, prepare to die, sir Her combat suit was tight against her entire body. But to make her movements easier, there were slits cut below the arms and thighs, and you could see her skin underneath. Igni: ..........it..it cant be. Igni saw the girl from behind the [Aqua Barrier] {Water Wall}. A person who was only rumored to exist. He heard many rumors from Lucas, but this was Ignis first time to meet one. A spy from a small country in the far east...and only the females are called this way. Igni: Its a Kunoichi! Hm? Im impressed you know, sir. The girl smiled joyfully at Ignis recognition of her. <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) Kunoichi - Japanese Female Ninja. Had to Wiki this, but Wiki Japan says the term was popularized from Samurai Fiction novels back in the 1960s. They took apart the Japanese Kanji for woman (Ů) and broke it apart into ku (), no (), and ichi (һ). Put it all together (youll have to use your imagination a bit) and you get the kanji for woman. Chapter 55: The Kunoichi and the Wizard There is a Spy known as a [Ninja] in the farthest eastern country. Among those, they call the female ninjas [Kunoichi]. [Grandpa! Look! Look at what shes wearing!] [Hm? Oh, yes, thats a Kunoichi.] The person Igni saw also wore clothes that were tight against her body. [Whats a Kunoichi?!] [A Spy] [S`So cool..] The young Igni shook and trembled in amazement. It was because to him, a Spy looked dazzlingly brilliant. What more of a reason do you need than that? [They are spies who swear an oath of loyalty to their Lord and will complete any Quest or Mission handed to them.] [An oath of loyalty to their Lord.!] It was that peculiar part that caught Ignis attention. [B`But...why are they wearing clothes that are so tight?] [Isnt it obvious? Its because its easy to maneuver.] [Isnt that risky?] [OW!! I had my guard down!! That hurt like always!!] [Oye, Igni..] [Wh`what..?] [You are still.weak] [Y`Yeah.] Igni nods his head in agreement. [I dont mind that part. But you are making a critical error of judgement right now.] [A`An error..?] [Yes. That is because you are only thinking of everything from your own perspective.!] [.........?! Wh`What?!?!] [Right now, there are more women stronger than you then you can count.!! And still, regardless of that fact, YOU ARE WORRIED FOR THEM?? DONT LOOK DOWN ON WOMEN!!!] [............!!!!] Igni sucked in his breath at Lucas words. [If they are wearing clothes that are that thin!! Its because they have the confidence to be able to dodge any attack.!! For a Kunoichi, that is NOTHING!!] [Thats..!] Igni reflected on his weakness and the [Kunoichi] who was no longer in sight and her strength. [Igni! I admire your heart to worry about the woman..! But for a woman much stronger than you, being worried by someone so weak as you is a worthless burden! In fact, they will only take it as an insult of you underestimating their strength.!! If that happens, you will not be enjoying Popularity but rather...youll be despised.!! Only a hellish future awaits you after that.!!] [N`No.!!] Although the conversation turned to a bizarre direction, Igni did not realize this and awaited for his Grandfathers words. [Then..wh`what should I do..?! What should I do, Grandpa!!] [Become stronger] [Stronger!] [YES! IF YOU BECOME STRONG.YOU WILL BECOME POPULAR...!!] <<<<>>>> Ive become stronger, Grandpa! Igni jumps towards the [Kunoichi] that appeared before him, and with Igni coming towards her, the girl creates blades in her hands. Igni: An [Earth] Type User, I see. A correct answer, sir! Igni knows what these blades are. They are the preferred multi-use blades from the far east called Kunais. Prepare yourself, sir!! As Igni lands on the ground, the girl wields her Kunai. Igni makes a half-step to the side, and lets the blade of the Kunai slip by his ribs and dodges. In one flowing motion, Igni points his finger at the girl. There was a [Fireball] already created at the tip. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! (sfx) The air explodes as Igni shoots his {Fireball}!! But the girl uses her Kunai to intercept the {Fireball} and with another swift motion``she tries to redirect it. But Ignis {Fireball}s course cannot be changed so easily. The Kunai screams with a as it breaks apart. Youre..strong. Igni: Thank you! Igni accepts the compliment head on, and opens his palm. There, there was a {Fireball} that was 3 times the size bigger than before..! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : [Pursuant Bullet] {Homing} This was inspired by Yooris Spell. Although it wouldnt be able to track down targets like hers...I mean HIS for long distances, if its this close, there should be no issues. And thus, Igni sets the girls Magic as the target to be followed. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} (sfx) The {Fireball} leaves Ignis palm and goes straight after the Kunoichi girl. She twists her body and dodges it, but the {Fireball} sudden turns around and hits the [Kunoichi] from behind! (sfx) A light explosion! The girl contorts her expression disbelief from the unexpected attack and...disappears!! Igni: What?! Ignis shocked, but feels Magic being manipulated from directly behind him. Igni: There! Igni fires countless numbers of small {Fireball}s behind him towards the Magic manipulation!! You saw through my [Decoy] technique..thats amazing. Igni, you must be looking at the [Ki] then, sir. Igni: [Ki]? And you dont have to keep calling me sir. Thank you, sir. I think you call [Ki] [Magic Power] in your country. Igni: (Maybe shes talking about the Magic manipulation.?) People here handle the [Ki] too barbarically. Igni: Barbaric? Igni tilts his head. Magic Power in general is very precious. People especially fear [Magic Exhaustion] which could lead to death, so they are very careful to monitor the amount of Magic Reserves left in their body. Yes, sir. For instance, you can. In the next instant, the girl before him manipulated the Magic within her to circulate within her own body. You can manipulate the [Ki] within your own body and. She steps and the next second, she explosively accelerates! Igni instinctively jumps back and fires a {Fireball} in front of him defensively!! Your body can become stronger, sir. A fist punches straight through the {Fireball} and makes contact with Ignis body. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite}!! SEY!!!! (*Martial Arts Yell) (sfx) A huge sound of impact that couldnt have come from a human body resounds as Igni is blown away backwards! But he explodes a {Fireball} behind him softening the impact and slowing him down. He touches down to the ground with his feet, and his shoes drag through the earth as he comes to a halt. Igni: You didnt even use the [Physical Enhancement] Spell, and its this powerful! Igni was delighted to see a new way to use Magic Power. For someone who can use other Spells, this was a new technique to get stronger! But he doesnt have the time to explore this new option or the time to waste on this girl any more. Igni: Miss Floria! Floria: Yes. With Ignis call for help, water suddenly floods out from the ground beneath the Kunoichi Girls feet, and with incredible speed, it wraps around her!! It was too simple for Floria to prepare a trap to capture the Kunoichi while her attention was on Igni. You think you can catch me with..this?! She circulates the manipulated Magic Power within her and gathers it in her arms to.. The water explodes with a splash and shes free!! Floria: You cant escape like that. But Floria quietly murmurs to herself. In the next moment, water gathers immediately to the hole the girl drilled and captures her again. GRRRR!! I cant get out! As the girl struggles. Edward: Finally caught up with you, Igni!! With excellent timing, Yoori and Edward come to Ignis aid. Igni: Yoori! Can you cast that Spell again! That last tracking Spell was destroyed! Yoori: Destroyed?! Igni: A lots happened, and now theyre trying to capture me! Yoori: O`Okay! I already know the Magical Power to follow, so we can easily keep tracking it! Igni: Thanks! Im counting on you! The Dark Soul Cloud is resurrected with Yooris incantation and with a , it chirps like a bird and flies into the air. The group followed closely behind it. <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) [Kunoichi Girls Dialect] - Shes another DESU girl like Eliz in ARAQCG. I didnt want to use the same verbiage as Eliz, but theres really not a good way to translate her awkward, unnatural phrasing (even in Japanese text). I settled with an occasional sir. Kunai (o) (ʥ) - Anyone who watched Naruto would know what this is, but what caught my eye was the Japanese Kanji used for it. There are two ways to spell Kunai in Japanese. ڡ(Suffering?Within) ; ando(Suffering?Void/Nothingness/Null). I couldnt find the etymology of the word, but considering that the nin () of Ninja () is the same nin as persistence (nin-tai) (), and nin means to carry a sword in your heart as you endure, it was interesting that the very weapon they used symbolized either carrying the suffering within themselves or trapping the suffering in a void. Im sure theres various ways to interpret the Kanji. Interpret it as you like. Hindsight, its kind of depressing to name whats basically your survival swiss-army knife suffering, but being a spy was never a happy job. Chapter 56: The Wizard Charges In Yoori: Igni! Over there!! Yoori was being carried by Ignis group as they flew through the air after the [Dark Soul Cloud], but at a certain point, the Dark Soul Cloud suddenly winked out of sight. Igni: It disappeared.? Yoori: No! Its a Camouflage Spell! Theyre using a curtain of illusions to cover over this area! Floria: Illusions.yes, I remember now. They were using illusions against us after they revealed themselves. Floria mutters in confirmation as water wraps around her legs, and she moves at a high speed on the ground. Yoori: Igni! Keep going straight! Once were inside of the Camouflage Spell, we should see the entrance to the [Workshop]! Igni: Got it!! Igni specifies the explosions direction to a {Fireball} and detonates it! He accelerates quickly towards the spot where the Dark Soul Cloud disappeared and charges through. He felt a sickening sticky, slimy sensation from the Magic as he passed through and Golems appeared before him! At the same time, he caught sight of a possible entrance that led below ground. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} With Ignis incantation, all of his {Fireball}s turn white. The Golems just noticed the intruders, but Igni already has his hand stretched out before him. And before they could respond, the {Fireball} was released. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! (sfx) {Fireball}s collided into the 3 meters (10 ft) Golems stomachs! The Golems bodies exploded and crumbled into shreds!! Igni: Theyre fragile. Yoori: Maybe their Scout Golems? Igni: Im not very knowledgeable about Golems, but you can categorize Golems like that, Yoori? Yoori: Yup. Its not easy to make Golems, and each one comes at a cost to build. In the same way, each Golem can be customized but has a limit on what it can do. Igni: Hm? Yoori: Like, lets say a Golems capability is set as a total of 10 units. Then you set 7 for Scouting and 3 for combat. If you do this, then you have a Golem with very basic combat capabilities, but its main function is scouting. Youll spend much of your time trying to optimize and balance out these factors to produce the ideal Golem, and increasing the ability capacity of a Golem is where Wizards distinguish themselves from others. Igni: Then what about this Golem? Yoori: The [Ruler] Marionettes Magic Type is not [Earth], correct? Then if I was to guess, I would guess that the Golems are just regular Golems. Igni: Regular, huh. As Igni mumbles to himself, new Golems appear in the entrance way to the underground facility. Unlike the Golems before, the color and shape was completely different. Yoori: Igni! I think those are the combat Golems! Igni: Got it! [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : {Heavy Armor} Igni concentrates his Magic the same way as when he defeated the Marionettes Golems before. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! The air rips and screams!! The Combat Golems do not even get a chance to approach Ignis group and explodes to pieces. Igni: .......those were fragile too And Igni tilts his head at the results. When he broke the Golems before, it was not this easy. Yoori: Its possible that the Wizard who created the Golems is using his Magic for something else.. Floria: [Quasi-Magic] Floria quietly murmurs the word. Floria: Its possible that hes still using that Spell. Igni: It would be 12..no, closer to 13 hours now. Igni mentions the fact to no one in particular. From a [Magician] like himself, he could easily use [Magic] for that long. In fact, Ignis [Magic] can technically last for tens of billions of years depending on his Magic Power. Even if the Marionettes [Magic] is incomplete, if it truly is at some level of [Magic], then it shouldnt be surprising that the Spell has lasted for 12 hours now. Igni: Then this is our chance. Igni smiles. Igni: I dont know what hes thinking, but the [Demon Race] is not confronting us in direct battle. In fact, so far, theyve engaged more in an information war. Then thats where their true strength resides. Floria: Even when we were fighting them, the [Demon Race] and the Marionette were not present. The Marionette mentioned that they wont directly fight us.so yes, there is a possibility that they are weak at combat. Igni: I know the Marionettes strengths. If hes too distracted holding the [Quasi-Magic] and cant face us..hell be easy to take out. Igni breaks open the door of the entrance way and descends down the steps. <<<<>>>> Lady Kurara has not returned since she left all of a sudden last night. Before she left, she mentioned that she was going to go protect the [Saint]. Lura: Lilly, you should begin your retreat and escape from here. Lilly: Wh`Why is that, Captain Lura! I will fight too!! Lura: Young Elves should always prioritize their survival first. We dont know if this enemy is only targeting the [Saint] or if they also have the Elves in their scopes. Without knowing that, having you remain at this inn is too dangerous. Saying so, Captain Lura asked Alicia and Iris to look after me. Lura: I apologize for leaving Lilly in your care. Iris: No, thats fine. Alicia: Lets go, Miss Lilly. Lilly: Captain! Captain Lura looked sadly away and was giving out orders to the Elf Supporters still at thee inn. Although the situation was plummeting into chaos, I was surprisingly calm. In fact...in fact, I was feeling at peace. I cant..I cant ever say this out loud but.. I was glad that Lady Kurara disappeared From the bottom of my heart, I was truly glad she did. Why? When I ask myself that, I only see the flashback of that particular scene. The scene where she took hold of Ignis hand, and they both disappeared into town together. But I dont understand why thats giving me a sense of peace right now. I become nauseated with the feelings of reassurance and self-loathing. Edward: Yoori?! Is Yoori here?! Thats when Edward came back. Yoori: Whats wrong, Edward? Yoori who was with Alicia and the rest of the group tilts his head. Edward: Igni needs you. They took the [Saint]! We need your help! Yoori: I understand. Ill go to where Igni is. Please look after Miss Lilly!! Lilly: Oh. Watching Yoori run off with Edward, her heart felt strangled once again. Its not me If you think about it calmly, this should have been obvious. Yoori is Ignis friend, and there must have been many times when Igni asked for his help. And Igni must know Yooris strength and abilities well because of that. ..but its not me. The fact that Igni didnt choose me...somewhere deep inside, something gripped my heart tight. Iris: Whats wrong, Miss Lilly? Alicia: You dont look so well. Both Alicia and Iris are worried for me. But these two are my enemies too. Thats why.I.. Lilly: I need to go to the restroom. Iris: O`Okay As I leave the two, I take out the crystal ball that someone who was wearing a hood gave to me. Whats wrong, Miss Lilly? Lilly: ........I want to talk to you about something. There, she can see the [Demon Race] girl. Behind her, the [Saint] is asleep. Lilly: Igni and his group are...on their way. Thanks! Well be ready. Lilly: Dont hurt Igni. Thatll be difficult, but Ill keep that in mind. Lilly: .........will you really What? Lilly: Will you really...make my wish come true? Of course I will! The [Demon Race] girls laugh is cruel and full of malice. My . Your fate. My fate. My Fortunate Telling will determine all of it! I pull the crystal ball close to me and hold it tight. Youll get the answers to soon enough! As I turned a ear to the Devils words, I hid the crystal ball once again. Chapter 57: The Wizard Who Faces Their Way Who was that just now? That was our informant on the Elves side. The [Demon Race] girl answers the Marionettes question as she stares into the crystal ball. Marionette. Your face looks awful. Is the Mission going as planned? Yeah...Somehow. ..that really took a toll on me. The [Quasi-Magic]? Of course it would. How much grudges and curses do you think was stuffed in that? Yeah, I totally underestimated it. The Marionettes sticks his tongue out and smiles, but his face looks paler than usual. Hes even refrained from the cigarette he would always have in his mouth. Were there three [Extreme]s? Oh, but one got away, right? Yes, my apologies. But the other two are trapped completely. Make sure they cant escape. That was my intention from the start And with that the Marionette laughs awkwardly. But that girl just now, she was so cute. The Marionette stares into the crystal ball as he makes the comment and laughs. Just before, there was a picture of a young Elf girl who had a pained expression on her face. Do you like them young? No, its not that. She doesnt realize that she experienced love at first sight.but in order to help resolve this [inexplicable] feeling inside of her, she was willing to give us intel on the Elves [Extreme] so we can capture her. How innocent of her. Just hearing you talk about love makes me cringe. Harsh But in any case, its easy to manipulate someone in love or holding a grudge. The [Demon Race] girl shrugs as she makes the comment. Scary, scary. You really are like the Devil. I am a Devil. As they chat casually, the 3rd person in the room wakes up. ...........where am I? Oh, good morning. Glad to see youre awake, Miss [Saint]. Rose: You..youre the Marionette! You remembered me? How sweet. Youll make a old man like me cry with such sentiment. The Marionette takes out a cigarette as he says so, and plucks one into his mouth. Rose: And...you are.. Rose inhales sharply seeing the girl sitting down. Rose: A [Demon Race]...... Thats right. Her silvery hair waves as she stares back at Rose. Rose has to make an effort to resist the mysterious eyes of the girl, but they both continue to stare at one another. Oh, we havent even properly introduced ourselves yet. I am Kuro. I am working to resurrect our Great [Demon King]. Rose: Resurrect.? The [Demon King]? Thats impossi`` Kuro: I cant blame you for thinking that way, but have you forgotten? In the [Ancient Spells], we studied the Spells concerning Dead Spirits - [Necromancy]. Rose: ........the abhorring Spell that toys with the souls of the dead. Kuro: Thats a terrible way to put it Its a wonderful Spell that gives Spirits a chance of a lifetime to come back to the present world to complete their revenge and fulfill all their grudges ? Rose: What would you accomplish by resurrecting the [Demon King]?! Kuro: Its the right of any [Demon Race] kin to seek revenge, you know? I havent done anything to deserve it. My kin hasnt done anything to deserve it. So why should we be persecuted all this time? Rose: Thats because the [Demon Race] sided with the [Demon King] during the Great War.. Kuro: But that WASNT us. Kuro taunts Rose with a malicious laugh very much like her [Demon Race] appearance. Kuro: Or is the Great [Saint] saying that children of criminals should be prosecuted as criminals as well? Rose: Thats not true! Kuro: But the humans do. And its not just humans. The [Beast Race], the Elves, and the Dwarves do not think any differently. And thats why we continue to be persecuted. Rose: ................ Kuro: Thats why Im going to ask for a wish from the [Demon King]. Rose remained silent after Kuros words Kuro: Kuro laughs with deep resignation. Kuro: My life was already determined from the moment I was born. Im from the [Demon Race] so no matter what I do, I cant ever live happily beneath the sun. Rose: You.. Kuro: Miss [Saint], you and I are very similar. Kuro approaches very close to Rose. Kuro: You also accepted your fate that was already determined for you. Rose: ........... Kuro: So thats why I want you to give up. I dont have any intention of giving up my pursuits. Rose: Igni will come. Kuro: ? Rose: Igni will most certainly come to save me. Igni and I are tied together by destiny. Kuro: Yes, Im sure hell come. Kuro spats out the fact as if it means nothing to her. Kuro: But its not like were not preparing something special for him either. <<<<>>>> Yoori: Igni! Go right at the next corner!! Igni: Understood! Floria: Ill lead the way. As they chase behind the [Dark Soul Cloud], the group runs through the Marionettes [Workshop] where the layout was designed like a labyrinth. Floria: Theres a trap! Floria guides the group and lowers her head as a metal spike thrusts right over her head. Igni: Thank you so much! Floria: Of course, I am an [Extreme] after all. At the next turn, the [Dark Soul Cloud] is hovering in place as if to wait for the group to come around. Igni: (Its such a clever Spell). Igni: (I wonder if my {Fireball} would ever become that clever) Pointless thoughts cross Ignis mind. Igni: A straight pathway? Floria: Maybe..a trap? After making the last turn, the hallway stretched straight down for about 30 meters (100 ft). There is a faint glow from the ground that is lighting the path. Floria: I will go ahead of and run through the hallway first. Igni: Please be careful. As soon as Floria runs down the 30 meter (100 ft) hallway The roof came crashing down!! Igni: Miss Floria! Floria: [Strong Stream] {Hard Water} And with an incredible sound of impact, the roof pauses in place. Looking closely, a pillar of water was in between the ground and the roof. Floria: Sir Igni, please run through while I hold this. Igni: Th`Thank you so much. While Floria held the roof in place, Igni and his group ran quickly past. Igni: Were through. Lets go. Floria: Yes. The two give short exchanges. Igni: (Yooris face is turning pale with fear, but he should still be okay. She.I mean, HE is still a student of the [Rolmod Wizard Academy].) The three continue to follow after the [Dark Soul Cloud]s guidance, and they reach a certain room. Igni: Its an unusually spacious room. Yoori: It reminds me of a Combat Training Room. Igni: Yeah, now that you say that, it does. Its at least 50 meters (54 yards) long and wide. The roof is 30 meters (100 ft) high. Hey, Ive been waiting for you. At the center of the room was the Marionette. Igni: Where is Rose?! At Ignis question, the Marionette exhales a long smoke from his cigarette. Shes in the back. The next moment, a water bullet pierces the Marionettes body. So quick to engage as always, [Extreme] of [Water]. The dirt that composed the Marionettes body crumbles to the floor. In other words, it was a fake made from a Golem. Floria: Its a decoy. Lets keep going. Oh, Im not letting you go further. As the Marionettes voice echoes into the air, the ground envelopes the doorway and closes it shut. Unless you beat me, I have no intention of letting you pass through. Floria: Such a tiresome man..!! Floria mumbles to herself. Igni, the [Extreme] of [Water]. I have a question for you. ....................... Can an ordinary person defeat an [Extreme]? The two stop at the Marionettes words. Today, I will prove to you``that it''s possibly. The Marionette raises both his arms. From the ground, countless Golems emerge. Igni: . Without even giving a second glance to the Golems, one young man answers him back. Igni: An ordinary person can beat an [Extreme]. You say that as though youve won against an [Extreme] before, Igni. Igni: . Igni takes a step forward. Igni: Even if you can only use one Spell, you can win``as long as . ........................... Igni: I am proof of that. And with that, the battle began. Chapter 58: The Clash of the Wizards Can you prove those words with your strength, Igni!! Igni: Ill show you! They are underground. Igni wont be able to use any big Spells like his [Lightning Strike] {Fire}. I want to see! I want to see how brilliantly a person can shine! I want to know how far up an ordinary person can go!! Igni: Is that why you accepted this Quest? Thats right! Ignis {Fireball}s howls as the Golems around him are blown to pieces. Countless Golems that threaten to fill the entire room look up to see even more {Fireball}s rain down upon them and crushes them with merciless violence. If its about the [Saint], then I would clash with an [Extreme], right?! You wanted to fight them? YES! The Marionette laughs with innocent, child-like delight. Of course! Since I was a child, it was my dream to become an [Extreme]. The Marionette waves his hand like a music conductor, and the swarms of Golems movements change. Under the rain of {Fireball}s, some Golems began shielding others below them, and running under the carnage, Golems charged towards Igni. Floria: {Water Whip}! (sfx) But a water current whips out at them and pushes them back!! I knew you guys were strong.and it looks like just fighting you with the Golems wont be enough to win. Igni: Marionette! You dont have a chance fighting us head on! Thats right. Thats why I have to level the playing field. And Ignis perception spun as it suddenly . I took away your sense of balance. [Equip Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}! Igni tried to fly into the air but lost his balance and fell to the ground. Igni: Thats.pretty effective. But Igni continues to defeat the Golems even as he lays low to the ground. Even if he is feeling dizzy or has no sense of balance, as long as there are enemies before him, he continues to shoot them all down. He did that repeatedly for 2 years already. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : [Consolidate] {Cluster}. With Ignis incantation, Igni creates {Fireball}s with countless smaller {Fireball}s stuffed inside them. This was similar to his {Shotgun Shot}. Igni: [Explode] {Fire}!! ZUDODODODODODO!!!! (sfx) The repetitive explosions shake the ground like an earthquake! As the main {Fireball} explodes, the {Fireball}s inside scatter all around and explode further!! Just because you cant tell whats around you, youre just going to blow up everything around you? ..even I think thats crazy Igni: Grrr!! Suffering extreme dizziness and nausea, Igni jumps towards the Marionette as if to latch on and bite into him!! Are you kidding?! Igni: Im taking back Rose!! [Stone] {Tetsura Wall]!! (sfx) From the ground, a wall suddenly appears and separates Igni from the Marionette. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite}! A {Fireball} in front and a {Fireball} behind! Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! The {Fireball} smashes into the center of the Marionettes [Stone] {Tetsura Wall}! The {Fireball} pierces right through the Marionettes defensive Spell!! Isnt {Fireball} a beginners Spell?! How can that get through?!?! The Marionette screams in protest, and he is right. Igni: Its because I mastered it!! I cant lose! Im taking away your [sight] and [hearing]!! And with that, Igni lost both his eyes and both ears completely. But with that, he regained his sense of balance. Igni: Marionette! You can only take away two things at once, right?! Yes, youre exactly right. But even if its just two, its enough. I will beat you guys. The Marionette retorts, but everyone has lost their sense of hearing, and no one heard his words. And from the Marionettes body, Magic Power is weaved. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : [Molecular Size] {Minima} In response, Igni creates an accelerator directly behind him to counterstrike. [Quasi-Magic] A sticky, slimy Magic Power begins overflowing out of him. [THE RULERS MAGIC] Floria: I wont let you get away with that a second time. ``This is my [Miracle] [MAGIC]. In that moment, all the oozing Magic Power flowing out of the Marionette - all of it - . No, not only that. Igni and his group regained [sight] and [hearing]! [Extreme] of [Water]! The Marionette shrieks in rage as he spat words at Floria. Floria: The ocean accepts everything. Floria calmly and quietly makes the statement. [MAGIC] is not a Spell. It is an art of reaching your hand into the realm of God. In other words, you can create [something] from absolutely [nothing]. Hence, that is why they can create [life] and [worlds] as they wish. But theres a [Magician] here that has flipped the coin and reversed the logic on its head. A [Spell] that reaches into the realms of God. A [MAGIC] that can turn [something] into [nothing]. The Elf Swordsman sought speed and erased the [conditions]. Then in that case, she Floria: My [MIRACLE] is a [MIRACLE] that erases [MAGIC]. She erases the [RESULTS]. The Marionette backs away hearing Florias words. Floria: Unlike Kurara or Celia, I cant use this consecutively, and it takes much time to prepare the Spell.but Marionette. I was able to predict your moves. That is why I was able to time my Spell accordingly. Everything is tolerated and permitted by the ocean. It is endlessly wide and deep. It embraces and swallows all things into its being - diluting it slowly. Hence, by dividing whatever it swallows infinitely, it will divide it infinitely making it infinitely approach zero. Thus, she can make all phenomena - that is her Magic, the [Miracle of the Ocean]. There are more than one Magician who was able to reach the pinnacle of humanity, the [Extreme]s, at such a young age. Floria, the [Extreme] of [Water]. People call her [Floria of the Ocean]. Though she can make liquid dance to her will in complex, perplexing ways, she is the Absolute Wizard of Defense that can swallow and embrace all phenomena. Dont **** with me! Theres no way you can just erase my [MAGIC] so easily!! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : [Molecular Size] {Minima} A circle of light shines behind Igni as his accelerator kicks into gear. Igni: Marionette. Your loss is due to one thing. Until arriving here, its not like Igni didnt research or gather any data. [Combat Power Analysis]. In order to do so, he gathered as much data about the Marionette as he possibly could. Igni: Why didnt you fight us in a situation that plays to your strengths! Thats..! Igni: What you most excel at is group battles, is it not?! You will throw the other army into confusion and chaos, and with lightning speed, you dominate the battlefield. Isnt that why youre called [The Ruler] Marionette?! At Ignis words, the Marionette laughs as if to give up on everything. He will not attempt a second [Quasi-Magic]. Even if he does, with Floria around, it would be meaningless. ``it..it was my dream. `` (sfx) An ear piercing shrill rings through the air as the {Fireball} accelerates. It continues to endlessly accelerate. Igni! Im so envious of you! Because I have nothing, seeing you master the {Fireball} fills me with such jealousy!! Igni: This...was the one thing I had. At Ignis words, the Marionette widened his eyes in surprise...and then chuckled to himself. I see...then we are..the same Igni: Yes. And the {Fireball} that accelerated to the speed of light.was released. <<<<>>>> Destroyed by Ignis [Epic Scale] Spell, Igni and his group dug up the Marionette who was buried underneath the remains of ceiling and walls. Oh..you saved me? Igni: No, I need you to tell us the location of Miss Celia and Miss Kurara. At Ignis words, the Marionette tried to shrug...and then was caught by a violent fit of coughing and coughed out blood. Awwww, I would have been touched by your worries and care.but oh well. Those two should have been thrown out where I first swallowed them by my Spell. Floria: I see. Then lets hurry ahead, Sir Igni. Igni: Yeah, Yoori, can I count on you? Yoori: Of course. Yoori, who was observing the fight at the edge of the arena, cast his [Dark Soul Cloud] Spell. Igni. Igni: What is it? How were you able to get so strong? Floria and Yoori are following the [Dark Soul Cloud] and heading to the exit. Igni: I had a goal. A goal? Igni: I.want to be popular. ....ha...haha.HAHAHA!!! The Marionette continues to laugh while laying on the ground. You...shine so brilliantly, Igni. Igni: Yeah? Ive already lived a great deal.so I wont be able to say anything like, I want to be popular at my age. Igni tilts his head at the Marionettes words. Igni: Does that matter at all? What? Igni: If youre a man, you want to be popular at any age, right? In Ignis mind, he imagines his Grandfather who he admires the most. ........wouldnt they laugh at me? Igni: If youre popular, who cares if people laugh at you? Thats true. With a shaking hand, the Marionette pulls out a cigarette. Could I borrow a light? Igni: Do that yourself. Youre so cold Igni: Its because youre a guy. Ah, I see. That makes sense. You really are uncompromising, Igni. Igni: Ill take that as a compliment. Igni heads out following behind the two and runs after them. Chapter 59: Those who Destroy Yoori: I found the [Saint]! Yoori quickly informs everyone running ahead of him. Yoori: Over there! The [Dark Soul Cloud] lets out a long and flies straight ahead. And it stops.in front of a [Demon Race] girl. Kuro: What the heck is this? She tilts her head as she examines the [Dark Soul Cloud]. Floria: Lady Rose! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite}! Without hesitation, Igni begins to charge up his {Fireball}. Kuro: Hey, mister. Do you want to talk with me first? But with that, the [Demon Race] girl stops Igni from going further. Igni: .......talk? Kuro: Yup. Rose is tied up with rope, has a gag in her mouth and is unable to talk. Kuro: Youre Igni, right? Igni: Thats right. Kuro: And the ladies over there are Floria and Yoori. Yoori: H`Hey! Im a ma`` Igni: So what do you want. Igni: (Oh shoot. I cut Yoori off just now.) Igni feels a tinge of remorse towards Yoori. Kuro: My name is Kuro. I want to discuss if your group will please abandon retrieving the [Saint]. Igni: Of course not. Kuro: Really? But Igni, wasnt it a bother having to deal with the [Saint]s confession? Rose: MMFFF!! MMMMMMMM`! Though she cant speak, Rose is still objecting strongly at Kuros words. Igni: A bother? Why?? Kuro: Because youll be tied up for 40 years. How tiresome is that? Igni: Oh, that. Igni lets out a sigh. Igni: I already resolved that. Kuro: Resolved? What are you saying? Igni: Ill take away the [Demon King]s corpse. Well use the [Empire]s technology to seal it completely. With that, everything should resolve itself. Kuro: .......youre kidding, right? Igni: Im serious. Kuro: Th`Thats impossible! Even WE cant get near the [Demon Kings Castle]! Igni: Really? Kuro: Y`Yeah! Igni is a little surprised at his misunderstanding of the [Demon Race]. Igni: Kuro, what is your goal? Kuro: The resurrection of the [Demon King]. Igni: I see. Igni readies himself into a fighting stance. Igni: Im sorry, but....that wont happen. Ill stop you. Kuro: Stop me? How?? Kuro tilts her head. Kuro: Even if you stop me here, even if you kill me, we will never stop working towards the [Demon King]s resurrection. Igni: Even if you dont have the [Demon King]s body? Kuro: .......thats..! Igni: Im going to free Rose from her 40 years of enslavement. Whoever decided the [Saint]s role, it will end there. In order to do that, I just need to destroy the [source] of the problem! Isnt that right?! Kuro: ..........! I guess we''re at an impasse. Kuro regrettably grits her teeth and waves her silvery hair. Kuro: With my current cards in hand, I cant convince you otherwise. Igni: Yeah, probably not. The negotiation card Kuro presented was Ignis enigma to having to stick to Rose for 40 years. But Igni had already come to a conclusion himself to resolve that issue. Kuro: Then, Ill just have to convince you by force. Igni: ........Kuro, youre not that strong. Kuro: True. Im a [Fortune Teller], so Im not strong. Igni: Then! Igni pleads with Kuro. Igni: Then retreat for now! I dont want to harm a girl for no reason! Rose: MMMMMM!!!! Rose is trying to say something. Kuro: You are too kind, Igni. But its okay. Im not the one wholl do the fighting. Igni: .......what? The Marionette is defeated. According to Floria, the Marionette was her only cooperator..or were they wrong? Kuro: I wouldnt come here without some sort of insurance. With that Kuro quietly mouths the next words Kuro: Wake up``[HERO]. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! From underground, a roar that shook you from the core emerges!! The next moment, a punches through the earth! Igni: A Giant?! It was an extinct race. There were many races that went extinct during the Great War with the [Demon Kings Army]. The [Giant Race] was one of them. But though the Giants were numerous and many, it is said that through the betrayal of one of their own, that treachery led to their extinction. Kuro: One of the former [Demon King]s Four Pillars! The Betrayer of the [Giant Race]. The [Indomitable] Rollant!! Igni: Former..? At Ignis question, Kuros smile widens broadly. Kuro: Its the [Spirits of the Dead] {Necromancy}! Igni: An [Ancient Spell].........?! Ignoring Ignis and the rest, the Giant-like creature, Rollant, reached 20 meters (65 feet) tall and was stretching its long limbs and torso as it destroyed the [Workshop] from the inside. He grabbed hold of Rose and Kuro and emerged outside. (sfx rumble) As he stepped forward, the ground shook. Unable to remain standing, Ignis group hurriedly tried to regain their balance on the ground. ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARR!!! Rollant howls as the sunlight hits him. Floria: Hes not disappearing..in the sunlight? Kuro: Even the [Ancient Spell] has been evolving and improving daily! At Florias disbelief, Kuro, sitting on the Giants shoulder, responded back to her with glee. Her silvery hair touched the sunlight and glittered. Kuro: Alright, Rollant! Crush Igni and his friends!! GRRRRRRRRrrrr Rollant lifts his leg and brings it down hard. Igni grabs hold of Yoori, and detonates a {Fireball} on the ground and escapes using the impact! Then, a large foot crashes down to where they were moments ago. Igni: Its incredible...to be so huge Yoori: Y`Yeah Igni carries Yoori in his arms as he protects him. Igni: (......................why are you blushing??) Kuro: Crush Igni and his group! I wont let you! [Come My Wind] {Ventos} : [Rampage in Fury] {Tempest}! From somewhere in the skies, a girls voice rings into the air. The next moment, Rollants body was lifted up. Kuro: WHAAA``?! Kuro screams in surprise. [Vacuum Blade] {Ventos : Frem} The next second, Rollants right foot was cut off clean. Igni: (.....nows my chance!!) Igni: [Equip Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}!! Igni rises up to the sky in a flash, and saves Rose standing on the Giants palm. Rose: MMMM!! Rose jumps into Ignis arms. Igni: Are you okay, Rose?! Rose: MMM!!! As they land on the ground, Igni hands Rose to Yoori and looks up at Rollant. Igni: Will he go down if I take off his head.? As soon as Igni mumbles the words, Lilly suddenly appears, dropping down from straight above. High above them, there is a Witch wearing a large hat, riding on a broom. Lilly: Igni, Im so sorry! Lilly jumps into Ignis arms as she slumps against his body and begins to sob. Lilly: Im so sorry. Its me. I was the one that! Igni: Wh`Whats wrong? Lilly: I was.feeling so many things well up inside, and it irritated me so much that...I couldnt think straight any more and! Igni: ................. Lilly: So...so I gave away information about the [Saint] to the [Demon Race]!! Igni: Thats. Igni holds Lilly tight in his arms. It was..all he could do for her. What else can you do for a girl that is regretting her actions and crying in your arms? Lilly: I`Im so sorry. It was all.me...it was all my fault! Igni: Why. Lilly: I.realized..! Lilly looks up into Ignis eyes. In Ignis eyes, he saw a cute Elf girl with tears falling from both eyes. Lilly: I..I love you, Igni!! Igni: .............. Lilly: But.I cant beat them! I cant win against the [Saint] thats your childhood friend or your classmates.!! Igni: Thank you, Lilly. Igni holds Lilly tight in his arms. Rose: Hey! Who are you?! You know that Im Ignis fiance, right?! Lilly sobs harder into Ignis arms. Having been released from her restraints by Yoori, Rose came stomping towards where Igni stood. And Lilly continued to sob harder at Roses words. Rose: Hey, Igni. Whos this girl? How is she able to come between us right now?? Light instantly faded out of Roses eyes. Rose: Hey, Igni. Please explain. I wont let anyone interrupt us like last time. Rollant: RRRROOOOOAAAARR!! Rollant raises his fist into the air, and brings it down towards where the three stood. Rose: [Cleanse] {Purify} But as soon as Rose uses her Spell, the Giant who was summoned by the [Spirit of the Dead] {Necromancy} begins to vanish. Kuro: WHAT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! In shock, Kuro falls to the ground, but Alicia captures her. Rose: Igni, who is she? Please hurry up and explain. If you dont hurry, I think I might misunderstand and kill her. Igni: Rose..! Igni tightly hugs Lilly who is still crying and looks at Rose. Rose: Igni, please. Please answer. If you dont, Ill have to make you answer. Floria, prepare for battle. Floria: B`But.Lady Rose Floria hesitates and shows a glimpse of resistance to Roses command. Lilly: (sob)......(hic)....Im sorry, Igni. Im so sorry.please dont hate me..... Lilly continues to cry in his arms. ........we finally found you, sir. Suddenly, Igni hears the Kunoichis voice appear from behind him. Is the [Saint]........that girl? Yes, sister. Thats correct. Alright! Lets get to work!! And another unknown group of two arrive on the scene. Its an energetic girl and a quiet-looking girl. Igni: (I wonder if theyre sisters...) Igni: (But who are they??) Kuro: HA..! HA HA HA!! I win, Igni! Even though shes restrained by Alicia, Kura screams towards Igni. Kuro: My Fortune Telling is ABSOLUTE..! Today, I foretold that in this exact spot ALL [Extreme]-level Wizards will gather here! That is your [FATE]! It is because Igni quietly assesses the [Combat Strength] of each person. Kuro: No matter what, you will clash! My Fortune is never wrong!! Kuro announces her victory and laughs maniacally. Rose: Hey, Igni? Hurry up, and let go of that girl. Chaos - A word that was made exactly for situations like these. Lilly: Im sorry..please dont hate me. Theres a girl crying. Theres a girl who confessed that she loved him. .......huh? Theres the [Saint] and Igni.which one should we go after? But before his eyes is a girl, his childhood friend, who he made a promise to. Shes the first girl to confess her love to him. Sister, you need to abduct the [Saint] while everyone''s busy. Dont worry about the guy. I know that! Just leave it to your big sis! Are you sure you understand? Its that girl thats overflowing with bloodlust right now. And around him, there are people trying to interrupt them. Yoori: I`Igni, wh`what should we do..? Next to him is another boy about to break down crying. Igni: Sheesh..really now.. Its just amazing. Its just amazing...how right and wise his master, Lucas was. Igni: If you dont know what to do, destroy the problem from its foundation, huh. It''s the way, the incomprehensible thought process of an [Extreme] he admired. He has the power and experience to accomplish such impossible goals. But what Igni lacks is experience. And though he lacks it... Igni: I have power.I have the strength now The Ultimate Secret Art of Popularity No. 1 ``Women love strong men. Now, its time for Igni to harden his resolve and do what he came here to do. To be popular, you will answer someones feelings for you. To be popular, you will step on others feelings for you. But you can destroy that kind of outcome from the ground up. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : [Meteor] {Meteo} Igni created in the skies above him a giant {Fireball} that was 500 meter (546 yards) wide. Igni: [Falling Star] {Fire} And he sent it downwards. ........that is way too big, sir. WAIT?! WHAT IS THAT?!?! A Disaster-Class Spell?! Sister! We need a Defensive Spell! The intruders will be too busy dealing with this now. Igni: Lilly, hear me out. Lucas said. Shuraba (catastrophes) are inevitable. And...that must be true. This was deduced by a man who stayed popular for many years - it was his Grandfather Lucas conclusion after a lifetime of experience. Theres no doubt that hes right. But leaving it just at that is not enough. Its simply not enough. If Igni gives up here, then the situation is no different than when Igni was told that he had a [Fire] : [F] compatibility and spiraled to the very bottom of life. It would be no different than when he completely gave up because he was told that he had absolutely no talent. Thats why````Im going to exceed my master Lucas. If a mans quality is determined by his ability to answer peoples love towards you Then isnt answering all of those feelings, the quality of a true man? Igni whispered softly so only Lilly heard his words. Igni: ....I accept.your love. Now, its time to overcome this shuraba (catastrophe) from Popularity. <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) Four Pillars, Four Heavenly Kings - Shi-ten-ou () - A common trope that for my generation (90s kid), originated from Dragon Quest. The original term is Buddhist in origin (I didnt know that) that represented the four Kings of the North, East, South, and West that guards Tai-Shaku-Ten (), one of the main Divine Being/Guardian in the Buddhism religion. Now lets throw an army of desperate, ravenous Fantasy Manga and Anime authors at that precious cultural tidbit, and during the 80s and 90s, suddenly, EVERY Demon King (Ma-Ou) (ħ) was always supported by a Shi-Ten-Ou (). The King Kanji is misleading because you have a Demon King and Four Heavenly Kings but no one dared to question it. It became as natural as putting milk and cereal together (theres no other possible, conceivable alternatives now). Its just the way things are.so I kicked that trope in the numnuts and TLd it Four Pillars. Bite me. This is CHONKY TL. Shuraba - I previously TLd this as a crises (which isnt wrong), but looking at the definition of catastrophe - an event causing great and often sudden damage or suffering; a disaster - seemed more appropriate in context. Certainly, both words overlap and can be used interchangeably, but for the time being, I felt that a Catastrophe (or Disaster) from Popularity was somehow more fitting than a Crises from Popularity. Between Catastrophe and Disaster, Catastrophe just had a better nuance (by a hair) that matched the sudden Japanese Shuraba situation. Truly, it is a "Disaster" regardless, but it is a sudden disaster which tipped the scales for me. But at this point, Im just playing with meaningless semantics. Chapter 60: A Man Exceeding His Master Lilly: ........huh? With eyes full of tears, she looked up into Ignis face. Igni: So please, dont cry. Igni wiped the tears from her face gently. Lilly: Igni..? Igni already made up his mind. Igni: I appreciate your efforts, Lilly. You worked so hard, and you were doing it for me. Lilly: But BUT! Because of me, the [Saint] was Igni: Its okay. Thats already in the past. Igni wrapped his arms tight around Lilly. <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni.] [What, Grandpa.] His grandfather spoke to him the exact second Igni mastered the only Spell he could use - {Fireball}. [What kind of person do you think becomes popular?] [.......isnt it strong men?] [That..is only one kind. That is simply one factor. [..........what do you mean?] [If you have many factors of Popularity.dont you see how that person would be more popular?!] [That..yeah, of course but..?!] [Hm...yes. SO, listen well, Igni. In order to be Popular, there are many things to learn, but next, what you need to study is.HOW TO FLIRT!!] [F`Flirt..?!] [Yes! Now that , next, you must become a man of value for women.!] [V`Value..?!] [Yes.! And listen to me with utmost care.that..! [Th`That?!] [That is a man that is fun to be with...!] [A man thats fun to be with?!] [Yes! When she is sad, you lift her spirits up and make her smile! Just by being with you, she feels more energetic! That kind of Popular Man!!] [........?!] [HENCE! The Secret Art of Popularity No. 6! ``Women love eloquent men!] [G`Grandpa! But you know Im an idiot, right?! I wouldnt be able to make any girl laugh?!?!] [Of course I know that. But, were you able to use a [Miracle] of [Magic] from the beginning?] [B`But! Thats impossible!] [HOW DARE YOU GIVE UP EVEN BEFORE TRYING!!] [............!!!] [YOU CAN DO IT.!! JUST LIKE YOU ACHIEVED THE [MIRACLE] of [MAGIC]!!] <<<<>>>> .this...is incomplete..!! Igni grits his teeth when no one is looking. Unlike Spells, you cannot directly see your words. You cannot see the progress and growth from hard effort and practice like you do with Spells. So my technique is still undeveloped.! I couldnt have trained this in the [Demon Kings Realm] with nobody else around..! Igni: (But.I still have to try..!) Igni: (If I dont..a girl will...cry..!!) Igni: Lilly, listen to me. My mother died right after giving birth to me. And I was thrown out of the house by my father when I turned 12. Lilly: .......Igni? Igni: So.so I dont have many memories of someone ..... If she is suffering and hurting, then look at the situation from a positive light. Igni: (Can I really do this?) Igni: (No.) Igni: (Not can I.I will....) Igni: Thats why it made me happy. Lilly, you were . Igni smiles at her warmly. Igni: Lilly, if you do that, itll make me want to fall in love with you. He gently holds her hand. Lilly: ........Igni... Lillys face turns bright red as she stares into Ignis eyes. Igni: So Lilly, can I ask for your help? Lilly: Yes. Igni: Could you..handle those two over there? Lilly: Yes. Igni: Then I leave it to you. Lilly: You can count on me! Lilly wipes her eyes, smiles brightly, and heads towards the sisters who were panicking under the [Comet] {Meteo}s {Fireball} Spell. Igni: (Lilly is strong.) Igni: (She should be able to hold them back.) Rose: What were you mumbling to her about, Igni? Igni: I needed to ask her for something. Rose: Like what? Igni: I asked.if she could give me some time to speak with you alone. Igni smiles kindly at Rose. Rose: IIm sh-till mad at you you know.. Roses face goes bright red as she hurriedly tries to stay mad at Igni. Igni: Thats okay. You dont have to forgive me. Igni immediately takes Roses words and glides on top of it. Igni: What do you want to do to me? You want to kill me? Rose: No....I dont want.you to die With that Rose walks right up to Igni. Rose: You know that I love you, Igni. Igni: Thanks. Rose: Thats why, I want to be with you. Igni: As do I. Rose: But...huh? Roses eyes goes wide with Ignis words. Igni: I told you, right? I will free you from the duties of the [Saint]. Rose: Th`That was just a lie to fool the [Demon Race] girl though.. Igni: No. I thought of that solution just for you, . Rose: For...me? Roses eyes glow and melt into puddles. Igni: 3 years..thank you for waiting for me all that time. Rose: Of course, anything for you. Igni: But I need you to wait just a little longer. Until I can retrieve the [Demon King]s body from the [Demon Kings Realm]. Rose: Of course! Ill wait! Ill wait for you to return, Igni!! Igni: Then, we can be together. As Igni speaks, he looks deeply into Roses eyes and smiles. The [Comet] {Meteo} is now right above Igni and the groups overhead. Igni: Ill end this quickly. So``Igni erased his Spell. The [Comet] {Meteo} was just a bluff. It was just an elaborate, overexaggerated distraction in the end. It disappeared, sir?! And sucking in a long breath. Igni: Here I come! {Fireball}!! The next moment, the entire sky was filled with {Fireball}s! Igni: 32,768 {Fireball}s. Now[Equip Flame] {Ignite} : {Homing} Some at the Kunoichi girl, and also at the 2 new sisters who joined. He inputs and registers their Magic Power. Sister! We have to run!! But this girls strong! The elder sister fighting with Lilly yells back. Panic spreads over the younger sisters face. Invincible StrongholdStance, sir. But instead of running, the Kunoichi girl firmly grounds both her feet and initiates Magic Power and.envelopes her body. It cant be helped! Sister!! Commencing Emergency Retreat! What?! Were doing that?! As soon as the sisters began retreating. Igni: [Air Bombing] {Fire} Igni dropped all {Fireball}s in the sky. As if the Giant Rollant started trampling the ground, the earth shakes, and the sound of explosions fill every inch of the air. Over 30,000 {Fireball}s came flying down towards 3 specific people! Impacts clashed with other impacts as the land was repainted with the colors of Hell. Then .......you are strong, sir. The Kunoichi girl murmurs her words as her clothes falls apart. Shes hiding and holding fairly voluminous breasts that came tumbling out. But she is not visibly damaged in any other way. That was so hot! We almost didnt make it. Thats why we should have retreated earlier!! The dripped in an oozing fashion as 2 girls appeared. See?! Those are the [Extreme]-class Wizards that my Fate has drawn here today! It wont end that easily! Somehow being tied up already, Kuro screams aloud at Igni. Igni: .........I see.. As he observed the three who survived, he nodded slowly. Yoori: Igni! All 3 of them are fine?! Igni: No, dont worry. Ive already finished my . Igni confidently answers back at Yoori. Igni: (My heart wont.be distracted by.the breasts right before my eyes!!) Igni looks at the Kunoichi girl as he solidifies his resolution. Igni: (Right now...Im..POPULAR!!) On top of his already overly optimistic, positive thinking, his motivation, stamina, and wanna-look-cool gauge were all adding more fuel to the fire as it exceeded MAX capacity! Ugh...I cant fight like this, sir! But he still stole glances at the breasts like any other boy would even after saying all that. Chapter 61: The Attack Repelling Wizard Igni: (The Kunoichi girl used her Magic Power and defended against the {Fireball}.....) Igni did his very best to not look at the breasts that were shifting under the arms that were trying to hold it all in...and still stole glances whenever he got a chance. Igni: (This girl is an [Earth] Type Magic Trait Wizard. The [Earth] Types are the most defensively strong Magic Types..) I cant move! But I have to catch the [Saint], sir Igni: So why are you trying to capture Rose? For the money, of course! Igni: (But she didnt use any [Earth] Type Spells. Is there a reason for that..?) Igni: Money, huh..if youre after the money, they probably wont pay you the reward, you know. What? What are you saying? Stop spatting nonsense! Igni: But the Request was posted by Kuro.a [Demon Race] girl. So what?! As long as they pay up, I dont care! Igni: If you were going to abduct the [Saint], wouldnt you use the 150 gold coins to hire capable mercenaries who could do the job? And you could hire several too with that kind of money. ........huh? The Kunoichi girl tilts her head. Ignis brain is running on all cylinders because of the confidence that he is finally becoming Popular. Thats the only reason. Igni: I dont think you know, but Kuro also hired the mercenary the [Ruler] Marionette, but just him alone...Im sure it cost a lot to hire him but..if you going to use 150 gold, you could have at least hired one or two more mercenaries of his level, dont you think? Um! No, thats nonsense! There might have been mercenaries who rejected the offer because it was made by a [Demon Race] girl! Igni: Theyre mercenaries. If you pay them money, they would even turn against their home country. I heard that Kunoichis are very faithful, so maybe they dont understand people who can turn on a dime against anyone for money? ........no no no! That cant be! I was fooled, sir!! Igni: So, what are you going to do now? .....erhhhmmmmm..!! And with that, the Kunoichi girl ran off. And headed in the direction of a town. Igni: (I got to see something amazing.) Never wavering underneath with boyish consistency and honesty, Igni turns towards the sisters. Igni: ..........and who might you all be? Us? Were freelance mercenaries! The [elder sister], who fought against Lilly, answers. We came because we got wind of the [Saint]s location! If we sell her off, we would make money, right?! Igni: ......are you guys in need of money? Huh? No, not really The elder sister laughed it off as she answered. If we successfully abducted the [Saint], our names would be engraved in history. Thats why! Igni: Sorry, but Ill stop that from happening. As Igni said that, Lilly stepped back, and they switched places as Igni came forward. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : {Heavy} Igni created 3 {Fireball}s. He poured an unbelievable amount of Magic Power in each, and each got heavier. Igni: [Artillery] {Fire} [Passing Shadows] {Lost} The younger sister in the back finished her incantation as Igni did. The next moment, Ignis {Fireball}s were covered in something gooey and oozing...and with that, they melted and disappeared into the ground. Igni: A [Dark] Magic Type! Igni growls in frustration. Thank you, Little Sister! Big Sis! Please keep your eyes forward!! Igni: ........you call your younger sister, Little Sister? Igni is a little weirded out. Yeah, shes not really my younger sister, so The elder sister jumps forward. In her right hand is a short sword. The blade of the sword is slightly glowing. Igni: (Is it a special weapon she got from a Dungeon?) Igni: Did you find her somewhere? Igni nimbly dodges the short sword. From his trainings and experience at the [Demon Kings Realm], the swing was far too slow. No! Its to give her a background story for her character! Igni: Ch`Character.? Yes! Just as there are heroes among Adventurers and Wizards, there are heroes also among mercenaries! Igni: Thats...true. Yeah, there are. In a fight where one wrong move could cost their lives, the two spoke casually and without worry. And these days, theres so many Adventurers who are turning into mercenaries! Thats why its so difficult to get a job now! Do you understand?! Ingi: .....well, yeah. For Wizards, its like not being able to receive any Quests. Thats why you have to publicize and appeal your identity as a Wizard to the public. Thats why were looking for all sorts of ways to gather fame! So thats why..! In that exact moment, the glow of her short sword increased dramatically. We need the [Saint]! Igni: But I cant let you do that. Then I have to cut you down! Seyah!! The elder sister brought the sword downwards. And the only sound that reached Ignis ears was that of the air being sliced. Igni looks where the sword swing left its mark. There, behind him, the clouds and the earth, straight to the horizon, a large gash cut across all of it as far as he could see. OH CRAP!! I missed?! Big Sis! Floria: Sir Igni, Ill handle the elder sister. Floria jumped out aiming for the exact moment when the elder sister swung down her sword and let her guard down. With a single-handed sword in hand, she began crossing blades with the elder sister. Igni: Ill leave her to you! With that, Igni passed by the [elder sister] and headed straight towards her [younger sister]. Igni: Surrender. Big Sis is still fighting! Igni: ......Ill try and make this as painless as possible. You think you already won?! [Shadow] {Bind}! (*sfx serpentine movement) And Ignis shadow suddenly stretches and grabs his foot. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} Again?! I will melt down all your {Fireball}s! Igni: [Launch] {Fire} I told you I will melt``EEK?!?! Unlike before, Igni fires it straight against the ground! As the ground erupts and explodes, the two are blown far into the sky!! And now, the ground crumbles as the Marionettes [Workshop] is revealed below, and the [younger sister] falls towards it. Igni: [Equip Flame Engineer] {Accel Boot}! Dashing horizontally in mid-air, Igni catches the [younger sister] as she fell. Igni: .......surrender.or Ill drop you from here. ......!!! The [younger sister] looked straight down and fell silent. Of course, Igni was bluffing. But from the [younger sister]s perspective, she would not have the luxury to call his bluff. They are 20 meters (65 ft) above the ground. Being dropped from this height, even a Wizard would suffer some sort of injury. Igni: Did you hear?! Elder sister!! WHAT! Thats cheap taking hostages! Igni: Says the one who was trying to abduct Rose! Erghhh.FINE! We surrender!! So please give back Little Sister!! Floria heard the elder sisters words and paused her sword. The [elder sister] puts away her short sword and raises both her arms into the air. Here! I put away my weapon so give her back!! Igni: Okay. Igni transported the [younger sister] near the [elder sister] and released her. Hey, this time, it cant be helped, so well retreat....! Igni: Yes, please do. But before that, well introduce ourselves! I am the [White] Rania! Huh? Big Sis, were going to do that right now?! We need to engrave our names into their memories! I`Im the [Black] Nie! Together, we are The fake sisters counted off with a ready, set The Black and White Sisters! (sfx for added effect) And the [elder sister] Rania proudly stands with her chest out, and the [younger sister] Nie timidly takes a similar pose. You better remember our names!! With that, the two disappeared into the shadows. Yoori: ..............what..was that? As the group fell into awkward silence, Yoori expressed the exact words everyone was feeling at that moment. Chapter 62: The Farewell and the Wizard It has been one full day since the chaos ended. Igni: Edward. Edward: What is it? Igni: Youre...incredibly orderly, huh.. Igni and his Partys Quest are officially done. All thats left now is to return to the Rolmod Wizard Academy..and on the day of their departure, Edward meticulously made the bed, folded the all blanket and sheets neatly, and also cleaned the room thoroughly to the point where the Inns room was sparkling bright. Edward: You think so? This is normal for me. Igni: Oh, yeah? Following his example, Igni begins to fold his sheets too. Edward: Was it..really okay? To let those mercenaries off like that? Igni: Yeah. Unlike Adventurers and Wizards, they''re pretty easy going and rarely hold grudges. Edward: What was the saying? Like Yesterdays enemy is todays friend......? I dont understand mercenaries. With that Edward crosses his arms as he grunts at the thought. Igni: From their perspective, wouldnt we be hard to understand since were not motivated by money like them? Edward: A difference in values, huh...Igni, is your motivation to get stronger? Igni: Yeah, thats about right. Ignis smile extends from cheek to cheek. Without Alicia here, nobody was there to comment otherwise. And at that moment, the noon bell sounded. Igni: Oh...I need to go out for a bit. Edward: You''re meeting with the [Saint]? Igni: Yeah, Im not going to see her for a while, so I need to say my goodbyes. And Igni was about to leave the room, Edward called out to him. Edward: .........are you...really going to retrieve the [Demon Lord]s dead body? Igni: Yeah, thats the plan. Edward: I`Ill help too! Igni: Haha. Thanks, Edward. Edwards knees were shaking and bumping together. And giving his thanks and appreciation, Igni left the Inn. And he starts heading to the outer parts of the city walls towards the South Gate. Both Floria and Rose were already there and waiting for Ignis arrival. Rose: Igni! Igni! Igni: You.look like youre doing well. Even though she went through all that yesterday, Rose runs up to Igni with a big smile and jumps into his arms. Rose: So, when will we be able to see each other again?! Igni: A year..no, maybe in half a year? Igni brought up the schools schedule inside his head to confirm before he answered. Rose: .....youre..really going to the [Demon Kings Realm]? Igni: Yeah, you know that I got a lot stronger than before, right? Rose: But. Roses face darkens with concern as she looks downwards. She understands what the [Demon Kings Realm] like and its dangers. Igni: Rose, its okay. . Igni just leaves it with that fact alone. He does not place any sliver of lies or exaggeration into that statement. Igni: So please dont worry so much. Rose: .........okay, I understand. Hey, Igni. The next time we meet, do you think my job will get easier? Igni: Most definitely. Igni embraces Rose tightly to him. Rose is currently en route to the farthest southern regions of the Kingdom to cleanse the [Demon Kings Realm] expansion in that area. No matter how strong Ignis resolution is, even if it was with the agreement of [Extreme]s. Until he brings back the body of the dead [Demon King], the [Saints Agreement] will bound Rose to her duties. Rose: Hey...Igni.I have a favor to ask. Igni: Favor? Blushing, Rose looks up into his face. Rose: Will you..kiss me? Igni: ..........! Igni swallows hard at the sudden request. Igni: (K`K`Kiss?!) Although Ignis brain was immediately filled with that thought only, as if a second personality took over, he became suddenly calm. Igni: (.......no, Im going to play this out as smoothly as possibly.!) Igni is quick to switch gears after working so hard to be Popular for 2 years. Floria: [Scattered Showers] {Water Curtain} Floria was kind enough to surround them with a barrier that would bend the light and hide Igni and Rose from plain sight. Now, the people around them wont be able to see. Rose: .......please? Igni: Rose, close your eyes. And with Ignis words, Rose closes her eyes and Igni puckered his lips and.there was a light sensation of their lips touching briefly. Rose: Wow....? Roses face turned a darker shade of red as she blushed harder and fell silent. Rose: Igni, I love you. Igni: Thanks. Igni smiles back at Rose. But with her face still reddened, Rose continued. Rose: Hey, Igni! How many.children do you want..? Igni: ................HUH?!?! Igni tilts his head at the question. Rose: Because...you know.we kissed...I might conceive a child! Igni: .....................wait, what? Igni: (Rose, what are you saying.????) Rose: And.I do want to have kids with you, Igni. Igni: .......th`thanks..? Igni: (Wait, something isnt right with this conversation....) Rose: Thats why.it took a lot of courage.but I asked you to kiss me. Igni: I`I see.. Igni didnt know what else to say and smiled back at Rose. Igni: (Thats right.) Igni: (Rose has been trained the last 3 years as a [Saint] and maybe her knowledge about.human reproduction is bare minimum) The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to Igni, but it hadnt occurred to him until now. Rose: I guess the next time we meet, youll be a father. Igni: ............................... Igni is struggling to find words.....ANY words at all to reply back to Rose, but at that point, Floria lowered the water barrier surrounding them. Floria: Lady Rose, its time. Rose: Its already time to go, huh.. Roses face darkens. Igni: Its okay, Rose. Well see each other again soon enough. Rose: Yes, thats true. Ill be waiting for you! And with that, Rose enters the horse carriage. And following Rose, Floria tries to enter the carriage when Igni stops her for a moment. Igni: Hey..as far as.you know, education about human reproduction..is Rose being taught those things? Floria: .......yes, we are teaching her the general knowledge. Igni: So when you say general knowledge, you mean like..? Floria: ............ Floria fell silent. Igni: (Oh, cmon, Miss Floria.!) Igni: Um, so, Rose was saying something like kissing causes women to have children.. Floria: .......and? Is that incorrect?? Igni: ................... This time Igni was at a loss for words. Igni: Oh no. Its nothing. And with that, Igni abandoned all hope. Igni: (WHAT ARE THEY TEACHING IN THE HOLY NATION?!?!) As soon as he said that, a certain memory flickered to life from his past. <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni. You have become plenty strong.] [You think so? I cant tell on my own, but its because you were a good teacher, Grandpa.] [Hm? Well, I guess thats true.] [Is there a trick to it?] [You mean, to teach?] [Yeah] [Experience..just getting used to it with lots of experience, I would say] [Experience?] But as Igni was thinking how useless that advice was, Lucas continued. [Igni, if you do become Popular, there will be moments you will encounter. [Moments?] [Yes, you will encounter moments with...women who know nothing!] [..........th`that know..nothing..?] [YES! IGNORANT! IGNORANT BEYOND BELIEF! A MOMENT WITH A IGNORAMUS!] [Ignor-what?!] [Dont make me say it twice!] [Im not going to let you slap me for something stupid like that!] Igni steps back avoiding the blow. [Regardless! There will be a time when you have to teach them from the ground up!] [I`I see...but isnt that too much trouble??] [UGH! I HAD MY GUARD DOWN!] [YOU DONT UNDERSTAND! YOU DONT UNDERSTAND AT ALL, IGNI!!!!] [Wait, yes I do. Teaching them starting from absolutely nothing is a waste of time.its not like .....] [OOOOOWWWW!!!] Igni received a critical hit with the last slap, and he went down to the ground holding his cheek. [YOU STILL DONT GET IT?! YOU CANT IMAGINE AN INNOCENT WOMAN WHO IS ABIDING BY EVERYTHING WORD YOU SPEAK..!] [A..AN INNOCENT!] [EXACTLY! EVERYTHING IS THE FIRST TIME! YOU SLOWLY BUILD UP AN EXPERIENCE TOGETHER AS YOU KNOWLEDGE BECOMES O?N?E!!!! A MASTERPIECE YOU BUILD TOGETHER!! DO YOU STILL NOT SEE, IGNI?!?!] [...............?!?!] Ignis imagination was struck with lightning as thoughts and images raced through his mind. [TH`THATS...INCREDIBLE!!] [............hmph. As long as you understand.] <<<<>>>> Igni: (...s`so this is it!) Igni: (This is what Grandpa meant..this is what he was referring to..!!) As he remembered the past, Igni said his farewell to Rose and her group. Igni: (N`No...its too soon.) Igni: (Its too soon for me to be teaching anyone..ITS JUST TOO SOON!) Igni: See you later, Rose. Rose: Yes! See you later, Igni!! Igni: (Thats why..) Igni: (Thats why Ill.Ill become even more cool in your eyes the next time I see you!) Igni makes a solemn oath in his heart. Chapter 63: The Elves and the Wizard After seeing Rose off, Igni did not head to the Inn where Edward was, but instead, he headed for the Inn where the Elves stayed. Hello, Mr. Igni. Igni: Hello everyone. Thank you for your hard work. At the Inn where many of the Elves supporters gathered, Igni could enter without anyone questioning him. What brings you here today? Igni: I needed to speak to Ms. Lura. And with that, he entered the Inn and headed to the room alone and..knocked. Please enter. The door was not locked, and as Igni twisted the knob, it opened without resistance. Hello, Igni. What brings you here? Igni: .........Ms. Lura. Igni was careful to not let his voice be heard by others and spoke to Lura. Though Lura was in the middle of working through some documentation, she looked up to meet Ignis gaze. Lura: Whats wrong? You look like you bit through a bitter fruit. Igni: .................why..why did you push Lilly ? Lura: Whats that? I dont understand. Luras expression did not shift an inch at Ignis question and smiled back at him. Trying to determine where to start, Igni thought for a moment before he spoke. In the end, he was going to speak of the events in chronological order. Igni: At first...Ms. Lura, you mentioned that you were impressed with my Spell. Lura: Yes I did. I can honestly commend you for getting so far...especially this far, with just {Fireball}. Igni: Yes. Thats why I initially thought that...that was the reason why you chose me. Lura: You make it sound like there were other reasons. Igni: You.. paired me with Lilly so we would spend more time together. Is that correct? Lura: ..................... Lura continued to mask her expression with her smile and said nothing. Igni: I first thought it was odd.on the 3rd night of our camp. It was obvious that only Lilly and my pairing unnaturally continued. Lura: Yup. I wanted you and Lilly to get along better. In order for Lilly, who loathed humans, to get over those feelings, I needed her to establish a deep friendship with someone. Yup, just someone. Igni: And...that was me? Lura: Thats right. Lura looks down back at her paperwork. Igni: Then...then why did you bridge the communication between the [Demon Race] and Lilly. Igni couldnt help but feel his voice rise. Lura: You shouldnt speak in such a loud voice. Igni: .........Kuro..the [Demon Race] we captured said, [I gave the Crystal Ball to one of our supporters in the Elves group, but that wasnt Lilly.] Lura: Oh no..... And that was when Luras smile strained slightly. Lura: So you know that much already..... Igni: She was complaining about [how much she had to pay up and it still ended up horribly]. Lura: I see. Well, if you figured out that much, then it cant be helped. Lura looked up into Ignis eyes. Lura: It was me who gave the [Crystal Ball] to Lilly. Igni: Why? Lura: Igni, have you ever fallen in love? Igni: ................. Igni remained silent. Lura: Ohhhh, I see. Youre more innocent than I thought. How cute. Igni: ................ Being told that he was cute, Igni felt his heart strings tug for a second. Lura: Love.especially romance..is a poison. Its a poison that burns you whole. Igni: What are you trying to get at? Lura: You know as well, right? Elves can only give birth to . And they can only bear children to the one person they fell in love with during their lifetime. Igni: .........yes, I heard. Elves are a very special race. Although they can live up to a 1,000 years, in exchange for their abnormally long lifespan.they can only give birth to females, and it is not easy to conceive children either. Lura: Thats why.they are a dying race. Igni: .............. The Elves survived the Great War. The Fairies and Giant Races all went extinct during the Great War, but they did not. But even so...their numbers are few. Igni: Thats why you wanted Lilly and I to. Lura: Youre wrong. Its true that , but I never dreamed of it actually coming true. Igni: Then why give Lilly the Crystal Ball.? Lura: I wanted her to realize that she fell in love for the first time. Thats what Lura said. Lura: Igni, far faster than you even thought...Lilly fell in love with you very quickly. Even I was caught off-guard. I never thought Lilly, who hated humans so much, would immediately start feeling attached to you. Igni: ..........I didnt realize it at all. Lura: And Lilly was the same. She was unable to realize her own feelings at all. Igni: But how does that relate to your decision to give Lilly the Crystal Ball? Lura: Because..well, because she was so innocent and pure. Igni: .................. Lura: Didnt you find Lilly crying in tears unbelievably endearing? Igni: ..........that is, well, yeah Igni was unable to deny that fact. Igni: ..........but..you did it ? Lura: ? You wound me, Igni. It may decide the fate of my race. Igni: You mean, I will? Lura: Of course. Arent you the grandson of the [Ultimate Light]? Igni: ................. Igni wasnt expecting Lura to bring up his grandfathers.."ambitious" pursuit of relationships and apply it to him as well. Lura: I wouldnt mind if you make as many Elves fall in love you as you possibly can..in fact, Ill support you 100%. How about it? Igni felt his heart LURCH forward 90% of the way at the jaw-dropping idea.but he managed to refuse Luras offer. Igni: Im sorry, but I already have prior commitments. Lura: ...........the [Demon Kings] corpse, huh. Igni: Yes. Lura: Youre really going to do it? Igni: I made a promise to Rose already. Lura: Well, if youve already made up your mind, it cant be helped. Well then, I guess well be seeing each other again in about a year from now. Apparently, she already decided that Igni WAS going to the Elves'' country. Igni quietly danced a victory lap in his heart. Lura: Oh, but I have a surprise waiting for you. I hope you like it. Igni: A surprise..? Igni tilts his head to wonder, but there isnt any more time for questions. Hell be late to catch the carriage ride to go back home, and Igni leaves Luras room. Next, he heads to Kuraras room. Kurara: I see..its..already time..to part...it was.quite enjoyable..Igni. Igni: Are you feeling better? Kurara: Yes..I am..well now..but the others.will not..permit me...to leave... Kurara quietly chuckles. Kurara: It has...been a pleasure...you are.very interesting...indeed.thank you.Igni. Igni: I also got to know someone amazing, Kurara. Kurara: Hehe...next time..we meet..lets have.a proper.date. Igni: Id be happy to. Igni shakes hands with Kurara and leaves her room. He headed to Lillys room next.but he did see Lilly there. Igni: ............huh? He found it strange and looked all over the Inn for her, but Lilly was nowhere to be found. Igni: I really wanted to at least tell her goodbye Yoori: Igni! The carriage is about to leave! Igni: Sorry! Be right there!! At Yooris call, Igni begrudgingly leaves the Inn behind him. Igni: (.I wanted to at least see her face one more time.) Thinking about Lilly, Igni follows after Yoori. And with that, the turbulent week abruptly ended. <<<<>>>> Lura: Okay, its finally done. Lura looks at the completed documentation. The first was a letter. It was addressed to her [Master]. Lura: I bet Master Mira would be shocked at this Although she hasnt communicated with her for several decades now..shes sure that the odd outcast of an Elf will still accept her letter. The second was a Compatibility Form. It was documenting a Wizards talents in fine detail. This is commonly submitted when a Wizard is moving from one organization to another. Lura: Im sure Igni will love this gift I have for him. There is a specific Elf on the Compatibility Form. The Elfs age is 20, and her name is Lilly. Lura: Its an from the Elves country...Im sure Master Mira would be shocked when she sees this! Yes!! In other words, it was the exchange student paperwork for Lilly to attend Rolmod Wizard Academy.! Chapter 64: The Concession and the Wizard In the center of the Lyheria Principality, there are several Government buildings where the majority of political functions are performed, and within those buildings, anything related to the Principality policies are determined and finalized. Celia: So, what should we do about this? And among the buildings, there is specifically one designated to meet with foreign delegates. It is a very extravagant and luxurious building as a show of power and wealth but.. For those who were gathered here today, those things held absolutely no meaning to them. Celia: Information provided to the [Demon Race]. If it was just any other regular [Demon Race], we could have overlooked this, but intel was delivered to the [Demon Kings Revival] Group. That is a severe crime against humanity as a whole. Kurara: .......they should have..chosen...better..to whom.to sell..the info. There, the Lyherian Officials faced the [Extreme]s. As if they preplanned the meeting, they both appeared at the Government building at the same time. Celia: The [Demon Kings Revival] Group had a [Cursed Soul Stone] . Kurara: .......it was.most fortunate.that.it was us..who dealt.with them. Across from the [Extreme]s are the top Government officials. Grand Duke Marlo Lyheria. The large man shrunk into his seat as if trying to make his massive presence disappear into the cushion as he continued to endure the piercing glares from the two. Celia: The [Cursed Soul Stone] is a forbidden technology. Im certain that everyone here knows that assisting or supporting such efforts is equally forbidden? Kurara: A quasi-like.magic..it is.not something.you can use...without.a heavy..sacrifice. Marlo: .....th`thats.. To escape the cutting glares from each of the [Extreme]s, the Grand Duke speaks up. Marlo: That.we did not...know that.. Celia: Oh! They did not know! I see Celias laugh booms and echoes across the room. All of the Grand Dukes subordinates all turn ghostly white at that moment. It was Celia who forced them to drag out Marlo - arguably the most incompetent politician of their generation. The Empires 1st Imperial Princess came to meet with their small country. Even if the top official greeted Celia, it would not be nearly enough to match her power and status. Celia: You did not know? I see. That is truly unfortunate! Kurara: ........fu fu..what a.truly convenient...word.they.did not.....know. Celia exaggerates her surprise, and Kurara chuckles to dismiss the comment. The [Cursed Soul Stone] that the Marionette ingested and became capable of using [Quasi-Magic] was deemed internationally as forbidden. A leader of any country would not be able to escape the consequences by just claiming that [they did not know]. Celia: He says he was completely oblivious to the fact. Now, what can we do? Kurara: Celia.could you...place Lyheria.under.the Empire.? Celia: Well, that certainly is an option. We can justify it by saying that the Principality had secret connections to an underground organization that was responsible for the production of the [Cursed Soul Stone] . Of course, I may need to add a few more embellishments to the story. Both laugh merrily. Marlos face now turned into an ashen white color from his previous blood-drawn blue. Being placed under the Empires control is no different than Lyheria itself disappearing as a country altogether. And worst of all, Lyheria had no military power to oppose such demands. Of course they didnt. They didnt have . If Celia or Kurara came alone to invade their country...there is very little they could do. Their hands were empty. Celia: Fu fu fu. It is a joke, Grand Duke. Kurara: If we do...we will.need more...preparations Having Kurara and Celia dismiss the idea was enough for the Grand Duke to breathe a sigh of relief inside his mind. But his subordinates remained nervous. Of course. They have not been asked for in return. Celia: But if I was to go back to the Empire to report this, I expect that it could lead to many things, Grand Duke. Kurara: The Elves..absolutely.loathe.the [Cursed Soul Stones] ....they may.even become...your enemies Both only speak with only speculation. All of which that has been mentioned so far are still in the realms of possibilities. Marlo: ........what...do you want? Celia: Hm? Marlo: What.would you like us to offer you..in compensation, my ladies? With oily sweat oozing out from the pores of his face, the Grand Duke laid the words humbly before Celia and Kurara. Celia: Hmmm.well, Grand Duke. Lets see. How about the confidential research data you have been collecting behind the scenes? Marlo: ...........?! WHAT?! B`But thats. Celia: What? Did you think that we wouldnt know about it? Research on forbidden Spells and methods are internationally forbidden. It is forbidden, but countries are secretly researching it. Marlo: ........B`But..but thats.. Celia: A trump card you would like to keep in your hand? Marlo: ................ The Grand Duke falls silent. Celia: Oh, but dont misunderstand us. We do not care about the Principalities research or its findings whatsoever. Celia does not know the details, but she has already gained enough intelligence. According to the reports, the Principalities research is about.2 to 3 years behind. That is why gaining such data would not help them progress one bit. Marlo: .........then.. Celia: It is a chain. A chain to keep around the neck of our precious new pet. Do you understand? Kurara: Then.I shall..also take...the same. Marlo: .................I...understand.. Does the Grand Duke even realize? At this negotiation table, the end result was giving the Empire and Elves more material to blackmail them in the future. But this was all the Principality could offer in compensation....or rather, conceded without losing their country completely. Celia: I look forward to our mutual prosperity, Grand Duke. For the Grand Duke, Celia and Kuraras smile was nothing less than the Devils malicious laugh. <<<<>>>> Lunchtime in the cafeteria. Igni and his Party came back to the Kingdom, and it was the day after their return. Ms. Elenoir volunteered and offered to take care of all the administrative paperwork on their behalf, and Igni felt guilt-ridden knowing how much work that was and ate lunch with his friends. It was Elina who came over and with a downcast shadow weighing heavily over her, she ate lunch at Ignis table. Elina: .......my #1..I was.I was supposed to be #1 And if she spoke, this is all that came out. Iris: ........hey, Alicia. Why dont you do something and ask whats wrong? Alicia: WhaD?! ME?! Why dont you do it, Iris! Edward: Igni, why cant you ask her whats bothering her? Arent you good friends with her?? Igni: Edward, even I can read the mood...right now..would not be a good time. Yoori: eek.. Yoori lets out a confused shrill. Igni: (Yeah, seriously. What should we do about this?) Yes, its true that Popular men are great at hearing out girl''s problems, troubles and worries, but this is also a double-edged sword that if not handled carefully, it could backfire rapidly. Elina: #1..my #1 spot..#1 Erumi: Are you still griping about the examination results, Miss 2nd Seat? And with a loud (sfx), Erumi sets her plate down on the table. Elina: .........#2...thats right.Im just a..#2. Igni: Hey Erumi. Its been a while Erumi: Yeah it has. You look like youre doing well, Igni. Igni: You too. ..so.what happened while we were gone..? At Ignis question, Erumi shrugs her shoulders. Erumi: Just like I said before. We had routine examinations, and as a result, Elina is official #2. Igni: Whos #1? Erumi: Estea. Igni: Ohhh, the [Legion] Estea. Elina was the one who told Igni about one of the representative pillars of the Golden Generation. Within Ignis database of girls names he would never, EVER forget, he found the matching name in an instant query. Erumi: And, after losing to her during the exam, Elina has been like this since. Elina: #2...worthless..trash.worthless girl. Elina continues to grumble darkly. Igni couldnt help but feel pity for her. Alicia: .......h`hey...wait..we..havent taken the exam yet And Alicia brought up an excellent point of concern. Igni: We were on a Qu`......(cough)....on official business, so we were excused from the Practical Tests of the examinations. Igni almost said, Quest but he choked down the word immediately. For 1st years, the word Quest would trigger unwanted questions and potentially riots. Alicia: But we still have the written portion remaining then? Igni: Yeah. Alicia: I havent studied at all. Igni: Me neither. Iris: Wh`What are we going to do, Sir Igni? Igni:.........well have to do it Iris: Huh? Igni: Well..have to study. A fate that no student can ever escape was now right before their eyes The Ultimate Secret to Popularity #1 ``"Women love strong men. And they especially love those who try their best. Igni: (I guess Ill do my best) Though he presented himself as confident, he consumed the rest of his lunch in resigned grief. Chapter 65: The [Truth] Studying.! If you are a student, it is impossible to avoid this path. ..an unavoidable path. Igni: .........studying, huh...... Igni sat in front of his desk in his dorm room and let out a deep sigh. Next to him, Yoori is studying quietly and seems very focused on the task. Igni let out a sigh for one reason and one reason only. Until now, Igni has never really studied seriously once. When he was still a part of the Talcoyz family, he would sneak out of the mansion to go see Lucas, and he never had to really study the 3 years after that. He passed the Entrance Examination without having to go through the written portion, so all in all, he never had to study his entire life thus far. Hence, the sigh. Its not like itll change anything even if he sighs, but nothing bad will come of it either, so he lets out another exasperated exhale. Igni: .............. Igni places the History textbook down and picks up the Spell Geometry book. This book teaches and studies the basics of creating [Spell Inscriptions] and what materials to use to allow Magic Power to flow through the [Path]s. Igni: ..........I dont get this at all In the first place, Igni is only able to use {Fireball} so studying [Magic Inscription Formation} is meaningless and a waste of his time for him. Well, meaningless in the sense that even if he studies this, in the end, he is still limited to only casting {Fireball}s. That fact alone drains Ignis motivation. Igni: .............what should I do.. Yoori: Whats wrong, Igni? Igni: O`Oh, its nothing. The white-haired girl.I mean, the boy smiles warmly in Ignis direction. Igni has learned to depend on others when hes in trouble, but Yoori has his own studies to worry about right now. Igni: (A man who interrupts others from accomplishing their goals cannot become Popular either....) Yoori: Do you want me to tutor you? Igni: ..........are you okay with that? You have to study too, right? Yoori: Well, teaching others is one of the best ways to memorize the material yourself. Igni: Is that right? Well, in that case, could you help me out? With that, Igni took out the Magic Geometry and Magic Material Science textbook. Igni: ..........thank you, Yoori. Yoori: Yup, just leave it to me. And with that, Yoori began teaching Igni. What Yoori taught him was very . He would briefly cover the core of the basics, and then they would go through the problems that came up in tests and in class one by one. Igni did not do any of the basic problems..but Yooris teaching was spot on, and he began to understand how to solve each problem. Yoori: Igni, rather than memorization, understanding is much more important here. Thats why as long as you know how to solve the problem, you can forget about memorizing the problem itself. Igni: ..................wow. Yoori was known as the town prodigy. Igni now understands why. Igni went through all the science-related subjects one by one, and each one added more and more understanding to his knowledge. By the end, at the very least, he can reasonably aim for a passing grade. Yoori: I think that should do it. Igni: Whoa...I`I get it..I understand how to solve these problems.?! Igni screams with excitement as he looks through the textbooks. Igni: I`I think.I can pass with this.!! Yoori: Youll be okay with the subjects that requires calculations, but...what do you want to do about the memorization subjects? Igni: ............ick.. Igni lets out a strange groan Yoori: Spell Pharmacy, History, and Classical Studies...are different. Youll have to memorize all the ancient alphabets. Theres no way around that. Igni: ................Ill do my best.. This isnt something that Igni can overcome with pure willpower alone though. Igni: (.........isnt there.isnt there something.something within Grandpas teachings.?!) Igni dives deep into his subconscious and begins unfolding his past memories one by one. ...but there are no sparks of inspiration this time...the lightbulb inside remains dormant. Igni: (.........is.is there no way.? Is this the end..?!) As he combs through his memories, he most strongly remembers getting slapped by Grandpa, getting pushed off a cliff by Grandpa, and having the use of his Spells forbidden by Grandpa to fight Monsters - the worst of those memories surfaced very quickly to the top. Igni: (.........wait.wait, wait, wait.) Ignis thought process immediately halted to a standstill. Igni: (Why do I clearly remember ) Was it because it left a strong impression on him? Igni cant deny that fact But..it wasnt JUST that. Something stirred inside Igni as he tried to pinpoint what that was. Igni: (..............oh) One of Ignis theories fit snugly into the hole of that missing piece. Igni: (Can it...can it be?) Igni: (B`But) Igni: (If..it really was that?) Igni: (M`Maybe its worth a shot..?!) Yoori: Igni? Whats wrong? You have a strange look on your face. Igni: Yoori, I have favor to ask of you. Yoori: H`Huh? Wh`What is it all of a sudden?! I cant do the memorization for you, you know..? And Yoori hides behind his textbook and peers over its edge at Igni. Igni: (Dangit..hes so cute.) Igni: (Wait, I cant be distracted by that.) Igni: Slap me. Yoori: .........what? Yoori heard Ignis words, but Igni had a completely solemn, serious expression on his face. He wasnt joking. This confused Yoori even more. Igni: I need you to slap me. Yoori: W`Wait! What?! Igni: If I use pain...I may not be...able to forget what I learn!! This was Ignis very best attempt at a solution. Yoori: .................... ..followed by Yooris silence. Igni: .........will that not work? Yoori: Well, yes, it could work. There are methods of memorization along those lines. Igni: There are?! For a moment, Ignis fa?ade came off. Yoori: But I would never be able to slap a friend. And Yoori smiled at Igni with that. Yuto: (..............so cute) Left with no other options, Igni spent the day burning the tip of his finger with {Fireball} as he memorized the rest of his textbooks. He managed to pass all of his tests. <<<<>>>> At the very edge of the world. Well beyond the realms that were habitable for humans, there was an expanse of territory that could not be breached by humanitys hands. Unlike other areas, the ground was transformed by the [Demon King]s Magic Power, and was tainted purple and black. Normal plants could not grow in that land, and plants that were transformed by the Magic Power into Monsters rooted itself into the ground. The unique lands fauna spread and interwove itself across the new landscape. Floria: Lady Rose, please help purify this area. Rose: I understand. Floria, stand guard against anything that might interrupt us. And the [Demon King]s lands will slowly but surely devour the lands surrounding it. Rose: It will...take some time With that, Rose began constructing the Spell Inscription. Even as a [Holy] : [S], cleansing this massive piece of land alone is no easy task. Rose: [Cleanse] {Purify} With Rose incantation, the [Magic Inscription] begins to collect Magic Power. Noticing the change, Monsters began gathering towards Rose. Floria made sure to shoot them all dead before they can arrive. Rose: [Cleanse] {Purify} After several incantations, Rose releases the Magic Power stored in the [Spell Inscription]. A bright, white light instantly engulfs a radius of 10 km (6.2 miles) all around them and cleanses the earth of the [Demon King]s Magic Power. Floria: Let us relocate, Lady Rose. Rose: .........yes. Blood drains from Rose face and leaves it slightly bluish in color. Rose: I dont feel so well.is this morning sickness? Floria: Lady Rose, you wouldnt experience morning sickness this early. Its because you are experiencing Magic Exhaustion. Please rest to recover your strength. Floria couldnt tell if she was serious or joking, but the Guardian Knight promptly corrects the Saint. Rose: .........the [Demon King]. Even now after death, he continues to strangle humanity.. As Floria carried her, Rose looked towards the direction of the [Demon Kings Castle]. Rose: .........what kind of insane Monster was he.. With that, she enters the horse carriage. Currently, there is no one inside the [Demon Kings Castle]. There is only a skeletal corpse of the [Demon King]. After the [Demon King]s death, the remaining Pillars and several of the [Demon King]s servants took the [Demon King]s body and buried the [Demon King] in a grave inside one of the [Demon King]s favorite gardens within the [Demon Kings Castle]. But the corpse of the [Demon King] that is emitting Magic Power. No doubt, the [Demon King] was one of the strongest. But he . Although he cut down enemy after enemy, in the end he was by the Hero. If you were to trace the Magic Powers path back to the [Demon Kings Castle]....you would immediately notice. The Magic Power does not lead back to the garden. No, it is overflowing from the center of the [Demon Kings Castle]. In the darkest, furthest depths of the [Demon Kings Castle], there is one person. The [Demon King]s most beloved . After the [Demon King]s death, through one of the Pillars, protected by one of the strongest defensive Spells..there is a girl who sleeps inside a crystal as if paused in time. This is the source of all of humanitys calamity. There was indeed a [Demon King] . He carved his name into history, and exterminated many races into extinction and is still feared by humanity today. But he is now. is not the enemy of humanity today. [The Demon Kings Daughter] Sara. Humanitys true enemy . To be continued!! {untranslated text} <<<<>>>> End of Book 2. Chapter 66 will be the start of Book 3. Thank you for all your continued support! Chapter 66: Book 3 Prologue [The "Hero’s" Cover Up Story] This is a long forgotten fairy tale. A piece of history left behind 100 years ago. No one knows what is fact or fiction. All who knew the truth have passed away. But this was a fairy-tale fable made as a cover-up by the Hero himself. From that point alone, it is worth listening to the tale. <<<<>>>> The smell of blood and burnt corpses. No matter where you go now, the stench of death clung to your body. Ha ha. This is amazing. The Hero stood on a point that could overlook the Citys Walls, and he laughed. The city was completely surrounded by countless armies who were waiting and waiting for the [King] to deliver the signal to charge. Hmmmmmm Can we really win against that? On the very last territory remaining for humanity, the Hero smiled in a jovial, carefree manner. <<<<>>>> 5 years ago, in the northern lands, one king was born. At first, they said that it was just a man. But could that really be true? He was said to be a [Demon Race], and [Elf] or a [Dwarf] by other rumors. There was no way to be certain of the facts, and there is no point now to find out the truth either. As soon as the [King] was born, a [Declaration of War] was given to a country. No one took it seriously. They thought that it was nothing more than the ravings of a madman. No one had any concerns in their mind. But``in 2 weeks time, that country fell into demise. The [King] overtook the fallen country and its 150,000 citizens, conscripted all of them into his army, and declared war on the next country neighboring them. The next country only lasted 1 week this time. After 15 countries were completely wiped off the map, the remaining countries frantically created an alliance and created an army in order to take down one man. It was already [1 year] after the King was born. The alliance was formed much too late for it to matter now. The word obliterated was most appropriate to describe the battles that came next. The armies of the [King] did not die. To be accurate, , they continued to fight. The Kings army was the army of the dead. The [King]s Magic Type was a [Unique Original] : [Immortal Undead]. He had the ability to raise the dead back to life and make them his puppet. It was a lost ability that made something from absolutely nothing - the Magic of Miracles. His Spell was later known and called as such from that time onwards. The [King]s armies did not die, and those who were slain by the [King] were given new life and served in his army. And before an army that kept doubling after each battle, humanity was helpless. A [King] that was like a Demon. The [King] of Demons. Hence, he was called the [Demon King]. <<<<>>>> Sir Hero, please restrain yourself. A young girl who was standing behind the smiling Hero sharply chastises him. Oh come on Someone whos supposed to be the hope of humanity should be laughing especially in a time like this. Glorius, the [Omnipotent]. He was born in this world with an [S] compatibility in all Magic Types. Humanitys strongest man laughed as he replied. .........do you think...we can win? Glorius: Um well, Im not sure. The Hero glanced at the Zombie Dragons that resided in the far back of the army. 15 in total. Dragons are known as the strongest race. Even as corpses, their strengths were unparalleled. Glorius: I think...we can win. It was a lie. At the very least, the Hero and his party have recorded 15 or more losses to the [Demon King]. They couldnt challenge him directly. They could not breach the armies of the undead that wouldnt die with swords or Spells. Even if they could overcome the hordes, their stamina would be drained. And on top of that, they would have to fight with the 4 Pillars that serve the [Demon King]. Under those circumstances, the best they could do is run around and avoid death. Hence, they are here in this situation today. .........why.why is the [Demon Kings Army] not attacking us? Glorius: Who knows? Maybe theyre enjoying the view. And the Hero laughed again at his own comment. Glorius: You have to admit, theres no way for humanity to win. He shrugs his shoulders. A 10 km (6.2 mile) diameter circle. That was all that remained of humanitys territory. The rest of the lands were completely covered by the Demon Kings armies. The dead corpses became part of the landscape, and a cursed taint spread across the earth. The tainted, cursed ground no longer supported regular wildlife. Even if they could defeat the Demon King, they would be faced with a monumental task of dealing with so little to live off of. And thats they could win. Glorius: This is absolutely hopeless for sure The Hero laughs again. If he didnt, his will to live would crumble instantly. His family, his friends, and his comrades all faced death. And even more soldiers continue to die. And having the entirety of humanitys existence placed on his shoulders, the Hero has kept himself from losing his mind, because he had little to no sanity from the start. There you are, Glorius. Glorius: Hey, its Cain. Are you doing well? The Master Swordsman Cain Esmeralda. Even humanitys greatest swordsman can do nothing against an army of hundreds of millions. Cain: You arent going to sleep? It is already deep into the night. The moonlight is the only source of light helping them to see in this darkness. Glorius: I would sleep if I could, but that was before I got a tiny glimpse of this view. Cain: ..........yeah. Is there any one thick-skinned enough who can sleep inside the last bastion of humanity while being surrounded by hundreds of millions of enemies who churned and crawled around the surrounding terrain? Cain: Tomorrow will probably be out last fight. Glorius: Dont say such depressing things, Cain. Cain: .....Im sorry. In response to the unusually cheerful Heros voice, the Master Swordsman lowered his voice apologetically. Glorius: How many are left? Cain: 100,000. Out of those, 50,000 are injured. That was humanitys last remaining strength. Glorius: Hmmm This is really hopeless With that, Glorius laughed again. Glorius: What about the Healers? Cain: They are working themselves to the bone...but theyre too busy taking care of the corpses of our dead. Glorius: Ah.yeah. An average corpse would usually rise and begin their activities under the [Demon Kings Army]. Because of that, they have to cremate the body and crush the remaining bones to dust. Going so far, even if it was given [life], it would not be able to move. It was a despicable way of handling the bodies without an ounce of dignity. But if they did not do so, humanity would have perished already. Glorius: Did the Generals of the Elves and Dwarves make up with each other? Cain: Do you think theyll ever, Glorius? Glorius: Nope. Both the Hero and the Master Swordsman laugh merrily at that. Even if 90% of humanity disappears... Even if they are only given a sliver of territory that is barely enough to sustain them... People still do not know how to cooperate with one another. Cain: Glorius, at least go see the princess. Glorius: Hm? Shes not asleep? Cain: Shes waiting anxiously for you. Glorius: Alright. Then Ill head over. Take care of things here. Cain: Yeah. With that, the Hero descends down the observation tower. He heads to the fortress in the center of the city. And he is specifically looking for one particular girl inside there. Sir Hero! Sir Hero!! As he walks through the city, a soldier with bandages wrapped around his body, and another soldier who lost all 4 limbs calls out to him. If not from them, then others survivors who were on the edge of despair. Can we win.? Can we win against the [Demon Kings Army]? Glorius: We will win. What shallow and meaningless words those are. How many times do you think they lost already? Isnt there an insurmountable force waiting to crush them outside those walls? Its because I am the [Strongest]. But as the [Hope] of everyone around him, he is not permitted to doubt. No matter how many people around him die, no matter how many children die, he will not put on any other expression other than a smile. That is what it means to be a Hero. Sir Hero! Please talk to this underground mole! He wont listen to anything I have to say! WHAT?! Sir Hero! Please scold this useless, hulking giant! They are looking down on us Dwarves!! As soon as he enters the fortress, the Generals of the Elven and Dwarven armies come running up to him. Glorius: Ha ha. You two get along so well. HOW?!?! Glorius: And today will be the last time I see you guys fight. As Glorius smiles, both of the Generals fall silent. The two also recognize the situation. Tomorrow, this land will turn into Hell itself. In this last remaining territory, it is not only soldiers here. There are Elves, Dwarves, the [Beast Race], and Humans. Everyone is now crowded around touching shoulder to shoulder in these last remaining moments. If the [Demon Kings Armies] breach the walls, humanity literally will be exterminated. Hey, Glorius. The princess is waiting for you upstairs. A Mage wearing a Robe greets him heartily. It is the [Sage] Aria. She is also one of the precious members of the Heros Party. Glorius: Yup, I heard. I came here to say hi. Aria: You mean goodbye? Glorius: Something like that. Both laugh at their own comments. Jokes lose their humor going this dark and deep, but no one can make it through this night if they are not laughing. Glorius takes the stairs up to the top floor and knocks on the door several times. Come in. Glorius: Hey. Walking into the room, he sees one girl with her face downcast. Sir Hero.. Glorius: Are you well, princess? The last remaining Royalty of humanitys face was clouded with fear and doubt. Will..will humanity prevail.? Glorius: We have to, right? The Hero laughs. Maybe...maybe we should...even now...consider surrendering to the [Demon Kings Army]? Glorius: No, we cant. You already know what happened to the countries that did. There were more than a few countries who raised the white flag of surrender before the tremendous force of the [Demon Kings Army]. And by the next day, all were conscripted and became the [Demon Kings]. Glorius: We...well, all I can say is that we still have a chance at victory. Do you..really believe so? Glorius: Yeah. The [Demon King] will have to come to the frontlines tomorrow. That has happened in every single invasion without exception. So if everyone can cooperate with each other, we can reach the [Demon King] and..then we have a chance. Do you...do you really believe that that can happen, Sir Hero? Glorius: If we dont then we all die happily as a group. Everyone will. And with that the Hero barks out a laugh. This plan has been planned, executed on many occasions.and each time, it failed. Sir Hero...we could hold the ceremony right now if you wish. Glorius: The Wedding Ceremony? Yes. Glorius: Thats That was supposed to occur after they defeated the [Demon King]. Originally, the Hero planned to take down the [Demon King] within a half year, and the princess...and many more people believed that he would succeed. Glorius: Tomorrow. If we live through tomorrow, then lets hold the ceremony, princess. Yes. She nods obediently. Glorius: So please get some rest tonight. ........yes..I understand. And with that, she lays down on her bed. Glorius: Good night. Good night, Sir Hero Glorius turns off the light of the lamp and leaves the room. Sir Hero. Glorius: What is it, Freya? It was the same girl that was behind the Hero at the observation tower. Freya: I think it is about time that you get some rest. Glorius: Hmmmmm do you really think so? Freya: Yes. You need to go into tomorrows battle in your best condition possible. Glorius: I see. Then Ill take your advice and get some rest. The Hero who had just fought for 72 hours without rest smiled at Freya and headed back to his room. Glorius: Hey, Cain. Did Freya come talk to you as well? Cain: Yeah. She told me, Prepare for tomorrow. Thats all. Aria: Youre going to die anyways right? Whats the point of resting then? Glorius: Youre dark as always, Aria. The 3 who composed the Heros Party laugh together. Before, there was the [Shield Tank] Rock. But hes no longer here. A few months ago, he did not return from a battle. Cain: Ill get some sleep. Glorius: Good night, Cain. The Master Swordsman laid down under his blanket. Glorius too laid down in his blanket and pulled the sheets over him. Aria: It will be your last dream. Make it a pleasant one. Glorius: Thank you, Aria. And with that, the two finished their conversation and fell asleep. <<<<>>>> The dream was absolutely awful. The stench of blood and death was everywhere. It was the unique stench of the rotting corpses of the [Demon Kings Army]. Within the dream, they were crushing the [Demon Kings Army]. Glorius: (Even inside my dream, Im fighting) And Glorius couldnt help but laugh inside his dream. Is it because its a dream? His body feels light. Unlike the numerous failed attempts before, he is able to proceed past the soldiers of the [Demon Kings Army] without being impeded. He would swing his blade, blast his spell, and swing his blade again. Taking the shortest, straightest route to the [Demon King], the Hero arrives. Glorius: (Awww man.I wish real life was this easy.) And as he briefly thought these things, he cut off the head of the Demon King who stood there in disbelief. ``And then he awoke. Well...done...Hero Before his eyes was the Demon King without his head. In his hand was a sword stained with the Demon Kings blood. And behind them, Aria and Cain were fighting with the 4 Pillars of the Demon King. Glorius: ..............what? He thought this was a dream. He thought this was a cosmic irony playing out in his head. He thought that because he wished to defeat the [Demon King] so much, he made up this illusion to satisfy those needs. But the Demon King stood there beheaded. AAAAAHHHH!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!! My Lord!! MY LORD!!! Glorius heard one of the Pillars scream in terror. The [Demon Kings Army] that was surrounding the last territory of humanity crumbled audibly and disintegrated. Glorius: (...........what is this?) Glorius: (What is happening, right now?) AHHHH!! MY LORD.!! HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED?!?! One of the 4 Pillars flew in to hold the Demon Kings body in their arms. Cain was following close behind to attack, but Glorius shouts at him. Glorius: Wait, Cain! Situation Report! Aria: Glorius! What happened..?! Glorius heard the shock in Arias voice. Cain: ..................?! Cain stops at Glorius words and...his eyes widen. Theyre crumbling. The corpses of the [Demon Kings Army] is crumbling to pieces. Glorius: ........we won? Humanity.won? The Heros whispered words were nothing less than the truth. They finally achieved the long sought victory. No one understood what happened that day, and no one could come to terms with the situation. That day, humanity was victorious against the [Demon Kings Army]. <<<<>>>> The following 3 days were filled with taking care of the aftermath of the war. With the [Demon Kings] death, the [Demon Kings Army] fell to pieces, but starting with the 4 Pillars, the various officers and leaders who still held vast amounts of power were no longer protected from death from the [Demon King], and they generally split into two groups - those who continued to turn their fangs against humanity and those who retreated. Glorius and his Party continued to slay and cut down the Monsters who continued to fight against humanity. Without the [Strongest] Wizard, the [Demon King], for the various recruits of the [Demon Kings Army], death became an absolute reality. The difference in their strength was so disappointingly astounding that now Glorius group wanted to scream, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?!?! in frustration at times thinking about how incredibly easy the fight became after [Demon King]s demise. The 2 hours that no one speaks of. The 2 hours when humanity began its last assault against the Demon Kings Army, and the Hero arrived to behead the Demon King. During that time, aside from the Hero, was wiped clean. What actually happened and what actually occurred. During the period after the victory against the [Demon Kings Army], people spoke in hushed rumors. Humanity did defeat the Demon Kings Army, but they had paid the price. 40,000 people. This was the total number of lives lost on their final assault against the Demon Kings Army. Yes, 40,000 people. the moments when 40,000 lives were lost. The general public cried out, THIS IS A MIRACLE OF GOD! The general public cried out, THE DEMON KING FELL TO HIS OWN DEMISE! Rumors called upon other rumors, and without anyone being able to regain their memory, only time passed quickly. It took a full month before they could get rid of the remnants of the Demon Kings Army. The remaining Monsters had low morale, and defeating them posed no problems. The problem was the tainted and polluted land. Plants and trees were nowhere to be seen, and any food that was planted wilted immediately. Fortunately, the number of people who survived was very few. In other words, they did not have to worry about gathering much food due to the low population. Glorius: In other words, we need a festival or a celebration. Cain: Whats with you all of a sudden, Glorius. During a serious meeting, the Hero, Glorius, suddenly spoke up. Glorius: We defeated the Demon King. But humanity was left only with a victory. Cain: Glorius? Are you still with us? Whats gotten into you? The Master Swordsman Cain was doing the best he could to keep Glorius and the members of the meeting on the same page. Cain: (Has all the fighting finally gotten to his head?) Glorius: We won, but everyone is thinking too deeply. No, theyre And slamming his fist against the table with a , Glorius stood up. Glorius: We need to...you know! Lets celebrate! Lets let loose! Lets be more happy! More energetic! Right now, what people need is to be cheerful again! Aria: What, then youre ready to do that, Glorius? The Sage Aria laughs. Aria: The Wedding Celebration between you and the princess. But with those words, the entire meeting room now fell silent for a different reason. Glorius: ........ohD They would hold the wedding ceremony if they survived. He did swear that oath the day before the Demon King was slain. Glorius: .......shes.not coming out of her room yet, right? Aria: Yeah, not yet. Aria shrugs at Glorius comment. Its been one month since the Demon King was slain. And of course, many people were overjoyed by the news. Yes, many, many people were. Because there was only one person who was not willing to celebrate. The kind princess mourned for the 40,000 who died for humanity, and now was shut inside her room. Cain: Glorius, why dont you go and speak with her? Glorius: I have. Many, many times. She wont open the door for me. Aria: Why not forcefully enter? You are the boyfriend. Glorius: There are such things as manners, Aria. Aria: But a month? Glorius: Urgh.. Glorius groans. Its true. Aria is right. Its already been 1 month. Its just simply too much time. Glorius: Fine. Ill go. Aria: Good. We would expect nothing less. You want us to go with you, Mr. Hero? Glorius: No way. Ill go alone. With that, Glorius left the meeting room. He headed to the top floor of the fortress to where the last remaining Royalty resided. Glorius: ..........are you awake? Yes.I am awake.. Her voice sounded deflated and lifeless. For an entire month, she has had trouble eating and sleeping. Glorius: .......could I come in? Im sorry. Sir Hero, I still. Glorius: .......if you dont mind that its me, I can hear you out. .................I The voice in front of the door wavered strongly. Sir Hero. Will you.still love me.no matter what? Glorius: Yeah, of course. Isnt that a given? No matter what happens, will you..not turn me away? Glorius: Yes, I promise. ........then..I will tell you. Please open the door. Glorius slowly opens the door. It has been one month since he last saw her, and her face was gaunt and eyes swollen from the tears. It was me..I was the one who did it. As Glorius stepped into the room, that was the first remark she made. Glorius: .........I guess it would be rude to ask about what. I.I was the one who killed them!! And with that, the tears came down all the more. ......if...if humanity.! If humanity became one..! We could defeat the Demon King..!! We could get married.!! But just for that..I...I!! With a torrent of emotions flooding out of her, she choked on her words, and the Hero gently held her. Glorius: I need you to take a deep breath. Please, can you tell me? Can you tell me what happened back there? Sir Hero..! OH, SIR HERO!! IM SO SORRY! ITS ALL MY FAULT!! ITS BECAUSE I USED MY SPELL!! Glorius: Spell? Glorius tilted his head within his heart. Glorius: (Thats strange.) Glorius: (This girl..I dont believe she had any talent for Spells..) I..I.! It was me! .........THATS WHY..!! Glorius: .........you can tell me from the beginning. Its okay. Lets calm down a little. All Glorius could do was try to calm her feelings down. Thats all. I..My Spell allows me to [Control People]! But when they are under my control, their memories are lost. What.WHAT A CRUEL AND FILTHY SPELL! WHAT A HORRIFYING AND AWFUL SPELL! THATS WHY..! THATS WHY.!! Glorius: .......thats why you controlled all of humanity? She could not nod in reply and only cried. .......I...I was the one who killed them! I killed those with family members, children who had a future..! All because I wanted to be with you, Sir Hero!! Defeating the [Demon King] was theoretically possible. If all of humanity cooperated and worked together as one organism would and supported one another, they would be able to deliver the Hero to the [Demon King]s location. If they could do that, humanity would win. But this was just an empty theory. Reality would not be so kind. There are Races that cannot get along like Elves and Dwarves. No one could say with a straight face that all humans get along fine with one another. Serving under abysmally low morale, starting from the most veteran warriors, they all perished one by one in this Hell and all that was left were the lowest ranking, weakest soldiers. Thats why it was an empty, useless theory. But what if all of humanity was controlled and directed by one person? What would happen then? If one human being completely controlled at her will an army of 100,000, and attack the chaotic mass that was the Demon Kings Army? Would you be able to then make an empty theory into reality? I.! I.! I only had this one Spell! Im able to use this one Spell! Glorius: .........thank you. Glorius embraces the girl in a fit of tears and speaks softly to her. Glorius: And Im sorry. Im sorry that you had to bear this burden alone. 40,000 people. In order for humanity to survive, a girl who has barely reached adulthood had to make the decision to sacrifice them. What did it take for her to harden her resolve? How heavy was that burden she decided to carry? The Hero strongly embraced the girl. He held her tight - he held her as if to make sure that she would not break - that her heart would not crumble to pieces. Glorius: .......Im sorry. I did not realize what you were doing. No, its okay. Sir Hero, its all my fault! Its all my.!! And as she sobbed inside his arms, time gently passed by the two. There is a Magic Type called [Unique Original]. This gift is only given to a very select few and displays an unparalleled talent. Just as the [Demon King] who was the principle menace to humanity had one, humanity also had one with the same talents. The girls [Unique Original] was [Heart] {Ludio}. It was a Magic Type where she could control the hearts of people, and control them at her will. But she also had one severe limitation as if to scoff at her Spellcrafting talents. She was only able to use that . That is the reason why she was able to reach that summit, the pinnacle, the ultimate destination faster than anyone else. She was able to enslave anyone who witnessed her using the Spell. But that was not all she could do. If someone was already under her Spells influence, she could also enslave those in the sight of the already enslaved -- and incorporate them into her Spell influence. And the Spell influence spread from 0 to 1. From 1 to 2. From 2 to 4. And it increased without end. It was the ultimate act that completely exceeded the realm of Spells altogether. The girls Spell was the Miracle of Enslavement. In a weird twist of irony, she was an [Ultimate Spell Specialization] : [Spell One]. And in an age when [Magic] did not exist, one girl used her [Magic]. Because she could not use any other Spells, she mastered the only Spell she had in her possession. But that is an epic fable that will never be told. Because now, it is just a mere rumor. Underneath the gargantuan cover story of the Hero, a fact of history was overshadowed and completely blotted out of the light. To protect the girl from any further manipulation, a man who could accomplish nothing hid the truth. The girl forgotten by history was the [Extreme] of [Heart] - Ludiela Dearmondo. People know her as the [Kind] Ludiela. She was the very first [Extreme] of humanity. Chapter 67: The Temporary Club Member Wizard At the Rolmod Wizard Academy, there is a Student Council. They are responsible for helping the students be more self-sustaining, self-disciplined, and to build a stronger foundation for Spell-learning, but much of that is an excuse to mask their true purpose - to protect the safety of the students and peace of the school campus. Miru: Thats why after school, you will see us patrol the school grounds like this. Igni: I see. Igni (specifically) knows her best for her overly abundant chest size, but he is currently going around the school grounds with the Student Council President, Miru. And Yoori is currently going around the school with the Ore-Girl and Miss Miko. Miss Valia whos always wound up heavily in bandages was absent, and she may have already gone home. Igni: But why are students responsible for the safety and peace of the school premise? Miru: Hm? Theres lots of reasons. One is so the school faculty gets time to do their [Research]. Igni: Research. Igni mumbles as he repeats Mirus words. Miru: Yeah, the Rolmod Wizard Academy is also famous for and heavily invested in their Research! So our teachers will be performing experiments day and night. Igni: What kind of research? Miru: That would depend on the teacher. Igni, whos your homeroom teacher? Igni: Ms. Elenoir." Miru: Shes most known for her Spore Spell research. Even beyond this Kingdom, I dont think theres anyone else in this world who is more knowledgeable and adept at Spore Magic than her. Igni: She''s quite amazing then. Miru: Yup. The two are currently walking in the Old School Building which is currently an unused facility. Well, because its not used for anything specific, someone might be using it for [something else]. Igni: Miss Student Council President. Miru: You can call me Miru! Igni: President Miru. Miru: What is it? Igni wanted to ask one particular thing that was bugging him. Igni: Is there really any point to this? Miru: Of course! Youre getting to walk around school with an amazingly cute upper-classman. Isnt that reason enough? Igni: That is true, but thats not what I mean. When youre patrolling, do you like.how do I put it..catch any students in the act? From Ignis perspective, this school is full of students, but they couldnt cause that much trouble, could they? Miru: Yup. All the time. President Miru nodded affirmatively quickly and casually. Igni: .......are you being serious? Miru: Its true that we patrol the school grounds to make sure no students are doing anything shady. But another thing we do is help students who overdo it and need help. Igni: Overdo it? Miru: Yeah. Last week..ummm.thats right. It was at the Biology Research Club, but one of their specimens escaped. (sfx explosion) As soon as President Miru finished those words, a large explosion-like noise erupted as a giant creatures head tore through the school building! Miru: Yup! Just like this!! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite}!! Igni pumps power into his {Fireball}. Miru: Igni, make sure to not kill it. Miru! My bad! Can you do something about that on your end?! Looking closer, on the new school building, Miss Miko was waving her hand at Miru and Igni. Next to her, Igni saw Yooris paled, terrified face as he was using some sort of Spell. And in the sky right now, there were those creatures flying through the air. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} And Igni shot his Spell upwards. As soon as it struck the creatures, they were blown back and fell to the ground. Igni: (Are these..animals?) They had the face of a lion and the body of a horse. They had wings growing on their backs and had other various body parts from other animals. Miru: Oh, those are Chimeras the Biology Research Club is creating. The creatures sometimes escape so we have to catch them like this. Igni: Sometimes..? Girls were carrying nets and approaching the Chimeras Igni shot down and secured them. The girls waved a hand at Igni, and dragged the Chimeras away. Igni: Was that the Biology Research Club members? Miru: Yup! Thats them! The Biology Research Club was mostly girls. 80% of this school are female, so thats not uncommon, and Igni made sure to memorize each of the girls faces. Their faces were recorded and memorized in perfect memory. Although this would be considered creepy as hell, no one could know whats going on inside Ignis head, so there was no one to stop him. Miru: So just like that, sometimes there are accidents or unexpected happenings at the club meetings, so we have to help clean up after them. If we cant do anything about it, well call for a teacher. Igni: I see Miru: Oh, Igni. Please memorize which part of the building was destroyed. Well have to submit paperwork to the Repair Department later. Igni: Understood! And Igni sharply salutes Miru. Igni: (I was worried that it would be boring within the Student Council, but maybe I could stand out more here) Igni especially recalls the girls who waved a hand at him. At least here, he feels like hes doing some good for the people around him. Miru: Oh, that reminds me. Igni, did you already decide on what path youll take? Igni: Path? Path to where? Miru: Huh? Did they not tell you when you enrolled? Starting from the 2nd Year, I thought they gave out the assignments. Igni: A`Assignments? Igni: (Maybe they did explain it during the Entrance Ceremony?) Igni paid no attention to the contents of those speeches so he tilts his head and groans. Miru: Haha. I see. Judging from your face, you werent listening, huh. Igni: ...........yes. Miru: At the Rolmod Wizard Academy, youll be placed on a Graduation Path starting from your 2nd year. Youll be assigned to learn more about the things that youre good at. Igni: Things Im good at. Miru: Yup. Like, Miko for instance is in the [Wizard Combat] Path. Thats 100% about fighting and battling. Vanguard, rearguard, that kind of stuff. They learn their roles in battle and in the future, theyll be Wizards fighting in wars and against Monsters. Its that kind of path. But youll never be out of a job for sure! Igni: (Oh.Im most likely heading there..) Miru: Other paths are [Support and Assistance], [Alchemist], [Healer], [Intel Gathering], stuff like that. Theres a lot of different paths. Igni: What path are you on, President Miru? Miru: Im [Support and Assistance]! Igni: Oh, really? When Igni was invited by the Student Council President to join the Student Council, he investigated Mirus background. There, he uncovered incident after incident of Mirus amazing battle feats and accomplishments. Judging by her record, it would be pretty obvious that she would be in the [Wizard Combat] path but. Miru: Well, its because . And with a cheerful smile, Miru told Igni matter of factly. Igni: I`I see..! Its true that President Miru is already strong, so she doesnt need to enroll in the [Wizard Combat] path. Igni: (So.there is more than one way to determine your path..!) Miru: Well, to be honest, I wouldnt recommend doing what I did.oh, WATCH OUT! It occurred right at Ignis blindside. Something came flying through the window where Miru was standing next to! Miru pushed Igni down and Miru: [Restrain them]. Countless shadowy strands emerged from a goopy substance and captured a flying creature. Miru: That was closeIgni, are you okay? When Miru pushed him to the ground, Ignis head was buried between two mountains against the Student Council Presidents chest. Igni: I`Im..not..okay..no...... Igni: (I think I can die happily any time now.) Igni: (If I can die being buried in this.Ive fulfilled all my duties) Before the almighty breasts, Igni was defeated instantly. And strangely, to him, it was the most pleasant sense of defeat he ever felt. Chapter 68: A New Move and the Wizard Miko: Whats up, Igni? You had something you wanted to try out? Igni: Yes, thats right. Miko: Yeah, I can help if you need it. {Note: Miko is an Ore-girl} Igni: Thank you so much! Igni and Miko are currently at the [Battle Simulation Training Field]. Or just [Practice Field] for short. Miko: But why me? Igni: Because I trust you, Miss Miko! Miko: O`Oh..its kinda embarrassing when you say that to my face. Miko: And.so whatre we going to do? Igni: I found a new move I wanted to try out. Miko: Oh! Thats great! Lets see what you got. Igni begins initiating Magic Power. Up to here is the same as [Equip Flame] {Ignite}. But from here Igni took the initiated Magic Power..and reversed its direction to circulate it. Igni: Fuh!! (sfx quick exhale) As soon as Igni steps forward, Miko and Igni both widened their eyes at Igni''s the sudden acceleration and speed. And Ignis accelerated body into the Practice Fields wall. Miko: I`Igni! Are you okay?! Miko hurriedly goes to Ignis side to check. Igni: ......th`that...really hurt Miko: Of course it did! A`Are you okay? Are you injured anywhere?? Igni: ......L`Looks like..Im okay.. Miko: Well, thats a relief Having Mikos concerned face up close looked cute to Igni. Miko: So what was that just now? Igni: Well, we just came back from a Quest at the Principality. Miko: Yeah, I heard. Igni: And I met a Ninja there. Miko: Ninja?! The next moment, Miko picked up Ignis body and shook him. Miko: W`Was there really a Ninja?! Igni: Y`Yes, there was. Miko: REALLY`?! AWWWW MAN!! Im so jealous You''re so lucky! Igni: Miss Miko.do you..like Ninjas? Miko: YEAH!! I love them! Her eyes sparkled brightly with stars as she smiled with the images of Ninjas in her mind. She looked incredibly cute now. Igni: So, I saw the Ninja...use Magic Power like this and.. Miko: So they initiated Magic Power and Igni: And after that, they circulated the Magic Power within their body. Miko: Ive never tried that before So why does that raise your physical abilities? Igni: Im not sure. Its amazing though. Igni and Miko both discuss the mystery of the whole phenomenon. Magic Power initiation is the foundation of creating Spells. Its just like a warm-up before you exercise, and its to help the Magic Power react and course through the Spell logic when the time comes. So instead of casting a Spell, just circulating that Magic Power throughout your body is puzzling. Igni: Next, Im going to circulate the power more slowly. Miko: Got it. Ill catch you this time. Igni: I`Is that okay? Miko: Isnt that why you called me here? Igni: Well, actually noI meant to do a practice fight Igni did not expect circulating Magic Power would be this difficult. Igni: W`Well, anyways. Lets start over.``Here I come! Miko: Im ready! Igni began initiating Magic Power...and looked directly at Miko. Hes circulating it at about 15 rotations per second. Its about half the speed of last time. Igni: Fuh!! (sfx exhale) Igni kicks the ground. In an instant, he saw Mikos face right before his eyes and. Miko: That was close Miko held him tightly. Igni: (So soft..) Miko: Are you okay, Igni? Igni: Y`Yes...yes I am Miko: Your face is red. Are you sure youre okay?? Igni: Yes, Im fine.. Igni: (Oh crap...Miss Mikos being so kind..) Ignis heart tilts towards Miko instantly. Miko: Hey, dont worry. Ill catch you every time. Miko gives Igni a big smile as she says so. Igni: (Shes seriously really cool right now.) Igni blushes. Igni: Ill get it right this time. Igni begins the Magic Power initialization and circulates at 10 rotations per second! Igni: ........! But this time, Igni is in control of his body. He was able to immediately stop right before Miko. Miko: You already got the hang of this, Igni? Igni: Yes! Its all thanks to you, Miss Miko. Miko: Then do you want to try it? Do a practice spar? Igni: Lets!! (sfx) and within Miko, she unleashes her Magic Power. Miko: [Physical Enhancement] {Activate}! And without warning, she attacks. Mikos fist brushes where Igni was a moment ago. But Igni saw it coming. Igni: Here I come, Miss Miko! Miko: I wont lose this time, Igni!! The two spar and their fists clash. The other students at the Practice Field stop to watch their fight. (sfx) Fists clash against fists. Kicks clash against kicks, and explosive impacts scatter everywhere around the field as the two run around. Miko: Isnt this fun, Igni!! Igni: Yes! Igni learns the joy of feeling his body move at incredible speeds - the exhilaration! Miko: Then, Igni: ......!! Miko disappears. Igni tries to instinctively look for her but Igni: (No! Dont rely on your instincts!!) He circulates the magic within his eyes. Igni: (Turn!! Rotate!!) The next moment, the world sluggishly moves. Miko: Sh!! (sfx exhale) Igni: .......! Mikos kick hits Ignis guard!! Miko: I''m impressed, Igni! Igni: ....Im starting to understand how to use this technique! Without a teacher, without understanding of the mechanisms of the technique...Igni builds upon each and every one of his experiences and has one hand grasped onto a Skill that would open up an entirely new world. And he always carried this potential. Normally, other Wizards would not choose the method of manipulating Magic Power once it was initiated like Ignis [Equip Flame] {Ignite}. When Magic Power is initiated in any way, it is like a lighted fuse to a bomb. Rather than handling something so dangerous, it is to take that dangerous power and fire it away from you as soon as possible - this is the safest and most logical route for any Wizard. But Igni is not normal. Because he can only use one basic Spell, he had to step into uncharted territory in order to defeat the Monsters in the [Demon Kings Realm]. Igni: (I need to.increase the rotation speed!) Igni raises the rotation speed to 20 times per second! Igni: Fuh!! (sfx exhale) Miko: Youve gotten faster again, Igni! Igni: HAH!! (sfx exhale) Igni reels back his fist and swings it straight into Mikos guard with both arms crossed. But Ignis fist punches through with burst of explosion ringing the air and strikes Miko with a critical hit!! Her body flies backwards through the air! AMAZING! WHO IS THAT KID?! Hes a 1st Year! Hes the one that destroyed the [Target] He also won the Tournament this year The crowds observing Igni and Miko began talking amongst themselves. Miko: ......thats an amazing skill.. Igni: Yes it is. Im surprised myself. Miko shakes off the hit on both her arms and comes towards Igni. Looks like theyre taking a short break. Miko: Hey, Igni. Why didnt you try a new Spell instead of learning a weird technique like that? Igni: I can only use the Spell {Fireball}. Miko: Is that even possible? Igni: Yes, Im an [Ultimate Spell Specialized ?Spell One] so. Miko: ......wh`what was that again..? Igni: Huh? I said Im an [Ultimate Spell Specialized ?Spell One].... Miko: Wh`What is that?! That sounds so awesome! Thats so cool, Igni!! Igni: (Miss Miko..!!) Simple-minded Ignis heart tilted even more into falling in love with Miko. Miko: So thats why you were doing all sorts of stuff with {Fireball}! Igni: Yes! Exactly! Miko: Then you really cant use any other Spells? Igni: None at all. Ignis smile widens from ear to ear. Miko: Then Igni. Could you change the shape of {Fireball}? Igni: Th`The shape? Miko: Yeah, like.make it into a spear-shaped {Fireball} or an arrow-shaped {Fireball}. Igni: N`No. That would be impossible.. Because those arent [ball] shaped.. The prior would be a {Fire Lance} and the latter would be a {Fire Arrow} and those are completely different Spells. Miko: I`Is that right And Miko seems a little disappointed. Igni: (Was there something she wanted to try out?) Igni: But on the other hand, , as long as Im using the spherical {Fireball}, I can cast it like that. Miko: Hm? ...HMM??? Miko tries to think about this but not understanding, quickly gives up. Miko: Well, enough about {Fireball} then. Can I try to do what you did? Igni: Yes! Igni begins circulating the Magic Power around his eyes. Again, the world slows down around him. Igni: ......so it works like this.. By initiating and circulating Magic Power in certain areas of the body, that area is strengthened. It is very similar to {Physical Enhancement}. But it is different from {Physical Enhancement} at the same time. Igni: (What is this technique.?) Miko: Here I come!! Miko shouts, and as soon as she steps forward, she flies into the air. It was the same as when Igni first tried and went out of control! Igni hurriedly catches Miko. Miko: EEP!! Hearing a cry that was 100 times cuter than what he would have imagined her shout, Miko snuggly fits into Ignis arms. Igni: Miss Miko, are you okay? Miko: Y`Yeah, Im fine. Igni: Your face is all red?! Are you sure youre okay?!?! Miko: I`Im telling you, Im fine. Mikos face went scarlet inside Ignis arms. <<<<>>>> An Appendix from the Extreme Flame Wizard Author about {Fireball}: Scatter Shot Inside a {Fireball}, many smaller {Fireball}s are created inside of it, and by giving the main bodys {Fireball} a specific direction to explode, the {Fireball}s inside scatter in that direction. Armor Pierce By making the {Fireball} heavy with Magic Power, it is then spun at high speeds until the shape begins to bend like a football and increases its ability to pierce the air. It can pierce even Upper-Class Defensive Spells. Snipe By decreasing the power ofPierce, Igni increases its range and distance. Heavy A {Fireball} shape that focuses on its concentration and not power. It is effective even against enemies with high fire tolerance, and rather than burning the enemy, this {Fireball} physically punches them. Homing By registering the opponents Magic Power, the {Fireball} will follow after the target. The range is about 250 meters (273 yards). Beyond that range, the {Fireball} will have difficulty tracing the target. Cluster Similar to how theScatter Shotis formed, after it is shot, the {Fireball}s within that scatters also explodes and blows up anything and everything to become an effective area attack. Max Giant Increasing the size of a {Fireball} continuously. Comet Meteor A [Disaster-Level] Spell that drops a {Fireball} that is hundreds of meters in diameter at a rate of a few kilometers per second. Molecular Minima A {Fireball} so small that it cannot be seen by the naked eye. <<<<>>>> Next-Tier Spells. Rotating Acceleration Placing a {Fireball} inside a Magic Power Furnace and accelerating it to the speed of light before firing. It creates a [Epic-Scale] Class Spell. Lightning Fire Creating molecular sized {Fireball}s that creates friction with the other molecules surrounding them that causes a negative electro-magnetic pull that attracts a lightning bolt with a positive electro-magnetic energy. Complete Incineration : Full Burst Creates a singularity that formed the universe. Chapter 69: The Transfer Student and the Wizard Elenoir: Hey, Igni. Igni: Yes. Elenoir: Theres a transfer student coming in Igni: Transfer Student? That morning, as the Homeroom Class was about the end, the teacher, Ms. Elenoir, called Igni over to deliver this information, and Igni tilted his head in wonder. Igni: A transfer student.so a student from another Wizard Academy? Rolmod is not the only Wizard Academy. There are numerous other Wizard Academies in other districts and other countries. Elenoir: Nope. Its not like that......its an Elf thats coming. Igni: Elf? Elenoir: I was so shocked when I got the news I never thought the Elves would ask us if we would accept a transfer student...it all just happened all of a sudden Igni: I thought the Elves disliked Humans? Igni tilts his head again. Elenoir: Thats right But apparently, they have a better opinion of us since the Quest you handled, Igni Igni: Really? Elenoir: So they came to us to ask if they can send a student to take classes at Rolmod Wizard Academy Igni, you must have done an outstanding job Good for you Igni: Thank you so much. Igni receives the compliment from Elenoir with a smile. Igni: So when is the Elf Transfer Student coming? Elenoir: Its supposed to be tomorrow officially But the student already arrived Igni: I see. So Igni: (From tomorrow?) Igni: (Then why was I called now?) Elenoir: So thats why I wanted to see if you can show the student around the campus. Its just for today Igni: An Elf Studentcorrect? Elenoir: Thats right Igni: Of course, Ill accept! He gets to skip class and hang around with an Elf Student. Theres no way Igni can refuse an opportunity like that. Of course! Because Elves can only give birth to females..! The Guide to Popularity No. 2 `` Women love a man who takes charge!! Igni: (This is an opportunity.!) Igni: (An enormous opportunity..!!) Elenoir: Then let me introduce her to you Miss Lilly, can you come in? Igni: ........hm? Igni was wondering about the familiar name when..Lilly appeared from the next room. Igni: Lilly! Lilly: Its been a while, Igni. Before Igni knew it, he was already walking over to her. Igni: You look well. You had me worried when I couldnt say goodbye to you. Lilly: I wasnt worried at all though. Lilly still has a pointy personality to save face. Igni: (Shes too naive..!) If it was Igni from before, that would have chopped his heart down from the base. But now, Igni understands Lilly better. Yes, Lilly is a Tsundere. Igni: But I was worried. And with that, Igni takes Lillys hand. Elenoir: Oh my Lillys face turned bright red and fell silent. Elenoir: Im so glad Looks like you two already get along so well. Okay, Igni. Im leaving her under your care. With that last bit from Elenoir, Igni takes Lillys hands and leaves the school premise. Igni: Lilly, this way. Lilly: ........okay... Lilly responds in a cute voice and follows behind Igni. Everything shes doing is so cute right now. Igni: Why did you become a transfer student? Lilly: .........to expand my knowledge of other societies. Igni: Thats amazing. Youre such a hard worker. And Igni smiles at her. Just with that, Lilly feels her heart begin to flutter. Lilly: (Wh`Whats up with him..sheesh..) Lilly was trying to give off the adult-aura like Lura and Kurara to impress Igni but was confused instead. Lilly: (Does he not know that Im older?!) And though her internal voice is very direct and authoritative.her words seem to fail her when shes in front of Igni. Igni: Lilly, so this is the Battle Simulation Practice Field. Lilly: Battle Simulation.? Do you fight here? Igni: Yup. Igni nods, and one of the students using the practice field see Igni and waves her hand. Igni waves back. Lilly: Wh`Who is that? Igni: Miss Frenda. Ummm..yeah, I fought with her during the Tournament. Lilly: I`Is that so Lilly seems a little discouraged. Lilly: I`Igni! Lets go to the next place! Igni: Then lets go to the Reinforced Gym next. Lilly: Reinforced Gym? Igni: Ummmmm..well.how do I explain this...Lilly, you know what Spell Geometry is, right? Lilly: Yes. Its the study of creating Spell Inscriptions, correct? Igni: Yes, thats right. So you do those kinds of things, or when youre taking special courses like Alchemy, youll use the Reinforced Gym.its so that even if something explodes, it can withstand the impact. Lilly: E`explodes.? And they walk down the hallway as they speak. As they walk, they walk past a few classrooms, and Igni saw Miru in one of the classes. She notices Igni and waves a hand in his direction, and Igni waves back. Lilly: Who is she? Igni: President of the Student Council. Im currently a temp member there. Lilly: Hmph.. Lilly lets out a gruff breath of dissatisfaction. Lilly: Igni, you have way too many female acquaintances! Igni: This school has a lot of girls in general. But youre still special to me, Lilly. Lilly: Wh`What are you saying all of a sudden?! Igni: But didnt you do all those things for me back then? Lilly: I`Its not fair to bring that up thats A Guide to Popularity No. 1 `` Treat all women as special. Lilly could not keep her face from blushing as her initial plan with Igni crumbled from its foundation...she couldnt get angry at him and only felt embarrassment. <<<<>>>> On the edge of the far east. There is a place called the [Farthest East] where between the [Demon Kings Realm] and the [Main Continent], there is an island country of Ninjas and Samurais. So here you were, Abyss. The country is composed of several dozen islands and on the edge of that country was an uninhabited island. And inside one man-made structure, there were two shadows. Over here, they call me Kuroudo. Can you call me by that name, Lucas? One is Lucas. And facing him is Abyss. The [Endless Depths] Abyss. ``It is the [Extreme] of [Darkness]. Lucas: Youve made me look everywhere. I didnt think that you would be here though. Abyss: I guess I should be proud that Im so famous now - so famous that one of the [Strongest] Extremes, Mr. [Extreme] of [Light] spends his days looking for me, huh? Lucas: You have 10 countries posting Wanted Notices for you. Ill need you to come with me. Abyss: And you think that I wouldnt know this because..? Lucas: Because I do not want to do anything too rash. Lucas quietly speaks. Abyss: Idiot! This is my [Territory]. The one who fell into a trap is you, old geezer!! As soon as he yells, the ground beneath Lucas feet turn gloopy and ropes made from darkness itself wraps around Lucas arms! Abyss: Die!! [Those who crawl and suffer, DEVOUR HIM]! From the gloopy ground, countless teeth appear and bite onto Lucas lower body! Lucas: I told you...I do not want to do anything rash But Lucas is unaffected. Just then, Abyss notices.that the lower half of Lucas body is broken down on a molecular level. Abyss: .....HA! Youre insane as always! Lucas: Surrender, Abyss. Abyss: Its you who should be surrendering, Lucas! [Those who crawl out, CAPTURE HIM]!! (sfx rope) A dark mass in the shape of a serpent ties up the rest of Lucas body. Lucas: [Divide]. One word. With that one word, with absolute authority, all the darkness surrounding him disperses! Lucas: You wont need your legs. Abyss: Shut up! Lucas: [Penetrate] Abyss tries to jump back to evade but both his legs blow up . Abyss: ...........ARGH!! [Darkness, swallow my body.. Lucas: [Disperse] A sudden enormous light appears and wipes away all shadows surrounding them!! Abyss: ............... All that was left was a charred, smoking human-like body. Lucas: Well, you wont die just from that. With that, Lucas leaves the object that used to be Abyss and looks around the [Workshop]. There, he saw a blackboard with [Celestial Globe] and countless calculations scribbled everywhere. Lucas: ........a study of forbidden Spells. Space-related applications.is this...Dimension-related? As he looks around, Lucas locates a written report and glances his eyes through the document. Lucas: This Lucas draws in a deep breath. Its no ordinary forbidden Spell. It has taken all the systematized forbidden Spells to create a hole in the dimension. Abyss: ..............its to call forth the Angels` The burnt corpse of Abyss suddenly screams out loud. Lucas: (How did he avoid my attack?) There, an uninjured Abyss stood back in his original form. Abyss: Lets go, you old geezer! Its Round 2!! Lucas: .......I said I didnt want to do anything rash That day, 3 islands disappeared off the maps. Chapter 70: The Crystal and the Wizard Igni: Ms. Mila. I had something I wanted to discuss with you. Mila: The answer is no Igni: Huh?! It was the afternoon. After finishing his patrol around the school ground for the Student Council, Igni headed to the Teachers offices to go find Mila. And he was immediately denied his request within seconds. Mila: Im kidding So what did you want to talk about? Igni: I wanted you to take us to the [Demon Kings Realm]. Mila: Oh So you wanted to talk about that Milas expression darkens. It seems like she was already aware of the request. Igni: (How?) Mila: Well Little Lura and Kurara sent me a letter Igni: L`Little Lura? Igni: (Doesnt Ms. Lura look older?) But he immediately remembered that Mila was far senior in age. But even so, going by looks alone, Lura definitely looked older than Mila. Igni: (I guess it means that Elves grow and develop differently amongst each other..?) It seemed to be a likely possibility. Mila: She asked me if I could help take you to the [Demon Kings Realm Igni: .........will you not help us? Mila: Nope. Igni: Wh`Why..? Inside Ignis mind, he already had the perfect formula. Use Milas Spell to retrieve the [Demon King]s corpse and come right back. It was a flawless plan. Mila: Because I cant put my students in danger for no reason And with that Mila smiled as she spoke to Igni. Igni: (I`I guess.thats true..) Before, Mila agreed to help Igni because Alicia was in the middle of a crisis. If a Rolmod Wizard Academy school teacher faced off with an [Extreme], the repercussions would go beyond the school and become a political nightmare for the Kingdom, but if they say simply a student [went out of control], then they wouldnt be faced with such a big issue. Igni: (Is that what she was thinking last time?) Igni: But Ms. Mila, you know that I trained` Mila: `at the [Demon Kings Realm], right? Igni: ........y`yes Ignis conversation gets chopped down from the knees, and his shoulders sag in defeat. He really wanted to brag about it but now couldnt - the emotional shock and damage was tremendous. Mila: Igni, to put it bluntly from a teachers perspective, I dont see the need to go right this minute. Igni: .......ummm Igni groans as he searches for words. Igni: But.I cant allow the damage to continue spreading.. Mila: Hmmm.. Mila buckles down to think. Mila: Igni, in your mind what are the chances of success? Igni immediately responds to Milas question. Igni: 100% Mila: Wow Really? So confident Mila laughs out loud to Ignis answer. Mila: I see, I see...and who were you planning to go with? Igni: It would be Alicia and I - just the two of us. Alicia asked her sister Celia for the Magic Artifact...the tool that could seal the [Demon King]s Magic Power. Because it was delivered just the other day, Igni came to Mila for that reason today. Mila: Hmmmm Mila thinks deeply again. Mila: Then if you allow me to tag along, Ill help you out Igni: R`Really?! Mila: But, under one condition Igni: Condition? Mila; Yup. If anyone is in danger of dying, Im going to immediately take both of you back to school. Do we have a deal? Igni: Yes, thank you for your help! Igni nods with a huge smile on his face. Mila: Then come to school on the next break, okay And with that, on the day when school was not in session, Igni and Alicia headed to the teachers offices, but Mila wasnt there...on her desk was a piece of paper with [Come to the rooftop] written on it. Obeying those words, they head to the school rooftop, and Mila was working on a gigantic Magical Inscription there. Mila: Hey there Welcome Igni: Thank you for your help, Ms. Mila. Mila: Itll be done in just a second so wait right there And with that, Mila finishes the last portion of the circular inscription and , lets out a deep breath of relief. Mila: Final check is done! And Mila gestures for Igni and Alicia to come closer. Mila: Okay, you ready? Stand in the center of the Magic Inscription. Alicia, move a little more this way. Alicia: Y`Yes. Mila: Igni, come closer here. Igni: Arent we a little too cramped? Mila: With the space on the rooftop, this was the best I could do Maybe we should have used the practice field. As Mila comments, Igni and Alicia stand inside a small circle in close proximity. Mila: Igni, that wont do. If we go now, youll leave half your body behind. Alicia: Igni, dont worry about me. Come closer. Igni: I`Is that alright? Alicia: Yes! Cmon! The Guide to Popularity No. 4 `` Always be a gentleman. So Igni was trying to be mindful of the distance between him and Alicia, but Alicia pulls him close against her. Mila: Hey, Alicia. Can you hold onto Ignis arm tightly? Alicia: Wh`What?! Mila: Then, well finally fit nice inside the circle. Alicia: O`Okay, then Alicia grudgingly.but also forcefully grabs onto Ignis arms tightly. Igni: (Shes so soft.!) Although this guy may be heading to his death..Ignis head is filled with completely unrelated thoughts and. Igni: (She smells so good.) A tangerine-smelling perfume tickles Ignis nose. Mila: [Teleport] {Open} A faint light envelopes them, and the three disappear from the rooftop. Next, what tickled Ignis nose was not the tangerine scent..but the smell of . Igni: ........its been a while. About one month or so now.? When he came here with Alicia, they teleported to the desert, so the Magic Power was not as dense there as it is here. Mila: Igni, lets hurry Igni: Yes! Lets go!! Igni casts his [Equip Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} and flies into the sky. Behind him, Alicia has Mila sit behind her on her broom, and they fly after him. Alicia: The Magic Power here is so dense...I think its giving me a headache. Igni: If youre not careful, you can apparently develop an addiction to it. Alicia: Really? Igni: Grandpa told me that. The 3 of them teleported to the forest outside the [Demon Kings Castle]. If they were to try and walk through the forest itself, they would have gotten lost, but with flying methods on hand, they were able to head straight towards the [Demon Kings Castle]. Alicia: ..........Im starting to get nervous. Mila: Me too..... The word alien describes the castle almost too perfectly. The building didnt look man-made, and everything was randomly cluttered and twisted altogether. Alicia: The castle itself looks awful. Mila: Oh that I heard the [Demon Kings Army] built that up in 3 days. Back in those days, in this region..it was an empty, flat plain with absolutely nothing else here Mila retells the history of the Castle to Igni and Alicia. Igni: A flat plain Igni looks down below. The ground erupted and jutted out with random cliffs and hills and the Monsters in the forest fought with one another, and there was a continual sound of clashing and explosions somewhere. It was hard to believe that a terrain such as this was once a flat plain. Mila: The country that was in this area declared war on the [Demon Kings Army] But they lost after 1 month. The [Demon King] was a true Monster. There was no mistaking that fact. Mila: Were about to arrive. Lets land around here. As they reached the [Demon Kings Castle]s inner yard, Mila suggested that. But Igni halts that decision. Igni: .........Ms. Mila..the Magic Power.its flowing out from the castle. Mila: .........hm? Mila braces herself on Alicias shoulder and stands up on the broom. Mila: But the [Demon King]s grave is in the garden though. She informs Igni while using her keen Elvish eyesight but Igni: But the Magic Power is flooding out from.deeper inside the castle. Mila: .........thats true.. The 3 instinctively braced themselves. Alicia: Where...are we going to go to first, Igni? Igni: ......theres no guarantee that.the [Demon Kings Grave] in the garden is his real grave. Mila: Thats true.. Mila also agrees with Ignis assessment. Igni: Then lets first explore the [Demon Kings Castle]. Mila: Lets do that. With Ignis suggestion, the 3 of them enter the [Demon Kings Castle] from a window they found in its center. Mila: Hey, Igni?! What if there was someone inside?!? Igni: Ill take them out. Igni does not hesitate with his reply. Igni: Alicia, can you scout out the area? Alicia: Yes, leave it to me. Alicia calls for her wind and searches the area but.. Alicia: Theres no one here. Theres no Monsters...or any person.nothing. Igni: .........I see. The [Demon Kings Castle]. This was the home base of humanitys greatest nemesis, the [Demon King]. Igni was prepared for an intense fight and came prepared but. Igni: .......are you sure theres no one here? Alicia: Yes, no one. Igni leads the way. Mila guards the rear, and they carefully observe all of their surroundings.but there really isnt one Slime here. Igni: ........?! That! As Igni and his group walk inside the castle, they detect an incredibly dense source of Magic Power flowing from ahead. They quickly approach the area and there.. Igni: .........a girl? There was a girl who was asleep inside a gigantic Crystal. She looked to be about 10 years old. Her velvet-colored hair stretched down to her waist and had long eyelashes. Her milky white skin was covered by a simple dress. And as if time stopped for her, she was there. Igni: This.this is it.. Igni groans with anticipation. Igni: (.......its a Loli girl!!!) <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) Google says: Loli - Loli most often refers to: A childlike female character in Japanese anime and manga, particularly in the lolicon genre. Lolicon - Short for Loli complex. Its a derivative of different complexes such as the Oedipus Complex (infatuation/attachment with mother), Electra Complex (father), sis-con (sister) and bura-con (brother). Theres probably others, but those are the main ones. a.k.a. pedephile. Chapter 71: The Release and the Wizard Alicia: M`Ms. Mila... th`this is? Mila: I`I dont know. The [Demon King] is a man, and a fully grown adult as well Mila sounds equally confused as Alicia breaks out the question. Before them is a girl. And the is overflowing out of her.?! Alicia: Th`Then....shes not the [Demon King] then.? Mila: Th`That should be.the case.but. Mila wavers between her words. She has lived for 250 years. She is a living witness who saw and survived the Great War between the [Demon King] and humanity. Mila: . But...she is similar to him Alicia: Ms. Mila...but...Magic Power is pouring out of her.... Mila: Yes, I can see that. In the midst of Magic Power so dense that breathing would be difficult, Igni quietly watches the girl who sleeps inside the Crystal. Igni: (.........this girl..how old is she..?) Although this kind of approach to this situation may seem very academic, he is not thinking on such a high or noble level. Igni: (........shes so cute.) Because fundamentally, this is the root of all his thoughts. Igni: (......wait, this feels familiar..didnt something like this happen before.?) Igni tilts his head. <<<<>>>> [Grandpa! That girls cute!] [Okay, okay, Igni. You dont have to tell me every single time.] [But Grandpa! I cant help it if I see a cute girl!] [The girls you call cute are all the same age as you, so even if you tell me.... This was when Igni and his Grandpa went to town to go shopping. [Grandpa, Im worried.] [Oye, what about?] [I...I may be a Lolicon] Igni said this with a grim look on his face. [UGGHHHHHH! A FIST?! YOU COULD HAVE WARNED ME!] [STOP BEING SO NAIVE!!!] [...............?!?!?] [Even though youre so young, you think you can be a Lolicon?! Dont be such a fool!! [...........! Wh`What do you mean?! Is that anything to punch someone about?! [Of course it is! Igni! What did you just say just now?] [I`I said I may be a Lolicon..!] [OWWWHHHHH.!!] The second punch sent Igni to his knees. [You are still in the early teens! How could you be a Lolicon!! Falling in love with someone the same age as you is ! And you thought you would look cool by saying so..!] [Th`Thats!] [Stop being so conceited!! The path of a Lolicon...is a dangerous one..! If you say it out loud, you will be exterminated by the pressures of society..! You must conceal it! You must go undercover.and you must live.!! That is the only way!!] [...........!!] [Do you think you can withstand it, Igni!! An excruciating, long suffering that...so much so that it would make that year of you not being able to use Spells .......!] [I.I..!!] [You have..no comrades..! The fear that you may be alone in this world! The loneliness.! But because of that..it is the highest of aspirations!!] [Th`the highest aspiration.?!] [Igni...do you believe that you can climb up...that you can reach these heights..?] [.........G`Grandpa! I..Ill do my best!! Ill show you that I can climb to the highest point!!] [Hmph. Im certain that as you grow older, youll come to understand.] [.........r`really?] [Youll one day be stirred.by the desire to protect] <<<<>>>> .s`so this is what he meant..! Its true. What I was thinking of was cute was not at all a Lolicons feelings. Because they were my same age! Thinking they are cute.is what anyone else would feel! But its not enough! Its not enough at all.!! Do I want to protect this girl.?! Are my inner, deepest desires to protect someone being stirred by her.?! Its only those who understand.who can reach the heights..!! But you cannot let anyone know of your thoughts As soon as your thoughts are known, all that awaits is.death! You would be excommunicated by society completely..! Alicia: I`Igni..? Whats wrong..?? Igni: Oh..I was just thinking about what I should do next Alicia: R`Really? Because you had a really scary expression on your face.. Even Alicia was unable to read Ignis thoughts just now and gave a concerned look his way. Igni: Well..well have to do something about this Crystal. Alicia: Thats true. We cant even place her in the [coffin] like this And with that, Alicia brings out the Magical Artifact, a small black box, and pours Magic Power into it. With a , the black box suddenly increases in size from a box that was on her palm to a [coffin] big enough to fit a full grown man. This is the consummate product of the Empires tireless research and technology - a Magic Artifact that would be able to seal the [Demon King]s Magic Power. But the Crystal is too large and would never fit inside the coffin. Alicia: If we can fit the inside the coffin, we can seal off the Magic Power. Igni: Its amazing technology. Alicia: The Empires Research Division is indeed a cut above the rest. Alicia puffs out her chest with pride. Igni: (I got to see something amazing.wait, theres no time for that.) Igni: Ms. Mila, are you able to tell what Spell this is? Mila: Hmmmm Mila walks right up to the Crystal and examines it inches away from her nose and stares intently into it. Mila: Hmmmm, at a glance, it feels something closer to a [Earth] Type Seal Spell. But..theres a few Spells inside that Ive never seen before. I wonder what this is. Igni: A Seal Spell.so this girl is being sealed here? Mila: Hmmmmm.Im not sure Mila circles around the Crystal several times as she dissects and analyzes the Spell. Mila: If I were to guess, this is closer to a Protection Spell. Mila tilts her head to think. Igni: Protection? Mila: Yeah. A strong Seal is not just strong on the inside, but its also strong on the outside to be able to withstand attacks. If they dont do that, then anyone can destroy it from the outside with a spell and that wouldnt be good Igni: I see. Mila: Well talk about this at the end of the 1st Year curriculum, so this is a good review for you. Oh...theres going to be a class about this.. Igni and Alicia synchronize and think the exact same thought. Mila: But as far as I can see..the inside is.not that much, but its incredibly well built to handle almost any Spell from the outside. Breaking this Seal would be a pain Igni: How can we break it? Mila: Hmmm..we can decipher the Seal Spell and undo it or...brute force it maybe? Igni: Brute force? Mila: Yup. Even Seal Spells arent perfect defensive mechanisms so if you dish out more Spells than it can handle, it will break An idea sparked inside of Ignis mind with Milas words. Igni: Great. Then Ill do it. Mila: Youre going to brute force it? Igni: Yes! Mila: .....a`are you going to be okay? Igni: Ms. Mila, theres no one who can use the {Fireball} like I can! Mila: Well, it cant hurt to try. Go for it, Igni! Igni cant use a {Fireball} with too much fire power. Thats because he might kill the girl inside if he did. Although its hard to tell if this girl is alive or dead...if she was dead, they wouldnt have sealed her with this much caution. Then, its more probable that shes alive. If he uses a {Fireball} with high fire power, he might accidentally crush the Crystal and the girl inside at the same time and kill her. Thats why. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : [Molecular Minima] He uses a tiny {Fireball} and Igni: [Colony Creation] {Generate}! He begins creating countless molecular-sized {Fireballs}. He slowly carves away at the perimeter of the Crystal, and in this way, he will overpower and destroy the Seal Spell with brute force! Each tiny {Fireball} cannot destroy the Crystal on its own, but if he uses enough to surround the entire thing, then he has enough power to overwhelm the Seal Spell structure! Igni began chiseling away at the Seal Spell and a few dozen seconds later...a giant crack appeared on the Crystal. Mila: Igni! Igni: Yes! As soon as Igni erases all the {Fireballs}... With the sound of glass breaking, the girl inside the Crystal was released and fell towards the grounds. Igni: ..........!! Igni slides in and.catches her. Her long, purple hair tickles Ignis arms. Alicia: How is she, Igni?! Is she alive?!?! With Alicias words, Igni immediately checks if the girl is breathing. Igni: ......shes alive The girls chest rises and falls and she breathes. Igni: (..........wh`who is this girl..?) Igni falls silent as he holds the girl in his arms. And without a doubt, all of the Magic Power.was overflowing out of this girl. Chapter 72: Protect the Girl! With the girl before their eyes, Igni and his group stood there until Alicia broke the silence. Alicia: L`Lets go ahead and put her in the [Coffin] for now. Igni: Y`Yeah Both Igni and Alicias movements were awkward with uncertainty as they placed the girls body inside the black coffin. As soon as she was inside, the density of the Magic Power surrounding them lessened drastically, and it was easier to breathe. Sensing that, the three understood now without a doubt. Igni: ..........so she really was the Magic Power source of the [Demon Kings Realm]... This girl was the source of all the calamity and chaos. Alicia: Im going to close it. Alicia closes the coffin. Moments later, the Magic Power that was flooding the area began to diminish. Actually, it wasnt diminishing. It was just that the source of the Magic Power was sealed so the Magic Power level of the room stopped and remained stagnant. Alicia: Wh`What are we going to do, Igni? Igni: .........give me a little time to think In Ignis plans, the source of the Magic Power was supposed to be the [Demon King]s corpse. Thats why after they recovered the body, they were going to hand over the corpse to the Empires Research Division to dispose of it. Alicia agreed that they would accept it , so there shouldnt have been any problems...at least, thats how it was supposed to go. Mila: Igni, Alicia, the Rolmod Wizard Academy will take her in and protect her for now. It was the first time Mila spoke in a solemn, serious tone. Igni: Take her.to the school..? Mila: This girl is not the Demon King. Theres no need to kill her..but the fact of the matter is, the [Demon King]s Magic Power is overflowing out of her body. We cannot just take her anywhere, right? But...if the girl is a victim of the [Great War], then we have a duty to protect her. Dont you think? Igni: Protect her at the school..will it really be possible? Mila: Of course it is! Put some faith in your teachers. Besides..I need to ask her how she ended up this way. Igni: Thats true...just leaving things as they are..theres just too many unanswered questions at this point. The [Demon King] died. Everyone knows that. And it was also well known that the [Demon Kings Realm]s absurdly high and dense Magic Power was due to the [Demon King] as well. But in reality Mila: Well, anyways, lets go back for now. Igni: Yes. Igni picks up the coffin on his shoulders and. Mila: [Teleport] {Open} Mila opens the way back home. She must have incorporated a return [Path] into the Magic Inscription that sent them to the [Demon Kings Realm]. Everything goes white before Igni and his groups eyes and..before they knew what happened, they stood on top of the Rolmod Wizard Academys rooftop. Mila: For now, just follow me. Mila immediately begins to walk ahead. Igni and Alicia look at one another...and then follow after Mila. Mila: The Rolmod Wizard Academy was originally a Research Facility to study [Magic]. As they go deeper and deeper, they head to the deepest room as Mila speaks to them. Mila: Because of that, here, the faculty here all study and research Spells as we teach students. Igni: I see... so thats why. Mila: Yeah. Well, anyone who knows the history of the school could have told you this. But if you think about it, why do you think we began researching [Magic] in the first place? Igni thinks for a moment before answering Milas question. Igni: Was it to fight other countries? .was his answer. Mila: Nope. Its not. But I do understand where youre coming from. Its true that the Kingdoms greatest enemy is all the countries surrounding it Mila laughs. Mila: But for those who survived the [Great War], the number one enemy of humanity...will always be the [Demon King]. Igni: .............. Mila: Thats why in order to oppose the [Demon King], we created and developed countless Spells as counter measures. Attack Spells, Defensive Spells and.Sealing Spells. They were in the farthest room, in the deepest part of the building. Students were prohibited from entering this section - but in that place, it was there. Mila: Well be able to go down using this. Alicia: Is this.an elevator? It was Alicia who spoke up now. Igni: (Huh.? Whats that?) Igni is the only one who doesnt know anything about it and tilts his head. Mila: Thats right. Alicia, youre very knowledgeable. Alicia: Yes, well, last year or the year before...we also built one at home. Mila: Thats right. I heard from somewhere that the Empires Castle also built one Without any explanation, Igni enters the elevator and Mila: Well be going down. A weird sensation overcame his body as they descended. Igni: WHOA! What is this?! Mila: Its an automated Magic Artifact that helps you ascend and descend freely. They made sure that it only responds to the schools faculties Magic Power though And the three descend deeper and deeper..to the underground of the Rolmod Wizard Academy. Mila: And this is just a continuation of what were talking about before..but in order to study [Magic], there was something that was absolutely necessary. Do you know what that is? Igni: In order to research.. Igni pauses to think once more and Igni: A place? Maybe? Mila: Thats right! In order to study something as unpredictable as [Magic], we needed a place where we could fire off the [Magic]!! Thats why we built a place underneath the Rolmod Wizard Academys deep beneath the ground. Youll see it soon. The elevator stops with a loud, mechanical , and the three reach the bottom. Mila: A room with the utmost and best anti-Magic Defense Walls! Igni: ........this is.. They arrived at a room that was completely scarlet in all directions. Alicia: [Crimson Crystals]........but...theres so much..! Alicias eyes widen as she realizes what the room is made of. Everything in the room from the floor to the ceiling was made from the ! Igni: [Crimson Crystal].....? You mean that [Crimson Crystal] which it is said to even withstand Dragons Breath..? That same crystal?? Mila: Thats right! Igni and Alicia, you both get high marks for knowing that! A single gram of it would be traded for several hundred gold pieces. It is a material that is that insanely expensive. If you just have a handful of it, you could sell it and live off the profits for the rest of your life. Igni: They..covered the entire room with it?! Mila: Isnt it amazing. In all of the world, this is the only room of its kind. Mila takes Ignis hand and beckons him to the center of the room. Mila: Okay, lets let her out of the coffin. Igni places the coffin he was carrying down and..opens the lid. (sfx sudden wind) An incredible amount of Magic Power of the [Demon Kings Realm] swirls and floods out into the room but.the [Crimson Crystals] counter and nullify the Magic Power. No.its not nullifying it. Its just completely sealing it in. Igni: Ms. Mila, shes still asleep. Mila: I see. Then well just have to wait till. But before Mila could finish her sentence, the girls eyes opened. .........!! Her eyes . Igni: (.........she has beautiful eyes.) An almost transparent, violet eyes. They gaze deeply into each others eyes. But as soon as she does, Igni saw something flicker mysteriously in hers. Igni: (......she has mysterious eyes. It feels the same as Grandpas [Assessment] in many ways. [`? {untranslated, original text meant to represent an unknown language} And the girl began to speak. 񿀥ÿy And she continued to speak in words that Igni couldnt understand. Igni: .......her words.. Mila: Oh, I may be able to understand. But as soon as Mila steps forward I With a , the girl jumps out of the coffin noisily and hides behind Ignis back. Mila: ......ummmmmm..? Mila tilts her head. In the confusion, Alicia also tried to step in but |U With that, she grabs and drags Ignis body to the wall of the room and retreats. Igni: ........M`Ms. Mila, Alicia..could you wait there for a moment? Alicia: Y`Yeah. Bewildered, the two just stand there with their heads tilted. Yes, the two wouldnt understand. But its not their fault either. But the hands that grabbed Ignis clothes were.shaking terribly in fear. Igni: (.......cmon me! You can do this! You can find a way to reassure her!!) And Igni pumps himself up with motivation. Igni: (Women loves men who can make them feel safe!!) Chapter 73: Those Who Protect, Those Who Hunt With Alicia and Mila sticking around, the girl remained terrified, so the two left, and Igni was with the girl alone. .................. But since then, the girl has not said anything. She held onto Ignis clothes and remained silent. Igni: What is your name? So Igni crouches down to her level to match her height, and as he smiled, he asked her for her name. N...ame..? The girl repeated Ignis words. Igni: Yes, a name. ? Igni: (Its no good. Shes not understanding what Im saying.) Igni points toward himself. Igni: Igni. And simply said that. Igni? Igni: Yes, Igni. Igni..! The girl points a finger at Igni. Igni nods to her words. And then the girl points to herself. Sara. ...is what she said. Igni: (That must be her name!) Igni understood her intentions almost immediately. This mans brain worked at incredible speeds more efficiently when it came to girls. Igni: Sara. Thats a nice name. Sara nodded her head, making her long hair shake gently. Igni: (Sara..its not a name Ive heard before.) But Igni engraves it into his brains permanent memory slot and Igni, is everything okay now A familiar voice echoed inside the room. Igni: Ms. Elenoir! Since Mila or Alicia couldnt come near, apparently, they sent Elenoir in their place. Sara flinched in surprise at the sight of Elenoir and immediately ran behind Igni to hide. Elenoir: So this is the girl that was in the [Demon Kings Realm]. Thats an amazing amount of Magic Power. Igni: Her name is Sara. Elenoir: Oh, you two are already getting along so well. Thats great Elenoir smiles at Igni. Seeing Elenoir being so relaxed and calm, Sara peeks her face out behind Igni to watch her. Elenoir: Shes so attached to you Igni: Its a good thing, no? Elenoir: Of course, its a good thing Elenoir tries to go towards Sara, but she remains hidden behind Igni. Elenoir: Shes a shy one, isnt she Igni: Yes she is. Elenoir: Hmm` well, we cant have you remain here forever..what should we do Igni: I think Alicia will be able to resolve that problem. Elenoir: ? Elenoir tilts her head as Igni continues his explanation. Igni: We have a Magic Artifact that can seal the [Demon Kings Realm]s Magic Power, so if we can change the shape of it so she could carry it around, shell be able to walk around normally. We just have to wait till that artifact is complete. Elenoir: From the Empire? I thought Alicia was in an awkward predicament with the government there. Will it really be okay? Igni: Sh`she said shell make it work... Alicia said she had plans on sealing the [Demon Kings Realm]s corruption from spreading any further and had the Research Division create a Magic Artifact for that purpose. Will she really be able to ask them to now revise it? In actuality, Alicias status should have risen when she brought out the girl who was the source of the issue out of the [Demon Kings Castle]. This is what Igni thought, but Alicias status did not just marginally improve. Humanity has suffered over a 100 years under the [Demon Kings Realm]s spread of corrupted Magic Power, and they completely stopped it. Igni didnt know at this time, but a few days from now, every country on the continent will realize this fact. The news will be written down in history, and Ignis groups names will be documented in textbooks.but thats another story for another time. Elenoir: Ummmmmmm, Igni? This is kind of important but Igni: Yes. Elenoir: The Rolmod Wizard Academy will place that girl under its protection...and also under surveillance And for the surveillance, I will be the main supervisor and under me, Igni, youll be working for me now Igni: Under..surveillance, you say? But with Ignis words, Elenoir quickly shook her head. Elenoir: Oh, well, its not like that. I dont mean surveillance in the strict manner, but...what I mean is that..its a surveillance to keep the girl protected Igni: To keep her protected.. Igni repeats and mumbles the words to himself. The next moment, because a girl is involved, his brain goes into full gear as he crunches through the facts and starts spitting out answers. Igni: If Sara gets abducted, she can be used as a weapon...is that correct? Sara just has to be there, and the surrounding area will be eaten away by the Corrupted Magic Power, so you can just leave her inside a major city, and it could be destroyed. Elenoir: Yup, amazingly intelligent as always, Igni. You get a gold star And Elenoir lazily and slowly applauds Ignis answer. Elenoir: Since you protected Alicia from an [Extreme] we believe you could protect this girl too And Ms. Mila and I both came to the same conclusion Igni: I see. Thats why you chose me Elenoir: Yup Igni: .......what do I have to do? Elenoir: No matter what this girl really is..if shes a child, then she should be allowed to live freely This is all of the faculties unified opinion If Alicia is able to bring back that Magic Artifact, we want to to be able to live freely and safely here. Igni: M`Ms. Elenoir.! Igni felt the tears well up at the kind heartedness of every teacher here at the Rolmod Wizard Academy. And compared to them, his father is.!! Elenoir: So Igni Until shes released from the schools surveillance...I want you to protect her Oh, and I am responsible for both of you, so you can come to me any time if you have any problems. Okay? Igni: Yes! You can leave it to me!! Although Igni is overly excited Sara: ................. Sara looked up at him with concern in her eyes. Igni: Its going to be okay. And Igni smiled at her gently. <<<<>>>> On the farthest, most farthest realms of the east There is an Island Nation of Samurais and Ninjas. But just the other day.due to a , 3 of its islands were now sunk deep into the ocean. And there is one man who is currently riding an ocean current that passes by that island. Lucas.that bastard..he really did me in this time. The mans name is Abyss. He is Abyss, the [Endless Depths]. He is the man who has peeked into the deepest realms of Spells. Abyss: Because of that, I cant even move now..his title of [Strongest One Man Army] wasnt a joke.. He is currently riding on an ocean current that will take him to the [Demon Kings Realm]. As an [Extreme], the [Demon Kings Realm] is like any other place. If he can escape there, he will be able to recuperate and gather his strength. Abyss: I lost 1025 servants and 67 Doppelgangers...that was huge...dangit.I wont forget this, Lucas Abyss continues to spew his curses and threats as he floats over the ocean. Even though they are both [Extreme]s, Lucas holds the highest combat power as a solo fighter, and against such a man, a mere researcher like himself would be no match. Abyss: Well, that doesnt matter now. If I can make an Angel fall, then thats checkmate. I win. He continues to grumble and mumble to himself continuously and Abyss body nears the [Demon Kings Realm] and. Abyss: What? He noticed that something changed. Something wasnt right. Abyss: ........the Magic Power is thinner. The corruption stopped spreading. He continues to analyze the air in the atmosphere and comes to a conclusion. Abyss: Someone got a hold of the [corpse].......? Who? Which idiot did this? But a smile creeps across Abyss face. Abyss: Is it the Anthem Kingdom? The Esmeralda Empire? Or the Elves Alilimenia? Or maybe the most unexpected Dwarves snatched it? Hehehe. No matter who my opponent is, this will be a fun battle. Abyss narrows the possibility down to 4 countries. One of the four recovered the [corpse]. The strongest Kingdom of Anthem with 2 [Extreme]s. The Esmeralda Empire that has continued to expand its territory and influence up until today. The Country of Alilimenia that centers around an [Extreme] and the best Wizards. Or the [Baldur Machine Country], the country of Dwarves, who is trying to artificially replicate the [Demon King]s power. Abyss: If it comes down to it, Ill just make Angels fall on all of them. People are drawn to those with significant power. As there are fervent fans for all the [Extreme]s, As Lucas said, Women love strong men, Strength can make people go insane. Abyss: Ahhhhhhh..just watch, you idiots That is why, Abyss was also drawn to it. Abyss: The next [Demon King] ``will be me. He was drawn to the [Demon King]s power. Chapter 74: A New Club Member! Miko: WHAT?! Igni! Who is that girl?! Igni: Her name is Sara. Shes the one the school took in to protect. Miko: The school? Ohhhh, yeah, I remember Ms. Elenoir saying something about that. After school, as they enter the Student Councils meeting room, Miss Miko immediately points a finger at Sara and calls her out. Igni: It seems like shes really attached to me. Miko: Huh` I didnt think youre a guy that kids would like` Igni: Hey, Miss Miko. Youre being a little rude. Miko: Haha. Miko laughs. Miko: So, why IS she so attached to you, huh? Miko looks again at Sara who is hiding behind Igni. Igni: Shes really shy. I think shes embarrassed because its the first time meeting you. Miko: Really? Well, kids dont like me much anyways. Pshh, lies. Miko loves kids, and shes good at taking care of them. Student Council President, Miru, was doing paperwork at her desk next to Miko and interjects her comment in our conversation. Igni: Is that true, Miss Miko? Miko: Ohhh, well, I grew up in an orphanage so.. Miru: Why would you lie about that, Miko? The way President Miru is tilting her head is so cute.... Miko: Cmon..if I didnt say so, wouldnt that be discouraging to Igni? Miru: Ohhhh, is that what you were worried about? How cute` And the way President Miru is smiling is cute too. And the way Miko is blushing bright red is also very cute. Miko: So, how long are you going to look after her? Igni: That hasnt been decided yet. Sara is a child who doesnt have any relatives, but theyre not going to take her to an orphanage. Thats because... Miko: A bracelet? Wow, thats a pretty wicked bracelet you got there. Igni: Oh, yes, thats a Magic Artifact. Please dont touch it. Miko: Hmm? Does it have something to do with her health? Igni: Yes, that about sums it up." Without this Magic Artifact bracelet from the Empire, shes not able to even walk outside. Miko: What kind of Magic Artifact is it? Igni: It helps control her Magic Power..or something like that. Sara has a condition that makes it easier for Magic Power to flow out of her body. Miko: Ohhhh.what was that called? I heard of people with that condition before. Igni: Yes, so this bracelet is part of her treatment. And Igni explained to Miko the cover story that Elenoir made for Sara. According to the story, Sara has a condition that makes it difficult for her to control the flow of Magic out of her. In order to study that illness and to help treat her, Sara was brought to this school and is being protected. Shes attached to Igni, so right now, she is taking a tour of the school with him and will be allowed to follow him around to a certain degree. Sara: ............. Sara hides behind Igni and observes Miko and Miru. And...she also looks at the Valia in the corner of the Student Council Room wrapped up in her bandages. Sara: Wha is your name.? And with a shaky voice, Sara asks the two a question. Miko: My name? Im Miko! Miru: And Im Miru. Nice to meet you. Sara bows her head politely. Mira, who heard Sara speak a little, told me that she was speaking a language that existed <100 years ago> in a country in the north. This was one of the countries that was erased because of the [Demon King]. How can Sara speak that language? Why was she trapped in that Crystal? Even if they wanted to, there are very few people who know the language Sara speaks. So they decided that Sara could try learning the common language of today. But its only been a few days, and there arent many languages out there that you can master in one day. Right now, she is starting with the preschool materials and learning the basics. Miko: Oh, Igni, did you know that we have a new temp member interested in joining the Student Council? Igni: A temporary member? Someone other than Yoori and myself? Miko: Yeah, yeah. It was Valia who recruited them. Wrapped up in bandages from head to toe, she senses Igni looking her way and gestures a peace sign to him. Igni still has no clue to the character or personality of Miss Valia. Her silhouette barely tells him that shes a woman but thats about it. Igni: Who is it? Miko: They should be arriving shortly. S`Sorry for being late! Is the Student Council Room here?! And the new member came into the room. Igni: L`Lilly?! Lilly: Igni! Yoori: Oh, Im here too. Yoori also helped Lilly get to the Student Council Meeting Room and walked in behind her. Igni: Wait?! So the new temp member is?! Miru: The Exchange Student from the Elven Country, Lilly! President Miru stopped writing for a moment to make the announcement. Valia lazily applauds in the back with a slow . Igni: Lilly, youre joining the Student Council too?! Lets work hard together. Lilly: O`Of course! Lilly puffs out her chest with confidence. Miru: Then today, could Igni and Lilly patrol the grounds today together? Yoori: Um...what about me? Miru: Yoori, youll be combat training with Miko. The members of the Student Council has to be strong. Yoori: Y`Yes maam.. Yooris face turned pale at the mention, but to be fair, his Spells are not meant for combat in the first place. So with that, Lilly, Igni, and Sara all head out on patrol together. Lilly: Igni, Sara hasnt even once looked in my direction! And as soon as the patrol begins, so does the complaints. Igni: Well, she is shy. Lilly: But isnt that strange?! She was smiling at Iris and Yoori! Even Edward too! And Lilly seems pretty disgruntled at the situation. Igni: (I wonder if she likes kids?) Igni: H`Hey, dont get so riled up. Maybe its because its so rare to run into an Elf? Maybe? Lilly: Rare...well, now that you say that. Igni: When she met Ms. Mila, she was pretty scared of her too, so maybe thats it Sara had clung to Ignis leg, and hit her face against Igni. Igni gently picked Sara up in his arms. .............uh Being tickled a little, Sara laughs. The students in the hallway see Igni holding a child, but they pass by without noticing. At this Wizard Academy, its not uncommon to see people with kids in the after school hours. Igni: Oh yeah, Lilly, did you hear what we do on these patrols? Lilly: N`No, I havent heard anything Igni: When we patrol the grounds, we take care of things that may.get out of hand at Club Meetings, and we intervene to mitigate any damages. Lilly: Get out of hand.? Isnt this a school? Do you really think things like that will happen all the time? And the way Lilly answered and tilted her head was the exact same as Igni just a few days ago. Igni: No, things will get out of hand. Pay a special close attention to the Biology Research Club, the Spell Pharmacy Club, the Golem Development Society, and..oh and the Summoning Club...there are others, but these are the main ones. And suddenly an impact like a lightning strike comes from the Practice Field. Igni: Thats probably one of the School Clubs I mentioned just now. Lilly: What the?! Arent you a little too quick to recover from that?! Am I the only one who was startled?!?! Lilly screams a shout of surprise with tears welled up in her eyes. Igni: Dont worry. Youll get used to it. Igni, Lilly, and Sara head towards the Practice Field. Sara was also equally startled and clung onto Igni tighter than usual. Igni: Lilly, whats your preferred combat style? Lilly: Close-Range Combat! Igni: Got it. Then Ill leave this to you. As they discussed the next steps, a girl with a huge smile on her face ran up to them. Sorry! It didnt go as planned! Igni: Understood. Igni: (I think that was one of the members of the Golem Research Society). Lilly: Hey?! Why is she smiling so happily after an experiment went wrong?! Igni: I dont understand either. A man who rejects anything will not be popular so Igni accepts all results. There is one Golem that is trashing the Practice Field. There was a huge landing sound, so looking towards the Special Tower, there were signs that it busted through the walls. Its likely that the Golem punched through the walls of the Golem Research Society room, and landed in the Practice Field. Lilly: Igni, leave this one to me. Igni: A`Are you going to be okay? Lilly: Ill show you what I can do. And with that, Lilly draws a short sword. And kicked the ground Lilly: [Push them away, Protero]! And a second later, an explosive wind blows from behind and pushes Lilly forward! And with the wind behind her back, she strikes straight through the Golems core!! Igni: (........I can.I can almost.) The wind blows wildly making Lillys skirt flies everywhere. Lilly: Hehe. How was that? I was amazing, wasnt I?! Igni: (..........I saw it.!!) With the Golem crumbling behind her Lilly had a huge smile on her face. And Igni was overjoyed. Chapter 75: The Training Camp and the Wizard Elenoir: Everyone Next week is almost upon us, so I need to tell you something Elenoirs relaxed voice echoes across the Homeroom classroom. Elenoir: Next week, we have the 2 days, 3 nights Outdoor Training Camp Igni: .........Training Camp? TRAINING CAMP?! Something inside Igni stirs excitedly. Originally, he came to school to enjoy the company of many girls here at this school. But on the contrary, he is ending up fighting [Extremes] and was saving [Saints] instead. Hes sure that these activities will contribute to his overall [Popularity] but...he.wanted something a little more cheerful and school event-like. As he thought about these things, an opportunity like this came up. Elenoir: So when we say Outdoor Training Camp` well be going to the Capitals edge to the forest of Frontel. Well have you survive in the wilderness Igni: (.wait..what?) Igni tilts his head as his image of a Training Camp was suddenly shifted and changed. Elenoir: The goal of the Outdoor Training Camp is to stay alive. And also, well give out Quests.if you complete the Quests, Ill give you extra credit Elenoir smiled as she spoke. Yoori: S`Survival.meaning..itll be dangerous? Yoori, who was sitting next to Igni, whispered quietly to him. And right now, before Yoori was sitting directly next to Igni, but now Sara sat in between Yoori and Igni. During class, Sara would sit next to Igni and was studying the common language alphabet on her own. She was being a very studious, good girl. Igni: Its probably...dangerous? I dont know much about the Frontel Forest though. At the very least, it would be safer than the [Demon Kings Realm] in Ignis imagination. Elenoir: So I want everyone to gather into groups of 6 With Lilly now, we should have just the right number to divide into 5 groups, right? Igni: (Were dividing into groups!!) Ignis excitement was escalating even further. Igni: (Theres only 5 guys in the class..! Igni: (That would be me, Edward, Edwards Minion A, Edwards Minion B...and I almost forgot Yoori who really shouldnt be in this category!!) And there are 25 girls remaining.!! The Rolmod Wizard Academy can be mistaken for an [All Girls School] because many adept Wizards are typically female...and thus, the majority of students here are female..! Ignis thoughts are now revving at high speed. If Ms. Elenoir wants to divide the male : female ratio evenly, that means all 5 boys will be divided into their own groups. Igni: (That means out of a group of 6, there will be 5 girls and Ill be the only guy!!) Igni: (I...won.!!) Elenoir: Okay, everyone Go ahead and choose your own groups When Ms. Elenoir said that Yoori: I`Igni, do you want to be in the same group? Yoori immediately turned to Igni to ask. Igni: Y`Yeah.thats fine. Igni couldnt refuse the request of his friend so Igni acknowledges. Alicia: Then lets form a group together. Iris: Please let me in your group as well, Sir Igni!! And with that, Alicia and Iris joined Ignis group. Lilly: Um...c`can I.join your group.too? And speaking a little like Kurara, Lilly also entered the group. In a flash, 4 seats were already taken, and Igni was hoping for a girl to fill the last seat when. Edward: H`Hey! If you need one more member, I can join you guys too! Igni: Huh? Edward...!?! Edward came over. Its true that hes a decent guy. Hes a decent guy..but this isnt the time!! Igni: (This isnt the right time, Edward.!!) Edward: I`If you dont want me to, I wont but.. Hey! Sir Edward is worried because your group doesnt have a Healer! Thats right! If youre going to survive in the wilderness, youll definitely need a Healer! And Edwards Minions let Igni know the situation. Igni: (Th`Thats true...that does make sense..) And Igni groans as he considers this. Yoori: Th`Then why not let Edward in the group, Igni? And Yoori asks permission to allow Edward into the group. Igni lacks a strong, compelling reason to refuse Edward here. In the end, the worst of it is that Igni will feel a little disappointment for not being able to group up with more girls. And besides that, Edward is a Healer. He is a key resource Igni needs on his team. Igni: Th`Then.yeah, could we.ask for you help, Edward..? And the last member of the group was Edward. Out of the 5 guys in the same class, 3 were now in a single group at the end. Unbeknownst to those around him, Ignis excitement hit rock bottom. <<<<>>>> One week passed. Far away from the Rolmod Wizard Academy is the Frontel Forest. This is a traditional Wilderness Survival Training Camp that the Rolmod Wizard Academy 1st Years attend every year. Unlike other forests, what draws the eyes in the Frontel Forest is the existence of the giant trees. Humongous trees that stand over 50 meters (164 ft) stand scattered all over the area. Elenoir: Everyone do you have your Quest Scroll? You will see Quests appear on there occassionally If you can, take the time to accomplish those Okay, all the teachers will come pick you up in 3 days.good luck With that, Ms. Elenoir left on a horse carriage. Igni: I thought all the 1st Years would be here doing the Wilderness Survival together, but its just Class-D, huh. Igni comments as he looks around. Alicia: Class A through C already finished theirs, right? Well, Im glad. I think itll be easier with less people around. Igni: True. With too many people, there might be more fights amongst ourselves. Igni and Alicia speak as Igni carries Sara over an area where the giant trees roots rise up from the ground. Alicia: Hey, Igni. Was it okay to bring her here? Sara is walking with Igni in between her and Alicia as they relocated. Igni: Hmm` the teachers all said being emotionally distraught would be more dangerous.and it was Ms. Elenoir who strongly recommended coming to the Training Camp with Sara. She has been asleep for a very long time, so she wouldnt have stamina like Igni and his classmates, but watching her do her best to keep up with their walking was so endearing that Igni laid a hand on her hand. Alicia: You have your work cut out for you, then. Igni: It wont be that bad. As they headed further into the forest, Igni and his Party found a river to satisfy their dry throats, and decided to set up camp here. While Edward and Yoori set up the tent, Igni and the rest of the group are out hunting for food supplies. Igni: Iris, if you see any footprints of animals, let me know. Iris: Yes, Sir Igni! As Igni held Sara who was tired out, Igni continued the hunt. They split in two and are looking for any signs of animals around them. Iris: Oh! Sir Igni! I found one!! Igni: Youre amazing, Iris. Iris: No, no. Its not that big of a deal! And Iris puffs out her chest at the compliment. Igni takes a look at the footprints and.grabs Iris and hunches over her. Iris: Huh.Sir Igni? Youre being so forward ? But ignoring Iris joyful reaction, Igni turns his attention to their surroundings. Then (sfx) And something slammed into one of the giant trees as the sound of the impact echoed! Iris: Wh`Wh`WHAT WAS THAT, SIR IGNI?! Igni: A [Bullet Rabbit]........! Iris: A [Bullet Rabbit].....those are..creatures who leave footprints so they can attack the hunters..those? Igni: Correct! Iris: I`Im so sorry.its all my fault Igni: ? What are you saying, Iris? Iris: Huh? Igni has a serious question mark on his face right now. Igni: Thanks to you, we were able to find food for tonight." Igni creates a {Fireball}. Igni: [Equip Flame] : Ignite And he pours Magic Power into it. Igni: [Return Fire] Igni shoots right through the head of the Bullet Rabbit that was approaching them at the speed of sound. Iris: ..........wow. Both Iris and Sara both let out their voices of amazement at the sight. Igni: Lets take down a few more and go back. Iris: Y`Yes! Without knowing, Igni impressed the two and raised their opinion of him. Chapter 76: The Quest and the Wizard The branches crackle inside the fire. Lilly gathered all the dried branches, and Igni set it on fire with his {Fireball} to make the campfire. Although the forest was pretty noisy and lively during the day, during the night time, the forest itself doesnt fall silent. The sound of the wind, the cries of birds, the calls of beasts, and the groans of the Monsters. Those all merged as one chorus and gently rained upon Ignis group. Alicia: Its pretty cold out here. Igni: Yeah, the nights are especially cold. Igni and Alicia sit next to the fire as they speak. When night comes, not only does the temperature drop, but the warmth from the earth is also taken away so it feels even colder. Alicia: Hey, can I move over your way? Igni: Hm? Yeah, thats fine. Alicia sits down right next to Igni. Just with that, it mysteriously feels warmer. Alicia: I wonder if everyone is sleeping like they should be? Igni: When I checked on them, they were all sound asleep. When Sara goes to sleep, she sleeps apart from Igni. But tonight, shes with Lilly and Iris.but she should be okay since Iris likes children, and Sara got used to Lilly after today. Alicia: I see. Im glad to see that everyones able to sleep. Igni: Yeah, the teachers were saying that its harder for kids of the Nobles to sleep in environments like this. But Edward is sound asleep. He has thicker skin than he lets on so he should be fine. Alicia: Igni.you. Igni: Hm? One of the branches popped making a loud sound. Alicia: You...saved me back then. Igni: Yeah, I did. Alicia: Why did you? Igni: Because Alicia, it was you. Igni had no hesitation with his answer, and spoke matter of factly. Igni: I saved you, because it was you, Alicia. In response to Ignis words, Alicia buried her face into her robe. That was to hide the fact that she was blushing but. Igni: (Is she cold?) Igni completely misread the situation. Alicia: Hey, Igni. Igni: Yeah? Alicia: Do you have...anyone you like? The question finally came.! At that instant, Ignis muscles tensed!! ``Confirming who you like!!! But if you were to flip that coin, it was a question coming from someone who likes you! Whether that person is someone you can confess to.whether that special someone will answer your feelings.! By asking first, you try to avoid the risk of getting turned down..! Humans are creatures who do not like making mistakes..! But if you were too straight forward, the other person may find out that you like them! Hence, thats why you beat around the bush..!! Igni: A person I like..huh Alicia: Is there someone? But now, in the back of Ignis mind, there is a calm individual whos objectively asking, Maybe shes just making small talk? Of course, there is that possibility too..! From long ago, girls have liked to talk about topics of romance! As boys like to brag about their adventures and accomplishments.! Girls equally love to talk about romance!! If Alicia was trying to make regular small talk..then Igni would just be a misunderstanding fool..! He would not only embarrassment himself, but he may also lose the favor and respect from the girl speaking to him!! Igni: (Wh`What should I do.?! What should I say?!) Igni accelerated his thoughts and thinking to the point where the world began to slow down as he searched his memory. <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni.] [.........what..Im hungry] This happened while Igni was going deeper into the [Demon Kings Realm] without eating or drinking. [You must never think that you can understand a persons heart.] [Huh? That actually sounds like legitimate advice. Whats wrong, Grandpa? [Listen well, Igni. If you become an Adventurer, there will be times when you will be camping out with a female Adventurer. [R`Really?! Id be in a situation like that...!?!] Igni forgot about his hunger and shouted back at his grandfather to confirm. [Well, wait. Youre getting too excited over nothing. If you were in that situation and they ask, Hey, is there anyone you like? How would you answer? [Hmmmm, "I like you", thats what I would say I think.] [Youre being a creep!!] [OW!! WHY?! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?! IF IM IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT, THEYRE TOTALLY INTO ME, RIGHT?!] [OF COURSE NOT, YOU FOOL!!] [Y`You slapped my left cheek now!] [STOP ACTING SO ROTTEN SPOILED!! DONT FORGET THAT SHE MAY JUST BE MAKING SMALL TALK WITH YOU.!] [S`Small talk? But, thats their fault for bringing up such a topic.!] [STOP BLAMING OTHERS!!] [UGHHHHHHHHHHH...the second time on the right side.] [NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT, YOURE IN THE WRONG FOR MISUNDERSTANDING! BUT AS LONG AS YOURE HUMAN, YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES..! THERE IS NO SUCH PERSON WHO IS PERFECT!] [J`Just like when you were caught cheating?] [I escaped so that doesnt count.] What is with my grandfather? From the hunger, Igni snapped a little. [Listen well, Igni..! Whats important is.to act with the assumption that you will make a mistake.! Just like how I came up with the Molecular Transformation Spell when I was about to get caught cheating!] [WHAT?! THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THAT SPELL?!] [It was what triggered the inspiration.] [Holy crap, Grandpa...you really are something else.] Igni would have never dreamed that the strongest defensive spell that can nullify all physical attacks came from such a stupid reason. [REGARDLESS! ACT AS THOUGH YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES!! THAT WAY, YOU CAN ALWAYS RECOVER!!] [L`Like how..?] [Allow her to come up with her own answers!] [Wh`What do you mean..?]] [Humans do not understand themselves as much as they think..! So if were to talk about that girl in a roundabout manner...you may find an opportunity!!] [I.I see.!!] [Humans will always interpret things that suit them the best..! That is where you need to strike..!!] <<<<>>>> The timing is almost too perfect! I cant let this opportunity pass..! Igni: A girl I like? How about the type of girl I like? Is that okay? Alicia: Huh? Y`Yeah, sure. Thats fine. Alicia looked a little disappointed at first, but then blushed a little. But theres no way Igni would have caught on to such subtle changes. Alicia: What kind of girl do you like? Igni: Hmmm` a girl whos always doing her best.and she might always be trying to sacrifice herself...but in the end, someone wholl depend on me. A girl like that, maybe? Alicia: But thats.. Alicias face turned redder and redder A sound came from the luggage. Alicia: EEK?! Alicia let out a frightened squeal and hugged Igni tightly. Igni: C`Calm down. Its probably that Quest Scroll, right? Alicia: Quest Scroll? O`Oh, that scroll the teachers gave to us.. Igni: Probably, I think. Igni tries to reassure Alicia as he digs through their luggage.and he found it. Igni: Just like I thought, it was the Quest Scroll. Igni takes out the scroll and unrolls it. <<<<>>>> Obtain the [Affection Shroom] before time runs out 095921 <<<<>>>> And the numbers written below continued to decrease. Igni: It says to get the Affection Shroom. Alicia: The Affection Shroom? You can get one in this forest?! Alicia let out a sudden surprised voice at the news. Igni: Hm? Yeah. Looks like it..is it something thats rare? Alicia: N`No. Its not that rare. But it does grow under very specific conditions.. And Alicia lets Igni know with a troubled smile. Igni doesnt know. But through Fortune Telling, Alicia has studied it through the Ancient Spells and knows it well. The Affection Shroom. It is one of the key ingredients for a [Love Potion]. Chapter 77: The Mushroom and the Wizard The camp was dyed with the morning light that was coming through the leaves of the unbelievably tall trees. Igni: The sun is up...we should wake everyone up soon. Alicia: Yes, we should. But as Igni got up to walk towards the boys tent, Alicia called out to him. Alicia: Hey, Igni. Igni: Hm? Whats up?? Alicia: Right now, we have enough resources and extra time, right? Igni: Yeah, we have some leeway with our schedule. We were very fortunate to find a place with an abundant food supply. Alicia: Then that means.we can also aim to complete Quests, right? Igni: You mean the Affection Shroom..was it? But it grows only under specific conditions, right? Alicia: Yes. According to the book I read, it grows on the body of a [Halfway Spider] that lives deep inside the forest. Igni: Thats impressive that you remember all those details, Alicia. Alicia: I`It was something I recently read, so it came to my mind faster. Alicia couldnt tell Igni that she was researching how to make [Love Potions], so she tried to come up with a valid-sounding reason. Igni: Id hate to drag everyone into a Quest as soon as they wake up, so do we want to do this with the two of us? Alicia nods at Ignis suggestion. Alicia: I think that will be best. Lets do that. Ignis suggestion was actually ideal for Alicia in many ways. Iris is in the same Fortune Telling Club so she knows about the Affection Shroom, and Lilly is an Elf. She would be much more knowledgeable when it comes to things about the forest. In other words, it would be easy for Lilly to guess what Alicia was trying to do with the Affection Shroom. This would be a definitive step to take the lead against all her competition, and with that hope, Alicia followed Igni deep into the forest. Igni: Will she be okay`? Maybe I shouldnt have left Sara. Alicia: What are you saying? It was your idea in the first place. Igni: Yeah, I thought taking her deep into the forest would be dangerous but Igni and Alicia circle around a giant tree root that was jetting up out of the ground as they walk deeper into the forest. Igni told Sara who just woke up that he had some business to take care of and left her at camp. She looked like she was about to cry, but Iris was comforting her as best as she could so she should be okay...or at least Igni wanted to believe so. Alicia: Well, if youre that worried, then lets get this mushroom quickly and get back to her. Igni: Yeah, youre right. Igni, who was walking behind Alicia now nods in agreement. The [Halfway Spider] is an E-Rank Monster, and in truth, is very weak. So, any Wizard who can use a Mid-Class Spell would have a difficult time losing to it. So because its so weak, you cant find it inside the [Demon Kings Realm], and Igni doesnt know where to search to find it. So he let Alicia guide him as they walked. Alicia: As far as its size, its a fairly large spider thats about 30cm (12 in.) large, and it carries a large mushroom on its back. We will need to look out for that mushroom to find it. Igni: That mushroom is the Affection Shroom? Alicia: Thats right. So that also means that finding the spider without a mushroom is meaningless. Were looking for a mushroom that is about the same size as the spider and the color is yellow.. Igni: ................so the mushroom is about the same size as the spider and the color is yellow? Alicia: Yes, thats what I read. Igni: The same size as the spider and a yellow mushroom, right? Alicia: Y`Yes, thats right. Whats wrong? Why are you confirming the details so much? Igni: I think I found it. Alicia: What?! Alicia immediately turns towards Ignis direction. Igni: Isnt it that thing over there? Alicia: Where.? I`I dont see it Igni: There. That yellow thing right there. Igni points at something that is buried in between the trees roots. There, they saw a yellow mushroom. Alicia finally caught sight of it, and determined that it was indeed the Affection Shroom. Alicia: Wow...thats amazing that you saw that. Igni: A yellow mushroom sticks out around here. Though its possible that the bright color is a survival tactic to warn other creatures that it might be poisonous too. Igni: We just need 2 or 3, right? Alicia: Yes, that should be enough. Igni and Alicia take about 3 Affection Shrooms. But without Igni knowing, Alicia places herself out of Ignis field of vision and takes a few more into her pocket. <<<<>>>> Sara: Mmm!! As soon as they return to camp, Sara jumps into Ignis arms first thing. Igni: Have you been a good girl? Igni pats Saras head as he asks, and Sara smiles with satisfaction. Edward: Was it a..mushroom? Did you find it, Igni? Edward, who was cooking and eating the fish he caught this morning, asked Igni. Yoori saw Igni and Alicia return and began preparing the caught fish to be cooked for them. Igni: We got a few that looked like it. Alicias comparing it now with her Encyclopedia book. Lilly: A Quest? But Igni, theres no reason to try and clear that, correct? It was Lilly who was asking the question now. She mustve been hungry with a fish in each hand. Igni: Yeah, that should be the case. Ms. Elenoir said that our main objective is to survive, and we get credit just for doing that. The Quest is just bonus points, so it should be something we can opt to do if the opportunity arises.or something like that. As they spoke, Alicia came out with the Quest Scroll and walked out of the tent. Alicia: Yes, we completed the Quest. Igni: Oh, was it the right mushroom? Iris: What kind of mushroom was it, Sir Igni? Iris, who took a fish from Yoori, sat next to Igni. And on the other side of Igni sat Sara. Igni: Its something called an Affection Shroom. Do you know it? Iris: A`Affection Shroom? Iris voice shakes a little. At the same time, Lilly jerks up in surprise. Igni: (Was it something dangerous.?) Igni tilts his head to his friends reactions. Igni decided to ask Lilly whos most knowledgeable about forest-related things and turns his gaze towards her when. Lilly: Th`The Affection Shroom..can be used for treating Depression. If you eat it as is, you will feel yourself being uplifted, but if you eat too much, you can turn yourself into a drunk state. Igni: Depression Treatment, huh True, just by the name, it sounds like something that would make you excited or energetic if you eat it. Iris: H`Hey, Alicia? I have something I want to talk to you about. Lilly: What a coincidence, Iris. I have something I want to talk to Alicia about as well. Alicia: Wh`What? Alicia hesitated for a moment. Lilly: Lets talk inside the tent. Oh, the boys arent allowed to come in. Edward: Of course we wont go in. And Edward immediately responded to Lilly. And with a , the flaps of the girls tents entrance close shut. Lilly: ..........so you knew, Alicia. Lilly spoke up first. Alicia: Wh`What are you talking about? Iris: You cant fool us, Alicia. And Iris comes nearer towards Alicia. Iris: If its you, Alicia, Im sure you took a few more for insurance, right? The Affection Shroom? Alicia: J`Just enough for the Quest. Iris: Oh, so youre still going to act like you dont know, huh` Iris looks at Alicia with a dry smile. Feeling cold sweat drip from her, Alicia takes a step back. Iris: Lilly! Lets get her! Lilly: Understood! And the two dive and tackle Alicia at once. Alicia: Hey! STO`! Dont stick your hands there!! Lilly: Where did you hide it?! Iris: Give it up and take out the goods!! Iris and Lilly continue to search through Alicias body. The boys on the other hand sat around the fire lazily with a theyre so energetic` impression. Lilly: Oh! I found it, Iris!! Iris: Great job! Lilly and Iris manage to get one Affection Shroom each. And now, the ingredients have passed onto the two. Alicia: .............did you know? But Alicia, who was supposedly defeated, rose eerily from the ground like a demonic spirit. Alicia: The Love Potion..only works the first time the person takes it. ...................!!!!! The two realize this fact as well and look at one another. Alicia: Do you really think..that I didnt prepare for this at all? ...............! Lilly and Iris faces go pale white. Not even imagining that the conflict centered around him, hearing the noises from the tent, Igni was thinking Maybe theyre getting excited talking about me` jokingly and being foolishly optimistic but unknowingly spot on at the same time. Chapter 78: The Schemer Drowns in their own Schemes Yoori: You go it, Igni? When youre fishing, its important to understand the fishs feelings. Igni: The fishs feelings? Yoori: Thats right. If I were a fish, where would I be and what kind of bait would I bite onto? Its important for you to think and understand about these things first. Igni: I`I see. Igni: (I feel like Gramps taught me similar things during his [Popularity] lectures) Igni reflected on his past memories as he cast his fishing line into the water. The line flew threw the air in a beautiful arc and , fell into the water as concentric waves parted from where it landed. Yoori: And now, you just wait. Yoori smiles as he sat next to Igni. On the other side of Igni, Sara looked intently at the water as she held her own fishing rod. Igni: Are you good at fishing, Yoori? Yoori: I dont know about good. I just did it a few times when I was back in my hometown. Igni: But you seem pretty used to it. Yoori: Well, I had to if I wanted to eat supper that day. Yoori looks in the distance as he remembers his own past and smiles. Igni: (Was there a famine around his village?) Inside his mind, Igni tilted his head. Sara: The fishy! Igni: Hm? OH! You got a hit!! Yoori: Sara! You can do it! Sara: Hmph!! With Yooris instructions, Sara continued to fight tooth and nail against the fish with everything she had. Igni: Sara! Dont give up! Igni abandoned his own rod and began cheering on Sara. Sara finally raises her rod.and there was a fish still attached!! Sara: Got one! Got one! Although her words are still rough, Igni could not help but put his hand on the girls head as she jumped up and down with her entire body in delight. Sara: Mmm` And Sara was pleased with Ignis approval and looked up to him. Her wide smile somehow resembled Ignis. Yoori: Oh! Igni! Youre rod! Igni: Hm? WHOA!! Looking in the same direction as Yoori, Ignis abandoned fishing rod was getting dragged quickly back into the water. Igni: Wait, wait, wait!! Igni hurriedly grabbed his fishing rod and pulled the line upwards. Igni: Th`This is..! Somethings pulling hard! Yoori: Maybe its a huge one?! Sara: Ohhhh!! Igni grips his rod tightly as he.pulls the line with all his strength!! HA HA HA!! ITS ME! Igni: EDWARD?! I was wondering where you went off to! What are you doing?! And with a loud splash, Edward comes flying out of the water!! Caught off guard, Igni let some of his natural personality come out as a result. Edward: I just wanted to see your surprised faces. Igni: Ugh.did you really have to. Igni did not expect to actually catch Edward instead of a fish. Igni: (But he was in the water for a long time. He mustve been using [Physical Enhancement]. Geesh, this guy..hes just playing around with his Spells) Although Igni was exasperated, Sara thoroughly enjoyed Edwards performance and appearance out of the water. Edward: Oh, what are the girls up to? As Edward dried himself, he asked Igni. Yoori: They went back into the forest. They were saying something about gathering more herbs and plants.or something... Yoori pointed towards the deeper parts of the forest as he said so. <<<<>>>> Iris: Lilly! Well have to cooperate! Lilly: Of course, Iris! We cant lose to Alicia! The two firmly shake each others hand. Alicia: Hehe...my potion is already in the [resting] stage. Lilly: Ergh! Iris, we must hurry! Iris: Leave the ingredients gathering to me!! They leave behind Alicia with the huge smile on her face, and Lilly and Iris run into the forest. Iris: The necessary ingredients are the [Affection Shroom], the [Qatari Grass] and [Stone of Amo]......right? Lilly: Thats right! The [Qatari Grass] grows near the roots of large trees. Its a grass that steals and absorbs its nutrients directly from trees, so you should find one around here...there it is! Iris was using her [Earth] Type Spell to make a smooth pathway inside the forest, both her and Lilly were running through the forest at an amazing pace as they found one of the key ingredients. Lilly: Youll find the [Stone of Amo] inside caverns where the Magic Power is trapped. Lets go deeper into the forest! Iris: Leave it to me. Iris compatibility is an [Earth] : [S]. Coming here, she is now using her talent to its fullest potential as they continue to move at high speeds. Lilly: Oh, wait! We also need the [Negozio Moss]. Could you slow down a little bit? Iris: [Negozio Moss]? Thats an antidote ingredient. What will you use it for? Lilly: What are you talking about?! Its to counteract and cure Alicias [Love Potion]! Alicia: ..........?! Thats an Elf for you.! Lilly: Hehehe...train about a century longer if you want to challenge me on medicines and the forest, Alicia! And Iris and Lilly disappear further into the forest. Alicia, who was left behind, squeezes the liquid out of the [resting] Love Potion and.she inserts a single strand of her golden hair. With a momentary , the hair lights up the liquid and instantly melts inside of it. Alicia: And Lilly will probably try to undo the effects with an antidote so. Alicia places the [Negozio Moss] she already found inside her Love Potion. Alicia: Youre too obvious, Lilly. The [Negozio Moss] is a moss that can flip a specific medicinal herbs . In other words, it can turn an active potion to an inactive state, or an inactive potion to an active state. With this, Alicias Love Potion is currently in an inactive state. In other words, once Igni drinks the other twos potion, Alicias Love Potion will turn into an active state inside Ignis body.!! Alicia: You will never be able to outsmart me, Lilly. And she smiled darkly. <<<<>>>> Alicia: Igni, give me your bowl. Igni: Here. On Alicias request, Igni gives her his bowl. And Alicia pours soup into the bowl Igni gave her. The sun was about to set, and the group was getting ready for dinner. While Alicia prepared the soup, Igni was serving the Bullet Rabbit Steaks to everyone on plates. As soon as Ignis eyes turn away from the bowl, Alicia pours her [Love Potion] into his soup without anyone noticing. Alicia: Here you go, Igni. Igni: Thanks. Without any suspicion, Igni takes the bowl and sets it in front of him. Lilly: Igni, do you have water? Igni: Ohhh, no I dont. Could you pour some for me? The other members in the Party can use [Water] Spells to fill their glasses with water, but Igni can only use {Fireball}, so he cant pour water into his glass. But knowing that, Lilly kindly volunteered to fill his glass with water. At that moment, she mixes her [Love Potion] into the water, but Igni didnt realize this. Thats because Sara: Igni, I will cut the fishy. Igni: A`Are you really going to be okay..? Sara was cooking..well, not so much cooking as she was using a knife to cut the fish into bite-size pieces, and Igni was busy making sure that she didnt cut herself. While Ignis attention was elsewhere, Iris poured just enough of her [Love Potion] on top of Ignis Bullet Rabbit Steak where he wouldnt notice. The [Love Potion] is transparent, so it would be impossible to see in the dark. Sara: Cut. Igni: A`Are you okay..? Dont cut your finger... Cold sweat runs down Ignis forehead as Sara clumsily handles the knife. Alicia: Youre being overly protective. People learn from their injuries. Igni: Alicia, I know but. Alicia: Here, come sit down already. You''re going to be one of those parents hovering over your own child one day. Edward: If she gets hurt, Ill fix her up so theres no problem. So with that, Igni sat down. And a few moments later, Sara came with sticky hands and sat next to Igni. Thank you for the food Everyone speaks up at the same time as they begin eating their meals. With every bite Igni takes, he had 3 sets of fearful eyes constantly watching his every move. But Igni didnt realize any of this and continued gobbling down his food. The [Love Potion] is an Ancient Spell so the girls could not have known. The [Love Potion] is a potion that will cause the person who drank the potion to feel strong romantic feelings towards the person who made the potion. That is why in this case, there is a precise order you have to follow when inserting the [Negozio Moss] as you make the potion. That is because depending on when you insert the [Negozio Moss], the . The [Negozio Moss] has a strong effect, and thus, the effects were systematically identified when creating [Love Potions]. But this knowledge was completely lost during the war against the [Demon King]. ``There is a specific timing to make sure the [Love Potion] effects are nullified. ``There is a specific timing to turn the [Love Potion] into a [Hate Potion]. And there is also a specific timing where the effects are completely reversed``and . On a completely random coincidence, the 3 of them made exactly the last type of potion. <<<<>>>> CHONKYI Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) Thank you for the food / Thank you for the meal / Itadaki-masu (ޤ) vs Thank you for the meal / Gochisousama-deshita (YߘǤ). In English, it translates into the same phrase, but there is a meal-beginning traditional phrase and a meal-ending traditional phrase whenever you eat. It is seen as common courtesy and good manners to say itadaki-masu (Thank you for offering me food) before you eat and gochisousama (Thank you for giving me delicious food) after you are finished. It is also something you may do even when you are alone, and you are not violating any norms. This doesnt translate as well into American culture (except maybe thanking the host for the food at the end). Chapter 79: The Potion and the Wizard Yoori: Igni, its your turn. Igni: ...........hm? They took turns every few hours to have someone stand guard of the camp, and Ignis turn came up. Inside the tent, Yoori shook his body, and with half his brain still asleep, he headed towards the campfire. Alicia: Good morning, Igni. Igni: Mmm`.... Igni, being the complete opposite of a morning person, gave Alicia an incoherent response and sat next to her. Alicia: Still sleepy? Igni: Mm Although he couldnt pronounce the words, Igni meant it as an affirmative yeah. Alicia is wearing her trademark witch''s hat, and she hid her eyes underneath it as she peered at Igni. Alicia: (I`Isnt he...sitting closer to me than usual? Is the potions effects already coming out??) The potions effects are actually appearing on herself, but without that thought crossing her mind, Alicia looked away from Igni as her heart beat furiously. Igni: Were there...any Monsters.? Alicia: Theres none nearby. Igni: Okay. Alicia: We really did choose a good camping spot. Igni: Well...be going home.tomorrow, but yeah. Alicia: You seem pretty tired. Igni: Since eating dinner...Ive been..pretty sleepy. Alicia: (Is it a side-effect of the medication?) Alicia tilts her head to wonder. Igni definitely seems much more sleepier than usual, and hes almost falling asleep as he sat. Alicia: (........I wonder whos potion is taking effect right now?) Alicia is washed over with worry and concern as she gazes at Igni, but Igni does not notice her gaze and suddenly places his head against her shoulder. Alicia: (HMM?!) Alicia instinctively jerks her body away. Igni: Sorry Igni starts leaning the other way. Alicia: I`Its okay. You can lean against me. Alicia seems more emboldened than usual and pulls on Ignis sleeves towards herself and lets him lean against her. Igni: You.sure..? Alicia: If youre sleepy, you can sleep. Ill stay on guard. Igni: ....no..cant...not right. But while speaking, Igni falls back asleep. Alicia: .......looking at him like this, he has such a cute face. Alicia lets Igni fall past her shoulders, and lets his head rest across her lap. Alicia: Hehe. And she takes a long look at Ignis sleeping face. She could stay like this forever and keep gazing at him. Alicia: Hes sound asleep. I wonder if he was really tired? And she gently brushes his hair with her hand as he continues to lie across her lap. Alicia: (.....so cute) And right then, Igni rolls over slightly and now his face is looking upwards towards the sky. Alicia continues to gaze at Ignis sleeping face ` his eyebrows, eyelids, nose, and lips. But in the next moment, Alicias heart suddenly jumps. Alicia: (......no ones looking, right?) Alicia glances at the tents around them. Both tents were quiet. The others who just switched rotations as guards probably fell asleep by now. Igni is also sound asleep. And there are no other classmates camping around them. Alicia: .............. Alicia holds her pounding chest, and without anyone noticing..she tries to lay her lips on Ignis when.. Igni: .............!! Igni the next moment when he sensed a sweet smell. Alicia: Huh?! I`Igni?! And Alicias face blushes a bright red right in front of his Igni: ...........potion.? Igni grabs Alicias arm and mumbles those words. In the [Demon Kings Realm], Lucas was helping Igni build a poison resistance, and Igni now has a habit of waking up instinctively when a Monster with poison comes near him. And because the difference between a potion and poison is a very fine line, Igni woke up by pure reflex. Alicia: P`Potion? What are you talking about?? Igni: Sorry, Alicia. Dont move. Alicia: Wh`What?! And Igni began smelling around Alicias mouth. Igni: (A sweet scent.what potion is that?) The scent that Ignis nose picked up was a phantom smell. In order to confirm if the [Love Potion] is working correctly on the target, the [Love Potion] allows the person who gave the love potion to sense the effects of it through one of the five senses. In this case, Igni was able to confirm the effects through his sense of smell. But Igni has no knowledge of this and continues to smell around Alicia. Alicia: H`Hey! Igni! Igni: Sorry, just a bit more. Igni is analyzing the smell coming from Alicia with his brains data bank. Igni: (Where is it? Where did I smell this before?) Igni . Igni: (This is.) And Igni arrived at the answer. Igni: (A Love Potion?!) <<<<>>>> [G`Grandpa! Look at that!!] [What? Its an Alchemist''s atelier.] [Th`Theyre saying they make Love Potions!!] Igni was able to pick up the sweet scent that was flowing from the atelier. [So?] [What do you mean, So??! Grandpa! You want a Love Potion too, right?!] [Dont be stupid!!] [UGHHH!!!] Igni flies about 3 meters (10 ft) from a harsh slap across the face. [Wh`What was that for, Grandpa?!] [Im disappointed.Im so disappointed in you, Igni..!] Lucas mumbles curses under his breath as he looks down upon his grandson. [Wh`What..! If you want to be Popular, isnt a Love Potion a fast way to accomplish that?!] [If you only want the effect to be short and temporary, yes. But Igni, why would you rely on such a thing?] [T`To be Popular!] [Thats impossible, you fool!!] [OWWWW..] [STOP BEING SO CHILDISH!! EVEN IF YOU USE THE POTION TO MAKE ONE PERSON LIKE YOU, YOU ARE STILL NOT POPULAR!! YOURE ONLY USING THE POTIONS EFFECTS!!] [But whats wrong with that?!] [In this world, there are those who can be Popular without relying on such potions.] [Th`Thats.] [Oye, Igni..I understand...I understand your feelings..I understand your anxiety..! But rushing forward blindly will only end up with nothing in the end.! If you depend on Potions...its over..! People are weak! They will move towards the easy path..! But if you lay your hands on such simple methods.you will forever drag that baggage with you for the rest of your life..!!] [.............!!] [Answer me, Igni! If a man uses a Potion to become Popular..can you truly say that that man IS Popular.?] [Hes.not!] [EXACTLY! Even if he uses a Potion to be Popular for a moment, hes only fooling himself with delusions! He is not in any sense TRULY POPULAR!!] [........G`Grandpa!] [The Path to Popularity is a long and treacherous road...but for those who walk on top of it..the Goddess will smile upon you] [Ill.Ill definitely walk over that path! Just watch me, Grandpa!!] [Dont forget it, Igni!!] <<<<>>>> Igni: (Thats right.!) Igni: (This is the same smell as that [Love Potion] back then.!!) Igni: (Im sure of it.!) Igni: (Alicia has currently ........!!) Alicia: I`Igni? Whats wrong? With his hand still on her arm, Igni lets his eyes fall back on Alicia. Igni: (D`Dangit! But shes so cute.!!) Igni: (Shes..Shes really into me right now?) Igni: (Its an amazing feeling!!!) Igni: (But, if I accept her right now...its over!!) Igni: (Ill fall farther and farther away from a Popular man..!!) Alicia: H`Hey..Igni? If either one of them moved just a little, their lips would touch. That is how close they stood, and Ignis logic, reason, and desire all fought tooth and nail in a frantic battle. Igni: (Maybe.its okay..? It might be due to the Potions effects, but Alicia really likes me right nowso..) Igni: (N`No...I cant!) Igni: (How could I call myself truly Popular if I do.! A man relying on potions to make girls like him.!) Igni: (Thats not a Popular man at all!!) Igni looks directly at Alicias face. Igni: (B`But..maybe.just a kiss is okay?) But as Ignis resolve falters and shakes dangerously from its foundation, he saw an image of his Grandfather in the back of his mind. [Oye, Igni] Igni: ..........!! The Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 5``Women love men with conviction. And with those words, Igni felt the cool splash of cold reason across his head and became instantly calm. Igni: (.right now..my conviction is faltering..) As he lets go of Alicias arms, he takes out a spherical medicine from his pouch. Igni: Alicia, you should take this medicine. Alicia: Huh? Um, okay. Being completely enamored with Igni at the moment, Alicia obediently takes the antidote medicine that Igni gave her and immediately swallows it. After a while, the effects of the antidote should start surfacing, and the [Love Potion] effects should start wearing off. Igni: (Im...going to be popular.) Igni confirms his resolve within himself several times, over and over. Igni: (Im going to be Popular.without depending on Potions!) But being completely distracted by this, it never once occurred to Igni to consider why Alicia was showing signs of a [Love Potion] in the first place. Igni: (Dont underestimate me!!) Igni doesnt know that there are still two others under the same Potions effects. Chapter 80: The Promise and the Wizard There is a Potion called the [Love Potion]. As the name suggests, by putting in a body part of the Potion creator..such as the hair or nail clippings, it is a Potion that makes the person who drinks it be attracted to the one who made it. But there is also a counter-active Potion called a [Antidote Potion]. It is a product of the [Ancient Spells] that is capable of counter-acting almost any type of poison, but nowadays, it is rarely used. Thats because in the entry-level beginner Spell for [Life] Magic Type users, there is a [Antidote] {Detox} Spell.even if youre a compatibility [F] with [Life], youll be able to counteract most poisons to a certain degree. But Igni doesnt even have [F] compatibility with [Life]. In fact, his compatibility is [None]. He would not be able to use that Spell. Hence, he gave Alicia the [Antidote Potion] he had on hand. In a normal case, there would be no point in using this Antidote Potion. That is because it was Igni who consumed the Potion and not Alicia. But Igni doesnt know. By using a [Moss] that reverses the property of the [Love Potion], it made the of the Potion fall in love with their target. And because the effects of the Potion will now appear in the Potions creator..the [Antidote Potion] should be given to the creator ` but there was no way that Igni could have known this. He was ignorant of the fact, but he realized that Alicia was falling for him through the effects of the [Love Potion], and mistakenly thought that Alicia somehow consumed the Potion herself.and as a result, he correctly identified the proper treatment method. Alicia: ................hm? Alicia realized that her feelings for Igni subsided a little and Alicia: (Is it because he realized that I was about to kiss him?) And she didnt realize this herself that the effects of the Potion was completely reversed and this is what she was thinking. <<<<>>>> Elenoir: Everyone Are you all well? Its been a few days since Ms. Elenoir left, and she had a bright smile on her face...but the students facing her were not so cheerful. The only ones who looked healthy was Ignis group and maybe one other...while the other classmates looked pretty rough. This included Edwards minions. Yoori: Looks like we were able to camp in an ideal location. Igni: Yeah, we even completed a few Quests so..it was definitely a great spot. Igni was placed within a special group of students.and in short, the written test portions would not be counted against him, but because of that, his performance outside the written tests will be counted. Being able to get a decent grade on this Training Camp, it was a very satisfactory outcome for Igni. Elenoir: Then everyone Please get in line and get inside of the carriages With Elenoir giving out directions, Igni and his classmates began climbing into the multiple 6-person carriages that were waiting for them.. And with a (sfx), Lilly sat firmly next to Igni. Igni: Wh`Whats wrong? You were pretty determined to take that seat. Lilly: ...........its nothing. Igni could not have realized it, but Lilly herself didnt realize that her actions came out of her desire to keep Igni to herself. Iris: Sir Igni! Can I sit next to you?! Igni: Y`Yeah, I dont mind And as Igni was now sandwiched between Lilly and Iris, they gathered onto the carriages, and the carriages began to take off. On a side note, Sara was sitting on Ignis lap. And as the carriage began to move...Igni and everyone else was slightly jostled inside, and Lilly immediately took the opportunity to place her body firmly against Ignis. Iris: ...........HMM?! Igni: (OH, OHH?!?!) Igni is now distracted by the soft feel of a girls body. He doesnt realize Iris eyes looking suspiciously his way either. Yoori: We have 3 days off starting tomorrow! Igni, do you have any plans? Igni: Plans`? Not really. The 3 days they spent at the Training Camp will allow the students to rest for the same amount of days. With the weekend added, Igni would have 5 consecutive days off. Yoori: Then, do you want to go to the Cake Shop I found?! Igni: The Cake Shop.oh yeah, you mentioned that before, Yoori. Before, meaning the first day of school. Since then, a lot of things happened back to back, and Igni did not get a chance to hang out with Yoori. Igni: Sure. Lets go tomorrow. Iris: Sir Igni! Id like to go too! Alicia: Cake, huh. I havent had any in a while so can I go too? Yoori: Yeah, itll be fun if we all go together! Yooris smile is cute as always. Igni: (Dangit` his smile is still cute.) Yoori: How about you, Miss Lilly? Lilly: Ill..pass. And Lilly looked a little discouraged as a shadow crept over her face. Igni: (Is she okay?) But Edward, who was being left out of the conversation was looking this way, so Igni went ahead and threw the question at Edward too. Igni: How about it? Edward, do you want to come too? Edward: No..Ill be going with my family to the Family Cottage the next 5 days! Igni: F`Family Cottage.. Igni: (Thats right. Edward was from a Nobles family.) Not all nobles have vacation houses, but Edward had minions, so he must be from a pretty wealthy family. Edward: Yeah, sorry for not being able to go. Its my chance to spend some quality time with my family. Igni: No, if theres family you care about, you should take care of them. Igni gave his advice as a friend. For him, the only one he considers family is his grandfather. And the carriages continue to move forward, but because the campsite was at the very edge of the Kingdom, they stopped several times to rest. One of the rest stops for Ignis group was a very nice town with many luxurious inns. But they werent going to spend the night there. The stop was to give water to the horses, and allow the students to use the restroom. They would not be stopping for long, and for those who didnt need to use the restroom, they remained inside the carriage. Igni: I need to step out. Lilly: Oh! I`Ill get out too! And this time, it was Igni and Lilly who got out of the carriage. Lilly: U`Um! Igni!! Igni: Hm? Whats up? As they walk a certain distance from the carriage, Lilly calls Igni over. Igni really needed to use the restroom, but it wasnt so urgent that he would ignore a girl calling him over. Lilly: U`Um...so. Lillys face turned bright red as she struggled to find her words. Igni: Its okay. Calm down a little. Igni tries to reassure and calm Lilly as she takes a deep breath and. Lilly: D`Do you have plans the day after tomorrow?! Is what she asked. Igni: The day after tomorrow? Im free then. Lilly: Oh, um...so Lilly was a little taken aback by Ignis answer, but she threw everything she got into the question. Lilly: Then can you give me a tour of the Kingdom?! Is what she said. Igni: (Oh, is this a date?) This was simple-minded Ignis first thought, but he was right this time around. Igni: Sure. The day after tomorrow then. Should I come pick you up at the dormitory? Lilly: Um, well..can we meet in front of the fountain? Igni: The fountain? Oh, that fountain on the main street? Igni confirmed with Lilly who still had a bright red face as she nodded. Igni: (The fountain on the main street...isnt that where people meet to go on dates?!) Ignis feelings instantly climb to the highest summit. His feelings rose to the summit, but so did his need to use the restroom. Igni: Th`Then, well meet at the fountain on the morning of the day after tomorrow then. Lilly: Y`Yes! Ill see you when the first morning bell rings! And with that, Lilly returned to the carriage. Igni: B`Bathroom.. Igni held back what was about to flood out, and as he headed to the restroom, he realized something. Igni: (............wait.isnt this going to be my very first date with a girl..?) Last time, the date was derailed by Kurara, but this time, everything seemed to be in order. As Igni fought the dam from breaking, he began to plan out the details of the date inside his head. Chapter 81: The Present and the Wizard That morning, Igni was able to wake up on his own without anyones help. Yoori: Oh? Igni, youre up early today. Igni: .....yeah. His friend was up early every morning, and Igni responds to him with a slightly groggy head. Igni takes his bed hair and combs it down and puts on clothes that are more fashionable than his usual attire. Igni was not going to go on a date in his usual school uniform. He had more common sense than that. Igni: Ill be going now. Yoori: Bye` Igni quickly got himself ready and left through the door. Yoori did not ask him where he was off to. Instead, he smiled as he waved goodbye and sent Igni off. Leaving behind the dormitories, Igni headed to the fountain located on Main Street. There is still much time left before the promised bell would ring. Igni: (Itll be embarrassing if I was late on my very first date..) The Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 2 `` Women love a man with confidence. He could not follow through with this on the first day of school, but he will make sure to follow it on his first date. By learning from his mistakes, he made sure to not make the same mistake twice. If you cant tell, his spirits were unusually high, and it was most likely due to the promise of an actual and legitimate date. Igni: (Good, I got here 15 minutes early``) He was proud of himself for his punctual arrival when he saw Lilly already waiting for him there. Igni: .........oh, sorry. Did I make you wait? Lilly: Huh?! Igni called her name from behind, and she jumped in surprise and turned to meet him. Lilly: No, I just got here myself.. When Lilly turned around, she was not wearing her usual clothes popular among the Elves. Instead, she was wearing clothes that you would see worn by the people of the Kingdom...and she looked good in it. Igni did not hesitate for a moment to voice his thoughts. Igni: You look cute.. Lilly: Huh?! Igni: Lilly, you look really good in those clothes. Lilly: D`Do you really think so? Like a puppy who was complimented, she smiled and stepped forward across the stone path towards Igni. Igni: Lets get going then. Lilly: Yes! Igni slowed down his pace to match Lillys. This is not a Popularity Etiquette or anything like that. Its common sense for a man to be conscious of the people around him if he wants to be Popular. Igni: Lilly, is there somewhere where you want to go? Igni spent the last 2 days developing the date plan and revising it over and over in his head. But even that might not be appealing to Lilly. The true essence of a date is for both parties to enjoy it. Its not about how much Igni enjoys it, or how much thought he puts into it for Lilly. Whats important is making sure that Lilly enjoys it herself. Thats why Igni posed the question to her. Lilly: There is a place I would like to go.but its probably not open right now. Igni: I see. Then is it okay if we choose a place where I wanted to go? Lilly: Yes, Ill just follow you. The Guide to Popularity No. 2 `` Women love a man who takes charge!! Igni: (Nailed it.!) Igni smiled broadly to himself. <<<<>>>> And there were others watching the two from afar. Iris: Hey, Alicia. Alicia: What. Iris: There. Alicia: What are you..HMM?! Looking at where Iris pointed, she saw Igni and Lilly together. And both are dressed more nicely than usual. Elina: Hey you two. Did something happen? Alicia: Elina, good timing. The Class Rep.or rather, the No. 2 of their grade, Elina, was carefully choosing a crystal ball to use for [fortune telling] as she looked up and asked the question. The three of them officially joined the [Fortune Telling Club], so they visited a specialty store to get their fortune telling gear and equipment. Alicia: Look over there. Elina: .............HMM?! Elina also reacted the same way Alicia did when she looked in Ignis direction. Elina: Oh, theyre heading off.. Alicia: Cmon you two! We have to follow them! Elina: F`Follow them? Are you being serious?? And Elina was not very enthused about the idea, but being pushed by Iris and Alicia, she followed after Igni on his date. Iris: Oh, they went into a general goods store. Alicia: A general goods..? Is that what Igni likes? Alicia posed the question to Iris. Iris: I dont know. But I wouldnt think that Sir Igni would have any interest going there. Alicia: Me neither. Elina: Arent you guys being a little presumptuous? Im sure Igni has times when he needs to visit the general store. But Elinas sound logic was completely ignored. Alicia: .....I didnt think Lilly would be first one to make a move. Iris: If it was going to be like this, I should have invited him for a date` Alicia: Ha! Even if you did get Igni to go on a date with you, itll be over in moments. Iris: Itll still be longer than what you can manage! Elina: Uh...cmon you two. Lets not fight amongst ourselves. ...................... Elina managed to get Alicia and Iris to stop bickering. Elina: Oh, looks like theyre leaving the General Store And out of the store came Lilly who looked really content and happy. In her arms she held a package there. It was probably a gift from Igni. Alicia: Oh, there they go again. Elina: Are we going to keep following them? Alicia: Elina, how could you be so calm right now? Elina: Why are you so surprised, Alicia? My No. 1 spot isnt going to change. Alicia: .........even though now, youre No. 2 academically? But as soon as she finished saying that, Elinas mood went spiraling down into the dumps. Alicia: .......s`sorry.. <<<<>>>> Igni and Lilly were not aware of the 3 who were following them around, and they went to a food stand to buy something sweet and continued to walk around while eating. Lilly: I`Is it really okay? I could have paid. Igni: Oh, I got plenty of money from winning that [Tournament]. Besides Lilly: Besides what? Igni: Let me at least act cool when Im with you. Lilly: Geesh.. Lilly blushed as she made a slight effort of protest. Lilly: Oh, Igni, look! Its an Alchemists atelier. Igni: Do you want to check it out? Lilly: Yes! Igni: Alright, then lets go see. All the Alchemists have a base of operations called an atelier. By following the rules and restrictions of the Alchemists Guild, they are permitted to do business. Stepping inside, they saw many kinds of large and small potions and also the ingredients as well. There must have been an incense lit as a pleasant smell filled the room. Welcome. The owner of the atelier was an old man. He saw Igni and Lilly and smiled kindly. Is there something in particular you are looking for? And asked the question. Lilly: Oh, n`no, were just looking around. Then please take your time. The old man smiled warmly as he received Lillys reply. Igni: A Potion, huh Igni mumbles quietly to himself. Lilly: Is something the matter? Igni: Oh no. Its nothing." Even though with the [Life] Magic Type, Healers are able to cure and mend most kinds of injuries, for a Wizard, they have to constantly deal with the worries of exhausting their Magic Power. For those Wizards, a Potion is their lifeline. And among the clever Monsters, there are said to be those who will first go after the Healers. If that happens, it would be a Potion and not a fellow Healer that heals the wounded Healer. But Igni uses the potion for a different reason altogether. Igni: Did you find anything interesting? But if he is consumed with thoughts about fighting even when on a date, Igni would have to wonder why he even bothered getting stronger. So Igni shook off his thoughts and turns his eyes towards Lilly. Lilly: Igni, take a look at this. Igni: A perfume? Our perfume is a little different from other stores. There are scents that can raise the potency of your spells, and...we also have others that can weaken the potency of Attack Spells thrown at you. The owner of the atelier kindly informed Igni and Lilly. Igni: Do you want one? Lilly: Oh, no. It piqued my curiosity because its rare. Igni: Really? Lilly: Yes, Elves who live in forests are very sensitive to smells. Igni: I see. Is there a scent you like? Lilly: I think this one is a wonderful scent. Igni: Then let me buy it for you. Lilly: B`But..you already bought me something Igni: I think that perfume suits you. With that, Igni bought the perfume for Lilly. Igni: (I wonder...if shell appreciate the gifts..?) But as Igni tilted his head to wonder within his own heart, someone began speaking to him inside of there. Yes, it was undoubtedly that man..! Lucas..!! <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni. If you had money and went on a date, what would you do?] [Maybe buy a present? Lots of presents.] [Oh ho. And why?] [Because it might make me Popular] [YOU FOOL!!!] [Wh`Why?! Was it something really to get slapped about?!?!] [You think youll be popular just from giving gifts.? Then why are all the rich, middle-aged men not popular.?!] [Th`Thats!] [Igni! You must re-examine your perspective! You cannot...become popular with just gifts!!] [WH`WHAT?!] Igni felt his illusory world shatter to pieces and felt dizzy all of a sudden. [A gift is...good..! But you cannot depend on gifts alone! Because..that is absolute NONSENSE!!] [R`Really..? But...then I shouldnt give gifts..?] [WERE YOU LISTENING TO ME AT ALL?!?!?] [OWWWWWWW..] [I said that a gift itself is good, did I not?! But the problem is depending on them! If you continue just give gifts, you are just bribing them.! There is..no satisfaction from having someone you bribed like you..!! That is how a womans heart is!! You must prepare yourself, Igni!!] [I`I understand, Grandpa!] [Im glad you do!!] <<<<>>>> Igni: (..I...I gave her...2 gifts already in one day..but are we okay?) And Igni fearfully stole a glance at Lilly and. Lilly: .........thank you Lilly was overjoyed with both gifts. Igni celebrated on his own with a huge smile across his face. Chapter 82: The Forbidden Word and the Wizard Igni: Lilly, this way. Lilly: What kind of place is this? Igni: Its a restaurant thats become popular recently. Igni researched about this Pancake House thoroughly, and the two enter inside. Lilly: A pancake...you say? Igni: Have you ever had it? Lilly: No, I havent. Igni: I havent either. Thats why I wanted to come here with you, Lilly. Lilly: Really? Igni: Of course. Igni smiles at her. As they wait in line at the Pancake Shop, Igni and Lilly wait for a while. Lilly: Igni, do you have a dream? Igni: A dream? Lilly: Like what you want to do after you graduate. Igni: ..........um` Igni thinks about Lillys question for a while and then. Igni: Im thinking of being a freelance Wizard. Lilly: A Wizard, is it. Igni: Yeah, I won the Tournament, so I should be pretty well known. A freelance Wizard is similar to an Adventurer. Unlike a mercenary, the requests will all come from a Guild though. And an Adventurer is exactly that.. In other words, they will explore areas that havent been conquered by humanity like the [Demon Kings Realm] and other far reaches of the world thats still untouched. They live to discover new territories, but a Wizard is more rooted in making a living locally. Igni: What about you, Lilly? Lilly: I..I dont know. I think Ill probably go back to the Elven Country. Lilly looks downcast and looks down sullenly. Lilly: Before now, I thought that was fine. But now, I dont think I want to. Igni: I see. Igni nods as he listens. Lilly: Thats why..I dont really have a dream right now. Igni: Then why not take some time to come up with one? Lilly: Take some time? Igni: Because you still have two years to spend over here, right? Lilly: Yes. Igni: Then during that time, you can think about it and maybe find a dream. Lilly: Do..do you really think so? Igni: It was the same for me. I didnt know what I was going to do at first. After leaving the family home, Igni was unable to do anything, and the only reason why he was able to have a dream now is because Lucas was there. Thank you for waiting! Please come right this way. As they chatted, Igni and Lillys turn came up, and they both entered the restaurant. As they were seated, they were handed a menu. Lilly: Wow, look at those prices. Igni: Yeah, they charge a good bit here. Its one silver coin per pancake. Its 100 copper coins for one silver coin, and you can get a full meal with 30 copper coins, so this is quite pricey here. Igni: Lilly, what do you want to try? Lilly: Um` what will you order, Igni? Igni: Wha` Igni was about to say, Whatever is fine but at that moment, time was forced to come to an immediate halt. It was the biological instinct that all humans exhibit when they face a critical moment in their lives..! Ignis foundational instincts immediately determined that his answer was dangerous, and a flashback of his past immediately begins playing in the back of his mind!! <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni] [What is it, Grandpa] It was only a few days since arriving at the [Demon Kings Realm]. [I believe its about time that I start teaching you basic techniques.] [Basic techniques? Like for {Fireball}??] [No, I cant teach you that. Youll have to come up with that yourself. But what I will teach is the about Popularity] [Ohh!! Really?! Please teach me, Grandpa!!] [Lets say that right now, youre on a date.] [Oh, this is good. Im getting excited] Igni has always had a very simple and straightforward personality. [Lets say that you enter a restaurant, and the girl asks, What are you going to order? How would you answer?] [Hmmm.Whatever is fine, I think.] [SO NAIVE!!] [Was it something that I deserved getting hit for?!] [Igni! What you just said was a critical mistake!! Not having a preference may be good and well for you, but for the girl, its an incredibly terrible thing to say!!] [R`Really?!] For Igni, he was trying to say he was open to any possibility. [I know you were just trying to be easy going, but the girl would just be troubled after hearing that! Think of it from the opposite perspective! If you asked the girl what she wanted to eat, and she answered, whatever is fine, would you then be comfortable ordering random things from the restaurant for her?! [N`No, I wouldnt..!] If Igni was told whatever is fine, then Igni would have been incredibly troubled trying to choose the right kind of restaurant.] [Exactly! Whatever is fine is the worst answer for the person asking the question!] [Y`Youre right.!] [Why would you do the same thing to the girl, when you would be troubled if it was the other way around!] [...........! I`I never thought of it that way..!!] No wonder he slapped me. And Igni thought his Grandfather was justified in his actions. [You need to first and foremost think from their perspective! This is critical! So in this situation, there is a way you can answer.!] [Wh`What should I do?!] [First, you must give them some choices..!!] [Ch`Choices.?!] [Thats right! If you are trying to be sensitive to their needs and desires, then in this case, you can suggest a few different types of restaurants.and then you can let them choose..!!] [...............!] [Just by doing that, they will not be as troubled by your answer..!] [I`I see!!] [And not only that! But in the first place.AN INDECISIVE MAN CANNOT BE POPULAR!] [A`An indecisive man cant be popular..?!] Igni trembled in fear at the realization. [Thats right.! To be indecisive is to be undependable..! If it was just one small part of you that was clumsy or lacking, maybe that can be viewed as adorable..! But Igni...there is nothing adorable about you..!!] [Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh..] (sfx painful groan) Even more than the slap, the words stabbed deep into Ignis heart like a giant stake. [So if you are thoughtless, it will only be viewed as a flaw..! It will not lead to your Popularity.!!] [M`My heart.it hurts.] [Know thyself and know thy opponent! To be able to assess the difference of combat strength is not only useful in battle, but it is an essential skill for becoming Popular! If you understand, start learning about yourself more!] [O`Okay, Grandpa.! I will..!!] <<<<>>>> Lilly: Whats wrong, Igni? Igni: N`No, its nothing. Igni: (Th`That was close.) Igni: (If I wasnt careful, I would have become an indecisive man.) Igni: What about this or this? Dont these look good? Igni points at two things on the menu. Lilly: Then lets do this one! And with that Lilly chose one of the items that Igni pointed out. <<<<>>>> Iris: AHHHH`! I WAS GOING TO TAKE SIR IGNI TO THAT PANCAKE SHOP! Alicia: But I heard that that pancake shop isnt that good. Alicia pointed this out to Iris. Elina: Really? My classmates told me it was good.. And Elina was now confused. Iris: The not-so-good pancake shop closed down just recently. It was the one that was over there, right? And it ended with Iris with a disappointed glance at Alicia. Alicia and the other two were staking out from a caf across the street, but Igni and Lilly didnt notice. Iris: NO! Lilly is having Sir Igni feed her! Look at how happy she looks! Even I havent had Sir Igni do that for me!! Alicia: Igni has helped you with your recovery from those spores though. Iris: But all he did was help me drink water!! The two were getting worked up over the events that happened on the first day of school. Elina: Hey you two, if we dont get back, the Club Leader is going to scold us.. Elina glances at the position of the sun as she spoke. The three were originally in the middle of their [Fortune Telling Club] activities. Alicia: The Club Leader? Elina: Yeah, because there was supposed to be an important announcement today. Alicia: (sigh)............... Alicia let out a deep sigh as she stood up. Iris: Geesh, how disappointing. Just when it was about to get interesting. Alicia: Do you know what the announcement is about, Elina? Elina: Wouldnt it be the annual training camp they always hold? Iris: Another training camp?! We just finished one for our class just the other day! Elina: Dont gripe. Its tradition. Not wanting to anger their Club Leader, the 3 muttered bitterly as they left the caf behind. Iris and Alicia left as they started making plans on how to set up a date with Igni. <<<<>>>> Igni: It was a lot of fun, Lilly. Lilly: Yes, I had a lot of fun too, Igni. They didnt realize that they were naturally holding hands, and a beautiful sunset hung in the horizon. Lilly: Can we go on a date again? Igni: As long as youre okay with it, sure. Lilly: Yes Even though Lilly was the one who brought it up, Ignis reply made her blush a little in delight. Lilly: Hey, Igni, can you close your eyes? Igni: Hm? Igni closed his eyes as Lilly asked him to do. And something soft touched his lips. Igni: Huh?! Igni let out a surprised yelp and. Lilly: Ill see you again tomorrow! With a bright red face, Lilly ran back to her dorm. Igni did not smell any sweet scents from her. There was no way for Igni to know that the Love Potions effects had already ended long ago. But because he didnt know, Igni celebrated to his hearts content. <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) Annnnnnn (`) -- Originally, you do this for feeding babies. Similar to "Here comes the airplane" that parents use to feed their infant child. I think feeding your date in public is both embarrassing in American and Japanese culture, but this is what Iris was jealous about. Theres really not an American term for it, and the Japanese word is more of an onomatopoeia. You will see lovey-dovey idiotic couples (baka + couple = bakappuru Хåץ) do this in anime during dates, but you see this in American weddings too. Its symbolic of being deeply in love, and you will see girls in anime typically ask for it more commonly from their not so loving opponent. Chapter 83: History and the Wizard It was after lunch inside the classroom. It is the class right after they finish eating their lunch, so this is the hour that students will be fighting to stay awake. Today, well be learning about the [Demon King]. Has everyone read through the reading material? And out of all the subjects, the afternoon class just had to be History today. Igni fought off a yawn that was coming on. The [Demon King]........was a world-wide disaster that appeared 100 years ago. It was a true monster that destroyed the northernmost Kingdom in 2 weeks. At the time, there were no [Extremes], but in order to slay the [Demon King], many Wizards who could use Disaster-Level Spells and Epic-Scale Spells were sent, and there are many territories that are now completely unusable as a result. The teacher opens up their textbook and continues the lecture. Even Igni knew these details. And it wasnt only Igni. Everyone sitting in the classroom here learned about these events as children. The [Demon King] descended from the north to the south. And within a year, the [Demon King] destroyed over 10 countries, and continued his invasion southward. And besides this Capital city, the [Demon King] took over everything else. And I mean, literally took over all other lands besides here. Igni resists a second yawn coming on. He takes a glance at Sara who is sitting next to him and is listening to the teachers words very intently. Saras language skills have improved drastically, so now shes able to understand what the teacher is saying. This might be the first time Sara is hearing this story. Many countries tried to resist, and many Spells were developed. Even Forbidden Spells. Sara: Forbidden? And Sara turned to Igni questioningly as he answered, really dangerous spells to clarify. Many [Races] went extinct. The Fairies, the Giants, Mermen, Gnomes..right now, you can count the number of Races that are left today. Everyone looks at the long list of extinct Races listed inside the textbook, and everyone falls silent. Up until 100 years ago, all these Races lived their daily lives, and with the war that came upon them, they were wiped out. Because of the [Demon King], it is said that 90% of humanity was killed. The teacher continued to flip through the textbook pages as they spoke. But the reason why humanity remains today is because the [Demon King] was defeated. And within the classroom, a few are getting excited. They are the History gurus.or basically geek fans of the Hero. The Omnipotent Glorius. A genius that was born with [S] Compatibility with all Magic Spell Types. Right now, most know him more by his ''Hero'' title than his actual name. Sara was listening to every single word the teacher spoke. She even let out a surprised wow, and the sight of her was so cute, Igni smiled to himself as he watched her. The Hero and his other two companions were victorious in the final battle against the [Demon King]. That is why we are all still here. I believe everyone here should already know who his two companions were, correct? The teacher looks around at all the students faces. The first Emperor of the Esmeralda Empire, the Master Swordsman Cain Esmeralda. And the Principal of this Rolmod Wizard Academy, the Clever Sage'' Aria. These 3 are the ones who protected humanity from complete annihilation. And the teacher continued their lecture, but Igni knew every detail, and he fought to stay awake and managed to get through class without falling asleep. Sara: [Demon King] ` bad guy! As soon as class was over, Sara turned to Igni and immediately made that proclamation. Igni: Wh`Whats wrong, Sara? Sara: [Hero] ` good guy! Igni: H`Hm? Sara seemed to be worked up about something suddenly, and Igni was unable to keep up. Alicia: Maybe shes excited because she heard the Heros tale for the first time? And Alicia tilted her head to contemplate Saras actions. But with that, Igni replied with a Ohhh`.... and nodded. Any child who hears the tales of the Hero will usually end up looking up to the Hero. Sara lets out an excited and pumped exhale of breath, and Igni chuckles at the sight. This girl would not explain why she was at the [Demon Kings Realm]. Or rather, she couldn''t. But at this rate, she might be able to tell Igni soon. ``why she was there in the first place. Yoori: Igni, lets go to the Student Council meeting. Igni: Yeah. Alicia: Well, well head to our club too. And Alicia rose from her seat, and as she argued with Iris as they left the classroom. Igni: (They get along so well`) ``was Ignis impression watching the two. And Igni headed to the Student Councils meeting room. Miko: Hey, Igni!! Igni: Its been a while, Miss Miko! As soon as they arrive, Mikos loud voice booms as she greets them, and Igni replies in kind. Igni: Oh, wheres President Miru and Miss Valia? Miko: They both went to see the Club Teacher. Igni: Club Teacher? Theres a teacher overseeing the Student Council? It was the first time Igni heard the news and wanted to confirm with Miss Miko. Miko: Of course, man. You dont think we can create a Student Council without teacher approval, right? ``was her reply. And that was probably true. Miko: Here, Ill pour you some tea while we wait for the two to come back. Sit right there. Though her tone might be rough on the edges, Miss Miko is still very considerate and began to boil some water in the pot. Sara: I want snacks! Miko: Oh? Look at you! You can talk better now. Wait there. I think theres cookies in the cupboard in the back. Ill get that for you. Miss Miko was the first Student Council member that Sara took a liking too. Miss Miko seemed to be very used to taking care of children. Sara was not as keen on getting to know Miss Valia who was wrapped in bandages or President Miru. I apologize for making you wait. And with that, an unfamiliar voice came as someone entered the Student Councils room. Oh, hello everyone. I see that you are all here." The girl who entered glanced at Igni and his group. Lilly: A`And who might you be? Yoori: What business do you have with the Student Council? Lilly and Yoori immediately question the woman who just entered. But as for Igni Igni: (A`A`A Nobles girl with blonde hair rolled up in curled locks!!) <<<<>>>> It happened on one of those rare days when Igni and his grandfather were in town. [Igni, do you loathe Nobles?] [I hate them.] [I see. But.what about that?] And with that, Lucas pointed to a Nobles daughter with blonde hair in curly golden locks! [.......th`that is.?!] [Its a style that became popular among the nobles of this Kingdom a little while ago.] [Wh`What about those really curly hair style that looks like drills.?!] [They say its easier to control Magic Power..but its just a false rumor. Theres really no such effect.] [.........but shes a Noble, right?] [Hmmm..... Oye, Igni. Do you remember what I said to you before?] [Which one? That you cant be Popular if youre a Noble?] [Exactly. Nobles are entangled in too many things. They are restricted with contracts and regulations, and even if you live normally, its still a suffocating lifestyle.] [Yeah, I agree.] [But...that is the same for that daughter of a Noble as well.!] [...........?!] Igni looks at Lucas in astonishment. [It is.very good.to be able to teach a Noble daughter who knows nothing of this world...the life of an ordinary citizen.] [Its an.ignoratunity (ignorance + opportunity).......an adaptation of teaching new things to a girl who knows nothing!] [........thats really hard to say] [Dont say the obvious!!] [OW!! DANGIT!! I LET MY GUARD DOWN!!] <<<<>>>> Igni: (H`How nostalgic..!!) Igni: (Its been a while since I saw those...golden rolls!!) Igni: (And when you see it in person.it establishes...such a powerful presence!!) Oh, thats right. Its the first time Im meeting you in this attire, is it not? Miko: Oh, Valia. Youre back. Igni: WHA`?! M`Miss Valia?! Valia: Yes, that is correct. My name is Valia Ammolite. I am very well acquainted with everyone here. Igni: Th`That Miss Valia actually was..! That upperclassman wrapped up in bandages like a mummy was actually a Nobles daughter with curly golden locks..!! Igni: (Its too much!!) Miru: Oh, everyone. Youre all here. And behind Valia, Miru hugged her from behind and appeared. Miru: Then take a seat everyone. I have important news to share. Igni: An important news? Miru: Yes! Its our traditional annual activity for the Student Council! President Miru hands out pamphlets to everyone. Miru: Its the Student Council Field Trip! Chapter 84: The Field Trip and the Wizard Igni: Its the ocean`!!! Igni and his group got out of the carriage and immediately ran towards the beach. Igni: Were here at the ocean, President Miru!! Miru: Thats right! We come here every year! Igni and his friends were delighted to see the endless seas before them. But Sara and Lilly stood frozen still as they stared at the ocean. Igni: Wh`whats wrong, you two? Sara: So much...water Lilly: Ive never seen a lake so large.. Igni: This isnt a lake. Its the ocean, Lilly. Lilly: The ocean? Igni: Yeah, its a giant puddle thats much bigger than a lake! Leaving aside the fact that he just called the ocean a giant puddle, Igni chose those words to try and simplify his explanation as much as possible. Valia: Okay everyone` we shall now carry our luggage. For this Field Trip, we will be sharing our lodge with a different school club so please mind your manners. And Valia began taking down the luggage from the carriages, and Igni took the bags and carried them to the lodge. Igni: Another school club? So they are also doing a Field Trip during the same time as us? Igni asked Valia while they walked besides each other. Valia: Yes, that would be true. That club also does their annual Field Trip around this time of year. Igni: Which club is it? But just as Igni finished asking the question, he saw a familiar face. The other party was also equally surprised to see Ignis face. Igni: Huh?! Alicia?? Alicia: Oh, its Igni. Why are you here? Igni: Im here on the Student Council Field Trip Alicia: Im at the Fortune Telling Clubs Training Camp. With that, Alicia showed Igni her crystal ball. Valia: Oh, I guess my explanation was lacking. We are sharing the lodge with everyone from the Fortune Telling Club. And with that Miss Valia smiled towards Alicia and her group. Iris: What?! Sir Igni! Sir Igni, why are you here?! Iris runs up quickly towards him. Igni: Im doing a training camp here too. Iris: Wow! It must be destiny! I hope we get to spend some time together while were here! Iris bows her head politely towards Igni. Valia: Then Igni, let us go. Igni: Yes. Sara: Umphhhhhh! While he was heading to the lodge with Miss Valia, Sara walked beside Igni and was carrying a bag that was almost too big for her. Igni: S`Sara? Are you okay carrying that? Sara: Im fine! Igni: A`Are you really okay? Igni was a little worried. In the end, Sara tired out on the way to the lodge, and Igni carried it for her. Miru: Okay, everyones here now. They borrowed the main living room of the lodge, and Ignis group held a meeting. Miru: Firstly, the goal of this Field Trip is for everyone in the Student Council to get to know each other better. If we spend more time in the same location longer, itll give us a chance to become good friends! And the way President Miru smiled as she said that was incredibly cute. Miru: But for now, lets start making lunch together! YES! The group began taking out the food ingredients they brought with them. Miru: Igni, Ill leave the control of the fire to you. Igni: You can leave it to me. Igni sticks his chest out with confidence. Miru: Yoori, can you cut up the ingredients? Yoori: Yes. Sara: Ill help! Miru: Then Sara, can you wash the ingredients with water? Sara: Yes! Sara nodded and began washing the vegetables with water. Sara: Ahh! And with a , Sara drops the ingredients she was handling. In the same time it takes to blink, an extraordinary amount of Magic Power flowed out. Igni: Whats wrong? Sara: It zapped me. And all the Magic Power disappeared. And what Sara pointed to was.the Magical Artifact Ring. Igni: Im sorry that it zapped you. Did it hurt? Are you okay? Sara: Yeah. Didnt hurt. It just scared me. Saras Magical Artifact is an artifact that prevents Saras immense Magic Power from flooding out. Because of it, Sara is able to live a normal life. And if that zapped her, it means.. Igni: Is it weak to water? Igni tilts his head. Miko: Sara, have you ever used a kitchen knife before? Miss Miko gently guided Sara away from the water. Igni is certain that the Magic Artifact is still functioning, but if that ring-shaped Magic Artifact broke, this entire area would turn into the [Demon Kings Realm]. Igni will have to avoid that from happening no matter what. Igni: (Im glad we have a spare`.......) Alicia gave him an extra ring-shaped Magic Artifact just in case, and remembering that he had one, Igni let out a sigh of relief. <<<<>>>> At the exact same time, in the [Demon Kings Realm]. Abyss: There. I sensed it. Now, the [Demon Kings Realm] was nothing like it was before. The overflowing Magic Power disappeared, and the majority of the Monsters there weakened significantly. The corrupted Magic Power no longer expanded throughout the territory either. Now, it was just an unexplored frontier. Abyss: From that direction..it would be the Empire or the Kingdom.. The [Endless Depths] Abyss just finished his most adept Spell [Dimensional World Crossing]. Abyss: The Magic Power appeared and disappeared, which means someone is holding back the Magic Power...or maybe theyre using a Magic Artifact. As Abyss exhales, a snake drops down from above him. A Giant Snake that was at least 30 meters in length. Abyss: Hmm.. The snake that dropped from above without a sound is now frozen still in mid-air. Abyss: Is it not a [corpse]........? What if. Abyss taps his head as he continues to think. Abyss: It was obvious that the Magic Power was not in chaos, but it was orderly. Is it sentient? Or has it been turned into a weapon? From his incredible senses and drawing his thoughts from all of his countless experiments, he continued to delve into his thinking. Abyss: If it was a [corpse], would they try and make it into a weapon.? Would that Kingdom or Empire really do that.? A weapon that would transform any land into a [Demon Kings Territory]. It could be used to take down an enemy country. But as a result, if you dont have a [Saint] to cleanse and purify the land, the land would be useless. And it would be hard to persuade the [Saint] to go purify the lands after taking such extremely inhumane measures against an enemy nation. And theres no reason why the Kingdom and Empire has to rely on . Abyss: Even if you take a country down, if you cant use the land, there would be no point. And I cant think of any reason why those two countries would resort to using a weapon instead. Abyss twists the giant snake he captured as he continues to think. They really have no use for such a weapon. The Kingdom and Empire could send one [Extreme] to any enemy nation if they want to take it down. Just with that, they can conquer most countries. The only ones who can fight Magicians are other Magicians. Abyss: Then..hes..the [Demon King] is alive? With a nasty , the snakes flesh began tearing from the immense pressure applied to it. Abyss: No...no way. That would be impossible. The [Demon King] most definitely died. The ground was now soaking up the Giant Snakes blood, when Abyss shadow bubbled up from the ground. Abyss: .........well, theres no use thinking about it till I find it. From his shadow, a black humanoid figure appeared. Abyss: Good, now go. Search it out. The humanoid figure received his command from Abyss and began running out of the [Demon Kings Realm]. With that, Abyss left the Giant Snakes body behind and disappeared into the darkness. Chapter 85: The Name and the Wizard Miru: Okay, First Years! Lets first begin with Combat Training! As soon as they were done eating lunch, President Miru suddenly made the announcement. Igni: Combat Training? Miru: Yup. Because part of the goals for this Student Council Field Trip is also to increase our Combat Strength and Abilities! First, lets start with Combat Training. Igni: I see. Igni nods with agreement. Miru: I made a training plan for each member, so dont worry about that part. Igni: A training plan too. Miru: Yup. Its tradition for the President of the Student Council to come up with one each year. And President Miru smiled with that. Miru: Firstly, Igni. Igni: Yes. Miru: You should get more used to close-range combat. Without using Spells, fight against Miko. Igni: Understood. Miru: Next, Yoori. Lets start by learning some Attack Spells first, okay? Yoori: Y`Yes. Yoori seems pretty nervous since he has yet to learn a single Attack Spell. Miru: Ummm` well. I think its great that youre using [Dark] Magic as a Support Wizard very well, but I think you should at least be able to fight just in case. Yoori: Y`Yes Miru: Youll be fi`ne! Im also a [Dark] Magic Type! So Ill be able to help you with that too! With President Mirus encouragement, Yoori answered her with a strained smile. Yoori is not able to use any Attack Spells, so his grades surrounding combat are significantly lower than average. Igni: (Hes a Compatibility [S], so he should be able to use it, but is it just that he really doesnt have a knack for it?) .is what Igni was thinking. Miru: Lastly, Lilly. I want to see more of what youre made of so can you go against Valia? Valia: Is that really for the best? At the moment, I am filled up with curses, so I will be quite strong. Miru: Ill need you to go easy then. Miss Valia is the only 2nd Year in the Student Council. Igni: (Were only one year apart, so Ill continue to be in her care`) And Igni thought of these things as he stared at her beautiful blonde hair. Miru: Okay then! Lets get dressed in more comfortable clothes and meet at the beach! Igni and his group all gave a short reply. <<<<>>>> Miko: Its been a while to fight with you like this. Igni: We just fought the other day. Miko: Haha, really? Maybe so. Igni faces Miko. Miss Miko is dressed in attire geared for physical activities, but the length of her shorts are revealing a lot of her thighs. You can see Miss Mikos wonderful muscles that give her agility like a jungle beast...but even more, her thighs..! Miko: Igni, you remember that move you showed me the other day? Igni: Yes! Youre talking bout the one where you circulate the Magic Power, correct? Miko: Yeah. I mastered it. Igni: Seriously? Miko: Seriously. And Miko nodded her head as she said so. Igni: .......well, its not like Ive been playing around this whole time either. Miko: Then come at me. Igni: Here I come. Igni begins to circulate the Magic Power inside of him. He keeps the circulation to his maximum controllable 20 RPM. Igni: ``SH! (sfx exhale) Igni could physically feel the breath he just exhaled trail way behind him as he stepped forward. And he raises his fist directed at Miko. Miko: Youve gotten faster. Igni: Thank you very much! Igni relays his gratitude for the compliment as he withdraws his fist that was grabbed and stopped, and by doing so, he drew Miss Miko towards him as he kicked with his knee. But Miss Miko killed the momentum of his knee kick with one hand, and grabbing it, she pulls up her legs and pincers Ignis body in between them. Igni: (So soft..!) Ignis heart melts at the feel of Mikos soft muscles which she stretches every day, but his face remains serious. Miko: If I push you to the ground like this, its my win. Igni: I wont let you do that. Igni takes his upper body, and with Miko still clinging to him, jumps backwards and flips. Miko: Whoa! Nice!! Miko smiles at Ignis powerful joints, and releases her legs to let his body go. Sara: You can do it`! From across the sandy beaches, Sara was cheering Igni on underneath a beach umbrella so she doesnt get sunburned. Igni waves at her and then increases his Magic Rotation Speed to 25 RPM. Miko: Hey, Igni. Igni: Whats wrong? Miko: Have you thought about putting together the {Fireball} and this Close-Combat technique together? Igni: Mixing Martial Arts with {Fireball}? Miko: Yeah. Miss Miko didnt follow-up with an attack and began speaking kindly to Igni. Miko: With rotating this Magic Power thats initiated, since this itself isnt an actual Spell, you can keep the Magic Power rotating and using a Spell that way. Igni: Have you tried that? Miko: Yeah, and guess what happened? Igni: What happened? Miko: Ill show you. And with that, Miss Miko initiated her Magic Power and. Miko: [Physical Enhancement] {Active} She strengthens her physical body. And picking up a tree branch that was laying on the beach sand, she. Miko: Fuh!! (sfx exhale) She swung it. The next instant, the ocean splits in two. .well, it was only about 10 meters, but even then..for a mere moment, you saw the ocean split open. Miko: Isnt that intense? Igni: It is. Igni looked at the ocean in shock as he spoke. Miko: Told you so. Thats why I said you should try your {Fireball} with this rotating thing. Igni: Thats true. .but Miss Miko. Theres one thing Id like to ask you. Miko: Hm? Igni: Dont you think we should put a name to this move? For Spells, its very important to name each one. Against something that is unknown and undefined, you choose a word that [fits] and make it into something more comprehensible. Between Spells with a name and without a name, the speed to initiate the Spell, its power, and its stability will be greatly changed. Technically, rotating initiated Magic Power is not a Spell, but as a Wizard, not naming it wasnt an option. Miko: A name?! I already have one! Igni: Oh, seriously? You already do?! Miko: Yeah! Its Spin-Spin Magic Power! Igni: Whoa`!! Igni immediately applauds with no hesitation. Miss Miko seems very satisfied as a huge smile crosses her face. Well, of course, Igni is a boy. And because hes a boy, just a little bit.just a little tiny bit in the deepest part of him said, thats a little lame, no? `` such a feeling flashed inside of him, but even more, he thought, Miss Miko is so cute`........and also the Guide to Popularity No. 19 states `` Never dismiss what a woman says `` and applauded. Miko: Isnt that a great name? But its mine. So even if its you, Igni, you cant have it! Igni: Thats okay! I thought of a name for it myself!! Miko: Oh really`?! What did you name it?! Igni: Me? Dont be surprised when I tell you. Miko: Hey, hey. Youre speaking to a Rolmod Wizard Academys 3rd Year. Itll be difficult to surprise me with any Spell name. Igni: I named it, [Spinning Ember] {Ignite}! Miko: Th`That''s so cool!! Thats a really cool name, Igni!! Igni: Isnt it? Ive been thinking about it this whole time!! Igni also now smiles widely. Valia: Hey, you two over there. Are you training properly as you were told to do? Miko: Hey, Valia! Of course! Were taking this training super seriously! Valia: I really could not tell from what I just observed though. Valia seems a little troubled by the situation. Miko: Well, Valia, you might have a harder time understanding` And with that, Miss Miko wraps an arm around Ignis shoulder. And in the same moment, their eyes meet and This is what being a Wizard is all about!! And without missing a beat, said it in unison. And behind Valia who didnt know how to respond, Sara yelled, Wizard! with bright and shining eyes. Chapter 86: Practice Makes Perfect and the Wizard Igni: How is it? Im starting to shape up with this Spell, right? Miko: Not bad! Igni and Miko laugh together as their fists collide. They are working on Ignis close-combat abilities. Igni might have caught on to something as his movements began improving by leaps and bounds. Igni: Im able to now use the [Spinning Ember] {Ignite} to about 30 RPS! Miko: Im 50 but good job! Igni: Thats amazing, Miss Miko!! Miko: Right? Igni compliments Miko as her smile widens even further. Miss Miko with a huge smile is also cute. Putting Miss Miko who learned to use the Spell by herself aside, Igni has gotten used to using the [Spinning Ember] {Ignite}. Its because hes starting to see the relationship between the rotation speed and the increase in his physical abilities. Miru: Looks like you two are really shaping up nicely. Then Igni, are you ready to take it to the next step? Igni: Next..meaning something related to combat training? Miru: Thats right. Lets now remove the Spell restrictions. She must have seen enough improvement in Igni and pushed Igni to the next phase. Behind her, Valia and Lilly were fighting against one another. Igni: I understand! Igni replies heartily and faces Miss Miko. Miko: Its difficult to use Spells while your rotating your Magic Power, so be careful. Igni: Yes! With that, Igni initiated the [Spinning Ember] {Ignite} and initiated the {Fireb`` ``the Magic Power inside of him completely went out of control! And the {Fireball} exploded and caused dust and sand to fly up into the air. Miko: See, I told you to be careful. And Miss Miko immediately came to his assistance, and Igni quietly communicated his thanks to her. Miko: Dont worry about it. I had a hard time at first too. Miss Mikos warm encouragement echoes inside Ignis heart. Miko: Its okay. Once you get the hang of it, itll be easy. Igni: Is there a trick to this? Igni decided to ask Miss Miko who already mastered the [Spinning Ember] {Ignite}. Miko: Well, first of all, youre spinning Magic Power inside of you, right? Igni: Yes. Miko: Well, if you try to use that Magic Power for spells, it explodes out of control. Igni: Oh? Miko: So you that Magic Power, and while you''re spinning it, you take the part and youll be able to use that for Spells! Igni: I see!! There were some confusing concepts, but Igni understood what Miko was saying and decided to put it into practice. Igni: First, I need to take apart the Magic Power. Igni separates the Magic Power inside of him to a ratio of 7 and 3. Igni: I spin one part and then use the other for the Spell. Igni takes the 7 portion and begins the [Spinning Ember] {Ignite} and then with the remaining 3, he creates a {Fireball}. Igni: Oh, OHHH!! I DID IT!! Miko: Way to go, Igni!! Miss Miko praises him and rubs his head. Being a little embarrassed, Igni laughs. Igni: Hey, Miss Miko, thats embarrassing. Miko: Hey, dont worry about it. Youre an underclassman after all. Igni: (But shes treating more like a little brother than an underclassmen`) ...was what Igni thought. Miko: Okay, Igni. Keep practicing that. Igni: Yes, thank you, Miss Miko!! As Igni relayed his gratitude and tried to get back to practice, he sensed a bloodlust out of the ocean and turned around. Igni: .........!! At the same time, Miss Miko, President Miru, Miss Valia, and Lilly saw the thing in the ocean as well. The only people who were unaware were Yoori and Sara, the two that were least experienced in combat. Igni: Miss Miko. Miko: What? Igni: Thats...a Monster maybe.? Miko: ..........I dont know. There in the ocean was a pitch black humanoid figure. Even though its the middle of the day, it seemed like light just disappeared in that one spot as if the humanoid figure was made up of shadows. It floated there with just its upper body showing and looked straight at Ignis group. Miko: Igni, dont attack it just yet. Igni: Yes, theres a possibility that its not a Monster. Igni replies to Miss Miko. Igni can think of a few examples of Monsters made of shadows, but among those, there are none that would show up during the day. But his skin tingles from the overflowing bloodlust coming from that thing. That was what bothered Igni the most. Miru: Everyone ` listen to me for a sec. As no one made a move, President Miru spoke up first. Miru: If it attacks us, we will respond in kind. If it remains still, we will stand down for the time being, okay? YES! As if not feeling any resistance from the water, the Black figure slithered up to the sandy beach and with its featureless, empty face, it began looking around. It looked at Miko, Igni, Valia, Lilly, Miru, Yoori, and then Sara in turn `` and it ran towards Sara!! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! Igni reacted faster than anyone else. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! (sfx air popping) And with that, the Black Figures head exploded. It fell forward into the ground. Igni: Miss Miko! Please take care of Sara! Miko: Understood!! With super speed, Miss Miko grabbed Sara and kicked the ground to escape into the sky. The next moment, something black gathered where the head was and..regenerated. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor] {Pierce}!! The {Fireball} Igni created rubbed against the air surrounding it and made a screeching noise! Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! (sfx) The sound of the air being compressed and then ripped open resounded as the {Fireball} collided with the Black Figure, and it consumed everything around it as fire blew up into the sky!! Once the smoke cleared, the Black Figure fell to the ground once again, but this time, it melted into the ground. Miko: Im back. And a moment later, Miss Miko landed beside him. Miko: Thanks, Igni. Igni: Miss Miko, are you okay? Miko: Yeah. Miss Miko seems to be in good health, and Sara didnt understand what happened just now and had a [???] floating above her head. Igni: By the way, what was that thing? Igni pointed at the disappearing figure and asked President Miru. Miru: No clue. She tilted her head to wonder that herself. <<<<>>>> Abyss: WHA`? Whyd it die?? Snow was descending down upon the [Demon Kings Realm], and Abyss let out a startle of surprise. Abyss: I know it was my clone Doppelganger, but among my kin, they were fairly strong, right? They shouldnt lose to any ordinary Wizard Abyss sat on a S-Rank Monster called the Dragon Zombie as he thought. Abyss: They also had plenty of fighting abilities too to retaliate but.. As he thought for a long while, he exhaled slowly. Abyss: I see. So they must have found it. Abyss looks towards the direction where his kinsmen perished. From here, it would be far, far south. Around the shores of the Kingdom, his kinsmen disappeared. Then what he was looking for should be nearby. Abyss: Who would be close to there...I guess Ill choose this one. Abyss stood up and initiated his Magic Power. Abyss: [Those who crawl and suffer, switch with me.] The next moment, one of his kinsman switched places with Abyss `` and appeared right on top of the Dragon Zombie...and melted, crumbled, and disappeared. <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) In the Manga, Igni''s incantation of his Spells is technically the last words in { } brackets. In the literature, the author has the freedom to clarify what the { } words mean, and I placed them in the [ ] brackets. In short, Japanese author''s like to use Kanji (h) to clarify or add meaning to their actions. Since the author is now using "Ignite" literally, I changed the Spell back to [Equip Flame] {Ignition} to separate it from [Spinning Ember] {Ignite}. Originally, at the beginning of the novel, I chose to use an action versus a noun in the TL, but hindsight, I guess it didn''t make that much of a difference. Chapter 87: The Night Air and the Wizard Alicia: The bracelet is acting up? Igni: Yeah, something happened to it during the middle of the day. Igni wanted to take a walk outside at night and get some fresh air, and coincidentally, Alicia was out walking during the same hour. Thats why the two of them sat next to each other on the beach as they gazed at the ocean waves. Alicia: So can you elaborate on what caused it act up? Igni: It happened when it got soaked in water. Alicia: Soaked in water? Alicia repeats the words to confirm. Igni: Yeah, thats right. Alicia: When it got soaked...but yes, it depends on the how the Magical Artifact is made, but there shouldnt be any problems with it getting wet. Igni: Do you think it degraded in quality? Alicia: Hmm` I dont think it would get worn out that quickly but Alicia said so and went back to her thoughts. Alicia: Well, anyways. I dont think well come up with an answer just thinking about it here. You still have the spare bracelet I gave you, right? Igni: Yeah. Right now, Im having Sara wear that one. Alicia: Okay, good. Oh, and can I have the old one? Im going to hand it to our Research Division and have them look into it. Igni: Thanks, Alicia. Youre helping me out a lot here. Alicia: I dont mind. And its not just me. Its helping the Empire as well. Igni: Oh yeah? Alicia: They were all ecstatic about being able to gather rare data. Igni: Even so, thank you. Igni looked at Alicia, and directly thanked her. Alicia: Wh`What are you staring at? Igni: I wanted to thank you properly. Its thanks to you that Sara is now able to walk around outside normally like everyone else. Alicia: Igni, youve really taken a liking to Sara. Is it because shes attached to you? Igni closes his eyes to think over Alicias question before he answers. Igni: Because.were alike. That was his answer. Alicia: Alike? You and Sara? Igni: Yeah, were alike. Alicia: How? Igni: Because of the abilities we were born with, we both couldnt live normal lives. A gentle echoes as the sound of the waves fills the silence. Alicia: Does it.still bother you? Igni: No, Im thankful for the way my body is. Its how I became the [Strongest]. But Sara is a little different, right? Alicia: Youre right. Unlike you, we dont know if shell ever be able to control that power of hers. Sara is doing training exercises to control her Magic Power, but it hasnt gone too well. Even now, if she lets her Magic Power overflow, the entire area would transform into the [Demon Kings Realm]. Alicia: I wonder why a child was in a place like that.. Igni: The teachers were saying that maybe the [Demon King] abducted her..and made her into a weapon that would be used against humanity or something like that. Alicia: Its a likely possibility. Igni: Yeah. They say that the [Demon King] was a being of pure malice and evil with no heart, compassion, or kindness. Thats why its not strange to hypothesize that he tainted all the lands with corrupted magic just to eradicate humanity. Alicia: Hey, Igni. Igni: Hm? As they both felt the night wind graze their faces, Alicia opened her mouth to speak. Alicia: What do you think about the [Hurricane] Alicia? Igni: What do I think? Alicia glanced at Igni''s face briefly with worry in her eyes. Igni researched Alicias background after he fought with her sister, Celia. Alicia is the Empires greatest anti-air weaponry. Although she is only an [A] compatibility, with gruesome effort and training, she was the witch that ruled the skies. Igni: My first thoughts were about how hard she must have worked. Alicia: Why? Igni: Because...I worked pretty hard too, so I know how difficult it can be. Especially when youre only an [A] compatibility and how hard you had to train to learn to be able to use Epic-Scale Spells. Alicia: .........because your compatibility is [F]...... Igni: Thats why its easier for me to imagine how much effort you must have put in and hard difficult it was...thats what came through to me. Youre a very hard worker. Alicia: Liar.. Igni: Its not a lie. Its the truth. Igni thought so from the bottom of his heart. Thats why Alicia also felt his sincerity from her heart. Alicia: ..........thank you.. Alicia whispered those words under her breath. And Igni returned it with a Youre welcome. Alicia: Hey, Igni. Igni: Hm? Alicia: Can you tell me your story? Igni: My story? Alicia: Yeah, I want to hear it. At Alicias question, Igni remembered the Ultimate Secret to Popularity Rule No. 4 `` Women love a Mysterious Man. But they love a man even more that can draw their attention and open up to them. Igni: I was born.as a Noble. Alicia: I thought you might be. Alicia couldnt tell him that she glanced through the confidential files of the Empires covert organization and just left it at that. Igni: But my compatibility was [Fire] : [F] and...I couldnt even use the Spell {Fireball} that well. Alicia: Really? I thought you were that strong from the very beginning. Igni: No, I was really weak. So I was kicked out of my home and worked like a slave for about a year. Thats when I met Grandpa...Lucas and trained at the [Demon Kings Realm]. Alicia: And then you enrolled into the Academy? Igni: Yeah. What about you, Alicia? Alicia: For me, I was always in the battle field. Alicia speaks very softly. Alicia: Ever since I was little. She hid her face under her hat, and Igni could not see her expression. Alicia: Since I learned about my compatibility in the Compatibility Ritual, for 3 years, I was always in the sky. My job was to kill anyone who would get in the way of the Empire. Using Spells, the enemies would try to invade or attack us from the skies, so I kept dropping them down. But I hated it and ran away. Igni: And then you came to school? Alicia: Yeah, but..my sister came and.I thought it was all over then. Igni waited patiently and quietly for her to continue. Alicia: Because my sister is an [Extreme]. I knew you were strong, Igni, but I never thought that you could ever beat her. Alicia turns towards Igni. Alicia: Thats why I was so happy. Igni: You were crying. I couldnt think of doing anything else except to help you. Alicia: But theres no one who could defeat an [Extreme] with just that. Alicia laughed aloud as she spoke. Igni: I was genuinely glad from the bottom of my heart, that I was strong that day. Alicia: Really? Igni: If I wasnt, I couldnt have saved you. Alicia: ............... Alicia pulls down her hat further over her face. Igni: We should be getting back inside. Alicia: ........o Igni: Whats wrong? Alicia: ..........no. Alicia reached out and gripped Ignis clothes tightly. Alicia: Just.a little bit longer. As if to beg, she quietly whispered to him. Igni: Sure. Alicias face that was shown in the moonlight was so cute, that Ignis heart almost stopped. Alicia: Igni, are you going to marry the Saint? Igni: M`Marry? Why ask that all of a sudden? Alicia: It bothered me, so I wanted to ask. Igni: Im not sure. I havent really thought about marriage and stuff so.WHOA! While he was speaking, Igni was pushed forcefully down, and he laid on the beach. Igni: Hey, Alicia?! What are you`` Igni wanted to protest at Alicia, but Alicia held his mouth closed with hers. Igni: ................ Alicia: ................. Igni was still surprised, and Alicias face was bright red. They remained like that, and finally Alicia released him. Alicia: Igni. Sitting on top of Igni, the moonlight continued to shine over Alicia. Alicia: I love you. And she smiled. Chapter 88: The Darkness and the Wizard Igni: Alicia..I.. Alicias blonde hair shined brilliantly in the moonlight, as it waved in the nightly breeze. Before Igni could say anything more, his mouth was silenced by Alicias soft hand. Alicia: ........dont say anything. Igni: ............... Igni followed Alicias direction and fell silent. Alicia: ........hey, Igni. Im...a daughter of an Emperor. Igni nodded silently. Alicia: And Im 3rd in line. So I dont actually have any real freedoms. Alicia smiled warmly at Igni. Igni couldnt quite understand what she was trying to say. Alicia: But I was really happy. I was happy when you were able to defeat my sister. That really made me happy to see that. As Alicia continued to sit on top of Igni, she spoke to him softly. They were on the beach. They were in the lodges blindside, so it would be hard for anyone to notice. Alicia: Thats why...even if its just for 3 years, I want to stay like this. Alicia brought her face close to Ignis once again, and their lips touched. On the quiet beach, only the sound of waves was heard. The salty smell of the sea and Alicias scent mixed and tickled Ignis nose. They didnt know how long they stayed that way. It might have been only for a short moment..or it could have been for much longer. Iris: Hey`?! Alicia! Where are you?! From the lodge, they could hear Iris voice, and Alicia released her lips from Ignis. Iris: Oh, there you are. HEY! Why is Sir Igni here too?! Igni: H`Hey. The two stood up and acted as though nothing happened. Iris: Hey, Alicia! What were you talking about with Sir Igni?! Alicia: .......we were discussing about Saras bracelet. Apparently, it malfunctioned today. Iris: Is that bracelet that important? Iris, who doesnt know about Sara and the [Demon Kings Realm] looks at Alicia and Igni to ask. Alicia: Sara is.well, her body is special. Without that bracelet, she wouldnt be able to stay with everyone. Igni: That bracelet was something I asked Alicia to make, and she got it for me. Thats why I was discussing it with her. Iris: Is that right! Im so sorry! Iris bows her head apologetically. Iris: Oh, but Alicia. Everyones looking for you. Were about to do some card fortune telling. Alicia: Okay. Then, Ill head over shortly. Iris: Okay` Ill let them know. Iris delivers the message and returns to the lodge. Alicia: .........Igni. Igni: Hm? Alicia: Could you...not tell this to anyone? Alicia gently held Ignis sleeve as she spoke. Igni: I wont tell anyone. I promise. And Igni replied with a kind tone. Alicia: Then.Ill be going back. See you tomorrow. Igni: Yeah, see you tomorrow. After he saw Alicia return, he let out a big sigh and turned around. Igni: So, who are you? I know youre there. Abyss: ........that''s frightening. You can sense me at this distance for real? From the shadows of a tree that was over 70 meters (77 yards) away, one young man appeared. He had black hair that melted into the night sky and dark violet eyes. He also had a perpetual mocking smile on his face Igni: I felt uncomfortable from feeling someone staring from a little while ago. Igni started feeling the stare right after Iris came. How could you know when someones just looking at you? Youre a freakin Monster. As he laughed casually, the man continued to approach Igni. Igni: Stop, dont come any closer. Igni believed in his 6th sense and had the man stop about 30 meters (33 yards) away. What is it? It would be annoying talking to you from so far, so I was just walking towards you. Igni: Who are you? You arent part of the group at the lodge. Ignis body is now fully transitioned into combat readiness. The mans gaze appeared. It was as if he teleported there. I live around here. I just came to look at the ocean. Igni: Wearing that? The mans clothes were not really for walking on the night beach. He looked more like an Adventurer. He looks like hes ready to take down a Monster at any time. What does it matter what Im wearing? The man continued his perpetual, mocking smirk. It was an expression of confidence saying that he could handle anything at any time. Dont be so on edge. Im just seriously looking for something around here. Igni: Looking for something? Yeah, I wont bother you with it. With that, the man laughed. Soon, very soon. Itll all be over. The instant, the lights at the lodge suddenly went dark. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! Ignis 6th sense determined that the man he was facing was an enemy. He immediately creates a {Fireball}! I told you, itll be all over in a moment. Igni pours Magic Power into the {Fireball} he created, and it transitioned from a red hue to white`` Good, I found it. ...huh? Someone got in the way. Valia: Mr. Igni!! From the lodge, Miss Valia stuck her head out. Valia: Someone tried to come after Sara! Right now, Miss Miru and Miss Miko are dealing with it! Please be aware of your surroundings! With those words, Igni understood everything. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! And believing his instincts, he launched the {Fireball} at the young man! OHH. So thats how it is. The young man dispersed the pitch black wall that he created in front of him as he spoke. Looks like theres more people who are in the way now. The man stepped back. Igni quickly followed him. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor] {Pierce} [Powerful one] Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! [Come out of the Darkness] Both cast their Spell at the same time! Ignis {Fireball} screeches as its outer edges . (sfx) They were both 30 meters (33 yards) apart. But for Igni, this distance is next to nothing. But in between them, a Black Arm emerged and blocked his Spell. Whoa` amazing` you crushed the arms of the Spirit of Darkness, Tenebris. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Molecular] {Minima}!! As expected, there was no way the thing could endure Ignis [Anti-Armor] {Pierce}, and the arm that came out of the darkness was blown to bits. Igni: {Acceleration}!! The molecular sized {Fireball} moves back into the Magic Cyclotron Igni created behind him and begins its acceleration! `` Behind Igni, a ring similar to a halo appears as the Cyclotron continues to accelerate the {Fireball} and `` Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! [Block it] The man used a simple Defensive Spell. But there was no way he could have stopped Ignis {Fireball} that travelled at the speed of light with just that! Ignis {Fireball} pierced the mans defenses and blew the man backwards! Igni: What do you want with Sara? You blow me up with a Spell and THEN you ask me questions? Isnt it usually done in reverse order? Smoke billowed up from the mans body. The temperature exceeded that of human combustion, and the entire body was now smoking. You wouldnt understand even if I explained, so Im saying nothing. Igni: ........then, Ill stop you here. Stop me? You? Youre going to stop me? HOW?! The man picks himself up from the ground. His body was rapidly regenerating as if it was rewinding. Tell me, Mr. Student of Rolmod Academy`!! With a (sfx), the dark night grew even darker and from there, countless humanoid figures emerged. They all looked identical to the pitch black humanoid figure Igni saw during the day. I havent properly introduced myself yet. The man laughed. I am Abyss. The [Endless Depths] Abyss. Igni . A freelance Wizard that does not swear allegiance to any country. But he himself is not a combat type, and an aberration that swears to be a researcher at heart. And he conducted many forbidden experiments in many countries and is a wanted criminal throughout many countries. Abyss: I am the [Extreme] of [Darkness]. Chapter 89: The President and the Wizard Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! Ignis Incantation echoed across the shores of the beach like a roar. He makes all 5 {Fireballs} glow white with heat! Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! Abyss: [Mimic him] One of the Black Figures melts to the ground, but then begins to rotate at high speeds, and changes its form to something similar to a {Shadow Ball} and shot towards the {Fireball} and collides. An explosion of flames and winds scatters around, and Ignis {Fireballs} were all shot down. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : {Scatter Shot} Igni completes his incantation against the crowd of black figures. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! And with Ignis shotgun-like shot, the Pitch Black Figure `` the strangely shaped creatures which Abyss called his kinsmen began to fall in groups. Abyss: Whoa` great, amazing. Even though Abyss kinsmen are being slain, he applauded Igni without changing the expression on his face. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : {Snipe} A much smaller {Fireball} with much more Magic Power poured into it began to rotate at high speeds. His aim is for Abyss chest ` specifically his heart. If it was any ordinary person, it would be a fatal shot, but Abyss is an [Extreme]. Theres no way he would die from this. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} And Igni fired his shot. (sfx) And with a dry sound of something erupting, Ignis {Fireball} pierced Abyss heart region! Abyss: (cough). Ouch` Abyss continued to smirk and smile as he threw up blood. But the next moment, Abyss wound completely healed. At that moment, one of the kinsmen that Igni didnt attack fell over. Glancing at the body, Igni saw that the kinsmens chest had a hole in its chest region. Igni: ........I see...you pushed your wounds on it Igni mumbles quietly and quickly. Abyss: Correct. Thats why I cant die. Igni: But youre not immortal. Abyss: Yeah, but Im like half immortal now. Someone like you would never be able to stop me.. The next instant, the skies brightened as if it turned into mid-day. Abyss: ...........huh? In the sky are countless {Fireballs}. Igni: [Equip Flame] : {Homing} Abyss: Oh.. That was the first time Abyss expression changed. Igni: 16,384 {Fireballs}. If I strike an enemy with all of this, what would happen? Abyss: Interesting! Try it out! Igni: [Bombardment] {Fire} (sfx) The impact of the {Fireballs} shook the ground!! 16,384 {Fireballs} began raining down on Ignis enemy one by one!! The {Fireballs} struck Abyss but also took out his kinsmen with the explosions and impacts. But among the carnage, Igni continued to watch Abyss continually heal the entire time with both eyes. Igni: That wasn''t enough, huh. Igni wiped out all of Abyss kinsmen and posed the question to Abyss. Abyss: Isnt it obvious? What idiot would bring out everything with him from the beginning? And what Abyss said made sense. But Igni: Then, I just have to continue taking you down. Abyss: If you want to take me down, yeah. But if you want me to stop me, no. Igni: What are you.. Before he could finish his words, something happened on the second floor of the lodge. Exactly where the Student Council Members room was, there was an explosion of darkness that erupted from there! Abyss: Thats...what I meant. Igni turns around, and seeing that no one had come outside, he turns back to face Abyss. Igni: You..completely underestimated us. Abyss: What? Igni: No one came out of the window. Abyss: Yeah, its because I caught them. Igni: Do you really believe that? Igni cannot use Spells as much as others. Because of that, in exchange, he sharpened his [sight] to be able to read even evolved Spells. He saw with his eyes that detected the manipulation of Magic Power, and stared inside the room enveloped in darkness. Igni: No ones come outside because no one got caught. Abyss: A Disruption Spell User, huh. Now thats surprising. Igni knew the Spell user very well. Igni: President Miru! Please lend me your help! Miru: Okie dokie. The next moment, the shadows that enveloped the window was cast aside, and President Miru jumped out. Looking towards the window, Miss Miko had Sara in her arms and was ready to take action. Miru: So, Igni. Whos this? Igni: Hes the [Extreme] of [Darkness]. Miru: Why is he going after Sara? Igni: He wouldnt answer that question. Miru: I see. Then lets make him talk. Igni: Yes. Igni takes the rearguard and Miru steps forward into the vanguard position. Igni: President Miru, he can transfer the damage he receives onto his Monster-like minions. Miru: Thats pretty amazing. Igni: Thats why, I need the help of your Spell. Miru: OK`! Leave that part to me. Miru was a child prodigy that fulfilled the Rolmod Wizard Academys entrance requirements at the mere age of 13. Her compatibility is [Darkness] : [SS]. And she placed most of her talents into one specific Spell Inscription. That is where her Wizard Title is derived from. Igni: Ill deliver the final blow. President Miru, could you. Miru: I already know. Leave that to me. Igni: Thank you for your help. Miru: My adorable underclassman is asking. Of course I cant say no ? Miru came forward. Abyss: [Those who crawl and suffer, flood the ground and capture thy prey] (sfx) A sound of something cutting through the wind is heard as a black shadow stretches from Abyss to Miru. But as soon as Miru steps on that shadow, the shadow dissolves. Abyss: Ha! So youre the Spell Disruptor! Miru: Yup, thats me President Miru walks straight forward. Abyss: [Strong One. Come out of the Darkness] The Black Arm that suddenly came out of the ground tried to grab a hold of Miru and.it was also dissolved. Abyss: Thats an amazing Disruption Spell. Youre not just applying it to Spells, but to Spiritual Bodies as well.wait, no. Just then, you destroyed the Spell Inscription that allowed it to cross over worlds. Miru: Thats right. Any Spells that touch me, any Spells I touch. Either way, they can all be . Thats why I am Miru, [The Undoer]. Abyss: So youre the rumored genius! I didnt think I would meet you here! Miru: Yup. So why dont you surrender and come with us quietly? Abyss: I dont wanna. The next moment, Abyss jumps into the air. In one leap, he instantly moved in front of the lodge. There, he met the Student Council Members that came down out of the window. Abyss took one look at Sara who was being held in Mikos arms. Abyss: Huh.so youre stopping it with this bracelet. And Abyss touches the bracelet. Igni: Miss Miko! Miko: Get away from her!! And with that Miss Miko drives her foot into Abyss stomach. The next second, Abyss body flies backwards. Miru: And with that, its over. Miru touches Abyss body. The next instant, Ignis Spell pierces Abyss body from straight above him. Abyss, who couldnt transfer the damage anymore, smiles at Miru. Abyss: . With that, his pierced body started melting into the sands of the beach. Abyss: Its an interesting Spell Inscription. Those were his last words before Abyss body completely dissolved and disappeared. Igni: ........that was Miru: It means that wasnt his real body either, probably. President Miru smiles as she said so. Igni: I see. So like.a clone? Something like that? Miru: I wonder? He might not even have a real body any more. Miru smiles. Miru: Well, lets go back to the lodge. But...well have to pay for the damages done to the window. Igni: Wouldnt the Academy help us pay if we explain the situation? Miru: Hmmm` yeah, thankfully, I think they will. If we had to pay out of our budget, it would hurt pretty badly. Igni: Yeah, that would certainly be true. And as the two talked, they sensed a presence from behind them. Hey. From the trees shadow, Abyss appeared. Igni: How troublesome. Miru: Yup, he really is. Igni and Miru took one look at Abyss and let out an exasperated sigh. Chapter 90: The Light and the Wizard Abyss: Just now, you only defeated one of my Doppelgangers. It was one of my souls containers that I brought over with . Abyss confidently explains everything as if he was teaching a lecture, and Igni and Miru look sick of listening to him. Abyss: Hey, dont look so glum. Its bothersome for me too, you know? Abyss laughed as he looked towards Igni and Miru. Igni: Then please go back to where you came from. Abyss: That, I cant do. I need to take that girl over there with me when I leave. Igni: Why are you so intent on chasing Sara? Abyss: What? OHHH! I get it now. So you guys dont know. Abyss looked appreciative of his own realization. Abyss: You both know about the worlds greatest disaster, humanity''s ultimate crisis, the [Demon King], right? Igni: .........yeah. Igni doesnt quite understand why Abyss suddenly brought up the [Demon King], but he follows along for now. Abyss: Then you know about the corrupt, Magic pollution done by the Demon Kings Army, right? Basically, the path the Demon Kings Army walked turned into a cursed region where neither tree nor grass grew. Igni: Youre referring to the [Demon Kings Realm]. Abyss: Yeah, everyone knows this. Everyones heard about it. This is what is taught in the world. Igni: But what does that have to do with you coming after Sara! Abyss: Dont be so hasty. Im about to get to the fun part right now. Abyss quietly speaks as he makes the statement. Abyss: But...what if the corrupted, cursed land was not being created by the [Demon King] after all? Igni: .................then Igni: (Theres no doubt about it. Hes talking about Sara.) Through Saras Magic Power, the land was tainted, and the region was called the [Demon Kings Realm]. Abyss: Yeah, at first, I thought it was a [corpse]. The [Demon Kings Corpse]. But I was wrong. The Demon King actually . Igni: .........a daughter? Igni wanted to think he misheard and looked at Abyss. Abyss only smugly smiled at him and said nothing back. Igni: A daughter, you say? Abyss: Thats right. Igni sucked in a breath. Even though Miru who was next to him didnt quite understand, Igni was able to extract what Abyss was trying to say and the situation at once. Abyss: You already know, right? Shes the [Demon Kings Daughter]. And Abyss directly pointed at Sara. Igni: Stop playing around! Abyss: Im not playing. Im dead serious. Abyss smile disappeared instantly as he quietly spoke each word clearly. Abyss: What are you going to do? Youre currently protecting the absolute worst disaster that ever befell upon humanitys ` the daughter of the one who birthed that crisis. Shes from a completely different world than me or you. Igni: ...............no. Youre wrong. Igni takes one step forward. Abyss: How am I wrong? Shes barely holding herself together with one Magic Artifact. How fragile is her normal life right now? One mistake and , shes gonna blow. Shes like a ticking time bomb. Thats why Ill be the one to use her. Igni: ................... Igni takes another step forward. Abyss: Whats amazing about that thing is its ability to continually pour out Magic Power. I dont know if its some type of Spell..or even Magic. I dont know, but she can exert Magic Power faster than she can generate. In other words, she would give me an infinite Magic Power supply. Abyss words flow smoothly out. Abyss: You guys wouldnt be able . Im giving value to something that was born without any meaning. Isnt that so gracious of me? Igni: Who are you.! Ignis roar. Igni: ``to determine anyones worth!! An incredible amount of Magic Power initiates inside of Ignis body. Igni: [Equip Flame] Ignition : [Molecular] {Minima}! Igni creates an accelerating Cyclotron that creates a glowing halo directly behind him. Igni: {Acceleration}!! The molecular-sized {Fireball} accelerates to the speed of light inside the Cyclotron!! Abyss: Youve already shown me that. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! Abyss: [Undo it] (sfx) With the sound of air erupting, Ignis {Fireball} explodes 2 meters (2 yards) before Abyss eyes. Abyss: Good. It went well for a first-time using that Spell. Igni: ........! Abyss: You dont need me to explain right? I told you already. I . I said so, right? And with that, Abyss leaps into the air. With a single step, he lands near the lodge area. Miru: Miko! Run!! Igni: Lilly! Stop him! UNDERSTOOD! The two yelled in unison. And right as Igni was about to initiate the [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}, Miru stopped him. Miru: Wait, Igni! Igni: Yes? Miru: The Spell Inscription hes using is mine. So, do you understand?! Igni: ........yes, I think hes using some sort of method to copy President Mirus Spell Inscription...probably. Miru: Youre probably right. But that Spell Inscription isnt that great. Igni: Its not? What do you mean? Miru: That is one of the simplest disruption Spells. I received my Wizard Title because I never depended on that. So of course, that Spell Inscription has a critical weakness. Igni: Which is? Miko held Sara in her arms as she jumped backwards, and Lilly drew out her short sword and leaped forward. Miru: Igni, Abyss copy of that Spell Inscription destroys the Spell . Igni: Which means Miru: Shoot him before he even sees the Spell. Igni laughed at Mirus words. Igni: Even if you say so, all my Spell Inscriptions are {Fireballs}, you know? Miru: But, I can tell that youre still confident. Am I right? Igni: Yes. I am..[The Strongest] after all. Miru: But, even if we defeat that one, another one will come out. Igni: Yes. Do you want me to take them all out? Miru: No. Ill identify the location of Abyss soul and secure it. When I give you the signal, I want you to shoot right through him. Igni: Understood. Igni created thousands of {Fireball} under his feet. The [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} gives each one direction and begins to move into the air. Its not for aiming at Abyss from the sky. If he does, Abyss would surely stop his Spell. Abyss saw even the Spell Inscription that accelerated the {Fireball} to the speed of light as it was accelerating. Thats why he was able to stop it before. Thats why Igni needs speed. He needs a Spell that will end the fight the moment it initiates ` a Spell of that caliber. Lilly: AHHH! Lilly is thrown aside. Yoori attempts to slow down Abyss, but his Spells are getting scattered away. Miru: [Call. Call. Call forth the soul]" Igni: [Rotating Ember] {Ignite} Igni begins to rotate his Magic Power while suspended in midair. He rotates at a speed of 50 times per second!! Miru: [Darkness comes from the Shadows, and picks up and binds the soul that calls back] Igni could hear President Mirus words from somewhere far behind him. For Igni, it was not something he could keep under his control, but it was only for a single moment in the air. In that moment where it almost seemed as though time paused, he would be able to push past his limits. And as the entire world slowed to a halt, Igni stared directly at Abyss with both eyes. Miru: Igni! And President Mirus signal reaches Ignis ears. Abyss turns slowly towards Igni. He probably plans to stop Ignis Spell. The next instant, from the shadows, a chain made from darkness rushes out towards Abyss heart. Abyss begins to turn his attention from Igni to the chain. The chain is what President Miru created to fix the soul to an exact position. If he completely turns and sees the chain, he will destroy the Spell that is holding his soul in place. Thats why.. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Ultimate Light] {Lucas}! Igni fired his Spell. But looking around Igni, there are no {Fireballs} to be seen. Under ordinary circumstances, Igni would pour his Magic Power into his {Fireball} during the [Equip Flame] {Ignition}, and increase the power of the Spell several hundred times more with the incantation. But this time, Ignis [Equip Flame] {Ignition} differed greatly. Thats because Igni concentrated his Magic Power the {Fireball}. Igni can only use {Fireball}. Thats why Igni only has 3 ways to manipulate {Fireball} Changing the size Changing the power The speed to release the Spell But because of the friction with the air, the {Fireball} he creates will slow down. And there is a limit to how fast Igni could fire the Spell as well. Thats why Igni thought He thought about how he could fire a faster {Fireball}. Firing a {Fireball} that accelerates to the speed of light is just one of his ideas. It is a Spell Inscription designed to defeat the [Light] Wizards. But for Igni, that wasnt enough. Ignis Master and Teacher ` if he couldnt defeat his grandfather, the Strongest man, he could never reach the realm of being the Strongest himself. It happened at some point during that time, Igni received something similar to a divine revelation as the realization hit him. What if he creates the speed and velocity even before the Spell takes shape. What would happen then? There is a sequence of his will and consciousness when he creates a {Fireball}. The Shape The Power The Speed. If this is the standard flow of events, if he completely ignores this formula and changes it to Speed The Shape and Power, maybe he could finally set foot into that realm of the Strongest? But this was only an empty theory that you could play around in your head, but you could never bring it forth into reality. Even with his [Ultimate Spell Specialization ? Spell One]s processing abilities, he could not fire off a {Fireball} at the speed of light. But now, with the [Rotating Ember] {Ignite} in his repertoire, the impossible just became possible. Hence, he names the Spell after his grandfather. The Spell Inscription that allows him to apply the speed of light to a {Fireball}... Igni: [Rush Forward] {Fire}!! In that instance, a single beam of light glittered through the air as Abyss body disintegrated. Chapter 91: The Swimsuit and the Wizard It was the day after Igni vaporized Abyss body. Surprisingly, after that, Abyss attacks stopped. He either disappeared after receiving Ignis attack, or he decided to abandon his effort after realizing his disadvantage. Igni couldnt tell which it was, but for now the [Extreme] of [Darkness] withdrew. But both Igni and Miru concluded and agreed that Abyss probably didnt die. Their opponent was an [Extreme]. And out of all the [Extremes] they could have run into, they faced an opponent that discovered the to cross over different words called [Dimensions], and created his own brand new Magic Type. Even if his body was vaporized, theres no way that itself would have killed him. Miru: Hey, theres no point mulling over it. Lets just go have fun, Igni. Igni: Yes.youre right. Theres no point thinking about this any further. Miru: Yup, yup. It was a little embarrassing how excited he got after stealing only one of my Disruption Spells. Miru laughed. For Miru, the [Undoer], just having a single Spell stolen and exposed did not matter to her. Miru: So for now, were going to enjoy a day of swimming today`! Igni: What?! Were going to swim?! With Mirus words, Ignis excitement went up several notches. Miru: We came all the way to the ocean! If we dont go swimming, why come to the beach at all?! Igni: Thats true.! Igni completely agreed with Mirus sound logic. Miru: So everyone! Lets change into our swimwear, and well meet back at the lodges entrance! Lets go all out and play all day today!! Igni: Aye aye sir`!! Igni ran up the lodges stairs to the 2nd floor with unbelievable motivation. Once he arrived on the second floor, Yoori had already finished getting dressed and was waiting for him. He was wearing...normal swimming pants and to prevent sunburns, he had a shirt on top. And he was putting some sort of ointment on his body. Igni: What thats youre putting on? Yoori: Oh this? Its a melted extract from a [Sunmorn Flower]. It helps prevent sunburns. Igni: Prevent sunburns And being struck by an idea that never occurred to him, he took a step back. Igni: (Arent girls the only ones who put on sunburn prevention creams.?) And Igni was dead wrong about this, but unfortunately, there was no one to correct him at the moment. But with his excitement going through the roof, he shoved the sunburn prevention cream out of his mind, and got dressed in his swimsuit in 5 seconds flat. Yoori: Whoa! Igni! Look at those muscles! Igni: Yeah, I guess so. Igni was a little happy to have the compliment from Yoori. Yes! Just in case, Igni has been keeping his chiseled body just in case he ever lost his clothes..! Igni: (Grandpa.! Ive been following all of your teachings.!) Igni couldnt forget. It happened during the beginning when they arrived at the [Demon Kings Realm]. <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni. What do you think is necessary to be Popular?] [Huh? Ummmm...strength?] [Yes. That is one necessary component. But look here, Igni. Have you ever heard of this saying? If you build up muscle, you can be Popular..no?] [Y`Yeah, I have! Thats why at one point, I was exercising!] [Yes, that is half true and half false.] [W`Wait, really.?] Igni trembled as he felt a longstanding assumption begin to crumble from its foundation. [Igni, think for a second. Lets say you invite a girl to a date.] [Okay!] [When would you take off your clothes?] [Huh? Wh`Where..?] Igni thought with his feeble little mind as hard as he could. [Th`There isnt.?] [You idiot!] [OW! THATS NOT FAIR!!] [YOU IDIOT! THERES A TIME AT THE VERY END, NO?!] [OH..! During the..fun fun time..!!] {*note: TL is mufufu time} [Thats right! Thats when you will first take off your clothes. Now then, Igni. Here is a problem for you.] [Wh`What?] [Youve already gotten this far with the girl. But then, what is the point of training your muscles?] [...............oh] Igni understood what Lucas was trying to say. [Yes, there isnt. If you are on a date, and you are unable to take it to the end, then there is a high probability that some problem occurred during the date. ..of course, if you are too obese or skinny.then that itself may be the problem.] [B`But Grandpa, then that saying of if you train your muscles, you can be Popular is.] [I told you. Its half correct and half false.] [............?] [Listen here! To be able to train your muscles is proof that you have self-control! Beyond a well-trained body is a steel-hard confidence!! This is what is important!!] [C`Confidence.!] [Think, Igni! Think of a man whos always grumbling but Im not versus a man whos saying, Yes I can! Which would be more Popular!!] [..............!!!] [A man without confidence cannot be Popular! But a man with unfounded confidence cannot be Popular as well!! In other words, a man with well-founded confidence...CAN BE POPULAR!!] [........I`I see!!] [And thats not all! When you go to the beach or if you are being treated for a wound after a fight with a Monster, you will be more Popular if you are well-trained rather than fat!] [Th`Then its better to train your muscles.?] [YOU FOOL!!] [Wha`........] [In everything, is there not a priority! Theres no point for a thin spaghetti like yourself to do any physical training and build up muscles! Youll just gain some weird confidence, trip over yourself, and end up Unpopular and dead!] [D`Dead..?] [You cannot build muscles overnight! Everything starts with your daily resolution! And on top of that, you must get stronger! Youll naturally build muscles with that goal without having to even ponder about it!!] [.......! I`I understand!! I understand, Grandpa!!] [If you understand, then lets get stronger, Igni!!] [Of course, Grandpa!!] <<<<>>>> Yes! After 2 years of training in the [Demon Kings Realm], Ignis body was fully trained and ready.! Although he continually got injured and wounded, if he drank the Elixir his grandpa gave him, he would fully recover so he didnt have that many scars. Its perfect! Its perfect now..! Miru: Sorry to make you wait` Igni: We werent waiting that.. Long, is what Igni wanted to say, but when he glanced behind him, a bomb was placed right before him. Miru: Hey there` President Miru had on a bikini. With her wonderful body style being emphasized to the fullest, Igni was instantly defeated by her looks. No, it was wrong of him to even think that he could win in the first place. If you are a man, of course you would lose against large breasts! Just as water would flow from high above to below..! Just as you would die if you did not breathe..! As the sun rises from the east and sets in the west!! It was the law of this universe.! The absolute, unbendable truth..!! Miko: I..dont look weird in this, do I? Igni: Y`Yes..! Miss Miko wore a type of swimwear they called a high-neck bikini..! It covered everything from the chest to the clavicle, and she had less skin showing than President Miru, but what about it?! It doesnt matter!! In the first place, Miss Miko is a vanguard and is the type to move around vigorously! Hence, her athletically trained style is amazing..and its true that out of all the girls Igni knows, the President is top of the tier in breast size, but if you consider all factors, then Miss Miko could still stand on top. Whether she did or not really didnt matter but.. Sara: Igni`! From behind, Sara came jumping out wearing a childrens swimsuit. She jumped into Ignis arms, and he gently picked her up and held her. Igni: Whoa`! You look great, Sara. Sara: Iris chose it for me. Igni: Im glad she did. You like it? Sara: Yeah! Igni: And wheres Lilly? Igni held Sara as if holding a sibling, and asked Miru and Miko. Miru: Lilly Igni is asking for you. Lilly: H`Hey. Are you sure its okay to wear something like this? Its really embarrassing. Miru: Everyones in a swimsuit so its okay. And with that, President Miru brought Lilly who was wearing a swimwear called a one piece type, and it was the type to have the least amount of skin showing. But its not important about what swimsuit you wear! Whats important is who is wearing it!! The ones who prefer only the types that has the most skin showing are 2nd rate..! NO, THEY''RE BOTTOM OF THE 3RD RATES!! If you were to use Magic Compatibility as an example, it would be those bottom feeding mobs with [none] as their compatibility.........!! Lilly definitely looks much younger! And thats because from an Elfs perspective, being merely 20 years old is still a childs age.!! But isnt the spirit more important than the body? Its the first time Lilly wore a swimsuit and look at her adorable embarrassed expression on her face.!! Its incredible!!! Miru: Okay, now that were all here, lets go to the beach. Igni: Lets go! This was the most Igni has ever been in his life. Chapter 92: The Ambush and the Wizard Sara: Ah!! Its cold! Sara dips her feet into the ocean and lets out a delighted shout. Right now, the season is still at the very beginning of the summer. The ocean is still quite cold during this time of year. Miko: Haha, be careful when you go in. Miru: This is an ocean area where no Monsters appear. So during the summer time, its a super popular spot for tourists` Miss Miko and President Miru were talking with each other. Igni: Its almost summer already. Im sure itll get hot once we enter the summer season. Miru: Oh, we have another Training Camp for the Student Council during the summer too. Igni, do you want to join? Igni: Yes! I will make sure to leave my schedule open! Not like he has anything on his calendar anyways but Igni: ........oh? What happened to Miss Valia? Miru: Valia is over there. Miru points towards a beach parasol and underneath, Miss Valia was resting under the shade. Igni: Miss Valia! Lets all swim together! Valia: Excuse me. My skin is very sensitive, so I will have to refuse your invitation this time. Miru: Oh cmon Youre just embarrassed about showing your body, right? Be honest President Miru poked her head out from Ignis side and spoke to Valia. Valia: Wh`What are you` Miru: Because werent you saying before? While youre collecting curses, you get really hungry so you would eat more than usual, no? Valia: AH`! AH`!! Oh no! I cant hear anything youre saying right now!! Miss Valia coerced her ears with her hands and started rolling around. It was the first time Igni saw a childish side of her, and it struck Ignis heart strings. Igni: (Miss Valia..can be so cute..) By default, Igni falls for girls very easily. Miko: Oh? Whats going on? Why is no one swimming? Thats when they heard Miss Mikos voice from the ocean. Lilly: E`Elves live in the forest so they dont need to learn how to swim! Miko: Huh? You dont swim in rivers? Lilly: Uh. Lilly brings up a pained expression. Igni: (Uh huh..thats probably the face she makes when shes caught in a lie.) Igni observed Lilly from afar. Miko: And Yoori, you dont want to swim either? Yoori: Y`Yes. There..weren''t any oceans near the town I lived. Miko: Not even a river? Yoori: ........no, no rivers either.. Yooris expression is also pained. Miru: Hey, Igni. Igni: Yes? Igni was watching Sara float around Miss Miko when President Miru spoke to him. Miru: Dont you think Yooris town is a little mysterious? Igni: What about it? Miru: I was curious and did some digging. Igni: About Yoori? Miru: No, I researched all the 1st Years that joined the Student Council. It wouldnt do if any of them were involved in any funny business. Igni: I guess thats true. Igni looked directly at President Mirus eyes as he spoke. In all honesty, his eyes were catching sight of her breasts, but he cant be Popular doing that so he did everything he could to keep his chin and neck from moving. Miru: Yeah, so about Yoori. Theres something not right. Igni: Like the way hes like a girl even though hes a boy? Miru: Hmmmmm, well, thats true too but.Yooris hair is white, right? Igni: I never thought about it, but yes, Yooris hair is white. Igni glanced at Yoori who was now receiving swimming lessons from Miss Miko. Miru: Well, in the Anthem Kingdom, theres no Races with white hair. Igni: Then isnt it just a sudden mutation? My hair color is not the same as my father or little brother. And with that, Igni pointed at his own red hair. From Igni, whos a Special Mutation [Spell?One], its nothing to be ashamed about, so he genuinely raised the question to Miru. Miru: I thought so at first too. He could have been born with very little color in his hair, or maybe his hair changed color during his life. Igni: Changed color? Miru: Igni, do you know anything specific? Igni: Not really..Yoori doesnt talk about himself much. Igni also didnt really talk about himself unless Yoori asked him directly. It might just be a guy thing. A guy thing For some reason, Igni was hung on those words. Miru: So, Valia. Valia: Y`Yes! Miru: Im sure you thought we completely changed subjects and forgot about you. Valia: ........yes I did. Miru: Are you really not going to swim? Valia: ..........I cant swim. Miru: Then you can have Miko teach you. Igni, can you swim? Igni: Yes, I can! 2 years ago, in the [Demon Kings Realm], his grandfather would dump him into a waterfall there, and he learned how to swim that way. In fact, if he failed to learn to swim, he would have died, so in desperation, he learned extremely quickly. Miru: Then you can learn from Igni! Igni: Oh, but the way I swim is with the assumption that youre wearing clothes. Miru: .............um..why? Thats because his grandfather dumped him into the waterfall fully clothed. Miru: Well, regardless, Valia, go get dressed in your swimming clothes. This is a direct order from your President. Valia: Ugh...must I really swim? Miru: Yup. The goal of this camp is to deepen our relationship with the 1st years. Sitting over there is not going to do any good. Valia: That is..true but Miru: Besides, youve brought your swimming suit, right? Miss Valia nodded yes to the question. Miru: Then hurry up and get dressed. Valia: ........yes. Being half-forced, Igni watched Miss Valia depart, and Igni a nd Miru headed for the seaside. Miru: Okay, Igni. Jump in! Igni: Here I go! With President Mirus words, Igni kicked off the ground a few meters and dove into the water. With a , water rises from the surface, and Miru also jumped right after Igni and two splashes came out of the water. Miru: AHHH!! Its still so cold! Igni: If feels good, President Miru. Igni feels the ground beneath his feet and stands up as Sara comes swimming towards him. Looks like Sara can swim just fine. Igni: Whats wrong? Sara: Back. Igni: S`Sure. Igni listened to Saras request and carried her on his back. Sara: Igni, swim that way! Igni: Okay, leave it to me! With Sara on his back, he began swimming towards the direction she pointed. Sara: WHEEE!! And Sara was delighted. She let out shouts of joy and surprise. Miru: Awwww, its so peaceful And watching them play, Miru mumbles quietly to herself. Igni arrives at the rock where Sara pointed, places a hand on it, and then makes a U-Turn. And he came swimming at the same speed to the beach where everyone was. Valia: President, I am dressed. Miru: Oh, you look great, Valia! Igni: That was fast, Miss...Valia.. Igni held Sara so she wouldnt fall into the water, but at the moment, an unbelievable sight around the breast area took his full attention. Igni : (I`Impossible.!) Igni: (Wasnt President Miru the Strongest in the Student Council?!) At the sight, he almost dropped Sara, but he hurriedly repositioned Sara in his arms. What was waiting for him was an unexpected ambush ` an assassin hiding amongst their group. Igni almost had his life taken away by the unexpected attack when he was least guarded, and it took an effort to calm his breasts.I mean, his heart down. What do you mean she had no confidence in her body..! What do you mean she gained weight while collecting curses.!! They were all big fat lies!!! Because they were bigger than President Mirus!! They well exceeded the standard sizes, and they dominated the scene as if it just finished an attack pose and established a new size league of its own..! How could she have hidden this up until now.! When she had bandages wrapped all over her body or when she wore her school uniform, there were no indications.!! Couldnt this be considered amongst one of Rolmod Wizard Academys 7 Mysteries.?! Sara: Grrrrr` Igni: Hey, Sara. That hurts. Sara: GRRRRR!! Igni lifted his gratitude towards God as Sara pulled at his cheeks. Chapter 93: A Magician Yoori: The Training Camp was so much fun. Igni: Yeah, it was. Igni and Yoori laid on their twin beds as they talked. Its been an ingrained routine now for the two, and even at the Training Camp, that habit did not change. Yoori: Well be going home tomorrow already. Igni: And its back to school after that. Yoori: Miss Valia was so good at swimming. Igni: I guess she just didnt want to put on her swimsuit. The glorious breasts and chest seaside vacation came to an end. Tomorrow, they will be returning to the Rolmod Wizard Academy. Yoori: Igni, you were so good at swimming too. Igni: I worked hard to learn how to swim. Yoori: Was it part of your training with your grandfather. Igni: Yeah. Yoori: I see` Ignis grandfather is a very strict person. Igni: I guess? But yeah, I guess you can say that hes strict in a way. Yoori: Yeah, I can tell just by looking at you. Igni: Really? Igni was a little happy to hear those words. Yoori: I can tell that your grandfather must be a kind person too. A sound of something scratching came down from the hallway. Igni: Kind..? Hmmmmm, can I really say hes kind..? Igni wasnt sure about that part. Yoori: Wouldnt you say hes kind? He looked after you for 2 years, right? Igni: Well, yeah, if you put it that I way, I guess. More sounds of something scratching echoes inside the room. Igni: Are there rats? Yoori: Here? Igni: Maybe? Since theres no Monsters, there might be more animals here. Yoori: Really? Igni: Actually, Im not sure. As Igni and Yoori look at each other, someone very loudly against their door. ............Igni. Igni: Sara? It was Saras voice. Sara: ........the bracelet...is weird.. Igni: The bracelet? Saras bracelet is something Igni switched out with a new one just yesterday. He couldnt imagine that it would break so soon. Alicia even said that being exposed to water shouldnt affect it either. Igni: Hold on, Ill open the door right now. Sara: Okay Igni got off his bed and opened the door. Suddenly, a rush of Magic Power so thick that it stopped his breath flooded into the room. Igni: ........! Yoori! Open the windows! Yoori: O`Okay! Yoori held his breath while he opened the windows. Igni held Sara jumped out of the window. Igni: Sara, since when did your bracelet start acting funny?! Sara: ........I dont know..I sleep and when I wake up..it was like this. Igni: What about President Miru and Miss Miko.? Sara: .......sleeping. Igni: Yoori, please go confirm the status of the Student Council Members! They might all be passed out from asphyxiation! Yoori: Got it! The Magic Power pouring out from Sara is just standard Magic Power without any corruption. The bracelet is probably acting as a purifier right now. Right now, they will be okay, but if the bracelet breaks, this entire area can turn into the [Demon Kings Realm]. Igni patted Saras head kindly. Igni: Sara, can you wait 5 minutes? Ill be right back. Sara: O`Okay. Igni initiates his [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} and jumps into the air. He enters the building from where Yoori opened the window, and immediately gets dressed quickly from his pajamas to the Rolmod Wizard Academys uniform within seconds. It would be fastest to consult with Alicia about the bracelet. He cant just go see Alicia in his pajamas so thats why he got dressed. As soon as Igni was done getting dressed, he went to the Meeting Room that was being used by the Fortune Telling Club during the night. He knocked twice, but no one answered. Igni: ........excuse me. Igni apologizes as he opened the door, and felt another wave of immense Magic Power that had no place to go. Igni: ........?! Inside, the [Fortune Telling Club] members were laying on the floor. At the edge, there were scratch marks on the walls as they were suffocating. Igni heard these scratching noises from this room. Igni: Alicia! Iris!! Igni immediately opened all the windows in the room as he looked for his friends. Alicia stood out with her large hat, so he was able to find her quickly. He placed his hands on her wrist to confirm her pulse and placed his ear next to her mouth to see if she was breathing. Igni: .........thank goodness.shes alive.. As Igni confirms that both were alive, he began shaking Alicia to wake her up. Igni: Alicia, can you wake up? Igni spoke to Alicia, but she could only mumble a ......mmm.. and showed no signs of waking up. Igni: .......I need to get back to Sara once. Igni mumbled to himself and from the open window, he confirmed Saras position when a dark mist began flooding out and taking shape from her bracelet. Sara didnt know what was happening and only shook in fear with her eyes locked on the bracelet. Igni: Sara! Igni kicked the window sill and jumped into the air. But before Igni could get close to Sara, the black mist took a humanoid form. Hey, long time. Igni: Abyss! Abyss took hold of Saras body and jumped towards the ocean. Igni chased him down with his [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}. Abyss: You go by.Sara, right? With Sara in his arms, Abyss flew through the sky. Sara: Let me go..!! Abyss: Stop fussing. Ill kill that guy. Against Saras struggles, Abyss threatened to kill Igni and made her silent. Abyss: Hey, Sara. Was it fun hiding amongst the humans and living normally? Sara: .................. Not understanding what Abyss was talking about, Sara responded with silence. Abyss: You know by now, right? Youre nothing like the people around you. Sara: ........no one is the same. Abyss: Thats not what Im talking about. You need to . You cant live normally. Sara: ......I can Abyss: No you cant. This is reality. With that Abyss crushes Saras bracelet with his hand. With a , the bracelet crumbles to dust. The next moment, an immense amount of Magic floods out of Saras body and starts contaminating the world. Igni: Abyss! You!! Though Igni is approaching Abyss with explosive speed, he fears hitting Sara and avoids using any Spells. No, Abyss had that in his calculation from the beginning. The atmosphere began to morph, and the ocean began to turn into a muddy hue. The earth began contaminating itself, and the region began transforming into an area where no humans would be able to live. Abyss: This...is who you really are, Sara. Abyss pauses in the air to show Sara the world below. Abyss: Look. That beautiful world just now was destroyed . That is who you really are. Sara: .....no. As she watched the world twist in corruption, Sara answered by with a shaky voice. Abyss: Admit it. This is reality. As the world was being overwritten, Abyss used one . Abyss: Because you exist, humanity will never be able to live in peace. The Magic Artifact bracelet you had on was just something to fool your eyes. Sara: .......thats.not true.. The fish could not endure the high Magic Power concentration and began floating on the surface. They died and floated to the surface one by one. Abyss: Cmon, you should know by now. . From Saras throat, only a desperate breath exited through her tightened throat. Sara: ..........Igni. Igni: Abyss! Let go of that girl! Sara looks desperately towards Igni as her eyes search for any exit or escape. Abyss: Give her back? The [Demon Kings Daughter]? The word [Demon King] echoed and rebounded inside of Sara, and at that very moment, her body began to uncontrollably shake. Sara: No.dad..dad is.ҽ?? {untranslated text} Saras words are lost into the sound of the waves. Abyss: Oh yeah? But look at all this. Abyss shows her the world falling apart. Sara: ........... Saras body now violently trembled, and she held herself tightly with both arms as if to keep herself together. Abyss: If you look at what you caused, you understand, right? Youre humanitys enemy, Sara. Igni: Abyss! You...YOU..!! HOW ROTTEN CAN YOU GET!! Igni roars. But Abyss keeps his smirk plastered on his face. Sara: So (Im sorry) She did not speak to anyone in particular though she wanted her apology to reach everyone as it spilled out from her. As if to respond to her words, the Magic Power inside of her poured out even stronger. Sara: ޟI῀ (Im sorry).So (for being born) Abyss: Thats right, Sara. A complex Spell Inscription that is connected to Abyss body is slowly opening a hole in the ocean. Igni: YOU!! Igni leaps forward. Abyss: HYA HA HA HA! If you want to stop me, then come over here! Rolmod !! And Abyss let himself drop into the dark hole that appeared inside the ocean. Igni knew what was happening. A hole punches through to another dimension, and opens a way to a different world ` The [Miracle] of [Magic] ` The [Miracle of Crossing Over]. Igni erased all the {Fireballs} that supported his body and dived into the hole. Below him is Abyss who is still holding Sara. Sara held herself in a fetal position without looking up. She remained silent. Only the tears that flooded from her eyes floated momentarily and glittered in the air. In contrast, Igni only held rage and contempt. Rage against Abyss. Rage against Abyss who persistently came after Sara. Rage against every word that he spoke and wounded Sara. And rage against himself. Rage for not being able to protect one girl. Igni: Sara, listen to me. As Igni fell, he spoke to Sara. Igni: Its true that your Magic Power is great. Sara: Yes.thats why...I cant live normally.. Igni: Thats not true! Igni retorts succinctly. Saras tear-filled eyes look up to Ignis. Igni: Because of you, I was able to master a Spell! Abyss: Mastered a Spell? You?? As they fell into the darkness, for the first time, Abyss looked doubtful at Igni. Igni: Thats right! Listen up, Abyss!! The next moment, Abyss feet land on the floor at the bottom of the darkness. Igni follows and lands as well. Igni: I am a . Abyss eyes open wide in bewilderment. Ignis Magic is incomplete. Unlike other [Extremes], his Magic cannot be cast in all situations. In order to elevate all of his Magic Power to be able to use Magic, the only thing that is left after using his Magic is [Magic Exhaustion]. He will be wrought with dizziness and nausea, and it would be difficult to even keep his consciousness. But that is if he is of Abyss and his kinsmen and increases the influence of his [Mini-Universe] {Fireball}. Abyss: Thats an amazing speed! You are definitely manipulating time.! The next moment, Igni reduced the time for everyone in the scope of his influence down to zero. In that instant, . Sara: ........huh? A moment later, Saras voice lets out a surprise. There were several thousand kinsmen with Abyss in the center. And every single one had their upper body detached from their lower bodies. And time started quietly moving forward once again. Abyss: ......! This, you used the difference in time!! Igni: ................ As Abyss fell towards the ground, Igni looked down upon him with a cold stare. Abyss: The actively moving atoms will separate from the atoms stopped in time! The boundary between the time will turn into a blade that would cut through anything..! HEHE!! IGNI!! YOU ARE THE BEST!! Igni: And youre the utter worst. Abyss: HA HA HA!! Thanks for the compliment. Abyss bowed at Igni for the words, and his body melted into sludge. But the infinite 2-dimensional space did not return to normal. Igni: .....youre still here, right? Abyss? Abyss: Yeah, this is my [World]. As long as I am me, I can enter it from anywhere I like. Igni: You still want to go on? The difference in their strength is apparent. And in the first place, Abyss specializes in not dying, but it doesnt mean that he is strong in combat. Again, as long as Igni is here, he will be unable to take Sara. Abyss: Of course I will. Ive only shown you one of my Magic, right? As soon as Abyss finished saying those words, Ignis [Mini-Universe] {Fireball} disappeared. Igni: ...........?! Igni did not erase the Spell. The Spell disappeared on its own! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}!! Igni immediately tries to initiate his Spell. But even that fails. No matter how much he initiates and manipulates Magic Power, it is instantly used up and ends. As a result, nothing happens. Abyss: The [Miracle of Order]. This is my first Magic. Igni: ......youve made it so we cant use Spells. Abyss: Well, thats how I applied the laws this time. Igni holds Sara tightly and glares at Abyss. Abyss: Im basically manipulating entropy, but I wont bother trying to explain that to a student like you. But you should know at least this. You cant use Spells here. Well, more accurately, youll be returned to the state right after you use the Spell. Its similar to that useless swordsman, Claras Magic.but...mine has more uses than hers. Igni: ......yeah, and I see that you finally showed up for real this time. Abyss: Yeah. Abyss nodded to Ignis words. Abyss wont bother asking how Igni knew. Abyss first Magic Spell isnt something that he could hide and take out Igni with it. If he wanted to hold the advantage from the beginning, he simply had to use it from the beginning. But he didnt do so. Then theres only one possible conclusion. His [Clone] {Doppelganger} is not able to use his first Magic Spell. Abyss: Its my second time now, did you know? The second time I had to actually fight against someone in person. The first time was Lucas. The second time was against Igni. Igni and Abyss both know nothing about each others past, so they do not delve into it any deeper. Abyss: [Those who crawl and suffer, capture them] A sludge-like warm, shadowy hand takes a hold of Ignis leg. Abyss: Well, I can use Spells though. Igni: Can I ask you one thing? Abyss: What? Igni: You cant use Spells, and thats it? Abyss: For now. Igni: Yeah, I see. Abyss, you..really are an idiot. Abyss: What? Igni gently places Sara on the ground. Igni: [Rotating Ember] {Ignite} Ignis Magic Power burst into raging motion as it rotated, and he forcefully released himself from Abyss Spell. Igni: OOORRAAAHHHH!! And slammed a straight right punch into Abyss face. <<<<>>>> CHONKY TL Notes: Updating Kurara () to Clara. Chapter 95: Unfairness and the Wizard With Ignis strike, Abyss flies a few dozen meters backwards. Igni: Dont think its over just yet! With [Rotating Ember] {Ignite}, Igni raised his overall physical abilities and caught up with Abyss as he flew backwards and grabbed a hold of his arm. And carrying the same momentum, Igni slams Abyss against the ground! Because this [dimensional space] has a 2-dimensional surface, Abyss is slammed against an unmoving mass that can only be shifted with Dimensional Spells. After a moment of delay, Abyss tries to transfer the damage to his kinsmen, but before he could, Igni slammed his fist into Abyss stomach. Abyss: ...........! Abyss face contorted in pain. At the same time, Igni picks up Abyss, and drives his foot into Abyss ribs. Abyss: ..........DANGIT! Abyss lets out a howl of frustration. But Igni is not finished. Under these circumstances, he cant use the [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}. But even without it, he can still fly forward like a bullet. Igni: [Rotating Ember] {Ignite}! With his Magic Power circulating and rotating inside of him at 30 times a second, Igni kicks the ground and launches himself towards Abyss like a cannonball. Abyss body distorted and twisted, but before he could flow out the damage accumulated on his body, Ignis headbutt struck Abyss in the face. Abyss: ARGH! THIS IS GETTING OLD! Abyss, who is a non-combatant, specializes in not losing. No matter how much he is wounded, no matter how close to death he comes, he will not die. No, he cannot die. But he still feels pain just like anyone else. As an [Extreme], he learned how to dull his sense of pain, but he hasnt found a method to completely negate it to zero. Abyss: [The subject is my kinsman, one that has rotted completely] Abyss begins his incantation. Abyss: [Trade places with me] And something like meat oozed and dripped onto the floor. Next, a nauseating smell of rotted flesh reached Ignis nose. And although everything is pitch black where they are standing, the well-known descended into a faintly lit world. Igni: ...........a Dragon?! Abyss: Well, it is rotted though. A Zombie Dragon. Its strength is categorized as SS. Its said to be at the same level as the Skull Dragon in the [Demon Kings Realm], and typically, an [Extreme] would be sent out to fight this Monster. Of course, it is not as strong as it was in its previous life. It is a corpse that continues to move after death by the Magic Power from the [Demon King], but in a situation where Spells are restricted, Igni would be severely disadvantaged. Igni: So what if you have a Dragon! Igni raises his [Rotating Ember] {Ignite}s rotating speed. Hes only able to control his Magic Rotation up to 30 cycles per second! Ignis kick lands on the Zombie Dragons stomach and sends it backwards. With a , the Zombie Dragons head looks to its side. A moment later, rotted flesh scatters around the area. Igni: (........its no good. I dont have enough fire power.) Igni stared back at the Zombie Dragons empty eye sockets as he cursed under his breath. [WooooOOO] {untranslated text} The Zombie Dragons giant jaws stretch towards Igni. In the air, Igni kicks the Dragons fang away, and lands on the ground farther away from it. Igni: [Rotating Ember] {Ignite}! Igni lets out a bestial roar in response to the Zombie Dragon and jumps into the air. Igni: ........lets do this. Igni knows the reason why hes unable to control his body when he raises the rotating speed of the [Rotating Ember] {Ignite}. Its because his eyes cant keep up with the high speed movement of his body. But the answer is simple. He just needs to concentrate Magic Power in his eyes. Thats why he divided his Magic Power. Igni divided his Magic Power between the center of his body and around his eyes. And again, began his circulating rotation. He made sure to rotate both in sync, and began pushing his rotation from 30 cycles per cycle and above. The initiated Magic Power began trickling out of Ignis body, and took on a red hue as it enveloped the area around Igni. It was as if Igni himself was set on fire. Igni: SH! (sfx exhale) The moment the rotation speed surpassed 70 cycles per second, Igni kicked off the ground. He easily tore past the speed of sound, and the wall of air impedes him from going any faster. But in Ignis eyes, everything seemed to almost have stopped completely as it slowly moved past him. Igni: (I get it now..) This was one of the things Igni realized. Igni: (This is a technique to something with Magic Power.) Just like how Igni was supporting his dynamic visual acuity (ability to capture moving objects). And when Ignis super-accelerated fist touched the Zombie Dragons jaws, the Zombie Dragons head exploded like a rotted branch. Igni: Abyss! Its over! Igni kicked the and jumped towards Abyss. Abyss: Yeah, lets end it here. Igni: OOOGHHH!! Ignis fist hits Abyss body dead on. With a smirk on his face, Abyss let himself be hit. The hit felt different from before. Abyss body flew a few hundred meters, and fell to the ground. When Igni was about to follow up and strike him again, he realized it. Abyss body did not start recovering from the damage. And by the time he realized it, there was a giant Magical Inscription below him. ...this is different. This isnt a Spell Inscription. Its a Inscription. Abyss Magic specializes in [not losing]. Then of course, he would be preparing a [path to victory]. Yes, this was Abyss plan from the very beginning. It was the reason why he risked bringing his actual body ` so he can perform this Magic. Abyss: [Gate] {Door} From Abyss mouth an incantation spills out. And with it, he coughs out blood. It was from the damage from Ignis blow.. Abyss: [Release] {Velofuente} The next instant, existing in that entire area was initiated and absorbed into the Magic Inscription. A moment later, Abyss [World] began crumbling and disappearing. Igni: This is.! Abyss: Hehehe. Igni, its the same as your . Looks like I need to use all my Magic Power to use this Spell. Igni hurriedly takes Sara into his arms. He instinctively used [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} and was able to use the Spell. Abyss Magic was no longer active. But in its place, something appeared out of the Magic Inscription. Abyss: 100 years ago! The [Demon King] who descended into this world destroyed 99% of humanity by himself! This time, its my turn! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Ultimate Light] {Lucas}! Igni fired his Spell at the geometric shape that was appearing out of the Magic Inscription. But the {Fireball} that was shot at the speed of light was instantly absorbed into the Inscription like a drop of water hitting the surface of a pond. Abyss: That aint gonna work! That creatures from a completely different dimension than us! A creature from a higher dimension! Our attacks would never work on it! Abyss coughs up more blood as he laughs. Seeing the thing coming out of the Magic Inscription, Sara gripped Ignis body tighter. Every part of its body was made from a complex geometric shape. Only the center of it barely resembled something human. Its height probably exceeded 15 meters (50 ft) and was enormous. But what really caught Igni and Saras eyes were the halo that shined brightly over its head. And also the shimmering line that connected from Saras heart to the creature. Igni: ..........an angel. Igni whispers the words quietly to himself. Abyss: I call it that too. The next moment, Abyss world completely disappeared, and Igni and Sara were thrown out over the sea. Igni hurriedly confirms that the lodge was behind him. Igni initiates the [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} and floats in the air as he looks down upon Abyss who floats in the ocean. Abyss has no strength left in him. Hes just an empty husk at this point. But right now, the enemy is. Abyss: But that thing isnt an angel at all. Its just a merciless weapon of mass destruction. And as if to answer Abyss, the Angel lifted what looked to be its arm and swung it. (sfx) Before Ignis eyes, . Abyss: KUHAHAHA!! NOW ITS OVER FOR HUMANITY! ILL BE THE NEXT [DEMON KING]!! Sara grips Ignis hand even tighter. It almost hurt how hard she gripped his hand. Abyss: Do you want to stop it? Of course you do! Its simple. Kill Sara and that thing will disappear. Saras grip tightens even more to the point where blood trickles from Ignis arm where she held it. Abyss: Its using Saras Magic Power to come into this dimension, so if you kill Sara, the Angel will stop. As it retains its geometrically-shaped body, The air and ocean around Abyss is getting Corrupted and Tainted. Even summoning the Angel did not use up all of Saras Magic Power, and the overflowing Magic Power continued to Corrupt and Taint their surroundings. Abyss: Can you kill her? I bet you cant Thats why its my win. Even at the doorstep of death, Abyss smiles proudly as he confirms his victory. But Igni doesnt bother looking at him. He just stares at the Angel with a burning glare. Igni: Sara. Igni quietly speaks to the little girl who can only shake and tremble at the present situation. Igni: I am [The Strongest]. Quietly, just quietly, Igni spoke. Because he could not use 100 Spells, he mastered just one Spell as he continued his words. Igni: I bet you think this is all unfair. Still trembling, the girl nods her head once. She has not done anything. She just had a special physical condition when she was born. Just because of that, she became humanitys enemy and was targeted by Abyss..and now, she had more tragedy that weighed heavily over her conscience. Thats why Igni spoke. Igni: [The Strongest] means that I can break apart that [Unfairness]. Thats why we call it [The Strongest]. The Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 1 `` Women love strong men. That is the beginning of all secrets to Popularity. But then, is that the beginning? Lucas never spoke of that to Igni. But Igni obtained an answer on his own. As difficulties increase and multiply, as the unreasonableness and unfairness of life pile up Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Complete Incineration] {Full Burst}!! Those who can break through those things`` Igni: [Ultra Sphere Surface] {Tesea} ``can become Popular. Chapter 96: What Began from a Simple Question [Grandpa! What is a ?] That was a question that came to Ignis mind when he was still training in the [Demon Kings Realm]. The name [Ultimate Spell Specialization Type ? Spell One] sounded awesome. It sounded awesome, but if you asked him what it actually was or what it actually meant, it was beyond Ignis comprehension. Lucas also did not explain the base concepts either. [Even if you ask me what it is, I dont have an answer for you.] [You dont know either, Grandpa?!] [Neither I nor anyone else really understands. Its because its an existence based on pure conjectures and empty theories] [Conjectures.] [It is similar to a , and I can only speak to the theory branching off from there, but are you interested in hearing that?] [Yes! Teach me! I want to know!!] [Hm... then listen well. An is a person with only an affinity for one type of Magic ` just like it sounds. Unlike other Wizards, they are extremely adept at the one Magic Type they can use..and many arrive at from there.] [Magic?!] Ignis starry eyes sparkled. [Thats right. Inside their head, everything is catered to that one Magic Type, so of course, that would be a predictable outcome.] [WHOA`! They must be amazing!] [Yes, they are. They can use a Medium-Scale Spell to compete with Epic-Scale and Disaster -Scale Spells ` putting it that way, do you understand how amazing they are?] [What?! WHAT?! They can do that??] [They can. At the very least, a all fight that way.] [So what is an ? [An only has one Spell in their head that they specialize in. Hence, it is thought that they can far exceed the powers of a for that reason.] [Then even with a Small-Scale Spell, they would be able to fight against a Disaster-Scale Spell?!] [They might be able to] But Lucas seemed uncertain at this fact. Simply put, no one has ever proved the details of this theory, so there was very little to speak of it. But Igni just though Grandpa must be getting old. [But Grandpa, how could I make {Fireball} any stronger? No matter how hard I work, I can pierce hard-shelled monsters like they do with {Fire Lance} or protect myself like they do with {Fire Wall}.] [Are you certain? From my perspective, your Spell seems to be very easy to handle. [What?! Really?!?!] [Yes, but it would be boring if I was the one to teach you. Here, Igni. I will show you one Spell.] [Grandpas Spell?!] [Thats right. Ill show you one thats easy to understand to help you think for yourself.] [I understand, Grandpa!!] And Lucas showed Igni a Spell. Igni was able to derive many variations of {Fireball} because of the Spell that Lucas showed him, and Igni worked hard on his own to create these variations on his own. Though an ordinary person would not be able to do the same things with {Fireball}, with the processing ability of a [Ultimate Spell Specialized Type ?Spell One], it became possible. And as Igni was mastering his Spell, there was one question or rather doubt that surfaced in his mind. This is a simple doubt that everyone who studies Spells comes across. [At what point does a {Fireballs}BALLstop being aBALL? Where is the line drawn?] That was his question. You cannot make a perfect sphere with {Fireball}. It is because a {Fireball} is a concentration of fire and you can never be fully contained inside a perfect sphere. For instance, is an ovoid (3D oval) allowable? The answer was, it was . Igni rotates the {Fireballs} ball shape at high speeds for his [Anti-Armor] {Pierce} so the shape becomes an ovoid. But then, from , he began to have more doubts. When Igni thought about the shape of his Spell, he made a diagram of a {Fireball} on the ground and was hit with a strange question. What about the surface of the sphere? Is the circular surface of the sphere considered to be a [SPHERE] as well? That was the doubt that haunted his thoughts. But just to try it out, Igni made the surface of the {Fireball} as thin as he could possibly make it. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not make the surface of the {Fireball} into a perfect circle. Igni did not know this then, but was in the realm of `changing something from one to zero. But he gained something from that experiment. He discovered that aballis something that is created when you stackcircleson top of each other. And he also discovered that acircleis something that is created when you stack many straight lines together. Then on the contrary, what would happen ? From the very beginning, one question constantly led to another. <<<<>>>> The night wind brushed by Igni and Sara gently. From the mountain that was blown apart, red hot molten lava surfaced and flowed out of it as if it was bleeding. The [Angel] simply headed straight towards the lodge. Igni didnt know why it was heading there. It might have been a pure coincidence and the lodge was simply located in the direction it decided to go. And maybe its not even headed for the lodge but is trying to go somewhere else. But the lodge is still in its path. Inside the lodge are girls that likes Igni ` some even confessed that they love him. And there is also his very first friend. The amazing upper classman of the Student Council that he is proud to be a part of. And even more importantly``for Sara, who was put into this position for just being born``Igni made his move. In his hand was a {Fireball}. It was the {Fireball} made from [Ultra Sphere Surface] {Tesea}. At a glance, there were many {Fireball}s inside the {Fireball} and many {Fireballs} stacked on top of each other to make a strange shape. But that is an inaccurate description. It only appears that way because we are trying to comprehend a 4-dimensional shape with our human eyes. Igni is an [Ultimate Spell Specialized Type?Spell One]. He cannot use any other Spells besides {Fireball}. But , as long as its a spherical ball, it is a {Fireball}. Hence, even a 4-dimensional Sphere is also a sphere. This is Ignis 2nd of that he is able to invoke. He created a 4-dimensional {Fireball} and with his of , downgrades it to a 3-dimensional shape. That is simply all he is doing. But when you drop a higher dimension object to a lower dimension, it then becomes something that contains infinity. It was the same as when Abyss used his to drop a 3-dimensional space into 2-dimensions and created an infinitely wide surface. Inside Ignis {Fireball} was an infinite amount of energy. That was the of that transformed 1 dimension to zero. The complete opposite of the of , a designed only for destruction. It was named the of . This was the mirror reflection of Ignis very first which gave him the confidence to call himself . Igni: [Launch] {Fire} Igni released the Spell towards the Angel. For a split second, Ignis hand glittered...and then the {Fireball} directly hit the [Angel]. Ignis {Fireball} and the Angels appearance began struggling against each other, and though it was night, a white light that made the entire area bright like the day completely consumed everyone around as it grew `` and the [Angel] was vanished as it was destroyed. And all of Abyss plans was obliterated from its foundation. Abyss: ..............huh? A man who floated helplessly in the water let out a quiet yell of astonishment and disbelief. Igni: Its a higher-dimension sphere. You dont need any further explanation, right? Abyss: .....you took something from another dimension and forcefully dropped it..and you got a {Fireball} with infinite energy. Sheesh. And with two completely incompatible infinities collided together and.it resulted in cancelling each other out into nothing.. With heavy breaths, Abyss continues to decipher and analyze what just happened with mumbled words. Abyss: But...hey...isnt that? Igni: It just means that youre not the only Magician who can use multiple Spells. Igni quietly spoke to Abyss with calm resolve. Abyss: ..........tsch. I guess its no longer my exclusive right. Igni: Abyss, youre under arrest. Youll be sent to the Kingdom to be judged. Abyss: ............yeah, crap. No one told me theres someone like you. He could not use a Spell or even lift a finger due to being completely exhausted of Magic Power, and Abyss let out a resigned sigh. The bracelet broke, and although all of the Magic Power that was supporting the Angel was released, the Corruption and Tainting of the land did not recommence. It couldnt have actually. All of Saras overflowing Magic Power was heading towards Igni. But the three who were there did not notice this change. Chapter 97: The Wizard who came back from the Trip Miru: I see. So thats what happened while we were sleeping. Igni woke up President Miri who was unconscious from being suddenly exposed to a massive concentration of Magic Power, and Igni showed her Abyss as he explained the most recent events. President Miru nodded several times as she listened, and Miss Miko, feeling some guilt, continued to rub and pat Saras head. Miss Valia wasnt here because she headed to go look after the members of the [Fortune Telling Club]. Miru: And Igni, you are of the opinion that we should hand Abyss over to the Kingdom. Igni: Yes. And I needed your assistance in restraining him with your Spell. Miru: Gotcha, gotcha. If thats the case, you can leave it to me! Abyss remained silent as he sat there. He is keeping his eyes downwards and looking ghostly pale, so hes probably hasnt been released yet from the [Magic Exhaustion] conditions. In a normal place, if you suffer [Magic Exhaustion], youll be suffering dizzying fatigue. So Abyss should be feeling pretty terrible at this point. Miru: [The darkness has no bottom, and thus will swallows and traps all] With a deep , President Mirus shadow turns circular and widens. Miru: Okay, put him in here. Igni chunks Abyss into her shadow and with a quick ........Abyss body sunk and disappeared. Igni: Do you think he can break out from the inside? Miru: Hmm` I wonder. No ones been able to break out until now, but if its an [Extreme], they might find a way. But, thats also if they are in their normal condition too...though. Igni: What do you mean? Miru: Inside of here, theres no Magic Power. Its zero. And Abyss is suffering from [Magic Exhaustion], right? So he wouldnt be able to gather Magic Power from anywhere, so itll be almost impossible for him to use any Spells. Igni: Then we dont have to be worried about him escaping! Miru: Exactly. President Miru spoke proudly as she puffed her chests out. So big..!! And in the presence of such majestic scenery, Igni almost fell down and bowed down on his knees with fearful admiration. And right now, Sara has her original bracelet on. They switched to the spare bracelet because there seemed to be some sort of malfunction, so theres a high likelihood that something could go wrong again. But Abyss completely obliterated the spare bracelet. So they honestly had no other options left. Yoori: Thats amazing, Igni! You defeated an [Extreme]! Igni: Right? I told you that Im [The Strongest]. Igni returns Yooris compliment with a huge smile. Although he used his twice, he hasnt experienced any [Magic Exhaustion] because he has been receiving Magic Power from Sara, but he himself did not realize this fact. Igni: (Im on a roll today.) ``was pretty much the idiotic thought he started and ended with. Right then, from across the ocean, the sun began to rise. The night was over as the dawn began. Miru: Its already morning. This trip was a lot of fun. Igni: Yes it was. President Miru spoke reflectively, and Igni nodded to her words. The Student Council Trip was 3 days, 2 nights. Today is the day they go back. Igni: Then lets go home! Miru: Yeah, once we eat breakfast, lets get our luggage packed. And with that, the President stood up. Lilly: Igni, you havent slept, so will you be okay? Igni: Yeah, Ill be fine. Thank you for being worried for me. Lilly looks at Ignis face with concern, but Igni is fine even if he doesnt sleep for a night! And so Igni and his group headed to make breakfast. Igni: (........hmmm, she seems to be avoiding me..) Igni stole a glance at Sara. Sara currently clung to Miss Miko and stared at Igni, but as soon as their eyes met, her face turned bright red and looked away. Igni: (Hmmm..did I do something to make her mad.?) Since he makes it a personal point to only do things that would make him Popular, he could not for the life of him understand why she would suddenly want to avoid him, so he thought carefully about this situation. As he thought this and that, something brightly sparked in his sleep-deprived mind. Th`This is! <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni] [Whats wrong, Grandpa?] It happened on a night during the summer. They were in the north, so in general, the [Demon Kings Realm] was pretty cool, but that day, it was exceptionally hot. [What would you do when you begin to like a specific girl?] [Thats a no-brainer. Ill tell her that I like her!] [Ha, so young. But for now, you are okay as you are.] [What? I`Im young?! But arent you supposed to confess to the girl if you like her?!?] Igni was shocked as he got a peek into the world of adults. [But look here, Igni. The people of this world cannot communicate their feelings that easily.] [Okay..?] [What a lazy reply, but well put that aside for now. But Igni, as you master the art of Popularity, there is a situation that you must absolutely know about. This is not an Ultimate Secret or an Etiquette. This is simply.knowledge.] [Kn`Knowledge.?!] [Yes. That is...the like and avoid! [L`Like and avoid!] [Thats right! Thats why you would do mean things to the person you like or find yourself avoiding them!!] [What?! Why would anyone end up doing that?! That makes no sense!] [OWW!! I`I couldnt see your hand.! What was that super-sonic slap.!!] [YOU IDIOT!!] Lucas angry yell echoed across the forest. [ARE YOU EVEN A TRUE MAN?!?!] [Wh`what are you?!] [Even if she likes him, she still struggles to admit her feelings! DONT YOU THINK THATS CUTE AT ALL?!?!] [...............!] Inside of Ignis head, his desires took priority over the unreasonable facts before him. [I`I do..!] [Then you understand! What they are doing is close to a Tsundere! But there are some without the Tsun and just avoid the ones they like! They cannot look the person in the eyes being too embarrassed. They end up running away from them often. Do you get it, Igni?! Do you understand how good this timid personality can be?! IGNI?!?!] [I`I get it..! I GET IT, GRANDPA!!] [YES! THATS HOW THINGS SHOULD BE!!] [THATS HOW THEY SHOULD BE!!] <<<<>>>> I see. So this is like and avoid! And with all his brain stats dumped into his optimism stats, Igni fully and without doubt, interpreted the situation positively. The Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 7 `` Women love forward thinking men. As Sara tried to steal glances towards Ignis way, Igni met them with a smile, and the way Sara looked away with a red face and embarrassed was so endearing to Igni now..and he continued to look at Sara. And after they finished eating breakfast, Miss Valia came back. Since there were still members of the [Fortune Telling Club] who were not doing well and were returning earlier, they wanted someone from the Student Council accompanying them. Yoori and Miss Miko were selected for this task, and they both went with the [Fortune Telling Club] and went home ahead of Ignis group. Being left behind, Igni and the rest of the [Fortune Telling Club] members will all go home together. Alicia: So well be together on the way back, Igni. Igni: So you were one of the remaining members, Alicia. There may have been others, but Igni and his group was the very last carriage, and Alicia remained there too. Lilly felt a little threatened by her presence. The carriage was for 6 people, and Alicia and Lilly sandwiched him between each other. In front of them were Miss Valia, President Miru, and lastly, Sara. And as the carriage departed for the Rolmod Wizard Academy, Sara, who also stayed up all night just like Igni did, fell asleep. Miss Valia and Lilly also said that they werent feeling well and fell asleep as well. With President Miru being the last one left, she began to doze off, and Igni spoke quietly to Alicia. Igni: Alicia. Alicia: .......hm? Alicia, who secretly wrapped her arms around Igni, whispered back. Igni: At the beach Alicia: Yeah Igni: You said three years but. Alicia did not say anything back. That time limit will come much sooner than they both would like. Thats why Igni: If you dont like that, you can rely on me. Ill do something about it. Alicia gently smiled at Ignis words and. Alicia: .......thanks. And said the words with a smile. Chapter 98: The Connection and the Wizard Saras room is deep underground surrounded by [Crimson Crystals]. Being surrounded by the highest-grade anti-magic material, this room was a former Research facility, but it is unused now. It is a room well-suited to hold back the Magic Power that overflows out of Sara. Or..thats how it should be but. Mira: Huh? She doesnt have the bracelet, and the Magic Power isnt overflowing out of her. Igni and Ms. Mira stood next to the bed where Sara slept. Ms. Elenoir had business outside the Academy and wasnt here, so only Mira was the only one available to look after Sara. Igni: On the way back to the Academy, the bracelet completely broke. Mira: Really? Igni: Yes. Alicia took the broken bracelet back to the Empires Research Facility. She said that shell be back shortly with a replacement bracelet but. Mira: Is it true that the land did not turn into the [Demon Kings Realm]? Igni: Yes, All of Saras Magic Power came flowing into me. Mira: All of it? Igni: Yes, all of it. Mira thought and reflected deeply on Ignis words. Sara did not sleep all night, so now shes fast asleep on the bed. Looking at her now, she just looks like a normal girl. Mira: Igni, can I see your right hand? Igni: Huh? Oh, yes. Igni stretches out his right hand towards Mira, and she takes it into her hands. As Igni thought, Her hands are so warm.., Mira took Saras hand too. Mira: ..........oh, so thats what happened. And Mira mumbles to herself quietly. Mira: Theres a [path] connecting you two together. Ive never seen a [path] this strong though And astonished, Mira comments to Igni. Igni: A [path]......? What is a [path]? But not understanding what Mira meant, Igni asked for clarification. Mira: Well, um well just from the word, I think you get that its some sort of way connecting two places together. But in this case, its a [path] for Magic Power. Igni: A connection? Mira: It happens from a strong emotional connection or even fate and destiny. But theres numerous ways it could be established So multiple peoples Magic Power gets connected to one anothers. Igni: The Magic Power..connects together Mira: Hmm I guess its no surprise that you never heard of it. Its something not taught in class. Oh but an easy example to understand is that. The [Love Potion]. Igni: The [Love Potion]? Does that cause the [paths] to connect?? Igni was surprised at the mention of the well known potion and had to inquire further from Mira. Mira: Thats right You never heard about that? The way you can know who the [Love Potion] was cast by. Igni: I have. Igni couldnt say that he directly experienced it personally, so he did not share any details. Mira: That actually creates a [path] too. You create a path to a selected individuals Magic Power, so you start liking the person youre connected to, and you can also know who likes you as well. Igni: So thats why.. Igni wasnt well versed in Alchemy, so he groaned as he processed the information provided to him by Mira. Mira: Well, in this case, the only thing thats connected is only Magic Power and not emotions. With that, Mira let go of the hands of the two. Mira: If your Magic Power is connected, theres a lot of advantages. Igni: The borrowing and giving of Magic Power.is it? Igni spoke out his first thought. Mira: Yup. Magic Power constantly tries to keep a balance. Just like when cold water and hot water mix, and the resulting water turns into the same temperature. The concentrated and dense areas of Magic Power will always try to mix in where the Magic Power concentration is lower to establish a consistent concentration all around. Igni: Oh...... Igni was just amazed at the thought but probably didnt understand it as well. Mira: Thats why Saras Magic Power is all going to Igni right now Igni: What would happen if my Magic Power reaches its limit? Mira: It probably wont reach that limit. Igni: Huh? Igni thought Miras answer was strange and had to ask again. Mira: Igni, when you were on your way back, youve been receiving Magic Power from Sara the entire time, right? Igni: Yes. Mira: For how long? Igni: About.2 hours, maybe? Mira: For two house huh From Mirus reports, after 30 minutes, all of the [Fortune Telling Club] members and even Miru lost consciousness, right? And youve been taking all of the Magic Power for 2 hours now, and youre still on your feet. Igni: I feel great, actually. Mira: Thought so Mira looks up close into Ignis eyes. Mira: Igni, youre Magic Power capacity is probably monstrous compared to others. At least, thats my theory. Igni: Monstrous.. Igni repeated Miras words in his head several times. He knew that his abilities have developed since 3 years ago when he couldnt even fire a single {Fireball}, but he hasnt measured how much Magic Power reserve grew. Mira: So because of all that, Igni. Please keep protecting Sara from now on. Igni: Yes. Of course. Igni looked at Saras sleeping face. Igni: Leave it to me. And nodded. <<<<>>>> The next day. Edward: WA HA HA! Its been a while! And with a (sfx), Edward sits in his seat behind Igni. But the owner of that seat in front of him was empty. Edward: Huh? Where did Igni go? Yoori: Ohhh, Ignis not here today. Next to Edward, the boy who looked most definitely like a girl told him so. Edward: Is he not feeling well? Oh, heres a gift for you guys. Here you go. Yoori: Thanks. Alicia: Hey, did you bring enough for everyone? Edward: Of course I did. Yoori and Alicia took the snack gifts Edward brought back, but theres still 3 bags in his hands. Its for Iris, Sara, and Igni. Yoori: Its not that Igni isnt feeling well. Yoori took the snacks and packed it into his bag as he informed Edward. Edward: Is that so? Did he have some errand to run? Yoori: An errand.I`I guess you could call it an errand but. Alicia and Yoori look at each other knowingly. Edward tilts his head in confusion as he isnt able to grasp what the two are trying to say. Yoori: So` basically, Igni caught a criminal just the other day. Edward: WHAT?! Thats Igni for you. Thats amazing. Yoori: So he was called to the prison for that reason. Edward: Prison? Edwards face clouds with concern as a far more ominous word pops out into the conversation. Yoori: Yeah. Have you ever heard of the [Underground Prison Labyrinth]? Edward: Y`Yeah...Of course, Ive heard of it before Its where they take those who try to overthrow the government, mass murderers and..well, heinous criminals into a.prison..that was converted from a former underground labyrinth dungeon.right? Though he talked about failed revolutionaries and mass murderers, it was actually different from public perception. In this world, there are people with monstrous abilities. There was a man who reduced 99% of the worlds population. There was one Hero who defeated that man. And from their conflict, true monsters called [Magicians] appeared, and not every [Magician] was using their Magic for the sake of others or for noble purposes. There has been more than one [Magician] who has turned their fangs against humanity and has attempted to oppress it. So there is a prison catered to imprisoning those monsters. That is the [Underground Prison Labyrinth]. Yoori: Yeah. Igni went there. Edward: Wh`Why? Anyone would have asked the same questions as Edward. Thats why Yoori told him. Yoori: He said he was called by the person he caught. Edward: .......and...who was that? Who did he catch? Yoori: Abyss. The Endless Depths Abyss. At the mention of the unbelievable news, his jaws dropped along with the gifts he was holding. Chapter 99: Prepare for the Worst to Avoid the Worst If you just twitched your nose slightly, you would be hit with an overwhelming scent of darkness. To be precise, it is not the specific smell of darkness. It is the odor of human stagnation. Never learning to restrain themselves from harming others, and in fact, touting and sincerely believing that doing so is the very core of human nature, the thoughts and Magic Power of the true monsters trapped inside here give birth to this stagnation. Lucas: Igni, have you been well? Igni: Im doing okay, Grandpa. Igni and Lucas meet at the entrance of the [Underground Prison Labyrinth], and they descend below into the depths inside the [automated elevator]. Lucas: Its been a while since Ive been here, but its still just as awful as I remember it. Igni: Its my first time here, but yeah, I dont like it at all. And with that, Igni scrunches his face in displeasure. But the smell of this place is also nostalgic to him at the same time. Its because it''s a similar smell to the [sewage] Igni cleaned as a living two years ago. That job also dealt with the stagnant remains of humans, and just like here, the stagnation in the sewers would continue to accumulate if not cleaned. Hence, Igni did feel some nostalgia from the repulsive odor, but he had no desire to return that kind of life either. Lucas: But you really surprised me, Igni. I never thought that you would capture Abyss yourself. Igni: Well..it just happened Lucas: Hmph. You cant just happen to catch an [Extreme]. You have grown, Igni. Igni: Yeah, but its all thanks to you, Grandpa. With a , a bell rang and the [Automated Elevator] signaled their arrival at their destination. This prison was reconstructed and remodeled from an [Underground Dungeon], and this facility was specifically designed to imprison criminal . Hence, you will usually be required to have guards accompany you if you enter, but this time, the two who visited did not require any such protection. With one [Extreme] and one who captured an [Extreme], any guards accompanying them would just be in the way. Lucas: But..its very strange. I was surprised to hear that it was Abyss who wanted to talk. Igni: I cant imagine that hell say anything helpful. Lucas: HA! You might be right. Well, I cant imagine that hell be able to leave this prison alive. It may be beneficial to at least hear him out once. Abyss did not just call on Igni and Lucas. He sent a message to of the [Extremes], but the only two who decided to come where these two. It speaks volumes about the lack of Abyss character and reputation. Lucas: I believe its here. And with that, Lucas pointed to the entrance of a prison cell. Igni: They said they left the door unlocked? Lucas: Yes, we should be able to get in easily. Believing the words of the prison guard at the entrance, they place a hand on the cell door, and it opened without resistance. Abyss: Hey, welcome. Inside was Abyss who was crucified on a cross. He was robbed of all of his possessions and had all 4 limbs restrained. But not only that, he had one collar around his neck. This is the special Magic Artifact collar given to all prisoners of the [Underground Prison Labyrinth]. The collar will constantly check Abyss Magic Power level, and if it exceeds a certain amount, it will automatically expunge the Magic Power out of his body. Hence, Abyss was left in a state of constant Magic Exhaustion. And of course, as the collar expunged the Magic Power out of its wearer, it also restricted the wearer from absorbing Magic Power as well, so the prisoner was left in a state of dizziness and nausea all day. Igni knew from experience that you cannot die from [Magic Exhaustion], but many people believe that you can. Shared as common knowledge, most people believe that [Magic Exhaustion] leads to death. But even so, the prisoners here will experience [Magic Exhaustion] several times a day. That is because . Finally, if they were to try using a Spell or , the instant the collar detects such activity, it is designed to explode. They will not be executed. But they are sentenced to suffer. And if they were to die as a result, it only led to apathy. That is the way of the [Underground Prison Labyrinth]. Abyss: So.only you two came, huh. How sad. Lucas: I would think that even two was more than you should have been expecting. Abyss: Yeah..that.may be true. Abyss continued his perpetual smirk and answered back. But even so, his overconfident composure seemed to have been twisted slightly ` most likely from the constant dizzying nausea he had to endure. Lucas: So what did you want with us? Hurry up and speak your business. Lucas spats the words out towards Abyss. Abyss murmured, Dont be so hasty as he took some deep breaths. Abyss: I wanted to share with you about my goal. Igni: Goal? Igni responds to Abyss words. Was it about why Abyss was going after Sara so persistently? But Igni assumed that Sara was used to summon the [Angel]. That was something Abyss said himself. Abyss: Well, listen. This is something more [Extremes] should know about but whatever. Lucas: I assume that youll start with your conclusion? Abyss: Of course! Im a researcher after all. Lucas: I see. Then what was your goal? Abyss: The preservation of humanity. Lucas: ...........hm? Lucas expression changes. His sharp eyes look directly at Abyss. Abyss: I dont have to explain..about who was the very first in this world, right? Igni: The [Demon King]. Abyss: Correct. You get 10 points, Igni. A Spell that gives life to a corpse is not a Spell at all. It is a Spell. Abyss: And the [Hero] who defeated the Demon King was not a at all. He was a monster who had [S] compatibility with all Magic Types for certain, but thats all. Abyss spats those words out as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth. The Brilliantly Shining Glorius. With his companions by his side, he defeated the [Demon King] in a final life or death battle, and after the [Demon King] was slain, it was said that he became the first king of the Anthem Kingdom. Abyss: Defeating the [Demon King] was a bittersweet victory for humanity. They paid a huge price for it. So...now comes the problem. Abyss laughed as he looked at Lucas and Igni. Abyss: After the [Demon King] was defeated, slowly but surely, more and more began to come out. It was just one person at first, and as if to answer the call, a 2nd and 3rd one appeared. Why do you think that happened? Lucas: A mere coincidence. Abyss: Its too much of a coincidence to really call it that. is well beyond the realms of human power. And you think that kind of power would just proliferate after the [Demon King] arrived on the scene? Theres no way that that was a coincidence. Igni: Then.what are you saying that it was? Igni followed Abyss words with his question. Everything Abyss said to this point is true. After the [Demon Kings] death, have been increasing exponentially. Abyss: At first, I thought they were simply growing in numbers to try to combat another [Demon King]. Its like developing an immunity. In order for humanity to protect humanity, they developed techniques to protect themselves from another crisis like the [Demon King]. But.what if that wasnt the case? Lucas: What are you trying to say? Abyss: Its amazing what you can find these days. Theres a flood of everywhere. Now, there''s just about more than you can count with both hands. And not only that...the 1 in 10,000 and 1 in a million genius [S] and [SS] ranks are in the present generation. Lucas: The [Golden Generation].... Abyss: Yeah, and on top of that, the fictional [Ultimate Spell Specialized Type?Spell One] became a reality. Abyss looked directly at Igni as he spoke. Igni did not turn away from Abyss eyes. Abyss: Its as if were for something, no? Igni began to understand where Abyss was going with his thoughts. Igni: .............from what? Abyss: That, I have no idea` Abyss shrugged in response to Ignis question. Well, he actually couldnt physically shrug or even move his shoulders, but from his words, thats what he was trying to do. Abyss: Of course, there is always the chance that the [Demon King] was just an irregular singularity. With the [Demon Kings] appearance, humanity now proceeded to the next level. Instead of doing so out of fear of [something], they simply evolved ` thats also a plausible theory. Lucas: I would prefer that. Abyss: Hehe. I hope so too. But its too much of a coincidence. At the perfect timing, the [Ultimate Spell Specialized Type?Spell One] was born. Lucas: The [Specialized Magic Type?Element One] is rare enough. I thought that we simply never discovered one until now. Abyss: You really believe that we never would have noticed someone with only 1 affinity to a Magic Type and [none] with the rest? You dont think that no one would have paused to notice how strange that is? Lucas: ................... Abyss: From long before 100 years ago, humanity has been preparing for [something] since the days of the [Demon King]. Thats what I believe. Lucas became silent. Igni also found nothing to say. Abyss: It might be the case that the [Demon King] only served to move humanitys clock forward. During a time of endless wars, monsters are born. A monster like the [Hero], for instance. Igni: Ha. So what does all that have to do with your goal? Abyss expression became serious before he answered Igni. Abyss: I needed to move humanity to the next evolutionary stage before that [something] came. Thats why I needed to become the next [Demon King]. Lucas: Fool. Lucas dismissed Abyss conclusion and half-smile with a single word. Lucas: Just for that, you tainted your hands with that many forbidden Spells? With that much sacrifice? Abyss: Thats right. Lucas: Youre insane. Abyss: If I didnt do it, who would have? Abyss and Lucas lock eyes. Abyss no longer smiled. Lucas: Is that all? Abyss: Yeah, be prepared. [Something] is coming. Lucas: Igni, lets go. Igni: .......okay.understood. As Lucas placed a hand on the door, Abyss continued to speak as if to leave one final message. Abyss: You will.you will regret it. One day, you will regret imprisoning me here. Lucas: Of course not. There is no way we will ever regret that. Lucas does not bother turning around to answer Abyss. Lucas: are strong. Abyss: .......ha.HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! HAAAA-HA-HA-HA-HA``!!!! Igni exits the room. Behind him, Abyss voice grows smaller and smaller. Abyss: Is that right?! Then Ill be watching you from the bottom of Hell. Lets see how well you all do. The door closes slowly. Abyss: And with that, Abyss disappeared into the depths of the prison once again. <<<<>>>> To be continued!!! {untranslated text} Chapter 100: Book 1 Character Introductions <<<<>>>> Igni Name: Igni Talcoyz / Igni Wizards Title: None Ability: [FIRE] : [F] ; Ultimate Spell Specialization ? Spell One ; The Miracle of Creation; The Miracle of Dimensions Characteristics: A teenager coming of age whose most basic and core character is driven by the desire to be popular with the ladies on a primal instinct level. He was not blessed with any Magic Compatibility, but he was blessed with a good grandfather. His original Magic Power Reserves and his talents were abysmal to non-existent, but even from that situation, through his grandfathers training and his desire to want to be [POPULAR], those two things pushed him towards beingTHE STRONGEST. He is satisfied with his current strength and ability, but on the contrary has NO satisfaction with his current popularity level. He lost his mother very early in life, and doesnt even remember her face or voice. Additionally, hes an idiot. <<<<>>>> Lucas Name: Lucas Talcoyz / Lucas Wizards Title: Ultimate Light Ability: [LIGHT] : [SSS] Characteristics: The very culprit to blame for the way Igni is today. He is the oldest [Extreme], but he has equally diminished his reputation by fooling around with too many women and was excommunicated from the Talcoyz Family and noble society. If the question, Who is the worlds strongest comes up, he will always be either the 1st or 2nd contender. He has a habit of wandering and will never be in one place for long. He perpetually continues to travel around the world. He is one of [The Kingdom of Anthem]s [Extreme] Wizards. <<<<>>>> Aurelio Name: Aurelio Talcoyz Wizards Title: Ability: Characteristics: Ignis father. His lifes mission is to revive his noble familys lost reputation. Lucas taught him that there will be nothing good coming from regaining your noble reputation, but not believing those words, he is currently wandering blindly through life. <<<<>>>> Fray Name: Fray Talcoyz Wizards Title: The Light of Dawn Ability: [Extreme Light] : [SS] ; [THE LIGHT OF DAWN] {SUNRISE ? ZERO} Characteristics: Ignis younger half-brother. So he doesnt look like Igni at all. He is blessed with a Higher-Tier Magic Compatibility and also has many times more the Magic Reserves compared to the average person. He legitimately believes himself that this gift was given to him by God and holds something similar to a chosen or higher race like ideal and has a bias against any who cannot use spells. His dream is to have his father approve of him as part of the Talcoyz family. He has not considered at all what he would do after that point, but his brother has equally not thought of what he would do after he is popular, so seeing how they are both mistaking the means to an end shows how they are truly brothers. The meaning to his Wizard Title Shokou () (Dawns Light) is literally the Light of Dawn. <<<<>>>> Rose Name: Rose Aquilmarun Wizards Title: None Ability: [HOLY] : [S] Characteristics: A girl whose [HOLY] Magic Trait awakened, and the Kingdom has dubbed her a national Saint. She is the only daughter of the [WATER] Magic Trait Noble Family of Aquilmarun. After she was made a [SAINT], she was taken to the Holy Nation and unable to endure the harsh training, began to escape and fantasize that Igni will come save her. Her obsessive thoughts took hold of her, and by the end of Book 1, she turned into what you saw. Additionally, it was Aurelio who negated their marriage engagement. His argument was, I cannot bear to send a Compatibility F to such a reputable family], and Roses parents reluctantly agreed after hearing about Ignis results. <<<<>>>> Alicia Name: Alicia Esmeralda Wizards Title: The Hurricane Ability: [WIND] : [A] Characteristics: From an early age to 15 years old, she was being utilized as an aviatory secret weapon. This was partly her eldest sisters influence and fault where sending out people with the talent to the battlefield became the norm. Having to kill people everyday, fables and fairy tales became her escape during these times. While the hope of wanting to be rescued some day directly conflicted with her belief that no human being like that could actually exist, due to a promise Lucas made with a certain someone, she was given an opportunity to escape and take refuge. She was almost late the first day even though she flew non-stop from the Empire to the Rolmod Wizard Academy right after Lucas gave her the papers. Lucas had nothing to do with Igni waking up late, so the fact that the two met was a pure coincidence. The reason why she is so strong is due to her efforts and training. Additionally, her title The Hurricane is derived from the Kanji (Chinese character) U is the Tai in Typhoon or the character for Typhoon. This character is not WIND as it is denoted, so for those *weeb readers, please do not make this mistake. {{CHONKY Note - I used the American word Hurricane instead of the Asian context Typhoon to cater to American audiences but Alicias Wizard Title in Asian contexts will be The Typhoon.}} <<<<>>>> Edward Name: Edward Wizards Title: None Ability: [LIFE] Characteristics: At least from an appearance standpoint, he appeared after Alicia, so he''s the second oldest character. He holds to the belief that those with Magic Talent are responsible for helping those without, and due to that bias, he could not understand why a person without any Magic Compatibility would enter the Wizard Academy without committing admission fraud. He has two *minions follow him around. {{CHONKY Notes - *minions - torimaki - (ȡꎆ) - people who follow around those with authority and find that its their duty to uphold the authority of that figure and does their bidding. I just went with minion since they werent violent. Otherwise, thugs or goons would be more appropriate in that context.}} <<<<>>>> Elina Name: Elina Owlight Wizards Title: None Ability: [MAGIC SWORDSMAN] Characteristics: A girl who wants to be Number 1. She comes from a family that has many reputable and famous knights and grew up being compared to the people around her constantly. Because of that, her desire to become Number 1 became extremely strong. She is proud of the fact that she became the 1st Years Representative even though there were many others in her 1st Year class with Wizards Titles. Additionally, the runner-up was Fray. They had a 5 point difference. <<<<>>>> Mila Name: Mila Wizards Title: The Gateway Ability: [UNIQUE ORIGINAL] Magic Trait Characteristics: She is one of the rare and few Elves who has melted into Human society. Her magic ability trait relates to [SPACE]. She is the model teacher who will do everything to teach anything the students want to know. She has been a teacher the longest at the Academy, and there are many things she likes about teaching, but she likes being thanked by the students the most and works hard to be thanked. There was a conflict between her and the Elves, and she will not speak about being an Elf and the Elves will not speak about her. I know this doesnt need to be said for students who graduated elementary school, but the kanji hira (_) used for Milas Gateway title is not read as Gateway in real-life so please be careful to not make that error. <<<<>>>> Yoori Name: Yoori Wizards Name: None Ability: [DARK] : [S] Characteristics: He is a very feminine male or a lady-like male. A very feminine, lady-like male. He grew up in a rural, small town in the country and cannot use attack spells. He is Ignis very first friend ever. <<<<>>>> Elenoir Name: Elenoir Wizards Title: The Puppeteer Ability: [LIFE] : [B] Characteristics: Though she is only a Compatibility [B], she rose up to the status of Rolmod Academys teacher by effort and her keen Magic sense. She wears glasses and has big breasts. She is one of the newer teachers and is constantly out of money. She feels something similar inside Igni and is especially aware of him. <<<<>>>> Iris Name: Iris Wizards Title: None Ability: [EARTH] : [S] Characteristics: Blessed with Magic Compatibility but is an *easily manipulated heroine - {{CHONKY Notes LiT - Lost in Translation}} i.e. choro-in () which is a combination of choroi () - easy to fool, easy to manipulate, gullible, taken advantage of and heroine (ҥ).}} <<<<>>>> Miru Name: Miru Wizards Title: The Undoer Characteristics: H-U-G-E breasts. No further explanation needed. <<<<>>>> Miko Name: Miko Wizards Title: Ability: [LIFE] Characteristics Upper-classmen Miss Miko! {{CHONKY Notes LiT - Lost in Translation - *Miko-Chan-Sempai. chan is an affectionate honorific that is very difficult to translate. The only equivalent I can think of is an affectionate pet name or nickname someone you love calls you by. Sempai is an upperclassman, but there are.certain preferences deeply tied to the Otaku/Weeb community concerning sempais that I wont expand on. In short, to Igni, Miko is Miko-chan-sempai which sums up everything she is to him.}} <<<<>>>> Valia Name: Valia Wizards Title: Ability: Accumulate curses Characteristics: She is wrapped up in bandages and is a silent upperclassman that does not speak a word. <<<<>>>> Frenda Name: Frenda Wizards Title: None Ability: [WATER] Characteristics: An athletic girl. She was a contestant in the [TOURNAMENT] and looks after her lower classman. She looks after Igni a lot. The practice test questions that Igni has mostly come from Miss Frenda. <<<<>>>> Erumi Name: Erumi Wizards Title: Warped Ability: Characteristics: Extreme masochist. Her Wizards Title though is not from her sexual preference but from the essence and trait of her spell. <<<<>>>> Celia Name: Celia Esmeralda Wizards Title: Undeath Ability: [LIFE] The Miracle of Immortality Characteristics: The [Extreme] of [Life]. She is a Magician. She is the biological elder sister of Alicia, and is the only [Extreme] that represents the Empire. Her ability is Immortality and no matter how much damage she suffers or wounds she accumulates, she can reverse all of its effects by dying. She is a hard-core [STRENGTH ABOVE ALL] follower, and believes that those with power are free to do as they please. Her compatibility against Ignis is of the cruelest and worst compatibilities imaginable. Here, this is something additional I would like to explain about her Wizard''s Title Shinazu (ʤ). The correct way to read this is Mogari or Araki. In ancient Japan, they used to mummify the remains of a body as part of the funeral process. In Japan, they have a slightly similar practice called O-tsuu-ya (ͨҹ) which is the family spending one more night with their beloved family member who passed. But the actual Mogari left the body out until the remains turned into a skeleton, and apparently those with high statuses were left there for up to 3 years. At the time, the means to confirm death were little to none, and some actually were not dead and there are some cases when a person in a coma-like state came back to life. The Mogari was to give a chance to the presumed dead, another chance to come back to life without burying or cremating the body - probably. <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) *weeb ; (chuu-ni-byou) - Interestingly enough, the first Kanji character chuu () can mean insane fandom in Chinese. I do not speak a lick of Chinese so Im taking Googles word for it. Forgive me if Im wrong, Chinese speakers. In JAPANESE, the word is a play on words. Japans public school system goes Elementary 1st through 6th grade which is shogakkou (СѧУ(note the shou (С) kanji which means small); Middle-school (ѧУ) which is 1st year to 3rd year (note the chuu ) kanji which means in-between or middle); and finally, high-school kou-kou (У) for 3 years (note the high () kanji for high school). I had to go into this tirade of TLDR because CHUU and NI are Middle and 2nd. Its the 2nd year of middle school. In a 12 year grade school system, it would be the 8th year which most Americans would understand is the 8th grade of middle school. So the Chuu Ni (Middle - 2nd) refers to 8th grade. Byou () is illness. So put it together and you get The extreme fandom illness that you suffer during 8th grade middle school. Have you secretly practiced your ka-me-ha-me-ha (ϥᲨ) by yourself in your room after watching Dragon Ball Z during middle school? You have suffered Chuu-ni-byou. Did you think that saying really cool phrases you see in movies and books in real life made you look cool? At least in Japan, if that was from a manga or anime, you suffered chuu-ni-byou. Weeb-dom has been a more recent word (at least to an old boomer like me), but it shares a lot of similarities and overlaps with chuu-ni-byou without associating it to a certain public school grade-level. <<<<>>>> ?~Illustrations~? https://discord.gg/2SWtrgTbUG Chapter 101 <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes - Chapters 100 - 103 are appendices that the author wrote prior to starting Book 4 <<<<>>>> Book 2 Character Introductions ?Lura Name: Lura Wizards Title: Abilities: Notable Characteristics The Disciple of Ms. Mira. She is one of the few elves that keeps in touch with Ms. Mira since her Master was excommunicated from the Elves, and Lura is also part of the Revolutionary Party. She does not believe that there is a future if Elves continue to follow old traditions and laws. She is also the assistant to the [Extreme] of [Sword], and serves as a somewhat executive secretarial role and completes miscellaneous tasks for her. She knows Lilly since Lilly was a baby, and speaks to her as she would her own daughter. ?Lilly Name: Lilly Wizards Title: None Abilities: [Wind] Notable Characteristics Hates humans. Or rather, she has never spoken to human beings before, but growing up in the Elves nation, the Elders embedded in her some stereotypes of humans in general, and meeting Igni, many of those assumptions have been revised. She was chosen as a guard to escort the Elves weapon, so she is strong. As far as how strong, she can fight evenly with Alicia and Iris. But there are not many scenes where her true strength is noted. This is a side note, but Elves can only give birth to females, and though they have long lifespans, they are absolutely loyal to their first love, and because of that, the number of Elves have been gradually dwindling. So from that perspective, she carries on the hopes of the Elves around her as she represents a possible new generation. Good luck. You can do it, Lilly! ?Floria Name: Floria Wizards Title: Ocean Abilities: [Water] : [SS] The Miracle of the Ocean Notable Characteristics She is the [Extreme that represents the Holy Nation. Her main role is to protect the [Saint] of the Holy Nation. But there has not been a [Saint] born for many years, so protecting Rose was her first assignment. On top of her blessed gifts and talents, the Holy Nation has bestowed upon her all of their knowledge of battle and warfare since she could remember, and because of it, she has monstrous strength and abilities. Unlike Celia and Claras zero-range close combat, she can also fight mid-range and long-range, but because she doesnt have an ultimate attack that can defeat any foe, her tactics are based upon drawing the opponent into a disadvantageous fighting situation. But that tactics of hers is well known, and opponents will try to force their advantage upon her and puts her at a disadvantage. As far as her , she is the ultimate [Defense] Magician. As can create something from nothing, her reverses that process and reduces something into nothing. By reducing all given results to zero, her basically nullifies any Spell or . The ocean is capable of swallowing all things, and from there, they derived the name . She is the one who gave it that name, and she would whisper the name to herself when no one is around, so she likes the name quite a bit. Good for her. ?Clara Name: Clara Wizards Title: Sword Abilities: [Water] : [SS] [My Sword that reached God himself - Porus Gladio] Notable Characteristics She is blind. A loli with huge breasts. Elf. And she is unable to use Spells. She was an infant that lost her parents during the Great War against the [Demon King], and one of the Party Members of the Hero, the [Master Swordsman] adopted her and taught her the ways of the sword. The reason is because Elves are very loyal to their kinsman, but they did not have the capacity to raise a child who could not use Spells in the direct aftermaths of the Great War. Afterwards, the Master Swordsman rigorously trained her to overcome her blindness and was able to reach the realms of . Her success was due to her insane determination and overcame her training that washed blood with new blood. This is a side note, but the very first Master Swordsman was named Cain Esmeralda, and as you can tell from his name, he is Alicias and Celias ancestor. The ones who taught Celia her sword skills were all descendants from the first Master Swordsman. Her is to remove all conditions to [cut] something and to only leave the result of something being [cut] ` . She named the Spell herself. Names hold power. A strong move deserves a strong name ` is what she thought. and Spells are fundamentally different so it is possible for someone who cant use Spells to become Magicians, but she is to be able to use without being able to use Spells. This is a side note, but names of moves helps people recognize the move, but even if you dont know its name, there is no problem. ?The Marionette Name: The Marionette Wizards Title: Ruler Abilities: [Unique Original] : [Rule] [Earth] Magic Type Notable Characteristics Mercenary. He is part of the group that will not hesitate to attack his own homeland for the right price. The reason why he became a mercenary was because He wanted to be a Hero. Age-wise, he is beginning to reach middle age, and he makes it a point to always give himself the field advantage. But no matter how much he may be losing, he will focus on simply not losing and persist till the enemy breaks ` this was his conclusive fighting style after long years of endless war. But if you were to look beneath his determination, depending on the situation, you can see his lack of self-confidence in his own strength, so seeing someone like Igni who mastered a single thing and focuses on penetrating and breaking through a singular point, the Marionette has realized that his own fighting style is the result of ultimately running away from that end goal. In order to justify his own fighting style, he reached out to Forbidden Spells but lost to Igni. No one knows what happened to him after being inspired by Ignis youth and passion. ?Kuro Name: Kuro Wizards Title: Abilities: [Ancient Spell] Notable Characteristics She is part of the Demon Race. The Demon Race has been oppressed and persecuted since before 100 years ago. They were a Race under constant discrimination. In order to reverse their status, they cooperated with the [Demon King], and cornered the Human Race, but because the [Hero] defeated the [Demon King], the Demon Races discrimination was revived. She is amongst one of them. She concluded that nothing can be done about the present discrimination, and in order to do something, she decided that reviving the [Demon King] was the only answer. ?Kaede Name: Kaede Wizards Title: Abilities: [Earth] Chimanipulation Notable Characteristics The Kunoichi (Ninja Girl) who never once had her name published in the main series. She is from the East and is not accustomed to the Common Language. As a side note, she is perpetually financially broke. The Wizards of the Main Continent are focused on mastering Spells, but in the East, they approach strength differently and have developed many well-rounded warriors. That is due to learning to master the [Chi] manipulation, and just like you would for using Spells, they manipulate Magic Power within their own body to exponentially increase their physical abilities. ?Rania Name: Rania Wizards Title: White Abilities: Notable Characteristics She is the elder sister of the Mercenary Sister Black and White. She is always thinking about how to make their Mercenary name more famous. She met her [little sister] Nie in one war-torn region, and to make themselves more well known, she explained to Nie that itll be better to sell themselves as sisters." With an astonished look, Nie said, Youre a genius.! and being delighted with the idea, they decided to form a team. She is not that great with Spells, and she will generally use weapons found in Dungeons to fight. She is strong in general, but she does not stick out as anything outstanding. They are hoping to make themselves well known from this point on, and they are setting themselves long term plans and goals for the future. She believes her [little sister] Nie is a one in a century genius, and Rania blames her poor marketing skills for their lack of achieving fame. If you ask her why she chose to be sisters, she was the last born in a family and always wanted a younger [brother] or [sister]. I will explain the Wizards title origin at another time. ?Nie Name: Nie Wizards Title: Black Abilities: [Darkness] Notable Characteristics She was praised as being Extreme-Class by Kuro. She is only one step away from achieving , but she has been struggling at this stage for quite a while now, but in general, is something a Wizard will spend a lifetime trying to achieve and never reach it in the end. But being able to reach that stage thats one step away in her teens definitely earns her the notoriety as a rare genius. But because of that, she can only use Spells. Her family could not afford to send her to any Wizards Academy, so she became a mercenary. But strength alone doesnt land you mercenary jobs, and while she was performing a duty that anyone could do, she met her [elder sister] Rania, and being shown a new business method of making themselves more well-known, she believes her sister Rania is . She was also the eldest in her family so she always wanted an older [brother] or [sister]. I will explain the Wizards title origin at another time. Chapter 102 Book 3 Character Introductions ?Miru Name: Miru Wizards Title: Undoer Abilities: [Darkness] : [SS] Notable Characteristics The Student Council President of the Rolmod Wizard Academy. In other words, she is the top student in the school. The Rolmod Wizard Academy holds true to their policy of the Strength Determines Everything. And being at the top, this signifies that she is the strongest among all the students. She is a Wizard that disrupts Spells (a jamming type), and she specializes in breaking down her opponents spells. Plus she has large breasts. She does consider herself quite strong and capable, and because she got bored with fighting, when selecting a [path] at the Rolmod Academy, instead of the combat-focused [Wizard Combat] path, she selected the [Support Wizard] path instead. She is a 3rd year and will be graduating next year. Itll be unfortunate when that time comes. ?Miko Name: Miko Wizards Title: Abilities: [Life] {Spin-Spin Magic Power} Notable Characteristics Shes a girl that addresses herself as ore () () and grew up in an orphanage. She is very good at looking after children. With very high Magic Type compatibility and a keen instinct, she serves as the Vice President of the Student Council. Looking after the underclassmen, she is very popular because of that. .but also, everyone seems to be slightly afraid of Miru. Everyone calls her Miss Miko, and she has earned the respect of her classmates. This is very important ` but she is cute. ?Abyss Name: Abyss Wizards Title: [Endless Depths] Abilities: [Darkness] Notable Characteristics Since the Character Introductions are in order from where they appeared in Book 3, he appeared in this list before Sara. What a jerk. So, he is the [Extreme] of [Darkness] and a Magician. He claims himself to be a researcher, a seeker of knowledge, and enjoys research and studying over fighting. But even so, he is still adept at fighting. Its a little surprising how talented he is. His age is unknown. He theorizes that the [Demon Kings] influence and the number of increasing [Extremes] is related, and in order to help preserve humanity, he decided to try and become a [Demon King] himself. Hes close but not quite immortal. If you were to corner him continually, he would eventually die. Though he tries to scheme ways to get out of prison daily, he has yet to come up with a working plan. And this is a side note, but why would he name a that drops a 3-Dimensional Space to 2-Dimension and name it Crossing. It is because when you take a 3-Dimensional Space and transform it into a 2-Dimensional surface, the surface area of the 2-Dimensional plane becomes infinite. Infinite here is not a hyperbole but literally means infinite. All alternate words has a surface. By adjusting and manipulating his X and Y axis, he can easily Crossover to a different world. That is the origin of his . His [kinsmen] (servants/minions) are those lifeforms that live on the dimensional surface of each world. ?Valia Name: Valia Wizards Title: Abilities: {Collects and Accumulates Curses} Notable Characteristics Once you remove all the mummy-like bandages, you are left with a daughter from a wealthy family with blonde hair in rolls and huge breasts. Her''s is the biggest. And she is also the only 2nd year on the Student Council. Learning from Miko, she looks after the underclassmen and has earned their respect and trust. ?Sara Name: Sara Wizards Title: Abilities: {An incredible amount of Magic Power} Notable Characteristics The daughter of the [Demon King]. She also speaks in the ancient language, and very few can speak the same language today. Because of that, in order to help her be able to explain what happened to her, they are currently teaching her the Common Language. Without a Magic Artifact, she is unable to live normally, and currently lives wearing a Magic Artifact bracelet made by the Esmeralda Empire. She is beginning to speak the Common Language better, but if shes not paying attention, she will speak her original language. She is attached to Igni a lot. ?Igni Name: Igni Wizards Title: Abilities: [Fire] : [F] ; [Ultimate Specialized Spell Type?Spell one] ; Notable Characteristics An [Ultimate Specialized Spell Type?Spell One] simply means that the individual can only use a single Spell, but in exchange, the individual has the potential to wield the spell in more various ways. To be clear, any ordinary Wizard would never be able to reach the realms of with just {Fireball}. Beginning from Ignis desire and inquiry to want to become stronger, his doubts led him to Spell Formation that led him to higher dimensions. His conclusion that the Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 1 law exists for tearing down the unreasonable circumstances of life, he was able to create a higher-dimension {Fireball} that contained infinite amounts of energy. One of his inspirations actually came from Abyss . The reason why Igni bothered to remember a mans name is closely related to this fact. Chapter 103: Book 1 ～ 3 Spells Appearing in the Story Magic Name Magic CasterCelia Esmeralda Effect This is a that grants immortality. Because she cannot die, that is where the Spells name originates from. The Spell Inscription is engraved into Celias soul, and when her physical body dies, she will be reset to her preset [Fully Recovered] physical status. This is the Miracle of granting a life that was reduced to zero, and reset it back to 1. But her resurrection is not 3 days later. It happens the moment she dies. Hence, why she is considered among the [Strongest] among the Magicians. Because the Spell is inscribed on her soul, Abyss or Floria would not be able to disrupt its effects with Defense Spells. If she is not facing Igni, most would be defeated before her presence. <<<<>>>> Magic Name : Magic CasterIgni Effect The universe first began as a small {Fireball} within the Chaos (complete entropy). If that is so, then being able to only use {Fireball}, it is natural for him to end up discovering it. Igni will exert every bit of Magic Power within him, and from nothing, he creates a new . That is why he named it the : . What he can do with it is to synchronize the new to the present and manipulate time, and to blast the energy the energy that composes the new as an energy ball `` which is similar to a {Fireball}. But with these two abilities, he became the [Strongest]. <<<<>>>> Magic Name Magic CasterClara Effect The [Miracle of the Sword] that the [Extreme] of [Sword] wields. It erases all the sequence of events for something to be cut, and only leaves the results of being cut and imposes that on her opponents ` the final form of her sword martial arts. It is the ultimate move that can be reached by human beings. is able to turn a zero into one, and conversely, can turn 1 into zero as well. Hence, her swordsmanship reached this realm of . Though most Magic has been reached through impossible or impractical theoretical prepositions of Spells, this is extremely rare in that it was created purely from swordsmanship. If she wanted to, she could cut down any opponent that she desired. That is because it takes exactly zero amounts of time for her opponent to be cut and is faster than the [Extreme] of [Light] Lucas. Thus, she is among the [Strongest]. Also, she has the most admirers among all the [Extremes]. Because, well.you know. <<<<>>>> Magic Name Magic CasterFloria Effect The ocean swallows everything in its path, and dilutes it. That is why as the [Extreme] of [Water], she ended with a that will infinitely dilute the end result as the result infinitely approaches zero. Infinitely close to zero is zero. Hence, she returns all results to zero and erases it completely. Though it does take some time to initiate the Spell, once the Spell is activated, it will continue to nullify anything that threatens what she wants to protect. It is the [Strongest] in terms of Defensive Spells. Floria is really amazing! But because she doesnt have any extravagant Attack Magic, she is not typically referred to as the [Strongest]. If you want to retort about what would happen if she goes against Clara who reduces all prerequisites to zero, you would enter a paradox of contradictions. So who would win in this case?! As a side note, Claras breasts are bigger. But the Knight of the Holy Nation is not concerned with such matters. That is because they prefer the tight, well trained muscular body in the Holy Nation!! <<<<>>>> Magic Name Magic CasterAbyss Effect By taking one dimension in an existing 3-Dimensional world, he forces the 3-Dimensional space and transforms to a 2-Dimensional Plane. By doing so, the 2-Dimensional Space cannot process the amount of information stored in the 3-Dimensional Space and causes the surface of the 2-Dimensional Space to expand infinitely. This infinity is a literal infinity and goes beyond the present universe and extends to the many parallel worlds surfaces. That is why, by manipulating the 2-Dimensional surfaces X and Y axis points, he can easily cross over to a different world. But there are risks to crossing worlds. Abyss calls the creatures that are supposed to prevent such dimensional crossings his [Kinsmen] and [Clone : Doppelgangers], but because Abyss was stronger, he forcefully enslaved them as his servants. On a side note, he is antagonized by the top [Extremes] of the world, but because of that, he also has a solid fan base. Fans who especially like his perpetually smirk really digs Abyss. <<<<>>>> Magic Name Magic CasterAbyss Effect As I order the list by how it appears in the story, Abyss gets two entries back to back. What is with this guy. But as I explained during the actually narrative, he manipulates Entropy. Entropy is a the amount of information, and during the storys narrative, I explained that the information is pertinent to [how to use and Spells]. What? Is this confusing? Entropy = Amount of Information = [How to use and Spells] Information Equations are so useful! But although I mentioned using the information, I didnt explain what he uses it against. For those protesting about properly subject/noun clarity, here, the object receiving the action is [the World]. For Abyss, Spells are `` [The Wizard will execute a command called Spells against the World, and if the Wizard is successful in compiling the Spell, then the result will end in the World being affected]. ``is how he interprets it. Its quite confusing. I was trying to squeeze out a better, more easily understandable metaphor, and crunched some missing brain cells and came up with a Remote Controller. For instance, a TV Remote. The Wizard will be the human. The world will be the TV. If the Spells are different channels, [ when trying to change the channel, the action the user of the remote takes to point the remote to the TV, and as a result, the channel is changed.] is one explanation. In other words, Abyss takes away the [action of changing the channel] completely and leaves the results of the [Channel changing] and forces that result upon his opponents. That is why when someone tries to use their Spell, they are only left with the feedback or consequence of [the reduction of Magic Power after casting a Spell], and the actual Spell was never cast in the first place. On top of that, the advantages to his is that it is not limited to his targets Spells and can be used in a variety of different ways. Youre amazing, Abyss! Even though youre already caught. <<<<>>>> Magic Name Magic CasterIgni Effect So now, we are going into some mathematical explanations, so if you dont understand, its okay to just say, I dont quite get it, but it sounds amazing! Because it is amazing. So lets get to our main topic. Igni can only use {Fireball}. A [Ball] is a sphere. So what defines a sphere or what makes a sphere? For instance, if you make the thickness of a sphere zero, it turns into a [circle] but can you call that a sphere? The answer is, [a circle is a 2-dimensional sphere] (according to the series). A [Sphere] is created from layers of [Circles] that are on top of each other, so if you go down one dimension, you are left with a [Circle]. Now this is the difficult part, but at the very least, Igni imagined that [a one-dimensional sphere]. In other words, if it is a one-dimensional sphere is a [Line] and as you layer those lines, it becomes a 2-dimensional sphere ` a [Circle]. Now you layer 2-Dimensional [Spheres] (Circles) and you get a 3-Dimensional Sphere ` a [Ball]. Then if you take a 3-Dimensional [Ball] and layer it together to make a 4-Dimensional object, can you call this a 4-Dimensional Sphere? Yes, you can. It is the A = B ; B = C ; thus C = A logic. Somehow, Igni looks smarter now than before! So, as I explained earlier about Abyss , if you drop a 3-Dimensional object to 2-Dimensions, the information stored in the higher dimension cannot be processed in the lower dimension and as a result, gains an infinity attribute. In Ignis , this infinity equals an infinite amount of energy. So thats why simply looking at the instantaneous amount of energy exerted, Igni is number one in this category. But [Strength] leads to [Popularity], but just being strong doesnt make you popular. Ignis struggle still continues! Chapter 104: The Dream and the Wizard I know . My hands feel disgustingly warm. There is something warm and slimy wrapped around my body. The contamination of Human Stagnation filled the air around me and made breathing difficult. (gasp)........(gasp)......... I squeeze breath out of my lungs. Even though I am very familiar walking in this forest, I cant move forward at all under the light of the moon. I let my [Dark Cloud] go ahead of me as I walk behind it. Harsh rain drums against my body and the sound of thunder beats down on my eardrums. No...no..! My brain is refusing to accept the things that happened right before my eyes. Its triggering my nausea as I feel the stomach acid come up my throat. Dead. Everyones dead. I dont wanna die..I dont wanna die. Someone is chasing me down from behind. I know that much, but I dont know who it is. Is it the person who committed those atrocities? Or is it someone escaping from it just like me. Why did all this happen to us. Lightning flashes and thunder immediately follows. The next instant, I felt the presence behind me. HE-HA-HA-HA!!! In the rain, I manage to barely dodge a large stone flying towards me and hear it collide against the tree behind me. I look behind me to see a large, gaping hole in its trunk. Ah, as expected of our towns genius! Its the first time anyones dodged my Spell! ........why...why did you. The rain leaves us both drenched. Isnt that obvious? If I didnt, . Is that..is that why you killed everyone?! The boy in front of me did not confirm or deny the accusation. Silently, he manipulated his Magic Power. I could not recognize what he was doing at the time. I didnt even know how to detect that kind of thing. But my body moved instinctively on its own. [Those who crawl and suffer, come out from the darkness]!! [Stone] Tetsura`` [DEVOUR HIM]! (*sfx) The ground below the boy is tainted by a giant shadow, and countless sharp, twisted teeth emerge from it. It chomped down hard against the boys lower body. Before my eyes, before the boy could finish his incantation, with overwhelming speed and unimaginable power, the jaws of the earth tear the boy in two. DAMMIT.dammit-dammit-dammit.. With just his upper body now, the boy continues to curse repeatedly. ........I knew it...its all about talent after all I want to help him.but I cant.. If I help him, Ill be the one wholl be killed. If I didnt take him down, it wouldve been me who would have died. Watching the life drain out of him, I just stood there and watched him die. I knew it. The rumors were true about you ! With those words, I awoke. I woke up on the top bunk. Just the other day, the school sent out a repairman to fix the broken window frame. Below me, my roommate whos definitely not a morning person is still asleep. I get out of bed and get dressed. As I climb down, I see his sleeping face. Yoori: .........Igni Today, his face is scrunched up. I wonder if hes having a bad dream. I thought about waking him up, but from experience, I know that hell just fall right back asleep. Yoori: If you were there A pointless "IF" scenario. But I think about these things because Im human. Yoori: Would you have saved me? No one will ever know what would have happened then. And even for Yoori, he sought no answer to that question. <<<<>>>> Yoori: Its almost the summer break. Igni: Yeah, its gotten warm. They both were dressed in the summer school uniform and walked towards the school. On the way there, the met up with a Witch who rode on a broom and a girl walking beside her. Igni: Yoori, are you going anywhere for summer break? Yoori: Im thinking about going back to visit my family. I havent gone back once since coming here. Igni: Family, huh. Igni doesnt have a family to return to, so its not something he can relate easily. He thought about how wherever his Grandfather was would be considered his home, but his grandfather has strong wandering habits and would never be able to settle down in one place. In short, Igni doesnt have a home. Yoori: What will you do, Igni? Igni: I...need to train more, so Ill find a place to do so. Yoori: Thats amazing. Youre a hard worker as always, Igni. Although Igni wasnt talking about Spells but rather, his skills on how to become more Popular, no one got his real message. Actually, he meant for it to sound ambiguous in the first place. A man who says Im going to train to become more Popular wouldnt able to become Popular. Igni: Alicia, what about you? Alicia: Me? Im not going anywhere. Ill be here the entire time. Considering Alicias situation, itll be awkward for her to return home right now. Shes apparently communicating with them periodically but that doesnt mean that shell be able to go home so easily. But part of the problem is how Alicia feels as well. Alicia: What about you, Lilly? Alicia decided to toss the question to another. Lilly: I will return home once. Lura and Lady Clara will be waiting for me. Alicia: I see. What about you, Iris? Alicia continues tossing the question around. Iris: Me? I havent thought about it. Iris held an annoyed hand to her eyes against the bright morning sun Igni: Id like to go somewhere with Sara during the summer break. Alicia: Yes, itll be sad if shes left down there the whole time. Igni: But where should we go? We went to the beach already. We already went to the forest...I guess, whats left is the mountains? Alicia: A hike up a mountain? That sounds like fun. Igni: I hope Sara can walk the whole way though. And they continue to chat as they arrive at school. Igni has some business with the Student council so they split up there. The school is equipped with a Magecraft Artifact that dispenses cool air so its quite refreshing inside. Miko: Hey 1st Years. You guys are late today. Igni: I was looking for my summer uniform and lost track of tim.. Ignis words fade into the air. There was a bomb before his eyes. Before, President Mirus breasts were hidden under thick layers of the winter school uniform, but now came back with a vengeance in the summer uniform. And the summer uniform is short sleeves. With short sleeves, what will happen?! Thats right..! You can see their second arm! (specifically the bicep/tricep area). <<<<>>>> [Grandpa, whats this?!] [What are you referring to...oh? When did you buy this picture?] [No! I found it on the ground!! Igni was holding a niche picture that was emphasizing the second arm. [You picked up something amazing. This is an expensive piece of work] [No, not that! Why the second arm?! Thats weird!] [Whats weird about it?] [Because..! I get it if its a picture of a breast or rear, but why the second arm?! Its just an arm!!] [Wh`What.?!] [..........(sigh). Im disappointed in you, Igni. [A`About what?!] [Im severely disappointed in you. The second arm is just an arm? You dont understand. You dont understand anything.] [.......wh`what do you mean?! What are you getting at?!] [If the second arm is just an arm, the breast is just a solid piece of fat. The rear end is also just a piece of fat. Am I wrong?] [.......but thats..] Igni was at a loss for words. [But no, its not like that at all. Neither the breast nor the rear is simply a ball of fat. In it, it is chock full.] [W`With what?] Lucas falls silent, and looks directly at Igni. [``it''s full of dreams, no?] [WHOOOOOOOAAAAAAA!!!] [Its the same with the second arm! Unlike men, it is soft, pleasant to touch, and in it, it is filled to the brim with dreams!!] [I`Is it really!] [Igni! Do not ever forget about this even after a good nights rest!!] [Since were talking about dreams?] [Thats a stupid joke!!] Igni was beaten up relentlessly by Lucas logic. <<<<>>>> But..! If it was just a second arm, Igni wouldnt get so excited.!! But there are moments when even the second arm can become overwhelmingly powerful..!! Thats when she supports her breasts with her arms.!!! Her pale white skin glisten as they stand alongside the emphasized breasts!! And on top of it all, this is one of the Student Councils Top 2 President Mirus breasts!!! Igni: (Its.incredible..!!) Miru: Okay, ready to do our morning patrol? With that, Miru gets up out of her seat. Igni: Yes, lets!! From very early in the day, Ignis excitement was through the roof. <<<<>>>> CHONK TL LiT (Lost in Translation) Ni-No-Ude () No, not Ni-No-Kuni. Ni-No-Ude. Literally, the second arm or the second part of the arm. This is somewhat of a fetish, but for those concerned about their physical appearances, people in both Japan and the U.S. worry about their arms looking fat. In Japan, the area is referred to as the second arm but it more specifically refers to the bicep and tricep area. In most cases, people will point or tug at the fat on their tricep and refer to that as the second arm. Chapter 105: The Curse and the Wizard Igni: Oh yeah. Miss Valia. What is a curse exactly? Valia: Oh, do you have some interest in learning about it, Mr. Igni? Igni: .......its just something I dont hear about too often. They were at the Student Council Meeting room. President Miru, Lilly, Miss Miko, and Yoori were all out on patrol, and Igni, Sara, and Miss Valia remained. Valia: But that, is a very difficult question to answer. Igni: About the [Curse]? Vali: Yes. To put it simply, you use the Stagnation and Corruption of Humanity instead of Magic Power for Spells. That would be the easiest explanation. Igni: Instead of Magic Power..then Miss Valia. When youre wrapped up all over in bandages, youre technically accumulating Magic Power in a sense? Valia: No. Thats not quite correct. This is where it gets complicated between Magic Power and Curses. Miss Valia sipped her tea in an elegant posture. Her golden blonde hair is amazing as ever. Igni wondered how she set her rolls every day. Valia: A curse is like a Spell but is not a Spell at the same time. For instance, Mr. Igni. Do you know the practice of [Gu]? Igni: Apologies, Miss Valia. I have yet to start studying on the subject. Valia: [Gu] is a Curse Magic where you allow venomous insects to fight against one another, and the last remaining one will hold a powerful curse within its body. Igni: .......what do they do with the last remaining insect? Valia: They typically make it into a servant in many cases. Igni: Is that what you do? Valia: Oh no. My Curse is different. With that, Miss Valia poured Igni a cup of tea and handed it to him. Since it was offered by a woman, Igni received it gladly, and as he recalled the manners of when he was a Noble, he sipped the tea. Valia: My Curse is more ancient and primitive in origin. But the more primitive a Curse is, the stronger it is. Igni: Is that so? Valia: Oh, Mr. Igni. I thought, out of all people, you would find this theory most agreeable. Igni: .......Ohhh, yes. I see now. Thats what you mean. After a moment of contemplation, Igni nods at Miss Valias words. Miss Valia as well, didnt expect Igni to question, Is primitive strength stronger?, since Igni himself took the simplest {Fireball} and raised it to a level. In fact, he is living proof of her theory. Valia: A [Curse] is categorized officially as a [Darkness] Magic Type. But a [Curse] is more complex and undefined than that. Igni: Undefined? Valia: Yes. In Spells, [If you do A, then B occurs]. These kinds of causality are determined, correct? [Curses] are different. Igni: ....meaning the results are not determined? Valia: To put it most simply, yes. That is the correct way to think about it. Sara, who was sitting beside Igni, began to nod her head as she fell asleep and fell over onto Igni. Saras violet hair spreads all over Ignis lap. Igni combed her hair with his hand away from her face so she can breathe easier. Valia: Even if you take the same steps, you cannot expect the same effect. That is the nature of [Curses]. Igni: It is very imprecise then. Valia: Yes. A Curse youre expecting a result of 10 could turn out as 5 or 7. Miss Valia smiles kindly at Igni as she speaks. Igni: Why did you choose to specialize in [Curses]? Valia: If you were to flip the logic, it also means that a [Curse] with an expected result of 10 could turn into 100 or 1,000 at times. Besides, I had no talent. You understand then, correct? Igni: I see. When it comes down to it, she was also the same as Igni. Miko: Were back! Yoori: W`Weve returned. Miss Miko and Yoori return to the Student Councils Meeting room. Igni: Welcome back, Miss Miko! Miko: Oh, Sara is asleep. Ill keep it down. Miss Miko smiled as she whispered and closed the door to the room. Igni: How was it today, Miss Miko? Miko: There weren''t as many things going wrong today, so it was relatively easy. Miru should be coming back shortly too. Igni: Miss Miko, could I pour you some tea? Miko: Nah, Im good. Yoori, what about you? Yoori: I will have some! As soon as Yoori spoke up, the door to the Student Council Room opened in a great fury. Miru: GOOD WORK` EVERYONE`!! The door to the room banged against the wall, and President Miru entered. Because she made such a loud racket, it made Saras body flinch. Lilly: W`We are back.. And Lilly enters the room apologetically. Miko: I`Idiot. Miru, youre being too loud. Sara was asleep. Sara: ......awake. And Miss Miko chastises President Miru as Sara wakes up with an irritated expression on her face. You cant blame her. Anyone who just fell asleep would feel grumpy if they were suddenly woken up ` is what Igni was thinking as he gazed at her violet colored hair. Miru: Oh no. Im sorry, Sara. President Miru apologetically gestures with her hands together, and then turns towards the Student Council Members. Miru: Then todays activities are complete! See you tomorrow! Igni: Are we disbanding already? Igni throws the question to President Miru. Miru: Well, everyone in the Club Activities are getting ready to go home, and theres no paperwork I have to do today. Miko: Oh, Igni. I have something I want to talk to you about, so can you remain behind? Miss Miko remembered something as she asked Igni. Of course, Igni said yes whole heartedly. Igni: Me? Sure, thats fine. Yoori: Then Ill see you back at home, Igni. And Yoori leaves the room. Sara headed to Ms. Elenoirs office, and from there, she will return to the underground room. Even though she has a [path] connected to Igni, if she continued to pour her Magic Power daily, Igni would eventually overload his Magic Power Capacity. So today, she has the Empires Magic Artifact bracelet on her arm. As the Student Council members left, Miss Miko and Igni were left in the room. With the sunset at her back, Miss Miko turns towards Igni. Igni: What did you want to talk about? Miss Miko seemed to have a hard time breaking out her question and fidgeted as she looked at Igni. Miko: Ohhhh` Um`` well.. Miss Miko scratches her cheeks uncomfortably. Igni: (What did she want to ask of me?) Igni: (Maybe she wants my body?!?) If its Miss Miko, Igni was completely okay with that. As he thought about these things, Miss Miko made up her mind, and opened her mouth to speak. Miko: Igni, sorry. Do you mind tagging along with me while I shop? Igni: Shopping? Of course! Miko: Really?! Thanks! And with that, Miss Miko took Ignis hand. Igni: (So soft.!!) Miss Miko likes to spring on Igni her feminine side when he least expects it so it startled Igni. Igni would fall hard for her if she keeps this up. Igni falls easily for girls regardless, but in his mind, he had a serious expression on his face as he thought about these things. <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) Gu (Poison Bug) (kodoku) (x) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu_(poison) Chapter 106: The Upperclassman and the Wizard Igni: Its rare that youre inviting me to go shopping with you, Miss Miko. Miko: Y`Yeah, well.you were the only person I could ask Igni: What are you shopping for? Miko: The day after tomorrows my younger brothers birthday. Igni: Got it! So youre looking to buy a present for him. Miko: Hes going to be adult-age soon. I didnt know what to buy him in that case Igni: If its like that, you can leave it to me! Miko: I knew I could count on you! Igni: Yes! Then lets get going! Miko: Yeah! Igni and Miko both exit the school and head to the Market. They call it a Market, but its not just stands lined up like a flea market. This is the business district where you can find a lot of stores lined up side by side. By the way, the adult age in the Kingdom is 15. So that would make Miss Mikos younger brother one year younger than Igni. Igni: Has your younger brother decided on a career? Miko: An Adventurer. Hes been wanting to become one for a while. Igni: Then we should get him something that will be useful for it. Miko: You think so? Igni: Of course! But even so, Igni has never been an Adventurer himself, so he wouldnt know whats important. But his grandfather, Lucas, is different! From amongst the Nobles, Lucas ran off to become an Adventurer, and became an unstoppable shooting star as a solo Adventurer. He is now known as one of the [Strongest] Heroes. Igni was taught the ways of an Adventurer with direct experience, so from there, Igni was able to derive an answer. Yes. That was during the summer in the [Demon Kings Realm] when they were in the middle of a sweltering heat.. <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni. Look closely. This tree is called the Valbulb Tree, and if you cut this tree down and make a bowl-shaped hole in the stump, come back the next day, and it will be filled with water. [Can you drink it?] [No, not without boiling it first. You have your {Fireball} so you wont have any trouble with making a fire.] And it was during one of Grandpas lessons teaching Igni, who couldnt use [Water] Type Magic, how to survive in nature`` [Grandpa, teach me more Adventurer tricks!] [Hmph, well, dont be in such a hurry.] But Lucas had a wide grin stretched across his face. This habit of Ignis is actually genetic. [What equipment should you always carry around?!] [Equipment, eh] [Yeah! Well, to be honest, I already know the answer! You need a weapon to butcher materials off the carcasses. You need a pouch to carry all those goods. And you need a variety of different kinds of healing potions! Finally, food supplies for your journey! See! Isnt that perfect!] [Yes...thats true. But if you are adventuring with other Adventurers, there is something even more crucial you have to carry around.] [Wh`what?] [An adult magazine.] [What..?] Igni could not comprehend what Lucas just said and doubly emphasized his confusion. [Whats with that reaction, Igni.] [Stop kidding around and teach me properly!!] [Look here, Igni. Im not joking at all. The 3 biggest desires of human beings are eating, sleeping, and reproduction. And Igni. The closer you are to death, the stronger those sexual urges get.] [B`But...an adult magazine on a journey is..] [What are you talking about? Because of pent up urges, the relationships between your Party becomes unbearably tense, and many Parties have disbanded because of that.] [A`Adventurer Parties..?] [Hmph, I see now. Igni, you have been raised with many stories about Heroes, but listen well, Igni. A Heroic Tale will only capture the good parts and will never mention the dirty parts.] [A dirty part?] [Well, simply like using the restroom.] [Th`Thats true] For those who grew up on the Heroes Tales, some would undoubtedly claim that true Heroes never use the restrooms. [Igni, humans are in the end, human beings. They will have good characteristics as well as bad characteristics. You will have to learn to accept both sides. And Igni! This will lead to your Popularity!] [Huh?! The adult magazines will?!] [OF COURSE NOT!] [W`Wait, but from the flow of the conversation.] [WOMEN ARE HUMAN BEINGS TOO! They will have beautiful parts and of course, dirty parts as well! But do you think a man who rejects the dirty parts can become Popular?! A man who only accepts the beautiful parts of a woman?!] [H`He cant!!] [Thats right! Thats why, Igni! Listen well!! The Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 8!! Those who accept a woman will become Popular!! In other words, its all about having high tolerance!!] [T`Tolerance..!!] [The ability to take in the good and the bad with an open mind and heart, keep that in mind as you make plans!!] [G`Grandpa, youre amazing. Youre like a real Adventurer!] [I am a real Adventurer] <<<<>>>> Miko: So Igni. What do you think an Adventurer needs? Igni: Lets see Even Igni knew that he couldnt shout, AN ADULT MAGAZINE! at this juncture. If it was a male upperclassman, he could joke about that, but right now, hes with Miss Miko. That would be obvious sexual harassment and saying goodbye to his Popularity. Igni: Why not a pouch? So Igni answered seriously. Miko: A pouch? Igni: An Adventurer will need to carry around many small tools and equipment, and so you need a pouch to place it in. As a starting Adventurer, you will pour most of your money into weapons and armor, and there are many cases where they dont have any money left to buy a proper pouch. Miko: Oh! Is that right?! Igni: Thats why I would recommend a pouch. Miko: Im glad I brought you along, Igni! Igni: Then lets go take a look around! Miko: Yeah! I have a good store in mind. Lets go there. And with that, Miss Miko walked boldly forward into the Market. This is a location that Igni has come to regularly to scope out some dating spots. So he knows the roads pretty well too. Welcome` oh, its just you, Miko. Miko: Hey! Today, I came here to buy a pouch! Then take a good look around...oh, did you bring your boyfriend here too? Miko: WH` No! Hes not my boyfriend!! Her face brightened red all the way to the tip of her head. She can usually be pretty manly and gruff, but sometimes shows these sides of her. Igni: (Shes so adorable.) Oh, hes not? What a shame. Miko: Hes just an underclassman in the Student Council! Igni: It is a pleasure making your acquaintance. And Igni bows politely. Oh, what a nice young man. Arent you lucky, Miko. He has a cute face too. Miko: Y`Youre embarrassing him! Could you cut it out?! Though Miss Miko is saying that, I think its apparent whos being more troubled by the womans taunting. But shes being super cute, so thats okay. Miko: Today, I here to buy a pouch for Yuma!! For Yuma? Is he already 15? Time flies so quickly Miko: Yeah, that shrimp wanted to become an Adventurer, so Im getting him something for that for his birthday. So thats why youre out here shopping with your boyfriend. Miko: I told you, hes not my boyfriend!! Igni: (I wonder if she realizes that denying something with a super red face only makes it look more true.) And Igni casually observed the scene from the sidelines. But he started feeling a little sorry for Miss Miko and decided to lend a helping hand. Igni: Miss Miko. Lets start looking for pouches. Miko: Y`Yeah, lets look and see what they have. Take your time. And with that, the store lady went to the back of the store. Igni: Youre very close to that person. Miko: .........yeah. Shes been looking out for us since we were brats. Youre still a brat to me. The lady sticks her head out from the back. Miko: AGH!! You scared me! Just stay back there! Okay, okay`` And laughing cheerfully, the lady disappeared to the back of the store again. Theyre almost like mother and daughter. Miko: Theres a lot of different kinds of pouches. Look at this one, Igni. This ones cute. And Miss Miko picks up a small, pink colored pouch in her hands. As usual, Miss Miko is displaying high womanly characteristics. Igni: It really is a cute pouch. Miko: Then should we choose this one? Igni: Huh?! Miko: Hm? Is that bad? Igni: .......does your younger brother like these kinds of styles? Miko: Oh no. Its just something I thought was cute. Igni: D`Does your younger brother like accessorizing with these colors? Miko: No, he usually chooses the more manly stuff. Igni: Th`Then what about this one? Igni carefully takes out a navy blue pouch. Its a pretty good size, and its focused on being able to store potions and the knife for collecting materials. Its practical and pragmatic in every way.. But Miss Miko seems to choose items based on their design, so she might reject such a blandly designed pouch. But as a man, Igni was trying his best to avoid having Miss Miko gift her brother, Yuma, a pink pouch. But he also didnt want to do away with Miss Mikos choice either. And as Igni went back and forth in his mind Miko: Oh`! This looks great! Lets do this one then! And Miss Miko took the pouch with a bright smile. Miko: Hey``! We decided to go with this one``! Sure thing. Igni was proud that he just saved the dignity of Miss Mikos little brother who he had not met. Chapter 107: A Friend and the Wizard Yoori: So thats why you came back home late. As Igni finished retelling the days events to Yoori, Yoori looked back at Igni as he spoke. Igni: Yeah, Miss Miko really liked the present we chose together, and Im glad I was there. Yoori: Hmm`` if youre looking for gifts for a boy, you could have invited me. Igni: (Wait, is he saying I should have chosen a more stylish gift?!) Igni was startled at the thought for a split second. Igni: (N`No, pretty sure that thats not what he means.) He immediately calmed down. Igni: W`Well, Yoori, you just look.well.. Yoori: Hey! You and everyone else are being so weird! No matter how you look at me, Im a boy, right?! And with that, Yoori took one step closer to Igni. His white hair danced into the air, and a soft, nice scent came between Igni and Yoori. This isnt Ignis smell. Its Yooris. Igni: Y`Yeah, youre definitely a (wo)man. Yoori: Do you really mean that?! Igni made sure to ex out the first syllable and just focus on the second to escape from this conversation. Igni: Y`Yeah, of course. I really think so. Yoori: Well, fine. If thats the case Yoori puffs out his cheeks to show his discontent forwardly. No matter how you look at it, he just doesnt look very manly. Igni: (But...its what Yoori says, so I need to believe him. Yeah.) Yoori: Oh yeah. Igni, Ive decided on a date to return home. Im sorry, but youll have to get up yourself on that day. Igni: Yeah, dont worry. I may not look it, but Im good at waking up on my own! Yoori: .......Igni, I admire you in so many ways, but when it comes to waking up in the morning, youre definitely worse than average. Igni: Ill sleep till noon, so no worries. Yoori: That doesnt resolve anything. With Yooris retort, they both smile and laugh. Igni: Oh yeah, Yoori, where is your hometown anyways? Yoori: My town? Its a small town on the edge of the Owlight Territory. Igni: I see. Its in the Owlight territory. The Owlights are a very famous Noble Family. Many famous Knights and Generals have come from that family, and they not only focus on refining their Spells but also their sword skills. They are a hardcore military familyi. Even their youngest is a 1st rate Wizard and is enrolled in the Rolmad Wizard Academy. Yes. The No. 1 Girl Elina. Her full name is Elina Owlight. Igni, who has impeccable, indestructible memory when it comes to memorizing girls names immediately recalled that fact. Igni: Then Elina is. Yoori: Yeah, shes the Governors daughter to me. Igni: But in that case, you were being awfully casual with her, no? Yoori: Dont you think with Miss Elinas personality, she would hate it if I did otherwise? Igni: Well, I dont know about hate, but I dont think she cares about those kinds of things. In Ignis mind, Elina seems to prioritize her grades over all else. How downtrodden and depressed she was after getting 2nd place in the midterms was not normal. Igni: The Owlight Territory is on the east end of the Kingdom. Its pretty far. Yoori: Yeah. Ill take a carriage to the Capital and switch carriages there. Itll take me a few days. The Owlight Kingdom is also on the edge of the Kingdoms territory as well, so the edge of that territorys edge would mean its on the farthest east point of the Kingdom. Its no wonder that President Miru had such a hard time finding information about Yoori. Igni: I see. So itll be a lot of hassle going back home then. Yoori: Yea. It really is. Will you be staying at the dorms the whole time, Igni? Igni: Thats the plan so far. Yoori: Oh yeah. Where is your home by the way? Igni: I dont have a home Yoori: I`Im sorry! Yoori immediately apologized. From her..I mean, from his perspective, it must have felt like she stepped on a landmine. But Igni did not care one bit and laughed it off. Igni: Its not that big of a deal. Yoori: R`Really? Igni: Yeah, my Grandpas alive anyways. Yoori almost mentioned about his father being alive, but after the [Tournament] ended, Yoori saw someone who might have been Ignis father from afar. Since he didnt know the relationship between the two, Yoori thought it best to avoid the subject for now. Thats why Yoori opted for Yoori: I see. And with only that, he smiled back at Igni. <<<<>>>> Elder Sister, its almost nightfall. Yeah, youre right. I guess we should wrap up here for now. Night began darkening the skies around them, and two girls walked through the forest with their shoulders sagging wearily. Carriages do run through this road normally, but they decided to be extra frugal this round and opted to walk instead to the next town. Tonight, well camp! Ill make my famous mushroom soup! Yay! Tonights Elder Sisters Mushroom Soup?! Im so happy! Just leave it to me! Ill make sure to make it just the way my dear little sis likes it! Thank you!! Both refer to each other as sisters. But the two are not actual blood-relatives. Okay, well sleep around here tonight. Little Sis, Ill set up the tent so can you lend me a hand? Yes, Elder Sister. The two put up their tent, and the younger sister used her Spell to make a fire. As the fire began to transfer to the firewood, the older sister began preparing to cook. She filled the pot with water with her Spell, and she began throwing in mushrooms she found this morning and added some herbs and spices. Since they are low on funds, shes only using a little bit. While waiting for the water to boil, she took out a knife, cut a piece, and handed it to her younger sister. Elder Sister, how much longer until we reach town? Lets see. If we continue at our current pace, we should arrive around tomorrow evening. The older sister stirred the soup with weariness coloring her expression. Im sorry, Little Sis. ........Elder Sister? Whats wrong? Honestly, if it wasnt for me, by now, you would have been able to make your name well known as a mercenary... Wh`What are you saying, Elder Sister! I decided to come with you because it was you! The younger sister felt a sense of panic and stood up as she spoke. Youre a true genius, Elder Sister! Please have more confidence! Even though all I could do was use Spells, you were the one who has made it possible for me to eat every night! But still.. As the older sisters shoulders dropped towards the ground, the next instant, a sound of an explosion echoed from somewhere in the distance. .......little sis?! It was from over there.. As sundown was being swallowed into darkness, the two readied themselves for battle. It was highly likely that they would encounter thieves or robbers. But the sound came from much farther than their current position. What should we do, Elder Sister.? Lets go, Little Sis. She patted the head of her younger sister gently to reassure her, and the older sister stood up. If theres anyone getting attacked by bandits, we can get a reward for helping them! If its just Adventurers, we can just leave! Thats a great idea, Elder Sister!! Then lets go! Yes! The two erased their presence and began creeping towards the direction where they heard the Magic explosion. On the way there, they smelled blood being carried by the wind. The older sister reached for her short sword that was hanging from her waist. They hid behind a tree and looked at the owner of the voice. There, they saw a multiple men there. E`EEEK!! Please! Please spare my life```!! WHAT?! I TOLD YOU ALREADY!! JUST GIVE US SOMETHING OF VALUE, AND WELL LET YOU LIVE!! Looking closely, bandits surrounded a man who looked to be a merchant. There were many possible guards lying in their own blood nearby. (Little Sis, its our big chance!) (Yes! Lets go, Elder Sister!) (Little Sis, will you restrain the bandits with your Spell?) (Yes, I can!) The next moment, the bandits surrounding the merchant . Wh`Whats happening?! Whos doing that?! I`I cant move my feet! Im sinking!! Huh? Wh``? Wh`Whats...happening.?? The merchant looked around at his surroundings with the bandits. And in the midst of their confusion, the older sister broke the silence. Youre okay, now that we are here!! And everyones gaze fell on the older sister. Wh`Who are you?! Ill only say this once, so listen well!! The older sister puffs out her chance, and the younger sister stands right behind her. I am the White Lania! I`Im in the Black Nie! Both the merchant and bandits just looked blankly at the girls in silent confusion. Together, we are`` The Black and White Sisters!! (sfx dramatic entrance) Lania: .........that was perfect. The older sister Lania couldnt hold back the immense smile spreading across her face. But being completely overwhelmed by chaos and confusion by the intruders, both the bandits and merchant fell into awkward silence. A few moments later`` G`God? The whispered word of the merchant fell onto the girls ears. Chapter 108: The Study and the Wizard As Igni and his friends were eating lunch, Elina slams the table with both hands and stood up. Elina: Igni! Is there anything thats troubling you?! Igni: S`Something troubling me? Igni was caught off guard by the question and couldnt come up with an immediate answer. He was a little concerned that he wasnt as popular as he wanted to be after winning the [Tournament], but theres no point saying that to Elina. Elina: Yes! For instance, do you need help with studying?! Igni: Studying? I mean, yeah, I could use help in all aspects but. Elina: Perfect. Then if thats the case, starting today, Ill study with you! Igni: Study? It is one week from the beginning of exams, and all club and even the Student Council activities are temporarily on hold. So everyone will be pretty much busy studying. Igni is a special kind of student though where written examinations do not affect his ability to move up a grade, but he doesnt want to look bad by getting a low score. A guy who looks bad.doesnt necessarily mean he cant get Popular, but it will be to become Popular. As a human begin, its natural to want to take the path of higher chances of success. So Igni was ready to begin preparing to study himself but`` Elina: In other words, Igni. I will be teaching you, so you can ask me anything. By teaching you, itll help me learn myself! What Elina is trying to do is called Active Learning. Instead of being taught by someone, Elina knew from experience that she would learn better if she was teaching someone else. Elina: So how about it, Igni? Would you like to study with me? Igni: Yeah, its true that youre really smart. Lets study together. Alicia: She is 2nd in the school after all. Elina: Ugh. The comment came from Alicia. As soon as she said 2nd, Elina immediately froze in place. Igni: H`Hey, Alicia. You know it bothers her to hear about it, so maybe you shouldnt mention that in front of her..? Alicia: Whats wrong with what I said? It was a compliment after all. Igni whispered quickly to Alicia, but Alicia didnt seem concerned at all. Igni: (Is this why they call her Hurricane Alicia?) .was the stupid thought crossing Ignis mind. Alicia: Besides, why are you inviting someone from another class? Dont you have people you can invite in your own class? Elina: Ugh..th`thats.theres a reason for that.. Elina regained her movements and took a bread with deep concerns surfacing on her face. Alicia: What? Are you having a hard time facing them since you became 2nd in the school? Elina: ........no.. Elina shook her head side to side. Elina: It''s just that.....Igni..is my only friend. And sagged her shoulders after the comment. Igni and Elina do meet occasionally during the lunch break, but they rarely run into each other within school. They sometimes run into each other when they have a combined lesson with C Class (Igni is D Class), but they rarely talk during that time. And besides that, Igni is usually in a solidified group with Yoori, Alicia, Lilly, and Sara, so intruding into that circle would be difficult for anyone. The only one that doesnt seem to care is Edward. Alicia: O`Oh, I see. I didnt know. Im sorry for asking such a silly question. Please forgive me. Alicia, who is part of the same Fortune Telling Club as Elina, quietly apologizes. Igni watches them as he remembers how there were many members in that club. During the Student Council Training Camp at the beach, there was an incident where all the Fortune Telling Club members fell unconscious, so Igni remembers seeing at least 20 or more members at that time. If there are that many members, you may have people you can talk to but not necessarily become friends with ` or something like that could happen. So asking people if they want to be tutored might come off as arrogant. Elina: Its okay. Dont worry about me.. Since Alicia was the one who first sent Elina spiraling downwards, she felt a pang of guilt and pity and apologized to Elina again. Elina responded with dead eyes and a half-smile so she seems to be taking it quite hard. Igni: Th`Then please tutor me, Elina. Igni also felt pity towards her now and asked Elina. Igni: Im pretty worried about this test. Popularity Etiquette No. 13 `` When in need, ask people you can rely on. Elina: Okay, if thats the case, you can leave it to me! Elina regained her vigor with Ignis words and stood up tall. Elina: This time, Ill take the No. 1 seat and Igni, youll take the 2nd. Well both cross the finish line as the Top 2! Igni: OOOHH!! That sounds great!! And the idiot (Igni) immediately got on board. Yoori: Oh, can I join that session too? Theres some questions I wanted to ask. Elina: Of course! No problem! Elina gladly accepts Yooris request. She puffed out and pounded her chest. Igni: Do you want to join too, Alicia? Alicia: Ill pass. Itll be faster if I study on my own. Iris: Ill pass too, Sir Igni. Igni offered the same opportunity to Alicia, but she rejected the offer with a bitter face. Iris also held her hands together apologetically and said no. Igni: What about you, Lilly? Lilly: I also prefer studying alone. Igni couldnt argue with their reasoning. So now, it ended up with just the 3 of them, but Elina looked slightly concerned. Igni: Do you want more people to join? Elina: Y`Yeah. Im a little worried if I have all subjects down. Igni: Then, theres one more person who might come but.should I invite him? Elina: Wh`Who?! Id like to include him if possible. Igni: Its Edward. But as soon as he finished speaking, Elina noticeably detested the suggestion. Elina: .........no, not him. Igni: Wh`Why? Elina: I cant borrow help from a Nobles son.besides, I dont think hell want my help either Igni: (I see. So its Noble politics related.) It was the exact thing Lucas loathed, and the world which Igni escaped from before he knew it. And as they continued their discussion, the rumored person arrived on scene. Edward: WA HA HA. How are you guys? Igni: Hey Edward. Youre looking well. Edward: Yeah, Im always doing well. And Edward smiled broadly as he spoke. Igni: (I wonder what he came here for?) But as Igni wondered, Edward sat in the seat beside him. Edward: Its almost Summer Break, right? Do we all want to go somewhere to eat after the exams are done? Apparently, he wanted to invite them all to dinner. Igni gladly accepted. Igni: Yeah, that sounds like fun. Lets definitely do that. Alicia: That sounds great. Alicia liked the idea and accepted as well. With that, everyone around gladly took to the idea and accepted, and Edward looked very pleased. Edward: Do you want to come too, Owlight? And calling her by her family name, Edward invited Elina too. Elina froze at the offer and looked alternatively between Igni and Edward. Igni: You might be able to make more friends, you know? ``was Ignis thought. Elina: Okay, then Ill go! Edward: Got it. Ill put in the reservation for the restaurant. With his business complete, Edward went back to his minions. Igni: (I thought she said she doesnt want to borrow the help from another Noble..?) But Igni immediately shut the words back into his heart since he was the one that invited her in the first place. Chapter 109: The Test and the Wizard Igni: Okay, I think I got it. Can you check my answer, Elina? Elina: Okay, lets see. Oh, theres a mistake in your calculation formula here. Igni: .......oh, youre right. Since no one was using it, the three of them were borrowing the Student Council Meeting room. Sara was with them too, but she was sitting on the edge to not interrupt their studying, but now she was completely asleep. Yoori: Miss Elina, hows this? Elina: Yes. Yoori, yours is correct. With Elina there, they are getting through the materials very quickly and efficiently. As Igni was correcting his formula, a question about Elina popped up in his head. Igni: Elina Elina: Whats wrong? Elina was already tackling and reviewing the next subject that Igni and Yoori would be studying next. There is no doubt that she is an exceptionally dedicated and hard worker. Igni: Why do you always aim to be top of the class? She works very diligently at anything related to her grades or study. But Igni still couldnt shake off the thought that there was something more driving her to be No. 1 at the school. Its true that being valedictorian has its perks and could be advantageous for employment opportunities. But even so, her obsession and ambition for the top of her class was on another level. With Ignis question, Elina''s black hair wavers slightly. But without a moment of thought, she immediately answered. Elina: That is the whole purpose of my existence. It was a straight answer. As she looked deeply into Ignis crimson eyes, she smiled as she spoke. Igni: I see. Igni did not delve any further with his question. Thats why, as a friend, all he could do was cheer her on. <<<<>>>> They continued to study with Elina for the rest of the week, and thoroughly invested their time and energy into their sessions. It was a week well spent for Igni as he learned that those who aim for the top of the class not only study regularly, but also come up with test strategies. So now that a week has passed, the examinations began. The exams at Roland Wizard Academy are largely broken into 2 categories. The first is a written examination where you are given papers with questions, and you must answer all the problems correctly. The second is a physical examination testing your skills with Alchemy, Healing, and Combat Skills. In the previous exam, Igni and his group were on a Quest, so they were exempt from participating, but this round, without a Quest, they were required to attend. Igni was a scholarship student who entered the Academy without going through the written exam, so his grades on this portion wont be counted against him. The second category will affect his grades though. Igni and his group are currently in one of the Laboratory Tower and in one of their Alchemy Classrooms. They are separated into groups of 3 and stood in front of a large cauldron. For todays examination, you are required to make a Mid-Tier Healing Potion. You have 90 minutes to complete this task. The sand timer will indicate your remaining time. Once the last sand falls, your time is up. Please begin. The professor who stood at the very front flipped the sand timer, and Igni and his group began their exam. Ignis team consisted of Edward and Iris `the same members as his Quest. Edward: Creating a Mid-Tier Healing Potion isnt that difficult. All you have to do is remain calm as you make it! With that, Edward flipped on the magic artifact switch at the bottom of the large cauldron. The next instant, the cauldron used Magic Power as fuel, and heat began pouring into the water that filled the cauldron. Edward: In order to make a quality potion, you need to be selective with the medicinal herbs you use, but its also equally important to boil and draw out all the oils out of the herbs too. While Edward was speaking, Igni was sorting through the mountain of stacked medicinal herbs and threw out the poor quality ones. Although Lucas was healing him with Elixir during his training days at the [Demon Kings Realm], its not like he will always have access to it. Thats why it wasnt rare for him to be fighting while still wounded or injured. And thats why it was crucial for him to be able to determine the quality of medicinal herbs found in the [Demon Kings Realm] to survive. Igni: These are the higher quality medicinal herbs. Please use these. In order to not mix-up the two stacks, he relocated the poorer quality herbs to a different location. Iris: The waters already boiling. Edward, how much time do we need to draw out the essential oils? Edward: 22 minutes and 30 seconds. Iris: Got it. Ill make a timer. After confirming with Edward, Iris a sand timer that measured exactly 22 minutes and 30 seconds. Although she did this quickly, this requires a high level of technique to accomplish. Iris was a [S] Compatibility after all. Iris: Sir Igni, please put in the herbs. Igni: Yeah. Igni puts the herbs inside a sack cloth and placed it inside the boiling water. Iris flipped the sand timer at the same time. But they cant just sit around and wait. In order to draw out the potions immediate healing potential, they have to now perform some adjustments. But they have 20 minutes to prepare which is plenty of time. Edward recalled the ingredients, Igni selected the best ingredients available, and Iris created the scales to measure the exact weight as they placed it into the cauldron. Once they began, the color of water inside the cauldron began to shift and change. Edward: Okay, now we turn off the heat and let it simmer to boil out the oils real good. Edward pressed the Magic Artifact Switch at the bottom of the large cauldron, and the heat was turned off. Igni had nothing else to do while they waited for all the sand to fall out of their sand timer, so he looked around the classroom. There were teams that were doing well, and teams that were struggling on each side. The teams doing well were also waiting for the oils to boil out and had extra time on their hands like Ignis team, or they were one step behind and were still putting in the last ingredients. The teams that were struggling had contents of their cauldron boil over or the water was turning brown and were panicking. Igni: Iris, could you go ahead and make the glass bottles? Iris: Of course, Sir Igni! And Iris immediately formed glass bottles. The [Earth] Magic Type Wizards lack explosive fire power, but they are more effective at defensive spells and doing menial tasks like these. Igni was impressed at how easy she could do things he couldnt and gazed at her work. Iris: Its done! Though she was an [S] Compatibility, she did not rely on her talents alone and her day-to-day efforts of studying and training were showing as she made the glass bottles for the potion. Igni: Youre amazing. Iris: Thank you very much! Iris smiled as a dog would wag her tail. If you were to compare her to any animal, she would most definitely be a dog. Shes adorable. Igni confirmed that theres still time left in the sand timer and looked outside. There, he could see Class Cs Spell Examination in progress. Elinas turn came up then, and with overwhelming skill, she left high marks. Igni: (Elinas incredible too. Shes working so hard.) Edward: Igni, its about time. Igni: Yeah. With Edwards warning, Ignis attention goes back to the classroom. Igni: (Elinas doing her best, so I need to do my best too.) Igni refocuses his attention on the task at hand and as soon as the last sand fell in the timer, he drew out the potion inside. Chapter 110: The Request and the Wizard Mila: Okay. Get ready Ms. Milas voice echoes across the Practice Field. This is the final day of the exams. The last remaining test for Ignis class was Ms. Milas class. Edward: I`Igni, please go easy on me! Igni: Leave it to me. Edward: D`Dont hurt me too bad! The practicum that Ignis class is performing is actual person to person combat. The classmates will face off one on one and fight with one another. This is a practice match, so going full all out will be out of the question. Ignis first opponent was Edward. Edwards Magic Type compatibility is [Life]. There are those with [Life] traits that use {Physical Enhancement} or {Medicinal Enhancements} to fight, but Edwards best Spell is {Heal}. To be frank, he is not great with combat. But just because youre a Healer doesnt mean that you can just say, I cant fight. You are enrolled in the Rolmod Wizard Academy after all. Mila: BEGIN! As soon as Ms. Mila gave the signal, Igni connects with Edward. He flips Edward over onto the ground. Because everything happened so quickly, Edward laid on the ground spread eagle with his eyes wide in shock. Igni: See? I was gentle. Edward: I`It didnt hurt, thankfully. Edward replied back to Igni from the ground. Igni reached out his hand and took hold of Edwards as he pulled him back up on his feet. Edward had already made the gesture for surrender, and one of the teachers who was a judge signaled the end of the fight. For Edward, this was the end of his exam. Since Edward lost, he began walking to the edge of the Practice Field. Edward: How is it fair to go against Igni in the first round? It would have been impossible for me to win. Yoori: Hey, at least you didnt get hurt. Why not consider yourself lucky? Yoori also lost in his first round and was comforting Edward. Mila: Those who won, were moving to the next round Ms. Mila began giving directions to the winners. Half the class was now out of the exam, so the Practice Field instantly began looking emptier than before. Well, the building is quite large in the first place but`` Mila: Oh, Igni will be seeded for the next round. Igni was ready to finish his next round instantly and turned around to Ms. Mila. Igni: Seeded? So I wont have to fight the next round? Mila: Yup. Theres an odd number left now, so someone will get left out. So Igni got to skip his next fight. Instead, he decided to observe his other classmates fight. The remaining members are those who distinguished themselves out of the group. Within it, he saw Alicia, Iris, and Lilly. It made him proud to see them standing there. The 2nd round ended quickly, and the 3rd round began. Now, with Igni, there are 8 left. Mila: Okay just take it easy Igni: I can just take it easy? Mila: Of course. Youre probably the strongest here after all. Igni: Well, that is true but` Mila: Id be in so much trouble if you go all out and destroy the practice field And Ms. Mila waves him off with that. Mila: Or do you want to do a 7 vs 1? Igni: .............no. I really do not want to do that. No doubt, Igni will win, but he cant see himself being popular after the victory. In fact, he might get ostracized by the class. So Igni politely declined and faced off with his next opponent, Iris. She tried to block him off with a wall, but he jumped over it, and cast a {Fireball} from behind, and the fight was over. Next, he faced off with Alicia who was riding her broom, but he guided the situation where his {Scattered Shots} would be most effective and firing multiple {Fireballs}, he won that round. Lastly, his Finals opponent was Lilly. Igni: So you were my last opponent, Lilly. Lilly: Yes, Im going to fight you seriously. Igni: Yes, come at me with everything you got. This will determine the Strongest in the class, so all the classmates eyes were locked onto the two. Lilly took out a short wooden practice sword. Lilly: [As the Wind Dances] : {Dunnett?Ventos} The sound of wind rushes out from nowhere and wraps around Lillys body. She will use the wind to support her physical mobility. This is different from the [Life] Type {Physical Enhancement} in that the wind will also serve as her armor. Mila: Okay, begin whenever you want. Lilly: FUH! (sfx exhale) Lilly kicked the ground at the signal. Igni uses his [Revolving Ember] : {Ignite} to forcefully boost his physical abilities exponentially and dodges Lillys wood sword. He casts a {Fireball} at Lilly who is now right beside him. Igni: [Exposive] {Fire}! He erupts a {Fireball} to explode only in a specific direction, and Lillys body is flung backwards. But as she flew, her body noticeably decelerated, and she gently landed on her feet. The wind armor was protecting her. Any attacks of this level will work on her. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : {Snipe} Igni pours power into his {Fireball} and as it rotates, he bends the shape into an ovular sphere. Lilly: SH!! (sfx exhale) Lilly once again kicks the ground and runs towards Igni! Igni: [Launch] {Fire} As he casts his Spell, a dry, popping blast was heard as the Sniper Shot headed straight for Lilly. Igni: [Explosion] {Fire} The {Fireball} explodes in midair! Igni detonates the {Fireball} 2 meters (6 ft) from Lilly, and the concussive wind rips off her wind armor!! Igni kicks the ground as the blast recedes and connects with Lilly. He stretched out a hand at close proximity to Lillys body and created a {Fireball} at point blank range. With that, the victory was determined. Mila: THATS THE MATCH! Igni immediately stops with Ms. Milas call. But one moment later, Lilly runs straight into him. Igni: (sfx painful exhale) Lilly: A`Are you okay, Igni?! Igni: Im okay..! Lilly ran far deeper into his gut than he expected, and his face paled, but Igni responded obstinately. Igni: (How could I call myself a man if I cant handle a little pain?!) So Igni forced a strained smile and held it in. Igni: (Popularity is determined by these delicate moments. The response to these critical moments separates the Popular from the Unpopular!) Or so Igni was furiously repeating to himself, but his face went from pale to blue, and Lilly looked upon him with concern and stood by next to him. Mila: So Igni won after all. Ms. Mila watched the flow of events with Yeah, just as expected and immediately signaled the end of class with Thats all everyone and disbanded the group. Yoori: Good work, Igni, Lilly. Yoori walked towards where Igni and Lilly stood on the Practice Field. Yoori: I guess this is the end of our semester. Igni: Its finally summer break. And Ignis class would go into full break. For the next month and a half, they have a long summer break to look forward to! Igni: Edward, what about the restaurant we made reservations at? Edward: I reserved our table for the evening. The restaurant wouldnt be open right now. True, it was still before noon, so the restaurant wouldnt be open at this point. Alicia: Then, should we go home once and regroup tonight? Edward: Lets do that. And Edward agreed to Alicias suggestion, and since no one else objected, Ignis group disbanded temporarily. They would gather together again at night, and as Igni was heading back to his dorm, he saw Elina standing there. A heavy, ominous cloud floating over her like a dark aura, and with a very discouraged face, she stood there. Igni: Oh? Elina? Elina: I`Igni. I wanted to discuss something with you.can we talk? As soon as Elina spotted Igni, she walked to his saide. Igni: Talk? Sure. Thats fine but`` Elina: Great. Can we talk over there? Igni: Okay. Being understanding, Igni follows behind Elina. Elina: Igni. Are you.free starting from the day after tomorrow? Igni: From the day after tomorrow? Yeah, Im free. Elina: Igni. I have a request. Its something I can only ask you to do! Igni: Just to me..? Sure, ask me anything. Popularity Etiquette No. 5 `` Always help a woman in need. Elina: Could you be my boyfriend starting from the day after tomorrow for one week?! And Elina bowed her head low with her request. Igni: Id love to. Igni responded without a seconds delay. <<<<>>>> CHONKY TL LiT (Lost in Translation) Japanese Summer Break - (per Google) The Japanese school year begins in April. The first term runs to around July 20, when summer vacation begins. Kids return to school in early September for the second term, which lasts until about December 25. The final term begins in early January and continues to late March. CH 111 Yoori: Okay, Igni. Ill be heading off now. Igni: Yeah, have a good trip. With packed bags, Yoori set off on his trip home, and they split off in different directions on the road. Yoori is heading to a horse carriage that will take him to the edge of the Kingdom. He will be switching off and on different carriages on the way there. As Igni parted with Yoori, he headed to the location where he would meet up with Elina. On the way there, Igni recalled what Elina told him a few days before. <<<<>>>> Elina: Could you be my boyfriend starting from the day after tomorrow for one week?! Igni: Id love to. Igni responded without a seconds delay. Elina: R`Really?! Igni: Yeah, but could you tell me why? You must have a reason, right? Elina: Starting the day after tomorrow, Ill be returning to the Owlight residence for 1 week. When I returnI promised that I will bring home my boyfriend. Igni: To who..? Elina: My father. A gloomy expression falls over Elinas face. The Owlights are a family of Knights. They are a famous Noble household where many famous heroes have come from. Elina: My father will not allow anyone except a a strong man. Igni, you are strong. AndI can only ask this of you since youre my friend. And Elina bowed her head with those words. Igni: I understand. You can count on me. As Igni gives her his answer, Elinas face brightens immediately. Elina: Thank you. Really, thank you so much! And she took hold of Ignis hand over and over again as she furiously shook it. <<<<>>>> Igni: Hey, Elina. Elina: Y`You really came, Igni. There, Igni saw a Elina completely stiff with nervous tension. Her complexion looked sickly and poor. Igni: You dont look so well, Elina. Are you feeling okay? Elina: O`Of course. Im fine. Elina lifted up her chin in pride and took hold of Ignis hand. Elina: I know were just acting the part, so Im sorry, but please let me do this. Igni: Dont worry about it. Were friends, arent we? And Igni gently gripped Elinas hand as he spoke. Elina: Oh And though she was the first to offer her hand, Elinas face reddened as she looked hurriedly away. Igni: Shall we get going? Elina: L`Lets go! Elina stood frozen as Igni held her hand, and Igni had to prod her to start moving. Elina walked with stiffly with straight arms and legs, and it reminded Igni of a poorly made golem as they headed to the Dragon Carriage Station. Unlike horse carriages, a Dragon carriage is a vehicle pulled by a pedestrian dragon. The speed of their travel will be faster, but because of higher maintenance fees, ordinary citizens would have difficulty affording a trip on one. My dear Lady, we have been waiting for you. Elina: Y`Yes. Please take good care of us. There, one woman was waiting for them. Is that? Elina: Y`Yes. He is Igni, my boyfriend! Elina blushed as she said the word boyfriend. Igni was worried that their cover would easily be blown, but he bowed his head politely after the introduction. Igni: It is a pleasure making your acquaintance. Thank you for looking out for our dear Lady Elina. Elina: I`Igni, lets get on the carriage. As Igni and the servant were politely exchanging bows, Elina rushed Igni onto the carriage, and they both got on. Then we shall get going. As the servant finished speaking, the Dragon carriage began moving forward. They slowly moved through the Capital, but once they stepped outside onto the main highway, they accelerated with a burst of speed. They began traveling at incredible velocity. Igni: Its fast. Elina: Yes, they are. The Owlight Dragons are incredibly fast. Elinas smile widened at the mention. Igni: (Looks like shes starting to get back to her normal self.) Igni remembered an urgent business with her and opened his mouth to speak. Igni: Oh yes, Elina. Congratulations on making it to the top of the class. Elina: W`Well, it was me after all! It was to be expected! Igni: Here, I got you something. I dont know if youll like it, but its a present for you. And Igni handed her a recently popular brand of tea. These kinds of small gifts leads to Popularity. Yes, the Popularity Etiquette No. 16 `` You should diligently perform small acts of surprises. Elina: A`Are you sure?! Igni: Yeah. Thanks to you, I was able to get a decent score too. By the way, a decent score to Igni was an average score. Elina: Thank you, Igni. Thats really kind of you. Igni: Youre welcome. Elina smiled genuinely for the first time as she took the gift from Igni. Elina: ..........Igni, um.I know weve already come this far but.. Igni: Whats wrong? Elina: Was it.really okay? For you to pretend to be my boyfriend? Igni: What are you talking about? It was a request from you. Of course, I couldn''t refuse. Elina: I`Igni. Igni: In fact, Im really happy that you depended on me and asked for my help. Elina: Th`Thank you, Igni. Elina repeatedly conveys her gratitude several times to Igni. But there is something looming over her when she mentions her family. Overall, Elina has never smiled when talking about her family. Whether she sensed Ignis concerns or not, Elina held her hands tightly to stop them from shaking as she spoke up. Elina: ........Igni. Itll be a burdensome week for you, but Ill be relying on you for the next week. Igni: Dont worry about it. And Igni smiled as he replied. <<<<>>> We have arrived. Elina: Thank you, Ella. Apparently, the servant who accompanied them was named Ella. Igni also thanked her and climbed down from the Dragon carriage. Elina: .......this way, Igni. Igni: Its huge. Elina: Unnecessarily, yes. Before them, the Owlight mansion loomed before them boldly and unapologetically. The mansion actually might have been bigger than the Talcoyz familys. In other words, they indeed were one of the highest Noble familys around. Elina: Follow me, Igni. Igni: Sure. With her lips tightly pressed together, Elinas expression was deadly serious. As she arrived before the door, Miss Ella opened it for her. Elina: This way. Elina gave the bags to Miss Ella, and Igni was instructed to do the same. Now with their hands free, they walked inside the mansion together. Igni: Where are we going? Elina: ........to fathers room. Igni: I see. In other words, to the current Head of the Owlight Family. After a few minutes of walking deeper and deeper into the mansion, Elina stopped at the furthest room and knocked on the door. Who is it? The voice that answered was low and unusually heavy. Elina: Its Elina, Father. Come in. As soon as Elina opened the door, an unpleasant tension came floating out from the depths of the room. ........oh? Is that him? A slightly elderly man was inside. White hairs were peeking out from his hair bound behind him. He sat in a large chair very comfortably, and he carried a massive body that was extremely well trained and maintained even from a glance. And nearby was a long sword that was only an arms reach away. he is a Magic Swordsman. Elina: Yes. This is m`my boyfriend, whom I promised to bring. Elina stuttered her words midway, but managed to finish her sentence. Im impressed, Elina. He is far above my expectations. Elina: H`He is.? The Head of the Owlight Family bursted out with a gleeful roar as he saw Igni. What, do you still not understand? Well, that is fine. I have anyways. I guess this is why they have the saying catching a sea bream with a shrimp. The Head of the Household began reaching for his sword. In fact, I would like to ask for a match. Igni: You jest. Igni immediately raised both his arms in a gesture of surrender even as the Head of Owlight stretched his hand towards his sword. Will I not be a sufficient opponent for you? ..what is your name? Igni: ........my name is Igni. It is a good name. If theres an opportunity, let us cross swords at least once. .......why would the Killing Flash, Seta, would want to fight a mere student? Seta: Do you know about me, Igni? The Killing Flash, Seta, is a monster that even Igni, who dislikes having to know mens names, recognizes. He is a man who has come closest to the [Extreme] of [Sword] and was only a step away from and was never able to cross that line. Seta: You have my gratitude for looking after my . Igni: No, no. , and I am grateful for her support. And the two firmly gripped hands as they shook. <<<<>>>> "Catching a sea bream with a shrimp" (Ϥឤ) -- a Japanese saying meaning with only investing something small/insignificant, you catch something bigger and of greater value. Also can mean getting a much greater reward even though you invested very little energy or effort. i.e. Minimal effort, maximum reward. <<<<>>>> CHONKY TL LiT (Lost in Translation) Japanese Summer Break - (per Google) The Japanese school year begins in April. The first term runs to around July 20, when summer vacation begins. Kids return to school in early September for the second term, which lasts until about December 25. The final term begins in early January and continues to late March. CH 112 Chapter 112: The Wizard and Re-confirmation Elina: This is your room, Igni. Please use it as you like. Igni: Thank you. I appreciate it very much. Elina looked relieved to have that duty of reporting to her father behind her. Afterwards, she took Igni and guided him to his guest room. It was most definitely a first-rate Nobles guest room. It was very spacious and came with a canopy bed. It was thoroughly cleaned and not a speck of dust was found anywhere. Igni observed the contents of his room as he tried to remember if his old house was like this too. Elina: Oh yeah. Igni, I was going to the training field, but did you want to come with me? Igni: Training field? Elina: Its similar to the Practice Field at school. The Owlight Family teaches swordsmanship, so we have a place specifically for practicing it. Igni: That sounds like fun. Can I come too? Elina: Of course you can. And Igni followed Elina out of the mansion. As they crossed through well-kempt garden and neared the edge, they could hear the sounds of two wooden swords clashing against each other. Elina: Looks like theres already someone there. Igni: Is the Dojo that popular? Elina: Yes. We have quite a bit of students. And as soon as they turned the corner, Igni saw the Training field. The size of it was slightly smaller than the Rolmod Wizard Academys Practice Field. And both boys and girls were swinging and clashing their wooden swords. Igni: Theres more girls than boys here. Elina: We also teach Spells too. Those who cannot learn at a Wizards Academy come here to study. Igni: .......thats amazing. Though Igni had some reservations on the current Head of the Household, Setas, treatment of Elina, he was astonished that the same individual spent the time nurturing and caring for these children. Elina: The ones with high potential will be recruited in service to the Owlight Family. Even if your family is not wealthy, if you can make good marks here, your livelihood will be guaranteed. So theres merit for both my family and theirs. But Elinas words were tinted with a hint of concern as she reflected on the children before her. Igni could understand why too. Elina knows that her position can be overtaken by a child with more potential than her at any time and will be immediately cut off from the family. And she knows that the Head of the Household will not hesitate for a moment to do so. But Igni has only spoken briefly with him, so he is still uncertain of what kind of person Elinas father, Seta, really is. Ignis only heard rumors, so judging someones character from that alone would be premature. But Igni is pretty certain that Seta is a type of man who only cares about results. If you can produce good results, he doesnt care about your family or background. But if you cannot produce any results, he will cut you off without thought. And he would do so even to his own blood relatives. Igni: Elina Igni wanted to encourage Elina but got stuck on his words. Igni: (.no, that wouldnt work.) No words would reach Elina right now. Igni reflected on his own situation to think this through further. If someone encouraged him prior to his knowledge about being a [Extremely Specialized Spell Caster?Spell One], how would he have responded? He might have been angry and irritated for someone pitying his situation. Thats why what Elina needs right now is.. [Oye..] In his head, Igni can hear a voice. [Oye, Igni.] Igni: (Grandpa?!) <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni. Have you ever thought about what a Popular man is like?] [Huh? Someone thats good looking??] [Youre so na?ve!!] And his grandfathers voice filled with Magic Power bowls Igni backwards. [If a good-looking man is Popular, that is fine. But W-H-Y does a good-looking man become Popular!!] [Wh`why?] Igni rebounded and rolled on the 3 and half times, and looked up at Lucas from where he lay. They were hunting Wyverns a moment ago, but with the sudden change of topic, the Wyvern escaped. But this is something that happens often when youre with Lucas. Igni thought for a while, and got up to speak. [Because he looks cool..?] And the sharp sound of grandpas hand meeting his cheek echoed into the air. [You havent changed at all!!] [OOOOFFF!!] .thats true. `Is what Igni was thinking as he accepted the punishment. [Listen well, Igni. The reason why a good-looking man becomes Popular is because it will be fun to just be with him. You feel energized just being by his side ` and no other reason than that!] [E`energized?!] [Think of it from a mans perspective! Igni, if you were with a woman with a large chest, what would happen? If you were with a woman who had fun stories to share, what would happen to you?!] [I`It would make feel better.?! W`Wait..! Then!] [Thats right! You feel better! You feel more energetic! You become more cheerful! And that kind of person becoming Popular is.INEVITABLE!] [I`Inevitable.!] At that instant, Igni felt as though his thoughts expanded beyond its limits. [Thats why the Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 6``A man who can converse well will be Popular! And even further, A man who is fun to be around will be even more Popular!] [``a man who can converse can become Popular. A man who is fun to be around will become even more Popular.] Igni repeats the words to himself over and over again. [Oye, Igni.] And as Igni was just about to grasp something, Lucas quietly spoke to him. [``you must gaze at things from a perspective] [So cool] Igni was genuinely impressed with his grandfathers words. <<<<>>>> Igni: (Thats right..! A man who is fun just to be around.!!) Igni: (It was so obvious.Ive forgotten about that..!!!) Igni: (Then I..) Igni: (What was I doing this whole time..?!) Igni scolded himself harshly to the point where he wanted to punch his own face. Igni: (A man who is not fun to be around.CANNOT BE POPULAR!!) Igni: Elina, did you also train on this Training Field? Elina: .........yeah. Igni: I see. I would have loved to see you train. Igni gazed at the Training Field as he spoke up. Elina: Wh`What would be so fun about watching me train.? Igni: Isnt that obvious? Its because you are No. 1 in my mind, Elina. Elina flinches slightly at the words. Igni: Out of all the people I fought, I would have loved to watch the No. 1 strongest Elina fight on that Training Field. Elina: N`No. 1..?! Me.?! Igni: Yes, of course. Elina: R`Really..? Hehehe Unlike the moment before, Elina began fidgeting happily where she stood. By the way, Igni was not thinking very deeply about his situation. Right now, his priority is to wipe all the gloomy thoughts away from Elina. Elina: Yes. Thats right! Of course thats right! Because Im No. 1!! And Elina puffs out her chest proudly and becomes cheerful again. Elina: Okay, Igni! A practice match! Lets have a practice match!! Igni: Wh`Why? Elina, who regained her composure, grabbed Igni by the arm and dragged him towards the Training Field. As Igni was pulled towards the Training Field, he responded to Elina in confusion. Elina: Why? Its because Im No. 1! Elina replied back with unmistakable glee and joy all over her face. Igni: (Oh no, communication is starting to break down!) Igni: (Now that I think about it, Elina was always like this) Igni pondered over this as he continued to speak with her. Igni: Since youre already No. 1, is there any reason to fight right now? Elina: ........hmm? Elinas movements stopped for a moment. Elina: But didnt you want to see me fight, Igni? Igni: Yes, but I already know that youre No. 1. At this point, Igni himself didnt even know what he was saying as he spat out more nonsense with every additional sentence. Elina: I see. Well, if thats what you think, Igni, then lets not. And for some inexplicable miracle, Ignis reasoning somehow convinced Elina as she let go of his hand. Elina: But when I fight again, I want you to watch. Igni: Yeah, of course I will. Igni responded with an exceptional smile of his own. At this point, Igni decided the best way to push through this situation was to not think about it at all. CH 113 Chapter 113: The Children and the Wizard Oh! Its Sister Elina! Youre right! Sister Elina`! As I was going back and forth with Elina on the edge of the Training Field, the kids noticed and came running towards us. When did you get back, Sister Elina?! Elina: Just now, Rena. Sister Elina, whos this?! The children who came running over surrounded Elina and Igni together. One of them pointed a finger at Igni to ask. Elina: His name is Igni. Igni is my b`, b` Boyfriend? One of the girls asked Elina, and with a scarlet flushed face, Elina nodded. Igni thought the reaction was so innocent and cute, but as he gazed at Elina, the girls erupted into a squeal full or glee and began talking amongst themselves. Sister Elina, have you already held hands?! What are you saying. Its Sister Elina were talking about, so she already kissed! R`Really?! Then...have they gone even further.? Lucas told Igni that girls enjoy talking about romance at any age, but even then, seeing girls who were not even 10 surround Elina with sheer joy and curiosity and jump onto this topic was a bit of a culture shock for Igni. Igni: (......is Sara going to be like this too?) Igni worries as a father-figure might, but Elina has other things on her mind as she continues to blush and remains silent. Elina was unaccustomed to these kinds of topics. Igni: Everyone, those are not topics that should be discussed openly. And in a rare show of wisdom, Igni said something reasonable. But these are children. Reason washed over them as oil over water. Then we wont tell anyone so can you tell us?! If youre Elinas boyfriend, can we call you Brother Igni?! So how far did you go? A kiss? Did you kiss? And Igni was pressed even harder by the girls. Glancing towards Elina, she looked beggingly at Igni as she weakly tugged at his sleeves. She wordlessly mouthed the words, Help. Popularity Etiquette No. 5. ``Always help a woman in need. Igni quietly took Elinas hand and looked back at the girls...and placed one finger on his mouth. Igni: Sorry, but thats a secret between Elina and I. The girls went speechless for a moment, but then erupted in ear-piercing, delighted shrieks. Being released from their attention for a moment, Igni took Elinas hand and escaped from the group. Igni: (That actually went better than I expected.) Ignis broad, self-gratified smile after a small success is his strength, but also his weakness. But since Alicia, who was the only one who seemed to notice, wasnt around, he continued to smile dumbly. Elina: Th`Thank you, Igni. They arent bad kids.theyre girls after all. The love stories about romance. Please forgive their rudeness. Igni: Im not bothered by it. Besides, I got another opportunity where you depended for me for help. That made me happy. Elina: .........sheesh. The way Elina looked at the ground with her face red was cute to Igni. Sister Elina, can you have a match with me?! Once Igni and Elina escaped from the girls, now the boys came over. Elina: Its been a while, Leo. Have you gotten stronger? Leo: Of course! I wouldnt even lose to you, Sister Elina! After Leo, fight with me! Me too!! Elina: Ill fight all of you at once! Line up!! And maybe being used to handling boys more than girls, Elina shouted and had the boys line up in a single line. One of the girls handed her a wooden practice sword. Elina: As a handicap, I will not use any Spells. Everyone, cooperate together, and if you lay one strike on me, you all win! Leo: Were going to win today!! Leo announces confidently as he readies his sword. The instructor who was teaching the children smiled helplessly and volunteered to referee the fight. Elina was really popular with the kids. Sheesh. Boys can be so stupid. And the girl sitting next to Igni mumbled loudly to herself. Igni: Do you not want to fight Elina too? Igni turns around to speak to her and sees that it was one of the girls that surrounded Elina earlier. Yeah, of course. Theres no way we could win against Sister Elina. As soon as the girl said that, the referee gave the signal to start the match. {Fireball} {Wind Blast} {Water Ball} They must have been kids who just started learning Magic, and a stream of beginners Spells comes pouring down upon Elina. But Elina deflected all the incoming Spells with her sword with ease and immediately jumped towards the kids. She gently struck each child with her sword, and it was like watching a dance production like a ballet. See? Sister Elina is really strong. The girl who sat next to Igni proudly pointed that out to him. The fight only lasted for less than a minute. Elina laid the final strike and all 10 kids were out of the fight without having laid one hit on Elina. Elina: Haha! You all still have a long way to go! Geesh, Sister Elina, youre way too strong! How are we supposed to win against that?! But even though they lost, the boys chatted happily amongst themselves as they complained. Elina also held out her chest with pride. Igni: That was an amazing performance by Elina. Right?! Sister Elina is really amazing and cool!! Even though they were kids who just started learning how to fight, its not easy to take on 10 opponents and avoid every single blow without using a Spell. It told volumes of how much talent and effort Elina must have poured into her training. As Igni sat there impressed, the girl next to him suddenly popped another question. Between Sister Elina and Brother Igni, who is stronger? Igni: I wonder If it was any other situation, Igni may have answered, Me. But that would be the unpopular thing to do in this instance. A truly Popular man is able to read the situation and give an answer accordingly. But, that doesnt mean that he could say, Elina is stronger, because Elina has lost to him once, and the statement would be an insult to her. Thats why Igni did not answer the question straight on. Yes. A man who can read the situation can become Popular. This isnt anything as grandeur as an Ultimate Secret. It is the first f of fundamentals. Im sure Sister Elina would be stronger! Igni: Yeah, that might be true. The girl looked upon Elina with admiration and confidently announced her guess to Igni. Igni: Do you like Elina? Yes! I love her! Shes strong, cool, and kind! Shes a sister to everyone here! The girl continues to compliment Elina. Igni realized how attached they all were to Elina and thought better of his friend. Elina: Igni! Im definitely No. 1!! And with an unbreakable smile, Elina came running over. Igni: (........the sister to everyone is like this, huh.) But his terse retort was swallowed by the popular man inside. CH 114 Chapter 114: The Ally and the Wizard The sound of plates and other tableware clatter against one another quietly in the dining room. It is pitch black outside. The dining table was lit with a single Magecraft lighting tool, and in the dim light, there were 3 people dining. Elina, Igni, and Elinas father, the Killing Flash, Seta. Seta: Igni, how is the food? Igni: Yes, it is very delicious. Igni was furiously recalling all the etiquettes and mannerisms of the Nobles that he was taught years ago. Igni was reminded of how many ridiculous manners and rituals he had to follow for just a single meal in the Noble society. Though Igni felt a little uncomfortable in the restrictive customs, he hid it well and smiled at Seta as he spoke. Igni: (......yeah, I understand why Grandpa was happy for me when I said I wanted to quit being a Noble.) Seta: Im glad. Seta brought the glass of wine to his lips. Elina was eating silently. Since the meal began, Seta has only spoken to Igni. He has not brought up Elina once. Thats why Igni felt the atmosphere to be so ominous and uncomfortable. Elina: F`Father. Though they were eating as a family, you could hear the intense nervousness in Elinas voice. Igni quietly observed her and wondered if the father had an absolute authority in any Nobles household. Seta: What is it? Elina: Th`This semester, I was able to finish at the top of my class. Seta: Is that so. Seta responded with no interest at all. Hearing Setas tone, Elina couldnt help but look downcast. She looked like she could start crying at any moment. Igni wondered if he should speak with Seta or whether to leave it alone. Normally, it would be better to just remain silent. It is inappropriate to intervene in another familys business. But doing the normal thing will not help you be Popular. Because if you do the normal thing, all you will be is normal. The light that lit up the dinner table wavered slightly. Yes, it wavered and moved just like it did that one hot summer day.. <<<<>>>> [Igni, I have a question for you.] [Ask me anything!] Under the burning sun, Igni was doing a training where he was thrown into a waterfall when Lucas suddenly popped a question on him. Since this happened quite frequently, Igni was used to this sudden change of topics and yelled back in response. [If you begin to become Popular, there is one trial you must face ` a trial you cannot avoid.] [A`An unavoidable trial.?!] [Yes, that is a date at her home!!] [A`A home date..?!] Igni felt his excitement rise at hearing the term for the first time. [Thats right! You will go to their home, and there will be times when you will have to meet her parents.! But then, you will face..that trial!] [A`A trial..?!] [Yes! As you are very familiar with already, that everyone gets along with their family..!! When that time comes.you will see those who do not get along have to face one another.!] [They dont get along and yet we have a date at their home?] [That is the way of Nobles!!] And with that, Lucas threw Igni into the waterfall. [AAAAAGGGGHHHH! I let my guard down! [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! [Equip Flame] {Ignition}!!] Falling from several dozen meters high, Igni felt his grandfather, Lucas presence, falling at the same speed next to him supporting him. Lucas continued his discussion. [When you eat, that is when you will see each others faces, right?! At that time, the father or mother may say something hurtful to their daughter! Now then! Igni, what will you do?!] Igni cast a weak {Fireball} to slow down the fall as he thought furiously. [Change the subject!!] [How can you be Popular with that?!] And Lucas slapped Igni across the face and sent him flying horizontally as he fell into the river. And water flew up into the air as the river swallowed Igni whole. [Hey, Grandpa! Are you trying to kill me?!] [Im the one who slapped you. Of course you wont die.] Lucas floated in the air barely above the water, and Igni was unable to resist the waters strong currents and was washed down the river. [Oye, Igni. There is one important thing you should know.] [.......I know. You should never slap someone while theyre in the middle of training, right?] [Become the girls ally.] [.................] [Do not change the subject. Do not overlook the subject. But first and foremost, become the girls ally.] [............Grandpa] [What is it?] Igni caught a giant boulder and dragged himself out of the water with his own strength. [..............do youreally have a right to say that?] [Of course. I am always the womens ally.] [.............................] <<<<>>>> Igni: (yes, I cant just remain silent.) Igni: (I cant just change the subject.!) Igni: (Right now, what I need to do is.!) Igni: (Become Elinas ally first and foremost..!!) Igni quietly let out a slow breath and then looked at Seta. Igni: Elina is No. 1, you know? And he phrased it as Elina usually would, but as far as this statement goes, it is completely true, so Igni justifies it as the correct thing to say. Seta: ......hmph, I understand that this may not be appropriate to state in front of you, Igni, but in the Owlight family, being the first in class . Seta quietly made the statement. But Igni could not back off here. He determined that it was still early to concede. Igni: This year, she is competing with the Golden Generation. She beat both the Legion Estea and the Warped Erumi. I believe it makes her No. 1 position all the more incredible. As soon as Igni finished speaking, Elina looked up at him with sparkly, glittering eyes. Though Igni felt as though there was one other he should mentionsince it was Ignis policy to not memorize mens names, he subconsciously booted out Fray from his thoughts and looked at Seta. Seta: Elina has several elder brothers, and they were all notable in their strength. They all graduated from the Rolmod Wizard Academy at the top of their class. And none of them once fell from their No. 1 position. Igni, you know as well as I do that Elina fell to 2nd during the midterm examinations. Igni: Yes, Ive heard. Seta: That is why she is no good. Igni revved his brain into full gear as he thought about his response. If it is for the sake of Popularity, his brains potential will expand indefinitely, and he was able to produce the answer in 0.5 seconds. Igni: But that is in the end, the mid-term. Elina took the position of top of the class in the end. The was the same regardless. Setas eyes widened at Ignis words and began to laugh heartily. Seta: HA HA HA! I see. I see! A good argument!! Seta spoke happily to himself. Seta: That is definitely true! Igni, you are a difficult man to deal with. Igni: Thank you so much. Seta: Its true that if you look only at the results, Elina is top of her class. Ha ha ha. You speak truly. It was well known that when Seta was a General in the military, he emphasized the importance of results above all else. The one who said, The means do not matter as long as the results follow, was none other than Seta himself. For the sake of Popularity, Ignis brain fully awakened and drew out that information from a conversation he had with Lucas in the past. He tied it quickly to Elinas situation, and the words fell naturally from his mouth. Right now, Ignis mind was at its sharpest its ever been in his life. Seta: KU HA HA HA! Well done. You did great, Elina. Elina: ........y`yes, thank you!! Elina smiled back at Setas words. Igni: (YES!! I DID IT!!) And Igni also held the biggest self-satisfied smile in his life up until now. CH 115 Chapter 115: The Head of the House and the Wizard After the meal, Igni finished taking a bath, and in while was molding a {Fireball} in the guest room, he heard a knock at his door. Igni: Please come in. Elina: Sorry to bother you so late. Igni: Is something the matter? Igni released the {Fireball} that was in his hands and looked towards Elina. Elina: ......I just wanted to say thank you for earlier, Igni. Igni: Youre very welcome. By earlier, she probably meant about the conversation that happened during the meal. Igni defended Elina. Elina: Yeah.I was really happy when.you stood up for me, Igni. Igni: Its only a fact that you worked really hard, and I was helped by you too. I thought it was important for him to know that you were the true No. 1 of our class. Elina: Hehe, I guess. Yes, I am No. 1. Elina laughed as though she was tickled by the words. Elina: ......you might have already guessed, but my position here in this household is not great. Among all my siblings, I am the least talented. Igni: Even though youre top of our class? Elina: Thats right. Elina nods to confirm. Elina: Father also mentioned this, but none of my brothers ever fell from top of their class once. Thats whythats why I was desperate to at least be at the top fo the class.or so I thought. Igni: ......I see. Elina: When I fell to second place, I was really scared. I thought my family would disown me right then and there. But..Igni, you helped defend me that made me really happy and my Father also accepted me. Thank you, Igni. Elina looks straight at Igni. But Igni brushed it off a little arrogantly. Igni: Dont worry about it. I just wanted to be your friend. Thats why. Elina: ................. Elina froze in place as she blushed hard. Elina: Y`Yes..well, I just wanted to say thank you. See you tomorrow, Igni. Igni: Yeah, see you tomorrow. Elina turned around and left the room. With nothing left to do, Igni began to summon another {Fireball} when someone knocked on the door once more. Sir Igni, are you available? Igni: Yes, please come in. It was a womans voice. And as Igni welcomed her in, across the doorway was Ella who helped Igni and Elina get here by the Dragon Carriage. Ella: My Master is calling for you. Igni: Mr. Seta? Ella: Yes. Igni thought for a moment, but finding no reason to refuse, he followed Ella and headed for Setas room. Igni: Excuse medo you know what he wanted to discuss? Ella: No, I was not made aware of the purpose. She held a Magecraft Tool that shined a light as they both walked in the darkness. Ella was familiar with the layout of the mansion and walked quickly down the hallway and with a, We have arrived, Sir Igni. She brought Igni to Setas room. Seta: Hey, sorry for calling you at this late hour. Igni: No, I had very little to occupy myself. Seta: I see. Then I am glad. Seta was in the room smoking his pipe. And as expected, next to him sat a sword. Seta: Then I will get straight to the point. Igni, I have something to ask of you. Igni: An ask, you say? Igni had braced himself for this meeting not knowing what to expect, but after Seta posed the question, he deflated in disappointment slightly. Seta: Yes, Igni. Do you happen to know the main source of income for the Owlight family? Igni: For the Owlight Family, they acquire Mithril from the Mithril Mines on the edge of the territory. Seta: Thats correct. Im happy that you know. Seta puts the pipe in his mouth. Seta: But recently, there has been a rumor a rumor that a ghost of some sort appears inside the mines. Igni: A ghost? As in some kind of Phantom Type Monster? Seta: We do not know. Igni: Can such a thing really happen? Seta blows out a puff of smoke as he ponders the question himself. Igni is also confused by the question and could not help but dig further. The Mithril Mines create a lot of wealth. Mithril serves as a catalyst `` they can serve as mediums that help Spells be more efficient, and Ignis ring is an example of this `` and without Mithril, its said that it cant be done. Its compatibility and conductivity of Magic Power is extremely high, and as it can be derived by the existence of Holy Silver Mithril, it can be shaped and forged fairly easily. Thats why it is often targeted and looted, and not just by people but by Monsters too. Kobolds nest in mines. Gnomes eat metals as their primary source of food. There are even strange creatures like the Mithril Slime who only eat Mithril. Thats why normally, you would hire Adventurers and Mercenaries to protect the mines. Thats why if there are any rumors about a ghost, then the Adventurers and Mercenaries who are already on the scene will investigate and take care of it. Seta: Hmm.yes.. We considered the possibility of those already there not being able to take care of the problem, and from a Merchant friend, he recommended that we hire one more pair of mercenaries, and we dispatched them. Igni: What happened next? Seta: They came back not being able to confirm anything. Igni: .........hmmm Igni thought deeply. If it was a Phantom Type Monster, then you can use something called a [Spirit Seeing Stone] to find it. Igni: ......was it not just false rumors then? Seta: I thought so soon, but since then, this Ghost has appeared againthere have also been too many deaths among the hired Adventurers. The newly hired mercenaries have apparently fought against it well, but they were not able to defeat it and could only chase it away. Igni: .......I see. And you want me to find and defeat this Ghost? Seta: That is exactly it. Im glad you are quick to understand. Igni: I dont mind if you make this a Quest. As Igni spoke and let one of his conditions known`` Seta: If its okay with you, I would like for you to depart with Elina the day after tomorrow. Igni: .......could I ask you one thing? Seta: Is it about the reward? Igni: No, I would like the information about the mercenaries that are already there. If there are any famous mercenaries there that are only able to repel the creature back, I need to be quite prepared for a tough fight. Seta: I see. I understand. But it would be dangerous to judge them by their name alone. I have seen how well can fightand though they are not well-known, their Spells were quite impressive. To be complimented by Seta this much is truly something. Igni: I see. What were their names? Seta: The Black and White Sisters. Igni: .........ohhhh` Igni froze in place for a second. As his mental database churned out the data about the two, he could not help but recall the memories bitterly. Seta: Oh, you know of them? Igni: Yes, a little.. Igni: (Those two huh ) The reason why the memories were so bitter for Igni was not just because of their extremely strong personalities, but because their . If those girls could only repel the creature, Igni would have to be extra cautious fighting whatever this Ghost is. Seta: That is my first request. Igni: Theres more? Seta: Yes, one more. Igni: I am listening. Seta: Tomorrow, my 3rd son is coming back home and`` Hearing Setas next words, Igni seemed troubled. Igni: Is that something you really ask of me? Seta: I dont believe there is anyone else more suitable for this. Igni: ........as far as your second request, Im sorry, but I cannot agree. Seta: That is fine. Its ultimately just a favor Im asking. Seta puffed his pipe a few more times after that. Seta: That is all I wanted to speak with you about. As far as the incident at the mines, I will inform Elina tomorrow. Im sure even that could improve if its thrown into actual battle. Igni stood up without saying another word. Seta: Igni, I appreciate you helping my daughter with her . Igni: ......... Igni had a hand already on the door knob as he thought about what Seta meant by that. Igni: Of course, I am her after all. And replied with that. CH 116 Chapter 116: The Brother and the Wizard IM HOOOOOOOOME!! First thing in the morning, Igni suddenly awoke to a big, resounding voice that boomed throughout the household. Igni: Wh`What was that?! Whos voice was that?!?! Igni jumped out of bed in a hurry, and after putting on the bare minimum attire, he ran out of his room. Ella: Sir Howell, please lower your voice. Howell: Oh, Ella! Looks like youre doing well!! Igni didnt know what to make of this situation, but he saw that a very intense and energentic man entered the mansion. He was at least 2 meters (6 ? feet) tall, and he had incredibly well developed muscles all over his body. He looked like a bear roaming around the mansion. Ella: The Master is waiting for you in his room. Howell: Father, huh?! Ill go right away!! He voice booms every time he speaks. Igni, still waking up, looked upon the man called Howell. Elina: Igni, good morning. Igni: Elina, who is that man with the loud voice? Elina: That is brother Howell. He is the 3rd son of the Owlight family. Igni: ........the 3rd son. Igni recalled the sudden conversation with Seta last night and remembered that one of the sons were returning today. Andthe son is also related to the request that Seta made of Igni. Elina: He graduated top of his class from Rolmod Wizard Academy 3 years ago, and now hes a Knight in the Capital. Hes currently rising up and up through the promotion ranks. Igni: He must be amazing. Firstly, its difficult enough for a man to graduate at the top of a Wizard Academy when woman are far more adept at Spells. And secondly, being on the promotion path as a Knight is also equally, if not more impressive. Well, that may be due to graduating at the top of his class though. Elina: Brother Howell is one of the few in the Owlight Family that doesnt use a sword. Igni: So hes not a Magic Swordsman. Elina: Yes. And hes also very strong. During his student days and after becoming a Knight, he has only lost a handful of times. Igni: ..........thats amazing too. Igni couldnt help but feel like hes had a string of losses in his life. Especially to Lucas and to large breasts. He still had no clue how to defeat anyone with large breasts. Igni: If hes that strong, does he get a lot of attention from girls? And Igni pokes a question thats been bothering him casually. Elina: No, brother Howell isnt popular among the women. Igni: Because his voice is so loud? Elina: No, his personality is too intense and tiresome. Igni: Ohhhh.. Igni understood immediately. Elina: Igni, since we had no formal plans today, could I give you a tour of our mansion? Igni: That sounds great. Elina: Yes, but before that, we should have breakfast. Igni, this way. As Igni and Elina ate a light breakfast, the door swung open and slammed into the walls with a BANG!! Howell: So I see that you two are eating! How splendid!! The loud voice boomed from a large frame called Howell. Howell: Hmm?! You must be Igni! Ive heard of you from my father!! Igni: Its a pleasure making your acquaintance. Igni stood up and left his seat to shake Howells hand but`` Howell: You do not have to be so formal with me! We might even become family!! Howell roared with laughter as he meant what he said, and banged on Ignis back several times. Igni definitely felt each and every hit. Howell: Oh, Igni! Youre too skinny! You need to eat more!! Igni: I appreciate your concern, sir Igni is quite fit. Theres two reasons. The first is that his fighting style with {Fireball} is mostly mid to long range attacks. He does not require weight to keep him steady with close, zero-range attacks, and he needs to be able to move extremely quickly and be extra flexible and nimble. From that perspective, a thin body is preferred. The second is that he heard that thin, fit men tend to be more popular. By the way, if you were to weigh the reasons out, youll find that 2 to 8, Igni chose to be thinner for the second reason far more than the first. Howell: Eat well and keep up your strength! Your body is the core of all fundamentals!! Igni: I will do my best. Howell: And Elina, you are..well, you are the same. Howell turned to address Elina, but he only glanced at her briefly..and then losing interest quickly, broke his gaze from her. Howell: But Igni! I heard that youre quite strong! My father was boasting about you!! Igni: I think Im strong. Howell: What?! Dont be so humble!! Why not try a match with me!? Igni: My apologies, sir. I will be on a date with Elina so I cant. Elina: D`Date?! Elina had a piece of bread in her mouth as she choked from Ignis words. Elina coughed furiously to clear her throat and hurriedly chugged water. Howell: What?! Why waste your time with something as as that?! Igni: Oh no. It is the time for me. Howell: Hmph..I see. Well, if you feel that strongly, then it cant be helped! Lets definitely have a fight when you have the time! I will take my leave now!! Howell immediately turned on his heels and slapped the doors open again with a loud as he left. Igni let out an internal sigh of relief as he glanced quickly at Elina. She was looking intently at him with a partially eaten bread untouched on her plate. Igni: H`Hey, Elina. Are you okay? Elina: I`Im sorry.this is all my fault. Igni: About what?! Is this about Mr. Howell? Elina: Y`Yeah, Igni..um, I made you lie about a date.with me. Igni: ..........hm? But.isnt it a date? Elina: Wh`No, it`its. Igni: Its not? Elina: No, it is but!! Elina blushed scarlet again and panicked, and finding her adorable, Igni couldnt help but tease her. Elina: I mean.are you okay.? To say that youre going on a date with me? Igni: Im really happy to be able to go on a date with you. Elina: eep.. Elina let out a small cry with her beautiful voice as her face remained bright red. Igni: (Shes so cute.) Igni smiled as he watched Elina eat her breakfast half-panicked by his comments. <<<<>>>> Elder Sister, here is the [Spirit Seeing Stone]. Thanks, Little Sis. The elder sister, Rania, received a compass-like object that will point in the direction when Phantom Type Monsters are nearby. Rania: But before, even with this, the needle didnt move at all. Nie: You can never be too prepared! Right, Elder Sister?! Rania: Little Sis! You know some smart sayings! Youre so smart!! And Rania pats the head of her little sister. Nie isnt her real younger sister though. The two walked with the [Spirit Seeing Stone] through the empty mines. That is because there was no way to send the miners in here after Adventurers were killed. Nie: Oh, Elder Sister! The [Spirit Seeing Stone] just moved a little! Rania: Eek?! Wh`Where?! Nie: .......Elder Sister, if youre afraid of Phantom Type Monsters that much, why did you agree to this Quest? Nie stared daggers at her elder sister who trembled behind her back. Rania: Because you have to do everything you can while youre still young!! But with those words, Nies opinion of her instantly changed. Nie: Youre absolutely right! Youre amazing, Elder Sister!! Rania: Arent I?! I always think through these things!! Nie: Oh, from the way its behaving, its close! Rania: Eek. The elder sister instantly hid behind the shadow of her younger sister. CH 117 Chapter 117: The Friend and the Wizard Elina and Igni were climbing a mountain together. Elina invited Igni and told him that she would take him to a point where they could look over the local area. Igni would never be able to say no to an invitation from a girl so he agreed within seconds to climb the mountain together. They climbed for half an hour and as they reached the top, they were able to take a long look at everything around them. Elina: Look at this, Igni. This is my familys territory. Igni: It is amazing. Below them, they could see the Owlight Mansion. Though there were a few other buildings around the mansion, it looked closer to a town than a city. Though the Owlight owns a lot of territory, there population isnt that high. Nearby, there were many large farms expanding across the land. That is because this is the farthest rural edge of the Kingdom. They say that there are many precious minerals inside the mines, but they do not quarrel with other Noble families often. That is because the Owlight Family is also in charge of the rural area to be the first line of defense to protect the country. Igni: This farmwhat does they grow? Elina: Hm? Oh, they grow fruits there. We sell a little bit to other territories. Igni: The fruits of the Owlight family, huh. I hate to be rude, ,but.they are not well known. Elina: It cant be helped. We are famous for our Mithril more than anything else. And Elina smiled as she spoke. Elina: Would you like some water, Igni? Igni: Yes, I would like some. Since Igni cant use [Water] Type Spells, Elina made water for him, and he drank it all down. Igni: Its good. Elina: Yes, it really is. A hike up a mountain is a good thing. Igni: Do you like hikes? Elina: When I was little, I used to climb up this mountain with my brothers. She looked far into the distance as she said the words. Elina: Back thenI was still on good terms with my family. Igni: Back then..? Though Igni wasnt sure if this was something he should bring up, he asked the question anyways. Since Elina began the conversation, she may have been looking for someone who would listen. Elina: Yes. The rift between my family and myself began.when I got 2nd place during the mid-term. Igni: Thats pretty recent. Elina: Yes, but it shows how it was to be top of the class here. Igni: .........normal, huh. Igni murmured as he recalled how much hope his father had placed on him. But he immediately scoffed at the notion because of how much emphasis was placed on this word, normal. What is normal purely depends on the individuals perspective. Igni: Then Elina, lets show them theyre wrong. Thats why Igni spoke as he stared at the same place Elina was. Elina: Show them? Igni: Yeah, if you can show them an overwhelming result, everyone will have to accept your position. Elina: B`But I dropped to 2nd place..and I dont even have a Wizards title either. Igni: I dont either. Igni looked straight into Elinas eyes. Igni: Elina, I of all people know that you have worked harder than anyone else. I know how youre the most amazing person. So Elina, this time, you can rely on me. Elina: On you..? Popularity Etiquette No. 13 `` When in trouble, always find a person you can depend on. If this is the first part of the rule, then`` Igni: Yes. Remember? During the exams, you helped me a lot, right? So now, I want to help you, Elina. ``and also be someone dependable for the same reason. Igni: Elina, I think you already know, but I am . Elina: Y`Yes. I do know. Igni: So if I can teach you everything I know, then Elina, you can become much stronger. Elina: B`But thats! Its not as though Elina understands how Igni truly fights. The only time she got to see his strength was during the [Spell Gladiator Tournament]. She only saw that he defeated the strongest Wizard from the [Golden Generation], Fray with just {Fireball}. But shes also heard rumors. Rumors of how he fought against the Extremes in the Principality. Rumors of how after Elina passed out from being overly exposed to Magic Power on that night on the beach, Igni faced off and defeated the [Extreme] of [Darkness]. Elina: B`But is that really okay? A person like me..being taught by you Igni: What are you saying? Its , Elina. Elina: Because..its me Elina repeats the words quietly to herself. Igni hasnt looked away from Elina. Igni: Thats right. Thats why you can always rely on me. You saved me back then, so I want to help you. Elina: .........okay. Elinas face brightened and blushed as she nodded. Igni: (So cute..) Elina: Okay, Igni. Lets start our descent. Itll be lunch time soon. Igni: Yeah, lets do that. And the distance between the two shrunk slightly as they returned to the mansion. That day, Seta informed Elina about the incident at the mines, and we were going to leave early tomorrow morning. And knowing that there is no way that hell be able to get up on time, Igni kindly asked Elina to wake him up and dived into a deep sleep. The next morning, before the sun was barely up, Igni was woken up, and they left on the horse carriage. Igni: (yawn)......today is a horse carriage, huh. Igni was still feeling sleepy, and he asked the question to Elina while still yawning. Elina nodded to him in response. Elina: The Dragon Carriages need a flat road or else it will be too dangerous. Right now, were heading to the farthest edges of the Owlight Territory. There are sections where the road is not maintained well. It would be dangerous if we went over those parts with a Dragon Carriage. Igni: I see. That makes sense. Elina: And for now, it will be nightfall before we arrive today. Igni: Night, huh.. For Igni, it would be faster to fly, but said nothing. He understood the importance of easing the concerns of the local residents and the miners by making a show of public appearance. Igni: But I never thought that they would ask us to wear our school uniforms Igni pulled at his Rolmod Wizard Academy school uniform as he spoke. Since it was his formal wear, he brought it just in case, but he never would have thought that it would come in handy for a Quest. Elina: Yes, the people will be relieved to see both the Owlight Family take action and also see that they sent Rolmod Wizard Academy students. Igni: .......yeah, thats understandable. The Rolmod Wizard Academys school uniform is centered around the color white, so its quite bright. The uniforms material is made from materials with anti-blade and anti-magic, but the purpose of the color is . Typically, Spells have a wide destructive radius and can inadvertently blow up your friends, but the citizens will be at more ease to see a famous Wizard Academy be dispatched for these Quests. With those goals in mind, the Rolmod Wizard Academy made the uniforms this way. Now then, they were slowly being rocked and shaken by the horse carriage for several hours. By the time the sun began to set, they could see a town far in the distance. Igni: ........my back hurts.. Ella: Thank you for your patience during your travel, Lady Elina and Sir Igni. Today, we will be staying at that inn over there. Ella has been staying with them without rest this entire trip, and she maintained the same expression the entire duration. Seeing that, Igni decided to ignore his back pains and looked upon the town. Igni: It looks like its quite the small town. Ella: Yes, it is. But this is the closest town to the mines, so tomorrow, we can reach the mines from here. As the horse carriage neared the town, an elderly man with white hair hurriedly came running out. Oh my, oh my. We welcome you, people of the Owlight Family. Thank you for making such a long journey to our town. Ella: Mayor, please guide us to our lodging tonight. Of course, of course. Here, please guide our guests. Yes. And a girl with white hair stepped forward. She wore simple clothes as a citizen of that town, but the clothes were obviously made for a girl, and it pleased Igni. Even if they were wearing similar clothes, you can still make subtle differences between male and female clothes, and evaluated it as a professional tailor would. Please come this way. And our guide bowed to Miss Ella and walked in front of us to lead the way. We were guided to the center of town. The house we were led to was actually built in a more luxurious fashion than any other house there. Its very likely that this house was made specifically for when people from the Owlight Family come and spend the night. Elina got off the carriage first, and when Igni followed, the girl who was guiding them suddenly let out a cry of surprise. Igni! Its been a while! And Miss Elina too! Igni: .........? Igni tilted his head in confusion. Igni: (Do I know any girls in this kind of town?) But as he thought, it was Elina who recognized their guide first. Elina: Oh! Its Yoori! It has been a while!! Igni: Huh? Yoori?! Igni couldnt hide his shock. Yoori: Oh, I see. Im wearing this so it was hard for Igni to tell. Elina: What do you mean? You look lovely in that. Yoori, it would be a shame if you didnt wear more clothes that girls should be wearing.. And Igni immediately tugged at Elinas sleeves to interrupt what she was saying. Igni assumed that Elina had a slight misunderstanding and decided to tell her. Elina: Hm? Whats wrong, Igni? Igni: Oh, Elina. Elina: What is it? Igni: Yooris a guy. Elina fell to her knees at the news. CH 118 Chapter 118: The Sisters and the Wizard Yoori: I heard that students from the Rolmod Wizard Academy were coming, but I never would have thought that it was you, Igni. Igni: I didnt think I would run into you here either, Yoori. The 3 sat around a table as all the Rolmod Wizard Academy students grouped up to chat. Ella is gone preparing dinner. Yoori: So this is my town. And Yoori laughed a little embarrassed as he spoke. Elina: So you were part of our Owlight Realm, Yoori. Elina seemed taken aback by the news. Since these two never talked about their hometown, so Elina didnt know about Yoori. Yoori: Yes. Now that I think about it, I havent spoken to you about this, Elina. Igni: But Yoori, if youre here, then that makes things easier. Have you heard anything specific about the mines? It was Igni who asked. Igni and Elina came all the way out here to the edge of the realm due to Setas Quest. He would like to speak with Yoori more, but it would have to wait until after the Quest is complete. Yoori: Hmmm, well, I dont know how much you know, so Ill just explain to you what Ive heard so far. Igni: Please. Yoori: First, these incidents started happening about a month ago. One of the miners was found dead with this head smashed. Igni: .......his head? Yoori: Yes, but we all though that it was an accident at first. Rocks can fall on you in the mines. Igni: I see. Yoori: But they soon found out that it wasnt an accident. At the time, an Adventurer investigated the body and found that the head was crushed by the hand of something or someone. Igni: A hand? Igni asks for clarification. Yoori nodded once. Yoori: Yes, a hand. LIke this. And Yoori gestured with his hand and gripped his fist to show how the head was crushed with it. Igni noted how Elina did not appreciate this detail at all. Yoori: So the Adventurers all went into the mines to investigate, but the [Spirit Seeing Stone] did not respond, and they couldnt find any traces of Monsters who could have done this to the minerso they decided to continue the mining operations. But after a while, they found another body. Igni: Hmmmm. Yoori: This time, it was a body of someone where their whole body was squashed by someone. At this point, they probably couldnt ignore these incidents any longer. The Adventurers investigated the mines thoroughly till they could find a cause. When they did, only 2 returned, and the rest were killed. Igni: .......and the two that came back were the Black and White Sisters. Yoori nodded to Ignis words to confirm. Elina also heard the names of the mercenaries from Seta and nodded her head too. Yoori: And then you guys came. This is all I know. Igni: Hmmmm, I see. Igni sat back in his chair to think. Igni: Theres no information pertaining to the Monster? Any rumors you heard is fine too. Yoori: You should probably ask the girls rather than me. Igni: The girls? Yoori: Yes. The Black and White Sisters. Igni: Ohhh.. And Igni exhaled deeply as he spoke. Since someone directly fought with the threat, it would be best to ask them first. Igni: And where are the Black and White Sisters? Yoori: They are spending the night at a cottage near the mines. Since its pretty late, lets go see them tomorrow. Igni: I see. Yeah, lets do that. And so since there was nothing further they can do for the Quest, Igni changed the subject. Igni: Hey Yoori. Why were you wearing clothes meant for girls? Yoori: Umwell, its pretty complicated. Since Yoori did not want to speak about this further, Igni changed the subject once more. It didnt look like it was Yooris hobby to do so. Igni: I`I see. Oh yeah, Yoori, are you going to be involved with this investigation? To slay the Monster in the mines? Yoori: No, I wont this time. Ill just pull your leg. Elina: Really? I think your Support Magic is pretty advanced. It was Elina who offered the encouragement. Yoori: No. In a place that small, my Spells will only get in the way. But Yoori looked a bit sad as he spoke. <<<<>>>> Yoori: Igni, its the morning. Time to get up. Igni: ......hm? Oh, is it morning already? And since Yoori woke him up every morning at the Academy, Igni thought he was back at the Rolmod Wizard Academys dormitory. Igni: Oh..youre wearing mens clothes today. Yoori: Yeah, I have to alternate. Igni: Alternate? Igni tilts his head as he wondered what Yoori meant by that. Elina: Igni! Ella made breakfast for us!! From the dining room, Igni heard Elina call him, and he quickly got out of bed and got dressed. He washed his face with water Yoori produced, and being fully awake now, he headed to the breakfast table. And as the 3 finished breakfast, they headed to the mines. To be accurate, they were heading to the cottage near the mines. Igni: Here? Yoori: Yeah. Typically, there are more people here though. Around the mines, there were many buildings. The road was well maintained too. But compared to the number of buildings they saw, there were significantly less people. Yoori: Right now, the mines are closed. Until the investigations are completed, it would be dangerous to keep operating. Igni: Thats why its so quiet here. Yoori: Yes. Oh, there. Its that cottage over there. And Yoori pointed to a wooden shack that was built near the mines entrance. Yoori: I think they should still be there. And with that, Yoori knocked on the door. Please come in Igni heard a familiar voice from inside the building. Igni: (This would be the elder sisters..) And Igni found an answer as he matched the voice with his memories. Yoori: Excuse us. And Yoori opened the door after confirming with the sisters, and the elder sister and younger sister were both nibbling on bread. It has been a while, Mr. Yoori. The two people behind you must be the reinforcements. It is a pleasurehuh? Have we met somewhere? The younger sister was about to bow politely until she saw Ignis face and paused. Lil Sis! Its him! From that time at the Principality!! Ohhh! I remember now! Its that weirdo {Fireball} guy!! Igni: (Weirdo? That would be my Grandpa.) .was what Igni immediately thought to himself. Not being able to reflect about himself is one of Ignis bad habits. And Igni also didnt understand what she meant by weirdo in the first place. Igni: I am not weird. Im a [Ultimate Spell Specialized?Spell One]. And he smiled broadly as he made the announcement. Huh? What is that? Its the first time I heard it! Isnt that awesome! Im the Elder Sister Rania! Nice to meet you!! And Rania stepped forward with a as she sought to shake hands with Igni. Igni: (She may not be such a bad person.) And Igni was immediately swayed by her compliment. He still falls for girls quite easily. I`I am Nie. Rania: With the two of us combined We are the Black and White Sisters!! And with perfectly synchronized voices, they finished their introduction. Nie: E`Elder Sister..do we really have to do this every time.? And Nie whispered to Rania quietly. Rania: Otherwise, no one will remember our name!! And in comparison, the Elder Sister, Rania, answered boldly and energetically. In addition, this was the first time Elina met these two and kept looking back and forth between Igni and the sisters alternatively with a, Whats with these two? look. CH 119 Chapter 119: The Monster and the Wizard After they were done with introductions, Igni asked the two the question. Igni: Theres a few things Id like to ask the Black and White Sisters......... is that okay? Rania: Ask us anything! The Elder Sister, Rania, was totally for it. Igni: (How can she be so energetic in the morning.?) Igni wondered as he continued. Igni: Id like more information about what the Monster in the mines looks like. Rania: Yes! I thought so! Ill explain so listen well! Elina: Before that, would it be okay if we sit down? Elina was the one who asked. She probably expected the story to take a while. A great assist by her. Rania answered with a, Sure` and pointed to a seat and also signaled Nie to pour some tea. Ignis first impression of the sisters was unreasonable and hard to communicate with, but he started to change his mind. Or rather, he hoped that he would be able to communicate with them at the very least. Rania: Sofirstly, what we know is that our opponent is not a Phantom Type Monster. Igni: Not a Phantom Type? Igni didnt realize that he repeated the words back Ranias words. Igni: (Didnt Seta say that there were rumors about a ghost that haunted the mines?) Rania: And I could ask you Rolmod Wizard Academy students a similar question. Are there any Phantom Type Monsters that the [Spirit Seeing Stone] will not react to? Igni and Elina took up the tea Nie poured as Rania laid our her question. Igni immediately began to go through all the Monsters in his head. Training 2 years in the [Demon Kings Realm], he had fought with many kinds of Monsters and had quite a bit of info to sort through. But.. Igni: No, there arent. Elina: Its just as Igni says. I dont know of any Phantom Type Monsters where the [Spirit Seeing Stone] would be unresponsive to. Igni and Elina, who is top of her class, both shake their heads to say no. If there are any Phantom Type Monsters that can escape the detection of the [Spirit Seeing Stone], that would be something Igni and the rest of the student body would be made aware of. That is because not knowing the exceptions could lead to your death. Rania: Yes. So that means that Monster is not a Phantom Type. Igni: ........then, what is it? Rania: I drew a picture of it, so take a look! If its you all, you would know what Monster this is, right? And Rania went to the back of the room to bring out a wooden board and brought it over to Igni. Igni: Oh, so you have a picture? Then that would make it easier And Rania placed her picture down onto the table. There, they saw a large round circle, something that barely resembled a human body attached to it, and one long line stretching out from it. Igni: .........whats this? Rania: The Monsters Picture!! Rania smiled from ear to ear with pride. Igni fell completely silent. He decided that he would not touch upon the quality of the drawing. Yoori is severely confused, and also remains silent, not knowing what to say. Elina tilted her head as she tried to consider what Monster was represented in this drawing. Her very serious and studious character was surfacing. Igni: Ummmmm..can I ask you a few questions? Rania: Yes! Ask me anything! Igni: What.is this big round thing? Rania: Its the head! Igni: Head..? If its a head, shouldnt you draw hair or fur or even eyes or a nose..? Why is it just the circle? Rania: I thought about drawing the face, but I suck at drawing so I stopped! Oh, but on its head, theres a lot of mouths and eyes. Rania chuckles and smiles. Igni: So``` this body looking thing is. Rania: Its the body! Igni: ..........so does that mean our opponent has a large head on a small body.? Rania: Yup! Thats right!! Igni: (Then why didnt you say so in the first place?) ``is what Igni wanted to say, but its not what a Popular man would do. Igni: Whats this line stretching out from the body? Rania: I dont know! Igni: Hmmmmmm Igni crossed his arms to think. Hes never seen a Monster like this. It definitely has some very unique characteristics, and it would be easily identifiable if this information was accurate. Igni: How was it moving or traveling around? Nie: It was floating. Igni: Floating? Nie: Yes, it just floated in the air as it moved around. And as she finished pouring tea for everyone there, she sat on Ranias lap. Igni: A Monster that floats in the air, has a big head, and has some string or line coming out from its body Igni reviews all the traits he heard thus far. Yoori and Elina were trying to think of a similar Monster in their heads, but no one came up with anything. Igni: .......it could be a new kind. Rania: A new kind? A new kind of Monster?! Rania jumped on Ignis words as Igni was speaking to himself. Igni: .......Im not saying that for certain. Im just saying that its possible. Elina: A new kind of Monster. That is possible. Yoori: Yeah, I think youre right, Igni. Theres no Monster that I can think of that even comes close to what this one looks like. All the students agreed on this, and Rania and Nie look at each other before they speak in unison. Rania: Igni! Is there something good that comes from discovering a new kind of Monster?! Igni: S`Something good.? Well, first, you get to name it. And..was there anything else..? Igni throws the question to the other two. Elina: Wouldnt you get a reward if you give it to the researchers in the Capital? Yoori: And the news might be big enough to be published by a few newspapers so your names will be better known. Rania and Nie both stood up eyes sparkling after hearing the words. Rania: Theres only good things that could happen then! Im more than ready now to take this thing down!! Nie: Isnt that wonderful news, Elder Sister?! Well finally be famous!! The two got super excited. Didnt they say to not count your chickens before they hatched? Rania: I cant just sit around any more! Lets go to the mines right now!! Igni: Thats fine, but do you have any clue where to look? Rania: No clue! Igni: I see. No clue. ..wait, none at all?! Rania was so bold with her answer, that Igni mistook her words for a second. Rania: Yes! Well just have to walk around the mines!! Igni: Wh`What about before? How did you find it? Rania: We walked around the mines, and it came out!! Rania was so bold and confident that you could tell that she didnt have a shred of nervousness. Igni: I understand. Then lets walk around the mines. And Igni didnt really have any other ideas either, so he decided to just brute force his way through this problem. Elina: Hey, Igni. This. Igni: Hm? Whats wrong? Elina suddenly tugged at Ignis sleeves after staring at Ranias picture of the Monster for a while. Elina: .......no, I think Im probably mistaken but Elina paused before she spoke again. Elina: Isnt this..a picture of a baby? ``was what she said. Igni: A baby? This? Elina: Yeah, the head is big and the body is small. And look at its posture. Elina pointed to the way the lines drew the body. Elina: Doesnt it look like its curled up in a ball? Igni: It does. Elina: And that thing coming out from the body.I think its the umbilical chord. Igni: Yeah, it does look like that. Now that Elina pointed it out, to Igni, the more he looked, the more he saw it. Elina: Hey, you two. How big was this thing? Rania and Nie both look up at Elinas question. Rania: Around 3 meters (10 feet) big? Nie: It was quite big, Elder Sister. Elina: ................... Elina thought for a while and`` Elina: Lets go to the mines. ``is all she said. <<<<>>>> CH 120 Chapter 120: The Mines and the Wizard [When going into the mines, make sure to take this Magic Artifact with you!] [What is this?] [It will start shining when it detects poison in the air! If this lights up, you need to start going back!] Igni took the lamp-like object from Rania and held it up in front of him, as Igni and Elina walked inside the mines. Igni: ......its a narrow path. Elina: Yes. In that case, well most likely not run into it. The two walked inside one of the mines tunnels as they kept watch of their surroundings. Igni: Why do you think so? Elina: If its 3 meters big, right? I doubt that it would fit inside a small passage like this. Igni: Y`Yeah, I think youre right. Igni and Elina walked over the railway for an underground trolley, and they continued forward using one of Ignis {Fireball} as light. Among Ignis {Fireball} Spells, it is most focused on light energy exchange and is called [Equip Flame] : {Ignition} {Flare Shot}. Igni: First, we need to understand the mapping of these tunnels betteroh, watch your step, Elina. Theres a steep drop right here. Elina: Thank you. But Igni, you dont have to keep being so mindful of me. Igni: Really? But you are a girl so`` Elina: ..........y`yes, but Im okay. Im strong after all. Elina nodded after blushing slightly. But unfortunately, Ignis light was not bright enough for Igni to see this change in her expression. They walked and investigated each pathway carefully to cover their designated search area. Igni: .........this place is big. Igni mumbled to himself because in that space, it was about 10 meters (33 feet) to the roof and about 20 meters (66 feet) half-circle radius. Elina: It is a large cavern. Igni: Im guessing this is where the miners gather..probably. Elina mumbles to herself and Igni analyzes the room. Inside the room, the trolley railway separated into multiple lines, and there were many small passages connected to this room. Igni: They probably descend to this place once, and then start digging even deeper from here. Igni is being quite serious for one reason only. Its because a girl, Elina, is right next to him. Igni: I guess well start from the edge path and search each one in order. Lets go, Elina. Elina: Y`Yes. But Elinas voice seemed a little uncertain. Igni: Is something the matter? Elina: N`No. Its nothing. Its just..I dont like dark spaces. Igni reaches a hand to Elina. Igni: Its going to be okay. Cmon. Lets go. Igni adjusted the brightness of his {Fireball} next to him, and making it a little brighter, he took Elinas hand as they proceeded forward. Elina is slightly afraid of the dark. And is holding Ignis hand. In other words, this is an opportunity. As Igni held Elinas hand gently, he began recalling a certain memory in the past. Yes, it was a night just as dark as it was here <<<<>>>> [And so, oye, Igni.] [Ack?! Dont talk to me all of a sudden!] Igni is currently hiding in the dark and hunting Monsters. He felt sweat build up as he balled up his fists, and while he was wiping them dry on his clothes, Lucas, who was standing behind him, suddenly spoke up. [Listen. I have something important to tell you.] [Oh, it ran away.] The Monster realized where Igni was and was just about to attack when it saw Lucas standing behind Igni and immediately ran away in fright. [So Igni. Right now, you were feeling nervous, were you not?] [Y`Yeah. I was but..what about it?] [Now then, was that genuine nervousness you were feeling just now?] [What?] His grandfather, who usually spoke about things in incomprehensible ways, said something even more confusing, so Igni couldnt help but ask his grandfather for clarification. [Of course I was nervous! What are you talking about?!] [Nervous? Your heart was beating quickly and you were sweating, but that was it, no?] [Thats what nervousness is!!] [How is that different from when youre feeling excited then?] [...........excuse me?] Igni tilted his head and spoke in a weird voice in his confusion. [Hmph. Well, listen. Oye, Igni. Between your physical response and your hearts response, faster?!] [What are you talking about?] [Do people get nervous and then their heart starts beating?! Or do their hearts start beating so they start feeling nervous?!] [Which? I mean, thats..] Igni thought about this for a moment. [I wonder which it is..] [Exactly! Its something a normal person would not think about..! But Igni! There is an important saying that you should keep in mind.!] [A`An important saying.?!] [Yes. Thats[the domino effect]!!] [Th`The Domino Effect..!!] Igni shook as he heard the familiar words. [Exactly! As you seek the pinnacle of Popularity, this may be unrelated and even an evil subject! And though I think it may not be necessary, I will tell you regardless! When people fall into danger..sometimes, they will mistake that for being in an excited state.!!] [...........?!] [In other words, human beings think in accordance to how their body responds.! Do you understand where I am going with this..?! You were nervous because you felt your heart rate rise.!!] [B`But.Grandpa, isnt that just one way of thinking about this.?] [Listen to me to the very end!!] [O`Ow] [Yes! As you mentioned, this is just a theory.! I am not if this is true! But..! Why are you hesitating to use this to your advantage!!] [...........!!] Igni shook once again to Lucas words. [Th`Thats true. What you say is true, Grandpa..! We need to useanything.and everything to our advantage if we can.! Youre right!] [Thats right, Igni! If you are able to use this to your advantage, you will no longer be nervous any more!!] [I`Ill do my best!! Just watch me!!!] The young and gullible Igni easily jumped onto this idea. <<<<>>>> True, it may only be a possibility! And it might only be a theory!! But as long as Ignino, Igni and his friends believe it.you can find it there! A mans hopes and dreams! Igni: Are you okay, Elina? With Ignis {Fireball} lighting the path forward, Elina walked behind Igni. Elina: Y`Yes. .Im fine. Elina held Ignis hand tightly, and they both proceeded deeper and deeper down into the mines path. Igni: Hey, Elina. Elina: Hm? Whats wrong? Igni: When you were looking at that picture, what thought crossed your mind? Elina: What..do you mean? Igni: You said it looked like a baby right? When you saw that picture. Elina: Y`Yeah, I did say that. Elina kept pace with Igni as she nodded. Igni: After that, you seemed to be deep in thought. So I thought you realized something. Elina: .......no, its nothing really. Its just something I heard a long time ago. Elina whispers the words quietly. Elina: When the of humans gathers, it creates something that resembles a fetus..or something like that. Igni: Really? I thought they said that Monsters were born from places where human stagnation gathers. Elina: Yes, Ive heard that . Thats why I thought it was just my imagination, so I didnt say anything back then. In that instant, the tunnels in the mines shook violently. Elina: AAHHH!! Igni drew Elina close to him as she almost stumbled and fell. Elina: .........an earthquake? Igni: ......no, this is different, Elina. The stench that reached Ignis nose was something he was far too familiar with up until 2 years ago. And it was also the same smell that etched into his nose when he met with Abyss the other day. Igni: ......its human stagnation. A Monster came out. CH 121 Chapter 121: The Fetus and the Wizard Ignis 5 senses are extremely sharp. That is because he could only use the Spell {Fireball}, so he had to continue to improve anything outside of Spells that he could get his hands on. Thats why he could follow his nose and trace back the burning stench that was the smell of human stagnation, and returned to the original large room they were in before. Over here! The Black and White Sisters were already engaged with the enemy. They could hear the sounds of battle from afar. But Igni and Elina could not help but pause and hesitate for a moment when they saw that. Elina: What.is that? Igni: ......! Dont stop, Elina! With lightning fast reflexes, Igni shoved Elina away, and kicked the ground as they parted from one another. The next instant, , something invisible dropped where the two were just standing. Glancing behind him, Igni saw that there was a large hand print left behind. Rania: Be careful! You cant see its attacks! Igni: Got it! The Elder Sister, Rania, shouted out orders as Igni obediently followed them and ran forward. The thing had an abnormally engorged head and had the look of a fetus. It was floating about 2 meters (6.5 feet) from the ground, and its eyes were closed as if it was sleeping. But on its head, every inch was filled with eyes and mouths. The countless eyes followed Igni, Rania, Nie, and Elina. Igni: So gross.! Igni shouted aloud and created a {Fireball} in his hand. Igni: [Equip Flame] : {Ignition}! Behind Igni, 5 {Fireballs} were created and glowed white with heat. The {Fireballs} let out a metallic squeel as unbelievable amounts of concentrated Magic Power were stuffed into each one. Igni: [Launch] : {Fire}!! (*sfx) The {Fireball} was fired and accelerated with explosive speed, and the sound of air compression followed it as it collided..not against his intended target, but in the air. Igni: ........are you serious? Igni mumbled to himself, as he felt blood lust from the air once again. He kicked the ground and felt something brush against his back as it passed by. A chill ran down his spine. The invisible hand tried to capture Igni just now. Rania: There are times when our attacks dont work! Igni: Is it blocking it?! Rania: Probably, yeah! With that invisible hand! As soon as Rania was finished shouting, the younger sister began manipulating Magic Power. Nie: [Those who crowd under the earth, carve it down]. From Nies [Darkness] Type Magic, her shadow suddenly exploded outwards.! Countless small soul-like objects came out and each one seemed to have a life of its own and headed straight for that thing. (*sfx metallic collision) And instead of the sound of a Magic Spell impacting, the sound of metal grinding against metal echoed across the room. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor] {Pierce}! In that moment, Igni saw the two giant hands that were floating in the air and pushing away the oncoming darkness. Those were probably the same hands used for both attacking and defending. Then, if those two hands are both defending right now, then they should be able to continuously attack. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! (*sfx) And the {Fireball} that was spun at extreme high speeds took a ovular shape and was sent straight at the thing! And impacted!! Fire and wind erupted from the explosion and spread in all directions. Nies Spell pushed the smoke aside, and made that thing reappear. Elina: ........SH!! (*sfx exhale) From behind, Elina let out a short breath. And in a blink of an eye, Elina teleported right in front of him. No, she didnt teleport. Through {Physical Enhancement}, she drew and attacked with her sword with incredible speed. The babys head was now covered in burns and two large gashes from Elinas sword were engraved into it further. Elina: [Thorns of the Rose Spear] {Plant Lance} With Elinas incantation, the thing was pierced from underneath by a giant rose vine in the shape of a spear. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor] {Pierce} The vine would only hold it for a moment. The next instant, it was being torn apart by something unseen. The two hands were heading for the rose vine. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} Five of Ignis Spells were slammed into the thing. Explosive fire enveloped and engulfed the baby monster completely and burned it away. Losing the majority of its body, watching it suffer in agony was not a pleasant sight. Rania: Everyone, on your guard! But even in under that circumstance, the Elder Sister Rania yelled out orders. Igni: On guard?! From what?! Rania: That thing will repair itself! As soon as Rania was finished yelling, the babys body returned to normal as if time was turned back. Igni: Hey! You could have told us earlier! Though Ignis criticism is valid, Rania only responds with a bitter expression on her face. Rani: Its no use! That things body, even if we wipe out its ashes, it still comes back! Igni: ........what do you.. Igni searches through his memory. Forget its looks. An abnormal regenerative ability. Invisible attacks. Is there something that matches those descriptions..? Though he searched hard, no answer came back. Next, Igni felt something hit him from the side. Igni: .........! [Impact] {Fire}!! While Igni was flying through the air, he detonated a {Fireball} that explodes in one particular direction to slow him down and he barely landed against the wall. Elina: Are you okay?! Igni: I let my guard down. Im okay! As Elina yelled in concern, Igni immediately answered her and a certain Spell crossed his mind. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} And he filled the entire room with countless {Fireballs}. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} ZUDODODODODO!!!! (*sfx) Hundreds of thousands of {Fireballs} shaved and carved off the babys body. But all of the wounds were regenerating quickly. Elina: ........even Ignis Spell didnt work Elina lets out a whimper of despair. Igni let out a sigh as he finally grasped what was happening. Thats why he dispelled all his {Fireballs}. And turning towards the baby, he asked. Igni: What is your condition? [.........oooOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUuuuu] The air shook and the tunnels echoed as a massive wind blew through them. Igni was the only one who calmly studied the baby as the wind swept over them. The babys countless eyes began moving and searching all over endlessly. [Bring it here] [Bring it here] [Girl with blue hair] [black hair] [that one!] [No, its red] [Today its white] [its not a girl, but a boy] The countless mouths on its head began speaking interrupting each other. [Bring it here] [Bring here] [To this place] [Inside the mines!] [Anywhere on the mountain is fine] [Alive] [No corpses] The attacks from the baby ended. But all the countless eyes were staring intently at Igni. Feeling uneasy from a prick of doubt springing up inside of him, Igni summoned the courage to ask. Igni: .........what is the name? And all the mouths of the baby opened and in unison, it answered at once. CH 122 Chapter 122: The Stagnation and the Wizard Elina: Wh`What was that just now, Igni?! Rania: Y`Yes! Please explain it to your big sister! Igni: I think you know, Elina. And Im also not your brother, Rania The baby was nowhere to be seen. Thats because it disappeared as soon as it said, Yoori to Igni. Igni: That thing.this is just a guess, but is human stagnation that became self-aware. Igni spoke his thoughts out loud as he sorted through the information inside his head. Nie: Human stagnation.you mean that thing thats made up of peoples curses, jealousies, and stuff that is discharged along with Magic Power from your body? The younger sister, Nie, was standing behind Igni without him realizing as she spoke up. Igni nodded in affirmation. Igni: Yes, thats right. So that thing is something.made up of what used to be part of human emotion and gathered together and took shape. I heard of rumors, but I never thought I would see one. Rania: Igni, why did you ask about its condition? Igni answered Ranias question. Igni: Its something where human curses and suffering solidify, so there is a human emotion at its core. In other words, I asked . And then it simply answered..I didnt think it would be that easy. Rania: Wait.then.. And Rania seemed to realize and opened her eyes wide as she spoke her thoughts out loud. Rania: That baby has some resentment towards Yoori? Igni: Yeah, that would be the case. And Igni nodded slowly to affirm their suspicions. But a curse of that magnitude and also gains consciousness is quite the phenomenon. Rania: Then, did Yoori do something terrible?! Was Yoori that dangerous of a person?! Igni: No, Yoori is. Igni brought back all his memories about Yoori in his head as he spoke. Igni: Yoori has a good heart. As far as I know, Yoori isnt someone who would do anything to create that much resentment. As Igni spoke, Elina also nodded in agreement. Elina: What Igni says is true. I cant believe that anyone would hate Yoori to that degree. I cannot imagine Yoori doing anything that bad. Do you think that thing is mistaken? Igni: As you saw, that thing was composed of many peoples resentments..so its hard to believe that its hatred is pointing to the wrong person. Elina: Then, that means for whatever reason, Yoori became the center of its resentment. Igni: Yes, thats probably true. But there may be some misdirected resentment or misunderstandings regardless though. But this was only Ignis theory, and the other 3 understood that. Nie: U`Um! Nie raised her hand. Nie: Thatthing..if we were going to attempt to eradicate it, we would need to bring Yoori here?! Igni: .......that would be the case. Igni affirms. Nie: E`Elder Sister! What should we do?! Nie panics and looks to Rania. Rania: Calm down, Lil Sis. If we do that, well be known as the heartless Black and White Sisters. Rania speaks slowly to help calm Nie down. Rania: We cant do that. There are too many heartless mercenaries, and we wouldnt be able to stand out from the rest! Nie: Then? Rania: It would be most beneficial for us to work to help protect Yoori in this case. Igni: (What kind of reasoning is that?) Igni didnt think once to reflect on his own ambitions and reasoning as he retorted silently in his head. This is now a regular habit. He should at some point, do some self-reflection. Elina: Igniwhat do you think? Elina looks at Igni. Igni nodded deeply and began explaining his own point of view. Igni: ......Im against bringing Yoori here. Elina: Can you tell me why? Igni: Curses arewell, if you bring the object of the curse, theres a chance that it will grow bigger. Thats why bringing Yoori here may not help us at all. Elina: I see. Rania: Then what do you think we should do? Igni: ..........well, lets see.. Igni began brainstorming for a solution. How to resolve someones deep resentment. Igni dug deeper and deeper down that line of thought to seek out a solution until he found . <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni. There are some things in this world that you should never touch. [What? Like an angry dragon? [Of course not. Just use a Spell, and its dead. There are things far scarier. Though theres only a handful of people who can instantly kill a Dragon, known as the strongest Monster race in this world, but not knowing that, Igni tried to think seriously of something scarier than Dragons. [.......I cant think of any.] [It is a womans resentment. [............what?] [Listen well, Igni. The scariest thing in the world is women. Especially, when relationships get complicateda woman who resents her opponent is frightening. When a woman cheats on a man, a man may criticize and condemn the woman who cheated on him..but the woman the other woman the man cheated on. yes, there is something terrifying when she catches on. [......the..resentment of a woman..!] Young Igni realized that there are things more terrifying than Dragons and shook and trembled from his core. And it would be a lie if he were to admit that the thought of maybe Popularity isnt worth it didnt cross the back of his mind at that instant. Thats how scared he was and shook in fear. [Wh`What should I do..?!] Thats why Igni reached out desperately to his grandfather for an answer. And Lucas looked at him gravely as he nodded. [Yestime will heal everything.] [.........what?] [After about a year.well, the resentment would probably be gone by then.] [.....................] [Why are you looking at me like that? It cant be helped. Time is the best medicine and antidote in this case..] [Grandpa, youre the worst!!] Igni headbutted Lucas in the stomach and made him fly back a few meters into the air. <<<<>>>> Igni: (Tsch. That old man can be so useless sometimes.) Ignis hands fidgeted as he cursed his grandpa in his mind. He hasnt felt resentment like this since the first day of the Academy. Igni: And we cant just waitfor things to resolve itself naturally. And Igni thought out loud as he continued to ponder. Igni: (.....hm? Wait.) Dont they say to fight fire with fire? And Igni had a slight epiphany. Igni: Elina, what would you do? Elina: Me? Igni: Yes. If you had so much resentment towards someone that you wanted to kill them, how would you resolve those feelings? If you are scared of buying resentment from women, then you can ask a woman for a solution. It is Popularity Etiquette No. 13. Elina: ....... me? Hmmm, well. I would talk it out. Igni: Talk? Elian: Yes. Sometimes, its just better to verbally say everything you want to say, and in most cases, you would feel better afterwards. .but I dont know if that would be helpful in dealing with [that thing] though. And shes probably referring to that gross fetus monster. Igni: .........talk, huh. Yes, thats true. We do have to find out whats happening. Igni nodded in agreement to Elinas words. And it gave Igni and his group next steps towards a solution. Igni: Lets ask Yoori about what happened. Nie: ........um, Mr. Igni? Igni: Hm? As soon as Igni determined their next move, Nie popped a question. Nie: If..Yoori didnt do anything..and if it was all a big misunderstanding, I would agree that that would be ideal but. She sucked in a deep breath. Nie: But if..if Yoori..did something that truly deserves the curses and resentment of that thing..what would you do? Igni: Well Igni answered without hesitation. Igni: No matter what, Yoori is my friend. Thats just how friends are. A Popular man does not hold the past against any woman. Igni: (Well, even if Yoori is a guy!!) And Igni retorted to himself silently. <<<<>>>> CHONKY TL: WHAT DID YOU DO, YOORI. Put your guess in the comments!! You will be awarded the CHONKY TL Light Novel Plot Sleuth award (this is not a real award). Of course, don''t participate if you already read ahead!! (I haven''t) Assuming that there are no delays, next chapter will come out January 19, 2022 @ 9:00 PM U.S. Central Time! <<<<>>>> CHONKY Notes LiT (Lost in Translation) Just to clear the air of sexist ideology and thoughts, yes, saying jealous women are scarier than jealous men is not true. There are plenty of cases where jealous men kill both their partner and the man or woman the partner cheated with. If Grandpa wanted to be accurate, theres nothing scarier than when you get caught cheating. Now THAT, I can agree with. Just googling, I found a 1987 crime study from 1982 - 1984, where it found that (1) homicide was least likely to be committed by a stranger, and (2) Spouses or ex-spouses committed over half of all crimes by relatives. This is just from reading the abstract, and I didnt vet the source data or replicate their results, so take it with a grain of salt. Undoubtedly, this trend could morph and change over time, but its one data point that Crime drama loves to point out as a case in point. CH 123 Chapter 123: The Upperclassman and Lowerclassman Leaving the mines, Igni walked straight back to town. Elina and the 2 others were going to remain at the small cottage. They probably thought it would be easier for Igni to speak with his friend alone. And thats why Igni headed back by himself. As soon as he arrived at the village, he saw Yoori walking next to an elderly man. Yoori: Grandpa, youre pretty old in age now, so you shouldnt be walking around like that. Its dangerous. Well now, when I was younger, we had plenty more geezers who were far older than me and much healthier too. Igni: Yoori, can we talk? Yoori: Oh, Igni. Yeah, thats fine. Good bye, Grandpa. Oh, is this one of your friends, Yoori? Igni: Yes, Yoori has been a very good friend to me. My name is Igni. Igni bowed politely to the elderly man. Oh, no, no. Thats what we would like to say to you. Yoori is my precious grandson. Please take good care of him. And the elderly man bowed his head very low. Igni: (Grandson. So is this Yooris grandfather?) But Igni could not see the resemblance between the two Yoori: L`Lets go, Igni. Igni: Y`Yeah.. It was rare for Yoori to be tugging at Ignis sleeves, and Igni was a little surprised to see how Yoori wanted to get away from his grandfather. Yoori: So whats wrong, Igni? Igni: There was something I wanted to talk to you about. Yoori: Okay, thats fine. Where do you want to talk? Igni: Some place where theres not many people will be good. Yoori: Then lets go back to the cottage where youre staying. Villagers typically do not enter that area. WIth Yooris suggestion, he drew and held Ignis hand as they entered the cottage. Outside of it, they saw Miss Ella hanging and drying the washed clothes. Igni was grateful. Yoori: So what did you want to talk about? Igni: ...........yeah, lets see. Where should I start? Igni placed a hand on the table as he thought. But, in the end, he decided to start from the beginning. He explained how they found the monster that the Black and White Sisters were talking about. And how they found out that it was actually not a Monster, but a product of human stagnation. And the fact that that stagnation was looking for Yoori. Yoori: .......it was looking for me. Igni: So, I wanted to ask you. and if its something you cant tell me, thats fine too, butdid you do something? Yoori: At the mines..you mean? Igni: Yeah. But Yoori suddenly got up out of seat. Yoori: I`I havent done anything!! Igni: Whoa?! O`Okay. I understand. And because Yoori suddenly shouted, Igni was caught off guard and shocked. Igni: Im sorry, Yoori. I didnt think you would have done anything either. But I wanted to know if you knew anything that would help us get to the bottom of this. Yoori: Oh.yes. O`Of course. Im sorry for suddenly yelling. Igni: No, dont worry about it. I should have worded that better. Im sure being questioned about the origins of a human stagnation that was so potent that it took on a life of its own would at best, sound kindly suspicious. Igni: (I should have been more careful in how I approached the subject..) Igni was not one to overlook improving these kinds of mistakes. Yoori: But..sorry. I probably.dont know anything. Igni: ........I`I see. Thanks anyway, Yoori. And do you think you would know anything else? Im talking about what happened at the mines. I hate to put it this way, but Yoori is not that uncommon of a name, right? So I thought there might be a possibility that another Yoori may have done something. Yoori: .......yeah, thats true. That could be the case. But sorry. Ive been at the Academy all this time, so I dont know much about the mines. You saw how few letters I got from here right? Igni: Yeah, now that you mention it. Igni agrees to Yooris words. Indeed, Yoori did not receive many letters from his village. He received one letter confirming whether he was coming back during the summer break. Thinking through it more calmly now, its unlikely that Yoori would have known anything about what happened in those mines. But the description of the person the human stagnation was looking for was without a doubt, Yoori. Thats why Igni let out a soft exhaleand relaxed. Igni: Well, if thats the case, then it cant be helped. Sorry to waste your time. Yoori: Thats okay. Were friends after all. Yoori smiled. Igni: WellIm always looking for more information, so if you learn of something, please share it with me. Yoori: Yes, Ill do what I can to help. Yoori reached out a hand to shake Ignis. Igni: Then Ill go back now. You have some work to do here right, Yoori? Yoori: Well, a job of some sort. Its helping out with the farmlands. Yoori laughed a little embarrassed and pivoted on his heels. Igni: Hey, Yoori. Yoori: .........whats wrong, Igni? Yoori answered without turning back around. Igni: Ill always think of you as one of my precious friends. Yoori: Me too. Igni: Yoori made a short gasp at Ignis words. Yoori: ........Igni, you really are cool. And leaving it at that, Yoori exited the cottage. After a while, Igni departed too to regroup with the other 3. Even though the town is near the mines, its still a little ways away, and it takes a little over 10 minutes to walk one way. As he walked the path, Igni continued to think. Hey! Igni! How are you doing?!?! An ear-ringing volume hit his eardrums from the right side, and Ignis heart stopped for a moment. Igni: AAAGHH?! Such a loud voice?! What?! Who?!?! Its me!! Me!! Are you well?!?! Igni: M`Mr..H`Howell..sir Igni almost forgot to add any formalities to addressing Howell. Howell: Yes! Its Howell! But you are dating Elina, right?! You can call me Brother Howell if you like!! And the giant of a man laughed out loud, and without a doubt, the man that stood before Igni was the 3rd son of the Owlight family, Howell. Igni: Wh`Why are you here? Howell: Oh! I was just a little worried for you all and came flying over here! I was bored at home anyways!! If you are alive, Im glad. Igni: ........thank you. Igni could not grasp Howells personality and character quite yet, so he answered with care and suspicion. But as soon as he was about to depart, Howells smile broadened. Howell: But Igni! You seemed concerned! Did something happen?! Igni: Well, something did and..it is true that I am concerned. Howell: Then tell me! I graduated top of the class at everything at the Rolmod Wizard Academy! I may be of some assistance!! Igni: (He does have a point there.) And Igni decided to share their experience in the mines while leaving out some critical details. Howell: Hmmmm!! A human stagnation that obtained consciousness!! That is indeed interesting!! If possible, I would have made that my graduate thesis!! And Howell laughed even louder than before. Howell: But Igni! I would not know how a human stagnation became sentient like that, but I do have a guess at why so much human stagnation gathered there! Igni: ..........really? Howell: Of course! You need to put more faith in your former upperclassman, Mr. Underclassman! And Howell puffed out his chest with confidence. Igni: ......then could you tell me? A memory from the past stings Igni in the back of his mind at this moment. <<<<>>>> [About my second requestI want you to put my 3rd son Howell in his place.] [In his place? Like humble him somehow?] [Indeed. Right now, things are going too well for him, and he believes himself to be at the top of the world. Igni, I would like for you to beat Howell in a match. [Mr. Seta. Why couldnt you do that?] [Even if he loses to me, he would not see it as a setback.] And Seta puffed his piped a little more forcefully. [From a while ago, hes been getting more and more out of hand.] And Igni wrinkled his face in thought as he spoke. [But you would really ask me to do that for you?] And answered Seta. <<<<>>>> But the Serpentine Road is just that ` a slithering, winding road. Igni decided to trust Howell. CH 124 Chapter 124: The Truth Behind the Divine Prodigy Howell: Igni, please lend me your hand! Igni: My hand? Howell: Yes. Igni placed his hand out instinctively according to Howells words. Howell then grabbed Ignis hand firmly. Honestly, Igni had second thoughts about holding hands with a man, but since Igni decided to trust Howell on this one, he obediently followed Howells commands. Once they held hands, Howell directed Magic Power towards the ground. Howell: [Strong Magnetism] {Katetsura?Magneteika}!! And a strange sound emitted from the surrounding rocks as Igni and Howell were both blasted up into the sky!! Igni: Whoa! Howell: HA HA HA! Isnt my Spell amazing!! Igni: ...........an [Earth] Magic Type. Howell: Yes! I am a [Earth] : [S]!! A peculiar coincidence that it mirrored Iris compatibility. But Iris manipulated a mass of eart in most of her Spells, but Howells was different. His Spells manipulated the earth on a much more sophisticated level. Howell: Okay, were almost there. Look there, Igni. The next moment, they both pause in the air. And Igni looked down..and gasped at the scene. Igni: ........this is With the mines at the center, there were several circular paths leading to it. There were even spiraling paths. Igni recalls walking on one of those roads. He thought they were paths constructed to make the mines easily accessible, but from this vantage point, it looked most peculiar and alien. .and while walking on the path, he did think it odd that there were so many roads going to the mines, but that was it. In the end, he concluded that it was probably to efficiently carry down the Mithril from the mines. Howell: Hmmm, no matter how many times I look at it, it still gives me the creeps! Howells words pound into Ignis ears. There, there was a that completely surrounded the mines. Because it was so gargantuan, Igni did not realize it when he was walking right on top of it, but now, it laid out before his eyes as clear as day. Igni: ........what is this, Mr. Howell? Howell: This? This is an Inscription for performing a very strong [Ritual]! Igni: Ritual? Howell nodded to Ignis words. Howell: Igni! Have you ever heard of [Gu] or [Jincan]? Igni: I have. I have a basic understanding of the concept. Miss Valia, who secretly hid her huge breasts inside of her clothes, taught him about it. Theres no way he would forget. [Gu] is the ritual where they would place poisonous creatures inside a jar, and the last remaining one would carry a very powerful curse ` a Curse Ritual. And he also couldnt forget when he got to see Miss Valias breasts at the ocean side. Howell: Then I dont need to explain! This Inscription is exactly for [that] purpose!! Igni: ...........excuse me? As Ignis head was currently filled with large, bouncing breasts, Igni missed what Howell just said and had to ask him to repeat himself. Howell: Igni, what you see here. This is an inscription to perform the [Gu] Ritual! Igni: Here? The [Gu] Ritual?? Igni tilted his head to consider what Howell was saying. Igni: What do you mean? The [Gu] is used for poisonous bugs to kill each other inside a jar, right? What would you need to make one this big then?? Howell: Those are great points! But do not worry! I will explain everything to you!!! And Howell pounded his chest with his fist proudly and confidently. Igni could feel the impact of that hit through Howells hand he was holding. Igni: (What is with this guy?) Howell: Igni! As you know, the [Gu] you are familiar with is the most simple, basic form of [Gu]! The fundamentals of fundamentals! If you compare it to Spells, itll be similar to {Fireball}!! Igni: .........so.. Howell: The condition to perform a [Gu] Ritual is more accurately this `` to create a space where only one will survive and must kill the others. Igni: .................. Howell: Thats why, Igni, this vast Magic Spell inscription you see is !! To be accurate, it is a Curse Inscription ` or a Curse Engraving! At that instant, pieces began coming together in Ignis head. Igni: ......that means.. The town where Yoori is the only child. The human stagnation that targets Yoori. The unbelievably white hair. The trauma that prevents Yoori from using Attack Spells. The incredible support from the town folks. And on the first day of school, his concerns about making sure to reach the top percentage of the class. His grandfather who looks nothing like him. Yooris ritual of wearing different clothes. Igni thought about how Yoori slightly panicked when he questioned him about the mines. Howell: I see! As expected of you, Igni! Looks like you grasped the situation already!!! Igni: .........then, the [Gu] that was performed here was.. All the pieces came flooding in and attaching to each other in perfect harmony and succession. Howell: It is the towns tradition! In order to develop an excellent Wizard, they will gather children up to a certain age every few decades and perform the [Gu]! Last time, it was done 3 years ago! The child who won was that white haired kid! Igni: ...............thatsimpossible Igni couldnt help but speak his thoughts out loud at the revelation, and his voice trembled with each word. Howell: Those who survive the [Gu] Ritual are usually left with a physical mark! For instance, having your hair turn completely white and such!! Howell speaks loudly. Howell: And those who receive the [Gu] Rituals curse will carry immense potential, and they are called Divine Prodigys in the town. Igni has a sudden flash back to the first day he met Yoori. <<<<>>>> [Yooriis thisall your belongings?] [Y`Yeah. Everyone sent me well-wishes and gifts for being accepted into the Academy!] [Wow. Thats amazing.] [......they kept calling me Divine Prodigy, Diving Prodigy, and stuff like that. <<<<>>>> Igni: (Wasnt Yoori downcast when he spoke?) Igni: (And why didnt I think it strange that he would speak so darkly about that?) Howell: The Divine Prodigy is raised as everyones child within the village!! Howells words continue to put the pieces together in Ignis head. That day, when the Tournament was over, Yoori said something when Alicia came into Ignis room to get away from Celia. [I have some womens clothes gifted to me from my town, so you can wear that.] That day when they arrived at town, Yoori was wearing girls clothes, but the next day, he was wearing his usual clothes and said this. [Ohyoure wearing guys clothes today.] [Yeah. I have to alternate.] And the elderly man told Igni this even though he looked nothing like Yoori. [Please take care of my grandchild. Howell: Yes, yes! You have a wonderful, sharp mind, Igni!! Igni can hear Howells compliments even as he thinks. Howell: You have now realized the truth of the matter, Igni!! Igni: ..........Yoori is.. Howell: He killed the children of the town and was the last one who survived! Igni: (.....................I see. So thats what happened.) Igni quietly closed his eyes. Igni: ........thenthe stagnation inside the mines are Howell: Curses have a tendency to gather human stagnation quite easily!! Igni fully opened his eyes and let out a long, slow breath. Igni: Thats whytheyre after Yoori. Howell: That would be the case!! With all the pieces now put together in his head, Igni looked at Howell. Igni: ........Mr. Howell, how did you come to know about this? Howell: 3 years ago, I was still barely a student! I was looking for something fun to research and was exploring many areas, and I accidentally discovered this! Igni: An accident? Howell: Yes! Igni: (This guy is also a pretty strange fellow.) Igni let out a deep, exasperated sigh. CH 125 Chapter 125: The Curse and the Wizard Mr. Howell dropped me off on the ground and then went somewhere on his own. Igni was walking toward the cottage, and knocked on the door to meet up with the other three. Nie opened the door and let Igni inside. On top of the table, cards were scattered everywhere. Looks like the three of them were playing together. Igni: (Oh, Elinas been losing really bad.) Elina: I`Igni! You came at a good time!! Igni: Wh`Whats wrong, Elina? Elina: I cant seem to beat these two no matter what! Please help me!! Elina came wandering over to him with teary eyes. But it was more important to relay to them what Igni learned just now. Igni: C`Calm down, Elina. I have some shocking news. Elina: Shocking news? Igni helped Elina calm down, and he spoke to the three about everything he saw with Howell. Rania: So youre saying that Yoori is a victim of that [Gu] Ritual? It was Rania who spoke first. Igni: That would be the case. Elina: ......I see. Thats why Yoori is unable to use Attack Spells. Elina also crossed her arms as she listened and groaned as she digested the information. Elina: Then.I.understand what that human stagnation is saying. I do understand, but shouldnt its resentment be pointed against the people of the town then? And Elina quietly stated a great argument. Rania: Th`That is true, but maybe it was easier making Yoori the target?! And Rania is not as confident in her answer against Elinas spoken doubts. Igni: Thats probably correct, I think. I agree with Rania. Rania: You can call me Big Sister Rania! Igni: ........that stagnation is taking its fury out on Yoori. A classic example of misplaced anger. Igni completely ignores her. Nie: So what should we do to help that stagnation complete its revenge? Nie was collecting and stacking the scattered cards neatly in a pile as she asked. Igni thought about her question and then expressed his own thoughts. Igni: ......Im not an expert when it comes to resolving a stagnations issue. What do you think, Elina? Elina: Hm? Why not just ask it? Igni: Ask? Elina: That baby can speak words, right? We can ask what it will do when we bring Yoori along, no? Igni: ......ohhhh Igni: (I see.) And Igni was impressed with Elinas answer. He assumed that the stagnation would try to kill Yoori if he brought Yoori along, butwhat if it had other ideas? Now that she said it, Igni remembered that you can speak to [it]. Then talking to it is one option. Rania: Ughhhhh, I dont want to go see that thing again. Nie: Elder Sister, I feel the same way too, but I also agree with Miss Elina in this instance. Rania: Is there a way to deal with it without meeting with it again, Igni? Igni: .......hm? There are other ways. With Ranias question, Igni pulled out all his knowledge about human stagnation from his memory. Igni: But it would be impossible for us. Well need an expert. If a Wizard is one who reaches the pinnacle of using Magic Power, then there are experts who specialize in understanding human stagnation. Rania: An expert? Igni: It would be a Curse Caster. Rania: Ohhhh.. Rania realizes what Igni was trying to say. Igni only knows Miss Valia who is a Curse Caster, and shes currently back at her home for summer break, so he wouldnt be able to call upon her help even if he wanted to. And Igni does not know of any other Curse Caster friends. Rania: Hmmm`` Lil Sis. You dont know about curses, right? Nie: .......yes. My specialty is Spells, Elder Sister. Rania: Thought so`` She probably wanted to reconfirm. Rania would have been surprised otherwise. Rania: Why cant we just blast it with Spells to cleanse [that]? Igni: Hm? Ohh, thats because its a concentration of negative human emotion. Igni answers Ranias question directly. Igni has spent a full year cleaning out the sewers, and because of that, learned quite a bit about human stagnation. But even then hes only slightly more knowledgeable than the average person. Thats to be expected since its not his specialty. Igni: For instance, if you found someone who had so much hatred pent up inside that he wanted to kill someone, do you think punching that guy would erase his urge to kill? Rania: ........hmmmmmm.I dont think so.. Igni: Exactly. Its the same with human stagnation. Rania: I see now. Its a difficult issue Rania raised both arms up in a gesture of surrender. And silence falls upon the group. Igni also didnt have any solutions and continued to think this and that when Nie suddenly looked outside the window. Nie: ........isnt that..isnt that Yoori over there? Igni: What? Nie pointed her finger outside the window. There was someone with white hair sneaking into the entrance of the mines. Igni: Wh`Why is Yoori here?! Rania: Come on!! Rania jumped up, and Igni agreed to her suggestion. The four of them practically rolled out of the cottage together as they headed to the mines. Igni: ...........?! Where is Yoori?! Looking inside, Yoori was nowhere in sight. Rania: Calm down. All these paths eventually lead to the large meeting room, so we just need to go there! Igni: Understood. Rania spoke up first and led the way. Igni also sharpened his five senses, but he could not pick up Yooris footsteps. Looks like hes gone quite far ahead. He might even be running very quickly. Rania: Lets take a shortcut. This way. Rania spoke again as they walked down the winding tunnels of the mines. As they finally got accustomed to the mines distinct odor and darkness, Igni and his group arrived. Elina: ...........there. Elina spoke quietly. Just as she pointed out, Yoori was there in the large, spacious room inside the mines. And he seemed to be quite on edge as he looked around for people besides himself.when [that] came. Igni: ........lets go. Igni led the group now and headed to where Yoori was. [Finally here] [Here, here] [Hasnt changed] [Changed a lot] [I cant tell] [Its an impostor!!] The fetus with the abnormally large head. Every inch of its head was covered in mouths and eyes, and an umbilical cord extended out from its body. Yoori: ........Im..here Yooris trembling voice echoed throughout the hall. [Welcome] [Im going to kill you] [Ill kill you first!] [No, dont kill.] [Were doing a do-over] [Thats right, a redo!] [REDO!!] And the countless mouths continue to shout whatever they please. Yoori: ........a redo? Do you meanyou mean you want to redo that?! Yooris eyes open wide in shock. [Thats right!] [Im stronger] [No, I am] [Kill right here!] [Kill over there!] [Shut up, all of you. Well begin now.] The next instance, all the voices fall silent, and a bone-chilling darkness covers over the ground, and Yooris body falls into it. Igni: Yoori! Igni shouted and leaped forward when`` [Intruder!] [Let them participate!] [Participate!!] [Itll be fun!] [We can kill them] [Kill] [Kill] [ [ [ Lets begin ] ] ] And the next moment, Ignis body also fell into the darkness. No, it wasnt just Igni. Nie, Rania, and Elina who was walking right behind him also fell into the deep shadows as well. And they opened their eyes as heavy rainfall hit their bodies. It was nightfall, and a warm liquid continued to rain upon them. Igni: .......where are we? There, they saw countless trees planted against a slope. They were most likely on a mountain somewhere. [Human Stagnation] so dense and thick that it was hard to breathe. There might have been someone fighting in the distance as they sensed Magic Power being manipulated around them. Elina: I`Igni! There! And Elina pointed to the thing dimly shining before them ` a giant Spell Inscription. Noa ! Elina: .........whatwhat is going on here? But the words Elina mumbled disappeared under the heavy rain. CH 126 The Boy and the Wizard Igni held out his hand and felt the water hit against it. The sensation was exactly like real rain. Although he feels like this is an illusion, judging from the way Elina and the rest are also equally confused means this is probably not. There are Wizards that can put 4 people under the same illusion simultaneously, but that would have to be an amazingly skilled Wizard and also a highly sophisticated and technically illusionary Spell as well. It would be impossible for both Igni AND Elina to not be able to see through that kind of Illusion Spell. So Igni came to a different possibility. Igni: .........Quasi-Magic, huh. Rania: Quasi-Magic? Rania followed up with a question at Ignis word. Shes probably the least knowledgeable when it comes to Spells among the four. Then this cant be helped, so Igni kindly answered her. Igni: Its an artificial . Instead of creating something from absolutely nothing, you use and overlap it to the foundation around you, and cast the Spell. Rania: How is that any different from a Spell? Igni: .......hmmm, well, technically, there is no basis to differentiate the two. One of the standards you would use to categorize it would be the area of effect and power. Rania: Area of effect and power Rania repeats Ignis words back to herself. Igni: Yeah, it would be a Spell that affects an area that is far beyond a normal Spell. But because it didnt create something out of nothing, its not . So we call that Spell that falls in between regular Spells and , . Rania: I see....I became one step smarter. And Rania tapped her fist in her palm at the revelation. Behind her, Nie and Elina are both aware that these circumstances were created by Quasi-Magic, so they are currently on guard. They are prepared for an attack from any direction right now. Nie: Elder Sister, please stay on your guard. This is a very bad situation. Elina: Yes, everyone, itll be best to be on high alert. And Nie and Elina both spoke at once. And Igni and Rania are already aware of this as well. Igni: .........were surrounded. As soon as Igni whispered the words, he felt Magic Power being manipulated behind him on the right. Nie: [Darkness, group thyself together] A moment after Nies incantation, dark shadows form a wall behind enemy and protects him from the incoming Spell. The Spell strikes the wall and was instantly covered with vines. Igni: [Parasite Plant]?! Theyre using high-level Spells! Igni mumbles the words under his breath. The [Parasite Plant] will root deep inside its impact zone, and destroy the target from the inside out. Its a Spell cast with a clear intention to kill. Igni fires off 5 [Fire Balls] towards the direction where he saw the [Parasite Plant] come from. He selected the speed and power, but made sure to make the explosive area larger. The [Fireballs] exploded in succession, and Igni planned to blow up whoever was hiding or running from there. Igni: Ill go look for Yoori. As explosive fire spread up from behind him, Igni made sure that everyone heard what he said. All four of them witnessed Yoori getting sucked into the darkness. That would mean that Yoori should be trapped inside of here too. Rania: Th`Thats fine, but how do you plan to get out of here?! Igni: I have an idea that might work. Once I find Yoori, I fire a signal into the sky, so someone will need to send their own flare back in response. Nie: Understood. Elder Sister, I can perform the signaling flare, so do not worry. Igni answers Rania right back, and with [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}, he jumps up into the air. The next second, countless Spells are fired up after Igni. But as Igni accelerated even faster, he left the Spells behind as he flew high up into the air. The Spells that couldnt catch up with him collide clumsily together and explode. But without even glancing at those Spells, Igni cut past the rain and set his sights on the scene below. Igni: ........where are you, Yoori? From above, he plainly saw that the situation was not normal. Firstly, the space Igni and his group was trapped in was . From the mines at the center of the mountain, the space only recreated up to the foot of the mountain. The rest disappeared into a vast void. The Curse Inscription was glowing ominously up to the edge of the space, and brought some light to the vast darkness. Igni: I need to find him quickly and leave this place. No matter what the nature of this Quasi-Magic was, it was clear to Igni that nothing good will come of staying here any longer. Igni quickly looked for anyone with white hair, but the task was not that easy. The paths to the mine were cleared of trees, but the rest was untouched nature. It would be more difficult looking for him from the skies. Igni: .......I guess I have to go down. Ohh, you can fly too? Igni suddenly heard a boys voice behind him. And the flowing sensation of Magic Power being manipulated. Igni jerked his body to the side, and a {Wind Cutter} passed by where his head was a moment ago. Though the Magic Caster intended to kill him, the level of his Spell . Igni: ........who are you? No, who are you? Youre the ones that wandered in here. And Igni realized that he recognized the voice. It was one of the voices that was screaming Kill! before they entered here. There was a boy with black hair when Igni turned around. The boy must have been around 10 years old. Igni : I see now. Im starting to understand whats happening here. Igni deciphered the events that were unfolding around him. Igni: Hey, do you guys know where each other are? No, not at all. The boy in front of Igni answers Igni immediately back. Igni: I see. Thats fine. With that, Igni initiated his [Flame Engine] : {Accel Boot} and propelled his body away. He wondered if the boy knew where Yoori was, but since he didnt, Igni decided to ignore him completely. Hey! Wait! Dont run from me!! The boy began manipulating the wind that was around Igni, but the Spell was clumsy and too simple. To be frank, it was the Spell of a novice. Igni: I.highly doubt that Yoori would have trouble against this. Igni studied the incoming Spell as he mumbled to himself. Even without Attack Spells, Yoori is a first-rate Wizard with defensive and interruptive Spells. What?! You think I cant beat Yoori?!?! But the boy snaps at Ignis words. Igni ignores him. He realized that the children here have already died, and they are only tied to this world by the Curse. Igni: (This Spell must be recreating that day.) The day Yoori killed the other children and survived the ritual alone. Im strong! I can beat Yoori! Dont compare me with some with only high compatibility!! My Spell is the strongest!! The boy screamed as he fired off {Wind Cutter} again and again. I was the survivor!! The next instant, one of the boys Spells brushed past Igni. Igni: ......hm? The Magic Power manipulation Igni was detecting suddenly changed. The Magic Power inside the boy was no longer the clumsy manipulation of a child but was now refined to someone who has been practicing Spells for 10 years or more. The least amount of Magic Power was smoothly converted and directed at Igni as a Spell. Igni: Hey. Igni stopped flying and curiously turned around. Igni: What do you mean by previous? Since that day, we have been repeating [this] over and over again! All so we can kill Yoori! Igni: .........why? He shouldnt have won that day! It was some sort of mistake! I was definitely stronger! All of us should have beaten him that day!! The boy screamed enthusiastically at the top of his lungs. Its not just me! EVERYONE thinks so! Thats why were going to ! A refined {Wind Cutter} flies at Igni. Even a beginners Spell can be refined into a deadly weapon if perfected ` this was something Igni knew far too well. But there was one more thing that bothered him. Igni: .......then, should you be fighting me right now? If they have been resenting Yoori for this long, shouldnt they all be looking for Yoori right now? Theres going to be only one person left in the end! Whether we kill you right now or later doesnt matter! And the boy screamed again as he cast another Spell. Igni: That is true. And you looked the ! As soon as Igni responded to the boy, the boys next words wounded him. Igni: Huh.? Really? I looked the weakest to you? Why??? The Ultimate Secret to Popularity #1 `` Women love strong men. But that also means strong looking men can also be popular. And furthermore, to present yourself as strong attracts peoples attention, and if you reverse the theory, then weak-looking men lose popularity. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Igni is forced to ask the boy for his opinion. What? We can all just look at you and see that youre weak. Igni: What? I should have looked the strongest in the group. Leaving behind the physical age, itll be hard to determine if Igni was more mature compared to the boy and responded in kind. What? You dont get it. First, that girl with the black hair had a sword and was highly skilled in detecting Spells. That means shes strong, right? Igni nodded as he realized that the boy was talking about Elina. And the shorty was really fast at building her Spell. And she was able to block Eris [Parasite Plant] so shes strong too. Igni: (Thats true.) And the older sister-looking one.she scares me. Even under these circumstances, she didnt panic or look scared at all. That was honestly creepy. Igni: (I think thats only because she had no clue about the danger they were in..) But Igni kept his mouth shut. Popular men will never speak ill of a girl regardless of if they were present or not. And you. Youre the last one, but you immediately panicked and tried to go somewhere. You only used {Fireball}. In other words, you would be the easiest opponent. Igni: .......I see. Thank you for telling me. Igni spoke quietly back to the boy. Igni: [Flame Ignition] : {Molecular : Minima} And as Igni created a Magic Power Generator behind him that created a circular glow behind himself, he created a molecule-sized {Fireball} and threw it into acceleration. And blasted the child with a clearly overkill Spell. CH 127 The Wizard that Overcomes Yoori: Its..not a dream I mumbled the words as I placed a hand on the ground and felt the soft dirt. A Magic Power so dense that it clings to your body. With every breath, Human Stagnation seeped deep into my lungs. The harsh rain was exactly the same as when the Ritual began. Yoori: ........why? I didnt realize how shallow my breath had gotten. It was the same exact forest in reality as it was in my dreams as I walked the dim glow of the Curse Inscription. The heavy rain and exact timing of the lightning overlapped with my dreams so much that it almost made me throw up. Yoori: Why.?! Bright lightning that filled the skies were followed by body-shaking thunder. In that instant, I noticed someone behind me and turned around. Finally! Finally, this day came`! The boy way out in the distance shouted in pure glee as he shot a shard of rock at me. It was faster than in my dreams and much stronger. I blocked it with my Spell as I took another look at the Spell Caster. It`s been a while, Mr. Genius!! Yoori: .......howbut you.. I couldnt forget. . It was the same boy who killed my friend. And it was the boy who I killed. What? Isnt it obvious? Its because this is all . Yoori: Magic? This? What? like you would be able to tell at a glance, right? The boy spat the words out with insult and disgust. This Spell will help us . But not just that! It will allow the sole survivor to come back to life! Its that kind of ! The resurrection of the dead. The of giving life to those without it. Even among the 100 years of humanitys practice with , only 2 people were able to perform that . Yoori: ........resurrection? Really? Its due to our tenacious desire that we finally got here! Isnt this amazing?!?! Yoori: (Butthat isthat would mean.) Yoori: That would be the [Demon Kings] Spell!! The Undeath Celias is a Spell that only initiates on herself. But even before her, there was one who overcame death itself. He killed 90% of humanity, took their territory, and was known as the greatest and cruelest disaster ` [The Demon King]. He used the that blew life into those who died. So what if it is? But the boy in front of me only laughed at the comment. Does it matter if its the [Demon Kings] Spell or not?! And the boy lifted his hand into the air. [Falling Rock] {Tetsura Impact}! Something spun in the air as Magic Power formed a giant boulder above him. And as the boy swung his arm downwards, it came flying towards me!! Yoori: .......!! I kicked the ground to dodge the boulder. As the large rock collided with the ground, it carved its way into the ground with a loud explosive sound. Im not done yet! The boy continued to manipulate his Attack Spell and fired multiple shots at me. I dodged, blocked, and dodged again. .......why are you not attacking back?! And having all of his attacks blocked or evaded, the boy continued to fire off more Spells out of sheer rage. But no matter how powerful he concentrated his Spell, no matter how much effort he put into it`` There was now a skill difference too vast between an officially taught Wizard and those who learned on their own. Yoori: .........its impossible. Your attacks will never reach me. With a wave of nausea coming on, I was able to spit out the words. These kids continued the [Gu] Ritual. They have been refining their Spells ever since. But I am a student ` a student of the Rolmod Academy. Between learning at the top institution of the world and learning among the top up and coming Wizards of the world, I refined my Spells and skills. Liar! You never know until you`` The next instance, a single vein of light struck the sky and the . A single {Fireball} sailed into the air, and destroyed the storm clouds and cleared the night sky for the moon to shine. And everyone, every single person in that place looked up and witnessed it. They could not help but witness it. .................what.what was that..? The boy in front of Yoori mumbled his distress in a croaking voice. His motivation and confidence vanished in that instant. Of course it did. Everyone watching saw that the Spell was simply a {Fireball}. in their skills. When the [Gu] Ritual ended, they continued to kill one another inside the condensed and overflowing human stagnation. Thats why they were confident that they could beat me now. And it was not only me. They probably thought that they could take on anyone in the world. Even if it was against an [Extreme]. With that hope alone, they continued to kill each other. But reality dawned on them with that single {Fireball} in the sky. Its a Spell anyone can use. Its the first fundamental Spell that all beginners learn. That Spell just changed the weather. At the end of this endless killing battle royal, who was able to reach this kind of level? And for an instant, just one instant, fear ripped through their hearts. And deeply rooted, it gave birth to doubt. Can I really survive this? was what everyone honestly thought. Yoori: Igni! But that light became the pillar of support for some. Yoori: .......youyou really came.. As I watched the boy in the sky, I heard myself mumble those words. And Irealized something as I looked up to the sky at Igni. I realized that [Im still depending on Igni]. Igni is strong. And he cares for his friends. So if I asked, he would have immediately helped me. But it cant be like that. If I keep depending on Igni that way, then Ill just be a leech dependent on him for the rest of my life. That is not how friends are. Yoori: ...........no, thats not right. I feel the words spill out from inside of me as my heart wrenches in pain. Fear makes my feet tremble. Every time Im about to use [that], the past comes back, my feet shake, and my body is paralyzed. But`` Yoori: ........I can do this, Igni. Its something I have to overcome some day. Its something I HAVE to overcome. Thats why my vision tunneled, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Mr. Genius! Even if its just you, Ill kill you! The boy begins initiating his Spell. And while my skin rippled feeling the Magic Power being manipulated, I placed myself deep in thought. I didnt tell Igni that I was coming here. But he came all the way here to save me anyway. Now, I need to do this on my own. Thats whyI just need to grit my teeth hard. I am a Wizard. And I am one of the up and coming first-rate Wizards learning at the Rolmod Wizards Academy. And we dont just learn Spells there. Besides, learning Spells when they are discovering new Spells each day would prove useless after a few years after you graduate. Thats why the Rolmod Wizard Academy . A true Wizards value. How a true Wizard should be. I opened my eyes. Yoori: [I call out to the Dark Void``] [Falling Rock] {Tetsura Bullet}!! Yoori: [Flood this place] Darkness flooded out before me like a flooding river. And it engulfed the boy in front of me and continued to roar down the path. It swallowed the boy, the Spell the boy cast, and all the trees and rocks like a landslide down the mountain. It was an Epic Scale Spell that could destroy a city. A true . Yoori: .........I can do this Igni. Just watch me! I can still feel my legs shake. I can feel doubt trying to break my will with the guilt of hurting someone with my Spell. But.I dont want to just fall at the feet of my friend who came all the way here to help me. That is something I could never stand. Igni: I finally found you, Yoori. I heard a familiar voice from the skies as I turned to see him descending down to the ground. And there, I saw relief in Ignis face as he held out a hand to me. Yoori: .........sorry to make you come all the way here, Igni. Igni: Dont worry about it. Were friends, right? Igni laughed and shot his {Fireball} like fireworks into the sky. CH 128 Chapter 128: Unreasonable Circumstances and the Wizard The fireworks Igni fired..or his {Fireball} made to look like fireworks shot into the sky, a similar firework was seen from nearby. That would mean the others are there. Igni held Yoori in his arms as he cast his [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}. They moved directly in a straight line towards where the three were waiting. Yoori: ...........oh wow Arriving where Elinas group was, Yoori let out a groan in surprise and shock. The dense forest was now replaced with a burnt field, and the trees beyond that had been cut down with a clean, sharp blade in a 100 meter radius. Though they were surrounded by three children, no one could step in any closer and only observed Elina and the other two. Elina, Rania, and Nie stood in the center of that circle on guard as they waited for Igni to arrive. Once Igni landed, he let go of Yoori. Yoori: Ack.! Yoori unsteadily landed on the ground, and looked at the faces of the other three. Yoori: ..........you all came here too?! Elina: Of course we did, Yoori. Elina smiled as she sheathed her sword. Elina: Arent we friends? Rania: Thats right, Yoori! We came here to do something about this, so you could have relied on us more! Yooris smile brightened with Elina and Ranias encouragement. Yoori: Thank you, everyone. And as if to encourage Yoori, Igni placed a hand on Yooris shoulder. Igni: Now that Yoori is safely back with us, lets go home. Nie: Mr. Igni, about that. Nie spoke up a little uncertainly as she tried to tell Igni something. Nie: We were pretty for a while so I investigated this space, but I did not find an exit. It looks like we were able to enter unconditionally, but we can only depart when the Ritual has been completed. Igni: Yeah, I thought as much. For the kids, their desire was to capture Yoori and re-enact the [Gu] Ritual. Igni was certain that the kids would have done something to prevent Yoori from escaping. Nie: So..how will we get out then? Igni: . Nie: .........what? Nie tilted her head in confusion. Igni: Everyone, stay by my side. Igni reached a hand and placed it on his chest. Normally, he would only feel the beat of his heart, but looking deeper, he felt something else. Igni: (..........Sara, Im going to borrow some.) In places where he could not see, there was a [Path] where their Magic Power was connected. It was a connection that could only be created with the deepest of trust. Igni gently took hold of the connection and created a {Fireball}. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Complete Incineration] {Full Burst} What happened to Yoori was unreasonable and unfair. It was where he was born and grew up that twisted him. This is the Ritual that has been eating away at him deep inside. And this curse chained him down. And thats why Igni looked at this curse, this unreasonable suffering that fell upon Yoori and smashed his against it. Igni: [Ultra Sphere Surface] {Tesea} It was Ignis second Spell. By creating a 4-dimensional object and dropping it into the 3rd dimension, an ultimate {Fireball} containing infinite energy drained all of Ignis Magic Power as it glowed in a complex pattern. But as if to fill in the void of power it was draining, immense Magic Power flooded into him at the same time to replenish Igni. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} Everyones attention was nailed to the Spell. The infinite power that was contained inside was enough to break the hearts and spirit of the remaining children. What sustained them was the confidence gained from fighting and killing each other for several years. And their twisted hope that if they had a rematch with Yoori, they would win this time. But there, they saw a {Fireball}. No matter how much they tried, wished, or envied`` They would never reach the realms of . Spells and are fundamentally different in origin. In the same way, Wizards and Magicians are fundamentally different in existence. They stray from the human path and reach a hand into Gods territory. It mocks, jeers, and kicks away the fundamental theories of Spells. Whether they face a God or the devil, they would pick a fight regardless of the reason. That is the pinnacle of humanity. A tyranny only permitted to the Wizards who have reached the ultimate limit. Yoori was a Wizard. Thats why they thought they could win against him. But Igni was a Magician. ...........how is thiseven fair.? One of the children spoke up, and all who heard agreed. Violence against violence. Unreasonable power against unreasonable power. What they witnessed there was the purest form of [Strength]. The flickering {Fireball} collided with the world. And the brittle world broke down and was destroyed. When they opened their eyes, Igni and his group realized that they were back at the same location as where they started. [No] [No!] [That wasnt fair] [They cheated] [One more time!] But the baby fetus was trembling. And the mouths attached yelled out in desperate protest. [Its you!] [If you werent there!!] [Die!] [Who let this one in?!] [We need a redo!] Igni let out an exasperated sigh as he asked the fetus. Igni: Then do you want to fight me again? [...........] [...........] [...........] [...........] [...........] [.......................] That was their answer. All the mouths on the fetus closed, and only dead silence followed. Yoori: .........Im sorry, everyone. It was Yoori who broke the silence. Yoori: .......because of me, you all. But in that very instant, the fetus screamed back in anger. [Dont apologize!] [Dont say sorry!] [Dont mock us!!] Understanding their feelings, he placed a hand on Yooris shoulder. He understood that the children didnt want an apology. Because that would only insult their skills and strength. Thats why`` Igni: Sorry, but Yoori is really strong. And Igni spoke up with pride as if to brag. [Yeah] [Youre right] [We know that already!] And though the mouths of the fetus were not appreciative of the fact, the tones of their voices shifted slightly. Understanding what Igni was trying to do, Yoori nodded to him once. Yoori: .....I..I am strong. And Yoori began to speak slowly. Yoori: And Ill..Ill get even stronger. So please, I want you to watch me as I do. [...........yeah] [Of course] [We wont lose next time!!] What they wanted was to be reaffirmed and convinced. They wanted to be convinced that who they lost to was stronger than anyone. And accept that it could not be helped even if they lost. And they wanted to hear someone affirm that Yoori is indeed strong. And from Yoori as well. Yoori: So everyone, . And as Yoori spoke, the fetus body began to dissipate into small balls of light and disappeared. The dimly glowing sight reminded Yoori of someone entering Heaven. [ [ [ Yeah, see you again ] ] ] And with that, the fetus disappeared completely. Igni placed a hand on Yooris shoulder as he felt it tremble. Yoori instinctively jumped into Ignis arms as he burst out in tears and cried aloud. No one thought less of him for doing so, and the echoes of Yooris cries filled the tunnels of the mines. CH 129 Chapter 129: The Request and the Wizard Igni: .......Ill walk Yoori back to town. Elina: Yes, thats a good idea. Well join you part of the way. Igni placed a gentle hand on Yooris back once he stopped crying and looked at the tunnels of the mines. When they were outside, night had set and it was pitch black. Countless stars shown in the night sky. Igni: Its beautiful. Igni whispered the words. The 3 behind them were also awed by the sight and nodded. The sky has not changed since that day, but Yooris heart has changed. He had changed from the person who followed his instincts and murdered people. He had changed from the child who was afraid of his powers and could only choose to kill. Igni: Then lets go, Yoori. Yoori: ........yeah. If they were to report these developments to areas Governor, Seta, Igni wondered if anything would be done. Using children for a Ritual is very close to forbidden rituals and spells. Though it is something that every country is doing behind the scenes, they are able to do so with the assumption that the news will never go public. It would be problematic to see a town brazenly commit these atrocities within the countrys borders. But that will have to wait. Right now, Ignis priority was to help Yoori get some rest. Igni: Yoori, how are you holding up? Yoori: I`Im fine. Igni: Does anywhere on your body feel numb? Do you have any place thats hard to move? Yoori: I think..Im okay. As they walked slowly, Igni checked on Yoori several times. But he could not help but be worried. Yoori hasnt cast an Attack Spell for years, and he recently broke that trauma. It wouldnt have surprised Igni if Yoori suffered some sort of whiplash from doing so. Psychological injuries can translate into physical injuries. Thats why Igni supported Yoori just in case Yoori lost his strength or balance as he spoke to Elina. Igni: Elina. Elina: What is it? Igni: Elina: Of course. You can count on me. And Igni and Yoori parted from the others. And Elina and the other two turned around after watching Igni and Yoori go back to town. Yoori: Sorry, Igni. Sorry for causing you trouble. Igni: Dont worry about it. Were friends, arent we? Yoori: Yeah, friends. Thats true. And Yoori let out a small sigh of relief. Igni: So what do you want to do now? Where do you plan to sleep? Yoori: .........yeah, weve already decided whose turn it is today, so tonight, Ill sleep at house. Igni: Hey.are you good with that? And Igni looked worryingly at Yoori. If was after a very stressful incident. Even if its part of the towns tradition, it would still be very painful for Yoori. Yoori: Yeah, Im good. And with slightly puffy eyes, Yoori responded. Yoori: I..was the one who survived that. Igni: ............. Yoori: Thats why..I have to do my best for everyones sake. And Yoori smiled ` not a weak smile, but it was one filled with determination. Igni: Yeah, I see. And Igni felt a little relief as he nodded. This was a path Yoori chose himself. He weighed his options, gritted his teeth, and seized this choice with both hands. Igni: Then Ill at least walk you there. And as his friend, Igni felt that his role was to stay by Yooris side and encourage him. <<<<>>>> Nie: Um, is this..really okay? Nie asked Elina cautiously as they descended down the path from the mines. Her question contained many meanings, and Elina didnt know exactly what Nie was asking about but nodded anyway. Elina: Theres no issue. Nie: But..um And as they walked, Nie could not help but hold a bitter expression. Elina: As far as Yoori goes, Igni is there. Theres no safer place than that. You understand that, right? Rania: Well, thats true. I never thought Igni would be that strong. And Rania relaxed and responded with both hands resting behind her head. They just witnessed the pinnacle of mastering a Spell. Seeing the ultimate work of a Wizard, it would be impossible not to feel awe and excitement after that. And thats why they were the ones who Igni asked to take care of the rest. Nie: ..........do we..really need to go through with this? Nie spoke uncertainly, and Elina drew her sword out as she nodded again. Elina: Of course. What was my fathers specific request? Remove the cause of what made the mines unusable. And in Nies place, Rania spoke out. And quietly, she drew her short sword from her waist. With a buzz, the lines engraved on the sword begin to glow blue. It was her sword she achieved from the Dungeon ` The Sword of Judgment Urnes. She poured her Magic Power as she readied her weapon against the enemy. Rania: Elina, are you really okay with this? Elina: What do you mean? Rania: Well, because our opponent is. Elina: It doesnt matter. Elina spat the words out harshly but quietly. Elina: This is a request directly from my father, and now, Igni is relying on me to carry his part. Rania: I know youre acting all cool and tough, but its the latter right? The reason why youre so pumped up right now? Elina: Ugh! Elina clears her throat, and initiating her Magic Power, she walks out into the open. She didnt think that she would have to come here twice in a day, but it couldnt be helped. Rania: And? What are the conditions? Elina: Kill him. Elina answers Rania without hesitation. Nie: A`Are you being serious?! Elina: .............if we dont go in with that intention, well be the ones wholl be killed. And they stood before him. Hm? Whats this? Oh, Elina! Why hello! And behind you is..ohhhh! Ive heard of you. Arent you the blooming Black and White Sisters? Elina: ........why.are you here, Brother Howell. Howell: Why? What a silly question! I wouldnt have to waste my time explaining myself to you, do I?! Human Stagnation refers to the negative emotions that bleeds out from people and in one place. It is a very strong negative energy and power. Because of that, it is . That is.unless someone intervenes and nudges it in such directions, that is. And thats why the Human Stagnation in these mines began holding a will of its own. Then who was it that gave it such incentives? Howell: What, I am just here inspecting its progress! The Curse in this area has weakened dramatically. At this rate, it would disappear. That would be so I came to feed it some more! Elina: .......and that is causing disruptions in the mines, brother. Howell: Yes! So thats why I came here to release it to the outside world. Elina: ..............why? Howell: Can you not think of the many ways you can use a Curse that can think on its own?! Elina, I thought that you would think more like a Wizard nowbut youre still no good. You understand nothing. Elina: Rania! As Elina shouted, Rania drew her sword and slashed horizontally. Rania: I send judgment upon all of creation, Polos Ultines! And with her authority, she released the power of her Magic Sword. Everything in Ranias sight has now come in range of her sword. And Howell was cut horizontally in half. Howell: [Stone Armor] {Tetsura Amdo}! And before Howells body hit the floor, he completed his incantation. The rocks engulfed Howell at amazing speed, and Howell continued his casting. Howell: {Heal} And his torn body began regenerating inside the stone cast. Howell: A nice reaction. But a demerit for having no follow-ups! And Howell roared with laughter as he took his fighting stance. And to complete the final goal of the request, Elina made her move. CH 130 Ch. 130: The No. 1 Wizard Elina: Ill be out front. You two support me from behind! Rania: G`Got it! Without waiting for Ranias answer, Elina initiated her [Physical Enhancement] {Active}. Howells Spells are mostly [Earth] Type Spells. Because of that, his specialty is not [Healing] Spells, so they would have to make the most use of that advantage. Elina: {Plant Parasite}! With Elinas incantation, 4 flowers bloomed from the ground and fired seeds towards Howell. But walls grew up out of the ground at the same time to stop them. Elina: .......sh! (*sfx exhale) Elina jumped in and slashed. With her {Physical Enhancement} behind the strike, she was able to swing as she accelerated, but it only struck and slightly scarred Howells stone armor. Nie: [Those who crawl through the earth] {Grab hold and restrain} Howells shadow suddenly melted and changed shape as it grabbed his feet and tied him down. Howell: Hm?! [Magnetism] {Katetsura Magneteika}!! And with a sharp sound, Howells body bounded into the air. Howell: I see! I see, I see! That is pretty good team work!! And as he stood on the ceiling, he looked down upon the 3 women. Rania: ......chase him down! With Ranias command, 3 spheres appeared. As it rose and floated around her, it immediately darted to Howell with amazing speed, connected, and exploded! The stone surface was carved deeply and fell. Howell: I see! I know of that! A [Homing Bomb], is it not?! Although you can find it in the relatively shallow floors of Dungeons, it has very high explosive power and is a must have for going into labyrinths!! But from the explosive fire, Howell appeared without any injuries. There, Howel seemed to blend into the roof as he surrounded himself with the blackened rock. Elina: [Thorn Spear] {Plant Lance}! Elina cast her Spell. (*sfx) And a thorn that could easily pierce iron grew out of the ceiling and struck Howell. (*sfx) Sparks fly as an impossible sound emits from a plant and rock colliding as both parties cast their Spells. Howell: .......hmmmmm, its not enough. Howell looked a little troubled as he spoke. Howell: You are not weak, but you are not strong either. And he descended upon the ground. Howell: But as for me, I have no need to attack you back! HA HA HA! And enduring all the attacks thus far, Howell roared in laughter. Nie: E`Elder Sister..wh`what is this person?! Rania: ........I dont know. The Black and White Sisters voices trembled as they spoke. Nie: .........to be frank, hes not just strong.. Nie spoke as she watched Howell swing his arms in a round motion. Nie: ....... Nie grasped her staff with a sphere on the end and gripped it tightly. Rania also did not expect to meet a Monster who can survive from being cut in half, and struggled to keep her nerves calm and head cool. Howell: For a man such as I, I would prefer if we both part ways here with both parties unharmed! Elina: ..........but then, brother, you will revive that [Curse], will you not? Howell: Yes! That is part of my research! Elina: ..........then we cannot. A what-if cannot change the past. No matter how much you desire it, the results will not change. But every human being inevitably thinks about it. What if Howell did not give that [Curse] a will? The Human Stagnation would have been able to maintain itself for long and could have disappeared. What if Howell did not give that [Curse] a will? Would they have been able to continue the [Gu] ritual for years? What if Howell did not give that [Curse] a will? Would that have prevented people from dying in these mines? Countless what-ifs rush through Elinas imagination. Howell: Hmmmm.why is that not allowed? I did not perform these rituals. The casualties of the mines were not Wizards. It makes no difference! Elina: You are desecrating..the dead.. As Elina spoke plainly, Howell only tilted his head in bewilderment. Howell: What are you saying? The dead tell no tales. The dead do not speak. You are only imposing your selfish perspective upon them. Elina: But there were casualties from the accidents in the mines! Howell: Yes, but a fatal accident in the mines is not rare. Elina was left speechless for a moment at Howells honest words. Elina: What..what are you saying, brother? Howell: If they are going to die in the mines, what does it matter if they die from an accident or a curse? Elina understood then that she and her brother would never be able to understand one another. Elina: ..........I understand. Thats enough. Howell: Oh?! Do you finally understand?! Elina: I understand now that we will never be able to understand one another. Thats why I will capture you here and hand you over to father. Howell: ........hmm, that would be bothersome. I would not be able to continue my research if that happens. Howell mumbled quietly to himself. Howell: But..well, thats if and only if I am captured. Howell: (Fortunately, I have Potions on hand that can manipulate memory. If I can capture Elina and her group and have them drink it, all will be settled.) Howell: Hmmmm, I really did not want to fight under these conditions to be truthful. Howell sighed deeply as he raised his hand. <<<<>>>> It was.simply one-sided. In the first 10 seconds, Howell took down Nie, and in two moves, he took out Rania who came to help in 2 moves. And in 15 seconds, he took out Elina and stood there alone. Howell: Hmm, you are not weak. As expected of you. And he dispelled the {Heal} that he was continually casting on himself. His upper and lower half of his body finally connected together as one piece. Nie: ........toostrong.. With her right arm and left leg broken, Nie could no longer speak her incantations due to the pain and mumbled the words to herself. Rania had her lungs damaged and her breaths were shallow and labored. But Elina had the worst injuries. In the first 3 seconds, both her eyes were gouged. The next 7 seconds, all four of her limbs were broken. In the final 5 seconds, her spine was broken. It was all because she was a [Life] Type Wizard. Nie and Ranias wounds can be easily healed by a Potion or a Healer. But without either of those available, the damage Howell gave was enough. But Elina is different. With compatibility to the same [Life] Magic Type as Edward, this Magic Type is meant for healing injuries. Hence, Howell had to injure Elina to this point. Elina healed her eyes first. As she was healing her spine, Howell noticed and looked down upon her. Howell: ......hmm, I would not do that if I were you. Its the same as saying you want to continue this fight with me. Howell of Elina when he spoke. Howell: I have made sure the injuries are not fatal! Once you drink a Potion after you lose your memory, you would suffer much less pain this way!! But Elina moved forward with healing her legs after she was done with her spine. Howell: ........hm? Were you that hard-headed, Elina? And Howell broke Elinas leg once again as it was starting to mend. Elina: ..........!! A silent scream escaped from Elinas throat. Howell: Elina, you would not be able to win against me. Do not fight battles you cannot win. And that was Howells brotherly lecture towards her. It could have been his way of his love towards his sister. But even under tremendous pain, Elina endured and mended both her legs. Elina: ..........he asked meto take care of it.. And using her sword as a crutch, she stood up. Elina: Igni asked me!! Howell: ......hm? A rockless soundlessly appeared and pierced Elinas right leg. Elina: UGH!!! Elina: Not yet.! I..I can still fight! And Elina cast an incomplete Spell towards Howell. But Howell blocked the Spell with little effort. Elina: ........Igni is the only one who approved Elina loses her balance. Howell determined this to be due to the injury on her leg and drew closer. Elina did not miss this . Elina: I.am No. 1!!! A reckless charge. Sacrificing her right foot, she focused all her {Physical Enhancement} on her left foot and Elinas slash may have been the best swing she ever performed in her life. Both Magic Spell and Swordsmanship came together as one, and as a Magic Swordsman who combines both, she delivered her utmost strike. And she swung knowing that with one swing, her left foots bone was crushed under the pressure. She swung to carry on Ignis request. Howell: A good strike! Elina!! But that strike did not reach Howell, who was a graduate of Rolmod. Elina is still a 1st Year at Rolmod Wizard Academy. In contrast, Howell graduated and is currently putting his life on the line on the frontlines in a military organization and is a tried and true elite who is moving up the ranks. Howell: Thats why Ill end it with this! Howell cast a Spell that would blow away Elinas lower body. This would force the tenacious [Life] Type Wizard to pour all her resources into healing and make it impossible for her to fight. And it swallowed Howells Magic Power and`` [Return] {Fire}!! The Beginners Spell, {Fireball}, completely decimated it. You did well, Elina. And the boy, who shouldnt have been theres voice, echoed throughout the chamber. Yes. Elinas strike did not reach Howell. But it did reach one person. Someone who is more than capable of turning the tides ` the only person who could do so. Im sorry. I cant use Healing Magic so I cant heal you. A boy with scarlet red hair was there. He stood between Elina and Howell and shielded Elina as he stood in front of her with both legs braced and spread apart. Igni: Thats why Ill end this on your behalf. And he faced the giant before him. CH 131 Ch. 131: The Knight and the Wizard After Igni walked Yoori back to his house, he ran back to the Mines in a hurry. After the fetus-shaped Human Stagnation disappeared, he sensed another presence immediately. It did not hide its presence well, and it most likely had no intention of hiding it in the first place. Thats why Igni was able to come to the exact conclusion of this whole incident at that moment. He left everything else to Elina and the other two. Howell must indeed be strong. But they should be able to reason with him to a certain degree, and on top of that, its 3 vs 1. It shouldnt be a one-sided fight..was the outcome he hoped for. Thats why when he heard the chaotic sounds of metal clashing deep inside the mine tunnels, something cold ran down his back. And prayed that nothing awful had yet happened. That hope was quickly dashed. Before Ignis eyes, Howell was about to use a Mid-Tier Spell against Elina who was lying on the ground. Igni immediately initiated his Spell, and shot down the Spell that sailed through the air. And he turned to face Howell. Howell: Hm? Oh! Well if it isnt Igni! Igni: ............what are you doing? Howell: Yes, well. Its become a little complicated. I thought I would just manipulate their memories a bit. But in order to do so, I needed them to stop resisting. Igni: Is that why you hurt them? Behind Igni, Elina moved painfully to try and heal herself. Nie was dragging her broken foot as she crawled towards Rania, and Rania continued to breath light, shallow breaths. Howell: Hurt them? Theyve all received injuries, yes, but injuries that can easily be remedied by a Healing Potion! There are no problems with that! Thats why I will start their treatments as soon as they drink this! Rest assured! Everything is under control!! Igni: What is that? Howell: It will temporarily confuse the most recent memories. If they drink this, they would be able to forget what happened here. Igni: And what will do after that? Howell: Yes, well, I need to restore the [baby] that has been weakened quite a bit. I will have to feed it for a while to care for it. Igni: .........[Equip Flame] {Ignition} As soon as Igni heard Howells response, he turned off all thoughts. Igni immediately concluded that this wasnt someone he could reason with. Thats why hell take him down right here, right now. Howell: Oh my. You will fight me too? Well, I really dont want to fight with you . Howell smiled at Igni as he spoke. Howell: But , Igni!! Igni immediately twisted his upper body, and something brushed past the space where Ignis head was a second ago. Looking, he saw a piece of rock flying faster than the speed of sound. Howell: You are able to dodge a Spell without incantation, Igni?! Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! Howell: Hmph!! Igni fires two {Fireballs}, and as it accelerates towards Howell at incredible speeds, it tore through the walls Howell erected and made contact``an explosion followed. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor] {Pierce} The {Fireball} that was created began to spin at high speeds as more Magic Power was poured into it, and as it concentrated more heat, it spun into it was an ovular shape. And as soon as Igni saw Howell come out of the flames with stone armor on`` Igni: [Launch] {Fire} Igni fired his Spell. (*sfx) And an explosion and impact that made it look like the entire mountain swayed resounded. Unbelievable amounts of heat pushed passed the group in a torrent of wind. Igni: .........?! Igni immediately steps back as countless stone fangs arrive where he was standing. Howell: Amazing, Igni!! You definitely , cant you!! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Long Range] {Snipe} And seeing that Howell somehow was now moving across the ceiling, Igni took aim. Howell had discarded his stone armor, and though big in stature, he moved incredibly fast, and Igni aimed for his thigh. He will shoot at the joint and drop him to the ground. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} (*sfx) The air was compressed and with the release of the Spell, the {Fireball} traveled towards Howells leg as it homed in, but it was blocked. But Igni did not expect this to be over with a single hit. If the first shot missed, he would continue shooting as many as he needed to. Howell: I envy you, Igni! Igni: ............ Howell incessantly fired back at Igni from the ceiling, and although all his shots were evaded by Igni, he seamlessly continued his speech. Howell: You are able to see Magic Power manipulation! Igni: ........yeah. And as Howell suspected, Igni is able to see the instant when Magic is being manipulated and a Spell is about to begin. It was a skill he refined while being trained by his grandfather for 2 years. And because Spells rely on Magic Power, you cannot escape from the manipulation of Magic Power. Thats why Igni was able to evade Frays attacks even if it was a Spell with the [Extreme Light] Magic Type. And compared to Frays Spells that traveled at the speed of light, Howells Spells merely . This was all too slow for Igni. Igni: So what. Howell: I havent fought with anyone this strong in a while! My blood is pumping, Igni! Igni simulated in his head how much he needed to injure Howell. He could leave the restraining to Yoori or Nie. And that was a sign of Ignis confidence. Howell is indeed strong. But that strength was far from an [Extreme]. Lucas, Celia, Floria, Clara, and Abyss. Every one of them was a symbol of [Strength]. Every one of them, you could not let your guard down. But Howell was different. He was just a young man with an overabundance of talent``but that was it. Thats why Igni let his guard down. Howell: [Strong Magnetism] {Tetsura Magneteika} It was the first time Howell said an incantation. (*sfx) With a staccato sound, Howell ! Howell: Ha! Howell let out a short yell and threw his fist at Igni. Igni: [Rotating Ember] {Ignite}!! Igni circulated the Magic Power within him and raised his defense. A moment later, Igni found himself flying backwards several dozen meters, slammed into a wall, and with his momentum not weakening, he flew through and out into another tunnel. Howell: [Strong Magnetism] {Tetsura Magneteika} And Howells giant body followed Igni closely as he flew, and Igni crossed his arms as a drop kick descended on him as several dozen meters of momentum now contacted him directly. Since he held himself in place, he rotated the Magic Power at his record highest 150 cycles per second!! (*sfx) Igni felt his legs dig into the ground. In front of him, Howell could not hide his surprise as his eyes widened, and the corners of Ignis mouth curled up as he smiled revealing his fangs. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Artillery] {Cannon}! (*sfx) And a giant {Fireball} spun right below Howell who was still in midair. Igni: [Artillery] {Fire} (*sfx) And with Ignis incantation, Howell took a hit and was sent straight upwards. His body ruptured through the ceiling as it continued flying higher and higher. And when he completely pierced the tunnel ceiling and exited the tunnels of the Mines completely, the {Fireball} erupted. Igni followed him by initiating his [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}. And he exited the mines through the same hole in the ceiling. As he arrived outside, a giant moon was straight above looking right down upon them. And Howell laid on the ground on his side and laughed hysterically. Howell: HA HA HA HA!! AMAZING!! INCREDIBLE!! YOURE INCREDIBLE, IGNI!! Igni: Yeah? Then, lets finish this. Howell: Nope!! Not yet! I can still fight!! And with the scenery change, both faced each other once again. Howell: Now that we are not confined in tight spaces, its my turn, Igni. CH 132 Ch. 132: The Curse and the Wizard Igni let out a slow breath. If he uses his [Magic], the fight would be instantly over. But that would be at the cost of Howells life. Right now, Ignis goal is to capture Howell ` not to kill him. He can try stopping time and let him experience a few years of paused time, but that might destroy Howell mentally. 100 years of a paused state like that only worked on Celia because she was an [Extreme], and Igni had to resort to brute force against her fight. He couldnt resort to using the same tactics on a human being. Howell: Piercing Stone Tower] {Tetsura Talim}!! With Howells incantation, a giant 20 meter (65 feet) spear erupted from the ground. It was aimed directly at Igni and closed in fast. Igni cast his [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} and dodged. A zigzagged around the sky to not allow Howell to pinpoint his location. And as Howell remained on the ground looking up, Igni laid out a carpet bomb bombardment. (*sfx) And ear-splitting sounds erupted across the ground as the mountain side was carved down. Howell stood in the center and blocked Ignis attack with [Stone Defense] {Tetsura Wall}. But after stopping 10 of Ignis {Fireballs}, the wall dented, bent severely, and soon broke down into dust and no longer provided any cover. Countless {Fireballs} rained down upon Howell mercilessly. Howell: Youre strong! Howell laughed as he screamed the words. Howell escaped the bombardment by traveling up into the sky. Igni changed the course of his {Fireball} to fly upwards and chased Howell down, but none of the strikes were effective. Igni: .........I should raise the power of my Spell a little higher. Igni mumbled to himself as he concentrated more Magic Power into each Spell. Out of all the Magic Types, the [Earth] Type as the best defenses. Because they use the earth for their Spells, they can use their Spells in most environments effectively. They can weaken even the most powerful strikes into a normal Spell level. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} Igni poured more Magic Power into the {Fireball} he created, and the red burning flames changed to blue. With Ignis additional Magic Power, he forcefully elevated the temperature, and normally, the temperature should have burned his skin, but Igni remained uninjured. That is the realm of Spells. Igni: [Bombardment] {Fire} 128 {Fireballs} that were created behind Igni flew towards Howell, but Howell enveloped himself with a magnetic field, and using the earths magnetic force on the surface, he evaded Ignis attack with ease. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : {Homing} And seeing how his initial attack was ineffective, Igni changed the [Equip Flame] Spell Type. Though the range is limited to a few hundred meters, homing {Fireballs} now chase down Howell. Howell dodged the homing {Fireballs} just as he did with the rest, but he failed to notice the {Fireball} make a 180 degree turn and struck him directly in the back as it exploded. Howell: ........ha.HA HA HA!! Youre so strong, Igni!! And Igni created a {Freiball} and then the Magic Power inside of of it. It was a {Fireball} with the ultimate speed. Looking up to his Grandfather, Lucas, more than anyone else, Igni stretched out his hands to reach the fastest and strongest Wizard and developed this Spell. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Ultimate Light] {Lucas} (*sfx) The {Fireball} with more concentrated Magic Power turned bright white as it was released. Igni decided to finish the fight with a Spell named after his Grandfather. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} For Howell who cannot see the manipulation of Magic, it was impossible to evade. The {Fireball} transformed into a beam of light and pierced Howells stomach. An eerie sound emitted as the light pierced and burned his skin. The next two Spells struck Howell in the legs. The last Spell pierced his shoulder. And as he wavered weakly..Howell dropped to the ground after crumpling in the air. And as expected of a man of his caliber, before he hit the floor, he killed his impact by increasing the magnetic resistance between him and the ground. Howell: ......you are strong, Igni. Igni: Surrender. What youre doing isnt respectable, but its not illegal. Youll probably be scolded by Mr. Seta and will be forbidden to enter these mines ever again. Howell: ......hmmm, but that would be problematic, Igni. Igni: Why? Howell: Why? Im surprised that you have to even ask that question. A [Human Stagnation] with a will of its own is a rare sample to behold. It is something the researchers in the Capital will squeal a glee of delight for. Besides, can you not see the endless possibilities of using such a thing on the battlefield? Igni: ................ Howell: Igni, did you know? Igni: What? Howell: The [Demon Kings Realm] is no longer infecting the territories connected to it. Igni: .........yeah. Sara, who was the source of the Magic Corruption that was spreading out from the [Demon Kings Realm] is now currently being protected and guarded in the deepest room of the Rolmod Wizard Academy. But that is a state secret. Howell: So many nations have caught on. ..they are now eyeing the neighboring countries as enemies. The [Demon Kings Realms] danger has already passed. The territories bordering the [Demon Kings Realm] have now turned their attention away from the [Demon King] to each other. That is human nature. Howell: A strong [Curse] you cannot see and cannot defeat.such a thing could be used as an effective weapon, no?! Igni: Its useless. Igni quietly spat the words. Igni: Those kinds of things are worthless before an [Extreme]. Lucas would erase it in a blink of an eye. Celia cannot die, so it wont be a problem. Clara can force a result upon it, so she would be able to kill it without making a sound. Abyss would send it to the ends of an infinite 2-dimensional plane. Floria can erase phenomena so she could make it so the fetus never existed in the first place. That is a [Magician]. That is an [Extreme]. This kind of obstacle is no different than a small rock on their path. Howell: We wouldnt know till we try, no?! Igni?!?! Igni: No, I already know without trying. The [Extremes] is that kind of group. That is why everyone admires and looks up to them``and fears. Igni has not met all of the [Extremes]. But as a [Magician] himself, he knew and spoke frankly. What Howell is suggesting . Igni: What youre trying to do is a meaningless experiment. Thats why Igni looked down coldly at Howell as he spoke. There was not a single dust of exaggeration in his statement. For someone who can create something from nothing and make something into nothing `` against the monsters who stepped into the realm of God, this level of Curse would be ineffective. Igni: Thats why you should find some other research.. Howell: Goodness, you are tough to convince, Igni. Howell wobbled to his feet with a hand to support his pierced thighs and within it, something small was held in the palm of his hand. Sensing the object with his sharpened five senses, Igni immediately realized what it was. He saw that it was a mummified remains of the fetus that had shrunk so small that Howell could fit it in the palm of his hand. Howell: But Igni, you do not know anything about Curses then. The [Gu] gives the survivor the strength it sapped from the other children. Then over the last couple of years, this baby had the [Gu] repeated countless times, so how much power do you suppose it has gained? Igni: ...........what are you trying to say? Howell: A [Curse] may seem deep and complicated at a glance, but also extremely simple and yet it is very deep and complicatedthis one, however, is a simple one. And Howell swallowed the mummified fetus. Howell: There is a strong meaning to swallowing a strong curse whole, Igni. And after a few words, Howells body began to regenerate at a rapid pace. Howell: Now then, I am already done with the preliminary tests. I did not think that I would have to perform the actual event in personbut I guess that was always a possibility. And Howells body rapidly swelled up with Magic Power, and Igni had to make a decision. Howell: Now then, Igni. With this, I should be able to face even the [Extremes]! Howell laughed. Igni took a ready position. Igni: No, youre not there yet. You still dont understand what [Magic] is. Howell: That is true. But if you think about it, even an [Extreme] is just a human being. If you hold limitless power, maybe we can catch up to them even without [Magic]. And Igni could only respond with a disappointed sigh at Howells smile. Igni: ..........if that was the case, they wouldnt be called [Extremes]. Howell: Hmmmm, Igni, you speak as though you know what a [Magician] is. Igni: .........yeah, thats right. Igni quietly confirms the [Path] within himself. She will be already sleeping at this time. So he apologized quickly. Igni: (Im sorry. I will borrow your power for just a little bit.) Now that it came to this, it could not be helped. Igni: Ill show you. Ill show you [Magic]. And announced his intention loudly. CH 133 Ch. 133: Determination and the Wizard Howell: [Magic]? Igni, you can use [Magic]?! Igni: Yeah. Igni used his [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} to continue to float above in the sky as he looked down upon Howell and spat the words out. Howell: .......no, itit cant be. Igni: You want to see it, right? The night breeze blew past both of them. The ground that was burning due to Ignis {Fireball} was now quietly smoking. Howell looked up from the mid-section of the mountain as he questioned Igni. Howell: ..........y`you can..you can really use it? Igni: Yeah. Igni placed a hand over his chest. He could feel the pulse of his heart. And beyond that, he felt the link with Sara. Howell: ...........thats. At that ageto be able to use [Magic]..... Howell stumbled his words clumsily as he furiously tried to get each word out. If he didnt, all that he believed in, everything that he knew and assumed would crumble helplessly. Howell: You have refined your {Fireball}..........but the power of your Spell..does not add up. There are not that many Wizards who only focus on a single Spell.youyou are an [Magic Type Specialist?Element One], right!? Igni: No, Im an [Ultimate Specialized Spell Type?Spell One]. Howell: What..is that ..? Howell asked with a trembling voice. Igni: In exchange for only being able to use a single Spell, your compatibility to that Spell is much higher. Howell: .........is thatwhy? Is that.why are you are able to use [Magic]? Igni: You might be right. Igni answered with very little interest. Howell: .......b`but thats..how is that fair?! Igni: No idea. Howell continued to scream out the words to hold back all the logic and reasoning that had supported him up until now from shattering to dust. Howell was indeed a genius. He never wavered from his position as head of the class. He was born in a wealthy family and learned Spells from his elite Father. There was no one his own age that could compete with his skills. He took that fact for granted. With his talent and determination to keep rising, he firmly built a foundation full of confidence and success. Thats why he believed that he would one day reach the level of [Extreme]. He dreamed of it while growing up to reach a level that his father could not. Yes, if he just had more time, he could eventually get there. But then..what about this man right before his eyes. He has no family name. He is not from a Noble family. But thats not the issue. Whether you are a Noble or an ordinary citizen, there are true geniuses. And this year, the Rolmod Academy was so luke warm that . All of the students near the top of the class are scouted by the different Knight Organizations, but Ignis name was no one to be found amongst them. But he was able to reach it. Howell: Wh`Why?! How could that be?! How could you possibly be able to use [Magic]?!?! Igni: Determination. A single word. That was all Igni said. He needed no other reason. Howell: ........! I..I will take you down, Igni!! This research is complete with the proof that I can defeat a [Magician]!! And Howell created a black sphere in the palm of his hand. Howell: Igni! If you are indeed a [Magician], then try stopping this!! [Strong Magnetism] {Katetsura?Magneteika}!! (*sfx) Strong magnetic forces thrashed around the area as it reacted and popped against the iron inside the dust and sand. Though Igni was not certain of what Howell was about to do, he at least understood what he was trying to do. Watching Howell, Igni remembered an incident last year. <<<<>>>> [AAAAAGGGGHHHH!! (Equip Flame) {Ignition} : (Complete Incineration) {Full Burst}......] [Too slow] But in the middle of his incantation, Igni felt a foot strike his stomach. His concentration now cut short, Igni flew backwards as Magic Power scattered all around him. [(cough.cough!)] Igni felt the damage to his internal organs from Lucas kick, and as he coughed up blood, he glared at Lucas. [What are you doing? Stand up.] Lucas spoke quietly to him. During combat training, Lucas showed no mercy. No, he must have had some mercy. If Lucas had kicked Igni with his full strength, not only would Igni be disintegrated, but the whole area around him as well. [Y`Youre cheating, Grandpa] [How so? Igni, do you actually believe.that ] [............] Having Grandpa nail his exact thoughts, Igni fell silent. [(sigh)..........I thought as much. Listen well, Igni. That is exactly why Im not letting you use [Magic]. [Wh`What do you mean?] [Igni, your intentions are too obvious. Your eyes are speaking volumes saying, If only I can use this, then I can go on the offensive. But on the contrary, Igni, would you ever give another Wizard who is trying to do exact same thing an opportunity to do so?] Igni understood what Lucas was saying and shook his head side to side. [Thats right. . That is the mark of a true strength.] [..................] Igni remained silent to Lucas reasonings. [Butlets seeit seems interesting. Go ahead and use [Magic], Igni.] [.......huh? Really?] [That is fine. A strong man might not let you use the ultimate attack, but an even stronger man would simply .] [......................!!] Igni snapped. His grandfather underestimated him way too much, he thought. How many people were able to achieve [Magic] at his age? A [Magic] that can give birth to worldsis the strongest [Magic]. Thats why Igni used his [Magic]. [ (Equip Flame) : {Incineration} : (Complete Incineration) {Full Burst} ] [.............about 2 seconds..thats all it should take.] And Igni was pummeled and beaten mercilessly by Lucas. <<<<>>>> Igni: ........this brings back memories. As he remembered those days, he looked down upon Howell. Howell was concentrating all the strong magnetic forces into his Spell. Howell probably planned to shoot that, and most likely straight at Igni. Igni: .........Howell, you have done one unforgivable crime. Howell: ................ It was hard to tell if he could hear Igni with all the magnetic forces thrashing all around him. But Igni spoke to him regardless. Igni: You . Thats why I will not forgive you. And Igni drew out his Magic Power. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Complete Incineration] {Full Burst}!! (*sfx) Magic Power swirled around him as one {Mini-Universe Fireball} was born. If the Universe began from one small fireball, then the ultimate pinnacle that Igni would ever be able to reach as a human being was this [Magic] {Miracle}. His first [Magic] Spell. [The Miracle of Creation] {Big Bang}. Howell: Prepare yourself, Igni!! Igni: Ive finished preparing long ago. He was prepared 2 years ago on that infamous day. Howell: [Ultimate Magnetic Cannon] {Coil Gun}!! Igni: [Stop]. Like an absolute being, Ignis voice stopped the world completely. And that was the answer to all of Howells questions. CH 134 Ch. 134: The Strongest Wizard It was at that time that Howell saw something strange. It was because he was in a place where everything was paused. The Spell [Ultimate Magnetic Cannon] {Coil Gun} fired a super-magnetically-charged object forward, and although Howell was able to theorize its possibilities, he absolutely lacked the Magic Power to be able to pull the Spell off. Hence, when he swallowed the mummified fetus, he instinctively knew. Howell: (I can do this..) ff He was finally able to stand at the pinnacle of his strength. Thats why he used it. But at the same time, the red-haired boy, Ignis Spell``no, his [Magic] was initiated, he realized that the metal object he supposedly fired was stopped in mid-air right in front of him. But it wasnt just the piece of metal that was paused. The dust particles in the air were frozen in place. The rocks and the rubble too. Everything around him was frozen completely, and for a moment, Howell thought that at the height of his concentration, he was just seeing the world in incredible slow motion. He has evaded death many times in his life, and this was similar to his past experiences when death confronted him. But a second, and then two seconds passed. The paused world stood still, and seeing how it was immovable, he began to think that where that came from, Ms. Hayem!! Hayem: [I cant wait.] And the Dragon began manipulating the Magic within her. CH 152 Ch. 152: The Dragon and the Magician For Igni, who can see the manipulation of Magic with his naked eye, the manipulation the Dragon initiated was so gigantic and overwhelming that the Dragons form was hidden from Igni for a moment. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Molecular] {Minima} If shes manipulating Magic, shes planning to do something big. Then Igni would have to answer back with something equally as powerful. As he sent the molecule-sized {Fireball} behind him, it hit the accelerator and cycled until it reached the speed of light. A bright, shining halo appeared behind Igni. Kiiiiiii``````nnn!> (*sfx squeal) A high-pitch, ear-piercing squeal rang as the {Fireball} accelerated and groaned behind Igni. But at the same time, Hayem amassed and concentrated all of her Magic towards her mouth. Igni: (..........!!) Igni: Alicia! Its a Breath Attack! Alicia: ........! Alicia, who was containing a wild storm with her Spell up until now, grimaces bitterly. A Dragons Breath Attack is on par with [Pseudo-Magic]. As they consume Magic Power, the amount of power that is born still remains within the realm of Spells. But it is a realm that no human could ever reach with Spells at the same time. Hence, it was placed in the same category as [Pseudo-Magic]. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! Igni releases the {Fireball} inside the accelerator that reaches maximum speed. Something akin to a small streak of light struck Hayem directly! It struck her square in the chest, and made her scales sink inwards, and the impact of the blow blew away all the snow and clouds that were still in the area! But that wasnt enough to stop a Dragons Breath Attack. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Ultimate Light] {Lucas} And Igni spun and circulated the manipulated magic within himself. It was the technique used by those who lived far in the east that Igni dubbed [Rotate Ember] {Ignite}. But the technique was focused on his head. As he accelerated the part of his brain that processed Spells, he was able to now use Spells that were impossible otherwise. It was a Spell which he named after his own grandfather. Being able to fire his {Fireball} at the same speed as light, it was a Spell that can even take down the fastest creatures known as Wyverns. But Hayem opened her mouth at the same time. Igni: [Strike through] {Fire} In that moment, light and light collided and struck against one another. Igni: ```! The flood of light that threatened to erase Igni and Alicia flying in the sky was scattered by Ignis {Fireball} and did not reach them. The moment felt as though it lasted for an eternity, but then Hayem and Igni cross glares. Of course, there was no way they could have seen each other in the blast of bright light. But they were united by the manipulated Magic. And the Dragons Magic energy was scattered about by Ignis {Fireball} and burned away the clouds above in the sky. And Ignis {Fireball} also fell short and did not reach Hayem. It had been completely negated by the Dragons Breath. Igni: .........that Breath just now, it wasnt your full energy. Hayem: [Oh, and it looks like youre still hiding , are you not?] The clouds vanished, and the weather was now a cloudless, sunny day at the top of the mountain as Igni and Hayem faced off. Hayem: [Are you not going to use what youre hiding?] Igni: ..........its not like we were done without discussion. I dontwant to kill you. Hayem: [Hehe] Hayem quietly chuckled to herself. Hayem: [How long has it been since a human was concerned for my well-being?] Her large eyes stared down at Igni and thinned as she smiled. Hayem: [But you dont have to be concerned. I am not as weak as you think.] But that confidence was of course, rooted in her belief that she herself was the strongest. Igni understood the intention of her words well. Igni had used both his most powerful against Hayem. And as he glanced briefly at her chest, the large indentation and wound was repairing and closing up quickly. Igni: (........ahhhh, okay. I see now.) Seeing that, Igni fully understood. That against a Dragon, a humans puny Spell was no match against it. Igni: .........okay. Then Im . Hayem: [Yes, yes! Otherwise, this would be so boring!] And her overjoyed shrill was that of a young maiden who was about to have her first dance with her lover. Igni: ........Alicia, Ill need your help. Alicia: Leave it to me. As soon as he used it, he would no longer be able to use any other Spells. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Complete Incineration] {Full Burst}!! Deep within Ignis chest, he was connected with one girl. By burning everything that he had, he would create one {Fireball}. And that was a small, small [Mini-Cosmos] {Fireball}. Hayem: [..........oh? Youre actually Magician, are you?] It caught her off guard, and as Hayem posed the question, Igni smirked a viscous smile back. Hayem: [Fall to the earth] Feeling mocked by his action, Hayem initiated a Command Spell, and tried to drop Igni and Alicia to the floor. But Igni and Alicia had already disappeared from her sight. Instinctively, Hayem turned around. But a stream of energy hit both her wings as she did so. And as soon as she caught Igni and Alicia by sight, before she could retaliate, Igni disappeared once more. Igni: "My Magic can stop time. Not wanting to hurt Hayem anymore than necessary, Igni began convincing Hayem. By showing the insurmountable difference in strength between Wizard and Magician, he wanted to curb her thirst for battle. Igni: It doesnt matter how fast or strong you are. Hayem lost sight of Igni again, and though she looked around, she couldnt find him. But the next moment, a rain of fire poured down on top of the Dragon and melted off her scales. Igni: Here, I am Hayem: [Marvelous. How marvelous!] But Hayem began concentrating her Magic to her mouth once again for another charge. She was still trying to compete with Magic with her Pseudo-Magic. That was because she still believed that it was possible to compete against Magic with it. Igni: ............hey, Miss Hayem. How much do you think you can endure? Hayem: [What are you talking about?] Igni: Lets start with 3 days. At that moment, Hayem realized that all time had stopped around her. Though Magic had accumulated inside of her mouth, and she only had to shoot it at Igni in front of her, she realized that she could not do so at all. Then, she finally understood. The fate that would await her if she continued. <<<<>>>> Hayem: [I seeso thats how it is] Hayem released the concentrated Magic into the atmosphere. She finally realized that before Magic, there was nothing she could do. Igni: Can I hear your story now? Hayem: [Yes, of course. You are the victors after all. Since you have faced and defeated a Dragon, you can ask whatever you like. Just``] And with that, Hayem began enveloping her body with Magic. Hayem: [It will be difficult speaking like this, so I will change my form to this.] The next instant, light enveloped Hayem, and her form twisted into the shape of a person. Hayem: How is this? She gently brushed the snow off of her, and there stood a robed, tall girl with blue-ish hair that was closer to silver. Igni: (............sh`........sh`shes..) And Igni lost all the vocabulary inside his mind. Igni: (...........cute) CH 153 Ch. 153: The Right of the Victor Alicia: .......so you can turn into a person? Hayem: Yes, I can. Although it is uncomfortable. Still riding on her broom, Alicia continued to be weary of Hayem. But Hayem ignored the piercing glares coming from Alicia without blinking an eye. Hayem: So, Igni, what did you want to ask me? And directed her question to Igni. Since she mentioned that the victor has a right to ask a Dragon about anything, Igni decided to move forward with his question. Igni: Why.did you come here? He was certain that by here, she would understand that he meant the Empire. Hayem was originally a Dragon who lived near the [Demon Kings Realm]. Maybe she will just say that it was because she was bored, but she was living in her previous location for close to a hundred years, so suddenly appearing out of the blue, there must be a reason. Hayem: .....I was..forced out. She seemed incredibly reluctant to say the words out loud, but Hayem spoke clearly. Igni: (.......she was forced out?) Igni tilted his head as he thought about Hayems words, but hearing that she was forced out was disconcerting. Dragons are the strongest creatures. Hence, only people with equal or higher strength would be able to force one away. Now, Igni understood why Hayem was so reluctant as to explain why she came to the Empire. Her pride simply did not permit her to admit that she was beaten and sent elsewhere. But losing to Igni, that did not matter any more. Hayem: Yes, I was forced out. And Hayem now repeated those words as if to give up. Igni: Who forced you out? Hayem: A human. Igni: .........what did they look like? Hayem: Yes, well, its hard to forget. It was a with red hair just like yours and used Black Flames. Igni: (A Magician) And Igni and Alicia looked at Hayem in disbelief. Alicia: A Magician with red hair? Theres no red-heads in the [Extremes]. And with Alicias words, Igni had a clue about their suspect. Igni: Then its a [Transgressor]. People who had the power to use but placed themselves against humanity. They were the worst of humanitys enemies. Igni: But why would a [Transgressor] attack Ms. Hayem? Hayem: That, I dont know. Maybe they just wanted the Dragons treasure? They say that Dragons have a habit of collecting gold and silver treasures. And they would store that inside their nest. So there are treasure hunters who will attempt to kill Dragons and collect this treasure. There are a few treasure hunters, but most of them would be throwing their lives away. Hayem: Of course, I fought too, but they were too strong, and I had to escape to here. Alicia: And thats why you came to the Empire? Hayem nodded in response to Alicias question. Igni felt a sense of relief to hear Hayems story. If she was bored of her previous location and came to the Empire, he would have had to force her to look for another new location. But if she was forced out of her previous nest, then she might be willing to return to her nest once the [Transgressor] was caught. Igni: Hey, Ms. Hayem? Hayem: What is it? Igni: If we catch that Magician, would you be willing to go back to where you lived before? Hayem thought about Ignis question and`` Hayem: I dont really have any attachments here, and I wouldnt mind going back now that I think about it. Alicia and Igni both brightened at Hayems answer. They might be able to resolve the Empires dilemma in a much smoother way, and they both could not hide their relief. But that all depends on whether they can catch the [Transgressor] that attacked Hayems old home. Alicia: It would be best to take this information back to the elders once. Igni: Itll be good to see if they know anything about this red-haired [Transgressor] too. Hayem: Oh, but I wont be going back any time soon. ..what? Hayems sudden news took both of them by surprise. IgnI: What..do you mean by that exactly? As Igni carefully asked, Hayems expression brightened to her broadest smile. Hayem: I just realized something. Igni: What..exactly? Hayem: If I cant use Magic, I wont be able to win against a Magician. Igni: Yeah? Uh, yes. Igni nodded to Hayems logic. Hayem: But I cant use Magic. You know that, right? Alicia: ..........is that so. Alicia didnt seem to know as she mumbled out a reply. Hayem: Thats why I started thinking. How can I become able to use Magic? Igni: Okay. Hayem: Then I realized..what if I spend more time with a Magician. That would be best. Hayem brought her palms together and her eyes sparkled as she gazed at Igni. Following Hayems gaze, Alicia also looked at Igni. Hayem: If I spent time living with a Magician, maybe Ill be able to pick up a hint or two on using my own Magic. Isnt that a marvelous idea? A long silence followed after the Dragon spoke, but it was Alicia who first came to realize what Hayem was intending to do. Alicia: Wh`What?! You cant do that!! Hayem: Oh, but why? Alicia: Because itll snow everywhere you are! If you go around with Igni, do you plan to make everywhere he goes into [Winter]?! Hayem: Ill try not to do that. Alicia: Its not a matter of trying or not for you, right?! Stop all this snow right now if you want to prove it!! Hayem: Thats not possible. This is just the result of my Magic Power overflowing out of me. Igni: (............hm? Magic Power is overflowing??) And something caught Ignis attention. Alicia: So as long as that is a problem, you cant be with Igni! Thats why!! Hayem: Oh, but if I fix that problem, then I can be with him? Alicia: WHAT?! N`Nothats..wait, thats still a no!! Hayem: Why? Alicia struggles to find reasons, but Hayem was genuinely curious and looked at Alicia with her innocent green eyes. And after racking her brains furiously for an excuse`` Alicia: N`No, it just wont be possible. A Dragon and human are too different, right? Im sure a Dragons lifestyle must be very different. Yes! Thats why! Thats why you cant live with Igni! Hayem: Theres no problems there. Ive hidden and lived among people before. Alicia: ........hmmmm?! B`But.still! No! Besides! What about the [Winter]?! Hayem: Hmmmmm, lets see. Her reasoning began to thin and topple over, but Alicia was able to cling to the fact that Hayems [Winter] would make it impossible for her to be around Igni. But Igni had turned his attention away from the two and was grasping at something that continued to nag him ` a potential solution that continued to evade him until he realized something. It was the warm Magic Power that continued to thickly churn and pump itself into the very center of his being. Igni: Hey, Alicia. Alicia: What is it? Igni: What if we stick Saras bracelet on Hayem? Wouldnt that make the snow stop? Alicia completely froze at Ignis words. Alicia: .......that might work. ``were words she regretted letting slip out. CH 154 Ch. 154: The Magecraft Artifact and the Dragon With Alicias orders, the bracelet that was originally made for Sara was delivered from the Imperial Capital to the Port Town of Esport. Well, though they expedited the process, it still took 3 days. During that time, Igni had nothing else to do, so he was shoveling snow to kill time. Though snow looks like, enough of it could potentially make a house collapse. The Imperial towns typically make their houses out of stone, so they wont get so easily crushed, but as long as Hayem is here, it snows endlessly. It was quite a sight to watch all the Adventurers go out to shovel snow all together. So they passed 3 days of time like that. The bracelet was then delivered by horse carriage. Hayem: So I just have to put this on? Hayem was back to her Dragon form, and greeting Igni and his group, she turned into human form. Because she transformed with such ease, she must have been quite adept at [Life] Type Magic. Alicia: Thats right. If this doesnt work, then well catch the [Transgressor] that forced you to leave your previous living place, and you will have to go back there. Hayem: I guess it cant be helped. Hayem shrugged her shoulders and placed the bracelet on her arm. The sound of metal clipping onto metal echoed quietly and immediately afterwards, the snow stopped. Alicia: ......it stopped. Igni: It did stop. Hayem: Oh? All three immediately looked around and voiced their immediate thoughts. Gradually, the swirling silver clouds that were enveloping the top of the mountain began dissipating. And bright hot sunshine pierced the sky. Though it was interesting to feel the cold still sting their skin, and see the hot, burning sunlight appear out of the sky, for Igni and Alicia who spent 3 days in the bitter cold, it was enough to see that summer had arrived once again. Hayem: So now, I can be with Mr. Magician, right? Alicia: .........urgh.ummmm. Alicia was unable to come up with any words and only groaned in frustration. Igni did notice that Alicia was not keen on having Hayem come with them, but thats as far as his thoughts went. Hayem: That was the promise, was it not, Miss Wizard. Alicia: ........thatis truebut thats not..you know. Hayem: Oh? Do humans break their promises? Dragons will always keep their word. Alicia: ........but Alicia was trying hard to find a way out of this situation, but Igni had something more important to say to Hayem. Igni: Hey, Hayem. I have something to ask of you. Hayem: What is it? Igni: Could we say that this incident was resolved because you turned into a person? Hayem: Why is that? Igni: We also have our circumstances, so Id like to keep the details of this incident confidential. Hayem: Youre asking a Dragon to lie? Igni: Yes, please. Thats my request. For Igni, slaying the Dragon was his original objective. But the reason why they needed the Dragon slain was to restore the frozen Port Town of Esport which is the crux of the Empires trade economy. And by sealing away Hayems overflowing Magic Power, they were able to accomplish that goal. Thern his next goal is to help Alicia avoid any arranged marriages. No matter what, the Empire focuses on strength alone. The fact that the eldest Imperial Princess, Celia, is also an [Extreme] points out that very fact. Thats why if they give Alicia credit as someone who changed the Dragon into a human form and made it submit to her authority, no one around her could challenge her authority. But if someone asks Hayem about this directly, Hayem will need to lie. Hayem: I refuse. A Dragon never lies. Igni: Please if theres any way. Alicia: Igni, theres no reason for Hayem to have to lie, is there? Alicia skipped all honorifics when addressing Hayem. But unlike Igni, Hayem mentioned nothing about it because she new that Alicia was part of the Imperial Family. Igni: What do you mean? Alicia: We just need her to just remain silent about the matter. Igni: I see. I understand now. Igni nodded as he perceived what Alicia meant, and Alicia nodded back to elaborate. Alicia: Yes, so how about this? Hayem is a proud, noble Dragon. Speaking to humans is below her. Thats why it will be up to us to explain what happened here. Then`` Igni: .........we could change the contents as we like. Alicia: Yes, isnt that perfect? Alicia smiled as she spoke to Igni. Feeling his heart skip at seeing her smile, Igni considered what Alicia said carefully. Yes, if thats the case, then Hayem wouldnt have to lie, and no one would be the wiser. Hayem: Oh, but I am not a proud Dragon. Wouldnt that be a lie? Alicia: You will just be acting. Alicia immediately answered Hayems concern without a moment of hesitation. Hayem: Acting? Alicia: Yes, it is just an act. It is not lying. Hayem: And that is not lying? Alicia: Its different. Though Igni couldnt help but feel that Alicia was playing around semantics, Hayem agreed to Alicias terms. Alicia: Okay, Igni. Now that the Quest is complete, lets hurry home. Igni: Oh, were already going back? Alicia: Of course. The Emperors Birthday Festival is the day after tomorrow. Igni: .......are you going to be okay? The Emperors Birthday Festival is literally a birthday celebration of the present Emperor. It is a once a year festive event, and it is an opportunity for the public to be able to see the Imperial Family. Well, in actuality, both Elie and Alicia have been frequently doing escapades outside the Imperial Castle, so its not a rare opportunity in that sense. But Igni was concerned because Alicias sister, Elie, had mentioned that they had rehearsals for the Birthday Festival, and he knew that the Imperial Family played some important role in the celebration. Alicia: Actually, not really. Alicia spoke solemnly as she got on her broom. Apparently, things were not okay. Alicia: Ive already spoken to the Elder Council, so well just go straight back! Hayem: Will we fly? But I cannot fly in human form. Alicia: ...........huh? Alicia almost asked her to turn back into a Dragons form, but she immediately took back her words. Even she knew that it would be troublesome to take Hayem back in her Dragon form. Igni: Hey, Alicia. Alicia: What is it, Igni? Igni: but there is a way to get back to the Imperial Capital, but what do you think? Alicia: Are you talking about ......? Alicia had at one point traveled with Igni with that method and carefully and fearfully asked him for clarificationand he nodded to confirm. Alicia: .........I guess we have no other choice. Thank you, Igni. Igni: Leave it to me. Hayem: Oh, what will we do? Alicia came and stood close to Igni, so Hayem followed suit to do the same. Igni: ......pardon me. The Etiquette of Popularity #4 `` A Popular Man should be a gentleman at all times and along those principles, he gently held the two by his side. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! A giant {Fireball} rounded and appeared below Ignis feet! Igni: [Return] {Fire}!! And pointing the explosion in one direction, he ignites the {Fireball}!! The 3 of them flew off forward at incredible speeds!!! Alicia didnt want to miss an opportunity like this and clung to Igni as tight as she could, but Igni was too busy controlling their flight route to notice. CH 155 It would have taken dozens of hours by horse carriage, but Igni and his two companions made the trip in less than a few hours back to the Imperial Capital. Unlike his spell [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}, Igni needed no refined skills to just continuously make things explode behind him ` which was quite impressive considering how barbaric his methods were ` and arriving at the Imperial Capital, Igni and his group headed straight for the castle. As soon as he enters the castle with Alicia, Sebastian immediately greeted them. Sebastian: Welcome back, your highness. .and who might this be? Sebastian looked to the 3rd member of the group who was not with them when they left the castle. Alicia: She is the [Frozen Winter] Hayem, Sebastian. Sebastian: Truly?! Sebastian, who was usually very calm and collected in any situation, stood back astonished. Of course he did. Stories about Dragons turning into humans were only told in fairy tales. Hayem: ................. Hayem remained silent and removed all emotion from her expression. This was exactly how Igni and Alicia instructed her to do on the way here. Igni could not be more grateful as she put on this act for them. Alicia: Sebastian, I need to prepare for the Birthday Festival, so please prepare a guest room for Hayem. Sebastian: As you command. Lady Hayem, if you have any needs, please let me know. Hayem: ........I have none. She quietly and uninterestedly responded to Sebastian. This was exactly how Igni and Alicia asked her to be ` a proud Dragon who had no interest in humans. Seeing how well this was going, Igni celebrated inside his mind. Sebastian: I understand. Sebastian nodded and turned towards Igni. Sebastian: Sir Igni, as for the reward, I will begin the preparations, but it will take some time Igni: I understand. The reward referred to one of Ignis dream of being surrounded by Beast Race girls and enjoying their soft, fluffy fur, and if it is going to take time to arrange, then Igni was willing to wait. A Popular Man needs to have an understanding heart and deep patience. Sebastian: Then Lady Hayem, this way please. Sebastian took Hayem and headed for the guest room. Now, she will have to keep the act up herself. Once the summer break is over, Alicia will return to the Rolmod Wizard Academy, so they have told Hayem to hold on until then. Thats why Igni knew that Hayem would have to part with them until the Birthday Festival was over, but he was still left with some doubts and concerns. As Igni prayed that Hayem would not cause any trouble, Alicia spoke to him. Alicia: Igni, what will you do now? Igni: Hm? Ill return to the inn once. Yoori and Sara are waiting for me. Alicia: I see. Then, when will I see you again? Igni: Itll be soon. At the latest, during the Birthday Festival. Alicia: Hehe. Im looking forward to it. Alicia smiled, turned on her heel, and disappeared into the castle. As Igni watched her go, he also turned around and headed for the town. But it was during the middle of the day. Yoori and Sara would probably not be at the inn. To meet up with them, he would have to search through the town. As he thought about these things, he decided to kill some time from a location he knew within the Imperial Capital, and Igni headed for the Adventurers Guild. Entering the building, Igni was shocked to see many more Adventurers than when he came here with Yoori and Sara. But he realized that it was because all the Adventurers who were sent to slay Hayem had returned. Igni: (And its just all men here..) Igni observed the room filled with testosterone.but then felt someone tap him lightly on the shoulder. Its been a while. Youve been well? Igni: Elie! It has been a while. And there stood a Beast Race girl with a hood over her head. Since Igni and Alicia had left to slay Hayem, so Elie was the princess left behind. Igni: Why are you here? Elie: Im a F-Rank Adventurer, you know? Why cant I be here? Igni: ........no, thats not what I meant. Elie: I know, I know. Youre talking about the Birthday Festival, right? As if to read his mind, Elie smiled mischievously from underneath her hood at Igni. Igni: Y`Yeah, dont you have..a lot of preparation to do? Elie: Really, all the prep I had to do was for the speech at the beginning. And because of Allie, I had plenty of free time to prepare. Elie shrugged as she spoke. Allie was the nickname she used for Alicia, and while Igni and Alicia were in the Port City, Elie must have finished all her preparations, so with free time on her hand, she snuck out of the castle again. Elie: And let me ask you why youre here, Igni. Igni: We just finished. Igni assumed that she would understand what he meant without going into details. Elie: (*whistles)...look at you, Igni. As expected of you. Igni: No, it wasnt me this time. Normally, he would have blushed at the compliment, but this time, for Alicias sake, he couldnt accept any credit. Elie widened her eyes at Ignis unexpected response. Elie: Really? Igni: Yeah, this time, Alicia deserves all the credit. Elie: Hmmm, I see At that moment, Elies voice turned ice cold. It was not a disinterested coldness. It was something akin to not appreciating that Alicia accomplished something, and she snuffed any feelings of resentment very forcefully.that kind of chill crossed Ignis mind. Elie: I guess she wasnt just playing around in the Kingdom. She spat the words disgustingly. Igni: So I was looking for Yoori and Sara, but do you happen to know where they might be? Igni instinctively avoided continuing the conversation and tried to change subjects. He didnt see any reason to continue touching on a subject that brought so much negative emotions and wanted to end it quickly. But Elie did not answer Ignis question. Elie: Igni, are you free right now? Igni: ........huh? Oh, yeah, I am free but Igni was only thinking about meeting up with Yoori and Sara, but even after meeting up with them, he did not have any particular plans in mind. Thats why when Elie asked if he was free, he answered that he was. The tips of Elies lips curved upwards into a cruel smirk at his answer. Elie: Then, why not go on a date with me? Igni: ............?! Igni: (A`A date?!) Igni had not recovered from his shock as Elie continued. Going on a date with a cute Beast Race Girl was something Igni would never refuse, and he would have jumped up with joy at the offer, but something inside him hesitated and wondered about Elies true intentions. Elie: You are free, right? Igni: ........yeah, Id love to. But being invited on a date, presented with a simple yes or no option, he nodded his head. Of course, there was only one answer for him from the beginning. CH 156 Ch. 156: The Date and the Wizard [Oye, Igni.] [What is it, Grandpa?] In the face of natures grandeur, Lucas questioned Igni. Igni had two {Fireballs} hovering around him very closely. He had finally mastered being able to create 2 {Fireballs} at once. [When you become Popular, something like this will happen.] [Like what?] [That ishaving girls approach you for dates!] [What?! Really?!?! Could that really happen?!?!] [It can! Listen carefully, Igni. Popular Men will remain Popular to the end. The Unpopular will forever remain Unpopular.! And women instinctively are able to distinguish between the two!!] [I`Is that reallypossible?] [Hence, you cannot be semi-Popular! That will not do! But when you breach that Semi-Popularity into true Popularity, a change will occur.! Women will begin asking you out!] [Th`Thats amazing.! Thatthat can really happen..!!] Rather than being the one to always ask out girls, being asked out by girls was something Igni could only dream inside dreams. Though Igni could only imagine it happening in fairy tales, the hope that it might happen to him swelled inside of him. [However, Igni. Women who will ask you out can be grouped into broadly 2 categories. Just like the two {Fireballs} you have right now..] [Uh..Grandpa, you know that these two are identical.. [Just shut up and follow along!] [Yes, sir.] [The first just wants to hang out and spend some time together! That is fine. You can just hang out, and it will be over. But the second.! This is what is so troublesome!!] [Wh`What is it?] [That isa woman with a wish for destruction.] [A wish for destruction..?!] The words were too terrifying for young Igni,. [Thats right. A woman who is recklessly self-destructing. One who lost all hope in her future. Another, who felt something inside her tear and shatter to pieces. There are many reasons why a woman may find herself in that position, but those who do areabsolute trouble.! Even we are in danger of being dragged into their destructive end.!!] [B`But why?! If they want to self-destruct, they can go do that on their own! [YOU FOOL!!] In a blink of an eye, Igni only saw a glimpse of Lucas hand as it slapped him across the face. His {Fireballs} vanished as he flew away from a direct hit. [They will self-destruct ! But for a man who never knew a woman, he gets entangled and swallowed up by her destruction!] [H`He gets swallowed up.?!] [Yes! The Unpopular men tend to get sucked in more often because they dont understand women and accept the destructive fate that faces them.!] [B`But thats! Then, what should I do, Grandpa?! You have to help me!!] For Igni who had no experience with women, he could only plead for his grandfathers advice. He could easily foresee a future where he gets caught with a girl unknowingly and innocently gliding down to a destructive end. [Igni, have you learned nothing from watching me?] [Huh?] Being caught off guard by the question, Igni looked Lucas up and down. [I need better eyesight?] [What are you talking about?!] This time, the words slapped Igni across the face as he took his grandfathers criticism. [Igni, you must ] [........save them?] [Thats right! Why do strong men become Popular?! Why do men with confidence and ease become Popular?!] [Th`Thats] [But this all hinges on whether the woman youre with is her time with you..! Whether you are able to shake and draw out her feelings! Everything depends on that..!!] [Draw out.her emotions!] [Of course, it will not be easy! But a man with a large heart, a man who can save another human being heading for destruction..that manwill no doubt become Popular!!] [Wh`Whoa..!!] Igni could see his grandfathers reasoning now. No, in fact, he now saw it as central to everything that was true in this world! [If you understand, stop slacking and go back to your training!] [B`But Grandpa, youre the one who made the {Fireballs} disappear.] [No excuses!] The young Igni saw the unreasonableness of his grandfathers attitude and proceeded with his training. <<<<<>>>>> The date with Elie was great. She took him shopping, and they performed a simple Quest together. And during that time, Igni contemplated whether he should open up to her with the concerns and thoughts he had. But he couldnt find the right words, and in the end, he spent the day with her until evening came. Elie: It was really fun today. Thanks for hanging out with me. Igni: No, I had fun too. Thank you. It was really fun being able to go on a date with you, Elie. At the Adventurers Guild, Igni and Elie shook hands. Igni: Hey, Elie. Id like to take you to one last place. Can I escort you there? Elie: You know that Im the elder one here, right? Igni: Well, escorting is mans job, right? And Igni held his hand out to Elie. Elie: ........well, I guess. I wonder where youre going to take me, Igni? I know this Capital city like the back of my hands. Igni: This way. And Igni took Elie by the hand and walked outside. Taking her to an empty alleyway, he held Elies hand, and with [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}, they flew into the air. Elie: What?! Huh, wh`whats happening?! Were flying?! Igni: Elie, look down. From the distant horizon, the sun gently shined upon them. But what Igni wanted to show her was not the sunset. As if to fight against the oncoming night, the Magecraft streetlamps came on, and eventually, more came on as the entire city lit up. Elie: .........its beautiful.. Igni: Isnt it? This is what I wanted to show you. It was a scene Igni noticed when he was returning to the Capital with Alicia. People returned to the Capital, and with all the night lights, true night never overcame the city. Thats why he guessed that at night time, the Capital will look like a city of jewels from above. Igni: Elie, you invited me on a date.because Alicia resolved the Dragon Crisis? Igni wanted to say, to get back at her? but held back those words. He didnt want to criticize Elie, but rather, wanted to talk with her. Elie: ..........no. Its not that. And pouting a little, Elie turned away. And that was the answer to Igni. Igni remembered what Alicia said. How Elie liked to take things that were hers and play around with it. So Igni hypothesized from there. Elie potentially had some kind of inferiority complex against Alicia.possibly. Igni: I dont know much about this country. But more than that, Elie, I know very little about you. Elie: ............. Igni: Thats why I dont know what happened between you and Alicia. Elie: Are you trying to comfort me? Igni: No, I justI just wanted to go on a real date with you, Elie. Eie: ........what do you mean? Igni: I meant what I said. I just want you to like me, and go on a date with you. Thats all. High up in the air, the winds were stronger, and strong gales hit the two standing up in the sky. Elie: ..........so you knew? Igni: Yeah, though I may not look it, Im pretty sharp when it comes to womens gazes. Elie: ........what do you mean by that, silly. Elie looked at him curiously and smiled back at Igni. Elie: Youre a strange one. And the wind carried her words to Igni. CH 157 Ch. 157: The Cat and the Wizard Igni walked Elie back to the castle, and coming back to the inn after several days of absence, he found Yoori and Sara inside the room. Yoori: Welcome back, Igni. Sara: Youre late! Igni: Im back. Its been 3 days, but Yoori and Sara looked the same as when he left. Igni: Sara, I had to borrow some Magic from you, but were you okay? Sara: Magic? I didnt notice. The [Path] between them passes both ways, and Igni was certain that he borrowed a significant amount from her, but Sara did not seem to care or mind. He could definitively say that her Magic reserves must be close to bottomless. Igni: I see. Thanks anyways. Sara: Its okay. If it helped, Im glad. And with that Sara smiled with satisfaction as she nodded. Yoori: So what happened to the Dragon, Igni? Igni: We worked it out. Yoori: I see. As expected of you. Were you able to slay it? Igni: No. Yoori: Then you let it go? Igni: Nope. Yoori: Huh? Then, what happened? Igni: We convinced it to change its form to a human. Yoori: Is that really possible?! Yooris reaction was no surprise. Only in fairy tales, has he ever heard of Dragons turning into people Theres not that many people who believe that fantastic things like that happen in the real world. Igni: Yeah, shes at the castle right now.and shell probably come back to the Academy with us. Yoori: Th`The Academy? The Frozen Winter Hayem will? Igni: Yeah. She believes that being with Igni will help her become a Magician. Since Igni is not hiding the fact that he can use , theres no issue if she sticks by him, but he is worried about what the professors will say. If its the Rolmod Wizard Academys faculty, they will most likely allow Hayem to be around Igni.is what Igni thinks, but if they reject his proposal, itll be very troublesome. And so, Igni decided to stop thinking about the issue altogether. Igni: Oh yeah, have you two had dinner? Yoori: No, not yet. Sara: Im hungry! Igni: Then lets go out somewhere to eat. Yoori: Yeah, that sounds good. The 3 hungry kids walked out into the main street and ran into a familiar face while looking for some place to eat. Hm? Oh, its Igni. Igni: Its been a while, Fram. It was the red-haired young man that Igni could not help but feel that it was similar to himself. But he was dressed differently this time. He held a short staff and had a pouch around his waist. His clothes were different too, and it must have been for combat. The material was thicker, and it looked to be made from Magic-Conductive-resistant materials to protect him from Spells. Igni: Are you going somewhere? Fram: Yeah, we got a job to do. Fram shrugged as he answered Igni. Looking next to Fram, Igni saw that black-haird man with a sword at his waist. Igni: ........so you were a swordsman. Yeah, Im the vanguard, and Fram is the rearguard. Oh, I havent introduced myself yet. Im Sol. Just Sol. Nice to meet you. Yeah: Yeah, nice to meet you. But Igni did not feel the same familiarity from Sol as he did with Fram and wondered if it was because Sol was a swordsman. Igni: (No, theres something about him, that I cant put into words) But as Igni thought, Yoori opened his mouth to speak. Yoori: A job? So you are going on a Quest? Fram: Yup. Were going to the underground labyrinth dungeon to explore. I guess students like yourselves dont explore dungeons much? Yoori: We have classes that do in later semesters. Fram: I see. Thats a Wizards Academy for ya. You have a class for it? I wish I went to school then. Sol: An idiot like you wouldnt be able to make it there. Fram: What you say? Fram was genuinely impressed with the curriculum offered at the Academy, but furrowed his brows at Sols comment. Fram: Well, Im sure there are things that they cant teach at school that happens during real combat, so be careful if you ever do. Yoori: Oh, yes! Thank you. Well keep that in mind. Fram patted Yoori on the shoulder and headed to outside of town with Sol. Sara: Igni. Igni: Hm? As they watched Fram and Sol leave the city, Sara turned to Igni. Sara: Why are they going during the night? Igni: Thats because at night, the Monsters become active. Sara: Is that a good thing? Igni: It makes it easier to collect materials from the Monsters. Thats why you can make more money. Sara: Then shouldnt everyone go during the night time? Igni: Haha, it would be great if everyone could, but when the Monsters are active, they become stronger, so that makes it more difficult. Sara: ...........is it dangerous? Igni: It is. But those two are B-Rank Adventurers so they should be fine. Sara: I see. Sara looked impressed and surprised as she watched the two in the distance. With knew knowledge and insight, many thoughts swirled around her head as she watched them disappear. Igni, Sara, and Yoori selected a random tavern, and after eating dinner, returned to the inn. When they entered the tavern, it was before the sun was setting, but as they left, night had arrived. A chilly breeze cooled their reddened cheeks. Yoori: Oh yeah, Igni. When will your grandfather come back? Igni: Hmmm, I wonder when he will be back. Well, hell be back sooner or later. Though it was a vague answer, Igni could not predict his grandfathers return, so there was no other way for him to answer that question. Sara: Igni, theres a kitty cat. Igni: Hm? Oh, look at that. Its a cute thing. In the darkness, Sara pointed to one cat she found. From the back alleyway, it had poked its head out slightly to look towards their direction, and otherwise, it was just an ordinary cat. Igni: Im surprised that you saw it. Sara: Hehe, theres lots of kitties around here. Did you know? And Sara smiled proudly. Igni: (So cute.) And Igni did not know that there were many cats around the Imperial Capital. And as Igni approached the cat to try and pet it, the cat opened its mouth. [I finally found you, Igni.] Sara: The kitty talked!! Yoori: What?! How?! Sara and Yoori were shocked. For a brief second, Igni believed that he was now so Popular that cats were even wanting his attention, but the familiar voice immediately triggered a deep search into his brains database and identified the owner. Igni: M`Miss Celia?! And it was undoubtedly Celias voice. Yoori: Huh? Oh, youre right! That is Miss Celias voice. And it took a moment, but Yoori noticed the similarity to Celias voice as well. Yoori was taken hostage by Celia once. It did not take him long to remember Celias voice. [Just call me Celia. I need to speak with you.] The cat remained just a cat and spoke to the three. [Igni, I need you to protect Allie and Elie.] And the [Extreme] of [Life] had a favor to ask the Wizard. CH 158 Ch. 158: The Cat and the Wizard Igni: What..do you mean by protect? The cats eyes pierce Igni in response. Celia: [I cannot say this loudly, so I need you to keep everything I say confidential.] Igni: Then should we go into the back alley? Then there wont be anyone who.. Igni and his group were at the edge of a large street. It is a place where people wont pay any attention, but it wont be possible to avoid all gazes from the passerby. Celia: [No, I have created a simple barrier. The only ones that know that you are here are myself, and you three.] As expected of the [Extreme] of [Life]. She was quite overly prepared. Not being able to say this loudly means shes asking Igni to not spread this to the public. Celia: First, Ill cut to the point. The Kingdom and the Empire have both received a declaration of war from the [Transgressors]. Igni: ........wh`?!?! Celia spoke plainly as if the contents were insignificant, but Igni was hit hard and froze in place. Yoori also had his jaws drop as he stared at the black cat. Sara tilted her head not comprehending the implications of Celias first statement. Celia: [All the are now defending their respective states butI still have something to do and cannot return to the Empire just yet. Hence, I need you to protect the Imperial Capital until I return. All the Imperial Nobles will gather together for the Emperors birthday festival. For the [Transgressors], there is no greater opportunity than this.] Igni: ......what about Grandpa? Igni wondered what his grandfather, Lucas, was doing, and as he asked`` Celia: [The of is currently working.] Igni: What?! Grandpas working?! Celia: [..........I see that both of us see Lucas very differently.] Igni: (Wait, theres no way hes working. Im sure hes just hanging out with women even nowhe is my grandpa after all.) But Igni kept these thoughts to himself as he continued to speak. Igni: Leave protecting the Imperial Capital to me. I just have to protect it until you return, right? Celia? Celia: [Yeah. I hope the precautions are all for nothing, but now that they have declared war, since they have taken no action up until now, I suspect that they were waiting for a very specific time. And right now, the biggest event is the Birthday Festival. Im almost certain that they were waiting for this.] Igni: And though you know all this, you still cant come back? Celia: [Thats right. Theres a job I must do. I need to remove the Vampires that are heading towards the Empire. Besides me, only the of and can deal with them.] Vampires are creatures that stand shoulder to shoulder with Dragons as the strongest creatures. The most frightening aspect of facing one comes down to the fact that they use Spells very similar to the [Demon Kings] Undead Magic. But since the Vampires use Spells, they cannot continue to produce infinite amounts of vampires like the [Demon King]. But those who have their blood sucked or receive their blood become Vampires. Hence, they can rapidly increase and multiply in numbers. Celia: [Hence, I cannot return just yet. This is also something I suspect the have arranged.] Igni: Why? For what purpose? Celia: [They are a hedonistic bunch. Im sure that theres not a well thought out reason for their motives. Its most likely something like, We just thought that taking down a country would be fun. Thats all the reason they need to do something like this.] Igni trembled slightly as he couldnt comprehend the logic or reasoning of the [Transgressors]. Igni: (Why? That wouldnt help you get Popular at all) Celia: [Thats why they believe this country lacks a Magician. That is our opportunity.] And Celia continued, not knowing what Igni was thinking at this time. Igni: ........you want me to be the hidden trump card? Celia: [Exactly that.] Igni: ......okay, Ill do it. Popularity Etiquette No. 5 `` Help any woman in trouble. If a woman asks for help, help her no matter what. Celia: [Im sorry. As for the reward, we will discuss that later.] The black cat stretched as it spoke. Yoori: Oh, um, Ms. Celia? Celia: [Hm? Oh, its Yoori. What is it?] Sensing that the conversation was ending, Yoori spoke up to Celia. Though she told them to not use any honorifics, it was just like Yoori to address her with Ms.. Yoori: How are you doing this with a Spell? Is it an enslavement or servant summoning Spell? Celia: [No, its nothing as complicated as that. I just copied my personality and what needed to be discussed and implanted it into the cats hippocampus.] Yoori: ........huh? Celia: [Since a cats vocal cords are not meant to speak human language, I also had to make adjustments using a Spell.] Yoori: That..isnt very complicated.?] Celia: [It is far simpler than trying to reanimate a fallen life. Much simpler.] Yoori: ...........the comparison is completely absurd. ``is what Yoori mumbled quietly under his breath, but Igni heard every word. And Igni thought the same exact thing as Yoori. Celia: [Hm? Whats wrong? Are you concerned about the cat? Dont be. I made sure that my memories and the cats will not mix. Otherwise, the cats memories will mix into mine. Thats why after my Spell is gone, the cat will return to normal.] Igni: .......I, I see Celia: [Now then, Ill head to the castle from here. I need to relay this message to Sebastian as well.] Igni: Got it. Do you want me to escort you there? Though she was a cat, Celia still was a girl. Thats why Igni immediately offered to walk her back home. Celia: [HA HA HA! Igni, youre as amusing as always.] Igni: (For some reason, she laughed it off.) Celia: [The main advantage of this body is that I can move around as I please. Do not worry, Igni.] Igni: [Okay.] Celia: [Well, until we meet again.] With that, Celia jumped onto some construction materials piled up, and from there, hopped onto the roof of a building and disappeared. Sara: The kitty was talking. Igni: Yeah, it was someone we knew. And it was Sara who spoke up first. Among the three, only she didnt know Celia, so for her, she only saw a curiously strange, talking cat. Sara: Ignis friend? Igni: Huh? Yeah, I guess so? Igni didnt know how to respond to the question. It was a very confusing relationship. He couldnt tell Sara about the time Celia cut off his legs the last time he saw her. Yoori: Sara, thats Alicias older sister. Sara: Really? Igni: Thats right. Sara: Okay. And there was nothing more they could add as Sara nodded to both Igni and Yooris words. Sara: If you knew her, I wanted to pet her. Igni: The cat? Sara: Yeah. Though knowing the black cat was an [Extreme], the thought never crossed Igni or Yooris mind, but for Sara, it remained an obvious possibility. Igni: Lets ask if you can pet her the next time we see her. Sara: Okay! Sara nodded in delight, and followed after Igni and Yoori on their way home. And as the next day arrived`` ``to the night of the Birthday Festival, they flew. CH 159 Ch. 159: The Planning and the Wizard Alright, Igni. In front of Igni was the big, beefy Captain of the Knights. Just like the last time Igni saw him, he was nothing but pure muscle, and a smile that spread completely over his entire face like a mask. And the two of them were in one of the Knights Strategy Planning Room. Here are all the locations best for sniping in the Imperial Capital. Igni: .......thats quite a few locations. On a wooden board, a map had been tacked on and red circles marked all the locations where a Mage could potentially snipe. Well, this is also useful for when the Imperial Capital is invaded! Well be able to use these spots against our attackers, and if they were to penetrate into our city, these locations would also prove useful as defense points! Igni: .........is it really okay? For showing me this information? Yes! Not only has Princess Alicia spoke well about you, but Lady Celia as well! That is more than enough reason to trust you. The Captain of the Knights roared with laughter as he spoke, and Igni understood his reasoning. If Alicia AND Celia both recommended him, then any Imperial Citizen would put their full faith in him. Celias voice carries that much weight here. Igni: I understand. Please continue. And Igni spoke remembering his Noble education, and the Captain nodded once more. We will assign the Knights to all of these spots as a means to protect the Imperial family on the day of the Festival. Igni: I see. So youll use this to attack anyone who tries to attack the Imperial Family. Thats correct. But were going against [Transgressors]. It would not be surprising at all, if they attacked us from outside of our normal range. Igni: .....using ......huh. It is the Miracle that gives birth to something out of nothing. It was the one thing every Mage stretched their hands and longed for ` the epitome of their greatest desires. Thats right. Thats why, in that case, well be relying on you. Will you be alright? Igni: Ill do something about it. Igni smiled back reassuringly at the Captain as he replied. He is a as well. And, he is the . Igni was confident of this fact and held strong to it. Thank you. Besides that, you can leave the rest to us. We may not look like much, but we have protected the Imperial Family up until now. Igni: (We may not look like much, huh..) Igni repeated the Captains words in his head as he shook hands with him and strained a smile at his humility. In order to enter the Knights Order responsible for guarding and protecting the Royal and Imperial Family, you must undergo severe and torturous training. Or you could accomplish something great, and be recommended into the Order. For instance, Elinas elder brother, Howell, was top of his class for 3 years at the worlds most prestigious academy, the Rolmod Wizard Academy. Hence, since entering the order, he has continued establishing feat after feat. Even if he wasnt the top student of his class, being one of the Rolmod Academys Student Council members would be sufficient in entering the Order as well. But if you turn those facts around, you can see how high the entrance bar is set. It is not like an Adventurer ` a job anyone can be if they wish. And you would have to be able to take hits and understand the ins and outs of battle strategy ` far more than any Adventurer. Thats why the new Knight recruit that Igni fought against was incredibly tough to knock out. Igni: Lets hope that nothing happens on the day of. Yes, that would be best. As Igni finished his meeting with the Captain, he went outside and inspected a Horse drawn carriage. Wrapped in the darkness of the night, the moonlight shined upon it, and the next morning, the Imperial Family will be riding in this. Igni, tomorrow, you will be riding with her Imperial Highness, Princess Alicia, in this carriage. Igni: Hm? In Alicias carriage? Since the [Transgressors] are waging war against the Empire, should Igni not be assigned to the Emperors carriage? Unfortunately, it would be very difficult to have a non-citizen ride along with his Imperial Majesty during the Birthday Festival. We cannot allow that. And this was the first time the Captains smile wavered as he answered. But Igni understood the Captains reasoning. Yes, Celia and Alicia both trust Igni, but Igni is a citizen of the Kingdom at the very end of the day. And right now, it was quite clear to everyone that the Kingdom and Empire were not on good terms. Of course, that is not all the reasons. This is the Emperors Birthday Festival. In short, it is to the Emperor. To have someone from the Kingdom barge in onto his carriage and ruin the day would not be acceptable. Igni: ........but why is it okay for me to ride with Alicia? Hm? Arent you classmates with Princess Alicia? Igni: W`Well, yes. That is true butdoes the people of the Imperial Capital know that? The kind-hearted Princess Alicia has devoted herself not only to the Empire, but to understand the society and culture of the Kingdom, and thus, enrolled herself at the Rolmod Wizard Academy, has she not? Igni: (H`Has she?) Igni didnt know how to respond to this question. Igni could not help feel that there were sharp contrasts between the story Alicia was telling him and what was being told at the Imperial Capital, but since she is part of the Imperial Family, those differences must be quite common. In other words, theres no problem that a classmate from her school is riding with her. And besides that, this is a direct request from the Princess herself. Igni: From Alicia? This did surprise Igni, and he had to ask to confirm. Yes. But she did mentionthat it was decided from the result of her fortune telling. Igni: Fortune Telling. Since Alicias fortune telling was pretty accurate, Igni could trust that Alicia knew what she was doing. And speaking of fortune telling, Igni was reminded of the [sacrifice] card from before. Igni: (Whatever happened to that I wonder? And is Hayem doing okay?) Oh, how diligent you are to be working so late into the night. Igni: Hayem, have you been well? Igni heard a womans voice out of nowhere, and a blue-haired woman was standing by Ignis side. She was supposed to be acting as a Noble Dragon who thought it was below her to speak to humans..so it caught Igni off guard to hear her speak plainly to him. Hayem: Yes, they are taking care of me. Igni: Thats good to hear. Behind Igni, the Captain of the Knights readied his position for anything to happen. And that couldnt be helped. She was one of the strongest creatures after all. If Igni didnt stop her, she would have completely froze the Imperial Capital into one solid glacier. Igni: What will you do tomorrow? Hayem: Im doing absolutely nothing. Igni: Oh, really? Hayem: Yes, right now, Im too busy reading stories. Igni: ...............hm? Not expecting Hayem to say that, Igni had to ask her again. Igni: Stories..meaning.youre reading books? Hayem: Yes, Im reading them. Igni: What kind of books are you reading? Hayem: Right now, Im reading The Red Dragon and the Black Knight. Its actually a childrens picture book. Igni: ......is it.good? Hayem: Yes, its a wonderful tale. Just then, in Ignis eyes, Hayem looked like a very young girl. Igni: (......I guess girls will always be girls.) ``is what he thought. CH 160 Ch. 160: The Parade and the Wizard Sounds of drums and flutes could be heard from somewhere outside of the palace. The music that reached the Palace was a festival prelude signifying that the Imperial Family was about to appear in the parade. Igni: Alicia, you dont look so well, but are you okay? Alicia: .......Im fine. Alicia stood firm and tall as ever, but her face was deathly pale. Igni: (Is she nervous?) Igni thought as he glanced at Alicia wrapped in a gorgeous dress. Alicia: Yes, Im fine. Theres no problem. I just didnt get much sleep. Igni: Well have to make sure you stay awake in the carriage then. Alicia: Hehe. I know, right? As we bantered lightly, Alicia got onto the horse carriage. And though it is a horse carriage, it is nothing like the ones Igni has used as transport before. It had been modified and customized specifically for the parade, and so the Imperial Family can be seen easier, it had been raised higher like a platform with seats. For servants or people in servant-statuses like Igni, they would be sitting one level lower than the Imperial Family. Iris: Sir Igni! Well be able to sit next to each other today! Igni: Yeah, thats true. Lets do our best today. Iris approached Igni and with bright sparkling eyes, spoke up. If she had been born as a dog, her tail would have been wagging furiously. Alicia: Im counting on you two. Igni: ........are you sure youre going to be okay? Hearing Alicia say things that she would not normally say, Ignis concerns grew bigger. Elina: Thats not like you, Allie` Alicia: ..........Sister Elina. And Ellie came over also wrapped up in a fancy, gorgeous dress. As the two stood next to each other, you could see the family resemblance in their faces. Elina: Youre way overreacting to your fortune telling, you know. Alicia: But. Elina: Fortune telling is just that. Its just a guess. The outcome hasnt been decided at all, right? Alicia: ........thatis true, but. But Alicia didnt look convinced. Igni: Hey Alicia. What fortune telling are you talking about? Alicia: Its about the [Sacrifice]. Igni: ..........I see.. It was a fortune telling card that even Igni was concerned about. He knows nothing about fortune telling. For someone who can only use {Fireball} like himself, he would not be able to use the [Ancient Magic]. But from those words, he could make a guess about what the card entailed. Alicia: The Fortune Telling said theres an 80% chance that the [Sacrifice] will occur during the Emperors Birthday Festival. Igni: ........thats pretty high. Alicia: With you at my side, the chances dropped to 60%. Igni: Still over 50%.....I see. Alicia: During the Festival, there will be representatives from other countries and states as well. Once we make a round around the Imperial Capital, we will hold a ceremony there. Igni: Yeah, so Ive heard. Igni had already heard about the general festival plans from the Captain of the Knights the night before. Alicia: During the ceremony, Princes from other countries will be present too. Igni: ...........I see. Igni caught onto what Alicia meant by the Princes. Alicia: Igniplease. Igni: Dont worry. I understand. Hence, Igni nodded firmly to Alicias pleading eyes. Elina: Allie` hurry up and get onto the carriage. Were going to be late. Ellie hurried Alicia onto the carriage as she got up onto the carriage first. Seeing that she wouldnt be able to stall the inevitable for any longer, Alicia gripped both her fists tightly as she got up onto the carriage herself. Following her, Igni and Iris also got on one level below them. Iris: Sir Igni, this is a little nerve wrecking. Igni: Yeah, I think so too. Iris sat next to him as she spoke to him softly. The carriage then began slowly proceeding forward. Ellie was in the first carriage, and Alicias followed. The Emperors carriage would come last. As the carriages left the castle, it entered into the heart of the city. ``YEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! As they passed the castle gates, they were welcomed by a roar of cheers and applause. The main streets were flooded with people, and everyone was pushing against each other to get a glimpse of the Imperial Family. Many people waved wildly towards the Imperial Family members. Of course, Alicia did not just sit there silently. She smiled and waved back at the crowd. Igni: ..........this is something else. Iris: Dont you think so? Its apparently like this every year. Igni: Hm? Iris, you dont know yourself? Iris: Yes, I live way out in the rural areas of the Empireso Ive only seen the parade only a few times. Igni: .......hm? But youre from a Noble family, right? As a Noble, dont you have to attend these kinds of events? Iris: Um, well.actuallyNobles are ranked by importance.. Igni: Yeah? Iris: There are Nobles important enough for the Emperor to see them..and there are some Nobles who fall outside of that category. Igni: ........I see now. Igni groaned quietly as the news dawned on him. Iris: So yes, my family is not important enough for the Emperor to see us Though she mentioned how her family was ranked somewhere low among the Nobles, Igni decided that touching upon the subject would not be helpful. The Knights guarded the carriages carefully, and from the Sniping locations, they monitored the security as the parade continued. Igni: ........I wonder which they would choose. Igni muttered to himself quietly. But Iris heard his words and looked inquisitively at him. Iris: What do you mean? Igni: Well, you see.you can divide this Birthday Festival into largely 2 categories, right? Iris: You mean, the parade and ceremony? Igni: Thats right. As for the parade, there are a lot of citizens and large crowds, so if you attack now, it will be easy to stir up panic and confusion and compared to the security of the ceremony, it is . Iris: I think I understand what youre saying. Igni: But, the representatives of each country and state will be at the ceremony. The security is but the merits you gain from attacking then are much greater. Iris: I see! That is very true. Igni: So Iris, if you were them, which would you choose? Igni continued to monitor his surroundings as he spoke with Iris. And Iris continued to monitor her surroundings as well with detection Spells as she chatted with Igni. Both were using above average skills and techniques. Techniques that only someone who had trained at the Rolmod Wizard Academy could do. Well, Igni was trained by his grandfather though. Iris: Well, in that case, I would choose the parade. Igni: Why? Iris: Because look at all these people around us. If a mass panic occurs, its obvious to everyone that something horrible would happen. Igni: Yeah, it would. Iris: Thats why I would prepare two groups. One would cause a panic, and then the second would focus on taking out the most important targets. Igni: .........as expected of you, Iris. It was the same idea that crossed Ignis mind. Even if they are [Transgressors], would they be able to easily take out the elite guards that protect each countries representatives? Thats why they would attack during the parade. Igni renewed his determination to keep monitoring the Capitals perimeters when far from the city, . Igni: .........!!! Iris: Sir Igni? Igni glanced quickly at one of the Knights walking nearby the carriage. If he were to panic himself, that panic would transfer to the citizens around them. Seeing Ignis eye contact, one of the Knights drew near him. Is something the matter?! Igni: I sensed an explosion of Magic Power from the South East direction. Something is coming. ........!! Ill confirm!! He took out a short-range communication Magecraft device and spoke into it. A moment later, he came back to Igni with slight confusion in his voice. .......the Dungeon southeast from here has completely malfunctioned. A stampede is heading our way. CH 161 Ch. 161: The Stampede and the Wizard! A Dungeon Flooding event - a Stampede - is a phenomenon where a large number of Monsters come flooding out of an underground dungeon labyrinth. There are numerous theories as to the cause of the phenomenon, and people have claimed that it is caused by the death of the Dungeon Boss Monster or as a result of a trap getting triggered. But no matter the cause, the local region, government, and nation will have to respond to the Stampede as their top priority. An underground dungeon labyrinth is basically a large crucible swarming with various kinds of Monsters inside. Mr. Igni, please keep this news confidential. The Knights Order will now proceed to engage the oncoming Stampede. Igni: Will you be okay? Concern welled up from inside Igni for every member of the Knights Order. Only the elite of the elite can enter the Knights Order. But on the other hand, it means that only a handful of people are qualified. Hence, the total number of Knights in the Order is significantly small. It was hard for Igni to imagine such a small group of people repelling a Stampede. Yes, we have all trained for this day. The young Knight spoke quietly but firmly as he began stepping away from the carriage. Igni: (Theyre going to remove the security in order to deal with it.) Igni watched as the Knights assigned to protect the Imperial Family began heading outside of the city one by one. Iris: Sir Igni, has something happened? In the midst of the deafening cheers from the crowd, Iris discretely asked Igni. Igni answered her quickly. Igni: A Stampede has occurred. The Knights Order has moved to deal with this. Iris: Will they be okay? Igni: Well just have to trust that they can. Our job is to protect Alicia. If Ignis theory is correct, there should be another group targeting Alicia that is on the move. Iris: Y-Yes, youre absolutely right, Sir Igni! As soon as Iris finished speaking, Igni looked straight up into the sky. It was his sixth sense. His instinct that he trained over and over in the [Demon Kings Realm] sensed something there. Igni: .....!!! Theyre already here!! There a bird-type monster with a human face arrived. A Harpy. They worked in groups mostly, and each individual creature was not that strong, but its a different story when they gather up with great numbers. And they were all heading straight for the Imperial Capital. After a moment of delay, countless Spells were sent up into the sky. The southern sky was dyed in red, blue, and various Spell colors. The Area Attack Spell struck and sent the Harpies to the ground, but it was impossible to take down all the Harpies. Iris: Wh`What should we do? Igni: The Knights should be able to take care of that. Ignis analysis was spot on, as the remaining Harpies were taken out right as they were about to enter the Imperial City area. At that moment, Igni noticed the carriage making a change in direction. Now, it was on route to return to the castle. Igni: Iris, stay alert. Igni had no intention of attributing the timing of the Stampede to pure coincidence. If Celias prediction was correct, they were dealing with [Transgressors]. Igni was certain that they used some method in causing the Stampede. That means that before the Imperial Family can return to the castle, they were going to trying to pull something. Igni: If I sense something`` ``KIIIII`````N!!!!! Ignis words were cut off as in that moment. Igni: (Wait, no.) Something crossed the sky so fast that it looked to Igni that way for a split second. The sound carried over the deafening cheers of the crowd, and the people began looking up into the sky. There, they saw 5 Monsters. Igni: The Harpies were a distraction. This must have been their goal. A Monster who had stripped themselves of unnecessary flesh. A Monster who only sought to be the lightest for the sake of speed alone. Omnivorous and violent, the Monster was also able to use simple Spells. The fastest creature known in this world ` Wyverns. Iris: Wh`What should we do?! Igni: Dont worry. Trust the Knights to take care of it.! Though they are the fastest species, they cannot move at the speed of light. And within the Knights Order, they have those Mages ` Wizards who can use [Light] Type Spells. Hence, that will be the killer blow to the Wyverns in the sky. The Knights who were in the sniper positions fired their [Light] Type Spells towards the Wyverns. The beam of light suddenly bent and shifted away right before they struck the Wyverns and disappeared into the horizon. Iris: Interference Spell?! Sir Igni! What is that Monster?!?! Igni: ..........they are one grade above regular Wyverns ` theyre Great Wyverns. A typical Wyvern is just fast. They would not be able to use a difficult Spell like Interference Magic. Igni had hunted and slain many Wyverns in the [Demon Kings Realm] and was well aware of that fact. Iris: Will the Knights really be able to handle those?! Igni: You can take them down if you fire a Spell that overpowers the Interference Spell. Igni was evidence as thats how he defeated the Great Wyverns in the past. From the Knights Orders point of view, it was not easy, but it was not an impossible request. Igni: But before that, its more problematic that those Great Wyverns were able to get past the Knights defensive lines. The citizens saw the Knights failing to take down the Wyverns, and a trickle of panic and confusion began spreading. Iris: Th`Thats true. Maybe they dont have enough people? Igni: That is true, but more than that, theres just too many Monsters. Normally, the Knights Order will recruit Adventurers to handle Stampedes. Iris: And.I guess its too late to gather the Adventurers. Igni: Yup. Alicia: Igni. As Igni spoke with Iris, he heard Alicias voice from above him. Alicia: Can you take out those things? Igni: Yeah, I can, but should I do it? Alicia pointed at the Great Wyverns as she asked Igni. Igni nodded without hesitation that he could but wondered if he should. It was the Knights Orders duty to protect the Imperial Capital. If Igni took out the Wyverns with his Spell, he would have robbed them of their job. Alicia: Thats okay. If we want to calm the people, were going to need your Spell, igni. Igni: .......understood. Ill do it. The Great Wyverns made wide circles around the city and around them, a Spell began to form. .an Air Bombing Spell. They probably planned to burn the Imperial Capital to the ground by raining fire from above. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Molecular] {Minima} The molecule-sized {Fireball} was fired backwards behind Igni. It began circulating through the light accelerator Igni created with a Spell and quickly accelerated to the speed of light. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} And Igni fired it off. With a flash and momentary delay, the light pierced the Great Wyvern. Being killed with that single shot, the Great Wyvern fell to the earth. Igni quickly fired continuously at the remaining Great Wyverns. As soon as the last Great Wyvern was shot, Alicia stood up. Alicia: Everyone! Please calm down! She was probably using her [Wind] Type Spell. Her voice carried over the crowd with crystal clarity and suppressed the growing seed of fear. Alicia: That Monster just now was slain , Igni. Igni: (.........hm??) Though Igni was caught off-guard by the words, he remained silent. Alicia: Please enjoy the Birthday Festival as planned. And with Alicias voice, the cheers began growing back to deafening levels. Iris: Sir Igni, when did you become Alicias Knight? Igni: ........just now, I think. Iris could not hide her outrage at Alicias words and poked Igni accusingly. Igni: (But she probably didnt have any other way to calm the people.) Just then, the Magecraft Artifact the Knights nearby the carriage carried began ringing an alarm. Igni: .......what now? The young Knight turned to Igni as blood drained from his face. Apparently, the Lord of the Labyrinth appeared. CH 162 Chonky ChonkTranslator8-10 minutes 24.07.2022 Ch. 162: The Dungeon Lord and the Wizard The Dungeon Lord appeared. The Knights face paled as he related the information to Igni. Igni: Is that true?! Igni instinctively yelled firmly at the Knight to confirm. Y`Yes. We just received word. Igni: How many floors was the Dungeon where the Stampede occurred? .........75 floors Igni: Thats a bit of a problem. The Monsters inside of a Dungeon are dependent upon the Underground Dungeon''s floor structure and what floor they reside on. The deeper the Dungeon, the Monsters grow stronger. The beginner Adventurers will remain on floors 1 through 15. The mid-class Adventurers will go on to floors 16 to 30. The top-class Adventurers will move beyond floors 31 and above. And even among the top-tier of Adventurers, they can widely differ in strength and skill, and among them, those who can go beyond floor 50 are nicknamed ultra or the ultimate class. But this round, its the Lord of the 75th Floor that appeared. Igni: Can the Knights defeat it?! .........well have to, no matter what. The young Knight put on a troubled smile to answer Ignis question and chuckled at his own predicament. Igni: (Yeah, thats right. Its not like theyre given any choice.) Igni: ........I can take care of everything here. Go and help the other Knights. Thank you. We are indebted to you. The young Knight saluted Igni and headed south. It was all to defeat the Dungeon Lord before it arrived at the Capital. Iris: S`Sir igni. A 75th Floor Lord.?! C`Can they really defeat that?! Igni: ..........Im not sure. If you can defeat a 75th Floor Lord, you would definitely receive a S-Rank, and if things dont go well, youll need an [Extreme] to handle the situation. In this world, the Underground Prison [Labyrinth] is 99 floors deep, so a 75 floor Dungeon would come second to it. To drag a Lord out of the depths of such a deep Dungeon would not be possible for any ordinary person. Igni: .........a [Transgressor], huh When they were building the Underground Prison [Labyrinth], the [Extremes] at the time spent 3 days and 3 nights delving into the deepest floor and taking over the Dungeon completely. A 75 floor Dungeon would not be as treacherous, but no ordinary human being would be able to get to the bottom floor. Igni was certain that the [Transgressors] had a hand in this incident. Iris: Wh`Why would they do such a thing? Igni: No idea. Its no use thinking about it. The [Transgressors] all do as they want for no reason. Igni relays what Celia told him about the [Transgressors] to Iris. You cant become Popular by stealing a country, and becoming a Demon King wouldnt help either. And clinging to such goals, Igni couldnt understand why someone would obsess to do things like this. Igni: Thats why well just do what we were hired to do. Though a Dungeon Lord was heading towards the Capital, Igni could not leave Alicias side. [``RooooooAAAAARRRRRR!!!!] From somewhere towards the south, a chilling roar bellowed as if someone opened the gates of Hell. Iris: Eeeek! Iris jumped up and grabbed hold of Igni. Igni ignored the sound of teeth grinding from above him that he must have imagined and looked towards the direction of the sound. Right now, Igni was currently inside the city with high walls encircling the whole area. There was no way to see beyond the wall. But Igni could see the manipulation of Magic. Southeast from his position, there was a giant source of Magic Power he could detect which aligned with the location of the Dungeon. There were 3 medium sources of Magic Power that encircled the big one. But one of them shook and disappeared. They either diedor they became unconscious. The situation was getting worse by the second. Igni: ........Alicia, youll need to ask everyone to begin evacuating. Alicia: Whats happening? Alicia, who was not informed about the situation, looked confused. Igni quickly summarized the circumstances, and she closed her beautiful eyes tightly to process what Igni just said. And slowly, very slowly, she opened them. Alicia: I understand. There is an Adventurers Guild Branch in the north of the Imperial Capital. Lets navigate the evacuation there. I will also direct them to return us to the castle as soon as possible. Igni: Ill leave it to you. Alicia called for Sebastian who was standing nearby, and quickly related the information she heard from Igni and what she decided together. The butler listened to her silently, and soon proceeded to give out orders to Knights standing nearby. Igni: (..with this we can get Alicia back to the castle safely.) Then, all that remains for Igni is to face off with the [Transgressor]. As soon as the horse carriage turned towards the palace as Alicia commanded, the city wall . H`Hey! The wall! What happened?! Whwhat is that fire. Whats going on?! The citizens began screaming and shouting. Igni: (No, its no ordinary fire!) Igni watched as a engulfed the city wall and began melting it to the ground!! Igni: ........a black flame?! It was the same description that Igni received from Hayem about the [Transgressor]. The one who trespassed and took over a Dragons lair - the Magician who overthrew the Dragon from its own home. The next instant, the wall exploded! As the wall crumbled to dust, Monsters began flooding into the city!! Igni: .......! Urgh! They got us! And the Imperial Capital fell into chaos. The citizens began scrambling to get away from the Monsters! Stop pushing, idiot! Youre the one thats in the way!! The Monsters are coming this way!! RUN!!!! Now, theres no use trying to send out instructions. No one will be listening at this point. Igni turned towards the wall to see if he can decrease the number of threats to Alicia pouring through the hole when he realized`` ``he was forced to realize`` Igni: ........the Dungeon Lord! The Lord of the 75th Floor which the Knights went to stop stood right there. It towered to approximately 5 meters (17 feet). In its hideously large hand was a large machete, and it had blood from its victims splattered all over its body. Large horns protruded from its head above its bull face. It was covered in unbelievable amounts of muscle, and the steam that rose from its entire body created an eerily chilling aura. Igni: .........a Minotaur. In a fashion suitable for a Dungeon Lord, the Monster stood its ground. And as Igni caught a glance of it, it also looked at Igni. Alicia: Igni! (*sfx) With a sound like a large cannon blasting, it overlapped with Alicias voice. Igni: [``oh] The Minotaur stood right before Igni. Ignis brain recognized only then that the Minotaur closed in their distance instantly and`` Igni felt his arms let out a nasty crumpling sound. Igni had his arms crossed as a 3 meter (10 ft) machete buried into his arms. He had strengthened his arms with [Rotating Ember] {Ignite}, and only then was he able to endure the blow. Even so`` [``FOOOOOOOO!!!!] The Minotaur took one large step forward and threw Ignis body like a ragdoll away from it. With another step, the Minotaur lunged towards Igni once again! It had identified its greatest threat and decided to enjoy its new toy! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! But Igni had already prepared himself for combat. Light exploded from the {Fireball} he created and`` Igni: [Explode] {Fire} The gong to begin the fight rang loudly. <<<<>>>> CHONKY TL Pivot Underground Dungeon [Labyrinth] will be renamed Underground Prison [Labyrinth] In the novel, the Underground Prison [Labyrinth] is the name of the Dungeon, so to reduce the confusion, previous mentions of labyrinths not affiliated with the Underground Prison will be called Underground Dungeons. The change is minimal and may seem inconsequential, but it helps me as the translator to make that distinction. <<<<>>>> ?~CHONKY Novels Discord~? General Chat and Announcements: https://discord.gg/CdjxzQBvRt ?~EFW Fan Discord~? Release Announcements and Illustrations: https://discord.gg/2SWtrgTbUG <<<<>>>> Extreme Flame Wizard - I can only use fireball but I became the strongest just wanting to be popular with the girls Written by: Cyclamen Translated by: ChonkyTranslator Japanese Title: Oħg?եܩ`뤷ʹʤɡƤһĤˤʤޤ : Original Source Link: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n1537gq/163/ Book 4 CH 163 Ch. 163: The Minotaur and the Wizard The amount of Magic he poured into the {Fireball} was just below destroying the city. But it was far from destroying the Minotaur! Igni: ........urgh. The Minotaur sliced through the flames and came rushing out - a menacing grin spread widely across his face. It was the grin of a battle loving berserker. Igni: .....I dont have time to play with you. The black flames that burned down the city wall was most definitely the work of a [Transgressor]. While Igni dawdles around with this hunk of meat, Alicia and the Royal family will be attacked. Igni took one hard step forward, and initiating [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}, he flew backwards. The Minotaur continued to pursue after him in a straight line. Just like the bull he was, the Minotaur charged right after Igni. As Igni led him to a deserted area of town, he quietly exhaled and began his incantation. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Molecular] {Minima}! As the miniature {Fireball} was fired behind Igni, it began accelerating inside a bright halo behind him! <``kiiiiiiiiinnnnn!!> (*sfx) Through high speed acceleration, the {Fireball} echoed a screech as it cut through the air. <``iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnn!!!!> (*sfx) Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! (*sfx) The air before the {Fireball} shrunk, compressed, and broke as it ripped forward. At the speed of light, the molecular-sized {Fireball} was fired at the Minotaur and`` [``SHA!!] (*sfx) A heavy impact of metal grinding against metal screeched as the Minotaur . Igni: ..........for real? This took Igni by surprise as he continued to gawk at the Minotaur. It not only responded to an attack coming at it at the speed of light, but it also skillfully deflected an incredibly blow. A true Monster indeed. Igni: Is it stronger than a Dragon perhaps? Oh, how rude. Igni: Hayem?! Someone answered back while he was mumbling to himself. A gorgeous woman removed the hood hiding her head and revealed her beautiful blue hair. With a crystal clear voice, a representative of the strongest race appeared with ease and confidence. Without giving a thought to what was happening around, the [Frozen Winter] Hayem stood there. Igni: Why are you here?! Hayem: I thought I could see some . Igni: ..........Im not going to use it against a weakling like that. Hayem: Oh, is that so? How regrettable. There was no deceit in her tone. She genuinely looked disappointed as she sagged her shoulders. Igni: But hey, Hayem. Can you do something about that thing over there? The Minotaur hesitated at the appearance of the strongest monster race, and stood in place. Not missing the opportunity, Igni pointed to the wall charred and demolished. Hayem: You want me to fix the wall? Igni: No, I need you to do something about the Monsters coming through from there. Hayem: Can I ? Igni: Without turning back to normal, if you please. Hayem: Simple enough. Hayem gracefully smiled like a nobles daughter during afternoon tea. Hayem: [Return from whence you came]. The Dragons Command. Her words itself became a powerful Spell ` a right only the Dragons possess. At her voice, the Monsters stopped in their tracks, began to tremble uncontrollably, and ran back terrified towards the Dungeon. Hayem: Satisfied? Igni: Impressive. Hayem: No need for flattery ` just as long as you show me some . Igni: Look, I already told you that Im not using it against that guy. Igni looked exasperated as he answered back, and released 7 {Fireballs} around him. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : {Cannonball} He raised the Magic density to its max as the {Fireball} became unbelievably heavy and as it orbited around Igni, all 7 were targeting the Minotaur. Igni: [Cannon] {Fire]! All seven were fired at once! The Minotaur swung its machete in that instant to deflect 4 out of 7 {Fireballs} and braced for the other 3. A moment later, the balls of flame erupt against its chest and blew its body backwards!! But the Minotaur flipped in midair to regain its balance and landed perfectly on the ground. In the next moment, it jumped forward again and closed its distance with Igni!! Igni: [Rotating Ember] {Ignite} Inside Igni, the Magic began circulating quickly. And the rotation quickly accelerated with each turn!! Even today, Igni has not completely mastered controlling his body at high rotations. It was because his body would move faster than his perception. But on the other hand, if he didnt move`` Igni: ..........SEY!! (*sfx exhale) An explosive sound erupted, but it was not an explosion. It was the sound of Igni stopping the Minotaur . Magic rotated at 130 cycles per second inside of him! If Igni took one step forward, he would most likely fly off somewhere into the distance. Thats why``Igni stood his ground. Planting both his feet like stakes firmly into the ground, he took hold of the Minotaurs arm. [DDWoooOOO!!] The Minotaur tried to stagger back in its panic, but it was like his arm was trapped in a Spells dimension and held firmly in place. More fear fueled its thoughts, but it was already too late. Slowly``very slowly and carefully`` Igni moved his body gently recording every single movement, and placed a palm on the Minotaur and pushed forward. (*sfx pop) And a sound of a balloon popping shredded the air as the Minotaur . Igni: Okay! Lets go back! Hayem: ......what was that just now? Watching his fight from beginning to end, Hayems voice filled with nervous energy and fear as she asked Igni. Igni: Ill tell you later! Right now, theres no time!! Hayem: Thats a promise then? Igni: Yeah, after this, well have plenty of free time. But for now, Igni had to return to Alicia. As he promised Hayem, he initiated the [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}. The next moment, a black flame rose up from the city walls, covering it entirely! It was clearly to prevent anyone from escaping. Igni: .........!! What is it now?! The black flames encircled and rose up to surround the city like a bird cage and firmly secured the Imperial Capital. CH 164 Chapter 164: The [Transgressor] and the Wizard Right after the Minotaur was blasted backwards, a young man flew and landed in front of the leading horse carriage. The Minotaur really has no lick of gracefulness. The young man let out a disappointed sigh as black flames enveloped his hands. At that instant, the remaining Knights guarding the Royal Family stepped forward. They mercilessly rushed in to deliver a deadly blow. They took no chances at guessing whether this newcomer was a friend or foe. Anyone who was remotely suspicious was now a target to eliminate and their swords swung downwards. What? Youre way too slow. The young man mockingly chuckled as black flames erupted outwards and blew back the Knights. Iris: [May the Earth twist] : [Tetsura] {Torquent}!! Iris did not hesitate to initiate her Spell while the Knights flew backwards. No matter who this was, now that he attacked the Knights, it left no room for negotiations. It would be best to take him out right here and right now. The stone pavement shaped into spears with Iris incantation and flew towards the young man. [Flame Spear] {Fire Lance} But the young man countered with spears of black flame. The Spells collided and exploded. Iris: Alicia, RUN! With the situation in chaos, Iris no longer cared about the customary honorifics. What? Im not letting you get away. The young man stepped forward as he spoke, and black flames began enveloping around the horse carriages. That was when Alicia was finally able to see the young mans face, and her eyes widened. Alicia: .........! You?! Well nowwhat a coincidence. The young man also recognized Alicias face and let out a chuckle of surprise. Why, isnt it the same girl that was with Igni at the tavern? Alicia: ..........Fram! The young man with the scarlet hair. It was the same man they ran into when Alicia went to the tavern with Igni. The same man Igni felt a deep resemblance to himself. Fram: Thats right. The sides of Frams lips curled upwards as Iris silently fired a stone at Frams back! But as if he saw the oncoming projectile, Fram twisted his body before the stone struck, and dodged all the oncoming Spells. Iris frantically dispelled all her Spells. Fram: I guess I never formally introduced myself. Fram began manipulating Magic as we continued to speak. Fram: My name is Fram. The [Black Flame] Fram. Ellie: .......SH`!! (*sfx exhale) Ellie appeared from behind Fram as she stepped in and thrust her fist towards him. Fram: Whoa, you want to do close combat? But Fram only returned a smile back at her as he dodged Ellies wide swing. From behind Elie, invisible fists made of water flew towards Fram. It was one of Ellies Spells. A close-combat fighting style mixing both martial arts and Spells. This close to mid-range fighting style was what she most excelled at. But the fists of water splashed as if hitting a wall when it reached Fram. Alicia: [May the Wind reveal its fangs] : [Ventos] {Tact}! And now Alicias Spell flew in for support. Small sounds of something striking fiercely echoed throughout the city. But Fram remained uninjured. He had seen the oncoming Spell, and by barely dodging, only his clothes had small punctures. Fram: Are all the Princesses of the Empire so violent? Iris: [May the Earth become a snare] : [Tetsura] {Jail}!! Iris roared out her incantation as the ground Fram stood upon opened wide, and threatened to swallow him, but Fram only showed his fangs as he smiled. Fram did not follow the laws of gravity and fall into the ground. He floated in the air, and as the Earths mouth swallowed him``he erupted out of it from the inside. Fram: Ugh, sheesh. Its futile. Fram sounded exasperated as black flames surrounded Alicia, Ellie, and Iris. Fram: Look, you may speak when I allow you to. Thats it. If you speak one word without permission, Im going to burn you until your bones melt. Though the flames were right in front of Alicia, it did not touch them, but the flames were positioned now so that any movements of the body would make contact. What scared them even more was the fact that they sensed no heat from the flames. Fram: I didnt come here to fight. I came here to negotiate. Alicia: ........negotiate? Fram: Thats right. [Hell Dragon] : {Hell Flame} The next instant, a giant flaming Dragon . Fram: What I want.is the body of the Esmeralda Royal Family. Alicia: ...........the body? For what purpose? Fram: The corpse of the Saint of Swords is the perfect medium for conjuring Spirits. Thats why. Of course, Im not saying to hand it over for free. As Fram finished speaking, he smiled warmly. Fram: Until you accept my offer, Ill continue incinerating everyone who lives inside the Imperial Capital. He began moving his finger and the Dragon born from the [Hell Dragon ] {Hell Flame} began . Fram: The Black Flame is a very special type of flame. Once it catches something on fire, . Its a flame that never stops burning until you die. Fram almost sang the words as he continued to explain. A breeze caught them at that moment. On it, it carried the screams of the townspeople. It was the sound of the citizens being burned to death by the flames. Being burned alive, the sounds of being burned to the bone reached Alicias group. Alicia: .........what do you mean, negotiation? Theres no reason for us to accept. Fram: What? Of course not. You guys dont even deserve to be at the negotiation table. after all. Alicia gritted her teeth hard at Frams words. But not being able to say anything back, she fell silent. Fram: If you want to negotiate with me properly, come back after youre stronger. As Fram laughed at his own comment, he spread his arms wide. Fram: Now then, weve wasted enough time. So, Miss Princesses. Ill let you decide right now. Would you like to sacrifice your own citizens by fighting me here? Or would you sacrifice yourself to save your precious citizens? Alicia: .................if. Alicia realized the meaning of her fortune telling at that instant. The [Sacrifice] card was pointing to this exact moment. Alicia: ..........if..if I come with you, then you would release the citizens? Ellie: Alicia!! Ellies angry shout echoed all around them. But Fram ignored Ellie and answered Alicia calmly. Fram: Of course. Im not here to waste any more of my strength. Alicia: ........okay. Then. ``take me with you. But before the words left her mouth, {Fireballs} rained down from the heavens onto Fram and her words were lost in the explosion. Hey, Fram. Didnt you know? And another scarlet-haired young man appeared on the scene. The Magician who mastered just one Spell. When you capture a Princess, a Knight will always appear to save her. Fram: .........oh.so it was you who the Minotaur was playing with, Igni. Fram answered Ignis rage-filled expression with a contrary cold smile. Igni: So what were you saying about sitting at this negotiation table, Fram? Fram: HA! Are you some sort of Hero who came to the Princess rescue, Igni? Both manipulated their Magic at the same time. Fram: You can die here, Igni. Igni: Im taking you down, Fram. And the fight began. CH 165 Ch. 165: The Black Flame and the Wizard Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor] {Spear} Fram: [Flame Spear ] {Fire Lance}! Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! Both initiated their Spells. Igni and Frams Spells appeared around them and rushed forward straight through the air. As they collided, explosions followed. Fram: [Piercing Flame] {Fire Bullet}! Igni dodged Frams Black Flame bullet Spell. Holding his right hand in front of him, he made a quick incantation. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Molecular] {Minima}! Too small to see with the naked eye, countless molecular-sized {Fireballs} rubbed against other molecules in the air to create a negative charge. Fram: Hahaha! What pure and innocent Magic! Youre just going to stick with a beginner Spell against me, Igni?!?! Igni: Thats all I need for you, Fram. Creating a sudden, forceful imbalance in the electrical charge in the air, a massive flow of electricity poured in to restore the balance. As is the law of nature`` Igni: [Lightning] {Fire}! (*sfx crash of lightning) A giant, violet wave of electricity fell towards Fram. It was one of Ignis [Disaster-Level] Spells. If the lightning had struck a normal enemy, it would have ended the fight right there. But Ignis opponent wasnt normal. Black flames surrounded Fram. It was probably the defensive Spell of the Fire Type [Flaming Defense] {Fire Wall}. ``A Spell that Igni couldnt use. Fram: Thats quite the creative way of using {Fireball}, Igni. Igni: I thought you might enjoy the lightning, Fram. And in Ignis hands, he had already conjured two {Fireballs}. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! And he poured power into them. The front of the {Fireball} was hardened and the backside was softened in order to pierce through defensive Spells. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! (*sfx air explosion) And the {Fireballs} erupted and tore through the air as it left Ignis hands. Fram re-initiated his defensive Spell. The Black Flames rose up once again to stand in between Igni and himself. But the {Fireball} that was behind the first exploded! With a sudden burst of acceleration, the {Fireball} in front collided with Frams defensive wall and pierced through!! And Igni detonated his {Fireball} in midair. A few moments later, Fram appeared from behind the wall in a cloud of smoke. Igni once again began his incantation. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor] {Pierce}! Fram: [Black Flame] {Framit}! Igni created 5 {Fireballs} around him, poured his Magic into them, and began making them rotate. As their rotation increased, the {Fireballs} rubbed against the air and began to screech. But Fram was not going to stand by and do nothing. From within the smoke, he began his incantation and held a hand towards Igni. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! Fram: [Flame Spear] {Fire Lance}! Once again, their Spells dash through the air and collide. As it does, Igni kicks the ground hard and rushes forward towards Fram in a straight line! Both their Spells completely missed their mark as they erupted in a distant place away from Igni and Fram. But before Fram could finish his incantation, Igni stepped directly in front of him and`` Igni: [Rotating Ember] {Ignite} ``circulated the Magic inside his body. Because he was already in motion, he kept the rotation to 30 cycles per second! The world slowed in his vision, and Igni seemed to be left behind in time. In that world, Igni sensed his surroundings and very slowly reached his hand to Fram. In the slow-motion world, Fram had his arms crossed in defense. But Igni was faster ` his strike, much heavier. (*sfx flesh and bone being crushed) And Frams arms were pulverized as he was blown backwards from the impact! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Scatter Shot] {Cluster}! Within the {Fireball} in Ignis hand, he created countless {Fireballs} inside and`` Igni: [Artillery] {Fire}!! He guided the explosion to face a single direction and detonated! Countless {Fireballs} headed straight for Fram and`` (*sfx multiple impact) The area was buried with explosive flames! Igni: Im not done yet! Fram: ...........dammit! Fram frantically reached for a potion with his smashed arms. But Igni continued to fire off more {Fireball} spells and impeded Fram from drinking it. Fram focused on dodging, but he also wasnt able to go on the offensive. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Scatter] {Shot} As Fram frantically dodged and ran, Igni created more {Fireballs} and`` Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! ``fired more than Fram can dodge. That was it. Fram: DAMMIT!! Fram screamed as the Black Flame prison encircling the Imperial Capital disappeared. It indicated that he no longer had the ability to continue casting that Spell in his current state. It meant that Igni was slowly cornering Fram. Igni was able to directly read Frams state from their surroundings. [Darkness, swallow the flames whole] Behind Igni, a sludge of Magic began moving. Hearing a familiar voice of his friend, Igni did not have to turn around to understand what happened. Im glad I learned Counter Spells from President Miru. Behind him was a young boy with white hair. The boy had a [Darkness] : [S] compatibility from birth, and specializing in Support Spells, he managed to break the black flame prison that surrounded Alicias group. Igni: Thank you, Yoori. Yoori: No, no. That was nothing. Igni: Ill do the rest. Have everyone else evacuate. Igni did not think of Fram as a Wizard. 9 out of 10, Fram was a Magician. But Igni did not witness him using any yet. But Fram used a specialized type called Black Flame. Igni had studied [Fire] Type Magic extensively, but he had never once heard of Black Flames. Hence, the number of Black Flame Type users would be severely limited. He also relied on Celias assessment that the [Transgressors] would attack during the Birthday Festival. And Hayems testimony about the [Transgressor] who attacked her previous home with Black Flames. And most of all, the similarity Igni felt when he first met Fram. He wondered if that similarity was from both being Magicians. Igni: .........Fram, Im going to ask you one more time. Having his body pummeled and Magic reserves reduced, Fram stood there holding the Potion as Igni spoke. Igni: Are you a [Transgressor]? Fram: .........doyou know how Black Flames are created? Igni: Answer my question. Fram: .......dont you think its strange? The [Stagnation] that seeps out of human emotion carries incredible amounts of energy. Why not use it? Fram squeezed the words out with breathless gasps. Igni: What are you getting at? Fram: ...........[Stagnation]......isdark.and heavy. A thingthat pools at the bottomof the depths. Thats why..my Flame Something swiftly wrapped around Ignis right arm as a pellet of Black Flame struck him. Fram: <<<<>>>> ?~CHONKY Novels Discord~? General Chat and Announcements: https://discord.gg/CdjxzQBvRt ?~EFW Fan Discord~? Release Announcements and Illustrations: https://discord.gg/2SWtrgTbUG <<<<>>>> Extreme Flame Wizard - I can only use fireball but I became the strongest just wanting to be popular with the girls Written by: Cyclamen Translated by: ChonkyTranslator Japanese Title: Oħg?եܩ`뤷ʹʤɡƤһĤˤʤޤ : Original Source Link: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n1537gq/166/ Book 4 CH 166 Ch. 166: The Calamity and the Wizard Igni: .......UGH?! Igni gritted his teeth hard feeling of Frams flames. Igni: (........what is this?!) The Black Flames were now spreading over both his arms, and though he wanted to try and brush the flames off, his arms hung limply due to the weight. Igni: (Its wrapping around both my arms like sludge!!) Fram: ..........HACHAHAHA! Whats wrong, Igni?! How is my [STAG-NA-TION]?! My Black Flames is a between the [Stagnation] I use for fueling the Curse and my Spell! It requires very little Magic, and the power exponentially increases!! Igni continued to put out the fire, but the Flames consumed both his arms and began creeping up towards his body when`` [Wind, cut through] : [Ventos] {Sequa}! (*sfx slice) A blade of wind came from behind and cut off Igns arms. Igni: .......! Thanks, Alicia! You saved me!! The Black Flames that wrapped around Ignis arms turned the arms to coal and ash and disappeared once it consumed everything. But Fram spat out blood once and slowly stood up. Fram: HA..! Its.too late..! Forget about ......! Im going to kill everyone in this stupid Capital!! Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! Fram: Youre way too late.! Ive already ......!! And the world turned dark. Igni instinctively looked up into the sky, and there, there was another black sphere similar to the sun lying right next to it ` a gaping hole that suddenly appeared in the air. Fram: .........do you know about my Magic, Igni? Igni: No clue. Igni looked straight up as he let out a sigh. The sphere was located at least a few thousand kilometers (a few thousand miles) above. But because the sphere was , Igni was unable to accurately judge the distance. Fram: Ill tell you. Id feel bad if you were to die without knowing anything. Frams body was suddenly lifted up forcefully as if being pulled by something, and he continued to rise into the air. And he was being pulled in the direction of the Black Sphere. Fram: After igniting the [Stagnation of Humanity], I compressed and condensed the Black Flames to a single point. Once I compress that ball of energy even further, after exceeding a certain point, it becomes zero. No, actually, to be accurate, it falls into a negative dimension. Frams voice grew smaller as he continued to rise. His body was also disappearing into the distance. Fram: My Spell I cast will now create infinite gravity within itself, and transform into a condensed point of energy with the infinite negative dimension. It will twist time and space and even swallow light itself. My holds absolute destructive power. Igni: ..........ha, thats some . Igni did not understand half of what Fram said, but that would have been the same if he explained to Fram about his own , so Igni simply laughed and moved on. Others do not need to understand your . In the end, only one person needs to understand the ` the strong. Fram: My is similar in nature to when a star dies, and it has much more destructive power. I call it the . Doesnt that have a nice ring to it? And Fram looked to have shifted directions before he was pulled upwards with incredible speed!! Yoori: I`Igni! Isnt that really bad if we dont stop it?! Igni: Yeah, it would be bad. Ignis instincts were screaming out. That would not just stop at blowing up the Imperial Capital. Worst case scenario, that could evaporate the entire continent. But he cant reach that black dot from here. Thats why he would rely on her. Igni: .........Alicia. Alicia: Leave it to me. Alicia gracefully stepped next to Ignis side in her dress. Alicia: Sebastian. Sebastian: My Lady. And Sebastian appeared out of nowhere to hand Alicia her broom. Igni: Im counting on you. Alicia: Who do you think I am? Igni: ......youre right. Igni sat behind Alicia who placed the broom between her legs. Alicia: Hold on tight! Igni: Okay! Alicia: [Wind] : {Ventos}!! A gale suddenly blew at them, and Igni and Alicias body was lifted upwards!! Alicia: How close do we need to be?! Igni: ..........1,000 meters. If it were possible, about 500 meters. Alicia: Easy enough. Alicias lips curled up in a confident smile. It was not the same smile as the fake one she used during the parade in front of all those people. It was Alicias distinct, beast-like smile. But to Igni, that suited Alicia so well..and thought it was so beautiful. Alicia: [Might Gale] : {Tempest}!! (*sfx gale) The broom screeched from the sudden pressure, and Igni had difficulty keeping both eyes open as their bodies were being blasted up into the sky!! As if in response, Frams black sphere began shrinking at incredible speed. Alicia: .......the ..... Alicia quietly cried out. As soon as that giant body of Black Flame shrunk to zero, Fram will blast the into the Imperial Capital. If he did, everything would turn to ash. Hence, Igni had to turn the table before that could happen. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Complete Incineration] {Full Burst}!! Something twisted and rotated inside Igni as his Magic was expelled into his hand and another universe was born. It was his universe. A universe meant only for him. The absolute which creates something from complete nothing. Igni: [Stop]. As soon as he saw that the Black Sphere was in range, Igni initiated his . He planned to stop time around Frams and put a stop to his plan! But even though Ignis reached and swallowed Frams Black Sphere, it continued to shrink. Igni: .........! No!! Alicia: Whats wrong?! Igni: .......the gravity in the center of that sphere is already messed up! I cant stop it!! Time and gravity are closely related to one another. Ignis which can stop time only works under normal gravity. But the Black Sphere which achieved infinite Gravity through Frams is`` Alicia: Th`Then. Alicia began to panic. But Igni had already stretched out his hand for the next move. Igni: No, I can still negate it! Igni dispersed his . He felt Saras concentrated Magic thickly pump into him. As he thanked Sara in his head, Igni manipulated the Magic within him. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Complete Incineration] {Full Burst}!! Countering infinite energy requires infinite energy. Igni: [Ultra Sphere Surface] {Tesea}! A 4-dimensional {Fireball} was dropped into 3-dimensions, and by doing so, a {Fireball} will infinite energy inside was born. Igni: [Wipe it out] {Fire}!! Ignis flew straight upwards as if to rebel against the heavens, and collided with the Black Sphere. (*sfx) And the Black Sphere seemingly swallowed Ignis whole. The world was enveloped in light. CH 167 Ch. 167: The Path the Magic Follows Two spheres of infinite energy pushed against each other. Against Frams which used the infinite negativity versus Ignis which lowered an object from 4-dimension to 3-dimension to carry literal infinite energy clashed as they met. It was like watching two monsters try to devour one another in the sky as their conflict caused the air to grow brighter. The massive energy bloomed between the two spheres and light emerged from the clash! Alicia: Igni! Igni: .....Alicia! Above us!! Both Igni and Frams effects will continue after initiation until their Magic reserves are exhausted. Then the obvious tactic is to attack the performing the and disrupt their Spell. Alicia began weaving through the rain of Black Flames raining down on them from above, but as they dodged, Fram followed up with more homing strikes. Igni: . In the shower of Black Flames, Igni spoke to Alicia. Alicia: What is it? Igni: I need you to head upwards. If you do that, Ill take care of the rest. Alicia: .........okay. Leave it to me. Above them, a new sun was born. Alicia began circling an d climbing up into the sky towards where Igni and Frams continued to clash. There, they saw a young man with scarlet hair. A Magician who reached the level of just like Igni. Igni: .......Fram, I think I understand why you and I are similar. Igni stood up on the broom behind Alicia as he spoke up. The air was thin at this altitude, and breathing should have been difficult, but with Alicias Spell, they were able to secure their oxygen supply. There were no issues there. Igni: Fram, youre a [Specialized Magic Type?Element One], right? Fram: ........yeah, what of it? All this time, Igni could not help but feel a certain degree of suspicion. And that was the fact that Fram only used one type of Magic. For students like Igni, a standard Wizard will use many other kinds of Magic Types to support their main Magic Type and get the upper hand in a fight. The [Marionette] is a good example. He fought with a mix of his [Unique Original] Magic Type and the [Earth] Type together. The exception is if an [Extreme] elevates one of their Spells to its utmost point or`` Igni: No, I just thought that we seemed similar. Like Igni, if theyre unable to use other types of Spells. The [Specialized Magic Type?Element One] is just like it sounds ` a Wizard who can use only one Magic Type. They are unable to manipulate any other types of Magic. But in exchange, they have extremely high compatibility to that one Magic Type. Fram: .........Im a [Fire] : [SS]. Isnt that amazing? My compatibility? Fram responded to Ignis question very quietly. Igni: Yeah, that is amazing. And Igni responded with genuine respect. A standard Wizard would never be able to use [Human Stagnation] as fuel for their fire. Without a doubt, Fram is a first-rate Wizard. Thats why he was able to reach the realm of Magic. Fram: Does that mean that youre also a [Specialized Magic Type?Element One], Igni? Igni: No, Im a [Ultimate Specialized Spell Type?Spell One]. Fram: .......whats that? Igni: I can only use one Spell. Fram: ......and thats your {Fireball}, huh. Igni: Yeah. Igni nods to acknowledge Frams assumption as Fram looks at the thing right below him. ``At the two spheres of infinite energy that continued to clash against one another. Fram: .........you became a with just {Fireball}? Youve got to be kidding me. Igni looked directly into Frams eyes as Frams words were mixed with both fear and amazement. Igni: Surrender, Fram. Youll probably be sent to the Underground Prison [Labyrinth], but.well, at least you wont die there. Fram: Dont be ridiculous. For me, freedom is as precious as life itself. Igni: Then there should have been no reason to invade the Imperial Capital. Fram: .........do you know about Sance Spells, Igni? Igni: The [Spirit of the Dead] Spell, Necromancy? Fram: Thats right. It is a sacrilegious Magic that plays around with the souls of the dead. We will bring back a past Heros soul over to this side and place it inside a physical container. By doing so, we can bring a Hero back to life ` its that kind of Spell. Igni: What about it? Fram: Dont we need one? I mean, a in this world? Igni: ......for what? Fram: What? Wait, do you actually not know anything? Although Fram had been more than willing to engage in conversation with Igni up until now, at this, he could not hide his distaste and spat the words as if to cut the conversation short. Igni: .................what? Fram: Unlike those oblivious, thick-headed [Extremes], we, the [Transgressors] have our own way of living. Igni: ........I guess you dont care to explain any of that. Fram: Im almost envious of your completely clueless and ignorant way of living. With that, Igni saw no further reason for discussion. With that conclusion in his mind, Igni gritted the back of his teeth hard. Fram: Igni. Igni: What. Fram: Did you know that theres <[stagnation] right where youre standing>? At that instant, the place right below Igni and Alicia !! Igni: .........?! Alicia and Igni were both caught in the blast and were thrown up into the air! Igni: You! You can burn any [Stagnation] in this world?! Fram: [Human Stagnation] is the result of human acts. It is dark, heavy, and pools in the secret places of this world. But there are other [stagnations] that are thinner and dispersed in the atmosphere of this world. Igni instinctively glanced towards Alicia. Her body was flown out in a defenseless curl as she flew across the air. Igni: (.........shes lost consciousness!!) Igni checked his magic reserves as he fell through the sky ` there was more than enough. Igni: (......thank you, Sara.) Igni: [Flame Engine] {Acel Boot}! Below Ignis feet, a few thousand {Fireballs} were formed, and he directed them to explode in a single direction! He flew right towards Alicia in a straight line!! Fram: HAHAHA!! You can fly using {Fireball}, Igni?! Then let me try. {Fireball}. With Frams incantation, 256 {Fireballs} were initiated. All of it was pointed at Igni and`` Fram: {Fire}, right? (*sfx) The {Fireball} came flying towards Igni!! Igni: .......crap!! Igni cursed as he continued to close the distance with Alicia. But the {Fireball} was much faster than he was! He redirected his attention to the countless {Fireballs} approaching his position, and he arced and twisted his body to flip his body. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} But seeing how troublesome dodging the {Fireballs} will be, he created the same number of {Fireballs} and`` Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! He fired back at Fram. Fram: Oh my. How scary. Speaking with obvious sarcasm, Fram relocated to dodge Ignis attacks. But with that, both Wizards lost control of their {Fireballs}. Igni: .....Alicia!! But right now, Igni had lost both his arms. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! But this Spell was not meant to be pointed at others but himself. Igni: [Swarm] {Generate}! In that instant, countless {Fireballs} swarmed towards where his arms should be, and two burning arms attached to his body appeared. He managed to take a hold of Alicia who was still falling out of the sky, and feeling her weight, Igni put on the brakes in midair. Handling the inertia very well, he came to a gentle halt. Igni: Hey! Hey! Are you okay, Alicia?! Alicia; ......hm? Oh.wait..where am!! OH! Thats right!! Fram! Wheres Fram?! Igni: Hes above us. He targeted the broom andhe dropped us this far. Alicia: I`Im sorry. Thats my fault. I should have noticed Igni: No, I should have noticed too. The two apologized to each other in the air and looked up to Fram at the same time. Igni: ......is it too hot? Alicia: No, not at all. Im fine. Ignis arms are currently made up of {Fireballs}. No matter how much Igni tries to hold back the heat, he would not be able to completely turn off the temperature like Fram. But Alicias clothes with anti-Spell defense had cut-off the burning temperature. Alicia: This reminds of the time when we fought my sister. Igni: That brings back memories. At Alicias words, although they were in the middle of battle, Igni felt the nostalgia creep up inside of him. Igni: Well win this one too. Alicia: Yes, you are strong after all. Igni: No, its because youre here, Alicia. Alicia: .......I dont think Im doing much. Igni: Im going to use my once more. Alicia looked up into Ignis face. Igni: Alicia, I can only count on you for this. Alicia: .........okay. Then hold on tight to me, and dont let go. Alicia wrapped her arms around Igni. Igni felt the warmth from her body against his, and something else also connected far deeper. The two felt their hearts connect. Alicia: .....this is. Igni: .......yeah. A connection of Magic. A connection made between two people with absolute trust in each other. In short, a [Pass] was made. CH 168 Ch. 168: The Bond and the Wizard Alicia: [To me, Wind] {Ventos}! With Alicias incantation, both Alicia and Ignis body were pushed up into the sky above! Igni: (.......whats this?!) At that moment, Igni saw something strange and wonderful. In the atmosphere, he saw an invisible path flowing like a river. Igni was looking at the path as he would when he observes Magic being manipulated. Igni: .......I see.so this is what Alicia sees.. She had always been able to see this path. It was most likely the path the wind followed. Following the path, Igni created a {Fireball}, aligned it to winds flow, and fired it at Fram with [Launch] {Fire}. The {Fireball} accelerated with the wind, and as it quickly arched, it struck Fram in the ribs! Igni: ........ha! So thats how it works! More thick and condensed Magic pours into Ignis body. Igni: Fram, do you have any last words? Holding Alicia close to him and feeling Alicia hold him back, and they both stood in the air. The that was looming over the Imperial Capitals sky was no longer there. Fram: ..........its my win. Igni: Nope. You lost. As soon as Igni spoke, the {Fireball} that made up both his arms disappeared. Yes, when he uses , he cannot use any Spells. Igni: Since you told me about your , Ill explain mine to you. The Etiquette of Popularity number 4 `` Always be a gentleman. Igni: My is just a {Fireball}. But theres a huge difference between yours and mine. Fram: ..........what? Alicia was holding Igni up desperately to keep him from falling. Feeling her soft body and warmth, Igni thanked her silently as he prepared his absolute . Igni: Hey, Fram. Do you know how this world began? Fram: .........God made it. Igni: Yes, God made it by speaking one word, and with that word, a very, very small {Fireball} was created that was the beginning of this world. Fram: .........and youre saying thats your ? Igni: My gives birth to a [Small Universe] {Fireball} with just one rule`` And the [Miracle of Beginnings] {Big Bang} was initiated. Igni: ``. In that moment, Ignis expanded to swallow up Fram and time completely stopped. To be accurate, Igni had slowed his worlds time to as close to zero as possible, and from their relative perspective, time seemed to have stopped. Igni: ............fwew. Igni blew out a long breath, and leaned into Alicias arms. Alicia: .........good work, Igni. Igni: Thank you, Alicia. Alicia: Do we want to go back to the ground? Igni: Yeah..lets. Feeling his Magic reserves exhausted, Ignis consciousness began to dull as Alicia lent him a shoulder. Thick, condensed Magic continued to pour into Igni, but the amount seemed to be slightly less than usual. No matter how bottomless her Magic reserves seemed to be, he had used 3 times consecutively. Igni was certain that it had made a dent to Saras reserves. Igni: Actually, could we stay like this for a bit longer? Alicia: ........yes, of course. The hero who had saved the Empire let himself be held by the Imperial Princess there. With abundant, bountiful, overflowing love, the Imperial Princess welcomed the hero in her arms. <<<<>>>> .........you. You must be the [Un-Death] Celia. Celia: And who might you be? In the quiet wilderness, they stood. Having hunted down every last one of the vampires, Celia, who was on her way back to the Empire, faced off with a young man with black hair with obvious murderous intent pointed in her direction. ...........Soul. The Silent Killer Soul. Celia: A [Transgressor], huh. The young man with black hair only had to stall for enough time for Fram to bring down the Imperial Capital. In other words, he had to stall Celias return. By the time a small, distinct noise sounded, Soul had already beheaded Celia. Soul: .........I can move`` Celia: ``faster than sound, hence Silent Killer, right? The detached head spoke with a growing malicious smile, and light enveloped Celia in that instant as she regenerated. She stood there as though nothing had happened to her. Soul: ........so thats the infamous ''Miracle of Undeath'', huh? Celia: Of course. Now then, let me ask you a question. Will you surrender or die? Soul: Oh? But its you who will be lying on the ground. Soul disappeared once more. And a moment later, Celia heard the sound of Soul kicking the ground. No matter how much you train your body, no matter how much you train your 5 senses`` Sound carries at its own speed. Then the answer is simple. You just have to be faster. That way, no one will be able to sense you coming. You can easily wipe out enemies. Celia: What a frivolous sword. But Soul did not feel the sensation of beheading Celia. Instead, Celia faced him with glaring fangs showing as she held his sword in her hand. Celia: [Physical Enhancement] {Active}. Soul screamed out his incantation. (*sfx) His muscles bulged greatly as he achieved a strength greater than any human being can achieve. Celia: Weak. But the blade remained motionless inside Celias hand, and Soul released the handle. Soul: .........sh! (*sfx exhale) Celia: .....fu! (*sfx exhale) Soul twisted his body to send a kick at Celia as she raised her left arm. Before Souls foot reached, Celias blow overtook him, and as if to skid on water, his body flew away and bounced off the ground several times before coming to a halt. Celia: Did you know, [Transgressor]? Celia readied her sword. Celia: The slice of a blade can . (*sfx something cutting through the air) With a high pitch ringing, Celia swung her blade downwards, and Soul, who was a few hundred meters away, was separated from his legs. Celia: Its much simpler once you cut off the legs of a quick steed. Soul: .........UGH!! {Heal}!! Soul cast Healing Magic onto himself to restore his body. But before he was finished, Celia held him up by his hair. Celia: Now then, what was your goal? If you dont say anything, Ill kill you. If you tell me, I will let you live. Soul: [Resurrect]! With Souls incantation, the ground suddenly burst with a skeletons arm that immediately grasped Celias foot. Celia: Oh? As soon as Celias attention was on the skeleton, Souls body was grabbed and pulled away from Celia. Soul: HAHAHA! Youre not the only scum playing around with human lives!! Celia: ........I see. So you are also a [Life] Type. And our is similar as well. Of course, there are some clear differences between them, but Soul was a Magician who wielded a sword. But Celia felt no sympathy towards a [Transgressor]. In the time Celia took one breath, the quiet wilderness was now flooded with skeletons holding swords, bows, and spears. Celia: This is supposed to stall me? Soul: They are all veteran warriors from the past! Even after death, their skills are the same as when they were alive! As Soul was being pulled away by skeletons, he confidently relayed that fact as if he had delivered a finishing blow. Celia only chuckled in return. Celia: I see. Then let me show you. The atmosphere wrenched and twisted around Celia as [Human Stagnation] swirled around her. As if to absorb the thick, heavy, and dense power, Celias body began glowing with Curse Inscriptions. Celia: In the Beast Race, they use a Curse that raises their physical abilities by using their own life as fuel. A skeleton swung their sword at Celia. Celia: To be honest, those Beast Race warriors gave me a tough time. They had no hesitation in throwing their lives away. Another skeleton thrust their spear at Celia. Celia: Life ` is the ultimate fuel. Especially with Curses. Another skeleton fired an arrow at Celia. Celia: Thats why this Curse . A swing of the blade cut across the air. Celias sword flashed for a second, and were blasted away. Celia: And besides that, I cannot die. A hungry, vicious smile came over Celia as she spoke. That was the moment Soul realized from the bottom of his heart that he had picked a fight with the wrong enemy. CH 169 Ch. 169: The Reward and the Wizard To the Heroes who saved the Empire, the medal of honor Igni bowed low as he heard the Emperor make the announcement. They were all manners and rituals he learned during his days as a Noble, and though it was the Kingdoms style, it was known that Igni was from the Kingdom, so it was pardoned. Next to Igni was Alicia. She also held her head in a low bow in the presence of the Emperor. At a glance, her expression was several times brighter than before. She was able to break the shackles of her cursed chains with her own hands. Next to the Emperor was Celia. Being the [Extreme] of [Life], she is known as the Empires sword. That is why she was chosen as the Emperors personal guard. In addition, the day after Igni and Alicia caught Fram, Celia brought the head of a young man with black hair. She then restored Ignis lost arms in a blink and immediately strengthened the Spells confining Fram. She later explained that she fought many battles against the Vampires, and the fight was over, a [Transgressor] came and fought with her. On top of it all, she was responsible for taking care of the aftermath at the Imperial Capital. Even Igni could not hide his surprise at Celias bottomless energy and solidified his resolve to train his stamina to be able to fight continually like her. Once he received the medal from the Emperor, Igni relocated with Alicia to her room. Igni: Fwew.. Once there, he let out a long, slow breath. Alicia: Not used to it? Igni: I really hate formal ceremonies like that. Alicia smiled at Ignis comment. Alicia: But arent you formerly a Noble? Igni: Thats exactly why. Im a former Noble. They continued to pass each others jabs back and forth playfully. Of course they did. Between them was now a [Path] of Magic that connected them together. Alicia: Oh yeah. Igni, there was something I was meaning to tell you. Igni: Me? Alicia: Yes, watch this. Alicia summoned a beginners Spell {Wind Ball} over her palm. Then`` Alicia: [Wind Mantle] {Alicient} And suddenly, a strong gale blew in all directions. Watching the wind spiral upwards, Igni narrowed his eyes in observation, and before him, he saw a {Wind Ball} with overwhelming Magic churning inside. Igni: Is that? Alicia: I copied the way you were doing [Equip Flame] {Ignition} and strengthened my Spells. Though Alicia said it nonchalantly, it was like handling an explosive on the verge of exploding. If you manipulate Magic at such high densities, yes, the power of the Spell will increase. But there is a reason why all Wizards do not attempt this. Theres no reason to. Ignis [Equip Flame] {Ignition} was Ignis secret technique to be able to utilize a Beginners Spell against Intermediate Spells and above. But that is also a double-edged sword. Normally, the more Magic you have to manipulate, the more skill and technique is required. Igni would pour a few hundred times the Magic required for {Fireball}, but all the other Wizards do not need to go to such lengths. Its because they can just use an Expert-Class Spell instead. Igni: ........but, Alicia..you really dont have to do that. Alicia: No, wait. This is what I wanted you to see. And with that, Alicia pointed her finger to the window and the world outside. Today was an unfortunate cloudy day. Though it was sad to not see the summer sun, the day was cooler under the cover of clouds. Alicia: [To me, Wind] {Ventos} The {Wind Ball} Alicia still controlled began flying towards the sky. It lightly darted across as it rode the wind and high up in the air ` it erupted. (*sfx) ``and not a . Alicia: A small Spell like this can be turned into a [Disaster-Level] Spell. And this was exactly what Igni was doing. He had also, in the past, used his {Fireball} to wipe away the clouds in the sky. Alicia: If a Beginners Spell has this power, what would happen if I used an Expert-level Spell? Igni: ..........probably something incredible. Igni looked at the suns rays beaming down from a cloudless sky and then turned towards Alicia. This was something Igni would never be able to do. Igni: Youre amazing, Alicia. And he meant that sincerely with the utmost respect. Unlike Igni who could only sharpen a single weapon, Alicia now had many more options available to her. Alicia: No, its all thanks to you, Igni. Igni: Me? Alicia: Yes. As soon as the [Path] was connected, I was able to see inside my head how you were using Spells. The information came flowing into me. Igni: Ohhhhh, thats why.. Alicia: Yes, thats why I was able to do this. As Igni was able to see the path of the wind, Alicia also saw Magic the way Igni did. Igni: That.makes me pretty happy to hear. Igni was certain that Alicia would get stronger. Even though she might still be a fledgling, it would take very little time for her to start climbing higher and higher. Thats why genuinely Igni was happy that he was able to help her start making that journey. Alicia: But I wasnt sure what to make of how you used [Magic] at all. Watching her face from the side, the way Alicia smiled and chuckled looked very beautiful to Igni. Igni kept his gaze on Alicia for a while after that. Oh my. I thought it was cool just a moment ago. Is this cloudless sky you alls doing? And Hayem gracefully entered Alicias room. Holding the title of [Frozen Winter], it was no surprise that she was not comfortable in the summer heat. She looked a little irritated and avoided the direct sunlight. Alicia: Yes, it was. Now we can change the weather back even if you make it snow again. Hayem: Theres no need. I really like this bracelet. And Hayem flashed and showed off her bracelet with pride. It was the Magic Artifact composed of the Empires best technology and skill. Those who wear the bracelet will have a simple Magic Barrier surround the wearer. This barrier will collect the Magic that is flowing out of the wearer, collect it back into the bracelet, filter it, and disperse it back into the air. By doing so, Sara and Hayems specialized Magic Powers effects are being nullified. Alicia: Im glad you like that bracelet. Our Research Team will be delighted to hear that. Hayem: Yes, please relay my gratitude to them. With this, I can finally be by my [Magicians] side. Igni: Just because youre standing next to a [Magician] doesnt mean youll be able to start using Magic, you know? Igni spelled out that obvious to Hayem just in case. [Magic], but its very nature, comes from inspiration or an epiphany. Depending on whether you catch onto that realization or not is what determines whether you can cross into the realm of a [Magician] or not. Hence, age is not relevant to whether you can or cannot become a [Magician]. Hayem: But it might at least give me a hint. Igni: Well..I meanthat could happen but.. But Ignis [Magic] is a specialized form of {Fireball}. Hayem can use a variety of different Spells, so whether she would be able to take a hint from Ignis way of using [Magic] is questionable at best. But, Igni got his inspiration from studying many kinds of Magic Theories, so from that perspective, having Hayem watch his [Magic] from up close may not be a waste of her time. Sir Igni, I finally found you. From outside the room, Igni heard someone calling for him. The owner of the voice was most definitely Sebastian. Sebastian: I wanted to discuss with you about your . Could we speak privately about this matter? Igni: Yes, of course. Igni couldnt hide his excitement as he spoke. Alicia: A reward? From Frams incident? Igni: No, about Hayems. Hayem: Oh, me? Igni: Yeah, Sebastian asked me to do something about it. And with just that, Igni left the room. There, Sebastian stood with a serious expression. Sebastian: From the incident with Hayem, we had some difficulty locating somebody suitable and acceptable, Sir Igni. Our deepest apologies. Igni: No, please. Thats okay. I dont mind if it took time. Sebastian: Thank you. We were able to locate someone that would most definitely meet your expectations. Please allow me to guide you. The reward they were speaking of was about being able to feel and enjoy the fur on a beast girls ears. Sebastian: This way, please. You may enter the room. As Igni followed Sebastian to a certain room, there, he saw one girl sitting on a large bed. She had beautiful flowing hair that contrasted with her snow-white skin. On her head were two cat ears that perked up and moved this way and that. But even more, Igni was shocked that it was someone he knew. C`Cmonlets just get this over with. Igni: E`Ellie?!?! There sat the Empires second Imperial Princess. <<<<>>>> CHONKY TL Pivot(?) Classes and Tiers can be really annoying for translators because hierarchy can be represented in many ways: Beginner(?) / Fundamental(?) / Basic (?) Intermediate Expert Master Low Medium High Lower Mid Upper Also, the categorical verbiage for tiers, classes, grades, levels, degrees, etc. is usually up to the author to decide. When TLing, its like taking a stab in the dark with no access to the authors thoughts or opinions. The way authors use varying hierarchy brings a different flavor to their Magic and Class systems. And this can be painful to stay consistent for TLs when working on multiple different systems for different novels or as systems evolve with the author within the same novel (hence, its the job of editors to communicate with the original author and review and keep the verbiage consistent - a luxury I dont have). Authors also like introducing new categories as a way to elevate the readers excitement, and TLs can be stuck with, Ummmmm, so HOW do I fit that into our existing system and categories? Over time, I have some on-going notes on each Light Novel series to keep the verbiage more consistent, but this was created after the fact for the on-going TLs. For now, EFW Spells will follow: Beginner Intermediate Expert Disaster-Level (?) [Magic] In a previous Chapter (deeply embedded somewhere), the author did make some distinctions. If I do find it, Ill.probably revise this again. (*bangs. head. on. keyboard.) Lastly.. Curly Brackets { } are the designation of Spells and their specific names. Squire Brackets [ ] are for key terms, kanji (chinese characters) that expand on the authors written vs spoken intent, or words with more nuance than their standard usage. Carrots < > are reserved for instances when the author places direct emphasis (think italicized words in English) on the written words. This alsoprobably has not been as consistent as it should be. Thank you all for your patience. CH 170 Ch. 170: The Next Bringer of Calamity Ellie: What. Is it so strange to find me here? As Igni stood their jaws dropped and gawking at Ellie, and Ellie snapped him out of it with a quick retort. Igni: N`No, its not that. I was..just caught off guard. Ellie: Why? Igni: W`Well, because.youre part of the Royal Family, and And Igni wanted to point out that this probably wasnt an appropriate arrangement, but Ellie cut him off. Ellie: Thats right. And that is exactly why I had to come and directly convey our gratitude. And Ellie puffed out her chest with pride. Ellie: So cmon. Hurry up and come here. Her cat ears twitched left and right as she invited Igni. Igni: (So she can move her ears like that.) And Igni could not help but feel satisfied at his new discoveries. Igni stood there frozen for a few more moments, but feeling that it would be more discourteous to decline, he sucked in a breath before proceeding forward and stretched out his hands towards Ellies head. As he reached her ears, an incredibly soft sensation grazed his fingertips. Ellie: .........mm Ellie let out a quiet grunt as if being tickled. Igni: (It feels..pretty intimate) Igni: Its soft. Ellie: I`Its my ears after all. And as she let Igni feel her ears, Igni sat down next to Ellie. Igni: What does it feel like when someone is touching your ears? Ellie: I`It''s a little ticklish.but its not that bad. Ellie flinched and twisted her body slightly as she spoke, and her face reddened as she allowed Igni to continue feeling her ears. Ellie: ........thank you, Igni. Igni: .......hm? For what? Ellie: For saving us. Igni: You mean, the Empire? Ellie: ......yeah, that too. Igni: (That too?) Igni waited for Ellie to explain further. Ellie: And.you saved me too. Igni: ........you? Ellie: Yeah. You told me that it was alright for me to be different. .that..made me really happy. Ellies ears stood straight up, and Igni could feel the muscles in the ears tense. And as he made mental notes about how ears can feel harder when the muscles tighten, Ellie continued. Ellie: Iits.pretty complicated when it comes to my ears. Igni: Really? Its so cute though. Ellie: Thanks. And Ellie chuckled and blushed at Ignis words. Ellie: But.in the end, Im the only one whos half human and half beast. Igni: ........well, I guess thats true. Celia and Alicia both do not have any Beast ancestry. Only Ellie is a mix between the Beast Race and Humans. Ellie: I hated it when..they brought my ears up. Igni could imagine that the when she referred to was not a single incident. And the "they" she mentioned was probably not just the Imperial Family. She could have overheard things being said about her by the servants who work inside the castle. Ellie: Thats why..I felt this weight lift off of me when you said that, Igni. Igni: I see. Igni smiled, but not being able to look him directly in the face, Ellie looked away as she felt her face redden even more. Igni: If what I said was helpful, then Im glad, Ellie. Igni let go of Ellies ears and patted her head gently. Igni: Thank you, Ellie. Ellie: Im the one whos saying thanks. And both chuckled and laughed. <<<<<>>>> Lucas: Igni, its been a while. Igni: .......didnt you say that you were going to be back after a day? At the front counter of the inn, he found his grandfather, Lucas, enjoying a cup of tea, and Igni shot him the question. Lucas: Hm? Did I say that? Igni: Yeah, you did. But Igni knew that griping about it wouldnt change a thing, but he couldnt help but try and give his grandfather some grief. Lucas: Well, it would have been boring to have me around anyways. So how was it? Did you have fun at the Imperial Capital? Igni: Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Lucas: Good. Then all is well. Lets go back home. Igni: Yeah, lets. Igni sat down in the chair across from Lucas as he asked his next question. Igni: Grandpa, what were you doing? Lucas: Hm? I was just catching up with some old friends. Igni: Oh yeah? Thats great. Igni just replied politely following the natural flow of the conversation before he continued. Igni: Why didnt you take down Hayem? Lucas: Hm? Igni: You knew, right? You knew all along? Lucas tried to feign ignorance, but Igni continued pointing out what was bugging him. Igni: The shortest route from the Kingdom to the Empire is going right over the ocean. But we came here across the land taking the long way to the Empire. Lucas: The journey would have been boring just going over the ocean. Igni: That may be true, but Grandpa, youre an [Extreme]. And if a Dragon appeared in a port town near the Kingdom, you would have heard about it. Lucas: Hmmmm, and? Igni: Was it your intention for me to fight Hayem? Lucas: Hmmm, that may be true, or it may not. Lucas continued dodging the questions as he sipped the last bit of his tea. Lucas: Igni. Igni: Hm? Lucas: How is your life? Are you having fun? Igni: Whats with the sudden deep questions? Are you going senile? Lucas: How rude. Im perfectly fine and in great health. Hurry up and answer the question. Igni: Of course Im having fun. Lucas: Good. Then lets go home. Lucas left Igni at the table and climbed up the stairs to tell Yoori and Sara to get ready to go back to the Kingdom. Igni continued to sit as he watched his grandfather go, and thought about what he just asked. In the end, he concluded that his grandfather must have been asking if hes become Popular recently. So then, telling his grandfather that he still hasnt become Popular may have nudged his grandfather to divulge more Popularity Etiquettes and Ultimate Secrets to Popularity and deeply regretted his answer. <<<<>>>> Above the [Demon Kings Castle]. In a place where Dragons, Vampires, and not even [Transgressors] dare to live, the deepest part of the [Demon Kings Realm] tore and opened. Who could have noticed what was happening? No, no one was aware. If the one who predicted this event saw what was happening, a roar of laughter would have filled the Underground Prison [Labyrinth]. But the [Endless Depths] Abyss had already lost, and now lay in the Prisons depths. The only true survivor of the [Demon Kings Castle] was now on the side of the boy with the scarlet red hair, and all the barriers and Monsters placed to protect her had lost all meaning. Hence, that called it here. Like thick sludge, a heavy, dark liquid poured into the [Demon Kings Castle]. was one of historys defeated. Losing to the Hero, he had lost, and disappeared into the pages of history as the weaker counterpart. Being unable to do anything, his name completely forgotten, he still managed to tear and leave giant gaping wounds across all of humanity. That is why some aspired to become like him. And that is why some surrendered their lives to make that come true. Each gained strength and each time, another splash of fear was instilled in the people. The vengeful anger and pure fear collected and pooled inside the [Demon Kings Realm] as [Human Stagnation], and as it swirled together, it opened the doors to another dimension. His name forgotten, history rewritten, he only managed to protect one person before he, the [Demon King] died. But he held a deep seated desire that no ordinary man could have achieved. It was darker than the deepest night, and from it, a cold vengeance permeated from it. That is why, unsurprisingly, the [Human Stagnation] entwined itself to it, and called out. After the dark liquid was expended, a man fell from the sky. And with empty eyes, he received and embraced the [Vengeance] as he looked across the land. The [Demon King] was dead. But his will remained in this world. And someone who now carried on his will Someone who stepped in to fill in the next generation Carrying on the relentless, unending desires of his predecessor, how could we not call him the embodiment of [Calamity]. Born of unadulterated malice, he had accepted the role to speak for the defeated and pronounce destruction upon the world ` thus, he was the most suitable candidate. A visitor from another dimension. One who was closest to his predecessors will. That is why the title was so fitting. Hence, the visitor from an alternate dimension```was called the [Demon King]. To be continued!!! (untranslated) CH 171 Ch. 171: The Quest and the Wizard It was the end of summer break, and as the 2nd semester just started, Igni held a letter handed to him by Miru, and he read the contents aloud. Igni: The Rolmod Wizard Academy Competition? Miru: Yup! Its the No. 1 event of the 2nd semester! President Miru raised her hand as she spoke up in the Student Councils meeting room. Miru: Theres 2 types of competition: a class vs class competition and an individuals competition. Theyll be fighting each other with Spells! Igni: A competition of Spells.. Wait, so how does that differ from the recently held [Tournament]? There was only one [Tournament] that Igni could refer to. It was the same [Tournament] where he fought Fray. Miru: Well, anyone could join the one before, right? But this time, its different! You have to be from this school to participate, and well be competing against each others classes. Igni: That sounds like fun. Miru: It is! .but it might not be as exciting for you, Igni. Igni: Since its separated by grade, I can only fight against the 1st Years? Miru: Yup, thats how it is. Confident in being one of the [Strongest], from Ignis perspective, there are still many promising Wizards in the 1st years. But if you ask him if he believes that he will be in danger of losing to anyone there, the answer is no. Igni would unabashedly state that he would win. Yoori: What do you do for the class vs class competition? It was Yoori who spoke up next. He had also received the same printed notice from Miru, and even after reading through the contents, there were still some questions that needed to be answered. Miru: Hm? Oh, this is going to be Capture the Flag. Yoori: A flag? What is the goal? Miru: Let me see. First, the school will prepare the field, and each class will receive 3 flags. If your class loses all their flags, that class loses! Yoori: W`Wait, thats all? Miru: Yup. Thats all. The only rule is you cant kill the other team. And Miru said, Kill without any hesitation or concern. It is a competition where Spells will be flying around. No one can absolutely guarantee the safety of the participants. In other words, the risk of death will always be right around the corner. Miru: If anyone is killed, the class responsible automatically loses. But besides that, . Miru smiled as she spoke, and Yoori swallowed hard as he took in the information. Miru: There will be those who make strategies to keep their flags safe. And there will be some going out to take the flags of other classes. Because of this, it will be important to divide the classes to different roles, and each role requires different skills. See? Its simple, but also pretty deep at the same time, right? Yoori: .......yes..I see.. Yoori slowly nodded in agreement. Igni agreed as well but was already thinking about where he would be placed. Yoori: Well, Igni will most likely go for taking other classes flags, right? Igni: Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. If you consider Ignis maneuverability, that seemed obvious. Yoori: I`I wonder where they will place me.? Igni: I would expect Yoori to be protecting the flag. Yoori: You think so? Hmmm, well, now that you say it, I think that would be better for me too. Yoori is originally a Support Type Wizard. Just recently, he was able to overcome his past trauma and began using Attack Spells, but it would be doubtful to pit him against another Rolmod Wizard student after such a long period of relying solely on Support Spells. But as for protecting the flag, it would be right up Yooris alley. To be an adept Support Type, you have to be incredibly precise with timing as you execute your Support Spells. But that also means that they can do the opposite as well. Igni: And what about the individual competition? Miru: Hm? Oh, that thing. Its a competition where you volunteer to participate. Its just like it says. Its a one on one dueling competition. And Miru handed another piece of paper to Igni. Igni took it and read the contents of the page. Miru: The reason why it is also divided by grades is because in most cases, it would be unfair to the lower classes. There, he saw 5 different fields. Miru: There are more variety in the fields than the [Tournament], and within the designated field, you will fight till one person gives us. Of course, you can always send them out of bounds too. Its not just Spells your competing with, but you have to also take into account the field you are fighting on. Thats key too! Yoori: Instead of just a flat playing field with nothing on it, there are stages with hills and even a water stage. Behind Igni, Yoori peeked over his shoulder to look at the map of the fields as he mumbled quietly to himself. Igni: Volunteers? So not everyone will be participating? Miru: Yeah, because there are some who arent meant for combat, right? Dont you think its a waste of time for them to be included? Igni: ..........thats true. In Ignis head, Edward immediately came to mind. Edwards preferred Magic is [Life]. And he was most adept with his Healing Spells. For a man who is best at healing wounds, neither he nor the competition would like to see what would happen if he entered. Miru: But put it another way, that means any student who can fight will be participating. And Miru began shuffling through the mountain of paperwork that was piling up on her desk. Igni: Hm? Wait, does that mean that I can join? Miru: Igni, youll be placed in a special bracket. Igni: A special bracket? Whats that? Miru: Well, you are the winner of the last [Tournament], right? Those kinds of kids get to be in their own special bracket. So the [Tournament] already proved your strength, Igni, so we need to give the other students a chance to prove themselves, right? And Miru finally found what she was looking for and pulled a single sheet of paper. Igni: Then what will I be doing in the special bracket? Miru: You will be fighting the winner of your grade at the very end. IgnI: Is that okay? You know Ill win. Miru: Well, it will be entertaining nonetheless. And Igni, I have a new job for you. Miru handed over the sheet of paper she found earlier and passed it on to Igni. Miru: This is the only student that has refused to participate in the individual competition. Igni, I want you to flirt with her and talk her into joining the competition. And on the sheet, Igni read `` The Legion Estea. It was the name of the head of class last semester. She is counted as one of the Golden Generation, and though Igni heard the name, he never met her once. She was in a different class, and she didnt participate in the [Tournament] either. Igni: I dont know what you mean by flirt.. Miru: Well, since you have so many friends that are female, I thought you would be used to chatting up girls. Am I wrong? IgnI: W`Well, no.but.. Not knowing how to handle the subtle compliment of Popularity, Igni scratched the back of his head in response. Miru: So thats why I need you, Igni, to help this girl change her answer from no to yes. Igni: I can try. Popularity Etiquette No. 5 `` Always help a woman in need. There was no chance that Igni would have refused President Mirus request. <<<<>>>> CHONKY TL LiT (Lost in Translation) Unlike the U.S., the first semester of Japanese school semesters typically start in April. So while summer break is the end of the school year for U.S. students, it is the break that separates first semester and second semester in Japan. The breaks are shorter in Japan with summer break being only about a month long. <<<<>>>> CHONKY TL Pivot Estea''s Wizard Title is "Yorozu" () (). The word is a very old, archaic term (think of Old English for American English speakers). The most common use of the word comes from The "Yorozu gods" (). Here, "yorozu" means "all"; "too numerous to count"; "everything". The character used for "yorozu" is "man" () (ޤ) which is literally 10,000. The 10,000 Yen is the Ben Franklin, $100 U.S. Dollar bill of the Japanese economy. So, all in all, her title is something like "a lot" of something. The translation is tricky since there''s been no hint of what her title stems from. Because of that, I went with a literal, numeric translation "Legion" but that may change in the next couple of chapters. Sorry in advance! CH 172 Ch. 172: The Fan and the Wizard So Igni was sent out to go negotiate with [The Legion] Estea, but he did not know where to find her in the first place. So he decided that the best place to start would be to ask around on where he could find her. Igni: Lilly, could you help me? Lilly: Yes, thats fine. And of course, he was not planning on going alone. If it was a guy, that would be one thing, but if he is going to convince a girl, then it would be better to have a female with you for reassurance purposes. According to the information he was provided, Estea was in Class E. So Igni began walking towards the Class E classroom. Igni: Hey, sorry to bother you. Could I ask you something? It was the afternoon after class was over, and Igni decided to ask a couple of girls still chatting in the room. The girls glanced over his way and then blushed with recognition. Oh! Are you Igni from Class D?! We saw you at the [Tournament]! You were so amazing! And Igni received unexpected praise. Igni: (What?! Is this for real?! They know who I am?!?!) Igni: (Am I finally Popular?!?!) And he felt joy bubble up within him. But holding it back, he smiled as he spoke. Igni: Thanks. Yeah, Im Igni. The Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 2 `` A confident man will be Popular. If he were to panic at his rising fame or even to show elation at the news, that would be far from Popularity. Yes, he needed to act cool in this situation.. Well, I was actually rooting for Fray during the [Tournament]` Yeah, hes so good-looking` Igni(..............what?) It was the first time in his life Igni felt jealous, murderous rage towards his little brother whom he almost forgotten about. Lilly: Igni, we should wrap this up. Theres still much work to do after this. And with a little exasperation, Lilly asked Igni to hurry up, and Igni immediately shut out his anger towards his younger brother. Though they were there for a different reason, they at least still remembered his name. Igni: (That should be good enough for now.) And as Igni cried tears of blood inside, he shoved those dark thoughts completely out as he asked the girls. Igni: Is Miss Estea here? Miss Estea? One of the girls turned to look around the classroom briefly, but immediately shook her head. Hmmm, yeah, I dont think youll find her here after class. Igni: Do you know where she could have gone? Its after school so probably the library? Miss Estea is always studying. Igni thanked the girls as he left the classroom. Igni: ........so shes in the library a lot, huh. Lilly: Thats impressive. She must be very studious. Lilly is technically an exchange student from Arurumenia, the Elves nation, and spoke with a bitter smile as she mumbled to herself. She likes Spells, but not the studying part. And Igni walked to the library which he hadnt visited in quite some time. Though its not particularly important, the Rolmod Wizard Academys library is quite impressive. Walking away from the main school building, a multi-floor tower stood in the distance. There, you would find all kinds of Spell and Mage texts, and the faculty and students had free access. Igni: (......the library, huh.) Igni: (If I go there everyday, would it make me look more intelligent?) As those thoughts skimmed through his mind, he looked upon the massive library building, and a past memory suddenly came to him. <<<<>>>> [Whats this? Why are you suddenly reading books all of a sudden?] [Grandpa! Dont you know?! Intellectual guys become Popular!!] And Igni proudly bragged about the tip he picked up from the city a day ago. Because Igni was constantly training and reaching puberty, they had to go back to the city often to rebuy fitting clothes. Lucas could have gone alone to purchase the clothes, but then Igni would have been away from human society for years, and there is much you can learn from just being in the city. Thats why Lucas continued to take Igni along when they visited the cities. When Igni was inside the city, he overheard one of the groups of girls conversations which inspired him to start reading. In short, Intelligent men are popular. [I see..so thats why I see you reading a book.] [Thats right! Im going to become a man of intellect and start my super Popular life and``] [TOO NAIVE!!!] And Lucas hand flashed forward so fast that Igni, who had his attention fully on the book, was not able to dodge. [UGHHHH!!! What was that for?!?!] [Reaching out to new hobbies to become more Popular is a noble aspiration deserving of praise! But Igni, you have overlooked something very important! [S`Something important..?!] Aghast, Igni dropped the book as he waited for Lucas to speak. [That is.you are with that trait!!] [I`Incompatible.? Wh`What do you mean, Grandpa!!] [In this world, there are compatible and incompatible traits..! It follows the same logic as Spell Types and compatibility to it..! In the same way, Popularity also has compatibility as well!!] Ignis mind turned into a blanket of white at the devastating truth his grandfather delivered. [C`Compatibility with Popularity? B`But what could those possibly be?! How could you ever know what they are.?!] [Unlike Magic, its not something you can easily discover. But, at the very least, you should be able to decipher whether certain things are easier or more difficult for you to do. For instance, Igni, between a man with black hair and red hair, do you know that there are certain kinds of fashion that work for one but not for the other?] [Y`Yeah, of course. I know that much..] [In other words, the Compatibility of Popularity is the same as that! Depending on your birth-given looks and body shape, it will naturally shape the approach to your Popularity..!!] [II see.!] Igni was amazed at his grandfathers logic. [In other words, Igni, you are not compatible with the intellectual approach!! Of course, you can always challenge yourself with an incompatible character trait butif you do, you will be at a disadvantage. A severe..and brutal disadvantage!] [............!!!] Igni felt his fists tighten as he realized the naivety of his earlier thinking. [If you understand, lets go back to training. Hey, dont worry. I will teach you the perfect approach to becoming Popular.] [R`Really?!] [Of course! Thats why Im here.] [Th`Thank you, Grandpa! Im counting on you!!] No matter how eccentric, Lucas is still an [Extreme]. Seeing confidence overflowing out of his grandfather, Igni felt an indescribable sense of relief. [Butgrandpa.] [What is it?] [Doesnt that mean that Im.stupid?] [.............................] <<<<<>>>> In the end, Lucas did not answer that question, but Igni drew many lessons from that experience. An approach that was compatible with who he was. The fact that there are other approaches to Popularity that is incompatible with himself. Thats why Igni decided to master his one and only Spell {Fireball}. Lilly: Is that her? On the 3rd floor of the library, there was a girl sitting at one of the tables and reading. She had flaxen hair and golden eyes. She looked delicate as if she was part of a dream and would disappear at any moment. She was also quite small. So small in fact that the book she was reading almost hid her whole body. But the girl who was intently reading was undoubtedly the Estea they were looking for according to the information Igni got from Miru. Igni: .........pardon me. Are you Miss Estea, perhaps? Igni gently tapped on Esteas shoulder as he asked. Estea: Oh, wha` whay?! What do you want?!?! But the shock of being suddenly spoken to deeply disturbed her as she almost fell out of her chair in panic. Igni: .....are you okay? Igni placed a hand to keep her from falling out of her chair. Igni: Im so sorry to have frightened you. Im from the Student Council and. But before Igni could finish introducing himself, Estea interrupted. Estea: ........youre the real thing ``is what she said. Igni: ......real? Estea: Oh, yes! Youre Mr. Igni, correct? Esteas voice trembled slightly as she asked, and Igni nodded. Estea: W`Wow!! Youre real! Youre the real Igni!! She clutched the book in her hand tightly as she wavered back and forth and finally stuck a hand out to shake. Estea: U`Um! Im a huge fan!! Its a pleasure meeting you!! CH 173 Ch. 173: The Negotiation and the Wizard Estea: Y`Yes, Im a huge fan. Its an honor to meet you!! And Estea bent her small body forward in a polite and courteous bow. Igni felt himself blush slightly as he took her hand to shake. Igni: Y`Yeah. Thanks.. Estea: So, um.! I have been following all your amazing accomplishments from the beginning! Igni: The beginning? Estea: Yes..! Since I heard that a person with a [F] Compatibility defeated Miss Elina, the Head of Class when we all enrolled.since then! And Estea looked eagerly into Ignis eyes as if to show him how much she looked forward to this day. Igni felt the small hands grip his very tightly, and as she blushed a bright red, she began hurriedly speaking. Estea: So.! I`I heard a lot about you! Ive heard a lot about what you have been doing! Igni: Was there anything else other than the [Tournament]? That was the only thing Igni could recall that everyone in school would know about. He tilted his head to think hard, and Estea, still feeling embarrassed, replied. Estea: A`At the Principality..you participated in freeing the Saint You also caught a [Transgressor] while on a school field trip with the Fortune Telling Club.! Ive heard all of your stories, Mr. Igni!! With each story, Estea seemed to get more and more excited as she stepped forward and closer to Igni. Igni: (Huh? Am I..Popular right now?) Lilly: Igni, I think youre being too close. But Lilly intervened as she grabbed Igni and pulled him away from Estea. Igni: B`But Lilly, she says shes a fan of mine.. Estea: Y`Yes! I`I know it may not mean much coming from me butanyway! I was so encouraged by all of your accomplishments, Mr. Igni! You showed us that even if your compatibility is [F], you could defeat Mr. Fray.! And you also defeated the Head of Class! She was now speaking so fast, it made Igni dizzy as she pressed on. Estea: Thats why I was able to get this far! Because of you, I was able to become the Head of Class! Thats why I wanted to tell you thank you! And Estea bowed once again in gratitude. This sudden show of gratitude threw Igni off once more. Igni: (Oh yeah, I do remember that last semester, Estea became Head of Class. I guess the reason why Elina got replaced was partly my fault) And Igni felt guilt towards Elina as this fact dawned on him. Igni: I see. Thats amazing. You mustve worked really hard. But Igni knew almost next to nothing about studying, so he could only give her very general feedback. He could never dream of becoming top of his class. He could barely keep himself from failing the written tests. Then again, Ignis enrollment was unique and failing written tests did not affect him. Lilly: Igni, lets get to the main subject of our visit. Igni: Hm? Oh yeah, youre right. As Lilly nudged him forward, Igni took out a piece of paper to show Estea. Igni: Estea, I actually had a request from the Student Council to speak with you. Estea: A request? Igni: Yeah, would you be willing to participate in the upcoming Class Battle? Estea: The Class Battle? But Esteas expression darkened at the mention of the event. Its likely that her teacher had already spoken to her about this too. Though it is technically a voluntary enrollment, there was also an unsaid rule that any students who could fight were supposed to participate. Igni: What do you think? You think you can join? Igni: (......she looks like she has a reason for not wanting to do it. Esteas face crumpled bitterly at the thought, and she considered her response over and over searching for the right word. Estea: I`Im really sorry. I..I just cant. Igni: ........could you at least tell me why? The Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 8 ` A man who can accept a womans circumstances will be Popular. The important thing is to identify what the person wants, and not just shove your agenda onto them. Estea: S`So..Imwell.actually, I dont come from a wealthy home. And squeezing out the words painfully, Estea spoke barely in a whisper. Estea: B`But.they saw that I had some talent..they said I had what it takesand then I was able to enroll into the Rolmod Wizard Academy.. She was also considered as one of the Golden Generations. Its likely that Estea accomplished a lot prior to her enrollment to prove herself. Thats why she was able to enroll. Estea: Here, at the Rolmod Wizard Academy..wellso theres a lot of Nobles children, right? Igni: Youre right. Igni wasnt going to deny that. Just because you have high compatibility doesnt mean youre automatically good with Spells. Compatibility is just that ` compatibility. In order to nurture your talent, you need a good education. So talent alone will not get you far. Igni was not able to enroll into the Rolmod Wizard Academy because he was a [Ultimate Spell Specialization?Spell One]. He was also trained by one of the [Extremes], Lucas, and that was also why he was able to enroll. In that aspect, Igni was very fortunate, but in general, getting an education like that would take a fortune. And there was no doubt that Nobles had more wealth than commoners. So in general, Nobles would have the resources to give their children a better education than the rest. And the Rolmod Wizard Academy had a solid concentration of the children of Nobles who received that highest level of education. Estea: Thats why.so..Im..not well liked..by my classmates. Igni: ........oh.. Igni struggled with his words. It was obvious that those kinds of things happened. Its not like all of the Nobles children had exceptional personalities. Even Igni had to deal with Edward when he first enrolled here. Estea: I`Im so sorry. Th`Thats why..thats why I really dont want to stand out. Igni: I`I see. Lilly: But Miss Estea, you are the current Head of Class, are you not? And Lilly started looking over Esteas file to confirm. Estea: Oh, that. Thats because..my mother was working really hard to.pay for my tuition here, but if I was Head of Class then. Igni: At the Rolmod Wizard Academy, the Head of Class is exempt from paying tuition. Igni explained not knowing if Lilly knew about that schools policy or not. Estea: Th`Thats whyeven if its Mr. Igni asking me..I..I cant do this. Im so sorry. Estea trembled as she carefully laid out her words. Igni: .......I understand. If youre that set about it, then let me think about it some more too. Igni saw that convincing Estea on the first day would be impossible if shes this determined. Lilly: Is that really okay? The President may not approve.. Igni: President Miru wont get upset just for this. Besides, the rules state that participation is voluntary. And Igni was now trying to convince Lilly. Igni: Sorry to interrupt your reading. Thats everything from us. Well be going now. Estea: Oh, could you hold on for a moment?! Igni: Hm? Whats wrong? Estea: C`Could I have your autograph?! Igni: (........an autograph?) Regardless of whether Igni knew how to do an autograph, the request was coming from a girl. In Ignis mind, the option to refuse such a request never existed in the first place. CH 174 Ch. 174: The Teachers and the Wizard Now then, its been quite a while since we all gathered together like this. The President of the Academy spoke in a wheezing, hushed voice. In all of the Kingdom, no, in all of the world, there are very few Wizards who can stand shoulder to shoulder with her. She survived the Great War and was one of the Wizards involved with the Hero and his Party. The [Sage] Aria. Though she was well over a 100 now, she herself did not know her own age. She wore her trademark Witches hat that hid her face, and sitting at the farthest seat in the room, she looked upon all her pupils. In other words, the faculty serving at the Rolmod Wizard Academy. Aria: I received word from the Royal Family. This is to be treated strictly confidential so as to not cause any panic, and they emphasized the discretion of the information quite firmly. But all the faculty here had already heard the news. It was about the [Transgressors] declaration of war. No one knew what was happening in the [Demon Kings Realm], but everyone knew that was happening. That is why the [Transgressors] were on the move. Aria: The [Transgressors] have declared war against the Empire and Kingdom simultaneously. Although they have some skill, they are no threat. The [Extremes].will take care of them. Simple as that. Aria let out a slow and deep sigh. She did not look anywhere over 100 years old. Anyone who did not know her would swear that she was around 60 or 70. Aria: Besides that, this is not the first time the [Transgressors] have moved. They do as they please and have attacked us more than once. In fact, they did not have to even declare war and could have attacked us. The fact that they took the time to perform this little charade means that they have something else in mind. As she spoke, she lightly slapped the copied sheet of paper distributed to all the faculty present. Aria: During the attack at the Empire, you all are aware of one of our students taking care of the situation. After we performed a few to the capture [Transgressor], we got him to speak of their goals. .......but..are you sure? This is. The Vice President of the Academy gazed in disbelief at the information written down. It was not something anyone wanted to believe was happening. ......they were planning on stopping the next [Demon Kings] invasion. The [Transgressor] was the one Igni captured. Fram was currently held in the Underground Prison?Labyrinth, and he was any and all information concerning the [Transgressors] goals and . Though they poured on Brainwashing and Confession Spells, Fram was finally willing to talk, but only repeatedly incoherently that They must prepare for the Demon King]. That is why they needed sacrifices. But that was all he continued to say. I wonder if this sacrifice refers to Forbidden Spells. I believe that is likely to be the case. One of the faculty who studies Forbidden Spells spoke up to answer the Vice Presidents question. Forbidden Spells``in short, the Spells that are strictly forbidden by many of the nations use human life as their power source instead of Magic. For instance, the [Cursed Soul] {Rakava} is one such example. This boils down 300 living children into one soul, and by consuming it, you obtain 300 peoples worth of cursed energy. Just one cursed soul would leave a deep mark, so having 300 times that amount is an attractive offer to most. We believe that there is even the possibility of it reaching the realm of . The [Cursed Soul] {Rakava} was something that was used by the mercenary, Marionette, during the attack at the Principality to abduct the Saint. This gave a single Wizard the ability to confine multiple [Extremes] for several dozen hours. Then what would happen if a [Transgressor] who can use eats one? There are also many other kinds of Forbidden Spells. I presume that their goal is to attack the Kingdom and Empire where the human population is greatest, and perform some sort of Forbidden Ritual. On top of that, the nations have more intel on Forbidden Spells than the [Transgressors]. Although no one will publicly admit it, they have all been pouring resources into studying Forbidden Spells from the beginning. Aria coughed to clear the air. Aria: That is correct. And if their goal is to use a Forbidden Spell to fight against the [Demon King], then the Rolmod Wizard Academy will also be targeted. The Rolmod Wizard Academy is the Wizard Training Institution as well as the hub of Spell research. And of course, that includes Forbidden Spells as well. Aria: We have the Class Competition coming up. Many of our faculty will be scattered throughout different fields to supervise the event. As a result, the defenses of our Academy will be stretched thinner. If I was a [Transgressor], I would not miss such an opportunity. Then` what about asking a student to help protect the Academy during the event` A faculty member with glasses spoke up to the President. There is one useful student among the first years` Aria: ........yes, if the situation calls for it, we may have to. But until then, I would like the students to all enjoy this event held for them. In short, that would be a last resort. Okay` Aria: Thankfully, the Kingdom is willing to provide Knights to buffer our defenses for that event. Please take a look at the next form. <<<<>>>> And completely oblivious to such meetings going on at the Academy, two boys were being boys inside a bookstore. Edward, are you being for real..? Edward: ......Igni, Im not joking. This is . A scarlet haired boy and a blonde haired boy bumped heads as they whispered in secret. Though they stand out like a sore thumb, they snuck quietly towards the adult section of the store. Igni: .....y`you can really buy adult magazines even if youre a kid?! Edward: SHHH!! Idiot! Youre being too loud, Igni. Igni: S`Sorry They looked around quickly to make sure no one was looking their way as Igni apologized. They wore their plain clothes instead of the Academys uniform, but even so, they did not want anyone to know their association to the school for this mission. Edward: Ive only heard rumors, but one of the students in the 2nd year was able to purchase an adult magazine here. Igni: A`Are you serious? Then lets..! Igni heard himself swallow hard as they comically tip-toed to the adult corner of the store. Hm? Hey, Igni, Edward. What are you guys doing here? Alicia looked up and called out to them. Igni: Hmm?!?! Oh! A`Alicia, what a coincidence. Alicia: ?? Why are you so jumpy? Igni, caught completely off guard at the worst possible moment, jumped up startled. But here, Edward cleared his throat to answer Alicias question. Edward: ......Alicia, not so loud. We heard that this bookstore may be handling Forbidden Spell books, so Igni and I came to investigate. Alicia: .....Forbidden Spells? Igni: (....Edward, thats genius!) Igni threw up a thumbs up towards Edward in his heart. If its about Forbidden Spells, then it makes sense that they were being so cautious, and they could also present themselves as two curious Wizards working for the common good of this city! Igni: (.....wait, is he used to making up excuses like this?!) Alicia: Rea`lly. So youre not here for the adult magazines? Edward: <*COUGH> Wh`What?! Of course not! Who do you think we are?! Behind Edward, Igni nodded quite enthusiastically in agreement. Alicia: Hmmmm, well, if thats the case, thats fine, but Im pretty certain theres no such books here. I would be surprised if they sold anything related to Forbidden Spells in a place like this. Edward: I`I see. Well, we still should confirm.but I think youre right. Yes, youre right. I agree. Igni, lets investigate the next bookstore. Igni: Huh? Oh, OHH! Yes, youre right.! And with Edwards brilliant acting, the two left the bookstore. CH 175 Ch. 175: The Preparation and the Wizard Oh my, may I use my Spell? Yes, yes. You can, you can. Miss Hayem, please blast one for us! Hayem: Hehe. Its been too long. {Freeze}. With President Mirus permission, she spoke one word and the entire stage froze over. Miru: The Ice Stage is complete`! Lilly: Is that it? Is there anything else to do? Lilly threw a question at Miru, but Miru only shook her head in answer. Miru: Nope! This was supposed to take the longest to finish, but with Miss Hayem, we got it done in one shot! Thanks! Hayem: Oh my, its refreshing to be thanked. It feels wonderful. Igni brought Hayem from the Empire to the Rolmod Wizard Academy And he couldnt just leave her at the dorm, so he brought her to school as well. And with the upcoming [Class Competition], Igni heard that Miru was looking for a Wizard who could use [ICE] Type Spells and suggested asking Hayem. Thus, the once almighty Dragon was now working under humans. Igni: Thanks. I didnt think you would actually do it though. As Igni spoke, Hayem smiled. Hayem: You have shown me your . This is nothing to me. Its as easy as breathing. Igni: ......I see. Igni gazed at the stage that was at least 500 meters wide, and Hayem was able to freeze the entire area in a single moment. An average Wizard would have passed out from Magic Exhaustion. The scale of the Strongest Races Spell was not to be underestimated. Igni`! We could use your help over here!! Igni: Im coming! Being called over by Miss Miko, Igni headed off to a different location. Miko: Were building a stage here, so hold onto this. Igni: What is it? Miko: Its a seed. A unique species created by a [LIFE] Type Spell. If you plant it, it will turn the area into a jungle in about 2 days. Were going to plant it all around the field. Igni: Is this safe to use? Miko: Hm? Yeah, its fine. If you cut its roots and burn it, it will disappear without a trace. Igni: Thats handy. Miko: They made it with a Spell after all. And they walked around for a few minutes. They were now in the area where the 2nd field was to be placed. It was currently just an empty, circular area. Miko: Ill mark the area with a flag, so Igni, I want you to plant the seeds around there. Igni: Got it! Miko: Make sure to spread the seeds out evenly`! Igni: Okay! As Igni gave short affirmations, he jumped high into the air with [Equip Flame Engine] {Accel Boots} and began dropping the seeds around the field. He made sure to spread the seeds evenly, and watched Miss Miko use her {Physical Boost} Spell and run around the field with amazing speed. Holding onto the flags, she quickly planted them into the field. Igni: I see. So this will be about capturing flags. One team got 3 flags to protect. If you lose all your flags, that Class will be knocked out of the round. Igni: But wouldnt it be easy if you could fly? There are actually many Wizards who can fly through the air. Igni can and so can Alicia. Yoori and Iris could probably fly through the air if they wanted to. Igni: No, Im sure they already thought of that. Its something that immediately came to mind for Igni. Then he was certain that the faculty and teachers of the Rolmod Wizard Academy would have some way to deal with that situation. Miko: Igni! Let me know when youre done! Igni: I just finished! As soon as Igni released the last seed, Miss Mikos voice reached him. As he answered back, he saw her raise a hand high in the air. Miko: [WATER] {Rain} And rain began falling to the earth. It was a mid-scale [WATER] Type Spell. Igni: Miss Miko, you could use [WATER] Type Spells too? Miko: If youre talking about this level of Spells, I could use every type except [FIRE]. Igni: Thats amazing Igni was genuinely impressed. That was because Igni could only use one type of Spell, and among that Type, he could only use one Spell. What Miko was doing was something he could never dream of doing. Miko: Really? Well, I did practice a lot! Miko blushed slightly at the compliment. Igni: (So cute.) Igni gazed adoringly at Miss Miko who couldnt hide her huge smile. Miko: Okay, its going to be raining here for at least 30 minutes, so well head to the next stage. Igni: Theres 5 fields in total, correct? Miko: Yeah. So that makes the next one, the last field. And Miko pointed to the location of the final stage. Miko: Okay, Igni. Keep firing Spells at that area until I tell you to stop! Igni: Huh? You mean, at that field? Miko: Thats right! The last field is the [Wilderness] Field! The more rugged the terrain is, the better! Igni: I see! In that case, Igni had no hesitation. He inhaled once and began his incantation. Countless {Fireballs} appeared, and began colliding with the earth. Miko: More! Mess it up even more!! Igni: A`Are you sure?! Miko: If we go too far, the [EARTH] guys will fix it!! Igni: In that case`!!! (*impact sfx) The ground shook and trembled as the {Fireballs} carved out the earth. Miru: Ack?! Thats too much, Miko! Igni! But President Miru came racing up to them to put a stop to it. Miko: What? This is about the same as last year, no? But Miko clearly didnt see why they had to stop. Miru: Youve clearly gone too far! Sheesh! Look, Ill fix it. Miko: What? Really? I think these kinds of cliffs and canyons would make it more fun! Miru: Hmmmm, well. But the terrain is way too rough. Miko: What do you think, Igni? Igni: (Huh? Me?) Igni: Um, I think its fine the way it is. This should be no problem. And Igni, being responsible for the outcome, had a more lenient view. Miru: Hmmm, if you two think so, I guess its fine. And President Miru placed her hands on her hips and continued to survey the field with concern. Miru: But I still think its too much` <<<<>>>> There are areas marked forbidden to enter for students in the deepest rooms of the Rolmod Wizard Academy. It served as a location for the faculty and staff of the Academy to perform their research. But one student set foot there and stood in one of the forbidden rooms. Of course, the student wasnt alone. A teacher stood next to him. Fray, are you sure about this? Fray: Yes, Ive already made up my mind. The student had blonde hair and blue eyes. Determination burned in those eyes that looked nothing like his brother as he nodded. This will raise your overall Magic Reserve and ability to process Spells faster its true that this experiment fits right in with raising your overall strength. Butreally, are you sure about this? Fray: Yes, I am certain. I need to become much stronger. Is that because of Igni? Among the teachers who teach the 1st years at the Academy, everyone knew about that incident. The incident where Fray, who was projected to win the [Tournament], was then defeated by another Wizard. Actually, that was an unnecessary question. Shall we begin? With that, the teacher began drawing the Spell Inscription. This is a Contract Spell that Im researching. As long as you fulfill a specific condition, you receive something you desire in return. Unlike , it will not create something from nothing, but it allows the exchange of something that exists for another. That is the fundamental mechanism of all Spells after all. As the teacher finished writing the inscription on the ground, Fray walked forward and stood in the center as directed. Now then, Fray. You will now be teleported to a different dimension. You will fight for 72 hours within that realm, but here, only 10 minutes will pass. Are you ready? Fray nodded in affirmation. And finally, this is an incomplete Spell. Even after fighting 72 hours, there is the chance that you will gain nothing from it. All of this could be for nothing. Fray: I understand. Fray interrupted the teachers explanation and pressed forward. Fray: Please proceed. .......fine. {Open Gate}. With a single flash, Fray disappeared from the scene. CH 176 Ch. 176: The Wizards Title and the Wizard and` Miru: Hey, Igni. Igni: Yes? What is it? It was late afternoon. As one of the Student Council members, President Miru was busy making the final arrangements for the Class Competition when she called Igni over. Miru: So the Competition starts tomorrow, right? Igni: Yes, its tomorrow. Miru: And so, dont you think Estea should definitely attend? Igni: .......but she had her reasons, no? Miru: Well, I understand that, but itll be the first time in Rolmod Academy history where the Head of Class doesnt attend the Competition. Igni: Isnt that okay? The first in history. Wow, that sounds so cool. Miru: But the teachers dont think so. Besides the fact, the voluntary participation is just to give the non-combat students a school-approved excuse. Igni: Oh yeah, I remember you mentioning that last time. Miru: Thats why, Igni. I need you to persuade Estea to participate this time. Igni: Youre talking about the individual competition, correct? Miru: Yes. The Class Competitions attendance is mandatory. For Igni, he wanted to respect Esteas wishes. Thats because of the Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 8 ` A man who can accept a woman will become popular. In other words, if Estea made that choice, then Igni needed to accept it. Miru: Well, I want you to explain the situation to her, and if she says no this time, Ill push the voluntary participation excuse. And isnt Estea a fan of yours? Igni: .......well, thats what she said, yes, but Miru: Then if you insist, I think shell listen! And with that, President Miru pushed Igni out the door with the mission to persuade Esta once more. This is a complete tangent, but Valia was in the middle of collecting all the curses and was currently wrapped like a mummy with bandages. <<<<>>>> Igni really wasnt motivated this time. As he entered the library, he saw Estea sitting at the same desk and doing her reading. Igni: Hey! Estea: Oh, i`its nice to see you again, Mr., Igni. She closed her book and nodded politely to Igni. Igni: You didnt have to close the book. Estea: Oh, but, s`since its you, Mr. Igni. Igni: Sorry to bother you. I had something I wanted to ask from you. Estea: Something you wanted to ask? Igni: .......could you.participate in the upcoming competition? Igni had difficulty getting the words out and mumbled slightly at the end. And Estea seemed genuinely surprised that Igni had brought this up after their last conversation. She stared blankly at him with rounded eyes. Igni decided to push forward. Igni: You know EsteaI know you said you stand out in class, but right now, most of the school considers you a mystery.... Estea: Y`Yes, but. Igni: But I would love it if more people got to know you better. Estea: Wh`Why..is that? Igni: Because youre the Head of Class. Didnt you work really hard to become Head of Class? Estea: Th`Thats..true..but..it was just a fluke.. Igni: Theres no way you can become the Head of Class with a fluke. No matter what, you became Head of Class with your skills, Estea. Thats why I want to see how good you are. Estea: B`But. Igni: Dont worry. And Igni stepped forward closer to Estea. Igni: If the class ends up liking you less because of this, come see me. Ill do everything I can to help you. Estea: Oh..! B`Butis that really okay..? Estea now blushed a scarlet red. Igni: Dont worry. Im in Class D, so our class is right next to each other. If anything happens, come find me. Im here to help. Estea: B`But thats.. And not being able to hide her embarrassment, Estea turned her eyes desperately to the floor. But to Igni, this wasnt a bad flow. He could sense that Estea was now feeling more and more comfortable with the idea. Igni: (Just one more push!) Estea: So, Mr. Igni. S`So.. I`if..just as an example, if.if you will do something for me in return..I`I wouldnt mind..participating in the competition.that.would be fine with me..so.what do you think? Igni: Like what? Igni pondered all the possibilities. Since the request was coming from a girl, Ignis personality would never say no, but he was surprised to hear Estea say it nonetheless. Estea: A`Actually, nevermind. I cant believe I said that. Igni: Oh, if its something I can do, just tell me. Ill do my best. Estea: R`Really?! Estea suddenly brightened at Ignis words. Igni: So, what did you have in mind? Estea: Yes! Actually And Estea whispered into Ignis ear. Igni listened to Estea, and then nodded in agreement. So with that, Estea and Igni walked together after school. And they headed to Esteas house. For Igni, Esteas request seemed awfully simple, but for Estea, it might have been a big deal. Igni: (I need to respect her feelings.) With that thought in mind, he stood in front of Esteas house. Estea: I`It might be a little messy, so please wait outside for just a second..! Igni: Sure. I dont mind, but you really dont have to be so formal with me. Estea: Oh, y`yes, thats true.but.I really wouldnt feel comfortable addressing you any way else, Mr. Igni.. Igni: W`Well, if thats the case. Considering what Estea was asking him to do, being so formal probably wasnt the best idea, but Esteas face turned scarlet at the thought and shook her head furiously at the suggestion. Igni had to back down on this one. Hey, sisters back! Youre back early today! Estea: W`Well, I brought a friend! Friend? You have friends?! Estea: Of course I do!! Igni could hear yelling from inside the house. Yes, so Esteas favor was to come over to her house as a friend. Apparently, her family has been pressing Estea, who seemed to severely lack friends, to bring a friend over when she could. And in order to assure her family that she has friends, she asked Igni to fulfill the role. Estea: I`I''m so sorry about the mess. And now Esteas nervous tone was somewhere hanging between formality and friends as she welcomed Igni inside. Igni: Pardon me. Thank you for having me over. Estea: Y`Yes, please come this way.! And now, Esteas limbs stuck straight out with her joints completely frozen as she guided Igni down the hallway. Wow, Estea really brought a friend over! Its a boy too! Is that her boyfriend?! And two girls, probably Esteas younger sisters, peered from a doorway to look at them. Though they were trying to be secretive, Igni heard everything they said. Estea: Hey! You two, go somewhere else! Oka`y The younger sisters followed Esteas order, and muttered as they left. Igni: You have a lot of siblings? Estea: Y`Yes, theres 5. Igni: Five..? Nobility would have many wives, so that many children would be normal, but not for commoners. Hi Estea, youre home. oh? Whos this? Estea: A f`friend..from school.. A girl was sitting on the living room sofa, and from her height and appearance, Igni guessed that she must be the second oldest next to Estea. The girls eyes, on the other hand, grew bigger as she began to recognize Igni. WH`WHAT?! Isnt that the [Heavens Flame]....?! Igni: Uhwait, what? Igni tilted his head at the comment as the girl continued to explain. Thats the [Heavens Flame] Igni!! Why is he here?!?! Igni tilted his head yet again at the unfamiliar words. IgnI: Oh, were friends at school. F`Friends..?! THATS RIGHT! I`I forgot! Estea and you are going to the same school! I`Its n`nice to meet you!! Now the girl was completely frozen but managed to stretch out a stiff arm towards Igni to offer him her hand. Im a huge fan! Could I shake your hand?!?! Igni: (Huh? Wait! Am I finally Popular?!?!) CH 177 Ch. 177: The Misdirection and the Wizard Igni took the hand of the younger sister and shook her hand. Igni: .......so, whats this Heavens Flame about? Y`You dont know?! Its your Wizards Title, Mr. Igni!! Igni: What? My Wizards Title.? Estea: Rita, thats not a Wizards Title. Its a moniker. Rita: What? Really? Estea: Yeah, Wizards Titles are usually bestowed by Royalty or Nobles. What? Igni tilted his head to think through Esteas words, but soon recalled a similar scenario from his memory and nodded in agreement. In other words` A notable Wizard will be bestowed a Wizards Title by the Royal Family or Nobles. For instance, titles like the [Ultimate Light] and [Legion]. It was an honor for a Wizard to receive a title, and it also showed to the public that a certain Royalty or Noble family had a prestigious Wizard under their care. But there are plenty of Wizards without titles. They would reside in areas outside the influence of Royalty and Nobles or would simply be from them. Those kinds of Wizards will never receive a Wizards title. Thats why the public just began to give certain Wizards a nickname or moniker. It was to show either fear or respect towards that Wizard. Igni: Wait, Im known as [Heavens Flame].....? Rita: Yes, you are! You didnt know?! Igni: Since..when.? Rita: It started about a month or 2 months ago.! Igni: I wasnt aware Igni was shocked at the revelation, but now that he thought about it, he was at Elinas house ` which was in the middle of nowhere ` and was traveling with Lucas to the Empire last month, so he was not around the Kingdom at the time. Igni: (Since thats the case, is it normal for me to not know that people started calling me that.?) Rita: Estea! How are you friends with someone so famous?! Estea: Oh, um. Th`Thats.. Rita suddenly veered the conversation back to Estea, and Estea could not think of an immediate response. Igni: (I see. She wasnt prepared for this question.) Estea glanced several times at Igni who took that as a signal for help, and Igni stepped forward towards Rita with a bright smile. Igni: No, I was the one who approached her. Im not very good with studying, and Estea was helping me. Rita: Oh, right. Estea is the head of class after all. And clapping her hands, Rita nodded with understanding. Igni: (Looks like that worked.) If you want to be Popular, dont be afraid of showing your weaknesses. The memory of those words suddenly came back to Igni. It was unforgettably his Master, his grandfather, who told him so. Yes, that was when they were training inside the lava pits in the volcanic region <<<<>>>> [Oye, Igni. What do you think is necessary to be Popular?] [What? Isnt it just to show how cool you are?] Trapped inside a pit of extreme heat, the young Igni acts as though nothing is bothering him. It was because his grandfather had told him the other day to always keep up appearances, or one day, he will mess up in front of a girl. [I see. I see what you are saying. But that alone will not be enough. No matter how much you show how cool you are, you will end up being a cool guy..!] [Th`That can really happen.?!] The shock of the news almost made Igni stumble. If he actually did stumble and fall, all that awaited him below was lava. He almost died. But for Igni, not being able to become Popular after this much effort was a fate worse than death. [The important thing is to remain human..! To be the same!] [Wh`What do you mean?] [In other words, you let your guard down..!] [Y`Your guard.?!] Igni was thrown into a storm of confusion. He could not comprehend how showing your uncool side would lead to Popularity. [Yes, it all comes down toadoring the gap in your personality! [T`The gap..?!] [In other words you see a girl in class who seems plain at first, but taking a closer look, she was cute..! Or you find out a girl with an abrasive personality actually loves very cute things.! These kinds of gaps pull at the heart strings!!] [Wait, grandpa. Ive never been to school, so I dont know what youre talking about.] [Why cant you understand this passion burning in my heart!!!] *sfx slap The air rang as Ignis body flew into the air. [AHHHH!! Wait! Im gonna fall!! IM GONNA FALL!!] As Igni let out a shriek, he fired a mediocre {Fireball} and managed to redirect back to land. [Its heart, Igni. Whats most important is HEART!!] [I.I see..] [And this attraction to gaps..is not just us men..! Women are the same! If you are human, it makes no difference who you are!!] [R`Really..?] [Have you not heard..?! Women who are attracted to dangerous men who show a glimpse of their kindness.!] [No, not really] [Then work harder at gathering information!!] [AGH?!?!] Igni was slapped once again without understanding why. [In summary, thats how it is.! A man who seems to be perfect in all aspects suddenly shows a glimpse of clumsiness.this will create an opportunity!] [W`Wait..but..wouldnt that make them like youles?] [What are you saying?! If you were a man who couldnt do anything, then I understand, but a man who can practically do anything slips up for a moment..that moment will grip their heart tight..!!] [P`Practically..do anything..?!] [Exactly! What Im trying to say is, Igni! You must learn to do all things perfectly while you train here at the !] [B`But..if I learn to do everything perfectlywouldnt I not mess up any more..?] [What are you talking about?! Everyone has things they can do and things they cant! No matter how much they try, there are just some things people cannot do..! [I`I see.! Then, what are things that I wont be able to do?!] [You know yourself best! Think about it!] [......like.studying?] [Yes.] [..............doesnt that mean..Im an idiot?] That was when Igni arrived at the truth. <<<<>>>> [E`Estea, youre tutoring someone so amazing.!] Ritas eyes were now overflowing with adoration and respect towards her sister, Estea. Igni: (Wait, did she not respect Estea before today?) Igni: (Well, my brother didnt respect me at all either.) And Igni related to Esteas situation very well. Then again, Igni has completely forgotten about his younger brothers existence many times, so when it comes to disrespecting siblings, Igni was just as guilty as his brother. Estea: Th`Thats right. Mr. Igni asked me to tutor him and``! Rita: Youre studying today too? Estea: No. Today, he just came over to visit.. Rita: To do what? Estea: ......huh?!] Ritas innocent eyes pierced Estea. And Estea completely froze at Ritas question. Estea brought Igni for the sole purpose of showing her family that she had friends at school and that was it. Even if she told her family that Igni came to visit, she had no idea what they were supposed to do. Estea: Th`Thats Rita: If you need help with something, I can help you! Excited, Rita stood up from the table. Estea: Hehe came todo a practice match. Igni: Hey, Estea? Igni: (What is this girl saying?) The words Estea finally squeezed out of her mouth caught Igni off guard. But Estea had no intention of taking back her words. Estea: L`Like I said, were doing a practice match! Igni: (.........why?) CH 178 Ch. 178: The Legion and the Wizard Before Igni knew what was happening, Igni found himself facing off with Estea in the backyard. Esteas house was on the outskirts of the Kingdoms Capital, and the yard itself was incredibly spacious. With this much space, I can move freely without any issues. Igni: .......are you okay with spectators? Estea: Y`Yes, thatshould be fine. Igni shifted his gaze to the side, and saw four girls peeping their heads to watch - the second oldest, Rita, and the twins were holding their youngest sister. Igni: You have a lot of siblings. Estea: Y`Yeah, mom is working hard.to raise us all. Igni: Thats amazing. But what about your father? Igni sensed that the question may not be appropriate and asked cautiously, but Estea only smiled sadly. Estea: My dad..was an Adventurer, but died. Igni: ........Im sorry. That was all he could say. An Adventurers death is quite common. In fact, compared to mercenaries and Wizards, their death rate was much higher. Being the jack of all trades, the Adventurers would be sent out to do various tasks. Because of that, they are also given some impossible tasks. Estea: No, its okay. Ill be able to find work in about 2 years. Igni: Thats very mature. Estea: N`No, not at.all Estea blushed and turned her face away. Igni: (So cute..) Igni: Okay, shall we begin? Estea: Yes! Igni and Estea both walk further away to create more distance. Then, their eyes locked onto each other. Igni: What about the rules? Estea: What about whoever gets touched first loses? Igni: Sure, lets go with that. With Ignis acknowledgement, both made brief preparations. Estea: Rita, give the signal. With Esteas request, Rita energetically raised her hand and came over with a S`Sure! Rita: Begin! Igni and Estea both kicked the ground at the same time. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} Igni began with an incantation. He created five {Fireballs} around him. Estea: [Water] {Whip} Though Igni kicked the ground to dash towards Estea, Estea kicked away from Igni and jumped backwards. As she maintained the distance with Igni, she lashed out with a whip made of water. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} But Igni observed the attack well before countering. He made sure the {Fireball} punched through the whip before crouching and sliding in. Estea: Torrential Wind, [Ventos] {Tempest} *GOH!! *sfx wind* A sudden gale blasted around Igni. But Igni had already positioned himself above Estea. Igni can see the manipulation of Magic Power, so facing him, trying to sneak a Spell at him would be impossible. Thats because he would be able to decipher exactly what Spell is coming and dodge it accordingly. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Snipe} The {Fireball} behind Igni begins to rapidly spin. He directed the {Fireball} directly below where Estea stood. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! Igni rapidly fires several {Fireballs}! Estea: Awake, Earth. [Tetsura] {Wake} But with Esteas incantation, a shield appeared from the ground and blocked all of Ignis {Fireballs}! Estea: Twist, Earth. [Tetsura] {Torquent}! And Estea yelled her next incantation. The ground rose up, and several sharp spears flew towards Igni. Igni: {Return Fire}! But Igni met the spears with his own {Fireballs} and wiped them out. Igni: .........youre quite amazing. Estea: S`So strong. They both paused to breathe in and out. They both had a taste of each others skills. Igni: Can you tell me why you jumped backwards as soon as we started? Estea: I`I heardfrom Miss Elina. Wh`When she fought with Mr. Ignibefore she knew what happened, she had a sword to her restrained. That was when Igni first had a match with Elina. With Ms. Miras guidance, Igni had no choice but to face off with Elina. Estea: B`Besides. After watching other fights, Mr. Igni has amazing reflexes. And, y`you.m`move really fast! So I wanted to make sure to keep you in my sight and jumpedbackwards. Igni: ..........amazing. Did someone teach you to fight like that? It was a strategy derived from studying Ignis fighting style extensively. Igni guessed that someone must have Estea these things. Estea: N`No. I..figured it out myself. Igni: I see. Then youre quite the genius, Estea. Igni was sincere with his compliment. It was a talent he did not have in the beginning. It was something he had to learn and acquire later in his life. Igni: And judging from the fight, you were able to switch between different Types quickly. You have very good judgment. Estea: I`I practiced a lot! Estea puffed her chest out with pride. What she just mentioned was not a skill most people could do. Normally, people would focus on their most compatible Type. Alicia and Yoori are good examples of those who trained their most adept Magic Type and used other Types just as support. That is the standard fighting theory. But Estea was different. From birth, she had a compatibility greater than A with all Types, and with that talent, she trained each Type to a first class skill. The [Omni] Estea. She was similar to the Legendary Hero who was also omni-compatible with all Magic. Her Wizard Title was derived from the Heros legends. Igni: I see now. Then, shall we continue? Igni understood Esteas strength very well. He crouched low to the ground and initiated a Spell. (sfx) and Ignis feet lifted off the ground slightly. By creating several thousand to tens of thousands of {Fireballs} below his feet, the Spell enables him to move around in all direction - [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} And with that Spell.. *sfx. He dashed forward with incredible speed!! Igni: [Explosion] {Fire}! And he ignites a {Fireball} in midair! Flames and wind exploded around Estea and filled her view!! Estea: ........?! Mr. Igni?!?! Igni: Right here. And Igni gently placed a hand on Esteas shoulder. The match was decided. Rita: I`Incredible!! As soon as the match was over, Igni and Estea both felt the onset of fatigue as Rita yelled with excitement. Rita: H`How did you do that just now?! Was that {Fireball} too?!?! Igni: Yeah, thats right. I mean, I can only use {Fireball}. Rita: What?! R`Really?! But you were able to fight with the [Extremes]?! Igni: Well, I am a [Ultimate Spell Specialized?Spell One]. Rita: SO COOOOOOOOOL!!! And Ritas scream echoed throughout the backyard. CH 179 Ch. 179: The Competition and the Wizard A high bell sounded to signal the beginning of the Individual Competition. Igni was watching from the seating area for Academy Students when Miko came to chat with him. Miko: Hey, Igni. How is it? What do you think about the Competition? Igni: Its amazing. Its like a festival. Miko: Yeah, people from outside the Academy also come to watch, so it really is just a festival. And Miko glanced up towards the 2 who were fighting. Everyone was silently observing the fight. But the number of spectators were few. They had seats available for visitors, but it was far from full. Igni: But theres not a lot of people here. Miko: Well, for the Individual Competition, the fights are happening everywhere. You saw the tournament order, right? Igni nodded as Miko continued to speak. Miko: Nowadays, if youre well known outside of the Academy, people come to see your fights. I think theyre all watching Frenda, that second year, right now. Igni: Oh, is Miss Frenda fighting right now? Miko: Yeah, she is. Oh, now I remember. Didnt you fight her in the [Tournament]? Igni: Yes, she was my Semi-Final opponent. Miko: She also didnt have a Wizards Title and won her way up to the Semi-Finals so shes famous now. Igni: I see. And with that, Igni glanced at the Tournament chart where his name wasnt anywhere. Well, technically, he is included. That would be the very last match. The first year who fights their way to the top will then get to fight Igni. Igni: Then I guess theres going to be more people watching at the very end of the Competition? Miko: Yeah, no doubt. Theres going to be lots of food stands too! Look forward to it. Igni: I guess theyre not all here then. Igni looked towards the Rolmod Academy entrance where all the shops and stands were currently set up. There seemed to be some customers shopping around, but there werent a lot. Miko: Well, right now, even the small frys are fighting. Its kind of boring watching those fights, right? Igni: Thats quite blunt. Miko: Well, all they have to do is get stronger. Its that easy. Miko had no doubts about what she just said and laughed. And as a student of the Rolmod Wizard Academy, her perspective was correct. No matter where you looked, here, strength determined what was right and wrong. But that was also the same outside of the Academy. To graduate from the Rolmod Academy meant becoming a Wizard. You may become a Wizard assigned to a Knights Order, or maybe you will be employed by some Nobility. You could even be a hired guard for a town or rural area. But no matter where you went, it was your strength that made a difference. A Wizard always had to prepare for the worst case scenario - their death - at any point. And the only thing that could save you in that situation is your luck and your skills. Miko: Besides, we are a famous Academy for Wizards, but if we dont market how strong we are, itll be bad. We may not have as many people enrolled next year if we didnt have this Competition. Igni: Enrollment.yes, youre right. Its an Academy after all. Miko: Yeah, and to be a famous Academy, you cant forget to show the public what youre made of. And Miko glanced at Igni as she spoke. Miko: That reminds me. I was shocked that you were able to convince Estea to show up. Was that because she was a big fan of yours? Igni: No, I dont think that mattered. In this case, we negotiated to do favors. Miko: Well, regardless, thanks. You were a big help. Igni blushed slightly at Mikos straight compliment. Lilly: Igni, its time. Igni: Is it already? Lilly, who was watching the matches with Igni, nudged him, and Igni stood up. Miko: Oh, is the Class Competition about to start? Igni: Yes, its about to start. Excuse us, Miss Miko. Well head to the field now. Miko: Whore you fighting first? Igni: Class B. Miko: Good luck! Ill come watch later. Igni: Well, Ill make sure to stand out if you do come. Miko: Good, thats the way a Student Council member should be talking. Igni spoke confidently as Miko laughed. And Igni left his seat to head to the fields. They were to face their first opponent, Class B, on the [Wilderness] Field. It was the same field that Igni pounded and shaped with his {Fireball} Okay, everyone. This time, we are going to be taking 3 of their flags while protecting ours. I know its obvious, but we will need to separate into a team that retrieves the flags and a team that will protect the flags. It was right before the Class Competition began. In the classes meeting room, Edward was taking the lead. Edward: I think youre all aware of your assignment, but our class will specifically focus on defending our flag. No matter what, as long as we have our flags, we will not lose! And with 30 students in the class, he pointed to a heavily defense oriented formation with 7 people guarding each flag. Edward: Each team is responsible for defending their own flag. The attack team will be composed of 6 people. Do you guys have any idea where youre going to start? Edward pointed the question to the Attack Teams leader, and the leader nodded. Yes, we believe Class B will follow standard tactics and go after one flag at a time. Thats why we plan to attack from the opposite end of where theyre going to start their attack. Edward: So thats the plan. I know were divided into teams, but team leaders, please send me a status update periodically. Depending on the situation, Ill relay further orders. Igni listened to his Class discussion and looked at the 2 standing next to him. There is 1 attack team, and 3 defense teams. But that only adds up to 27 people. That is because there is one team who will neither commit to attacking or defending and move freely. Edwards: So Mobile team, were counting on you to do what you think is best. Honestly, I wouldnt know how to direct you guys. Igni, Alicia, and Iris formed the ultra-mobile team. Igni: Leave it to us. Edward nodded in response. Edward comes from a Noble family, and he has received training in leading troops. Thats why no one in class spoke out against him taking leadership of the class. And Igni is far more comfortable with deciding what actions he should take rather than directing several teams at once. In short, each person was given a role they knew how to perform best. Edward: Does every team leader have the Magic Item on their ear? Igni felt the item on his own ear. There, there was a small ear bud placed. Edward: We will use this to send and receive orders. I explained how to use this before, but all you have to do is place a finger on the Magic Item. [See, now you can all hear me, right?] Igni heard Edwards voice overlap in the room and also speak from the ear piece. Edward: Right now, it is set so that each team leader will only be speaking to me. If something major happens, switch to the general channel. Let me know if you have any questions about how to use this device. They all heard a bell ring to let them know that the match will begin in 10 minutes. Edward: Its about to start. Lets win, everyone! And the entire class pumped their fist into the air with Edward. CH 180 Ch. 180: The Class Competition and the Wizard With the signal to begin, Igni and his classmates ran out into the Wilderness Stage. Alicia: Igni, is this really? Igni: Its a diversion. This is the first match between our class and our opponent. Then, the one with the faster speed will have the first advantage! Igni used his [Flame Egine] {Accel Boot}, Alicia rode her broom, and Iris smoothed out the ground as if she was sliding on ice, and they ran straight towards Class Bs center flag. Above them in the sky, a giant monitor was displaying the students on the field. This was done using the [Light] Type Spells. With this, the spectators can watch the match more closely even though the field was incredibly large. Well, it was still the first day, so there were not that many spectators. Igni: Alicia, Iris, I can see the flag! The circular field was around 500 meters in diameter. For Igni, that distance could be covered in a blink of an eye. The students of Class B noticed Igni and his team rapidly approaching, and hurriedly began casting Spells. [Come between us, Earth] {Tetsura?Divide}! The earth shook as a wall suddenly erupted in front of them. Iris: Sir Igni! Leave this one to me!! And Iris sped forward, and began manipulating her Magic. Iris: Strike them, Stones] {Tetsura?Follow}!! With Iris incantation, a hardened concentration of stone was fired and collided with the wall! A sound exploded from the impact as the stone thrust through the wall!! Iris: Sir Igni! Alicia!! It happened as Igni dove into the hole. I was able to see the natural flow of air. Igni: Alicia! Alicia: I know!! If the wind was flowing from where the Class B was, that could only mean that a Spell was in motion. But Igni was only able to see this because of the Path between him and Alicia. Without a doubt, she could see the same too. Alicia: [My Wind] {Ventos} With Alicias incantation, wind swirled around them. Igni looked up to see a large flame burning in the sky. It was most likely the Large-Scale Spell, {Fire?Explosion}. Its a simple Spell that throws the fire down to the ground and explodes, but it is that much more powerful. Alicia: [Pierce it] {Torquent}!! With Alicias incantation, an invisible spear made of wind flew up into the sky, and struck the descending {Fire?Explosion} in the center! As it entered the flames, it twisted and the wind took a large bite out of Spell from the inside. Alicia: Igni! Igni: Yeah. And Igni did not waste a moment as he continued to move forward while the Spells collided. Igni guessed that Class Bs plan was to cut off Igni and his groups view with an earth wall, and as Igni was distracted to get past the wall, Class B dropped a Large-Scale Spell to knock them out. Thats why no one was around the flag. Igni: .......got it! Igni pulled out the pole with the white flag from the ground, and the monitor in the air reported the event. Igni: Thats one! Igni shouted as he raised the flag over his head when he heard a static noise hit as the communication Magecraft earpiece came to life. Edward: [Defense Teams. Theyre concentrating their attack on the East Flag. Send 2 members from the Center and West! Attack Team! Continue pursuing the West Flag! ..Igni, did you take the flag just now?] Igni: [Yeah, it was us.] Igni placed a finger on the earpiece and reported back to Edward. Igni: [We took the center flag. If the Attack team is heading to Class Bs West Flag, should we proceed to their East Flag?] Edward: [Ill leave that decision to you. It was great to get one of their flags in such a short amount of time. Continue doing what youre doing and move freely.] Igni: [Understood.] Igni cut the communication and placed the flag on the ground. Once the flag was uprooted, there was a mechanism that notified a teacher who was supervising the match. Alicia: What did Edward say? Igni: Just keep doing what were doing. Alicia: What should we do next? Should we go back? Igni: No, lets go for the East Flag now. The Attack Team is heading to the West Flag. Well continue with our lightning strike to end this quickly. And as Igni spoke, the earpiece rang back to life once more. Edward: [Hey, Igni! How many were protecting the Center Flag?!] IgnI: [Around 3 or 4.] Edward: [.....UGH?! They pulled one over on us!] Igni heard Edwards cry of frustration through the earpiece. Igni did notice that the number protecting the Center Flag was quite small. But he also thought that Class B must have taken a different approach. Ignis Class Ds strategy centered around making sure that Igni and his team had the most flexibility. Thats why they were able to concentrate their numbers on defending their own flag. But Class B did not have any one spectacular like Igni. So Igni assumed that the small number on defense only meant that they had devoted the same number of people to attack. Edward: [Everyone! The attack on the East Flag is a diversion! Members! Go immediately back to your post!! Theyre gunning for our other 2 flags!!] As soon as Edward was done, the monitor in the sky displayed that Class D had lost a Flag. Edward: [Our West Flag has been taken! West Team! Return to the center! Were going to tighten our defense!! East Team! Can you hold them back?!] Igni could hear Edwards frantic communication with his team leaders. Iris: S`Sir Igni! What should we do?! Igni: Well keep going. Were going to take the East Flag. Alicia: Okay. Alicia nodded as Igni made his decision. Igni didnt know how many people from Class B were on the attack, but the more people they devoted to attacking, the less they would have to defend their own flags. That was the natural rules of the game. Igni: Lets hurry! We need to do it before the remaining flags are taken! And Igni activated his [Flame Engine] {Accel Boot} as he yelled. They immediately flew straight towards the enemys East Flag. And a moment later, Alicia and Iris were closely following him from behind. Alicia: Igni, keep going ahead of us! Well support you from here!! But at a certain distance, Alicia and Iris stopped. Igni: Got it! Ill leave it to you!! Igni saw that an idea had crossed their mind. Trusting his teammates, he turned to face forward as a sound blasted from behind. The next instant, a giant rock flew past Igni and headed straight for Class B. They had raised a small fortress around their flag, and the rock pulverized one of their walls. Igni: .......I see. Artillery support. Igni smiled as he ran into the hole Alicia and Iris made. Inside, members of Class B were scrambling to figure out what just happened. Igni: Heres number 2! And Igni pulled the flag from the ground. A second later, the monitor in the sky displayed the results. Igni: Okay! Now, we just need one more.! But as Igni was about to leave, another notification came up as Class Bs final flag was taken. Another sound rang to signal the end of the match. Igni: .......we won. And Class D was victorious in their first match. CH 181 Ch. 181: The Cheering and the Wizard Though they brilliantly earned their victory, Igni and his group were already relocating to go see Esteas match in a different field. Igni: Theres no time between the matches, huh Yoori: Yeah, it looks like it. But they said its only for the first day. Since theres a lot of students, they have to execute these matches as efficiently as possible. Igni: So the schedule will be easier tomorrow? Yoori: Yeah. Having less individual matches will play a big part. Igni chatted with Yoori as they headed for the spectator seats to cheer on Estea for her match. Yoori: Most of the students from 1st years to 3rd years are participating, so the first day is going to be really busy. Igni: Oh yeah, that makes sense. Igni did not know how many students were enrolled in the Rolmod Wizard Academy, but it was not a small number. Though some students are Support Types, most would be participating in this [Competition]. Thats why the schedule was so crammed today. Yoori: But Igni, you only need to participate in the last match so dont you have a lot of free time? Igni: But someone has to go cheer on their friends, right? Yoori: Ah, I see. As expected of you, Igni. Yoori was puzzled as Igni hurried, but Igni simply turned back to him with a huge smile. For now, Igni planned on cheering on all of his friends, and he had to meticulously scrutinize the Tournament schedule to lay out his days plans. Igni: Once this match is over, Iris will be starting her match on a different field, so well have to hurry to make it on time. Yoori: I guess this crammed schedule makes it difficult for the people cheering too. Igni: President Miru was laughing and saying, But there wont be many people cheering anyways. Yoori: Yeah, thats true. Theres not many people here. Yoori glanced side to side to observe the small crowd. Yoori: But that means if you have a lot of friends, you would have a hard time making it to all their matches, right? Igni: Im not sure. I think most people are too focused on their matches to even think about going to see other peoples matches. Since Igni was in a special bracket, he had time to spare. But for the rest, this tournament was composed of several hundred people trying to complete their matches within 3 days. So of course, Day 1 of the Competition was jam packed with back to back matches. As Yoori said, the majority of matches would be finished after Day 1, so starting on Day 2, the schedule will be considerably lighter. So for anyone trying to run around and make it to all the matches on Day 1, no one knows if thats even possible. Yoori: Oh! Igni! The match is starting! Unlike the various types of fields prepared for the Class Competition, the Individual Competition fields were quite bland. It was a small area where 2 opponents can face each other. There, Igni saw Estea and her opponent facing one another. Looking at Esteas face, Igni could tell that she was quite nervous. Igni: Estea! You can do it`! Yoori: Miss Estea! Do your best`! Startled, Estea looked around quickly and saw Igni and Yoori in the spectator seats. Seeing their faces, she let out a breath of relief. Soon afterwards, she turned to face her opponent. Her face was no longer petrified with nervous fear. Match, begin! The teacher gave the signal, and Estea and her opponent initiated their Spell. In the next instant, giant stone structures erupted from the ground and surrounded Esteas opponent and stopped. A few seconds later, the girl fighting against Estea surrendered. Yoori: ......huh? Its over already? Yoori seemed puzzled at the sudden outcome. Igni nodded reassuringly to him. Igni: Looks like it. Thats Estea for you. This is probably the clearest example of being unfairly matched. With supreme power, overwhelming talent, and unbelievable speed, the match ended. Estea dispelled the stones and both her and her opponent bowed towards each other, and the match was over. She then trotted straight towards Igni. Estea: M`Mr. Igni! I didnt know you would come! Igni: Yeah, I wanted to come cheer you on. Congratulations on your first victory. Estea: Th`Thank you..very much. I, I cant believe you would come to my match.and Mr. Yoori, you too. Yoori: Hahaha. Well, our match didnt last that long. Estea: Oh, I see. But you both surprised me! I would have thought you both would still be fighting in the Class Competition. Esteas assessment would have been correct for any other class. Ignis class finished their match in record time. Even so, theres no way for Igni to know how much time other Class Competition matches take, so they had no way to know how irregular their match was. Estea: Mr. Igni, do you have plans after this.? Igni: I was going to go see my other friends matches. Estea: C`Can I come too? Igni: Yeah, of course! Igni figured the more people there were, the better they were able to cheer on his friends. Igni had no reason to refuse and accepted Esteas suggestion unhesitatingly. Estea, a little embarrassed, mumbled her thanks to Igni. Oh, Igni! There you are! And a young purple-haired girl came and sat on Ignis lap. Igni: Oh, hey Sara. Did you just wake up? Sara: No, I woke early. But they wouldnt let me out. Sara turned her face towards Igni as she spoke. Igni: (Couldnt get out? Is Sara talking about her room?) Igni tilted his head to think. Sara currently resides in the basement of the Wizard Academy. It was a measure to prevent her from transforming this area into a [Demon Kings Realm] if her Magic spun out of control, and the school was assisting to prevent that. But that room requires going through security gates to go in, but Sara should be free to be able to leave when she wants. Sara: So, theseKnights? There were a lot of them. And when I was leaving, they asked me a lot of questions. Igni: Knights? Why would the Knights Order be there? Sara: Dunno. But they said they were protecting me. Igni: (Huh? Protect Sara from what?) Igni now tilted his head internally even further to wonder. Its true that in the Rolmod Academy basements, a lot of experiments took place. And its true that the Rolmod Wizard Academy has many secrets that would affect national security, so they had to take extreme measures to ensure that no breaches occurred. But up until now, the security they had in place was sufficient in preventing any disasters. Igni: (So why would they feel the need to place the Knights Order now?) Sara: And today, the person guarding me said, Tell Igni I said hi. Igni: Me? Who was that? Sara: Someone called Howell. Igni: (.........oh, him. Oh yeah, he was part of the Knights Order.) Igni recalled the details about Howell quickly. But since it was about a guy, Howell had been completely forgotten. Yoori: Oh! Igni! The next match is going to start soon! Igni: Oh! We need to hurry!! And picking up Sara in his arms, they all ran to see the next match. CH 182 Ch. 182: The Second in Class and the Wizard After we were done cheering for Iris, Class D had a match with Class C. Edward: Whos the one that made this crazy schedule!! Igni and his group hurried to the meeting room, and when they arrived, he saw that Edward was quite fed up with the crammed schedule. The schedule was made by President Miru, so Igni kept quiet on the matter. Yoori: But all the Class Competition Matches will be over in the morning, Edward. Edward snorted and turned away at Yooris words. The individual competition is in a tournament knock-out style, but the Class Competition is a round robin. Thats why for the majority of students, managing both the Individual Tournament schedule and the Class Competition schedule was difficult. If they made the Individual Competition into a Round Robin, the Competition would never end. Thats why it was set up this way. Edward: Okay, everyone. Lets begin with our strategy against Class C. Edward blew out a sigh, and clapping his hands once, he had the whole Class focus their attention on him. Following Edwards call to the class, his 2 friends brought out a white board and placed it where everyone could see it. Edward: The next Field is [Ice]. The freezing temperature will suck out your stamina, and because its a Spell created by a Dragon, the ice walls will stand in our way and neutralize all Spells. Does everyone have their winter gear? Everyone nodded to Edwards question. A Wizard cannot always fight under the best of conditions. At times, they will have to fight in the middle of winter fighting the freezing cold. Other times, they will have to fight in the middle of summer with boiling temperatures mirroring the scorching desert. The purpose of the Competition was also to train under those conditions. Edward: I also heard that the Dragon will also intermittently cause blizzards on the field. Everyone, be careful out there. With the news, half the group turned pale, and the other half remained unchanged. That is not surprising. Only those who have suffered through an actual blizzard understand how terrifying those conditions are. The [Demon Kings Realm] is located in the north, so during the winter, the extreme amount of snow and strong winds would make it nearly impossible to survive, so Igni also knew how dangerous blizzards were. Edward: And in Class C, you have to be most careful with her. Edward slapped the board and placed a photo onto it. There, Igni saw a photo of someone he was very familiar with. Edward: The Second in Class, Elina. Shes dangerous. Edward innocently dug deep into Elinas wound without knowing it as he placed and moved pieces onto the white board. Edward: She can do both Spells and sword fighting and is from a famous Noble household. Without a doubt, she has studied tactical warfare, and because of that, they wont even compare to Class B. Thats why were going to change our strategy too. Igni: Youre going to change it now? Edward nodded to Ignis question. Edward: Yeah, if we split the defense evenly like last time, its hard to recover when one point is breached. Thats why were going to protect one flag only. This will keep us from complete defeat. While we hold them off, the Attack Team and Mobile Team will quickly take all their flags. Igni: I see. Even if they take 2 of our flags, as long as we protect the 3rd, we cant lose, huh. Igni nodded in approval of Edwards plan. Edward: Yeah, but the Class Competition only lasts 30 minutes. If both teams protect their flags to the end, the team with the most flags taken will lose. This is a gamble. As Edward spoke, he moved all the Defense Teams pieces around their flag, and placed Ignis Teams marker on the enemy flag. Edward: This is a gamble. Either Igni and his team will punch through the enemy defenses and take their flag. Or our defenses will fall, and theyll take all of our flags. It will come down to which one comes first. Igni: Thats a lot of pressure. Edward: Yeah, were counting on you. With that, Edward redistributed the Defense Teams members into one team. Ignis Mobile team had no changes. Their plan was to gun for the enemy flags and take it. That was it. Edward: Igni, we may need you to stop Elina during this match. Igni: Me? Edward: Yeah, shes Second in Class. That means she went above Fray and took that position. Plus, she was Head of Class when we started the semester. To be frank, no one else in this class except you could go head to head with her. Igni: ........got it. Then hold her back till I get there. Edward: Thanks. Im counting on you. As Edward spoke, the bell to announce the end of the preparation period rang. With that, Igni and his Class proceeded onto Hayems Ice Field. Alicia: ........its freezing. Igni: It is cold. Igni and Alicias breaths turned into white fog. Igni: (As expected, Hayems Spell is amazing.) With his winter gear on, Igni headed towards his starting position. And as they arrived, the signal to start the match rang. Igni: Go! And the 3 of them shot off with Ignis signal. They arrived at the first enemy flag, but there was no one defending it. Thats right. There was no one here. Igni proceeded carefully looking for traps and pulled out the flag, but nothing happened. Igni: [Edward!] Igni realized Elinas plans and shouted into the earpiece. Edward: [Whats wrong?!] Igni: [We got the flag, but theres no one here!!] Edward: [No one?! No one on defense?!] Igni: [Thats right! I think Elina is doing the same thing as us!] Edward: [...........!] Igni could hear Edward swallow hard, and above them, the scoreboard showed that Class D lost a flag. But it was not 1, but 2 flags at the same time. Edward: [..........no! They got us!] Edward spat the words out bitterly. Edward: [Elina betted that we would continue relying heavily on Igni to rush for a fast victory! Attack Team! Can you take the 2nd flag before Elina arrives to our last flag?!] [No! They set up a lot of traps, and we cant get close!] Edward: .......Igni! We need you back! We need to protect the last flag!!] A moment later, Igni heard the sound of someone screaming in the background. Edward: [.....theyre already here! Its Class C!!] Igni: [Got it! Im on my way!!] Igni looked towards the direction of their main flag and gave orders to Alicia and Iris. Igni: Im going back to hold Elina back. You two regroup with the Attack Team and take their flag. Alicia: Okay. Iris: Yes, understood, Sir Igni! Igni turned around. Initiating his [Equip Flame Engine] {Accel Boot}, he shot off towards their main base. Igni: ........?! [Equip Flame] {Ignition}!! But as he arrived, Elina had already drawn her sword and rushed towards the flag. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! Elina: Sh!! (*sfx exhale) Elina blew out a quick breath and deflected the {Fireball} with her sword. Elina: .....youre late to the party, Igni. Igni: Its been a while, Elina. Elina readied her sword as she turned towards Igni. Igni pointed a finger in her direction and began manipulating Magic. Elina: .........ha. I believe its the first time to face against you in actual battle. Igni: Yeah, thats true. Elina: Reminds me of the time when you told me that you need to defeat Magic Swordsmen before they draw their sword. Igni: .......yeah. Elina: This summer, I have become even stronger. Ill show you the fruits of my labor. And Elina kicked the ground. CH 183 Ch. 183: The Second in Class and the Wizard Elina: .........sh! (*sfx exhale) Blowing out one quick breath, Elina kicked the ground. She closed the distance of 10 meters (30 yards) in one instant, and swung her sword. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! Igni barely dodged the sword as he initiated his incantation. The practice sword cut a few strands of Ignis crimson hair, and as her sword end came close to the ground, she flipped the blade upwards. But before she could swing, Igni poured Magic into his {Fireball}. Igni: [Launch] {Fire}! Elina: {Water Lance}! Elina fired her Spell at the same time! The spear made of water shot straight towards the {Fireball}. When the two Spells met, the water vaporized to instant steam and exploded!! Elina: .....fuh!! (*sfx exhale) Elina took one step forward and swung her sword. But Igni had already stepped back. Ignis most comfortable fighting distance is mid-range. He had no intention of fighting Elina in her preferred close proximity range. Elina: [Vine] {Trap}!! As their view turned into solid white from the vaporized mist, Elina initiated a Spell towards Igni. Breaking through the iced earth, vines appeared and wrapped around Ignis right foot!! Igni: ........I see. Youve gotten stronger, Elina!! Elina: I can finally show you my true strength, Igni! Elina roared with laughter as she charged forward. She was determined to keep Igni at close distance! Understanding her intent, Igni positioned himself low to the ground and manipulated Magic. He then began spinning it around. Igni: [Spinning Ember] {Ignite} Magic began circulating inside of his body to raise his physical abilities, and the world began slowing down. With the world in slow motion, Igni slowly reached forward with his right hand and placed the palm of his hand on the flat of Elinas blade to deflect it. Now, her body was exposed and he struck with the palm of his left hand. Igni: ........hah!! (*sfx exhale) As he exhaled, Igni stepped in and palm striked the center of Elinas body. With Magic circulating at 30 cycles per second, he was as strong as a Wizard who used {Physical Enhancement}!! Igni: Take this! Elina: .......! [Physical Enhancement] {Active}! As the blow threw Elina backwards, she initiated a Spell. She threw her legs into the earth to slow down her flight. But on a field of ice, her feet continued to slip on the surface and prohibited her from stopping immediately. Hence, Igni took the opportunity. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor} {Pierce}!! A shrill sound came from the {Fireball} as it began whirling at high speeds The rotating {Fireball} rubbed against the surrounding air with a high amount of friction. Igni had created 5 {Fireballs} around him. As he poured his Magic into all of them` Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! He fired all five! Elina: [Physical Enhancement] {Active} : [Duet] {Double Boost}! A moment later, Elina cast two layers of {Physical Enhancement}. And as Ignis {Fireball} sailed towards her` She deflected all five! Igni: ......[Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Scatter Shot] {Cluster} Inside a shell of a larger {Fireball}, Igni shoved countless {Fireballs} inside. Igni: [Explode] {Fire}!! He directed the main body towards Elina and fired! The {Fireball} shot towards Elina head on and exploded. The {Fireballs} stuffed inside scattered all around and exploded! An enormous explosion followed and carved away the thick layers of ice. But Igni did not expect Elina to go down with just that. He began scanning the area to locate her. Elina: .......as expected of you, Igni. He heard the voice coming from above. Elina: You planned to trap me in the air. Igni: You cant dodge if youre in the air, right? Elina: No, Igni. Youve underestimated me. And Elina readied her sword while still in midair. Elina: Did you know, Igni? With one quick exhale` Elina: A swords slash canfly Igni knew that fact. Sword skills are skills to support Magic Spells. Magic Spells have ruled close range, mid-range, and long-range. In comparison, sword skills can only cover close-range. And Magic Spells are hard to predict until the incantation is made. So being able to see the sword from the beginning, in a battle situation, a sword will be disadvantageous just for that reason. .and this is a well known fact. The more adept a Wizard you face, they will have the means to take you down with long-range Spells. Adept Swordsmen have no means to combat that. They would be taken out before they could even see the Wizard. Thats why Swords Skills have fallen out of style. ``that wasuntil a certain Elf [Extreme] appeared on the scene. She could not see and could not use any Spells. She had a weak body and no height. She had no compatibility with Magic or the sword. But reaching the heights of with just the sword, her presence revived hope for all swordsmen. Its true. The sword can only be used for close combat. Its true. With a sword, you cannot fight in the same arena as Magic. Thats why the Elf came to one absurd conclusion. [Then..if we can..make the slashes fly..we can winright?] And thus, the sword achieved a way to kill a Wizard. Elina: [Wind Sickle] {Kamaitachi} A faint breeze blew by. The airflow was abruptly cut and the ear-piercing ring of metal followed moments later. Ignis left arm flew into the air by itself. Igni: Impressive, Elina. With his remaining right arm, Igni adjusted his aim towards Elina. His right-leg was tied down with a powerful vine, but Igni could have escaped if he wanted to. But instead, he chose to lure Elina even if it meant sacrificing his left arm. Unlike Spells that can be predicted by the manipulation of Magic, with a sword slash produced by pure skill, Igni could not predict when and where the sword strikes would come from. Thats why he decided to take a hit to create a decisive opportunity. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor] {Pierce} Elina landed on the ground. And to deliver the final blow, she charged straight at Igni. Igni: [Launch] {Fire} She deflected Ignis {Fireball} with her sword. But she could not see the 2nd {Fireball} that was hidden underneath. Her eyes opened wide with surprise and`` Igni: I win. ``it struck right through her. CH 184 Ch. 184: The Lunch and the Wizard After fighting intensely, the last match of the morning was over, and everyone headed for their break. Igni and his friends went to sit in the spectator seats to eat lunch. Yoori: Wow, you cant even tell that it was cut off. Igni: My arm? Yeah, he fixed it right after it was cut, and the cut itself was very clean. Igni lifted his arm to show Yoori where the wound used to be. Edward had picked up Ignis arm and healed the arm back into place. In the first place, Edward was a [Life] : [A] Healer. He has the skills to even grow lost limbs. If Igni still had his arm, then it was easy enough for Edward to put it back. Iris: Sir Igni! Over here! Over here! As Igni approached the seats, Iris and her group had already arrived and beckoned them over. Iris: Look at this! I made this lunch by myself! Igni: Oh! Thats amazing. Iris: Hehehe, I wanted you to try some, Sir Igni. Iris handed Igni a large lunch box that shined brilliantly with an assortment of different dishes. Igni: Thank you, Iris. Iris: Youre very welcome! Iris blushed with a hint of embarrassment. Seeing that, Alicias face contorted ever so slightly. Not noticing the shift, Igni was about to eat when he heard a familiar voice behind him. Um.e`excuse me. C`Can I.please join you? Igni turned to see Estea also holding her lunchbox. Igni: Oh, hey Estea. Nice timing. Yeah, lets eat together. Come on over. Lilly: Miss Estea, you can sit here. Lilly pointed to an open seat and guided Estea there. Alicia: Estea..you mean, that Estea? As soon as Estea sat down, Alicia whispered discretely to ask Igni. Igni didnt know what she meant by that, but he nodded to answer her question. Igni: Yeah, its that Estea. Alicia: Well, thats quite unexpected. Igni: Yeah, shes apparently a fan of mine. Alicia: A fan? Of yours?? Alicias eyes widened, and Igni could see confused question marks popping out from Alicia. Alicia: Since when did you have time to make a fan club? Igni: No, I really dont know much of the details. She heard a lot of rumors about me.and apparently thats where it started. Alicia: Hmph..I see Alicia blew out a short breath. Igni saw that she meant a lot of things by that sigh, but he would not be able to understand Alicia fully. Alicia: Well, I guess thats okay. I was interested in getting to know her too. igni: Interested? This time, Igni was the one who scattered question marks all around him. Alicia: Of course, Ive heard rumors of the genius Wizard with talent in every type of Magic. Who wouldnt be interested? Igni: I see. Many Wizards would choose one type of Magic as their main, and then learn a sub-type to support their main type. But Estea, from the beginning, learned to handle every type, and there were very few Wizards who could brag of doing so. Thats why she was given her Wizards Title. Alicia: Nice to meet you, Miss Estea. Estea: Y`Yes! And who might you be? Alicia: I am Alicia. Can I ask you a few questions? Estea: Y`Yes! Of course! And with that Alicia and Estea began chatting about all sorts of Magic. But Igni did not enter into the conversation. For him, he could only use one type of Magic and only one Spell for that matter. So for him, he had little to gain about learning about other types of Magic and their higher tier Spells. Lilly: Igni, it will be busier this afternoon, so do your best! Igni: Yup, I know. Ill do my best. This afternoon, the number of individual matches will increase. And in order to handle so many matches, the Student Council members were sent out to be judges. Igni had 2 matches in the afternoon that he had to judge. Igni: Lilly, you already judged a match today, right? How was it? Lilly: It was one of the early matches, so both competitors did not use any major Spells. They cast a few Spells, and it was over. The judge is responsible for determining the winner, but they were also tasked with stopping Wizards who were going too far. Thats why not anyone could be a judge. But this was the first day and the beginning of the Individual Competition, so there were very few intense fights. But as the Competition moved forward, the skilled and talented ones would move up, so the semi-finals and finals would be judged by the teachers and faculty. Igni: Hm? Oh yeah, wheres Hayem? Yoori: Miss Hayem was taken away by President Miru. She was asked to rebuild the fields. Yoori pointed, and Igni saw Hayem floating over the Ice Field. Igni: ......shes got her work cut out for her. Yoori: She didnt seem to mind. I think she liked being depended on. Igni: (I guess for Dragons, they appreciate having people depend on them.) Igni smiled at the thought. Estea: U`Um, Mr. Igni. Finishing her conversation with Alicia, Estea came over to talk to Igni. Igni: Hm? Estea: Th`This afternoon, we have our Class Competition Match, but do you have any advice? Igni: Advice? Hmmmm, its a group competition, so maybe just make sure everyone matches their pace with everyone around them? For Class D, its better said that they catered their entire strategy around Igni though. Estea: I`I see. Make sure everyone matches with everyone else. And Estea clenched her fist with determination. Alicia: You can just do as you please. Isnt there someone leading Class E? Estea: Y`Yes. Alicia: Then just follow that leaders orders. Im sure they know what theyre doing. There are a lot of extraordinarily talented individuals in the Rolmod Wizard Academy, but there are some who actually shine when working as a large group. In other words, its the Wizards who are talented in leading people. Edward is a good example, and many who have that talent are unknown. So there is a chance that there is someone like that in Class E. Estea: Y`Yes, youre right! I will do my best just like you, Mr. Igni! Igni: Yeah, do your best. Estea: And that match before, that was amazing! I never thought you would sacrifice your left arm! Igni: That was a sort of trap to lure Elina. Besides, I knew we had a Healer in our Class. Estea: Even then! Normally, you cant sacrifice your arm just like that! Igni: If thats what it takes to win, then it was a small price to pay. For 2 years, Igni lost limbs on a daily basis, so he perceived his body very differently than the people around him. But it would be much later when he realizes that. <<<<>>>> ?~CHONKY Novels Discord~? General Chat and Announcements: https://discord.gg/CdjxzQBvRt ?~EFW Fan Discord~? Release Announcements and Illustrations: https://discord.gg/2SWtrgTbUG <<<<>>>> Extreme Flame Wizard - I can only use fireball but I became the strongest just wanting to be popular with the girls CH 185 Ch. 185: The Judge and the Wizard Igni: Competitors, step forward! Standing on the field, Igni called out to the two girls, and the two stepped forward. Igni had an armband on his arm. This was to show that he was a judge. The match Igni was judging was a match between 2 first years. On the field next to him, Yoori was also a judge for another match. Igni: Begin! With Ignis signal, the two girls began initiating their Magic and their Spells clashed. The thinly scattered spectators yelled with excitement as the two Wizards fought.but to be frank, Igni found the fight lacking. Igni had been involved solely with 1st rate Wizards - not the those with potential to become 1st rate Wizard, but the 1st rate Wizards themselves. Thats why the levels of the Spells and the strategies used were so high. But he did not find the same components in the Spell Battle occurring before him. They were both just blasting their Spells at one another. {Water Lance}! {Fireball}! As he watched a girl use a [Fire] Type against a [Water] Type Spell, Igni lazily wondered if the girl had high compatibility to [Fire]. For the individual competition, you had to push your opponent out of the field, have them surrender, or place them in a state where they can no longer fight. These rules were designed so that the competitors can clash more fiercely with one another. Thats why there were several Healers from the Healing Track standing by. As Igni watched, the [Water] Type girl circled around behind the [Fire] Type girl. {Water Pierce}! With the incantation, small spheres of water rose up into the air, and Igni heard a small as one of the spheres pierced the [Fire] girls arm. ......ugh! The [Fire] girl cried out in pain. As she bled, she charged forward. {Fire shot}! And she blew away the [Water] girls water spheres. WHOA!! The crowd cheered in awe. Igni quickly checked if either contestant stepped out of bounds. The [Water] girl stood her ground and breathing heavily, placed a wall made of water before her. {Fire Lance}!! Seeing an opportunity, the [Fire] girl slammed her Spell into the wall. But as soon as the spear made of flames crashed into the wall, countless spheres of water reflected back at her!! Igni: (........oh? A Reflection Spell?) Igni was impressed with a Spell he hasnt seen in a while. A Reflection Spell is just as it sounds. It is a Spell that takes an enemys attack and reflects a Spell of the same strength back at them. Knowing just that, you would think many more Wizards would utilize useful Spells like these, but there is usually a critical limitation. And Reflection Spells were no exception. It had severe limitations. One limitation was that the amount of time it could wait to withstand a Spell was extremely short. It was approximately less than a second. If they received an attack that lasted longer, then the enemys attack would just come through. It was a very risky Spell. In this situation, standard strategy called for Defensive Spells. From the level of the girls, Igni had to reassess his assumptions about the girls. It was these kinds of outcomes that made watching two Wizards fight so much fun. .........!! The [Fire] girl did not expect her Spell to backfire, and she yelped as she endured the pain. She quickly glanced at Igni. Igni: (.....is she surrendering?) But she took her eyes off Igni, and looked back at the [Water] girl. She planned to keep on fighting. ........{Fire Tempest} The [Water] girl had jumped into the center of the field after reflecting the Spell. Timing her approach, the [Fire] girl began her incantation for a Large-Scale Spell. Igni: ......hey now. Igni mumbled in surprise. A Large-Scale Spell was the defining line of whether you can call yourself a 1st Rate Wizard or not. Putting aside the Wizard Academy Students, there were Wizard fighting on the frontlines that couldnt use this Spell. That was the Spell a 1st Year just attempted. Igni subconsciously braced himself. Of course, just because shes a 1st Year does not automatically mean that she cannot use the Spell. Alicia, for example, is able to use a Disaster-Level Spell which is one step up Large-Scale, and Yoori can use Large-Scale Spells too. But in Ignis eyes, the girl before him did not look to be that exceptional of a Wizard. Its over!! The [Fire] girl screamed as she raised her arm into the air, and a giant whirlwind of flames appeared in the center and engulfed the field and raced towards the [Water] girl. If the flames reached the [Water] girl, it would be the [Fire] girls victory. Igni was prepared to jump in to make sure the [Water] girl would not die from the attack. But as Igni was bracing himself to jump in, the tornado of flames began crumbling. The flames began bloating in the center and were about to erupt at any given point. Igni: ........! The match is over! Igni shouted as he directed a {Fireball} to explode in one direction and detonated it! Using the force of the blast, he jumped straight into the field!! He first grabbed the [Fire] girl who was right in front of him, detonated another {Fireball} in midair to turn a 90 degree angle, and grabbed the [Water] girl before exiting the field. A moment later, the tornado of flames exploded. The explosive winds hit the Barrier Spell surrounding the field, and a deafening sound followed. Igni: .......its your loss. The [Fire] girl initiated a Spell and lost control. And as a result, a judge had to step in to rescue the contestants. That was the reason why the [Fire] girl was determined as the loser. .......huh? How did I get here? The [Water] girl, still confused, wondered out loud. Huh?! Igni?! Why am I being carried by you, Igni?!?! The [Water] girl now stood on her own. Igni realized that she looked familiar because he spoke to her when he was looking for Estea. Igni: You win this match. What?! Really?! YES`!! Hearing her carefree voice, Igni also let out a sigh of relief. CH 186 Ch. 186: A New Intruder Sol is dead, and Fram got caught. A girl in a gothic dress looked at her nails as she quietly spoke to her partner. A man in a tailcoat replied softly, So Ive heard. She spoke of the [Transgressors.] The two declared war against the Empire, and both were defeated promptly. Thats sad. I had tea with them once. They were fools. They decided to fight a whole nation head on. That is a plan only fools would choose. Really? The gothic girl looked into the tailcoat mans face with surprise. Yes, it is foolish of course, Creine. You may lack intelligence, but normally, you would never choose to fight an entire nation. Creine: What would you do, Gregory? Gregory: I would quietly accomplish my goals. Creine: How? Gregory: Im doing it now. You just have to follow me and see, Creine. Creine: Okay, I understand. Youre smart after all, Gregory. A shadow suddenly appeared next to the man called Gregory. It whispered softly into his ear. Gregory: ......I see. How wonderful. Creine: What is it? Gregory: We will execute our plan tomorrow. Creine: Okay, but where are we going? Gregory: To the Kingdom. Creine: The Kingdom? Thats far. Gregory: With your help, we can be there in no time, Creine. Creine: Really? Gregory: Yes, of course. Listen to me, Creine. You just have to do as I tell you. If you do so, then everything will work out. Isnt that right? Creine: Yup! The Kingdom and Empire are both powerful nations. They were countries that have [Extremes] at their disposal, and both had reasons to stop the [Demon Kings Territorys] expansion. But there are also other countries under different circumstances that also share borders with the [Demon Kings Territory]. They had no choice but to send Wizards out to their death, but even doing so, some had failed to stop the Corrupted Magics infestation and disappeared one by one. And there is no worse fate than to be born in a country that is about to disappear. They would receive very little education, find very little food, and would be sent out as human fodder to the frontlines. Even if the children cannot use Spells, with one [Curse] Type Wizard, they would turn into weapons. Life itself is a huge source of energy. Creine: So what are you trying to do, Gregory? Gregory: Something you wouldnt understand. Creine: ButI want to know. Gregory: Were going to build a place for us to live. Creine: We cant live here? Creine looked around at their current hideout. The territory in between the [Demon Kings Territory] and humanitys territory lies an ambiguous stretch of land ` that is the living space for the [Transgressors]. Gregory: No, this place wont do. We have to relocate. Creine: Why? Gregory: The [Demon King] has risen. This place will soon fall. The [Demon Kings Territory] has not expanded. The [Demon King] has yet to make his move. But there was no doubt that he was building up power. Just like the previous [Demon King], he was expanding his power by forcing those who were reckless enough to live there and the Monsters too. If they were to strike, the time was now. Creine: But youre strong, Gregory. You should just defeat the [Demon King]. Gregory: ...Creine, you really are a fool. Creine: Why? Gregory: Were going to the Kingdom to defeat the [Demon King]. Creine: Oh, I see! You really are the smartest, Gregory! Gregory: Come on, lets go. Were going to take the Forbidden Rituals theyre hiding. Creine: Okay! Creine nodded her head and initiated her Spell. There was once a very small nation. With the [Demon King] defeated, the remaining Nobles banded together to create a small nation. This nation was able to extract rich resources from the ocean and for a brief moment in history, enjoyed peace and prosperity. But today, that nation has sunken into the [Demon Kings Territory]. It was a very small nation. Thats why no one even knows its name. With the [Demon Kings Territorys] expansion, the surviving refugees were too many for its neighbors, and many were left to die. Under those hellish circumstances, there was one who reached the pinnacle of . There were even those who managed to survive among the [Transgressors]. <<<<>>>> Igni: Oh, we need to fix this field? Miko: Thats right` Thats part of our duty as Student Council members. It was the afternoon. The first day of the competition was over, and the Student Council members were ordered to remain behind. Igni wondered if there really was anything left to do, so he was genuinely surprised. His job was to fix the torn up field. Miko: Well, Ill just use my [Earth] Type Spell to return the field to normal, so Igni, just blow it up with your {Fireball}. Igni: Miss Miko, you can use [Earth] Type Spells too? Miko: Of course I can. With a huge smile on her face, she puffed her chest with pride Miko: I cant do anything fancy though! And Miss Miko immediately returned the field back to normal. Igni flew up into the air, and from the sky, he rained down {Fireballs} and made the ground uneven once more. They were fixing the [Wilderness] Field. Since it was supposed to reflect the wilderness, Igni wondered if there was any reason to fix it, but if Miss Miko said it needed to be done, then he convinced himself that it was necessary. Miko: Igni! Im going to the Jungle Field now, so just do what Miru tells you to do! Igni: Got it! And Miss Miko headed off to the [Jungle] Field. Igni wasnt quite done, and continued to fire more {Fireballs} towards the ground when` Its been a while, Igni!! When he heard a familiar, obscenely loud voice from below. He wondered who it was and looked and saw Howell standing there. He thought of ignoring him, but he was Elinas brother after all, so Igni nodded a quick greeting back. Oh` Its Mr. Howell` And President Miru arrived on scene. Howell: Yes, its been a while, Miru!! Howell spoke so loud, Igni could hear his voice clearly from the sky. Igni landed on the ground to wait for President Mirus next orders. Igni: You know Mr. Howell, President Miru? Miru: Hes my upperclassmen. Since he was top of the class when he was here, hes famous. Howell: Yes! You were also quite the upcoming star, Miru! You were very well known since your first year!! Igni: (I see. So they both knew each other because they were both famous.) Miru: So, why are you here, Mr. Howell? Howell: I was assigned as security for this school by the Knights Order, and I wanted to go make my rounds to greet familiar faces!! Miru: Oh, I see. Well, now that youre done greeting, please leave` Howell: Thats pretty cold, Miru Miru: We still have jobs to do as the Student Council. And President Miru shooed away Howell. Igni: .......do you not like Mr. Howell, President Miru? Miru: What? Oh, its not that I dislike him. But all he talks about is himself, so I thought we talked to him long enough. Igni: Wow.. Igni decided to mirror Mirus way of handling Howell going forward. CH 187 Ch. 187: The Little Brother and the Wizard Class E and Class A. Please take your designated positions. Using a [Wind] Spell, the speaker amplified their voice to carry across the field. Class E and Class As match was the first event of the second day. This day, there was an unbelievable amount of spectators all around. Igni: Wow. This is just like the [Tournament].... Igni looked around at all the people sitting in the spectator seats. The crowd was yelling at the top of their lungs, and their cheers shook the area as they rooted for the two classes. To be accurate, they were rooting for two specific people. Miss Estea, you can do it!! Were cheering for you! Go for it!! Youll win, Fray!! Class A!! Youll be the champions!!! This match was between Estea and Fray. From yesterday, Class E had centered their strategy around Estea as expected. Igni didnt see Class As match, but they had also opted for a strategy centered around Fray. Alicia: ..........I just noticed this but Igni: Hm? The giant display prepared for the spectators zoomed up closely to Fray and Estea. It showed Fray who was full of confidence facing Estea who seemed to be very nervous. Alicia: I wonder if this match was designed with how to fight along with [Extremes]. Alicia sat next to Igni and spoke from underneath her large hat that hid her face. Igni: ........now that you mention it, every class is centering their strategy around the strongest Wizard in the Class. Even though they were all 1st years, there were a few with outstanding talents and abilities. Igni wondered how they would be treated once they graduated. Those few individuals would be treated similarly to [Extremes]. Alicia: The strategy depends on how well you can support the strongest individual as a group. .or am I overthinking this? Igni: Im not sure. But I wouldnt put it past the teachers here. While they were talking, the two classes finished their preparation, and the signal to begin the match rang. Alicia: ......that reminds me, isnt Fray your younger brother? Igni: Hm? Oh, yeah, he is. Igni nodded. It wasnt something he was trying to hide from Alicia. Indeed, Igni was not trying to hide his connections to the Talcoyz Family. So there was no reason for him to feel awkward about answering Alicias question. He just did not feel the need to tell anyone. But it wasnt as though Igni never cared about his background as a former Noble. It was during the time when he was training in the [Demon Kings Realm] when`` <<<<>>>> [Hm? Igni, whats the matter? Why are you eating your food like that..?] [I figured if I eat like this, no one would think Im from a Noble''s family.] Lucas looked surprised and disgusted at Ignis manners. [Hmmmso, Igni, you are trying to hide the fact that you are a former Noble?] [Yeah, because you told me that Nobles cant be Popular! See! Im using my brain too!] [How shallow!! And youre grossing me out!!] Not being able to tolerate Igni chewing with his mouth open, Lucas slapped Igni making him fly back In fact, Lucas disdained people who spoke while they chewed the most. Conversely, he favored women the most. When a woman spoke while chewing, the two factors would completely cancel each other out and leave nothing. [ARGH?!?! What was that for?! Im eating, Grandpa!!] [Dont chew with your mouth open! How were you raised?!] [I was raised by your son!!] [I taught him every manner there was!!] Igni: (Ohhh, thats why that guy made a fuss about table manners..) Igni placed two and two together. [Now listen to me, Igni. All things can be useful with the right timing.] [The right timing..?] Igni sat up as he looked at Lucas. [In other words, the label as a former noble can be useful depending upon the situation..] [Wh`What do you mean.?] [Hmmmm, well, think of it this way. Imagine that you are an ordinary citizen.] [But I am an ordinary citizen now..] [But then, you meet a girl. You see her crying and when you ask her what is wrong, she answers, I was a noble, but they expelled me from the family.!] [.........?!] [Now then, Igni. What would you think.?] [I`Its an opportunity! I think I would be able to help her..!!] [Youre exactly right. And you can also reverse the situation. In a critical moment, when you need a girls help, you can use it to show your vulnerability!] [I..I see..but huh? I thought the Ultimate Secret to Popularity Rule #1 was] ``Strong men are Popular. This idea of showing vulnerability clashed directly with the principle of strength, and Ignis head went white with panicked confusion. [Thats why Im telling you that you have to find the right moment, you idiot!!] [H`Hey, dont call me an idiot..] The word stung Igni. [But at your level, you wont be able to discern those right moments. Just forget it for now.] [Huh? Just forget about it?] [It''s a nice tool to have, but thats after you have the basics down. For now, just focus on becoming popular without relying on your past history!!] [O`Okay, grandpa! Ill do it!!] <<<<>>>> ``is the memory Igni recalled. Alicia: So.what do you think about your little brother? Is it awkward to talk to him? Igni: Ummm, not really.Its not something I think about In fact, if Alicia didnt mention Fray, Igni would not have remembered that he had a younger brother. Igni had simply never thought about his brother at all. Yoori: Oh! Igni! Look! Estea and Fray!! And Yoori grabbed Igni by the hand and pointed towards the display. Igni: (His hand is so soft.!) The soft sensation of Yoori''s skin made Igni doubt if Yoori was really a boy, but as Igni looked at the large screens, there he saw Estea and Fray hurtling Spells viciously at one another. But`` Igni: .........hm? Yoori: Whats wrong, Igni? Igni: No, its.somethings not right. Yoori: What do you mean? Igni: From the point of manipulation to the activation of the Spell, Fray has a longer lag. When you concentrate Magic and then begin manipulating it, it becomes a Spell. Making the motion as smooth and natural as possible, you will reduce the time loss that occurs before the Spell activates. In short, that is one of the fundamentals to becoming a 1st rate Wizard. But the fight that Igni saw before him was too one-sided. Esteas Spells flowed out of her in quick succession, and Fray had a hard time just defending himself. Igni: ......was he.that weak? Igni could not help himself as he muttered the words. He simply could not believe how poorly Fray was doing. Yoori: Maybe hes not feeling well today? Igni: .....that could be true. Igni: (He could have a fever or something.) While Igni watched Fray, the fanfare indicating Class As victory echoed across the field. While Fray held Estea at bay, his classmates were able to get all of Class Es flags. It was a disappointing result for Igni, but because it was Fray, he let the thought go, and it was quickly forgotten. CH 188 Ch. 188: The Number` One and the Wizard H`Hey, Igni, can I ask you a question? Igni: Hm? Igni was discussing with his group on what matches to go watch next when someone came up to him. Do you happen to know where Miss Elina is? Igni: Elina? No, I dont know butwhats going on? Well, its time for Miss Elinas match, but we cant find her anywhere! As the girl spoke, she spoke almost face to face with Igni. Igni: You cant find her? Are you sure shes not in the waiting room? No, she isnt! She isnt there! We need to find her quick or well have to forfeit!! Igni: Hmmmm, yeah, thats not good. Igni: (That would be a waste.) The competition is only held once a year. Letting a match be determined by forfeit was too wasteful of an opportunity for Igni. I thought since youre pretty good friends with Miss Elina, you might know. I thought you might know where she might be. Igni: ........I understand. Ill search for her too. Igni had an inkling of where Elinas whereabouts, and parting with Alicia and the group, he headed towards the school building. Igni: (Shes probably in that spot again.) And quickly arriving at his destination.he found her. Elina hunched over with her head buried in her knees and drew circles on the ground with one finger. Igni: E`Elina? Whats wrong? Elina: ........its no use. I lost. Its over`...... Igni: (Crap. Shes gone mental.) Igni: Wh`Whats wrong? Did something happen? Igni did his best to proceed with the conversation, but Elina glanced up at him and let out a big sigh. She turned away and began drawing her circles on the ground once more. Elina: Its okay. I know I cant be first anymore.. Im going to forever be second. Always second.. Igni: H`Hey now. Its not like you. Cmon. Dont be so pessimistic.. Elina: B`But I worked so hard..that slash attack. Igni: (Is she talking about [Wind Sickle] {Kamaitachi}?) Elina was referring to her ability to send the slash of her sword across a distance. To Ignis knowledge, he only knows of two other people who could do the same. In other words, it was the [Extreme of Sword] Kurara, [Extreme of Life] Celia, and now Elina. Thats why Igni undoubtedly considered Elina to be a 1st class swordsman. Igni: Oh, yes! That move. I can count on one hand how many people I know who can do that. I think youre amazing. Elina: ButI wost. Igni: (Wost? When she says it, it sounds so cute.) Elina: Im so jealous. You can only use {Fireball} but youre so strong. No matter how hard I try..I cant beat you.. Igni: B`Butyou know that I cant participate in the matches, right? So wouldnt it be a waste to lose a match by forfeit? Cmon, Elina. Lets go to your match. Elina: My next opponent is Fray. With those words, Igni finally understood what was bothering Elina so much. Elina: Ahhhhh!! *sob* Its over`! Im gonna lose!! But..but I tried! I really, really tried! I even asked father to train me over summer break, and I worked on deflecting {Fireball}!! Igni: (......she was doing that over the summer?) Elina: But I still lost!! Im going to lose again! I dont want to lose anymoreeee!! Elina began throwing a tantrum on the ground. Igni: (Crap!! The stress is causing Elina to regress into a child!! I need to do something!!!) Igni: Wait! Thats not necessarily true! In the previous match, Fray didnt do so well. He was having a difficult time with Estea! Elina: What? Against Estea? Igni: Yes, against Estea. Elina: I`I see. He struggled against Estea Elina suddenly stood up straight with hope burning in her eyes. Ignoring everything that was happening moments before, she placed a hand on her sword handle. Elina: Hehehe.then I might be able to win..! Igni: Hm? Do you know how strong Estea is? Elina: Yeah, I fought with her on several occasionsand each time, I won. Igni: Oh, I see! Igni knows that Estea is top of the class, but that is determined after compiling together multiple forms of assessment into one grand total. Igni: (In that case, its totally possible that Elina has a better grade than Estea in certain aspects!) Igni: Then you have a chance to beat Fray, Elina!! Elina: Y`Yes! Youre right!! Elina was now pumped up full of energy and grabbed Ignis hand with both hands. Elina: Thank you, Igni! Thanks to you, Im ready to face this match!! Igni: Well, I know how you feel. Anyone would hate to lose. Elina: ......even you, Igni? Igni: Of course. When you lose, its like someone proved that all of your efforts were for nothing. Elina: I`Igni..! Igni: But no matter what, efforts are never a waste! Remember how you chopped my arm off? Go into this match with the same amount of fight, and you cant lose! Elina: Thank you. Really, thank you so much. Ill be going now! With that, Elina headed towards the field. Her expression was full of pure confidence. Igni followed after her. He suspected that he would see Alicia and his friends there. So as they both headed to the field, Igni found Alicia and the rest standing near the entrance for the spectators. Since the participants and spectators have different entry points, he parted with Elina there, and Igni headed for the seats. Alicia: I cant believe you managed to find her, Igni. Igni: I just got lucky. Igni avoided going into details, and although he looked for an open seat, he could not find any. The spectator seats were packed with people Igni: ........theres a lot of people here. Alicia: I guess well have to watch standing. Igni: Yeah. Igni and his group moved towards the back of the spectator seats. Standing in the back, they looked across the field. Yoori: Who do you think will win, Igni? Igni: .........well, if Fray fights like he did the last match, then itll be Elina. While they waited for the two participants to enter the field, Igni answered Yooris question honestly. He wasnt sure why Fray wasnt in top form, but that lag between Spells means Frays skills have significantly dropped. After a while, the two entered the field and the match began. As soon as the signal was given, both fired off Spells, and the Spells collided and exploded in between the two contestants! Yoori: ........amazing. As he watched, Igni heard Yoori mumbling in awe. But to Igni, Frays technique was still sloppy. Though Fray used [Light Spells], Elina was able to predict his moves and blocked the Spells accordingly. The only thing preventing Frays loss was his mobility, and Elina had difficulty pinning him down. Slowly but surely, as if tightening an invisible noose, Igni saw Elina corner Fray inch by inch. Igni: ........its over. Elina raised her sword above her head. The unique stance was unmistakable. She was preparing her [Wind Sickle] {Kamaitachi}. A flying sword slash is much harder to time than a Spell. Fray paused as if trying to decide between using a Defensive Spell or not. Frays Magic smoldered inside of him. Not missing the opportunity, Elina swung her sword downwards. A moment later, her slash crossed the distance between her and Fray. But Igni saw no blood as a result. Instead, Fray stood there unharmed. Igni: .........!!! Igni did not miss it. As Elinas slash flew through the air, Frays arm transformed for just an instant. He had shifted his arm into light particles. A sword slash was unable to do any harm to it. Thats why Fray was unharmed. This was the same invulnerable Defensive Spell the [Extreme of Light] devised. Igni: .........how did he. After a second of delay, Fray managed to push Elina out of bounds, and the match signaled loudly of Elinas defeat. <<<<>>>> ?~CHONKY Novels Discord~? General Chat and Announcements: https://discord.gg/CdjxzQBvRt ?~EFW Fan Discord~? Release Announcements and Illustrations: https://discord.gg/2SWtrgTbUG <<<<>>>> Extreme Flame Wizard - I can only use fireball but I became the strongest just wanting to be popular with the girls Written by: Cyclamen Translated by: ChonkyTranslator Japanese Title: Oħg?եܩ`뤷ʹʤɡƤһĤˤʤޤ : CH 189 Ch. 189: The Cost and the Wizard Edward: Everyone, are you all ready? Edward looked in turn at each and every one of his teammates. As the leader of the undefeated Class D, he wanted to end the next match with another victory. But their next opponent was`` Edward: Class A is also centering their strategy around one person just like us. So while Igni faces off with Fray, whichever class can outmaneuver the other will be the victor. ``was Class A. Edward: So how about it, Igni? Do you think you can win? Igni: Yeah, of course. Edward suddenly turned his attention to Igni, and Igni nodded and answered with confidence. Hearing Ignis answer, the classmates relief filled the meeting room. Igni: Ive beaten him before, and right now, Fray is not in top form. I would say my odds are beating him 9 out of 10 times. Edward: Thats good to hear. But Im sure Class A is also aware of Frays slump. Even though Fray is top of the class in just combat alone, Elina was still cornering him. With that, Edward took to the white board and slammed a piece onto it. Edward: Thats why I know theyre going to try and end the match early. Its a reckless strategy, so all we have to do is thicken our defenses, and we will go with the same strategy as before. Attack team, were counting on you to take out the enemy flags with less people. Sorry, Alicia and Iris, but we need you on the attack team. Igni will be facing off with Fray alone. Igni: Thats fine butdo we know which flag they will come after first? Edward: Looking at all their previous matches, Fray came straight for the center flag. He probably assumed that there was no one who could stop him. Igni: Thats quite the confidence. Edward: Yeah, but this time, we have you, Igni. Since he lost to you in the [Tournament], Im not certain if hell do the same thing this round. Igni, what do you think? Igni: I think hell come straight for the center flag. Hes that kind of guy. Because Fray is full of confidence, he wont change his strategy just because of Igni. In fact, Fray would be more fired up than before to avenge his defeat. And Fray is not the only one who is stronger. Igni has also gained experience against fighting some true monster-like Wizards. In truth, Igni could not see himself losing no matter what. Edward: Understood. Then Igni, I want you to wait for Fray in the center of the field. If we see him in other locations, we will notify you immediately. Until then, be prepared to relocate. Igni: Got it. Edward: Besides Igni, the rest of you will do exactly the same as before. We will defend our positions and give the Attack Team time to seize victory. Remember, Defense Teams, your job is to stop them, not beat them. As Edward was wrapping up his orders, a signal rang notifying participants that the time for preparation was over. Edward: Move out! Were going to win, and Class D will be the champions! As everyone in the class nodded in affirmation, they left for the field. This time, the field was a [Jungle]. It was the field where Igni spread out those seeds. But unlike before, there was not an inch of empty ground in sight. A thick jungle blocked their field of vision and spread everywhere before their eyes. Igni: This is really hard to see. Igni mumbled to himself as he headed for the center of the field. Igni: (Was everyone able to reach their positions?) As he wondered, he ran through the thick shrubs in between trees. There was no way for Igni to know that the stands were overflowing with spectators roaring their cheers at the top of their lungs. They were all excited to see the finalists from the [Tournament] face off with each other once again. They all chatted loudly about what the fight would be like, and they squeezed into any space they could find in the spectator area. The thick jungle dulled the sounds of the crowds, but take one step out, and you would think the ground was shaking from the commotion. Igni: .......now then, its about to start. As Igni spoke, he heard the bell ring to notify the start of the match. From the Magecraft earpiece, he heard Edward give out commands. But that was all towards the Defense and Attack Teams. Each class was given one map of the field. He was probably looking at it while confirming their positions and gave out further orders. Seeing Edward, Igni reminisced about the past. He remembered that during his Talcoyz days, his father had taught him about leading a military. Igni was distracted from studying in those days, but he remembered how Fray also had difficulty in those studies. He wondered if Fray was also not the type to lead as an officer. And maybe thats why he was fighting on the frontlines. Igni: I thought you would come straight here, Fray. Fray: .........of course I would, Igni. Parting the jungle vegetation, Fray appeared before Igni. He was simple minded to a fault. Just as Igni predicted, Fray had headed straight for the center flag. Igni: Now then, my job is to keep you company. Fray: ........... Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} Fray remained silent as Igni began his incantation. Before Igni was 5 {Fireballs}, and they turned white! Igni: [Launch] {Fire}!! Fray: ............!! But Fray did not do anything. He ran straight forward at Ignis {Fireball} and `` the {Fireball} erupted in his face and blew him backwards. Igni expected Fray to use a Defensive Spell, so he fired a fully-powered {Fireball} at him. Taking the {Fireballs} head on, it sent Fray flying back into the jungles trees. The trees snapped with the impact, and Fray continued to fly several dozen meters. Finally, he smashed into a particularly large tree and stopped. Igni: ........what.are you doing? Frays inaction completely caught Igni off guard, and Igni took a step back at his brothers recklessness. Fray: ............I still havent gotten the hang of it. As if possessed by something, Fray stood up quietly. His face was drained of color, and he visibly breathed taking in gasps of air. He was most definitely not in his best of conditions. Igni: .........well, you get no pity from me. Staying in your best condition is the basics of all basics. Though they say idiots also dont catch colds, Igni spoke without hesitation. But this was expected. On the battlefield, inside a Dungeon, when you are about to lose your life, could you say to your opponent, Hey, Im having a really bad day and not feeling well, and expect them to let you go? Will you live if you have that excuse? The answer is `` no. Fray: Its not that Im not in top form.. Its the price I had to pay. Igni: ...........I see. Frays words caught Ignis attention, and Igni let out a small sigh. Igni: I dont know about what price youre talking about but..if thats the price, its a petty one. Fray: ..............what? Frays eyes suddenly turned menacingly towards Igni. Not noticing, Igni continued. Igni: If you think not being in your best condition is all it takes to achieve something, youre dead wrong. But the words of a man who is gambling his whole life to become Popular, did not reach Frays ears. <<<<>>>> CHONKY TL LiT (Lost in Translation) Japanese sayings, "Idiots don''t catch colds." (ХLаʤ Originally, the figure of speech meant, "Some people are too stupid to know if they are sick or not," but over time, the saying evolved to mean, "Idiots tend to have very sturdy bodies that are resistant to colds." In other words, the only good thing about being stupid is that you have a stupidly healthy body. Whether that''s true or not is a different issue. This is just a well-known Japanese figure of speech. The stereo-type is very common against student athletes who spends more time training than studying; but also towards people who spend more time outdoors. The stereo type is also commonly applied to people who tend to relax and enjoy their days doing whatever they want versus the people who are stressing out worrying about every little detail in their life. The list of use cases is quite extensive, but those are ones that come immediately to mind. CH 190 Ch. 190: Guerrilla Warfare and the Wizard Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor] {Pierce}! With Ignis incantation, 3 {Fireballs} appeared and began spinning rapidly. As he poured his power into them, each {Fireballs} magic density rose. Fray: Get out of my way! [Ultimate Light Blade] {Auroras Blade}! *ZAP!! HISSSSS!!* Igni crouched, and saw a blade of light pass over him and cut down the trees behind. Clearing the field of trees, Fray saw that his attack missed. Thats why he threw his hand forward and began another incantation. Fray: [Ultimate Light Fan Blade] {Auroras Jade}!! Starting from where Igni ducked down, blades of light poured down in a wide circle and cut through the jungles soft earth. As debris of small rocks and dirt rained down, Fray felt something from above. Snapping his head upwards, he saw a {Fireball} with a density of an iron cannonball coming towards him. Fray: ........urghh?! [Ultimate Light Wall] {Auroras Wall}! Fray cursed from not being able to pin down Igni. Judging that he had no time to disperse Ignis Spell, Fray created a simple defensive wall. He heard the {Fireball} grind deep and carve out his defenses, but it came to a complete stop. Turning towards where the Spell came from, Fray was about to throw a counter Spell when he realized that Igni wasnt there. Fray: ........where did he go? Fray hissed quietly to himself. Igni: [Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Long Range] {Snipe}. Fray heard a distant voice. He instantly turned towards the direction of the voice, but he could not find its owner. He could not even see the Magic remnants from the spell cast. Fray: Stop hiding, you coward!! Come out and face me!! And in answer to his challenge, a small {Fireball} came out and struck through his right thigh. Fray: ........fine. Then take this! [Ultimate Light Explosion] {Aurora Borealis}!! Once the incantation was complete, the ground Fray stood upon began to glow bright white! And a huge explosion followed!! The intent of the Spell was simple. He would forcefully stop Igni who was hiding in the jungle and doing sneak attacks. As Fray had planned, a 50 meter wide crater now lay below him, and he saw the silhouette of one Wizard above him in the air. Fray: You cant hide anymore, Igni. Igni: I was hoping to wear you out a little more. Fray: Like Id let you.. Igni analyzed Frays condition. His right arm was broken, and so were both his legs. On top of that, he had a few broken ribs. If Fray moves too erratically, one of his broken ribs could accidentally pierce his heart and cause his death. Igni had no intention of killing Fray. His goal was to stop Fray from proceeding forward. As Igni thought through possible options, Fray went down and took a knee, and Edward contacted him at the same time. Edward: [Igni, how are things?] Igni: [Edward? I got Fray pinned down like you asked.] Edward: [Understood. The Attack Team succeeded in taking 2 of the enemys flags. Theyre struggling to retrieve the last flag.] Igni: [Then I just have to keep Fray here?] Edward: [Yeah, keep him there if you can.] Igni: [I got it. No worries.] Igni deactivated the earpiece and looked down towards Fray. Igni: Hey, I think its obvious who won. Just stop right now and rest. Fray: ........obviouswho.won..? Fray gripped his blood soaked fists and glared daggers at Igni. Fray: You fool. I have already reached into the farthest depths of Magic.!] Igni: You mean, you mastered your Spell? Igni threw a question back at Fray as he looked at his brother with slight alarm. If Fray had reached the realm of Magic, then things are about to change dramatically. In order to stop Fray, Igni would be forced to use his Magic. But Fray refused to answer Ignis question. He stood their with tight fists and glared at Igni. Fray: ..........?! Wait, thats it!! And Fray burst out in sudden excitement. Fray: So thats it.! I understand now! Igni: H`Hey, Fray? You okay? Seeing his brother shout incoherently, Igni looked upon him with concern. Igni reflected on their battle and thoughtfully regretted that he may have hit Fray with one too many {Fireballs}. Igni: Hey, look. Why dont you surrender here and let the medical team fix you up.. Fray: [Ultimate Light Exchange] {Convert} But ignoring Igni completely, Fray completed his incantation. Light enveloped him the next instant. No, to be accurate, Fray became composed of particles of light. Fray: HAHAHAHA!! Thats right!! This is all I had to do!! And returning to his former body, he now stood with no injuries. Fray: So now what do you think?! I just created the strongest Defensive Spell known to man!! Igni: .........oh....... yeah`.......I mean. Fray looked upon Igni with extreme satisfaction smeared across his face, but Igni could only gaze upon his brother with sympathy. Igni just didnt know what to say at that point. Fray: HAHAHA!! Youre at loss for words!! Your face tells me that you cant even comprehend what just happened!! Igni: (Thats most definitely not the case.) Igni just didnt know how to explain the situation to Fray. Thinking this and that, Igni remained silent as a result. Igni: (Should I tell him?) This was a Defensive Spell that the [Extreme of Light] already came up with. And on top of that, it was an incomplete Spell. Fray: Ill explain it to you! This Spell changes my body into Light Particles and negates any attack Spell thrown at me!! Igni: (Yeah, I know.) Fray: And once you return to your original body, it heals all your wounds! Igni: (I know that too.) Igni: [Launch] {Fire} And Igni fired a {Fireball} towards Fray. Fray: Its useless! Your attacks wont reach me anymore!! As soon as Ignis {Fireball} came in contact with Frays body, there was a bright flash and Frays body turned into Light Particles. Igni: .......yeah, I didnt expect it to. Igni let out a sigh as he keenly observed the manipulation of Magic around him. Igni: [Equip flame] {Ignition}. Igni detected Magic being newly manipulated diagonally behind him to his left. So he aligned his aim there and` Igni: [Launch] {Fire} Fray: So now, none of your attacks will`` UGH?!?! And appearing behind Igni, a {Fireball} struck Fray. Igni: Fray, theres a flaw to that Spell. Fray: ........what do you.. Igni: You see, when you need to attack, you actually have to change back. Its a Spell designed for retreating. Lucas used the Spell to escape from being caught cheating with someone elses wife and when he wanted to remain hidden from the Monsters that Igni was fighting during his training. And it might be an effective Spell against someone who doesnt understand its mechanics, but thats not the case for Igni. Igni: Thats why, Fray, this is your`` But before Igni could say, Loss, a sudden alarm pierced and stung Igni and Frays ears.