Chapter 32

Book 3




　The day after we arrived back at the Floating City. I took another day off following Jen-sensei's advice, but yeah Ixia-san's physical contact is as intense as ever. I mean, I get that it's a treatment to enable me use magic, but she's been pining me from behind on the sofa as watch a horror movie throughout this morning after saying 'Let's have a longer session today since you missed two days.'
　...I can't settle down. In no small part due to the movie and the situation.

"It's... quite terrifying isn't it. American horrors appear to specialize in moment to moment shock factors.... whereas this country's horror movies are more about stirring your emotions."
"Ah, personally I'm fine with this type. Or rather, I'm good with anything that's not zombies."
"Oh, is that right? In that case, I shall rent a zombie movie next time."
"Is this some sort of harassment?"
"Fufu, I jest. Still... I detect slight damage on the muscles all over your body. I infer that it's due to the usage of high level Physical Boost you normally don't adopt. Yuuki's bodily growth has a tendency to lag behind the growth of your strength. Let's see... how about a regime of slow full body training such as swimming? Your body still has a room for growth. It could be beneficial to train the fundamentals if only for a bit and not just focus on combat training."
"I see... I get that I'm not exactly built big... Nor do I have lots of muscles."

　Ixia-san does give some solid advice whenever she does a close inspection of my body. I can't exactly say she's wrong for doing it.
　...I wish she could stop whispering in my ear at least though.

"...Yuuki, try focusing a little of your mana into your right palm."
"Ah, okay."
"...They have opened up nicely. Right... I believe this is your limit. We cannot afford to break your body any further. Yuuki, this marks the end of your treatment."
"Ah, really? That's kinda a shame..."

　...Guess in the end I can't use magic.
　Shame... Actually, it's a huge shock to me.

"Shame is it? Would you like to have a hugging session every single day then? Fufu."
"That's not it, okay? I'm just shocked I can't use magic."
"No, I have never said that. Once the vents have opened that much, I posit you should be able to wield wind magic due to its minute effusion. Fortunately, my specialty lies on wind, lightning and flame elements. I could offer you some guidance."

　Fua!? No way, just like that!? I can use magic now!?

"Is that true!? Then, then teach me how to magic right away! I've always wanted to use wind magic too!"
"Have you, now? It'll be my pleasure but first, let us watch this movie to the end."

　Kuh... End already! Also, why're you hugging me even tighter, isn't the treatment over!? ...I definitely can't let anyone see us like this... I'm too old for this....

　After a bit, the movie was finally over.
　...Japanese horror is as terrifying as ever, but I'm fine since it's not zombie based.
　The movie is about a child who died not long after being born due to parents' carelessness and its vengeful spirit... Yep, a small child. In other word--

"...If only those parents looked after their child better... This tragedy could have been avoided...! They are his parents... That mother is the source of all evil...! What does fate have in store with that woman once she's saved..."
"Now now, Ixia-san. It's a made-up story, you saw all of them together in a real life interview right."
"T-that's right..."

　Ixia-san's emotional undulation has gotten richer compared to last year too.

"Alright then, time to get to magic training! Let's do it in the field behind our house, haven't sowed it yet anyway."
"Fufu, very well. You look overjoyed.　It's motivating me to teach as well."
"I mean, it's been a lifelong dream of mine. Man, I can't wait..."

　Shooting wind blades maybe? Or cutting apart distant objects? Feels like I can mix and match with swordsmanship. It's really a dream come true.
　My delusions of finally reproducing all kind of game moves got interrupted by a call on my terminal. Eey, who that!

"Hello, Sasahara speaking."
『Good day, Yuuki-kun. You're speaking with Akimiya Chairwoman.』
"...Err, you have a different number than your last one. Actually how did you even get my number?"
『Fufu, oh it's nothing much. My number is a top secret so I have it changed every week. Let me install an exclusive app on your terminal to act as a direct line later.』

　Honestly, I'd rather not. Can't say that out loud though. Thiswomanisscary.

"So what's the occasion?"
『Well, we have your monster and are done cutting off the head. We're wondering if you wish to get the body processed. Frankly, there's too much to eat for a two person household and amateurs will have a hard time butchering this, don't you think?』
"That's true... Err, maybe you could slice it up into easy to handle blocks before you deliver it to me. You can have the rest if you'd like."

　Right of course. Our refrigerator won't fit.

『Understood. BB, did you hear him? Cut the good parts, put them into vacuum packs and store them into the cooler box.』
『Got it. I'll buy up the rest. Let's see, transfer 3 million yen to that student account later.』
"Three million yen!? It's worth that much!?"

　The person who's probably in charge of processing the tuna gave that amount.
　Are you for real... That old man really gave me something that valuable.

『Young man, you listening? Varnish the blocks with diluted salt water when you thaw them. Let them sit to slowly thaw in a cooler afterward. If you want to eat it raw, that is.』
"Ah, I get it. What if I want to cook it by fire?"
『Just cut them up straight before throwing 'em into fire. Barbecue the sinewy red belly part with bbq sauce. That stuff's as good as beef.』
"I understand. Thank you for showing me the rope."
『You're welcome. Got myself some rare stuff. You've my thanks.』

　He hung up without handing it over to the Chairwoman. Uumu... was that their head chef or something? Either way, I gotta thank the guy for the instruction.
　Not to mention that amount of money he just plopped down.

"Ixia-san some wonderful gift might be coming our way, let's save the training until then. We've got to sort out our freezer now."
"A gift is it? Fufu, oh I wonder what it is. I cannot wait."
"I thought you'd be delighted with it so I got my hands on it. Haha, I'm sure you won't see it coming."
"My... You're such a good boy who loves his mother! Hnn!"

　Yuuki dodged!
　But Ixia turned around!

"Gueh."
"Fufu, I'm truly blessed."

　So am I but this is suffocating, help.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >

　Someone rang the front bell. I went there and met some Akimiya personnel briskly delivering a huge cooler box.
　Hu...huge. It could probably fit six desktop PCs...
　The inside has piles of frozen blocks of tuna meat.
　Whoaa... And this is only part of the whole thing. I mean that monster was gargantuan, so I get it.

"Yuuki, is that your gift delivered?"
"Ah, yes. I'm carrying it inside."

　That was when. Someone rang the front bell and knocked on the door again.
　Thinking they forgot something, I opened the door and--

"Good afternoon, Yuuki-kun. Ufufu, mind having me inside?"
"Uwaa, she popped up."

　The person standing outside has her seemingly best going-out dress unlike her usual plain clothes at school... It's Koune-san.
　She can't be...

"...Just to be clear, how did you know my house?"
"Fufufu... I caught sight of a huge box being delivered out of the campus's cafeteria this morning. The moment I saw them carrying the same box to the hill behind the campus, it hit me. 'That's gotta be the tuna Yuuki-kun got, no doubt!' Fufufu...."
"...How are you so perceptive only when it comes to stuff like this..."
"As someone who helped you defeat those monsters, I exercise my right to take part in this, by all means!"
"...You've got a point. You've got the right to eat this for sure. Okay then. Come on in, Koune-san."

　I mean, not like I was gonna shoo her away or anything, okay?
　I just didn't think the first classmate that would come to my house turned out to be Koune-san....

"Oh, are you a school friend of Yuuki? You're very welcome. Fufu, to think the first classmate you invited here is a girl, you are quite the charmer aren't you Yuuki?"
"...You got it wrong, Ixia-san. This person is here for my gift."
"Oh speaking of which, what would this gift of yours be?"

　I carried the huge cooler box to the kitchen and opened it in front of Ixia-san... next to the sparkly eyed Koune-san like it was her designated position.

"Ta-daa! It's a mutated tuna monster I defeated! I asked the client to deliver me the tuna part! I thought you'd like it Ixia-san!"

　She hugged and rubber her cheek against mine all of a sudden. Hold it, we're in front of Koune-san! Oh her eyes are locked onto the tuna, of course.

"I'm so happy, Yuuki. What a wonderful gift... H-however, how should this be handled I wonder... If I had to be honest, I haven't actually learned how to cut up fish..."
"Ah, right. Hmm... Guess we can just slice and dice at random--"
"Hold it right there! Leave this to me, Yuuki-kun! Prepare to be surprised, I'm actually good at cooking! Never saw that coming, did you!?"

　Koune-san suddenly made that declaration, but I wasn't particularly surprised about it. I could totally see her learning how to cook to appease her appetite.

"Did you know that there's a port town in my home continent, Seconderia that has a flourishing tuna cuisine culture. Thanks to that, I have had many chances to come across all sort of tuna dishes and many of our chefs are well versed in tuna cooking. You need to cut them apart by particular sections, let me handle the slicing and dicing."
"Fufu, that's quite reassuring to hear. Allow me to study by watching. May I stand next to you?"
"Yes, please go ahead, Yuuki-kun's mom."

　The moment Koune-san said the word, Ixia-san's posture straightened up and her face turned unusually loose.
　Ixia-san... Just how bad did you crave getting called mom...

"Fufu, fufufu... Yuuki, you have such a wonderful friend. Fufu, in that case 'mom' will, err..."
"Ah, I beg your pardon. My name is Koune Shezard. Nice to meet you."
"Yes, the pleasure's mine. Yuuki, I will help Koune-san with the cooking, you should relax."
"Ah, just one thing."

　I told them the way to process the tuna right as told by the guy in the call earlier.
　...Well, it should be fine with someone experienced around.
　I took up her offer and waited like a good boy at the living room.



"Hee, I thought cutting it up would take longer..."
"I'm an expert of ice magic after all. Preparing raw ingredients is my forte."
"Yes, she has got quite the skill. We have stored the deep colored parts inside the refrigerator. They should be ready for consumption by tonight. Koune-san, please take it easy in our home if you don't have a plan today. Let us have dinner together."
"Are you sure, mom! Please, by all means! Fufu... That part is also known as the Kalbi of tuna... I'm already drooling at the taste."

　Hmm, Koune-san and Ixia-san hit it off when I wasn't looking. She's got calling her 'Mom' stuck too... You're gonna make me look bad not calling her that. Why am I the only who uses her name.

"Let us have meal together now. Yuuki, it's tuna belly meat, and there's a whole lot of it too."
"It's like a dream! We've got the whole set of wasabi soy sauce, wasabi salt and pepper powder complete too. Fufu, which one should I start with..."

　Hm. This tuna belly meat really looks like beef. I'm afraid to even imagine how much all of this row of meat fetch in a store. Haha... way extravagant.

"Hm, what's this one?"
"Ah, that will be the sinewy tuna meat made into minced cutlet. According to Koune-san, heating it up will bolster the flavor."
"Fufufu... I've mastered the way of eating good food. For your information, that tartar sauce is my original. For reason unknown, an original tartar sauce recipe has been passed down in my family as a secret formula. That's one mystery of our family."
"...W-why? I've got so many questions about Shezard Family."

　It goes without saying the dishes were all delicious.
　Minced cutlet so good... There's so much tuna juice and it really goes well with the tartar sauce... Gotta thank old man Ishizaki if only for this.
　All kind of tuna dishes like tuna with pickles and tuna with welsh onions vanished in no time... Gone into Ixia-san's underbelly. She's got a huge appetite when it comes to tuna.

"T-that was a tasty treat... Fufu... I feel bad for having another at night."
"Please don't beat yourself up. I have learned a few things about fish handling myself thanks to you."
"Man... you're a better cook than I imagined, Koune-san. Gotta be stressful at the dorm since you can't cook there."
"You're so right. I'm thinking of renting a house in the downtown next year. Getting this opportunity to cook after so long has been liberating."
"That's good to hear. Okay... Now that meal's outta the way, time to get to training and help the food go down. Do you mind, Ixia-san?"

　It's finally time for my magic debut.
　Koune-san is here, but she's supposedly a good mage despite being a swordswoman, might as well get her advice while she's around.

"Hm? What are you training for?"
"Ah, you see, Yuuki has no experience (with magic), so we are holding a training session for his first time (at magic). I will be his partner, would you like to watch over us, Koune-san?"

　Why did she skip over the important points. What if Koune-san took it the wrong way.

"Ah, right, I've never seen Yuuki-kun casting magic even once. Was it due to an ailment?"
"Yes, that is about right. I have been treating him for some time until very recently."
"T-that's right! Yup, magic, it's magic."

　Thank goodness... No really... I'm so glad she perceived it was about magic right away. I'm sorry for thinking of you as nothing but a glutton. You've got some amazing insight and deductive powers.



　We've cleared the land behind our house since we were given the okay and turned it into a relatively large field.
　Normally, you'd need heavy machinery like tractors to make that happen, but Ixia and her magic cleared the plot of land in a mere day. Of course, I'm the one who plowed the soil. Physical Boost worked its magic.
　We haven't sowed the field yet so we're using it to practice my magic but Ixia-san is... in her usual super lame-looking worker fit.

"Currently, wind magic is the sole element you are capable of casting, Yuuki. But your magic casting performance, the amount of mana you can wield and the spell formulas you can compose in your heads should all be on rookie level. I suppose it is more apt to call it sorcery instead."
"Err... I take it from the weakest to the strongest it goes like 'sorcery', 'magic', and 'magecraft', right?"
"Yes. Additionally, you must have a thorough understanding on the phenomenon the magic generates, the sight of it as well as the outcome of this phenomenon the with your body as the origin. The less familiar you are with it, the higher the casting failure rate becomes. You should start with a simple one."

　Ixia-sensei's magic course! She really looks the part when she teaches, it's gotta be her calling. Hm... If only I could make her bundle her hair and put on glasses and suit.

"Yuuki-kun is wind elemental huh. In that case, let's see... Ey."

　Koune-san who was watching from the sideline produced a thin board of ice on the ground.

"Yuuki-kun, please imagine in your head, produce a gale of wind to topple this board over. That should make it easy to visualize, no?"
"I see, that is a good idea. Yuuki, hold out your right hand and visualize channeling your mana into it. You should say a trigger word as a catalyst seeing as you are still new at this."

　I'm getting nervous. I can finally cast my first magic.
　I thrust out my right arm and focus into it in a similar manner to when I use Physical Boost.
　Visualize... me shooting a gale from my right hand and knocking that board over.
　I feel too awkward to say the move name out loud as I put all my strength into my arm while glaring hard at the target.

"Haa!"

　The board swayed and got toppled over. Followed by a breaking sound of a thin ice.
　...Err, did my magic really knock that over?

"...Sorry, Yuuki-kun. That was the handiwork of a natural breeze of wind. Yup, there was no magic involved."
"Yes, well... That is quite normal for a first time. Let's have another go. Koune-san, if you would with the ice."

　...That was embarrassing.
　Afterward, I kept trying and failed to knock the ice even once.
　According to Ixia-san, 'There was a slight breeze coming out of your palm. It should be able to topple the ice board if you draw your palm very close to it'... But what's even the point of that!

"Uu... I did manage to cast magic... But this isn't even enough to ring a wind chime."
"Hmm... I wonder what went wrong... Image...? Winds are invisible to naked eyes to begin with, thus beginners tend to have a hard time grasping it..."

　I feel bad for making Koune-san remaking so many ice boards. I'll make her a shaved ice later.

"Yuuki-kun's mom, what if we take another approach? Yuuki-kun is probably a natural-born swordsman, so teaching him like we're teaching a mage will only get us so far."
"Fumu... I see. This is in fact the first time I am teaching someone sorcery. Yuuki has always been fighting as a swordsman indeed... Getting him to use sorcery now would prove difficult."
"Yep. However, I personally learned magic after swordsmanship myself. I think I could offer a word of wisdom or two. Yuuki-kun, mind if I take over?"

　I'm literally grasping at straws here, I'll be in your care, Koune-sensei.

"Please. I see... All that training for Physical Boost turned into a bottleneck."
"Might be. Yuuki-kun, try visualize the magic while overlapping it on a move. I'll show you a demonstration, use it as a reference." 

　Lights flooded out of Koune-san and materialized into a sword.
　Oh right, she can summon her weapon too... I'm kinda envious.

"Azure Stinger 'Quartz Piercer', it's a fairly well known magic sword. The sword itself has no magical power to it, but it is clad in cold air and can repair itself by consuming its wielder mana. That's all its effects though."
"It's so beautiful. First time I've seen it up close... So cool."
"Indeed, it is quite a splendidly made rapier. A famous alchemist must have their hands in its making."

　Koune-san's smiled a bit hearing our praise before bracing herself with a serious look and held her sword up in one hand.

"'Ice Blade'."

　As she swung it down, a blade of ice got shot out ahead in a straight line, gouging out the ground in its wake before breaking down into pieces which turned into a buckshot that bored through the earth further.

"That's about how you shoot magic in a rather forceful manner. You might be more suited to something like this, Yuuki-kun."
"Ooh... You look so cool Koune-san... No, for real."
"Y-you think so? You're gonna make me blush... T-then, wanna see me do more moves?"
"By all means! I wanna see more!"

　Koune-san proceeded to show off more which motivated me further into trying this style of magic casting.
　Nice... It's so nice! I feel like I can do that!

"It's your turn now, Yuuki-kun. I'll make another ice... I'll make it a pillar this time, shoot your magic at it."
"I have brought your device, Yuuki. Please do your best."
"T-thank you. Then..."

　It's true, it's easier to visualize the image when I'm holding a weapon.
　I can't really imagine how I could emit magic from my body even if I use games and animes as references, but I can make a clear vision of wind shooting out of my katana easily.
　Something like 'Wind Slash', or 'Gale Blade'.
　I'm picturing localized generation in a distant. Like a whirlwind cutting up my opponents from a range.
　I visualize the move my Mind Master, a game character uses... and took a quickdraw stance.

"...Ha!"

　I drew my weapon device with that picture in my mind.
　A moment of silence before the pillar made innumerable high pitched sounds and got shaved down into a warped form in an instant.

"I did it! You two didn't do anything did you!? That was my magic, wasn't it!?"
"Y-yes! That was yours! It was amazing, Yuuki-kun! That was like Coordinate Magic!"
"...Yes, it really is. Countless blades of winds were generated at the target, none was emitted from Yuuki's body... Yuuki, could you cast that magic once again?"
"Y, yes... I probably can."
"Koune-san. Please produce multiple ice pillars in random locations."
"Roger that, mom. Wait a sec, Yuuki-kun."

　Ixia-san put on a serious look while observing the surroundings.
　Is she checking the ground?

"All done, Yuuki-kun. Try to break those pillars one by one. We'll see if you can designate the coordinates with this."
"...Phew."

　I repeatedly drew and sheathed my katana as fast as I could.
　A pillar broke into pieces every time one entered my vision.
　I could destroy seven in one breath in my current state. A big step forward for me personally.

"! ...Yuuki, stop! Put down your weapon!"
"Y-yes! Um, what's wrong, Ixia-san."

　Ixia-san's sharp voice resounded the moment I sheathed my katana and broke the seventh pillar.

"Yuuki, do not move from where you stand. Koune-san, can you cast healing magic?"
"Ah, yes. Err, what's the matter, mom."
"...Yuuki instantaneously generated high density slices of wind on the designated coordinates. Eight in total within a short span. I believe... you understand what that means."
"! You're... right... I lost myself there. It can't be... it's that much?"

　Eh, what, scary. Can't I use this magic or what?

"Yuuki, you have lost an extreme amount of mana right now. I believe you would pass out if you use even the tiniest bit of mana. Stay calm and walk to me slowly."

　Despite what she said, I didn't feel anything wrong with my body. But the moment I tried to walk, a sense of heavy fatigue like nothing I've ever experienced before hit me hard.

"Yuuki-kun, I'll share you my mana. Give me your hand."
"T-thank you, Koune-san... I didn't know... magic use up so much mana."
"No. What you cast earlier was magecraft, Yuuki. A considerably high level one at that. One that is comparable to the magecrafts I wield..."
"...Designating coordinate consumes lots of mana. Because you don't emit it out of your body, but remotely generate it from a distance. Furthermore, you picked the coordinate instantaneously. Proof of you calculating that in your head without being aware. Moreover..."
"From what I could confirm, each cast generates nineteen slashes in a precise spot. The firepower it produced is enough to blow away everything within sight here. Localizing so much firepower in a dense spot... will naturally consume a significant amount of mana."

　For real. But then, it's only enough to break apart ice.
　But when I pointed that out--

"Normally winds can only slice soft objects. It may be able to pulverize and gouge the earth along the way in a line attack but your case tore apart a hard pillar of ice. It did not needlessly break the ice, and efficiently sliced only in the direction you designated... I believe it is also capable of slicing up non-ice objects--"
"Yuuki-kun. Those slashes... are about three centimeter deep. What do you think would happen to a living creature if they took nineteen slashes that deep all over their body?"

　...There will be no saving them. Might even result in instant death. 
　The targets aren't limited to ice... Right of course.

"Yuuki. This magic is a 'Finisher' in the truest sense. You must not direct it at someone outside a special field. I believe... this will become your greatest weapon."
"I think so too. Precisely dealing an attack this lethal in your vision is like the best magecraft ever... You've got me good. I can't believe someone who had just learned how to cast magic showed me something like this on the get go... It's almost deflating how many geniuses there are around me."
"...But I think it's got a really limited use case. I gotta think up a more practical and cost-effective magic..."

　It's really a finisher... I can't use it willy-nilly.
　Looking back, that time I first used Physical Boost was an attempt to reproduce how anime and game characters move. It doesn't use up lots mana. It keeps circulating in my body.
　But not magic. The more I use, the more I consume.
　...I feel like it backfired on me.

"All that aside, Yuuki. It's commendable how you could come up with such a magecraft. Not to forget its sheer precision."
"Yep, that's it! I could see how you imagined it but turning it into reality in one try almost makes it like you knew about it from the start. Don't tell me... it's a move of your rumored master?"
"Rumored... what rumor?"
"Mikoto-chan told me. 'Sasahara-kun's master knows some incredible Moves'."
"Oh? Yuuki, you have a master? I am obliged to formally greet them."

　Ah, darn. Even Ixia-san found out.
　I can't exactly tell them about the master inside my head...

"Err... He's passed away already, so no greeting possible."
"I knew it..."
"Passed away... Could this master be your grandfather?"
"Ah... Yes, that's about right."

　Sorry, gramp. Please be a katana master for now.
　I mean you knew your way around a kitchen knife at least. Like that time you made Namerou.

"Ah, so your master was your grandfather, Yuuki-kun!"
"It all makes sense..."

　...For now that was enough to convince them.

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