Miko and Momo were currently facing each other in the plains a few miles away from the capital. Tia was sitting under a tree drinking a beverage in the shade.

“To be honest Momo, I don’t like fighting against you.”

Miko said with an unmotivated tone.

“Oh? And why’s that?”

Momo asked.

“Because I always get caught up in the moment and overexert myself, and still lose in the end.”

Miko replied.

“I don’t like using a large amount of energy and effort and have nothing to show for it. It’s just a waste of time and energy to me.”

He said.

“What kind of logic is that? Of course you’ll need to waste energy if you want to improve at something. In fact, all the energy you so called wasted will pay off when you finally get the result that you want.”

Momo said.

“You of all people should know this.”

She sighed.

“You weren’t like this in the past. You used to work the hardest to reach for the top.”

She mumbled.

‘Well, it couldn’t be helped. His spirit was broken once before, so it will take time for him to really feel motivated again.’

Momo thought to herself.

“I think the main problem is that life has been too easy for you as of late.”

She said.

“Easy? When have my life been easy?”

Miko asked, obviously a bit angry.

“While its' true that your current life is still harder than most, and is pretty sad; it was worse in the past.”

Momo replied.

“Back when you were seeking out the acceptance of the world, your life was a living hell. No matter how hard you work and push, your desire just wouldn’t happen.”

She said.

“Ironically enough, that only made you work harder and was the backbone and driving force behind your strong will, while it only made your desire grow stronger.”

She pointed at Miko.

“You’ve lost the will and desire you once had, which made your life easier.”

She said.

“Because you no longer seek recognition or acceptance, you gave up and decided to stick with what you have and just work with that. You became satisfied with isolation and started to ignore those you once wanted to accept you, no matter what they did to you. This was because you started to see them as mere bugs that weren’t worth your time.”

Miko looked at her while she spoke.

“Can you honestly say that your life haven’t gotten easier since you gave up everything?”

She asked.

“……….”

Miko remained silent. What Momo said was the truth, his life did indeed become easier. He could shut out everything around him and slept the time away. As for assassinations, his family would deal with them or he’ll just escape them on his own and return to his normal routine.

He just kept living without an aim, and that was pretty easy to do.

“Desire huh?”

He muttered.

“I’ve noticed to you’re trying to regain your motivation, but I believe that what you feel now is only something whimsical.”

Momo said.

“It’s like someone hyping themselves up for the new year and declaring that this year will be their year. These people normally give up by the second month.”

She pointed at him.

“You’re like them. As it stands, you’ll eventually give up again.”

“………”

Miko didn’t say anything because he couldn’t deny her words. Now that he thought about it, he’s given up for so long that he didn’t even remember what it felt like to have an unwavering will and desire.

The thought that he can always give up, lingered at the back of his mind.

“Then…..What do I need to do to regain my motivation?”

Miko asked.

Momo smiled when she heard that.

“Fight me.”

She replied.

“I’ll remind you of a feeling that you’ve long forgotten, an emotion that you’re no longer familiar with.”

“…..Alright. Let’s do it.”

Miko said.

“Okay.”

Momo looked happy after hearing his answer.

“Good job, Momo.”

Tia whispered.

“She was able to see an obstacle that will await Miko in the future, and convinced him to try and clear it from now.”

She said.

“Miko did indeed lack the resolve he needed to fight to reach the top, even though he didn’t realize it himself.”

“Aren’t you going to change back to your real form?”

Miko asked Momo as he prepared to fight her.

“Oh, this? I think this childish form is more than enough for the current you.”

Momo replied.

When Miko heard that the vein in his head started to twitch.

“Oh? Is that so?”

He took a fighting stance.

“Then I’ll have to prove you otherwise!”

He rushed towards her.

Momo smiled and welcomed him with open arms. Miko drew his fist back and punched towards her with all of his strength.

*Bam!*

An explosive sound echoed out as his fist connected with her flesh.

“You’ve really been slacking, huh?”

“?!”

Miko was shocked to see Momo block his attack with her thin arm.

“Grr!”

He pulled his other arm back and threw another punch. Momo blocked it like the first one, and then slammed her thin leg in his stomach.

*Bam!*

Miko was blown back with his entire body spinning in the air. He forcibly canceled his momentum when he was near the ground by planting his foot into the earth.

“Ugh!”

He felt an intense pain in his ankle like it was going to snap.

“Come on, we’re just getting started.”

Momo appeared above him, swinging down her heel on top of his head. Miko quickly moved out of the way, causing her to miss.

He then pounced at her who was left defenseless midair.

“Heh.”

Momo smirked and suddenly faded away from where she was. She reappeared behind Miko, and grabbed him from behind by the collar.

“You’ve been slacking too much!”

She pulled him over her head and slammed him onto the ground.

*Bam!*

“Guah?!”

Miko released a groan as all the air left his lungs.

“Again!”

She grabbed him by his leg and threw him into the air, like a toy.

“Is this the strength you wanted to compete against the world’s best with?”

A magic circle appeared in Momo’s palm, and ancient runes started floating around her arm.

“This isn’t enough!”

She thrust her hand forward and a bright beam of light shot forward and pierced through Miko. The moment it did, the light took the shape of a gigantic spear, with it piercing through Miko.

“I can’t move?!”

Miko shouted in shock.

Although the light had pierced through him, he didn’t feel the slightest hint of pain. Instead, he felt like he was being kept in the sky.

“This spell is called Spear Trap. Whoever is caught in it, is forced to remained immobile like a dead prey stuck to a spear.”

Momo explained.

“I’m someone who specializes in spells, yet you allowed me to cast one on you.”

She smiled.

“You’re going to have to suffer for that.”

She jumped up into the air, and arrived in front of Miko. She thrust out her hand and touched his chest.

“Detonate.”

*Boom!*

Miko was suddenly devoured by a huge explosion, while immobile in the air. When Momo landed back on the ground, she saw Miko limped while being trapped by the spear.

“You look quite pathetic, Miko.”

She said.

“This….”

Miko spoke with his body still limped.

“This is the reason why I don’t like fighting you.”

He suddenly came to life and slammed his hands on both sides of the spear.

*Bam!*

The spear shattered like glass and Miko was freed from it.

He landed on the ground, not too far away from Momo. She could see a black light emitting from his body.

“So he used his Vita to boost his physical abilities, and forcefully broke out of the spell…..Impressive.”

Momo said. The Dark light emitting from Miko’s body was proof that he was drawing power from his soul via Vita.

“I really tend to get riled up, when fighting people stronger than me!”

He suddenly dashed towards Momo.

“Hmph! Then get riled up!”

A magic circle appeared around the area.

*Bam!*

The ground suddenly started moving like it was alive, attacking Miko with spikes and pillars.

“Move!”

*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

Miko wasn’t bothered by them at all. He started breaking through them with his fists, and advanced towards Momo.

“Then what about this?!”

Momo clasped her hands together, and the earth began to mold into two giant soldiers with axes as big as they are.

“Roar!”

The soldiers roared and swung down their weapons onto the charging Miko.

“Heh.”

Miko suddenly smirked and the dark light around him suddenly expanded explosively.

He stretched his hands to the side, and two dark orbs appeared in them.

“Move you pieces of clay!”

He jumped and threw the orbs.

*Bam!*

The orbs instantly devoured half the earth giants and their weapons.

“His Vita is vast as always.”

Momo said after seeing what Miko did.

She saw Miko rushed past the destroyed earth giants and rushed towards her. Every step he took the more his Vita expand and the more overwhelming he became.

“Momo!”

Miko shouted her name a wide smile on his face.

‘As I thought….’

Tia who was watching couldn’t help but to smile when she saw Miko’s expression.

“Miko really loves to fight.”

She said.

Meanwhile, Momo watched as Miko rushed towards her like a black bullet, seeking out her blood.

“I haven’t seen you this excited in years.”

She whispered.

“Unfortunately….”

She gripped her fist and a magic circle appeared on the back of her hand and on her feet as well.

She suddenly accelerated like a bolt of lightning, and appeared in front of Miko.

“?!”

Miko was caught off guard, when he saw Momo suddenly in front of him.

“I’ll have to wipe that expression from your face!”

Momo shouted and swung her arm.

*Bam!*

Her fist slammed on the side of Miko’s head, forcing him to abruptly halt in his step.

“Ahh!”

Momo shouted as she forced Miko’s head down with her fist, along with the rest of his body.

*Bam!*

Miko was forced to the ground with his head being partially buried by Momo’s fist.

“………”

He could no longer move and make a sound, as he was robbed of his consciousness.

Momo silently looked down on him, before smiling.

“The main thing that Miko need to experience to regain his motivation is defeat.”

Tia said as she got up.

“Miko haven’t felt defeat in years and have long forgotten the frustrations that came with it. Because he was superior to most around his age, he unknowingly developed an ego, and believed that him becoming the strongest was only natural.”

She said as she walked towards him.

“This made him lose sight of himself and reality itself. That’s why he needed a reality check, and the biggest one he could get. And what better than a crushing defeat where he couldn’t even scratch his opponent?”

She stooped down beside him.

“This is what defeat tastes like Miko. I hope you remember it well.”

She stroke his swollen face.

“And I hope you work hard so that you won’t have to taste it again.”