[Please name the new spell]

I wanted to read through all the rewards I received, but before I could do that, I felt the ground come closer to my face.

And then everything went dark.

✶✶✶

James POV

I woke up facing quite the familiar ceiling. The fight with Matthew, or at least the spirit that possessed him, really took it out of me. I finally realized what I lacked through that fight, experience. While I lived through a few days, everyone had to survive on their own for months. This would naturally spark a gap in experience. They had all created their own strategy to survive, whether it be through running away or staying to fight.

Either way, those were thoughts for another time. Right now I had to go through all of these rewards! The first thing to do was name the new spell. After much deliberation, I finally decided what name I wanted to use.

“Spirit’s Bane”

[New Spell Learned: Spirit’s Bane]

Next up was finding out WHAT I actually gained from this fight….it better be worth it, otherwise I didn’t know what I’d do….

{Exorcist: In times of old, Exorcists were one of the main forces in fighting back against the Ancient Phantoms in the first Great Spirit War.

Effects:

+50% Damage against Evil Spirits

+100% Resistance to attacks aimed at the soul

You can now sense spirits and their auras}

{Enchanter’s Right Hand: One half of the Magic Dragon Series. your right hand will can channel mana through anything}

{Dragon’s Left Fist: One half of the Magic Dragon Series. Your left hand will bestow an element to anything}

{Asura’s Spirit: The aura of the legendary warriors will flow through you. The lengthier the fight, the stronger you become.}

…. I was baffled. This was good-in fact, this was GREAT!

If I knew this was what I’d gain, then I might’ve started fighting more possessed friends in the past….that was a joke.

Now, I guess that was enough worry for mom and Ella. I got up from my bed and headed upstairs. What greeted me was quite the sight to behold.

A boy with a head of blonde-green hair was sitting at the table with hands slapped to his face. Meanwhile, mom and Ella were consoling him while Mia stood a fair distance away. She was the first to spot me and reacted with a mix of surprise and confusion.

I sneaked quietly to her side and started whispering.

“What’s going on here?”

“Your little friend over there was the first to wake up. After some thorough questioning, we realized he had no recollection of the fight you both had. In fact, he couldn’t remember anything past the initial attack on the town.”

“This complicates things….”

I slowly approached mom and Ella then signalled for them to let me handle the situation. After everyone headed to the basement, it was time for a little “homie chat” so to say.

“So….you made quite the mess huh?”

That seemed to get his attention. His face separated from his palms, showing me quite the sight. In place of a timid high school boy, I instead spotted a grim expression graced with red eyes, but this time due to tears. In place of a happy expression was one that lost everything.

I decided to ask one simple question.

“Matthew, do you resent me?”

His expression didn’t change and I needed no help from the system to determine the truth of his next answer.

“Yes”

✶✶✶

Matthew POV

…We were on a clearing about 500 meters away from James’ house. After I’d answered his question he seemed slightly despondent, but then his face lit up as if he’d thought of an idea. Moments later, he dragged the both of us here, then stood in front of me. The next words to come out of his mouth were quite outrageous.

“Fight me on the count of three”

Before I could even reply he started counting down, his eyes emitting a dense killing intent.

“3…”

I didn’t know what to do. Do I use my weapon or not? Should I just knock him down?

“2..”

I decided to just use my fists since he most likely wouldn’t kill me.

“1…”

I settled into my stance, ready to move at any time as I watched him carefully mouth the final word.

“GO”

I dashed forward readying a full power punch to at least cause some damage. Outside of my expectations, he didn’t move at all, which allowed me to hit him square in the abdomen.

“GAH”

He bent over in pain, spitting out a mixture of saliva and stomach acid. I waited there while he stood up carefully. He faced me and said one word.

“Again”

I couldn’t hold myself back and punch him again, this time in the chest. I had put all my frustration into it, leaving me slightly out of breath. He hadn’t gone down this time and I also felt some resistance against my fist, so I decided that I could probably go harder.

I kept punching….

And punching….

And punching some more….

Each time causing him to wince in more pain. Yet for some reason, he never let a sound escape from him.

….Eventually I couldn’t feel my hands anymore and got so exhausted I fell on my back, followed by him right afterwards. He seemed to be in a lot of pain, but somehow, someway, he turned his head towards me.

And gave me the brightest grin

“How are you feeling now?”

That’s when it hit me.

James’ defenses weren’t so weak that a couple of punches from me would damage them. He…..he was holding back, allowing me to hurt him.

…This was his way of repentance

I felt beads of heat fall down my face, and when I touched them…I realized that they were tears.

…my tears

Tears that I had held when my parents finally died….

Tears I held while living with the guilt of reaping the souls of everything around me.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

I screamed towards the heavens, carrying all my hatred and anger within. However, before I could continue any longer, I felt the word start spinning and my face sting.

James was standing over me, with his hand outstretched. I had a feeling that depending on what I did now, the course of my life was going to face a drastic change.

While I was mulling things over, James started talking.

“....Y’know….I will never be able to understand your strength. After all this, you still managed to have eyes full of defiance towards your fate. Let me tell you this. The Matthew of the past was definitely a great person, but that doesn’t stop you from surpassing him. You have two choices right now, You either succumb to your darkness and let it turn you into….that thing again. Or, you can take my hand, and grow stronger…with friends, and then we can both take revenge on whatever caused this mess.”

After he finished his little speech, he left his hand out while allowing me to think for a few minutes.

The choice was obvious. I still held a lot of resentment, but it was misdirected.

I took James’ hand, and stood up. This resentment I held, it had a new target….the creators of this Calamity.

This will be the last time I bend before my fate….the last time I lose those precious to me.

✶✶✶

Renei POV

The monster population around here was increasing, even with the help of the “Big 5” we couldn’t cull their numbers any faster. I had a theory, and I truly hoped it was false.

The goblins displayed a more intense reaction when encountering females compared to males. However, for unknown reasons they wouldn’t kill the former; rather they would kidnap them never to be seen again.

I think….these monsters were trying to create a “nest.” Just the thought alone had me going lightheaded. I looked back at the other 5 members of my team, each with their own special gift that put them a step above the normal people around them.

Jessica and Kyle, who could control the extremely hot and cold temperatures respectively.

Timothy, who could teleport to whatever he saw

The twins, with their telepathy, giving them an edge in group combat

And finally me, with an ability I called The Scribe.

This was the same ability that led me to these other four who had one thing in common with each other…their powers. We were currently on a routine scouting mission to make sure no monsters were sneaking into the bunkers while others slept.

I didn’t know why, but my ability was sounding out again for the first time since the original Calamity. The first time was how I found my 4 teammates, but now, I didn’t know what was in store. At that time, it felt like a tiny “itch” in the back of my head, barely noticeable. Yet just enough to know it was there. However, now it was like a dull ache in the back of my skull, as if warning me of something.

After finishing our routine scouting, I decided to leave the others behind in the bunker and head out to follow where my ability was leading me.