* * * *

“Do you know what the fundamental of ‘magic’ is?”

Still inside the , Shou sat down with ShowTime.

After the training, ShowTime said that he wanted to give Shou a lecture about magic as it seems like he doesn’t grasp the full concept of magic.

“Erm... not sure. But doesn’t it means to influence the environment with supernatural forces or something?”

“Well that’s probably true, but what I want to teach you is the fundamental meaning from this world. I don’t know how it is in the other world, but in this world the word ‘Magic Power’ is called as ‘Maryoku’ (魔力) while ‘Magic’ is called as ‘Mahou’　（魔法) in a certain language from east.”

Of course as Japanese himself, Shou knows about this.

“Um... then, the word ‘Ma’ (魔) contains the meaning of devil or demon was it?”

“Correct. And because of this some people said that ‘Magic’ is a power gifted from demons. Well, this statement is half-true--”

“Eh?! It’s true?!”

*Tack* ShowTime hit Shou’s head with a magic staff.

“I said half-true. And don’t cut in while I’m still explaining! Anyway, this statement is not wrong but it’s still far from the fact. If we talk about Devil or Demon what do you think of?”

Shou wanted to say Mao but he refrained because he is sure that he will get hit again.

“Devil huh? Probably something evil right?”

“Other than that. What could you think of Devil?”

“Desire maybe? Oh and also 7 sins.”

“That’s it desire. In the old times people think of desire as result of temptation from devil and such. The 7 sins was also a concept created from human’s excessive desire.”

“Not sure I understand but, do you mean that the fundamental of ‘Magic’ is desire?”

“Now it seems like you get it. Desire, emotion, feelings. That’s the base of magic. And thus, the term of ‘Magic Power’ could be called as the power of desire or emotion.”

“So if I wanted to improve my magic, I need to improve my desire?”

“Hmm close, but still not enough. Even though I said it’s the power of desire that doesn’t necessarily means that if you had big desire you would be a great magician. It’s true that your magic power would increase, but could you do if you can’t control it?”

“Ah! Now I understand! So you mean magic is basically not only releasing your desire but you also need to control it right?”

“100 points. It seems like you had understand the concept. As you’ve said, in magic you need to control your desire. Control you emotion and control your feelings. If not, it will be dangerous even for the caster. A great magician is one who could control their magic. So if you want to get better at ‘your’ magic, which originated from mine, you should remember this.”

“... That means as a Mage with great magic capacity, your desire is also very big huh? So it means you are a closet pervert right?!”

*Tack*

“Desire doesn’t only contain lust you stupid pupil! Anyway, you said 7 sins before, can you mention all of it?”

“Err... Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Envy, Sloth... That’s 5. What are the other two? I don’t remember.”

“Pride and Wrath.” ShowTime added.

“Ah yeah Pride and Wrath! By the way, I know desire affects magic, but what does the 7 sins had to do with it?”

“Umm yeah I’m also not sure. But the orthodox teaching said that each of them governs different magic attribute. There’s also some that says there are more than 7. But it all has been proven to be not true so let’s just skip that part.”

“Then what’s the meaning of you to ask about them?!”

“Shut up! I’m the teacher here! Don’t go against your teacher!!”

*Tack* ShowTime once again hit Shou’s head with the magic staff, this time Shou could only hug his head in pain.

“Ugh... now I understand, the desire that makes your magic capacity big is Pride and Wrath huh?”

“Oh shut it! Continuing from before, there are no actual connection on the element of magic you province at with the 7 sins, so any desire will fuel up your magic. Lastly, in the term of ‘game’ you told me before, there is this ‘MP’ thing. And I would like to explain about it. The truth is this thing you called ‘MP’ is--”

* * * *

It has been a few minutes since Phantom and Kuroda settle down. The weather was great, there’s so many clouds that give shades from direct sunlight, even if there’s no cloud, the big tree gave of a nice shade, and from time to time, cool and fresh breeze blew. It was truly a relaxing environment. If not for Kuroda, Phantom feels like he wants to take a nap here.

“This place sure is great.”

“... We usually gather here when in game. But I never thought that this place was this good.”

“So that’s why you choose this place to settle it all.” And suddenly Phantom raised his eyebrows. “Oh, nice timing. It seems like Shou is ready.”

He closed his eyes. In the matter of seconds, the atmosphere surrounding him changed and he opened his eyes again.

“Yo, sorry to make you wait, Kuro.”

“Shou huh? So you’ve came back.” Kuroda began to stand up and pick up his revolvers.

“Yeah, I’m back. So let’s settle this for real.” Shou also do the same. He take Eltain from the ground. “Eltain, you can change into just one dagger but make the blade a bit broader.” As Shou commanded it, the other dagger disappeared along with the chain that connected them.

“That sword is quite unique huh? I’ve never seen it before.”

“Well yeah, I also don’t know from what game is the base from, probably not from any game I guess.”

Silence... there’s a silence for a few seconds between them. Shou began to fix his stance. He stands sideways with his left side on the front, facing Kuroda. Eltain which is usually held in his right hand is now being held with his left hand. His feet are around 1 meter apart, and his hand that held Eltain is on the level of his chest.

Kuroda also reloaded his guns. All the 10 chambers on his revolver is now filled with bullets. He had a posture that is ready to shot anytime. Kuroda has never need to prepare where he needs to aim. As with his cheat, whenever he wanted to aim somewhere, in the instant he shot it will certainly aimed towards where he want. But as Phantom said, whenever humans aimed, their eyes will look towards the direction where they aimed.

Kuroda’s cheat was obsolete in the face of Phantom. No, it wasn’t obsolete. If Phantom was sniped from afar while he wasn’t aware, it would certainly be a great weapon.

“... I see, that guy told you about my cheat huh?”

“Well yeah, so shall we start?”

“Sure, let’s go.” *Bang*!

In the instant the sound of gunshot rang, Shou shifted his body to the left. His clothes that was a little bit too big for him got torn in the corner. It was Kuroda’s shot that torn it.

“Ho, you seems to be more composed and moved better this time.”

“Sure I am. Heat of fire, compress your power in my hand, become a fire that burns my enemies, form a ball of fire and explode on my target!--”

Desire. That is the essence of magic.

‘Respond to my wish! Become stronger!! I will certainly take Mao back!’

“Tch! Magic spell?!” *Bang*!

*Clank* “!!” Shou blocked the bullet that flew and released the fireball in his palm.

It was truly can’t be made light of. The fireball that released from Shou’s hand was very big. It has the diameter of 3 meters. It wasn’t like a at all. It’s more like a high tier offense magic, .

The unprepared Kuroda jumped aside by his own reflects. Then Kuroda realized, behind him was the big tree and also Mao who was unconscious. If that ball, no, lump of fire didn’t hit him, it will be dangerous for Mao. He was a bit hesitant and tried to turn back, but it was futile. He won’t made it in time.

When the big fireball almost reached Mao, Shou shifted his right hand that released the fireball upwards.

‘Controlling your desire means you also control your magic.’

The fireball as if controlled by him, shifted it trajectory up into the sky. No, it was really controlled by Shou. He controlled the lump of fire he released.

“... Fireball, come here.”

The ball of fire that flew stopped then shifted towards him, and then approach Shou as if an obedient pet dog. Kuroda who see this can’t help but flabbergasted seeing what Shou had done.

“Now then. Kuro, why are you trying to cover for Mao..?”

Kuroda finally realized what he had done. He sighed and fell silent. He can’t explain, thus he fell silent.

“So what Take said was true...” Shou mumbled in almost inaudible voice.

“Eh?” But somehow hearing it, Kuroda can’t help but responded dumbstruck.

“No need to silence yourself like that, Kuro. After all I now understand, you probably didn’t mean to take Mao away from me.”

‘Kuro’. Kuroda finally realized, Shou had been calling him just like how he used to. As if to lose his strength, the gun in Kuroda’s hand fell off.

“Sigh, you really are-- How much did you know?”

“... Sorry, Kuro. For always had been avoiding you all this time. Actually not long after, Take told it all to me, about all of it.” Shou also break his stance. On his face, a wry smile surfaced.

“Take huh? So he know about it..?” Kuroda then picked up his gun once again. “But still, this and that is a different matter. I still need to settle something with you.” And once again, he pointed his guns at Shou. It seems like there’s something they still need to settle all for once.

“... Even if you said ‘this and that’, I don’t know which is which.”

“... ... Don’t mind the details. That aside, come on let’s continue.”

“The hell! How could I continue if I don’t know about it! Explain better you dumbass!”

“Who are you calling dumbass you f***ing hypocrite!”

*Bang*! *Clank* “Why are you shooting! That’s dangerous!”

‘If Phantom didn’t train me, my head would be blown!!’ Shou thought for a while.

“And who did you call hypocrite you four eyes!”

“Of course I will shot! The battle had begun! You are the hypocrite!!” *Bang* *Bang*!! *Clank*

“Why am I a hypocrite?! Myste, shield!” As the shield activated, it repels all Kuroda’s shoot away.

“You... I hate you... I had always hate you!!”

“...”

The wind blow once again, making the bushes friction against each other and creating a sound.

“Why are you always smiling you damn hypocrite?! Whenever someone insult or humiliate you, you only stay silent and smiled. Whenever you are scorned by others, you only scratch you head and smiled! Whenever you got bullied, you only say ‘It can’t be helped’ and smiled!!! Can you only smile and laugh it off you damn hypocrite! You pissed me off!! Seeing your attitude pissed me off damn it! I always don’t like your fake smile!”

“Huh?! And that’s my fault?! You pissed off because of that?!!”

“Of course I will! Needless to say I will be pissed off damn it! Can’t you be more aggressive?!”

“Well of course I’m mad at them, but if I fight back it might only get worse. That’s why I’m containing myself!”

“Then stop smiling that much you ‘Smiling Pile of Sh*t’!!”

“There’s no need to use Emoticons as comparison right?!”

“And when I stole Akina from you... I thought you would finally be mad at me. But all you do were... You were only laughed and smiled wryly again and then said ‘If that’s how it is, then please be happy.’ And then left! Why won’t you get angry for yourself you... you... you idiot.”

“... No, that wasn’t true, it wasn’t you who stole Akina from me. It was me who stole her, right?”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you still didn’t get mad!!!”

The truth behind the incident...

It wasn’t that Kuroda stole Akina from Shou. But Shou was the one who unknowingly stole Akina from Kuroda.

The truth is, Kuroda and Akina had been going out for three months prior. But they never told neither Shou nor Takeharu. Not knowing the fact, Shou tried to confess to Akina, his childhood friend. Akina didn’t want to break the relationship between the four of them, she thought that if he reject him, it might be awkward between them. As result she accepted reluctantly, while still having a relationship with Kuroda. Of course Kuroda later know about this and told Akina to find a good time to explain to Shou.

But it was true that Kuroda had accused him of cheating with another girl.

After a few months, Kuroda couldn’t help but getting impatient while Akina was still concerned about how to tell it to Shou. They accused Shou of having another girl other than Akina. Takeharu, was the one who knows about all of that. He felt that Kuroda and Akina’s way of doing things are wrong. Thus, he stick up with Shou and supported him. Only later did he know the whole truth.

And now, the group of four began to separate their ways, Takeharu took Shou’s side.

“It was... my fault. I was the one to blame, Shou. I didn’t told you about us, and then I resorted to that kind of method. I’m despicable.”

Hearing that words, Shou snapped.

“And that’s why I also hate you, Kuro! You always took the blame yourself!”

“W-what?”

“You always tried to take the responsibility yourself! If there’s any failure in our project, you always blame your own self! I hate that side of you!!”

“Oh sure! I also hate your selfless thinking! Why you never stand up for your own, but you only get mad whenever your friends are insulted huh?!”

“Isn’t it fine?! Then don’t put all collective responsibility for yourself! Isn’t it just like what I do? And also, whenever you do it, it left an uncomfortable feeling on me!” Shou thrown Eltain away.

“Then you also stop doing that! Try to get mad for your own sake more! It pissed me off!” Kuroda also thrown away his guns.

“All you said is ‘pissed me off’, ‘pissed me off’ are you wetting your own pants you brat?!”

“Huh?! Do you not understand that it means that ‘I can’t stand it and I’m mad’? You’re the brat here!!”

The two ‘brats’ who had thrown away their weapon started wrestling like elementary school kid. Their hands are connected at each other’s and tried to shove the other one, truly a fight befitting of two ‘brats’.

They continued this for almost 10 minutes while throwing insult at each other.

* * * *

“Sigh... You... never learn huh?”

“Right back at you... Damn I’m tired.”

After the fierce(?) fight, the both of them are now laying down on the ground, out of breath.

It seems like the both of them had finished ‘settling their problems’ now.

“Hah... I really can’t stand you after all.”

“Khuhahaha, same here. I really hate that side of you.”

“What’s with that laugh? Disgusting.”

“D-disgusting?!”

The sun had already left its peak. It has probably already past 2 in the evening. Shou suddenly remembered that he hasn’t register to the raid quest.

“Anyway, Kuro. Please don’t take the blame all for yourself again.”

“You too. Sometime you need to stand up for yourself. But I guess that’s not the issue anymore, you’ve change. I’ve seen you getting angry for your own. Is it because of Mao?”

“Oh shut it... And also, Kuro, I don’t want you to keep acting as the bad guy. You aren’t always the only one to blame. Our fault is ours, your own fault is your own.”

“... hmph, acknowledge. Then we’re clear, right?”

“Yeah, no hard feelings.”

“No hard feelings. Ah, the ‘no hard feelings’ of course I didn’t mean it in the homosexual way, I have Akina after all.”

“You and your damn joke! It really ruins the mood damn it.”

Then, the two burst out into laugh. After that fight, it seems like the two had reconciled. The two are satisfied to point out what they had been contained and buried for long time. Kuroda who can’t stand Shou who never act for his own self, and Shou who hate how Kuroda carries the all blame for himself. Despite the two points are somehow similar, they both hated the other. No, it was precisely because it is similar that they can’t stand it.

Shou began to stands up and approached Mao. He gently stroke Mao’s cheeks and smiled.

“When she wake up, I will properly introduce you guys.”

“Don’t worry we didn’t do anything to her. We only use sleeping magic on her.”

“Sleeping magic?”

“Yeah.” Kuroda also began to stand up and stretch his stiff body. “Akina got a cheat for summoning you see. One of the creature she summoned can use sleep inducing magic. Although what I’ve said, to be truthful, I don’t know when the effect will worn off.”

“I see.” Shou then tried to think of something. How to wake Mao up? He decided to try to wake her at the inn. “Then let’s go back to the inn, I’ll wake her there.”

“Why at the inn? Just wake her here and now.”

“No let’s just--“ When Shou tried to replies, he saw Kuroda with a big grin on his face.

“What? Come on, wake her up now.”

“You do this on purpose right?”

“Who knows~? Quickly, wake her up. I won’t see anything, I promise.”

“So you really do know what I’m trying to do!! Don’t mess with me and let’s go back to the inn.”

Kuroda already guessed what the method to wake Mao up faster and tried to tease Shou. It seems that he doesn’t have the intention to give up and let them go to the inn.

“Oh come on, we still need to wait for Aki and Take.”

“Then we wait for them. Then go to inn. I will wake her there.”

“Oh? What are you trying to do at the inn? Why not just wake her up here and now? Who knows if Aki and I will still stick with you at the inn?”

“Then scram!!! Seriously!”

“A ah, so in the end Shou is like that, you won’t introduce your girlfriend to me or Aki.”

“Oh shut up! I get it! I get it okay!” Shou then lifted up Mao and go around the tree, where Kuroda won’t see them.

“Is it okay already?”

“Don’t look! Better yet, scram you pervert!!”

In the end Shou resort to ‘that’ method again in this place.

* * * *

So this is the new chapter and re-poll

As I can see 20 of you choose to "kill" Kuroda

While 3 of you choose to not

This is the last poll to change your opinion. Will you let him live or not.

Read the chapter then do the poll. I wonder if you changed you opinion about him

________________________________

And finally....

Ah... there's only one review for my fiction.

can any of you give your review? Like how is my grammar, style, character, and others you know.

Well it's not like I'm desperate for your review!! It's just bothers me a bit there are no one to review mine...

I don't know if there's something I need to fix. Even though I tried hard myself, there's a limit what I can do.

Anyway, if you can, please give me some review that I can consider to improve my fiction.