If it comes to this, I guess it is not wrong at all. There was also a rule stating that cheating will only be counted once a participant points it out. In order words, we just have to make sure no one notices our little secret. Rulend stated that there were reports of almost all teams of the past Magic Duel cheated in some way. Be it by blackmailing, or even a helping hand from those not officially in their team. The Magic Duel was pretty much a new concept that was introduced to the world. Haz said that Cheat can also be a type of magic because during combat, what matters is victory. How vicious can this world get? In the end it was all about winning. Even I can’t help it. At least my friends have their own grade unlike me.

Blax and Rulend are a wonderful wizard. Both of them have a very useful magic. No wonder they are C Ranked Wizard. Kaym was still new but he was already at the same level as both Rider and Lore which is grade E. Serena, even though she’s younger than us. Her magic passes through the three boys putting her as one of those in rank D. While both me and Hosuke…I really don’t know what kind of madness was this world doing to us. We could have at least get the lowest rank but no. That didn’t happen at all. Both of us were not even in the ranking. In the end it was all about talent. Even I can’t help it. At least I’m not alone.

I started to hate how they are doing this. Everything is all about talent. I have none of that. My magic was useless. Hosuke doesn’t even have magic even though he has a family with great wizards. We are almost the same. In the end we had to ‘cheat’ our way by eating an Infinitum crystal. I’m sure it will come to that as well for Hosuke. When I told him about what I thought about all of this. He punched me. He was pissed about my deranged feelings.

“You told us the stories about Stardust right?” Hosuke told me.

Hosuke was fidgeting a little. Holding back all the angry feeling inside him.

“Right now, you are the current leader of the great Stardust group!” Hosuke grabs my collar and said those words right to my face.

My mouth were shut.

“Talent? What are you talking about, White?” He kept on talking.

I was wavered by his words until...

He said this to me, “It doesn’t make a difference whether you have talent or not!”

“Huh?”

He continued, “I mean, that isn’t the end goal.

I tried to fight back his words, “But…”

He kept on pushing me, “People like us have greater freedom than those with talents! They have to follow their talent to the end! But we go anywhere and become anything! Isn’t that what you said to me when I was on the brink of suicide?!”

At that moment I finally realized what I had forgotten. I was too stupid. I was the one who said all those words to Hosuke back when he was trying to commit suicide. What was I thinking? Talent? No. What matters the most is we have to believe!

I let out a tear and told him, “You are right. I forgot. I understand now.”

“Great. Now. Can you please wake up, White?” Hosuke told me that as my vision started to fade away.

The next moment I opened my eyes, I was sitting inside a room alongside Rulend and The Deceiver, Zone. Zone was surprised by something. His eyes were wide opened. I remember now. After we finished talking with Haz, we decided to see Zone to ask for his help. He then issues a challenge. He challenged us to beat his magic.

His magic was called Cheat. He can lie, cheat and steal a victory without anyone realizing it. His words are very deceiving. His speech patterns were unpredictable. His confidence level was off the charts. Rulend Investigation was no match against Cheat. He can even make people believe a lie. We need his help to make everyone believe that the Infinibot was part of my magic. A very dangerous old-gen utility type magic. Perfect for a B Ranked Wizard like Zone.

I accepted his challenge and then I was loss in thoughts because of the words that Zone said to make me fall to despair. But, Hosuke somehow appeared inside the thought and helped me get out of it.

“This is impossible! No one has ever broken out of my Cheat before!” Zone grips his hands.

“Not anymore…” I said.

Zone asked me, “But how? I’ve told you all those things that will totally make you go into despair and give up! How? How did you do it? I even said that people with no magic like you can just go get an Infinitum crystal and be with it. You can never be like us!”

I said back to him,”Yeah, I have no talent whatsoever and my magic is useless right now. So what? Everyone is equal!

Zone slammed a table, “No they aren’t. Give up, already. You can’t make diamonds out of scrap metal! Act like the scum you are and hang with those like you like Hosuke and enjoy your lives, thinking your all great! Just because you hang around with talented wizards you think you are special? This is why I hate people with no magic! You cling to them like crap trailing behind a goldfish!

I took a breath and spoken to him, “You’re wrong…There’s more to life than just having magic.”

Zone then calmed down and sighed, “Amazing… Well said. You are right. People like you should act as befits them. If you have time to envy the wizards, use that time to live like a gear in a machine. For people like you, you don’t need to think. If you live life idly, groveling before your betters, nothing can make you happier.”

I remembered back the time where I decided to eat the Infinitum crystal. I’ve decided to go on ahead. To keep moving forward and never stop advancing.

I said to Zone, “I will live the life I want to lead. I will become the protagonist of my own story. I will become a version of me that I can be proud of around my friend.”

“Why?” Zone asks.

I answered, “Because… I write my own story!”

The room was all silent for a mere five seconds. And on that day, was the day that The Deceiver has been deceived by his own words.

“You’ve earn my respect, White. In fact, this is the second time you did something amazing against me and now you beat my Cheat. You really earned it. I’ll gladly be part of Stardust.” Zone said that as he shook his hand toward me.

I gladly accepted his hand and shake it. No one would have expected this outcome. Not even me. I guess I’m just too stubborn. My stubbornness was what made me who I am today.

Rulend then comes in and said, “Congratulations, White. Not even my Investigation can beat his Cheat.”

“I still remember when you tried to use your Investigation on me, Rulend. It was fun back then.” Zone grinned.

Rulend chuckled and said, “Now that this is over, I guess we can finally finish the day right?”

“Exactly.” I said.

The three of us then got out of the room we were in and went to the lab to see Haz who was still testing out his Infinibot. He was very happy to know that we managed to get help from Zone. Today was yet another great day. It is the best life I have lead, may it never changes. The four of us decided to head back home together and grab some food on the way.

“This is one delicious popcorn fried chicken.” said Zone as he munches the snack.

“Indeed it is. Even Infinibot loves it. Right, Infinibot?” Haz gave Infinibot a piece of the same snack.

I said to them, “I didn’t know that Infinibot can actually eat.”

“Yeah, it feels like a pet now.” said Rulend.

Haz explains, “At first I was planning just to make an ordinary invention but then I realize why not create something that can also give out feelings. So instead, I decided to make Infinibot not just as a magical invention but also a pet.”

“That’s very cute of you, Haz.” said Zone.

Haz was a proud of his creation.

He then asked us something completely different, “Hey what about the final member for your team? Have you got anyone?”

Rulend responded and said, “I’m not sure yet. But we are trying to get him now. Let’s just hope Rider, Lore, and Kaym do their job.”

“By the way, have you seen Hosuke and Blax?” Zone asked us. “I didn’t see them at the library when we were leaving.”

Rulend said, “Maybe they have something that they need to settle. Something that could make Hosuke...hopeful.”

At the moment when we were still inside the room with Zone. Rider, Lore and Kaym was doing their best to get our final member, The Manipulator of Gravity, Airi Mortar. At that very same moment also, Blax and Hosuke found something that matters a lot. Where will all of this lead to?

TO BE CONTINUED