7 The Senior

Everything that Kazuma experienced after he felt weak became a blur. Although he remembered bits and pieces of the experience, it's not that clear as he is struggling even properly to stand during that time.

When he finally recovered, he was back in the real world and is currently sitting on a nearby bench in Shibuya. He looked around and the scenery was back to normal. The people are doing their business as usual, some men in business suits always have a phone in their ears while their other hand has either a bag or briefcase, some teens hanging around, some couples, and many other people you would see anywhere. The buildings have returned to normal and the wreckage he saw before has vanished like it never happened in the first place.

"Was everything I just experienced just a dream or am I going crazy and currently hallucinating?"

"Gahahaha! It's always pretty hilarious to see Malkuth trainees like you experience their first Qlipoth encounter! It does not get old!"

The sudden appearance of the guy who spoke startled Kazuma who is still confused about everything, causing him to fall from the bench. He looks at the grinning guy in disbelief and he realized that this guy seems to be the same guy he encountered back then.

"What the hell... Wait, you are that guy..." Kazuma immediately recognized him.

"Oh? You seem a promising kid that you even remember me despite the things you experienced. Good, good. I like it."

"Wait. So everything I experienced before wasn't a dream and everything was real?"

The guy pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up using his finger but discreetly using it like he was using a lighter.

"Yep. And it was your lucky day to be able to get out of a Gomaliel-level threat in the first place. Malkuth trainees like you shouldn't be handling them just yet and should stick to the Lilith-level Qlipoths to avoid forfeiting your lives. If I was not there, you might have become a dead man in the news the next day."

Kazuma felt fear from all the events happening before. It wasn't just a dream. It happened indeed. Those people, those faces. Those things will be something Kazuma won't be forgetting anytime soon.

"However, there is a question I have in mind. Who are you? I am quite sure I knew most of the Malkuth-level magicians in the Tokyo Area. There should only be one of them and you are definitely one of them. Who are you? And how come you are unaware of the danger the Qlipoth brings and why you didn't escape it sooner the moment you realized it?"

"Woah there... I am even confused as hell and I don't even understand half of what you are saying, man. I was just about to go and buy some groceries to fill up my fridge when I suddenly got dragged into that place. It wasn't even my intention to go there!"

The guy was surprised at what Kazuma's reason was. He pulled out his phone and started fiddling with it. Kazuma slowly stood up and wipe off the dust on his pants.

"Hey, kid. Uh...what's your name again?"

"Why should I tell you? I don't even know who you are," Kazuma frowned.

"Idiot, I am not asking for your real-life name. I am asking for the nickname that you used in Harmony. We don't use real name calling in a magician circle as that would be a bit dumb and also to secure secrecy to the people who had that name. I needed to see if you are part of the Kabbalah."

Kazuma understood why this guy suddenly pulled up the phone. The Kabbalah channel he accidentally joined before. It seems the guy before him is trying to determine whether he is a real magician.

"How can you be sure that you are not some enemy of the Kabbalah? Suddenly asking for my name all of a sudden."

The guy seemed to realize what he was doing and he fiddled with his phone for a bit.

"Here, look at my phone, this was my profile in Harmony. Now go and check it out on the Kabbalah channel and look for my name. You can see me interact with many people there. You won't miss me."

Kazuma grab the phone of the man and checked his profile. He had a nickname [Voltaire] on display and it has a profile picture of him flexing his biceps. He gave back the phone to him and Kazuma pulled out his own phone and started fiddling with it as well. He checked the chat group's general and also on some channels that he can access as a Malkuth only have limited channels they can access.

Checking it up, the name [Voltaire] is indeed present and he is getting along well with the people in the general chat and it seems he is also well known by them as well. Kazuma checked the online people as well and he is also one of the people currently online under the category of Geburah with his name having a dark red color.

"Now you see? I am one of the people in the group chat. They call me [Voltaire], A Geburah level 3 Magician. I am not just some rookie acting like a senior alright? I am a genuine senior that you can ask questions on. I am also the one who saved you from the crisis you just faced while dealing with a Gomaliel Qlipoth. Now, do you think you can tell me your nickname in Harmony?"

Kazuma decided to give up on it and tell his nickname. The thing is... telling him the nickname also tells him his real name as well.

"Kazuma. It's called Kazuma."

"Kazuma? Are you serious kid? Did you use your real name as a nickname? That's bold of you, kid. I can't believe someone would use their real name as the nickname rather than pick an alias and be done with it."

"I suck at coming up with an alias and whenever I did find one for myself, it sucks to hear so it's not really something I would sweat thinking about. I just head straight to my real name immediately," Kazuma puts away his phone after telling Voltaire his nickname in Harmony.

"Alright, alright. Fine, whatever the case of your stuff and whatever you think is best, then go for it. Anyways... Kazuma... ah there it is. Wait... you just joined recently? Wow, no wonder you seemed like you don't know what I am talking about. You were still freaking fresh blood! Interesting."

Kazuma felt compelled to tell him it was accidental on his part that he managed to join the group but in the end, stopped himself from saying that and just keep the secret.

"Heh, well who would have thought I would meet with the fresh blood here? Anyways, welcome to the group. Although we are not that big in the chat group as the chat is only composed of the people present in the Tokyo area, there are plenty of other people in other areas as well. Anyways, I can tell you have a promising future on this, Kazuma. Just keep working hard and perhaps you would be able to face a Gomaliel-level threat Qlipoth on your own in the future. You still have a long way to go as someone who just started."

He was still ready to say something else but he was interrupted by a phone call. He looks at it and frowned before he returned to face Kazuma.

"Looks like I have different matters to attend to. Anyways. be careful next time not to go into a Qlipoth level you still can't handle. At your level, be sure to handle Lilith-level threat Qlipoths for now and avoid those higher-level threats if you still value your life. Here, as a welcome gift from your senior. It's a great accessory I give to the fresh blood to detect those Qlipoths and whether it is safe to engage or not. Don't worry about the cost and receive it. Consider it as something a senior would do to his juniors. Anyways, laters."

He then tosses something Kazuma's way which the latter catches. When Kazuma turned to look at Voltaire again, he was nowhere to be seen. Kazuma then took a glance at what Voltaire has given to him. A dull-colored magatama necklace.