206 James' Short List

Human World, Japan, Kuoh.

In the training room under his mansion, James was laying on a workout bench currently, bench pressing the equivalent of two fully loaded subway cars with his physical strength alone. As he lifted the bar for his final rep, he heard footsteps entering the room. And just as he placed the bar back on the rack, the new arrival, Cu Chulainn became visible.

"Oh, didn't expect you to be here." Cu Chulainn said as he walked toward the middle of the room.

"Yeah, I usually do my work out a little earlier." James replied as he toweled off. "But I lost track of time reading over those damn applications."

"Sucks to be you." Cu Chulainn said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah, it must be nice to only have four people who thought you were interesting enough to choose." James said with a smile.

"I had more than four and you damn well know it." Cu Chulainn said as he began adjusting the weights for the leg press machine.

"So, you got leg day, huh?" James said as he watched Cu Chulainn. "I would have thought you'd skip it."

"Why the hell would I do that intentionally." Cu Chulainn asked. "Do you have any idea what master would do if she caught me slacking like that?"

"I'm just worried about you, Dude." James said as he began adjusting the weights on the bar again.

"Worried?" Cu Chulainn looked at him skeptically.

"Yeah, if you're legs are too strong, you might break your teeth when you put your foot in your mouth next time." James said with a smile.

"Fuck you." Cu Chulainn replied while rolling his eyes.

After that exchange, James and Cu Chulainn continued their workouts while joking and poking fun at each other. Eventually, they got back onto the topic of pact contracts.

"So, have you chosen your contractor?" James asked curiously.

"Yeah, a chick named Tosaka Rin." Cu Chulainn replied. "That gem magic or whatever it's called seems interesting."

"She's quite the cutie, too." James added.

"Yeah, she is... Wait! How do you know that?" Cu Chulainn asked in panic.

"She applied to be my contractor, too." James replied. "In fact, she's on my short list, as of now."

"Well, I guess I should just give up, then." Cu Chulainn said. "She'd have access to meet me if she was your contractor, anyway."

"Nah, she's all yours." James replied while shaking his head. "The thing you find interesting, doesn't really interest me as much."

"Then, how many are on your short list if you don't include her?" Cu Chulainn asked before wiping the sweat off his face.

"Two." James said as he unstrapped his ankles from the bar he was hanging from.

"Damn, you got that big ass stack of papers down to only three in two days?" Cu Chulainn asked.

"Yeah, it wasn't easy." James replied as he flipped down to his feet. "But there were some pretty interesting topics for magic study."

"That's not really your thing, though." Cu Chulainn said.

"I know." James replied with a nod. "Although I'm good enough at math to make a difference in their calculation-based magic, I'd rather not."

"So, who are these two mages that have your attention?" Cu Chulainn asked with curiosity.

"The first is a guy a year or so younger than me." James replied. "His name is Shiba Tatsuya. He has two innate magics that I find interesting as hell. In fact, one of them could help me break into the major god-rank, I think."

"Oh, you got me interested, now." Cu Chulainn said as he leaned closer.

"He has what's called [Elemental Sight]." James continued. "Basically, he can break the world down into information that he can decipher."

"Seriously?" Cu Chulainn replied. "Now, I can see why you think he could help you break into the next rank."

"Well, it's just a hypothesis." James replied while shrugging his shoulders. "Just because he can see what step I'm on, doesn't mean he can tell me what the next step is to get where I want to be, ya know?"

"Not really, but whatever." Cu Chulainn replied with a shrug. "Anyway, who's the other one?"

"A woman named Irene Belserion." James replied. "She seems to be greatly interested in the research of dragons and dragon aspects."

"So, she wants to study you, right?" Cu Chulainn asked.

"Basically." James replied with a nod. "Knowing more about my dragon aspect would be nice, but I haven't been able to decide yet."

"[Why would you even need to consider?]" Ddraig asked in James' mind. "[You literally have the soul of one of the strongest dragons to ever live living in your soul.]"

"But you have Ddraig, The Red Dragon Emperor living in your soul, right?" Cu Chulainn asked at the same time as Ddraig. "Why would you need this woman to help you learn about your dragon aspect?"

"There is actually a really simple reason behind that." James replied with a chuckle.

Hearing that, Ddraig and Cu Chulainn had the same thought.

'Because she has a pussy, and Ddraig/I doesn't/don't.'

"Because Ddraig sucks at explaining anything related to dragons." James replied nonchalantly.

"Huh?" Cu Chulainn was dumbfounded.

"[What the hell do you mean by that?]" Ddraig shouted in James' mind, outraged by the accusation.

"Do you remember when I first awakened the [Boosted Gear]?" James asked.

"[Of course, I do.]" Ddraig replied.

At the same time, Cu Chulainn nodded.

"Was Ddraig the reason I learned how to use so many of his abilities so quickly?" James asked.

"[Of course!]" Ddraig shouted.

"If it wasn't him, then who could it be?" Cu Chulainn asked in confusion.

"Nope." James said while shaking his head. "It was master."

Ddraig was just about to open his mouth in protest. However, a split-second before he could, the memories that he tried to forget made themselves known. And James' next words solidified them.

"Every time Ddraig would explain one of his powers that I should be able to use, Master would tell him to stop." James said in a tired tone. "After that, she would explain it in a much easier way to understand. Then, I would be forced to practice the move... Over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over..."

James continued to repeat those two words. And as he did, his eyes turned more and more lifeless. As a matter of fact, when James awakened the [Boosted Gear], James' schedule was not adjusted to fit training with it into the schedule. Instead, Scathach just tacked it on wherever she could. And if James' progress was not satisfactory, by her standards, James' time to sleep was reduced.

Seeing the light in James' eyes going out, Cu Chulainn felt sorry for the guy. So, he snapped him out of his recollections.

"James, Dude, snap out of it." Cu Chulainn said, patting James' shoulder with some force.

"Huh?" James was shocked out of his stupor. Looking around his surroundings for a moment, James let out a sigh of relief when he realized he was in the training room under his mansion. "Anyway, where was I?"

"You were saying that Ddraig sucked at explaining the aspect of a dragon." Cu Chulainn said, reminding James.

"Oh, yeah, that's right." James said with a nod. "Well, the reason I said that is because Ddraig explains it all as if I were born a dragon. And when I ask him to simplify it for a newb, he can't be bothered."

"Yeah, I guess that would make him suck at it." Cu Chulainn said, nodding in response.

"[It's not my fault you're too dumb to understand.]" Ddraig said in a pouty tone.

'This definitely isn't the first time someone brought this up with him.' James thought as he rolled his eyes at his draconic partner. 'But seriously, a pouting dragon is not something I ever want to see.'

"That's not what I was expecting to hear." Cu Chulainn said with a wry smile.

"Oh, really?" James replied with a smile. "You were probably thinking something along the lines of: 'Because she has a pussy and he doesn't,' right?"

Cu Chulainn's jaw fell when he heard what James had to say. Even Ddraig stopped his pouting and was thoroughly surprised that he knew what was going through his mind.

"Look at that stupid look on your face." James said with a chuckle. "I bet Ddraig is wearing the same one right now."

"How?" Cu Chulainn asked.

"I've known you just as long as you've known me." James said. "So, just as you can try and predict what I'm thinking, why can't I do the same. And since I'm better than you in all aspects, why wouldn't I be right when you're wrong?"

"Wait... I can't let that part slide." Cu Chulainn said. "Better than me in all aspects? I don't think so."

"*Sigh* Denial really isn't just a river in Egypt, huh?" James said in a forlorn tone while looking at Cu Chulainn with pity.

"Then why don't you prove it?" Cu Chulainn said, materializing his spear in his hand. "Keep your output at the same as mine and fight me with skill alone."

"Bruh... You act like we haven't been doing this since I first surpassed you in rank." James said while shaking his head.

"Cut the shit, are we gonna fight or not?" Cu Chulainn said while stepping toward the sparring ring.

"*Sigh* Fine, if you wanna catch an ass whoopin' that bad," James said while raising his right hand with a magic circle forming above his index and middle fingers, "who am I to stop you?"

After that, James completed the magic circle and materialized his swords on his left hip. At the same time, Cu Chulainn reached the sparring ring and turned toward James who was still walking toward him. When he saw the magic circle floating there, he was dumbfounded.

"Hold on, wai..." Cu Chulainn said, reaching out his hand to stop James.

Unfortunately, he was too late. James had just activated the magic circle.

"Attention, all residents. A fighting skills challenge has been made in the training room." James said, speaking into the magic circle. "Lancer, the challenger, has challenged me. I will delay the beginning of the spar by three minutes. Anyone who would like to watch and/or gain some inspiration or to improve their own skills through observation, please make your way here, now."

A moment later, James ended the transmission. Then, the magic circle faded into the air.

"What the hell, man?" Cu Chulainn asked in exasperation.

"What do you mean?" James asked in an innocent tone, with an equally innocent expression on his face.

"Don't play innocent with me, damn it!" Cu Chulainn shouted. "There was no reason to make this a public spectacle!"

And just as Cu Chulainn said, James' innocent expression turned into a sly smile.

"What's wrong, Lancer?" James asked in a provocative tone. "It sounds like you're afraid to lose in front of everyone. Or maybe... Oh, she's home today, huh?"

"Don't fucking play with me!" Cu Chulainn shouted. "You knew she was here from the damn beginning."

James' sly smile widened exponentially after Cu Chulainn's outburst.

"I don't know why you sound so upset though, Lancer." James said, going back to his innocent tone and expression. "You said you could beat me in pure skill, right?"

"Damn you, James." Cu Chulainn replied. "You know I was just shootin' the shit with one of the guys."

"Even if you're just shootin' the shit, this should teach you to keep your mouth from writing checks that your ass can't cash." James said with a smile.

"Hell yeah, I love watching James-Senpai kick someone's ass." Issei said as he and Asia walked into the training room. "Especially if it's not mine."

"Issei, you shouldn't say that when Lancer is standing right there." Asia said quietly.

"Whether I say it or not, the outcome is written in stone." Issei said with a smile.

A moment later, Issei and Asia were standing near the sparring ring. While Asia greeted both combatants with a polite greeting, Issei smiled at Cu Chulainn with schadenfreude. Just behind them was Scathach. Without saying a word, her gaze alone told both James and Cu Chulainn that they had better not half-ass it.

Tsubaki was the next to arrive. Following her were Mizore, Moka, and Shuna. The rest of the Gremory and Sitri peerages followed them. Then, the last to arrive were Leona and Shion.

"Shion, I give up." Leona said, shaking her head with a frown on her face.

"No!" Shion said with tears in her eyes. "You can't give up on me like that!"

"Sorry, Shion." Leona said, not making eye contact with the former Oni. "There's really nothing I can do to help. Maybe you should ask Scatti, she's a better teacher than I am."

Before Shion could even turn her gaze in Scathach's direction, she answered the question before it could be asked.

"I know when I am out of my depth." Scathach said, shaking her head. "Not even this Scathach can improve whatever it is that you call cooking."

At that, Shion froze. Shortly after that, she appeared to pale rapidly and what appeared to be her soul began to seep out of her mouth.

"Why are you so concerned with being able to cook, anyway?" Akeno asked curiously.

"Because the magazine said that men like women who know how to cook." Shion said tearfully. "That means James won't like me if I can't cook?"

The room fell silent with that outburst. Realizing what she said, Shion immediately covered her mouth with both hands. On the other hand, James' level of confusion was off the charts. And no one could blame him for it. Shion had in no way shown that she was romantically interested in James. The only thing she had ever done was ask James to taste her cooking, which he never did again after the six-hour coma his first taste sunk him into.

Seeing the lost look in James' eyes, Cu Chulainn smiled deviously. Then, he turned toward Scathach.

"Master, I think we should start the match." Cu Chulainn said.

Scathach only shook her head at her disciple's antics. Tsubaki on the other hand, looked at her boyfriend with a bit of disappointment. Nevertheless, Scathach did as Cu Chulainn asked and began the match. With James not reacting, Cu Chulainn moved toward James quickly, thinking that he would place the tip of his spear on James' throat then wait until he was back to his senses.

Unfortunately, things did not go as Cu Chulainn expected.

*Cling!*

*Thump!*

As Cu Chulainn drew near, James' body reacted without any input from his brain. Quickly drawing Mangetsu no Shita de, James parried and disarmed the unprepared Cu Chulainn with such force that Gáe Bolg was stuck in a wall and vibrating fiercely. Then, after disarming Cu Chulainn, James placed his blade on Cu Chulainn's neck. And he did all this while still in shock from Shion's confession.

Now, Cu Chulainn was also sporting a lost look similar to James' expression.

"I think somebody should move Lancer." Issei said. "If I were him, I'd just move my neck onto James-Senpai's blade after a showing like that."