13 The Strongest Morning

Leon came to a halt in front of the station, it's bustling with students. Most of them are from the first high school, but sometimes he spots a few students with different uniforms.

"Leon! You are finally here."

A familiar voice caught Leon attention.

"Hm? Ah, Leo... You are so early today."

Leon saw a man behind him, it was the one he met yesterday. A new member of their group, he needs some time to get used to it.

"No, I'm not early, but you are the one who is late. Come on, everyone is waiting for you." Leo waved at him as if asking Leon to follow him.

"... Did you lose on Rock-paper-scissors or something?" Leon asked the man walking in front of him, there is many canned coffee in the plastic bag hanging from his hand.

"Uh... Yeah, is it that obvious?" Leon's head is getting lower as he gets more depressed.

"You must be duped by Erika."

"Gah! I knew it! You think so too, right? It's impossible for me to lose to someone like her!" Leo held his head in frustration.

The station is quite big, so it took 3 minutes to reach the waiting room. Tatsuya, Miyuki, Erika, and Mizuki are waiting for them inside.

"Sorry, I'm late."

"Are you alright? Your face is so pale." Mizuki asked, rather worried.

"I'm fine, don't worry. I just don't get enough sleep last night." Leon gave her a weak smile.

Leo opened the plastic bag in his hand, and asked, "Here, which one do you want?"

"I want black."

"Oh, Tatsuya-kun, so manly. I also prefer black." Leo grinned.

"Ha! Make sure you don't spit it out later." Erika sneered at him.

"What did you say?!"

Looks like Leo has taken his original role from Leon as Erika's arch enemy. They can't seem to stay close without bickering with each other. Looking at this spectacle, Leon let out a little smile.

"Leon-kun, here, it will get you better."

"...Thanks." Leon takes a sip of the coffee given by Mizuki, it was very bitter. He bit his lower lip to stop himself from spilling the coffee in his mouth.

"...What's wrong?" Mizuki titled her head as she saw Leon's strange expression when he drank the black coffee, "If you don't like it, you can have the cappuccino instead."

"Mizuki..." Leon raised his eyebrows at the angel before him.

"What are you talking about Mizuki, there is no way Leon hate black coffee, right?" Erika gave out an annoying smile as she snatches the cappuccino before Leon had the chance to take it.

The smile on Leon's lips turned stiff for a moment.

"...Yeah,... but I'm in the mood for something sweet... now-"

Without giving Erika a chance to respond, Leon snatched the cappuccino in her hand.

"Wha?! That's dirty of you Leon-kun!"

"That's rich coming from you."

"Stop right there!"

The chestnut haired man, Leo looks at the bickering duo in a daze. The infuriated Erika chases Leon around the room as he tried to drink the cappuccino while avoiding Erika.

Leo comes out from his daze, then turned to the sibling as if asking for something.

Tatsuya didn't say anything as if already used to this, while Miyuki gave him a faint smile, "Just like you and Erika, sometime they can't stop squabbling.

"Gah! That's unfair of you to use magic, Leon-kun!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"I saw those red eyes!"

"You must be hallucinating, I didn't use any magic." Leon blinked his black eyes. Technically he is not lying, Sharingan is not magic because it doesn't use Psion but chakra instead.

Leon won't be able to keep up with Erika if he didn't activate his three-tomoe Sharingan. Chiba Erika, she is from the Chiba family, one of the Hundred Families. So it's impossible for her to be weak and now it was proven to be right.

Leon narrowed his eyes at the pouting Erika as he takes the last mouthful of coffee. She is not an ordinary woman and can't be underestimated either, she could predict his moves easily and nearly snatched the coffee from him if he didn't activate his Sharingan unconsciously. It was a close call.

"Um, Leon-kun, are you close with the President?" Mizuki suddenly asked, moved Leon attention away from Erika.

"Huh...?" Leon was confused, that come out of nowhere, "...Why do you ask?"

The way she looked at him, Leon was wondering if she noticed something between him and Mayumi.

"Hmm, Indeed Mizuki... Hum...Hum... There is something different in their gaze, something special."

Erika was already in her detective mode and her grin is full of mischief. She just speaks random things without knowing anything, yet somehow her nonsense is spot on and accurate today.

"It certainly looks like you two are close with each other." Mizuki smiled, but the smile doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"...Is that so..." Leon averted his eyes from Mizuki as he cursed Erika in his mind, there is something scary about Mizuki's expression right now. "Mizuki... you must be imagining things."

Talking about the president, Leon thought drifted to the ever-smiling face of Mayumi and what they did together in the storage room.

Something already changed in their relationship, that much is clear to him. But what is their relationship now? Can she be considered as his girlfriend? But she didn't say anything about it and carelessly saying something irresponsible may lead to another problem, Leon thought.

He is not innocent or dense, so he understands that Mayumi also had an interest in him. But, this is his first-time creating a bond beyond family member and male friends, so he had no idea how the relationship works and develop between man and woman.

Not to mention she is no ordinary woman, but someone from the Saegusa Family, one of the Ten Master Clans. Her family is considered to be Japan's ten most influential magic families with power beyond even the authorities.

The hurdle is too high for a virgin like him.

After meeting with Kokonoe-sensei, Leon tries not to get overconfident, there are many people stronger than him in this world. Now, he is just a mere Pawn, the weakest piece on the chess board.

To change his fate and those around him, he needs to get stronger and the first step is to get rid of his weaknesses.

Points!

With enough Points, he can bid goodbye to his weaknesses and become the strongest man in this world and no one can stand before him. The Ten Master Clans and Hundred Families are no exception.

But is it really that simple? He can earn easy points if he kills Mitsui Honoka, the woman he met yesterday. She is pretty weak compared to him. But, can he bring himself to do it? ...Impossible, Leon thought.

As long as they didn't show any ill intentions, he won't be able to do it. he can only earn points if he is lucky and meets important bad guys. His musing was broken by Erika's voice.

"Could it be Leon and the president is secret lovers?" Erika commented jokingly.

"Hmm, that may be possible. I can see it!" Leo exclaimed as he going with the flow of Erika's nonsense.

For some reason, the two of them are not bickering and teamed up to attack Leon instead. Mizuki is also getting scarier as Erika and Leo continue to speak their nonsense.

The situation is getting out of hand that cold sweat broke out on Leon's forehead and he mopped it away with his new handkerchief.

"Everyone, I think it's time for us to get in, our cabinet is ready to depart," Miyuki smiled.

Her gracious smile is able to destroy the tense atmosphere in the room. Leon can only give her internal gratitude in return.

Miyuki, she is a lifesaver as always. He won't forget this favor in his life and will repay her when he becomes the strongest Hoka-Cough-, the strongest magician in the world, Leon swore in his mind.