Chapter 12

The rooftop of Sobu High's special-use building was silent and barren. Behind me stood the roof access point, its door slightly ajar.

I held onto the fence, my fingers digging into the metal, and glanced at Yukinon. She was standing several feet away from me, her eyes focused on the distant sports fields. I exhaled, my gaze moving to the soccer, baseball, and track clubs. Their members, under the orange hues of the setting sun, were packing away their equipment with a mix of weariness and contentment.

Say something. How could I have nothing to say after looking for Yukinon after all these days? What's wrong with me?

I observed Yukinon. Her appearance was the same as how I remembered her. Her eyes were staring at the floor beside her. Her body half turned towards me. She was so close now. But at the same time, the distance between us seemed impossible to close. I tried to think of what to say, and it all went blank; despite knowing what I wanted, I didn't know how I wanted to say it.

"Um, Yukinon. H-how have you been?" I started, cursing myself for being such a coward.

Where was all the determination I felt before!?

"I've been…doing okay, Yuigahama-san." She answered carefully, then added nothing else.

"O-oh." Another awkward silence surrounds us. My hand clutches at the hem of my skirt anxiously, not knowing how I can break this tension between us.

What am I supposed to say?! I've been looking for her all this time, and now that she's talking to me, why can't I find the right words to say?!

"I-I've been trying to find you, you know?" I admitted, staring at the ground nervously. I just needed to be honest first. "I tried your phone, but it's not available anymore."

"Ah, about that." Yukinon looked away, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I… had to change my phone. My family wanted me to use a more secure line."

"Really?" I said, looking at her, genuinely surprised. "Why is that?"

"Its a family matter, Yuigahama-san." Yukinon answered promptly, looking at me sharply. I winced, but I was glad to see a glimpse of the icy persona I became fond of.

"Oh, hehe." I gave her a sheepish grin. She just nodded before looking away again.

"Still, I didn't think I'd find you at the…clubroom," I said hesitantly, trying to look for a way to keep this conversation going so I could gather more of my courage.

"Ah yes, I–" Yukinon started but cut herself off with a nervous cough. "I was just passing by and wanted to see if the school staff changed anything about it."

I bit my lip at her answer.

She was obviously lying.

The special-use building was too far away from her classroom and was far from anywhere that people would normally visit. Plus, she was also never the type to wander around just because she felt like it.

…if I'm right, then she came to the clubroom because she wanted to remember our time together.

Just like me.

"Yukinon–"

"Yuigahama-san." She cuts me off, her tone becoming firm. "Why…why did you want to see me?" This time, Yukinon turned her head to meet my eyes finally.

It was still there…as clear as the day when I first ignored it.

Her pained blue eyes were still weighed down so heavily by the crushing guilt she kept to herself.

…do I really deserve her forgiveness when I allowed her to shoulder all that weight? For this long? When I so willingly looked away from her pain?

And even if I apologized, would she even forgive me? That's what I feared the most; that's what's been keeping me back…

"Is it… too late to save what we had?"

Hikki's words repeated themselves in my mind.

Was I going to allow my fear to stop me from reconnecting with Yukinon? She was finally in front of me after all this time, still carrying that pain all by herself. Will I let rejection prevent me from trying my hardest to make it up to her?

I promised myself that I would fix this. I gulped, but I knew what I had to do.

Determined, I stepped forward, and Yukinon's eyes widened in surprise as I began to close the gap between us.

Each step was heavier than the last. It was as if heavy weights were strapped to my ankles.

"We won't know until we try, won't we?"

That's right. I have to try.

"Yukinon," I said once I felt I was close enough to her. If I was brave enough, I could have taken her hands in mine. My eyes began to sting with the familiar feeling of irritation. I'm such a crybaby.

She watched me anxiously, looking unsure about my intentions and why I was so close.

"Yukinon, I'm... I'm-" Tears began to fall down my cheeks. My throat felt tight, and I had to fight my chest to stop myself from sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm so, so sorry!" I bowed my head deeply.

"Y-Yuigahama-san…?!"

Lips trembling, I raised my head to meet her surprised face as the words tumbled out without my control.

"I was a terrible friend! When you needed me most, I stood back and watched you suffer because I blamed you for what happened! I'm terrible—absolutely the worst kind of person. But even so..." I choked back another sob but powered on, the need to say what's in my heart more important than anything else.

"But even so…I still want to be your friend again!"

My eyes blurred as emotions swirled inside me, overwhelming me with their intensity.

There was so much I could say, but in my heart, I knew this was the first thing I wanted to tell her.

I know she needed a friend right now, and if I had to beg, then–

"I don't…understand." A familiar choice of words came from Yukinon's lips, with a voice so weak that it was merely a whisper. Dread seized my heart, remembering quite clearly what happened when she last uttered them. Just like that day, Yukinon looked so lost, her eyes filled with confusion.

Will she run away again?

…I don't want that but–

–I have no right to stop her.

But I can't just give up!

Not when I know she needs me more than ever.

"Yukinon, please–!"

"Why are you apologizing?"

Her words caused whatever I was about to say to die on my lips.

"Yukinon…?" I said, feeling confused. Yukinon opened her mouth to say something more but closed it again, shutting her eyes with a pained look. I wanted to reach my hand out to comfort her, but her words made me hesitate. I didn't know if touching her would make things worse…

A beat of silence hung over the two of us as Yukinon looked like she was thinking of what more to say while I waited with bated breath for her to continue.

"There's nothing to forgive, Yuigahama-san." Yukinon finally said while opening her eyes again, looking at me sadly. "It was only right for you to blame me."

"No!" I exclaimed, horrified. "That's not true!" I shook my head in denial. Unable to help myself, I reached out to take her trembling hands in each of mine.

I felt Yukinon tense. My grip was weak because of the unsteady emotions I felt, so she could have pulled away easily. But in the end, she let my hands stay where they were. This made me feel more determined to say my next words.

"I should have done more! If I just helped you both talk it out better, then we could have understood each other better!"

"Yuigahama-san," Yukinon uttered my name with a note of sadness, squeezing my hands to keep me from saying more. "It is simply a matter of fact that my indecisiveness is what caused H-Hikigaya-kun to leave." She tried to keep her voice even though her voice and hands became unsteady when she said Hikki's name. Her head drooped down like she couldn't keep her eyes on mine. "He opened his heart to us, but I decided to run away because I…I was afraid of his words."

My eyes became foggy again, filling up with tears as I watched Yukinon finally bear her feelings to me. "Yukinon…" I let go of her hands and slowly wrapped her into a tender hug.

I heard her gasp in surprise. But she didn't pull away. "You can't keep blaming yourself for what happened, Yukinon," I whispered to her soothingly. I heard her sniffle, and slowly she began to hug me back.

"...my inaction is what separated us." Her words came out so quietly, her pain felt from the way her body shook against mine. "If I wasn't such a coward, then… then maybe we could all still be together, and maybe…maybe the Service Club wouldn't be gone," She sniffled again and realized that Yukino was finally crying.

"Everything that happened… It's all my fault!" She began to sob uncontrollably, burying her face in my shoulder and clutching at me desperately. Her heart-wrenching cries tore at my heart, and tears fell down my cheeks as well.

I let Yukino keep crying until my shoulder got so wet I could feel it through my uniform.

I didn't mind. She needed this.

We needed this.

So we stayed like this for a while.

Finally, her sobs died down, and I held her, rubbing her back soothingly.

"What you said isn't true, you know," I finally said after a small period of silence. I squeezed her comfortingly before continuing.

"Even though you ran away that day, I also ignored Hikki's feelings when I chased after you," I confessed, still unable to let go of that bitter memory.

"I think…I think I was the reason he finally left." I closed my eyes, the feeling of regret becoming too much to bear. "Because maybe…maybe he thought we didn't care about him."

"Please don't say that." Yukinon's grip on me relaxed, slowly separating herself from my embrace. Opening my eyes, I finally saw how wet her face was with tears. She put her hands on my shoulders and said her next words sorrowfully. "You only did that to go after me. I'm still the one who ruined us." Her blue eyes shined with more unshed tears. "Hikigaya-kun would not have misunderstood if I just stayed."

I sucked in a deep, watery breath. Yukinon seemed so determined to keep all this guilt to herself, but I'm equally determined to make her let go. I was going to show her that I meant what I said: that I wanted to be her friend again.

"Yukinon," I said in what I hoped was a firm tone. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. I took her hands off my shoulders and put them in mine, holding them softly. "We can keep blaming ourselves for what happened, but the truth is, we both messed up."

She opened her mouth again like she wanted to argue, but I cut her off by squeezing her hand.

"Hikki said he wanted something genuine." I reminded her gently. "Both of us didn't understand, and I think we both reacted in a way that really hurt him." I felt a twinge of pain in my heart when I remembered his teary face and the sad form of his back as he walked away from the clubroom, but I pushed forward. I had to tell Yukinon what she needed to hear. "You kept thinking that it's all your fault, but he said that to both of us, hoping we'd help him. We both messed up." I said again, with stronger emphasis.

"Then," I continued with a somber look. "I think we started messing up more because…we couldn't forgive ourselves," I sighed, looking at our joined hands sadly. I then looked straight back into her eyes and saw how she hung on to my every word like a lifeline.

"I think it's time we forgive ourselves for how we messed up, so we can start making things better again. Then maybe, we can forgive each other." I smiled at her tenderly, hoping my words would reach her heart.

"Yuigahama-san…" Yukinon's mouth trembled, nose sniffling. Tears were spilling from her eyes silently.

I let go of one of her hands to retrieve a very special handkerchief I kept on my school vest. Tentatively, I offered it to her.

"Oh." Timidly, she accepted my handkerchief. "Thank you." She dabbed at her reddened eyes, wiping her face clean from her tears.

"You're welcome." I smiled at her, watching as she fixed herself up.

Hoping she didn't see, I rubbed at my swollen eyes and wet face with my sleeves quickly.

"Yuigahama-san." Yukinon said, looking at me flatly.

Woops.

"Eheheh." I scratched the back of my head sheepishly.

She sighed, looking at the handkerchief briefly.

"I think…" She began to say, hands clutching the handkerchief lightly. "I think you're right, Yuigahama-san." She let out another deep breath before staring into my eyes again. "But I don't know if I can forgive myself just yet…Hikigaya-kun is still gone, and I..."

"You wanna say sorry to him, right?" I finished for her, nodding understandingly. Yukinon flushed but nodded slowly in agreement.

"I do."

"Well~" I winked at her. Ow, that kinda hurts. "I got a surprise for you, Yukinon."

"Oh?" She blinked at me, confused.

"Yep, I actually came to find you…cuz I met Hikki again!" I said theatrically, grinning at her excitedly.

"...I beg your pardon?"

"That's right!" I reached out and held her clutching hands, pulling her closer. She looked so surprised.

"Hikki wants us to talk, all three of us!" I told her this news while jumping at the balls of my feet, vibrating with excitement. "You can talk to him and have a heart-to-heart, just like we did! Wouldn't that be great?"

"Ah…" Unexpectedly, Yukinon looked nervous. I pulled back, confused.

Shouldn't she feel happy?

"Yukinon?"

"Yuigahama-san." She said slowly. "Hikigaya-kun specifically said that he wanted to meet?"

"Yes, he did." I stare at the suddenly paling face she had. "What's wrong, Yukinon? Isn't that what you wanted?"

"I–Yes…but–," Yukinon started to stutter, clutching at her chest.

"Yukinon?" I said again, starting to get worried. She wanted to see him, right? What's happening?

"...Yuigahama-san." She says my name again carefully, "I'm sorry but…can I think about this?"

What?

"Eh…?"

"It's just…" Yukino shook her head before looking at me, eyes filled with confusion. "I want to say sorry to him…but I don't think I'm ready to meet him quite yet."

"But–!"

"I know!" Yukinon cuts me off abruptly, pulling her hands away. "I know it might sound confusing, but I just feel…overwhelmed by everything right now. I need some space to process what happened between us today first."

"Oh…" I deflated, looking at the ground disappointedly. I understood, kinda. We just let out our feelings today, and Yukinon was still Yukinon; she needed some time to herself to sort out her feelings.

I guess I messed up by telling her about Hikki too soon.

Suddenly, I felt something wrap around me. I jumped in surprise, but an elated smile quickly formed on my face when I realized that Yukinon was hugging me!

"Thank you, Yuigahama-san." Her voice whispered right next to my ear, quiet but ringing out with sincerity. "I feel so much lighter today, and it's all because of you."

"Hehe, don't mention it!" I hugged her back fiercely, eyes starting to water again. I think I cried enough today. My eyes already hurt so–

"I'm so glad…that you're my friend."

….Waaah!

"Yukinon…!" I started bawling again, unable to control the onset of fat tears that tumbled out from my eyes.

I don't care, though.

Today, I finally got my friend back.

x x x

The crisp morning air breezes over my overheated skin, soothing it like a refreshing balm.

"... you're nothing but a lying coward." Scornful eyes were aflame with hate, turning sharply away from me. Words were frozen in my throat, watching her walk away with my thoughts churning on her words.

I breathed in the refreshing air, pumping my lungs with vigor as I jogged the last few kilometers of my daily quest.

Miyashiro cried out in pain before becoming horrified at the sight of the bloody stump that was left of his leg. The price for his selflessness, yet something that could have been avoided, had I…

The final leg of my run was in sight, the familiar bench by the trees at the furthest end of the park. A place where I could be alone and no one would bother me when I opened the system menu.

[Daily Quests]

[The road to strength. | Train your body to handle the battles to come. | Reward: 3 Ability Points, +200 XP]

[Push-Ups: 100/100][Sit-Ups: 100/100]

[Squats: 100/100][Running: 10/10km]

[Daily Quest Complete!]

[Notification: You have completed: Daily Quest: The Road to Strength. Rewards have been delivered!]

I sat down on the bench, leaning back on the wooden backrest with a sigh.

Was it my fault?

I thought that doing my daily quest would help me keep my mind away from Nishimoto's words. But I was wrong; even when I put my body through the work, my thoughts still kept going back to yesterday.

I can't help but feel that she was right, despite the logical part of my mind arguing that I needed to keep myself safe so I could come back home to Komachi. It was true that normally, I didn't need to think about other's safety when I was simply a lowly E-Rank with meager strength in comparison to other Hunters…

But that was in the past.

This system allowed me to become stronger. And I had the strength to keep everyone from getting hurt or maimed, like what happened to Miyashiro. There was the argument that I needed to lay low, but that didn't mean I should have turned away from people in danger at that moment.

With just a bit of effort…I could have disguised my actions as I did with Nishimoto that one time.

But I didn't, and now, Miyashiro lost his foot. A disability of this scale would prevent him from joining more dungeon raids. This meant his livelihood was in peril, as he probably got food on the table by being a Hunter. Even then, getting another job would be harder than ever; losing a limb would limit his options. Fixing this required a healer of S-Rank caliber, and procuring their services would probably be financially ruinous… even then, I've only heard of healers reattaching limbs, not regenerating them.

No matter how I looked at it, Miyashiro got screwed.

…my inaction caused another to suffer.

There it is.

A familiar emotion began coiling itself around my heart.

Guilt.

And where was it during that time I watched Miyashiro wallow in misery from what his selfless actions caused him?

Have I been so focused on becoming stronger that I've started to leave behind my emotions?

…that couldn't be true.

I remembered Osaki's eyes, full of relief and gratitude for being saved.

I could have let her die then, just so no one else would see me fight and beat the boss by myself. But I did what I knew was right and saved her like Furutani and Sakura would have done.

I lived now through their selflessness, and I would never be able to live with myself knowing I'd disappoint them.

I put a hand over my face, looking up to the early morning sky. My frustrated thoughts kept roiling over in my head, giving me a headache.

"What's happening to me…?"

I whispered to the empty air, knowing no one could hear me.

I heard a flutter of wings by my right, and I brought my attention to the sound. A white dove had landed on top of the headrest of the bench, looking at me curiously.

"Do you know?" I asked it dully, despite knowing the answer.

It tilted its head before chirping at me. It then flew away, leaving a trail of white feathers behind.

"Guess not." I sighed, sitting up. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I fished it out to read the message in the notifications.

[Yuigahama: hikki! I finally found Yukinon! ๑(◕‿◕)๑ she said she wants to meet, but she needs some time to prepare! I promise we'll have our talk soon, wait for us! (*꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ)]

"Oh."

Way to build anticipation, Yuigahama.

x x x

"I'm home."

"Welcome back, Master!" Riko's voice rang out from the living room.

It was half past nine. Komachi was already gone and off to school. Riko had taken advantage of this, roaming around the apartment without the need to hide before occupying the couch in the living room to watch television. She said it helped satisfy her curiosity about this modern world, educating herself through the TV shows that she watched.

…I didn't have the heart to tell her about how different things are between reality and TV when I saw how happy she was filling her head with television nonsense.

"What are you watching?" I asked once I saw her.

Riko turned away from the television. I recognized the show she was watching. It was an old anime called Re-something. I didn't remember the plot too well, but I think it was about some poor sap being isekai'd into a fantasy world where he had the ability to die and come back, like a game save.

"Oh, this magical box contained a show that really appealed to me. These twin maids, as they call them. What do you think of them, Master?" Riko asked with a curious expression.

Raising a brow in confusion, I turned to the television and watched as two twin maids appeared to be mocking the protagonist. One had blue hair, while the other had hot pink. I shrugged my shoulders and headed towards the bathroom to wash off the sweat and grime from my body.

"I suppose they're cute. I doubt you'll find any hot-blooded male who dislikes maids." I said before walking into the bathroom. After this, I should take a nap.

Riko nodded and turned back to her show. Her eyes focus on the blue-haired maid's outfit and looks. She nodded to herself and continued watching.

"I see."

x x x

Once I was done with the second interlude of my sleep, I got up and deposited those three free points I got from my daily quest into my strength, bringing it up to seventy-four, just one shy from being able to wear the lover's royal chest plate without being slowed down. Afterwards, Riko and I headed towards Tokyo. All those essence stones wouldn't cash themselves.

After an hour's trip to Tokyo, I exchanged my essence stones at the Hunters Association headquarters for my hard-earned yen due to having farmed so many from the minions and the larger stone from the D-rank boss. I ended up with a decent chunk of pocket change that would last Komachi and me a few months.

From there, I decided to take Riko out to see more of Japan. What better place than to show her the city of Tokyo in all its glory? As we aimlessly walked through the busy streets, my faithful slime looked around in awe and wonder at all the new and shiny sights from her backpack disguise.

"Wow! Look at all the magical boxes! Just how much mana is powering them all?!"

"Not mana. Electricity."

"Look! There's another one of those transport carriages!"

"That's a train."

Our walk consisted of Riko asking dozens of questions. Questions I didn't mind answering. It seemed that in her excitement of seeing the high-tech, modern world. Riko had forgotten she was my servant and I, her Master. When she did notice, she had profusely apologized for her uncouth behavior.

"It's fine, Riko," I said while looking up at Shibuya Tower. A large image of one of Japan's S-rank hunters promoting a soft drink was on full display. Shimizu Akari. A member from one of Japan's top guilds, the Yuki-Ryoshi guild.

Looking away from the tower, I continued making my way over to the other side of the intersection alongside the rest of the crowd. It wasn't uncommon to see popular and strong hunters on giant billboards or promotional posters. After a certain point, a hunter reaches celebrity status with their strength and accomplishments.

Despite knowing that, I was still bothered by seeing one particular face on so many items or posters. I frowned when I saw the image of Yukinoshita Haruno showing off a Dior handbag on a large poster on the side of a building. Just seeing her enlarged smiling face sent a shiver down my spine.

"Hey, hey! Is that your boyfriend?"

The memory of the time I met that demon woman was still vivid. It may as well have been yesterday. It was during the time Yukinoshita had asked me to help her find a birthday gift for Yuigahama. We had gone to the mall to pick one out when we stumbled into Haruno.

At first, she confused me with being Yukinoshita's boyfriend. A fact Yukinoshita quickly debunked. Haruno didn't seem too convinced but nodded along to her answer. But what I remembered most was what Haruno said to me next.

"I see! I see! Let me just make one thing clear, then. If you make Yukino-chan cry- you'll hear from me."

I could still remember the sheer dread I felt from those words. No matter how sweetly she said them, the power she infused into them struck me with the fear of god. After that, I decided to avoid Yukinoshita Haruno like the plague. Unfortunately, I ran into her a few more times after that. Those were times I didn't want to reminisce as well.

Man, S-ranks are scary.

"Master? Are you okay?"

"Huh? Ah, yeah. I'm fine. Just remembering something unpleasant."

After another hour of walking around, I decided to take a break at Yoyagi Park. Once I found a suitable bench, by suitable, I meant isolated. I sat down with a Max coffee in hand and relaxed. Riko turned back to her slime form and sat beside me. Undoing the seal on the can, I took a drink and sighed. We stared out at the calm pond in silence.

"Your world seems so… peaceful. So much more advanced. No one here has to fight for survival like back in my world. It's paradise." Riko said as she watched a few birds fly down onto the pond.

"I suppose, on the surface level, it is." I took another sip and watched as one of the birds flew after a fly and ate it swiftly. "But this world comes with its own set of problems and bloody history. War, genocides, starvation, violence, and so much more have happened and continue to happen. Despite all our advancements, tragedies and horrors still occur here."

"That's… a little sad," Riko uttered softly. Her once whimsical voice was lost and replaced with disappointment.

"It is."

We sat together for a while longer. Neither of us was really in the mood to speak anymore. We remained like that for another ten minutes. From there, she turned back into a backpack, and we departed for home.

x x x

…West Greenland, Realm of Chaos…

After a quick lunch break, Riko and I traveled back into the other world. In particular back into the West Greenland part of the map. While I did want to push forward and head towards the Trion Plateau to continue grinding. I knew that I had to experiment and train with my newly acquired skill:

Light magic.

Going into battle with an untested weapon was a recipe for disaster. I had to know what my current capabilities and limits were with my new skill. A tried and true weapon can never fail you, after all.

So, after Riko had guided me to a mostly solitary area northwest of the region, I began to experiment. From my limited understanding of magic and how it works in my world. A mage is capable of firing or projecting elemental-type attacks. They could also offer buffs, barriers, and summoning-type spells.

To begin with, I tried to fire off projectile-type attacks. I had held my arm out and expected the light magic to do the rest. That wasn't the case, unfortunately. I then began to call out random attacks or cool-sounding names in hopes that maybe the magic worked off vocal activation. Still nothing.

"Imagination." Riko has said. "Magic works off the user's imagination. As long as you can visualize how a spell could work, you should be able to cast that spell. The only limits magic has are its users… At least, that's what my clan elder explained how magic worked."

Riko's explanation made sense to me. I was going about magic the wrong way. My mindset was as if I was playing an RPG. I had commanded an attack in my head, as if pressing a key or button on a game, and expected my magic to do as I expected.

I closed my eyes and began to use my imagination. I pulled ideas, images, and how a spell would move and act in space from what I've read and seen in media back home. All the light novels, manga, and anime I've watched or read were finally paying off. Lifting my arm, I opened my hand and visualized my first spell.

"Light beam."

A brief flash of light flashed out of my palm. Within the span of a second, a ball of glowing light grew and concentrated within itself. It briefly shook in anticipation, and without warning, it shot forward. A low humming could be briefly heard as a long beam of bright white energy shot forward and struck a far-off tree. The beam had lasted for three seconds until it fizzled out. I looked at the tree and saw that the beam had punctured a twelve-centimeter circle in diameter through the center. The edges were bright orange but quickly cooled off, leaving behind a charred hole.

[Notification: You have learned a new skill!]

[Skill: Light Beam | Lv 1 | Type: Light Magic | Cost: 30 MP | Description: A powerful beam of concentrated light that can pierce through stone itself.]

My mouth dropped in awe as I witnessed the aftermath of my first-ever magical attack. I turned over to Riko and saw her bouncing repeatedly while showering me with praise. The terms amazing, prodigy, genius, and many more were being used by her. Riko truly was my hype man, er, woman.

Feeling giddy, I raised my hand and fired off another light beam at a different tree. The spell went off without issue, and soon, another burnt hole could be found within the center of the tree. I grinned in satisfaction and looked down at my hand. Thank you, Dragon Ball!

After shooting off a few more beams of light like a child playing with a new toy, I decided to create a few more light-based spells. While my imagination and visualization skills were a great help in creating spells. They didn't help me create anything and everything I could imagine. It still had limits. Both mental limits and limits from the system itself. Sadly, I could only hold up to three light-based spells in my repertoire. I was unsure if that was the limit to how many spells I could hold or if that number would grow as I leveled up the light magic skill and myself.

The second light-based spell I created was one of lethality.

[Skill: Shining Slash | Lv 1 | Type: Light Magic | Cost: 15-50 MP | Description: This spell allows the user to use light magic to slash or cleave through an object using light magic.]

The shining slash spell was fast and almost imperceptible. The spell worked by focusing on a specific target while moving my hand in a cutting motion. From there, an attack moving at the speed of light will fly from me to my target. Depending on how much mana I infuse on any attack, I can inflict a surface-level cut across the target or even cleave them in half.

It was a swift and lethal attack if the sliced and cut-down trees were anything to go off from. My goal was not to have to telegraph my actions to release the spell. Unfortunately, it seemed I would have to grind away and level up the spell to hopefully be able to cast it with a mere thought.

My last spell granted me a range of options.

[Skill: Wall of Radiance | Lv 1 | Type: Light Magic | Cost: 35 MP | Description: This spell allows the user to use light magic to create a tangible barrier of light.]

Going off the skill description, one would imagine that this spell was simply a barrier. While that was true, it also served several other purposes. When cast, a large sheet-like wall of light would appear before me. While bright, I was still capable of looking through it to the other side.

I tested the limitations of the wall of light. I was able to stretch and curve it to my liking to an extent. Going so far as to be able to create a protective dome around me. This aspect of the spell would grant me another level of defense if my collapsible shield weren't available. I tried to expand it further away from my body, but I quickly found that I couldn't. I was also only able to cast it twenty meters away from me before it started to lose its effectiveness. Similar to my shining slash spell.

This frustrated me enough to the point where I wanted to test its durability. Pulling my arm back, I unleashed a punch with all of my strength behind it. To my disappointment, the wall shook and cracked under the blow. I continued to punch away at the wall until it finally shattered into nothing. This experiment helped me gauge its current durability.

The wall of light could take a few blows from those around my power level before cracking. It was also safe to think that those stronger than me would be able to break my defensive spell much faster. I had to be careful when I used it. On the flip side, those weaker than me were unable to lay as much as a scratch. If the group of attacking draugr's Riko and I found were any indication.

After five minutes of watching them uselessly attack my spell, I decided to push the limits of the spell. I commanded the spell to wrap around the group of draugrs in a tight, rope-like fashion. From there, I slowly made the now rope-like barrier of light contract to the point of crushing and killing the beasts. I knew then that the spell had far-reaching uses rather than merely just a defense. If used cleverly, the spell could also be used offensively.

These new spells would significantly bolster my attack and defensive repertoire. I was happy that all the hours I spent training weren't wasted.

"Let's call it a day, Riko," I said while wiping away the accumulated sweat on my forehead. But instead of answering me promptly as she usually did, Riko was staring off into a different direction of the forest. "Riko?"

"Ah!" Riko jumped in surprise. It appeared she was lost in thought. "Forgive me, Master. I was… distracted."

I frowned at her and turned toward where she was looking. If memory serves me correctly, that direction was where I first found Riko at the button of a hill. "What's on your mind?"

"…may I ask something of you?"

"Go ahead," I said. Already having a rough idea of what she was going to say.

"Can we… can we visit my village? "Riko whispered. Her eyes were downcast but held a light of hope. I looked up at the slowly darkening sky and nodded towards her.

"Of course."

x x x

When Riko and I finally arrived at her village, what awaited us were the remains of a once-lived community. We had traveled out west while taking long curving paths with plenty of turns. If one didn't know the location of the village, then it would be almost impossible to find. But somehow, a group of magical beasts did.

The sun was now gone. It's light and warmth gone from the world. I raised my hand and created a ball of light that would follow me from above, providing us with the ability to see. I followed Riko as she slowly walked around the ruins that were once her home.

The village was tucked away behind several old thick trees and foliage. A line of boulders and rocks were stacked next to one another on the south side of the village, creating a makeshift wall. Hovering above half of the village were several sticks and logs tied together with vines from the swamp lands to create a sloped roof. Most likely to protect everyone from the elements. Standing on the remains of the roof was a medium-sized white bird that resembled a cross between a stork and a dove. Its golden eyes glowed as its head twitched back and forth.

What appeared to be small huts created from wood and clay were scattered around in different areas of the village. They were small structures. Most of them reached my upper thigh. Their roofs and walls were ruined, seemingly kicked in. A well-traveled path connected all the scattered huts to one another despite the slight changes in elevation. I could tell from the deep impressions from the path that the members of Riko's clans often visited each other. However, a vast crater created from an explosion could be found in the center of the path. Breaking the connection.

Several other battle scars littered the village, while half of the large wooden roof had been torn off and burnt. The charred sticks and logs were scattered everywhere. Broken pots made of clay lay scattered. Crushed and thrown by the invaders. Off to the side was a small wooden hut that contained spoiled fruits and old herbs. Half of the structure was destroyed as if it were crushed under a large hammer or club.

Despite the ruined state of the village, I could still imagine how all the slimes that lived here once lived their lives. Going back and forth while talking amicably with one another. Not needing much. Just each other's company and a roof over their heads.

I turned to Riko, who was standing in the middle of it, with a heavy heart. She had lost her home, her people, and maybe even her family. All of it. Simply due to the greed of others who wanted her species' resources to create potions. Just how common was this sight in this world?

I felt my hands clenched tightly. A swell of anger rose in my chest as I followed Riko's form as she moved in and out of all the huts. With each passing hut, the hope in her eyes diminished more and more.

"...this was the home for our elders." Riko suddenly said while standing in front of a larger-than-normal hut. Her voice is even and hollow. "They had lived over hundreds of years. Spending their lives traveling the realm. Seeing everything it had to offer."

She moved over to a large sitting area composed of logs under the ruined wooden roof and sat on one of the small chairs like logs. Riko looked towards the center, where a much taller log sat. This log, however, was split in half. Splinters and chunks of wood were scattered around it, with a black and silver battle axe still wedged within it.

"We would all sit here and listen to them tell stories of the world... stories of all the wonderful things they've experienced," Riko said. I remained silent and walked over to the battle axe. "For many of us, that was how we experienced the world. It was too dangerous for us to venture out and see it all ourselves. So we vicariously live through their tales."

"I'm sure they must have been amazing storytellers." I said softly, ignoring the battle axe. I walked over and sat next to Riko. Her form was shaking.

"T-they were." Riko stuttered. Her voice was thick with emotion. "I wanted to become an explorer thanks to their stories. I wanted to see the world. Experience it all for myself. I know it was dangerous and a suicidal goal for a lowly slime like myself, but still! I wanted to tell stories of my own!"

Riko was now openly crying. Her tears were large and rolled off her body. I frowned. I lifted a hand and went to place it on her head. But before I could, I paused. Slowly, I took my hand back under my cloak. Frustration rose within me.

"T-they didn't deserve to die." Roki sobbed out. "Why can't they just leave us alone? We don't hurt anybody, and we only take what we need! So why... why did my clan have to die while I lived?"

Her heart-wrenching words made me push through whatever reluctance I felt before, and so I placed a comforting hand on Riko's head, causing her to jerk. Slowly, I rubbed her head and felt her relax under my touch. I wanted to say something to help comfort her. Anything at all. But I knew that there weren't any words that could help her. My experience with losing my parents was still fresh in my mind. I knew better than anyone that empty words were worth nothing. So, instead, I offered my small companion physical comfort.

"Master?"

"...yeah?"

"Do you... regret making our accord? I'm a weak, cowardly slime. There's little I can offer you. I would understand if you... wished to leave me here."

I looked down at her and watched as she avoided my gaze. I sighed and took my hand off her. Eliciting a relinquished sigh from her. Standing up, I stepped over to the battle axe and drew it out of the wooden log.

[Battle Axe of the Undead | Class: B | ATK: 70 | A battle axe forged from the bones of the undead. Grants bonus attack power based on the user's strength.]

"Then grow stronger," I said while holding the battle axe towards her. Doing my best to channel my inner Hiratsuka-sensei, I turned to Riko. "You told me yourself. You are capable of growing stronger with each enemy you consume. So grow stronger! Grow to the point when you can no longer recognize yourself. Grow beyond your cowardly self and become someone who can proudly hold their head high. Use that strength to drive this battle axe into those who attacked your village!"

Riko looked at me in shock and surprise. After spending so much time with me, seeing me act so out of character must be odd. But I meant what I said. The only way to change your current situation and self is to grow. Grow and change into someone who can better tackle the problems you currently can't. In this cold, cruel world, you either adapt and evolve or remain weak and useless.

"...do you think I can, Master?"

"It doesn't matter what I think. What do you think?"

Riko sat still. Her flat eyes remained frozen on me but then moved to the battle axe. The metallic material glimmered under the soft glow of my light magic. I didn't have to wait long for Riko to respond.

"I will," Riko uttered. Her once soft and weak voice was now steadfast and steady. "I'll grow stronger so I can avenge my clan. So I can stand beside you and not be a burden. I swear I will!"

Nodding at her, I placed the battle axe away in my inventory and kneeled before her. "Good. When you're strong enough, I'll give you that axe to wield. Until then, don't disappoint me."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Master."

High above Riko and I, the mysterious white bird twitched its head and spread its wings. With a mighty flap, it hopped off the remains of the wooden roof and flew into the night sky.

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A/N:

Thank you for reading today's chapter,

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Until next time!