Chapter 17: Dealing with Demons I

One month ago

"Let me do something right this time."

When Marino said this to me in his wistful, reluctant voice, my mind began to unsettle in rage and confusion.

If I didn't end the conversation as soon as possible, I was going to break down more than I already was.

But I couldn't leave Marino with these idiotic ideas in his head.

I was controlling myself while she was telling me her story. I was afraid that in the end everything we went through was a lie and that it was just to fulfill the mission my parents had given her.

But I was wrong.

At some point, the Marino Sasaki Wizard started to look at me as a friend and a little more.

I don't know if it was out of guilt or if I really captivated her at some point.

My head is either too full for me to think about it, or it really comes down to the second option.

I had already distanced myself from the place where I was training. My body was on edge to the point that I could cry from sheer exhaustion. This was compounded by my stress from the last conversation.

I wanted to rest. But...

I stretched my left hand forward. Small black rays appeared, and with them, my gunblade, which was as black as asphalt, both handle and blade.

I wanted to rest, but my borderline patience was keeping me awake, as well as this insect watching me.

-It's like this. I just had a fight with my girlfriend, I'm tired, and I don't have dessert for dinner.

-...

The silence disturbed me even more.

For it was a silence that had to be broken not only by my speaking.

The anger that was giving me triggers to want to burn down this whole forest needed to be contained. But I'm sure they wanted to see me freak out.

-Whoever you are. Get the fuck out now. If there's one skill I've acquired as a human, it's to know when I'm being watched.

My tone of voice that was tired before became serious now.

In fact, as much as others judged me for being a useless human who doesn't manipulate technology, I became used to knowing when someone was watching me. Unfortunately the bullying contributed to this, but that is water under the bridge.

*Crec*

A noise of a branch breaking sounded to my right.

As I turned toward the direction of the sound, my suspicions were confirmed.

A demon.

At least that was how I saw the one before me.

There is no better term for someone who killed former companions only to ensure that a Wizard died.

*BANG*

I shot this demon, which was actually a person.

The shot was fast, but no faster than the deviation that this person took to the side.

-Hostile the moment he sees a human. You are already a full Wizard then.

-...

The person who said this pointed a scarlet pistol at me. But then something confused me about what to do.

She clearly had locked the pistol. And this was confirmed by the trigger being pulled and no bullet being fired.

-What do you want, Naila?

Yes. The person who used to be my best friend, Naila Ketley. Now, we are mortal enemies, since I am a Wizard and she is the captain of the first unit of the AWA.

-Call your friends. They are going to die now.

-!

A piercing, icy stare. Even though she possessed this look naturally, now the hostility was visible. Hostility that was a consequence of her visible desire to blow my head off.

I was frustrated. I had just fought with Marino trying to prevent her from committing suicide. I was not even fully recovered from the fight against the soldiers from Marino's squadron, not to mention that, stubbornly, I came here to train my powers and I was low on mana.

In this case, the human soldiers from Marino's unit. Half were humans, while the other half were infiltrated Wizards. However, they were killed trying to prevent a platoon from reaching the camp and causing more trouble for Morello and Yurion.

I had saved the skin of those two and the children before. I will not call them to death now.

-I'm sorry, but if there are going to be casualties here.

I stand guard with my black gunblades, holding them like a dagger. I begin to gather what was left of my body's mana, the mana evident thanks to my body's black rays.

-it will either be you or me. ARGH.

A wave of pain attacked my body. I must have used too much mana in too little time, which didn't give my body time to recover and adapt. Wounds on my legs and chest opened up, even the wounds on my hands opened slightly, making the blood harder to hold the gunblade.

-Let's go then. I believe you have suffered enough from Marino's training. But I don't think she trained you properly, since you don't even have the speed to stop an execution.

-...

-Haha...

-?

-Hahahahahahahahaha.

-What the hell are you laughing at?

-Hahahahahaha. It's nothing. It's just that you...

Naila who was staring at my award winning smile performance was not understanding anything.

-you keep underestimating me in the worst moments.

-Really.

-But what-

Naila had to dodge her body as quickly as possible, as I appeared behind her with a brilliant slash.

She didn't draw her sword. I think she was trying to identify what was attacking her.

It was me. But at the same time, no. It was me.

It was me, but carrying a single white gunblade, whiter than snow.

Arcane Art: Alter. An art that allows me to be in two places at the same time, splitting my powers in two.

My white Alter exchanged a few blows with Naila, but she didn't fight back, just dodged everything. Even my slashes, shots, and light landmines that I had planted earlier were avoided without any counterattack.

Finally, my Alter started to become transparent, and its movements were slower. This was the indication that I should get back to normal.

Returning to normal, I recovered the mana portion that was with him, and also stopped supplying mana for the art to continue active.

-Interesting technique. But you must know that you can't beat me without help.

She was right on the money..

I was out of energy, as well as being wounded. And I still doubt that anything would be different if I were at my best.

At most, she would draw her swo-.

No, not even that.

If she overheard the conversation, then she must know that Marino is the Sword Wizard. Assuming that she would be located by drawing her swords was very clever.

But, one thing I was more sure of than ever.

I am weak.

In a one-on-one fight, any one of these four would wipe the floor with me.

I dematerialized my gunblades, so I could start treating my wounds with my mana.

-Did you decide to call the other Wizards?

-No. Do I have something to propose?

-I'm not going to make any deals with you.

-Yes, I know that you don't expect any benefit from making a deal with a Wizard. But you must know me and know that I always have something to offer.

-...

I had to buy some time.

-You're overestimating yourself. You must have already forgotten the fight in your house.

-The fight in which you failed to kill me?

*BANG*

A blink of an eye. That's how long it took for Naila to unlock her pistol and shoot me in the throat. What reflexes I still had allowed me to move my right hand and block the shot with my white gunblade.

-I'm out of patience too, Keyner. Precisely because of this.

-I know you can kill me now. But let me tell you something.

The shot that I blocked dragged me back and brought me to my knees. Getting up, I held out my right hand, which was still bleeding.

-You will kill me for the price of your life.

Naila's cold expression subtly changed to one of caution. This change was subtle enough not to be noticed by anyone, only by someone who had already lived with her for a long time.

-Do you mean that we are being watched?

-I feel uncomfortable, but they don't trust me yet, but that's because I clearly don't agree with everything they're doing.

-Like?

I sit on a rock behind me to reduce the tension.

-Destroying Techmetriun might be in their plans.

-...

Naila remained silent. But she clenched her fists with a force that I could tell was no small thing.

-And what do you want?

-I'm going to separate from these three. Until then, you and the whole AWA will leave us alone. I don't intend to join them in case of combat with the AWA.

-I didn't realize that your regression from human to Wizard would also make you regress to a coward.

-Don't get me wrong. You're the person I most want to rip my head off. But I know my place.

I was weak.

Becoming a Wizard or continuing to believe I was a human wasn't going to change that.

Marino, Naila, Morello, Yurion...

Should any of them want to, I would be used as a ground cloth by them.

I only survived in Techmetriun by luck.

No. Given what Marino had explained to me, I knew how I had survived.

-I know that you couldn't kill me in my home because I was weakened by my parents. If what Marino told me is true, then after fighting with them, you didn't wait or bring reinforcements, and just carried their dead bodies to my house.

-Tsc.

She looked away, as she clicked her tongue in a disgusted tone and face.

-But there's one thing you haven't been able to guess yet: you're only alive talking to me because I'm letting you.

I let my statement slip with a simpleton tone, accompanied by a laugh and a debauched wave of my left hand. It went towards my pocket, pulling out a small object.

-A... coin?

It was a small metallic coin. It had no value in Techmetriun, but now it had great functionality.

I noticeably let a small amount of mana leak into the coin. After that, I tossed it up, expecting it to fall.

But it wasn't going to fall.

As it came back up to the height of its toss, the coin settled into the shape of an arrowhead. In this new shape, the coin was directed at high speed towards Naila, crossing her abdomen.

-Gah.

-I warned.

Using a first aid kit that Jack had used on me days ago, she sealed the wound.

-What was that trick of yours?

-Actually, it wasn't mine.

-?

She was in doubt, but this doubt made her alert. It was obvious that a person with my combat skills and the ability to manipulate metal was dangerous. But that was not exactly the case.

-In the camp there is a particular Wizard who can manipulate metal. On this coin that you were hit with, I released short pulses of mana in morse code frequency, which said "attack, but don't kill.

-Even if this is true, as a Wizard, there is no way he can know my location. I don't carry anything metal with me.

-That's true. But I made you do.

I let out a laugh as cheeky as Jack's, and I did so while extending my right hand, which was still bloodied, as I gestured to Naila.

Cautiously, Naila looked at the spot I pointed to with the gesture. She stared at the spot that was struck by the coin.

-There's nothing metal here.

-If you look a little further to the side, you'll find it.

She looked slightly to the left of her wound, and saw that her uniform was slightly stained with my blood.

-That's...

-Exactly: Hemoglobin. You may know more biology than I do, but I study a little chemistry well enough to know that there are iron atoms in the blood composition. That is enough for any human or Wizard in the vicinity to be detected.

-...

That was my trump card. Although I was afraid it wouldn't work because it seemed too convenient, it was my only chance.

Or maybe one of my only two chances.

I refocused on Naila, who had already stopped worrying about the bloodstains and had finished healing her wound. Taking a breath, I spoke again:

-You will leave us alone for 60 days. Given the end of this period, we will leave here. During this period, you can observe what we do, as long as you don't interfere. I will not stay with them after that time, and I will not join them if the AWA wants a direct confrontation.

-...

That was the time I estimated to be the minimum for everyone to regain their strength and that could be used for me to learn a little about magic.

Right after I was treated for the injuries from the fight against Marino, I came here to try out my powers. The only useful thing I managed to do was to imbue mana in the shaded areas of the forests, which allowed me to discover that Naila was here, since at some point she used a lantern.

Naila had thoughtful facial features, but they were quickly replaced by an expression of conviction.

-Are you so concerned about the welfare of others? From what I heard of the discussion, you are angry enough at them that you don't really move a finger to help them in case of need.

-Well, you know me and you know it. But I'm more worried about what might happen to you if they come here.

-Oh yeah?

Naila's superior tone faded away at that moment, giving way to her usual cold expression.

-I thought you knew your place.

She was quick.

It only took a blink of an eye for her to get out of my way and get behind me.

Now my movements need to be more cautious than before.

Just as a blink of an eye was enough for Naila to stab Caius according to Marino's reports, I could report that this was also the time for her to have the barrel of her gun just an inch from my head.

-You're fast too.

She had her back adjacent to mine. I could feel her wavy hair brushing against my neck. Only the most important thing at the moment was the triple barrel of a scarlet pistol on my head.

But I was not defeated. As long as there was strength in my body, I would make sure I stayed alive.

My sweat was proof that I was nervous. My blood pressure was higher than normal, and my bleeding needed to be stopped. Side effects of forcing my body to produce mana.

The instant the triple-barrelled pistol was placed under my head, I materialized a pistol and sword, both white in color. My sword was in my right hand, while the pistol was in my left hand. My arm was bent so that the pistol was on the side of my ear and upside down, but pointed at Naila's head.

It was an uncomfortable position, but not for having to keep a gun pointed at someone while having one pointed at me.

Sword in one hand and pistol in the other. This was Naila's fighting style, and I had always avoided using it on a whim. Now, it was out of disgust for the user.

-I don't mind your compliment. But you can imagine what will happen if you kill me while I am holding this sword.

-... Haha...

-?

she giggled. Knowing her as I did, I could tell she would laugh a lot.

The cough she gave to clear her throat confirmed this. Returning to normalcy, her serious tone of voice sounded:

-Until a few weeks ago you were a laughingstock who was trying to keep up with the most mediocre human in existence. Now you have the confidence to hold a gun to someone's head like a real soldier.

-...

-I wish you would really put yourself in your place. You are a weakling who even trying everything, never achieved anything like a human using 1% of his minimum effort would achieve.

-...

-And now you consider yourself part of one of the arcane races. Not for nothing do people connected to you either die or just disappear from your sight.

-...

-Before you ask me, Caius and Jack could easily be Wizards, since they were defending their lives as if they had the importance that a bacterium has for nature. Although I proved that Caius was not one by taking his corpse to my research division, I did not find Jack's corpse. He must have exploded with Aeon's bombs.

-I bet that even though we belong to the same race, everything you went through with Marino was nothing like manipulation. She as a "human" was nothing but a motherfucker. I wonder what she must be like as a Wizard.

-...

-I'm sure I didn't shoot you in the ear.

-I heard everything. But what I want to know from you is only about my proposal.

My voice came out with a forced tone. I was forcing naturalness.

I was about to collapse in many ways.

-Watching you would not bring me as many benefits as you imagine.

-A pity. You have already been warned that if something happens to the person carrying a sword...

I raised my sword, positioning it under Naila's shoulder. The handle of my pistol gave off a faint glow, which indicated that a shot was ready.

-You could get very bad.

-Are you going to appeal to your friends again? Nothing has changed since you were a human.

-I'm still a human.

*BANG*

A shot from Naila's gun. That was the reason for the sound.

But, she deflected the barrel of the gun. It was just an attempt to make me call any of those three.

-Know your place, wretch.

A voice that sounded like the echo of a hateful scream. Surely, if I had not tried to negotiate with her, this would have been my last line of dialogue with anyone.

-Believe me, I know my place. But you must know yours too. Your pride prevents you from wanting to risk your life a second time against a Wizard.

-Tsc.

Her pistol was dematerialized as she clicked her tongue. Footstep sounds confirmed that she was moving away from me.

-30 days. Come to this same place in that time. Since those three are going to attack Techmetriun, it is really to my advantage to know how they fight.

-...

-When the time comes, I will have reinforcements. So don't even try anything.

After saying this, Naila took off in the opposite direction from where I had come.

Realizing that I was finally alone, I dematerialized my weaponry, falling backwards and lying on the ground.

My sweat was like lava on my body. Every area of my body that had sensitivity was throbbing. The last shot I prepared could be a bluff, as the remainder of my mana produced a bullet that, if it made it through a sheet of paper, would be by luck.

The lack of mana in my body makes me faint. Before I lost consciousness, I took note of two things.

If I hadn't held my own with Naila's taunts I would have died, and possibly from using mana that I shouldn't have.

The reality is that I don't imagine that even the 4 of us would be able to handle Naila.

Marino is still recovering, plus my mana is kind of poison to humans and Wizards.

Morello was more exhausted than I was from using mana to protect the children and remove the bombs from my body.

Yurion was powerless at the moment from forcing the creation of a joker card, which was not supposed to appear naturally for another 2 months.

All I could do was bluff.

But if there is one thing I need to do now, it is to get stronger.

This is not going to happen in just 30 days. 30 days will be the time for me to learn in theory how to train.

...

I wonder if in 30 days I will be alive.

Currently

-So that's the Wizard who gave you a hard time weeks ago? How incompetent.

-Can we break him? Say we can.

-Not before I ask a few questions.

-Actually, I agree with the breaking him part.

-But he looks so helpless. If you take the ugly face off, of course.

-...

Naila was accompanied by six other people.

They were openly discussing what to do with me.

One with a tone of disgust with Naila; a woman with a sadistic voice; a guy with a calmer, more thoughtful voice; another man with a voice that went against the idea of the one before him, even though he presented the same fluency; a person with a tone of who wanted to make a joke, and the last one was silent.

All were wearing the stealth uniform of the AWA. A black uniform with some gray horizontal stripes, plus the symbol indicating their positions as captains on the left chest and the octagon with a star in different positions on each uniform, symbolizing their units.

-Either the AWA captains have too much time on their hands or I am a potential threat.

-Actually you are, but we didn't come here to fight you.

The man who had previously been acting disgusted with Naila was the one who answered me.

-Very well, Wizard. First of all, answer me-

-Keyner.

Interrupting him caused an occasional doubtful expression on his face.

-Pardon?

-My name is Keyner. Keyner Blake. Not "Wizard."

-A thousand pardons.

There was a subtle tone of debauchery in his speech.

-But getting back to the point...

All the other captains positioned themselves closer to me, forming a sort of circle with a diameter of 4 meters, of which I was in the middle.

-Let's talk business, candidate Mastrea.