What is Friendship?

Boom! Boom! Boom!

In an underground chamber within the castle atop the highest mountain, Damian moved, surrounded by lightning, while Frieren, in the distance, attempted to attack him.

"You're too fast..."

At one point, Damian waved his magic staff, unleashing numerous lightning bolts towards Frieren in the distance. The ground was completely destroyed as these bolts struck near their target, but at the same time, straight beams of light shot out from the smoke.

"You rely too much on defense; you must move more to avoid being injured by magic stronger than your defenses." Damian trained with Frieren every day to enhance their spells.

Frieren's magic was very basic, but she had improved it to the point where she didn't need any more spells. But in Damian's eyes, this was a mistake. What would she do against a demon that could break through any magical shield? She needed to improve, and Damian had to teach her.

"I'm going to step it up a notch." Damian released his magic staff; the black book on his shoulder flew to his left arm, and he selected a spell—a lightning armor spell—and moved, taking the sword from his staff.

Boom!

Frieren's eyes widened in surprise as she felt Damian's presence increase to the point where she could pinpoint his location.

"To my left!"

Damian appeared beside Frieren, holding his sword in his left hand while a lightning bolt danced on his right arm.

When Frieren realized the imminent attack, she created a magical shield, knowing well that this time was different, as this attack would pierce through her magical defenses.

"I've lost..."

Damian's eyes were fierce in battle, but after practice with Frieren ended, he breathed normally and said, "Combine teleportation magic with lightning for short distances; also study magic inhibition so no demon can copy it."

On the battlefield, Damian had encountered many curious demons who tried to copy his magical spells and combat methods.

"If you were a demon, you'd be dead." Damian sheathed his sword, a little annoyed by Frieren's occasional indifference to more critical matters like these.

Frieren sensed Damian's anger and said, "That's why I told you I wasn't ready to kill the Demon King."

"And that's why I never brought it up again, remember?" Damian wasn't angry over trivial matters.

Currently known as the Storm Mage, the Dark Storm Mage of the North, or the Thunder Mage, Damian had so many nicknames he didn't know which to use. But the point was that even if the Demon King himself attacked, it would put Frieren in danger.

She might not need protection, and she hadn't asked for it, but Damian saw her as a part of himself that he would never forgive himself for if she got hurt.

"The demons should know about me; they'll come after me, so you need to be ready to defend yourself." Damian had heard Frieren mention many times that she preferred not to stand out, but with Damian, that wouldn't work.

"There's a forest in the south least attacked by demons. I can build a mage tower there for you to study peacefully, and when you're ready, we'll fight the Demon King together."

Frieren was surprised by this. Was Damian asking her to step back? The last thing she would do is run from monsters; she would never allow that.

"I'm not going to run just because you fear I'll become a target for demons. I'm not as weak as you're making me out to be." Frieren was upset with Damian, feeling that he wanted to push her away.

Damian furrowed his brows and said, "You haven't fought powerful demons. How do you expect me to be calm knowing you still have vulnerabilities?"

"Who are you to worry about me being injured in battle? Who gave you that right?" Frieren was angry this time, feeling her emotions strongly.

"These are spells I've refined; you could learn them to improve your weak points." Damian handed two books to Frieren, who had sharp eyes.

"I don't need them."

"Then throw them away."

Frieren looked at Damian's back and shouted, "What are friends?"

"What did you say?" Damian turned around, confused by that question.

"You've taught me that friends never abandon each other. Now you expect me to do the exact opposite of what you've taught me? So, were you lying?"

"I don't lie."

"Then why do you want me to distance myself from you?"

"Because you can die like everyone else has!" Damian had ignored the fact that he had lost everyone who was always by his side. Now that everything was going well, he started to fear that Frieren might die because of him.

Damian turned and said, "Everyone by my side has died protecting me, fighting alongside me, and following me. The last thing I want is for the same to happen to you. I didn't feel before that we should separate out of selfishness, but now I think it's for the best."

"I'm not like the others; I won't die, and we only have each other. Even a thousand years later, you'll have me as I'll have you. What's more important than that before dying?" Frieren didn't care about dying; the last thing she feared was death.

Damian relented, looked at Frieren, and said, "Then learn those spells; we'll talk later."

Frieren didn't feel like talking, either. She didn't need Damian to worry about her safety because that made her seem weak, which wasn't the case.

In the hallway, Damian stopped until a huge figure emerged from his shadow. "Protect her with your life; never leave her side, and don't let her notice you."

The figure vanished into the darkness, and Damian left the basement. He didn't talk much with Frieren, but he believed they had more than just a simple friendship. Even though they didn't speak much, they understood perfectly how each other felt, studied magic together, and were interested in deeper knowledge.

"Then I'll take care that the war doesn't reach you," Damian thought as he left the castle.

The reason he felt increasingly nervous was that the northern borders were being crushed by demons; at this rate, his city would receive demon attacks in about five years.

Feeling the waves of war nearing, Damian had to increase his puppet numbers even more.