Chapter 15- Quick Attack

“Itsuki. That’s enough for today.”

“Oh?”

“I have to go home now.”

I looked at the time, 16:30.

It was too early from an adult’s point of view, but it was a normal curfew for a first grader.

In the end, I couldn’t move the phase 2 level 2 magic out of my body.

It’s just too difficult. I had been practicing for a month when I did the Shijutsu and finally became able to do it, so maybe I’m not good at getting magic out of my body.

On the other hand, I learned both Kaijutsu, which manipulates magic inside the body, and Seiren, which refines magic, in less than an hour, so I guess I’m good at those.

I see.

I can see what I’m good at and what I’m not.

“Nina-chan, thank you for teaching me magic today.”

“That’s okay. It’s a promise.”

“Oh, that’s right. You did what I asked you to do, so why don’t I do the same for you?”

I said to her, and she furrowed her brow as she thought for a moment,

“No, I don’t want to do that right now. When you learn the alchemy elements properly, I’ll ask you to do me a favor.”

“I see. I understand.”

Nina-chan put her school bag on her back and continued, looking a little embarrassed.

“Itsuki.”

“What?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow…”

“Yes. See you tomorrow!”

Is it possible that this is the first time that Nina-chan has greeted me back?

Oh, I’m so happy to feel like we’ve grown closer.

It’s as if we are friends.

As I watched Nina-chan leave the classroom, I realized after I picked up my own school bag that it was time to go home.

Why don’t we just walk back to the school gate together?

“Oh, Nina-chan, wait a minute! I’m going home too!”

With that in mind, I grabbed my school bag and ran after Nina-chan.

When I went out into the corridor, Nina-chan was waiting for me at the end of the corridor, saying, “Hurry up!” I knew she was kind.

So, we both went down the stairs and chatted with each other.

After changing into outdoor shoes at the shoe box and going out to the schoolyard, I asked.

“Where do you live, Nina-chan?”

“On the other side of the street. It’s about a 20-minute walk.”

Nina-chan pointed in a direction that wasn’t even close to my house. Hmmm. I don’t know if it’s possible to go to school together in that direction.

“What about you?”

“I live over there.”

When I pointed in that direction, Nina-chan muttered “It’s the opposite direction”

I think so too.

As I was leaving the school gate thinking about this, I saw a man standing at the gate.

I wondered how old he was.

I guessed he was around 40 years old.

He was staring at the elementary school with his messily scattered greasy hair and a thin smile on his face, as if he was trying to be funny.

A blatant prowler.

But no one would notice.

In addition to his two human arms, he had a third fat arm extending from his chest, and these three arms were clutching the school gate.

The man’s eyes were fixed on us as he descended toward us.

It was a monster.

I hadn’t seen one in a week or so.

They had been standing at the school gate before, so I had exorcised them.

It looked to be of second or third rank, I guess.

He didn’t look that strong, but I was surprised he didn’t run away.

“Hey! Hey! Let’s play together』

He spoke normally, so I guess he is of the third rank in terms of magic power.

“What is your name? Tell me…”

The metal school gate that the monster is holding is distorted.

This is no time for analysis. Let me exorcise it.

Just as I was about to knead the guiding thread silvate, Nina-chan, who was standing next to me, let out a shallow breath.

“……Hyuu.”

When I looked at her, Nina-chan’s face turned pale and she was shaking.

It is obvious that she’s not normal.

“Are you okay, Nina-chan?”

“Haa…haa….”

Nina-chan didn’t answer my question, but was hyperventilating, taking shallow breaths over and over again.

Could it be that she is traumatized by monsters”

That’s not really unusual.

My father told me that there have been cases of people being attacked by monsters as children, and that it can lead to PTSD that sticks with them for the rest of their lives.

I don’t know what kind of trauma Nina-chan has been through, but it’s clear that it’s better to settle it as soon as possible. So, I exorcise it.

“”Sky Piercer””

My guiding thread silvate, deployed less than a millimeter thin, catches the monster in the brain.

Then, I used attribute change.

A moment later, a high-pressure stream of water is released to pierce the monster’s brain,

“Ah!…..I’m going to lose weight!』

The monster said this and thrust its third arm into its belly.

At that moment, there was a sound like the release of air from a balloon, and its body instantly became thinner.

Of course, its body also became smaller, and my sky piercer cut through the air.

“….?”

What is that?

I’ve never seen such magic!

“I’m going to get fat!』

With that, the monster slammed its third arm into its chest, and its body became bloated.

The body became fat, and then it became its original shape.

What’s with this easy diet?

I swore in the pit of my stomach, but at the same time, I felt a sense of discomfort in my current sky piercer that I had never felt before.

……The current sky piercer.

I think it was a little fast to go release it.

“Oh, isn’t it fun? Come and play with me…”

While listening to the monster’s words, I step forward to protect Nina-chan.

And then, I performed a magic refining sequence.

At that moment, the heavy magic power was at the bottom of my stomach and the light magic power was at the tip of my body.

I kneaded the light magic power that came to my fingertips into a string and released it as a blade.

–Huppah!

A sharp sound of cutting through the air rang out, and the third arm, which was protruding from the monster’s chest, was cut off.

“….. Ouch! 』

The monster turned over and a dull liquid poured from the arm wound.

I knew it.

The magic created with light magic power is fast.

I have a feeling that it is 1.3 to 1.5 times faster than normal magic.

I thought the firepower would be thin, but seeing how it cut through the monster’s body, it’s perfect for dealing with the “third rank”.

The problem is that the power of the magic is not stable because it is not sandwiched between  Kaijutsu, but even so, I came up with a new idea with the current blow.

Let’s give it a try.

“Nina-chan, calm down. It’s all right.”

Nina-chan’s breath comes out in a deep “huh” as she stands behind me.

“I just wanted to play with you…..!』

At the same moment, the monster’s huge belly gapes open to reveal a mouth lined with countless brown, muddy teeth.

Liar.

You were going to eat us.

My motto in this life is to win first.

Get them before they get you.

Refining again.

I’m going to try the Kaijutsu with my right hand only, as I hold the magic power that has gathered in my right hand.

“I knew it.”

At that moment, the light magic power in my hand is gone…….

I predicted it would happen. Kaijutsu is not only for the whole body.

It can be done with only one part of the body.

It is a quick shot of magic, combining the refining of magic power and Kaijutsu.

It’s like a blend of the Japanese and the Western worlds at its finest.

With this thought in mind, the guiding thread silvate kneaded with light magic power binds the monster in a tight knot so that it doesn’t escape. Then, the monster was disintegrated by the “Form Change: Blade” and fell to the ground.

The monster died without being able to say anything.

The monster turns into a black mist and disappears from this world.

I watched and turned to Nina-chan, who was standing behind me.

“Nina-chan. Are you okay? Do you want to go to the infirmary?”

“Ummm………. I’m fine.”

That said, Nina’s complexion remains poor.

I couldn’t just leave her like this, nor could I let her go home alone.

I’ll take her home….

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