Wait, I Get That You're Angry (3)
My basic magic is Ignition. While each technique has its own name, most are derived from Ignition. So it's fair to say every spell I use stems from a single source. Since I've relied on just this one magic for so long, my Ignition now packs the power of an intermediate spell. At least, that's my own assessment.
Anyway, Shady is about to strike, trying to steal Luna's shadow. The situation is on a knife's edge. What can I do here?
While I was lost in thought, shadows around Shady began to writhe. The grotesque, twisting darkness soon took on human shapes—her Shadow Clone technique. The clones mirror her appearance and movements, making them a perfect fit for a fistfighter like her. When she lands a punch, the clones follow up. It's basically two against one. They can't use magic, but their perfect synchronization makes facing her alone nearly impossible. As a skilled martial artist, she's a nightmare for parties without a tank or light/dark magic.
So there's only one option left.
First, I kick off my shoes and socks and store them in my Inventory. Then I draw mana from my Mana Core, layering on Mana Amplification to boost the output. I'll have to endure a bit of strain. I really need to get that fire resistance soon.
Right now, the only thing I can do is grab Luna and run. For that, I need speed—enough to escape with her in tow.
I gather mana into my hands and feet, keeping the range narrow but the output high. Flames of mana begin to bloom from my limbs. Short and intense. Like a burst. Yeah, let's call it a boost.
"Here we go."
The faint blue flames erupted in an instant. I shot forward like a bullet.
....
What the hell is this bitch doing?
This is ridiculous. I've already been getting sick of this place lately.
"Annoying. Maybe I should just kill her."
The girl in front of me must have heard my muttered words, because she starts spouting nonsense.
"What did you say? A mere human wants to die that badly? I'll take your shadow and your life!"
Human, huh. Yeah... I wanted to become one. After my parents abandoned their half-breed child, the orphanage director took me in. I wanted to be a real person, just like her.
But after leaving the director and arriving at the academy, I learned there's no paradise for runaways. It really... pisses me off. I want to kill every last one of them.
Hold it in. The director wouldn't have wanted this. She sent me here because I said I wanted to become human. But... does it even mean anything? Can I really be saved just by becoming human? Me, who's neither human nor demon?
When I first arrived at the academy, I thought it was a decent place. Maybe here I could live with others and finally become human—that's what I used to believe. This shining place, Oasis Academy. Everyone equal, every student glowing like the sun in the sky.
But darkness lurked beneath that light.
At first, things weren't so bad. I had inherited magical talent from my detestable parents, and my mana capacity was large. Thanks to the looks I got from my father, plenty of people approached me. But before long, everyone started keeping their distance.
Maybe it was after the first semester. Having never properly exchanged emotions with others, I couldn't fit in and ended up isolated. I wanted to talk normally, but I couldn't. The trauma carved into me as a child only widened the gap between me and everyone else.
When I failed to express emotions properly, the students started calling me a rude bitch. They mocked me for my cold expression, saying I was putting on airs. I want to smile too. I want to be warm to people. But I can't. My smile disappeared the day my damn father abandoned me.
Eventually, they found out I was an orphan. A parentless, rude bitch—that's what I became. Before I knew it, I was being ostracized.
Everyone claims the academy is equal, but the students obsess over whose father is who, whose mother is who, which family they belong to, which families they're connected to—all that worthless crap. So of course someone without parents like me would get bullied. It was inevitable.
At first they just ignored me, badmouthing me behind my back. There were a few who approached me, but they all drifted away eventually. The rare ones who came close always had ulterior motives.
Now in my second year, I'm treated like I'm invisible.
I wanted to become human. If this half-breed could turn into one, I thought I could get back at the father who abandoned me. I wanted to be a good person like the director. I just wanted to live an ordinary life.
But neither my family nor this place will leave me alone. I'm sick of everything. I can't hold it in anymore.
And now this idiot suddenly demands my shadow. Looking at the shadow writhing beside her, she's probably trying to use black magic. "Ha. Unbelievable."
Magic that manipulates shadows is forbidden black magic. Only a tiny fraction of demons even know it. So this stupid bitch must be a demon too. A fellow demon who can't even recognize me properly.
Right. A half-breed like me really is nothing.
It's so absurd and infuriating that I just want to kill her. Yeah. Let's just kill her.
She began awakening something within herself. As the power stirred in her core, her black hair turned pure white and her black eyes flushed crimson. Just as she raised her hand to chant and unleash her authority, she sensed another mana signature in the alley—besides herself and the girl in front of her.
It was faint, but detectable.
Who's that? Are they with her?
She'd heard the recent rumors—a crazy woman attacking people at night and stealing their shadows. Victims supposedly lose the ability to use mana. Whatever. Probably another idiot on the same side. Killing them both wouldn't matter.
First, the black-haired woman. The other one can wait. The mana she's giving off is weak anyway. No big deal.
Sorry, Director. Looks like I won't be keeping that promise.
"Just who the hell are you? Neither human nor demon... Fine. You die."
"The one dying isn't me—it's you."
As she tried to activate her authority and crush the woman, something flashed beside her. A brilliant blue light streaked toward her at terrifying speed.
I need to dodge—!
Before she could finish the thought, the blur slammed into her and carried her away.
"Kyaaah!!"
Her scream echoed through the alley.
....
The alley runs in a straight line, so the two of us keep flying forward. My mana is running dry—I can't maintain the flames anymore. Still holding Luna, I adjust our posture and start tumbling across the ground. Even if she's only a half-vampire, this much shouldn't injure her. But her body is already covered in wounds. I don't want to add even a single scratch.
After several rolls, we finally stop. We've put plenty of distance between us and Shady. We've reached a wide street outside the alley, so it should be fine. It's late at night, and there's no one else around. Lucky.
If Luna and Shady had clashed, Shady would've died for sure. Luna would've gone berserk too. Whew. Another close call.
"L-Let go...!"
Oh, right. I'm still holding her. I release my arms.
"Sorry. You looked like you were in danger."
"......Just asking, but... did you see?"
"....See what?"
Crap. I hesitated too long.
"You know what. Stop pretending."
I'm screwed. I barely stopped her from going berserk!
"I really don't know."
"My hair and eyes—you really didn't see them?"
".....I really didn't."
When she uses her authority, her hair turns snow-white and her eyes turn red. Normally a half-vampire with black hair and eyes, she transforms when awakening as a vampire. Demons and vampires have been at war for ages—their relationship is terrible. If her identity as a demon gets exposed here, especially as a vampire, the situation would turn disastrous.
So I'll just deny it completely. I didn't see anything. Nothing at all.
"I really didn't see."
"...."
"I mean it. I saved you from an attacker, so why are you looking at me like that?"
"...."
"....Wait, I get that you're angry. I didn't mean to see it on purpose. I won't tell anyone. I swear."
"...."
"Wait. Don't come any closer. You do realize you're radiating killing intent at the person who just saved your life, right? Why do you keep approaching?"
If she goes berserk now, she'll definitely self-destruct. I barely kept her alive, and now I'm the one who's going to die.
I hurriedly add, "I won't say anything, so just calm down first."
"How am I supposed to believe that? Do I even have a reason to let you live?"
Damn it. It's not working. Their relationship isn't just bad—it's a mutual kill-on-sight situation. This is getting complicated.
"If you kill me, my family and the academy won't let you off."
Please, let this work.
"Then I'll just kill them all too."
Ah, I'm screwed.