‘Miracle?’
‘Hm?’
‘When do you suppose I’ll be able to contend against that curse?’ Alex asked as soon as Augustus left.
Miracle paused a little before answering, ‘Let’s see… do you remember the time when the first time our contract was made against that bandit insect?’
Alex nodded to himself.
‘You need to get at least that strong. Only then you might stand a chance against him. But you’ll only be able to fight him on equal grounds, defeating him would be altogether another matter. That curse insect is quite tough as of now for you but nevertheless still an insect.’
‘Yes-yes everyone’s an insect for you.’ Alex inwardly shook his head.
‘So… do you like know a speedy method to get me that strong?’
‘You already know the answer, training.’
‘Right.’ Alex sighed wondering why he even asked.
The next morning Alex waited outside the hospital for Nina as he talked to Luxario.
Inside the hospital’s common room:
Nina was on her way out when she saw Blake seated at one of the couches.
Releasing a long sigh, she approached him.
“…Hey, how do you feel?”
“I-I’ll be alright. At least I’ll be back before the football match.” Blake answered as he jolted up from his seat not expecting Nina to approach him.
Nina, “That’s good to hear. Listen these last 3 days, I’ve been thinking and… I forgive you.”
“You… y-you do?” Blake asked surprised as he jolted from his bed only to lie back down in pain.
“Yeah, I forgive you for trying to take me as a hostage and trying to kill Alex. And you know… we are classmates now, or at least we are not on bad terms, so if you need to talk… or anything I am there.” Nina blabbered awkwardly. This was her first time forgiving someone for something like this so it was natural that she got awkward.
“Th- Thanks…” Blake replied clumsily.
“I’ll see you later then, bye.” Nina said as she hurriedly left the room and went to join Alex.
On their way back Alex decided to wait back in the forest with Luxario as Nina went back. He had a request from the latter.
“Contending against those curses? Do you even know how strong they are or what their powers are?” Luxario asked having his interest piqued by Alex’s question.
Alex, “Well for starters I think they each possess some special kind of power, right?”
Luxario sighed as he went on to explain, “The curses are no different than humans and the different races found on Emerald. But what makes them so dangerous is, the power of curses blessed upon them. Like Loren: The curse of magic restrainer. He can restrain people’s magic for a good amount of time. Once hit by his curse, how much ever you try, your mana won’t come out, it won’t respond to your calls.”
“Also, just aside from their curses, they are all at the very least general level or even greater.”
Alex, “Okay then I just need to become as strong as a general, right?”
Luxario, “It’s much harder than it sounds. There’s a big difference between a general and a captain. It’s not something you can overcome in just 2 or 3 days.”
Alex, “Well if one of those curses doesn’t like my little joke on them and decide to come back, I’ll need to be at least that strong right?”
Luxario gave him a scrutinizing gaze, “Fine but I can’t guarantee that you won’t die.”
Alex, “What wai—
Before Alex could say anything Luxario had already started throwing fire balls at him.
3 hours later.
“Ha… hah… hh…” Alex lay on the ground gasping for air.
Luxario, “Come on get up, you have a holiday, today, right? We should make full use of this day.”
There were burn marks all over Alex’s body. He was continuously dogging, blocking, sparring for the last 3 hours.
Luxario, “If you’re able to stop this, I’ll give you a half hour brake.”
Alex, “Only half?! I nee—
Alex was again interrupted as Luxario summoned a large fire ball of about 20 meters in diameter and launched it at him.
“Miracle!” Alex covered his blade in black aura before launching several arcs of black-mana. But it was all futile as the flaming ball enveloped them whole. Alex didn’t have enough mana left to launch a raging streak. He then clashed with it, trying to stop it with brute force but was being pushed back rapidly.
‘If this keeps up, he’ll be entirely consumed by the flames.’ Luxario thought as he watched Alex and became ready to step in, the moment he feels he will lose.
Miracle, ‘Alex, try to synchronize with me. You need to use our bond and withdraw more energy from me.’
Alex, ‘But how?! I am trying that for past 3 hours.’
Miracle, ‘Calm down and even your breathing, concentrate on me and you’ll be able to see my core. Unless you do that, I won’t be able to lend you any strength.’
Miracle had been instructing the same things over and over again. But it was still easier said than done.
‘Miracle, miracle, something about Miracle…’ He was constantly repeating his name in his mind so as to focus on him. But time had run out. Alex’s body had given up, his resistance against the flaming ball was reducing by the second.
‘I guess this is as far as he can go at the moment… well no shame in losi- huh?!’
Luxario was about to interfere to save him, when suddenly black-mana emitted from his sword. The mana became denser and denser before eventually Alex started gaining a newfound strength. His whole body was covered by a black hue as it began to repel the flaming ball.
With power brimming inside him Alex made a horizontal slash as he dispersed the flaming ball all at once. A few seconds later the black-mana, died down. Alex looked up at Luxario with a smile in accomplishment of achieving his new strength.
Luxario’s mouth was half agape as he watched him do something impossible. That was because it was a tier 3 spell! And Luxario knew completely that Alex had no chance of stopping it. But he proved otherwise.
Luxario gave him a quick thumbs up as Alex began to laugh while falling back from exhaustion.
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