When Akira opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Astraea's gentle gaze.
Astraea was already awake and watching over him with a warmth that made his heart skip a beat.
She gently said, "Good morning, my child."
"...Good morning, Astraea-sama. Um... Can I leave now? If Alise and the others find out, I'll be dead at!"
Akira flung the blanket aside, bolting upright with stiff movents, clearly flustered.
Astraea chuckled softly and said, "Go on. But before you do, if there's anything you'd like to eat today, tell now."
"Having breakfast made by a goddess herself is already the happiest part of my day. Please, Astraea-sama, feel free to decide." Akira replied in a rush, then leapt out the window like a startled cat.
— — —
Back in the safety of his own room, Akira exhaled deeply, then sank to the floor, pitting his hands on his blushing cheeks.
"Uwahhh! I actually confessed to Astraea-sama yesterday! This is so embarrassing—aaahh!" He writhed on the floor, rolling back and forth.
"What was I even thinking?! She clearly sees as a child! But... she didn't reject either, right?"
His rolling halted abruptly, a foolish grin creeping across his lips as he covered his face, letting out an embarrassingly giddy chuckle.
Still red-faced, Akira quickly packed his gear, securing his weapons and so basic protective gear.
By the ti he reached the kitchen, Kaguya was already preparing breakfast with Astraea.
"Good morning, Astraea-sama, Kaguya-nee." Akira greeted calmly, though he couldn't et Astraea's eyes for long.
"Good morning, Akira. Don't forget we've got our match later. I've been looking forward to kicking your butt." Kaguya said with a razor-sharp smile on her lips.
"Please show rcy..." Akira muttered, feeling defeated before the fight even began.
"Now, now."
Astraea chid in, "Rember, neither of you should go overboard. Akira, are you heading into the dungeon today?"
Akira said, "Yes. At least for today, I must."
— — —
After breakfast, when Alise heard that Kaguya and Akira were going to spar, she gasped dramatically.
"Wait, does this an we all get to fight Akira at so point? Alright! I want my turn next!"
"I think I'll pass."
Lyra said, shrugging, "By the ti it's my turn, I probably won't be able to beat him anyway."
"Will they be using real weapons this ti?" Ryuu asked curiously.
"Yep. Kaguya's bringing out Higanbana and Akira's wielding a spear."
Kaguya stood tall, her dark red sheathed Iai blade at her waist, hands ready.
Akira's gaze sharpened at the sight—sothing about that stance made his instincts scream. He had a feeling that if he rushed in recklessly, he'd be taken out instantly.
Although she and Ryuu often seed to be at odds, their relationship was anything but hostile.
They trained together frequently, their sparring bringing out each other's best. If Kaguya's sword skill was a 10, Ryuu's was perhaps a modest 4 by comparison.
Maybe I should've picked a sword-type weapon... I used to think spears could increase a mage's damage output, but clearly that's not the case.
I feel like I'm becoming a magic lancer... maybe it's ti to swap weapons. From now on, I'll focus on staffs and wands from the system's inventory."
Thoughts tumbled in Akira's head like a storm.
"Oi! You're spacing out in front of . Are you looking down on ?" Kaguya charged, slashing at him mid-thought.
Akira said, "I'm not! I was just thinking about changing my weapon!"
Akira hastily blocked with his spear, but the blow sent him skidding backward.
"Seriously? You're thinking about weapon choices during a fight? Think about it after the battle, idiot!" Kaguya closed in without rcy.
I can't win against Kaguya in close combat. I'll ask for advice after this... but right now, I'll fight as a proper mage.
With that thought, Akira stopped resisting Kaguya's advance and teleported ten ters away.
He asked, "Kaguya-nee! I can't win in close quarters—mind if I use magic?"
"Up to you. Give it everything you've got." She answered without hesitation.
Akira's spear vanished and was replaced by a staff.
[Sharan's Practice Staff]
Type: Staff
Physical Attack: 139
Magic Attack: 170
Independent Attack Power: 77
Casting Speed: 1%
Only equipnt from the system seed to grant him real bonuses. One day, he planned to test if he could gift them to his familia.
"Whoa, where did that wand co from?" The others whispered.
"Careful, Kaguya!"
Akira pointed the staff forward. A fla shield surged forth, followed by five water spheres forming icy spikes, which he hurled in tandem with the shield.
"Yep, stronger and faster." Akira noted as his magic blasted forth.
Kaguya calmly sheathed her blade, took a breath, stepped forward in her wooden sandals, and in the blink of an eye—
"Flash!"
Her blade cut through the fla shield, igniting it on both sides. The ice cones shattered like fragile glass. Scorched earth and frost mixed on the battlefield as she advanced through the smoke.
"That's it? Is that your full power?"
"Don't underestimate —I'm not done yet!"
Wind surged, whirling fiercely in front of his staff. Flas mixed into the spiraling gale. The ground trembled as gravel lifted, fire licking across the earth in black tongues. A cannonball-like mass of elental power ford before him.
Akira gathered his magic in his left palm, holding the volatile storm together. He twisted his hand, reversing its rotation, and fired it forward with a screeching hiss.
The spinning mass cut through the air like a buzzsaw, carving a semi-circular path. Akira aid slightly to Kaguya's left—he couldn't risk hurting her directly.
BOOM!
The explosion thundered. Flas erupted like a crashing wave. The shockwave blew back the spectators' hair, smoke rising as if from a battlefield.
When the dust cleared, only a crater remained, the ground scorched in a perfect arc.
"Crap... I think I overdid it."
Akira's eyes widened in regret.
"Am I gonna get scolded for that later?"
Before he could dwell on it, a sheathed sword tapped his head gently.
"You lost." Kaguya said flatly, though her eyes held a glimr of awe at the spell's power.
"Ahaha... yeah. I lost." Akira admitted with a wry smile, rubbing his head.
(End of Chapter)
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