Chapter 15 Encountering her once again

“Right. This should do."

I mumbled in satisfaction, raising the completely made slingshot. Its wooden core part and the black rubber that holds it all together.

Holding its body with my left hand, I stretched the rubber, putting as much stress as possible on it. "Hmm, this was fairly good considering it’s a high-quality material."

“But could it take my mana? "

My mana emerges little by little, entering the slingshot at its very limit.

"Hmm, this should be enough." As it glows brightly, I conclude it's at its limit. Arming it with one of my metallic balls, I pull it with all my might. However, due to my mana intervention with the rubber, it became rough to pull. I need to enhance myself with mana as well.

Just to make sure, let's point it upward. Pulling the rubber, I redirect it to the sky. I just got the feeling I shouldn't point it in the land. Even I feel terrified by the amount of mana I put into every part of the slingshot, including the metallic ball.

As someone who can only use null types of magic at some point, enhancing fire power and physical strength are two of those. But I'm sure that in the near future, I'll be able to copy skills from a certain hero.

"Shit, I'm getting excited!" Without even realizing it, more mana starts emerging from my body.

Clad in the light of my mana, I can feel my lips curling up. The taste of this power shook me to my very core—the feeling of power I never had in my past life. The warmth of my mana corroded my body.

Haha, this is not bad at all.

"This is exhilarating!!!!!!"

Having the best time of my life, I grin widely as a bluish orb materializes.

"Cilestia!!!!!!"

The moment I let go, an ear-splitting explosion convulsed the atmosphere.

***

“Ehew, I think your kid got a little overboard."

In a faraway land of white void, existence, perhaps unfathomable to humans. Watching a scene unfold before their eyes. Seating in a white chair paired with a white round table.

In front of them was an orb displaying a light piercing through the sky, tearing sound barriers several times. Reaching a magnificent height.

A geezer with a peculiarly long beard takes a glimpse of that. "Hmm, he might relapse if he over-exerts that much power and drains his mana."

"That’s right. Mana of such caliber could strain his body." The mysterious woman who resided in the white space agreed. "He shouldn't overdo it, or else he might endanger himself. I’m glad we foresaw this."

The geezer chortles boisterously. "Yeah, we were able to set concealment magic around that place, or he'll blow his cover himself."

“Hehehe, I guess."

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Despite their peals of laughter, fright was evident; dread flowed down their cheeks. Just across them were cold emerald eyes devoid of emotion, scowling down at them. The whole place seemed to be twisted with those eyes alone; it felt as if it were wrenching their stomachs.

A cold voice freezes the air, shattering the orb on the table.

"Since when did you know?"

***

“Wow, Cilestia, did you see that!!?” I excitedly pointed at the sky, peaking at Cilestia. "Hehe, to think we could do something like that; there are even sonic booms besides that!"

As if sensing my emotion, she radiates brightly as she goes up and down to match me, jumping for joy.

“Hehehehe, Cilestia is so strong." Grabbing Cilestia gently with both hands, we roll wholeheartedly.

After a few seconds, I lost balance and fell on my back, though the smile didn't vanish on my face. Thus, I happily raised Cilestia with my hand. "Cilestia, maybe we can actually pull it off and get stronger if we're together."

Cilestia breaks loose in my hands, resting beside my face. A relaxed smile broke on my face as I felt the warm, soothing sensation coming from Cilestia. Spreading my arms on the ground, I watch the ascending light with her.

"Hmm, how long is that going to keep going?" I mumbled uneasily. I turn to face Cilestia, so she does the same as if to face me.

Soon we returned our gaze to the sky.

“"................................""

Seconds.

Minutes have passed.

"It's not stopping..."

{Putang ina...} (Son of a bitch)

Cold sweat started flowing in my body as that thing kept getting higher and higher. I gulped down dry saliva, realizing how much trouble I had just caused.

Those loud explosions and bright light soaring towards the sky—there's no way no one noticed it.

What have I done? I bet some people already notice that. What's going to happen to me if they discover I’m the cause of this? Is my fate as a lab rat set in stone? Why the hell didn't I think about the possible consequences before I acted!!!?

I bet some guys from the orphanage are already making their way here.

Praying in my head, I hug Cilestia. "We should dip from this place."

As I was preparing to run for my life, a strong shock wave cut the air. A large spark explodes above, leaving me in awe.

“Whaaa!!?"

I rose to my feet as the sudden event left me in confusion.

What the hell just happened?

Recollecting myself, I squinted my eyes. There’s no way in the fucking hell that will happen with empty air. That kind of thing would only be possible if there was something it came into contact with and caused a collision.

“What is that?"

With Cilestia beside me, I focused my mana sense on the sky. The collision point was too far for my eyes, though I managed to feel something familiar about it.

“This is...Lhina's." I indivertibly blurted Lhina's name without noticing it.

Without a doubt, it's Lhina's mana, and though I can partially detect other mana on it, it's unknown to me. Was it a barrier set by Lhina? To see the answer myself, I enhanced my eyes with mana.

The myriad world filled with colorful mana was laid upon me. Concentrating as far as I can, I discover the translucent dome that blends in with the surroundings. It was a barrier that covered a large amount of forest. But I couldn't ignore the fact that I couldn't sense it until now.

Was it really Lhina who cast it? I’m really suspicious about it, but I’m grateful enough that it prevented the mischief I caused. There's a chance that Lhina knows that I’m a brainless brat who would incur chaos as soon as she takes her eyes away from me, thus setting up a barrier just in case...

Whatever it is, I feel uneasy about this.

***

A few minutes passed, and I gave up assessing the barrier.

“I guess I will just ask Lhina once she comes back.”

"Yosh, Cilestia, let’s go for another round.” Ignoring the barrier, I pick up my slingshot.

"That shot barely used some of our mana; let’s try a few more shots." I make a gutsy pose, while Cilestia gleams excitedly.

“Though, let's lessen the power this time," I said, awkwardly gazing into the sky.

Boom, boom, boommmm...

Thud, thud....thud.....

Unlike earlier, consecutive small explosions that others wouldn't believe came from a slingshot. The reverberating blast was followed by the sound of something falling to the ground. Enveloping the vicinity in harmony.

After several test fires, I concluded a certain thing...

This shit is more dangerous than what I’ve thought. I gulped, having my hand over my hair. Amidst the aftermath of the devastation I rendered, a scene of carnage lay below me.

Holes in the land, busted trees, distorted scenery, and a red liquid that stained my shoes.

A pool of water became my stepping ground; even I couldn't believe it. It is a terrifying sight that makes me want to punch myself for causing it. Several heads of birds were scattered lifelessly on the ground. Their bodies, without heads or bodies torn into several pieces, were dispersed on the ground.

A few minutes earlier, as I was making a mess of my surroundings, I found some beings flying in the sky. Thus, my inner devil takes over, and I make them my target practice. At first, I thought I only loaded enough mana on the slingshot to knock them down.

However, the moment it hit one of them, its body miraculously disappeared.

Of course, I couldn't be satisfied with that result and repeated it until the very last flying thing I found. The moment I realize it, I’m already standing in the midst of a massacre. But I’m pretty sure most of them were monsters.

"Shit, that doesn't make me feel good at all."

I don't want to use this again.

I throw the slingshot in my storage, vowing in my heart not to use it ever again.

However, I learned that I can use simple stone as ammo as long as I keep the power in moderation, or else it'll shatter to pieces. It was a big waste to use my special sphere as ammo, and this was also a way for me to keep my destruction to a minimum.

“kuhhh..."

I jump away as a weird feeling pierces my skin. Cilestia was also in an alarmed state, hiding behind me. I directed my narrow eyes toward the collapsed trees, concentrating my senses there.

“There’s none..."

I enhanced my whole body with mana, bracing myself for danger. A certain area was devoid of mana. It's as if there's a hollow in that place. That was impossible in a world like this filled with mana, unless...

“Cilestia!"

I quickly pull out my slingshot once again, arming it with stone. Imbuing it with dense mana, I swiftly fire it in that direction.

Soon after the explosive sound of my slingshot, a sound of shattering glass echoes around the location where I shoot. As I prepare myself for what is to come, sheierk resounds in that place.

“Kyaaaaa!!"

“Ehhhhh?"

To think my second fateful encounter would happen this soon.