In the end, Iris had ordered us random sandwiches. Iris had chosen a spicy chicken sandwich for me and a BBQ sandwich for Haru. The spicy chicken sandwich was something else. It was obvious it was not intended to be this overly spicy. Iris must have made it above spicy to joke with me. “A man must be able to handle some spice!” She yelled at me while I was eating it. The worst part was that I had to eat it whole myself. Haru had refused to take half of the spicy sandwich.

“Damn Iris…” I whispered, “I’ll get you back next time.”

“Hmm?” Haru voiced, “you said something?”

“Ah no. It’s nothing” I replied as I slightly looked at Haru. For the first time, I’ve felt like I had finally taken a closer look at Haru. Her eyes were rather attractive than most. Her cheeks were colored slightly red. Whether it was makeup, or because of the cold weather, it suited her. Her hair also was a perfect match. It was not too long or too short. She must have been keeping effort to keep her hair this refined. It was almost like she was a doll, created for the purpose of looking elegant.

“Is something wrong?” Haru tilted her head slightly as she questioned me. With the slight shift of her head, strands of her hair also follow suit. It was impossible to not notice the beauty of it. Without a second thought, I had made eye contact with Haru. It must have been the same for Haru. Simultaneously, both me and Haru had suddenly turned our heads away, to avoid eye contact.

“Damn it…” I whispered to myself, “I’ll pay you back for sure Iris.”

“Well well well, look who we have here? Isn’t it the loser and the foreigner playing friends?’ A group of three spoke and walked towards us.“ Can’t hide behind Lion’s First forever huh?”

“Damn it...” My mind spoke to itself. I let my guard down. It was true that we were maybe approached because Isaac was not here with us, but it was also due to my lack of awareness. Avoiding such incidents would be an ease if I had pay attention to my surroundings. Unable to recover my composer in time, the group of three were ignored on accident.

“......”

“Hey! Come on! Don’t ignore us! Be our friends!” A student by his side roared. Without a moment of break, he had thrown his arm around my neck, pushing his body weight on me. With my head tilted slightly downwards, I was ready to defend my position. It was what I thought I would do. Alongside with my thoughts, my eyes caught glimpse of both Haru’s hand folded together trembling.

“Her hands…” I whispered unintentionally.

Surely, this was Haru’s silent cry. Surely, she was trying to convince herself, that it’s not her fault. That it’s okay. That she did nothing wrong.

‘It’ll be fine...” She tries to whisper to herself.

“It’ll be fine.” I had whispered to myself unintentionally once again.

“Hm? What was that kid?” The man who had his arm over me asked.

“It’s nothing,” I replied, “sorry, but, we’re in a rush. Let’s hang out another time.” I smiled as I removed his arm from me. In the moment of confusion, I grabbed onto Haru’s hand and had sent a glimpse of smile to Haru who was also confused by the turn of events. It was not far, but when the group of three had recovered, it was easier to give up than chase.

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“Damn it!” One of them suddenly roared..

“Wow man! Chill Jack. Just let it go.”

“Leave me alone!” He pushes his friend aside and storms after us. With the activation his Strength’s Emblem, his right hand shone in a red color.

“Wow wow wow. Relax, it’s not worth it man!” Another of his friend ran after him in attempt to stop him.

“Don’t get in my way!!!” He roared as he set blaze onto his very own friend. With his clothes set on fire, he had panicked and screamed in a short pain. It was not long before his other friend in watch had set out to put the flames away with his very own emblem.

“Dude. What the hell!?” The uninjured friend roared, but was simply ignored as Jack stormed towards Lynn and Haru who witness the whole event. “For a trash like you to be in the presence of our beloved Lucy!”

“This… This is it.” I spoke to myself. It was what Lucy had warned me from the week before. Instead of randomly going berserk, it seems like the source of it was from emotional stability. But even if we find the cause, what was the root of its cause.

“Damn it…” I whispered. No point in thinking about it.

“Ha-” As soon as I was about to ask Haru for assistance, I knew it wasn’t possible. From the feeling of her hands, it was obvious she was still frightened. In fact, it has gotten even worst. Even if she was carrying her katana with her, I could not ask her to cut someone. Abilities like Haru’s would shine the most in situations such as these. It’s not when you’re in a match. It’s not when your skill is being gauged, but when it’s used with the intent to harm someone or something. Haru had full knowledge of her ability, and what it would mean to use it on others. Anyhow, it was clear that Jack’s target was both me and Haru.

With a sudden stomp onto the floor, the ground had started a trail of blast towards us. Having no choice but to dodge, I had evaded to the side along with me pulling onto Haru. The next attack was faster than I had imagined. In an instant, he was already within arm’s reach. In that moment Jack had reached his arms towards me. With a sudden realization, I knew I could not be touch or I would meet the same fate as his friend. The moment he was touched and from where he was touched, he was set ablaze as it spreads around his body. The power must amplify the longer he holds onto his target.

“Dodge!” I could hear every inch of my body scream. “Dodge now! You have to dodge now!” But yet, my body would not move. I knew what would happen if I dodge. If I dodge, Haru would meet the flames. If I try to avoid him alongside with Haru, we’re both sure to be turned into crisp. “Use it…” I heard a voice behind my head. “Use it! Use it! Use it! Use it now!”

“I won’t use it!” I suddenly roared as I carried my left hand up. Without a second to think, and in an instant, I created and spun water around my right hand and delivered it to meet Jack’s grip. The liquid I had suddenly formed within a breath was instantly vaporized and was proved useless. Even though the water was created on a surge with little mana, I had expected it to buy some time, but it did not. Jack’s flames were not normal flames. The flame itself was not burning my skin, but burning through my skin. It burnt my blood, my bone, and my flesh. It was as if my blood was turned into lava. It was clear why his friend was screaming in anguish.

“Ughhh!!” I roared. With my natural reflex, I had tried kicking him off, but his body was proved sturdy or enraged. Next, I had tried to immediately separate us with a pillar of wall, but it was proved useless. As long as his grip was intact, I could feel my mana being drained. Rather than being drained, he was turning the mana inside my body ablaze. It would only be a matter of time before it traveled through my whole body. I had no choice but to use it. “Use me… It whispers. “Use me… Use me… Use me now!” In the end, in all that mess, I had not let go of Haru's hand and had used it.

With a sudden stomp onto the floor, the ground had started a trail of blast towards us. Having no choice but to dodge, I had evaded to the side along with me pulling onto Haru. With an injured left hand, I had no choice but to release my grip on Haru as we dodged. Prepared for his next move, I already had a fold of mana stacked onto my right hand. Ducking under Jack’s body as he prepared to attack, I sent a wave of mana towards him causing him to fly far back into a wall. A Mana Pulse they call it, when a person’s mana clashes against another person’s mana, it would repel against each other rather than binding it together. It’s what makes fire, water, or any other element collide with each other instead of reforming into something new. Without a choice, my body collapses flat onto the floor exhausted. Along with my collapsed body, my conscious also soon follow suit.