The dome was cracked open. Waiting on the other side was a guy adjusting his eyeglasses.

"Sorry, I'm late."

The one who spoke was Tesuo, the man I met during the Magic Aptitude Test. Compared to the laid-back attitude when I first saw him, he is currently emitting a strong aura.

"Hoho~ To think there is a 'Master Mage' in this little village." The Royal Mage was surprised for a bit before going back to his smug look.

"Too bad. It doesn't bother me"

"What does a Grandmaster of the Royal Mage Association doing here?" Tesuo casually asked but I could see him on his highest alert.

"I'm just here to take someone's daughter."

"What if we don't hand her over?"

"That's alright. Your opinions won't matter.. Dead people can't do anything anyway."

The Royal Mage cast another [Air Tempest]. This time, on a larger scale. All adjacent buildings and houses were affected by the wide-scale magic. Fortunately, everyone else seems to have evacuated far away from the epicenter of our fight.

It was now three versus one, although both Yukio and I were heavily injured. It was all up to Tesuo to deal with him.

[Blinding Light] - [Hymn of Water]

Tesuo didn't waste time and immediately cast a spell. A dazzling light orb floated above our heads depriving everyone's sight. It was then followed by a huge wave of water forming and crashing heavily upon the land. In between those sequence of spells, I fell due to a hole that formed under my feet.

"Silva!"

I heard Yukio's voice in this simple cave system I fell into. Across the other side, I saw Yukio dragging his wounded body towards me.

"Where are we?" I asked

"Don't worry, we're within the protection of Tesuo-san magic. He is above fighting with the Royal Mage."

'True to it, I could feel and hear loud noises going on above.'

"Tesuo-san is very strong. He may look like that but he's the only Master Mage in this village. But I still worry since the enemy is a Grandmaster mage. I don't know if Tesuo-san could handle him alone."

Yukio was shivering in fear when talking about the possibility of our only hope not being good enough. However, instead of being afraid, I'm more curious about the circumstances that lead us to this situation. Why someone so strong is looking for Shimomura, what is the Royal Magic Association, and what relation does her father has on them. I got a lot of questions in mind but I'm in no position to get involved in their personal life since I just met them recently.

'Why am I risking my life for them?'

Out of the blue, I remembered the Royal Mage's words.

'Am I really the person to care about others? No, I thought I could defeat him because my first battle was so easy that I become too overconfident. Yes, that must be it.

For long as I remembered, people never needed my help. Instead, I was always the person that needed help. They may have helped me understand this world but the person I know would always run first when faced with death. '

"Are you okay Silva?" Yukio suddenly disturbed my train of thought.

"You've been quiet for a while. I just want to check on you because it seems like the sounds above have dwindled. I hope it went better than exp-"

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*RUMBLE*

Yukio was cut off by a strong vibration. The ground above us begun to collapse under the pressure from above. Thankfully, it seems Tesuo was able to release us before we were buried underneath completely.

"Hoho~ There you are, peasants."

Instead of Tesuo welcoming us, it was the Royal Mage that was standing still. Tesuo was unconscious at the side bleeding to death.

"Now that annoyance is done, we should go back to business. Where is the girl?" The Royal Mage impatiently said. He doesn't look tired at all. Instead, he was more irritated than ever.

The situation went worse than we hoped for. No one was in the shape to fight, even if we were, it would be useless against him.

I looked over Yukio and Tesuo one last time to see if there are any trump cards left. However, the only thing I saw was the determination in Yukio's eyes that haven't faded yet.

'This is hopeless. Am I going to die this time.'

"Silva. I request you to find Shimomura at the woodlands, west from here, where she is currently taking a quest. By this time, she should have finished her task and is going back. Take her away from here and escape, we couldn't let her end up in the Association. I would buy you time for you to escape."

Yukio said while moving in front of me. He endured the pain and grabbed his sword with resolve. For some reason, he fully trusted me. Someone who he just met yesterday. Nevertheless, I nodded at his request because through that way, I could escape with my life.

Watching me moved aside, Yukio smiled and went ahead and charged towards certain death. Meanwhile, I ran the opposite side with every ounce of energy left in me and escaped for my life.

"HAHAHAHA! You are leaving your friend behind. Even for a peasant, you're trash. You will always be a COWARD who will never achieve anything."

"..."

I immediately stopped on my tracks when he finished his sentence. Somehow, those words hit the wrong spot.

"Don't listen to him, Silva. He's just trying to taunt you. JUST GO and save Shimomura."

I didn't listen to Yukio and turned my back to the fight once again. I don't know why but I felt a surge of anger that wasn't with me even if I was badly beaten up. Being called a coward just infuriated me. It may because I know that I am one in my previous world or I hate myself for living as such. Nonetheless, I was boiling with anger.

'Now I think I know why I choose to fight in the first place...'

"SILVA! What are you doing!?"

"I don't want to live as a coward anymore"

Yukio went silent when I proclaim to fight. He may think my decision was selfish but for someone with a personality like Yukio, he accepted my determination even if it wasn't the best course of action.

"Power above all power. I raise fear and destruction for I consume everything in my path. I give myself to no one but me...INVOKE"

The chant for my demon transformation suddenly came into my mind. It was different from what I remembered but the power it gave was the sam- no it was better.

The ring that was given to me by the Hero returned to its golden luster the same as the one I saw when I first wore it. In contrast to the shining golden glint, a dark shadow came out of it and begun to engulf my whole arm.

Seeing the weird occurrence happening to me, the Royal Mage didn't take his chance and immediately created a huge sphere of concentrated wind.

"I don't know what you're doing but it's useless. [Arcane Typhoon]! "

He threw the giant sphere towards us. Everything in its path, from the ground to the surrounding debris, were sucked in and shredded to pieces until it became a part of the sphere. It was sure death if that hit us.

Yukio was already in a half-conscious state and I'm in no shape to dodge it. However, instead of panicking, all I could feel was anger and a famishing hunger. It was the same when the Spirit of Darkness ate the other Spirits.

At the same time, I was feeling it, the darkness on my arm begun to manifest into a giant shadow of a mouth. In anticipation of the death sphere, it widely opened showing of its numerous sharp teeth. When the wind magic went into it, a loud crunch and chewing sounds were followed by the devouring of what once a powerful spell.

Seemingly done with its food, the shadow was still unsatisfied and begun looking for its next target. When its vision landed on the Royal Mage, even though eyes were non-existent, it drooled in anticipation of its next meal. Yet,

It was waiting for my instructions before it moved.

The Royal Mage was frozen still because of the intense pressure of deathly aura the shadow was emitting. Taking this chance, I commanded it to go after him. However, he didn't let himself be eaten easily. He threw every spell he can at the shadow rushing over him but it was useless because every single one of them was just devoured by the hungry mouth.

After a short yet futile retaliation, the shadow was able to penetrate the Mage's defense. When the teeth were about to sink in and deal the finishing blow, extreme fatigue hit me.

It resulted in me losing control over it.

Without my connection, the shadow dissipates leaving the Royal Mage stupefied.

"Wah- What was that? Dark Magic?" There was still a glint of fear within his face.

"ahahaHAHA! Fitting for a coward. You made me scared a little bit but you're all bark and no bite."

I can't argue any of his words anymore. I was lying down flat on the floor without any bit of energy. I can't even feel pain anymore as my whole body was numb from overwork.

"I've played enough. I should end it now before something happens again." The Royal Mage decided to finally end the battle.

"You entertained me well, peasants."

He raises his battered staff high and cast magic for one last time. It wasn't as powerful as before, although anything could kill us both in this state. Yukio tried to have his last stand but his body also failed him.

'Damn it, is this the end?'

I already accepted the end and was waiting for the final pain when suddenly,

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ANYONE!"

A yell of a woman echoed through the ears of everyone present. Looking at the source of the voice, it was the person that was the reason why the situation turned to this.

"You're looking for me, right? I will follow you obediently if you leave them alone."

I saw Shimomura running towards Yukio while glaring at the Royal Mage for any strange movements.

"I know my father wants me but if you dare hurt them more, I'll end my life here and now so he can't get what he wants." Shimomura pointed her dagger onto her neck.

"Ok, ok relax, Kou's daughter. I won't trouble them anymore. If you just said that in the first place, they won't be like that anyway. Beside where were you?"

"That's none of your business!"

"You've got some temper, girl. Well, I don't care as long as I leave this place." The Royal Mage was back to his smug look.

"No one is leaving before I heal them first."

Shimomura begins to use her Light Magic on Yukio first. It took a while because it seems like they have something to say to each other, especially Yukio. Seeing Yukio who doesn't want to let her go, Shimomura cast a sleeping spell on him.

After she was done treating him, she went over me and started the healing process.

"Sorry I got you involved, Silva-san. You may have a lot of questions in your mind as you've always been but some questions are better left unanswered. I know this is selfish but I got a favor to ask...

Please stop Yukio.

I'm a hundred percent sure he will try to look for me even it means bringing more trouble. I ask you to make sure he doesn't do that. I don't what your plan for the future is but I can feel you both becoming companions.

So as a friend of Yukio, and as a friend of mine, live and forget me."

"..."

Those were the last words I heard before she cast her sleeping spell on me.