Miko and Momo were facing each other in the plains a few miles away from the capital. Tia was sitting under a tree drinking a beverage in the shade.

“To be honest, Momo, I don’t like fighting you.”

Miko spoke with an unmotivated tone.

“Oh? And why’s that?”

“Because I always get caught up in the moment and overexert myself only to still lose in the end. I don’t like using a large amount of energy and effort and have nothing to show for it. It’s just a waste of time for me.”

“What kind of logic is that? Of course, you’ll need to waste energy if you want to improve at something. All the energy you so-called wasted will pay off when you finally get the result that you want. You of all people should know this.”

She sighed.

“You weren’t like this in the past. You used to work the hardest to reach for the top.”

She mumbled.

(Well, it can be helped. His spirit was broken once before, so it will take time for him to fully shift back into gear.)

Momo thought to herself.

“I think the main problem is that life has been too easy for you as of late.”

“Easy? When has my life been easy?”

Miko narrowed his eyes with a frown.

“While it is true your current life is still harder than most and is pretty sad; it was worse in the past. Back when you were seeking out the acceptance of the world, your life was a living hell. No matter how hard you worked and pushed, your desire just wouldn’t come true. Ironically enough, that only made you work harder and was the backbone and driving force behind your strong will, while it only made your desire grow stronger.”

She pointed at Miko.

“You’ve lost the will and desire you once had, which made your life easier. Because you no longer seek recognition or acceptance, you gave up and decided to stick with what you have and just work with that. You became satisfied with isolation and started to ignore those you once wanted to accept you, no matter what they did to you. This was because you started to see them as mere bugs that weren’t worth your time.”

Miko looked at her while she spoke.

“Can you honestly say your life hasn’t gotten easier since you gave up everything?”

“……….”

Miko remained silent. What Momo said was the truth, his life did indeed become easier. He could shut out everything around him and sleep the time away. As for assassinations, his family would deal with them or he’ll just escape them on his own and return to his normal routine. He just kept living without an aim and that was pretty easy to do.

“Desire, huh?”

He muttered.

“I’ve noticed you’re trying to regain your motivation, but I believe what you feel now is only a sense of obligation.”

Momo continued

“It’s like someone hyping themselves up for the new year and declaring that this year will be their year because they believe that a new year should result in some form of growth. These people normally give up by the second month. You’re like them. As it stands, you’ll eventually give up again. Despite, the threat to your life. You’ll end up leaving everything to the clan.”

“………”

Miko didn’t say anything because he couldn’t deny her words. Now that he thought about it, he’s given up for so long that he didn’t even remember what it felt like to have an unwavering will and desire. The thought he can always give up lingered in the back of his mind.

“Then…..What do I need to do to regain my motivation?”

Momo smiled.

“Fight me. I’ll remind you of a feeling that you’ve long forgotten, an emotion that you’re no longer familiar with.”

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“…..Alright. Let’s do it.”

“Good.”

Momo was all smiles

“Good job, Momo.”

Tia whispered.

“You were able to see an obstacle that will await Miko in the future and convince him to try and clear it now.”

She glanced at Miko.

“Miko did indeed lack the resolve he needed to fight to reach the top, even though he didn’t realize it himself.”

“Aren’t you going to change back to your real form?”

Miko asked Momo as he prepared to fight her.

“Oh, this? I think this childish form is more than enough for the current you.”

A vein in Miko’s head started to twitch.

“Oh? Is that so?”

He took a fighting stance.

“Then I’ll have to prove you otherwise!”

He rushed towards her. Momo smiled and welcomed him with open arms. Miko drew his fist back and punched with all of his strength.

*Bam!*

An explosive sound echoed out as his fist connected with her flesh.

“You’ve really been slacking, huh?”

“?!”

Miko's eyes widened at the sight of Momo blocking his attack with her thin arm.

“Dammit!”

He pulled his other arm back and threw another punch. Momo blocked it like the first one. She slammed her thin leg into his stomach. Miko was blown back with his entire body spinning in the air. He forcibly canceled out his momentum by planting his feet into the earth.

“Ugh!”

He felt intense pain in his ankles like it was going to snap.

“Come on, we’re just getting started.”

Momo appeared above him swinging down her heel on top of his head. Miko quickly moved out of the way. He pounced at her, who was left defenseless in midair.

“Heh.”

Momo faded away from where she was with a smirk. She reappeared behind Miko and grabbed him by the collar.

“You’ve been slacking too much!”

She pulled him over her head and slammed him onto the ground.

“Guah?!”

All the air left his lungs.

“Again!”

She grabbed him by his leg and threw him like a toy.

“Is this the strength you wanted to compete against the world with?”

A spell circle appeared in Momo’s palm and runes floated around her arm.

“This isn’t enough!”

She thrust her hand forward and a bright beam shot forward and pierced through Miko’s torso before taking the shape of a gigantic spear.

“I can’t move?!”

Although the light had pierced through him, Miko didn’t feel the slightest hint of pain. Instead, he felt like he was being kept in the sky.

“This spell is called Spear Trap. Whoever is caught in it is forced to remain immobile like a dead prey stuck to a spear.”

Momo explained.

“I’m someone who specializes in spells, yet you allowed me to cast one on you.”

She smiled.

“You’re going to have to suffer for that.”

She jumped up into the air and arrived in front of Miko. She thrust out her hand and touched his chest.

“Detonate.”

*Boom!*

Miko was devoured by a huge explosion. When the explosion faded, Momo saw Miko limp while being trapped by the spear.

“You look pathetic, Miko.”

“This….”

Miko spoke with his body still limped.

“This is the reason why I don’t like fighting you.”

He sprung to life and slammed his hands on both sides of the spear. The spear shattered like glass and Miko was freed. He landed on the ground, not too far away from Momo. She could see a black light emitting from his body.

“So he used Vita to boost his physical abilities and forcefully broke out of the spell…..Impressive.”

The Dark light emitting from Miko’s body was proof that he was drawing power from his soul via Vita.

“I really tend to get riled up when fighting people stronger than me!”

He dashed towards Momo.

“Hmph! Then get riled up!”

A magic circle appeared around the area. The ground came to life and attacked Miko with spikes and pillars.

“Move!”

Miko wasn’t bothered by them at all. He broke through them with his fists and advanced toward Momo.

“Then, what about this?!”

Momo clasped her hands together and the earth began to mold into two giant soldiers with axes as big as they were. The soldiers roared and swung down their weapons onto the charging Miko.

“Heh.”

Miko smirked and the dark light around him expanded explosively. He stretched his hands to the side and two dark orbs appeared in his palms.

“Move, you pieces of clay!”

He jumped and threw the orbs.

*Bam!*

The orbs instantly devoured half the earth giants and their weapons.

“His Vita is vast as always.”

Miko rushed past the destroyed earth giants and headed towards Momo. Every step he took the more his Vita expanded and the more overwhelming he became.

“Momo!”

Miko shouted her name with a wide smile on his face.

(As I thought….)

Tia who was watching couldn’t help but smile at Miko’s expression.

“Miko really loves to fight.”

Meanwhile, Momo watched as Miko rushed towards her like a black bullet, seeking out her blood.

“I haven’t seen you this excited in years.”

She whispered.

“Unfortunately….”

She clenched her fist and a magic circle appeared on the back of her hand and her feet as well. Like a bolt of lightning, she moved with a flash and appeared in front of Miko.

“?!”

Miko’s eyes widened.

“I’ll have to wipe that expression from your face!”

Momo swung her arm.

*Bam!*

Her fist slammed on the side of Miko’s head, forcing him to abruptly halt in his step.

“Ahhhhh!”

Momo shouted as she forced Miko’s head down along with the rest of his body.

*Bam!*

Miko was forced into the ground headfirst by Momo’s fist.

“………”

He could no longer move or make a sound. The world around him slowly faded to black. Momo silently looked down on him with a smile.

“The thing that Miko needed to experience to regain his motivation is defeat.”

Tia got up from under the tree.

“Miko hasn’t felt defeat in years and has long forgotten the frustrations that came with it. Because he was superior to most around his age, he unknowingly developed an ego and believed that him becoming the strongest was only natural.”

She walked towards him.

“This made him lose sight of himself and reality. That’s why he needed a reality check, and the biggest one he could get. And what’s better than a crushing defeat where he couldn’t even scratch his opponent?”

She stooped down beside him.

“This is what defeat tastes like Miko. I hope you remember it well.”

She stroked his swollen face.

“And I hope you work hard so that you won’t have to taste it too much.”