Volume 1 Chapter 8: “Through the Flames”

At that time…

Tadoki stood in an abandoned hangar, facing Kimi’s uncle.

“So, you’re finally awake?” Tadoki asked, holding a large-caliber weapon that looked like a sniper rifle.

“You… I knew from the start I should have killed you!” the uncle growled, hatred in his voice.

“Damn demon!”

“Demon? Me?” Tadoki tilted his head slightly, lowering the weapon.

“Do my actions really count as demonic?” he continued, stepping closer one slow step at a time. “I’m simply taking out the trash — like you.”

“It was you who killed my parents… and then Kimi’s as well.”

“?!” The uncle froze, shocked.

How… how did he figure it out?! I left no trace! the uncle thought in panic.

“How did I know?” Tadoki smirked. “You’re right — you left no evidence… but…”

“You overlooked one factor.”

“It’s too logical: only you were there when they died. If someone investigated and found even a single witness who saw you leaving with them or going somewhere together…”

“One could be more than fifty percent certain it was… YOU!” Tadoki said with a sharp grin, leaning closer as the uncle collapsed to the floor.

Is this really… Tadoki?!

“But that’s not all,” Tadoki continued. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly both of them floated upward, their forms turning semi-transparent.
The world around them shifted to black and white.

“W-what is this?!”

“Don’t you recognize it? These are your memories.”

“That’s impossible!”

In that instant, drops of blood shot toward them — memories of the murders of Tadoki’s parents.

“No… no! This can’t be!”

“You… devil!” the uncle whispered in horror.

Tadoki just watched him with quiet satisfaction, savoring the man’s fear.

He snapped his fingers again — and reality returned.

“I’ve done what I needed,” Tadoki said, fixing his cold gaze on the uncle, whose body began to turn to stone.

“No! Demon! Devil!” the uncle screamed as life left him, turning him completely into stone.

Meanwhile, a few people were running toward Kimi... or rather, zombies. I picked Kimi up and flew to the roof of a building.

“Th-thank you…” Kimi stammered shyly, blushing bright red. Why am I blushing so much? Calm down, Kimi! she scolded herself, gently patting her cheeks.

“Looks like whoever controls them doesn’t want visitors,” I said.

“I sense a huge amount of mana coming from the castle,” Kimi added.

“Yeah, I feel it too. Judging by the magic density, that mage is strong… maybe even beyond what I can handle,” I thought grimly.

“I’ll teleport us closer,” Kimi suggested.

We held hands, and Kimi teleported us to the castle gates.

“This is a magic college?” I asked.

“Yes. Before this country was taken over, schools used to hold competitions here,” Kimi replied.

“I see. Well, since we’re here, might as well go in,” I suggested.

“Just be careful!”

I pushed the door open. Ahead was a vast hall with a staircase leading up.
Suddenly I felt a murderous killing intent.

“Kimi!” I shouted and shoved her several meters back.

“Huh?”

An instant later, a fiery circle erupted around me, swallowing me whole and roaring upward in a towering pillar of flame.

“How do you like it? How does it feel to be consumed by fire?!
This flame erases the very body itself!” a sinister voice laughed.

“Akusa!” Kimi screamed, tears in her eyes.

“He can’t hear you now. This flame devours the body instantly, leaving no trace behind…”

“Why…?” Kimi whispered, going pale.

“Because it’s fun!” the mage answered with a twisted smile.

“Is that all?” I said.

“W-what?!” The mage’s grin vanished.

I stepped out of the inferno completely unharmed.

“Akusa?!” Kimi cried with joy, still shaking and tearful.

“How? Why? How are you alive?!” the mage stammered.

“My regeneration is far beyond what you could ever imagine!,” I said with a dark grin as my right eye turned red.

“Now — tell me how to break the spell over the people in this city,” I demanded.

“You really think that just because you survived my spell, I’ll obey?” the mage sneered.

In a blink, I appeared before him, grabbed his throat, and squeezed.

“Still not talking?”

“You can’t scare me!” the mage rasped, launching a fireball — which vanished instantly.

“What?!”

“You’re finished. Your fate ends here.”

“Ameci Neriel will not be defeated!” the mage screamed and sliced off my arm.

If I kill him, the spell on the townsfolk should break on its own…

Ameci collapsed to the floor, gasping. Using telekinesis, I pulled my severed arm back and reattached it, healing instantly.

“Farewell,” I said and drove a blade — freshly pulled from my storage — straight through Ameci.

“Khahh!..”

Then I conjured the same annihilating flame he’d used against me; his body vanished without a trace.

That should be enough…

“I did it…” I said, turning to Kimi with a faint smile. My right eye returned to normal.
The dizziness hit — my mana was almost gone.

“Akusa, careful!” Kimi cried, rushing to catch me as I collapsed.

”Akusa, wake up!” she urged, still sobbing..

A few hours later…

I don’t know why, but I have this strange feeling… as if Akusa and I have met before.

Sitting beside me in the wide, quiet room, Kimi pondered in silence.

Even that very first time I glimpsed him in the city… my heart began to race so wildly, she thought, cheeks growing warm.

“I’ve never felt this way before… I don’t even know why, but I want to spend more time with you…” Kimi murmured softly, almost too quiet to hear.

“That’s why today, when it all happened, I…”

I stirred slightly, half-asleep, and a single thought drifted through my mind:

So warm…

I slowly opened my eyes.

“Akusa, you’re awake!” Kimi exclaimed, hugging me tightly. “I was so worried…”

“It’s alright, don’t worry,” I reassured her, looking around.

I was lying in a huge, luxurious room — like a palace suite — on an enormous bed.

“Okay, you can let go now,” I said with a faint smile.

Kimi released me quickly, obviously embarrassed.

“Are you really okay?” she asked anxiously.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry you had to see that…”

“N-no, it’s alright!” Kimi blurted.

“Where are we?”

“After you defeated Ameci, his magic vanished. I met the country’s ruler and his wife — they brought you here to rest.”

So Ameci’s influence really did disappear.

“I see… So relations between our countries are fixed now?”

“Yes. To celebrate, in a month there will be an interschool tournament here, and a small festival.”

“Sounds interesting,” I replied.

“Would you like something to eat or drink?” Kimi offered.

“Maybe a little…
But I can get it myself.”

“No, I’ll bring it!” Kimi hurried to the door. “I’ll get tea right away!”

“Alright, thanks,” I agreed, noticing how hard she was trying. My strength was back, but I didn’t stop her.

A few minutes later, Kimi returned with tea and sweet buns.

“Thanks.”

While drinking, my thoughts drifted back to that flame…
Ameci’s fire — it was one of the strongest I’d ever seen. Magic that could erase the body itself, seemingly ignoring durability…

“Akusa? What are you thinking about?” Kimi asked, pulling me back.

“That we were both lucky and unlucky… If anyone weaker than me had faced him, survival would have been impossible.”

The spell truly was terrifying.

I finished the buns and suggested we walk around the city.

We stepped outside. The city was large, encircled by high brick walls. Most houses were two-story, and there was a small park in the center.

“Akusa, who is Tasu to you?” Kimi suddenly asked.

“Ah… well…” I hesitated. “We’ve been friends since childhood — he’s my best friend.”

“I thought so,” she smiled.

“By the way… aren’t you hungry?”

“N-no, I’m fine!” Kimi said, flustered.

“Alright…”

“Kimi, when do you plan to return to Areon?”

“Probably today — school’s tomorrow.”

We headed toward the city gates.

“Akusa, what exactly did Ameci say about that flame? I didn’t understand everything…”

“He said it completely burns mages — their bodies, leaving nothing behind.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s an advanced annihilation spell. Unlike ordinary fire, it leaves no physical trace,” I explained.
“But it doesn’t touch the soul or deeper aspects.”

Kimi stopped in front of me and shyly said:

“Thank you, Akusa… for saving me.”

“You’re welcome,” I replied, slightly embarrassed.

“Can I ask one more thing?”

“Sure.”

“How did you survive that spell?”

“I just healed myself,” I said simply.

“So you have extremely advanced self-regeneration magic?” Kimi asked, amazed.

“You could say that. Though even I’m not sure why beating Ameci felt… so easy.”

We kept walking.

“I haven’t told anyone this, but Tasu and I — we’re not ordinary mages.”

“What do you mean?” Kimi asked, intrigued.

“You might be scared, but Tasu and I were sealed away for a thousand years.”

“Why?”

“My memory’s incomplete, but I remember a war — mages, humans, demons, undead… and gods siding with the demons.”

“You went against the gods?” she asked, shocked.

“No — rather, the gods turned against humans. In the end, Tasu and I were sealed,” I answered. “Maybe you’ve read about it in old books.”

“Yes… I’ve read about a war where a god defeated two ‘founders of evil’…”

Wait—

“Akusa, was that you two?!” Kimi gasped.

“Maybe it was us,” I smirked.
“But when I was sealed, part of my magic and memory were locked too.
After today’s battle, I recalled some techniques and fragments of fighting that god.”

“Sorry if it sounds strange,” I added.

“No need to apologize. I understand,” Kimi said softly.
“It must’ve been hard for you…”

“Perhaps…”
I was surprised how easily Kimi accepted all this.

We reached the kingdom’s exit.

“Time to go home.”

We held hands and Kimi teleported us back to Areon.

“Shall I walk you home?” I offered.

“Akusa…” Kimi blushed, stepping closer. “Could you lean down a bit?”

“?..”

I bent slightly — and she kissed me on the cheek.

“That’s for saving me today,” Kimi said, still red. “And I won’t tell anyone your story! See you tomorrow!” she added quickly and vanished in an instant.

I stood there, stunned…

Guess I should go home too. I teleported back to my place.

When my memories partially returned, I also regained the ability to copy techniques, and I copied Kimi's teleportation — training will be much easier now.

I walked in.

“Akusa, you’re back?” Tasu asked from the couch. Beside him sat a girl I didn’t know.

“Yeah.”

“Hello,” the girl said politely with a small bow.

“Uh… hi…” I mumbled, caught off guard — I hadn’t expected a new face in our house, especially sitting with Tasu.