Chapter 6: The Sorcerer King’s Training

Volume 1: The Boy Summoned by Mistake
Episode 6: The Sorcerer King's Training
The courtyard was covered in wet grass.
Kazuki stepped outside holding the wooden sword.
Kael stood in the center.
He wasn't wearing armor.
He hadn't even drawn his sword.
"You're late."
Kazuki looked at the sky.
"It's six in the morning."
"Exactly."
"That's not a reasonable time to be awake."
Lyra, sitting beneath a tree, giggled.
Kael pointed at the wooden sword.
"Attack me."
Kazuki blinked.
"Just like that?"
"Just like that."
"What happens if I hit you?"
"Then you win."
Kazuki smiled.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I'm starting to like this."
He got into position.
He took a deep breath.
"Here I go!"
He ran forward.
He raised the sword.
And attacked.
Kael dodged.
Kazuki went right past him.
"Whoa!"
He stumbled.
He fell face-first onto the ground.
PLOF.
Silence.
Lyra covered her mouth.
"Are you okay?"
Kazuki lifted his head.
"No."
Kael sighed.
"Your balance is terrible."
"Thanks for noticing."
"Your stance is even worse."
"Thanks again."
"And you announce every attack."
Kazuki stood up.
"That's not true!"
"You just shouted 'Here I go.'"
"..."
Lyra started laughing.
"Don't laugh."
"Sorry."
She didn't look very sorry.
Kazuki got back into position.
"Again."
Kael nodded.
"Good."
Kazuki advanced.
This time, he didn't shout.
He attacked from the right.
Kael blocked with two fingers.
"Two fingers?!"
Kael pushed the sword aside.
Kazuki spun around and attacked again.
Blocked.
Again.
Blocked.
A fourth time.
Kael hadn't even moved from his spot.
Kazuki began breathing heavily.
"What kind of monster are you?"
"An old one."
"That doesn't answer the question!"
Kael lightly struck the wooden sword.
Kazuki was sent flying backward.
He rolled across the grass.
"Ouch!"
Kael approached.
"Do you know why you keep losing?"
Kazuki sat up.
"Because you're ridiculously strong."
"That too."
"That too?"
"Because you rely too much on your strength."
Kazuki looked at his hands.
"But I don't have any strength."
"Exactly."
Kael pointed at his chest.
"You have something much more dangerous."
Kazuki remembered the violet magic.
"My magic?"
Kael nodded.
"But you don't know how to use it."
"Then teach me."
Kael smiled.
"That's what we're going to do."
For the next several hours, Kazuki tried to control his magic.
A spark.
Nothing.
Another.
Nothing.
Another.
BOOM!
A small explosion sent dust into the air.
Kazuki was covered in dirt.
Lyra tried not to laugh.
"Are you okay?"
Kazuki gave a thumbs-up.
"Perfectly fine."
His hair was completely covered in dust.
"I've never been better."
Kael crossed his arms.
"Focus."
Kazuki took a breath.
He closed his eyes.
"I just have to feel the magic."
Nothing.
"Come on..."
Nothing.
"Please."
Nothing.
He opened his eyes.
"It's not working."
Kael approached.
"Because you're trying to force it."
"Then what should I do?"
"Listen to it."
Kazuki frowned.
"Listen to what?"
"Your own magic."
"That sounds impossible."
"Not in Astravia."
Kael placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Close your eyes."
Kazuki obeyed.
"Breathe."
He inhaled.
He exhaled.
The sounds of the world began to disappear.
The wind.
The birds.
The city.
Everything.
Then he heard it.
A heartbeat.
Thump.
Kazuki opened his eyes.
"There it is..."
A small violet light appeared in his palm.
Kael smiled.
"Now don't lose it."
The light grew.
Kazuki felt warmth.
No.
It wasn't warmth.
It was something similar to electricity.
It traveled through his arms.
"I've got it!"
"Don't get excited!"
Too late.
The energy exploded.
BOOOOOOM!!
Kael planted his feet firmly into the ground.
Lyra raised a barrier.
The courtyard was covered in smoke.
Kazuki slowly walked out.
His hair was completely messy.
"I think..."
He coughed.
"...I got excited."
Lyra lowered the barrier.
"A little."
Kael looked at the crater.
"Interesting."
Kazuki smiled.
"Does that mean I did it right?"
Kael shook his head.
"No."
His smile disappeared.
"No?"
"It means you have too much power."
Kazuki looked at the crater.
"Oh."
Kael walked toward him.
"A normal mage releases their energy little by little."
"And me?"
"You release it as if you're breaking a dam."
Kazuki sighed.
"That explains a lot."
Lyra approached.
"But you're making progress."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Kazuki smiled.
For the first time since arriving in Astravia, he felt that maybe he could actually do something.
Then...
BOOM!
An explosion shook the city.
Kazuki looked up.
A column of smoke rose behind the walls.
Kael became serious.
"No."
Lyra grabbed her staff.
"What's happening?"
Kael drew his sword.
"They found us."
"Who?"
The old man looked toward the walls.
"The Empire's assassins."
Kazuki swallowed.
"Assassins?"
Kael nodded.
"And they're coming for you."
On the rooftops of Elaris, several figures dressed in black moved quickly.
A woman walked at the front.
She had white hair and wore a silver mask.
"Target located."
One of the men behind her asked:
"Can we confirm that he's the Heir?"
The woman looked toward the house.
"Yes."
"Capture order?"
"No."
The woman drew a dagger.
"Execution order."
The assassins jumped.
FWOOSH!
One.
Two.
Five.
Ten shadows.
All descended upon the house.
Kael raised his sword.
"Lyra."
"Yes."
"Protect Kazuki."
"Understood."
Kazuki grabbed the wooden sword.
"And me?"
Kael looked at him.
"You are going to do exactly what you've learned."
Kazuki swallowed.
"And what have I learned?"
Kael smiled.
"Not to stand still."
The first window exploded.
CRASH!
An assassin entered.
Kazuki raised his sword.
The enemy attacked.
CLANG!
Kazuki blocked.
The impact forced him backward.
"He's strong!"
The assassin attacked again.
Kazuki dodged.
Then struck.
The wooden sword hit the enemy's arm.
The assassin fell.
Kazuki's eyes widened.
"It worked!"
Another appeared behind him.
"Kazuki!"
Lyra unleashed a burst of magic.
BOOM!
The enemy was sent flying.
But three more entered.
Kael charged at them.
His blue sword cut through the air.
SHING!
Two fell.
The third stepped backward.
"It's Kael Stormblade!"
Kael smiled.
"Correct."
"We can't defeat him!"
The masked woman appeared behind them.
"Then don't."
She raised her hand.
A black dagger shot forward.
Directly toward Kazuki.
Lyra shouted.
"KAZUKI!"
He turned.
The dagger was only inches away.
His heart stopped.
And then...
Thump.
The violet energy appeared again.
But this time, it didn't explode.
It remained still.
The dagger stopped in midair.
Kazuki's eyes widened.
"What...?"
The masked woman also froze.
The dagger began to tremble.
And a voice appeared inside Kazuki's mind.
"Now."
Violet energy covered his arm.
Kazuki clenched his fist.
The dagger split in two.
The masked woman stepped backward.
"No..."
Kazuki looked at her.
"What?"
She looked terrified.
"He's awakened."
Kael raised his sword.
"Kazuki."
"Yes?"
"Don't lose control."
But it was too late.
The violet energy began spreading throughout the courtyard.
The assassins stepped backward.
And deep within Kazuki's mind...
The black door began to tremble again.
CRACK.
A second crack appeared.
Behind it, something opened its eyes.
And this time...
Kazuki clearly heard Astra's voice.
"Let me out."