Chapter 8: I Never Said I Want Classmates

“Huff… huff… huff…”

I was running out of breath as I tried to maintain the amount of magical energy that I was unleashing using both of my hands. We were doing our practice at the backyard. Our village was located on the top side of the Bloody forest. The trees here were still green, but you could smell the flower-like scent of the corpse trees that were residing in the Bloody forest. As I trained my mana, I could tell that Beastmen who were passing by were watching me. I could feel the racism through their gaze.

Well, I can’t blame them, I was just a mere human who got thrown in this strange forest.

“Quit slacking off, Kuro. Your mana is not stable. Focus more,” said Satsujuno, who was perched on a rock, looking at me.

I didn’t say anything and just continued focusing on maintaining my mana. This training will improve the flow of the magical energy to my body and will make my control more stable. According to Satsujuno, when he saw me accidentally imbuing magical energy to the rock that I used in our fight with beasts, my mana was unstable. However, the fact that I managed to imbue it to the stone and made it strong while the rock is on its way to the beast would make it easy for me to train.

But… this training isn’t easy at all.

I should be able to maintain the flow of magical energy to my hands for hours. Maintaining the flow of your mana to a certain part of your body is like running a hundred kilometers without stopping, slowing down, or even taking a break. This explains that mana serves as battery to someone or something. Once it gets low, the host will become weak too.

“That’s okay for now.” Satsujuno stood up and walked towards me.

I stopped unleashing my mana and gave out a sigh. My body felt so tired and heavy.

“Now, let’s take a break and continue again later. If you manage to continue maintaining the amount of mana that you are unleashing, you’d become a great mage. My master once said that having a huge amount of mana isn’t what makes a mage strong but his ability to control and manipulate mana and the magicules around him.”

He has a point. What’s the essence of having a powerful mana if you can’t even control it? That’s the same of not using your talent when you are too blessed with it.

***

“Naish to meet you! I’m Paru!” said by a little girl with rose-colored eyed and two antennas that were perched on her head. Her hair was like green leaves. It was as if you could see the whole earth to her eyes. Even though her complexion was pale, I could still tell that she’d grow up as a fine woman.

“Yo! I’m Hanchen! Let’s get along well!” A boy with a chicken-like appearance smiled at me. His hair will remind you of the red chicken’s feathers. The irises of his eyes were also red but his complexion was also pale.

Do all Beastmen have this skin color?

Two strange kids suddenly approached me as I continue my magic training. Who are they? And why would they approach me?

“You’re a human, right?” Paru asked with her cute voice.

“Y-Yeah,” I answered.

So cute… but I still hate children.

“You know, Paru and Hanchen have heard a lot about you. Some of our friends said you are having trainings with the Hero.” Paru smiled again.

“Don’t talk too much, Paru. You’re too noisy.”

“Shut up, chicken!”

“What did you say!?” he shouted. “You insect!”

“Huh!?” Her eyes were almost crying. “Mama! Hanchen is calling me insect again!”

Eh? Is she actually crying?

“Shut up! You’re the one who called me chicken first!”

You actually look like a chicken, though. For crying out loud. They are really 5-year-old kids. I thought they are mature.

“Hays…” I sighed out of impulse.

“Did you just sigh?” Hanchen asked.

“No, I didn’t,” I said.

“You’re lying.”

“I said I didn’t.”

“You liar! Stop lying, I can sense if someone is lying!”

“Huh!?”

“Beast Transformation: Chicken wings!”

Wings that resemble red chicken wings appeared in his back. His hair stood up and became spiky.

“Pft…” I couldn’t stop my laugh as I look at his transformation.

And what’s with his spell? Chicken wings?

“Are you laughing because my transformation magic looks funny?”

“No, I’m not,” I responded.

“You liar!!!” His eyes suddenly shone red. “This is why I hate humans!”

Magical energy gathered around his wings. There was a faint heat that he’s emitting, does he have a fire mark?

“With the blessings of the fire god, may this creature experience hell! Fire of feather arrows!”

Feathers that were firing with weak red flames dashed towards me, coming from his wings. When they are about to reach me, I felt a cold breeze and the wind suddenly blew and stopped them.

“Fighting with your classmates is a deviant behavior, Hanchen,” said Satsujuno, who was walking towards our direction. It was his magic spell that made the wind blow and stop Hanchen’s feathers.

“I’m sorry, Master. I won’t do it again.” Hanchen looked down. His body came back to its normal form.

Classmates?

“Are you okay, Kuro?” Paru asked. “Don’t mind Hanchen. He’s just a chicken.”

I didn’t say anything.

“Kuro, these kids are Paru and Hanchen. They are twins. Paru, Hanchen thisis Kuro, my…” His eyes were telling me he was thinking. “My first student, and your senior.”

“Senior? Isn’t he the same age as us?” Hanchen suddenly raised his head, his expression changed from having straight-lined lips into shocked face.

“Yes. But I had him first,” Satsujuno smiled.

Hanchen couldn’t say anything.

“Now, tell him your marks and your abilities as Beastmans.”

“Paru is marked by Earth and she can transform into butterfly!” Paru talked with her cute think voice. Her eyes were shining from excitement to tell me her abilities.

“I am marked by Fire and I can transform into chicken,” Hanchen said with flat and annoyed voice. It’s like he’s thinking that why would he tell his abilities to someone like me.

“What about you, Kuro?”

Eh? Why should I also introduce myself? This can’t be helped. Satsujuno’s smile is telling me to follow what he’s saying.

“I’m Kuro. I didn’t manifest any of the marks.”

“Manipesh? What’t that?”

“Kuro, don’t use big words.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

I forgot that I was talking to kids.

“I’m Kuro, and I don’t have a mark and unique abilities.”

“Hahahaha!” Hanchen, who was looking at me, laughed as if ther was no tomorrow.

“Don’t laugh, Hanched.” Satsujuno was having a serious expression.

“Hanchen is a bad kid! He’s a chicken!”

“What did you say!?”

“Stop that, kids. Anyway, Kuro, you will have to train with them starting today.”

“What!?”

Eh? I am going to train with these two noisy kids?

“You should train with other kids who have a mark. You could tell the difference between having a mark and not having a mark but has magical energy.”

I see. This is Satsujuno’s strategy in order for me to learn more about how magic works in this world. By practicing with these two, I can observe them and gather information that I need in order to understand how my magic works.

“Now, we should start by measuring your color level.”

“Yes, Mashter!”

“Yes, Master.”

Paru and Hanchen said.

But how would I be able to handle them?

***

We are now at the backyard again and we are about to find out what is their color level. From my current knowledge, color level refers to the color of you sword, which determines what level you are in. Satsujuno used a mana-measuring sword, Mana-measuring sword is a magical item that is used to measure the level you are in. It changes its color from translucent white into the level of your mana. Satsujuno explained to me last time that there are three levels; intermediate, master, and god.

“You go first, Hanchen.” Satsujuno unsheathed the sword and Hanched walked towards him. He held the sword using both of his hands.

“Now, close your eyes and unleash the mana inside you.”

“Yes!”

He closed his and the mana gradually came out to his body. Unlike the color of my mana, his mana has the color of red, which was similar to red flames. Does it mean your mark will also affect the color of your magical energy?

The mana he unleashed gathered around the sword that he was holding. It got condensed and sucked by the sword. Slowly, the sword blade’s translucent white color turned pure white.

“Good. Now, it’s your turn next, Paru!”

“Yesh! Master!”

Paru held the sword next and did the same thing Hanchen. It turns out that most of the children at my age have the same color level as Satsujuno said. Paru had white color level too, but the color of her mana was bit green.

“Okay! Well done, kids!” Satsujuno said as he smiles.

I suppressed my laughter as I look at him, trying to act a as proper tutor. Well, I do admit that he can sometimes act as a good teacher.

“Now, let us try all of the spells that you can use!” he said.

“Yesh! Master!”

“Yes!”

They both said again as once. Really, I could tell now that they are twins.

“But before that, Master. What about Kuro?” Hanchen was grinning.

“Paru wants to see it too!”

“What do you mean? Are you asking about his level?”

“Yes.”

I could see the grin that is hidden to is hidden on Hanchen’s face.

“His color level is nearly on grey stage,” Satsujuno answered his question.

“Eh?! Why is he higher than me!” Hanchen was shocked.

“Kuro is amazing! Paru will train too!”

“That’s right, Paru. You should train to get stronger!” Satsujuno liftet Paru, who was smiling widely. “Now, let’s test your magic spells!”

“Yesh! Master!”

Paru cutely shouted. I could see the happiness to her face.

***

“Transformation Magic: Chicken Wings!”

“Transformation Magic: Butterfly Wings!”

Hanchen and Paru casted their transformation power as Beastmen. This transformation magic could only be manifested their race for a certain reason. Hanchen looked the same as his transformation earlier, his hair stood up and wings that have chicken-like feathers appeared on his back, while Paru had butterfly wings, glowing green. Her eyes were glowing green and the antenna of her head grew longer. She really looked like a humanoid butterfly.

She really is.

“That’s amazing, Hanchen, Paru. You could transform at early age!” Satsujuno looked amused

We are still at the backyard where you could smell the flower-like scent of the corpse trees. The ground looked healthy green – filled with fine grass. At the center of the backyard resides a boulder of rock, which was Satsujuno using when he was cutting woods. The ground beneath the rock has no sign of sprouting grass. That proves that he does cut woods almost every day, which made the ground below the rock hard and condensed to the point that plants would never grow. What a hardworking being.

“What about the attack spells?”

“Where are we going to direct them, Master?” Hanchen asked.

“You can hit me.” Satsujuno smiled as if he was challenging him. Hanchen looked so excited.

“With the blessings of the fire god, may this creature experience hell! Fire Mark Magic: Fire of Feather arrows!”

When the laming feathers were about to reach him, Satsujuno made a move.

“Air, Wind Wall.” The air compressed in front of Satsujuno and blocked all the feathers that are about to reach him.

Hanchen looked disappointed and was having teary eyes.

“That’s okay, Hanchen. It was a nice spell and a nice try!” Satsujuno tried to cheer him up but it seems like he failed.

Hanchen was now crying silently.

Eh? I never thought that he’d be a crybaby.

“Mashter is bad! He made Hanchen cry!”

“Eh!? I didn’t!”

“I hate Mashter!” She shouted. “With the blessings of the Earth God, may this being heal! Earth Mark Magic: Healing Pixies!”

Paru’s wings started flapping and produced golden dust particles. They surrounded Hanchen and entered his body. He began glowing.

“Why are you healing me?” he asked.

“Because Hanchen is crying! He is hurt!” Her cuteness was filling the whole place.

“I’m not hurt anywhere, I’m just sad because I thought I could defeat Master,” he sniffled. “Thank you, Paru.”

“Hanchen is a chicken! That is why I am going to heal him is he is hurt!”

They both looked at each other and started giggling. I could see the corners of their eyes stretched as they laughed. They have a good relationship. They are what siblings should like. That was the thing that I’ve always wanted to experience, but…

“All right! If you are now okay, we should start the training!” Satsujuno interrupted. “We should start by making you maintaining your mana. Be ready, Kids! This training could get hard!”

“Yes, Master!”

“Yes, Mashter!”

“But Master, what about Kuro? He didn’t show us his magic spells!” said Hanchen.

I kept my mouth shut and didn’t say anything. In my past life, I would have fought with that glare, but I’ve already given up on everything. The only thing that is keeping me moving is my curiosity. That’s all.

“That’s because Kuro hasn’t learned any spells yet.” Satsujuno looked at me.

Hanchen’s face was having a wavy lips and a glare that was telling me he’s looking down on me.

“All right, let’s start!”

We started training by raining our arms to the level of our chest and unleashing the mana inside our body. We didn’t notice that the sun was about to set down. The surrounding was getting darker and the smell of the flower-like scent of the Bloody Forest was getting stronger as the wind blew.

“All right! That is all for today!” said Satsujuno.

Paru and Hanchen vowed their heads and they said their thanks to Satsujuno, Paru was still looking happy and energetic even from draining her mana.

***

The night after the training, Nezumi visited out house. Nezumi was the acting captain of this forest. They said that he and Satsujuno were the reason why this forest hasn’t been invaded until now. I once heard from Satsujuno and his magic and Nezumi’s were protecting this forest. They combined their magic and created a large barrier that could cover the whole beast forest. It was a barrier that only allows people that Nezumi and Satsujuno has given permission. Maybe that was why that eagle only managed to enter the Bloody Forest.

“Yo!” said Nezumi, waving his left arm as Satsujuno opened the door. Nezumi was wearing something similar to what he wore one time, it was a fitted cloth that was revealing his slender but sturdy-looking body. His abdominal muscles were shaping the fabric that he was wearing. His right arm was having a black cover but the muscles of his left arm were having exposure, making him look cool – just in my own view. Although his rat-like face in on the way.

I was watching them talk while sitting on the small wooden chair, near the window. I could spot Nezumi’s eyes sometimes glancing at me. It’s weird that I can’t tell if he hates me or not. I could easily tell if someone hates me just by looking at their eyes and the way they move. I don’t know where I got that ability, maybe because I was originally an introvert who just got adopted by an extrovert friend. But this guy, there’s something to him that is making me wary. I;m not really sure why, it was as if I can’t read or tell what he’s thinking or what are the things that are running to his mind. But I am pretty sure that this guy doesn’t actually like Satsujuno. Well, I couldn’t care less. It’s not my life.

“Why are you here, Nezumi?” Satsujuno asked.

“Have ya heard the news?

“News?” Satsujuno was having a confused face.

“The Bloody Moon Festival is getting adjusted. They’ll be moving it two years earlier than expected.”

“But why? That was too sudden.” Satsujuno looked surprised.

“I’m not sure myself either. I just got the news from Midori.”

Midori?

“That can’t be helped. Maybe ‘that’ decided to adjust it for a certain reason.”

“That’s all. I should be goin’ now. See ya!”

Satsujuno closed the door, slowly. He was left spacing out, looking upset after hearing the news from Nezumi. You could tell just by looking to his expression. His eyebrows’ corners were down and his eyes were staring to a blank space. It was as if he doesn’t know what he’s thinking.

“Kuro, we might actually need to rush training,” Satsujuno said, having a flat voice.

“Is that a problem?”

“Yes,” he said.

“But it was just adjusted two years ahead.”

“Leveling up isn’t easy. You need to reach the gray stage before the bloody moon festival happens. Five years wouldn’t be enough to reach the gray to dark gray for kids like you.”

I didn’t respond to what he said. Is it actually hard to level up for kids? Maybe it has something to do with the knowledge or the physical structure of body. Maybe it has something to do with the count of bones? What am I even talking about? Did I become dumb? But why do I feel like he is trying way to hard to train me? What’s his ulterior motive?

“Trainings will get intense starting tomorrow.”

Eh? Why? Isn’t it better if I just take it slowly? Well, if I really want to look for my purpose in this world, maybe I should just go with the flow. I am just going to live my life on my own anyway.

“Okay.”

That was the only thing that I could say despite having a lot of thoughts. We don’t need to speak out thoughts sometimes. Not all people will listen. You are just going to waste your time, don’t you think?

Things are about to get hard.