Interlude: Kazuma's Agility Training [III]

"Kazuma, I know I said you have to deal with the Turbo Granny by yourself... But I guess I wasn't clear with you so I think it is also my fault." Moonlight slapped her forehead in frustration after learning the result of the mission.

"Did I do something wrong?" Kazuma is not sure why she is disappointed.

"Your method is brilliant in subduing Turbo Granny who is famed for being too fast. But I didn't send you there to just subjugate the Turbo Granny physically. I wanted you to have trained by outrunning Turbo Granny in a race and defeating her in the process. It is a way for you to train your agility for once. But I underestimated your creativity in dealing with a Qlipoth entity. Despite the Turbo Granny being weak and easy to deal with, the reason it is hard to fight against it is that it attacks in a crowded area no matter what time it appears. Unlike other entities who only appear in isolated cases unless they are more dangerous, this one appears in a bigger area."

Kazuma nodded. They are crowded no matter what time they pass through. Although it isn't as crowded at midnight, trouble is more likely to appear at night therefore, Kazuma decided to devise a new method to deal with the enemy instead. But he didn't think too much of his method as something he considers as creative.

"Dealing with the Turbo Granny in the Radio Kailan area where a cosplay event is happening is something that even I would not expect."

"I just took advantage of the special effects and stuff that people usually do there. Which is why the news of the apprehension of the Turbo Granny was not as big as it was supposed to be," Kazuma said.

"It is still a better way to cover things up instead of silencing stuff forcefully. If we force people to delete videos, photos, and other things because of something like this, it will attract attention instead. So a little spectacle that will soon be forgotten is a better alternative."

Moonlight then shook her head. "Still, it is a shame that you didn't benefit at all from subjugating the Turbo Granny."

Kazuma scratches his head. No wonder he didn't feel like the mission was a training one even though it was labeled as one in the mission. But he did lucked out in dealing with the Turbo Granny as a result.

"Since the goal was not achieved at all... we should instead continue to train my way. You still have some missions left to do to the Seven Mysteries yes? While you are waiting for your teammates, we should train for the time being."

"Can I ask something, Moonlight?"

"Yeah?"

"I know I am not a properly trained magician and mostly just a normal civilian who happens to learn magic. How come everyone still welcomed me?"

Moonlight sighed and stopped what she was doing as she looked at Kazuma.

"Although you are a civilian, you showed promise for one. No ordinary civilian would deal with a Qlipoth blind using the half-assed magic you learned with regular tools that normal people use and just casually defeat one. And we do need help no matter how small it is as much as we can. All necessary help is welcome."

She turned her back to him and sighed. "With the threat of the Qlipoth constantly wriggling from the masses when they least expect it, another hand who wants to help is something we direly need. We won't hesitate to accept the help of someone even if they are a civilian."

Kazuma can tell that. The seven mysteries alone are a big enough incident that some of them are too common that they are easy enough to blend through while those unsuspecting real scenarios are disguised as regular events while hiding their feral and dangerous nature. Considering that an entire class has disappeared without anyone noticing if people remember, people will panic and will try to know what is happening.

And yet, more people are dealing with those problems, and considering they are regular people, sometimes, they fall victim to the Qlipoth which would contribute to the overall casualty rate that Qlipoth events do.

Kazuma knows. He is weak but that doesn't mean he will remain as one. And to ensure that he won't fall victim to the dangers of the Qlipoth, he will train hard.

"Alright then, since I failed, perhaps teaching me personally would be a great way to train me? After all, you have already grasped all the basics and you have incorporated those basics into how you fight. I barely understood anything and I am still struggling. A good coach will help and I will follow your teachings as long as I can handle them."

Hearing that, Moonlight chuckled. "Me? A coach for you? I didn't expect that suggestion."

"You can decline if-"

"I do like the sound of that. I am sick and tired of being on the receiving end from my teachers too. Might as well teach you and whip you up to become a strong magician. You have common sense as well as the ability to believe something that is not a natural phenomenon as well. That will save us a lot of trouble in your training then."

She jumped from the rooftop and floated in the sky for a few minutes.

"Follow me to the track field. It is isolated and empty at this time, we will train there."

"But I can't fly!" Kazuma protested.

Moonlight chuckled. "Hey, I didn't say you also needed to fly to follow me. Of course, feel free to do so, if you can fly. Now, hurry. I will leave if you don't arrive within 5 minutes."

After chuckling at Kazuma's confused face, she flew straight to her destination.

"F*ck, five minutes?! Track field is a bit far from here. No choice, gotta be quick!"

Kazuma sprints out of the rooftop and didn't stop until he reached the classrooms. Classes has already started without Kazuma realizing, meaning, he was already late for one class. Perhaps even the whole afternoon class.

But Kazuma decided that skipping for now is a much better benefit for him than returning to the classroom. If Moonlight, one of the magicians who is already quite capable in dealing with Qlipoth to train him, then it is a better trade of time.

However, he doesn't want demerits either. So as he passes through the classrooms, he has to keep himself quiet, sneak away until he reaches past the classrooms before he starts bolting to run. He even almost fall over his face a few times when descending through the stairs but he managed to balance himself before he would fall over.

After an arduous task of sneaking and bolting out, Kazuma managed to reach the entrance and escape. Without any risks from the teachers, Kazuma began to sprint full time towards the track field.

As he is trying to reach the track field, Kazuma realized that he has wasted a lot of time sneaking from classroom to classroom since earlier. And if he continues to run towards the track field, he is not going to make the time limit that Moonlight gave him.

"Sh*t! What do I need to do?!"

Kazuma started racking his brains while still running. It's hard but if he wanted to reach the Track Field before the time is over, he needed something to boost his speed.

"Speed...boost...wait...in science, they use heat...propulsion...booster...that's it!"

Kazuma put his two hands behind his back with both palms open. He can manipulate the fire magic he learned to either envelop his fists into flames or perhaps he can hurl them as fireballs to enemies...so what if he tries to make a fire spray style fire attack on his palms? It wasn't a guaranteed success, but if he tried to use the same principle rockets and nitro boosters on cars do...perhaps...

"Please, work..."

Using his mind to manipulate the flames and let it spray off of his hands, he successfully did it. It was not perfect and it isn't big, but he can already feel the force behind him as he continues to run.

"More..."

He increased the heat output on his hands...despite it consuming quite a huge amount of mana... but his speed is increasing.

"More...this is not enough!"

Just like he wanted, the flames from his palms burst out and a blazing trail is left behind as he bolted towards the Track Field.