Chapter 50 A Contract

Meanwhile, outside of the school building...

"Isn't this enough, Kurokami?" Raiko asked this to Tatsurou, that was still lying on the ground, close to the tree he hit.

"It hurts...it hurts so much..." Tatsurou thought as he clenched his teeth, with the pain of the last electric shock he received from Raiko.

"If I...use it, I can..." Tatsurou thought again, as he gripped the ground hard and his eyes, slowly, began to turn red while a faint black aura, emerged from his body.

"No! I'm always relying on level 2 or 3...if I keep doing that...I'll never change! I will get stronger...and it's not by relying on this other side of me..." Tatsurou thought as he punched the ground, while his eyes turned blue and his aura became light blue once more.

"And I promised, didn't I? I'm going to defeat this guy, with my level 1, take it or leave it!" Tatsurou thought once more as he slowly began to get up.

"Impressive...you still, didn't have enough?" Raiko asked with a surprised tone as he looked at Tatsurou.

"Or did you give my proposal, another thought, hmm?" Raiko asked again, as he tilted his head a bit.

"I already told you...I refuse, your proposal! And I still don't understand, why you want me, to join you so much!" Tatsurou said as he finally got up.

"And I'm the one who doesn't understand, why you won't! After everything you went through, why do you want to protect these Magic-users? Why are you siding with them, when they caused you so much pain?" Raiko asked with an angry tone, as he glared at Tatsurou.

"Your right and it's true, they caused me a lot of pain, be it with the pain-filled research and experiments, psychological violence, emotional abuse, neglect...they would do that, every day, without fail..." As Tatsurou said this, he was interrupted by Raiko.

"That's exactly what I'm saying! So why are you refusing my proposal?" Raiko asked with an angry tone.

"I'm refusing you because, despite everything that happened, I never blamed anyone, but the people that did that to me! And just because, it was Magic-users that did this, it doesn't mean that all the other Magic-users are and will do the same! You're just putting everyone, in the same bag and hurting people, that had nothing to do with any of this!" Tatsurou said with an angry tone, as he looked at Raiko that became silent again, but not for long.

"I see, so you want that the past, both yours and mine, keeps repeating itself, right?" Raiko said as he laughed a bit.

"As long as it doesn't concern you, you don't mind that the past repeats itself on others!" Raiko said as he smiled like a maniac.

"I never said that, I'm just telling you that, not everyone is like the people, that did that to you!" Tatsurou said with an angry tone as he moved his hand sideways.

"Your wrong! Everyone is at fault here! Both the Magic-users that did this to me and the people that know about this, but never cared, as long as it didn't hinder their daily lives! And you're just like the latter Kurokami, as long as it doesn't hinder your life, you'll look away!" Raiko said this with an angry tone, as lightning began to sprout out of his body.

"And again, I never said that, and honestly with ideals, that amounts to pushing blame onto everyone for the things that happened to you and attacking people when you don't get what you want, I'm even surprised, that you were able to convince someone, to join you..." Tatsurou said as he smiled a bit, but this remark was what made Raiko snap.

"That does it! I won't try to make you join me anymore, I'll just kill you for real, right here and now!" As Raiko said this, the bolts of lightning that came out of his body, became bigger and more violent as they hit the ground around him.

"This is where it all ends, for you, Kurokami!" Raiko said with an angry tone, as he raised his arm and all the lightning, began to accumulate on his hand, creating a ball, made of pure electricity that grew bigger and bigger.

"This is bad...if that hits me, I'm a goner..." Tatsurou thought as he looked at Raiko charging up that ball "If I get too close, he'll hit me...and if I stay here, I don't know if I will be able to dodge it, judging by its size..." Tatsurou thought again, as he began brainstorming ideas, to get out of this situation that seemed, inescapable.

"There's, no use...I'll really have...to use it...!" Tatsurou said with an angry yet sad tone, as he looked down and prepared himself to use his power, but he stooped as his right hand, suddenly twitched, prompting Tatsurou to look at it.

"What the? My hand?" Tatsurou thought as he looked at his hand and it twitched again, as a voice, echoed inside his head.

"Use...me..." As the voice said this, Tatsurou eyes opened wide.

"Wait...the gauntlet, is asking me, to use it?" Tatsurou thought with a surprised tone, as he looked at his hand.

"But, I can't call it whenever I want, how am I...!" As Tatsurou said this, he was hit with sudden realization, as his eyes opened wide once more.

"That's right, I just need to make a contract to use it...but I have to do an enchantment to make the contract...but...how do I make one? Just how long, should it be? Or what types of words, should I use? Are there any specific rules, I should follow?" Tatsurou thought as he remembered Marie's explanation of how to make a contract with a weapon.

"No, I don't have time to think, too much about it, I have to do it now..." Tatsurou said as he looked at Raiko, then back at his hand.

"I know the past of this gauntlet, all I need to do, is make an enchantment...I'll just try something along the lines, of what Shirayuki uses, I just hope it works..." Tatsurou said with a determined tone, as he looked at his hand again before he took a deep breath.

"God...created the world...and yet he did not create the means to protect it, from war..." As Tatsurou said this, he had a nervous tone but has he saw his light up with a light blue color, as he began the enchantment.

"And so, God created a way of protecting the world from war, by bestowing power to a Valkyrie, that would keep the world in peace and with no war..." Tatsurou said with a more confident tone, as he now extended his arm forward

"Looks like, he lost his mind...and now he's spouting nonsense...it's so sad when people completely lose it..." Raiko said with a mocking tone, as he looked at Tatsurou, that ignored his words.

"But the world is selfish and could not stop to create war, and so, the Valkyrie, that had the pure wish to keep the peace, was corrupted and strayed away from the pure path she had..." Tatsurou said with an even more confident tone, as he looked at his hand, which began, to glow brighter.

"She strayed, and yet, she kept her pure wish, despite all her wrongdoings..." As Tatsurou kept making the enchantment, Raiko just looked at him, with a confused face.

"I'll just finish this before he humiliates himself any longer..."Thunderclap"..." Raiko said still with a mocking tone, as he sighed and finished charging the electric ball, that he threw in Tatsurou's direction.

"So, I call you! The Valkyrie that has the name Frida, as I forgive you of the sin, of straying away from your path and in return, I humbly ask you, to lend me your strength, to defeat the enemy that is in front of me!" As Tatsurou said this, he placed his left hand on his still extended right arm and prepared for the impact of Raiko's attack, that when it hit Tatsurou, a big white flash of light was seen, that was followed by a very loud thunder noise, a noise that was so loud that it was heard, all across Old town, if not District 4, as a whole.

"Looks like, it's finished, a shame really..." Raiko said with a mocking tone, as he looked at the spot Tatsurou was standing, that had a giant dust cloud covering it.

"Well, not like I was expecting any less from me..." Raiko said with a smug tone, as he placed his hand on his hip and turned his back to the dust cloud, as he began to walk away, but...

"Going away, and leaving me alone, just like that?" A jocking voice said this to Raiko, that when he heard it, he turned to the dust cloud behind him, that as it began to settle down, it revealed Tatsurou, that was smiling with his right arm still extended, but now, he was wearing a black adorned gauntlet, on it.

"I never thought, this would work..." Tatsurou thought, as he stooped extending his arm and looked at the gauntlet for a bit.

"You...just saved my life...thank you..." Tatsurou said with a happy tone, as he smiled to the gauntlet, which lighted up a bit when Tatsurou said this, meanwhile Raiko, just looked at Tatsurou with a dumbfound and angry expression on his face.

"What...is the meaning...of this?" Raiko asked this with an angry tone as he moved his arms and glared at Tatsurou.

"No, way...that is a summoned weapon? Only Magic-users can use those...d-don't tell me, that you are one?" Raiko asked with a curious and angry tone, as he pointed at Tatsurou.

"I wasn't planning on telling you, but now, there's no point in hiding it...yes, I'm actually a magic-user..." Tatsurou said as he looked at Raiko that trembled, as he looked down.

"This...has to be a joke, a Magic-user that goes to an Esper school and I was asking him to join me...of all things..." Raiko said in a calm yet disturbing monotonous tone, as he began to slowly raise his head to look at Tatsurou.

"You, this district...and this island...you all, really like, to make fun of me, don't you?" Raiko asked with a monotonous tone as he looked at Tatsurou and his hands began to shoot out lighting again.

"Just...DIE!!" Raiko screamed as he threw a lighting bolt towards Tatsurou, which he caught with his right hand, making the lighting bolt vanish.

"That...was close..." Tatsurou said with an impressed tone, as he looked at the palm of the gauntlet, which released a bit of smoke, after catching the lighting bolt.

"No way...NO WAY!" Raiko screamed again, as now, both of his hands began to shoot lightning bolts, that he trowed at Tatsurou relentlessly, but fortunately, Tatsurou dodged those bolts of lightning by either catching them with the gauntlet or by punching them.

Upon seeing this Raiko placed his hands close to one other and soon enough, he had between his hands, another ball made of pure electricity.

"I'm going to murder you, Kurokami! There's no way you can beat me!" Raiko said as he raised his hands as the electricity ball grew bigger and bigger with each passing moment.

"Just try and dodge, this!!" Raiko said with a psychotic tone, as he threw the ball towards Tatsurou, but this time, instead of staying put, Tatsurou ran towards it and when he got within range, he punched it, making the ball, vanish into thin air.

"No way, just how can this...be happening...I have to...!" As Raiko said this and prepared to attack Tatsurou again, but he suddenly stooped.

"It...can't be...I'm almost out of electricity..." Raiko thought, as he opened his eyes wide and looked at his hands, which couldn't stop trembling.

"Is something, wrong?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone, as he looked at Raiko, that jolted upon hearing him.

"N-Nothings wrong...you bastard!" Raiko said with a rage-filled tone, as he opened his hands and electricity began to sprout from them again.

"I'll kill you, even if it is the last thing I do, you goddamn Magic-user!" Raiko said still with his raging tone, as he began throwing lightning bolts at Tatsurou once more, but this time, Tatsurou ran towards them and as he did, he punched some lightning bolts away, while he dodged the others.

"This is impossible...I can't let him win...!" As Raiko said this, lightning stooped to come out of his hands, and with that, Tatsurou was now right in front of Raiko and ready to punch him.

"N-No...Kurokami, wait! Don't do this!" Raiko begged as he saw Tatsurou, no, a shadow with blue eyes, only centimeters away, glaring at him.

"After everything you have said and done, there's no way, I'll stop...and it's just like I said, isn't it? You brought this, upon yourself!" Tatsurou said with a calm yet angry tone, as he punched Raiko in the middle of his face, sending him crashing against the wall of the school building, that when Raiko hit it, pieces of concrete, flew in every direction as dust cloud formed around the wall he hit.

"Finally...it's over..." Tatsurou said with a tired tone, as he looked at the dust cloud finally settled down to show that Raiko was glued to the wall, something, that didn't last long, as he fell head first, to the ground.

"I still can't believe that, I was able to make that enchantment, under so much pressure..." Tatsurou said as he looked at the gauntlet and smiled a bit.

"Wait! I don't have time for this, I have to go and help Naoki!" Tatsurou said with a worried tone, as he turned to the entrance of the school, while the gauntlet vanished from his hand, but as he got close to the entrance...

"Kurokami!!" Naoki called Tatsurou with a worried tone, as she stepped out of the school building's entrance, still limping and with her arm around her torso, as she looked to all sides.

"I'm here, Izumi!" Tatsurou said as he got close to Naoki.

"Kurokami...you look...really beat up...but you took...that guy out...good job..." Naoki said with a tired tone, as she looked to the side and saw Raiko lying on the ground.

"I did...but what about? You look pretty beat up, yourself..." Tatsurou asked with a worried tone, as he looked at how Naoki talked slowly and kept her arm around her torso, but now, her legs also began to tremble.

"It was nothing...you worry...too much Kurokami...I'm...ok..." As Naoki said this, she fell forward, as her eyes closed a bit.

"O-Oi, Izumi! What's wrong?" Tatsurou asked with a worried tone, as he quickly caught Naoki before she hit the ground.

"I'm...so relieved...that, he's alright..." Naoki thought, as she looked up and saw Tatsurou, still holding and calling out to her.

"Now...I kind of understand...why Kuroiwa-san...choose him..." Naoki thought as she closed her eyes and buried her face in Tatsurou's shoulder, and not even a second later, she fainted.

"Izumi! Just what happened, in there?" Tatsurou asked, still with a worried tone, as he looked at the unconscious Naoki.

"I don't have time, to think about that now...I have to take her to the hospital and quick!" As Tatsurou said this he gently moved Naoki until he was able to carry her in his arms, but as he was about to turn around and run to the hospital, both Yumeko and Emiko, entered the school grounds running, with other Soteria agents and Strike force agents, following behind them.

"Tatsurou! What Happened, here?" Yumeko asked with a worried tone, as she got close and saw Tatsurou holding Naoki.

"Yumeko! We need to take Izumi, to the hospital and quick!" Tatsurou said in a worried tone, as he looked at Yumeko.

"Sure thing! There's an ambulance outside, let's go..." Yumeko said as she turned to the gate of the school, with Tatsurou following her, as he kept holding Naoki in his arms.

"Emiko, take care of everything here, I'll accompany them to the hospital..." Yumeko said as she looked at Emiko that nodded upon hearing her.

"Don't worry, just go and take care of Naoki-chan and Tatsurou-chan!" Emiko said with a reassuring tone, as she walked in the direction of the school building, while she gave orders to everyone present...

And then, 2 hours later, in District 4's public hospital, in Emma's office to be precise...

"Ow, it hurts, Emma-san..." Tatsurou, that was sitting on a chair, said with a pained tone as he looked at Emma.

"I'm trying to be, as gentle as possible, Kurokami-kun..." Emma, that was sitting in a chair in front of Tatsurou, said with a monotonous tone, as she cleaned the small cut on Tatsurou's cheek, with a ball of cotton wool, that she took out of a first aid kit.

"Are you angry, Emma-san?" Tatsurou asked with a worried tone, as he looked a bit away from Emma.

"Of course I am! I ask you to not get into trouble and the next thing you do is come to the hospital, looking like you were hit by a car, again!" Emma said, with an angry tone, as she looked at Tatsurou's dirty and damaged clothes.

"Good grief...you promised me that, you would be more careful, didn't you?" Emma asked still with an angry and worried tone, as she sighed.

"I know...but at least, I didn't get hospitalized this time!" Tatsurou said as he laughed a bit and rubbed the back of his head.

"But, you're still here anyway, and I have to treat your wounds, when you promised me, that you would be careful!" Emma said with a stoic tone, as she pressed the cotton wool, on Tatsurou's cut again.

"Ow, ow...I get it, Emma-san! You can stop that now..." Tatsurou said, as he let out a small pained moan and jolted, Emma stooped, as soon as she heard him.

"Honestly, sometimes, I think I'm talking to a brick wall..." Emma said as she put the cotton wool in the trash and took a band-aid from the first aid kit.

"Here, done!" Emma said as she put the band-aid on Tatsurou's cut and got up from her chair.

"Say, why does my band-aid, got a rainbow?" Tatsurou asked with a stoic tone, as he looked at the mirror in Emma's office and pointed at his band-aid.

"Punishment! For not keeping your promise, of being careful! And no taking it off!" Emma said with an angry tone before she placed a cigarette in her mouth and light it up, but as she did that, someone knocked on the door.

"Hiya, Muller-san, how's Tatsurou doing?" Yumeko asked with a curious tone, as she entered Emma's office.

"Oh! That's, a very cute band-aid!" Yumeko said in a joking tone as she looked at Tatsurou and laughed.

"I know, right?" Emma answered Yumeko, also in a joking tone as she took a puff from her cigarette and giggled a bit.

"I-Ignoring my band-aid, for the time being, how is Izumi doing?" Tatsurou asked still embarrassed, as he looked at Yumeko.

"That's why I'm here, actually..." Yumeko said as she stooped laughing and looked at Tatsurou.

"You don't have to worry, Naoki-chan is ok, she got hurt in the back, it's nothing, that a few painkillers and a good nights rest here, won't cure!" Yumeko said in a reassuring tone as she smiled.

"Good thing, that she's ok..." Tatsurou said with a relieved tone as he sighed.

"And, with that said..." As Yumeko said this, she gave Tatsurou, a very strong head-flick, that made him almost fall, from the chair he was sitting.

"Ow! What was that for?" Tatsurou asked with a confused tone, as he placed his right hand, on his forehead.

"Tell me, what's so hard about waiting for me, after you finished our call? I was worried sick, when I saw that big flash of light, as we made our way to the school!" Yumeko asked with an angry but also worried tone, as she placed her hands on her hips and glared at Tatsurou.

"I-I'm sorry..." Tatsurou said as he looked a bit away from Yumeko "Honestly, you're always so reckless...I just hope, that one of these days this recklessness, doesn't turn on you..." Yumeko said as she sighed a bit, Tatsurou just looked down, as he heard her.

"I know what I said, about you joining the Soteria, so this didn't turn into a problem anymore, but I wasn't expecting this to happen, I should have given you a different mission...but what's done is done and at the very least, you didn't get hospitalized again and Naoki-chan and her friend are ok too, so I'll let this one slide, but just this once!" Yumeko said with a faintly embarrassed tone, as she crossed her arms and looked a bit away from Tatsurou.

"I'm sorry about this, Yumeko, I'll try to be more careful next time...I promise..." Tatsurou said with a reassuring tone as he looked at Yumeko.

"Well, as long as you understand..." Yumeko said as she smiled a bit.

"I have to go now and call Naoki-chan's sister and I also have to make the report for this case...so you can go home..." Yumeko said as she turned to the door and made her way out of Emma's office.

"Oh! And by the way, I have a few things to take care of, so there are no classes tomorrow...so go and take, a real good rest, you deserve it!" Yumeko said as she got close to the door and looked at Tatsurou.

"Don't worry, I will..." Tatsurou said as he saw Yumeko leaving Emma's office, as she waved and when she was finally gone.

"What is it?" Tatsurou asked as he looked at Emma that had a smug expression on.

"See, even Yumeko-san, agrees with me..." Emma said with a smug tone, as she took a puff from her cigarette.

"I know, Emma-san...but this time, I promise that I'm going to be more careful!" Tatsurou said with a reassuring tone, as he got up from the chair he was sitting on, but as he began to make his way out of the office.

"Ah! Wait a sec..." Emma said as she got close to Tatsurou.

"If you wait a bit, I can take you home, Kurokami-kun..." Emma said as she went to the pocket of her lab coat and out of it, she took a portable ashtray.

"Thanks for the offer, Emma-san, but the monorails are still running and I want to walk a bit..." Tatsurou said as he scratched the back of his head a bit.

"I see, I honestly would feel better, if you let me take you home, but if that's the case..." Emma said as she placed her cigarette in the portable ashtray.

"But before you go home..." As Emma said this, she went behind her desk and out of it, she took a small handbag.

"Here, Kurokami-kun...now strip..." Emma said with a stoic tone and expression as she got close to Tatsurou.

"E-E-Excuse me?!" Tatsurou asked as he blushed from ear to ear and covered himself.

"Don't get the wrong idea here, I just want you to place your uniform jacket and hoodie inside this bag, I would feel bad if you made your way back home, looking like that..." Emma said as she pointed at Tatsurou's dirty and damaged clothes.

"I-I see..." Tatsurou said as he laughed a bit.

"Ara, ara, what's with that reaction Kurokami-kun? Embarrassed about being seen naked, by an old lady like me? I'm so flattered!" Emma said with a happy tone as she smiled.

"I-It's not that, and your not that old Emma-san..." Tatsurou said with an embarrassed tone, as he blushed a bit.

"Oh! Come on, I'm going to turn 52 real soon, you know? My good years and looks...are long gone..." Emma said with a faint sad tone, as she sighed a bit.

"Please, Emma-san, don't say that, you're still very pretty!" Tatsurou said with an honest tone as he smiled, Emma became silent and blushed upon hearing this.

"My oh my, quite the charmer we have here! Hime raised you right!" Emma said with a happy tone, as she smiled and gave Tatsurou a head pat.

"Here's a little reward, for your kind words, Kurokami-kun!" Emma said as she stooped head patting Tatsurou and put her hand inside the handbag she was holding and out of it she took a sandwich wrapped in plastic that she gave to Tatsurou.

"Thanks, Emma-san, I'm actually starving, to be honest..." Tatsurou said with a happy tone, as he held the sandwich.

"No need to thank me, but before you dig in, place those dirty clothes in the bag, alright?" Emma said as she placed her hands on the pockets of her lab coat and gave Tatsurou a wink...

And sure enough, a few moments later, Tatsurou took off the jacket of his gakuran and his hoodie, and placed them in the handbag.

"Finally done! I'll be on my way then..." Tatsurou, that was now wearing the pants of his school uniform and a black t-shirt, said as he grabbed the bag and made his way out of the office.

"Have a safe trip, Kurokami-kun!" Emma said as she waved at Tatsurou.

"I will, thank you, Emma-san!" Tatsurou said as he waved back at Emma and after a bit, Tatsurou was now making his way out of the hospital.

"Well then, let's go home...but first..." Tatsurou said as he took the sandwich Emma gave him out of the handbag and made his way to the monorail station...