Thank you

'Regalia. You've been a good friend to me all these years, despite how I treated you in the beginning. I hope you can forgive me now, I've cleaned the mess that I created. Not me; but another. Yet it still feels all too real, even now. After it's over I'll see to it that your wish be granted too. After all... what's granting one wish, when you aren't being granted one yourself.'

"Hey! What do you think you're asking me to do?! That's a death wish that even, I don't want to go through!"

'Relax, if you follow my plan, it will all work out.'

"Follow your plan? You want me to follow your plan?! No, I'm leaving, this isn't worth it. Damn, voices in my head can just never stop talking."

He mumbled whilst slowly walking away. 'No wait! Please just hear me out!' Kuoka sighed, "fine, if you want me to throw away the life I gave another chance, then go ahead. But I won't!"

The voice in his head loudly sighed, and continued pleading. 'If you follow my plan for now, I'll answer any one question you have, just please don't leave already.'

The voice became silent, and Kuoka couldn't do anything but agree. "One question right? You better hold yourself to that." Kuoka leapt high into the air; landing in the center of a group of bandits. "Alright you thieves, COME AT ME!" He started sweating, the atmosphere became intense, as all noises died down.

A flock of birds flew into the sky loudly, behind Kuoka, and the bandits took the chance to attack him. A bandit first came falling from his back. He quickly turned behind, and grabbed the bandit by the throat, then smashing him into the ground.

The other bandits charged forward with knives in their hands. But they were no match for Kuoka, with the strength he'd always had. He twisted the knife of one. And hit the other, hard enough to send him flying through a tree.

The last bandit trembled in fear, his legs shook. Kuoka's face was clearly angered and annoyed. Kuoka was no longer the weak minded and easily controlled boy, that he used to be. Visible wrinkles had formed under his eyes. And he experienced several years within the span of a few days.

"Where is your leader?" He grabbed the bandit by the collar, and threatened him. "You have 3 seconds, I'm going to count down. So you better speak before I snap your neck."

3

2

1

"F-fine! Fine! I'll tell you, just please let me go!" Kuoka gently placed the bandit back onto the floor. "Don't even think about running."

"O-oh yeah?! And what are you going to do if I run, y-you're wearing heavy armor!" The bandit tried to escape; but couldn't even notice that he had already been grabbed by Kuoka.

Kuoka pressed the bandit against the sharp point of his armor, at the front. "Last chance, you bastard. If it wasn't for this pestering voice. I wouldn't be here, trying to kill you. But at the same time, if it wasn't for this pestering voice, I would've already killed you. So say your curses and thanks while you can."

"V-voice? WHAT VOICE! You may kill me; but our boss is going to make sure that you are finished!" The bandit's face became arrogant, and a wide; horrifying smile appeared on his face. His eyes became insane, and he tried to break free from Kuoka's grasp to no avail.

"No good huh... guess I'll just have to go to your brother Jiro then, he might be a talker."

"J-Jiro? Wait... no I'm sorry, I'll tell you everything alright! Just don't kill my brother! He's a good kid, wouldn't hurt a soul! The only reason he's in this group, is because I dragged him here by force..."

Kuoka's grip tightened, "then speak."

The bandit shrieked when Kuoka tightened his arms again. "Northeast! Keep heading northeast from here and you'll reach the encampment! The boss is there, he should be inside the biggest tent, the one on top of the small hill!"

Kuoka's grip loosened, and the bandit breathed a sigh of relief. "O-oh, I'm sorry, I-it just came out. I'm sorry!" The bandit scrambled to grab his items, and ran off into the forest. "Wait!" Kuoka yelled. And the bandit turned around. "Your brother is southwest! You're going towards the wrong direction!"

The bandit, after hearing this. He quickly scuttled past Kuoka, as he watched him run into the forest once again. 'Did you really have to let him go?' Kuoka shrugged the voice off. "We got the information we needed. Is anything else really necessary?"

'You're quite the good actor you know. You resisted doing this so much; but I know you're just shocked at your own strength. You've had this strength all your life. It was just hidden from you, only used for evil purposes. But it wasn't your fault, it was that 'Wish Granter's' fault.'

Kuoka's face became embarrassed, when the voice started mocking him. 'I'm in your head you know? I'm not just another person, you so happen to meet on the other side of the road. But to be fair... if I were just another person, I would definitely not be able to tell what you're thinking, especially with this new stoic face of yours'

"Would you lay it off already? I know, you're right. Just let me keep quiet about something for once, ok?"

'That's fine by me.'

"So the map to their boss's camp is northeast of here... I didn't expect that. Regalia, can you confirm whether or not this camp is really there?"

'I'm afraid, I can't do that.' Kuoka's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why? That other voice could do it, so why can't you?" The voice became silent for a moment... 'I... unfortunately, I am not stronger than her, hence why my influence over you was suppressed, for so long.'

"So you could only enter my head, now that 'she' is gone?"

'You're correct.'

"Well this is a big issue. Never mind the others without voices in their heads, they are easily beaten, with the right amount of time. But against myself? With a voice more powerful than yours? This is already looking bleak, and we just started."

'Try not to lose motivation! I'll try my best as well, I promise!'

"Well, your best isn't enough. At this rate, I'm going to die; but you can go off into wherever you are, and search for another person to harass."

'I'm... sorry.'

Kuoka looked down at a map, he'd put flatly on a small wooden table. "Northeast..." the path to the bandit's boss would be long; but it wouldn't be hard. What events could happen during such a journey, remains to be known; but I promise, that such a journey will not lead to victory. Not on my watch.