The Magical Girl and the Excluded One

Eventually, ten days passed by. 

After the incident with Otohime, Ren dedicated himself even more to training The Art. He had to get stronger.

"Aura Attunement."

"?"

"It's a technique magicians use to improve their physical skills. It's different from any elemental magic or anything of the sort."

Rui said as she raised her index finger. She was in teacher mode.

After his daily training, Ren went to Rui's shrine and asked how to get stronger. 

"The Art of the External Energy is merely a way to imitate Aura Attunement. I suppose you haven't even noticed, heh. In this last week, whenever you filled your body with magical power, didn't you feel slightly stronger? or faster?"

"Well, now that you mention... I did feel like my body was lighter when I fought spirits."

"That's the Art strengthening you. You're already quite strong by human standards. With The Art, I imagine you can far surpass the human limit. Xiao Xinyi could easily crush a mountain in two at his peak."

"Seriously? Damn, that's a powerful individual.'

"He was, indeed."

Ren went into thought.

The Art was created for people without magical power to use magic. With it, he defeated various spirits during his training. Every time he battled, he felt stronger than usual. 

"Boy, do you know why I had you go on the streets every night to fight spirits?"

"Nope. I assume it's to do the job you were supposed to do?"

"No, it isn't. I believe you have something called Exponential Growth."

"And what is that? It sounds like a passive skill from an RPG game."

"Well, it is passive, I guess. Basically, boy, you get more powerful every time you fight. Heh, natural strength, plus The Art, plus Exponential Growth. You're gonna be quite the monster in the future."

"..."

Ren did not know how to react to Rui's praise. His muscles tensed a bit.

"But don't let that get over to your head, okay?" She completed.

"Okay."

With that resumed, Ren stood up and walked home after saying goodbye to Rui.

*****

Going home, Ren paid no heed to all the spirits around him. He was totally focused on what Rui said.

Exponential Growth. Natural Strenght. The Art.

Ren let out a smile. 

"Hehe!" He jumped, bumping his fist. "I can get stronger after all. And I have potential??? Be careful, Rui. Maybe next time you see me, I'll be so strong that you won't be able to contain me!"

At that moment.

"Snort."

A heat touched Ren's skin. That should not be possible. The night was always cold with chilling breezes.

Ren got pulled back to reality when he spotted a red ethereal boar before him.

"Wha—"

Ren gulped as his blood ran cold. He knew that beast. It was the same spirit that overwhelmed him some time ago. It was a boar that was three meters tall and looked like it could tear someone into pieces. It had a vicious snout and a sharp pair of tusks.

Ren instantly set off running.

"AAAAAHHHHH!!!!"

The giant boar promptly followed after him, but Ren was slightly faster. He ran until he reached a nearby park—an open space.

This time Ren would not flee. He lured the boar into the park. 

He concentrated the magical power within his body. He felt weightless.

"I can do this."

The boar was approaching with burning red eyes.

"Ha."

Ren was determined. He did not feel fear. All he thought about was beating that beast down. 

The boar jumped, brandishing its horn, about to crush Ren, who grabbed the ground and moved away. The boar's momentum carried it forward.

It turned around, black smoke coming out of its nostrils.

It scratched the ground with its hooves, preparing for another attack. 

Roar!!

"Hrm!"

Ren reflexively jumped high, landing on the boar's hump as it crouched to lunge at him. It tried to shake Ren off, but he grasped its horn. Ren felt like a cowboy in a rodeo as he struggled to not get thrown off.

Ren clutched the horn, throwing himself down as he did so, then pulled it with all his might and gravity. He landed gracefully on the ground with the sharp piece of the fiery horn in his hand.

"GUAAAH!"

The boar squealed in pain, its movements getting more erratic. Ren used that opportunity to quickly pierce its head with its own horn.

It did not even have time to neigh. It just turned into particles. 

"That was... surprisingly easy."

He muttered to himself.

However,

"Well done, Suzuki-kun."

Ren instantly narrowed his eyes, looking behind him. He recognized the voice but still got his guard up.

"Hirawa-san..."

It was Hirawa Otohime. She wore the same flashy uniform she wore when they first fought.

"Hey," Otohime said as she came from the shadows of the trees.

Her face was not pixelated this time.

"Why are you here?"

"I was patrolling the area when I heard battle sounds, so I came here to investigate. I'm not surprised it was you."

"Looking after me, huh?"

"I would be mad if my assistant got hurt."

"Assistant?"

"The excess of evil spirits in this area is due to Mystikos' activities. Originally, it was my job to take care of them, but you're doing it for me."

"So I am doing your job? I should get paid for it."

Otohime chuckled, then glanced at Ren.

"Don't you find it strange that we became friends after we fought?"

After the clash with Ren, Otohime thought he would avoid and probably report her. Still, he approached her the next day in school, saying, You're pretty strong, Hirawa-san! We should spar again sometime soon.

She found it awkward initially, but eventually, they grew closer to each other. 

"Not at all. You are a good person, Hirawa-san. I honestly find you a bit cool, with all the magical girl stuff. At first, it sounded funny, but after the stories you told me, my opinion is different."

"About that... don't spread the things I told you..."

"Don't worry, don't worry. Only Rui knows about that. She's the only one that would understand anyway."

"Who is Rui?—Wait, what did you tell this person?"

Otohime tensed up and shot her eyes wide. Apparently, the secrecy of her work was relevant. Ren could not understand that. If he were a magical girl, he would tell everyone.

Although, coming to think of it, Otohime had enemies, so it was probably better to maintain her identity a secret.

"Rui's the guardian spirit I told you, remember? The one helping me train."

"Ah, yes. You promised to introduce her to me."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. I'll arrange this tomorrow."

"Okay. Well, anyway, Suzuki-kun. I have to go now. I got work to do."

"Work now, hm? You sure are busy. See you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah."

Ren nodded. Otohime looked at him with a smile, then bowed. Her glasses almost fell, but she adjusted them right away. She turned around and vanished in the shadows, leaving Ren alone. 

*****

It was about 11p.m.

Otohime was in a convenience store located in an isolated part of the city. She was the only client, maybe because of the time. She grabbed a pack of mint gum from the stand and strode to the cashier. The clerk looked exhausted but smiled while Otohime paid for the mints nonetheless.

When she exited the store, Airian appeared on her left shoulder.

"Why don't you make Suzuki-chan your sidekick? I kinda like him."

"I already told you I don't want to involve anyone in my work. Besides, he's not that powerful."

"He's not powerful now. Think for the future, Master! Investments are the base of any economy! You saw his fighting skills when you fought. He's also faster and stronger than your average person. And what's with that Aura Attunement without magical power? He is mysterious, and that's a good thing!" 

"I don't really know about that... He seems a little imprudent."

"Why imprudent?"

"I mean, he looks like someone who would instantly jump towards danger if it is to help someone."

"Isn't that a good trait?"

"It is. The problem is that I'm also like that. The two of us are equal in that regard. It wouldn't work out."

"Hmmmm.... If you say so."

An electronic tune chimed in Otohime's head. She touched a small intercom attached to her right ear, and a voice promptly started talking in a robotic tone.

"Valkyrie, are you ready for your operation? Remember, at the same time you act, our collaborators of the Japanese Anti-Magic Organization will be working to prevent enemy reinforcement from going after you."

"..."

"Your main objective is to destroy the magical item responsible for Mystikos' communication. You might find one of their special agents there. Apprehend them, if possible."

"...Understood."

"Good luck, Valkyrie."

The transmission cut off with a monotonous sound. Otohime wondered over her instructions. She tossed a mint in her mouth. Airian looked displeased, so she threw one in his mouth too.

"Well, this will be hard."

"Indeed, Master. I'm more afraid of this 'special agent.'"

"Yeah."

Otohime swallowed her mint and ran to her destination, jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

It was time to work.

*****

"Quite the house, huh?" Ayumi exclaimed, looking at the mansion before her eyes.

"Indeed," Hana nodded beside her.

They were in the noble part of the city. In front of them was a big and luxurious mansion circled by a tall wall. One would think the mansion was a house for a celebrity, but it was actually just a facade for Mystikos.

"According to the report, there's an underground level where the people of Mystikos gather. We just have to enter there and stop them from going to our collaborator's location. Ah, it also mentioned a 'special agent,' whom we must be careful for."

"I see. Well, it doesn't look so difficult."

The public lights reflected on the metal parts of Ayumi's battle dress. It was an old-fashioned outfit that made her look like a medieval princess.

Hana did not want to stand out, so she wore her military uniform. The icon of the Japanese Anti-Magical Organization was engraved on the chest.

"Shall we go inside?" Ayumi urged, adjusting her grip on her massive sword.

"Let me cast a people shield spell, just in case."

All the preparations were ready.

It was time to work.

******

There was a loud sound. 

At some isolated place in the city, a warehouse door went flying, and a lone girl wearing glasses stepped inside. The area was overflown with armed mercenaries in social suits. They all glared at Otohime at the same time.

"Shoot!"

Almost immediately, a torrent of bullets was sent at her. However, she showed no sign of walking back. She held her hand forward and created a light blue wall in front of her, blocking every shot. 

"Hmph."

With an annoyed snort, Otohime simply dismissed the shield, and all the bullets fell to the ground. She then materialized her gauntlets and began walking forward slowly.

Someone came running at her holding a short blade. They sliced the air with considerable speed, but Otohime briefly changed her position and destroyed the attacker with an uppercut that sent them flying. 

That served as a starting point. Everyone attacked her simultaneously.

While she dodged a thrown axe sent her way, another two people came at her with short blades. She blocked both with her gauntlets and counter-attacked, knocking them down. More bullets were coming in her direction, but before she could worry about them, she noticed a grenade beneath her. It was too late. Otohime was blown away, hitting her back on a wall. 

"Guh," she gasped as she stood up. "They don't care about sacrifices, huh?"

The space was too tight for an explosion like that. Someone must have gotten seriously injured. 

"I tried to prevent any casualties, but I'm unsure if I did it in time. My barrier may have been late," Airian's voice resounded in her mind.

"These guys... They don't seem to care that they are disposable."

"Most of these people have no other reason to live."

As Otohime complained, a rapid fireball was flying in her direction. She slapped it with her gauntlet and put out the flames.

"Here come the magicians!"

The fireball was the first of many. By the time Otohime noticed the projectiles coming her way, she could only shield herself with a dome barrier. The turtle shell defended her for now, but it would not last forever. 

"I must get out of here... Airian, use Burning Tundra!"

"Right away!"

Otohime held her right hand upwards, manifesting a big white magical circle. A burst of radiant energy surrounded her, blending the colors of icy blue and pristine white, forming an ethereal dance of fire and frost. The inside of the warehouse was enveloped in a blizzard of white flames and freezing wind. The blazes burned, and then the freezing breeze bit their core. After mere seconds, most of the magicians collapsed to the ground. Otohime left her turtle shell and charged. She faced head-on the close-combat fighters, but they were weakened due to the Burning Tundra. They were no match for her. Eventually, she was the only one standing. 

"Good grief..."

"Well done, Master. Now we have to find the spiritual item."

Otohime looked around and saw a circular-shaped antenna in the middle of the warehouse. Small magical circles were carved on it. 

"That's it."

She strode to the antenna, preparing to destroy it. However, when she got closer, she noticed multiple barriers protecting it. She looked at Arian, who was analyzing the barriers up close, and asked.

"How do we destroy it?"

"I can dispel it if you give me ten minutes."

"Okay. I'll wait."

At that moment.

Lonely footsteps echoed throughout the warehouse. 

"Tch. I leave for one moment, and that's what happens."

Otohime glanced behind her shoulders. It was a man in a suit, like the others, but he wore stylish sunglasses, and a sheathed katana was hanging on his waist. 

He had a much more powerful presence. 

It was the special agent.

"Hey, girl. I'm being paid to protect that thing. So I'd appreciate it if you leave it be," the man spoke up, glaring at Otohime. 

"I'm afraid I cannot do that."

"I thought so."

The man unsheathed the katana, assuming a stance. 

"I'm Hirawa Otohime, Valkyrie of the Valhalla Academy. I've defeated all your comrades. Surrender now."

"Magical girl, heh? I'm James. And don't group me with these crazy people."

He would not surrender.

Otohime assumed her battle posture and adjusted her glasses. 

*****

Yukihira Ayumi swung her massive blade, sending the last mercenary flying. She hit them with the blunt part so they were not sliced in two. After seeing everyone unconscious or incapacitated, she let the blade rest on her shoulder. 

"Phew," she exhaled, putting her free hand on her hips. "It seems they value numbers over quality."

"That seems likely. What about the special agent?"

"Dunno. I did not see anyone strong enough."

"Hm... It seems that our job here is done."

"I can only hope the other side succeeded too. What if the special agents are there?"

"Ayumi...you battle maniac."

"Hey! I'm not a battle maniac! I just... like fighting."

"So you say..."

They imagined their job here was done. But their reality was far from it.

Ayumi was the first to notice the change. Her expression stiffened. She reflexively jumped to the ground, pulling Hana with her.

"Hey—"

Before Hana could complain, thud! a concrete pillar behind her was shattered apart by an invisible force.

Her eyes shot wide. The two stood up quickly. Hana grasped her staff tightly, preparing for another attack.

"My, my. You actually noticed my attack."

A lone woman was walking towards them slowly. She wore a black adorned burial dress and hid her face with a semi-transparent veil. In her hands, a magical wand with a shiny dark gem at its tip.

"It's bothersome to battle against two... But my Darling is taking care of the other one, so I have no choice. Hehe," The woman said with an ominous chuckle. "I'm Anna. A pleasure to meet you two."

It happened immediately after.

Ayumi cut off the distance between her and Anna in the blink of an eye. She brandished her massive sword in a horizontal destructive slash.

"Heyaa!!"

Anna pointed her wand at Ayumi, and a small whirlwind boosted her backward. Ayumi's sword hit nothing, but she stepped forward for a perforating attack. However, her sword met nothing again. She scanned the area in search of Anna for a follow of the attack, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly,

"Beautiful but mischievous."

A blast of fire hit Ayumi on the back.

"Argh!"

She rapidly rotated, swinging her sword. But yet again, Anna had vanished.

"She can get invisible somehow... Hana, do your thing!"

Hana, watching the battle unfold, concentrated magical power on her staff.

She began chanting, "Thou art the fire that consumes evil. Purge those with no salvation. Heed my chant and shower them with sulfur. 

Inferno Eruption!" 

The whole underground area was blown up in a consuming fire.

*****

At the same time, Suzuki Ren finished defeating an evil ghost that looked like a masked luchador.

"Hm. That was fun."

It was his first time fighting a human spirit. It was a different experience from the sentient clouds and evil animal spirits. He felt like he had leveled up.

He was satisfied with his training for the day.

"I'll go home now, I guess."

"Wait, Suzuki-chan."

But before Ren started walking, a voice called out to him. 

He looked behind him... and saw no one.

"I'm down here!"

Ren looked at his feet. He spotted a white-blue squirrel.

It was Airian, Otohime's contracted spirit.

"Airian? What you're doing here? Where's Hirawa-san?"

"No time to explain! You have to help me, Suzuki-chan! No, you have to help Master!"

"What? Did something happen to Hirawa-san?"

"I'll explain later. Follow me!"

Airian ran to the opposite side of Ren's house. Ren looked at Airian running and hesitated.

He shook his head.

"Hirawa-san's in trouble. I need to help her."

He ran in Airian's direction, catching up to him quickly. Seeing that Ren was obviously faster than him, Airian climbed Ren up to his shoulder.

"I'm an astral projection, Suzuki-chan. I'll guide you, but you have to hurry!"

"O-okay!"

"In short, Master encountered a really powerful foe," Airian explained. "And she can't beat him alone. I knew you were nearby, so I came to ask for your assistance."

"Hirawa-san is fighting someone stronger than her? Then how can I help? She's stronger than me, and if she is having problems..."

"Listen, Suzuki-chan, I am a special spirit. I can partially see the characteristics of most people. You have something in you. I'm confident you'll be able to help Master."

"I-I see." 

"Speaking frankly, I don't know what it is. So I might be leading you to your death, too."

"Wh-what!? I'm too young to die, you know!"

"If you want to, you can just turn around and leave. I won't judge you for that."

Ren stopped in his tracks and looked downwards.

Airian looked surprised but made a comprehensive face. 

"It's o—"

"Ahhhhhhhhh! If I die, tell Kuriko I'm sorry!"

Ren resumed running in the direction Airian was pointing at an even faster pace.

"Su-Suzuki-chan?! Are you out of your mind!?"

"Let's go, Airian! Today, we sail to Valhalla!!!!!"

"AHHHHHH!!!!!" 

Airian had to grasp Ren's hair to not be tossed away by the air resistance.

*****

"You're quite capable, Magical Girl."

"Guhh."

"But you hold yourself too much. I'm a villain, you know? You're not supposed to go easy on me."

James was holding Otohime by the collar. She struggled in vain, swinging her legs back and forth to break free from James' grasp. He had his katana in his other hand. 

"In this situation...what could you do? Those gauntlets of yours are powerful, but are you afraid to hurt me or something like that? You could just tear my hand apart if you so wanted."

Otohime resisted more firmly. Her gauntlet ripped off some skin from James' hand. Blood started to flow.

"That's a start."

"Gghhu!!"

Would she have to break her moral code? If Otohime did not take this seriously, she would end up dead.

No problem, right? James was even inciting her to do it.

"Alright, then," she said with a severe expression.

By the time she applied more strength to her grip.

"Let go of her!!!!"

"What?"

Suzuki Ren made his appearance running towards James with his right fist raised.

Neither Otohime nor James had any time to react.

"Hades' Judgment!!!!"

Ren's clenched fist met James' face, sending him tumbling backward some distance. He let go of Otohime, who fell to the ground nimbly. Ren promptly helped her get up, but she suddenly pushed him away.

"Why in the world are you here?!" She said in a panic.

She had wounds all over her body. Blood was dripping through her arm and staining her clothing. Ren could not avoid grimacing.

"I heard you were in a pinch, so I came to help."

"Help me? I...I didn't ask for help!"

"I did!" Airian said, appearing on her shoulder.

"Airian? Why!?"

"You were in danger, Master. And Suzuki-chan came here of his own free will."

"It doesn't matter. Suzuki-kun, leave now, or you'll just get yourself killed."

"No, Hirawa-san. It's okay."

"No, it's not okay! You're not a match for this guy. You'll just get yourself killed. You might be strong, but you're still an ordinary person. You have nothing to do with this. You shouldn't have come here. You should've—"

"Hirawa-san!"

Ren interrupted Otohime, putting a hand on her other shoulder as if to calm her down.

"I'm here to help you. So stop complaining, will you? I know you have this compromise with justice, but someone asked me to save you, so here I am. Now, let's gather our strengths and beat this guy over. What do you think?"

Otohime's eyes widened, and she dropped her shoulders. She finally sighed loudly, calming herself.

"I'll allow it this once. Don't blame if you die."

"Alright. If I die, I'll curse Airian forever."

Otohime recovered her determination. She turned towards James, who looked confused. Ren got to her side, taking a stance of his own.

"Are you finished?"

"..."

"..."

"Then."

James showed off his katana, reflecting the moonlight entering the room from the windows.

Ren gulped dry.

"Let us begin."

*****

The explosion left the underground area without a ceiling. Above them was a massive gap through which the moonlight illuminated the place.

There was smoke everywhere. Pieces of concrete went flying all over the place.

"Cough! Cough! Hana! Why use this spell in such a small space!?"

"Sorry. It was the first wide-area spell that came to mind. But I controlled it enough to not be so powerful."

"Yeah, that would have killed us as well."

Hana had used an explosion to attack the invisible foe. It was hard not to be affected in such a small, cramped place. Fortunately, she and Ayumi had the magical barriers they could count on.

"My, my. An artillery-level spell for me? How spirited."

Hana and Ayumi frowned upon seeing the woman in a veil come from behind a smoke screen. Some parts of her burial dress were scorched, but she looked unshaken. She swayed her wand around while doing erratic movements as if dancing. She leaned her upper body towards the girls, staring at them with a sinister smile barely visible through her veil. That was eerie enough to send a chill down their spine. 

Ayumi braced up in preparation to attack, but by the next time she blinked, Anna vanished from sight.

"Tch! Hana! Keep your guard—"

"Beautiful but mischievous."

Anna was already behind Hana.

She raised her wand, and its tip shone lightly. A small fire blast unfolded. Hana rolled forward and braced herself with a magical barrier at the nick of time. At the same time, she quickly conjured magic from her staff, sending a wind blast toward Anna.

"Could you stop disappearing?!" Hana spoke up. She could not hit Anna, who had become invisible.

What was happening? 

How was she doing that?

Those thoughts ran through Hana's mind as she stared blankly at where Anna had been. The scenario felt wrong as if something was missing. No, it was not missing. It was as if the scenario itself was distorted, like an edited image. Hana blinked once, twice, then a third time. 

"Graceful but lethal."

At some point, Anna reappeared a distance away. She raised her wand, and upon her short chant, she shot a pointy thick stone at Hana. 

Hana was stunned; she could not react in time. She held her staff and tried to create a magical barrier, but the stone flew at an immense speed. It would reach her in mere seconds. 

"Hana! I got you!"

In that instant, the sharp stone was sliced into two. 

"Ngh! Ayumi!"

Hana looked up to see Ayumi's back. She had swiftly moved between Hana and the projectile, cutting it in half before it hit. Ayumi glanced at Anna, who looked displeased. She probably imagined that the spell would take care of Hana.

"Sorry, I was distracted," Hana said, getting up. She grasped (ver sinonimo dps) her staff more firmly. She would not get retaken by surprise.

"It's okay. Have you figured anything?"

"I have an idea, but I'm not certain yet."

Ayumi nodded and adjusted her grip on her sword. She glued her eyes to Anna. She lifted her chin as if looking down on Ayumi and vanished from sight.

Ayumi sighed.

Do I have to take this seriously?

*****

"Now!" was the command Otohime gave. Ren immediately started running while preparing his right fist.

"Haaah!" Ren threw his fist like a hammer.

James dodged easily, but Ren continued pressing. He followed up with a fast jab, then a left hook. James avoided everything.

Ren went for a roundhouse kick, then multiple combining kicks. James blocked with his arm. He drilled laterally with a quick spin, positioning himself diagonally from Ren, reaching for his sword, and slashing for Ren's neck.

Ren barely avoided the blade by stopping his momentum and jumping head-face to the ground.

"Hirawa-san! Some help over here?!" he called. Otohime was already coming their way. 

As she ran, she threw a dagger of blue light at James. The blade was fast, flying without making a sound. He readily deflected it with his sword, diverting its path. The dagger took some of Ren's hair before piercing the floor. 

That was just a distraction.

"Empyrean Lightning Zeal," Otohime shouted as she stopped a meter away.

She pointed both her gauntlets at James and a pale lighting shot out from them. With breathtaking speed, the spell surged towards him, a luminous serpent of power, twisting and writhing. The pale blue lightning arched and snaked, leaving trails of brilliance in its wake, engulfing James. 

"Aghhhh!?"

James lost control over his body and started convulsing incessantly. Pale sparks clicked through his body, and his eyes seemed pure white. Momentarily, Ren thought James was dead, but he noticed the man strengthening the grip on his katana, clinging to his consciousness. In his position, if James broke free of the lightning, he was just as good as dead.

"Agh! Suzuki-kun, I can't hold for much longer! Do something!"

The lightning flickered, meaning Otohime would not maintain it for long. Ren had to act fast. He crawled toward a metal beam that had fallen nearby. He grabbed it and used it to hit James' ankles. Ren felt a tremendous shock going down his arm with the contact. 

"Urgh!?"

Ren let go of the metal beam, the pain lingering in his mind. 

Meanwhile, James fell to his knees, letting go of his katana. Ren grasped that opportunity. He ignored the lingering pain from the shock and kicked the katana away. At the same time, Otohime stopped the spell. Her arms gave in to gravity. 

"I... maintained it for too long," she spoke with exhaustion, catching her breath. "I'm sorry, Airian. We have to keep going."

Aye, Master!

Ren rushed to aid Otohime. She reluctantly borrowed his shoulder to sustain her body. She gave Ren a meaningful look. He nodded, looking at James, who was on his knees groaning. Ren was unsure if he was unconscious or not.

"It seems that it's over."

"Yeah."

But in the next second, Swoosh! James disappeared from vision.

"What?!" Otohime stepped forward, almost tripping, but Ren held her tight. "He disappeared?!"

"What the..."

Ren rubbed his eyes and blinked repeatedly. Was he just hallucinating from exhaustion? That could not be it. Otohime was not seeing James either.

"Shit. You brats hit really hard. I'm not as good as my Darling, but I gotta say...this thing saves my life sometimes."

James was nonchalantly standing some distance away from them. He cracked his jaw as if trying to fix it.

"Wh-what happened?!" Ren asked. 

Seconds ago, James was on his knees on the edge of death, but there he was, standing before Ren as if nothing had happened. 

No, he was clearly damaged. Smoke was coming out of his hair and suit.

"It's a secret tech I use when I'm in a pinch," James replied with a smug grin. He raised his thumb and pointed to himself. "I pretend that I'm unconscious and then vanish from sight. Haha!"

"Tch," Otohime clicked her tongue and stood for herself. She faced Ren, staring deep into his eyes. "Suzuki-kun, I'd like to ask you to run right now, but I'm afraid you've dug your own grave. So what will you do?"

"Isn't it obvious, Hirawa-san?" Ren returned the stare. A wide grin appeared on his face. "I'll fight!"

Otohime gave a weak smile and closed her eyes. When she opened them, Ren could see her determination coming back.

"You're stupid," she said, then turned to face James.

But he was nowhere to be seen. 

In a moment, he was suddenly in front of Ren.

"Ho--?!"

"I'll take you down first!"

He was unarmed, but that meant nothing. He pushed back his fist and mercilessly sent it like a bomb to Ren's solar plexus. The pain was unbearable, and Ren fell to his knees.

"Gah ah?!"

"Suzuki-kun!"

Seeing the scene, Otohime finally took action. Her gauntlets shone. She raised her right hand and punched...nothing?

"W-what are you doing, Hirawa-san?! He's behind you!"

"Huh?"

A powerful Spartan-like kick sent Otohime flying like a soccer ball before she could grasp the situation. Her back hit a wall a loud pain spread to her body. She rapidly adjusted her position and gained some distance from James. However, he was invisible. She did not know what direction to go in. 

She bumped into something.

When she noticed, it was too late.

An elbow poked Otohime's back. The pain made her bend her entire spine. She rotated and immediately put up a defensive posture. James attacked her from various angles but could not get past her defenses without his katana. Otohime fended off his fists perfectly. James shot once more but vanished from sight before hitting Otohime. She hesitated, leaving her open for a split second. James took advantage of that window. He reappeared, and then he used the force of his legs to rocket himself upwards while spinning in a backflip, his right foot coming in contact with Otohime's jaw.

The blow knocked her backward, and blood sprayed from her mouth. She tried to get up, but James kicked her head again.

"I'm just repeating myself, but the problem with you allies of justice is this," James said, watching the collapsed Otohime. "You hesitate too much. You hold back too much. I've fought a handful of magical girls, and all are the same. Are you this virtuous, or are you not strong-willed enough to dirty your hands? Probably the latter."

James approached Otohime with slow steps. He looked at her with contempt as if gazing at a bug. The magical girl could do nothing but writhe in pain.

"Don't talk about strong will."

It was Ren who said that. He recomposed himself. He cleaned the blood coming out of his mouth and glared at James. 

"Don't talk about it when you get money by doing the dirty job others don't have the guts to do. Are you saying you're strong-willed just because you're capable of killing? How obnoxious. We already give you an advantage enough for trying not to kill you."

Ren was not an ally of justice like Otohime. 

"Who even are you?"

"I'm just an ordinary person who got wrapped up in all this."

"Oh, right. She asked for your help? How desperate was she? Ahaha."

Ren could not rebuke.

He was powerless. He was not a magical girl. He was not a magician. He was not a spirit.

Exponential Growth? Natural Strength? The Art?

He could not care less. What would all that mean if he could not be strong enough? Painful memories started to flash in his mind, and he could not help but grimace. 

Could he even do something? Someone as weak as him?

...Why was he here in the first place?

"To save..."

"Huh?"

"I'm not here to help. I'm here to save her."

"Save her?"

Recognizing your powerlessness did not improve it, but it was the first step to progress.

Ren could not even move his arms correctly. His breathing was erratic. But in the end, he had to do it. Did he have any other choice?

He had to save the princess in the castle.

So, Ren clenched his fists so hard his nails pierced his skin. A small drop of blood was the starting pistol for the final clash.