Chapter 12: Seraphic Power

"So what's your answer?" Lumina said, glaring into Akira's eyes and waiting for him to respond.

"Well, I don't have any choice, right? If I want to get back to the surface then…." Akira paused, taking a deep breath. He spoke again after a moment of contemplation. "Then I'll bind my soul to you!" Akira shouted.

"Very well then, let us combine our souls and power as one!" Lumina yelled as she started to chant a magic spell on Akira.

"What is this spell?" Akira asked as he noticed a glowing light around her hand.

"It's me soul bounding myself to yours," Lumina said as the light grew bigger and brighter. It was so intense that the entire room eventually became engulfed, and Akira was blinded, but he closed his eyes.

Seconds passed by, and everything was back to normal. Akira's outfit had completely changed into a red heavy robe, and he now wore a hat with a feather on top.

"W-whoa, what is this?" Akira said as he looked at his new outfit. He looked around for Lumina but didn't see her.

"Lumina?" Akira called out, and suddenly, a blue light orb appeared in front of him, revealing Lumina.

"W-whoa! What the hell?!" Akira shouted in shock after seeing Lumina transform from a small blue ball into a humanoid form.

"What did you do!?" Akira asked.

"I basically hid myself inside your body in spirit form! Since technically, humans can see me now since I bound your soul with mine," Lumina explained.

"Also, don't get hurt severely because if you get injured, then I also feel the effects of it. This also applies to me, so try your best not to get hurt, and I'll do the same," Lumina explained after she stood up.

"W-wait, you didn't tell me that before soul bounding yourself to me!?" Akira took a quick breather before speaking again.

"You really think I am capable of not getting hurt in my position? I'm literally an F-rank mage that can't even defend myself..." but Lumina put her hand on Akira's mouth.

"Listen to what I have to say before you panic about not getting injured. There are many things you can do when you have a Seraphic by your side. But since I have not fully unlocked my full powers, you are still limited. But have you heard of sword enchantments?" Lumina asked with a curious face.

"You expect a person who can't cast magic to know anything magic-related?" Akira said.

Lumina let out a sigh. "Okay, well, this will be difficult, but try infusing your mana into that rapier," Lumina said, pointing at the rapier on the floor.

"Infusing mana into the rapier? Are you trying to get me to cast magic from the rapier instead of my hands?" Akira asked.

"Stop asking questions and just do it. Also, I'll be addressing you as master since I'm technically under your command, as much as I hate that part of being a Seraphic," Lumina said, pouting.

"I'm not that bad of a person, jeez, but I'd rather if you had free will of your own still," Akira said.

"Well, if that's what you want, then I won't deny that offer. We Seraphics usually obey our masters, but you… you're different than others. But anyway, could you infuse the mana into the rapier already?!" Lumina scolded.

Akira sighed and grabbed his rapier, holding it straight up in front of him.

"Good, now try to concentrate your mana into the rapier. Don't think about what type of magic or spell you want to cast, just concentrate…" Lumina explained, carefully watching him.

The blade started to glow with a purple aura within a few seconds. Lumina gasped at what was happening.

"Great! Now break the concentration but make sure to keep the mana concentrated in the rapier… if that made sense," Lumina tried to explain.

Akira gripped the handle tightly and tried to focus on putting mana into the steel rapier. He started to get the hang of it and let go of the concentration a little bit but still kept the mana flowing into the rapier.

"You're doing great, master. Now when you feel a quick reaction, try to unleash the mana in the rapier towards the wall," Lumina then proceeded to explain.

"Release it? Like… swing my sword in the air?" Akira said.

"Try to swing it in a motion that would look like you're sending a giant deadly shockwave," Lumina explained.

Akira then thought of the time when he had a one-on-one duel with one of the students and saw that the student was able to send a giant shockwave. Akira had the image in his head and tried to recreate the way the person swung his sword and how much mana he unleashed.

"I got it!" Akira shouted as he swung his rapier downwards, sending a big purple shockwave that hit the wall, leaving a vertical line across it.

"Wow, that's your first time doing this, and you got it on the first try. Good job, master!" Lumina complimented with a smile.

She went over to the wall and felt the deep cut.

"Though you have a long way to go; this is just enough to kill a level 1 monster, but if it was a level 2, they'd have to take ten more of these strikes to die," Lumina explained, looking at him.

"Do you think we can escape the dungeon, then?" Akira asked Lumina.

"I doubt it. I've been stuck down here for almost two years now. But with you here, we might be able to escape together. But I suggest training your spellcasting, and I mean we train for weeks and months until you can master one element!" Lumina yelled.

"W-WHAT!? Y-you're joking, right?" Akira said.

"Oh, but I'm not. I'm serious! If you want to get out of here alive, you have to train your butt off until your arms feel like they are about to fall off!" Lumina explained.

"So... I guess this is where our training arc begins, huh..."

To Be Continued