Beating Up Bullies As An Infant

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

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[FOURTH MISSION: Protect Meila from the bullies!]

[Objective: Use magic for the first time and protect your childhood friend.]

[Reward: +10 Strength, +10 Agility, +10 Endurance, +10 Intelligence, +10 Magic Affinity ]

[Time Limit: 5 Minutes]

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'Now, if you're asking me if I'm doing this out of righteousness... maybe. But mostly because, let's face it, this is my chance to unleash all the frustration of not being able to beat up these annoying kids in my past life.'

Whining. Pooping. Crying. Wild. Every single one of them was a kid, but that didn't mean she had to like it. There was that one time a kid yanked her skirt up and made her feel like a total fool. Well, guess what? This time, she wasn't going to feel guilty for taking a wooden plank to the back of some punks.

Lyrasia waddled between the two groups like the fluffy little champion she was, and both sides froze when they saw her. A two-day-old baby standing tall and pointing a wooden plank at them. If they thought she was cute, they could kiss that idea goodbye.

"W-What's wrong with this kid?"

"Is she trying to defend... Meila?"

"Eh, whatever, just ignore it."

Well, they might have decided to ignore her, but they sure didn't count on one thing: a baby with a plank had the silent power of pure chaos.

The moment they shoved her aside, she flopped to the ground, but that didn't deter her one bit. Her baby eyes glared up at them with all the intensity of a revolutionary.

The group of kids surrounding Meila seemed to find endless amusement in tormenting her. They poked fun at her clothes, calling them "boyish" and mocking the practicality of her outfit.

They tugged at her sleeves, pulling them down to emphasize how uncool she looked, and snickered at her hair, which was styled simply but efficiently.

It was clear they wanted to make her feel small, a target for their cruel taunts, especially since she wasn't as flashy or attention-grabbing as the others.

A few of the boys pushed her around, trying to get her to stumble, while the girls snickered at the way she tried to stand tall, clearly uncomfortable but refusing to back down.

"Hey!"

The group of bullies froze, their eyes turning to the source of the interruption.

To their surprise, it wasn't Meila standing her ground, but a tiny, two-day-old baby, pointing a wooden plank at them with absolute determination.

The sight was almost comical, but the glare in her eyes was unmistakable, like she was ready to take on an army of kids.

As Lyrasia observed the situation, she recalled the information she had absorbed from the books, her eyes narrowing as she pieced it together.

Before a being was created, she learned, they were merely dust. A mana, to be exact. But once they were given a vessel, a body, this mana is contained in it.

Afterwards, the vessel became a living being, an embodiment of mana itself. 

Mana didn't need to be drawn from the surroundings; it just entered the vessel once it was depleted. The more the vessel used mana, the more accustomed it became, allowing it to store and use even more.

It was like pouring water into a vase, only for it to refill once emptied. A perfect cycle of replenishment.

But there was more. People felt three different types of sensation - mental, physical, and spiritual - each affected the body differently. The spirit was the mana itself, and Lyrasia could practically feel it like a muscle being flexed and controlled by the mind.

With this newfound understanding, she steadied herself, eager to experiment. Taking a deep breath, she focused on drawing from her newly acquired mana pool.

[You have used up 30 mana points!]

[Mana is wrapping around the wooden plank!]

"Look at the baby!"

"W-What's happening?! Why is the baby lighting up?!"

"Nah, they seriously can't affect us..."

The bullies were too busy laughing at the baby, thinking she was just some little squirt with a plank and no real power. But then they were shocked as a faint glow surrounded Lyrasia, the mana swirling around her like a playful little storm.

Lyrasia's body shot forward, completely unintentionally, as her tiny legs wobbled beneath her.

The plank, which was originally just a simple stick in her hands, now crackled with a dazzling light. She wasn't even sure how it happened, but in a flash, she was right in front of the nearest bully.

With the grace of a baby who clearly had no idea how to fight, she swatted the bully's knee with the plank, sending them tumbling backward into a pile of nearby sand. The impact was so ridiculously strong that the entire group blinked, not knowing how a baby, who was barely standing, had just sent one of them flying.

Before they could react, she wobbled again, and her tiny foot barely nudged another bully's shin. Yet, somehow, they crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll.

Her mana was running out fast, but it didn't matter—her tiny, uncoordinated attacks had already finished the job.

The bullies, stunned and confused, stared at the baby, now out of breath but grinning mischievously. It was clear they had been defeated by what seemed like nothing more than a toddler's tantrum.

"L-Lyrasia!" Meila gasped, rushing forward to catch the little troublemaker who had just wiped out a whole group of bullies with nothing more than a plank and a whole lot of chaos.

[You Have Used All Your Mana Points, Therefore Experiencing Fatigue]

'Oh, I overdid it... I'm dumb,' 

She passed out. 

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[MISSION COMPLETE!]

[Rewards Earned:]

+10 Strength

+10 Agility

+10 Endurance

+10 Intelligence

+10 Magic Affinity

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Fast forward. Lyrasia blinked awake, groggy and drained, as though every bit of her energy had been siphoned away. Her mind felt foggy, too, what a brilliant idea it was to burn through all her mana points in a body that couldn't even keep up with a toddler's tantrum. 'Am I home?'

A pair of wide eyes peered at her, and she gasped, scrambling up. "W-What?!"

"I-It's me, Meila..." 

"Oh, you scared me," Lyrasia groaned, rubbing her eyes. "Where are we?"

"In one of Sir Usario's rooms, I didn't want our parents to see you passed out."

"True..."

For a moment, everything was quiet. Meila sat beside her, eyes flicking nervously between Lyrasia and the floor. Lyrasia's heart gave a little flutter. Why did it feel so... different?

Meila's hand hesitated for just a second before gently resting on hers.

"Thank you."

"Anytime," Meila replied, her voice warm and comforting. She looked down for a moment before meeting Lyrasia's gaze again. "You're... kind of amazing, you know?"

"I know. But only because I have such great company."

Meila chuckled, her smile growing. "Well, I guess I'm pretty lucky then."