Ch 20

"I have some packing to do." I said as he nods, "I see..." He said but... "So what are you doing?" I asked him again.

Jay didn't look at me directly as his hands shook slightly as he held on the few coins he had just taken from who knows where.

"I… I found someone," he finally said, his voice low with some hesitation in it. "He promised to help me become a magic swordsman… and I need money to leave with them."

I stared at him, completely stunned as I couldn't hold back and more and shouted at him finally, "Are you insane? We all knows that it's s not possible Jay! Just why can't you understand it?!" I said looking at him.

"You can't just trust random people like that! You're going to get scammed if you follow him or God knows maybe even worse!"

The more he listened to me, the more Jay clenched his fist, glaring at me with eyes that looked almost hollow yet were filled with indescribable amount of emotions in it.

"You don't understand! I can't stay here and keep being useless... I need this… I need to become stronger, no matter what it takes! I promised I will become a magic swordsman!!"

He shouted, as I suddenly grabbed his wrist tightly and looked atvhim in his eyes, "So yoou think stealing from everyone and running away is the way to become strong?"

I said as he tried to pull his hand away from me, using his strength which was superior to mine but I didn't let go of him... I will never.

"Let me go!!" he yelled, trying to push me away as he successfully separated from me before trying to leave but I grabbed on him again before facing him and...

SLAP!

I snapped him... I don't know what happened, before I know what was happening, my hand flew across his face as the sound of the slap echoed in the empty hall.

Jay stood frozen there, his head turned to the side, with his eyes wide open as my hand trembled while I looked at him... Trying to say something...

"I... This... I don't know..." However, all I was able to say were some words... Unable to form a sentence... Unable to even comprehend what's really happening.

For a long moment, we didn't move and just stood there before slowly, Jay's fingers loosened and the coins dropped from his hand, as they made the clinking when the hit the marble floor.

Without saying a single word, Jay turned around as he left with his shoulder dropped... As he walked, he didn't even look back once, slowly making his way out of the hall.

I just stood there, staring at the coins on the ground, unable to stop him let alone ask him to stop... feeling a heaviness in my chest I couldn't describe.

It was the last time I talked with Jay.

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"Damn, I hate it." I said, as looked at my face, covered in red and white... Plastering a big smile...big course a fake clown one.

As for why I hate? Because it's too embarrassing!!

Even though it's almost been 5 years... I still can't get used to this, it's that embarrassing.

Thankfully most people don't know me under all this make up which is a relief to me- "You did great today, I say that in a year or two, you will surpass even me!" Suddenly, a man in red coat barged in and said so.

Following him was a boy around 17 years old, around the same age as me. He was master's son... It came to me as a shock as well that this guy is married and even have a son to be honest.

Though this guy hates me... For reasons which weren't obvious to me at first but I later understood him, he just want his father attention more who is more focused on teaching me as a successor.

"I don't wanna work as a clown in the first place." I said, struggling my shoulders. The only reasons I have been working here is because he is teaching me good... No, great.

"Can you control it now?" He asked me, as I nods... For some reasons, master never call elemental blast by the name I have it since according to him... The spell is much more.

"Yea, I can kinda do it now..." I said, as I demonstrated to him as I apply fire attribute to my mana and channel it.

This time, all of my mana wasn't spend and instead of mana travelling from all of my mana pathways, it went from my brain to my right hand making it burn, before I transferred it to my left hand using the shortest mana pathway I have discovered.

It went through mana points in muscles, blood, bones, lungs, heart before finally reaching my other hand, making it burn like it's on fire through that doesn't hurt at all since it's my own mana, and could be said that it's a part of my body.

Through it would hurt like hell if I were to burn like that normally or by someone's else spell.

"Its good, still not perfect though, but I guess you will get there eventually." He said with a smile as his eyes turned a bit orange... Why you might wonder?

Well, it is other elemental spell he taught me, "You can do it like that too, you know?" He said as he lit up his hand too, as I used to elemental vision spell, using fire attribute.

It was easy to master, since it only focus on mana pathways in my head, starting from brain and ending at eyes so I immediately mastered this with every element, as it took the last spot for my element spells.

Now, all I could learn are 2 fused spells which I have no idea when I will learn and what they will be but I can guess that one of them will be about invisibly, the perfect version of I have to think and as for the other one...

'He said he will teach me when I master this completely and that vision spell too,' I thought looking at him.

"That's interesting," I said, looking him using elemental blast... The way he does it was different, skipping through so many mana points yet it's many times more efficient than me.

"I know," he said waving his hand and dismissing the spell, "How's your sword practice going?" He asked me, as I smiled, "Better than what you might think." I said as he chucked.

Why am I learning using sword even though I have a magician build? Its because all my spells in a one on one, head on battle are so useless!!

I mean, the closest thing I have as an offensive spell is elemental blast and have no such thing as defensive spell, at best I could hide and run silently but in things like one on one battle and such, I have no way of winning like a normal magician.

That's why, I learned swordsmanship, so that I can have another card uo my sleeve... One of thing Master teacher me during this past few years is never take the stage till you are ready.

"That's great!" He said looking at Martin, his son who rolled his eyes before handing him a box, "Use this sword, I paid a lot to get my hands on this." He said handing me the box, "I bet you just stole it," I said taking the box.

"I would have actually, but after thinking that you are going to use this in public, I have to pay for that," He said with a sign, "oh well, we can always steal back the money," I said as I opened the box.

Inside it was an all black sword, even the blade was black shining dangerously as I hold on to it before checking it's darkness and indeed, "This thing is beautiful." He said as he sighed.

"I am glad you like it," Robin said as he smiled, it's time for you to leave," he suddenly said, breaking the little moment of admiration for the sword.

"Why?" I asked, looking up at him a bit suprised as this came out of nowhere.

"I secured a place for you at Arcane Academy through an old friend. It's the best place for you to grow now." He said showing me ap letter in hi sp hand as I stayed silent for a moment.

The arcane academy, huh... I knew it thanks to mirap as she too will be joining it this year... Came to think of it, isn't the opening ceremony tommorow?

"Fine." I said after thinking for a bit as as master nodded, "Good, I have some business to take care of, so I won't be able to come with you." He said, checking the time on his pocket watch, I want one too...

"Martin will help you pack your things and drop you off." He said pointing at Martin, "Now then, until next time..."

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There was no next time...