This past few days Lucy and I keep training and adventuring as a party.
Lucy's magic control little by little become much more better.
And also we become more closer.
I don't mean that we are in a relationship but... I can see that she likes me, but still, I don't want to become arrogant, so I will wait for her to confess to me.
While the two of us drinking someone spoke to us.
"Hey, Makoto, want to take a quest together with us?"
Apparently, it's Jean the former party of Lucy.
*****
Jean (POV)
I'm now requesting to the person that I considered a rival in the past, but now. I admire him.
His a person despite being a solo adventurer and apprentice mage, his name is well-known by all the guilds.
His a person despite being a Stone rank he defeats the entire goblin colony.
And got a cool nickname the "Goblin Cleaner" which is... I don't have, so that day I become more competitive.
I considered him as a rival.
So wanting to overcome him.
I become full of myself... I ended up, taking the quest of slaying the orge.
I thought it will become an easy quest but...
I almost lost Emily, in exchange I abandoned one of my comrades. I didn't know that the orge we fighting is a special breed one.
I didn't even step in to fight or distract the orge to save Lucy instead, I become scared the only thing I can say to her is run away.
But Makoto arrived, he distracted the enemy, and most of all he killed the monster that we had difficult to kill.
I thank the holy goddess that Makoto arrived at that time because...
If Lucy died that day I'm sure the guilt on me will be Immeasurable.
And so on Lucy leave the party.
It is expected.
but the unexpected is Lucy joins the party of Makoto.
and both of them are doing well
I want at least to apologize to Lucy and Makoto by giving them almost the rewards of the quest I consult this to Emily and she happily accepts it.
It seems that she wants to become a good term again to Lucy but because of the incident, they can't talk to each other normally.
That's why I propose this temporary party.
At first, the two of them are reluctant but after some time, and said what we feel and what really our motives are.
He casually accept it and he requested me to bring 1 Drum of water so we can easily fight and finished the quest.
It's not like it's unreasonable my body is strong so I can carry that much
And so we head to our quest to defeat the Rampaging Bison.
A giant bison monster basically.
Its size is 3 times that of a normal bison.
It is normally docile, but once it gets angered, it turns ferocious. It gets excited when it sees something red.
It is that kind of monster.
It is herbivorous and doesn't attack people, but it apparently charges onto carriages, and troubles travelers.
A quest that's just right in difficulty for a bronze-rank party.
The reward is normal, but the rampaging bison's meat is apparently an extreme delicacy, so it is bought at a high price.
A popular quest to earn some small change.
When we arrive...
Now I know now, why he wants me to bring a drum of water
He will use the water to cover the face of the rampaging bison so they cannot breathe, and when the monster is coming in this way Lucy will shoot her magic at the monster, and I will be the one who beheads it, since Emily is the support she is the one that giving us a buff.
So we safely manage to defeat the rampaging bison.
we are supposed to be, go back to the guild. We manage to finish the quest safely, when we encounter some rampaging bison we will kill it.
It is a good quest, we just not manage to finish the quest we also become much more closer in this quest and that's my true goal.
But... This moment instantly shattered when a large griffon came...
I'm shaking... I'm scared, really scared.
It's just like when the big orge came... But this time, it's more intimidating.
While I was scared, I looked at Emily she have a pale expression the same as lucy.
But the weird one here is Makoto. He's not scared... In fact, his admiring the griffon.
"Big..." His really admiring it.
That's why my body snapped, I'm not shaking anymore and I become more calm.
"Everyone let's run away it's probably targeting the meat of rampaging bison!"
so we tried to run away to the griffon.
but.... the griffon start aiming at Lucy
"Jean!" (Makoto)
"Got it. Makoto and I will buy time." (Jean)
"Wait! That's impossible. You are going to die!" (Emily)
Emily was on the verge of tears.
But... I don't want to repeat that mistake before.
so...
I will buy much time as possible.
The griffon is much stronger the moment I confront it.
I was thrown a meter away
"JEAN!!!" Emily shouted while heading to my way
I see Makoto evading the attack of the griffon while holding Lucy's hand.
I came back to my feet while Emily is behind my back, I'm looking at the timing to attack.
The Griffon flaps its wings and raises to the sky.
Then the griffon suddenly uses a wind magic, and we are all blown away by the magic of the griffon. Since I'm a vanguard, I'm quick to get back at my feet and aid to where Lucy is and try to protect her as much as I can.
Makoto (POV)
ugh... I said while groaning in pain, the magic of that griffon really blow us away.
then I see Jean fighting the griffon while defending Lucy.
"Damn it!", Jean shouts with uneasiness.
Each time the Griffon swipes its fore foot, Jean's shield looks like it would be sent flying.
It is a matter of time before they are defeated at this rate.
My mana is completely empty.
Attacks using my dagger have way too many issues to work.
I want us to run away if possible, but I don't think it will let all 4 of us escape.
What to do?
Suddenly I heard the voice of Noah-sama.
(Abandon them... you are more important to me Makoto.)
I know that Noah-sama but I don't want to leave them.
I raise the potency of [Clear Mind] and somehow manage to keep calm, pushing my gears to think of a plan.
Is there something…
Remember…
Something that can defeat that thing…
Suddenly I remember the teaching of my teacher in the water temple.
*******
"Now then, everyone, the first step to learning magic is feeling the mana."
This is a story of when I was learning in the Water Temple.
"Place both hands to the front, and repeat after me. Gods who art in heaven…"
"""""Gods who art in heaven…"""""
(I-Is this what they call a magic chant?)
As a high school student, this is pretty embarrassing.
But it seems like chanting to use magic is common in this world.
Endure it.
"How is it? Did you feel the mana?"
"Not really…" (Makoto)
The children around were shouting things like 'it felt hot' or 'it shone!', and were merry there, but I didn't feel anything.
Eh? Isn't this bad?
Could it be that I will lose to even children?
The pale-faced teacher came to me.
"Makoto-kun, this probably can't be helped since you are already old for this. Children are more sensitive to this kind of thing."
"Really…?" (Makoto)
"Please don't make such an uneasy expression. Let's do this together."
Saying this, she grabbed my arm.
"Please concentrate on your palm."
"O-Okay." (Makoto)
There was a somewhat cold sensation in my palm.
T-This is…?!
"How is it, Makoto-kun?"
"I somewhat felt it." (Makoto)
"I synchronized with you just now, Makoto-kun. It is the ability to interfere with the mana between mages by touching them."
"So something like that can be done." (Makoto)
"All mages High Grade and above can do it. There's a lot of cases where High Grade mages take disciples after all. This is the fastest way to teach someone the way to use magic."
"Will I be able to use it one day?" (Makoto)
"You can once your proficiency in magic is over High Grade level. But it won't go well unless you have an affinity to the element, so please be careful."
"Were you able to sync with me because you can use water magic too, teacher?" (Makoto)
"Right, I can use all 6 elements aside from Moon."
This teacher is pretty amazing…
That's the conversation I remembered.
And so, thanks to using water magic a whole lot, my proficiency level has reached High Grade level, that's what my teacher told me.
◇◇
I run to where Jean and Lucy are.
"Jean! Buy me some time please! I am going to use a big spell!" (Makoto)
I know that he pushing his self to the limit but still I aske him to buy time.
"G-Got it!" (Jean)
Jean throws away his sword and takes a stance with his shield, holding ground with both of his legs.
The Griffon's leg attacks Jean.
He is somehow managing to endure it.
I am counting on you, Jean.
"Lucy, raise your mana." (Makoto)
"Eh?! Wa?" (Lucy)
"Push your right hand out, form something with you mana for now! I will do the controlling!" (Makoto)
"Something, you say. I can only use Fire Magic, you know?!" (Lucy)
"Then use fire. Go all out!" (Makoto)
I grab the right hand of Lucy, and wrap my other one to her waist.
Just like the time with the teacher.
"Hiya! W-Where are you touching?!" (Lucy)
"Just hurry!" (Makoto)
"Eeh?! I got it." (Lucy)
(Something like this?) (Makoto)
Instead of the usual sensation of gathering mana in my body, imagine becoming one with the body of Lucy to gather mana.
Sync with the mana of Lucy.
It is apparently not possible unless you have affinity with the element, but there's no other way.
If we can't, then we are Griffon food.
I felt as if I was being swallowed by a storm.
And then, I noticed that this was coming from the inside of Lucy's body.
(This is the mana of Lucy, huh.) (Makoto)
"Hngh!" (Lucy)
Lucy was letting out a lewd-sounding voice, but I don't have the leeway to mind it.
This is different from the small amount of mana I have, this is a massive amount of mana like a storm.
So this is the mana of a Monarch Grade, huh.
Lucy was trying to control something like this all the time?
This is rough.
I should be a bit kinder when training her.
Lucy is still raising her magic.
I try to change to a different from usual fire spell.
A choice suddenly appeared in front of me.
[Will you use synchronization magic with Lucy?]
Yes ←
No
Of course yes.
[Really?]
Ehh? looks like this will be really bad but still, I choose
Yes ←
…It is coming at me pretty persistently.
I don't have any other plan.
I have no choice but to.
I gather the massive amount of mana flowing from Lucy into my right hand.
"[Firestorm]!" (Makoto)
A giant fire tornado appeared in front of us.
"Incredible, it activated! Moreover, High Grade Magic!" (Lucy)
"I feel like it will go berserk if I let my guard down…though…!" (Makoto)
I feel as if I am pedaling a bicycle at full speed inside a typhoon.
Sweat is coming out nonstop.
My body is hot!
As if it were burning.
"Jean! Get away!" (Makoto)
"Alright!" (Jean)
Jean takes cover close to where Emily is.
'Grrrr', the Griffon growls and moves back as if it were cautious.
"Aah, it is going to avoid it!" (Emily)
Emily screams.
The Firestorm is not gonna reach the Griffon.
The Griffon evades into the sky.
"Oi! Makoto, what are we gonna do?!" (Jean)
The Firestorm is about to pass by the side of the Griffon.
(Picture it. Just like water. The Griffon has its guard down. If it is now, we can hit it.) (Makoto)
"Spread!" (Makoto)
The fire tornado changes into a big whirl in an instant.
The heat reached all the way here.
'Giieeeeee!', the Griffon gets swallowed by the fire.
"Eeeeeh?! You changed the Firestorm while it was activated?!" (Lucy)
"I have been training so that I can do this someday." (Makoto)
I wasn't expecting a spell this wide scale though.
The Griffon struggles to escape from the fire, but the fire pillar chases after it.
"As if I will let you." (Makoto)
I am beginning to get used to the storm-like mana of Lucy.
(It really is hot though. It also smells like something is burning.) (Makoto)
My whole body feels prickly.
I have stopped sweating?
"W-Wait, Makoto!" (Lucy)
"Oi, you are burning!" (Jean)
"Really?" (Makoto)
I couldn't see well with the Firestorm, but my body is burning?
"What's this?" (Makoto)
"Makoto! Stop the magic! Anymore than this is bad!" (Lucy)
Lucy is getting worried.
"Are you okay, Lucy?" (Makoto)
"I am okay! Anyways, stop the spell!" (Lucy)
[Release].
I stop the spell.
" The fire around me isn't disappearing." (Makoto)
"Why are you so calm?! You are burning, you know?!" (Lucy)
"Aah, yeah." (Makoto)
Even if you tell me that, Clear Mind makes it so that I don't panic though.
It really is a handy skill.
"The Griffon is falling!" (Emily)
The Griffon falls flat at the place Emily pointed.
Its wings are burned, and parts here and there of its body are carbonized.
It is severely wounded.
"Jean, go!" (Makoto)
"Leave it to me! Or more like, extinguish yourself!" (Jean)
The sword Jean is holding shines.
"[Max Output, Wind Blade]!" (Jean)
The sword of Jean is covered in green light, and beheads the Griffon.
"D-Did we do it?" (Jean)
Jean collapses lethargic.
Lucy is swaying by my side.
I must have sucked way too much mana from her all of a sudden.
"Amazing, amazing! Jean, we defeated a Griffon!" (Emily)
Emily was hugging Jean.
"Haaah, what a relief." (Makoto)
The relief of defeating the Griffon undid Clear Mind.
Honestly speaking, I wasn't careful.
I am relying way too much on Clear Mind.
It looks like the 'that feels hot' I thought of before was actually severe.
"Aaah…!!" (Makoto)
Pain attacks my whole body.
My vision gets narrower and narrower.
"Ma-Makoto!" (Lucy)
My vision gets darker while I listen to the voice of Lucy.
No good.
I can't keep my consciousness.
Synchronization magic with Lucy…
Even when it was in actual combat, we splendidly managed to defeat the Griffon which we thought was despairingly grim.
It is quite the strong attack method for bronze ranks like us.
But in exchange, due to not having magic affinity, I apparently got burned by the mana of Lucy.
So that's what it meant when she told me that I can't do it unless I have the affinity.
I should have asked the teacher what would happen…
This method is no good anymore.
I thought it would work well though…
…The world went dark.