The weird trio suddenly charged at me, and in response, I swiftly readied myself, drawing my trusty bloody axe Rex and assuming a fighting stance. However, to my surprise, they rushed right past me, running straight for Truck-Kun, trying to lift him.
Did they genuinely believe they could effortlessly lift Truck-Kun like that? While I couldn't pinpoint his exact weight, I was certain he weighed at least several tons. Good luck picking him up.
"What the hell are you doing just standing there and gawking at these weirdos? Help Me" Truck-Kun suddenly erupted, his voice laced with frustration as he angrily pleaded for my assistance.
Truck-Kun was right; while he may be overpowered, he was essentially a sitting duck on his own, incapable of movement or self-defense. As I pondered this, Truck-Kun's frantic screams snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Stop with your monologues and help me, you bastard! You know what forget it, I don't want your help. I can take care of myself. I don't want to do this because it'll cost me most of my P.O.W.E.R. points, but since this is an emergency, I have no choice," Truck-Kun said with a furious tone.
Was he really that afraid of being kidnapped by that weird trio? Didn't he realize he was a massive metallic truck weighing several tons, while they were just ordinary people, along with a strange dog-like creature? These thoughts raced through my mind as I contemplated the situation. But before I could react or ask what he meant, something unexpected began to unfold.
"Get off me, you weirdos!" Truck-Kun suddenly shouted.
What startled me even more was that I could hear it clearly. I mean, I could always understand what he said through our telepathic connection, but this was different. Normally, Truck-Kun employed his 'Telepathy' skill to communicate with me, allowing us to converse silently, directly through our minds.
But now, his voice was audible, using sound. This meant not only could I hear him, but everyone around us could hear him as well.
"Wah-what's this? This weird SumMon can talk?" inquired the strange dog-like Kobold, clearly baffled by this development.
"Well, look who's talking. You're just as weird as Truck-Kun, you mutt," I retorted, my voice filled with irritation, addressing the strange dog-like creature that went by the name Subscribe.
Upon hearing Truck-Kun's vocalization, the weird trio took a step back, a mix of fear and astonishment evident in their wide eyes as they stared at Truck-Kun. However, they swiftly regained their composure and resumed their actions.
"I said, get off me!" Truck-Kun repeated, but this time something utterly absurd occurred. As soon as he uttered those words, a powerful force radiated from him, creating a formidable shockwave that surrounded him and sent the peculiar trio flying. It was as if a potent sound wave had struck them, propelling them through the air.
The weird trio soared several meters before crashing to the ground, displaying signs of having taken some damage.
"Truck-Kun, what was that? When did you acquire such a powerful skill?" I asked him, my eyes wide with astonishment and surprise.
"What else was I supposed to do? You didn't take any action when those weirdos tried to abduct me. I had no choice but to defend myself," Truck-Kun responded, his voice tinged with anger.
"But you're a massive metallic truck weighing several tons. There was no way they could have kidnapped you in the first place," I countered his explanation.
"Wow! Are you calling me fat? Do you have any idea how terrified I was when that strange trio charged at me? Do you comprehend the helplessness I felt, unable to move on my own and relying on someone else? Yet, when I was in danger, you did nothing but engage in a monologue," Truck-Kun fired a barrage of questions at me, his frustration evident.
Hmmm... It wasn't that Truck-Kun was afraid of being alone; rather, he was frustrated by the fact that he couldn't function independently and relied on me even for basic mobility. This wasn't the first time such a situation had occurred; it had happened before, even during our time at Verdant Grove. Regrettably, I hadn't understood him then, just as he had pointed out. I need to apologize.
"I'm truly sorry, Truck-Kun. I now understand your feelings, and I won't allow situations like this to happen again," I sincerely apologized to him.
"Well, as long as you understand and keep your promise, that's fine with me. But I have no intention of forgiving those weirdos. Make sure they learn a valuable lesson," he replied. It seemed he had forgiven me, and I was determined to keep my promise. But first, we had to deal with the weird trio.
"Alright, you three. You've not only angered Truck-Kun but me as well. Prepare for trouble!" I threatened them, my tone filled with fury.
"And make it double!" chimed in the old man.
"What are you doing, old man?" I asked Bandalf, perplexed.
"Sorry about that. They get on my nerves too, so I wanted to give them a taste of their own medicine," the old man explained and continued, "If it's okay with you, I can send them flying with my magic."
"Hmm... What do you think, Truck-Kun?" I inquired, seeking Truck-Kun's opinion.
"Well, as long as those three get lost and leave me alone, that's fine with me," Truck-Kun responded wearily.
"Alright, old man, if Truck-Kun's okay with it, then I am too," I agreed, giving the old man a thumbs-up to proceed with his suggestion.
"Very well. Stand back, young man," the old man said, raising his wooden staff high into the air and uttering an incantation.
"Ban Magic - Begone!"
As soon as he spoke those words, a grey light began to emanate from the strange trio, and they started to float in the air. After a few moments, they were launched into the air as if a powerful force had tossed them away. Even as they soared through the air, they continued to mutter something.
"Team Pocket's gone, slipping out of sight! But we will be back, Like, Share, and Subscribe will not back down without a fight," the three of them chanted in unison, and after a few minutes, they vanished without a trace.
"Old man, that magic was incredible. I'm quite curious about it," I said to Bandalf with genuine intrigue.
"Are you interested in my magic? Well, as I mentioned, it's my unique version of grey magic called 'Ban Magic.' The particular spell I used is 'Begone,' which allows the caster to catapult their enemies a great distance. It's one of the non-lethal spells I've developed. While they may have annoyed me, it doesn't mean I'd resort to killing them just for that. What do you think of my magic? Isn't it remarkable?" Bandalf asked with a proud expression.
Hmm... I'm not so sure about the non-lethal part. He essentially tossed them from a great height. How's that non-lethal? Well, whatever. Despite my reservations, I couldn't deny that the magic was undeniably impressive. I wondered how potent his lethal magic could be.
"Old man, you're absolutely right; that magic was truly incredible. Now that those fools are out of the way, can you grant me my reward?" I asked Bandalf, clasping my hands together in a pleading gesture.
"Well, alright. As promised, I will teach you the two different types of magic you desire. As long as I can teach it, I will," he replied with a smile, stroking his beard.
"Thank you, old man. I really appreciate it," I expressed my gratitude with a happy expression. However, my attention was soon drawn to Truck-Kun.
*Sigh*
I let out a sigh and turned to the old man. "Old man, I have a favor to ask. Instead of teaching me two skills, can you teach me one skill and teach Truck-Kun one skill?"
I reflected on the events of the day. I made Truck-Kun kind of traumatized today, and even though he forgave me, I still feel kind of bad. If someone as powerful as Bandalf taught him an awesome skill, he could take care of himself better. And that's not all; I could still use that skill with 'Skill Share.
Bandalf looked at me curiously and asked, "Oh, are you worried about your companion? Is the reason you want me to teach him a skill so he can defend himself better if something like that were to happen again?"
"Well, something like that," I replied casually, downplaying my concern.
Bandalf chuckled heartily "You're more kind-hearted than you look. Very well, I'll do as you've asked," he said with a warm smile before continuing, "But before that, I want to determine both of your affinities."
With a sudden and unexpected movement, Bandalf raised his hand, which glowed with a soft, light grey aura. The aura extended and enveloped me, creating an ethereal display of power that danced around my form. After a few minutes, the radiant glow gradually faded away.
With a mixture of both surprise and shock, Bandalf stared at me intently and asked, "Young man, are you truly a Human?"