Part 8
The door was still opened, but Chikori's leg was stopped, Homura talked toward that Chikori.
He noticed when he healed her wound, the truth that was happening in her body.
"It's a rare illness that there is still even less than ten people in the world that ever got it. It's called Apple Seed(AS) syndrome. An illness that occur only in magician. From the medical examination I did when I healed you before, there is no mistake about this."
"...Sick, ness…?"
"Yeah, the magician that is afflicted with this illness has their magic power conduit vein that create magic power and circulate it to the whole body degenerating really fast, just in a few months the ill person will completely become unable to use sorcery and become a normal human. That's why no matter how hard the current you work hard, it's obvious that all of that is pointless. After all, even the new magic power conduit vein created from the magic power training that you piled up is degenerating from the start right when it was created."
"Bu, but, the teacher didn't say even a single word about illness…..!"
"That's because that guy is just ignorance. And then…I can heal your illness."
"Eh-!"
"Apple Seed syndrome is an illness that degenerate your magic power conduit vein and blocked them. That's why, it's going to be fine if magic power is poured from outside and the veins are forcibly opened. Although doing something like pushing open other people's conduit vein with your own magic power, is something like sticking through a sharply pointed wire through a brittle blood vessel. Even though the way to cure it is understood, it's not something possibly doable in practice. But…if it's me then it's doable."
"Th, that's, is that, true!?"
"Of course. After all though the image of tend to sound wild, but in practice that title meant a sorcery expert in the level that can control freely even [god]."
In this world there was no sorcery existed that Homura didn't know, sorcery that he couldn't perform also didn't exist at all.
Whether it was offense, or even in defense, or even in healing―
Because Homura was perfect in everything, that he was able to employ even god.
"And then Apple Seed is similar like an epidemic parotitis, someone who has overcame it once won't get it anymore for the second time. That's why if you receive my teaching and duel against Hoshikawa tomorrow, that's the proof that you are completely healed. Based on that I'm gonna ask one more time. ...You, are you fine staying weak?"
"..."
Homura's question that was repeated once more.
Chikori couldn't return any word to that, she grew quiet and hung her head down.
The girl was lost. Was Homura's words the truth? Was if fine for her to believe him?
Thereupon, Homura created an escape path for such Chikori.
"Well, I'm not gonna force you. If right now you want to chase Hoshikawa and get back to being friend like before then that's okay. Not like I'm gonna blame you. In the first place since I entered 101st already, there is not going any dead that will come out just from taking one or two extra baggage."
It was fine even if she stayed weak. Homura said that he would allow the weak Chikori.
Saying honestly, this was also words that came out from Homura's true feeling.
Until now, people who met sorrow or died because they were blessed with talent in sorcery, Homura had seen a lot of them.
It was better to not have any talent in sorcery. That was Homura's conclusion in regard of sorcery.
That was why he was not forcing her. He also wouldn't hurry her.
Until the end it was Chikori herself that chose. Saying those words from his mouth as the last, he now waited for Chikori's reply.
And then, after a little long silence―Chikori opened her mouth.
"...Leader, is really kind. Since the second year, she tried her hardest to make strong this me that couldn't do well any sorcery at all. …Everyone abandoned me and treated me like unneeded child, yet among them only leader believed in me. I can continue being a magician until today is thanks to leader. That's why…leader, is a really important friend for me."
"Is that so."
"However, exactly because of that I don't want to become Sumika-chan's friend, I want to become her comrade in arms!"
Chikori closed hard the door that she opened in order to chase after Sumika.
That was Chikori's answer.
Just now, when Homura proposed to her an escape path that it was fine even if she was not healed, a future flashed inside Chikori's mind.
Besides Homura and Sumika who betted their life fighting demon, not doing anything, looking up from afar at a safe place at those two, the figure of herself.
(…Something like that, I don't want it!)
She liked being useful to someone since a long time ago.
She liked seeing someone's happy face.
That was why, Chikori had always admired hero that protected those smiling face, she came to this New Tokyo Sorcery Academy trying to become that kind of hero.
Perhaps her illness would be cured.
That hope resurrected the passion of that time inside Chikori's heart.
That's right. If she didn't do anything staying like this, she would not be a magician any longer sooner or later anyway.
She would leave this academy, with her important friend that believed in her, continued to believe in her until now stayed disappointed in her.
That was, completely running away.
Then, if there was hope even if just a little, she was going to bet on it.
For the sake of Sumika who accompanied someone like her until now.
And then, above all for the sake of her own dream.
"Evil God User-san. Please make me strong!"
There was no more color of hesitation in Chikori's eyes.
Then, asking repeatedly more than this was just boorish, it was something that Homura also understood.
"Just leave it to me."
Therefore Homura gave his firm promise toward the girl's resolve.
That he would grant the girl's wish.
And then for that sake, he slowly approached Chikori, and grabbed the delicate shoulders of the girl.
"Eh...!"
Her body stiffened from the sudden happening, Chikori tried to take a few steps back from Homura.
But Homura was,
"It's okay. Believe me."

https://baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=File:Ultimate_Antihero_V1_c13.png
Gently, Homura stared at the girl's eyes and whispered.
Chikori was agitated from the distance that suddenly became close, her eyes anxiously shook―
"Yes..."
The strength of her body immediately relaxed.
The eyes of Homura that stared at her.
Affection was overflowing from there.
To the degree that it surprised her, if human could really be this earnest and sincere toward other people.
That was exactly why, it was something that was worthy to believe.
Chikori closed her eyes and entrusted her body to Homura even while her cheeks reddened.
"Good kid."
Homura whispered that to Chikori who entrusted her body to him and stroke her cheek with the hand that was on her shoulder.
And then keeping like that he lifted the front hair on her forehead, and kissed the forehead like a gentle touch.
At the same time from his lips through her skin, his magic power flowed into the conduit vein of Chikori.
"…a, -!"
―Instantly, sky colored magic power overflowed from Chikori's whole body.