~ 2 Months Later ~

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The sun is almost setting, yet, three enthusiastic youths can be seen training in the forest near the wood [III] courtyard.

“Let’s fight again!”

“Why? So you can get your ass kicked again Fudo?”

“Oi! You never join our sparring Lance, you can’t make fun of me!”

As Lance continues his teasing, he shoots out a couple of wind blades towards a distant tree.

“I’m our ranged attacker, RANGED, why would I need to get all sweaty with the two of you.”

This is unfair, Fudo could never win in a verbal battle with Lance. Let’s give him a hand:

“Oh?~ What’s that? Is that the sound of someone afraid of getting his ass handed to him during a friendly spar?~”

“Oh, now you’ve done it Reo, Juniper will be busy tonight.”

I smugly exclaim:

“Yeah, she sure will be~”

“G-Ghah! Not like that… I meant she will be busy healing your wounds… *SIGH* I can’t believe you’ve already hooked up with the ONLY girl in our guild… Leave some for me and Fudo would ya?”

That’s right, Juniper also ‘officially’ joined our ‘unofficial’ guild. She didn’t take much convincing and it’s nice to have a healer on the team.

Fudo interjects:

“Yeah! Lance is right!”

“Oh, so now you guys are on the same team all of the sudden?”

The three of us start laughing like we usually do as I put my dagger back into a sheet that’s hanging on my belt.

I’ve decided to take on the role of close-combat assassin. With a healer, ranged damage-dealer and tank, that was the role our guild needed the most right now. My versatility will also prove useful on the front lines I think. Besides, a dagger is pretty badass… Okay, that might have been the main reason… 

“Alright enough training for today, what were you guys’ mana count again? I should really start working on finding a red mana-cultivation cartridge, Sara has been bugging me about it too.”

“Mine’s 950, I think Lance just broke past 800. Our progress has been slowing down a lot lately… Still, I *SNIFF* I’m so thankful for this cartridge!”

Urgh, there goes Fudo again… You wouldn’t guess it from his intimidating exterior, but he’s actually a big softie.

Fudo comes running at me with his arms wide open, but before he catches me in another bear-hug, I elegantly doge him and hide behind Lance. Who worriedly turns to me:

“Still, even if you find a suitable mana-cultivation cartridge, we won’t be able to get our hands on it, we simply lack the funds…”

“You’re right… I do require an empty red cartridge and some extra U-Coins to purchase ‘special’ materials…”

Well, I actually just require the empty red cartridge, but I don’t want to show all my cards just yet…

Lance replies:

“Don’t worry, I still haven’t reached a mana pool of 1000, so I’m good for at least a while.”

I have already reached that goal though, my current mana-cultivation cartridge is useless for me right now… I’ve been thinking up ideas for mana-cultivation magics these past few months, it’s time to pick one and start programming.

Electricity would be a perfect energy source, it’s dense and easy to harvest… However, I’m afraid my body isn’t ready yet… I can’t exactly stick a fork into the socket, even if the cartridge absorbs some of it, I would still get electrocuted… Electricity is just too pure of an energy source for me right now, I need to temper my body first…

That would lead us to option two: fuel. Although drinking it directly would probably end up poisoning me, I could simply burn it and absorb the heat it gives off. Right, I believe absorbing heat would probably be the most efficient means of cultivating mana I have right now. Simply walking under the sun would already help me somewhat…

My thoughts get interrupted when Fudo suddenly calls for me:

“Yo, Reo, we’re leaving, what are you standing around for? Thinking about your girl~”

I tease him back:

“Which one?~”

“Urgh yeah, like you have multiple. If that’s the case, I hope you get killed by one of them for cheating!”

There were times when I was afraid something like that would happen, but it seems like Juniper and Sara had a conversation or something, they’re much more amicable now. At least, that’s what it looks like…

…

I managed to make it back to the dorms just in time for dinner.

“Hello Sara, Juniper, I’m home!”

I only get a reply from Sara:

“Oh hey Reo, just in time for dinner. Unfortunately, Juniper won’t be joining us, she’s staying with her mom.”

That’s weird… Why is she suddenly visiting her mom? And why did she not tell me?

“Uuhh, okay… So you cooked on your own tonight?”

She cheerfully replies:

“Jup!”

A couple of months ago, I would probably run away at just the thought of Sara cooking for me, but she really improved.

“Well, you’re in a good mood today.”

“Hehehe, you can tell?”

Something feels off…