I wobble home after that. It couldn't be helped since I was hit by a freaking train. Anyways, it was a strange feeling, I was wounded on the outside but I felt even stronger than ever on the inside. This is the effect of [Mana Drain]. Physical enhancements, and [Realizer] forms should get a power-up and duration boost.

I lie down on the bed and immediately feel uncomfortable that my chest props my body up. I'm really not used to this...but, I haven't changed back with [Transform] all that much. After all, I can only do it once a day and the only way I can practice my mana control is in this body. The only way Yoru and I can go out [Curse] hunting is in this body too. If I were to name one inconvenience though, it would have to be the hair--why does it have to be so long? It sucks to clean but I don't want to cut it off or anything. What if when I turn back into Akito, my hair is scaled back to reflect that change!?

*sigh*

"Urrghhh...it hurts. Yoru, can you get me a snack from the bag..."

"Get it yourself."

"Hmph..."

I breathe out the troubles that occurred during the day and begin mana training. It's kind of a mental exercise, so it doesn't have direct physical consequences unless I'm pulling mana into something. I close my eyes and reach deep within me, I feel the energy swirling around and grasp it! Like a tidal wave, it pushes against my will randomly as I try to harness it into one line of motion. This takes quite a bit of concentration; it's like pottery and shaping something with your hands. I add pressure here and there. It's also like pottery in the sense that the more you do it the better you get. I finally feel the mana twirling in my tune and I slowly ease it over my wounds. Physical enhancement powers up muscles, increase flexibility and promotes cell growth allowing things to heal faster. 

"Ahhh..."

I let out a nice noise like entering a nice warm bath. Speaking of which, I haven't had one in a long while.

"Next time we go out, we should hit up an onsen: maybe the water will still work. The water here has been stopped for a while now."

I really don't want to say it, but I currently smell bad.

"I do not have the ability to smell nor feel the heat of a bath. Though, I can physically measure such values."

"I am once again saddened by the things you are deprived of in life."

"I don't think I'm deprived of anything, if anything, I'm free of worrying about those things."

---

After my wounds closed up to a decent degree, I couldn't take the feeling anymore and so...

"Here we are!"

We arrive at a nearby bath house.

"What precisely is this 'onsen' ?"

"It's a Japanese tradition. We get in the hot spring water!"

"I see, I do detect chemicals that can aid in blood flow."

"Now now! Let's hurry up and go inside."

I hurriedly prance into the building with Yoru floating above me. I take a few towels and start stripping down. No one's here so they shouldn't mind, right?

"Phew, preparations complete! O-n-s-e-n~!"

*hisssss*

"Hm?"

I hear a sound from behind the door leading out to the baths. Alarmed by it, I begin rushing out with a towel wrapped around me. I push the door aside and--

It's a snake! And it's attacking an old lady!

"I'll save you!"

[Physical Enhancement Formation - <Legs>]
[Weapon Manifestation Formation/Strengthening - <Realizer>]

I immediately try to chop the snake in two, but to my surprise, it dodges the slash. I nearly slip upon landing on the wettened floor.

"This speedy guy...Yoru, distract it for a second!"

"On it!"

[Physical Enhancement Formation - <Arms>]
[Realizer Form - <Flame Enhancement>]

I clad my cutlass in bright orange flame and make my way towards the snake who's trying to bite at Yoru teleporting around it. Once I reach a good position, I chop down on the neck of the snake, or the whole body? As the blade cut through and sank into the water, the fire quickly extinguished and released a haze of steam. The flame seems to have worked in inflicting searing damage on the [Curse]. The snake turned around for the last lunge toward me but with my physical enhancements, such an attack was manageable. It opened its jaw exposing shiny fangs in contrast to its black color. I take my [Realizer] and...shove it right through its head!

Gradually, with defeated hissing sounds, it grows limp and fades away. I hear a plunk sound which was probably the [Core] falling into the water.

"That old lady...!"

I hurry over to make sure she's alright.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Mmmm, thank you ojou-chan. That snake was really making some racket..."

"You were about to die!"

"Well, I didn't die I?"

I rub my temples and say,

"Why are you still here in this [Curse] infested area!?"

"This is my family's owned onsen that's lasted generations you see--I can't abandon it for anything."

"Do you have any other family here too? In this dangerous place?"

"No, it was just me who stayed behind...my daughter left with her husband and daughter awhile ago..."

I sigh and I finally dip into the bath next to her, unmanifesting my sword and embracing the warmth. I let out a breath of satisfaction by reflex.

"Does it feel good?"

"Yeah...super good."

"I'm glad."

"No, wait! You're saying your family just left you behind to this [Curse] filled place!?"

"Well, they were mighty scared of the monsters and I couldn't convince them otherwise. They don't seem to have as much of an attachment here as I do, I suppose..."

What jerks!

"Well, if they wanted to survive, they probably did the right thing but..."

It gets on my nerves. After staying in the bath with the old lady in silence for a while, I finally feel like it's time to get out, my fingertips are about to become as crinkly as her.

"The bath was good, obaa-san. But, I still think you should get out of this place. You're in danger and the [Curses]--"

"I won't leave this place."

"Is that so?"

I sigh. Some people just can't be convinced, her family probably tried to convince her too.

"Then, it can't be helped."

I stand up and wrap a towel around myself. Afterward, I turn back confidently and declare,

"Then, that means I'll have to protect you. You and all the others still in this [Curse] infested area."

"That's nice, ojou-chan."

It seems that Yoru can detect [Curses] within quite a large distance so it should be possible.

"That's right, I have the power now. If I can kill the [Curses], I can save lives. I can change, I can use this power for good."

Lit with a new fire, I thank the old lady one last time and leave.

Yoru," Looks like you have a new objective, good for you."

"Yeah."

Silence.

"So, why didn't you tell me there was a [Curse] in there?"

I look at Yoru with dead serious eyes.

"Now that I think about it, that first bear [Curse] I killed could've been easily avoided had you used your detection. Do you care to explain?"

I might've put too much trust into this thing, thinking of it as my partner. I still don't even know what the heck it is or why it chose to give me a [Magical Girl]'s power.

"That expression indicates suspicion. I see I am not fully trusted."

"How could I not be, you had information to help me out, and yet you endangered my life and the life of that old lady."

"I calculated such a risk and was confident you could overcome it."

"Calculate what! What are you hiding, no, what are you doing?"

"It seems I really am not trusted, did saving you really even mean anything I wonder."

"What did you just say? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that the reason I saved you was that I wanted your trust."

"W-What are you talking about?"

The road turned dark as the night set in and the quiet surroundings crept onto us just as our shadows faded away.

"Humans are very foolish creatures. They act on emotions instead of logic. They change their beliefs and motivations in the blink of an eye over the smallest things. They are bound to hunger, thirst, greed, lust, themselves. They fear the unknown, they breathe contradictions."

I catch glimpses of Yoru's true face. A cold, rational, irredeemable face--a being you could say was truly infallible in the sense of the word.

"So, why do you give [Magical Girls] power? If humans are such inferior things, why bother with saving humanity?"

"I said nothing about humans being inferior, nor did I ever say something about saving humanity. The [Focals] have the collective goal to wipe out [Curses], that is all. Plus, didn't I say once that I didn't believe in humans being inherently below us--though many of my kind believe that. I know that [Focals] are foolish too, we have our flaws. Anyways, we give [Magical Girls] power because they are convenient to use."

"So, we're just the [Focal]'s tools?"

"That is correct. But, isn't humanity benefitting from it too? Your inferior technology cannot defeat the [Curses], you can only survive off our weapons. You use and we use, it is our fundamental relationship--the ideal one, the most reasonable and efficient one."

"So, why was I saved? Why did you want my trust? Didn't you say it was because I was worthy?"

"That was a lie that turned to truth. I saved you for a simple reason. You were an easy human to use. You were a prime opportunity for me both in body and mind. Well, humans are inherently ideal for their emotions which allow them to utilize magic effectively. But, especially you, a human on the verge of death who had an unstable emotional state. This could lead to great results once provided with what you wanted: salvation. If you save a human, they feel grateful to you. If you save them from death, they feel the debt of their life subconsciously hanging in your hands. They feel loyalty and trust easier, they'll fulfill my purpose the best."

"So, you saved me for your own convenience. But, isn't telling me that even worse for you? You're losing my trust."

"That's fine with me. This is why I said it was a lie turned into truth. You were not worthy before, you were just chosen by me because I was passing by and noticed an opportunity: a dying and isolated human. But, now you are worthy. In the early stages of gaining power, you've tackled quite challenging battles and overcome them: of course not without my help. But, still impressive. In addition, and this is the main part, your [Effect]. [Mana Drain] is an extremely useful ability that turns your slow and limited growth as a [Magical Girl] into faster and unlimited growth. If it's you, you could become one of the strongest. You could do it if it's you."

"So, that part was unexpected huh."

"Yes, which is why I plan to have you stick around and kill a lot of [Curses] for me. Of course, your growth in battle is essential. As such, I sometimes didn't tell you what I detected so that you could experience harder battles. I want you to fight battles you can't anticipate, battles that require you to think. I have tools at my disposal you can use such as teleportation and shielding. But, I won't provide too much battle advice. You need to grow and figure it out on your own. You need to win with your own strength and wits. I can perfectly predict most battles, I can come up with solutions in a matter of seconds. But, I won't tell you. Other [Focals] won't tell either for different reasons. But, I won't tell you because if you can fight on your own--if you can develop your own battle sense with your own incorporated mana sense, then time is saved on the battlefield and even greater enemies can be defeated."

"So, that's what your playing at huh."

All Yoru wants is for me to grow into a better fighter. I guess I can't complain about a reason like that. But, still, endangering my life...

"Of course, I'll properly support you if the situation is dire. Think carefully, didn't I provide you information that allowed you to overcome the bear [Curse] in your first battle? Didn't I help you with the train when [Curses] sprouted up one after the other?"

That is true. Yoru has always helped me when my life was in danger.

"I see. I guess that all makes sense. But wait, why did you go through all the trouble to turn me into a girl? Normally, that wouldn't be ideal even if I was in a state where it was easy for you to control me..."

"It's my way, my loophole to defying the rules."

"The rule about [Magical Girls] being only young girls?"

So, Yoru wants to defy the rules imposed. Asking who made those rules is probably confidential huh.

"So, you're using me and I get to use you. I guess that ain't so bad."

"Yes, I guess all my intentions are laid bare now. I'll say one more thing, you can go on and try to save people and play hero, sure. But remember, you are a [Magical Girl]. A [Magical Girl]'s role is to kill [Curses]. Got it?"

"Got it."

Yoru and I reach home after the long conversation plus some time to reflect on it. I mutter,

"I'll just save people because I want to...because it's my way of living freely. When you think about it, isn't killing [Curses] and saving people from [Curses] pretty much the same thing?"