After the battle with Kira, my body has shut down entirely, so right now I’m temporarily staying inside the [Almighty Realm]. We had decided to train until my body has fully recovered. But for some reasons, she wanted to spice things up… 

“Master?”

“Huh, what’s going on?”

“You’re using too much strength Master. You ain’t gonna hit the target with just brute force Master. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee remember?”

“I think you misunderstand that a little bit, but I get it. I’m trying my best here.”

“That’s what I wanna hear Master. Now come and hit me in my perfect face Master!”

“Come on Tiamat, I can’t just hit a woman like that you know?”

Instead of normal sword training, we went for a hand-to-hand combat training. She said that I “should know how to handle the situation without depending too much on my sword”. I can’t really argue with that, so right now I’ll have to learn new fighting moves from her. Her style is, to put it simply, rather eccentric. It’s not exactly based on any particular martial art style, it’s not entirely MMA but rather, it’s a combination of everything I haven’t mastered all of them yet, but one thing I do know is that this style requires the users to not only use their brawns but also their brains. You hit the opponent, you get hit by the opponent and you anticipate the opponent’s next move. At least that’s what she’s trying to teach me.

“Hah! Hah!”

“Nice kick Master! You almost hit me. There’s still room for you but for now, you’ve done a pretty decent job Master. Take five?”

“Thanks. I do feel like I can do more but yeah, let’s take five.”

She creates a towel and throws it to me. I catch it to wipe all the sweat from my face. All of these training sections got me thinking: All of these are definitely something a normal human cannot just go and take it, like take Tiamat as an example. For the past week, I’ve seen her training me and fighting enemies and yet I have not seen her break a sweat. But somehow, I have managed to get through all of them. Am I even human anymore? Or all of this is just a dream? Honestly, I don’t know anymore. But then again, there is no turning back for me once I’ve gone down this road. All I can do is to try my best and see how things turn out.

“Hey Tiamat, quick question.”

“What is it Master?”

“Am I a human being?”

“Is…Is this some kind of joke Master?”

“Do I sound like I’m joking?”

“Oh, is that so…I mean, when you put it like that…”

“Oh no no no, my bad. I shouldn’t just ask you like that.”

This is bad. I’ve pushed both of us into this awkward situation. How are we supposed to recover from this? I mean, just look at her face. She’s all surprised and confused. Or so I thought…

“Well, since you asked, I guess I’ll answer it. I know what you’re trying to imply, so I’ll get this straight. You’re still one hundred percent human, it’s just that we’re now sharing what I like to call [Symbiotic Line].”

“[Symbiotic Line]?”

“Yes, this is a side effect only someone who can use [Summoning Magic] has. Normally, it’ll give the servant a boost in power based on how strong the master is, but in our case it’s the opposite. You become quite stronger than before forming the contract with me. Trust me, the you before would have died to the [Super Strengthen Magic] in just seconds.”

“Woah, that’s *gulp*…I don’t know what to say…”

“Me neither. You know what else is abnormal about this?”

“I don’t know?”

“Usually, [Super Strengthen Magic] don’t just heal wounds Master. But when you achieved that ability, all of the wounds on your body was completely gone. And the weirdest part is? Those wounds did not come back when your body shut down. You literally passed out due to intense stress on your body.”

“Wait, that’s it?”

“Yes Master, I’m still trying to figure out what other things about your body have changed. But for now, let’s just continue our training shall we?”

“Yeah you’re right Tiamat. There won’t be an answer to this until at least I wake up. So here’s the towel.”

“Thanks Master, now let’s get that body of yours busy as soon as possible!”

We continue to train until Sunday morning, which is when my body has finally recovered from the battle.

 

(Kariuda’s POV)

“Come on Yasutaira-kun, just pick up the phone already…”

While waiting for Kira to wake up, I try to contact Yasutaira Waka. But to my surprise, he did not answer my calls at all. I was so focused on Kira that I totally forgot about checking Yasutaira. If there’s something wrong about him, I might not take it anymore…

*beep beep*

Once again, I can’t call him. What is he even doing? Is he alright? Should I just go to his house? I mean, it’s only Saturday, so I guess he doesn’t mind? This is all your fault Kira. You dare betrayed us and made him involve into this situation? If it wasn’t for the mission, I would have demolished you myself…

“Kariuda-chan, how’s Kira?”

“Sensei?” I asked as I turned my head back.

“Yeah, I’m here. One of my students is seriously injured, so of course I have to check out.”

While I’m outside, Kiriwatari-sensei, the head principle of the academy, visits to the medical center. She’s a heavy smoker, but since there’s a “No Smoking” policy here at the center, I don’t see her carrying any cigarette packet with her. I wonder why she’s here.

“So about Kira, doctor said that she’s trying her best, but Kira isn’t gonna wake up unitl at least tomorrow. Those wounds are no joke at all.”

“That’s good to hear if I’m being honest, because I have a lot to talk to him.”

“Yeah me too. I’m his class president, yet I’m letting him out the loose like this. I feel like I should take responsibilities for all of his actions.”

“Don’t say it like that. It’s not your fault. Besides, we don’t know half the truth, so don’t push yourself like that.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“So Kariuda-chan, it’s getting late. How about we grab something to eat? My treat.”

“Really? Thank you so much sensei.”

After finishing our conversation, we headed out for dinner. We then go our separate ways back to our homes.

 

(Yasutaira’s POV)

“As I expected, he’s not coming…”

Since my body is completely fine now, there’s no reason for me to skip class at all. But as for Kira, he has plenty. I’ll be shocked if that guy still somehow shows up. His seat is just to the right of me, and as I’m heading to my seat, I realize that it’s now empty. Honestly, it may sound weird, but I do want to befriend with him if I have to chance, but it seems like he has shut the door down for himself. Knowing that, I let out a big sigh as I’m sitting down. There’s still a few minutes left before the class starts, so I decide to talk to Tiamat for a bit, just to kill time of course.

“Hey Tiamat, can you hear me?”

“Loud and clear Master, what is it?”

“Oh nothing, it just that since I still have some time on the clock, I just want to talk to you for a sec, maybe…”

“Well then Master, go ahead, I’ll listen.”

“Do you dream?”

“Huh? Do I dream?”

“Yeah, like, I know that you’re the [Chromatic Dragon], but even a dragon can dream, right?”

“Yeah, I do dream occasionally. Why do you ask?”

“No, it just that…I dream a lot recently, and all of them are…rather weird.”

“How weird are those Master?”

“How do I explain this…whenever I dream, I always travel to a period of time that’s way too far from today. It’s like I’m living someone else’s life.”

“Uh huh…I think I get it.”

“You do?”

“I do think that’s one of the effects of [Summoning Magic]. The summoner and the one who got summoned usually share their memories with each other through dreams. And unlike a normal dream, you can still clearly remember it years after.”

“Wait, so that means…”

“Yeah Master, all of your dreams are just my memories from my past. As for me, I get to see yours every night, even the most embarrassing one.”

“Woah woah woah, you can’t…Oh come on!”

“I’m joking Master, but I think eventually I’ll get to that soon.”

“Stop it Tiamat, you’re making me all confused right now.”

So all of those are from her huh…I must say, they are all quite…tragic. She must have had a rough time. I guess she is quite grateful to have a chance to do something right. I am no one to judge, but if that what she wants, then as her master I’ll do whatever it takes to help her.

“So, do you have anything else to say Master?”

“No, not really. Class is about to start any moment now so I guess we can wait until lunch.”

“Aye, aye, Master!”

Well, our talks were nice, but I think I should just save them until I am finished with my classes. Right now, I can clearly hear Hirose-sensei running her way to class, so I had better get myself together.

“Hello there my lovely students! What a lovely Monday isn’t it?”

Hirose-sensei is still Hirose-sensei, still has that energetic and optimistic energy on her. It is hard to believe that she is our teacher, but hey, you cannot judge a book by its cover, can you? Underestimate her and you will regret that decision immediately. I have seen students tried to fight her and until this day, no one has been able to win against her. I do not know how is she going to handle the top students, but I am sure she can give them one hell of a fight. It is Hirose-sensei after all.

“So before we begin our class, I have a bad new for ya.”

Hearing that, the whole class starts whispering, wondering what that could be. As for me, I think I already have an answer, but I am also curious to see what she has to say.

“So I just got the word from our principal. Hatake Kira-kun will no longer be part of our class. I was actually shocked to hear this just like you guys right now, but until further notice, I guess we will have to say goodbye to him.”

I can see a few students start worrying about him, some even asks each other whether he can make a comeback, so in their eyes, he seems like a nice guy. My memory still has not fully got back yet, but even if he somehow returns to class, I feel like it is going to take him some time. That is consider no one knows the truth…

“Don’t be sad my lovely students, I’m sure he will be fine. I know him. Trust me, he can bounce back. But let’s not get that in our way shall we. We still have a lot to learn.”

After announcing the absence of Kira, Hirose-sensei grabs us back on track and starts the class. Today’s lesson is about [Elemental Magic], more specifically, we are learning about the ones that are not part of the [Big Five]. The [Big Five] is one of the most basic knowledge of this world. It consists of five most common magic elements a Magica can master: [Fire], [Earth], [Air], [Water] and [Spirit]. I do not remember all of the elements, but one of them is [Poison], as that is what Kira used against me. It is definitely a troublesome ability. But back to the lesson, Hirose-sensei explains that these elements despite not being as common as the [Big Five], are still forces to be wrecked with. Those include [Time], [Light], [Ice], [Lightning], [Storm], [Space], [Shadow], [Lust], [Metal], [Death], [Life], [Chaos] and [Poison] as I mentioned earlier. When put them all together, we have [The Outer]. She also says that the list might change in the future, that depends on the human’s potential to master other elements that were not mentioned, but for now, that is all. In my humble opinion, that is a lot to take in. There is not many people I know who can come up with a contingency plan against all of them, except for one…

“So Tiamat…”

“What is it Master?”

“How do you think about what I just heard?”

“Honestly Master, it’s kinda the same with a few hundred years ago, well that is if we don’t count [Chaos].”

“Is that like something new to that period of time?”

“Yeah, for human beings, but not for me. I’m surprised to hear that human has reached this far. I guess I gonna have to give them credits for this.”

“And I thought you’re gonna belittle us again. So you do have something nice to say about us after all.”

“Come on Master, human may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but they have proven time to time that they can still pull the impossible, right MASTER?”

“Yeah…when you put it like that…”

She is a cruel person, as expected from the strongest dragon. But I guess she is starting to somehow have a soft spot for human. If anything, this is better than when I first met her, and that is the important thing. As for the rest of the lesson, Hirose-sensei shows us some footage of different Magicas using [The Outer] elements. Some faces I recognize, some I do not. But seeing them doing such an extraordinary job like that, I wonder if I can ever catch up to them…

 

After class ends, it is lunch time. For today’s menu, I have chicken salad with some shrimp tempura, white rice and mayo on the side as dipping. It is a good thing I managed to wake up just in time to prepare it and be here. I have nothing against the academy’s cafeteria, it’s just that I prefer food that I cook myself. Maybe someday I will try the food here, but for now, let’s just savor the moment shall we?

As I am eating, something just popped inside my head. I decide to have some talk with Tiamat, part of it is because I am also really curious about this matter.

“So Tiamat, mind if I ask you something?”

“What is it Master?”

“So you have been around for like a week now, and there’s something that has been bugging me, not a lot but enough for me to you know, raise my eyebrow.”

“And that is?”

“Do you really need to eat?”

“Huh? What exactly are you trying to imply here Master?”

“It’s just that…I only saw you eat like once before, and that was when we came back from our first fight. Seeing you enjoy it made me think that I should cook for you more, but since then…you don’t seem to bother asking me again. I find it…strange.”

“Oh, so that’s what you’ve been wondering…Don’t worry Master, I don’t dislike eating, it’s just that I don’t want to push you too hard.”

“Push me too hard?”

“I mean, you’re only fifteen Master, you still have a lot to do. Besides, if I have to, I’ll just materialize food and eat it.”

“Woah, you can do that?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner Master.”

Well this is awkward. We both care for each other to the point of making each other feel this type of way. After a few minutes of silence and looking at each other, I think it is time for us to settle this once and for all.

“It’s OK Tiamat, I should’ve known better. Thank you for actually thinking about me. I…I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t say that Master, it’s my fault that I didn’t let you know.”

“As your master, it’s kinda my responsibility. But since you said it, let’s just forget about it. How’s that sound to you?”

“Really? Thank you so much Master.”

“I’m glad you’re happy, but next time, if something’s bothering you, just say it OK? I may overdo it a little too much, but that’s because I don’t want you to feel lonely at all. Understand?”

“Yes Master, I understand!” she said it with a smile on her face.

I’m glad we can set this thing right. Now I can finally finish my meal so I can take some time to rest and then get to train. That is until this happens…

“Excuse me Yasutaira-kun, do you mind sparing some time with me?”

“Huh? Kariuda-san? What are you doing here?”

As I am getting closer to finishing my lunch, Kariuda-san shows up. I am surprised to see her actually take her time to walk up to the rooftop, I do not think she will someday be here, yet here she is.

“I see, you’re having lunch…”

“Oh this? I’ll be done in no time, so just give me a few minutes alright?” I said as I took a bite on the last shrimp tempura

“Well if you say so then I supposed we can wait.”

“Uhm so…Why exactly are you looking for me?”

“The principal needs your presence, she didn’t specifically say right now, but you gonna be at her office as soon as possible. That’s her command.”

“The princical? Kirirwatari-sensei needs me? Then I’d better hurry up!”

“Don’t rush yourself, just take your time. She said that it won’t take much of your time so just go easy on yourself OK?”

“Well if you say so…”

Huh, the principal wants me to be at her office…I do not know what is going on right now, but it sounds very urgent to me. Kariuda-san said that I shouldn’t rush, but since I am almost finished, let’s just wrap things up as tight as I can.

“Oh one more thing Yasutaira-kun.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Have you checked your phone?”

“My phone? What do you mean…Oh my god, how many missed calls?”

I take out my phone, just to see a lot of missed calls from…Kariuda-san? Wait a minute, why did she call me? What have I done to her? And why are there so many?

“There were some documents I need you to handle, but I somehow couldn’t contact you, so I was the one to do all of the paperwork.”

“Oh…That’s just…I’m sorry I didn’t answer your phone. I was going through…things, you know.”

“It’s alright, those weren’t that important, I just wanted to make you feel a bit like home before letting you deal with the big gun, so don’t worry, I won’t blame you.”

“Really? Thank you Kariuda-san!”

I am glad that she is not mad at me. Not answering that many calls should be consider a crime, so I am relieved to know that she is not holding a grudge against me. I quickly finish off my lunch while Kariuda-san is standing right at the door waiting for me.

 

“Hey Yasutaira-kun, so before we go in, let me just tell you something.”

“Huh, what is it Kariuda-san?”

“About Kiriwatari-sensei…she’s kinda infamous for being a heavy smoker so…I just hope that it won’t bother you that much.”

“That’s fine to me Kariuda-san. I mean, who am I to judge her anyway?”

“Well that’s good to hear. Now shall we go in?”

After making sure that we are ready for action, Kariuda-san opens the office’s front door. Just like the student council room, I have never been inside the principal’s office, so this will be a first for me.

“Sensei, may we come in?”

“Yes, you may come in.”

As I am getting inside, I notice something. The interior…is quite different from the student council room, Instead of sofa, the table set is made of wood. As for the window behind the desk, I can see that it is bigger than the one in the student council room. In every corners of the room, there are not just books, there are also a lot of files and a cabinet full of trophies. This is like an upgrade version of the student council room.

“Sensei, I’ve brought Yasutaira-kun here just like you asked.”

“Thanks Kariuda-chan, now we can finally get into business.”

I can see Kiriwatari-sensei sitting right there at the desk. She’s quite beautiful for a middle-aged woman. She’s wearing a livid kimono with a black long coat. I think she just finished smoking considered I can still see her putting out cigarette right on the ashtray. But hold up, get into business? What does she mean by that? Am I getting some type of secret mission or something? As my head keep thinking about all the possibilities, Kariuda-san walks to the desk and stands right beside Kiriwatari-sensei. She then handles me a document file, and when I open it…

“Wait, this is…”

“That’s right, we want to talk to you about Hatake Kira, the classmate you fought a few days ago. We believe you’re involved in this matter, and we need to ask you some information.” Kiriwatari-sensei said.

They know about the battle? I mean, they could have asked the neighbors about it, but Tiamat said during the recovery that she used [Boundary of Illusion] to cover it up, but they somehow saw through it? Is Tiamat getting rusty back then?”

“I wasn’t getting rusty Master, I was rushed, so I didn’t have time to properly set things up.”

“Oh, so you’re hearing this to?”

“Of course Master, this is very important isn’t it? I have to be here.”

Well, at least I am glad to know that she did not slip up or anything. But still, I am impressed about the way they gather information. I did not know she has that authority outside the academy…

“But before that, we need to clarify something. So you don’t mind listening to us?”

“Well yeah of course, I’m not in a hurry or anything so just take your time sensei.”

“Good. Now inside the document there’s another file I want you to take a look at.”

Kariuda-san gives me a chair to sit. As I take out the file, something caught my attention…

“[Rising Phoenix]?”

“As you can see, that’s the name of a terrorist organization. Even though it has only been around for ten years, it has expanded throughout the world, causing quite some damage, especially here in Japan. The leader’s identity has not yet to be revealed, but I think the truth will out anytime. Now I know you have no clue what does this has to do with you, but we’ll get to that right away.”

I have heard about them on the news several times before, but to think that our beloved principle has somewhat a decent knowledge about this organization…is at the same time very impressed and terrifying.

“I’m very sorry to tell you that your “former” classmate is part of this organization. From all of the info we get, he has been a member for at least three years now, and he has gained a lot of respect from the superiors. His recent mission unfortunately, is to capture and kill [The Heretic], also known as [Yasutaira Waka].”

I came prepared, but this? This is a lot to take in, not as much as when Tiamat and I had a conversation that night, but still…

“So what happened to him? Is he OK?”

“Well, after failing the mission, we saved him right just before Death could take him away. Right now he’s fine, although…”

“Although what?”

“You gonna have to see it yourself, Yasutaira-kun.” Kariuda-san said.

Then the two of them take me to a secret room. The entrance can only be unlocked by moving a specific book on the left bookshelf. If I have to describe the room, it’s like a combination of a storage room and a basement, except it is quite clean. In the corner of the room, there is someone sitting there while being tied up…

“Wait, is that…why is he here?”

The person sitting right there is Hatake Kira! He is unconscious, so he cannot hear me right now. For someone who got tied up, he doesn’t look too bad at all. He still has is clothes on, although they don’t necessary hide all the wounds and scars I gave him that night. 

“Well you see…after he woke up, he kept cursing and trying to escape so we had to knock him out. Luckily neither the head doctor nor the nurses were injured.” Kiriwatari-sensei said.

“I feel like that had something to do with me, and I don’t like that fact at all.” I laughed it off.

“Me neither. But now that we’re here, let’s get straight to the problem shall we?” Kiriwatari said as she handled me her phone.

“Huh, what is this…”

“Just hold the phone and flick it to the side, then you’ll understand.”

I do exactly what she said. A blue hologram starts showing up, covering a whole space of the room. Its content is…rather familiar. Wait a minute, this information…it can’t be…

“Yeah, these are the stats of Watake Kira.”

Name: Watake Kira (きらはたけ)

Gender: Male

Age: 15

Height: 169 cm

Weight: 62 kg

Strength: A

Attack: A+

Speed: B+

Intelligence: A+

Stamina: B+

Defense: B

Magical Ability: A

• [Poison] magic element

Magic Resistance: C+

Overall Ranking: A

Notes:

• Under the influence of [Mind Control].

These stats seem normal, that is until you read the “Notes” section. He has been mind-controlled this whole time? First being a member of a terrorist group, now this? And three years? That has to be a very long time under its influence. I do not know who did this to him, but they were not playing at all.

“Damn Master, this is some serious [Mind Control] ability right here. Whoever did this had definitely done their homework let me tell you.”

“Even you think that this ain’t no joke? Damn…”

“But don’t worry too much Master, it’s not something I can’t dispel, although…”

“What? What is it?”

“I need you to trust me on this Master. Can I count on you?”

“I mean, if you say so, then you must have a solution. Well, whatever you’re trying to do, I’ll approve.”

“Thanks Master, I knew I could count on you!”

Tiamat then explains her plan to me. It may sound simple, but the hardest part has to be the execution. While Tiamat is still talking, I ask sensei something.

“Do you have any clue who did this to him sensei?”

“Frankly, I don’t. This group of individuals is like a phantom hovering around the world. You can never know who is a part of them. They could be you, they could be me, they could even be Kariuda-chan. No offense.”

“Wait, so it’s just gonna be a dead end?”

“Don’t be that negative Yasutaira-kun. We might not know who’s behind this, but we do know that this is [Rising Phoenix]’s work. Check the next file in my phone.”

I swipe to the next file like she said. A bunch of data starts showing up, revealing the profiles of a lot of people.

“All of these people were parts of the [Succubus Project] around five years ago. They were experimented with some kind of [Lust Magic]. I never thought that [Mind Control] is their end result…:”

“Wait, is this any different from the one we know?”

“Oh a lot let me tell you. All of the surviving victims told me that they didn’t just turn into a doll, they acted like a they are a brand new person. The worst part was, their minds felt like they were trapped inside a cage, just seemingly letting the “other one” took control and when they finally broke through the mind control, their memories are still intact. This is way beyond our normal [Mind Control], yet the organization called it that way.”

This is way beyond my imagination. Let’s see…only five people survived out of one hundred? They did these kind of experiments on innocent people? I don’t know what I can do, but there is no way I’m just going to sit back and do nothing.

“You know what Master? Once we find out who the leader is, don’t try to stop me from chopping their head down.”

“Woah woah woah, easy there Tiamat. I know you’re mad, but let’s not go too crazy OK?”

Even Tiamat can’t stand this, that’s how you know how messed up this is. For something called [Rising Phoenix], they sure do have a habit of turning people into ashes.

“Wait, so does that mean…”

“Yes, Kira right here isn’t the same Kira from three years ago but rather a…darker one…”

“So can we do anything to reverse this kind of magic?”

“Unfortunately, we can’t. The five survivors are the one that had experienced the [Mind Control] but somehow failed to let it fully controlled them. Right now, there’s no magic known to mankind that can fix this.”

Hearing that, Tiamat and I quickly realize that this is the perfect time to implement our plan. I signal her to come out when the time comes, as I begin to talk.

“But what if there’s a way?”

“Uhm…Excuse me, what is that supposed to mean Yasutaira-kun?”

“What I’m trying to say it there’s a way to undo this magic, and I happen to know it.”

“Oh really? Then what exactly are you going to do?” Kiriwatari-sensei asked, which was also meant that it’s show time.

“By calling out his faithful servant of course!”

Tiamat comes out of my sword and materializes herself into her human form: a beautiful lady with red hair and black suits. I take a look at Kariuda-san and Kiriwatari-sensei, and unsurprisingly, they’re all shocked to see what is happening in front of their eyes. Even Kariuda-san is now keep her guard up, but she still pretends to be calm and collective.

“Uhm excuse me Miss, who are you supposed to be?”

“So you must be Kariuda Naomi that my Master had mentioned before? I must say kid, you are quite an individual. Spying on us like that for the past week…”

“Ghii, you noticed?”

“Gahahaha! Of course I did kid. You think you can hide from me that easily?”

“That still doesn’t answer my question! Who are you?”

“Are you pretending to be blind or you’re just too naïve to see what’s going on right now kid? Or do you want me to do this?”

Out of her body comes an incredible aura aiming at Kariuda-san. Her legs are shaking non-stop, her face turns as white as a ghost. She even takes a lot of big gulp. From what I have seen, I guess she has finally realized it…

“No…It can’t be…You were supposed to…”

“Be sealed away? Too bad kid, because I, the [Almighty Dragon], have finally set free from the cage of the enemies! But fear not kid, because I do not wish harm on any of you. In fact, right now I’m serving under my one and only Master Yasutaira Waka-sama! Be grateful for I have come to make peace, not war!”

She’s doing too much. Her little play isn’t something I want to enjoy, but since we’re here, I guess I should just go along with it.

“Alright alright Tiamat, stand down. Remember why are you here in the first place?”

“Oh yeah that’s right…So you wish to cure this young man from this crazy [Mind Control]? Very well then, I shall grant it to you.”

“There’s a way to undo this magic? Please tell me how!”

“Calm down kid, instead let me show you.”

Tiamat then comes closer to Kira and starts casting a spell. Normally it would mean that you either are a novice or that spell is a complicated one to do, and I’m pretty sure it’s the latter. She explained to me what is she going to do, but I couldn't get half of those so I’ll have to see it for myself. As for Kiriwatari-sensei, she’s just standing there observing the whole thing. She’s not inferring the scene, so I guess she trust me with whatever Tiamat is going to do. Speaking of her…

“[Magic Breaker]!”

A grey magic circle appears under Kira’s body, covering him. After a few moments, it’s completely gone. Seeing this, Tiamat smirks as she standing up.

“There! Your friend is now no longer under the [Mind Control]. He might wake up in any second now.”

“No way! What did you do to him?”

“What did I do to him? I broke him free of course. Didn’t you see?”

“But how? There’s no magic known to mankind that can undo this, then how is it possible?”

“Well kid, when you live for long enough, you’ll know that nothing is impossible. What I did is what I like to call [Magic Breaker]. It’s a long forgotten spell that uses the [Chaos] element to destroy every magic it encounters. Of course, I have limited it to just destroy the [Mind Control], so no need to thank me.”

“Amazing…”

Tiamat has done it again as always. To have her by my side is a blessing nothing can compare with. Now I think we need to give Kira some times to wake up from this. I was going to ask Tiamat to go back into my sword, then all of the sudden…

“You have quite a friend right there Yasutaira-kun. I called you here not expecting this to happen, but this… This is something else…”

Kiriwatari-sensei decides to speak up. I guess she has seen enough. I don’t know what she’s trying to do, but from the looks of it, I don’t think she’s up to no good at all.

“I’m impressed Yasutaira-kun. I never knew you could pull out something like this, yet you have done it. Gotta say, I’m a big fan of you now.”

“Heheheh…I’m glad you like it…”

“As for you, lady…You put on quite a show back there. You could be my type you know?”

“Heh, thanks for the compliment. Unfortunately, I’m not interesting in this kind of relationship at all. Besides, the only person I want to be with is already here, and none of you two are that person.”

“Oh…I see… Very well then, let us cut to the chase shall we? One of the real reasons I call you here…is this.”

She then takes out a badge from her coat. On that badge, there’s a symbol. It looks like two knights holding their swords straight while facing each other with their head bowing down a little. When Kiriwatari-sensei takes out the badge, Kariuda-san makes a shocked face.

“Wait sensei, isn’t now too early for him to know??”

“I was thinking the same. But now that I see how things unfold Kariuda-chan, if this isn’t the perfect time, then when?”

“The perfect time for what sensei?” I asked.

“For the meaning of this symbol of course. Yasutaira-kun, this is top secret, so try your best to keep your mouth shut OK?”

“Uhm…I guess I can try…”

“Good. So this symbol…Have you ever heard of [Knights of Tomorrow]?”

“I don’t think I have heard of it before…”

“Well to put it simply, [Knights of Tomorrow] is a long-standing international organization whose job is to protect the Earth from any threats, to fight the battle that no one can and to protect those who needs. Let me reintroduce ourselves: My name is Kiriwatari Chiyoe, principal of Kiriwatari Academy and a proud member of [Knights of Tomorrow], code-name [Phantom Mist]. This is Kariuda Naomi, my squire, code-name [Fury Fist].”

“Woah, I didn’t know that you two are a part of something so…big…”

“Yeah Master, who could have thought eh?”

“Uhm Tiamat, what’s wrong?”

“Oh nothing Master. It’s just that hearing that name reminds me of some…bad memories…”

All of a sudden, Tiamat speaks up. She doesn’t sound like she’s enjoying this. In fact, I can see her turn her head to the side while she crosses her hands and grumbles non-stop. I don’t know what has got into her, so I’m really worried about her.

“So are you gonna talk about it Tiamat?”

“Uhm…If you really want it, then…I guess I have no other choice. You see, back when I was under the alias [Almighty Dragon], after that incident, I was chasing down by members of [Knights of Tomorrow] for quite a while. Till this day, it still sends me chills whenever someone mentions that name.”

“[Almighty Dragon]…So you’re that infamous figure…You have no idea how popular you are among the knights.”

“I don’t wanna take that as a compliment at all, but then again, it’s good to know that my name hasn’t been forgotten. But what happened in the past stayed in the past. I now go by [Tiamat].”

“Tiam…Tiamat? That Tiamat?” Kariuda-san exclaimed in pure shock.

“Took you long enough to finally catching up with me kid. I’m surprised you didn’t scream out your lung back there.”

“But…but Tiamat is just a myth! A fictional story! A fairy tale!”

“Yet I’m here, in the flesh. Or are you telling me that you don’t even trust your own eyes kid? There’s no reason for me to play tricks on you, you know?”

“Uhm Tiamat, I think we should let her have some time to process this…”

I ask Tiamat to stand down for a bit while making room for Kariuda-san to breath. Honestly, I’ll be shocked too if I were her. As for Kiriwatari-sensei…

“[Tiamat] huh…You know Yasutaira-kun, I would have asked you ton of questions about this little secret, but right now, just tell me what happened to you. Then I’ll make my decision.”

“Uhm OK. But sensei, just bear with me for a sec, because what I’m about to tell you isn’t something I’ll go all out to brag, so I’m only gonna tell you once.”

“That’s fine, a secret for a secret, seems like a fair trade to me.”

While Kariuda-san hasn’t fully recover mentally from Tiamat, I reveal the truth to Kiriwatari-sensei. No lies, no excessive dialogue, just the truth.

 

“I see…It must be hard for you…”

“Don’t sweat it sensei. I’m kinda get used to this kind of weird stuff so…I think I’ll be just fine.”

“Nevertheless, I still can’t believe that you fought a mythological creature and actually survived to tell the tale.”

“Me neither sensei. But after a while, you’ll grow to it eventually.”

After explaining to Kiriwatari-sensei about my situation, she seems relieve. As the head principal, I guess it only makes sense that she has to take care of her own students’ safety. I could clearly see how she genuinely listened to what I said.

“So sensei, now that you know the truth, what are you gonna do about it?”

“Well, I do have a plan, but right now, let’s just focus on the current event…” she said as she was looking at Kira.

“Uhm Kira? What about him?”

“You see, despite being released from the [Mind Control], he’s still a former member of a terrorist organization. Therefore, a trial is inevitable. Worst case scenario, he might have be executed…”

“Wait! We can’t just kill him like that…he wasn’t do all of those things willingly, there must be a way…”

“There is a way Yasutaira-kun. It’s quite simple: You decide his fate and I’ll do the rest.”

Me? Deciding who’s going to live and who isn’t? She’s joking me right? This isn’t something you just blatantly ask a student to do. There’s no way this is normal. It’s just…wrong to say and do it.

“I can’t do that sensei. I want him to live, but…at the same time, I don’t want to be the judge at all. It just doesn’t sit tight to me!”

“But if you don’t do it, Kira might die. Do you wanna blame yourself for the rest of your life for not saving him despite having all it takes to do the job?”

“Even if you say it like that…”

I don’t want to do it at all. Who am I to even decide life or death anyway? But at the same time, I can’t just leave Kira like this, even though he tried to kill me, I don’t hate him. I understand that he didn’t want any of this to happen, because if he did, then there’s no way he would let them mind-control him. What should I do? How am I going to get through this? Should I make the tough decision?”

“Szwing!!!”

“Hmm?”

“That’s enough SENSEI. You think you can just stand there making my Master suffer and not expect me to do anything? Guess what, you’re completely wrong!”

To the surprise of everyone, Tiamat draws her sound right to Kiriwatari-sensei. She did it so fast that not even a single person in this room could react to it. By the time we notice it, the tip of the sword is already just a few centimeters away from Kiriwatari-sensei’s throat.

“Oh my, I guess I done pissed on the wrong damn picnic.”

“You’re damn right you did. Utter one more wrong word and I won’t hesitate.”

“Sensei, watch out!” Kariuda-san said as she was trying to jump in.

“It’s alright Kariuda-chan. I can still handle this.”

This is bad. All of sudden Tiamat has gone mad and decided to threaten Kiriwatari-sensei. I try to intervene, but Tiamat just turns her head and looks me straight in the eyes. Understanding what she’s trying to do, I decide to just sit back and watch.

“Now now, we don’t want to spill any blood here, so you don’t mind putting that sword down?” Kiriwatari-sensei asked as she put her hands to the sky.

“Oh I won’t put it down, at least until I hear a convincing explanation. Now talk while I still allow you to!”

“Alright alright. I was just playing. It was nothing but a test.”

“A test? You have five seconds to explain, or else you won’t make it out of this room!”

“I just wanted to see whether he still held any grudge against Kira, and from what I’ve seen, I guess he’s cool with it.”

“And what about the trial? Execution? Care to explain?”

“Of course I’ll handle all of it! Like hell I’m letting a fifteen year old kid do such thing. Yasutaira-kun won’t have to make any tough decision, and Kira will not be executed. I swear on my own life!”

“Now that’s what I wanna hear. But I’m warning you, you dare put my Master in danger like that, I’ll find you, and I’ll kill you, understand?”

“I understand. I promise to not put Yasutaira-kun in that situation without your consent.”

“Good. A pleasure doing business with you.” She said as she put down her sword.

Honestly, that’s terrifiying. I know for a fact that Tiamat can be cruel and cold-blooded from time to time, but this…this isn’t something I prepared for. Well, I guess I should put “Don’t try to provoke Tiamat” on my to-do list. But now that things has cooled down a little bit, I think I need to clarify something to Kiriwatari-sensei.

“Uhm so sensei, about Kira…what exactly are you gonna do with him?”

“Hmm? Oh, I’m glad you asked. I can’t go into details too much, but just like I mentioned earlier, Kira will be put on a trial. The jury of [Knights of Tomorrow] will decide his fate. Don’t worry, it’s gonna take a while for that day to come, and I’ll try to talk him out of jail time. He’ll be fine.”

“Really? That’s good! Thank you so much sensei!”

“Don’t thank me too early Yasutaira-kun, we still have something left to discuss, starting with this.”

She then hands me a paper. On that paper, there’s something that caught my attention…

“A letter of introduction?”

“Well you see, I was thinking about securing a place for you inside the [Knights of Tomorrow]. Basically we want you to join us.”

“Me? Joining you? But I haven’t done anything to deserve a spot on something like this!”

“On the contrary Yasutaira-kun, you’ve done enough, if not overqualified. Capturing a member of [Rising Phoenix], undoing the [Mind Control]. Not many people around your age can do such things. But of course, I can’t just let you have a high place, you still gotta prove it to us and work yourself up.”

“Wow, that’s just…I don’t know what to say…”

“I can give you some time to think about it, just let me know when you’re ready.”

When I woke up this morning, I did not expect things to turn out like this. I don’t know if I should be happy or mad about this, it’s just…too much. Calm down Yasutaira, just take a deep breath and keep your head in the game. You can do this, you can work this out, you can…

“Very well then, we shall take your offer.”

Huh?

Hey Tiamat, just what the hell was that?

I’m still considering this matter and you just jumped in like it’s nothing? Since when did you act like that? Are you taking the piss?

“Uhm Tiamat…Why?”

“You know Master, as much as I dislike them, I gotta admit, this is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Master, you should definitely take it while you still have the chance.”

“But I haven’t thought through about it yet, why the rush?”

“Like I said, I may not like them, but at the very least, I trust them enough to make this decision. Do you Master?”

“I don’t…You’re acting a little weird Tiamat.”

“Maybe I am, or maybe it’s just woman’s instinct I guess? You know, maybe I shouldn’t ask you to trust them but rather…do you trust me on this?”

OK, everyone is tearing me apart now. I can’t even keep up with the things around me anymore. I came to the office thinking it’s no big deal, and now I’m going to join some kind of Earth’s guardian angel? Am I going insane? Is this even a dream? But in the end, I still have to make a decision, and I don’t really like it that much.

“You know what, I’ll accept the offer, and that is because you ask me for it Tiamat!”

“You heard my Master, now what should we do with this letter?”

“Well, just fill in all the basic information needed and let me handle the rest. Sounds good?”

“Alright, a deal is a deal. We shall take it.”

After that, I write everything I need on the letter and give it to Kiriwatari-sensei. I have mixed feelings about all of these, but then again I have no regret. She wants my assistance so it makes sense that I should deliver. When I come back home, I might have to look for the organization online, see if there’s any useful information.

“Uhm so sensei, is there anything else I need to do?”

“Well, I think that’s a wrap for today. I’ll let you know if we need you. You can go now.”

“So how about you Kariuda-san, do I need to check out the student council later?”

“We’re a little understaffing, so I need you to take a look at some papers. Can you make it?”

“Yeah absolutely. I’ll see you after training. Tiamat, let’s go.”

“Right behind ya Master!”

After finishing my job, I walk out of the office. As I’m leaving, the teacher-student duo wave me goodbye. Tiamat of course gets inside my sword before I left the room. And with that, I return to my normal pace of life.

 

(Kiriwatari-sensei’s POV)

“Now, what to do with our beloved Kira…”

It’s been ten minutes since Yasutaira Waka left the room. I asked Kariuda-chan to guard Kira while I’m doing the papers. Honestly, as chill as I like to act, the past events…left me with mixed feelings…

“To think that Yasutaira-kun has finally been able to do magic…And that woman, she’s way above our league…”

Out of everything, I do not expect it to be [Summoning Magic] at all, not to mention what he summoned…it’s just beyond any human comprehension. Right now, there are forces out there that would love to have him, and without the right guide, he might fall into the hand of the dark side. The best thing I can do is to put him under my observation and see what he will become. As the principal, it’s not just my job, it’s my responsibility and my promise to them…

“Sensei, you might want to check this…”

Kariuda-chan opens the door, ask me to have a look at Kira. I get off my desk and go inside the room. Just as I thought, Kira has finally woken up. He still seems a bit confused, probably due to just being released from mind-control. I slowly approach him, making sure he’s fine.

“Hey Kira-kun, can you hear me? Are you alright?”

“My head…it hurts…Huh, Kiriwatari-sensei…what are you doing here? Where am I?”

“Focus on me Kira-kun. Do you remember anything?”

“I don’t…The last thing I remember…Oh…Oh my god…I’m…I’m sorry sensei…”

His face turns blue right after I asked him. He tries to hold his tears, but he just can’t do it. It seems like his memories has partially come back. I let him have some space in the corner for a while before he asks me something.

“Sensei, *sob* am I going to die?”

“No Kira-kun, I won’t let it happen. No matter who is it, I swear on my mother’s name that you will live to see another day. But right now, I need you to work with me, understand?”

“Yes sensei…But what about Yasutaira? Where is he? I need to talk to him.”

“You will get to talk to him after you answer our questions, got it?”

“Yes sensei…”

Compare to the reports, he is way more shy and shut-in. It could be his consciousness not allowing him to act normal, or maybe that’s just his true nature. Either way, we ask him as much as we can about [Rising Phoenix], while also reveal to him that his henchmen are still alive and are now doing the community service under [Knights of Tomorrow]’s behalf. After getting all of the information I need, I tell Kariuda-chan to take care of Kira while I stay inside the office, planning on what to do.

“This is interesting, it’s like I’m having an inside man…With all of these information, the investigation will be way easier than ever before…”

 

(Yasutaira’s POV)

“Hey! Hah! Hah!”

“Keep going Master! Just a few more sets and we’re good to go!”

Since I still have some time left, I decide to train. Can’t let myself go too far can I? It’s only been a week but I can definitely feel my movement being more agile, more precise and most importantly, more powerful than ever before. Her strict training has finally paid off in some form, and I’m glad to see the result. But there’s still something isn’t right…

“Hey Tiamat.”

“Hmm? What is it Master?”

“I don’t know if I’m just being delusional or not but…you don’t seem to be as energetic as you normally would. Is there something wrong?”

“No, not really Master…It’s just that…”

“It’s alright, I’m not mad at you or anything. Just tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Well you see Master… I just want to apologize for the introduction letter. I should have asked for your permission before making that decision.”

“Oh…Uhm how do I say this…Honestly, I’m a little upset that you did it, but at the same time, you just wanted the best for me right? It’s OK, you did nothing wrong, so no need to say sorry.”

“But Master, I…”

“What did I tell you? You put away all of your differences to do the right thing. Honestly, I couldn’t ask you more than that so in a way, thank you Tiamat.”

“Thanks Master, I’m glad that you’re not angry at me.”

“Why should I? But anyways, it’s kinda late now, and I need to be at the student council room in the next few minutes so, let’s just call it a day?”

“Yeah Master, can’t be late on the first day can you?”

After finishing my training section, Tiamat and I walk to the student council room to help Kariuda-san with her paperwork, before continue our day like normal.

 

 “What can I get for you lads?”

“Two pints of Helles, draft please.”

“All right lads, that will be eight pounds forty.”

“Can we start a tab?”

“No problem, let me just go swipe a card and you lads are good to go.”

In a pub somewhere in the UK, there are two men ordering their drinks. They aren’t from around here, but rather foreigners. They’re wearing black uniform with a white long coat outside. On their left chests are the badges of [Knights of Tomorrow].

“Man nothing more satisfying than a cup of beer after finishing our job!”

“Yeah, I really need the taste of home after this mission, you feel me?”

“Of course. Anyways you wanna grab something to eat too, my tab.”

These two gentlemen just came back from a very exhausting mission right here in the UK. They are among the highest-ranking knights of the organization, right besides Kiriwatari-sensei. People call them by the name [Duo of Death], not because of how many people they have killed, but rather how many times have they stopped the enemies from fulfilling their scheme.

“So buddy, did you get the invitation?”

“Invitation? From who?”

“Come on buddy, at least check your device more regularly. Here, just let me show you.”

One of the guy takes out the device that looks like a smartphone but it was made specifically for members of [Knights of Tomorrow]. In that, the mail icon is shining up, meaning someone had sent a message.

“[New Member Discussing Meeting]…from [Phantom Mist]? That’s strange…”

“She’s hosting a meeting? I don’t see anything wrong about it.”

“Yeah, until you look at the reason…Let me ask you something, how often do you see her work with multiple people?”

“Not very often, I guess?”

“Exactly. And now she wants to talk about recruiting new member, honestly, I would have thought that this is fake, but then again, maybe she’s planning something that we don’t know…”

“Yup, that’s so her. So what do you say, how about we pay a visit to her place, see what she’s up to?”

“Yeah, that’s a great idea.”

That night, the duo cancels their hotel room and quickly takes a flight to Japan, while seemingly curious about the upcoming meeting.