Magic? Muscle Is Much More Important Than Such A Thing! Chapter 19

Training and Ability

Having decided to partic.i.p.ate in the upcoming tournament to get C-rank qualifications, we decided to do some training.

"Well then, it's special training time!"

Early morning, accompanied by the chirp of young birds, I and Firia are facing each other at a plain outside Mussemorges.

Since open field such as plain is usually only resided by small fries, it's a very suitable place to hold training.

We chose a place slightly distant from the town so there's almost no one around.

Not just there's no one around, the view is also good here, it feels as though we're the only people in the world.

When the wind blows gently, it sways Firia's long silver hair.

"Yuri-san, why do I have to shoot magic at you?"

With her clothes fluttered by the wind, Firia asks so with somewhat reluctant expression.

"That's obviously because it's easier to gauge how powerful your magic is that way. Honestly speaking, I want you to become stronger, I heard that some B ranks are also partic.i.p.ating in the tournament, after all. My aim is obviously the champion, but at this rate there's a possibility that you wouldn't even be able to reach the final tournament. Should that happen, wouldn't we be unable to take request together?"

"…is it really not because you want to train yourself?"

Firia's silver eyes are fixedly locked at me with obvious doubt within. However, I'm an intelligent man who learns.

At a time like this stating my true feeling is the best option. Otherwise she'll read my mind, after all.

"Well, I can't deny that. However, just so you know, I'm not lying about me wanting to take request together with you."

"…well, at least I'll do what I can."

Even while reluctantly, in the end Firia accepts my proposal.

Having someone who can perform healing magic is a great boost to the peace of mind, after all. If possible I honestly want to take request together.

Well, when I get to meet powerful opponent, such thoughts would be all blown away and replaced by "I wanna fight them!" though.

"First is fire magic. Bring it on!"

"'kay 'kay."

Just as I urge her to, Firia shoots fire magic at me. As expected receiving magic head on is a good training.

After confirming how many magic Firia could shoot, we hold a mock battle.

But well, it's a simple one with only Firia attacking, though.

This training is ultimately for Firia's sake, not mine. Please don't misunderstand that.

However, after looking at Firia's fighting style, her fire power is indeed good, but it feels as though she simply shoots them with no tactic whatsoever.

When I ask her about it, she says that she's never fought anything but small fries up until now.

And that's not good, so I decide to teach how to do a good attack.

We're currently on break, so I hold a lecture in the middle of the plain.

"Well then, Firia, what would you do to attack an agile opponent?"

"Shooting a fast magic, I guess."

"That's indeed a good point. However, there's something you forget. That's to predict your opponent's movement. To do that you have to look closely to your opponent. As long as you can predict your opponent's movement, with your fire power, I think it should be pretty to land a hit."

"Predict, huh. I see."

When I say that, as if realizing that for the first time, Firia nods her head several times.

With her capabilities, I thought she'd have already known such simple fact, but….

Talent is indeed with her, but it seems like she's severely lacking in combat training.

"There's also the option to block your opponent's escape routes. First lure your opponent to a certain location, then shoot your magic there, or something like that. You're pretty intelligent so I think this tactic is very suitable for you."

"Got it. I'll give it a try."

After nodding several times, Firia continues her training against me.

Her movements become somewhat better, it feels as though she's already known what to do next.

Firia is indeed intelligent, after all. At this rate she should be able to be one level stronger when the tournament begin.

"Haa, haa, I'm run out of magical energy…."

Firia collapses to the ground.

It's not even two hours yet since the training begun, but her legs are already trembling.

She looks as if a newborn fawn.

"This is all for today, I guess. We'll do it again tomorrow."

"Why are you still fine…?"

"I guess this is the result of the difference between our daily trainings amount."

"Kuh… it's frustrating but I can't deny that."

Firia shows a very frustrated expression.

It's a good thing that even while saying this and that, without I noticed it she's become motivated.

After finis.h.i.+ng the training for today, Firia walked her way toward the inn shakily as if a zombie and immediately dived onto the bed the moment we arrived at our room.

I can clearly see Firia's fatigue from the fact that after using life magic to keep herself clean, Firia doesn't move even a finger the moment she lays herself on the bed.

Perhaps it's because she's completely run out of magical energy.

Healing magic seems to be a magic that's specialized in treating injury and has no additional effect to heal fatigue, when Firia tried to remove her fatigue using recovery magic, she fell into magic depletion instead.

“I am very tired, I can't move even one bit…”

“Good work. Now have a good rest.”

I leave the room and let the feebly shaking Firia to rest.

I'm not leaving to play or anything, it is because I have to buy food for us after all.

It's kind of strange feeling walking around the city by myself.

Perhaps it's because I've almost always been together with Firia up until now.

It's been several days since we arrived at Mussenmorges. Perhaps I might as well try exploring the streets here.

At Astart Firia seemed to have been going out to check out the town while I was training, but unfortunately I hadn't had the chance to look around the town by myself.

“This town is quite lively, huh.”

My eyes meet with different sights than what I usually see.

Various shops are lined up in the street, and shopkeepers are loudly advertising their goods.

People are buying the lined up goods, finis.h.i.+ng their meals and then go somewhere, and so on.

After absentmindedly watching the stream of people for a while, I suddenly remember the on the verge of dying Firia in the room.

…… c.r.a.p, Firia may be tired of waiting.

After quickly finis.h.i.+ng the shopping at a shop nearby, I hurriedly turn back to head back to the inn.

When I'm about to rush back to the inn in hurry, someone pats my shoulder.

“Customers! What's the point of buying these if you leave them here?!”

I see a floating hand there.

Considering that there is no hand at the shopkeeper's; who's inside the store; right wrist, this seems to be his right hand.

Despite being slightly away from the body, the right hand is moving very smoothly.

Honestly speaking that feels kinda creepy, but the shopkeepers doesn't seem to mind at all.

“… Oh, I see. Thank you.”

I bow once in grat.i.tude, and after storing the items I just bought into the dimensional bag on my waist, I immediately rush back to the inn.

“…that's what happened.”

While having meal with Firia, I told her about what happened before.

Firia seems to have recovered enough to wake up, and even while slightly trembling she's still capable of having meal properly.

“And what's wrong with that? I don't think there is anything strange though….”

After chewing and gulping her meal down, she says such doubts after ascertaining that her mouth is already empty.

She can actually act elegantly like that, huh.

“You see, no matter how you think about it, a floating hand is strange isn't it? Is that also magic? What kind of magic is that then?”

I let all the doubt I have out.

The right hand was still moving even after disconnected, just how was that even possible?

I've never heard of such magic. It's a phenomenon that can't be reproduced even with my muscle magic.

Even while capable of pulling such a feat, the store owner didn't seems like someone who has any battle experience. That's the one that's stuck to me the most.

Hearing my question, Firia tilts her neck in wonder.

“Umm… could it be you don't know about ability, Yuri-san?”

“Ability? What is that? I don't know about it!”

“Why are you so confident about that?”

Even while showing astonished expression, Firia still gives me some explanation about it.

"'Ability' is something like innate const.i.tution or special ability. Normally one person only have one ability, but there's a handful of people in the world who have two abilities and are called two gifts possessor "dual". Some abilities need magical energy as fuel, some need stamina, while some need nothing, there are many kinds of abilities."

“I see… hmm? Could it be you being capable of reading mind is also because of this ability?”

“That's right. I feel like I've told you that at the very beginning, though.”

As if I'd remember such a thing.

It's impossible even for someone as intelligent as me.

“Is that so? I think I haven't had much opportunity to see these things up till now, though…”

It may have been partly because I didn't put too much care about others, but I honestly do have no recollection about seeing someone using this so called ability, you know?

“Although rarely, there are also people who have no ability, after all. Such people are usually labelled as 'incompetent'. On another note, those who can't use magic such as yourself, Yuri-san, are also called incompetent, you know?”

Firia says so with a complex expression.

“I see.”

I lightly reply as such.

I'm incompetent because I can't use magic, huh.

I don't particularly care about such label, though. It's because I'm fully aware that I am way stronger than the ones who come up with such label, after all.

…wait, I can use muscle magic, can't I? As far as I'm concerned it's a full-fledged magic.

Well, I don't seem to have any ability, so it doesn't change that I'm incompetent, though.

“After that, there are abilities that aren't usable for battle, abilities with conditions, and so on.”

“Is it that? Like, the ability to read a book in an instant, the ability to raise physical abilities only at night… something like that?”

“Yes, something like that. It's just since luck is the one that decides people's abilities, effort could do nothing about it. Acquiring one later is also impossible.”

I hope I have some ability myself.

Like 'Ability to infinitely enlarge the muscles of the whole body', this one seems interesting.

Reading my mind, Firia frowns her eyebrows. You don't have to against it that much, do you?

“What a world shaking idea you have there.”

“Well, my creative power is way past ordinary human, after all."

“The flaw is that it's mainly leaning toward the bad side, though.”

“… ….”

I can't refute back.

Firia stares at me with a triumphant expression while laughing “Fufufun”…. I can't stomach it.

So, I lightly touch Firia's feeble and trembling slender arm.

“Ei.”

“~!”

The moment I touch her skin, Firia's arm suddenly jumps away in shock, and she lets out a soundless scream.

I am surprised myself seeing her unexpectedly reaction. Is her condition really that bad?

“That's cruel! You're too cruel! You're a demon, Yuri-san!”

“I, I'm so sorry.”

I make her angry. How scary.

Even with tears in her eyes, Firia resentfully glares at me, so I have no choice but to apologize.