Chapter 94

We continued on after defeating the bandits, the horses settling down as they resumed their pace.

Inside the carriage, I was reflecting on the sensation of casting those spells. While the restoration of Azi Dahaka’s soul had allowed me to draw upon various magical insights, they were strictly his knowledge; I lacked the actual intuitive grasp that comes from practical use.

From here on, an intuitive sense and actual experience with magic would be essential. I needed to get used to it now, or I wouldn’t be able to rely on it when it really mattered.

“I didn’t know you could use magic too, Ryu.”

“Hm? Well, yeah, in a way. I used to only use it for basic chores, but I need to get used to it now, assuming I’ll be facing magical combat in the future.”

“No, I’d say what you just did is more than enough,” Alice and Gen remarked, though I felt I still had a long way to go. After all, that was the first time I’d ever used it for an actual attack.

“Indeed, you still seemed quite unpracticed. Master Ryu, shall we focus your training on magic from now on?”

“…No, not yet. When I truly learn magic, I want to ask my buddy to teach me.”

“…I do not mind you seeking his tutelage, but I ask that you do not overdo it. You possess a far greater mana capacity than he does, Master Ryu.”

Aoi spoke with a hint of unease. Did she think some cataclysmic disaster would occur if I learned magic from Azi Dahaka?

Still, I really did want to learn. I’d seen Azi Dahaka use recovery magic; if I could master that, I could use it whenever Ril or Karin got hurt. Though, I couldn’t imagine anyone but a Demon King actually being able to wound them.

“Buddy? Do you have a friend who’s an expert in magic, Ryu?”

“Yeah. Though we’re still technically in the ‘making up’ phase after a fight, so he’s still recuperating.”

“Recuperating… just what kind of fight results in injuries so bad they need that much time to heal?”

“Well, he kept spamming serious offensive magic at me, and he was countering with reinforcement magic in close combat… I ended up with some pretty heavy injuries myself. I honestly thought I was going to die that time.”

Alice and Gen froze when I said that. Wait, did I say something that gave away he was Azi Dahaka?

“Injured Ryu so badly he nearly died…?”

“Just what kind of mage is this!? If someone like that gets angry and goes on a rampage, they’d wipe out an entire nation!”

Wait, they went in that direction!?

“Hold on, hold on. I told you he’s still recuperating. Whatever scenario you’re imagining won’t be an issue for a while.”

“R-Right, I suppose so.”

“Ryu, I’m begging you—even when he gets better, don’t take your eyes off him.”

“O-Okay, I get it, so let go of my shoulders.”

Alice looked relieved, but Gen was gripping my shoulders with total dead-seriousness. I suppose it was true that if that legendary evil dragon went on a rampage, a nation would indeed fall quite easily.

『Ryu, don’t forget that your friend is already starting to wake up.』

Ulu’s voice chimed in for the first time in a while. I know. And when that happens, I’ll stop him as a friend. Even if it probably won’t be that simple.

“By the way, could you tell us where this friend of yours is recuperating?”

“No way. I’m not telling the Intelligence Department. You’d definitely come for an assassination.”

“We wouldn’t pick a fight with something that dangerous. We’d just put him under surveillance. We can’t afford to have a country destroyed because we provoked him.”

“Still not telling.”

He’s inside my body, after all; he isn’t in any country. Besides, was their logic that “Able to severely wound Ryu = Able to destroy a nation” really sound? I wished they’d stop talking like I could easily destroy a country myself. Defeating Azi Dahaka was only possible because of everyone’s help; if I’d been alone, I would have been dead long ago.

“Anyway, he’s not the type of guy to go near populated areas very often, so it’ll probably be fine.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Basically, he doesn’t pick fights with anyone weaker than himself.”

And with that, this conversation is closed. I’m ending the talk before I let any more secrets slip. By cutting them off so abruptly, I ended up drawing even more suspicious glares, but Azi Dahaka really isn’t the type to enjoy bullying the weak. He just genuinely loves battle, purely wanted to test his strength, and was simply too powerful.

I wondered if he’d ever regretted becoming so strong. His face at the very end had looked satisfied, though… maybe that was because of my offer to be his buddy.

No, that’s impossible. He was a battle maniac through and through.

It was a bit carefree of me to smile while remembering Azi Dahaka. …But knowing I’d be able to see him again soon, I couldn’t help but grin at the thought of our reunion.

When we stopped for another break to rest the horses, I practiced some low-level magic. The higher the tier, the harder it is to control; what’s necessary for that control is an intuitive sense for using magic from the basics up, as well as concentration.

Apparently, magic is essentially a mimicry of natural phenomena and the “Sorcery” used by “Devils.” It was a story from ancient times: a certain powerful figure summoned a Devil and made a contract for the Devil to teach “magical arts” to the sages of his kingdom. Before that, magic-users were called Spirit-Users, a term referring only to those who could form contracts with spirits.

While Spirit Magic is limited to utilizing natural phenomena, Magic includes arts like Curses and Reinforcement—techniques that directly affect the living body—which were learned from Devils. From that point on, those who could manipulate phenomena without relying on spirits came to be called mages.

The fuel required to activate that power is mana. Those born with low mana cannot use significant magic, while those with high mana can use their vast reserves to unleash massive techniques. In the end, the identity of the Devil who gave humans that knowledge remains unknown, but I imagine they were an incredible eccentric. To teach such arts to beings as weak as humans from a Devil’s perspective, they must have been either very kind-hearted or a total oddball.

Returning to the requirements for magic: besides mana, one apparently needs the knowledge of how the phenomenon occurs. Knowledge is essential for magic; a person who knows nothing cannot use it. You have to understand why fire ignites, why water gushes forth, and why the wind blows.

In the actual battle earlier, the magic that felt most natural to me was Reinforcement. Reinforcement requires a detailed understanding of an organism’s muscles, skeletal structure, and organs. It made sense for me, since my original profession was Tamer—a job that requires knowing living creatures inside and out.

However, if I were to master Reinforcement, I’d end up specializing entirely in close-quarters combat, which would probably get me labeled as a “muscle-head.” I didn’t expect to become a perfect all-rounder who could do everything, but I did want to be at least somewhat capable of long-distance combat. With that in mind, I continued my training, searching for other magic I might be suited for alongside Reinforcement.

“Aoi, how strong does Ryu have to become before he’s satisfied?”

“…That is a difficult question. Master Ryu tends to underestimate himself at times, so I suspect he may never be truly satisfied in his lifetime.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. Even his beginner magic has incredible power. Just how much mana is he pouring into those?”

“It cannot be helped, Lord Gen. Master Ryu always assumes he will be fighting enemies stronger than himself. It is only natural that he puts so much power into it.”

“Um… Ryu isn’t going to turn into a Demon King, is he?”

“It is only a guess, but I believe he may have that in his sights. Previously, Master Ryu asked me about political power; if he intends to build his own nation rather than serve ours, then at that time, perhaps…”

“I really don’t want to fight a Demon King like that, Captain.”

“Even the Lady would likely lose. He’s the kind of existence you should leave alone and just monitor from a distance.”

“Hehe. Master Ryu is truly the opposite of the Hero.”