Mr. Magical Girl

Chapter 82: A Normal Day with Thunder (2)

Zzzap.

A short, ringing sound of thunder. By the time I heard it, it was already too late, but even so, I couldn’t let go of my hands.

Thud.

Feeling the shock through my skin, I swung the hammer in that direction.

Obviously, the Thunder God had already vanished long ago. There was no way I could catch up with her speed.

If I was a being at the peak of physical power, she was a being at the peak of speed.

I heightened my senses throughout my body.

There was no need to catch up. Just understanding the prelude to the attack would suffice.

My senses sharpened endlessly.

The calculation speed of acceleration increased.

I felt a sharp premonition in my left side. The unique spark of an electric user, a brief sensation to guide herself.

Turning my head quickly in that direction, I made eye contact with her, glowing yellow.

“I’ve got you.”

Zing!

Prepared in advance for this moment, flames erupted from the afterburner of the hammer as it launched.

An overwhelming acceleration, combining my strength with mechanical thrust.

As she swung her leg toward me, the large stance prevented her from avoiding the hammer.

The hammer split the air.

Unknowingly, a startled sound escaped my lips.

I confirmed it with my eyes.

Her habits. The premonition. Her combat experience. I was convinced through all my deductions that she would be there.

Zzzap.

As ominous sounds echoed, my accelerated brain realized what I had cut through was nothing.

Was it really a trap?

An electric entity that looked like her.

A trap set to electrocute me.

Zzt!

Intense electricity surged along the hammer. My entire body convulsed from the shock, and my muscles went numb.

Immediately, I circulated my mana to restore the sensations in my right hand. As the expelled mana repelled the electricity, my right hand began to move with heavy speed, and I reached out toward the empty air.

Zzap. Grab!

Two sounds rang out simultaneously.

The sensation of her in my hand.

As I twisted the stiff, matted neck, I saw the Thunder God’s figure caught in my grasp.

Her smiling face. Still shining.

“Is that all?”

Moisture evaporated as my lips rubbed together, and I posed the question to her.

As her hands were lifted, a beautiful smile appeared.

“No, I surrender.”

That’s a relief.

“Then it’s over!”

She clapped her hands in front of my nose, declaring the training was finished.

I felt like I’d made a one-sided loss.

I was bruised and battered from getting hit, and my skin felt rough from the electricity, while she was done after just one caught neck.

“Haram.

As I massaged my arms and restored my senses, she spoke up.

“How did you catch me in the end? You moved without any premonition.”

Even if she asked how…

“Feeling…? Just a sort of assurance that you would be there.”

“Is it telepathy? Why is Haram saying such impressive things lately?”

That seemed a bit different, but I thought about saying that. However, seeing her bright smile, I decided it would be pointless to mention it.

As we exchanged words about each other’s combat styles, I turned my gaze to the two young women sitting comfortably on the mat.

“Then I’ll take questions.”

Mmmm.

The dazed expressions of my two clueless students, mouths agape.

“Did you not hear me? Han Abin, Baek Sihyeon. I asked if you have any questions.”

Did calling their names shake them awake? Finally, they closed their mouths and raised their hands.

“Then, starting with Han Abin.”

“I couldn’t see anything, so I have no questions, Senior.”

This training was a total failure from the start.

…So ask again next time when I review it. Baek Sihyeon, you say something.”

“How did you track the movements of the Divine One?”

The question was way too broad.

“Ask it more precisely.”

“My future prediction can only read the Divine One’s attacks after they’ve ended. How did you swing the hammer? Oh, it was a trap, but… you still managed to catch her!”

Ah, that’s the question.

“Did the Thunder God not tell you?”

I shot a questioning look at my temporary master beside me.

“You have to figure it out for yourself. What’s the point of me telling you?”

She met my glaring gaze head-on.

“You said this was short-term training; it should be fine to give me a little help.”

“Then you should teach them directly.”

Why is she acting like this again?

I sighed and turned back to Baek Sihyeon.

“There’s something called a premonition in electric abilities.”

“You’re going to explain after all?”

Local broadcasts should stay quiet.

“Extreme electric users can attack or move at incredible speeds, but the mind can’t keep up with the body’s speed.

“I can do it.”

Shut up, local broadcasts.

“You can’t fully control it either, so there are premonitions left.”

Local broadcasts quiet down. Continuing my explanation to Baek Sihyeon.

“So, you lay conductive sparks in the places you intend to go and move there. Once you get used to it, you can do it unconsciously.”

I subtly glanced at the Thunder God, and she seemed to understand my intent, creating small sparks in front of Baek Sihyeon.

“Try to catch it.”

Listening well, Baek Sihyeon reached out.

Zap. Zap.

Two flashes lit up, and with her hand still outstretched, the Divine One, who had already moved behind her, caught her by the neck.

“Using this method, you can move consecutively twice or use it as a trap.”

Seeing the Thunder God’s quick movement, Baek Sihyeon stared blankly, then soon understood and responded.

“So, you sensed the sparks in advance and attacked?”

“Right. I ended up falling for a trap, though. This is a basic countermeasure when fighting an electric-type user.”

After that explanation, the Thunder God released Baek Sihyeon. She began mumbling to herself.

“Electric conductivity… trap… enhanced calculation… premonition…”

Zzap. Zzt.

Sparks of electricity danced around as she bit her hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Just let me be; I’ll show you something interesting.”

I probably should have expected her to mix things up and create something strange.

Knowing that, I left Baek Sihyeon to her devices and approached Han Abin to speak.

“Then, I’ll review the battle for our poor student Han Abin, who couldn’t keep up visually.”

“First, let’s feel it physically. It’ll be easier to understand if you go through what I went through.”

Kzzzip. Bang.

The Divine One’s punch cleanly landed in Han Abin’s abdomen. Without needing to say anything, the Divine One executed what needed to be done.

Sitting on the mat, I watched Han Abin float in the air.

Continuously bouncing around in the air didn’t look too bad.

Thus, the special training time for my students passed peacefully once again.

“Seems like nothing’s wrong? Hammer? I can smell the femininity from a mile away?”

A voice stopped me as I returned to my room after dinner.

“Prohibition? Haven’t seen you lately, what’ve you been up to?”

Moreover, her personality had flipped.

“Just helping out here at the branch? I was finishing up some work. Regularly bombarding these little rats.”

A faint smell of gunpowder wafted from her as she approached, giggling.

“So, what about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“About the Divine One. Haven’t you two been sleeping together for the past few weeks?”

She brought up a prickly topic.

“There wasn’t anything special involved.”

“That’s because the Hammer is a little boy. A guy who can’t do anything with a girl while he’s with her…”

Thud.

I slammed my fist against the wall, frustration bubbling up.

Did it leave an impact on the ground? I heard a crunch above me, but I ignored it, showing my inner anger as I glared at Prohibition.

“Are you trying to say something, Prohibition? Want to say we have that kind of relationship?”

With an aura intense enough to make an ordinary person faint and a murderous intent behind it, Prohibition approached me, her usual playful demeanor replaced.

“Isn’t it obvious? Those two are obviously in that kind of relationship. Didn’t nothing happen? Then someone must be the problem. Be honest, Hammer Boy.”

Her hands, twisting through the air, wrapped around my head.

“So you plan to brush it off again, right? You’re going back soon, what are you going to do about the Thunder God?”

Her firm grip was like a vice around my skull, and crazed words spilled into my ears.

“Insensitive. Fool. Blockhead. Callous. Dull. Deliberately doing this; it can’t be easy, can it? You’re just like me. Only shielding yourself with walls to forget the past and the emotions. I embrace madness while you hide behind steel.”

Her manipulation of matter itself became pressure around my mind.

Her hands, now as solid as steel, squeezed my skull from both sides.

Crack.

I heard the sound of distortion, but I shoved aside the pain to release my strength and look at her face.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. My students seem to have learned somewhat, and in time, they’ll be gone again.”

“Have you ever asked the Thunder God to leave together? Or something similar?”

When did Prohibition become someone who meddled in other people’s affairs?

“Unless the Thunder God speaks, I won’t say anything unnecessary either.”

Squeak. Crack.

The sound of metal screaming, and the sound of distortion echoed in my ears.

“I have nothing more to say, so I’ll be taking my leave. If I’m late, the Divine One will say something.”

“Thunder God. The Divine One. Dumbass.”

She lifted her broken metallic hand, unable to withstand the tremendous force, and it shattered.

As I passed by her, reattaching her severed hand to her wrist, I posed a necessary question.

“What are you going to do? Are you leaving with us?”

If she stayed, that would mean one S-Rank hero.

It seemed the potential damage would be bigger than I thought…

“Ah? I’m leaving tomorrow. I have business with the remaining Meria.”

Then I guess there won’t be any clashes here.

“Good luck then. Don’t get hurt again.”

“Thought you were going to kill me or something, what’s the deal? You gonna make an alibi? Kill me and throw my body in the Pacific Ocean?”

Her original personality returned; she was surprisingly serious just moments ago.

“Well, you’re still my friend. I also prefer not to have fewer friends.”

Though we shared this malice here, she was still a friend, no less. Even an adversary is a friend, right?

…Friend. Friend…

Was my comment unexpected? She dropped her smile and gazed at the sky with a serious expression.

Then, followed by a strange sound.

I can’t handle this. I should just leave.

Thinking so, as I tried to move my feet.

“Hammer kid! A word of advice as a friend.”

A chilling voice echoed from behind me. A coldness felt in my back.

Sharp nails gripped my cheek and began to carve into my skin.

“Tell the Thunder God. Let’s leave together.”

Even without turning back, I knew. This was ‘her.’

An existence where all emotional lines had completely vanished, embodying every power.

Why now?

The blonde hair blocked my view, as her head leaned forward from behind and locked eyes with me.

Her face upside down.

Amidst the dark veil created by her murky blonde hair, the only shining set of eyes locked onto mine.

As her face came closer, I felt something. The smell of alcohol.

Is she drinking here? What, is she serious about that?

Through her own judgment, she stabilizes her mind by drinking.

Her S-Rank technique that utilizes all her power.

But the cost isn’t cheap.

The happy memories that sustain her disappear. That is the price of this technique.

Is this event really that important?

That she would erase her past happiness just to give advice about the Divine One?

And all that for someone she’s not even close to?

“The atmosphere feels strange. I think something will happen here. I don’t know, but I know. An eerie cold is taking over my body. Even without pumping in strength like before, I’m immobile. The only thing she does is scratch my cheek with her fingers while locking eyes with me, and yet I can’t move due to the pressure.

“Perhaps, if I don’t say anything to her, I’ll regret it for a lifetime. Just like I did.”

Her eyes narrowed, and a drop of glowing liquid fell from the end of her finger.

How much time has passed?

“So, choose. Haram.”

With a light sound, she slowly began to fade away.

Maybe to avoid facing me, she turned her back.

…What a load of crap.

Shaking off her coldness, I returned to my room.

The room where the Divine One was waiting for me.

---