"Axel-kun! Axel-kun! Please, pull yourself together!"
Ayaka's frantic voice acted as a tether, pulling my consciousness back to the surface. As my eyes fluttered open, her tear-streaked face was the first thing I saw. Beside her, Chizuru and Chachamaru watched with expressions of deep concern, while Evangeline stood slightly back, a look of profound satisfaction playing across her lips.
Chachazero, it seemed, was nowhere to be found.
"Hmph. So, you've returned to us," Eva remarked.
I gave a shallow nod and pushed myself up from the sofa where I'd apparently been laid out. My body felt heavy, but functional.
"Yeah," I rasped. "The Dark Magic… I've mastered it."
I took a quick glance at my status window. There, nestled among my skills, the words [Dark Magic] sat in cold, clear text.
"Axel-kun, you told us you were only going to listen to an explanation today..." Ayaka's voice trembled, and a single tear escaped, tracing a path down her cheek. "Please, don't scare us like that again."
Chizuru stood beside her, her eyes unusually misty, her silent worry radiating from her like a physical weight. Seeing them like this, I realized I'd pushed them too far. I lowered my head in a quiet apology.
"I'm sorry. But I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by."
"But still—!"
"...Calm yourself, Yukihiro Ayaka," Eva interrupted, her tone cool but firm. "Axel sought this power for a reason."
"A reason?" Ayaka asked, blinking.
"Yeah," I said, looking at them. "It's the school trip. Or rather, what comes after. There's a high probability that something is coming. Something big."
"Is that true?" Chizuru, who had been silent until now, sat on the edge of the sofa beside me. She reached out, her hand gently stroking my hair as she searched my eyes for the truth.
I couldn't hide it from her anymore. Not now. I nodded. "I'm certain of it."
"Save the domestic disputes for later," Eva cut in, her eyes sharp. "Axel, focus your mana into your arm."
I stood up, following her lead. As I concentrated, Chizuru and Ayaka gasped in unison. Glowing patterns, like frozen tongues of black flame, etched themselves across my skin—vivid and ethereal.
"Hmph. Those markings are proof enough," Eva said, nodding to herself. She looked genuinely pleased, like a master seeing their legacy take root. "But be warned. You are now the sole official successor to my innate skill, the Dark Magic. There are those among the Magister Magi who will despise you for that alone. Though… knowing you, I doubt I need to worry about them."
If they wanted to make themselves my enemies, I'd handle them accordingly. That was a problem for another day. My gaze fell to the floor, where a small pile of grey ash lay.
"What's this?"
"The remains of the scroll," Eva replied. "As I told you, that was a prototype—a one-time use experimental piece. The one that muscle-bound idiot swindled out of me was a permanent type, but this one served its purpose."
"I see." I knelt down and began gathering the fine ash. "Chachamaru, do you have something I can put this in?"
"Would this box suffice?" Chachamaru offered the ornate container that had held the scroll for centuries. It felt right—the vessel that had preserved the magic should be its final resting place.
"Eva, do you mind if I keep the box and the ashes?"
"Hmm? Oh, go ahead. They're useless to me now."
With her permission, I placed the ashes inside. Then, with a flick of my fingers, I manifested my slime tentacles.
"You're the reason I reached this level," I whispered to the remains. "Let your power become one with mine in the end. Thank you."
I allowed the slime to envelop the box, absorbing it entirely into my being. I caught a glimpse of Eva watching me; she looked strangely touched by the gesture.
"Now then," Eva said, her tone shifting back to business once the girls had finally composed themselves. "You understand the gist of Dark Magic now, don't you?"
"Yeah. You take offensive magic into your own body and fuse it with your spiritual essence."
"Exactly. Which means if you can't use offensive magic effectively, the Dark Magic is a 'pearl before swine.' It's a waste of potential."
She was right. If the core spell being absorbed was weak, the fusion would be equally pathetic.
"But," Eva continued, "your affinities are Fire, Shadow, and Summoning. Mine are Ice and Darkness. Do you see the problem?"
I nodded slowly. "Your version of Dark Magic is a custom-built system optimized for Ice and Darkness. Since those aren't my strengths, I won't be able to utilize your specific techniques to their full potential."
"Correct. Though the fundamental 'Form of the Dark Night' is an exception; it should still boost your output by about 1.5 times. It's a start."
"The Form of the Dark Night… well, it's better than nothing," I muttered. "So, in the end, I have to develop my own style of Dark Magic from scratch."
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 70 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]
Thank you so much for your support!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"