章 17: Part-Time Job at Dusk

Classes once again resumed. Moonlight is also back in her seat but just like what she was doing before, she still ignores Kazuma. Kazuma is not the type to talk to her just because she was a colleague in business. If she is not comfortable with him, then he will not force himself to get close to her either.

The classes were not a bit straightforward in the afternoon as well, just like in the morning so there's no complicated homework or anything for us, giving us free time after school.

Most of the students in Kazuma's class are now going back to their own clubs as tomorrow would be the Morning Assembly and the recruitment of clubs for all students who are first years. Some students who are not in a club, go straight home or hang out with their friends. As for Kazuma, he has a job to do and he has to go back to the clubroom.

Surprisingly enough, Moonlight went to the clubroom with him. She even waited for him while he was still putting back the notebooks in his bag.

"Let's go. We still have a job to do."

Kazuma can only nod.

...

As they were on the way, Kazuma couldn't resist and decided to ask.

"You already know that we got a quest to take today?"

"Yes. As a magician, I have to always know whether there is currently trouble around. News about a new Qlipoth sighting is something that everyone should be aware of especially if it was near your location or if you are stationed near the area. That way, you can immediately respond in case things go haywire or some innocent people are involved."

"I thought minor Qlipoths are not that dangerous just yet?"

"There are minor Qlipoths that are not that dangerous. Some may play some tricks, others can make minor injuries but not major ones, but they are still signs of danger. The longer they remain in this realm, the more power they accumulate and they grow stronger in the process. The weaker they are, the sooner they should be eliminated."

Kazuma was still ready to ask more but they have arrived in the clubroom.

Inside, everyone is already present and is currently waiting for the two to arrive.

"Oh, looks like our task helpers have arrived. Good timing, we have now the intel of the Qlipoth that is reported and we also have calculated the reward as well," Voltaire announced.

"Really?"

"Yes. We will be on standby in case you two needed help. According to the intel, this Qlipoth is currently quite unstable and things can get hairy which is why we will be monitoring its movement of it in the meantime we will intervene if we find it dangerous enough for the two of you to handle," Rain explained before she snaps her fingers and a Questing Board appeared in the middle of the room.

"The Questing Board!" Kazuma exclaimed.

"Haha, surprised? It's the club's Questing Board. Compared to the personal Questing Board we all set up in our safe places, this Questing Board is more on related cases surrounding the neighboring areas of the school. You will find fewer cases here but there will be occasional quests present here that you might find perfect for you if you don't find anything good in your own questing board. The request for Qlipoth Suppression is also present here as well, so be sure to take it, yeah?" Voltaire then tear off one of the posted notices there and handed it to me.

"Since this was a shared quest, just hold the quest paper with your quest partner and pour your mana so that the quest taker will be reflected on the quest paper which will make the reward distribution much easier."

Kazuma nodded and held the paper out for Moonlight to grab. She held the edge of the paper and Kazuma noticed that she has already started pouring her mana into it so he also poured his mana as well.

"Alright, looks like the two of you are now registered to be the quest taker. Now go, find it and destroy it," Voltaire ordered.

Before Kazuma can say or do anything, Moonlight opened the window and jumped off causing Kazuma to panic.

"Ahh, wait!"

"Haha, don't worry, Moonlight is just scouting ahead. Don't worry about her, she will be there to fight with you, so go to the quest location before she gets bored and slay the Qlipoth herself," Zan chuckled.

Kazuma nodded before he left the clubroom and hurried to go out of the school premises. Because Kazuma hurried and there are fewer people in the corridors now that most of the students are either in their clubs or have left and gone back home, it was easier for him to run in the hallways.

It didn't take him long before he arrived at the location of the quest.

"A vengeful spirit form that materializes if any human who is vulnerable enough is present in the area..." Kazuma mumbled as he read the full quest information and started looking around.

Looking around, the streets that the quest location mentioned is indeed darker than the rest of the alleys he passed by. In fact, it is missing a street light, making darkness spread much faster in the area compared to those with lights present in them.

As Kazuma continues to walk on, he suddenly felt a cold chill on his skin. Kazuma might have just started this business but his sensitivity to the changes in the air has become much stronger, allowing him to perceive the new enemy.

It's a black shadow with one eye present on its large head. Without its eye open, it can easily camouflage in the dark. It tried to jump straight to Kazuma with its mouth wide open, ready to devour Kazuma.

"It's here!" Kazuma immediately hurled a fireball from his hands and hits off the black shadow.

"HISSSSSS!"

It immediately scampers off, trying to immediately go away from him.

"Get back here!" Kazuma continues to throw fireballs at the enemy.

Due to his training before, he managed to get a good grasp at minimizing his mana intake on his abilities while keeping the power he release consistent.

BANG BANG!

The black shadow easily dodges Kazuma's attacks but it went into a panic when it realized that Kazuma is not something that it can easily attack. It tried to escape and Kazuma immediately gave chase.

The shadow is agile but it was afraid of the light, evident when it jumped from a shadow near the light and when it hits, the shadow hissed before jumping to another location.

Realizing this, Kazuma hurled two fireballs and targeted one of the nearest garbage cans, nearby, toppling it over before lighting the trash in fire, cornering the black shadow. Kazuma was about to fire another when he suddenly felt his head hurts all of a sudden.

"Sh*t... my mana is out..."

Realizing this, the Qlipoth grinned and immediately tried to attack Kazuma once more. But then...

"DUCK!"

Kazuma instinctively ducked down and a very fast crescent slash flew above my head. The moment it hit the shadow, its body glows in bright light before it exploded.

"Mission Complete. Good work on cornering the Qlipoth. However, next time, don't forget to stop for a while and discuss this matter with me. We are working in the same job after all."

"But you just went off by yourself!" Kazuma explained.

"I was, but that was to scout on the movement of the Qlipoth. I wanted to talk to you about my plan and how we can use your magic to you but I didn't expect you to give chase on it. Next time, don't forget that we are working as a team and not just a one man quest."