บท 18: Things Are Looking Up
"Issei, where is Mikoto?" Ingrid asked as she placed the plate of food down upon the table before him. His shift had ended not long ago, he having been dropped off by Arisa Suzumaru as she picked up her daughters and him from work.
"Isn't he back yet?" Issei replied, looking up from his homework.
Ingrid shook her head. "He hasn't been back since he left for school. Did anything happen?" She wasn't concerned for him because Mikoto was hiding his true abilities. He was skilled and the chances of someone in Kouh proving a threat to him was slim to none. Those that could wouldn't move until they were absolutely certain that there wasn't any other threat linked to him.
A link that could lead them to her.
Not only that but Mikoto was also someone who didn't want to reveal himself either. Out of those people who could pose a threat to Mikoto, they wouldn't want to draw unnecessary attention to themselves by fighting a human of all beings.
Humans were bottom of the food chain, they were that way because of their innate inability to utilise magic. They had not been created to utilise it, but through sheer force of will and tenacity, they had developed a way to use it. However, it was nowhere near as effective or powerful as the magic used by the other supernatural races. Their magic was instinctual, intertwined within their very being. They could simply think and so long as they had the necessary magic, they could do anything.
Humans on the other hand were far different, they had to break down magic to its most basic element. Not only that, but they had to use equations and scientific formulas to use it.
It was why humans not of a Noble Family attempted to connect themselves to a supernatural race. Whether it be bitten by a Werewolf or a Vampire, blessed by a God and becoming their Avatar, joining a Devil's Peerage or working with the Church and Angels of Heaven. They didn't have premade spells that they could simply copy instead, they had to work from scratch to create their own. Those that were premade weren't all that powerful either and so, it led them to seek out power from others, even if it meant serving them.
Only a select few born with Sacred Gears were the lucky ones.
Mikoto was a skilled fighter, a dangerous figure and Ingrid could tell. He wouldn't go down easily and considering the level of the Devils and Mages within the Kouh, he would have a strong chance at winning against a few.
If he did, it would make more than few eyes look at him in interest, especially considering the high profile individuals. Each connected to people with the power of all types imaginable, and lots of it. If something happened, then even with just a fraction of that power, she would be discovered and forced to flee.
She was in a perfect position, hidden under the eyes of those powerful beings because the Heiresses didn't want their interference. For the first time in many years, she was safe. But if an incident like that happened, she would have to flee and that meant he would be able to hunt her down once more.
And Ingrid knew he would.
He never entered Kouh, but he was close by. The moment she fled he would be on her and it was the safety of hiding in plain sight that was keeping her alive. She needed Mikoto not to do something stupid, to not make a scene and cause a problem.
"Well, he was having a practice Kendo duel with Saeko Busujima from what Mio said," Issei replied, Ingrid biting her lip in frustration, unaware of the reaction that this had on the young teenager.
Yet she was frustrated and even more worried now. The Busujima Clan was one of the more dangerous families in Asia. They didn't have huge numbers, nor were they incredibly powerful. Instead, what made them dangerous was that, unlike most Noble Families, they were active seekers of combat. They didn't study magic to advance their understanding, they studied magic in order to be better killers.
She knew that Mikoto knew about her, he hadn't been subtle at all. If he told Saeko about her, then she doubted she would be able to live safely for much longer. The Busujima Heiress was allied with the Tohsaka and Matou Heiresses. Considering the treaty signed, she was also tentatively allied with the Gremory and Sitri Heiresses.
Ingrid was strong, but she wouldn't be able to survive all of them coming after her. She just hoped Mikoto didn't say anything to anyone.
-X- Line Break -X-
Bowing my head, I dropped to my knees, my body opening with cuts as Saeko rushed past me at speeds I could barely comprehend. Ever since my earlier victory, the way this duel had turned out was entirely against me.
Saeko was nothing like her canon self.
She was strong, fast, brutal and skilled. Without magic, I could beat her easily, even earlier when she just started tapping into her magical abilities. She was holding back then and I still held the advantage and after I beat her, she stopped holding back and came at me fully.
But despite all that, I couldn't help but smile widely. 'This is so much fun.' It was like fighting in the Kengan matches all over again and that despite all the moments of near death, had been the most exciting thing in my life.
This was no different.
As crazy as it was, my life being on the line like it was now made my heart pound with excitement. It was strange to imagine my old self and the person I was now. Back then, I had never been involved in fights, always being timid when it came to confrontation. Now though, confrontations like these only made me excited.
"Well, I suppose now we know what the real score is like." Saeko mocked and my smile just widened.
"I already would have killed you many times before this point, but I didn't." I turned around slowly, even using Invincible to protect myself hadn't kept me from getting severely injured.
Saeko smiled at me. "Let's not pretend that you wouldn't have anyway. Could have, would have, should have. I hold all the cards, Mikoto and you can't kill me even if you wanted to do because, without me, you can't unlock your magic as you wanted."
"Well, you've just answered something for me," I replied. "You're not giving me magic like you first said, your unlocking magic that's in me already, which means that I can do it myself."
"You really think that?" Saeko questioned, brow raised in bemusement. "Why do you think my grandfather didn't simply teach you magic? Why do you think he sent you to the Gu Ritual? Then sent you to the Inside? Why do you think he never just took you back to Kouh after you did all that and let you go out in the world on your own?"
I had no answer to any of those questions because sure, the answer had crossed my mind but the answers never came to me. For a long while, I had thought he had screwed me over or that I had failed a test along the way and he left me.
"Why did he then?"
"Because for some reason, your magic is blocked. It's not rare, but it is uncommon and my grandfather spent a great deal of our clan's resources to gain the necessary information and materials to create the very thing that would unblock it." She explained.
And then it clicked.
The reason he sent me to the Inside was a test to see if I was worthy. To see, if I deserved all those resources being spent on me and my situation. The reason he didn't take me back with him to Kouh was to take time to gather the necessary materials in order to fix my problem.
I chuckled humourlessly. "Well, do you intend to waste those precious resources after all the time your grandfather spent on me?"
"Why should I care?" She retorted. "I killed my grandfather because he was weak, and so are you. So, I'll just kill you, end this little farce and find something else to occupy my interest."
"You think you can kill me?" I questioned and Saeko smiled.
"Haven't I been beating you this entire time?"
"Who said that I was giving you my everything." Suddenly the beating of my heart rapidly increased, blood vessels all along my body bulging as my skin reddened. The blood that streamed down from my wounds increasing tenfold as a result.
I didn't care though as I shot towards Saeko whose eyes widened in shock.
-X- Line Break -X-
"A pool?" I asked, looking upon the light blue pool of water that greeted us as we entered the room. "How cliche?" I rolled my eyes, leaning against Saeko as we walked into the room. We were both injured after the battle today, me more so considering the copious amounts of cuts and the amount of blood I had lost.
Saeko on the other hand was suffering from a number of broken bones and heavy bruising. But ultimately, despite my victory today, she was in better condition than me.
At the end of the day though, a victory was a victory and if I had wanted to, Saeko would have been dead. "Whatever." She muttered before pushing me into the water. I came up moments later, spluttering in surprise and glared up at her. "Stay in there Mikoto until it's done."
"And when do I know it's done?"
"You'll figure that out very quickly." With those last words, she turned around and walked away, me watching her go before floating back in the water.
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