Conquering The Novel

"It's good that the sounds were suppressed by the formations placed in the alley before they were destroyed," I pondered as I surveyed the destruction caused by Mika's attack.

The whole demon colony was now eradicated, and even the camouflage formation placed in the alley was destroyed, making the destruction clearly visible.

However, it was still early in the morning and not many people were present to witness it.

"I think we should leave this place before people start gathering," Aegis stated, noticing the rising sun.

"Yeah, you're right. But before that, Aegis, did you bring the artifact that can hide the tracks?" I asked, turning toward her.

"Yes, I have it with me. I always carry it with me when I'm out with Mika, in case she causes any chaos," she replied with a sigh.

"I'm glad to hear that, so you know what to handle now then, right?" I said with a smile.

"....."

"...Tsh, You both are similar in that aspect, making my life harder by increasing my workload," she said, clicking her tongue and puffing her cheeks in annoyance before heading off to clean up the mess.

"Pftt, hahaha—"

Mika and I chuckled at Aegis's comment and saw her tapping her foot in frustration before leaving.

...

...

"So, shall we go somewhere else and chat, my disciple?" Mika said abruptly with a scary smile.

"...Shouldn't we wait for Aegis to arrive as well? She'll be really upset if we leave her alone here, don't you think?" I replied, uneasily.

"Don't worry about her, she can take care of herself. Or are you saying you want to avoid being alone with me?" Mika asked, maintaining her smile.

"...No, I'd love to spend more time with you alone. In fact, I was wondering why you brought Aegis with you here," I replied, smiling.

"I didn't want to bring her either, but she insisted on tagging along so she could deal with the aftermath.

Though I'm not really concerned with these things, she wanted me to avoid attracting the attention of that unreasonable Bitch Jessica before my fight with Tania is scheduled," Mika said, as she began to exit the alley, motioning for me to follow.

As I trailed behind Mika, I thought to myself, ' So, Mika and Tania's rematch is now inevitable, huh!'

***

We were seated at a small, cozy restaurant in a quiet corner of a bustling town.

The morning sun was shining through the windows, illuminating our table and filling the air with warmth.

I was sipping a steaming cup of tea, while Mika was enjoying her own breakfast of scrambled eggs, mushrooms, and roasted tomatoes, accompanied by crispy bacon and a freshly baked croissant.

We ate in silence, enjoying the sounds of clinking silverware and soft conversation around us as the restaurant came to life.

"So, how's your training for the tournament going?" Mika asked, breaking the silence.

"It's going well. I'm practicing the techniques you taught me every day," I replied.

"I see. I believe you'll be able to master them before the tournament," Mika said, keeping a straight face.

"Yes, I believe I have a good understanding of it now," I replied.

'What should I ask him now? Should I inquire about his studies or his friends? Or should I ask if he has a special someone in his life other than me?' Mika thought, her mind racing with possibilities.

But, Despite her internal turmoil, she kept a composed expression on her face.

!?

I noticed Mika's expression change slightly as if she was deep in thought.

"...Did Aegis tell you about Tania's proposition?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation.

There was a brief pause as Mika stopped eating.

"...Yeah, I heard she wants to teach you her martial arts," she replied.

"So, what do you think I should say to her?" I asked, still focused on my breakfast. However, I was curious as to how she will respond.

"It's a great opportunity for you to learn her renowned martial arts.

In the end, it's up to you to decide if you would like to learn from her or not.

If you do, I won't stop you. My animosity towards her doesn't involve you," Mika said, taking a moment to pause.

"…I understand, I'll think about it," I said.

However, Mika's reaction was less extreme than I expected. I thought she would cause a big scene, like what happened with Helena.

As I was thinking, the table we were sitting at started shaking violently.

Shudder—Shudder—

"What the...?" I muttered, raising my head to look at Mika. But I was met with her head down, emitting an ominous aura, and I couldn't understand the expression she was making. Her dark eyes were like a deep abyss, emotionless.

"Arghh"

Everyone in the restaurant started to exit panicked, noticing the scary aura Mika was emitting.

"...But could you wait until my fight with her, Ares?" Mika suddenly asked, raising her head with a smile on her face. The ominous aura had disappeared. And more importantly, she called me by my name which was unusual of her.

"...."

"...I haven't made a decision on whether I should learn from Tania or not, so there's no need to worry, Master.

And even If I ever decide to learn from her, I will always see you as my only Master," I replied with a smile.

This was true, as I didn't consider learning directly from Tania as of now, as I am still comprehending the techniques she uploaded on the Ytube.

"...Thank you for saying that, Ares!" Mika said, smiling brightly.

But I still didn't know why she wanted me to wait before deciding to learn from Tania until after her fight with her.

Given Mika's personality, I had a scary thought.

Gulp—

'What if she's planning to finish Tania off in that battle...'

"...."

Suddenly, I heard the door to the entrance open, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Why did you guys leave me alone there? Couldn't you have waited for me a little longer?" Aegis asked, approaching us and sitting down next to Mika.

"What's with the atmosphere? Did I come at the wrong time or something? Or do you guys now see me as a third wheel?" Aegis asked with a sly grin.

"Did you manage to cover the tracks?" Mika asked, her expression neutral.

"Of course, I took care of that before coming here," Aegis replied and ordered a coffee.

"You know, I really couldn't recognize you, Ares. Are you using a disguise artifact or that potion I received from you?" Aegis asked, turning to me with a curious expression.

"...I'm using an artifact," I replied.

"Wow, I'm impressed by its capabilities. But more importantly, I'm curious to know how Mika was able to recognize you even though you were wearing that artifact?" Aegis asked, turning to Mika.

"...I will always be able to recognize what's mine," Mika said with a straight face.

"...."

Aegis's eyes widened in surprise at Mika's statement. I, on the other hand, remained still.

We both were caught off guard by her response.

"...I mean, I will always be able to recognize people close to me, even if they're in disguise," Mika clarified with a smile after a brief pause.

"O-Oh, I see what you mean," Aegis said, quickly recovering and taking a sip of her coffee.

"...I heard from the master that the fight between her and Tania is being discussed again," I asked Aegis with an annoyed smile since she hadn't mentioned it to me during our conversation.

She used to contact me to discuss some absurd plot from the anime, but she tends to forget to tell me about vital stuff.

"Oh, did I not mention it to you? Well, It hasn't been scheduled yet. I talked to Tania's secretary, but their terms are too outrageous for us to accept. The fight will only happen if both parties agree to equal terms," Aegis explained.

"Don't you think it's too soon for this battle? It hasn't been that long since their last fight, right?" I asked, glancing at Mika who was now occupied with her phone.

'Because I still can't imagine Mika defeating Tania right now,'

"Why don't you ask her directly about her confidence in the fight? I tried to reason with her and find a solution, but I don't understand why she is so eager," Aegis also turned to look at Mika, showing her concern.

Sensing our gazes, she looked up from her phone.

"It's because if I wait even a year, Tania will have reached a level of strength where I won't even be able to touch a strand of her hair.

You know she's a chosen one, but for now, she's not in full control of her power. That's also why I was able to fight her on equal terms during our last fight.

But she's slowly getting a grasp of her power and improving every day," Mika explained, her expression serious.

'Well, Mika is right, Tania will continue to grow stronger with no rival, and eventually, she'll be fighting demon lords alongside Lucas. But...'

"...Are you confident that you'll be able to defeat her this time, Master?" I asked, looking directly into Mika's eyes.

***