Chapter 19: The “Shuraba” (crisis) and the Wizard

Igni: “F—Fray…? But…….”

Igni’s memories rush back.

Who….who was that again…..?

The Talcoyz Family….. Fray……..?

Igni: “OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! NOW I REMEMBER!! IT’S MY LITTLE BROTHER!!”

Fray: “HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE HERE?!?! ALL YOU COULD USE WAS [FIREBALL]!! AND WHAT’S WITH THAT REACTION!!!!”

Even Igni broke character at this moment.

Elenoir: “Oh wow~~~ Igni, so you can only use [FIREBALL]?”

Igni: “Uh, yes.”

Ms. Elenoir was still smiling jovially as she spoke to Igni.

Igni didn’t mean to hide that fact, and doesn’t mean to hide it going forward.

In his mind, everyone completely underestimated [FIREBALL].

And she completely ignored Igni’s “little brother” statement.

That’s why she’s the teacher.

Erumi suddenly looked up from her sleep.

She stared intently at Igni without blinking.

Igni: (Oh no! She must be falling in love with me!!)

Even in moments like these, Igni’s preternatural instincts to want to be popular overwrote all other logical possibilities.

Fray: “Y---You can’t be serious?! What kind of loophole did you use?! WAIT!! …..Did you….DID YOU ASK LUCAS AND FORCED THEM TO ENROLL YOU?!?!?” Igni: “I PASSED THE TEST AND ENROLLED NORMALLY, IDIOT!!”

Elenoir: “Everyone~~~, don’t share this with anyone else, but Igni is the Wizard who broke that ‘target’ that hasn’t been broken in 45 years~~~”

Fray: “....he broke….the ‘target’......?”

As Elenoir spoke, Fray raises a suspicious brow as he contemplates her words.

Frenda: “I---IGNI, YOU LIAR’Z!!” I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE SAME AS ME!!”

Frenda began crying.

Igni: “Wait, Miss Frenda, what are you talking about?!”

Frenda: “You said you didn’t have a nickname so I thought we were friend’z! You didn’t tell me that you broke the target’z!”

Igni: (......what am I supposed to do in this situation?!)

My little brother who seems intent on antagonizing me.

The girl with not enough sleep who is now staring at me without saying a word.

And my athletic upperclassman who is now crying because of me, and the teacher isn’t doing anything…!

This must be….what they call a *shuraba (crisis)...!

Igni: (Wh-what….)

Igni: (WHAT SHOULD I DO…..?!”

Igni: (THAT’S RIGHT!!)

Igni: (THINK, IGNI, THINK!! SEARCH YOUR PAST!!)

Igni: (THERE MUST BE A HINT SOMEWHERE…..?!?!)

<<<<>>>>

[Oye, Igni]

[What, grandpa?]

[When you do get popular, there will be an unavoidable path you must take]

[?]

[That is “SHURABA” (crisis)]

[“Shuraba”.....?!]

[Yes... those women you attracted will now go to war over you….]

[WOW! Really?! You think I’ll get there one day?!]

[I was stabbed because of it.]

[Huh?]

[Look here, I still have the scar.]

Saying so, Lucas rolls up his shirt.

There, his body was riddled with numerous scars.

[Let’s see here… it’s this one, and this, and this one too]

[Wow, that’s a lot of scars….]

[That’s right! That’s why you must avoid “shuraba”s at all costs…..!! You must promise me this, Igni!!]

[But...what if it happens…?! What should I do then, grandpa?!]

[You must run away]

[.....okay grandpa. I understand. But grandpa…?]

[Yeah?]

[Those scars. They weren’t from dragon claws, huh…]

[......no...]

<<<<>>>>

Igni: (WAIT! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WISDOM TO GET THROUGH THIS SITUATION?!?!)

Igni searched his past, but all he could find was a warning to run - to run as far and as fast as he could.

And even worse, now that they are all participating in the “Tournament,” they cannot avoid seeing each other again in the future….!!

And as Igni struggles with his internal monologue…

Frenda: “UWAAAAAANNN!! (sfx crying) MY…..!! MY FRIEND ISN’T ANYWHERE’Z!!”

And Frenda ran from the room crying.

Igni: “Miss Frenda!! Excuse me!! I need to go after her!!”

Popularity Rule No. 7

--Always chase after girls if they run from you crying.

And Igni tried to escape, but…

GYUMU (sfx squeeze), he was grabbed by the back collar of his shirt.

“No, you can’t go. I have something I need to ask you.”

Igni: “E---Miss Erumi…?!”

Erumi vanished from her seat only to appear next to Igni and had him by the neck. Now, Igni couldn’t chase after Frenda.

Igni: (OH NO?! AM I ABOUT TO BE STABBED?!)

Igni alone thought he was in the midst of a “Shuraba”.

Fray: “Hmph. I see. I don’t know what you did or how you got here but… if Igni is entering the ‘Tournament’ then my feelings have changed.”

Fray takes a deep breath as if he was able to digest something finally.

Fray: “At the ‘Tournament’, there will be many people watching, and I will crush you in front of everyone <IG•NI>.”

Fray spat out the words and left the classroom.

Igni: (What….? But…. I didn’t even say anything…)

Igni: (Was he upset that I completely forgot about him…?)

Igni: “Oh, um… Miss Erumi? If you have something you want to ask, could you please hurry it up and ask me already….?”

Igni’s neck started hurting.

But at that point, the school bell rang to signal the end of lunch.

Elenoir: “Oh my~~~, class will start~~~. Let’s all go back.”

Erumi: “After school, we’ll, talk. Igni. What’s, your class?”

Igni: “....D….it’s D.”

Erumi: “Understood. Wait for me.”

Igni: (.....My Popularity Fest must have seriously begun…)

Igni got a little excited.

Elenoir: “And wow~~~”

Igni: “Yes, Ms. Elenoir?”

Elenoir: “This year, everyone is getting along so well~~~”

Igni: (...uh… how?)

But Igni decided to keep his comment to himself.

<<<<>>>>

Erumi: “Igni, found you.”

As soon as class was over, Erumi invaded the Class D classroom.

Her light cream-colored hair really stood out.

Igni: “Miss… Erumi….?”

Erumi: “Just Erumi. Follow me.”

Iris: “Hey! Wh--?! Who are you?! Don’t touch Sir Igni!!”

Iris slaps Erumi’s hand away from Igni’s.

Erumi: “I’m going to the ‘Magic Gladiators Tournament.’ With Igni. Who are you?”

Iris: “...huh?”

Iris froze.

Igni: (So that was the official name of the “Tournament”)

And Igni makes note as if this didn’t involve him.

Iris: “I-is that true, Sir Igni?!”

Igni: “Yeah, I’ll be participating. Could you come root for me?”

Iris: “Of course I’ll be there! Sir Igni!!”

Iris was easy to please.

Erumi: “So, let’s go.”

Igni: “Hey! You don’t have to grab me by the scruff of my neck…!!”

And Erumi continues to pull and drag Igni as she pleases.

Yoori: “Igni~! What time will you get back~?”

Igni: “I-I don’t know!...if I’m not back earlier, just start eating without me….!”

Igni leaves a message to Yoori like a husband having to work late at his job, and Igni and Erumi arrive at the practice field.

Igni: “What is it that you wanted to ask me…?”

Erumi: “Is it true that you can only use [FIREBALL]?”

Igni: “Yeah, it’s true.”

Around them were other girls who were seriously training their skills after school.

Erumi: “And you broke the ‘target’?”

Igni: “....yeah, that’s true too.”

Erumi: “I want you to hit me with the same spell.”

Igni: “.....excuse me?”

Igni: (What is she saying all of a sudden?)

Erumi: “I said, I want you to hit me with that spell.”

Igni: “....um...why?”

Erumi: “I want to know how far my spell can go.”

Igni: “Oh, so it’s like that…”

If it’s about testing your limits, Igni understands that feeling.

Erumi: “I am Erumi ‘The Warped’. Strike me with everything you got.”

Igni: “.....okay.”

Igni points his forefinger at Erumi and creates two [FIREBALL]s.

In front is the hard [FIREBALL].

Behind is the soft [FIREBALL].

Igni: “FLAME ARMOR - IGNITE]”

And he concentrates his magic and exponentially increases its power.

Igni: “LAUNCH - FIRE]!!!!”

DODOOON!!! (sfx two blasts exploding)

The wind blows in all directions from the impact.

At that moment, all the girls training look up and focus on Igni and Erumi.

Erumi: “.........amazing…. Igni….!”

From the swirling winds, Erumi’s voice shakes and quivers.

Erumi: “It…..it feels good…..!! Igni!!”

When the flames disperse, there was only Erumi standing there with pure ecstasy in her expression.

Erumi: “Hit me...again….!!”

Igni: “......huh?”

Erumi: “SHOOT ME!! SHOOT ME AGAIN!!”

Igni: (SH--SH--SHE’S A SICK MASOCHIST?!?!?!)

<<<<>>>>

[Grandpa, aren’t masochists, sickos?]

SLAP!!!

[THAT WAS FAST!! YOU HAVEN’T EVEN SAID ANYTHING!!”

[Igni, you are still young. That’s why you don’t understand the wonderfulness of masochism.]

[Of course I don’t! It’s just gross!!”

SLAP!!!!

[DON’T MOCK OTHER PEOPLE’S TASTES!!!]

[G-GRANDPA?!]

[EVERYONE HAS THEIR PREFERENCE!! EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT!! AND DIFFERENT, IS GOOD!!!]

[E--everyone...is different, and different….is good…?!]

[Whether you’re a sadist or a masochist, it doesn’t matter!!]

[It….doesn’t…..?!”

[YES!! WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO ACCEPT IT ALL, THEN YOU CAN TRULY BE MEASURED AS A MAN!!”

[I...I get it now…. I get, grandpa!! I was wrong!!]

[I’m glad you understand, Igni. I’m glad….]

Lucas’ smile looked wild to Igni..

<<<<>>>>

Erumi: “Igni! Please! One more time! Shoot me one more time ♥”

Erumi’s voice trembles as she calls out for Igni.

Igni: “........................”

Igni: (I…. I think I can almost…..understand….!!)

Igni: (It’s….so close!! I’m so close….to understanding….!!)

Igni: “I….!!”

Igni shoots [FIREBALL] at Erumi.

Erumi: “M….more….♥”

Igni: (......no, I don’t ….understand….!!)

Igni: (NO! I can’t….give up….!!)

Igni: (I need to….I need to grasp it….but grasp what?!)

Igni: (I’m….going to be…..popular….!! This is….just one ….more step….!!!!)

Igni: “Ugh…!! I almost have it…!! I almost get it…..!!!”

Erumi: “Yes…!! YES….!! IGNI!!! IT’S SO GOOD!!!”

Igni: “No….I….I don’t get it….”

Erumi: “Once more ♥”

Igni: “OH!!”

Igni: (I see it…!! The stairway to glory…!!!)

Igni: (So….so that was it…..!!)

Igni: (If I feel disgust towards a masochist, I’m just a 2nd rate…!!)

Igni: (NO!! I’m a 3rd-rate…!!)

Igni: (It’s easy to fall in love with a masochist….!!)

Igni: (SO EASY….!!)

Igni: (I JUST HAVE TO BECOME A SADIST….!!!!!)

Igni: (I MUST AWAKEN MY INNER CRUELTY….!!!!!!)

Igni: (That’s it….!! That’s all I have to do….!!!!)

Igni: (LOOK, IGNI!! HOW CUTE THAT MASOCHIST IS….!!!!)

Igni: (LOOK AT THAT EXPRESSION FULL OF ANTICIPATION FOR ME TO DELIVER PAIN….!!)

Erumi: “I-Igni……?! You’re, you’re magic is getting so refined….!!!!”

Igni: “I understand…..!!! I GET IT NOW……!!!!!”

THANK YOU, GRANDPA!!!!

THANK YOU, ERUMI!!!!

That day, Igni took one step forward as a man, as a Wizard!

And at the same moment, he also lost something he could not express in words.

{{As did the translator… ＿|￣|○ }}

**********************

CHONKY NOTES

**********************

*Crisis (shuraba) (修羅場) -- The word itself has really changed meaning due to Otaku anime culture. The original word has the word “shura” (修羅) which is pretty close to the term berserker or someone who is engulfed or consumed in battles or fighting. “Ba” (場) means place. Put it together and you have a place where Shura’s hang out. That’s a ****ing terrifying place. Now bring it in to the 21st century. Imagine getting caught cheating. That’s a “shuraba.” You’re going through a “shuraba” at that moment because your relationship is in “crisis.” Any really intense situations where you feel your life is on the line could be considered a “shuraba.”