The beautiful piano ballad filled the school walls, dancing in harmony as thunderous lightning flooded the outside world.
My hands traced brushstrokes that imbued the little keys with an endless stream of notes that evoked magic. Blending in the lightning while directing the scene’s climax… or so it seemed, but, nah, minor details.
The point is that my relentless training to orchestrate the song of storms paid off.
“HAHAHAHA! MAGIC!” I shouted, speeding up the rhythm of my fingers and feeling the heat of the magic seep into my bones.
And you might be wondering: how did I come to master humanity’s forbidden arts? For that, we’ll have to go back to my childhood.
Magic, one of the world’s most debated mysteries since the dawn of time, has been the subject of countless attempts to unravel its secrets.
Many have failed spectacularly and fallen into the depths of mediocrity because they were unfit to wield it.
Poor souls: magic is the destiny of a select few, the ultimate tool for correcting the horrible script called reality—and that’s where I come in.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by those characters who pull the strings of fate while acting like disposable mediocrities that no one cares about.
My dream is to become the laborer of reality, shattering the boundaries of space-time to weave the invisible webs that will cover the universe… And as if existence had heard my prayers, it granted me exactly that.
At the age of ten, I was in the middle of my morning exercises to become the phantom of the opera—the one who will redefine the laws of choreography—when traces of lightning mana materialized on my arms.
A small amount of magic was enough to numb my entire body.
Many ignorant people mistake it for a simple cramp, but it’s a test from the universe to see if I’m worthy… Yes, yes, there’s no doubt that my theories are getting closer and closer to achieving it.
I walked through the long hallways of the silent school, maintaining a relaxed posture, with a face you’d forget three seconds after seeing it: the perfect backdrop for my secret identity.
“See you later, Ban-kun,” said a girl, holding a folding umbrella as she stepped out of the building.
This is fate’s first test to see if I have what it takes to be the mastermind pulling the strings of the script.
Rin Hoshino. The quintessential female lead: popular, a model, and surrounded by a suspicious number of plot-driving events. Just the kind of person a competent NPC should stay away from.
“See you later, Rem-san,” I replied, opening the umbrella I was holding.
“It’s not Rem, it’s Rin. How many more times are you going to get my name wrong when we’ve been sitting next to each other for two years?” she grumbled, furrowing her brow slightly.
That’s strange… I’m sure I memorized the main characters’ names.
No… it must be the magic manifesting; I can feel it. My blurred vision is showing the first signs, accompanied by a sharp pain in my muscles—proof that they’re getting stronger.
Wait, this is bad. If a little bit escapes, my cover as an extra will be blown.
I walked quickly toward the exit, splashing the muddy water that had clung to my uniform.
I paused for a few seconds before saying goodbye to the girl so as not to arouse suspicion due to the magical interference that’s messing with the main cast’s names.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“See you later, Ram-san,” I said, ignoring the strange voice calling out to me, as it was swallowed up by the heavy downpour.
I wonder: what will serve as the catalyst to unleash my magic? Right now, my magical power is only one-tenth of what it should be… No, one-hundredth.
I think I read in some novel that meditation helps… Bah! One step at a time; when I get back, I’ll meditate all night on the rooftop of my apartment to get in harmony with nature’s ambient mana.
My footsteps came to an abrupt halt as I remembered something I’d overlooked all this time…
I left my cell phone in the rehearsal room; yes, it’s definitely magic.
My soul seems to have transcended during the rehearsal, completely forgetting the mundane affairs of the earthly plane.
It didn’t take me long to make out the school in the distance, nestled among some buildings.
My clothes clung to my skin, constantly dripping with the water that had soaked them ever since I put away my umbrella.
This is my training to connect with the translucent energy of the ocean, purging the impurities from my body with every splash and accelerating the flow of mana through my bones.
***
Plop, plop.
The rain seems never-ending... I think I should have taken a limo instead of waiting for that idiot. Hm.
My parents have always treated me with respect; why are you so different from them, even though you’re so normal?
My name is always at the top of exam scores, my magazines are among the most talked-about topics in the news, and I even get influential figures to fawn over me… so what the hell is wrong with this particular person?
I exhaled a slight puff of cold air as I adjusted my umbrella.
He must be nervous… Yeah, that must be it; there’s no one who doesn’t like me. I’m sure his tongue is tied because he’s shy.
I clenched my fists with determination and set myself a new goal.
Tomorrow I’ll make you call me by my name. Let’s see how long you can keep it a secret, fufufu.
My thoughts came to an abrupt halt when I caught a glimpse of a shadow behind the streetlights, which sent a strange wave of dread through me as I considered the possibilities.
It didn’t take me long to turn around, but unfortunately…
“Why are you in such a hurry, sweetheart? Come with me—I’m sure you’ll have a great time,” said the muscular man, looking at me with a lecherous expression as he grabbed my arm.
“Let go of me!” I demanded immediately, trying to break free from his strong grip.
I could feel my arm going numb with every passing second.
Finally, I decided to throw the bag slung over my shoulder straight at his hideous face.
“Damn you!” he growled in pain, shoving me against the wall behind me and knocking the wind out of me.
I felt my consciousness fading with every passing second, under the cold of the storm that relentlessly pelted my soft skin.
This can’t end like this… I haven’t succeeded yet… I haven’t made him say my name yet. I have to escape! Help me, Ban-kun!
Plas, plas, plas!
The rhythmic echo of splashing footsteps halted the struggle for a few moments, allowing me to catch my breath and take a look at the newcomer.
His face was covered by a dark mask that completely hid his features, revealing only his black eyes, but what surprised me most…
Is he a student at my high school? Why is he wearing our school’s exclusive uniform? Maybe he’s a member of my fan club. Wait… Isn’t he at a disadvantage? I tried to warn him, but the muscular man cut me off.
“Who the hell are you?!” he asked furiously.
Phew, that’s good: it seems he doesn’t recognize our school uniform. We still have a chance to escape if we play our cards right.
“Me? I’m just a ghost who judges the evils of the world, and you…”—he started walking toward us as if the situation weren’t bad enough already—“You’re nothing more than a stepping stone to my greatness.”
He’s an idiot. Who in their right mind would dive headfirst into a fight like this? I can’t let that fool go straight to the guillotine because of me.
“Ahem, ahem, run! Don’t worry, I’ve got this!” I tried to dissuade the clueless kid who didn’t seem to realize what he was getting himself into.
***
Huh? Isn't that Emilia? No, no, don't worry about that. It's been a while since I've faced an opponent, which has held back my dazzling combat techniques. Well, you'll be my last opponent as a mortal before I ascend to a higher plane.
The man threw a punch at my face, exposing his nearly nonexistent combat experience in the face of such… such.
“Mediocre!”
I shifted my center of gravity a few centimeters downward and landed a spinning kick on his chin.
The man struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from the corners of his mouth.
“I’ll kill you!” the poor man shouted as he lunged straight at me.
Today’s villains are on the decline; in the old days, we used to wage truly bloody battles, worthy of someone chosen by fate. Now all they know how to do is throw punches while shouting that they’re going to throw a punch. Does that make any sense?
A true attack doesn’t need to be announced to leave its mark; its very existence will be etched into people’s minds as if it were a divine decree.
Huh? Why is the antagonist lying there like a dead dog on the side of the road?
I see… this must be the henchman of the real mastermind behind all this. I’ll track him down as soon as I activate my magical detection. Now…
“Wait! Who are you?” the girl shouted.
I turned around slowly, strands of wet black hair falling over my mask.
I’d rehearsed this scene thousands of times. Even the world has come to my aid, turning on a couple of lights right in front of us.
“I am…”—the sound of a car horn drowned out my voice.
BOOM!