Chapter 1
"Pulverized"
"Onii-chan, w-where wie goin...?"
His cute little sister stammered, grasping his dark hair with her little hands, she was still a baby so it doesn't hurt much.
He negligibly tightened his grip on her little feet and answered, with his gazes looking at the serenity the forest always brought, his eyes slightly drifted to Megumin who was mesmerized just like him, even living in this environment her whole life didn't change the fact that this forest is captivating for her.
"We're going to where Megumin-neechan suggested, right Megumin?"
"Yeah! We're going to the field near the river, although I was baffled why did Onii-chan bring Komekko along...?"
She said in bafflement, her voice wavered from exclamation to murmur, glancing at him in confusion.
He was, for a moment, surprised by her proclamation, is there a problem bringing Komekko along? He showed his confused complexion at Megumin, Komekko happily tried to catch the passing birds in the air.
"I mean, isn't it dangerous for a baby like her? What if the spells Yunyun cast accidentally going to where she doesn't intend to? O-Or there will be unpredicted occurrences in the middle of our voyage?"
Even if she was only 6 years old, her pronouncement is already fluent, he was impressed.
He patted her head, shifting his head to her and smiled, it was kindly replied by a blush on her face. He turned his attention to the road ahead once more and responded with an easy going attitude.
"Don't worry, none of you would get hurt as long as I'm here."
"I-It was meant for Komekko!"
A chuckle came out from his parted lips, shaking his head at her shyly attitude, the person in question just turned her head away from him. He wanted to put his hand back to his side but Megumin look at him with those big eyes of her, as if saying "You wouldn't, would you?"
...How could he resist? So he kept his hand on her hair, he acquired an earnest smile from her.
This is basically like an everyday occurrence between both of them, so it's normal for them, even for their parents!
It's all started a year ago, Megumin started acting strangely, and thus, this strange phenomenon always happened randomly whenever they talked, but it doesn't concern him nor his family members as he trusts his little sister, after all, his little sister is a genius!
That's right, learning to talk at 3 months old, walk at merely 5 months old, and could do a daily activity like normal people when she was only 1 year and a month old, his little sister is amazing, isn't she?
It's exaggerating, but it's what he and his parents saw!
Komekko was the same, but a little earlier, like 3 days earlier, but she oddly liked to crawl whenever he was home, but he didn't mind it, in fact, he actually thought it was cute.
His lips curved up slightly, recalling some memories with his little sisters, they consist more Megumin as his littlest sister was born only a year ago, still, she wasn't less than her older sister.
He caressed Komekko's head with his other hand, earning a nuzzle from her, siblings love is wonderful as always, his eyes contain warmth in them as he discreetly peeks at his sisters face.
A moment later, they have arrived at their destination, a grass field where he, Megumin and Yunyun like to play around, alongside it was a tranquil river flowing to an unknown place.
He and his little sisters spotted Yunyun in the middle of the field, she was focused on elementals on the tip of her fingers, there was a tinder, a drop of water, crackling lighting, an earth's dust and tiny swirling wind, sweat dripping down on her forehead before the five tiny elements perished, leaving nothing but irrelevant specks of light.
Yunyun was taller than Megumin but shorter than him, she was pretty shy even though she was the clan chief's daughter, in terms of talent, which is honestly unnecessary but unfortunately, it was important for the kids in his village, she was pretty good, she could completely comprehend any spells her teacher taught her in a short amount of time.
In truth, they were supposed to enter the Academy when they were at the appropriate age, which was 5 years old, but his family wasn't as prosperous as others, still, he enjoyed his free life, and he could learn whatever magic he wanted!
Magic for him was fascinating, a force attained from your own body that could even obliterate down a mountain, his heart told him to learn it constantly, like a nagging mother who wanted her children to go study, fortunately, his mother wasn't like that, she was the kindest person in the world!
He started learning magic, other than the fact that he was fascinated by it, it's a symbol of his clan, he, was of course proud to be a part of his powerful clan, at least that's what his father told him to be.
He shuddered, his father was always serious.
Anyway, the first time he saw the magic manual he 'borrowed' from his parents, he was enthralled, captivated, amazed! The first time he tried only manufactured inconsequential particles, but he felt that he was achieving something! He continually tests himself with the manual as the fundamental, the particles turned into revolving air, and it evolved into a spinning ball, a colourless sphere.
Magic, this is magic, an invisible force, a force generated from his 'core' he was 'born' with, magicians turned it into something far more formidable, far more...
Mystifying!
It called mana.
He was only a mere 4 years old back then, secretly staying up all night just to improve by little, although he had the manual, being taught and self-teach were essentially different, so the improvement he underwent was insignificant.
But people always said, "Little by little will be turned into something big."
That didn't happen to him, but something else did happen.
What it generally called? Enlightenment...? Yeah, whatever it was, he felt enlightened, in the middle of his room, when the moon was shining brightly, illuminated his room and the blackness that was covered the whole world brilliantly. The magic he trained, he diligently taught himself, the effort he put which made his growth slightly strained temporarily because of lack of sleep...
An invisible force called mana, he has turned it into something... magnificent.
He turned it into something he has been using until now, and mayb- no, certainly in the foreseeable future.
It was surprising, but not unpleasant, rather, it was stunning!
Yunyun, with her anxious personality, suddenly looks up because of her mere 'sixth sense' and saw the trio eyeing her from the distance, looks of awe, surprised, and satisfaction was staring at her.
Her body went rigid for a moment, before she saw a pair of shimmering green eyes looking at her kindly.
"How's your control, Yunyun? From the way I see it, a distinguish improvement was demonstrated just now, impressive." He moves forward, placing Komekko down and let her stand on her own, earning him a whine.
He smiled that implying an apology for her, of course, Komekko couldn't take the gesture since she was only a mere baby, so she keeps whining while hugging his legs.
"W-Waah! O-Oniichan carry! Carry oniichan!"
"How about from Nee-chan? I'm sure Nee-chan would like to carry you!"
"Nuuu...! Oniichan like! I Oniichan like!"
A glance pointed at a certain little sister, the person resisted for a moment, then with just a gesture by pointing her and himself, which was followed by a hand peace sign, she quickly picked up Komekko and sit on the bench made by Kazuma with a log he cut down, smiling suspiciously.
Komekko blinked her large eyes at her big sister, looking at her big brother from afar in resentment, before leaned on Megumin's front and fall asleep rather quickly.
Baby sometimes sleep at the most random times, at least that's what Komekko always did.
A grin etched itself on his face, the gesture means "We gonna play alone."
They often played some 'games', yeah, the games were competing which one was more superior when it came to magic intellect.
Is that simple, seriously, sounds boring but genuinely? It was fun for him!
"I made some progress on fire and wind, but the rest was inadequate to form into the shape I wanted, only dust, a drop, and lighting jumbling randomly... and the fact that it could only be achieved at this size-"
She motioned her index finger to him and a tiny fire ribbon appeared, before it exploded into fractions of colourless flash.
"-I couldn't do what you always do!"
Yunyun was pessimistic, her shoulders dropped miserably, sitting on the ground while hugging her knees, staring at Kazuma who looks at her relaxedly.
He put his right hand into the pocket of his black trousers, bringing his left arm up and pointed his index finger to the river.
He turned away from Yunyun, and said kindly.
"Watch."
The colourless, almost invisible force that took form into gentle breezes came from his core, which was precisely his heart. They neatly flow to the tip of his finger through his arm, it was condensed. It keep flowing until he was satisfied with the amount of mana he put there.
With a deep breath, he moves his left leg backwards and loud crackling lighting was heard across the field, bringing Megumin's attention, who was hugging Komekko, to him.
He closed his eyes, following the manual he read which contained a process to change the 'mana' to the desired elements.
A sphere of crackling jumbling lightings appeared, replacing the condensed mana.
The eyelids moved upwards, and he thrust his left arm forward.
He stated plainly, his eyes were focused and apathetic, concentrating on the sphere.
"Pulverize."
A flash of lighting like a salvo of creeping sunlight that exposed you when you just wake up, the girls' turned their heads barely to avoid it, but their eyes were still locked on him.
After all, it was a spell their friend/big brother has executed, they didn't want to miss its grand performance!
A blue beam, crackling lightings encircling around it, it was like a cessation beam as it shots towards the river, a rippling sound was heard as it penetrates the river's surface.
A silence, then an explosion was heard, a huge amount of water was gurgled into the air, with dead and roasted fishes following the suit, making the scene mesmerizing.
Kazuma looks up at what his 'creation' caused, smiling slightly and turned to Yunyun, who was dumbfounded, looking at the scene that just transpired...
"How?" She asked breathlessly, facing him with a look of amazement, her big eyes were shining gaily.
"Just drifted my mana into the desired spot and amend it to the elements I wanted."
"The gap between you and I is so big... too big..."
Megumin appeared beside her brother, with Komekko still in her arms and looks up at him with her widened already big eyes which filled with disbelieve.
"H-Hey! O-Onii-chan, how did you already at this degree in Magic? Did you conceal your original knowledge just so I can win sometimes...?"
She asked him sadly, her lips turned into a pout.
"You are cute, Megumin."
A hand rubbed her head, a chuckled was heard and she blushed.
"N-Not when other than our family members nearby!"
Although she hissed that out, she didn't reject the head pat her brother gives him, a slight smile was formed on his face and he replied softly.
"I'm not hiding anything, after all, knowledge and magic prowess are essentially different, although they are obviously connected someway, still, you don't have to sulk down, your wins are genuine."
"I never sulk!"
"You always did."
Megumin turned her face from him, an annoyed expression was clear on her face and refuse to continue the conservation.
He shook his head, moving his attention to Yunyun who was still blankly stared at the spot where the recent scene occurred.
"Hey Yunyun-"
"I want to ask you something Kazuma-Kun."
He raised an eyebrow at her, what's up with that?
"Will you and Megumin enter the academy if I request my father to roll you two in?"
"Uh, well, our family wasn't as prosperous as others, so we ca-"
"I-I'll take care of that!"
She stammered, gripping his hands with hers and looks at him pitifully.
"S-So, you could, right?"
A suspicious filled little sister suddenly appeared between both of them, separating their hands from each other and sceptically stared at Yunyun.
"What's your purpose asking my Onii-chan and me to enter the Academy, huh?!"
"E-Eh?! N-Nothing! It's just that I realize Kazuma-Kun was so good at magic and he said you were too! S-So you know, I-"
"Sure."
A straightforward reply was heard, they both snapped their head to the source and saw Kazuma plainly look at the breezy forest.
"I like my free life but... I wanted to try something new, so I accept your request, how about you, Megumin? Will you-"
"Of course!"
The sceptical Megumin suddenly accept the offer, simply just like that! He simply chuckled at her antics, Megumin likes to follow whatever he did, she wanted to learn magic was because of him in the first place.
"When do we start?"
Yunyun giddily smiled, staring at both of them and replying excitedly.
"Tomorrow!"