The event today made me baffled. I was beaten to pulp by Catmod without me making a retaliation at all. Now I know how strong Catmod is without even using magic. Although I have reached Rank 1: Mage, that was just an inferior amount of magic compared to Catmod. If that was a real battle, I would be dead by now. Luckily, it was just training. I sit on the sofa while contemplating on what happened. It was just too quick that I did not even realize I have lost against Catmod. Itazura appeared and snuggle at me like a cat. I am wondering if Itazura is a cat or a fox. She acts like a cat to me though.I smiled as I rubbed her fur. The training would continue to be like that and losing repeatedly is not an option for me. I had to win so that I can prove that I can survive the next trial. I stood up and decided to continue the sets of exercises that I have not done. If I want to beat Catmod in this meager strength of mine, I had to put strategy and train.
...
The next day, I was again challenging Catmod. This time, I did not bother going to battle without my gloves equipped. I had learned my lesson since I was busy trying to wear the gloves yesterday, I forgot to defend, ending me in defeat. This time, I hope I had a fighting chance. Just like yesterday, Catmod is quite swift. I can"t surpa.s.s his speed at all which is why I quickly adapted and decided to look for his movements and predict them. If I can"t win in speed, then win in surprise attacks and prediction.
Catmod disappears from his current location which means he will appear somewhere again. However, I did not panic and activated my mana sense.
"He is aiming in my back!"
With a quick response, I send a fireball to my back. This forced Catmod to reappear from hiding. I can see on his face the surprise.
"Interesting..." Catmod flip backward before he disappeared once again.
I activated my mana sense this time but before I could fully sense Catmod, I was struck to my leg and once again, I was down to the ground and lost. I stood up again and wipe the dust on my clothes. Catmod smiled and nodded to me.
"Not bad Kazuma, you have the initiative to predict my movements after sensing that you can"t beat me in speed. However, I think you need more practice Kazuma. You still failed again today. Feel free to battle me again tomorrow," Catmod said before he left.
"Thank you very much!" I bowed down and I have transported again back to Catmod"s lair. My strategy is still lacking. I had to revise it. What if I use my newly acquired spell? I have not practiced it too much. I should ask Moonlight and ask her help in the training.
...
Catmod is currently sipping his tea in his private area. Moonlight is sitting across Catmod also sipping tea. He smiled as he put down the teacup and adjusted the monocle on his eye.
"Kazuma has quick reflexes despite being a beginner. Beginners tend to panic in that situation for a few days but Kazuma managed to adapt to the situation. He is unique in terms of the learning process. I think he won"t need a few more months before he can bring me down," Catmod said.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.
"He is indeed unique but he has not properly used his powers and he still has confusion to himself and the new power he holds. He is still someone who needs guidance," Moonlight said before she took another sip on her teacup.
"This is the first time I have seen you so dedicated to helping someone. Usually, most beginners are easily dismissed by you when they want to get stronger. But this time, I did not expect you to be the one who will easily move to break that streak. What made you do that?" Catmod asked.
"It"s really accidental, however, during the time of the trial of Kazuma when he was in the middle of taking the Insignia, the oracle contacted me and predicted me to be part of the battle which is my presence is something important in the role. And I would not be able to escape it, as long I am in Kazuma"s side," Moonlight stated.
"Isn"t that going to result in you on moving away so that you can be saved from that prophecy?" Catmod was surprised.
"No, if I want to get the recognition of my mother, then I had to become a respectable magician. Kazuma might be able to help me show my mother that I am a worthy daughter that can inherit her legacy. And besides, Kazuma is someone who became my friend. If he is fighting, I would also be fighting. I am not going to abandon a worthy friend like him."
Catmod smirked and take back his teacup and wave his paws to fill his teacup with tea.
"I won"t be surprised, if I find out that the two of you would end up as a couple."
After hearing that, Moonlight blushes profusely but she did not refute Catmod"s claims.
...
I can"t find Moonlight around. Maybe she is busy at the moment so I decided to train somewhere else. There was an expanse of forest just near the lair of Catmod. There was a forest in which I can practice my magic. Of course, I don"t plan to practice the fire magic I have. It would cause me to burn the forest if I did. So I decided to train for the magic skill I earned. Since its a forest, a single shrub won"t hurt I guess.
I held my hand on an empty patch of land. I did not use all of my mana in the casting of magic but only a minimum amount. I don"t want to cause a ruckus again just like the last time I did. However, just as I was about to cast my magic, I sense someone else lurking nearby. With mana sense, I can easily sense that this person is not Moonlight nor Catmod in which I am already familiar with. So, who is this person then?
"Show yourself!" I quickly prepared a fireball in my hands, ready to strike whoever it was.
The shrubs were moving but it suddenly stopped. The person who is hiding disappeared. Or should I say, the guy escaped? I don"t really know. If I had the chance to know, I would be willing to know it.