Chapter 19: The Shuraba (crisis) and the Wizard

Igni: FFray? But.

Ignis memories rush back.

Who.who was that again..?

The Talcoyz Family.. Fray..?

Igni: OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! NOW I REMEMBER!! ITS MY LITTLE BROTHER!!

Fray: HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE HERE?!?! ALL YOU COULD USE WAS [FIREBALL]!! AND WHATS 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 didnt mean to hide that fact, and doesnt mean to hide it going forward.

In his mind, everyone completely underestimated [FIREBALL].

And she completely ignored Ignis little brother statement.

Thats why shes 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, Ignis preternatural instincts to want to be popular overwrote all other logical possibilities.

Fray: Y---You cant 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~~~, dont share this with anyone else, but Igni is the Wizard who broke that target that hasnt 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 LIARZ!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE SAME AS ME!!

Frenda began crying.

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

Frenda: You said you didnt have a nickname so I thought we were friendz! You didnt tell me that you broke the targetz!

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 isnt doing anything!

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

Igni: (Wh-what.)

Igni: (WHAT SHOULD I DO..?!

Igni: (THATS 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 Ill 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.

[Lets see here its this one, and this, and this one too]

[Wow, thats a lot of scars.]

[Thats right! Thats why you must avoid shurabas 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 werent 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 ISNT ANYWHEREZ!!

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 cant 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 couldnt 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 dont 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 <IGNI>.

Fray spat out the words and left the classroom.

Igni: (What.? But. I didnt 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.?

Ignis neck started hurting.

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

Elenoir: Oh my~~~, class will start~~~. Lets all go back.

Erumi: After school, well, talk. Igni. Whats, your class?

Igni: ....D.its 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?! Dont touch Sir Igni!!

Iris slaps Erumis hand away from Ignis.

Erumi: Im 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 didnt involve him.

Iris: I-is that true, Sir Igni?!

Igni: Yeah, Ill be participating. Could you come root for me?

Iris: Of course Ill be there! Sir Igni!!

Iris was easy to please.

Erumi: So, lets go.

Igni: Hey! You dont 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 dont know! ...if Im 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, its true.

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

Erumi: And you broke the target?

Igni: ....yeah, thats 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 its like that

If its 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, Erumis 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--SHES A SICK MASOCHIST?!?!?!)

<<<<>>>>

[Grandpa, arent masochists, sickos?]

SLAP!!!

[THAT WAS FAST!! YOU HAVENT EVEN SAID ANYTHING!!

[Igni, you are still young. Thats why you dont understand the wonderfulness of masochism.]

[Of course I dont! Its just gross!!

SLAP!!!!

[DONT MOCK OTHER PEOPLES TASTES!!!]

[G-GRANDPA?!]

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

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

[Whether youre a sadist or a masochist, it doesnt matter!!]

[It.doesnt..?!

[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!!]

[Im glad you understand, Igni. Im glad.]

Lucas smile looked wild to Igni..

<<<<>>>>

Erumi: Igni! Please! One more time! Shoot me one more time

Erumis voice trembles as she calls out for Igni.

Igni: ........................

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

Igni: (Its.so close!! Im so close.to understanding.!!)

Igni: I.!!

Igni shoots [FIREBALL] at Erumi.

Erumi: M.more.

Igni: (......no, I dont .understand.!!)

Igni: (NO! I cant.give up.!!)

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

Igni: (Im.going to be..popular.!! This is.just one .more step.!!!!)

Igni: Ugh!! I almost have it!! I almost get it..!!!

Erumi: Yes!! YES.!! IGNI!!! ITS SO GOOD!!!

Igni: No.I.I dont 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, Im just a 2nd rate!!)

Igni: (NO!! Im a 3rd-rate!!)

Igni: (Its 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: (Thats it.!! Thats 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?! Youre, youre 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) () -- The word itself has really changed meaning due to Otaku anime culture. The original word has the word shura () which is pretty close to the term berserker or someone who is engulfed or consumed in battles or fighting. Ba () means place. Put it together and you have a place where Shuras hang out. Thats a ****ing terrifying place. Now bring it in to the 21st century. Imagine getting caught cheating. Thats a shuraba. Youre 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.