Pride or Proud

They both are going back from the hunt. They lived at a small village, Valhand. Valhand is in Valha's city region.

Everyday Nare and his sister Kire are hunting together. They always hunting because they need the money to enter the academy at Capital City Kaleo.

Valhand doesn't have a mage academy. When they already fifteen, they always left the village and went to the other city academies. That's why there aren't many young people here

"It's pretty tiring right?"

"Yes it is brother."

Everyday always the same. I always went hunting with my sister to get some money. Because we have a dream becoming the best mage in the world. But before that i need to work really really hard.

Sunlight hits my skin, it feels so hot today. Even though it was just raining yesterday. And now it's cloudy still that hot.

"It's sure is pretty hot right Kire?"

"Mhm." she wiped her sweat.

Suddenly a kid with a blue scarf appears infront of the village's front gate.

"You look like a mess, Nare."

"Ah Leo, what's up. Like always we are hunting."

Leo Crystfall, he is my bestfriend and also my rival. I think he is the strongest between us five. He can use ice and wind magic. He also have a strong elemental weapon. He is also a smart and caring person, even though sometimes he is a cold person. Well if i can say he is the perfect one in our team.

"But you look like a trash right now. You should go take a bath and today let's just take the day off."

Like always his mouth can't shut up.

"Okay okay, i know i smell like trash. Well then good bye. Let's go Kire."

"Yes brother."

After leaving Leo, Nare and Kire are going to the village's main street. They are going to sell the material they got after the hunt.

"There you go Miss Kathy, twelve wild boar skin and three elemental core."

"Eh, today you get alot of good stuff huh. Three elemental core is worth three gold coin and twelve wild boar skin is worth twenty four silver coin. That's all for today, thank you Ciguerl."

"No problem miss."

"We got a lot today brother. Usually we only got around twenty silver coin." said Kire.

"Well that's because of lucky. Today we got three elemental core from the wild boar. That's pretty rare material to get. I know that we can strengthen our elemental weapon with that. But i think we don't need to right now."

"That's because you overdo it brother. But thank God we got a lot. By the way brother, why do you act cold to Leo?"

"Why? Well it's normal between us right? I mean he is being cold towards me too."

Kire hold Nare's hand. "It's 'his' normal attitude not yours. You don't need to acting cold to anybody."

Kire stared at Nare as if begging not to do it again.

"Huh, fine fine. I mean even though we are best friend, i still hate his cold attitude. Yeah he is strong, he can do everything i can't, he is the best at doing anything. But i won't lose to him, i will not give up."

Suddenly Kire slap Nare's back. "That's not what i mean. I know he is cold, but he is a good friend." Kire's face blushed.

"Uh huh, and why's your face blushing."

"Oh oh, nothing."

"Hee really?"

Nare know that Kire likes Leo from the beginning. She like him when we were still 8, it's the first time we met Leo in Heljen. Well because of him too we can get our elemental weapon stronger.

"Let's go home then?"

"Okay brother."

It's been a tiring day, not just today but everyday. Five of us always hunting everyday to get money. Me and Kire always hunting wild boar everyday, Shone and Gina are hunting Earth Hyiena together, and Leo... i don't know how he get money but when he get money, he always get more than us.

"Damn, he's always one step ahead of me."

"What is it brother?"

"Nothing Kire. By the way, what are you going to cook for dinner?"

"How about meat pie?"

"That's it, cook that for us. Give me two portion more than yours."

"Like always huh, alright just for today brother. We can't waste our food stock for only one food."

"Yah yah i understand and starving here."

"Alright alright i'm going."

Luckily I learned the recipe from Leo. Kire smiled. Well i'm gonna make the best meat pie ever to beat Leo's meat pie.

While Kire is preparing for the food, Nare is going to the house backyard. He always practice everytime he got back from hunting. He try to expand his mana capacity. He meditated for one hour every day.

"It's windy now and not that hot anymore. What a condition is this, so relaxing." Nare closed his eyes and started to meditate.

I've done this like a hundred times, not only a hundred but a thousand time. Nare thought. I know that my weakness is mana capacity, i can't use magic too much or i will get exhausted real quick. I need to focus and relax, i know i can't beat that guy in an instant. But i believe that one day i will surpass him.

Every saturday and sunday Nare always jogging and doing lots of exercise to increasing his stamina. Every monday to friday he always hunting to train his elemental weapon skill and elemental magic skill. He know if he does that every day, he can surpass Leo.

Maybe what i think might be wrong. But i know it's not impossible to surpass him. I also have a spar with Shone every time i'm going to hut. And my record is 120 win and 119 lose. It's not a good record though, but at least not that bad. My record spar with Leo is 0 win, that's all i got. Every single time i spar with him i can't win once. He is a monster genius that is undefeated.

Well that's probably because mine is fire and his is ice. But i still don't know what if 3000 degree of fire were frozen by -3000 degree of ice who will win? I don't know and i really want to know that. But i can't use 3000 degree of fire because it's just like a plasma. That's a persona fire magic, usually a rank AAA mage or higher can use it.

'Persona' magic is can be used after they got awakened. Every student that attends magic academy is always awakened. Their rank increased and their power is getting stronger. They give awakened so our body is strong enough to be an adventurer.

Probably the leader of this country really wants to explore this world after people can't get out of the island for 300 years. The rumours said that outside of Sezezu there's a lot of magic monster. They want to exterminate them and expand Sezezu region.

But as far as i know, there are very few adventurers who return to Sezezu after they left. Don't know if the rest are dead or keep adventuring, but their condition is unknown. After people left Sezezu, the government couldn't detect them. Maybe because there is no signal.

Well for me, i didn't really care for the money. I just need money so we can go to capital in a good condition. Even though i know that they got dormitory in every magic academy, but if we want to do something else such as eating and other stuff, it cost a lot in the capital city.

I know that my power is still weak if i compare it to them. But still, i believe i can get stronger than ever. Just a little bit more training and it's all done. Besides i've got a good elemental weapon now. After three time upgrading it in Heljen and now it's stronger than ever.

I also can use water magic now after two years of training. I train water magic because i need to balance my magic. After having a big damage magic, i need to improve my defense too. I just realized that since my 100 lost to Leo. I always weak at defense even though my attack is strong, that's what he said to me. Thanks to that now i've got a better elemental weapon and water magic.

"I'm done brother." Kire shouted from the kitchen.

"Alright i'm coming."

I sat down and start to eating.

"No way! This is the best meat pie i've ever eat." Nare shouted

"Shhh you're too loud. Well thanks, it's because Leo taught me before."

"Him again huh. He can do every thing in this world, what can't he do?"

"Maybe there's something we don't know brother."

Yes, he did not tell us of his past. We still don't know his past, where he came from, where is his family or other thing. The only thing we know is that he is our friend and has the same dream as us.

"Well, from now on i'm going to be stronger than him. Not only him, every one else in this world. I'm going to surpass every one."

"Hee, i don't know whether it's your confidence or just bragging. But i believe you will become stronger." Kire smiled.

"Heheh, tomorrow let's go hunt again and tomorrow we will get at least five gold coin."

"Hm, alright!"

"Let's eat for now. I'm too hungry right now."

I believe it, nothing is impossible for me. Not just me, but every one. I believe i can be the best mage in the world, i will surpass anyone. I need to be stronger to protect my friend too. And there is no turning back this time, only one who has a goal can achieve it. And that is me.

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