Dispute

"What rules?" Chiba asked obligingly.

"The rule is... keep a safe distance from Miss Ultear." The other boy looked down at him. "Miss Ultear is only interested in that face of yours. Don't get the wrong idea. Trash like you is only fit to be our toy. That's our advice to you. Got it?"

"But a coward like you probably wouldn't dare have designs on Miss Ultear anyway." The scar-faced boy burst out laughing.

"Mm, I really don't have any designs on her, so... are you done laughing?" Chiba suddenly asked with a smile.

The two boys narrowed their eyes, displeased by what Chiba had said.

When they didn't answer, Chiba asked again with a smile, "Is it funny?"

"Kid, I'm warning you, don't get too cocky!" The scar-faced boy grabbed Chiba by the collar, furious.

Chiba grabbed his hand and, in the blink of an eye, threw the scar-faced boy over his shoulder, slamming him onto the floor with a crash. Then he dusted himself off, his face still wreathed in smiles.

"You just asked if I was worthy? I am. Why wouldn't I be? Who the hell are you?"

"You!" The other boy punched straight at Chiba's forehead.

"Bang!"

The fist came rushing in, only to be caught in Chiba's hand. Chakra then erupted from his palm, and the gust it produced sent the boy flying.

"And... my dear mage, I'd like to ask... what was that stuff you put into my body just now?"

Chiba placed his foot on the scar-faced boy's back and spoke with a smile.

A chill ran through the boy's heart when he heard that. He tried to stir the special magic power he had just injected into Chiba, only to discover that he had lost contact with it. He couldn't help panicking a little.

"Did you think I didn't know your trick?" Chiba said with a smile.

He roared, "Kid, do you know who my dad is?"

The sudden question made the surroundings fall somewhat quieter.

Chiba was momentarily stunned. "Is your dad the village chief?"

"No..."

"Fuck you!" Chiba kicked him away, cursing. "Then what the hell are you acting so cocky for?!"

"Bang!"

The flimsy wooden door shattered on impact, and both boys flew out into the snow.

"You're asking for death!"

The two clambered to their feet in the snow. A cyan magic circle formed in front of the boy beside the scar-faced one, and cyan wind blades shot out one after another, attacking the cabin.

"Rumble..."

The already flimsy cabin collapsed under the wind blades' assault, turning into a pile of wood.

"Hmph! All looks and no substance, you piece of trash." Seeing the damage his wind blades had done, the boy's face filled with pride.

After all, that move was a rather impressive attack for a C-Class mage.

But at that moment, Chiba appeared on the roof of Ultear's house, holding three scrolls in one arm.

He laughed loudly. "You two morons, where are you looking?"

"Come down here if you've got the guts!" Though the boy was surprised at how Chiba had dodged, he didn't dare aim his magic at Ultear's house.

Apparently, although these two idiots were interested in Ultear, they were also afraid of how little value the girl placed on life.

If that attack landed, they might lose half their lives.

At that moment, Chiba put down the scrolls and gathered Chakra beneath his feet.

Body Flicker Technique!

In an instant, Chiba appeared in front of them and swept them both away with a heavy kick.

"I'm down. What can you do to me?" Chiba was practically amused by him.

Didn't these two have any idea where they stood? If he could beat them up once, couldn't he do it a second time?

"You!"

The two boys got up again, their faces bruised and swollen. Then they exchanged a glance, and magic circles formed in front of both their hands.

"Wind Current!"

"Fire Rain!"

A cyan magic circle and a red one formed in front of the two boys respectively. Clusters of flame appeared in the red circle, then raced toward Chiba on the fierce wind blowing from the cyan one.

Oh, combining wind and fire...

Chiba smiled.

"Fire Style! Great Fireball Technique!"

"Wind Release! Gale Palm!"

After Chiba finished the hand signs for the Great Fireball, a blazing, massive fireball spewed from his mouth. Immediately afterward, he brought his hands together, then held his palms out level. A violent wind erupted from his palms, blowing the blazing fireball forward.

The fireball swallowed the Fire Rain whole, and the wind from Gale Palm was far stronger than the wind from Wind Current.

The Great Fireball grew larger before the two boys' terrified eyes. They went limp with fear and collapsed to the ground, forgetting even to run.

But just as the Great Fireball reached them, the enormous fireball slowly shrank and disappeared.

Chiba narrowed his eyes. He knew Ultear had done it. Only her Time Magic could have guided his flames toward a future in which they went out without anyone noticing.

"What happened?" Ultear was still wearing her blue dress, as if she wasn't afraid of the cold at all.

But although she wore her hair in twin tails and looked like a little girl, she spoke in the condescending tone of a mature woman. Hearing it gave one a... mm... what was it...

A fantastic feeling...

"Miss Ultear, this kid... this kid looked down on our guild! I just said a couple of things to him, and he... he tried to beat us up!"

"That's right! We even treated him, but he doesn't care about our friendship at all!"

The two spoke through streams of tears and snot, stopping just short of clinging to Ultear's legs and crying to her. They pinned all the blame on Chiba and even made it about the guild. Their skill at putting on an act was enough to make one marvel and feel inferior.

"Is that so?" Ultear glanced at Chiba.

He shrugged, neither confirming nor denying it.

He couldn't be bothered to explain. They could say whatever they liked. Even if Ultear wanted to beat him up, she couldn't just do it because she wanted to.

However, to the astonishment of everyone present, Ultear kicked both of them more than ten meters away.

Even Chiba was stunned.

"Only trash goes running to tell on others. Go back and ask your fathers how to survive in Grimoire Heart. Friendship? That sort of thing is nothing in the face of real strength," Ultear said coldly.

"Y-yes... Miss Ultear..." The two spoke haltingly, enduring the pain.

They didn't dare show the slightest anger in their eyes, as though they wouldn't put up the slightest resistance no matter what Ultear did to them.

"Then get out of here. I'm sick of looking at you," the girl said coldly.

The two were scared out of their wits and hurriedly ran away.

"Big sis, where am I going to sleep tonight?" Chiba said, glancing at the house that had been reduced to ruins.

"Sleep in my room tonight." Ultear walked toward the house.

Chiba's mouth fell open, and he began to stammer. "B-b-b-big sis, you're not joking, are you? A man and a woman alone together, sharing a room—that's not a good idea, is it? I'm considered... um... what was it again..."

"If you dare try anything, I'll chop you up!" Ultear warned coldly.

Chiba was speechless. With how fierce you are, how would I dare try anything? My Mira is better—gentle, thoughtful, and understanding.

But... I wonder how they're doing now...