Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol. 1- Novus Magus

[Revised/Edited] Episode 31: Thunder and Lightning

- "The skies shake the earth as lightning and thunder battle in the heavens"

*Lei*

I spun around, slicing the air with my right hand. I'd given Eri my wand to upgrade after we dropped Serein off. Hopefully, it would come out nice and sturdy.

The razor wind formed from my slicing created gashes in the nearby boulders.

"Tsk. Still not enough," I said, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"Brother," Yen said, leaping down from the cliff and landing next to me. Hika accompanied her as usual. "You've been at it for hours now. Look around you. It's already night. Mom's worried about you."

I shook my head. While I didn't wish to worry Mom, I wasn't where I wanted to be yet. "I'm going to stay a bit longer. Tell Mama that I'll be fine."

She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed deeply. "Why are you training this hard? The exam is already over."

I lit the darkness around us with azure sparks. "Yeah. But my true goal isn't to pass the exam. It's to become Magus Maximus." I lurched forward and punched a small boulder, shattering it with the lightning flowing out of my fist. "Besides, I'm not even sure if I passed. Just because you likely did, it didn't mean that I did."

I lurched at another boulder that Kun had made for me earlier, kicking it, and shattering it into tiny bits.

"I have to become stronger until no one can look down on me..." My hands grasped my chest as my breathing grew irregular. Ugh, not again.

"Here," Yen said, rushing over to me with an inhaler.

I slapped it away, causing it to fall into the soft sand. "I... don't... need..." I fell to one knee. "Damn..." I closed my eyes tightly and took out the inhaler that I kept in my pants pocket. Reluctantly, I pressed it against my lips and took a deep breath. Relief hit my lungs.

"You shouldn't push yourself unnecessarily, Lei!" Yen said, shaking her head.

"Your sister is right," Hika said. "You're doing more damage than good."

I gave my sister and Hika a thin smile. "Pushing one's limits is a part of being a mage. The strong don't gain strength by simply repeating the same exact thing."

She curled her hands into fists and backed away from me. "I see..." She turned her back to me. "That's true. But those who go too far find their lives ruined, or worse."

I stared at my bleeding hands. "I won't..."

"What makes you think that you're different from others?" she snapped, walking back over to me. She grabbed me by the collar of my shirt. "Do you have a death wish? Eh? Well I won't allow you to leave me like Kun did!"

I averted my gaze and didn't speak another word.

"Yen, you're going to hurt him," Hika said, putting a hand over her clenched fist.

Yen let out a frustrated grunt. She let go of me, dropping me into the beach.

"Here," Hika said, holding out a hand to me.

"Leave the kid alone," Yen said, walking away.

Hika looked at her. "But..."

"You two arguing?" a familiar voice called out. The three of us glanced up at the hill and saw 'Nuk' sitting on the edge of the cliff.

Hikaru narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"

The strange young man snickered. "Just trying to have a friendly chat is all." He jumped down, and glanced at us with his glowing turquoise eyes as wind danced around him. "Lei. Don't push yourself too hard or you'll be exhausted when the time for our proper match comes."