Narrator POV
After taking Revchi back to the capital, (Y/n) handed him over to the authorities and went back to her room in the castle where Magic emperor/Wizard king resides.
She had acquired her very own Grimoire and proudly displayed it to Julius, who couldn't contain his curiosity and eagerly asked her to reveal the Grimoire she had received.
As fascinated as he was by the various magic types and spells, he wanted her to commence her training in order to gain proficiency in performing her spells.
The magic knights entrance exam was coming in six months, although she doesn't need to participate since all the Magic knights Captains had already approved her worthy to be a Magic knight, and top of that, her foster father, Julius, is the current Wizard King.
She can choose any squad she wants to join. All the magic knight Captains offered her to join their squads and they tried to please her, including the captain of golden dawn and black bulls. But she excused herself because she was still training and told them she wasn't ready to join the magic knights yet.
They accepted her excuse and gave her six months' time to train herself. So, she spent most of her time in training with Yami Sukehiro or Mereoleona Vermillion.
While on her way to the Vermilion house, she often encountered the young Vermilion sibling, Leopold. Occasionally, William Vangeance, the Captain of the Golden Dawn squad, would pass by and personally pay her a visit.
While the house of Silva was still in the dark about her identity, except the Captain of the Silver eagles, Nozel Silva.
-Two months later-
(Y/n) was training with Yami Sukehiro in the backyard, where they had a spacious training area set up behind the castle.
"Fire creation magic: Twin Blades of Fire!"
A pair of dual swords made of crackling flames formed on both of her palms as she gripped them tightly and narrowed her eyes at Yami.
Yami looked at her exhausted state and sighed as a puff of smoke escaped his mouth. "You're not going to give up today, aren't ya kid?"
"Nope! I'm going to exceed my limits today!" (Y/n) declared, sweat trickling down the sides of her face.
He exhaled another plume of smoke, then removed the cigarette from his lips and gazed down at (Y/n) with a stern expression.
"Look Firecracker, you're tired and running out of mana, I suggest you take a break-"
"Not happening!" She exclaimed interjecting him. (Y/n) was standing few meters away from Yami. She took her fighting stance, ready to attack.
Yami smirked drawing out his katana as the blade engulfed in dark mana. "Fine then. Show me what you got Kid!" He charged at her with speed, and she did the same.
They were about to clash when a transmission mage pops out of nowhere in a screen between them. "(Y/n)! Julius-sama wants to see you-Wahh?! Hey STOP!!"
(Y/n) and Yami abruptly skidded to a halt right in front of the screen. "What do you think you're doing Mushroom-head?!" Yami snapped in anger.
"Yeah! You interrupted our battle! I was about to surpass my limits and finish this with my final blow!"
"I'm sorry young miss but something came up and you are needed in the office." The blue mushroom-head spoke, totally ignoring Yami.
"Oi! Don't get cocky and ignore me!" Yami exclaimed as an irk mark appeared over his forehead.
Marx quickly turned to look at him and apologized in fear then turned to look back at (Y/n) who sighed in defeat. "Okay, I'll be there." She groaned.
"Guess you have to wait before you surpass your limits. Haha! You still have a long way to go if you want to defeat me kid." He ruffled her hair.
She pouted and jerked his large hand away. "Don't mess my hair! geez. I was about to defeat you!"
"Nope, you were nowhere near defeating me, kid."
She grunted and punched him in the arm which was like a pat to Yami. "Stop calling me that! I'm not a little weak kid anymore."
"Alright, Firecracker. Now go back before this mushroom-head start lecturing you."
Marx tensed up when he heard his nickname, his eye twitching in response. (Y/n) couldn't help but sport a grin at his reaction, prompting him to scowl at her, which in turn made her burst into laughter.
Marx couldn't help but sigh, when (Y/n) stopped laughing, she waved a goodbye to Yami and headed back to the castle. With the sun setting in the background, she strolled through the corridors, eventually turning a corner and proceeding directly to Julius' office.
She knocked for twice before entering. She saw him sitting behind a pile of papers. He took a glance at her, and his eyes sparkled with glee.
"Ah! My little Firecracker is here! There's a task for you requested by Mereoleona. She wanted to take you on her mission."
She tilted her head to the side slightly. "Can I ask Why?" and she crossed her arms.
"Well, she said that you'll be going on a trial to pull out a Monster that's eating other monsters. Locals nearby said that the creature often came out of its hideout and lured away the other monsters who trampled over their path and scares them."
"I see. . ." she spoke thoughtfully. "Then I'll be heading out tomorrow."
"Okay, she will be waiting for you outside of the Crimson lions base." Julius told her while sitting on his seat.
(Y/n) nodded then turned around to leave. "Wait. It will be challenging. Are you sure you want to go?"
She paused on her tracks. "Yup. After all, I know it will be a part of my training, And I'm not going to back down from a challenge."
Julius smiled proudly that she didn't notice since her back was facing him. "You're starting to sound more like your parents now." She heard him mumbled.
She smiled sadly, "I know." She mumbled lowly that he didn't hear. "Anyways!" She chirped instantly changing the mood as she stretched her arms and turned to look at him.
"I'm tired. I'm going to sleep now. See ya tomorrow, old man. *yawn* good night."
"Be careful out there on your mission tomorrow, and good night little Firecracker."
she nodded once more then left his office and went back to her room. She quickly took a hot shower and wore her nightgown before throwing herself on her king size bed.
She dozed off into a world of dreams in few seconds.
- Next Day -
She headed out to the crimson lions' base after having her breakfast since Marx lectured her about taking more nutrients because she's still growing.
She met Mereoleona and Leopold who were waiting for her outside. "Hey. (Y/n)-Ojo! Are you here to join our squad??" Leo exclaimed only to earn a punch on head by his elder sister.
"You ready for the mission? Take your broom, we're heading out now." Said Mereoleona with a stern expression.
"I want to go as well but Nii-sama forbid me to go. I don't understand why she chose you to go on a dangerous mission like this?" Leopold complained while rubbing the top of his head then crossed his arms puffing his cheeks.
(Y/n) chuckled at his whining. "Maybe I'm more reliable?" She teased and snickered at his reaction.
"That's not fair!" He exclaimed then looked away pouting like a child.
"Aww~ You're always childish and cute like a little kitten you are." She patted his head that made him blush.
He quickly averted his gaze in embarrassment, attempting to conceal the blush creeping onto his cheeks. Leopold had developed a crush on her ever since he first laid eyes on her during a training session with Fuegoleon, and sometimes alone in the training grounds. He had become somewhat infatuated with her.
"Come on kiddo! We're leaving!" Mereoleona called out, already floating on her broom.
"Hai!" (Y/n) replied then waved a goodbye before she mounted on her broom and went with Mereoleona.
Leopold stared her admiringly until she was out of his sight.
- - -
An hour of ride later, they reached their destination and started exploring the magma bursting from the ultime-volcano mountain that leads to underground caves where the natural hot mana was much more condense than outside the volcano.
Mereoleona had no problem walking down the caves but (Y/n) was having a hard time to adjust to the temperature and keeping her mana skin through such atmosphere.
She learned about mana zone and how to produce the mana skin from Mereoleona.
"what's wrong, Firecracker? Tired already? Or the heat is getting into your skin? Hahaha!" Mereoleona teased walking ahead of (Y/n).
"Nah! I'm fine. Just adapting the intensity of new atmosphere." She replied bluntly dragging her feet behind the wild lioness.
"The mana is more condensed here. Perfect for meditate your mana expansion and training. I'm sure there's a hot spring down there. Since this is your first-time walking into the depth of ultime underground caves, we'll take a break at the hot spring. How's that?"
(Y/n) shrugged and caught up with her. "Sounds like a plan."
Mereoleona smirked glancing down at her then pointed at the two opposing openings. "You check that way, if anything happens, then just press this communicator. You don't have to worry because I'll be right behind your heels."
(Y/n) snickered glancing at her, "Who's the one worrying here anyways?" She retorts making her chuckle then flicked her forehead. "You're starting to sound like someone I knew. Now get going, brat."
(Y/n) pouted, her hand gently rubbing her forehead. She had the urge to ask who? but decided to dismiss it, went the other way.
(Y/n) often came to this ultime-volcano mountain trail for training but she never got down the depth where the intensity of molten lava and concentrative mana are on a high level.
The path down the caves were quiet, yet eerie with no sign of any existence. She looked around the caves and noticed some kind of patterns imprinted on the stone wall.
She squinted her eyes to take a closer look but suddenly a sticky substance caught her. "Ugh! What the hell is this?" She looked around and spotted a giant spider hanging upside down above her.
Its red eyes glaring at her small body as if she was a fly. (Y/n)'s face paled after looking up at the giant predator. "Oookay. . . that was unexpected." She muttered then glared back at the creature.
"So, you are the monster that eats other monsters that lived here? You made them homeless and now they crept out of their habitats and scares people."
The giant creature landed on the ground with a loud thump trying to scare her, but she smirked confidently and freed herself from its sticky web as she burned down the threads.
"Bring it on!" (Y/n) exclaimed, her grimoire automatically floated out of her satchel and opened, flipping through pages.
"Fire magic: Shooting meteors!"
Multiple balls of fire appeared and shot down the giant spider who tried to dodge and barely blocked them. The creature got angry as it screeched making (Y/n) to cover her ears.
"Oops?" She muttered before she was thrown into a wall where some inscriptions were written. It glowed and the secret passage was drawn out.
(Y/n) glanced behind her before she quickly dodged the attack. She pulled out her katana which was engulf in her mana. She slashed one of the spider's legs then dashed to the side sending another bunch of shooting meteors.
The spider screeched again and tried to capture her, but she was quick to move. (Y/n) send another wave of fire at the giant creature who blocked it.
(Y/n) moved away before it could pierce her with its sharp limb. She gasped as she tripped and fell through the secret passage. The spider couldn't chase her down due to its size.
She landed on the tough ground and let out a painful groan. "Ouch. That hurts." She raised her head, surveying the unfamiliar surroundings.
"Where the hell am I?" She got up wincing then dusted off her outfit. The place was dark, the only source of light was the burning pool of magma around an area which seemed to be a treasure hall.
(Y/n) blinked wondering around. "Did I accidentally fell into a dungeon? And this is. . ." she trailed off as her eyes caught something special.
She was drawn towards the item that was placed in the center of the hall. A podium made of gold was carrying a floating tablet with some inscription written in ancient language.
She grabbed the tablet while staring at the writing that she couldn't understand. Her Grimoire reacted to the tablet as a blinding light filled the hall.
She opened her eyes to find a plain tablet in her hands. "What was that?!" The tablet broke automatically and turned into dust. She stood there in utter shock and confusion until she heard something fell behind her.
She quickly returned to her senses and evaded an attack from a massive golem. Realizing that the giant spider was the one controlling the golems. "I see. So, it turned out to be a guardian of this dungeon. Then I have no reason to fight it."
Her grimoire flipped to a page as she ran as far as possible. "Fire creation magic: fireflies!"
Small sparks of fire emerged from her grimoire and guided her the way out.
Soon she was out of dungeon right before the passage collapsed.
(Y/n) turned a corner and bumped into Mereoleona who seemed to be slightly worried. "Where the hell did you go? I heard something crashed from that side. Why didn't you call me?"
(Y/n) scratched the back of her head chuckling nervously. "Uhh. I guess, I got myself into a trouble there but hey, that was quite a challenge. I got out you see. Hehe."
Mereoleona punched her on the head. "Don't do that again, got it?" She looked down at her scraped and scratched figure tattered with dirt.
"Alright. You can report what you found down there after taking a hot spring bath. Let's go." She declared and grabbed her with her paw made out of flames then took her along.
(Y/n) was pouting all the way as anime tears flowing down her cheeks, muttering to herself while hanging loosely by the large paw over her head.
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P.S. All the above pictures aren't mine.
~Thank you for reading~