The Greatest Cringe — Canon Omake

I sat on my bed, crosslegged, staring out the small window, idly taking in the nighttime scenery. I'd promised Miach that I wouldn't do anything retarded again while trying to figure out magic, but who said that I had to blow myself up to practice? There had to be other ways to go about it. Imagination was my only limit when it came to the Rule of Cool.

And I knew just the thing I could try.

Smiling, I hopped off the bed and struck a pose, holding my arms out in front of me as I closed my eyes. Exhaling softly, I pictured the magic flowing in my hands, swirling around and folding upon itself tightly.

"Darkness beyond twilight. Crimson beyond blood that flows."

"Buried in the stream of time is where your power grows."

Nothing seemed to happen, but then, I felt it. A tiny flicker at the back of my mind, just like back then at the river.

"I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand,"

I focused on it, trying to pull it forth to the surface, coax it to my hands. It resisted me at first, but slowly, I felt it shift, flowing into my arms and down my hands.

"Before the mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand."

I clamped down on it hard, not letting anything more than a trickle pass as I raised my arms, palms twisting around an invisible orb.

"Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed, by the power you and I possess…"

My eyes flew open as the energy neared the surface, a soft, red glow around my hands as I thrust them towards the window.

"Dragon Sla—

A sudden click speared through my focus like a steel edge, and I froze, arms dropping limply at my sides, spine feeling as if dunked in ice. The magic slipped though my fingers, fading back to the deep recesses of my mind. Slowly, I looked over my shoulder, meeting Naaza's sleepy eyes as she creaked open the door.

"I wanted to tell you that I ate some of your potato puffs. I left you the money on the counter."

Wha—potato puffs?

"Ah—well, that's fine." I nodded, playing it cool like a cucumber. "You don't have to pay, though. Those things are super cheap."

I hoped she hadn't heard me earlier. I wasn't being loud, and the walls were pretty thick, so she shouldn't have.

"Suit yourself," she said, shrugging lazily as I gave her a small, sheepish smile.

I shifted awkwardly in my seat, turning to face her fully. "Is that all?"

Please, leave.

"It is," she said, tony dry as the desert.

Thank god...

"Goodnight, Naaza."

"Goodnight, Jack."

A beat of silence passed as her eyes met mine, the ghost of a smirk curling the corner of her lips as her fluffy ears twitched slightly. "And good luck with your magic training."

A flash of heat burned at my ears as the door closed with a soft click. The silence felt deafening as I looked out the window, my thoughts a jumbled mess and back clammy with sweat.

Shit…

I was going stick to exploding myself for magic training.

This never happened.

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Author's Note: I've had this chūni magic training idea for a while, and one of the comments today reminded me of it, so I sat down and wrote this piece. I couldn't figure a place where to fit it in the next few chapters, so I'm just posting it as a canon extra.