Chapter 22: Arc 1 – Now or Never: Chapter 22

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Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

"Speech"

Time*

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Arc 1 - Now or Never: Chapter 22

A few days later*

"Ah, this is the life." I chirped while resting on a beach chair, wearing a brown swim trunk and enjoying the outdoor in Juvia's backyard. There is now a large swimming pool built in a matter of hours.

That's magic for you.

"Would you like another glass of lemonade Master Renato?" Bari asks me, who is wearing a brown bikini to match me—standing on my left, holding a freshly made glass of lemonade that she quickly made in a matter of seconds.

"Sure. Thanks, Bari." I accept the glass of lemonade from Bari while she takes my empty one from me.

"It's no problem, Master Renato." Bari disappears to put away the dirty empty glass before reappearing back where she was a second ago with another new glass of lemonade.

Yup, having Bari is a blessing in more than one way. Especially who knows how many years of experience being a maid and other occupations she has learned during her lifetime as a Phantom Maiden. So, Bari has taken over all the house chores and efficiently completes them in no time flat. Making Juvia, Erza, and me, that previous did them while we were at home when not doing any jobs, no longer do them. Another main reason is that Bari is much better than all three of us combined at doing the house chores.

Not far away from where I am is Juvia, Erza, and Wendy playing in the pool. Splashing water at each other. There is even a beach ball floating not too far away if they want to play it among themselves.

Nearby is Carla, who is resting in a small floaty. Thoroughly in her little world and enjoying the sunlight.

It took a bit of time, but with the help of the guild master to help Wendy and Carla from nearly falling victim to a cruel fate at such a young age.

So now, having those two hanging out with the rest of us in the backyard has become almost a thing as they have joined our team.

"423... 424... 425..."

Behind me is the sound of Machio doing punch-ups in his muscular form.

Yup, Machio has returned just recently after he finished his business. And what did he do when he returned? Work out like usual and with a few side comments to the new team members, as in, welcoming them, being friendly, and all that and whatnot.

But I could tell that Machio was eager to spar with me sooner or later, but he didn't due to not being completely ready yet. And going by his words, he won't be doing so until he breaks from my Binding Cards.

So that's never then.

Anyway, watching both Juvia and Erza in matching bikinis of their color. It is very nice, and I can say that the way their breasts jiggle will never get old.

If only Wendy, Carla, and Machio weren't here, I would have to jump those two and have sex with them in the pool.

I could do so with my cheat and make them leave without anyone questioning the sudden unexpected of having to go right now. But it's a nice day; I like to relax, and I can have sex later when it's just Juvia, Erza, and I are alone.

"Renato-sama! Come join us!" Juvia waved at me.

"I'm good here!" I shouted back, then took a sip of my drink. "Maybe later!"

Yup, living the life and the amount of money I've gained from the jobs I've done up to this point. I won't have to worry about my daily needs for a while.

---

A few hours*

"You want me to do what now?" I look at Machio in incredulity. "Could you repeat it one more time?"

"I want you to attack me with lethal intention by using your most deadly Magic Card you have created up to this point," Machio said to me like he wasn't asking for his death. "Or anything that could be lethal, in your opinion."

"Why would you want to do such a thing?" Erza looks at Machio like she is looking at someone with a couple of screws loose in their head, which wouldn't be wrong in some ways.

"Because there are many things out in the world I have yet to train to resist against with my own body!" Machio begins posing in his muscular form and gives us a bright smile that lasts for a few seconds before the brightness dies off.

"And you think I can help you?" I wonder if Machio somehow found out about the Arie Swordsmanship, but I doubt it, and to make sure. I use my cheat to make it happen.

"Well, your Binding Card is an excellent example of you having powerful Magic Cards. So I know for sure you have others that are very lethal. You don't seem to be the type of person to hold back that much." Machine changes to a different pose, flexing his muscles.

"I'm pretty sure I don't have anything like that a moment." I lied without any hesitation. Even though, technically, I could use the Beyond Card to help Machio to the limit and go bypass said limit. But I'm not going to do that. I would be stupid if I did such a thing.

"How about you use your other magic? Please, I'm not making much progress in my training like in the past." Machio begs me, yet he continues to pose.

"Have you tried doing other training methods like working out underwater?" I recall this done by an anime character during their training montage, but I can't remember which anime it was.

"I have not." Machio stares at me blankly before turning his head toward Juvia. "Juvia, would you mind me borrowing your pool for training?"

"You can. Just clean the pool after using it." Juvia replied as she got out of the pool and thanked Bari for handing her a towel to wipe herself before sitting next to me on one of the many empty chairs around the pool.

"Will do!" Machio stops posing and rushes over to the pool, causing Erza to panic and hurry to get out of the pool.

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Same with Wendy upon seeing the mountain of muscles already leaping into the air and descending into the pool.

Sadly, Carla was still in her little world, not to notice the incoming doom about to hit her.

So everyone watches the pool explode and the screaming of Carla soaring into the sky in anxiety before she produces wings on her back to fly and land on the ground safely.

"What's wrong with you, you muscle head!" Carla glared at Machio, who is now doing much work out underwater but poorly due to unfamiliar with the change in environment for training.

Lucky for me, Bari forms a barrier to block the water from splashing us.

Juvia didn't even bother and allow the water to hit her, which didn't do much since she could easily make the water slide right off her, thanks to her magic.

Erza, on the hand, managed to move out of the way in time and came back right next to Juvia.

"Anything you girls want to do? Now that the pool is unavailable." I look at the girls.

I'm stunned that Machio didn't even wait until everyone had fun with the pool before using it for training.

"I've already finished cleaning up the house for the day." Bari reported. "In addition, I've already set up the Magic Array Formation in the middle of the backyard to create an artificial training arena like you've asked Master Renato."

Almost everyone looks excited upon hearing this. Machio is still trying his best to adjust to the water pressure and cannot listen to what's happening outside the pool.

"Renato, let's spar!" Erza spoke up before anyone could, even changed her bikini for her default gears, and brought out a knight sword that shone under the sunlight.

"No, Renato-sama will be sparring with Juvia." Juvia glared at Erza, who glared right back.

"Um, if possible, could anyone help me train my magic in combat?" Wendy asked in a whisper that almost no one could've heard her.

I look at each of them with a wry smile.

"Well, we can all train together." I look at Bari, "How big is the artificial training arena?"

"From the outside, it's just an empty spot in the backyard; however, inside, it's the size of the city we're in." Bari said calmly, like she was talking about the weather.

"Huh..." I look at the Magic Array Formation that's filled with many unknown symbols in the shape of a square with the size being 40 square feet.

"How does this work?" Erza asks Bari where she looks at the Magic Array Formation with interest.

"One of us has to stay outside the Magic Array Formation in the controller position to keep it active and change things inside." Bari explains how the artificial training arena operates and its features.

"Alright, Bari. You will be the one operating it. Since none of us have any clues how to do it." I lied.

After all, I could instantly know how to use the Magic Array Formation with my cheat if I wanted to.

"As you command, Master Renato." Bari bowed to me before walking to one of the corners of the Magic Array Formation. "Please let me know when everyone is ready."

"I need to change first." I head back inside to change.

"Ah! Juvia needs to change too!" Juvia follows right behind me.

Wendy didn't say anything and tagged along to change out of her one-piece swimsuit.

Carla, on the hand, is glaring at Machio the entire time.

---

30 minutes later*

Now that everyone, excluding the angry Carla, that hasn't changed her spot this entire time, has changed their outfit from having a fun time at the pool to something more suitable for combat training.

Other than Bari operating the Magic Array Formation. Juvia, Erza, Wendy, and I are inside the artificial training arena. Ready for our first time using this place.

It's unbelievable that Bari makes something like this by using unknown symbols that aren't Magic Runes. Then again, from what Bari mentioned before, these symbols belong to a world that specializes in using them. And yet, it should be impossible to be used in this world since the laws of this reality are different, but Bari made it work. No idea how, but it just does.

Of course, I can immediately find out what these symbols could mean with my cheat, but I'm not that curious.

Anyway, if what Bari said is true about the size here. Then, none of us have to worry about everyone not having enough space to train. Furthermore, anything damaged here wouldn't matter as Bari could repair them or replace them with something else. In other words, we can go all out here without worrying about the environment.

"So, who wants to help Wendy here?" I ask Juvia and Erza. "Honestly, I could help her out while you two face each other." And suddenly, I shouldn't have said that as I see the look on their faces.

"I won't mind doing that, Renato-sama." Juvia smile at Erza, who smiles back.

"Yeah, go ahead Renato. You're better at helping Wendy compared to us with our magic." Erza agreed with Juvia, as she was already in a fighting stance and one second away from attacking Juvia.

"Yes, I agree. So, Renato-sama should take Wendy somewhere far away from here." Juvia now has a large Magic Circle behind her.

"Well, alright then. Have fun, you two." I gently push Wendy away from here while I use my cheat to make sure neither of the two would kill each other and make sure no one becomes a cripple in any way.

"Are you sure we should leave them alone?" Wendy looks at Juvia and Erza in concern, yet she allows me to drag her away without any resistance.

"Yeah, don't worry. They will be fine."

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