Chapter 145: Bonding Time

I spent the whole morning chatting with the other guys in the chat group. When I looked into the clock hanging on my wall, I didn't expect to see it very late. I also realized that I have not eaten anything for breakfast. It is already lunch time, no wonder I am already too hungry.

"Damn, I am too absorbed on chatting I didn't even get to eat anything."

"You really don't need the need to eat much food right now, Kazuma. Although you are hungry, you can just direct your mana flow and help yourself alleviate the hunger," Blue said.

"Even that is the case, nothing can beat eating the real food. Besides, there is no harm if you eat food even though you can survive without eating one," I answered.

Since Anya did not even call me, it must be that she and Maple went to eat outside. After doing stretching, I change my clothes and go downstairs. And as expected, I saw a note on the table with food that has gone cold.

[Sorry about this Kazuma. We didn't want to disturb you so went and eat already outside. Also, we won't be here until 2 in the afternoon. We will be shopping for clothes. Don't worry about the expenses, everything will be on my tab.]

I can't believe that I got too absorbed on the chat. That only proves that I really need some relaxation time.

...

Around 2 in the afternoon, Maple and Anya arrived carrying shopping bags. Looks like it was the right decision to stay in my room the entire morning or else I am quite sure, I am the one who will be carrying those heavy-looking bags. I am not a gentleman and besides, shopping with girls can be disastrous to the people carrying whatever they have bought. It is quite scary especially during the time they will move to shopping spree.

"Good afternoon, Kazuma. I am sorry for taking Anya to shopping without your consent. You were busy upstairs so we didn't bother to disturb you," Maple said.

"Nah, don't worry about it. Anyways, did you have fun, Anya?"

"Yep, it was the first time I have ever experienced things like that so I am so excited. You should come with us next time!" Anya said with an enthusiasm on her face.

"Ah-hahaha... Yeah, next time...indeed."

"I will be going home Kazuma, I still have to train myself for the upcoming mission. I will return here once the mission will commence."

"Alright. I also need to start my preparations too."

Anya left via teleportation since she carries too many shopping bags. It will be convenient for me to learn teleportation but it is not yet time. I won't be needing teleportation yet but I will reconsider that soon. I faced Anya and decided to ask her on going with me to the G.A.T.E.S.

"Have you been training your dragon powers Anya?" I asked.

"My dragon powers? No, I haven't done anything yet."

"Huh? Why? Isn't it a necessity for a dragonfolk to constantly remain strong?"

"That was indeed true. However, since I arrived in the human world, I am afraid if I wreck havoc here since I am a dragon. I have seen in television and many manga that I have read that humans slay dragons that are destroying properties. If I destroy something, people will start to kill me."

She was right. A dragon has too much destructive power to begin with and if she wanted to practice her power in this place, chaos will ensue. She can either wreck havoc on Mirror World but it is unnecessary.

"Want to practice your abilities then? You can freely release your full power in there and you won't worry about destroying things in there. What do you say? I won't force you though."

"A place where I can release my full power? Is there a place like that except in the Phantasmal World?"

"There is. Also, the magicians will be grateful too if you do an attack in there."

"..." Anya fell into a deep thought.

"You don't have to force yourself if-"

"I will go!"

"OH?"

"Yes, I will be going. My powers has been getting stale and if I continue to stay idle, I might trouble myself when the time comes that I needed to fight."

"Then that settles it. Let's go on that place around dusk. That place opens up at dusk time."

...

Dusk came and the sun is setting in the horizon. As the sun begins to set and paint the sky in orange tinge, we arrived on the field.

"Is this the place?" Anya asked as she looked around.

"Not yet."

In a few seconds, the whole surroundings once again got covered in malice and dark energy. The big portal also opened up. Anya insinctively cling to my side as soon as she see the G.A.T.E.S' portal.

"What is going on?" Anya is confused.

"That portal is the place we will be entering. Be ready once we go in."

The portal fluctuates a little bit but it didn't last that much and it begins to settle down, which means it is now safe to enter the place an begin a battle.

'Let's get inside," I said and led Anya inside.

When we arrived, it looks like the whole school that is present in this place has grown a bit bigger than usual. The place is also darker than the last time I was here with Godou. Did this one gained a lot more negative energy to become like this? I don't think I know how the G.A.T.E.S are formed but if that is really the case, that is the only explanation why this place has become more sinister than usual.

"Where are we?" Anya asked as she wander her eyes around the dark surroundings.

"This is what we call the G.A.T.E.S. It was spelled with a dot in every letter so I guess there might be some meaning behind it or it was just like that to classify the meaning of this place rather than mistaking the word for a real gate used in houses. Anyway, this place is where all the malices and darkness of the real world gather. According to what I know, all of the negative things that has been happening in the world will gather up in a place to make a place that will give birth to the drearest place, made from the negative emotion of people."

"I can sense other beings here, are they the natural inhabitants here?"

"You can say that way. But from my perspective, they were created here rather than living here. After all, they don't exist like real creatures but rather, grotesque beings that seemed to came from nightmares."

"So canI unleash everything here?"

"Of course. But make sure to unleash it when those guys appear and try to attack us, got it?"

Anya smiled and her skin started to grow some scales though not all part of her is covered in scales. More like some parts were covered. Her black horns also started to grow as she slowly transforms into a dragon.