Chapter 02: First Element - Fire

One day had passed since Daniel stayed at Straus family's house. He just finished his bath and now he combed his hair to make it neat. Brown shirt and trousers covered his fair skin. He was ready to work for his first time.

After he finished grooming himself, he went out from his room and prepared to go away to deliver some grocery packages to the Hargeon Town. At the living room, he was greeted by Mirajane.

"Good morning, Daniel."

"Ah, good morning, Mira. What's the matter?" said Daniel.

"Nothing. Just want to greet you. Anyway, are you going to go to do your job now?"

"Of course, Mira. The earlier I do it, the better."

"But, don't you want to wait for a while? It's still 6 a.m. No need to be so serious in doing your job. It's just delivering some packages."

Hearing Mirajane's words, Daniel only smiled at her. He didn't directly respond to what she just said. In his mind, he intended to train his physical ability after he finished doing his task. Therefore, he wanted to go as early as possible, so he might have enough time for his training.

He didn't want to tell his interluctor about this because he knew her personality very well. She was a caring figure and the problem with caring figure was they might easily get worried about someone. He assumed that if he tell her about his training plan, she might be worried that Joe would be tired and she might force him to train on the other day. Therefore, he decided not to do that.

The reason why Daniel insisted to start training now was to prepare himself well. He assumed that the time when he lived currently wasn't long. He should collect all of the elemental powers that existed in this world, so he might be the powerful mage that would bring a change to this world. If he didn't master enough elemental powers, he wouldn't have any reasons to shine in this world. He would dimmed and then 'died.'

"Mira, it's okay for me to go now. As you said, this was just delivering packages. Therefore, I want to go as earlier as I can because I wanted to do it casually. I don't want to rush," excused Daniel.

"I see then. Oh! I almost forget about your packed meal. Please wait!"

Mirajane trotted to the kitchen and took on a packed meal that she was prepared for Daniel. Watching the behavior of his boss' eldest child, Daniel slightly shook his head. He felt amused with her behaviour.

"Mira, I can buy some foods outside. The people would usually gives me some tips after I deliver their packages. You needn't to trouble yourself to prepare food for me."

Daniel didn't mean to decline Mirajane's kindness. He just told her not to trouble herself for him. From he was kid, he was taught by his parents not to trouble the other persons. He was always educated to be a self-sufficient man, so he wouldn't be the burden of the people around him.

"It's okay, Daniel. Moreover, it is Father who prepares this food. I am only asked by him to give this to you since he can't do it by himself. So, please don't deny Father's kindness," said Mirajane. Her hands handed a lunchbox to Daniel.

Daniel finally accepted the lunchbox since he thought that it was bad for denying the other people's gift.

"Thank you, Mira."

"It's okay, Daniel. You obviously need some foods to be carried on, don't you?"

"Yes. You are right, Mira."

Daniel looked to the clock that was hung on the living room. It was almost a quarter past six a.m. He directly went to the outer yard of the Straus family's house. Before he went away for doing his job, he waved his right hand to Mirajane to farewell her.

"See you around, Mira."

"See you around too, Daniel. Please be careful."

"Okay."

After his farewell was responded with Mira, Daniel gave her a smile. Then, he directly went away from the Straus family's house. He headed to the Shirotsume town–a place that was his destination. It lied quite far from the village where the Straus Family dwelled.

On his first working day, Daniel was asked by Timothy to deliver several grocery packages to that town. It wasn't a hard task for the newcomer. He could easily finish his job. He took four hours to head to his destination. He did it by foot since he didn't have any money yet to take the public transportation. He then delivered that packages in accordance with the customers' order as soon as he reached the town.

After he finished his task, he went to a forest that was located near the town. He wanted to start his training there. Of course he didn't forget to buy a bottle of sweet tea by using the money that he earned from tip. He didn't buy foods since he already had foods that were given by Mirajane.

Daniel enjoyed the meals that he brought under a tree that he found. They were french fries, fried chicken, sausages, and salad. He felt really grateful for receiving free meals from his boss. Because of that, he ate up all of those foods until there wasn't a bit left. He then drank his tea to diffuse his thirst.

After he finished his meal, he decided to do the thing that was different from what he planned earlier. He went back to the Straus family's house because he wanted to save the money that he earned from doing his task. He worried that the money would be lost during his training. So, it was better if he handed over the money to Mirajane first, then he would go again for training.

Of course the tip that Daniel earned from the customers wouldn't be given to Mirajane since tip was the personal income that he earned from them. So, the tip was belong to him, not to his boss.

The newcomer stepped back to the village where the he lived with the Straus family. However, five strangers suddenly appeared before him when he was on the way back home. This forced him to temporarily stopped his trip.

"Who are you?" asked Daniel.

"You needn't to know who we are. Just give us all of your money, then we will let you to pass," answered one of the strangers.

"What makes you so confident to be able to take all of my money?"

Hearing Daniel's words, the strangers that were a group of bandits felt insulted. The leader ordered his subordinates to draw their blades and attack the newcomer before them.

"You said as if you are a strong man. You are nothing but an ordinary man! Boys, let's teach him a lesson!"

One of the bandits rushed to Daniel in order to slash him. However, he might dodge the attack by shifting his body. The bandit slightly lost his ballance and his body was pushed forward. Daniel didn't waste this chance to punch the bandit's stomatch, making him thrown to the nearby tree.

Seeing their friend was attacked, two more bandits stroke Daniel and tried to wound him. Again, Daniel might overcome their attacks easily. Thanks to the martial skills that he learned from the martial art extracurricular during his school and college days, he might break their attacks, damage their hands, and throw them to the nearby trees.

Another bandit rushed to Daniel and tried to thrust his stomatch. Being accustomed with such situation, Daniel might read the bandit's gesture. He shifted his body to avoid the enemy attack. Then, he directly punched his enemy's chest after he managed to dodge the attack, sending the bandit five meters away from himself.

The last bandit looked scared because of watching his friends were easily beaten. As the result, he dropped his blade and he runned away from Daniel, being affraid for being beaten by the newcomer. The same thing was also done by the other four bandits. On the scene, there were only Daniel and the bandit leader left.

"Hmph...I don't need timid men. Now, I will end you by using my own hands," said the bandit leader. He then made a knife from fire. "I am a fire mage. I am able to create weapon from fire."

"I ever faced with a lunatic who tried to stab me with knife. So, I don't fear you, Bandit."

"You will regret for not respecting me, Kid."

[Hey, Daniel. That bandit leader has the fire magic. You can absorb the fraction of his magic power to unlock your fire elemental power] said Monica.

'Oh ya? It's good then. Guess fire will be my first element,' replied Daniel by using his telepathy.

The bandit leader rushed to Daniel and tried to stab the newcomer by using his fire knife. However, our main character might keep the space between him and his enemy, so he wasn't injured from his enemy's knife thrust. After that, he grabbed the bandit leader's wrist and used his other hand to pushed down the bandit leader's shoulder. Without giving any mercy, he twisted his enemy's hand until it made a 'krak' sound, making his enemy shouted in pain.

"I have seen many guys like you previously. Robbing the other people and sometimes badly injured them, you, robber, are unforgivable. I'm not going to end you, but I'll give you a memorable lesson, so you won't repeat doing the same deed," said Daniel that was annoyed with the bandit leader's deed.

After he ensured that his enemy had already been immobilized, Daniel let the bandit leader dropped to the ground. He then put his right hand to his enemy's chest since he thought that he might absorb the fire fraction by doing that.

Daniel's guess was correct. When his right hand made contact with the bandit's chest, a red particle was out of the enemy's body. The particle then was absorbed by the glove on his right hand. Temporarily, he felt a warm sensation on his body. He then tested whether he managed to master fire element or not.

"Okay. Let's try this." Daniel channeled the fire energy to his right hand. After that, he punched the bandit leader right on the face, making his enemy thrown several meters with the blaze that was generated from his attack.

Daniel smirked as he was satisfied because he managed to possess fire magic. He then made a flame bow and prepared to attack the bandit leader again. However, he canceled his intention because his enemy took the ultimate technique, id est running away.

Watching the enemy ran away from him, Daniel smirked and shook his head. "Anywhere, the bad guy is always same. They act like they are the most powerful creatures in the world. But, when they are beaten, they will either run away or cry for the mercy." Sensing no possible danger, he dispelled his flame bow. "Guess my journey has been started now. I will look for another free time to train myself. Fighting those bad guys after work makes me feel tired."