[Explosive Advantage] Engaging in a Mental Battle with the Strongest Evil Spirit Since Birth, I Exceeded the Measurable Magic Limit – The Humble Conquest of the Cursed Child - Chapter 6

(So, according to Douma, I’ve already awakened my magic power…)

Kai stared blankly at the smartphone, processing the revelation.

(“Wait… Does that mean I awakened magic the day I was born!?”)

【That’s right. Even I, the great Douma, first awakened my magic at two years old…! N-Not that I’m jealous or anything!】

(…)

Kai was at a loss for words.

(But still… In the sports world, there are plenty of cases where so-called “prodigies” end up being overtaken by hard-working nobodies. I can’t afford to get cocky—I have to stay humble and keep pushing forward.)

With that resolve, Kai made up his mind.

(Alright, time to put this into practice.)

For the first time in his life, he would attempt to consciously use magic.

The First Attempt

(First, focus…)

Taking a deep breath, Kai steadied himself.

He visualized the moments when Douma attempted to possess him.

(And then… hold my breath.)

“…!?”

It burst forth—

An overwhelming surge of power spilled out, flowing freely from within him.

A white, ethereal aura drifted in the air.

A rush of invincibility swept over him.

(…Did I… do it?)

But before he could fully process it—

“Mmm… Kai…?”

(Sh1t—Mom!?)

His mother stirred, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

Panic surged through Kai.

He immediately cut off his magic—

(Hah… Hah… I managed to stop it in time…)

Then, he pretended to be asleep.

“Kai… why are you sleeping over there?”

(Crap… Did I almost get caught?)

The Next Morning

“Hey… dear…! Last night… I felt an incredible burst of light magic from Kai!”

“What!? Mayumi! Are you serious!?”

“I am! I saw it with my own eyes!”

“I knew it! Kai is a prodigy! Kai! Show it to me again!”

Kai’s father grabbed his tiny shoulders, his face flushed with excitement.

“…Daah?”

Kai, who could already speak in simple words, played dumb.

He didn’t want his parents to have unrealistic expectations for him.

After all, plenty of child prodigies end up stagnating later in life.

“…Mayumi.”

“Ah… yeah… Sorry, maybe I was just dreaming… I was half-asleep, after all…”

“That makes sense… I mean, we already know that Douma’s dark magic is inside him. It wouldn’t be surprising if we mistook that for light magic. But still… I understand how you feel, but putting too much pressure on a child can be harmful.”

“…You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“…No, I overreacted too. More importantly… Kai-kun is the cutest in the world!”

(…Oh no.)

“Mayumi! Even without magic, Kai is still the most precious thing on this planet!”

“I know, right!?”

(…)

That Night

Once again, after his parents fell asleep—

Kai got up.

(Alright… where is it…)

He sneaked across the room and located his mother’s smartphone.

Reaching for it, he tried to unlock it—

(“Huh!?”)

【Hmm? What’s wrong, brat?】

(“Ah, crap… the passcode’s been changed…!”)

His mother must have gotten suspicious after noticing the phone was left unlocked the previous night.

(“Damn… She definitely changed it because she got suspicious…”)

【Hah… Serves you right. Snooping through someone else’s belongings—disgraceful.】

(Tch… Did I just get scolded by an evil spirit!?)

Kai gritted his teeth.

(“Grrr…! But I already decided I’d work hard! If I can’t use the phone, then I’ll just train on my own!”)

【…Hah!?】

Kai attempted to manifest his magic once again, just as he had the night before.

(Focus… hold my breath… Alright…!)

Just like last night, he successfully released his magic.

(Last time, Mom woke up at this point… but tonight… looks like I’m in the clear…)

Both his father and mother were sound asleep.

(Now what? What should I do next…? Hmm… for now…)

Kai experimented, trying to manipulate his magic into different shapes and forms.

But then—

【…! H-Hey, brat… Are you sure it’s okay to be using that much magic?】

Douma’s voice carried an unusual edge to it.

(“Huh…?”)

【What, did you think magic power was limitless? Magic is just like stamina—use too much, and you’ll run out.】

(“…!”)

【But hey, it’s fine by me. In fact, that works out perfectly… because once you collapse from exhaustion—】

(Crap!)

Kai immediately cut off his magic output.

【Tsk… Aww, you stopped? How boring…】

(…Damn it. That means I can’t freely train with magic release just yet.)

Due to Douma’s presence, Kai was forced to abandon his self-taught training in magic output control.

The Daily Battle

Douma’s possession attempts continued daily.

With each passing day, Douma’s magic power grew stronger, forcing Kai to fight back with everything he had.

But—

Kai turned four years old.

At some point after he turned three, Kai had reached the point where he could instinctively block Douma’s possession attempts.

And recently—perhaps out of sheer frustration—Douma had finally given up.

Kai had expected to feel relieved, now that he no longer had to fend off constant attacks.

But oddly enough, he felt a little empty.

The Isolation

Despite turning four, Kai had never attended preschool or kindergarten.

It wasn’t that such institutions didn’t exist in this world.

But—

Kai rarely went outside.

And even when he did, it was only for walks in isolated areas.

His parents never took him anywhere crowded.

Though his parents never explicitly stated the reason, Kai understood why.

He was the vessel of Douma.

They couldn’t risk something happening to other people.

His parents loved him dearly—but they also knew that their love couldn’t override the risks.

Kai was grateful that his parents were rational and responsible.

One Thing That Hadn’t Changed

Despite the altered world, one thing remained the same.

His family composition.

So, when he was three and a half, Kai realized something.

(It’s about time…)

And sure enough—

His mother was expecting her second child.