Mashle: Magic and Muscles — Chapter 1

A gift believed to have been bestowed by God.

All who reside in this world can use magic at will.

It's impor- tance is so great that one's level of mastery even determines one's social status.

Thus, magic has become a natural part of everyone's daily lives.

HMPH HMPH HMPH HMPH HMPH HMPH HMPH !

But deep within a certain forest...

NOTHING LIKE A CREAM PUFF AFTER PUMPING IRON.

...there is one who stands in opposition to the world's rules.

I'M A CHIC AND ELEGANT 75-YEAR-OLD WHO LIVES ALONE WITH HIS SON.

MY NAME IS REGRO VANDEAD.

REGRO VANDEAD

NATURALLY, OVER THE YEARS, I'VE ACQUIRED A NUMBER OF HEALTHY WAYS TO COMBAT STRESS.

WHEN YOU GET TO BE MY AGE, VERY LITTLE BOTHERS YOU.

MASH

HEY, POPS.

I'M BACK.

ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS OPEN THE DOOR, NOT RIP IT OFF ITS HINGES!

HE'S ALWAYS SO AMENA- BLE AFTER HE SCREWS UP...

SO I JUST KIND OF FORCED IT... I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF I WAS SUPPOSED TO PUSH OR PULL.

NO... THAT'S OKAY.

SORRY, POPS.

I'LL FIX IT...

AS LONG AS YOU UNDER- STAND WHAT YOU DID...

YOU MEAN BROKE IT!

QUIT WITH THE POUND- ING, WOULD YOU ?!

YOU NEED TO TURN IT! TURN IT! TURN IT A LITTLE !

YOU'VE GOT IT POSI- TIONED WRONG !

WHAT WAS THAT?

WEIRD. IT WON'T GO BACK IN.

HE DOESN'T MEAN TO DO ANY HARM. AND HE'S SO AME- NABLE...

SORRY, POPS.

W- WELL... YEAH, UM...

WHY DO YOU HAVE ME DO NOTHING BUT WORK OUT? BUT... THERE'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN MEANING TO ASK YOU...

FORGET ABOUT THAT FOR NOW. WHAT ABOUT TODAY'S TRAINING ROUTINE ?

DONE AND DONE.

YOU'RE NOT LIKE OTHER PEOPLE... BECAUSE YOU ARE...

SINCE YOU CAN'T USE MAGIC, THIS IS THE LEAST I CAN DO FOR YOU...

ANYWAY, I'M HEADING OUT.

THAT'S A STORY FOR ANOTHER TIME.

I KNOW I'VE TOLD YOU THIS COUNTLESS TIMES BEFORE, BUT...

YOU MUST NEVER VENTURE OUT INTO THE CITY.

YOU'RE A GOOD SON, MASH. SO AMENA- BLE.

I WON'T.

I'LL RETURN SOON.

SORRY, POPS. BUT I CAN'T IGNORE THE CALL OF AN EMPTY STOMACH.

GOBLIN CREAM PUFFS SPECIAL MENU STARTING NOW TODAY ONLY

IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE COME HERE.

COULDN'T THEY JUST DO ALL THIS STUFF BY HAND?

IASYMM

I'LL TAKE SEVEN OF THE SPECIAL.

SURE THING.

DID HE SAY "FIX"? GRIP

BUT COINS DON'T USUALLY BEND WHEN YOU SQUEEZE THEM...

OOPS. GUESS I CRUSHED THEM IN MY EXCITE- MENT.

SORRY. LET ME FIX THAT.

DOES THIS WORK ?

THANKS FOR WAITING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SIR ...

DON'T YOU HAVE A...

THIS YEAR'S "DIVINE VISIONARY" IS...

Police Station IEMEY

THIS TITLE IS AWARDED TO THE STUDENT WHO DEMONSTRATES THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF EXCELLENCE OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

IN ADDITION TO BEING ELEVATED TO THE RANK OF NOBILITY, RECIPIENTS OF THE TITLE ARE ALSO GIFTED A GRANT OF ONE BILLION LOND. FURTHER- MORE ...

...ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO... FOR THE COUNTRY'S FUTURE...

THEN THERE'RE POOR SLOBS LIKE ME...

MUST FEEL GOOD.

HAVING ALL THAT TALENT.

...STUCK LIVING DULL LIVES.

PLEASE, FORGIVE ME ALREADY. SO, I SWIPED A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR MYSELF. IT'S NO BIG DEAL.

YOU OUTTA YOUR DAMN MIND?

IT'S THANKS TO YOUR PETTY CRIMES THAT I GOT MORE WORK TO DO.

...TO NEVER CAUSE ME TROUBLE AGAIN.

YOU'RE GONNA STAY LIKE THAT UNTIL YOU LEARN...

YEAH? SOME BRAT WITHOUT A MARK SHOWED UP IN THE CITY?

WHAT IS IT? I'M BUSY ...

WONDER WHAT EVERYONE WAS ALL RILED UP ABOUT BACK THERE...

SO YUMMY.

ANYWAY, I'M GLAD I CAME.

IT WAS WORTH IT FOR THE GOBLIN CREAM PUFFS.

HEY HEY HEY! CAN'T YA SEE THERE'S AN OFFICER WORKIN' HERE?

I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF THE MAGIC POLICE, HERE TO PROTECT ORDINARY FOLKS LIKE YOU, DON'T YA KNOW?

OH, SORRY.

MAYBE I OUGHTA TAKE ALL MY STRESS OUT ON YOU, HUH, KID?!

MY ONLY REWARD IS LOUSY, BOTTOM- BARREL PAY!

AN' DO I GET ANY THANKS? NO!

GLOOP...

YOU SEEM LIKE YOU COULD USE IT.

WOULD YOU LIKE A CREAM PUFF?

THIS BRAT'S TREAT- ING ME LIKE SOME CHARITY CASE!

AND IT'S AL- READY BEEN CHEWED !

PICKING A FIGHT WITH AN OFFICER? DON'T YOU KNOW I'M THE LAW OF THIS LAND?!

YOU GOT SOME NERVE ! BRATTY LITTLE PUNK!

AND WHAT ABOUT MY UNI- FORM, PUNK?

I'M SORRY ABOUT YOUR CLOTHES. I'LL WASH AND RETURN THEM TO YOU.

IT'S THIS KID, BRAD!

WASH?! RETURN?! YOU JUST DE- STROYED THEM!

WHA ...?

WHAT'S THE PROB- LEM, TERRY?

BRAD COLEMAN

A KID'S GOT YOU SQUEAL- ING LIKE THAT?

THE UN- MARKED BRAT FROM THE REPORT?

IS THAT HIM?

... SERIOUSLY STUFFING HIS FACE WITH CREAM PUFFS AT A TIME LIKE THIS?

PLEASE EXCUSE MY SON!

THIS'LL BE A BIT OF A HASSLE.

BUT I CAN'T MISS MY ONE CHANCE ...

...TO HIT IT BIG.

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU?!

DO NOT GO TO THE CITY ON YOUR OWN!

I'M REALLY SORRY ...

IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN ...

HE'S REALLY BROKEN UP ABOUT IT. IT'S CLEAR HE REGRETS HIS ACTIONS. I CAN'T STAY MAD AT HIM...

AS PUNISHMENT, YOU'LL REPEAT THIS MORNING'S TRAINING ROUTINE.

BY THE WAY, THE REST OF THESE CREAM PUFFS ARE FOR YOU.

JUST BE MORE CARE- FUL NEXT TIME, ALL RIGHT ? THAT'S GOOD, I SUP- POSE ...

WELL ...

OH, THANK YOU.

HE'S SO OBEDIENT!

I EXPECTED HIS TEENAGE YEARS TO BE RIFE WITH ARGUMENTS AND MOOD SWINGS AND REBELLIOUS STREAKS, BUT HE'S SO AMENA- BLE THAT I FEEL LIKE I'M GETTING OFF EASY.

HE'S REACHED THE AGE WHERE HE'LL WANT TO LEAVE THE HOUSE...

I'VE CONCEALED HIM HERE, AWAY FROM THE CITY, THINKING IT WAS FOR HIS SAKE...

BUT NOW THE MAGIC POLICE ...

I MUST ACT QUICKLY...

... HAVE CAUGHT WIND OF HIM.

HEY, GEEZER.

WHERE'D YOU HIDE THAT BRAT OF YOURS?

THIS IS BAD ...

FIVE MINUTES IS ALL I NEED WHEN I PUT MY MIND TO IT.

TIME TO HEAD HOME FOR MORE CREAM PUFFS.

C STANDS FOR CREAMY. CREAMY CREAM PUFFS. ♪

GUESS IT DOESN'T MATTER ...

HMM.

R STANDS FOR... ♪

PUSH OR PULL? I FORGOT AGAIN.

YOU KNEW WE'D COME FOR THE KID.

THAT'S WHY YOU HID 'IM.

SINCE THE DAWN OF RECORDED HISTORY, MAGIC HAS KEPT OUR WORLD FLOURISHING. DO YOU KNOW WHY?

IT'S BECAUSE WE EXPEL THE LOWEST OF THE LOW, THOSE WHO CAN'T USE MAGIC, FROM THE GENE POOL.

IT SOUNDS HARSH, BUT THEIR SACRIFICE IS FOR THE GOOD OF SOCIETY.

REALLY, THEY WEREN'T BORN WITH WHAT IT TAKES TO SURVIVE ANYWAY.

OR SHOULD I SAY ...

THEY NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN BORN.

I... DON'T KNOW... WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SHELTERING THE UNMARKED IS A SERIOUS OFFENSE, OLD MAN.

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND HAND THE KID OVER TO US.

I REFUSE !

LISTEN, JUST PLAY NICE AND WE'LL LET YOU OFF EASY.

TELL US.

!!

I'LL NEVER TELL...

NEVER...

WHY ARE YOU SO BAD AT THIS?!

WE DON'T NEED A FAILURE LIKE YOU BESMIRCH- ING OUR BLOODLINE!

I'M SORRY.

YOU CAN'T EVEN DO SOME- THING AS SIMPLE AS THIS?

YOU'RE WORTH- LESS!

I WAS BORN...

I'M ...

I'M SORRY.

...A FAILURE.

AS I GREW OLDER, I ENCOUNTERED FAILURE AFTER FAILURE.

YOU'RE FIRED!

YOU'LL NEVER WORK AGAIN!

IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD'VE KILLED MYSELF.

I CONSIDERED TAKING MY OWN LIFE...

I WAS UNWANTED.

W A A A H !

W A A A A A H!

W A A A H!

W A A A H!

THIS BABY ...

YOU ...

... DOESN'T HAVE A MARK...

YOU'RE JUST LIKE ME.

GOO!

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE...

GOO!

... SOME- ONE NEEDED ME.

GAGA!

SPIT IT OUT ALREADY, OLD MAN.

I MADE A PROMISE THAT DAY...

EVEN IF THE WHOLE WORLD REJECTED US...

EVEN IF WE WEREN'T TIED BY BLOOD ...

I WOULD ALWAYS BE A FATHER TO THAT BOY!

RUN, MASH !

HEY! THE BRAT'S GOTTA BE CLOSE BY! FIND HIM!

GO ON, MASH! GET OUT OF HERE!

YOU STUB- BORN OLD FOOL!

PLEASE, LET MY WORDS REACH HIM!

ALL THAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU SURVIVE!

BEFORE LAST I MAKE CHANCE, YOU OLD REALLY MAN... REGRET THIS...

RUN AWAY !

PIPE DOWN, WILL YA?!

MY ONE AND ONLY...

HEY, PUNK! I HAVEN'T FOR- GOTTEN WHAT YOU...

... DID...

TWO UNIFORMS IN THE SAME DAY...

WHY ...

WHY DIDN'T YOU RUN, MASH?

BECAUSE WE'RE FAMILY.

YOU'RE ALL I'VE GOT.

SORRY FOR BEING STUB- BORN, POPS.

BUT SINCE I'M HERE ...

I MIGHT AS WELL SEND YOU GUYS TO HELL.

YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE ME DOWN WITHOUT MAGIC?

WHAT A JOKE!

WHAT AN IDIOT! BRAD USED TO BE ON THE BUREAU OF MAGIC'S SECURITY FORCE.

EVEN REGULAR MAGES CAN'T HOLD A CANDLE TO HIM!

THIS MAGIC- LESS CHUMP DOESN'T STAND A CHANCE!

I'LL END THIS BEFORE YOU CAN COUNT TO THREE.

THAT'S THE SPELL HE USED TO DRIVE OFF THE DRAGON BACK IN HIS BUREAU OF MAGIC DAYS! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SEEING IT WITH MY OWN EYES!

NALCOM- PAS!

HUH? THAT WAS THE SPELL I USED TO RUN OFF THE DRAGON, RIGHT? THE EXACT SAME ONE? THE DRAGON SPELL, YEAH?

THERE'S NO WAY HE DEFLECTED THAT...

YOU PUT UP A GOOD FIGHT, KID!

BUT LET'S SEE YOU STOP THIS!

HE COULD DESTROY THE WHOLE FOREST!!

MAGIC ENERGY'S POURING OUT!

NALCOM- PAS DIAGORUS

BRAD! WAIT!

G R R R !

DAM- MIT !!!

IS THIS GUY ...

...USING HIS KNEES TO REDUCE ITS MOMENTUM ?! BUMPH

NOW HE'S JUGGLING THEM.

AND USING THEM TO SHOW OFF HIS SWEET DRIBBLING MOVES!

HE'S MAKING A FOOL OF ME...

THE HELL? I THOUGHT HE COULDN'T USE MAGIC!!

POPS, I'M GONNA BORROW YOUR WAND.

NOT THAT IT MATTERS. YOUR EVERYDAY MAGE...

...COULD NEVER LAY A SCRATCH ON ME.

F' T I N G

HUH? W-WHAT WAS THAT...?

DRIP

SLUMP I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE ...

...USE A MAGIC WAND LIKE THAT BEFORE...

... AND I'LL KILL YOU.

THREATEN MY FAMILY AGAIN...

HIS TRAINING WAS ONLY MEANT TO TEACH HIM SELF- DEFENSE ...

HOW IS THIS EVEN PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE ?!

EITHER WAY, WE'RE DONE FOR...

EVEN IF THEY LEAVE, MORE WILL COME UNTIL...

HEH HEH HEH ...

HA HA HA HA HA!

THAT WAS GOOD.

LET'S MAKE A DEAL.

MUSH- ROOM HEAD.

...AND I'LL LET YOU AND THE OLD GEEZER SLIDE.

DO WHAT I ASK...

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

YOU SEE, WE'RE A VERY RELIGIOUS COUNTRY.

ONCE EVERY YEAR, A SINGLE EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT IS REVERED AS ONE OF GOD'S CHOSEN.

THEY CALL 'EM THE DIVINE VISION- ARY.

ALL YOU'D NEED TO DO IS...

THINK ABOUT IT. IF YOU'RE SELECTED, THAT'LL MAKE YOU ONE OF GOD'S CHOSEN.

IN OTHER WORDS ...

... ENROLL IN MAGIC SCHOOL.

...SOCIETY'S GOT NO CHOICE BUT TO ACCEPT YOU.

YOU EXPECT US TO TRUST SOMEONE WHO TRIED TO KILL US?!

I JUST WANT THE CASH AND PRESTIGE THAT COME WITH THE TITLE.

DON'T BE- LISTEN SIDES, TO THAT HIM, PLAN IS MASH ABSURD ! !

HMPH.

WHICH IS WHY I'LL BACK YOU UP.

BUT IF YOU REFUSE MY OFFER, WE’LL NEVER STOP HUNTING YOU.

I CAN SEE WHY YOU MIGHT BE SKEPTICAL.

AND WHEN I’VE GOT MY SIGHTS SET ON YOU, THE WHOLE FRIGGIN’ COUNTRY DOES TOO.

NEVER ABLE TO SET FOOT IN A CITY AGAIN? WATCHING HIM AROUND THE CLOCK WITHOUT A MOMENT’S REST?

WELL?

YOU’RE TOUGH, KID, SO MAYBE YOU CAN TAKE IT. BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR OLD MAN?

THE CHOICE IS YOURS.

WILL YOU SPEND YOUR LIFE BEING HUNTED LIKE A DOG...

...OR SEIZE THIS CHANCE TO TURN SOCIETY ON ITS HEAD?

YOU GOT A DEAL.

HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND ?!

MOTIVATION ISN'T THE ISSUE HERE...

I'LL BE ALL RIGHT, POPS.

I'M CHOCK- FULL OF MOTIVATION.

IT'S CALLED MAGIC SCHOOL !

BE- SIDES ...

YOU'RE SUCH A GOOD BOY.

I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN PEACE.

IF THIS WORLD WON'T ALLOW THAT...

... THEN I'VE GOT NO CHOICE BUT TO CRUSH IT...

... WITH MY FIST.