Transmigrate inside a Web Novel as a Side Character.

Tension began to arise on the field as Soma and Hina prepared their stance to spar. Soma calmly observed Hina, who was slightly agitated by his serious presence. He began to wonder if he should use all of his might or not.

However, his mind shifted as he saw Hina with the fire in her eyes while shifting her centre of gravity. He corrected his stance and was ready to lunge at her in a flash.

"I'm ready, Soma".

At the same time, those words leaked. Soma exhaled before he disappeared from his place. Hina, who had seen it, blinked for a moment before a chill that alerted her senses came from the shadow that appeared beside her left.

A purple gauntlet thrust straight toward her face, intending to break her jaw. Her body reflexively spun from its place using one of her feet as an axis and swung the katana horizontally.

Soma bent his knee and let the blade trajectory miss its target, and Soma, who saw Hina's wide open, secured his left palm around her abdomen, and with a single push. He transferred all the force inside his body and blew Hina away from her place.

Hina rolled on the ground multiple times before she tensed all the muscles around her body to make a follow-up and performed an ukemi to fix her stance. As she wanted to stand up, a searing pain began to assault her, contorting her beautiful face.

Many people gasp upon seeing Hina mercilessly beaten up one-sidedly, with a suffering face and begin to question Soma's thoughts about it. But, of course, Soma ignored all of it and wanted to continue sparring.

"Damn, that was one hard of a punch".

"You say that I must take my all in this, so there you have it".

"Yeah, right, thanks for listening to it".

Even though Soma had said that, deep down, Hina understood that he was still hiding his other power residing inside his body, and that fact made her grit her teeth because of the frustration she felt. "Standing near him, my ass. I can't even take his single punch and worse, he still has that power he hides".

"You overthinking again".

"Ouch..".

Soma, who saw Hina, was in deep thought, clearly frustrated about the outcome; with a single step, he covered their distance and softly flicked her forehead, leaving a red mark that would last for a moment.

"I already said it to you, right. Do your best because you have the potential for it".

"Alright,".

Hina knew that Soma only said those words to give her a small console so she would not break. The pain in the abs had subsided, so when she intended to pick her stance, her face contorted, for Soma used his fingers to pinch her cheeks and stretch them outward.

"Ouch, Shoma stap!".

"I wonder where the girl who snarled at me the first time we met?".

"Ah?".

Soma released his fingers while bringing back the past. Hina, whose cheeks were being released, recalled back the first time she met him. It was a painful and also shameful experience for her.

"Geez, don't bring that up, please. I already feel great remorse from that".

"But, I think that girl was much more positive and ambitious than the girl in front of me now".

Hina, who heard those words, jolted as if being thrust where it hurt. She opened her eyes wide and stared at Soma, who managed to catch her off guard and let out a chuckle.

"At that time, you had a clear goal and didn't concern yourself about how others look at you, and now, after being released from your pain and remorse, you become this meek. Is it because of me, after all?".

"No, Soma, I don't..".

"I'm right about that, huh. You are getting impatient because of me, who always creates many impossible feats, changing impossible to possible".

At this time, Soma's kindness had vanished from his face as he began to speak in a deep, stern voice, letting Hina get the full brunt of the reality she was escaping once more.

The atmosphere turned silent as the sway of the grass echoed on the vast field that was filled with a sombre atmosphere. Luckily, the other participant was too far away to hear their conversation. But they notice the heavy atmosphere between them and choose to remain silent.

On the other hand, Hina, who was submerged in her own thoughts, realised her own misconception. Ever since she arrived at the academy, she gained a new friend and felt at ease because this was the thing she had missed since the day she lost it. With Soma and Xiao Lian around her, she began to feel what a comfort zone is.

Hina felt that her heart was cracked open, clutching her chest in pain. Her eyes started to turn blurry, and then she sobbed as she realised her own carelessness.

"I …What should I do?".

"Geez, don't cry".

Soma, who saw tears stream from her cheeks, approached her and forced her gaze on him. He sighed and felt slightly hurt upon spouting those harsh words to her, but this was essential on her part. He doesn't want Hina to become like this because he knows that she is braver and stronger than anyone else before the author decides to kill her.

Soma wiped the tears that streamed down her face with a gentle touch and softly and seriously spoke.

"Listen, Hina, I will tell you again. We have a different start as awakeners, and I also had a special circumstance around me, and one other thing led me to this, but the thing is…".

With the warm sensation that filled her face, light slightly gathered around her eyes, illuminating the small amber that lay dormant in her heart.

"...Fight, struggle, do your best, repeat that over, and you will reach the goal you wanted…".

"?!".

Soma saw the light that gathered in her eyes begin to burn stronger, and Hina needed only one final push for her to break from her shell that called comfort and reach a new height like the one in the story he read.

Soma began to recall and tried to rack his brain, finding the appropriate words on this occasion.

"...Like when I did it when we were stranded in that trial gate in Subashiri. At first, I was worried that you got involved, but then I realised the one who always pushes me forward is you".

"...Me?".

"Yeah, because of you, I can fight those strong monsters; because of you, I am determined to bring you back to your parents who were waiting for you home, and because of you, I can keep fighting till this day".

"...Because of me? That's a lie".

Soma shook his head upon seeing Hina's refusal and had regained her calm heart. He gently caressed her cheeks before opening his mouth.

"It's the truth. By the way, how was your mana manipulation level currently?".

"Hm, What is it so suddenly?".

"Tell me!?".

Hina, who is weak from being pressured by the person she is affectionate with, begins to tell him the truth.

"It was four, and I think it might have risen to five not too long in the future".

"I see. Do you know that Xiao Lian already reached level 5 Mana manipulation?".

"Huh?! Huuuuu?!".

Soma slowly released his hand from her cheeks as he saw her stunned by the news he had brought her. Hina alternated her gaze toward Soma, then Xiao Lian, who absentmindedly saw Soma's figure with her listless gaze. She does that several times before lowering her gaze to the ground with a trembling body.

"...to, …".

"Hm?".

With a blazing spirit in her eyes, Hina exploded while letting all of the fumes around her fuse, then spoke with clenched fists and a trembling body.

"I won't lose to her, especially her. Yeah, Her. I won't lose to her".

Soma, who saw Hina regain her spirit, parted his lips, letting her let out all her frustration while he accompanied her.

"Aah, Okay, that's enough whining. Let's continue, Soma, now please guide me".

"Heh, sure".

****

"Fufu, it seems they rather have some conversation over there, right Xiao Lian".

"..Mm? Yeah, senior is right".

Serafina, who saw Xiao Lian, was a bit down, knit her brows in worry as she tried to help her in some ways, but the reason Xiao Lian turned this way was none other than Serafina herself.

She felt apologetic about the harsh words she had said to Xiao Lian back then, but Serafina thought that Xiao Lian could stand on her feet and maybe create an unbreakable bond. That will lead to their happiness.

However, things seem not going well.

Xiao Lian, who occasionally saw Soma's back as she wanted to say something but couldn't, always let down her gaze while clutching her clothes.

"Xiao Lian?".

"Mm?".

"Have you ever talked to Soma about it?".

Upon mentioning Soma's name, Xiao Lian's body twitched, and her expression seemed stiffer than usual. Serafina's heart began to tighten in pain for the words she accidently spilled, as her face paled.

Instead of opening her mouth, Xiao Lian could only give Serafina a gentle shake of her head, and it pricked Serafina's heart even further. "This is bad. I must do something about these two. If not, both of them will regret it later".

"Um, Xiao Lian?".

"Mm? What is it, senior?".

"Fufu, are you free tonight?".

"?".