Chapter 1

## Mash Burnedead and the Body of the Gods

* Color Page
* Color Spread

## Chapter Chronology

**Mash Burnedead and the Body of the Gods** is the first chapter of the Mashle series and the first chapter of the Easton Enrollment Arc.

## Summary

After finishing his training in the woods, Mash Burnedead grabs a bag and takes out a cream puff. He then says that there is **'nothing like a cream puff after pumping iron.'**

At a house in the woods, Regro Burnedead, Mash's adoptive father, sits alone and drinks from a mug. Suddenly, the door to the house begins to rattle. The door is then ripped off it's hinges by Mash. Seeing this, Regro screams, saying that Mash just needed to open the door, not rip it if it's hinges. Mash says that he couldn't remember if he needed to push or pull the door, so he forced it open. He then apologies and says that he will fix it, Regro says that it's fine as long as he understands what he did was wrong.

Mash then begins to repeatedly push the door into the frame, which causes Regro to scream again. He tells Mash that he needs to turn it, but Mash mishears what he said. He keeps on pushing the door, which eventually causes it to snap into three pieces. After seeing what he has done, Mash apologies.

Regro tells him to forget about it and asks Mash how his training routine went. Mash says that it went well and asks Regro why he has him work out everyday. Regro tells him **'that's a story for another time.'** He thinks to himself that Mash is unlike other people as he cannot use magic, so having him work out is **'the least [he] can do for [him].'**

He then tells Mash that he is going out and says **'I know I've told you this countless time before, but you must never venture into the city.'** Mash says that he won't, causing Regro to call him a good son before leaving the house. Shortly after he leaves, Mash notices a piece of paper and picks it up. On the paper, there is an advert for 'Goblin Cream Puffs', saying that there is an exclusive one day only 'special menu'. After seeing this, Mash says that he **'can't ignore the call of an empty stomach'** and heads into the city.

When he arrives, he sees people using magic to achieve everyday tasks such as, making food, filling glasses and washing people's feet. He questions why magic is needed saying **'couldn't they just do all this stuff by hand?'** He walks up to Goblin Cream Puffs and asks for seven of the special, handing three coins to the shopkeeper. When he receives the coins, the shopkeeper sees that they have all been bent. Also noticing that they have been bent, Mash offers to fix them. This confuses the shopkeeper, as **'coins don't usually bend.'** Mash takes the coins back from the man and bends them back into the correct shape, causing the shopkeeper to scream out of shock.

A few moments later, the shopkeeper thanks Mash for waiting and gives him a bag of cream puffs. As he does this, a gust of wind blows down Mash's hood, revealing that he does not have a magic mark, a marking that everyone who can use magic has on their face. This shocks the shopkeeper, and the crowd around them, who have begun to whisper amongst themselves.

At a police station, a police officer named Brad Coleman is reading a newspaper. This newspaper reveals that Rayne Ames, a second-year student at Easton Magic Academy is this year's Divine Visionary. The Divine Visionary title is given to the student who **'demonstrated the highest degree of excellence over the course of the year.'** The newspaper also says that the Divine Visionary will be elevated to the rank of nobility and given one billion lond, the world's currency. Brad says that it must feel good having so much talent, as he is stuck living a dull life.

From within a cell, a prisoner asks Brad to forgive him, saying that he **'swiped a little something for [himself]'** but that it's **'no big deal.'** Brad says that it's thanks to the prisoner petty crimes that he has got more work to do so he is going to keep him like that until he learns to never cause trouble again. The phone begins to ring, and Brad answers it saying **'What is it? I'm busy.'** He is told that someone without a mark has appeared in the city.

As Mash walks through the city eating cream puffs, he accidentally bumps into a police officer called Terry, which causes his cream puff to squish against Terry's clothes. Mash apologies and Terry begins to shout at Mash, saying that he protects people but doesn't get any thanks, and maybe he should all of his stress out on him. After a moment of silence, Mash offers Terry a cream puff. Terry thinks that Mash is treating him like a 'charity case' by offering a half eaten cream puff. He then slaps the cream puff out of Mash's hands, calling him a **'bratty little punk.'** He then asks Mash what he is going to do about his uniform, now that it has got cream on it. Mash then rips Terry's clothes off, saying **'I'm sorry about your clothes. I'll wash and return them to you.'** This causes Terry to shout out **'Wash?! Return?! You just destroyed them!'**

Brad then appears, asking Terry what the problem is, to which he replies saying **'It's this kid, Brad!'** After looking at Mash, he notices that he does not have a mark, however before he can do anything, Regro grabs Mash and runs away. Brad says **'This'll be a bit of a hassle. But I can't miss my one chance to hit it big.'**

When they get home, Regro shouts at Mash for going into the city. Mash apologies, saying that he won't do it again. After seeing that Mash regrets doing it, Regro says **'That's good I suppose. Just be more careful next time, all right?'** He then tells Mash, that as punishment for going into the city, he will have to repeat his training routine. Before he leaves, Mash gives Regro the remaining cream puffs. Regro thinks to himself how obedient Mash is, and worries now that the magic police are aware of him, saying that he **'must act quickly.'** However, before he can do anything, Brad breaks into the house with Terry and one other policeman.

After five minutes, Mash finishes his training and begins to head home. As he walks, he sings a song about cream puffs, but stops when he reaches the door, as he can't remember if he needs to push or pull. While he stands at the door, he hears Brad say **'You knew we'd come for the kid. That's why you hid 'im.'** He says that since the dawn of recorded history, magic has kept the world flourishing. The reason for this, he says, is because those who cannot use magic are 'expelled' from the gene poll. He says that although it may sound harsh, their sacrifice is for the good of society, as the shouldn't have been born in the first place.

He tells Regro that **'sheltering the unmasked is a serious offense'** and orders him to hand Mash over to them. Regro refuses, angering Brad and causing him to attack him.

A flashback to when Regro was a young boy show that he was unloved by his father as he was not good at using magic. Throughout his life, he was constantly told how he was worthless due to his lack of magical ability. This almost caused him to commit suicide, however he found Mash as a baby, abandoned on a bridge. After seeing that he did not have a mark, Regro decided to take him in and raise him as his son.

Back in the present, Regro thinks to himself that even if he and Mash aren't tied by blood, he will always be his father. He then shouts out to Mash telling him to run away. Brad then tells the other two police officers to find Mash, as he must be close by. Brad tells Regro to be quiet, and hits him on the back on the head. However, Regro does not listen and shouts out to Mash again.

Mash then comes crashing through the door, knocking the unnamed policeman out in the process. Terry then says that he hasn't forgotten what Mash did to him, but before he can finish his sentence, Mash rips his uniform off and slaps him in the face countless times. Regro then asks Mash why he didn't run away and Mash replies saying **'Because we're family. You're all I've got. Sorry for being stubborn, pops. But since I'm here, I might as well send you guys to hell.'**

After hearing Mash say this, Brad laughs at the idea of a person beating him without magic. Terry also thinks that Brad losing is absurd, as Brad used to be on the Bureau of Magic's Security Force. Brad says that he will **'end this before [Mash] can count to three.'** He then casts the spell **'Nalcompas'**, a spell which he once used to drive off a dragon. Despite this, Mash is easily able to handle it by simply slapping it into the floor. This leaves Brad extremely confused, as Mash shouldn't have been able to deflect such a powerful spell.

Brad says that Mash **'put up a good fight'** but he won't be able to stop his next spell. After seeing the amount of magic energy coming off of Brad, Terry tells him to stop, as he could destroy the entire forest. However, Brad does not listen, instead casting **'Nalcompas Diagorus'**. Again, Mash is easily able to handle it by swatting it away. This angers Brad, who then decides to send a barrage of attacks at Mash. Mash is again able to easily handle the attacks, however this time he decides to treat them as though the were balls, as he juggles and dribbles them.

Mash then picks up Regro's wand, saying that he's going to borrow it. This confuses Brad, however he says that he will be fine and puts up a defensive spell. Mash then throws the wand, breaking through Brad's spell, cutting his cheek and sticking into the wall. This causes Brad to fall to the floor saying **'I've never seen anyone use a magic wand like that before.'** Mash then says **'Threaten my family again, and I'll kill you.'** Regro is left in shock after seeing how powerful Mash is, saying that his training was only meant to teach him self defense and questions how it is even possible for him to be that strong.

Brad begins to laugh and says **'That was good.'** He then offer Mash a deal, saying that if Mash does what he tells him to do, he will let him and Regro go. Mash asks what the deal is, and Brad explains that they live in a very religious country, and once a year, a student is picked to be the new Divine Visionary, one of God's chosen. He says all that Mash needs to do is enroll in a magic school and become the Divine Visionary, as if he becomes one of God's chosen, society will have no choice but to accept him. He tells him that he just wants the cash and prestige that come with the title, so that is why he will help him.

Regro tells Mash not to listen, as the plan is absurd and they shouldn't trust someone who just tried to kill them. Brad says that he can see why they would be skeptical, but if they refuse, the magic police will never stop hunting them down. He says that Mash may be able to take it, but Regro won't. He then asks Mash if he wants to **'spend the rest of [his] life being hunted like a dog, or seize this chance to turn society on it's head.'** Mash agrees to the deal, causing Regro say **'Have you lost your mind?! It's called magic school!**Mash then says that he will be fine as he is chock-full of motivation, as he wants the two of them to live in peace, and if the world won't allow that then he has got **'no choice but to crush it, with [his] fist.'**

## Chapter Notes

* The way in which the word works is revealed.
	+ Everyone can use magic and has got a 'magic mark' on their face. If someone cannot use magic, they will be 'expelled' in order to remove them from the gene pool.
* The Divine Visionary title is introduced.
* The circumstances in which Regro adopted Mash are revealed.
	+ He found him abandoned on a bridge and took him in after noticing that he did not have a magic mark. This was due to Regro's lack of magical ability, as he was constantly called worthless because of it.
* After a short fight, Mash wins against Brad Coleman.
	+ The two then make a deal, where Brad will ignore Mash's lack of magic if he becomes a Divine Visionary and gives Brad the money that comes with the title.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Mash Burnedead (Debut)
* Regro Burnedead (Debut)
* Rayne Ames (News Report) (Debut)
* Terry (Debut)
* Brad Coleman (Debut)