Chapter 144: Favoritism Hurts a Bit (2)
Chapter 144: Favoritism Hurts a Bit (2)
Iona is a thorough pragmatist.
To give you an idea of how extreme she is, she doesn't just tell you to fight like you’re trying to kill each other—she’ll literally push you from behind and tell you to actually go for the kill.
If it weren't for her Blood Shift magic, which allows her to shoulder the damage taken by others, Class A would have been wiped out by now, excluding myself.
Well… considering she’s a veteran of the War of the Gods and has her own personal goals, I suppose it makes sense.
And the results are undeniably effective.
However, the story changes when I’m the one on the receiving end.
“I think a one-on-one spar with a professor is a bit premature for a mere first-year like me.”
“It’s okay! It’s okay! Even for a fourth-year, it’s three hundred years too early to spar with me. I’ll go easy on you, so don’t worry!”
“…Then why spar with me at all?”
“That’s simple!”
Iona, who had been beaming, suddenly put on a mock-serious expression and continued.
“Student Yandel. Honestly, does sparring with the other kids help you at all?”
“Hmm…”
Back when I didn't even know how to cast a Shield and could only use Wind Cutter, the students of Class A were already no match for me.
The only exception was Elisha, and she’s currently my slave.
In this situation, not only have I mastered most low-grade magic, but I’ve also boosted my specs through dungeon raids and cultist subjugations.
As Iona said, there’s almost nothing to be gained from sparring with my classmates anymore.
In fact, lately at the Academy, I’ve just been treating the classes as theory sessions and doing my actual training back at the dormitory.
It seems Iona has no intention of letting me slack off when I’m essentially coasting through her lessons.
Faced with such a logical reason, I had no choice but to nod.
“Fine… Please… go easy on me.”
“Yes, yes! Oh, just in case, is there any student who objects?”
It goes without saying… if anything, they were thrilled. Not a single person objected.
Those bastards.
They’re just happy it’s not them getting hit.
*
I arrived at the sparring grounds feeling a bit depressed.
The other students were gathered in small groups, preparing to spar as usual, but I was off to the side, warming up alone.
“Finished? Are you finished?”
“My body is ready, but my heart isn't quite there yet…”
“That means you’re all set!”
Iona, who had been crouching, hopped to her feet.
Reflexively, I pulled out my staff and dagger and took a stance. Iona’s dark red eyes curved mischievously.
“Hehe. Your mouth says you’re not ready, but your body is already prepared!”
“That’s not a phrase you should use like that.”
“I know! I know! But it’s a fun class, isn't it? It was just a joke to make you smile!”
Iona used her fingers to pull up the corners of her mouth, making a comical face.
I guess beauty really is a cheat code. Despite being depressed at the thought of getting the crap beaten out of me, a dry chuckle escaped my lips.
“Shall we begin then?”
“Ah, wait a moment. There’s one thing I’m curious about. Is it okay to ask?”
“What is it, what is it? It’s not a weird question, is it? Like Professor Iona’s age, for example!”
“You’re 372 years old.”
“Gasp…!”
Iona looked genuinely shocked, like someone who had been petting a cute platypus only to be stung by its venomous spurs.
Wait, didn't we have this exact conversation before?
Even though she knows I know her age, she’s pretending to be surprised to change the subject. I can’t let her do that.
“Anyway, back to the point… Even if it’s not you, Professor, there are other people I can spar with, right?”
I glanced at Carla, who was waving and cheering from behind, and Elisha, who was watching with her arms crossed and a worried expression.
Iona nodded as if she understood.
“Aha! There’s a bit of a gap with Carla, but Elisha would certainly be a perfect sparring partner for Student Yandel!”
“Then why…”
“But she’s not a student.”
Iona cut me off firmly and shook her head.
“No matter how much authority Student Yandel has been given to bring his attendants anywhere, that’s no reason to let them participate in class.”
“You’re surprisingly strict about these things.”
“That’s right! That’s right! Rules must be followed! …Of course, I can’t do anything about them learning by watching from the sidelines!”
With a grin, Iona added those final words and reached out her hand.
A dark red light erupted from her fingertips, linking her and me together.
Blood Shift.
From this moment on, all damage I receive will be borne by Iona—the sole safety mechanism of this sparring session.
It was a sign to stop talking and attack.
I let out a deep sigh and gathered my mana.
Thump, thump.
My heartbeat was slightly faster than usual. The flow within my core became even more intense.
I should use what I’ve learned immediately.
As my core synchronized its wavelength to the flame attribute and vented mana, a red magic circle appeared above my staff.
“O burning fire. Explode. Fireball!”
I fired a Fireball, simplifying the chant as much as possible to use it as a distraction.
Perhaps due to my attribute specialization, the fireball was larger and faster than usual despite the shortened chant.
“Yes, yes. Good judgment. No matter how strong your opponent is, it’s foolish to start with a massive spell when you have no one to protect you.”
Iona waved her arm with a bright smile.
Rumble.
A U-shaped mound of earth rose from the ground, enveloping the Fireball.
Boom!
The sound of an explosion echoed. However, the earthen wall remained intact. It likely only crumbled slightly on the inside.
It didn't matter. I hadn't expected this specific defense, but I had anticipated it being blocked anyway.
The moment I threw the Fireball, I continued with the chant for the next spell I had prepared.
“Flash forth. And swiftly herald my achievements. Thunderbolt.”
My core’s wavelength was still set to the flame attribute, but as long as I wasn't using the exact opposite attribute, it wasn't an issue.
A bolt of lightning shot from the tip of my staff, tracing a trajectory impossible in nature as it bypassed the obstacle.
“Amazing! Amazing! Your chanting is as fast as ever!”
“Then how about you actually get hit for once!”
“Hey now. I’m still a professor, you know? This much won’t be enough!”
Again, Iona waved her hand toward the lightning. The bolt shattered against a transparent barrier, scattering in all directions.
But there was no next spell.
Or rather, there was, but it wasn't a spell aimed at Iona.
“These arms are mighty, and none shall stay them. Strength. These legs are like steeds, cutting through the wind. Haste.”
I cast two auxiliary spells while kicking off the ground.
My body, reinforced with physical strength and agility, naturally accelerated.
“Ahat! So you’re coming in for close quarters?”
I held my dagger low as I rapidly closed the distance to Iona.
Conversely, I raised my staff high and pushed my mana to the limit, perhaps a bit recklessly.
Vroom—
Ignoring the dull ache in my core, I poured a massive amount of mana into the spell and recited the activation word.
“Light!”
Flash!
My vision was dyed pure white. I had poured an absurd amount of mana into it, and since it was further enhanced by the Sun God's Blessing, even Iona would surely flinch…
“You know, you know. I’ve been going pretty easy on you, haven't I?”
“……?”
Iona’s voice drifted through the world of white.
A chill, like ice being poured down my spine, washed over me. I aborted my charge and threw my body to the side. But.
Slice.
“Argh!”
I was a split second too late. A searing, sharp pain erupted from my left knee.
It felt as if my entire leg had been severed. Was it a Wind Cutter?
Thanks to Blood Shift, my leg wasn't actually cut off, but it was difficult to move properly through such intense pain.
However, it was a fact that I stood no chance against Iona in a head-on magical exchange.
Gritting my teeth, I braced myself on my aching leg and corrected my posture.
Since my mobility was compromised, I had to focus on defense. Just as I began chanting Shield instead of another spell—
“But, but. Remember this well, Student Yandel. Your opponent can catch you off guard just as easily!”
Before I knew it, Iona was right in front of me, swinging her fist down in a large arc.
To be more precise, she was swinging a chunk of rock floating just slightly away from her fist.
Slam!
“Guh…!”
The blow was no different from being struck by a sledgehammer.
My vision flickered and blinked along with the sensation of my skull being crushed.
As my body froze from the sudden impact, I heard Iona’s whisper right against my ear.
“No, no. You mustn't lose focus until the very last moment. You can’t relax just because one attack is over, right?”
The rock that had slammed into my head and moved downward suddenly began to spin.
“Rock Throw!”
With Iona’s unnecessarily cheerful voice, it shot upward.
Thwack!
A dull sound, like a leather bag being struck. The problem was that I was that leather bag.
“……!!”
Was it because I had screamed twice in a row and emptied all the air from my lungs? I couldn't even make a sound. I could only wheeze as I endured the agony of my chest being turned to mush.
Even in this state, the system correction silently completed the spell I had been casting.
“Shi…eld!”
I was launched into the air. Below me, Iona watched with her blood-red eyes wide and round.
What I had to do was already decided.
“Invisible power, become my limbs. Force Grab!”
Just as I had done when fighting Edmerec, I used the telekinetic spell Force Grab on myself to hurl my own body.
The target, of course, was Iona directly beneath me.
Whoosh!
My body fell vertically at high speed.
Since I was also encased in a Shield, I was essentially a living cannonball.
Even if she blocked it, I could thrust my dagger through the gap when the shield shattered and hopefully land at least one blow.
“Hyaaaaaah!”
An opportunity gained by literally throwing my body. I widened my eyes, determined not to miss, but…
All I saw was Iona wearing a satisfied smile.
“Your concentration, being able to use magic in any situation, is certainly impressive! But did you think about what happens if you fail? Terra.”
A small mound of earth rose from beneath her feet, throwing Iona off balance.
Thanks to that, she leaned over as if falling, narrowly dodging my shield-bash by a hair’s breadth.
I lunged with my dagger, but even that failed to reach her.
In the end, I slammed into the ground alone. The moment I tried to scramble back up—
“Fireball.”
Boom!
“Gack!”
With a searing sensation on my back, I was forced to faceplant into the ground again.
After that, I tried to struggle in every way possible, but I was beaten senseless in just as many ways.
Even when I managed to drag her into close combat, the result was the same.
One curious thing was that Iona didn't use her specialty, blood magic, or any magic above intermediate level.
Only low-grade magic. And she stuck to familiar spells, excluding any specialized branches.
It felt as if she were matching my level.
I suppose this is what she meant by "going easy" on me.
Of course, the fact that I was in excruciating pain remained unchanged.
Only after being thrashed by Iona for the entire class period was I finally released.
…I have to do this every day from now on?