Chapter 251: That's Not How You Do It... (4)
Chapter 251: That's Not How You Do It... (4)
Iona leaned in and whispered into my ear.
"If you win, I'll let you do a 'Vampire Captured by a Vampire Hunter' roleplay tonight."
"So, I just have to take them all down, right?"
And that was how the sudden "Yandel Raid" was decided.
The students from the Knight Department were clearly displeased, scowling or glaring in my direction. They were making no effort to hide their dissatisfaction.
It made sense. Class A students were inherently prideful. Having been hailed as geniuses since childhood, it was only natural.
However, since the Academy gathered only the finest talents on the continent, pride in being a "genius" was the most useless thing one could possess here.
By the second semester, they should have realized that... but even so, being told that nearly thirty of them had to rush one person just to stand a chance must have felt like an insult.
Of course, my friends from the Magic Department—who had suffered plenty during our usual sparring sessions—were silently preparing for the duel, casting Shields and various buff spells on themselves.
Usually, mages have bigger egos, so I found this reversal quite refreshing. I nodded to myself, but the peace didn't last long.
Eventually, one of the Knight Department students raised his hand and began to protest to Professor Jason.
"Professor Jason!"
"What is it, Alberto?"
"Isn't this going too far!"
"State exactly what you find 'too far.'"
Jason replied while scratching his head as if it were a chore. Alberto grew even more heated.
"I understand that our opponent is much stronger than us. But I cannot accept the idea that every single person here needs to step forward to face him."
"Are you saying that while knowing Student Yandel has reached the level of an Intermediate Magician?"
"Of course. I'm not trying to underestimate Yandel. I just feel like you, Professor, are looking down on us too much."
"No. From where I'm standing, it looks like you are underestimating him. To begin with, an Intermediate Magician is at the level of an executive in a Large Magic Tower. In a small to medium tower, they could even aim for the position of Tower Lord. As an adventurer, they'd be at least Gold Rank, and most professors in this Academy—excluding a few—are Intermediate Magicians or at an equivalent level."
Jason looked momentarily depressed as he glanced at the hair that had fallen out while he was scratching, but he quickly brushed the strands off his hand and continued.
"Alberto. Do you honestly believe that if you all group up, you can defeat someone at a professor's level?"
"That’s..."
"Ah, right. If it were a professor from the Production Department, you might stand a chance."
His tone was calm, devoid of sarcasm. But perhaps that was exactly what stung the pride of the knight students even more.
Though they didn't say it aloud, several students clamped their mouths shut and began to glare at me.
Hmm. How cute. They're at that age where they're full of spirit.
Alberto bowed his head, his voice dropping an octave.
"Understood. Then we shall prove it ourselves."
"Go ahead."
Jason waved his hand as if telling him to get lost. As Alberto returned to his position, our eyes met. He gave me a slight, stiff nod.
Well, despite how he acted, he wasn't a bad guy. He was just the type with a ridiculously high sense of pride.
He appeared as a companion character in H&A, but his pick rate was low because his personality was so polarizing and his performance was mediocre.
...Or maybe it was because some extreme fans kept causing trouble on the strategy forums, ruining his image.
I chuckled briefly at the old memory and pulled my staff out of my inventory.
"Can we start right away?"
"Yep, yep! Oh, do you need time to prepare? The other students already cast their Shields."
"No. I'm fine as I am."
"Got it, got it!"
Iona, who had been holding me up, suddenly zipped backward. In an instant, she was at the perfect distance for the duel to commence.
She gauged the distance once, nodded in satisfaction, and returned to her spot.
After a brief exchange with Jason, she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted loudly.
"Starting now, starting now! On the count of three, the duel begins!"
As she spoke, Iona cast Blood Shift on everyone, including me, as a safety measure.
"One!"
The moment the counting began, the somewhat disorganized energy of the students snapped into focus.
The knights still looked reluctant, but they dutifully drew their swords.
The mages pulled up their mana with expressions of resignation.
And I did nothing, simply watching the students in front of me.
"Two!"
There was no time for a formal strategy meeting, but it was only natural for the knights to take the vanguard and the mages to take the rearguard.
Those holding blades stepped forward instinctively, while those clad in robes took a step back.
I was still just watching.
This wasn't because I intended to lose on purpose, nor was it a mistake born of excessive arrogance.
In the first place, considering the prize on the line for this duel, I absolutely could not afford to lose.
It was simply a natural composure that came from the sheer gap between me and them.
"Three!"
As soon as Iona finished the count, the knight students kicked off the ground, rapidly closing the distance.
I gave a light nod to Carla and Elisha, who were waving from the corner of the training ground, and raised my staff.
"Shield."
A translucent force field wrapped around my body. Moments later, the swords and spears of the knight students arrived, hacking away at it.
Clang! Screech! Crack!
Swords bending at bizarre trajectories, spears thrusting at a single point, fists extended with a heavy stomp, and a giant hammer slamming down with immense weight.
Yet, not a single one could pierce my Shield.
It was only natural. Protection magic was designed to withstand attacks from enemies of the same rank.
The attacks of Aura Runners—those who had just begun to reinforce their bodies with Aura, the equivalent of a Lower Mage—could be blocked by a Shield I cast half-heartedly.
The various spells flying in from afar would likely be blocked just as easily.
By the way, since it was their first time fighting together, their teamwork seemed a bit off. At this rate, the aftershocks of the magic would hit the knight students as well.
The swordsmen, initially shocked by the unmoving Shield, noticed the incoming magic and hurriedly retreated.
As they widened the distance, a bombardment of magic rained down on my head.
Boom! Ka-boom! Crash!
A cacophony of noise.
Flames and lightning exploded before my eyes. Giant boulders shattered into pieces, water lost its force and spilled onto the ground, and the wind swirled uselessly around me.
As expected, the Shield didn't break under this level of assault. However, a few cracks did appear on the surface.
If I kept taking concentrated fire like this, it would eventually break. But that would give me more than enough time to prepare my own magic.
Black smoke obscured my vision. From beyond it, I heard Alberto's voice—the one who had been protesting to Professor Jason earlier.
"Did we get him...?"
Wait, he's actually using that line? In that case, I have no choice but to live up to expectations and show off some flashy magic.
I canceled the spell I was about to cast and built up a new image.
"O ember. I breathe life into thee with my breath. This is one birth and the end of many."
My core throbbed wildly, heightening a massive amount of mana.
"Bloom within the darkness. Soar from within the ashes."
Spheres of crimson flame flickered occasionally through the pitch-black smoke.
Sensing something ominous, the knight students tried to rush in before the smoke cleared... but it was already too late.
The incantation was already down to its final line.
"Awaken, Fire Phoenix."
The flames that had been flickering split to the left and right. A fierce heatwave erupted from the gap, sweeping through the surroundings.
Whoosh—!
The smoke was blown far away by the wind.
In its place stood a giant firebird, burning as bright as the sun.
"W-what is this... How..."
Alberto, who had been about to charge, froze in his tracks. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
A majestic figure that looked ready to set the sky ablaze, radiating heat that scorched the earth just by existing.
And above all, eyes that burned with vivid hostility.
The overwhelming pressure was so intense it was hard to breathe, freezing everyone in the duel in place.
Even the professors, Iona and Jason, seemed shocked, staring blankly with their mouths agape.
The only composed people were Carla and Elisha, who had seen this magic yesterday.
However, the Fire Phoenix now was likely a completely different spell from the one they saw yesterday.
I had spent a lot of time agonizing over how to use this cool-looking but mana-inefficient spell.
The greatest strengths of the Fire Phoenix are its duration and controllability. There is only one way to fight while making the most of those traits.
And that is to fight my own battle while maintaining the Fire Phoenix. Ultimately, I plan to refine it into an autonomous spell.
Of course, it won't be easy. I've only thought about it in my head; I haven't confirmed if it's actually possible.
So, I'm testing it now.
"Whew."
After taking a light breath, I sent the Fire Phoenix charging toward the dazed knight students.
"Go!"
The phoenix, swelling the flames wrapped around its body, flew forward at high speed.
From its violently flapping wings, heatwaves and burning feathers were fired toward the ground, making it difficult to breathe.
Since the main body itself was only at the level of an average Intermediate spell, the power of the derivative attacks was, at best, that of a strong Lower spell.
But regardless of its actual power, it was a truly magnificent sight.
Magnificent enough that a few students actually turned tail and ran.
"R-run!"
"I've never... never heard of magic like this!"
"Even for a duel, isn't this going too far?!"
Of course it is!
This is one of the few chances I have to tease Iona from my side—how could I possibly hold back!
I'm going to crush you all with everything I've got!