Chapter 252: That’s Not How You Do It... (5)
Chapter 252: That’s Not How You Do It... (5)
The phoenix, its entire body wreathed in massive, swelling flames, soared forward at high speed.
From its violently flapping wings, a heatwave so intense it was hard to breathe and a rain of burning feathers were unleashed toward the ground.
“R-Run!”
“I’ve never even heard of magic like that!”
“Is he really going this far in a duel?!”
Of course I am!
This is one of the few chances I have to mess with Iona; how could I possibly hold back?
I’m going to crush you with everything I’ve got!
Perhaps my fighting spirit was conveyed, as the terrified Knight Department students began to scatter in all directions.
“You lot! Where are you going?! It’s more dangerous if you scatter!”
Alberto urgently tried to stop those breaking formation, but his words had little effect on those who were already overwhelmed.
For the record, the first one to bolt was Vincent, the guy I’d cleared a practice dungeon with before. It seems he still hasn't fixed that cowardice of his.
Chuckling inwardly, I sent the Fire Phoenix flying straight toward the Magic Department’s side.
“Where did he find such strange magic...?”
“That’s not a real phoenix, is it?”
“Does that matter right now?! Hurry up and use protection magic!”
The phoenix actively threw itself into the fray, occasionally breathing fire to disrupt their rear lines.
In response, the Magic Department students gritted their teeth and countered with spells like Ice Wall and Water Dome to minimize the damage.
Yeah, you’re doing great. It would be a pain if they started providing support or interference, so they could stay occupied like that for a while.
With a satisfied smile, I kicked off the ground toward the scattered Knight Department students.
My target was a student holding a spear, who was currently frozen in indecision. There was no particular reason; he was just the closest.
“Hah!”
I didn't have the luxury to use Blood Force. Maybe later I’ll be able to cast multiple Fire Phoenixes at once or use other spells freely, but that’s not the case right now.
Even if I squeezed out every drop of mana, using even a low-grade spell would be difficult. I might manage basic magic somehow, though.
Even though that phoenix moves as if it’s alive, I’m actually controlling it directly, and it feels like my head is about to explode.
However, my current raw physical stats are on par with a third or fourth-year Knight Department student. I wouldn't fall behind even against a first-year reinforced with Aura.
Indeed, the spearman seemed surprised by my speed, his eyes widening as he hurriedly took a defensive stance.
He stepped back half a pace with his left foot, naturally parrying the trajectory of my staff. Taking advantage of the opening in my posture, he raised his spear.
Whoosh!
Heavenly Rotation. A common skill for polearm-type weapons that involves spinning the weapon behind one's back to strike an enemy at close range from below.
Naturally, it was a technique I knew. I brought my dagger to the level of my solar plexus.
Skreeeeek!
The sound of the blade scraping against the wooden spear shaft rang out loudly as it deflected the blow.
Hmm. This is definitely doable.
If there was one thing that bothered me, it was that I couldn't understand why he used Heavenly Rotation there.
Heavenly Rotation is good because it can be used instantly, but it’s a technique that leaves a massive opening if it’s blocked or misses.
It’s easier to think of it as an instant-cast skill with almost no pre-delay, but significant post-delay.
That’s why it’s usually more useful to use it during an offensive to cut off an opponent’s counterattack, rather than for defense...
Ah, will the atmosphere get awkward again if I say something?
No, my image is already ruined anyway. Rumors are spreading to the point that Iona is openly organizing raids against me.
It’s a relief that they aren't malicious like the ones in the first semester, though.
But if you can't avoid it, you might as well enjoy it. Since things have turned out this way, I might as well give them some pointers, right?
I grinned at the guy, whose eyes were wide as if he hadn't expected to be blocked.
“The spear. That’s not how you use it.”
“What...?”
Did he think I was mocking him? His face turned beet-red as he swung his spear violently.
From the blocked Heavenly Rotation, he transitioned into Rakshasa Strike, Three Consecutive Strikes, and Heavenly Observation.
Respectively, these were a large horizontal swing while creating distance, a series of thrusts targeting three vital points, and a straight thrust to the center.
I understood his intention. He wanted to create distance, break my posture, and then finish me off for sure. However.
“You’re too honest.”
Even if he was sticking to the basics of the spear—using distance as an advantage to attack unilaterally—he was being too faithful to them. When the intention is this clear, it’s hard to even fall for it.
I lightly dodged or parried the spear that flew along the exact trajectories I remembered, then tucked my dagger back into my inventory.
Instead, I gripped my staff with both hands. As if I were holding a short spear.
The opponent’s expression turned strange when he saw me. It was likely because my stance looked quite plausible.
I’ve been growing bit by bit, and before I knew it, my weapon skill trait had reached C+ rank.
At this level, it’s equivalent to someone with average talent training in a conventional way for about ten years since childhood.
Of course, it might fall short compared to the student in front of me, who has great talent, ample support, and specializes in spearmanship... but it’s probably only a one or two-rank difference. I can easily cover that much.
“Hup!”
I took a sharp breath and thrust the staff forward in a single motion.
A Heavenly Observation delivered as I lunged in. Naturally, it was easily blocked. After all, my only relevant trait was Ordinary Weapon Skill (C+).
But the following attacks would be a bit different.
Clang! Clang-clang!
The sounds of successive collisions rang out. The spearman looked at my staff with a bewildered expression.
“...What on earth was that just now?”
“A feint. Followed by a relentless barrage.”
To put it more simply, it’s a technique that minimizes DPS loss by actively utilizing certain skills that ignore post-delay.
Unfortunately, auto-attack canceling is impossible in this world, but this was doable.
It’s hard to use in boss fights where you have to run around a lot, but it’s quite useful for clearing mobs or dealing burst damage.
Well... even though I’m receiving system correction through my weapon skill, I don't have any specialized traits, so I’m just imitating it. I can't produce proper power.
The same goes for the dagger. I can handle it better than other weapons because I’ve used it a lot, but even then, it’s worse than a low-grade spell.
After that, I exchanged blows with the spearman several more times.
Given the gap in basic skill, he could have knocked my staff away whenever he wanted, but he seemed possessed, focused entirely on matching my rhythm.
It looked as if he was trying to learn even one more thing from me. A very exemplary newbie attitude.
I’d love to show this precious baby a few more combos, but... unfortunately, Alberto was charging toward me with the other students who had regained their senses.
Time to wrap this up.
Thud!
A clumsy imitation of Rakshasa Strike was blocked midway. Unlike before, it was a plain attack with no hidden intent or following link.
While the spearman blinked in confusion.
“Shock!”
The image conjured from a corner of my mind became a pale flash, paralyzing him.
“W-Why...?”
“Did you forget? I’m originally a mage.”
As I thought. I might struggle with low-grade magic, but I can use basic magic without any issues. This is enough.
Nodding to myself, I struck the top of the head of the guy who was looking at me with eyes full of betrayal.
“Sleep!”
Whack!
The guy was knocked out by my Sleep (Physical). As soon as he lost consciousness, Iona, who had been watching from afar, retrieved him with magic.
Alright. Shall we move on to the next one?
Alberto, though wearing a stunned expression, thrust his sword toward my blind spot. I parried that sharp attack with my short-gripped staff and cackled.
“The sword. That’s not how you use it!”
*
“Master looks like he’s having fun.”
“Well, hasn't he mostly been fighting opponents stronger than himself until now? If he can run wild like this... I think even I would be excited.”
Carla muttered blankly, and Elisha answered half-heartedly while fiddling with her ringlet hair.
Their attitudes were opposites, but the place their gazes were fixed was the same.
The dueling ground. They were following Yandel, who was taking on several Knight Department students simultaneously in the center.
Not only did he lightly block the opponents' attacks as if he could see them all coming, but he even imitated their weapons and added, “That’s not how you do it.”
It was a truly obnoxious sight, but perhaps it looked different to Carla. The corners of her mouth had been twitching into a silly grin for a while now.
“Wow. Master really is amazing. How does he know how to handle all those different weapons? It’s not just magic he’s good at?”
“I don't know. To me, it looks like he just knows the basics; it’s not comparable to the Knight Department. ...Though those unpredictable movements are certainly surprising.”
One more. After being toyed with by Yandel, another student was dragged away by Iona’s magic with a hollow expression.
That made five from the Knight Department alone. Two had also been eliminated from the Magic Department’s side, where the Fire Phoenix was running rampant.
On the other hand, the shield Yandel had cast at the beginning hadn't even been fully broken yet.
The Knight Department seemed to have entered a war of attrition, aiming to exhaust his stamina and mana, but...
Thanks to the Sun God’s Blessing, his stamina recovered faster than it was consumed, and his mana was still far from running dry.
“Poor things, they don't seem to have realized it yet.”
“It’s not that they haven't realized it; they’ve been deceived. Yandel is currently leading the pace while pretending to grow tired. Honestly. For someone who lacks common sense in strange areas, he’s like a demon when it comes to things like this.”
“...This is also that, right?”
“Yes. He must have ingrained it into his body through thorough training since he was young. So that he could fight in any situation.”
The atmosphere grew slightly solemn. A hint of pity entered Carla and Elisha’s eyes.
While the misunderstanding deepened today as well, there was a small commotion among the faculty.
“Professor Iona! Just now! Was that something you taught him? He seems to disregard defense too much, but his instantaneous breakthrough power seems incomparable to anything conventional...”
“Ahem! Ahem! Call me Professor! How dare you address your heavenly mentor like that! And what I taught him was just how to fight. I didn't teach him those weapon skills.”
“Come now, we’re all professors here, how long are you going to keep saying that? More importantly, if I had known he had that much talent, I would have just taught him myself.”
Jason let out a deep sigh of regret.
He was regretting the time Yandel had come to him to learn close-quarters combat, and he had sent him away, saying Iona would be a better teacher.
At his blatant display, Iona giggled and shook her head.
“Why? Why? Are you coveting him? I’m not giving him to you. Student Yandel is mine. Bleeeeh~”
“Really, at your age, what are you... anyway, it would be a lie to say I’m not interested. But didn't you say he has a greater talent for magic than martial arts?”
“Right, right. Student Yandel would have achieved great success even if he picked up a sword... but it wouldn't have been at such a fast pace.”
As if he were getting into the spirit of things, Yandel was saying things like, “I’ve roughly grasped your level. It’s so boring I want to die,” to his hesitating opponents.
At Yandel’s display—which was hard to tell if it was cool or embarrassing—Iona licked her lips.
“At this rate, Student Yandel will win easily. ...Let’s see. What kind of reward should I give him?”
Seeing this, the area under Jason’s eyes twitched.
Something happened...!
He knew that Iona and Yandel were official partners. He also knew their relationship was unusual.
But... was this truly right?
A professor and a student? A 372-year-old and a 20-year-old? Really? Is this okay?
“......”
Of course, Jason didn't have the courage to say it out loud. No matter what anyone said, Iona was a titan, practically the second-in-command of the Academy.
He didn't want to get fired from his job yet. Especially since his wife had recently become pregnant with their third child.
‘Ah, I want to go home and see my wife.’
Jason made a tearful face and rubbed the ring on his ring finger.
The ring sparkled, just like the top of his head.