Chapter 198
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 198
The second round of the test began.
I stood at the firing line, staring at the shimmering magic barrier before me.
‘Firing magic at a magic barrier is like shooting a bullet underwater.’
Just as a bullet loses its momentum underwater due to drag, the power of a spell is significantly drained by a barrier’s resistance. To succeed, one usually had to pour every ounce of effort into precise coordinate selection and output calculation.
Or, there was the other way.
Craaash—!
"Roen Devalis, you pass the second round."
The target shattered with a deafening roar.
You could simply unleash enough raw power to ignore the resistance entirely and pierce the target directly. That was my method. My reinforced Magic Arrow punched through the barrier in a single shot, obliterating the target.
“……”
I stepped back from the lane, feeling the dumbfounded stares of the other students prickling at my back.
The test continued. Despite the addition of only a single magic barrier, nearly half the class was eliminated in the second round. The barrier blocking the center of the lane rendered most of their previous tricks useless. Area-of-effect spells like Fireball couldn’t penetrate it, and spells fired like buckshot had their power halved, failing to reach the target.
In the end, only two types of students passed: those who took the standard approach—calculating permeability and adjusting magic properties—and those who, like me, simply cranked up the output.
About forty students remained as the test entered its third round.
Zzzng—.
In the third round, a second magic barrier appeared. This one was much thicker and tougher than the last.
Gulp—.
“Ah...”
The thick magic barrier absorbed spells like elastic jelly. It was designed to generate a powerful repulsive force, acting much like reactive armor whenever it detected high-output magic. Because of this, most of the students who had brute-forced the second round failed here. To break through with raw power, you needed overwhelming firepower—something few students possessed.
“……”
Beatrice stepped up and fired a Magic Arrow with the same output she’d used in the previous rounds. Normally, that level of power shouldn’t have been enough to pierce two layers of barriers.
Fweee—.
Yet, Beatrice’s arrow slipped through the barriers with ease and struck the target dead center.
“Whoa.”
The students murmured in awe. I nodded slowly, recognizing the technique.
‘Did she incorporate that trick I saw before?’
Back when we explored the Aether Dungeon, a dwarven arrow had managed to penetrate a magic barrier she created. Its head had been twisted into a spiral, specifically designed to bore through magical defenses. It seemed she had applied that same principle to modify her Magic Arrow.
‘Talent is talent, I suppose.’
Following her lead, the other top students broke through in their own ways. Yulina fired several sharply honed blades of ice in rapid succession.
Fsh-fsh-fsh—.
The first blade failed to penetrate, but the second and third followed its path, eventually piercing the barriers and hitting the target.
Then, it was my turn. I didn’t have Beatrice’s genius for technical modification. Instead...
‘I have magic to spare.’
Even though Bell’s Magic Orb inside me was only operating at half efficiency, I could still pierce a barrier like this without much trouble.
Fwhoooosh—.
I maximized the power of my Magic Arrow by increasing its rotation speed far beyond its normal limits. The arrow, trailing a powerful gale of mana, shrieked toward the thick barriers.
Craaash—!
It was a close call, but my spell successfully bored through both barriers and destroyed the target.
The third round was a slaughter. Most of the remaining students were eliminated, leaving only the heavy hitters: Beatrice, Yulina, Hildegard, and myself.
The fourth round began.
Zzzng—.
A third magic barrier was added. This one was sloped, intended to deflect spells much like the sloped armor on a tank. Yulina, the first to go, swallowed hard as she stepped into the lane. I decided to mess with her while she was psyching herself up.
"You look a little nervous. Not feeling confident?"
"Hmph!"
Yulina shot me a glare, then extended her hand. Sharp icicles erupted from her palm. She intended to use the same rapid-fire tactic as before.
Th-th-thump—.
The icicles created ripples of various sizes as they hammered the barriers. As the barriers wavered and a momentary opening appeared, Yulina fired one last, massive ice arrow.
However...
Poof—.
It failed to pierce the final barrier and dissipated into mist. I smirked at the sight.
"You failed."
"...I bet you can't do it either," Yulina snapped, her face flushing as she glared at me.
I simply shrugged. "We'll see."
Hildegard went next, choosing a tactic similar to Yulina’s. She fired magic bullets like a machine gun to create an opening, but the barrier’s recovery rate was faster than her rate of destruction. Hildegard was eliminated, leaving only Beatrice and me.
"Who would like to go first?" Assistant Professor Wayne asked.
Beatrice took a step forward. She stood in the lane and fired a Magic Arrow, its power visibly greater than before. It seemed she’d realized that the spiral shape alone wouldn't be enough for three barriers and had boosted the raw output as well.
Th-th-thwump—.
Beatrice’s Magic Arrow tore through the three layers like a whirlwind and struck the target. Her skill was as clean as ever—perfectly efficient, using exactly the amount of magic required. She casually flicked her hair and looked at me.
"I've avenged Yulina."
"Indeed."
I chuckled and stepped into the lane. I stared at the three barriers. At this point, simple output wouldn't be enough.
‘Guess I’ll have to use a little trick.’
I didn’t have the talent to modify spells on the fly like Beatrice. That was her unique magic, something that didn’t even exist in the game’s skill tree. But I had a talent of my own.
P-p-pang—.
I fired several Magic Arrows and simultaneously clenched my fist, manifesting my Authority. It was the Authority to manipulate space, which I had acquired from my battle with Carmilla. I wasn’t sure if I could use it in my current state without transforming, but I had to try.
Kwagwagwa—!
As dozens of Magic Arrows exploded chaotically against the barriers, I secretly used my Authority to create a microscopic crack in the space of the barrier.
Zzzng—.
A single Magic Arrow slipped safely through the crack and struck the target.
"Whoa!"
The students who had doubted me were now cheering. To them, it looked like I had simply overwhelmed the barriers with a massive, flashy barrage. It wasn't refined, but it was entertaining.
“……”
Beatrice frowned, looking displeased. She might be indifferent to many things, but her pride in magic was absolute. She was the direct heir of the Cassandra Magic Empire, the ruler of all Magic Towers, and a genius hailed as a future Grand Mage. It would be strange if she didn’t feel competitive.
"...You're quite skilled. Your magic has improved a great deal since last year, hasn't it?" Beatrice turned to Wayne. "Assistant Professor Wayne, is there a next stage prepared?"
Beatrice, who had never once failed to take first place, couldn't accept a tie.
"Of course. We don't normally use it in lectures... but it exists. Are you sure?"
"Yes. Please prepare it."
At Beatrice's demand, Wayne pressed a button.
Zzzng—.
A fifth magic barrier appeared, this one inscribed with an anti-magic circle—the kind used on castle walls to block heavy magical bombardments. Beatrice issued her challenge.
"What do you say, Roen? Care to try? You're free to decline."
"It makes no difference to me."
As long as I used my Authority, I couldn't lose. It didn't matter how thick the barriers were if I could distort space itself. Assistant Professor Wayne sought approval from the professor in charge, Martelzier, who readily agreed.
"Hee hee, this will be quite a show~ But don't you two overdo it, okay? Competition is good for growth, but too much will only get you hurt~"
A protective barrier was erected around us for safety, similar to those used in competitive matches. The remaining students gathered behind the lanes, eyes sparkling with excitement at the rare spectacle.
The fifth round began.
Zzzng—.
Just like before, I secretly used my Authority to crack the barrier while adding plenty of flashy special effects to mask the trick.
Next was Beatrice. A blue magic circle formed behind her, and a massive spear of magic shot out.
Kwagwagwang—!
The tip of the spear was a violent whirlwind designed to shatter defenses. It was an enhanced version of her modified arrow. The magic barriers were smashed to pieces, and Beatrice hit the target.
"Hah..."
However, she was less composed now. I could tell she was pushing her limits.
The sixth round followed. This time, a kaleidoscope barrier made of a fractal structure blocked our path. It was a state-of-the-art shield that nullified magic by breaking mana particles into multiple streams, like a prism dispersing light.
Of course...
Boom—.
"!!"
Before my Authority, which could tear space itself, it was a meaningless obstacle.
“……”
By this point, Wayne and Martelzier were looking at me with a mixture of awe and suspicion.
‘I should stop.’
I realized that using my Authority any further was too risky. I decided to end the duel here. Beatrice, however, was burning with even greater fervor.
Gwoooo—.
A powerful torrent of magic swirled around her, filling the area inside the protective barrier. This was no longer an amount of mana a student should be handling. Rapidly drawing on mana in such an agitated state was a recipe for disaster.
Especially for Beatrice, who had a compromised Mana Hole.
"Don't push yourself," I said with genuine concern. "There's no need to waste your strength on an impromptu duel."
"Push myself? This is nothing to me—"
Beatrice started to snap back, but then...
"Kuh!"
She suddenly clutched her chest and staggered. The magic she had been gathering scattered and erupted in all directions.
Boom—.
Caught off guard, I lunged forward to catch her.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Ugh..."
Her body was trembling violently. This wasn't a typical mana overload.
‘This is a mana seizure caused by her chronic illness.’
It was happening even though she was using less magic than she had in the Aether Dungeon. But mana seizures weren't about thresholds; they were a result of her constitution. They were unpredictable natural disasters.
I looked at the girl in my arms.
‘The medicine she carries...’
There was no time to look for her pills.
‘I have no choice.’
I closed my eyes, placed a hand on Beatrice's chest, and began to channel my magic.
Woooong—.
Bell's Fireball, dormant within my body, acted as an artificial organ to neutralize the cold energy of my own condition. If I used a portion of that energy, I could alleviate her seizure. Our constitutions were similar, after all.
Shwaaaa—.
Warm energy drawn from Bell's Fireball flowed through my circuits and into Beatrice. As the heat of the extreme flame entered her, her contorted expression began to relax. Her blue lips regained their color, and the trembling stopped.
It took only ten seconds of first aid, but the seizure was completely quelled.
"Hah... hah..."
After catching her breath, Beatrice pushed me away, her eyes averted.
"...It's my loss. Congratulations, Roen."
Just then, the protective barrier was deactivated.
"Your Highness! Are you all right?"
Yulina and Assistant Professor Wayne rushed over.
"Yes, it's nothing."
"Nothing?! You need to go to the infirmary immediately!"
Supported by the two of them, Beatrice left the lecture hall.
“……”
I had technically won against Beatrice, the greatest magical talent in the story. But it was an empty victory, achieved through a power that wasn't truly my own magical skill.
*
After the magic lecture and the rest of the day's classes were over, the members of yesterday's exploration team gathered in the Student Council office.
The loot from the Chrono Dungeon was stored safely in my subspace pouch. In front of everyone, I began to pull out the spoils to distribute them.