Presentation (6)
The blade brimming with killing intent threatened the Chimera at terrifying speed.
The Chimera, which had held the upper hand until then, was gradually being pushed back by Flora's strength.
Clang!
It gathered mana and cast Defensive Magic, but that still was not enough to block the attack completely.
"Tch. A mere human..."
Even when it focused entirely on defense, a wound tore from its right forearm all the way to its shoulder.
Flora pressed the assault without pause, intent on cutting off its breath.
"Flora!"
"Got it!"
Ayla drew the Chimera's gaze first, and Flora exploited the opening.
They moved like comrades who had fought together for years, though they had never practiced this coordination before.
When one was in danger, they traded places and adapted fluidly.
Even when monsters and alchemical creations lunged at the two of them, their steps never faltered.
Instead, they used the attacks as springboards, gaining momentum as they charged the Chimera.
Flora, having received Ayla's body enhancement, drew upon her mana and swung her sword.
"This ends it!"
The moment the blade shattered the defensive barrier the Chimera had erected, ready to put an end to the bloody battle—
"...!"
The blade that had nearly reached its nape failed to slice its target and trembled violently.
The Chimera, which had been waiting solely for this moment, seized the sword with one hand and glared, eyes wide.
"You’re more persistent than I expected."
"Didn’t think I’d be stopped here..."
Blood trickled from the hand half-impaled by the blade, but it didn't matter.
Even under an assault so fierce that the flesh around the wound froze, the Chimera remained composed.
Unlike before, this was a wound it could regenerate from.
"Yes. This is it."
"Haaah, haaah..."
The Chimera was composed, a stark contrast to how it had been pushed back by their combined offense just moments ago.
Watching Flora's breathing grow more ragged, it grinned wide enough to split its face.
"Kihahat! Is it really fine to push an unrefined Mana Circuit that hard?"
"It's fine as long as I end this before it matters."
Flora knew it too.
Recklessly using a Mana Circuit that hadn't stabilized immediately after a Level increase could lead to death.
But first, she had to survive this fight.
No, she had to win.
'A minute at best. Maybe only thirty seconds...'
That was why she had tried to finish this in a quick battle, before her Mana Circuit exceeded its limits—
"Ngh..."
Her body wouldn't obey her will.
Flora hastily withdrew her sword and created distance.
The Chimera, watching this, licked the blood flowing down its palm in delight.
"Looks like the reaction's about to kick in~"
Along with that meaningful remark, Ayla staggered, coughing repeatedly from Demonic Energy Poisoning symptoms.
Flora hurriedly supported Ayla without lowering her guard.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Just a bit dizzy..."
Whenever the Chimera stepped forward,
Flora and Ayla stepped back.
Confirming that they had weakened from Demonic Energy Poisoning, the Chimera was certain of victory as it stroked the snakes it had hidden in the underbrush.
"If your Mana Circuit had been stabilized, you might have won. Well, I suppose this just means I'm superior."
The Chimera had nearly died, but it praised itself for weathering the crisis and prepared a finishing blow.
Hummm!
A magic circle formed around the Chimera.
With Demonic Energy restricting their movement, Ayla and Flora had no room to escape the attack.
Flora and Ayla readied their defensive stances, prepared to counter.
But the Chimera, knowing it was utterly beyond them, shook its head.
"Boring. Let's finish this."
Just as it flicked its fingers and poured mana forth—
"Huh?"
The attack was neutralized by Mana Interference.
Judging by the Mana Fluctuation, the caster was Ayla.
But in the Chimera's eyes, there was no way Ayla could have done it.
How could an insignificant speck like her, more pathetic than the Chimera itself, ever surpass it?
To the Demon, that was a perfectly natural conclusion.
Just as it expelled the sudden doubt that surfaced and tried to cast the spell again—
Another Mana Interference occurred.
This time, the Mana Fluctuation was completely different.
A man stood there, perfectly still.
"Since when have you been standing there?"
Goosebumps rose on the Chimera's skin.
It had strained every nerve to detect an outsider's approach, and yet it hadn't noticed him at all.
Furthermore, the man didn't even glance at the Chimera despite its question.
"Ayla, that was excellent Mana Interference."
"Instructor...?"
"I came as fast as I could. Sorry I’m late."
Then he directed a gentle smile toward Flora.
"And Flora."
"Yes. Instructor."
"Congratulations on reaching Level 6."
After praising the students, Karon placed the Holy Relic he had borrowed from the Calde Order into Ayla’s hands.
"If you hold onto this, you will be fine."
"Cough, thank you..."
Once Karon confirmed that Ayla's expression was easing, he looked around and rapidly began to assess the situation.
First, a thin layer of Demonic Energy covered the area.
It reeked of the foul habit of slowly drawing in prey before devouring it.
It was definitely the work of one of Chimera’s Clones.
Karon judged that the academy itself had probably been attacked as well.
If the students were evacuating calmly according to the manual while the Calde Order handled purification, then Karon only needed to resolve the situation here.
"You worthless things dared lay hands on my precious students?"
Crushed by a suffocating wave of killing intent, the Chimera stumbled backward in alarm.
Karon slowly loosened his shoulders and glared at the Chimera.
"You haven't changed one bit, whether then or now."
He let out a scoff and took a step forward.
"If this is the last Clone, where is the main body hiding?"
"Sh-shut up! You’re just a Level 6 human!"
The moment it finished speaking, the frightened Chimera unleashed every means of attack it had.
In that instant, every monster and snake that lunged at Karon was sliced to pieces before his eyes.
Even the Chimera’s attack was canceled by Mana Interference.
There was no need for anything more. He crushed them with Wind—the most basic spell of Wind Magic among the Four Elements—and an overwhelming difference in skill.
Karon idly nudged the monsters, now nothing more than chunks of meat that hadn't even managed a death cry.
"Tch. For a Level 6, this is disappointingly weak. There's no way your master would have taught you like this."
"Th-this can't be happening...."
With every tactic blocked, the Chimera denied reality in a trembling voice.
"Wh-why are you here? Why? Why? Why?"
"Who knows."
Karon checked his pocket watch, then murmured with a regretful look as if surprised by how much time had already passed.
"Ten seconds, nine seconds, eight seconds..."
Originally, he had intended to sever its limbs so it couldn't possibly escape, but then Flora and Ayla at his back came to mind.
Karon slowly nodded to himself and granted mercy.
"I'll need to interrogate you later, so I'll leave the arms and legs attached."
"As if I'd be caught like this! Cut the bullshit!"
"Then try running."
Karon pocketed his watch and looked at the Chimera with contempt.
At that, a gentle breeze passed around the Chimera.
"Wind...?"
The Chimera sensed that something was strange.
Its lower half felt empty.
It slowly lowered its head to look down at its feet and saw bright crimson blood spraying like a fountain in every direction.
"Huh?"
With a single Wind spell, both of its legs were cleanly severed, leaving no hope of recovery.
The Chimera belatedly realized that its field of vision was slowly sinking.
"Kiyaaaak! You crazy bastard!!"
The Chimera clawed at the ground until its nails broke, screaming in agony, but nothing changed.
A subsequent Silence Magic cut off the noise at the source.
Like that, the one minute the Magic Tower Master had bought ended.
Under the protection of the Holy Relic, Flora and Ayla caught their breath and stared blankly at the scene.
"Finally..."
"W-what is this...?"
Flora witnessed a glimpse of strength she hadn't seen in three years.
Ayla experienced overwhelming martial force the likes of which she had only ever felt from her master, and never from anyone else.
The emotion both felt at the same time took root deep in their hearts as awe.
Meanwhile, once his Level 6 experience was over, Karon approached them and checked their conditions.
"Thanks to the Holy Relic, there are no major problems. The Calde Order or the knights should be here shortly."
Right behind them, the noisy sounds they had been waiting for finally arrived, along with solid reinforcements.
"We’re from the Calde Order and the Knight Corps! Are you all right?!"
Priests and knights from the Calde Order came rushing in, purifying the Demonic Energy from the academy onward.
The priests were startled by the Holy Relic Ayla was clutching, but understood at once when they saw Karon, who was acquainted with a Cardinal.
They extracted Flora and Ayla first, given their poor condition, then approached the Chimera, which had lost its mind in pain.
"Seal the Demon under strict surveillance!"
"Understood!"
After that, as Karon watched the two students being transported to the safe zone, he felt relief.
One by one, the others left. Karon shook his head as he watched the remaining priests purify the lingering Demonic Energy.
"Even if they're purifying it in real time, I'd rather not take it head-on with my bare body."
Demonic energy was nothing good. Just as he turned to leave—
The Chancellor, who had arrived late to the scene, froze in astonishment at the sight of trees that had been cut down so unbelievably cleanly.
"What do you have to do to cut down dozens of trees this neatly?"
"I merely used Wind."
"Well, I'll be...."
With the Chimera's handover concluding things—
The Chancellor quickly pressed Karon for the full story.
"As for myself, I returned to the Academy as soon as the presentations ended and just arrived. How is it that you are here?"
"I received help from the Magic Tower Master."
"From him? What means did you use to obtain that?"
Karon shrugged and answered nonchalantly.
"I told him I intend to use this opportunity to build a good relationship."
"Speak honestly. Was it not because of a deal?"
"That is also part of it."
"You are frank."
Help from the Magic Tower Master.
These words came as a shock to the Chancellor.
To overcome the distance between the Magic Tower and the Academy, one had to use the Magic Tower's Teleportation.
Each use required a vast amount of Mana Stones and had to handle complex circuits, so the Magic Tower Master's permission was essential.
That Karon had used Teleportation meant he had been acknowledged by the Magic Tower Master.
'If the Magic Tower Master went this far....'
The Chancellor, who had been rubbing his chin for a moment, let out a hearty laugh and lightly brushed the dust from Karon's clothes.
"From now on, I shall have to call you Professor Karon."
"...?"
"Why are you looking at me as if this is something new?"
"No, it's nothing."
He had been willing to let it slide with Madam and Flora, but now that even the Chancellor was calling him 'Professor,' goosebumps prickled Karon's skin, and he quietly put distance between them as he slipped away from the scene.
* * *
Ever since he called me 'Professor,' the Chancellor's behavior had become somewhat strange.
"Do you need a private research lab?"
"I'm fine."
"Then I shall assign you a teaching assistant."
"I'm fine."
Even just before we parted ways, he hesitated for a moment and then said something utterly groundless.
"May I take it that you have no intention of moving to the Magic Tower?"
"I'm not going."
"Hm, understood."
This wasn't going to be easy.
At this rate, I was going to end up in a hundred-question-and-answer session with the Chancellor.
Before it was too late, I needed to escape to the infirmary where Flora and Ayla were.