Mentee Magic Duel (1)
Mentee Magic Duel day had arrived. I was out for a light jog.
“Hup…! One, two—!”
Just a month ago, I'd been gasping my way around the eastern loop of the Masa mountains, but now I had some real breathing room. Unlike back then when I couldn't even lift my head, I could take in the scenery now while my legs did their job without complaint. The changes weren't limited to my lower body, either—they were prominent up top as well. Kyle's anchovy-thin, lungless frame had developed some nicely defined lean muscle. At first, I didn't pay it much mind, but Lumina's reaction—visiting every other day like clockwork—confirmed it for me.
—“Kyle, you look, like, way different from back then…?”
That was when she was teaching me fire magic, and I'd accidentally exposed my upper body. Her comment about how I'd changed probably referred to that moment. The puzzling part? My stamina stat had only gone up to 6 since then, but the difference felt huge…?
I couldn't sense it myself.
“Hoo…”
The dawn light bathed the lush scenery. The forest leaves, heavy with dew, hinted at the shifting seasons. With nights growing shorter, summer was on its way.
While resting on a rock along the eastern coastline, I pulled out my sniper rifle and infused it with a bit of mana.
Grade:Unique
Serial Name:1
Charged Mana:17%
“Still a long way to go…”
For the past two weeks, I'd been steadily feeding mana into the sniper rifle. Satisfying the mana requirement was the top priority for meeting its evolution conditions. Karma and intermediate mana stones could come later—no rush there. Anyway, I'd decided to take my time observing this rifle's evolution. It wasn't urgent.
What was right around the corner was something else entirely. I recalled the episode from Act 3, Scene 1.
‘Mentee Magic Duel…’
For nearly a week, I'd agonized over it.
‘If Ruin's corruption is the problem, why not assassinate him before the duel?’
‘No, sticking to the original story might cause fewer ripples.’
‘But with me as the player now, can I really control every variable?’
I'd debated it endlessly.
“The conclusion was simple…”
Assassinating Ruin was off the table for now. If he didn't go berserk, I wouldn't get the damage boosts and extras from Insight. And if he reacted to my shot and fled the academy? That would spell nonstop headaches. Better to handle it cleanly.
‘Take him out during his duel!’
It was the scenario with the fewest variables. Ruin wouldn't demonize against just anyone. He was already adept and stable with his demonic powers. Even against Siel, he'd push them to the limit with a real shot at winning. Ruin was nothing but a disposable villain meant to spotlight the player—he only reacted to them. Specifically, the player's words were the trigger for his demonization.
—“Isn't the power of the demon just great?”
That sharp jab delivered to Ruin. In the original, the player uncovers proof of Ruin's demonic power use and casually drops it on him. I know about your dirty deeds. Ruin's reaction flips dramatically—panic and rage mix into instability. Phase 1: unleashing overwhelming magic. Phase 2: horns sprout as demonization advances. Phase 3: fully possessed, becoming the demon's limb. His phases divide as you chip away at his health.
This was Nightmare difficulty stuff.
“And that means I have to do it.”
I was the only one who knew about Ruin's demonic powers. What I had to keep in mind: extra elemental damage only kicked in from Phase 2. Phase 1 had to be handled with raw power and Insight alone. No worries there—I'd drilled relentlessly with Ibel for exactly that.
Ruin's rampage would be dicey, but… no other options left. I had to do it. Somehow.
Artina Academy's Mentee Magic Duel took place on the 30th floor of the Magic Tower. Even the massive Catholic Hall, which could hold hundreds, wasn't enough.
It resembled an indoor baseball stadium. Over a thousand students filed in and out in orderly lines. Seats were packed by magic department rankings, and the vast rear aisles featured hawkers with food stalls hawking their wares. Devoting two weeks of the semester to the event turned it into a massive festival.
I finally understood why Ibel's dark circles had deepened as the duel approached.
‘Ibel… you've been through hell…!’
Was it her workaholic nature? More than surprise, the thought of testing this huge arena, scouting vendors, vetting hundreds of merchants, and scheduling hundreds of duels… it was terrifying. You know this world has no Excel for administrative mastery? That alone gave me chills.
‘Insane…’
I shook my head to clear the thought. I'd come to enjoy the duels with a fresh mindset, not dwell on horrors. Time to switch topics.
‘Who am I matched against?’
The Mentee Magic Duel ran from 350th to 1st in the department. Byes were nice—no effort, straight wins—but whatever.
“Let's see.”
Rustle—
“Oh, Kyle, fancy seeing you here.”
As I checked the admission slip I'd gotten at entry, a blue-haired girl plopped down beside me. She flashed a foxlike smile, peering at my paper with a finger.
Behind the sheet was Rien.
“Guh…!”
I clutched my chest instantly. Here for repayment? The due date was still weeks away…?
Haunted by debt in my past life, I couldn't hide my tension. Sudden appearances like this were no good, Rien. Debtors might see you as a loan shark.
Calming my nerves, I replied.
“Y-yeah, good to see you. But why are you here…?”
“Ah, hehe, thanks to you and Senior Ibel Adford last time, sales spiked that day. Thought I'd say hi while I'm here. We've got stalls at the Mentee Magic Duel too—see 'em back there? Swing by; free service for you.”
“Uh… thanks. But were the clothes we bought that pricey…? I knew, but didn't think it'd shake your sales like that…”
“No, not the clothes. Something else.”
“What?”
“That's a secret~”
Rien pressed a finger to her lips and stood.
“Anyway, come visit. Loren Company’s pushing into food too—this is our new venture item.”
“Got it.”
Rien headed off to promote to others. Watching her go, I thought,
‘She's hustling.’
For a company head like Loren, maintaining the status quo would be a full plate, but Rien aimed higher: influence across the empire. Becoming family head was her endgame. Her life was competition. Slack off in comfort, and her siblings would cull her to the worst fate. No choice there.
“Staring where~? Kyle?”
A familiar voice tickled my ear as I watched Rien. Lumina, now strategically a friend. It started one-sided, but after all my help, refusing felt impossible. People have shame, after all.
“Rien said hi and asked me to check her stall. Loren's got food now too.”
“Loren restaurant? They do that…? Sounds yummy…. Let's go together! My treat…!”
“Sure, later. Here they come.”
I pointed to the girls rushing toward Lumina. They always materialized like ghosts when I chatted with her.
“Lumina! Section A's got a great view!”
“Let's check the stalls together!”
My notoriety remained sky-high, reputation in the gutter. Imagining I'd harm her friend Lumina wasn't a stretch. She was kind to everyone, after all.
“O-okay! See ya later, Kyle!”
Lumina got dragged off by her friends. Finally, some quiet. I waited for the matches to start.
Mentee Magic Duel commencing!
The announcer's booming voice echoed through the arena, amplified by a magitech megaphone.
Siel Dunhart vs. Hamel Frilon
Opening match: department top seed Siel Dunhart. Her opponent ranked 16th—not a pushover; she could hold her own awhile. Top 50 in the magic department marked you as a prospect. Reporters' flashes probably lit up the press box, while scouts from guilds, the imperial family, Magic Towers, and agencies watched intently.
Eye candy incoming—I was thrilled. As the developer who'd only seen these mentee magic battles in graphics, witnessing them live? Heart-pounding rare. I settled in, anticipation buzzing.
To put it politely, it was like chowing chicken with beer. Pure ecstasy.
Beep—!
The ending whistle reverberated through the arena. No cheers, no applause. Everyone held their breath, replaying the fight in stunned silence.
—Shraaaaaaaa—!
One second. An ice wall erupted instantly, engulfing not just the arena but the stands. Barriers spared the seats, but her opponent? Hamel lay crumpled and unconscious on the floor.
Overwhelming prowess: 16th rank downed in a flash. The announcer stammered,
Siel Dunhart!
Siel heard it and headed to the waiting room, cool hand to her cheek, murmuring,
“Master's gift…”
Meanwhile, as disbelief gripped the crowd,
“???”
A silver-haired boy's shocked exclamation echoed from Section B seats like a ripple. Siel's growth. A definite upset.