You Can Do It
Oh no… I realized it too late as I stared at the campsite swallowed by flames. The magic flare for the rescue signal was still inside the tent that was now roaring with fire.
I had no choice but to change the plan. It was dangerous, but we would end this with something much bigger. Fortunately, our group had the greatest ace of the first-years right beside us.
“Ophelia!”
Her mental fortitude was incredible. Even while gripped by terror at the troll’s roar, she had still managed to save her struggling teammate. That same iron will was all she needed to take one more step forward.
“What are you just standing there staring for!”
At my shout, Ophelia clenched her teeth and rose, lifting her bow and arrow. Good. Just one more step.
“Make sure that thing can’t rampage anymore.”
Ophelia moved as if hypnotized, following my words. Even with trembling arms, she drew the bowstring in a picture-perfect motion.
“Grrrr…”
Thud. Thud. It was a beautiful stance, but I couldn’t afford to keep watching. The troll behind me was taking another step closer with every heavy footfall.
“You can do it.”
I wasn’t sure if Ophelia heard the murmur, but I turned around anyway. I decided I could trust her with my back.
The enormous troll, easily the size of a building, faced me once more. If I couldn’t run, I would have to bring it down.
I pulled a potion from my belt. It wasn’t an ordinary mana potion; it was the single rapid-charge potion I had been saving. Normal mana potions took time to restore magic power, but this one replenished it instantly—at the cost of a nasty rebound effect.
Whatever. It’s not like it’ll kill me. Right now, the risk was worth it.
I gulped the entire bottle down. The mana I had spent on the shield rushed back in. Without hesitation, I began casting Magic Missile.
One. Two. Three…
Unlike the careful stacking I practiced at the training ground, I didn’t need to worry about precise control or how many I could overlap. I didn’t even have to fret about accidentally holding back power. Maximum output. Burn every last drop of mana I had.
My staff responded to my will, greedily sucking in mana from all directions. The small spheres of light that rose into the air converged in front of the staff, merging into a single, massive orb.
“Kwoooar!”
Thud! Thud! The troll, having recovered from the impact of my shield, quickened its pace. It broke into a lumbering run, closing the distance with huge strides.
I ignored it and kept drawing up mana. I had someone I could trust at my back.
Shhhk—!
A blue-glowing arrow streaked forward at terrifying speed. Ophelia’s specialty—lightning arrow. Her choice was perfect.
A brilliant flash erupted, and crackling lightning coiled around the troll’s body.
“Kuooh…!”
The troll couldn’t take another step. It thrashed in place, paralyzed by agony. Ophelia’s lightning arrow carried a numbing effect. Given how quickly trolls regenerated, it wouldn’t last long, but the brief window while the beast was bound by electricity was all I needed.
By now, an enormous mana sphere the likes of which I had never seen hovered before me, condensed and waiting only for the signal to fire.
Magic Missile
Condensed from every drop of mana. A devastating tactical nuke with zero restraint.
There was no need to worry about missing. The original Kael wasn’t so pathetic that he would fail to hit a mountain-sized target standing still at this range. I poured every ounce of mana I possessed into a killing blow and unleashed it at the troll.
“You can do it.”
It wasn’t a loud voice, but Ophelia heard it clearly. The moment Kael finished speaking, he turned and faced the troll. His back was small, yet for some reason it looked incredibly reliable.
She couldn’t stay still either. Eyes wide, she took aim. Her hands still shook, but she steadied her breathing. She had practiced this motion thousands upon thousands of times for moments exactly like this.
She didn’t think Kael knew about her past, but his voice had undeniably woken something inside her. Being called stupid by the dead-last while holding the top rank was humiliating. She refused to feel any greater shame than this.
“Hoo…”
She controlled her breath. Stay calm, Ophelia.
The hand that had been shaking violently suddenly went still.
Shhhk—!
The arrow carrying blue lightning streaked just above the flames. Then—
Crack!
No…!
Ophelia couldn’t confirm whether her arrow had struck the target. The recoil from the mana-infused shot had caused the burning tent to collapse forward. The area where she and Bridget stood was now in danger too.
She didn’t have time to think. She lunged forward and dragged the unconscious Bridget to safety.
Crash!
A burning wooden pillar slammed down where her feet had been moments earlier. Blazing flames roared right in front of her eyes. If she had been even a second slower, it would have been disastrous.
Kael… what about Kael?
The fire blocked her view. She could only make out the faint silhouette of the massive troll beyond the flames. The anxiety she had briefly forgotten came rushing back.
What was that small boy relying on to face such a gigantic monster? And what did it say about her that she had hidden behind his back in fear after acting so confident?
Above all else—
He can’t die.
She prayed with everything she had that he would be safe. That was the only thing she wished for right now.
Boom—!
A deafening roar slammed into her ears. A white flash seemed to pierce through the flames. At that moment, the black terror that had clouded her mind cleared away. For the first time since hearing the troll’s ear-splitting roar, her thoughts became completely lucid.
No way…!
Feeling strangely light, Ophelia snatched up her bow and arrows and sprang to her feet.
“Ah…”
Beyond the flames, the troll’s massive body was toppling backward. The unbelievable sight drew a small gasp from her lips.
Thud!
The mountain-like troll crashed to the ground. Ophelia stared blankly for a moment before hurrying forward again, circling the fire to reach Kael.
“Kael…!”
She scanned the area where he had been standing. Amid the devastated landscape, she couldn’t see him.
Then—
Rustle.
“Did you call?”
He appeared beside the flames. Leaning on his long staff like a walking cane, he limped toward her. He was covered in cuts and bruises, looking like he might collapse at any second. Yet he was smiling—the same smile he had given her that morning when he offered to join her group.
I’m so glad. Really… I’m so glad.
The icy mask she always wore cracked. A tiny bit of moisture gathered in her eyes, as if a piece of the ice had melted.
“Are you okay…?”
Even in his terrible state, Kael was the one asking if she was all right. The absurdity of it made Ophelia laugh before she could stop herself. Only later did she realize it was the first time she had smiled since entering the academy.
Thump.
“Kael!”
Before her smile could fade, Kael—who had exhausted every ounce of strength—collapsed forward. She tossed aside her bow and arrows and ran to him, lifting his upper body and gently resting his head on her lap.
Even unconscious, he was still smiling. She worried he might have been badly injured, but the soft, steady sound of his breathing soon eased her heart. It seemed he had simply passed out from complete mana exhaustion.
She brushed the sweat-soaked hair from his forehead. He had kept his promise not to become a burden—far beyond what anyone could have expected.
The sensation against my back felt unfamiliar. It was ridiculously soft.
What the…? Where am I?
The moment I regained consciousness, I tried to sit up and immediately groaned. Every inch of my body ached as if I had come down with a terrible fever. I could barely manage to push my upper body upright.
A bed…?
Looking down, I saw a fluffy blanket covering me and the soft bed beneath it. This was nothing like my shabby room in the lower-class dormitory.
“You’re awake?”
“Ophelia…?”
She was sitting beside me. Only then did the rest of my surroundings register. The white curtains surrounding the bed told me I was in the infirmary. But why?
Just moments ago I had been…
“The task is over. Our group withdrew midway.”
My confusion must have shown on my face. Ophelia closed the book she had been reading, set it on the side table, and calmly explained the situation. Her summary was short, but I was able to piece together what had happened.
The campsite had burned down and there were injured students, so Ophelia—left as the only one still standing—had no choice but to abandon the task. It seemed I had also collapsed from mana depletion. Still, thanks to her, I had been safely transported to the infirmary.
“I’ll bring Professor Esther. Wait here a moment.”
Ophelia stood, parted the curtain, and hurried out. Now that I was awake, she was going to fetch the professor in charge of health. I hadn’t suffered any major injuries; I was simply exhausted from pushing my naturally frail body while using that rapid-charge potion. A good rest would let my mana and stamina recover naturally.
Anyway…
New Skill Available!
The welcome message popped up the instant I opened my status window. It was time to check the reward for taking down that damn troll.