Chapter 116: War of Destruction (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 116: War of Destruction (2)
The conditions I gave Boradori for my duel opponent weren't that extensive.
First: Someone whose defeat would leave a crack in the Magic Department's pride.
Second: Someone who didn't just have a reputation, but the combat skills to back it up.
I included the second condition because the Magic Department, unlike the Swordsmanship Department, placed a heavy emphasis on theory. At the same time, I remembered the mages of the Leon Magic Tower drunkenly boasting about how they were absolute legends back in their Academy days.
…That’s right.
For these Magic Spammers, raw power isn't everything. In fact, the mages who were famous despite lacking combat power were often considered the "real deal."
So, I had to be careful. If I brought in a famous mage only for them to be some sheltered scholar, I’d end up looking like a school bully…
That’s why I told her to bring someone with decent combat skills, like those from the Leon Magic Tower.
But this brat suddenly decided to be overqualified at her job and brought the number one ranked student of the second-year Magic Department.
"Come at me, Adam Smith."
Watching the Magic Spammer shout gallantly, a flurry of thoughts crossed my mind.
Why is this guy so eager to fight? He wasn't originally this kind of character. Is it because I’m Daisy’s fake boyfriend? Or is he trying to look good for Daisy by beating me now that his stock has plummeted? Or is it because I beat up his younger sister five times?
If not that, it could be because I dragged the Magic Department’s reputation through the mud.
…Seeing as I can think of several more reasons, it seems he has more than enough motivation to fight.
“……”
That’s why I couldn't help but hesitate. This was a match between Leon and Dale—nations with a rivalry similar to a Korea-Japan match from my past life. On top of that, my opponent was royalty. Even if I won, it could cause an international incident, but…
“…Fine.”
Come to think of it, I realized all these worries were meaningless the moment I thrashed Princess Ruelle. I accepted the Magic Spammer’s challenge.
"I shall show you true magic."
"…True Fire."
I ignited flames upon my sword. Simultaneously, boos erupted from the surrounding mages. I’ve never heard that getting cursed at makes you live longer in this world, but if that superstition exists here like it did in my past life, I must have just added at least a hundred years to my lifespan with this stunt.
"I see. Just looking at it is enough to make one fall into a state of mental collapse."
"I’m not done. Ice."
"Sigh."
The Magic Spammer let out a small sigh and composed his breathing at my words. As expected of a master. Ordinary mages couldn't handle the Fire and Ice combo and would have charged in immediately. But as a cool-headed mage who mastered ice magic, he instead stared at me with a frigid gaze.
…I wondered if asking him if he abandoned his childhood friend and semi-official fiancée, the Fire Spammer, with that same cold heart would work as a provocation. I was curious, but I kept my mouth shut, fearing I’d get hit by fire magic before his ice magic.
“……”
“……”
Without either of us making the first move, we remained silent and held our ground. If the opponent were mediocre, the standard move would be for the swordsman to charge first.
But my opponent was a Magic Spammer. He was the strongest of the second-year Magic Department, representing all Magic Spammers. According to Boradori, he was someone evaluated as the "Ellen of the magic world" in terms of pure talent.
He was a prime candidate for a RoFan male lead; while his pure combat power lagged slightly behind Ellen’s, his versatility was arguably superior.
His name was Magic Spammer. Well, he had a real name, but… anyway, Magic Spammer was a formidable foe whose defeat wasn't guaranteed.
However, if I had to choose between Prince Ellen and Magic Spammer, I’d obviously pick Magic Spammer. It wasn't just because he was weaker than Prince Ellen.
In Prince Ellen’s case, he used the same weapon—the sword. Simply put, he was a superior version of me. But Magic Spammer used magic, not a sword. Since we weren't in the same field, it was a completely different kind of fight, giving me a higher chance of victory than against Prince Ellen.
“……”
But that only meant the probability was higher than against Prince Ellen. There was no guarantee I’d win. Therefore, I decided to use my secret technique.
"Oh, Daisy?"
"Huh?"
The Art of the Bait. Summoning the RoFan Heroine.
Since he took his eyes off me in a fight between a swordsman and a mage, he’d better be prepared.
"Wow. That’s so cheap."
Violet watched in horror as Adam called out Daisy’s name with a delighted expression, shifting his gaze. How could a person be that petty? Is that the average for a swordsman…?
'…If I think that, the Swordsmanship Department will get angry.'
Anyone who knew even a little bit about Adam would know he wouldn't make such a happy face upon seeing Daisy. Unfortunately, Adam’s efforts to distance himself from the RoFan cast proved successful here.
"Urgh!"
A fight between a swordsman and a mage is a battle of distance. The mage strives to escape the swordsman’s reach, while the swordsman tries to pierce the mage’s domain and bring them within their own.
Occasionally, there were mages who fought well within a swordsman’s range, and swordsmen who fought well within a mage’s, but those were special cases. No matter how much Magic Spammer… no, Arwen, was destined to become a world-class mage, he was no different.
"…But I should say he’s holding out well."
Because of that, Arwen, whose domain was breached after falling for the initial trick, was seeing his chances of victory grow dim. But looking at it another way…
"Or is that guy just that strong…?"
Arwen was holding up well against the opponent’s relentless onslaught. If his opponent hadn't been Adam, he probably would have turned the tables long ago. There weren't many people who could maintain a slight advantage against Arwen until the very end.
Even if Arwen’s Eternity wasn't complete, the only power capable of quenching that Hellfire was surely the Dale Secret Magic.
That was why Violet felt it was unfair.
"He fights so well…"
I, who got my sorcery completely trashed, can't fight like that… And yet I’m rolling around like a dog, using up my already depleted sorcery every single time! How many times had he shattered the restrictions she’d placed on herself for months in just three minutes—or sometimes as little as one?
Violet felt a sense of injustice watching these two freely use power that she could only hope to reach by breaking into her life savings every vacation.
"Guh, you are indeed strong."
"Ice Magic. Second Form."
"If only you’d shut that mouth, it would be perfect!"
"Summer. Too. Hot!"
"If you’re going to open your mouth, at least think before you speak!"
In the end, Violet couldn't help but feel pure admiration at the sight of Adam, who had even managed to break Arwen’s composure.
"I could never win against that tongue."
Magic and magic(?) clashed. The mana Arwen swung like a whip froze everything in its path, but the aura of fire and ice illuminating Adam’s sword did not go out.
A mass of pure mana. It was a power that wasn't refined at all—hardly worthy of being called magic. Adam was utilizing it in a way that was pure… or rather, "ignorant" would be a better word.
…No, even "utilizing" was a stretch. He just wrapped it around his sword and swung. It was a crude way of using mana that wouldn't have been surprising if it caused a mana backflow. To use such immense mana in such a way.
"Burn! Hellfire!"
"I’m going to kill you…"
Every time he opened his mouth, a mage fell into corruption. Every time he swung his sword, a mage coughed up blood. Wasn't that just another form of dark magic?
Violet settled her churning stomach and, for once, cheered for Arwen. And perhaps the cheers of Violet—no, of all the Magic Department students—reached him.
"Eternal Winter."
Driven into a corner, Arwen poured out everything he had. Space itself froze, centered around Arwen. Even from a distance, Violet felt the chill being swallowed into her breath. It was to the point where it felt like her lungs were freezing even at this range. She couldn't even imagine the cold Adam must be feeling, having stayed close to Arwen to maintain his advantage.
"Finally!"
"Justice prevails!"
It was at that moment, when everyone watching anticipated Arwen’s victory.
"Burning."
"Huh?"
"…Slash?"
The winter that seemed like it would last forever was cut down, and justice suffered a defeat.
"Huh?"
I lowered my sword as I looked at the Magic Spammer, who seemed genuinely unable to comprehend his own defeat.
"Sword magic… prevails."
The flames contained in the sword were released and blasted into the sky. It seemed the Magic Spammer finally realized the reality of the situation.
"…I lost?"
…He still seemed unable to process it. It was understandable. His final technique looked like a finishing move. But unfortunately for him, he lost. The reason for his defeat was that he tried to fight fair and square.
"Yes. You lost. To my magic."
"Ma…gic…?"
Hmm.
I swung the flames bound to my sword. I had roughly taken the name from the ultimate move the Fire Spammer used last time; since it was a similarly large flame, wouldn't it be about the same?
"That’s magic?"
The Magic Spammer stared at my flames with a dazed expression. He seemed to be in a state of mental shock, so I left him be and hurried away as if escaping. If I stayed there any longer, I felt like I’d be lynched by the mob of enraged mages. So, while they were all stunned, I had to bolt.
Plus, I had things to prepare.
Having escaped, I hid in one of the Academy buildings and sought out the basement. In my past life, there was a rumor that whenever a corporation came out with a revolutionary new technology, it was because they had an alien kidnapped and locked in the company basement. Surprisingly, there was a similar existence here.
"Old man. This is half-broken."
"You little brat!"
Surprisingly, there was a dwarf in the basement of the Imperial Academy. I wasn't particularly shocked. …I mean, it’s an Academy. Compared to the probability of a dark mage appearing, it wouldn't even be strange if the roots of the World Tree were connected here!
"Just what on earth did you do to break this?!"
Needless to say, this dwarf hadn't been kidnapped and imprisoned by the Empire. He had stayed here voluntarily because they promised him rare materials, and he was currently beyond satisfied—practically on the verge of dying from happiness.
"I was beating up some Magic Spammers. But then the boss of the Magic Spammers showed up…"
"The boss of the Magic Spammers? You mean Dale? Even if it’s Dale’s magic… Oho. This chill. Is it Eternity? Then I suppose it’s possible."
Perhaps because he was a dwarf who had lived for at least a century, he recognized the Magic Spammer’s technique just by running his fingers along the blade. No, before that.
"I heard that’s the Dale Royal Secret Magic or something. You know about it?"
"Those who know, know. Especially me—I’ve had personal experience being hit by Hellfire, Eternity, Thundercloud, and Nebula."
"…What do you have to do to get hit by all those?"
"Those Dale bastards monopolize most of the rare mines. So I tried to smuggle some out… but that’s all in the past."
"So you weren't a blacksmith in the past, but a bandit."
"Call me a righteous miner."
Anyway, the reason this righteous bandit—no, miner—was tucked away in the Imperial basement talking to me was simple.
"Well, since I’ve gathered enough data by now…"
"Can you make it? The Saintess's Magic Sword?!"
"…Do you think that’s even possible?"
It was because this man—no, this dwarf—was the head of the Imperial Magic Sword Project.