Fusion Magic and the Bokken Breaking Challenge

"Then we'll keep going, right?"

"You mean draw the formula differently here?"

"Yeah. That amps up the performance even more. Put effort into the parts that need power, and just sketch the rest roughly."

"Like this?"

"Yeah. Not bad at all."

After giving NyaNya her quest, I'd agreed to give her magic a quick once-over. She'd been on the verge of tears just moments ago, but now that training had started, she was picking it up surprisingly well. I'd thought she'd just wasted her time wandering around looking for me all those years, but making three stars was proof enough she had real talent.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

If she kept growing steadily like this, her magic might even reach the Legion Commander someday. As my disciple, that was the bare minimum she should aim for.

Heris nodded with a pleased smile.

"NyaNya the hero is a total drama queen. Hohoho."

"...It really was tough, though."

"What about this, then? It's connecting two magic formulas..."

I pulled out my former Magic Tower Lord's staff and snapped my fingers to summon a spell.

Whoosh! A 7th-circle spell, Fireball, spewed flames, paired with the 6th-circle Wind that whipped up gusts. Completely different ranks and elements, yet they meshed perfectly, as if they'd been one spell from the start.

NyaNya's eyes widened in shock.

"Do it like this, and low-rank spells can match high-rank efficiency. It's how you squeeze max output from minimal mana."

"...I'll never get it."

"Nah, it's straight out of basic magic theory. Right?"

"Exactly, NyaNya hero. Think about it—volume 2, page 24."

"...Ah?"

NyaNya grabbed a thick book from the messy pile of magic tools and tomes on the table. It had to be over 300 pages, at least. She flipped it open with effort.

"Magic Theory... Fusion Magic Formulas Deployment..."

"See?"

"This looks insanely complicated..."

"Two formulas aren't that bad. If this is complex, you'd never dream of 3rd-circle or higher."

This was basic training fundamentals.

I half-lounged in the chair across from her as I said it, and NyaNya's expression turned serious.

"...I'll give it a shot."

She gripped her staff and focused.

Whoosh! She conjured the 7th-circle Fireball effortlessly. No self-respecting mage couldn't cast Fireball.

Whooosh~ The 6th-circle Wind came just as easily. Fire and wind swirled around her.

NyaNya tilted her head at the spells orbiting obediently.

"Did it work?"

"Now merge them. Using them separately doesn't count."

"How?"

"Stick 'em together."

"Stick them?"

"Yeah."

NyaNya tilted her head again and slowly drew the two spells into one.

Fire and wind— a pretty good combo— clumped together and...

BOOM!!

"Ah."

"Kukuku."

NyaNya's hair exploded into a mad scientist mess.

NyaNya looked even more miserable with her frizzy hair, but the future where she'd have to learn it anyway didn't change. Fusion formulas were tougher than standard spells, but worth it. Barrier magic itself had evolved from fusion research. Mastering this would make barriers way easier later.

Whether it was pride or spite, NyaNya dove into fusion formulas. I left her with Heris, who was dying laughing beside me. She'd teach NyaNya just fine.

Anyway, I'd checked on NyaNya, so next up: Haring.

I didn't need to ask where she was.

'Training grounds, probably.'

The reason I'd called Haring and NyaNya in the first place was Adella's recommendation. Don't let them wander aimlessly outside— bring 'em in for some training. Adella seemed to have her own motives, but it worked out great for me.

"Where are Adella and Haring?"

"In Arena 2."

At the arena entrance, I spotted Haring rolling across the ground like a soccer ball.

"Ah, sis! Go easy! You weren't like this at the nest!"

"You've joined the knights, so you're getting knight-level training. That's all."

"Agh, come on!"

"And your 'sis' isn't this captain."

She'd been beaten and rolled around so much her whole body was caked in dirt, gasping for breath. Adella, on the other hand, looked pristine in her platinum knight armor— not a single hit landed.

It was just so... Adella.

"Huff... huff... Huh?"

"...Lady Flame Dragon?"

Like Adella a week ago, getting thoroughly thrashed by me. She'd tried countering desperately but failed every time, tumbling everywhere. Was that why she'd called Haring— because she wanted this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠herself?

I nodded at Adella like I got it, and her face flushed a bit.

"You wanted to do this too?"

"N-no, that's not it. I'm just matching the training intensity to the knights' standards."

"Sure~?"

"Yes. Definitely not venting frustration or anything."

Got it. Didn't seem like it to me, but whatever.

"Leeeeaaaaaaa!"

"Quiet."

"Th-that meanie keeps beating me!"

"Meanie?"

"N-no, mean sis!"

"Don't cling."

I sidestepped as teary-nosed Haring lunged for a hug. Losing her target, her legs gave out, and she faceplanted again. She started sobbing even harder, looking utterly depressed.

"Sob sob..."

"Crying 'mud mud' 'cause you're covered in dirt?"

"......"

"NyaNya too, but you're such drama queens. Over just this much..."

"Drama queen?!"

WAAAAH!!

Haring shot up screaming like a banshee.

"Eek."

Even if NyaNya was turning Haring-like, the original was on another level. How did that tiny body make such a huge noise?

"She hits me with the wooden sword, smacks my head! Kicks me! Nonstop!"

"And?"

"I got wrecked! For three days straight!"

"Hmm..."

"Lady Lea! Please avenge me against that sis! Yeah?"

"Your 'sis' isn't this captain. And this was legitimate training."

Adella crossed her arms, staring down Haring proudly. Her lips twitched upward— she was enjoying it, alright.

I glanced between Haring and Adella.

"Got it."

"You'll avenge me, right? Right?"

"Quest first."

"Huh?"

I gave whiny Haring the same number of quests as NyaNya. Her teary eyes lit up like stars.

"Ooooh!!! Awesome! Love you so much!"

"Like it?"

"Yeah! A hundred, no, a thousand times more than that mean sis!"

"Don't cling."

I peeled off the beaming hug-attempt and approached Adella. She uncrossed her arms, looking a bit tense as she gazed down at me.

"How's Haring?"

"If you mean personality, she's quite the handful..."

"Not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that."

"Similar to what I told you at the nest. Talent's there, and she's showing some results."

"Nice~."

"But her dramatics slow progress."

"Dramatics?!"

Look at this! Look! Haring thrust up her bruised arms and legs, purple from relentless wooden sword beatings. Priests were always on standby nearby, and heroes could revive anyway.

I nodded.

"Iri Style Swordsmanship?"

"Doesn't stray far from the basics you taught at the nest. As you know, mana cores and physique need to support it first."

"Gotta hone the body first, yeah~."

"Precisely."

No matter how great the swordsmanship, weapon, or magic— without a solid body, you couldn't wield it.

"So just physical conditioning for now?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"For the time being... Where are you going?"

"Lady Lea?"

I left the ill-fated duo after three days and grabbed a bokken from the rack.

Whoosh! I infused it with blazing red mana, making it tougher than average steel.

"If one breaks, we eat."

"Lady Lea?"

"Yeah?"

"If you're sparring with me, I don't have the stamina for more fights..."

"Get healed."

I pointed to the priest barracks. They weren't sipping coffee leisurely anymore, but no major patients either.

Haring trudged off glumly, got treated, and returned— changed clothes, looking fresh.

She gripped her bokken tensely, standing opposite me in the arena.

"Hoo... I believe Lady Lea won't be like that demon knight captain sis—"

"No idea?"

"Huh? I didn't badmouth you, Lady Lea."

"Not you."

I turned. Adella had been watching from the arena corner.

My gaze hit her, and she blinked blankly for a second.

"M-me...?"

"Yeah. Both of you."

"You're focusing on Haring the hero for now..."

"You're included. Can't check one-by-one— takes forever."

Two at once, done quicker, nap sooner.

Adella's eyes quaked like an earthquake. She shook her head slightly, but I stared, and reality didn't budge.

Finally, hands trembling, she gripped a bokken and stood beside Haring.

"Heeng. Good luck, sis?"

"...This captain isn't..."

"Ugh, enough."

"One bokken break, training ends for today."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then we keep going."

Crack.

I raised my bokken, and Adella and Haring got serious. Facing me tensed them up, but the condition wasn't that tough.

"Breaking a bokken..."

"Might be doable?"

Just snap the bokken— that was it. With Iri Style Swordsmanship, the weapon-destroying pinnacle, even with the power gap, it was winnable.

Fueled by hope, the two charged with fiery resolve.

And the pair of women tumbled across the dirt.