Second Half: Overpowering the Princess and the Spider Witch
After the first half victory in the inter-year tournament, there was a brief rest period to rebuild the battered field. And then...
"...It's starting up again."
The second half kicked off, featuring each team's top fighters—including Aren and Princess Agnes Erzenia. If the first-years couldn't clinch a win here, they'd head into overtime. But...
"What are you worrying about, Veronica?"
"...You."
Aren approached from behind and flicked her waist with a finger—a gesture that had become natural after sharing so many intimate moments in their private dimension.
"I've got your back, don't I?"
"...Yeah."
"...You've got me."
Aren was here. The visiting dignitaries might not grasp it, but every student at the Academy knew the truth.
Aren's on another level.
Of course, few had clashed with him directly. But you didn't need to taste shit to know it wasn't miso paste.
"And you've got my back too, Veronica."
He slowly traced his hand up her back. Her body shivered at the strange, tingling sensation of his touch.
"We need to settle this, right?"
He nodded toward the stands behind them with his eyes. Somewhere in the crowd, her ducal family was watching. The thought made Veronica clench her fists tight.
"...We do."
She had to crush her damn brother too. It had been impossible in the first half, but the second half? Totally doable. Most of the second-years' firepower would zero in on Aren. They knew it was like throwing eggs at a rock, but a match was a match—they had to stop him.
So...
"I'll end it."
"That's the spirit."
It was possible. More than possible.
The second half began almost immediately. But the vibe was worlds apart from the first.
Both teams faced off in a tense standoff. It looked nothing like proper strategy or tactics—to outsiders, it might seem like the Academy taught jack shit. But...
"........."
"......Hmph."
Surprisingly, this was exactly right. Or rather, it was the only option left.
In that eerie silence, Princess Agnes Erzenia nudged Sara beside her.
"Lady Clement. You'll join me against that madman... no, the first-year chief."
"...Yes."
Sara Clement. Overshadowed by the first-year Golden Generation and the princess, but across the entire Academy, she was an exceptionally talented mage. It made sense—she'd been chosen as the crown prince's fiancée from among the empire's countless noble ladies, a girl whose abilities shone from childhood. Political factors played a role, sure... but if she lacked the qualifications, she wouldn't even be in the running. Sara was the real deal. In fact, as a mage, her unique magic had earned her nicknames like "Spider Woman" or "Spider Witch."
Spider Witch, huh.
Aren mused. Maybe she was a spider woman in a different sense.
Ignored by her fiancé... she probably webbed herself up instead of spreading nets for others.
More precisely, a brand-new package sealed tight with webs, unopenable?
Just kidding...
Aren chuckled softly and drew up his mana.
Time to get this started.
Play around a bit, then wrap it up. Right when Veronica settled her score.
As if reading his mind, Princess Agnes drew her rapier from her waist, and Sara channeled her mana in sync.
"Your Highness."
"What."
The princess and Sara tensed instantly. With all eyes on him, Aren dropped a seemingly random line.
"Wouldn't long hair suit you better?"
"...?"
The princess blinked in confusion. She did have short blonde hair—probably cut short for swordplay, to avoid it getting in the way.
But.
"I think long hair would suit Your Highness perfectly... What do you say?"
".........!!"
If she grasped what he meant, it changed everything. And once she did, the princess twisted her lips in a cold sneer.
"...Insolent cur. You think this lady suits standing at your side, sword set aside, hair grown long?"
"No, I didn't mean it quite like that."
He really hadn't. It just has more appeal to my tastes.
But... the princess was already off the rails.
"Fine... Today, this lady will half-kill you for insulting royalty."
Her eyes went a little wild as she raised her sword and charged at Aren first.
And Sara...
"Sorry, junior. I'll make it hurt just a little today...?"
"Aw, I was planning to go all out for the first and last time... Can't you yield, senior?"
"Oh my."
She flushed faintly and began casting her spell. With that, the battle signaling the end began.
The crowd couldn't tear their eyes from the clash between Aren, Sara, and the princess. Sara and Agnes displayed overwhelming prowess worthy of the empire's top prodigies. The spectators already familiar with the princess gaped especially at Sara's performance.
BOOM———!!
Every time Sara tuned the air like playing piano, threads resembling spider silk burst from the void. Dense and lethally angled, they surged toward Aren, sealing off his movements. Her threads looked razor-sharp at a glance—touch them, and you'd be sliced.
The princess seized the momentary hesitation from Sara's magic, charging at Aren faster than ever. Her weapon was a rapier, optimized for thrusting over slashing due to its slender blade. But that flaw could be shored up with aura...
SHWEEEE———!!
Instead, the princess leaned into the rapier's strengths, forging her own style: extreme thrusting.
Accelerate, accelerate, accelerate, accelerate, accelerate.
Boost speed. The world blurred, time itself seeming to fast-forward. She accelerated until her thrust became pure kinetic destruction, obliterating all in its path.
In that instant, she transcended limits. Her motion came first, the sound lagging behind.
And then.
Clang—!
"!?"
Her full-power thrust was effortlessly blocked.
With his fingertip...!?
Aren had wrapped mana around his index finger, stopping the rapier's tip cold with a single digit.
Stunned only briefly, she didn't withdraw—instead, she pushed harder.
Crackle—SKREEE——!
A dissonant screech echoed as mana shards and unstable aura sprayed wildly. The ground cratered naturally, an explosion sweeping the surroundings—but
"Whoops, my bad."
Aren smirked and nudged his finger aside. The princess's balance crumbled, her body veering precariously off-course.
Exposing her back in a flash, she desperately regained footing and swung blindly on instinct—but
Grab—
"?!"
Aren snatched her wrist from right beside her. Using that momentum—like a centrifuge—he hurled her straight at Sara.
Sara spotted the incoming princess and hastily dodged aside. She wasn't a swordswoman; a mage catching her risked getting smashed like a cannonball in meatspace.
And.
BOOM———!!!
The princess slammed into where Sara had stood. Confirming it, Sara gritted her teeth and deployed her magic. She needed time for the princess to rise and re-engage Aren.
"Hup...!"
Dozens of threads shot from the air toward Aren in an instant. Spider-silk-like or steel-wire-tough, they sought to bind his skin.
But.
Reversal.
Crack—!
Before they touched, Aren snapped his fingers, invoking Shu Arts. Reversal. Per his theory, it could invert anything—range and power scaled to the user's skill, making it cheat-level magic.
Sara's razor-hard threads shattered like glass. No time to falter—she cast right at his feet, vines sprouting to ensnare him.
But.
"Pop."
A quiet mutter, and an explosion at his feet vaporized the bindings.
Staring at Sara, he said, "Senior, this just tickles a bit."
Arrogant words for a junior. Sara didn't have time to feel offended before casting again.
"Heh, hehehe...! Our junior's really strong...!"
"Thanks for the praise."
Aren toyed with the princess and Sara, displaying crushing power and leisure. The crowd was captivated.
Awe. Reverence. Shock.
Emotions swirled, curiosity about Aren spreading through the stands.
While most watched Aren's fight... a select few, including the Adel Adler ducal family, eyed the civil war unfolding in one corner of the field. The showdown between two siblings sharing the Adel Adler name.