Chapter 232
Chapter 232
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 232
Chapter Title: Battle Simulation (2)
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The moment it entered the Spirit Zone, the target shuddered as if electrocuted.
Then, following the fluctuations of his mind, it began to ricochet in unpredictable trajectories.
As the target tried to escape the Spirit Zone, Dante employed a tetra-method to secure the space.
Then, with a focused mental pulse, he swiftly pulled it back.
The moment the target returned to the center, it began to thrash about again.
Each time, Dante skillfully transformed the shape of the tetra-method, adjusting it to prevent the target from escaping.
As time passed, the target’s movements grew faster, and its trajectory became increasingly bizarre.
At times, it would vibrate as if trapped against a wall, and at others, it would shoot out more than ten meters with all its might.
The students grew tense just by watching.
When it flew so fast that it seemed impossible to catch even with the longest-range target type, gasps escaped the crowd.
“Whoa, whoa!”
At that moment, Dante used a sequential method to expand the Spirit Zone.
The range of the target type stretched out, trapping the target once more. A mental pulse followed without fail, pulling the target back in.
The spectators were left speechless by his masterful control of the Spirit Zone, which bordered on acrobatic.
After a minute passed, Olina stopped him.
“That’s enough. I believe this demonstration is sufficient.”
Dante pulled the target in, levitated it above his head, and then deactivated his Spirit Zone.
The students watched, mesmerized.
The technique of moving the target in a desired direction, even for a moment, was a feat impossible for someone with ordinary mental strength.
“This is the Lifting Test. A Class Four student should be able to maintain it for about a minute. Now, shall we have another student give it a try? I heard there’s someone named Shirone…”
Boyle raised his hand.
“I’ll do it.”
Her strategy was to embarrass Shirone, so Olina was taken aback when another student unexpectedly volunteered.
Maintaining it for one minute was a level far above the average for Class Four.
Even Dante, who had practiced the moment the test was introduced, couldn't manage two minutes.
“I am first in Class Four. I’m confident.”
Olina’s eyes lit up.
It was a pity it wasn't Shirone, but a comparison with the top student of the advanced class would provide objective data to pressure Etella.
“Very well. Since it’s your first time, just focus on getting a feel for it.”
Boyle walked briskly to the Image Zone.
As he climbed the stairs, he glared at Dante, who simply shrugged and stepped aside.
With the students watching with tense faces, Boyle’s Lifting Test began.
As it entered his Spirit Zone, the target resisted fiercely.
It was much harder than he had expected. It felt like a rubber ball was bouncing inside his skull.
Befitting the talent of the advanced class's top student, he managed to maintain the lift, but the frequency with which he had to pull it back with a mental pulse was noticeably shorter.
In the end, the speed of his tetra-method's transformation couldn't keep up with the target's speed, and it escaped his Spirit Zone.
“Hah, hah.”
Boyle gasped for breath. For a first attempt, he thought he had done okay.
But the students’ expressions were grim.
His eyes, after checking the display board, wavered in shock.
21 seconds.
It was less than half of Dante’s time.
He might be able to get a higher score with practice, but even so, maintaining it for a full minute seemed difficult.
“Damn it! Damn it!”
Boyle returned to his seat, his head hung low.
He couldn't face Etella.
His failure had essentially proven that Etella's student was weaker in the fundamentals than Olina's.
However, Olina didn't look pleased, nor did she chide Etella.
Her initial motive may have been childish, but as someone who had dedicated her life to teaching, she was sincere when it came to school matters.
“Boyle did well, too. Twenty seconds on a first try is quite respectable. I am not someone who disregards the basics. What I want to say is that even fundamentals must be functional. In an era where students across the nation are pursuing specialized courses, insisting only on the standard methods will lead to falling behind.”
Hearing her out, it made sense.
For the first time, the teachers thought they might have been wrong.
Had they unknowingly fallen into a rut?
To keep up with the changing times, a fresh stimulus was needed.
Perhaps that was the very reason Alpheas had gone to the trouble of recruiting Olina himself.
Olina gave the students a warm smile.
When the woman with a cold impression smiled, her beauty seemed to shine even brighter.
“Now, I’m sure you all want to try. For today, let’s have a free practice session for the Lifting Test. Since it’s the first day, getting a feel for it is important, so try anything. Let the practice begin.”
The students rushed forward as if they had received a new toy.
Olina remained where she was, watching the students practice with a pleased expression.
Thinking she probably wouldn't have much to do today, Etella headed over to where the other teachers were.
She approached Thadd and Shina, her shoulders slumped.
“I’m sorry. It really is like throwing an egg at a rock.”
Thadd comforted Etella.
“Haha! Don’t think that way. It was refreshing to hear you speak your mind, Ms. Etella. Besides, Dante is number one in the kingdom. Boyle’s fundamentals are by no means lacking.”
Shina felt similarly.
There might be a difference in level, but if Boyle had practiced the Lifting Test, it would have been a good match.
Considering that most summoning mages only shine after their thirties, Boyle, who had reached the top of the advanced class at such a young age, was a rare genius.
“What worries me is what comes next. Since Dante won, the Headmaster’s influence will grow stronger. We could find ourselves in a situation where the very foundation of the school is shaken.”
“Oh, come on. There’s only so much you can do in the advanced class anyway.”
With a graduating class to consider, they couldn't just implement high-intensity training for the advanced class students.
Besides, their curriculum wasn't so poorly designed.
But Shina was uneasy.
She suspected there was some hidden intention behind Olina’s actions, using Dante as a front.
The three of them watched the students practice the Lifting Test.
Once they got the hang of it, most students did quite well, with Boyle and Pandora showing off skills befitting the leading group.
Shina pointed to Shirone’s group.
“Huh? What are they doing?”
Shirone, Nade, and Iruki had teamed up and were practicing the lift with a single target.
Intrigued by the novel idea, the other students stopped their practice to watch.
One person would trap the target, and when it shot out, another would catch it and resume the lift.
“Ooh, ooh! This is fun.”
As Nade clumsily trapped the target, Iruki’s Spirit Zone swept in and snatched it away.
The next moment, Shirone stole the target and moved it behind him.
The other two, now without a target, rushed at him fiercely. Shirone held out for a good while before Nade finally reclaimed control.
By now, all the students were watching Shirone’s group.
They had been the resident troublemakers since Class Five, but seeing them have fun without the pressure of competition made others a bit envious.
“By the way, was Shirone’s Spirit Zone always that big?”
“Huh, you’re right. He’s improved a ton, hasn’t he?”
The Class Four students immediately noticed Shirone's change.
It was common sense to train hard during the break, so no student came back without some improvement, but Shirone's progress was nothing short of phenomenal.
Even Dante and his friends couldn't ignore Shirone's Spirit Zone.
“Wow, it’s huge. At that size, he’d be in the top 30 at the Royal Magic Academy.”
“Tch! So what? It’s only about the same size as Dante’s. He knows he can’t beat Dante at the Lifting Test, so he’s messing around like that. Typical loser mentality. Right, Dante?”
Dante didn’t answer. He just kept watching Shirone’s group practice.
“Heh heh, rookies. Should we show them how it’s done?”
Closer took Sabina and headed for the Image Zone. The other kids automatically made way for them.
The two of them were no less skilled at the lift than Dante.
Sabina, in particular, momentarily twisted her mind to unleash a whirlwind technique. As the target, wrapped in a spectacular spiral, returned just before escaping, the students let out a stream of admiring gasps.
Thanks to them, the teachers could also confirm the transfer students’ skills.
Olina’s students were certainly impressive.
Even Thadd, who had been tormented by her the most, had to admit it.
“They’re literally the kingdom’s top talents. What do you think, Ms. Etella? As a Zoner, how would you assess Dante’s skill?”
“Hmm, it’s hard to judge based on the lift alone, but he certainly has a unique quality. Kids these days seem to have an exceptional sense for magic.”
Shina said.
“But it’s also a bit sad. Their talent is incredible, but should I say it feels… shallow? I get the feeling that kids nowadays see magic as a tool to show off.”
“It’s only natural, since magic has been a part of their lives since they were young. The spirit of a mage, the passion… I think that’s gone. They only pursue flashiness and fame. In that sense, Shirone, Iruki, and Nade have a classic quality to them, hehe.”
Etella smiled as she watched Shirone’s group.
There was a time when magic was a child’s dream. But for the children of the capital, it seemed to be more like an accessory to make themselves stand out.
There was no stopping the flow of the changing times.
Still, it was nice to see Shirone and his friends, who still had that pure passion.
After their game of cat and mouse ended, Shirone came down from the Image Zone, panting.
He felt refreshed after breaking a good sweat.
As Shirone was wiping his sweat with a towel handed to him by a younger female student, Dante approached.
Though no one announced it, the students stopped practicing and fixed their gazes on them.
It was the moment the two finally came face to face.
Dante stared intently at Shirone’s face.
*‘Is this the guy my master told me to crush?’*
Judging by Shirone’s appearance alone, no one would think he was strong.
This was why Closer and Sabina weren't tense, even after receiving Olina’s special orders.
But you don’t fight with your looks.
His undefeated legend at the Royal Magic Academy was built not only on his innate talent but also on his thorough, cautious nature.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Dante.”
Dante extended his hand first.
The other students were surprised by his attitude, which was completely different from how he had acted in the classroom. The person whose pride was most wounded was Boyle.
But Shirone, unaware of this, took it as a sign of goodwill and shook Dante’s hand.
“Yeah, I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Of course you have. I’ve heard about you too. You’re an Unlocker, right? Perfect for me to crush. Oh, but I don’t mean to belittle you, of course.”
“Haha! Yeah. Let’s get along.”
Despite the blatant provocation, Shirone didn’t seem offended.
Dante tried to analyze his true intentions but gave up, thinking it would only complicate things.
“Anyway, let’s get along. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. There are no teachers or friends when it comes to learning. I can teach you properly if you want.”
“Huh?”
When Shirone tilted his head, Dante became annoyed.
Even if he was a country bumpkin ignorant of the political landscape, it was natural to be wary of a transfer student who could threaten his reign. It was unthinkable that he was genuinely oblivious.
“You don’t know what I mean? I heard your major is Photon Magic.”
“Yeah. Photon Magic is my specialty.”
“So is mine. My nickname is Shining Boy. You don’t know?”
Shirone finally realized his mistake and stuck out his tongue.
“Ah, sorry. I really didn’t know. I don’t read academic journals.”
“You didn’t know?”
Dante was the number one prospect in the kingdom for the photon discipline.
For a magic academy student to not know something that everyone else knew, claiming he didn’t read journals was nothing but an excuse.
“That’s quite the provocation. You’ll be a worthy opponent.”
“No, I told you, I didn’t know. I didn’t do it on purpose. I’m really sorry.”