Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Teleportation (3)
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The Uncrossable Bridge connected two mountain peaks, 1,000 meters above sea level, the highest point in the training grounds. The bridge was 700 meters long, and a torrent of rapids flowed through the valley below.
“Why is it called the Uncrossable Bridge?”
Amy explained in response to Shirone’s question.
“Because you literally can’t cross it. It’s a training ground used for teleportation practice. The difficulty ranges from level 1 to 10, and even for me, a Class Four, anything above level 8 is a life-or-death risk.”
Shina added.
“The promotion test will be set to level 1. That means there won’t be any obstacles. For Class Seven kids, even jumping 700 meters is impossible.”
Amy asked.
“Huh? Then how will they be evaluated? Isn’t the first person to arrive the one who gets promoted?”
“The student who jumps the farthest will be chosen. It won’t be terribly dangerous. They’ll have safety measures activated, and the advanced class teachers will be observing. The problem is the students. When their competitiveness gets out of hand, they often end up clashing with each other.”
Amy agreed that this was the crucial point. There would be no collusion, not with an early promotion on the line. Still, the person who would be checked the most was Shirone.
“How about this? Shirone pulls ahead right from the start. It’ll take a lot of mental energy, but someone like Shirone should be able to handle it.”
“I was thinking the same thing. That’s why I’m going to personally oversee Shirone starting today.”
“What? You, ma’am?”
Amy’s eyes widened in disbelief. A teacher personally training a specific student was not only unfair but also more than enough to spark strange misunderstandings.
“Why would you go that far?”
“I share some of the responsibility for this. I intended to place Shirone in Class Five from the beginning, but the other teachers opposed it, and my plan fell through. If they had listened to me, Shirone would never have been bullied.”
“But if rumors get out, it could become a huge problem. The other students will be studying teleportation by any means necessary, but if word spreads that you personally trained Shirone, the test he worked so hard to pass could be nullified. Instead, let me handle Shirone for the time being. I can teach him whatever he needs for a level 1 difficulty.”
Shina shook her head.
“I believe you’ve applied for promotion to the graduating class. Wouldn’t it be better to focus on that? You won’t have the time to worry about Shirone.”
“Huh? Really, senior?”
Shirone asked again, finding it hard to believe. Applying first, when no one else had, meant she intended to break through head-on.
‘So that’s what happened. She’s truly amazing.’
He was grateful that she had come to see him, even though she must be incredibly busy preparing for her promotion exam. However, the situation was unfolding differently from the heartwarming scene he had imagined. With their pride ignited, the two girls refused to yield an inch.
“No matter how busy I am, I can spare time for something like teleportation, so you should back down, ma'am. Your meddling could actually have a negative effect on Shirone.”
“As a teacher, I can’t simply ignore a student at such a crucial time. You can only apply for the graduating class test once a year. Wouldn’t it be better to leave this to a teacher and focus on your own affairs?”
Both were smiling, but their eyes were not. Realizing they couldn't reach a compromise, they finally turned to Shirone.
“Shirone, you choose. Me or the teacher? Of course, it’d be better to be taught by your girlfriend.”
“Yes, Shirone. It’s best if you decide. A teacher can teach you much better than a student who’s about to take her graduating class exam.”
Their voices were gentle, but to him, it felt like a threat. However, Shirone stood his ground, unshaken, and voiced what he had been thinking all along.
“I’ll just do it on my own. Thank you for the offer, but I don’t need any help.”
The girls’ expressions went blank.
“Learning from a teacher would be unfair. And I don’t want to receive help from a senior who has her own exam to worry about. I’ll try my best to pass this test on my own.”
“You idiot! The other kids will be getting private tutoring for this exam! And everyone’s already got their eyes on you! This isn’t something you can handle alone!”
“If that’s the case, I can accept it.”
“Huh?”
“I think it’s amazing that you decided to go for the graduating class promotion, senior. It shows your resolve—that if you can’t overcome this, you won’t be able to overcome any future obstacles.”
“Huh? Well… I guess so…”
“It’s the same for me. I’ll work hard and make sure to pass. So I won’t be an embarrassment as your boyfriend.”
Realizing the depth of Shirone's resolve, Amy could no longer object. More than anything, she was grateful that he acknowledged her decision.
“Hmph. W-well, of course you should.”
Though no one was chosen by Shirone, the atmosphere declared it a decisive victory for Amy.
Shina adjusted her glasses and stood up.
“If that’s what the student wants, then I must accept it. However, if there’s ever anything you don’t understand, feel free to come and ask. The same goes for all the other students.”
“Yes. Thank you for your concern.”
Before leaving through the door, Shina spoke to Amy.
“I’ll let it slide today, but from now on, refrain from entering a male student's room. If you’re caught again, you could face disciplinary action.”
Amy bowed her head deferentially. In her opinion, she had gotten off lucky today.
An awkward silence fell after Shina left.
It was the first time Shirone had been in a room with a girl his age, and he couldn't bring himself to say a word.
The strange mood began to affect Amy as well. She had come here with the intention of knocking some sense into him, but in this situation, she found herself growing scared of Shirone.
“W-well… I’m going to go now.”
“Ah, yes! Thank you for your concern.”
Amy let out a sigh of relief and prepared to leave. Then, as if something suddenly occurred to her, she turned back to Shirone and shouted.
“You idiot! Why didn’t you tell me? You should have told me as soon as something like that happened.”
“I’m sorry. But I didn’t want to say anything.”
“Because of your pride? You fool, what does that matter?”
“It was more… because I didn’t want to break up with you.”
Amy’s cheeks flushed hot.
“Telling you the truth would have just made things more awkward between us. But I want to continue to have a good relationship with you. Because you’re my goal.”
Shirone recalled his first day at the magic academy. From the moment he saw the name Carmis Amy at the top of the Class Four rankings, she had always been his goal.
“I’ll catch up to you, no matter what. So please, keep working hard too.”
Amy felt pleased but also burdened. In truth, she had been feeling something similar.
“Then don’t call me ‘senior’ anymore.”
“Pardon?”
“We’re the same age anyway, and I acknowledge you, so don’t call me ‘senior’ anymore.”
“But that’s…”
“It bothers me! What’s with that? Acting all deferential, calling me ‘senior’ while you’re chasing me from behind—that’s cowardly! I’m telling you to come stand next to me and compete with your head held high!”
At the magic academy, one’s class was tied to social standing. For her to tell him not to treat her as a senior meant she considered Shirone her equal.
“Just make sure you get up here fast. If you just talk big but stay wallowing down there, I’ll kick you to the curb. Got it?”
Amy, her face bright red, walked over to the window. Since she couldn’t leave through the door, she had to climb out again.
“Amy.”
When Shirone called her name, Amy flinched and turned around. How was the other person supposed to react when he did exactly as she said right away?
But Shirone’s eyes were burning with a fearsome intensity. Faced with that gaze, any frivolous feelings she had vanished in an instant.
“I will catch up. Wait for me in the graduating class.”
Amy’s eyes curved like a seagull’s wings. Though hidden by her mask, she was definitely smiling.
“Hmph. By then, I’ll have already graduated. Try and catch me if you can.”
Amy leaped out of the window. When Shirone looked down, she was already gone.
Shirone let out a sigh. He had acted tough, but the truth was, he had no idea where to even begin.
“Teleportation…”
* * *
One month remained until the promotion test. He had to master teleportation somehow within that time. First, he went to the library and gathered every book he could find on teleportation magic. Contrary to his expectation that they would all be checked out, the books were not difficult to find.
According to rumors, about twenty students were participating in the promotion test. This meant that none of them were relying on books; they were all studying through some special method.
“I might actually fail this.”
Shirone calmed his anxious heart and began to diligently study the basic concepts of teleportation.
The Photonization Theory, hailed as one of the greatest discoveries in the history of magic, was magic that turned a mage’s body into light.
The important question, then, was the nature of light, which was far too esoteric for the human mind to comprehend.
It possessed the properties of both a particle and a wave simultaneously, had no relative velocity, and contained no mass.
But from these abstruse properties, Kergos had gained a great insight. By utilizing the absolute nature of light, which lacked relative velocity, one could rapidly traverse space.
Anyone could succeed in teleportation by adopting the Photonization Theory as a premise. That was why it was a great discovery, but the problem was how well one could control it.
Teleportation moved one to a destination so quickly that trying to calculate and move with one's mind was a good way to get killed.
‘Right. There’s no way to calculate a speed of 10 to the power of 20.’
Shirone continued to read. Mages largely divided the speed of light into four categories: superluminal speed, luminal speed, sub-light speed, and near sub-light speed.
Superluminal speed was faster than light, a realm where time-slip magic that theoretically reversed time was possible. However, it was still an unknown territory that no mage had ever reached.
Therefore, the most skilled light mages among humans were those who could wield luminal speed. They could learn the Stop magic, which was called the domain of gods, but the number of mages who reached this level could be counted on one hand throughout history.
Ultimately, the skills of most professional mages who handled light were differentiated within the realm of sub-light speed.
According to the mages' definition, sub-light speed was ‘a speed that far transcends the maximum speed of matter but is much slower than the speed of light.’
Sub-light speed was also the fundamental prerequisite for spatial movement. At luminal speed, travel would be instantaneous, but even by mastering sub-light speed, it was possible to reach a destination within a few seconds.
Shirone read on, marveling, but it didn’t feel real yet. What he needed to focus on was the final speed of light: near sub-light speed.
The mages’ definition of near sub-light speed was ‘a speed that transcends the maximum speed of living beings but is much slower than sub-light speed.’
This was why, even though teleportation possessed the properties of light, its trajectory could be perceived by the human eye.
It wasn't a speed that could warp space, so misjudging the surroundings could lead to an irreversible disaster.
‘If I miss a single obstacle, it’s over. Even if the Photonization Theory reduces my mass, the speed will make any impact fatal.’
He now understood why Shina had emphasized the fact that there were no obstacles on the Uncrossable Bridge. But she had also said there was no real countermeasure against collisions between students.
‘Can I really do this? With just the basic formulas?’