Chapter 412
Chapter Title: Declaration of War
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*Clack— Clack— Clack—*
The sound of shoes echoed down the hallway leading to the arena.
Juen ran into the victor, Luke, in the hallway.
“I watched your match. It was impressive.”
Juen winked.
Luke grinned at her.
“I did my best.”
“It looked like more than just your best. What's your secret?”
“Hellish training, I suppose.”
Luke's gaze drifted into the distance.
‘I'd heard Leo's training was harsh, but... it must be no joke.’
“By the way, how long are you going to keep using formal speech with me? We're classmates.”
“What? But you're the daughter of the Southern Magic Tower's Master.”
“We're both students. What does that have to do with anything?”
*Hmph!* Juen snorted lightly and said,
“We've been going to school together for a while now, right? We've been friends since we enrolled. It's awkward.”
“Alright, I'll speak casually from now on.”
“You should have done it sooner.”
Juen nodded in satisfaction at Luke's words.
“Do well.”
“Yeah. It goes without saying, but I plan to win.”
Juen replied with a smile and walked to the end of the hallway.
A moment later.
Standing before the brightly lit arena entrance, Juen took a deep breath.
After taking a deep breath, Juen slapped both her cheeks.
‘Don't be nervous, Juen Torvina. It's not like you.’
From the moment she enrolled, Juen had been the unrivaled top student in the Magic Department.
But when it came to the entire first year, she had to concede the top spot.
Because of the immovable strongest first-year, Aina Veydean.
The great-granddaughter of the Sword Saint who had shouldered an entire era.
Her very bloodline was extraordinary.
Moreover, Juen was a traditional mage.
In a one-on-one duel, she was at a disadvantage against Aina, a knight.
In a way, this was the biggest match of the exam.
However, almost no one predicted Juen's victory.
Aina was that overwhelming.
The always-confident Juen felt her palms grow sweaty with nervousness.
She took another deep breath and walked toward the entrance.
-Juen Torvina is now entering! Please welcome her with a cheer!
Waaaaaaaaah—!
“Go, Young Miss!”
“Win, Juen!”
Cheers erupted from all sides.
Among them, upperclassmen from the Magic Department cheered enthusiastically for Juen.
They were none other than students affiliated with the Southern Magic Tower.
Juen smiled brightly at them and headed into the arena.
On the stage, Aina was already standing with her eyes closed, her usual expressionless face.
As Juen walked toward the arena, she felt her legs trembling.
Although Juen had confidently declared she would win when Aina was drawn as her first-round opponent, she couldn't shake the pressure.
Juen knew better than anyone that she was at a disadvantage in a one-on-one duel.
She had put on a brave face and acted confident.
She had convinced herself she could win, as if casting a spell on herself, and had prepared thoroughly.
But now that the moment was here, her heart felt like it would burst from the tension.
‘You can do this, Juen Torvina. You can do it.’
Juen clenched and unclenched her fists, taking a deep breath.
Just as a cold sweat trickled down her back.
“Juen!”
A familiar voice called out.
When she turned her head, she saw Karl, the merchant.
Karl, who had come to the very front of the stands, shouted with all his might.
“Don't be nervous! You can win!”
“...Senior.”
Juen smiled faintly.
“No! You *will* win! You *have* to win! I bet all my tournament earnings on you in the predictions! If you lose, I'm totally ruined!”
Juen's touched expression turned icy.
Taking a deep breath, Juen said.
“You know you'll have to buy something really expensive if I win, right?”
“Of course!”
Karl gave a thumbs-up and grinned.
Juen whipped her head away from Karl and stepped onto the arena stage.
Her nervousness was suddenly gone.
A faint smile played on her lips.
‘That's right. I can win. That's what I've been preparing for, isn't it?’
Juen's brown eyes sparkled.
*Step—*
Juen stood before Aina.
Aina, who had been standing indifferently with her eyes closed, looked at Juen.
The two girls' gazes locked in midair.
-Alright! The big match of the first round that everyone's been waiting for! No! This could be the biggest match of the entire tournament exam!
Runba began his commentary in an excited tone.
-The top student and representative of the first-year Knight Department! Aina Veydean versus the top student of the Magic Department! Juen Torvina! Well! Whoever wins, it's good for the Summoning Department! Wahahahaha!
-Runba Tess, who said you could bring departmental issues into your biased commentary?
-Hiiiiik?!
Halind's icy voice cut in.
At that, the ever-eager Sedjen quickly grabbed the microphone.
-I cannot allow such vulgar, biased commentary! It is not elegant! For that reason, I shall take over the commentary from this moment. Everyone, to my elegant commentary...!
-Drag him away.
-Mph! Mph! Mph!
There was no way Halind would tolerate a second-year supervising professor interfering in a first-year event.
After Sedjen was dragged away by nearby students, Runba received a warning and was barely able to return to his commentary.
After the commotion died down, Mel approached the stage.
“I hope you both have a match with no regrets.”
Mel explained the rules and stepped back.
Juen crossed her arms and took a deep breath.
“Haviden Birsen! Sasha Cienne Lodren! And Luke Elda!”
Her sudden shout silenced the noisy crowd in an instant.
“Just you wait!”
Juen pointed her finger at Aina.
“You're next!”
-Oooooh! The first-year Juen Torvina! She's suddenly declared war on her rivals!
Runba shouted, excited by the sudden development.
“I'll take the position of year representative! And I'll be the next student council president, too!”
After her bold declaration, Juen aimed the tip of her staff at Aina.
Cheers erupted from the crowd at Juen's gutsy declaration.
“Ooooh!”
“That's awesome!”
“We're rooting for you, Juen!”
At the sudden declaration, Aina stared at Juen with her characteristic doll-like face.
Juen shouted at her.
“Brace yourself!”
“I don't care.”
“What?”
“Whether it's the year representative or the student council president. I have no interest.”
Aina drew her sword, her voice flat.
“If you get in my way, I'll just defeat you. That's all.”
Juen gritted her teeth at Aina's response.
“I hate you, Aina Veydean.”
Mel placed a coin on her finger.
“That attitude of yours, ignoring what everyone else wants!”
*Ting—! Fwiiirrrrrrr!*
“That way you talk, as if no one else matters!”
The coin spun, cutting through the air.
“I really hate it!”
*Ting—!*
The moment the coin hit the arena floor, a golden flash shot toward Juen.
In that instant.
*Fwoosh—!*
Juen's figure vanished.
‘Invisibility magic.’
Aina's sharp senses instantly covered the entire arena.
Aina was well aware that invisibility magic was one of Juen's specialties.
And also that her invisibility magic was incredibly refined and difficult to deal with.
Once Juen used her invisibility magic and disappeared, even Aina would have trouble finding her.
‘But that's only if she had cast the invisibility magic beforehand.’
Aina's golden eyes quickly scanned the entire arena.
The difference between being aware of something and not is huge.
Her sharply honed senses found Juen in an instant.
*Shk—!*
The moment Aina's sword cut Juen.
*Flash—! KABOOOM—!*
A massive explosion erupted.
***
“What do you think of this match?”
To Chloe's question, Chen Xia replied.
“It will likely be difficult for Miss Juen to win, wouldn't you say?”
Chen Xia said calmly.
A one-on-one duel between a traditional mage and a knight.
Assuming they are of similar skill, the knight class has an overwhelming advantage.
On top of that, Aina is the strongest among the first-years.
It was a fight where Juen was at an absolute disadvantage.
Chloe watched her junior, a first-year, engage in a difficult battle.
Though not her mentee, Juen was in the year directly below her, so Chloe had been keeping an eye on her.
‘She even challenged me during the entrance exam.’
Chloe also knew that Juen was incredibly skilled.
But Chloe, too, thought it wouldn't be easy for Juen to win.
“Leo, what do you think?”
“Objectively speaking, Aina's victory is almost certain.”
Leo said nonchalantly.
“But there are many variables in a one-on-one match. Especially since Juen's mentor is Karl. There's no way he didn't prepare her for Aina.”
“That's true, Juen has Karl.”
Although his own magic skills might be terrible, Karl is skilled at analyzing opponents and devising strategies.
It's the very reason Karl has survived this long.
“Karl is specialized in catching opponents off guard.”
Chen Xia also nodded, thinking of Karl.
“Karl isn't the only variable. There's also an issue with Aina herself.”
“An issue with Aina herself?”
Chloe tilted her head.
But Chen Xia nodded as if she understood.
“Indeed, Miss Aina's problem might be the most fatal.”
“What do you mean?”
Chen Xia smiled at Chloe's question.
“If she has failed to see Miss Juen for who she truly is, Aina might have a hard time winning.”
After pondering Chen Xia's words, Chloe's face lit up with an "Ah!" of realization.
She remembered a conversation she'd had with her best friend, Celia, about her mentee.
‘She said she doesn't pay any attention to the other first-years.’
Juen, who had spent the first semester preparing to defeat Aina, and Aina, who had not.
This difference was certainly significant.
At that moment.
*Flash—! BOOM—!*
A huge flash of light accompanied an explosion that shook the very ground.
The arena was covered in a sheet of ice.
Chen Xia wore an intrigued expression.
“What magic is that?”
“She fused ice magic with explosion magic.”
Chloe recognized the magic instantly.
‘Ice Clone.’
It was one of Chloe's signature spells.
‘Three spells. No. Did she fuse four spells?’
Chloe was amazed.
Magic Fusion.
A type of magic enhancement that maximizes effects by fusing multiple spells.
Leo let out a short laugh.
‘You can manage up to two with sheer effort.’
The problem starts at three.
‘Because from three onward, it's the realm of talent and instinct.’
Even Leo's limit was three.
The records of Chloe and Abad, the top second-year students in the Magic Department, were also three.
Chelsea had no aptitude for fusion magic, so she could only manage two.
‘Well, in the cases of Chloe, Abad, and Chelsea, there's still room for growth.’
For reference, Luna had once fused seven spells.
‘Then again, that girl is a magic idiot and a mana monster.’
And Juen, a first-year, had managed four.
“She must specialize in fusion. I had no idea.”
Chloe's eyes shone with admiration.
‘What will you do, Aina Veydean.’
Leo crossed his arms and looked down at the arena.
‘If you don't see your opponent for who they are, you can't win.’
***
*Crack—*
Aina brushed the ice off her body.
Despite being caught in the powerful ice explosion, she seemed to have taken little damage.
Aina's senses detected multiple presences.
‘All of them are Juen Torvina.’
*Chk—!*
Aina readjusted her grip on her sword.
“Is this all you've got?”
“Of course not.”
Juen replied, remaining invisible.
“I've prepared a lot to take you down.”
Juen gritted her teeth.
“This is just a small part of it! You can look forward to what's next.”
Juen shouted with intense fighting spirit.
“Because I'm going to defeat you with everything I have!”
