Chapter 636
Chapter Title: An Overwhelming Difference
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Lil charged forward at an incredible speed.
Massive steel spikes erupted from the ground, aiming to engulf the charging Lil.
Krrack—!
The sharp tips of the spikes crumpled on impact, then shattered into pieces.
But Lil, battle hammer in hand, showed no signs of slowing down.
"It's not working!"
"Uwaaaah!"
"Stop her! Stop her somehow!"
The Magic Department students screamed.
The Knight Department students who had recklessly tried to block her had already been struck by her hammer and sent flying long ago.
Just then, one of the Knight Department students stepped forward, blocking Lil's path with a large, thick shield.
"Ooh!"
"It's Rex!"
Rex Stoner.
A student with excellent grades in the third-year Knight Department.
His most defining trait was being a classic vanguard.
His mobility was slow, and his attacks were simple.
However, his defense was arguably the best among the third-year knights.
He was, quite literally, the man with the best defense in the third year.
The number one recruit for any party of mages!
That very Rex, exuding a heavy presence, now stood in Lil's way.
"I, Rex Stoner, will defend this spot with my life!"
"Yeah! So cool! Rex! I'll go on a date with you later!"
"Get lost, man!"
After his fierce retort, Rex watched Lil charge toward him and slammed his shield into the ground.
Thump—!
"Hmph!"
With his shield planted in the earth, Rex charged forward.
Lil swung her hammer at Rex's shield.
Kwhaang—! Thud! R-r-rumble—!
A tremendous sound echoed as the hammer and shield collided.
The ground beneath Rex's feet caved in with a thud!
The surrounding area cracked from the aftershock.
"He held on!"
"That's Rex for you!"
"Of course! Rex can even withstand attacks from Celia and Duran!"
Lacking offensive options, his win rate in duels was lower compared to the top-tier students.
But when it came to the mission of withstanding an attack, no one could match Rex.
Feeling the force transmit through his shield, Rex spoke with confidence.
"Senior! You won't advance any further—"
Kwhaam—!
Lil's follow-up attack came.
Bam! Bam! Bam-bam-bam-bam-bam!
"Guh-?!"
A series of unbelievably heavy and powerful attacks rained down.
Letting out a cry of shock, Rex's body began to sink into the ground.
Kwhaaaaang! K-k-k-krack—!
Once Rex's entire body, save for his shield, was buried in the earth, Lil struck the shield with all her might as a finishing blow.
Driven into the ground like a nail, Rex was knocked unconscious by the impact.
Judged unable to battle, Rex was teleported away.
To be sure, a single blow from Lil lacked the sheer power of one from Celia or Duran.
The problem was that her attacks came in a relentless barrage.
Having incapacitated Rex, Lil charged once more.
"What is this! She's like a tank!"
The third-years screamed.
Each time Lil's hammer swung, third-years were sent flying.
The one who stopped Lil's unstoppable advance was none other than Woreden.
Thwack—!
Lil's hammer was caught by Woreden's arm.
The two spirit users locked in a contest of strength.
"I see..."
Woreden clicked his tongue.
"So there was a reason they call you a monster."
"Woreden's a monster too!"
"Then it's a monster showdown!"
"That's no way to talk about a senior!"
Lil's eyes widened as she pushed back against Woreden.
Fwoosh—!
"Woreden. Hold her!"
From high above, Celia swung her sword, targeting Lil.
Seeing this, Lil shook Woreden off.
Then she kicked off the ground to dodge Celia's attack.
"Too late!"
Kwagagagaga—!
The fiery aura swept over Lil.
But before the fiery aura could reach her, Lil accelerated at an incredible speed and evaded the attack.
"So fast?!"
Celia was stunned by a speed that far exceeded her expectations.
Just then.
Shaaaaa—!
The surrounding temperature dropped sharply.
"Ice World."
C-c-c-crackle—!
As Chloe's spell completed, an immense chill enveloped Lil.
Crack—!
Before she could react, Lil was trapped in ice.
"As expected of Chloe."
Nella said in admiration as she healed the injured.
Until now, the third-years had been forming a defensive line to stop Lil from getting to Chloe.
"We were supposed to be the ones chasing, but instead we were the ones being chased. I think we underestimated our senior."
Chloe said, breaking into a cold sweat.
In truth, she hadn't been able to draw out its maximum power.
Lil's momentum was so fierce that she felt Lil would reach her before the spell could be completed if she took too long.
"She saw right through us."
Chloe recalled Lil's movements and shook her head.
It looked like she was charging thoughtlessly, but Lil had meticulously targeted the weaknesses of each third-year.
It would have been impossible unless she knew the characteristics of the entire third-year class by heart.
"That's definitely something we need to learn..."
C-c-crack—!
Just as Celia was agreeing with Chloe, the ice encasing Lil began to crack.
Seeing this, the third-years' faces hardened.
Crack—!
Breaking free of the ice, Lil immediately threw her battle hammer toward the sky.
Whoooosh—!
The third-years stared in horror at Lil, who was now glaring at the sky.
"Attack power, speed, and even defense? She has no weaknesses, does she?"
"We have no choice but to overwhelm her with numbers!"
"At least she's unarmed for now!"
"Did you say unarmed?"
Lil grinned.
"For a spirit user, the most powerful weapon is their spirits, you know?"
Having lost her weapon, Lil began to summon her spirits.
Looking at the horrified third-years, Lil spoke firmly.
"This isn't over yet."
***
"Alright! I got... Whaaaaaat?!"
Moving at an astonishing speed, Iliana caught up to Elena and got behind her, cheering inwardly.
In that instant, she was forced to retreat, startled by Lil's battle hammer flying past her face at a terrifying speed.
And in that fleeting moment.
Ch-ch-chain—!
Clank—! Clank—!
"Iliana!"
Chains of light formed from magic coiled around Iliana's wrists and ankles, snaring her.
"Owowowowow!"
Iliana screamed as a force pulled on her arms and legs.
As Chelsea tried to approach to save her, more chains of light poured out from a magic circle.
Chelsea clicked her tongue, `Tch!`, and dodged the chains.
Iliana, who had been screaming, looked at the staff thrust before her face and grimaced.
"Please spare me just this once."
"No."
Flash—!
As Elena spoke firmly, immense magic swirled from the tip of her staff.
Judged unable to battle, Iliana was teleported away.
A terrifying gale swirled around Elena.
Kwagagagagaga—!
Watching the gale close in on her, Elena narrowed her eyes as magic erupted from her body.
Kwagagagaga—! Boom—!
"She canceled my brother's magic with sheer force?!"
Chelsea wore a look of shock.
"Do you know something?"
"......!"
Hearing a voice from behind, Chelsea felt goosebumps rise all over her body.
"Who the best in Lumerne is, in terms of pure magic power?"
When Chelsea turned around, she saw Elena looking down at her with a relaxed expression, her legs crossed.
"It's been me for the past five years."
Elena smiled sweetly.
There was another title that symbolized Elena, the so-called Queen of Lumerne.
Laziness.
She had always been insincere and had no interest in her classes.
She was the strongest in her year by talent alone, and she instantly reached the top ranks of the school.
It was only after Leo became the student council president that this Elena began to put in an effort.
Flash—! Pzzzzzt—!
Fwoosh—!
Duran and Eliza appeared on either side of Elena.
The goal of those confronting Elena in the air was singular.
To keep Elena from casting wide-area magic.
That was why students with high mobility were working together.
Chelsea, Duran, Eliza, Iliana.
And for the mage, Abad.
The cards meant to check and subdue Elena in the air.
"The combination wasn't bad."
Having short-range warped, Elena gently twirled a strand of her hair with her fingertip.
"If you had watched me or Lil as much as you watched Leo, you would have won. But..."
Elena smiled faintly.
"You guys. Were we even on your radar?"
"......"
No one answered her sharp question.
"Lil and I have watched you since you were first-years. So we know you well. Your fighting styles and habits, your strengths and your weaknesses."
Elena continued, gently twirling her hair.
"How much of your attacks we could withstand. How we could beat you. We naturally came up with ways to counter you."
Letting go of her hair, Elena wore a bored expression.
"I'm sure you weren't looking down on us. I know you respected us and treated us as seniors. But..."
Elena narrowed her eyes and asked.
"Have you ever, even once, thought about surpassing us?"
"......"
"What about the thought of catching up to us?"
Looking at her juniors, who couldn't answer, Elena gave a cold smile.
"We're your seniors. Let me make this clear, right here and now."
Elena raised her right hand above her head, pointing her index finger up.
"We aren't beings who follow Leo, like you. We are ahead of you... beings you must catch up to."
Gwoooooooh—!
An orb of flame blazed at Elena's fingertip, as if a small sun had been created.
"When did she cast a spell like that?"
"Chantless casting?!"
Looking at her horrified juniors, Elena smiled sweetly.
"It's nothing special. It's multi-casting."
"You were able to complete a spell of this magnitude with multi-casting?"
When Chelsea asked in shock, Elena shrugged.
"It worked, didn't it?"
The third-years had certainly never properly looked at Elena and Lil.
It was because they had a dazzling target in their own year named Leo.
How incredible Elena's magic power and genius were.
Why Lil was called a monster by the graduates and a flawless spirit user with no weaknesses.
They had simply thought, 'That's what they're called, so I guess it's true.'
And the price for that was brutal.
Elena and Lil, who had watched the third-years closely.
The third-years, who had only looked at Leo.
The result of a battle between those who were properly prepared and those who were not was obvious.
Before releasing her magic, Elena spoke to Chelsea.
"You aren't the only ones chosen by the Hero of the Beginning."
Chelsea's eyes widened.
Flash—!
Kwagagagagaang—!
When the magic was unleashed, everyone except Elena was swept away by it.
Screams erupted from all over.
Watching the scene, Elena said nonchalantly.
"It would have been dangerous if Karl or Xia were here."
Elena smirked, thinking of Karl the commander and the cautious Chen Xia.
"Our professors are strict, too."
Just then, a resentful shout was heard.
"Senior Elena! Why me tooooooo!"
"You won't go down from something like this, will you?"
"That's so meaaaaan!"
Lil's shriek echoed.
***
Fwoosh—!
"Over there! He went that way!"
"Get him! Quickly!"
"What are the Knight Department students doing?!"
"Why are you ordering us around?!"
Hearing the shouts from behind, Karl peeked his head out of a bush.
"As expected of freshmen, this is easy!"
Karl, camouflaged with bushes stuck in his hair tie, grinned wickedly and pulled on a transparent cloak.
He waited for the Knight Department students to pass, and then, as the Magic Department juniors following behind passed by him.
"Peekaboo?"
"Gasp! Senior Karl is here—"
Flick—!
Karl threw the long potion vials he held between his fingers at the Magic Department students.
Kwagagagagagaang—!
"Uwahahaha! Easy! Too easy! To think they'd chase me so readily just because I ran! And since they think I'm an easy target, they're even playing individually!"
Karl burst out laughing as he watched the Magic Department students get caught in the explosion and be judged unable to battle.
"There he is!"
As the Knight Department students who had been ahead scrambled to chase him, Karl grinned wickedly.
"These guys are really slow learners!"
Karl took a crystal orb from his pocket and pressed it with his finger.
Kwagagagak—!
"Uwaaaaaah!"
"It's a trap!"
An explosion occurred on the path the Knight Department students had just passed without suspicion.
"A loud noise came from over there!"
"Oops. Time to bounce."
Having annihilated the party, Karl heard voices from afar and quickly fled.
Watching him, a male student from the Knight Department muttered.
"C-Cowardly..."
"In Lumerne, who gives a damn about being cowardly! Survival is the only truth!"