But What If Master Steps In?!
"No, but what if Master steps in!!"
There was a professor with his navy-blue spiked hair raised dramatically to its full glory. His name was Layered Pilot. The subject he taught was the fourth-year course, "Advanced Magic and Field Practice." It was mainly taken by students on the cusp of becoming Advanced Mages, most of whom aimed for positions in the Imperial Court Mage Corps. In the past, applicants had flocked to the Mage Towers as well, but now everyone had been siphoned off to the towers' own academies, leaving only those gunning for the Imperial Court Mage Corps. Fittingly, he was affiliated with the Corps himself while serving as an external instructor.
True to his Imperial Court Mage Corps credentials, his skills were outstanding. He was an Intermediate Mage wielding two attributes. But if he pushed himself, he could demonstrate a third, placing him at the threshold of Advanced Mage status. Yet he'd lingered there for a full seven years without crossing it. He judged that his growth had hit a wall. And with that realization came deep anguish.
The Imperial Court Mage Corps was weaker now than ever before. Just five years ago, it had boasted the strongest mage unit since Lao Medea. But then its core—the leader, Rodis Bern, and his deputy, Jania Pieris—had both retired simultaneously. Their departure had instantly gutted the Corps' strength. The remaining powerhouses weren't even close to four attributes; they were packed with folks who hadn't fully mastered three. Even the current leader, Nilpia Lombus, was just an Advanced Mage with three attributes. Layered himself included.
So Layered made a resolution. This couldn't go on. Regardless of his personal plateau, the Imperial Court Mage Corps had to be revived. Was that why Deputy Leader Jania had headed to the academy? It was a reasonable thought. He volunteered as an external instructor, figuring that if he followed her lead in nurturing the next generation, a golden era would eventually dawn again.
Indeed, quick learners among the academy students often became Intermediate Mages who could handle dual attributes by the latter half of their fourth year. There were even occasional Intermediate Mages who could do so from day one of enrollment. Thus, he believed that if beginner mages learned from him and practiced lightly in the field together, they'd easily surpass the Intermediate Mage barrier.
And three years after he became an instructor...
The former leader, Rodis Bern, returned. With a girl he'd never seen before.
He declared the girl called Miriel an Archmage and said he planned to appoint her as his assistant professor. It was absurd. At just fifteen years old, calling her an Archmage meant she wielded at least four attributes. He'd been studying magic since age five himself—thirty-five years—and still hadn't fully cleared the three-attribute wall. For a girl who'd lived less than half that time, who had supposedly reached Archmage level after just five years under the leader's tutelage? It was preposterous.
Perhaps the leader had been bewitched... or maybe the girl had some leverage over him. Doubts like that flooded Layered's mind. He wasn't alone. Deputy Leader and President Jania Pieris had vehemently opposed it, even challenging the leader she'd longed to reunite with to a mana clash.
But Layered didn't want to stop it. On the contrary, he thought he should assist the president. Against such nonsense... against that girl... If the leader who'd abandoned the Imperial Court Mage Corps had lost his mind, it was the duty of the remaining members to set him right.
Then, from that girl Miriel came an amusing declaration.
"So, I just need to prove my skills won't tarnish Master's honor, right?"
She was saying she'd demonstrate her prowess. President Jania, veins bulging on her forehead, wore a benevolent smile.
"Miss Miriel... You're confident you won't regret those words?"
Miriel nodded. President Jania's gaze shifted to Layered. Sensing it, he nodded as well. Vowing to crush the girl's arrogance and restore the leader's sanity...
Layered and Miriel stood in the center of the Medeia Academy magic arena. This arena had been built for the annual magic tournament against other academies. Nobles, merchants, and various power brokers attended to scout talents, forge alliances, and pursue their interests, so it was equipped with special defensive magic formations.
The sole reason Layered and Miriel were here was to prove Miriel's abilities. A practice field used by regular students would have sufficed otherwise, but they'd chosen this arena for one reason: Leader Rodis had claimed Miriel was an Archmage—or close to it.
Layered steadied his trembling hands with tension and gripped his staff tightly. Even for him, an Intermediate Mage, the Medeia arena was no easy venue. Officially, he was listed as an Advanced Mage on paper, but in reality, his lack of control confined his full potential to Intermediate level. And Medeia Academy's magic division had crumbled so badly that a mere Intermediate like him was considered top-tier.
The tiny Miriel, holding a staff as tall as herself, stared into the empty air. She looked as flustered as any girl in an unfamiliar place, but Layered squeezed his eyes shut.
That fox bewitched the leader.
Repeating it inwardly, he started light with his trademark lightning spell.
Charging Bolt
He cast it slowly enough for even a beginner mage to block. Miriel, who hadn't budged, yawned and swung her staff. Seeing her yawn in this sacred duel infuriated Layered—he took it as disdain. His face twisted in rage.
How dare she... yawn in this sacred duel? That fox!!
He decided on his fastest, most potent spell. Layered's strength lay in lightning-based rapid casting; even peers struggled to react.
Did Miriel lack PvP experience? She seemed oblivious to the magic circle forming overhead. Seconds later, unimpeded, it completed. The dual water-lightning circle for Thunder Strike flashed, and lightning hurtled toward Miriel at light speed.
Thunder Strike
She was engulfed in blinding light.
"I win!!"
If she'd blocked it, fine—but a direct hit from Thunder Strike would deal massive damage even to an Advanced Mage. He cheered. But something was off. His spell should've caused near-fatal injury without defense, triggering the arena's barriers. No such activation.
"No way..."
Anxiety crept in. He realized she wasn't ordinary. As the light faded...
"How...?"
Miriel stood unscathed. Orbiting her were three mid-level spells: fire's Ignition, wind's Air Press, water's Hydro Pressure. In that brief moment, she'd cast three opposing-attribute spells. The crowd fell silent. Layered was stunned too.
"That's... not human."
"Rude. I am human. A fifteen-year-old flower of a girl, even."
Miriel muttered. Then the three spells merged. Impossible—Layered's eyes widened. Similar attributes like fire-wind or water-lightning could combine for greater power. Triples often added light or dark. But what had she done? Mixed opposites: water and fire.
It should've backfired and exploded from repulsion, yet it stabilized perfectly. How could magic be so beautiful...?
And from the girl's lips came his defeat's incantation.
"End's Karmic Fire."
⟨ 종언의 업화 ⟩
A beautiful blue flame hurtled toward Layered. He stared, entranced.
"Professor Layered!!"
"Wha—?! Ah!"
Snapped back by President Jania's shout, he hastily deployed defense.
"Barrier."
The shield melted like wet tissue paper.
"Gaaah!!"
Panicking, Layered conceived his best defense: lightning base, amplified with water for efficiency, wind to envelop despite control issues...
"Electronic Protection!"
His mana rioted from the uncontrolled triple-attribute cast. But he had no choice—to block her triple mid-level spell, he needed at least that. The electric barrier engulfed the blue flames... and ignited.
"I... blocked it."
Thankfully, the flames burned out on the shield without advancing. As he sighed in relief, Miriel's voice rang out.
"What about the second one?"
Following her finger skyward... a star was falling. Meteor. Layered sensed his end. He couldn't block it. No—it would kill him.
Then a familiar aged voice.
"Miriel. That's too much... I've told you repeatedly: in duels with others, use only half your strength."
It was Leader Rodis. Oh, light... our leader. And this was half? Per his words, she'd held back even more. Even accounting for that, it crushed Layered's decades of dedication.
But Miriel tilted her head at his words.
"Can't block this either? I fired it weak, less than half, like you said..."
This was weak? Less than half? That meteor? He laughed and collapsed. Childish bravado, as expected. Anxiety flickered in the president's eyes. Even she couldn't block a meteor. What about the leader?
The leader stepped forward.
"Void Severance Seal."
⟨ 허공단절의 봉영진 ⟩
A black shimmer from his staff touched the falling meteor, which vanished as if never there. This was the Five-Colored Mage, Leader Rodis's true power.
"No! But what if Master blocks it instead!! What about my victory?!"
Miriel stomped in fury. She gripped her staff, glaring coldly at the slumped Layered as if ready for round two.
Sensing the dire turn, President Jania rushed down and declared,
"This match... is Miss Miriel's victory."