Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Mage of the Magic Exchange Tournament (3)
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The spectator stands, which had been rowdy just moments ago, fell into silence.
Students, professors, and even the visitors from outside all stared at me with dazed expressions.
I was a little flustered myself.
I hadn't expected it to end with just a single Magic Missile. Weren't they saying she was the best mage among the second-years?
Well, whatever. The sooner it ends, the better for me.
"Yawn... Is that it?"
I yawned lazily and turned to leave—right at that moment.
A loud clatter echoed from the distant spectator stands.
I whipped my head around to see white-haired mages scrambling down from the stands.
"W-Wait a moment!"
"Student, that spell just now... You didn't actually draw on natural mana directly, did you?"
"Impossible! To actually implement that theory in practice!"
"This... this is a historic discovery!"
The mages from the Mage Tower were all talking over each other.
Their eyes gleamed with a ferocious intensity, like they were about to devour me.
That's when Raymond Department Head slipped in from behind with a discreet cough.
"I told you, didn't I? This year's academy freshmen are something special."
A sly grin crept across the department head's face.
He snorted smugly, looking insufferably smug.
"No, this goes beyond 'something special'!"
The Mage Tower mages couldn't hide their excitement, raising their voices.
"It's as if all the mana in nature is hers to command!"
"That's... that's enough to establish an entirely new school of magic..."
"What's the big deal? She just used advanced Telekinesis Magic to cast a basic spell. The epitome of inefficiency."
The epitome of inefficiency, with so much left to learn from him, apparently.
Raymond Department Head burst into a triumphant "Oh ho ho ho!" laugh.
Listening quietly to all this, I couldn't help but let out a disbelieving chuckle.
Our department head was basically parroting my words verbatim.
"What are you talking about? The core is that she drew on natural mana!"
Another mage from the tower jumped in.
"Do you not understand how incredible it is to cast magic with the purest mana?"
"Didn't you see the power? She took down her opponent with a mere basic spell!"
As if Raymond Department Head didn't get it. Couldn't he control that twitching smirk creeping up his face?
You guys are getting totally played right now.
As the Mage Tower mages ranted excitedly, the students in the stands finally started buzzing a beat late.
"Those guys are the mages from the Mage Tower, right?"
"If even those picky Mage Tower folks acknowledge it, it must be the real deal."
"No wonder she blew a hole in the building wall..."
The murmurs grew louder, my ears starting to ring.
My head was beginning to throb. All I wanted was to escape this noisy place and flop onto my bed.
"Can I go now? I was last, so class should be over, right?"
Just as I said that and started descending the platform—
"Wait, student!"
The Mage Tower mages' voices stopped me in my tracks.
"We didn't get a proper look! Could you show us a bit more?"
"Isn't one of the points of the Magic Exchange Tournament to demonstrate magical achievements to outsiders? Just one more match against another student, please!"
Their eyes were filled with desperate pleading.
If I just left, they looked ready to vault over the stands and grab me.
I scratched my head, exhaustion plain on my face, when Raymond Department Head approached with a pleased expression.
"Lunaris. Could you do one more match for these heavy-bottomed visitors from afar?"
"Too much hassle..."
"In exchange, I'll excuse you from all classes next month."
"...!"
Now that's tempting.
One Magic Missile for two weeks off... two for a whole month?
This is time creation itself. Sold.
I rolled my eyes casually and shot back.
"Fine, whatever. But who am I even supposed to fight...?"
"Department Head, if you'll allow it, I'd like to face her."
Out of nowhere, a black-haired male student stepped onto the platform.
"I think I can last a bit longer."
"Edwin Belka... Well, a student like that wouldn't be a bad opponent."
Raymond Department Head glanced at me subtly.
I let out a big yawn and nodded.
"Whatever."
He seemed to be the top first-year in the Magic Department.
Even so, probably on par with that second-year top student who got dragged off by the staff like a ragdoll.
Standing in the center of the platform, Edwin smirked and spoke.
"I've always wanted to spar with you sometime. Perfect timing."
He immediately drew up his mana.
An earthy aura rippled around him.
Looked like he'd prepared thoroughly.
"Let's see who's the real top student, yeah?"
"...Talkative."
I swung my right arm back.
The space behind me warped and twisted under Telekinesis Magic.
"Wouldn't chanting your spell be a better use of your breath?"
Dozens of pristine white magic circles materialized above my head.
All drawn from the mana squeezed out of the distorted space.
Edwin's eyes wavered.
He hurriedly thrust both hands forward.
Confirming the layered translucent barriers stacking up, I flicked my fingers downward.
The dozens of magic circles above me ignited all at once.
Boom! Kwang! Kwaaang!!
White beams poured down like rain.
Pummeling the barriers indiscriminately.
"Wh-What is this...? Such absurd power...!"
As the mana barriers shattered and reformed repeatedly, Edwin's body was pushed back steadily.
Thick beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
His arms trembled visibly.
Yet he was holding on somehow.
Lasting this long was unexpected.
No more overtime.
"Wha—?!"
This time, I cast Telekinesis Magic directly on Edwin.
With a twitch of my finger, his body was yanked toward me.
Pulled right in front of me in an instant, he looked utterly flustered.
He instinctively tried drawing a magic circle under his feet, but it was too late.
I lightly thrust my left hand forward.
A pitch-black dot formed at the center of my clenched fist.
A single point compressing the surrounding space.
A time bomb quivering, ready to burst.
I couldn't help but smirk.
Terror-filled eyes stared back at me faintly.
One advantage of using natural mana: no risk of magical backlash.
I could cast mid-tier magic like it was meant to be cast.
Meaning—no hesitation about whether the opponent could handle it.
Kwaaaang!!
A deafening roar and shockwave erupted.
Through the thick smoke, Edwin's body soared high into the sky.
His airborne form traced a parabola before tumbling across the platform.
I tilted my chin up and surveyed the surroundings.
Silence.
Students, professors—even the noisiest Mage Tower mages—all speechless.
In the heavy quiet, the sound of dry swallows rang out unusually loud.
"...Yawn."
Well, it took a bit long, but that should do it...
"Urgh... Not yet!"
As I turned to leave—
Edwin staggered to his feet.
"Not... over yet."
Now I saw he was covered head to toe in dirt and mud, like he'd wrapped himself in it with magic.
"Now... now it begins."
Edwin spat blood-flecked saliva onto the ground and bared his teeth.
...Wow, he's persistent.
"Give it up already."
This would end with him hurt bad.
Ignoring my warning, Edwin let out a hollow laugh.
"Real combat experience like this doesn't come every day... You think I'd quit?"
His swollen eyes still burned with defiance, glaring straight at me.
"Or what? You tired already? Ha ha...!"
His subtle taunt drew an involuntary chuckle from me.
Not tired, but sleepy enough to die.
"...Whatever, do what you want."
I tried pulling him in with Telekinesis Magic again.
But this time, he didn't budge.
He'd wrapped himself in mana to block the interference.
"Not falling for the same trick twice!"
With that, Edwin hurled an earthen spear at me.
I stared at the incoming spear.
Then took a large step forward.
My vision flipped momentarily before snapping back.
"Wh-What?!"
Instead of a stone spear, a shocked Edwin stood before me.
"Blink...? No, I didn't sense any mana movement..."
Before his mutter finished, I grabbed his collar.
His head jerked up, eyes meeting mine.
"Cool your head."
Chilling frost spread from my fingertips.
Ice crystals engulfed his body in seconds.
Frozen solid, Edwin's momentum finally broke.
As I released my hand, his frost-covered body swayed and collapsed to the ground.
A chill quieter than the frost settled over the platform and stands.
I clasped my hands behind my back and stretched my back with a crack.
Ugh. Intense workout right after waking up—every muscle aches.
"That enough?"
I waved my arms as I descended the platform.
"Miss Lunaris!!"
Finally, some people vaulted over the stands.
The Mage Tower mages.
"Just a moment! Spare us some time!"
"How did you extract natural mana exactly?"
"That movement spell just now! Completely different principle from Blink—what is it?!"
Their eyes flashed murderously as they closed in.
I didn't look back once and leaped away.
If those magic-obsessed ghosts caught me, I'd be stuck in spell debates for days.