Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Stars and the Mage (4)
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Just one serious problem.
The guy right in front of me was tougher than I'd thought.
To test his full power, I'd leaped underground and casually flung two fire spells at him, but they vanished without a trace.
It felt like magic just wasn't working at all.
Wondering if it was an attribute mismatch, I conjured a stone spear and hurled it lightly, but it fared no better.
Seeing it crumble to sand—crack—before even reaching the golem's core made my head throb.
"Hmm... this is going to be a real pain."
The impulse to just beat the crap out of Estelle senior or whoever surged up strong right then.
-Whoooong!!
The golem, which had been still, started moving again.
Before I could even react, a massive fist hurtled toward me at blinding speed.
"Lunaris! Look out!"
Claire's desperate shout came with a gust of wind magic that shoved me aside.
A tremendous boom erupted where I'd been standing, unleashing a mana storm that whipped around us.
For an instant, it felt like mana was being sucked straight out of my entire body—a chilling sensation.
I instinctively wrapped mana around myself, but Claire hadn't managed it.
"Cough, cough! W-what is this...!"
"Claire, fall back."
Claire's face was deathly pale as her body swayed.
That was a symptom of mana exhaustion.
I scrutinized the golem's core.
A magic circle drawn in so many overlapping layers it was hard to make out.
Still, figuring out its function wasn't too difficult.
After all, the shapes forming its framework were ones I'd drawn myself once.
...Looks like I'd unwittingly helped Estelle senior complete her magic golem. Without meaning to, of course.
Suppressing the heat rising to my head, I analyzed the golem's origin point.
The core of that complex magic circle was mana absorption, plain and simple.
No wonder it was called a magic golem.
I could see why its massive body was entirely made of mana.
It was the natural enemy of knights and mages alike.
A perfect magic weapon.
I had no idea what its weakness was, but I knew how to fight it.
Actually, it was simple.
Crush it with overwhelmingly superior magic.
Nothing magic can't do. Doesn't work? Then you just don't have enough mana.
"It's been a while."
I drew in a deep breath—sip—and began seriously drawing up the mana inside me.
The dormant mana stirred into a vortex, swirling around me.
It had been ages since I'd cast spells like a normal mage.
Lately, I'd been actively using natural mana, so I hardly touched my internal reserves.
Overdoing it made my body feel like a waterlogged sponge—heavy, and sleep wouldn't come easy.
But right now, I had to push it.
A frosty magic circle unfurled above my head.
The air froze solid.
A chill wind howled in around me, and soon a ferocious ice storm raged toward the golem.
The wind striking the magic golem's body scattered as mana particles.
Even so, the cold lingered, binding its feet.
"Not enough..."
I needed more power.
Even at advanced spell level, which guzzled mana, it wasn't cutting it.
I needed a decisive blow...
Truth was, this was the limit of mana I could handle at once.
Forcing more would scatter it before the spell completed.
What if... I layered natural mana onto my own? Could that boost the total mana forming the spell?
But in this situation, already maxed out on a spell, could I use telekinesis magic to draw in and blend natural mana?
Handle two different calculations at once?
...No reason I couldn't. My talent should handle it. Probably.
The problem was, it'd take time. And the golem wouldn't just wait.
Reluctantly, I looked up, scanning the faces of the people gawking from above.
Finding someone useful wasn't hard.
Screw personality or skill—pick high internal mana reserves, and you're halfway there.
"You, you, and you. Come down here."
Pointing at a few, murmurs followed.
They blinked, clueless they'd been picked. I sighed.
"I mean... the second-year topper whose egg I cracked, the one fidgeting with your sword handle like you're itching for a fight, and Miriel—was it? Anyway, red-haired senior. Hurry up and get down here."
"W-who got their egg cracked?!"
The senior who'd miraculously kept his manhood despite the Heavenly Demon gender-bender beam popped a vein and bristled.
The other two, at least, came down without complaint. Good, they listened.
Then, someone I hadn't picked bounded down the stairs.
"Kaisel senior, just watch from up there. I'll take your place."
Black hair, arrogance etched on his face.
Right... Edwin, was it?
"Don't remember calling you."
I scowled, and Edwin smirked.
"Didn't you call the aces here?"
"Yeah, but not you."
"What? You think anyone here out-magics me? ...N-not that you're excluded, of course!"
His awkward addendum made me snort despite myself.
Fair enough—he and that other senior were two peas in a pod.
No point bickering, so I cut to the chase.
"Draw that golem's attention. Roughly... three minutes?"
Miriel senior's eyes lit up at my words.
"Got a plan?"
"Not really a plan. Just..."
I trailed off, slashing a new magic circle in the air.
A light push, and the mana coiling around me surged outward.
"Crush it with overwhelming magic."
The magic golem reacted first.
Sensing the threat instinctively, it charged me straight away.
"Miriel, enchant my sword."
The sword-bearing student dashed forward after that curt order.
Blue fist met sword head-on.
A crunch like crumpling metal, and the blade began to melt.
But only for a moment—crimson mana wreathed the sword.
"Hmph~ Didn't expect you'd be taking orders even at the academy."
Miriel senior pouted playfully as she drew her circle.
"Fine, just this once. Consider it a favor."
From a bit farther, Edwin peppered it with earthen spears.
"Over here, you brainless hunk! Can't even recognize a pureblood magic artisan?"
No real damage, but enough to snag the instinct-driven thing's focus.
Yes, good. Holding for three minutes should be fine.
I closed my eyes and focused.
Scraped every last drop of internal mana.
One step beyond the limit, straining forward.
Layered on the telekinesis formula I'd wielded like breathing since becoming an advanced mage.
Squeezed space, gingerly blending natural mana into the spell.
At first, like water and oil, the two manas danced apart—but under telekinesis control, they merged.
"...Hold on."
I shoved down the sudden fatigue, weakness, and lethargy.
Something boiled hot inside me.
Vision blurred, but I gritted my teeth and concentrated.
In the maelstrom of mana, I meticulously stacked the magic circle.
It floated up, layers intertwining.
Blue and white mana particles poured like starlight from a night sky.
Thick sweat beaded on my forehead.
Hair and clothes whipped wildly.
Something snapped in my mind.
Couldn't put it in words.
Like stretching out my arm and grasping something...
Deep breath. I raised my arm.
Magic circles bloomed around the golem—four-fold, five-fold, evenly spaced.
Vision went pitch black.
A shrill ring screamed in my ears.
Far off, a twinkling point.
I reached out carefully.
Grabbed the 'star'—
Vision flashed white.
-KABOOOOOM!!
A pillar of light speared down onto the golem's head.
I'd pulled off a spell far beyond what the magic golem could digest.
Pierced by the starlight pillar, the golem's form shuddered violently.
Soon, its central core cracked apart with a hollow sound.
The blue mana forming its body misted away in all directions.
Like sparkling stardust, the underground space blazed with light.
How much time passed?
The mana storm filling the basement subsided, thick dust and light remnants slowly clearing.
The massive magic golem was gone without a trace.
Only shattered crystal fragments rolling on the floor attested it'd been there moments ago.
I slumped beside them, gasping ragged breaths.
My body felt hollowed out. I'd drained my mana to the limit.
Head spinning, I flopped flat on the floor.
The ceiling whirled.
Hallucinated voices echoed.
Lying here, I could barely tell if this was real or a dream.
Should get to bed... but my body wouldn't budge.
Utter lethargy crushed me. Wow, feels like I've used up a lifetime's motivation.
No way I do this crap twice. For real.
Dazed, counting ceiling cracks, a shadow blocked my view.
Glancing over, I saw the swordsman who'd charged the golem first.
His dust- and scratch-covered face was stoic.
But a faint smile tugged his lips.
"...Out of all the mages I've seen, you're the best by far."
He panted, thrusting out a hand callused from the hilt.
"Stronger than the student council president, even."
I stared at the offered hand, then let out a deflated sigh.
"No strength left to... grab it... Let me lie here a bit longer..."
"Haha, got it. Leave the rest to us and rest up. Good work, Lunaris Evermoon."