The Duel at the Demon King's Castle (3)
May narrowed her eyes at Elric standing before her. Hmm. What’s going on? Why is he just standing there?
Contrary to her expectations, Elric simply held his magic staff and remained motionless. In any ordinary duel between mages, the one who completed their chant first held the advantage. Yet he ignored even that basic principle, staring at her with a vacant expression.
Just as I thought. The rumors were exaggerated.
In truth, she had adored him ever since she was a child. To her, Elric had been someone worthy of respect. He had always treated everyone with kindness. And that wasn’t all—he had even been hailed as a prodigy in his youth. But at some point he slammed into the wall of his own limits and transformed into a complete degenerate. Having watched her brother’s fall, her first reaction had naturally been worry. She had even gone out of her way to obtain elixirs to support him…
It would have been better if I had never known.
She had overheard everything from the next room. How he had used his connections to become the academy’s head professor. How he committed acts that skirted the edge of crime. The fact that he lacked talent didn’t bother her—everyone had their own strengths. But crossing into semi-criminal behavior was simply too far. After that, any affection she once held for Elric had died. She had thrown herself into training with everything she had, determined to become the family head. Only then could she exile him.
While May was lost in the past, a relaxed voice called out.
“What are you waiting for? Aren’t you going to attack?”
Elric beckoned with a casual flick of his fingers. She had no idea where his confidence came from, but it was clear he needed to be taught a harsh lesson.
“You’ll regret provoking me, brother.”
As she spoke, May slowly began to circulate her mana. The next instant, a deep resonance hummed through her body as power surged along her internal circuits. An overwhelming wave of mana erupted, pressing down on the very air around them.
Her mana reserves were on a level that left ordinary mages unable to even compete. It was only natural. Unlike Elric, she was the genuine prodigy of the Vandesar family. Being called a genius in a magic household meant her talent approached that of an archmage.
Having perfectly completed the complex spell formula, May poured her mana into it and chanted.
“Ice Ball!”
The moment the words left her lips, a colossal block of ice materialized against the ceiling. In sheer size it rivaled a massive boulder. It was a blessing this was an outdoor training ground; otherwise the surroundings would have been obliterated.
“Brother, you should surrender. You could actually die if this—”
“Do you fight with your mouth? Hurry up and throw it already.”
“I warned you.”
With those final words, May brought the enormous iceberg crashing down. If Elric couldn’t stop it, Gale would surely intervene. Her brother’s death was impossible. She turned toward Gale.
But what she saw left her stunned.
“Huh?”
Instead of stepping in, Gale simply stood with his arms folded.
What? Why isn’t he moving?
According to every prediction, he should have acted immediately.
Does he actually believe brother can block it?
She shifted her gaze back to Elric. He was pointing his magic staff at the descending iceberg.
What is he doing? What does he think he’s going to accomplish?
For someone preparing magic, he was releasing only the tiniest trickle of mana. Nothing more. As confusion filled her, Elric’s staff finally made contact with the falling ice.
Then—
With a sharp crack, the iceberg vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed in the sky at all.
While she reeled from the impossible sight, agony unlike anything she had ever felt exploded across her entire body.
“Kyaaaaaaaak!”
Cold sweat poured down her skin as she gasped for breath. The sudden, overwhelming pain made her mind spin.
What is this? What just happened?!
She looked at Elric again. He stood in the same spot, watching her with that same relaxed smile.
What in the world did he just do?
All he had done was lightly tap the iceberg with his staff. Nothing else. Yet that simple action had not only erased her magic but dealt direct damage to her as well.
As confusion and panic swirled inside her, Elric kicked off the ground and charged.
Her survival instincts screamed. Do not let him get close.
Following that instinct, May slammed a low-level explosion spell into the floor. It wouldn’t inflict serious damage, but it should buy her time. While he retreated, she could prepare her next spell.
She had calculated it perfectly. Yet the moment she tried to cast again—
Elric came sprinting forward, dragging his staff across the ground. The instant it touched her spell formula and magic circle—
“Higyaaaaaaaaak!!”
Another wave of excruciating pain slammed into her. The agony nearly made her black out. But she couldn’t afford to freeze. The distance between them was shrinking fast.
I-I have to dodge first!
She immediately used wind magic to create distance. Elric clicked his tongue openly.
“Tsk!”
For a brief moment she stared at his staff. Then her genius mind raced at a speed beyond ordinary comprehension. In less than a second, she reached a conclusion.
So that’s how it works.
She finally understood how she had taken damage. She didn’t know the exact mechanics, but the staff was clearly cursed. A curse that inflicted pain as damage. And it was so perfectly crafted that it could deliver that pain even without direct contact.
It must have been that weapon’s power that erased my magic too.
Because her spell had been linked to her own mana, the curse had traveled back to her.
She understood the weapon’s ability. But one question remained.
How did someone like him ever obtain something like that?
A weapon this broken should have been a national treasure. She couldn’t fathom why it was in Elric’s hands.
Still, even a weapon like that must have weaknesses.
Two weaknesses came to mind instantly. The first was to seize the weapon itself. But that was a last resort. As long as he held it, taking it was nearly impossible. She would have to use another method.
Once again, May raised her mana. Elric watched with that same relaxed expression.
Let’s see how long you can keep that look on your face.
She slowly extended her hand. At the same time, she fired a mana bullet—not at Elric, but at the ground around him.
Boom!
The floor shattered, sending sharp fragments flying toward him. Just as expected, Elric dodged backward to avoid them. May’s lips curved into a smirk.
“Found it. Your weakness.”
May wore a triumphant, almost smug smile, clearly thrilled that she had discovered my weakness. To get this happy over finding just one flaw—
Still. Isn’t she the first one in this round to find Master’s weakness?
Well, yeah, I suppose she is.
But it was only the first time this round. In the previous timeline, she hadn’t been the only one to figure it out. It wasn’t for nothing that I trained relentlessly to overcome this exact vulnerability.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, May shouted with majestic confidence.
“Then try blocking this!”
She summoned a massive whirlwind and hurled the debris caught inside it straight at me. It was easily the most threatening attack I had faced so far, excluding the yanderes. But even so, it wasn’t enough.
Without hesitation I activated body reinforcement and deflected every single rock that flew my way. She must not have expected me to dodge at all.
“Huh?”
May’s eyes widened in shock. I slipped through every attack with ease until I stood right in front of her.
“What? Did you think I was just some guy who relied on his item?”
I swung Jukchang horizontally in a wide arc. The whirlwind disintegrated instantly.
“Higyaaaaaaaak!”
She let out that strange, high-pitched scream and flinched hard. Hearing my little sister scream like that actually felt pretty satisfying.
Wow. Master, you’re such a bully.
Hey now, who are you calling a bully? Everyone knows a little sister’s screams are an older brother’s greatest joy. What would you know? You’ve never had siblings.
I turned toward May, who was panting heavily. Just as I prepared to follow up—
“Hmm?”
Jukchang suddenly vanished from my hand. I looked around, confused, only to spot it now gripped in her palm.
So that’s what she was aiming for.
She had transferred it directly into her own hand. The girl really was a genius among geniuses. Transfer magic was something only an archmage-level caster could use. While her talent had already reached that realm, she was still far from her full potential. Yet she had managed a short-range transfer.
Well, it looks like it took everything she had.
She was already drenched in cold sweat after just one transfer. She must have burned through a huge amount of mana.
“Hoo… It was a bit of a struggle, but it’s over now. Without this, you’re nothing but an ordinary person with decent technique, right, brother?”
“Little sister, your older brother has one piece of advice for you.”
Anyone with a brain prepares countermeasures for their weaknesses. I summoned Jukchang back. It returned to my hand as naturally as breathing.
“Huh?”
May’s eyes darted back and forth between her empty hand and mine in utter disbelief. She clearly hadn’t expected me to have a counter ready.
“First, for talking back to your brother. Second, for stealing your brother’s belongings without permission. Take two hits and we’ll call it even.”
Before she could react, I swung Jukchang twice in rapid succession.