Chapter 17: If It's All Just Build-Up, It Gets Boring. Let's Show Some Action
If It's All Just Build-Up, It Gets Boring. Let's Show Some Action
As a child, I idolized magicians.
With pure, unadulterated admiration.
My mother was a beloved A-rank magician, and as her daughter, I wanted to be just like her.
"No."
"WHYYYYYYYY—?!"
But her answer never changed.
"Not until the day dirt fills my eyes—"
THWACK—!!!
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAH—!!"
I would have thrown dirt into her eyes if it meant she'd let me.
But convincing her became an impossibility forever.
Grooooooan...
"Mo... ther..."
Five years ago.
During a family trip to Stardust, a Catastrophe appeared that very day and attacked. My mother died.
"............"
While saving my adoptive brother.
Back then... I did nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
I had sneaked out to retrieve my acceptance letter for Valentine Garden's elementary division—behind my mother's back.
And in that time... this disaster struck...
Scratch. Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.
"Please wait here, both of you. I'll go buy groceries."
In the dimly lit room bathed in twilight, my brother and I returned to a home where our mother no longer existed.
Creak. Thud.
Once our household android, May, left the room...
"I'm going to become a magician."
Realizing no one could stop me anymore, I declared my resolve to my brother.
"...What?"
His face was a mix of shock, bewilderment, and disbelief.
"Until now... I wanted to be a magician for selfish reasons... But not anymore."
"You little—"
I bit my lip hard.
Tears welled up again, but this time, I didn't cry.
My bloodshot eyes no longer held the weakness of a child.
At that moment... it felt like I was reborn.
No—more like I had died.
"I'm going to kill every last Disaster. Wipe them all from this world."
Consumed by hatred, I made my declaration to my brother.
"So no one else... will ever lose someone precious like Mother again."
Catching my breath, I stared straight at him.
My brother never cared what I did.
Even if Mother never allowed me to become a magician, this bastard never said a word about it.
"You call that a declaration?"
"...What?"
His response stunned me.
"You think a weakling like you becoming a magician will end in anything but a dog's death?"
It felt like my heart was being torn apart.
You never said anything before...
So why...?! Why now—?!
"If you die like a dog, Mother's death would've been for nothing."
"Take it back...!!"
Barely suppressing my rage, I warned him.
"No. I'm saying this as your brother."
His resolve was unshakable.
For the first time since he was adopted, he showed such unwavering determination.
"TAKE IT BAAAAAACK—!!!"
CRACK—!!!
I finally swung my fist at him.
"GYAAAAAAAAAAH—!!!"
THUD—!!!
As he collapsed to the floor, I rained down merciless blows like a madwoman.
"Take it back—!! Take it back—!! Take it back—!!"
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
It hurt so much.
That my last remaining family... wouldn't even acknowledge my choice in the end...
"St... stop..."
WHAM—!!
"I'm sorry—!! I take it back—!!"
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
"I said I take it back, you bitch, STOP HITTING ME—!!"
WHAM—!!!
In the end, I knocked him out cold and stormed out of the house.
Step. Step. Step. Step.
No more... weak little girls remained here.
Only a being who lived to eradicate every last Disaster from this world.
That was all.
___. ___
Groooooooowl...!!!
A black shadow swallowed the plaza in an instant.
"Try dodging this."
WHOOSH—!!!
As Touka swung her hand, dozens of shadow wolves erupted from the ground beneath her feet.
Grrrr—!!
Yip yip yip yip—!!!
Baring their glowing red eyes and fangs like blades, they charged at the Black Knight from all directions.
"God damn it—"
BOOM—!!!!!
The Black Knight swung his fist, and the resulting shockwave tore the shadow wolves to shreds instantly.
Groooooowl—!!!
"Wh-what are those wolves—?!"
Bella shielded her face with her arms, staring in shock at the creatures Touka had summoned.
"Third Tier: Abyss Wolf."
Grrrrrrrr...!!
Third Tier.
Summoning and Domination.
A stage where one births entities through their magic and commands them within their fabricated world.
Few among A-rank magicians ever reach this level.
Touka was an S-rank magician.
Among them, her mastery of the Third Tier stood at the very peak.
"Managed to clear out the small fry, huh? I'd have been pissed if that took you down."
Touka glared down at the Black Knight with murderous eyes.
Huuuuuu...
She stood midair, supported by shadow platforms.
"Brat. At least you're wearing underwear."
The Black Knight was relieved he didn't have to see his stepsister's undergarments.
"What was that?"
As Touka frowned at his muttering, he quickly replied.
"I said your face looks like shit."
"Still got time for jokes, huh?"
Flick.
With a casual gesture, Touka summoned even larger wolves from the ground.
GROOOOAR—!!
YIP YIP YIP—!!!
"Hey—!! There's even more now—!! What are you gonna do—?!"
As Bella panicked beside him, the Black Knight muttered low.
"Shut your trap and stay back."
He didn't even flinch at the swarm of wolves.
Sssssssss...
Extending his right arm forward—
SHING—!!
A massive black greatsword materialized from his gauntlet into his grip.
"Wh-what the—?! Magic?!"
Bella gaped at the sudden weapon manifestation.
WHOOSH—!!!
With a single swing—
BOOM!!
An explosive shockwave obliterated the frontmost wolves without a trace.
SHIIIIING—!!!
The shadows were cleaved apart, dispersing into black mist, while the wolves behind them were bisected one after another.
Gnash.
Touka gritted her teeth at the sight.
As expected... overwhelming him with numbers won't work.
The Black Knight was far stronger than anticipated.
Each shadow wolf could overpower most B-rank magicians, yet a single swing of his sword was enough.
But Touka never expected the wolves to win.
Her goal was singular.
The briefest opening—when the Black Knight made a large move.
Grrrrrrrr—!!
GROOOOAR—!!
As wolves continued spawning from the ground, charging relentlessly, Touka had already vanished into the shadows.
Huff.
"Fine."
"Fuck?!"
From the Black Knight's shadow—
STAB—!!!
A black spear erupted from the ground.
He twisted aside, dodging—but another wolf lunged at him head-on.
WHOOSH—!!!
He swiftly bisected it with his greatsword.
But that single motion left his balance slightly off.
The spear ambush.
The wolf's follow-up.
Touka didn't miss the tiny gap that created.
SHACKLE—!!!
Shadows stretched like chains, coiling around his ankles, while the ground itself split open like the maw of a giant wolf.
"Shadow Fang—!!!"
Dozens of shadow spikes shot up like fangs.
If those fangs closed, the Black Knight's body would be reduced to pulp.
Of course, Touka knew the city-recognized, Azaria-approved monster wouldn't die—but she really wanted to see him in pieces.
"HEEEEEY—!!!"
Bella screamed as the Black Knight faced certain doom.
(She's gotten stronger.)
BOOM—!!!
The Black Knight slammed his sword into the ground.
KABOOOOOM—!!
A shockwave erupted, shattering every shadow chain and spear into nothingness.
Rumble...
"That all you got?"
"Not even close."
But Touka had already repositioned to his right.
Leaping across debris, darting through shadows, her movements were too fast to track.
The wolves kept coming.
One fell, two took its place.
Two fell, four rose.
They existed not to win, but to force the Black Knight to keep swinging.
Touka grinned like a beast.
"Someone like you, relying only on given strength, will tire eventually. Every time you swing that sword, I'm preparing the next move."
Her shadows engulfed the battlefield, endlessly shifting forms—wolves, crows, spears, chains—relentlessly pressuring him, sealing his movements to create that one fatal opening.
"That's... an S-rank magician...!!"
"The strongest magician in Valentine Garden...!!!"
The students' awestruck gazes were locked on the two figures clashing at the arena's heart.
"Touka's shadows keep getting destroyed, but they never stop coming... I've never seen magic control like this."
"No, what's more shocking is him."
Subaru, watching from behind the students, explained.
"Each of those shadow wolves is as strong as a typical B-rank magician. And he's annihilating them with every swing."
She couldn't hide her shock that the one who defeated her was this monstrous.