Chapter 91

"From this point on, we will have a tag team battle between students from Solos and Areios! Note that this is a simulation, and the outcome is not important. To avoid danger, we will activate the blessing of the Battle Angel! Both teams, step forward."

As the referee's voice rang out, a chorus of "Oohs" and cheers rose from the audience. Surrounded by this loud commotion, my previously dejected mood was forcibly transformed into tension. We each took a step back to maintain a proper distance.

"Then, begin!"

At the referee's command, we braced ourselves.

'First move, victory! Attack pattern A.'

I sent a transmission spell to Saphina, and she immediately sprang into action. We had pre-discussed and simplified our coordination pattern.

Magulka and the others were moving sideways to observe the situation, and Saphina charged straight at them.

"Just observing, huh!"

Zahha, surprised, quickly returned to a serious expression. He probably received some instructions from Magulka via a transmission spell.

"Draw sword!"

"Fireball"

Zahha, holding his shield, blocked Saphina's sword. However, Saphina had anticipated this and immediately moved to the side. Zahha tilted his body to follow her. The moment Saphina dodged, my fireball, which had been hidden behind her, attacked Zahha.

"Ice Lance"

Zahha, distracted by Saphina, should not have been able to respond to my rapid magical attack. But someone deflected my fireball with an ice lance. Of course, it was Magulka.

(As expected, Magulka. Tricks won't work on her.)

I drew my legendary sword (laugh) and charged. My target was Zahha, who was about to attack Saphina.

'Attack and defense pattern C.'

Saphina, receiving my transmission, deflected Zahha's sword with her blade, jumped back, and immediately sheathed it.

"Zahha! To the side!"

Magulka shouted. It seems she couldn't use transmission spells consecutively. However, Zahha reacted to her voice and responded to my approach from the side. Zahha used his shield to block my thrust.

"Sword and magic, both capable, Lady Mary, you're really troublesome!"

"Excuse me, don't call a lady troublesome!"

My sword was deflected, and I retreated while protesting. This was part of the plan.

"Draw sword!"

With his attention on me, Saphina charged in, ready to draw her sword.

"Tch! You're troublesome too."

"Earth Wall"

Zahha, trying to create distance, stepped back, and an earth wall rose between Saphina and him. Without hesitation, Saphina sliced through the wall.

'Come back.'

Since I had stopped, I signaled Saphina to return. She jumped back to my side while keeping an eye on the opponent. The audience erupted in cheers as we maintained our distance.

"Amazing! I've never seen a swordsman and a mage cooperate like this."

"Indeed, the White Princess and Karshana are impressive. What a beautiful coordination."

"If you say so, the opponents who can respond to them are also impressive. They are truly the class masters."

These comments reached my ears, making me feel a bit embarrassed.

(Zahha's shield skills are surprisingly good for a beginner. Could he have known them all along?)

"Saphina, about Zahha's shield skills..."

"From what I've heard, the Elexil family, as knights, are also skilled in the art of protecting important figures with shields."

I asked Saphina, who was in front of me, and she answered without looking back.

(I see. It's not that he's a beginner; he just hasn't used them until now. And that impressive shield doesn't seem easy to break.)

"Here I come, Lady Mary!"

At Saphina's voice, I stopped thinking and focused on what was in front of me. Countless ice arrows rained down, and Zahha was closing the distance.

'Special defense.'

"Accelerate Boost!"

Saphina and I cast the acceleration spell simultaneously. She charged straight at the ice arrows, drawing her sword.

"Draw sword, rapid strikes."

Saphina's sword, almost leaving a trail, sliced through the ice arrows at incredible speed. At that moment, Zahha closed the distance.

"Overlight!"

A wide flash of light spread between us and Zahha.

"Too easy!"

Zahha used his shield to protect his eyes from the light. But that moment of distraction was my aim.

"Cast off!"

As my voice and the flash disappeared, Zahha lowered his shield. In front of him stood only me in armor.

"Got you!"

With clear vision, Zahha approached the armor without hesitation.

"That's not it, Zahha."

Zahha's sword strike and Magulka's voice overlapped.

Clang!

Zahha's sword hit the armor, which crumbled. It crumbled because there was nothing inside.

"What!"

"Ninja technique, Empty Cicada."

(Hahaha! This is the high-speed donning and doffing technique using acceleration magic! I modified the armor to allow one-touch removal and practiced it. Although I couldn't completely remove everything, I managed to take off the torso. The hands and boots couldn't be removed, but it's all good.)

Zahha, shocked, turned to a voice from a distance. He must have seen me, now out of armor, running to the right and Saphina circling to the left.

(Zahha's movement has stopped. Magulka is also surprised and can't react. Now is the time to act!)

'Finishing move!'

I transmitted this to Saphina and prepared to cast a spell.

(Faster, faster! Before Zahha moves! Before Magulka does something! Faster, I need to start so Saphina can act!)

I was getting anxious.

(I need to launch five Sonic Blades. If the target moves, I can't change the trajectory. This is the only chance while he's still. Saphina is waiting. I need to act quickly!)

The more I thought, the more anxious I became.

I was caught in a sense of solidarity, feeling that if I didn't act, I would let Saphina down.

(I need to launch! Faster, I need to launch!)

"Nine Blades!"

With my shout, the spell was cast.

And I messed up.

Only one of the five spells launched. I was so focused on launching that I forgot to launch five.

"Ah!"

"Ugh, what!"

Without any doubt, Saphina, using a valuable item that can only be used twice a day, accelerated. Shocked by the fact that my spell was only one, Saphina ended her two consecutive sword strikes without further acceleration.

The sound of slicing the air and the impact of hitting something hard echoed, and our incomplete finishing move was deflected by Zahha's shield and sword, which were turned sideways.

"Opportunity!"

Zahha, who had been using his shield to block Saphina, shouted, and his shield glowed.

"Shield Vanish!"

Boom!

"Ugh!"

Zahha, with a shout, used his shield to ram into Saphina, who had approached at close range. The shock wave was immense, sending Saphina flying backward like a piece of paper.

"Saphina!"

I could only call out in shock as Saphina flew and rolled on the ground.

"This isn't just any shield. The shock it absorbs is stored and can be released all at once. It's a treasure-grade item."

Even though Zahha's explanation reached my ears, my mind couldn't process it. I just stared at Saphina, who was falling.

This feeling was familiar. It was similar to when I injured Saphina in Solos.

(It's my fault. I failed, so Saphina...)

Compared to that time, I didn't hyperventilate, but my mind was still filled with guilt over my failure.

Saphina, crossing her gauntlets to soften the impact, staggered to her feet. Blood dripped from her mouth, and her gauntlets and plates cracked and shattered. The blessing of the Battle Angel prevented fatal injuries but not severe ones.

'Me, Lady Mary! Magulka!'

'Huh?'

'Quick! It's your chance, don't worry about me!'

For the first time, Saphina's transmission spell echoed in my mind, and I ran toward Magulka almost unconsciously.

I didn't understand Saphina's true intentions, but Zahha was approaching her to render her combat ineffective. If I attacked the unguarded Magulka, he would panic and return to defend her. Realizing this, I closed the distance with Magulka.

At that moment, our eyes met. Seeing her lips curl, I felt a chill.

Then, my rationality kicked in just in time, and I pulled back, realizing that attacking Magulka would be disastrous.

"O gauntlet of Rebecal, imbue this body with the light of ascension! Draw forth my blood and flesh!"

She extended her ornate gauntlet and spoke with power.

"Maximum Triple Boost"

This is a fourth-tier enhancement spell that simultaneously increases attack power, defense, and speed. It shouldn't be possible for Magulka to use it. So, does her gauntlet make it possible? I saw her gauntlet emit a blood-like light, and the decorations on it glowed in response. Seeing Magulka's slight grimace and a thin line of blood between her gauntlet and arm, I was certain.

(That gauntlet is drawing Magulka's blood to forcibly increase her magic level.)

Then, something stopped my sword.

It wasn't Zahha's shield or sword.

It was a staff.

My sword was stopped by Magulka's unnecessarily long staff.

"Huh?"

"Close combat isn't exclusive to Lady Mary!"

Before I could react, Magulka deflected my sword and swung her staff at my side. I quickly stepped back, and her thrust followed.

I realized that her staff, unlike a mage's, had blunt ends designed for striking. That's why Zahha didn't come to my aid. He must have been confident that Magulka could defend herself.

(Come to think of it, I remember seeing Magulka with a sore wrist before. Could she have been practicing staff techniques?)

Dodging Magulka's attacks, I understood how much effort she had put in over this short period. Her technique was still rough, but the foundation was solid.

(That's enough...)

I stopped.

I decided to lose here.

"Alright."

"Are you going to give in again?"

"Huh?"

I closed my eyes and was about to declare my surrender when Magulka's low voice startled me, and I opened my eyes to look at her. Magulka, with her staff still pointed at me, stopped and glared at me with teary eyes. Her anger made me catch my breath.

"Just now, you weakened your sword, didn't you? With the power of my enhanced state, I should be on par with Zahha. There's no way I could have stopped Lady Mary's sword so easily."

My heart raced at Magulka's words. It was a surge of guilt.

"Is... Is competing with me so unpleasant, Lady Mary?"

Avoiding her gaze, I couldn't help but look at her. Magulka, who usually exuded a dignified presence, looked incredibly sad, almost on the verge of tears. Seeing her face, my heart felt crushed.

"When you were studying magic, you always seemed so happy and were the first to master it. But when I tried to catch up, you would suddenly let me take the lead and step back."

"That's..."

It was something I always did.

I would learn magic, use it, and then hide in someone else's shadow to avoid standing out. That someone was always Magulka, who would be the next to master it.

"Do you find competing with me so unpleasant? Am I not a worthy mage to compete with, Lady Mary?"

I never thought Magulka felt this way. I had no intention of competing with a friend. My power was, in a sense, cheating... I didn't think I was worthy of competing...

I saw Magulka, in a sense, lose her composure. She swung her staff recklessly, and I was overwhelmed, losing my sword.

There was no trace of her usual elegance. In the tense match, the string she had been holding tightly must have snapped.

Magulka's words before the match, "Don't hold back," echoed in my mind. I had held back, and that was what snapped her string.

Despite her maturity, she was still a twelve-year-old girl, and I had forgotten that.

I had disappointed Saphina and failed. I had disappointed Magulka and failed. Beyond self-loathing, anger rose within me.

(What am I doing! Get a grip, Mary Legaria!)

I scolded myself and caught Magulka's attack with one hand.

"!"

Magulka, who was caught off guard by how easily I blocked her, froze.

"Sorry, Magulka. You're not an unworthy mage to compete with. You're a very important friend to me. I can't imagine competing with you. But if you want to see my strength, I'll show you a part of Mary Legaria's power!"

Crack!

I declared and snapped the staff in my hand. I ignored the distant cries of shock.

"O gauntlet of Rebecal, imbue this body with the light of ascension! Draw forth my blood and flesh!"

I released the broken staff, and Magulka stepped back, raising her gauntlet to the sky.

"Let's go, Magulka! Show me your full strength!"

I clenched my fist through my gauntlet and closed the distance with her.

"Sword of Judgment!"

"God Blow!"

Our shouts overlapped. The moment Magulka's radiant light sword touched my fist, it shattered into pieces due to my nullification skill.

"What!"

The particles of light scattered, sparkling and falling like snow in the arena. The audience, unable to understand what had happened, probably couldn't see much due to the magical light.

I approached the weakened Magulka.

"This time, my armor was better than your gauntlet."

I showed her the silver gauntlets on my hands.

(Phew... I'm glad I didn't take everything off. This is safe, thanks to the armor, right?)

"Do you want to continue? I'd rather have tea with you. Brawling isn't ladylike, is it?"

I smiled and extended my hand. This was genuine. I preferred to have fun with friends rather than compete.

Magulka smiled.

"You're right, a young lady shouldn't do such things. I was out of line."

She gently placed her hand in mine.

"Hehe, then... I give up, I surrender!"

"Wha?"

I helped Magulka up and declared my surrender with a casual smile.

"Whaaat!"

I ignored the shocked cries of Magulka and the audience.

As the match ended and the blessing of the Battle Angel disappeared, returning the arena to its original state, I caught a whisper in the audience's voices.

"Do it now!"

The moment I heard those words, something was thrown into the arena.

All I could understand was that it was a crystal the size of a baseball, sparkling.

"What?"

"Lady Mary, get back!"

Magulka, standing next to me, pushed me away. Confused, I was forced to move from the spot.

"Kyaa!"

In front of me, Magulka screamed as a magic circle enveloped her, and magical sparks exploded around her.

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The official special page for GC Novels features an illustration with all the main characters gathered. It's a very warm and peaceful scene. The sword Lady Mary is holding might be... I've also posted information about store bonuses in the activity report. Please