〈 Episode 252: I Am Your Future (2) 〉
*
Arena, or Duel Ground.
The seats in the coliseum are packed with students. Even though the duel was announced suddenly, the number of spectators only grows.
There’s a reason for this.
If you were to choose the most renowned graduate from Apuria’s first class… everyone would unanimously call out the name Roks.
The stormy Roks.
Although Roks hails from a common background, he showed exceptional talent in Shockwave-type magic from his school days. Immediately after graduating, Roks received numerous letters from magical institutions, but he rejected them all.
What Roks chose was the battlefield.
After completing a simplified training program as a special graduate of Apuria, he received his knight status and immediately jumped into the fray.
And that’s when he began to earn his reputation.
“The 3rd Krempelt Defense.”
“The Recapture of Keltmire Castle.”
“The Destruction of the Zipelte Gorge.”
He performed in significant operations numerous times and was eventually recognized for his contributions, rising to the position of the Knights Order Leader’s aide.
All of this happened in a short time.
He was indeed a person on the elite course.
As such, Roks serves as a role model for students aiming to head to the battlefield after graduation… even those who don’t, at least know Roks’ name.
“So, I ask for a lesson.”
Roks has made his way back to Apuria.
“Younger students.”
As an early graduate of Apuria, he applied for a duel to guide the underclassmen. So, who will be the fortunate opponents to face him in this glorious battle?
That’s what brought the many students here. They gazed at the two students standing opposite Roks.
The second-in-command of the Battle Magic Department, Belnoa.
The top student of the Battle Magic Department, Lac von Grace.
Among the first years composed of unprecedented talents, these two stand out in the top tier. Evaluated to be stronger than many knights upon admission, with their skills in combat surpassing even the professors.
It’s an opportunity for Roks, a graduate of Apuria and a hot-shot on the battlefield, to face off against them.
It’s impossible to predict an easy outcome.
So, it’s interesting.
『Even so, facing both at once is a bit much.』
『But he is Senior Roks! The one actively fighting on the battlefield…』
『One might be manageable, but two? Have you seen Lac and Belnoa in combat? They were no joke.』
Opinions are divided among the students.
As the students seated in the audience share their speculations, Lac tilts his head and speaks up.
“What’s going on, Belnoa?”
“They say Senior Roks is going to teach us a lesson.”
“Wasn’t that directed at you?”
“I’m the second-in-command, so of course, he wanted the top student too. He thinks one of us wouldn’t be enough.”
“Whoa…”
Lac’s jaw dropped in surprise.
With that somewhat dimwitted look, Roks narrowed his eyes while observing the two.
The Northern Warrior, Lac von Grace.
The Nightmare of the Slums, Belnoa.
Roks has heard their names before.
Even while they are students, he’s gotten used to hearing the rumor that they are on par with battlefield knights.
‘Let’s see if the rumors are true for myself.’
Roks took a step back and raised his hand. It was a signal to count off, and the organizer hurriedly began to count. At the moment the organizer shouted “five”…
Thud!
Lac and Belnoa’s movements shifted.
The tension in both of their shoulders increased, and their gazes locked onto Roks.
[Four!]
Lac unsheathes an axe from his waist.
Belnoa cracks his wrist with a snap.
[Three!]
In an instant, the two fell into a combat stance, leaving Roks inwardly amazed.
‘The atmosphere shifted in an instant.’
They radiated a sharpness akin to a finely honed blade, as if ready to spring into action at any moment.
[Two!]
“Not too shabby.”
Roks rolled up his sleeves and began to draw his mana. The circuits etched on his forearms glowed bright, and Roks narrowed his eyes.
[One!]
The moment the organizer called out the final count…
Bam! Both Lac and Belnoa struck the ground simultaneously. Their speed was extraordinary, but Roks remained unfazed.
Crash!
Roks clenched his empty hand in the air.
Shock!
A basic spell from the Shock Order type.
Gathering mana in the air and bursting it.
The smooth release of a spell he had used thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of times. Mana coalesced in the air, and Lac and Belnoa stepped right into the burst radius.
A precise execution based on prediction.
Just as the two were about to be consumed by the spell…
Crack!
Lac’s axe sliced through the intangible mana.
The swing didn’t stop at a single stroke. Continuing in the same swinging motion—Lac momentarily stepped forward and slashed with his arm.
Bam!
The axe struck Roks’ shield. Roks widened his eyes, staring at the engravings on the axe blade.
Smite!
Ugh!
With a boom, the shield vibrated violently. While a single spell didn’t break the barrier, the force of the impact sent the embedded axe flying backward.
Thud!
Before Lac could even see it, he had already grabbed the spinning axe mid-air. The whole sequence was seamless, as if he’d predicted the axe’s trajectory.
‘This is surprisingly…’
Roks felt a sense of astonishment.
As he took in the approaching Lac, Roks’ gaze drifted. In his vision, he could see Belnoa making a move from the side, diving in.
Belnoa approached from the side.
Lac charged from the front.
A smirk crept onto Roks’ lips. Though it was just the first exchange, he had to revise his evaluation of the two.
‘Forget melee. If I’m not careful, I could lose right here.’
“Phew…”
Roks let out a short sigh and lifted his foot.
One circuit etched on his forearm ignited fiercely. Roks’ boots slammed into the dirt with a thud.
The spell activated was Crisis.
A spell symbolic of Roks echoed through the duel arena.
2.
Bang! Boom!
The shockwave erupted from where Roks slammed into the ground. The earth trembled, and dust flew into the air. Lac and Belnoa, who were charging at full speed, momentarily lost their balance.
Crack, crack!
The higher-level spell, while adjusted for power, was still more than enough to disrupt their movements.
‘Though they’re Battle Mages, there are various types.’
Amidst the rising dust, Roks placed his hands on the ground. His view was obscured. With the vibrations resonating through the earth, he tried to pinpoint the enemies’ positions.
‘They focus on close combat, using spells as support.’
Whereas Roks was the opposite.
With spells as the focal point, Roks leaned more towards being a wizard rather than a battle mage. Just having learned a bit about the Stock magic system.
Thump. Thud!
Adapting to the obstructed view, vibrations ran through the ground. He sensed a presence approaching him. Roks turned his fingers clockwise against the ground.
Shock Wave Ball!
The spells coalesced at his fingertips burst forth one after another.
The dormant spells floated beside Roks.
Boom!
Among the rising dust, Lac charged forward.
Three Shock Wave Balls rose up in front of Lac, who was about to slam down his axe. Just as he tried to swing, Lac’s intuition kicked in.
‘If I get hit, I’m toast.’
A landmine-like spell.
Lac reflexively twisted his body and landed smoothly. Roks muttered under his breath.
“You’re quite perceptive.”
Lac retorted back.
“You too, you there.”
From somewhere, Belnoa had also crept closer, drawing a shadow dagger. Both stood frozen, blocked by the Shock Wave Balls.
Snap!
At the moment Roks snapped his finger, the Shock Wave Balls erupted in unison. The shockwave cleared the dust, revealing the chaotic duel ground.
“My fighting style is as you have seen.”
It was a bout to confirm skills and impart lessons.
As such, Roks calmly explained his combat method.
“I obscure vision or shake the ground to disrupt balance… or lay traps like landmines.”
A combat style reminiscent of trickery.
“In a battlefield filled with large maneuvers and spells, such tactics can work unexpectedly well.”
As Roks elaborated, confusion appeared in the eyes of the two. Why was he explaining it so generously?
“Um, Senior?”
Unable to hold back, Belnoa spoke.
“Why are you telling us this?”
“…Eh?”
Roks blinked in surprise.
“Of course, I should share it. This is a practice duel. I’m not just here to beat you up…”
“Of course…?”
Lac cocked his head in confusion.
“Professors don’t do that…”
“Eh?”
“Shouldn’t we figure out your combat habits ourselves during this duel… or something like that?”
“…Eh?”
Roks was startled to reveal the answer so casually.
Seeing him panicking startled Roks even more.
‘How on Earth did they learn before?’
Such questions crossed his mind, but for now, he brushed them aside. Roks shook off his arms lightly and continued.
“Anyway, that’s how I fight.”
He signaled for them to continue.
Belnoa and Lac nodded before once more charging at Roks. Their movements were faster than before.
Roks took a more serious stance.
Roks’ usual stock of spells was about twenty. Anything above that becomes unmanageable, and spells can get damaged.
Counting inwardly, Roks unleashed a spell.
Clang! Five spells simultaneously floated up above his palm. Amplified Shock Wave Balls filled the air, controlling the distance between them and Roks…
He raised his arm.
What remained were instant casts.
Restricting their movements with Shock Wave Balls and shaking the ground to create a gap. Roks’ combat method involved finishing them off with instant spells through that opening.
‘… There are numerous terrain-based destruction spells, but they take days to inscribe circuits, after all.’
In any case, he was describing a complex tactic for warriors attempting close combat. A combat method built up over a long time of contemplation… it wouldn’t be easily countered.
Not easily…
Crack, kaboom!
But for some reason…
Bang! Crash!
It was being easily pierced.
“What is this…”
Roks lost focus momentarily as he gazed at the scene unfolding before him. The Shock Wave Balls he had hidden in mid-air began to disappear one by one.
Torn and shredded by the axe.
Exploding from somewhere, hit by a flying shadow dagger.
Shock Wave Balls, invisibly positioned, were being precisely read and neutralized one by one.
‘It’s unbelievable that the one stalking from afar also reads the direction…’
What was even more astonishing was Lac.
Reading the trajectory of shockwaves radiated from the balls perfectly, he managed to slip beneath their ranges while tearing them apart. Such a movement couldn’t be commonplace.
‘This is akin to superhuman perception.’
Lac’s crimson eyes sparkled.
Somehow, from a certain moment onward, a trail of smoke emitted from Lac’s lips, following his movements closely.
Bang! Boom!
The Shock Wave Balls began to dwindle.
Soon after, both charged at Roks. Roks quickly glanced at his feet.
Quake.
The shadow pooling beneath seemed to ripple.
With a shockwave, he blew away the rising stake, retreating slightly. Stepping back, he found Belnoa brandishing his shadow dagger.
“Ugh!”
Though Roks avoided the dagger, it was an attack that anticipated evasion from the start. The dagger reshaped into a shadow and ensnared Belnoa’s hand, forming shadow armor.
With the fist wrapped in armor, Belnoa swung at Roks.
Roks clashed with the punch imbued with shockwaves, but he found himself being pushed back.
Splurt!
The back of his hand was lacerated. Blood splattered.
Roks frowned, slamming his foot down. Thud! The ground shook violently.
Buying time with a shockwave, he tried to increase the distance, but the approaching axe interrupted Roks’ movement. Lac, slipping from the axe embedded in the ground, pulled it free and swung upward.
Splurt!
Blood splattered from Roks’ forearm again.
‘This is driving me mad.’
It’s certain that they’re working together.
Against one, he might be able to manage, but as soon as it’s two, Roks couldn’t predict a victory.
‘They are accustomed to cooperating.’
They know how to make each other vulnerable.
Rather than simply charging in, they exploit opportunities, attacking the moment Roks reveals an opening.
They are practiced collaborators.
And that wasn’t all.
‘Just how sensitive are they reacting?’
The most mysterious thing is their response to the Stock.
Roks is a magician who has learned a bit about the Stock magic system. A novice, but capable of using magic like a battle mage in an unpredictable manner.
The unconventional combat style from Stock.
Because of it, one cannot predict when or in what direction spells will be cast. The unpredictability of firefights with battle mages can be extremely tricky.
‘The more you see, the more you experience… the better you get at it.’
In other words, you must get hit many times to understand it.
Yet, somehow, both were dodging well. They were responding with unusual sensitivity to Stock, keenly aware of spells triggered by specific movements.
As if just one hit would be fatal.
‘It shouldn’t kill them, but these guys are dodging with uncanny precision!’
Watching those two move like shadows on even the slightest gesture from Roks made him chuckle inwardly.
Even the knights on the front lines don’t respond that eagerly to Stock.
‘What on earth kind of education did they receive to become so freakish?’
Their cooperative ability, individual physical prowess, and uncanny reflexes to spells… the level they operated at was beyond ordinary knights.
‘Knight level? What a joke.’
They were clearly at the level of frontline soldiers.
If sent directly to the battlefield, they’d likely surpass many veteran knights.
‘They’re far beyond the level of students.’
While the quality of training at Apuria was indeed high, something has gone awry. Roks instinctively recognized the anomaly in the two displaying their bizarre abilities.
‘These kids have seen the wall.’
Children on the brink of being superhuman.
Very few at such an age have begun to dabble in the realm of superhumans throughout the kingdom’s centuries of history.
These are children who are certain to become superhumans in the future.
Faced with those kids possessing such potential, Roks couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What kind of education are you undergoing?”
He questioned what exactly they were taught to elicit such skillful movements. But his futile cry went unheard by the students perched in the audience.
However, not everyone missed it.
Though it was but a fading whisper, in the ears of a certain mage, it was a commendation she never missed.
“I must be teaching well.”
Rania van Trias smiled proudly.
3.
I must indeed be a good teacher.
As I observed the duel, resting my chin on my palm, a gentle smile emerged. Watching the students grow turned out to be more pleasurable than I had anticipated.
‘With someone like Roks, he should be in the upper ranks.’
The stormy Roks.
Few wizards gain notoriety on the battlefield. Roks is undeniably in the upper echelons, capable of taking down renowned demons such as the Black Knight Daike on his own.
And Belnoa, previously, had been thoroughly defeated by Daike.
‘But now?’
He will win.
Belnoa is set to win without question.
‘And not just Belnoa—Lac is the same.’
They are steadily growing.
Since I am their main opponent during their training, I can’t precisely gauge how far along they are… but facing Roks gives me a rough estimate.
“They’re almost there.”
And the duel was drawing to a close.
With his back against the wall, Roks channeled his last stored spell. One I had also witnessed long ago.
‘That’s the one.’
The spell that collapsed an entire gorge.
Summoning the Demon Lord’s army into a gorge and burying them in one fell swoop. I had once toppled a gorge as well, but how I achieved that differed from how Roks would.
If mine was a raw power thrust.
Roks formed cracks in the ground with Crisis, then filled the cracks with minor spells, causing a collapse.
And now, Roks was demonstrating that spell.
As the crack opened, Roks’ mana surged forth. The earth shook violently, starting to heave like waves. Lac and Belnoa plunged their weapons into the ground for balance.
‘Should I intervene?’
Wrecking the arena seems a bit much.
Thinking momentarily about engaging, I decided to shake my head. Roks would control the force… I was curious about Lac and Belnoa’s response.
A few months of intensive training.
I had repeatedly provided them exercises to bring them as close to real combat as possible.
‘How to discern an opponent’s combat habits, read mana, predict spell forms, and… how to respond to it all.’
This was their moment to shine.
I silently watched the two standing in the duel arena and muttered softly.
“If you block, no class. If you can’t block, make-up class.”
My voice imbued with mana reverberated in their ears. They flinched, their shoulders trembling. I maintained a smile while observing their movements.
Chomp, chomp.
While shoving a dessert I had bought before coming to the arena into my mouth, I watched the final exchanges of the duel unfold.
*
