Book 2: Chapter 28

Battle That Must Be Won

It’s been three months since Tina and I went to the hot springs.

Since then, Tina takes a bath with me at the mansion occasionally. Well, there are also times when Youko and the girls join me…

School life’s pretty great, huh.

Everyone in our class got excellent marks, be it in competitions, in classroom lectures, or in the periodical examinations.

We already had 3 matches—all of which are victorious, so we kept our classroom. I never had the opportunity to fight, though.

I think it’s high time for me to go out in battle because I wanted to show off my cool side to Tina, of course. Fortunately, the next match is mine.

It’ll be a one-on-one face-off with the opponent class’s representative.

The winner will be decided based on whether the opponent recognized his loss, fainting, or falling off the arena. There will also be no limit on the support receivable from the other members of the class.

My challenger is a major one – he is the leader of the strongest class in Year 7; in other words, the top student of the whole academy. He’s also the student council president. 

The council president is a magician at par with the professors, and it’s rumored that he’ll be a Sage in the future.

Such a big-time rival, but I can’t lose no matter what.

I already said I wanted to show off, but more than that, it is a critical match. If I lose, Tina will be taken away from me.

Why did this happen? Well, a few days back, the student council president was smitten with Tina at first sight, and he wanted her to take charge of his own class. Tina responded that she would do so, provided he defeats me in battle.

So our match was decided like this.

───＊＊＊───

“Halt-sama, I’m sorry… Because of me…”

The appointed day of the match finally came, and Tina apologized while we were in the waiting room. She regretted that because of their tit-for-tat, I ended up in a face-off with that Student Rep.

“You already apologized so many times. No need to worry, you know. I’ll definitely win.”

I patted Tina on the head as I said that.

Mr. President is considered a genius of magic, and he was already widely known as the strongest student when he was still in fourth grade.

I felt a wave of apprehension initially, but seeing Tina being so remorseful strengthened my resolve.

I’ll go full-out and win this game!

I kissed Tina and headed to the arena.

───＊＊＊───

We stood facing each other on the stage.

I can feel how great his magic is.

Well, it doesn’t amount to anything when compared to Tina and Headmaster, but he’s definitely above-level from everyone in my class; moreover, he’s controlling its flow so smoothly.

All of Pres’s teammates, who were standing behind him outside the arena, also possess sophisticated magic. They already conjured a magic circle and were preparing to cast auxiliary magic on Pres.

My opponent really came on full force with the intent to win.

“I don’t have any grudges against you, but I just had to get Professor Tina. Sorry, but I have to inflict a painful memory on you.”

Waves of magical power that carry a killing intent so intense emanated from Pres; it’s so unimaginably different from his handsome and kind-looking aura.

I didn’t bother replying and decided to wait for the match to start.

The umpire climbed up the stage and explained the rules.

The battle starts— 

“Fire Lance!”

Right off the bat, I attacked him with 100 Fire Lances—Pres deflected it easily with his magically strengthened arms.

Though speed was not a priority and was insufficient for this attack, I never expected he’ll come out unscathed.

“Oops, that’s quite sudden. I’m surprised how powerful your attack is, considering it’s just [Fire Lance], the lowest grade spell…You’re really desperate for Professor Tina.”

“I was also amazed you’re able to repel that.”

“Heh, I may look like this, but my title as the academy’s strongest is not just for show, you know.”

“Well then, that title will be mine after today.”

“Hah, you do say such amusing words. Can you still say that after you witness this?”

Pres raised his hand high in the air.

A gigantic summoning circle materialized.

“Come, Ifrit!”

The Fire Spirit King, holding a flaming spear, emerged.

Hey, is this real? I also thought of summoning that guy!

“Hmm? Oh, your opponent is Master Halt?”

“Ifrit, do you know him?”

“Ahh, yes, he’s one of my contractors.”

Yes, you heard that right. I also formed a contract with Ifrit.

Ifrit forms contracts with a few people, unlike Undine, who has an exclusive contract with me. Apparently, Pres is one of those contractors.

In case multiple summonings for the same Spirit occur, the first one to summon takes precedence. Ifrit can attack me based on Pres’s orders.

“I can’t believe you also have a contract with Ifrit… Ah, but I guess it’s a pity; this time, as my ally, I’ll make him attack you.”

Ifrit charged at me and threw a punch at me with his flaming fist. I avoided him while observing Pres’s movements.

He was trying to activate a large-scale magical attack, and his teammates were helping him. It’ll take approximately 10 seconds for him to release it.

—This is bad.

I probably can’t evade an attack that huge on time. If I set-up a defense magic barrier, I won’t receive damage, but there’s a possibility I’ll be blasted away off the field.

If that happens, it’ll automatically be my defeat. I glanced at the audience’s seats. I saw Tina’s anxious expression, and my hesitations vanished.

I can’t lose no matter what.

First, I need to get rid of the nuisance.

“Water Lance!”

I conjured dozens of water spears, then I arranged them in a braided manner. It became a water cage trapping Ifrit.

Unfortunately, it’s the Fire Spirit King we’re talking about.

“Master Halt, do you really think you can stop me with just this?”

The water cage was quickly destroyed.

Hey, that’s what I expected. It bought me some time to activate the next step.

Undine won’t win against Ifrit in a simple fight. I need to summon an ally stronger than her.

“Come! Lightning Lance!”

A pillar of light descended from the sky.

“Fumu, you summoned me earlier than I anticipated. So, what is the first job?”

It was Mai and Mei’s father, the Old Man, holding a lightning javelin.

“Can you beat that guy?”

I pointed towards Ifrit, who looked vexed.

Old Man looked at him with a smirk.

“Piece of cake.”

Armed with the shining javelin, Old Man strode towards Ifrit.

“Hiiiii!!!!”

Ifrit let out a short scream, then scrambled back towards Pres.

“S, sorry! I cannot, for the life of me, defeat that One. I already worked off the duration incorporated in the spell, so please do something about this on your own.”

Ifrit hurriedly vanished.

“Wait, what!?”

Pres looked around confusedly.

“What a sloppy guy, leaving the contractor and running away”, Old Man said.

“I, I really don’t get it, but let’s end this! Meteora!”

Pres’s spell is finally completed.

The sky darkened, and another huge magical circle appeared. Suddenly, a gargantuan meteorite emerged from it, and it fell towards us with great speed.

W, wait, we’re done for!

Escape is impossible. Based on its size, I won’t be able to take and stop it. I desperately tried to layer up defense magic barriers urgently, but Old Man stood in front of me.

“There is no need to fear. I am here.”

Old Man grew into a colossal size. He was so huge, only one foot could stand on the 50 square meter fighting stage. 

He caught the meteorite with one hand— 

He crushed it.

“WHAT!?”

Poor Pres was stupefied.

I’m not kidding. I was also bowled over.

Old Man bent over and flicked over the frozen Pres with his giant fingers. That was a sure-ball inescapable flick. 

The student council president was blown away. The wind’s force from Old Man’s flick also blew his teammates, and they all hit the wall.

Nobody stood up.

“Heh, it’s already over? Alright, I’ll take my leave. Please take care of Mai and Mei for me.”

Old Man waved at Mai and Mei, then vanished.

———— 

T/N: Old Man was really Ossan (おっさん) in the novel, but it’s weird to call him Uncle/ Middle-aged Guy, so I left it at that. Besides, I can’t get Disney Zeus’ image out of my head when I think of him, haha. But I guess Celestial Spirit King from Fairy Tale also looks appropriate lol.

I thought Ifrit was the product of the author’s imagination—guess I’m wrong, though she did change his role into one of the Spirits instead of a Demon. ???? Ifrit is a type of demon in Islamic Mythology. Fun trivia, he is also in the Final Fantasy series as a Boss, as well as games, but of a different character than what we see in this novel. ???? Images ctto, taken from Google as usual ????