Book 4: Chapter 10

The Power of Divine Beast

It’s the day of our match with the fourth-year class.

Ryuushin, Merdie, and I stood at the top of the arena waiting for our opponents.

“I don’t feel I’ll lose no matter who our opponent is. I’m stronger now.”

“I’ve been avoiding the spears of those flame knights desperately, so now I can see even the fastest lightning magic, meow.”

The two were super confident.

Indeed, as of today’s training, Ryuushin can defeat the flaming knight on his own, and Merdie can avoid all attacks even if she’s sandwiched between two knights.

“So a person’s improvement is much faster if they train in the face of death.”

Tina, who monitored our training situation, had a far-off look in her eyes as she mumbled.

Isn’t it exaggerating to say they’re facing death?

Was I too strict on them?

I recalled our training up to yesterday.

During training, Ryuka healed their wounds fully immediately.

With Luna’s magic, their fatigue was also wiped out.

I also replenished the mana they lost.

It is possible to pass magic without causing magical intoxication by matching the mana’s wavelength with that of the target person.

There’s no need to worry about wounds, they recover readily from fatigue, and they can consume unlimited mana.

That’s why they did their combat training with the flaming knights nonstop throughout the day.

Naturally, I can defeat the fire knights since I’m the one who created them, so I became the two’s support for this combat drill.

However, when I supported them completely, the match became too easy, so I did not prevent the attacks that they should avoid, and I also didn’t attack.

As a result, Ryuushin and Merdie repeatedly got wounded and collapsed in exhaustion throughout the combat training.

But the revival trio of Ryuka (healing), Luna (fatigue recovery), and me (mana replenishment) promptly attended to them to help them recover and return to the battle.

Ryuushin and Merdie noticed.

As long as they don’t defeat the flame knights, the battle will continue.

So Ryuushin and Merdie decided to defeat the three knights between the two of them… without magic.

“Yeah, both of you got stronger. Show me the results of your training.”

“Of course!”

“I got this meow!”

After a while, the fourth year challengers climbed up the arena.

There were two guy students and one girl.

They don’t seem to possess a body that can be relied on for purely physical combat.

They don’t have weapons, either.

Maybe they’re the type that fights using aikido techniques?

Anyway, let’s not judge the book with its cover.

We checked out their movements carefully.

The umpire teacher also came up to the stage.

Magic-sealing bracelets were placed on all six of us.

Of course, it won’t have any effect on me, but if I use magic while wearing this, a lot of troublesome issues will crop up, so I won’t use magic.

I already retrieved Hakoku prior to the match and presented it earlier to the umpire for the inspection of whether it’s a magical tool or not.

Even if a person is wearing the magic-sealing bracelet, if he wields a magical weapon, then he will still be able to use magic.

Thank goodness, umpire confirmed that it’s just an ordinary sword.

In a while, my first non-magical combat battle will commence.

“Now then, let’s start!”

I moved slightly forward as soon as the umpire gave the signal, and we sized up our opponents.

Then—

“Come, Rok-kun!”

“Come out, Melissa!”

“Gull, it’s your turn!”

Our challengers were calling for something.

Suddenly, a rock golem, a seabird, and a werewolf emerged from the arena’s waiting room.

They were all C-ranked demons, and ordinary students of the magical academy can’t beat them without magic.

Those demons climbed up the stage to confront us.

Evidently, the monster trio were familiars teamed up with the fourth-year students.

“Ahm, isn’t magic prohibited?”

I questioned the umpire.

“They summoned those demons while wearing the magic-sealing bracelets. In other words, they are not relying on contractual magic, but instead on the bonds of trust they have built with those demons, and now they became their strength. They did not break any rules.”

Hmm…

Yeah, I can see those three monsters being fond of the fourth-years.

Having demons as their allies without using familiar magic, is it?

Quite admirable, even if they’re our enemy.

“Halt, what should we do? It turned into 6 vs 3.”

“But they look weaker than those fire knights, meow.”

Ryuushin and Merdie eventually calmed down.

They’re probably thinking we’ll still win even if we fight normally.

Those fourth-grade challengers came up with this method of fighting in the hopes of beating us up.

Forcefully breaking up their illusions straight away doesn’t seem too shabby. 

But, I also considered fighting them on their own ring.

I bet I’ll see their flabbergasted faces, like “Eh, what!?” expressions more that way.

That’s why—

“Come, Shiro!”

I called out to Shiro, the Divine Beast Fenrir, who was watching the match at the spectators’ area while being held by Leaffa.

Shiro jumped from Leaffa’s arms, leaped away from the audience stands, and ran up onto the arena.

I can hear his cute tiny footsteps going pitter-patter.

“Grrrrr”

Seems like Shiro understood what he’s supposed to do, and he intimidated the three monster enemies.

But he was still in his tiny form, so it wasn’t scary at all.

“There’s no problem with this, right?”

“Yeah, it’s fine… but will it be okay?”

I checked whether Shiro’s summoning is okay with the umpire.

I was told that there’s no problem, but the umpire was worried for Shiro instead.

Well, nobody will believe him to be the Divine Beast with that appearance.

Fourth years who can’t use magic: 3 people and

C-ranked demon: 3 monsters

VS

We who can defeat B-ranked demons with no magic: 3 people 

and

Divine Beast (S-ranked): One

Yep, sure win.

“Oy, oy, aren’t you underestimating us by calling that puppy?”

“Isn’t it better to forfeit before we hurt it?”

“For sure, you guys won’t be able to win against us since you can’t use magic. So hurry and give up already.”

We’re being treated like idiots.

“Halt, those guys are mocking me, right? Can I crush them?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

As soon as I said that, Shiro took a deep breath.

Then he exhaled. Extremely fast.

“Eh!?”

“Whoaa!”

“Urggh!”

Shiro’s released turbo breath blast the three monsters, swallowing the fourth year students behind them, and slamming them against the wall under the bleachers.

All the students who became entangled with their own familiars lost consciousness, and nobody got up.

“Hmph, serves you right for underestimating me,” Shiro muttered as he lay in his usual position (my shoulders).

“…”

It was different from what I imagined.

The battle I envisioned was supposed to be like this.

First, Shiro, who returned to his original form, would intimidate the familiars till they couldn’t move in fright.

Then, Ryuushin, Merdie, and I would overpower those fourth graders and achieve victory.

That’s what I thought.

That’s how it’s supposed to be.

To think that with just a single breath from his tiny teeny form, three people and three monsters had been blown away…

Divine Beast Fenrir should be feared.

“Hey, Halt. So how should I show the results of that hellish training now, huh?”

“I didn’t even do anything, meow.”

“…”

It’s my fault for being caught up in the moment and giving Shiro that ‘go-ahead’ signal.

“I’m sorry, somehow.”

I promised to take them for a meal at the premium restaurant in the city center as an apology.