Chapter 245

Chapter 245

"Then, let the duel between Third Prince Andre and student Simon Polentia... Begin!"

After glancing at both of them, the butler lowered his arm.

Shk!

Tap!

As the duel began, the two boys took different actions.

Andre conjured a magic circle first, focusing on preparing his higher-level dark magic.

However, Simon started by running in as he drew a single magic circle on his back.

'Good decision.'

Lorain crossed her arms as she watched Simon go in.

'A second-year's dark magic is on a different level. It's best to get in fast and go for Combat Dark Magic early on.'

Twaaaaaaaaaap!

Simon, aiming for a hand-to-hand battle, stomped on jet-black and flew up.

'What's with this bastard?!'

From Andre's point of view, a distant black line seemed to appear in front of his eyes in a flash of light.

Toooosh!

Defending Simon's kick by crossing his arms and bringing them in the way, Andre frowned.

'What strength!'

He was pushed back, his feet leaving long marks in the dirt.

Simon kept pushing on, and Andre struggled to move his arms in time to block the kicks, which rained down on him like spear strikes.

Ta-tap.

Just then, Simon's left foot, aimed at the head, flicked to the side and drove deep into Andre's ribs.

He quickly followed it up with such a fast punch even empty space didn't have time to move out the way as his fist crashed toward Andre's jaw.

Whoooooooooooosh!

But the blow sliced through only air, Andre ducking just in time and taking the opportunity to counter.

'Tsk, a mere first-year!'

He also stepped toward Simon and threw a punch.

Grab!

Andre thought Simon had let his guard down as he punched forward, but before he realized it, Simon's arms were back in place, holding onto Andre's arm.

"!"

Andre's vision shot up into the air the moment his arm was grabbed. He was being flipped over.

"Kugh!"

Thud!

Just before he slammed into the ground, Andre got his two legs charged with jet-black beneath him.

Simon was about to deliver a follow-up blow, but he stepped back when he saw Andre's magic circle spread in the air. A jet-black blade slightly grazed against his robe.

'Dammit...! I'm not letting my guard down anymore!'

Andre scrambled to his feet, wiped his mouth, and raised his jet-black.

Whirrr! Whirrr! Whirrr!

Three magic circles spread out around him. This time, it was a jet-black arrow.

Simon thought something was strange.

'A second-year is using jet-black arrow?'

Another magic circle overlapped the first magic circle, spinning at a tremendous speed like the wheel of a wagon barreling down a hill.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt!

Arrows rained down in straight lines like a machine gun. Simon threw himself out of the way in fright. Everywhere he ran, arrows blocked his path.

[The space between you and him is widening again, Boy! You have to close the distance somehow!]

'Got it!'

At least he confirmed that he had the upper hand in Combat Dark Magic.

Simon ran in a zigzag pattern, repeatedly closing the distance between him and Andre.

'?'

It was then.

A chill ran down his spine. He didn't see it, but he could feel that something black was rushing toward his side

With animalistic instinct, he lifted Lorain's dagger and put it in the way.

Poooooooooooooooooow!

Simon doubled over from the impact, sliding against the ground from the force.

Out of nowhere, a greatsword had slammed into his side.

He barely parried it with the tip of the dagger Lorain had given him.

When he looked at Lorain's dagger, it had already lost about 10% of its red energy. It was like being hit by a moving carriage.

"I didn't expect you could react to this."

Andre chuckled. The mysterious thing that had struck Simon had already disappeared.

'What was that?'

Simon broke out in a cold sweat and raised his dagger. He couldn't rush in to fight with Combat Dark Magic unless he could figure out what that skill was.

Meanwhile, Andre's spell was racing toward completion.

"What made you bet on Simon winning?"

Asked Serene.

"You tell me first."

"Because you did. Out of impulse, I guess?"

"That's crazy."

Serene smiled and shrugged.

"Well, you haven't answered my question yet."

"That's simple."

Lorain sighed and continued,

"Simon can use something more powerful than the Encifer, the spell which every second-year Necromancy aspirant learns."

Crash!

The dagger Lorain had lent him was ultimately shattered by Encifer's greatsword.

Simon gasped and stepped back.

"Your attacks are useless, and your only hope for protection is also gone."

Taunted Andre as he seized the chance to win.

"What are you going to do now? When will you get that thing the Ivory Tower girl gave you?"

"I'm already using it."

Said Simon, pulling the golem's core out of his subspace.

"Thanks to that, it's just about finished."

Click!

With his other hand, Simon activated the magic circle he had been creating behind his back.

The magic circle flew off his back and into the air, and he immediately attached it to the golem's core.

"You arrogant...!"

As Andre stretched out his arm, Encifer's greatsword came down. Simon was standing in place. Now, he couldn't even use Lorain's dagger.

Poooooooooow!

The spectators let out a scream as a cloud of dust blanketed the arena.

The chief butler, the referee, spoke up in horror.

"Y-Young master! If a Kizen student gets hurt...!"

"It's fine."

Andre chided,

"This was a legitimate duel established upon mutual consent. So no matter what the Witch of Death says— Hm?"

Creak. Creeaak.

From the dust, Ensifer's greatsword was rattling.

Andre's eyes widened.

'He survived? How?'

The dust settled, revealing Simon on one knee on the ground.

In front of him, an emerald arm protruded from the golem's core, clutching the greatsword.

"Here I go."

Simon raised his arms.

Grrrumble!

The golem's arms were quickly covered in turquoise clouds.

It was already squeezing and refining the cloud with the magic circle on its back so it could cover itself much faster than usual.

'It took me half an hour in the BDMAT, but now I did it in 10 minutes.'

Again, the difference in focus with and without Serene's feathers was huge. Lorain gave Simon the strength to hold on, while Serene gave him the strength to reduce the time needed.

And the result was...

Krrgh!

A torso formed from the golem's core, and another arm sprouted to grab the greatsword. Then, its legs began to wriggle out as it pulled itself up.

"Don't tell me!"

Andre's face turned pale as he realized what that dark spell was.

"Why would a first-year know how to use a skill for third-years...?!!"

"Well, just because you're a junior doesn't mean you can't learn a senior's skills."

The golem, which had grown to three meters in height, slowly stood up.

"Is that another one of those customs you care so much about? That first-years should only learn the skills of first-years?"

"You bastard!"

Encifer's greatsword was instantly smashed straight down, getting stuck in the ground from the force.

The blood golem's strength was stronger.

"Now..."

Simon linked the magic circle on his chest to the golem, activating the blood link.

"I'll fight back properly."

——