-chapter 73-
“Is it okay to go all out like this? Aren’t you going to get hurt?”
Madelia lightly nodded at Kasena Page’s anxious question.
“You won’t get hurt. So there’s no need to worry.”
In this duel exam, there’s no need to control one’s strength.
Thanks to the barrier set up by Marjena, who specializes in illusion-type magic, the cadets think they are ‘actually using magic’, but in reality, they exchange harmless blows within an illusion.
‘But the pain is very much real. Many cadets cry out in surrender after experiencing painful magic.’
The opponent here is the late-stage disciple of the Melev school, known for its focus on lethal magic. I said it wasn’t a problem for Kasena, but I feel a little concerned.
“Alright, here I go!★”
Nora opened her magic book that she had hung at her waist. A green light seeped into the magic circle drawn in the middle of the page, and her power manifested.
The magic circle was composed of two overlapping circles.
The inscribed runes were Lu (漏; to seep) and Sun (循; to follow).
In simpler terms, it grants the second-tier water attribute magic the qualities of Lu and Sun.
“Just as expected, it came right out… Water Slash (殺水).”
Gertrude Pantheon leaned against the railing of the audience area and whistled.
The Melev school focuses on water attribute magic among the four great elements, much like the Pantheon family.
‘But their methods are vastly different.’
The Pantheon family combines the flow of water with martial arts.
Utilizing the ‘flowing’ quality of water attribute magic enables diverse magic operations in close and mid-range combat.
But the key is never to forget the essence of water attribute magic.
‘However, Melev…’
The brilliantly unfolded magic circle dissipated with a clear sound and transformed into countless water streams that surged toward Rain.
“Dodge, Rain! Even a single hit could be fatal!”
As Krista urgently shouted, Melev completely twisted the nature of water attribute magic.
That’s why it’s nicknamed Water Slayer (殺水).
Sensing the murmur of the audience, Seri looked at Elrin with a puzzled expression, asking for an explanation.
“A one-sided water attribute magic like that is only good for pushing away or dispersing attacks.”
“…?”
“If you hit someone directly and pin them against a wall, you can deal significant damage. But that’s its limit.”
“That’s right! Water attribute magic isn’t fundamentally focused on combat.”
“But the Melev disciples are different.”
Lu (漏) is one of the representative runes of Melev’s advanced magic systems.
“By making the magic’s power operate with internal force instead of external, once a certain level is achieved, it can destroy even nerves in the body without leaving a trace.”
In other words, once the water attribute magic inflicts damage, the water seeps deep into the impact point, causing lethal damage within the body.
‘Oh, brother…’
As Seri swallowed hard in concern, a thin thread of light began to rise from Rain’s palm, intertwining.
“Yorhen type?!”
“High-speed calculation of second-tier magic?”
“Wow, that’s truly incredible.”
The audience’s murmurs were drowned out by the sound of the ground erupting as Rain’s magic caused the neatly laid marble tiles to crumble.
“It’s useless♪”
As water clashed with earth, the audience gasped in surprise, expecting a massive water spray to explode.
“W-wait… The water…!”
“It’s seeping in…?!”
“Into the dirt wall…!”
Indeed.
Tendrils of water seeped into the water barrier, rapidly penetrating holes in the earth wall and hurtling toward the enemies on the other side.
At that moment, without knowing what was occurring on the opposite side, Rain Ludwig was in a precarious situation.
“Nora Redon, it seems that kid has built a significant understanding of Lu (漏).”
Professor Marjena, the head teacher, muttered with genuine admiration, and Deputy Professor Kyle nodded.
“Surely, based on that understanding, they’ve added a new mathematical formula to strengthen that magic circle. The idea of penetrating walls with water is new…”
Could this truly be the end?
In just a moment…
Amidst the whispers of the crowd, Elrin Ludwig chuckled softly as if to tease them.
“It seems you’ve forgotten who we are while remembering who Nora is.”
Just because they couldn’t see because of the wall, it didn’t mean they were powerless.
We are the Ludwigs, a family of sorcerers known as thieves of magic. Our eyes can pierce through all abilities.
And my genius of a nephew already possesses that sight at this age.
“Bell Sidious.”
Rain’s eyes burned bright red, and at the center of them, his pupil blossomed into the shade of white death.
In this world tinged red, everything became numerical and was directly transmitted to his mind.
“W-what’s that eye?!”
“That’s… the bloodline limit of the Ludwig family!”
“No way, isn’t he just sixteen?!”
Skalchi Ludwig, the representative sorcerer of the older generation, awakened Bell Sidious at seventeen years old.
His son Kaivan achieved it at eighteen, his daughter Elrin at twenty-one.
Elrin may seem like she’s lagging behind, yet her awakening was considerably rapid in the family’s history.
The continuous manifestations of genius within the family have shaken the magical world, elevating the status of the Ludwig family to unprecedented heights.
‘Just as expected, you’ve been up to some trickery.’
Rain withdrew the magical power he had maintained. The next moment, the massive earthen wall that had risen dramatically crumbled alongside the water veins penetrating within it.
And he just ran.
Amidst the rising clouds of dust from the earth settling, at full speed… On the other hand, a smirk crept onto Nora Redon’s lips.
‘Heh, I knew he was aiming to close the distance.’
Thinking he’d negated my attack by breaking through the wall was a misconception. He drew me out from behind that wall instead.
“The shape of the magic circle is two overlapping circles. The inscribed runes are Lu (漏) and San (散)!”
Thousands of water droplets spread around Nora as if to encircle her. Logan, watching the match, licked his upper lip in surprise.
“The use of such vile tactics…!”
In duels, there’s a saying that criticizing the opponent is a form of praise.
That wasn’t an inaccurate statement.
As a high disciple of Chaihak who specializes in close combat, he could see how refined and perfect the water Nora deployed was, leading to such appreciation.
“That’s not just water droplets being scattered.”
“Yeah, it’s akin to scattering caltrops!”
“Caltrops can only be scattered on the ground, but that’s… it blocks even the air!”
Nora Redon, I start to fear for your future.
Could there be any sorcerer who could possibly match her when her skills reach their peak?
“So what is Lord Ludwig currently doing?!”
Everyone’s attention shifted back to Rain Ludwig, who had disappeared in the dust. And then… the next moment, the main character leaped out.
“Just a reckless charge?”
“Does he not understand?!”
“No, can he not see Bell Sidious?!”
However, their doubts were quickly drowned out by disbelief stemming from astonished gasps.
“W-wh…?!”
“Could that be… the Osariuses’ sealing technique?!”
It appears to be an impulsive dash at first glance, but upon closer examination, it was different.
Raindrops twisted sinuously in his grasp like a snake, shattering droplets along his path.
Only the ones necessary.
The droplets situated on the shortest route to reach Nora Redon. With the ring crumbling amid the magic flames ignited by Rain’s power.
“W-wait, a head-on charge…!”
The deputy head of Chaihak glowed with excitement. If this goes on, Nora Redon’s actions will become a blunder.
The widely scattered droplets could undoubtedly secure a broad area. Yet, as it expands, it becomes thinner — that is the natural order.
Although it had seemed that Nora Redon counteracted Ludwig’s moves, it instead appeared that Rain Ludwig had fully suppressed her actions!
“M-Master! That’s…!”
A girl adorned in a traditional conical hat observing the match in the spectators cried out as she pulled her teacher closer, glancing back at a middle-aged man next to her.
“Indeed, it seems so. Though it’s hard to believe…”
They were magicians of the Osarius school, representing the northern regions.
Ever since the great sorcerer Lyn’s accomplishments elevated them to university status, they have left significant achievements within the magical realm, known as the heirs of Lyn.
Wearing the hats and cloaks, they showed respect to Lyn. Hence…
“But it feels different somehow. Master said not to charge in attack?”
That’s true. The original Osarius student’s couldn’t possibly act this brazenly. Because…
“If you provoke an opponent aiming to close the distance, the counter might lead to devastating results. Just like how Nora Redon played a move that could only be called perfect.”
The time to think is just a breath, and with visibility remarkably narrowed in the battlefield, attempting to ram through leads to inevitable demise.
Thus, Osarius sealing techniques have always been considered a passive defense measure—not an active offensive option.
‘But that kid is different.’
Only that kid is different.
He wields our sealing techniques while possessing the ‘ultimate insight’ to supplement it.
That creates the absence of flaws.
‘That’s why it’s so hard to trust…’
Just one moment was enough to recognize. Rain Ludwig’s sealing technique had no superfluous acts. That can only prove he’s reached an extreme level.
‘Where on the earth did he learn Lyn’s sealing techniques and from whom to reach such heights at a tender age?’
The Osarius school does not function primarily as a school that nurtures multiple students in magic.
‘In contrast, we teach through a one-on-one apprenticeship, where one master takes on one disciple to teach them.’
While the Osarius students were mulling over such questions, the contest was approaching its climax.
As Rain Ludwig broke through the wall of water and closed the distance to deal killing blows, Nora Redon nonchalantly opened the final page of her magic book and infused it with magical energy.
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
The final contest aiming for commenced and concluded within that singular moment.
What the crowd perceived was this.
The magic that Nora deployed at the end was a third-tier water attribute spell. The water barrier wrapped around Nora, blocking all incoming enemy attacks while simultaneously shattering all the internal tendons of enemies.
However, it seemed that before the stick Rain lunged forward could touch Nora’s throat, Rain’s body got bound in that very barrier, looking like he had lost.
But that wasn’t it.
In that instant, the water wall enveloping Rain exploded into countless glow particles and vanished without a trace.
“What’s happening?”
“Wait…”
“What in the world just occurred?”
Elrin Ludwig, one of the few figures in this gravity of the moment who knew the answer, nodded in satisfaction at Brim.
“Did you see it, sister?”
Brim Ludwig, who nodded back, clapped towards her son’s back. Unsure of everything, Seri was hopping around crazily.
“What is it, auntie? What just happened?!”
“Oh dear, what a dull nephew! Rain turned the Melev family’s pride upside down using our bloodline limit! With Bell Kurius!”
“Bell Kurius?!”
Elrin shrugged pridefully.
“Isn’t it truly astonishing?”
From what her father had told, using the eyes enables one to counter the opponent’s magic instantaneously.
‘According to the findings witnessed with Bell Sidious, I’ve revealed that the spell of Melev dissipated the instant it was cast.’
A triumphant smile blossomed on Elrin’s face.
Oh dear, truly.
How incredibly naïve this nephew is.
‘That’s why I can’t take my eyes off you.’
When everything settled, Rain’s staff came to a halt right before Nora’s eyes. The deputy professor Kyle raised his hand overseeing the match’s execution.
[The first match is now finished! The winner is Rain Ludwig!]
The brief moment of silence that fell within the crowded area erupted into explosive cheers and applause.
“Wow!”
“Insane, what was that just now?”
“Is this really a match between sixteen-year-olds?!”
Logan clenched his fists while shooting up, but…
“Your Highness, that was amazing!!!”
He felt the gazes of his friend Illyn and other seniors and disciples resting upon him in astonishment, which made him clear his throat and sit back down.
“This is just in accordance with the instructions of the great master! The act was required to prevent suspicions from the genius (天災) lord!”
As a result, the Chaihak students gazed at Logan blankly, but then some of them wiped tears of joy from their eyes while patting him on the back.
“I-I believed in you!”
“Yeah, of course, our late-stage disciple is different!”
“Can’t believe not just your muscles but your acting chops are so high quality!”
Meanwhile, the deputy head of Chaihak nodded towards Professor Owen, acknowledging the merits of the letter he sent regarding Rain.
“It was inevitable that Logan lost. But still, I wonder. How on earth did he break through Nora’s barrier?”
With that, Nora Redon, exhausted, sank down, her legs quaking.
Her mind spiraled into overwhelming apprehension; the pressure resonating from the eyes colored in white death was something unspeakable.
The indescribably incisive insight was a sensation that seemed to puncture her brain…
Yet such a collapse did not occur. Rain had extended his hand to help her up.
“You really have great potential, don’t you? You can certainly boast about it.”
“…?”
“Just next time, instead of splattering at 360 degrees, try showering at just 180 degrees in front. That would be more threatening.”
Rain’s words, for some reason, didn’t hit as arrogant remarks characteristic of winners, but felt more like the counsel of a senior to an esteemed junior.
‘Why on earth…?’
I was taught never to lose in magical combat. That was the condition of my existence. The Melev school cannot survive in the face of defeat.
But here I was, having lost.
In the past, I would have collapsed in despair upon losing. But now, why in the world…?
“…”
On the other hand, a complex shadow lingered in the eyes of Balencid reaching the southern corridor as he watched the match from beginning to end.
‘To have such potential at sixteen… It’s clear he’s a dangerous individual whose limits we can’t fathom.’
He should be handled by Rivadin, as he can cause disruptions to Tureina’s plans. Or should he…?
