"A fiery hammer!

Saeki deployed a magic circle at his feet.
At the same time, a huge flame appeared above his head.

''Suddenly advanced magic.......can't you calm down a bit?''

'Ha!　You can't afford to be complacent while you're at it!


-- 'Oops!　Saeki!　It's advanced magic all of a sudden!''


The moderator agitated the guests.

Then Saeki grinned and gave me the benefit of the doubt.
Provocative eyes and attitude.
He's trying to shake me from the inside out.

'Now let's get on with it!　Let the crappy investors see our travesty!

Then, perhaps the word 'travesty' was annoying to Saeki, and right after I finished, he let loose the flames above his head without mercy.

But........what's this?



----.



'I told you to be cool, didn't I?

'Ugh! .....

I instantly moved to zero distance and grabbed Saeki by the neck.

Then, the 'Hammer of Fire' exploded in the sky above the venue.


--'Oops!　What's going on here!　The huge flames that should have been unleashed on Nito!　In a matter of seconds, it's gone up in the sky!


The moderator is a noisy one.


'You don't think ... that's the extent of your big mouth?'

I'm honestly disappointed.
It's almost as if I should just strangle him to death.

"d*mn! ...let go...

I thought there was some kind of secret plan because it was suddenly advanced magic, but as a result, Saeki just chanted and released the magic.

There was no strategy or anything.

'Weak ... too weak. Chanting is slow, magic is slow, and suddenly it's advanced magic?　Are you kidding me?　You insinuate that you're going to win, etc., but somewhere along the line you indulge me in cutting corners.　I've said it before, haven't I?　If this is a battlefield, do you think you're already dead?

Gawd!

Grabbing him by the neck, I slammed Saeki into the ground, just like that.

''Gaha! .....

Blood spatters from Saeki's mouth.
You can't even passive?

''【Fire!

Then Saeki, gasping for breath, opened fire on me in my fallen state.

'What is this?'

I flicked it off with my foot.
Then the fire flies into the auditorium and hits a protective wall, extinguishing it.

It's a letdown.

I crouch down and whisper an earful to Saeki.

This battle is for me. This is the punishment for insinuating to me that I'm going to kill you, you're going to have to experience the pain of the oppressed. The pain of the oppressed, right?


-- 'What is the matter with you?　Saeki!　It won't get up!　If this doesn't work out, Nito will win the fight........!　Ehhh!''


I snatched the loudspeaker from the host, who was standing underneath the magic bulletin board.

"...may I borrow your loudspeaker for a moment?

The presenter is puzzled.
But I don't mind, I do a light mic test.

Hilarious.....

Now it's all hilarious!

Gentlemen!　As you can see, I won this game. But don't you think it's a shame to let it end like this?

I spoke to all the people in the hall.

The room was buzzing. And all of them are looking at me.
The only one who is looking at the lying Saeki is his companion.

'But things don't go as you wish. Saeki-kun is lying here, but if I make a few changes to him, he will faint. If that happens, the match will end easily as it is. I haven't used any of my magic yet, but that's just the way it is.

Little by little, the buzzing hall has settled down.
Everyone was listening to my words.

But that's what combat is all about. And if that is what battles are supposed to be about, then this is a complete farce!

The moment I said that, the hall fell silent.

'From what I've heard, Fischanatika has a more hands-on education than Heilkwaite...'

I had heard that story before.
That's why every year vs. the school, Fischanatika wins.

'But I could tell by looking at him. That it was complete and utter bullshit.

What these guys are doing is not a battle or anything.
It's just a game.

''When Razhuisen was attacked by the Empire, there were numerous adventurers there. All of them were defending the royal capital with their lives. They were not adventurers or anything like that, they were truly heroes. Compared to those like me, who were simply turned into heroes who, from a whim, found themselves defending their country, they were truly brave and could be called true heroes.

The heroes are those guys.
Guys like those guys who didn't stop running even though they knew they would die if they were confronted by an S-ranked opponent.

''Saeki-san, you used advanced magic just now, didn't you?　Quicksilver. The quintessential Fischanatica student. No, may I say that the quicksilver is a brave man summoned by Grayberg?　Either way, it's quintessential. It's just that we've won so far. After all, not one of the adventurers who stood up to the empire at that time was able to handle advanced magic...

Yogi and Cedric...........especially Cedric, who was the highest level adventurer among those guys.
But even that Cedric couldn't use advanced magic.

But.........

'But, Mr. Saeki?　You have mastered advanced magic, but you are far weaker than those adventurers who defended King's Landing!　They're not even close to being on their feet!

At that moment, Saeki stood up, out of breath.

''What is an academy for?　Are the investors invested in this nonsense?　If so, you'd better stop now!　There is no value in a school that doesn't even know this practice!

I telekinetically lift Saeki up and lift him into the air.

''d*mn! .....

'What is a war against the school?!　Is this a farce?　Don't tell me you're taking this prestigious occasion where the great kings of the nations are gathered and going out of your way to show a farce!　I'd like you to be a bit of an idiot!　The students were just playing with magic!　So even those who were hailed as the most brilliant were easily beaten by my people!　And you were looking at it, as if it were a surprise, weren't you?　But it's perfectly natural!　A mage who doesn't know how to fight!　Whether it's an F or an E!　For there is no way you can compete with an adventurer!

Oswald said it meant a lot to him to keep this school alive, but honestly, it didn't mean anything.
I broke it down to the core.
The funders would wake up if they found out that the school was supposed to be training mages, but was actually just mass-producing people who were no more than playful apprentice mages at the playground level.

''By the way, he declared war on me the other day. I thought, 'I'm the one who's going to win'. I thought to myself. He had no idea what he was capable of or what the situation was. I'd love to hear from him!　What a boon!　What exactly is the benefit of bravery?!

The audience was completely, completely speechless.

Saeki?　You're a piece of garbage.
You're gonna win?　That's the problem before that.
You don't even know how to handle magic properly.

'Magic is not a tool to play around with!　Much less a tool for conducting a match ... let alone defeating an opponent!

It's time to go.
We've got another fight coming up.

It's a killing tool, to make sure he doesn't die.

That's all we have to talk about.

'That's all the talk but it won't be fun if it ends like this. I know I said it was a tool to kill, but the war against the school is a spectacle. We need to entertain you more than anything. So, Saeki-san?　This is the last time, but let's regroup and play the game once more. I will return this magic tool to the moderator.

I used my telekinetic powers and handed the microphone back to the moderator who was baffled in the moderator's seat far away.

''Heal (heal)!

He then treated Saeki and brought him down to the ground at the same time.
By that time, the wound had completely healed.
Under my magic, a wound of this magnitude is only an instant.

You're not going to be able to find out if it's true. .....

Saeki was surprisingly surprised when he saw my magic.

''Surprising?''　Huh........I am the weakest mage. I'm a healer.

That's right, Saeki....

You!　You were treated like a freak show by the weakest healer of all, the one who called you incompetent!

Can you understand that?

Do you know what that means?

'How does it feel to be defeated by incompetence?　Saeki-san?

Oh, you...

There are plenty of healers out there.
This guy won't even know it's me.

''Come on, Saeki-san, let's start the last match, shall we?　But don't worry. Of course, I'll go easy on you. Otherwise, I might kill you by mistake. See?　You know how sometimes when you're picking ants, you can't help but crush them?　It's like that.

Then the power returned to Saeki's eyes.

''Ants........?''

This guy has a low boiling point for every single one of them.

''Yeah ... ah!　Sorry. Of course, it's just an example, okay?

Saeki's expression changed as he looked at me.
A fierce anger could be felt from there.

''Come on!　Let's get started!

I held out my hands and expressed my disrespect for Saeki with my entire body, to the extent that I couldn't express it with my expression.

Saeki directs more anger at the situation.
I don't want to admit that I'm incompetent, even though I know I'm incompetent.
Dilemma. Is that what it is?

Shit!

At that moment, Saeki drew his sword from the scabbard at his waist and thrust it at me with great vigor.

''You are using a sword as well, in that case, I'll bring out one of my weapons as well.

I use the skill "The King's Ark" to create a break in the dimension and take out the Executioner's Axe from there.

At that moment, the hall begins to buzz.
The moderator, who was peeking at me from afar, was also taken aback as soon as he opened his mouth.

--The different space storage.

Zeke had mentioned it before, but after all, this seems to be quite a rare thing.

But Saeki comes towards you without changing his expression.
Is he concentrating on the game, or is he just ignorant....

"Whoa!

Saeki put all his strength into it and swung his sword down.
Is this what is called a broadsword?
I don't know much about it, so I don't know.

And at the moment when blade and blade met, my axe slashed Saeki's sword.

''Nah!''

The sword was cruelly cut in two.
It was not broken or shattered, but rather "cut".

But even though Saeki was shocked, he did not give up.
He immediately threw away his sword and came at you shortly after.

With a regular fist from a light motion.
Do they also teach kumite in Ficianatica?

Left fists, right fists, spinning and jumping kicks.
Saeki performed the combination that was originally in his head as if he was used to it.
I handled them with one hand.
And in the meantime, I put the axe away in the other space storage.

''It wasn't just magic, was it? I admire you for that. But this is also a plaything. Even if it's just a human, a creature that is physically inferior to, say, a beast race. What do you want to do with those fists?　Are you going to take a down from me?　That's why it's so sweet. You can't kill people with the techniques that are performed from your meager body. It's not that powerful. It's really inefficient. You're just trying to be cool, right?　Arrogance, overconfidence, and self-expression. That's what you are now. For example! --

-- I brought out the bottom of my palm to Saeki's throat Buddha.

Of course, I relaxed my power.
If I really did it, Saeki's head would be blown off.

"Kah! .....

Saeki couldn't even speak, the spit flew out of his mouth, then bounced lightly behind him and fell off his back to the ground.

''--This is what is called a technique.''





　--In the audience, the famous ones were also watching the game.
They varied from swordsmen and mages, but they were experts in their respective fields.
They are not very well known, even though they are famous.

One of them was there.

"Is that... the 'Petrified Bird (Cockatrice) School'?

'Mr Brahms?　Do you know about that?

There was a middle-aged man called Brahms with long, silvery, twisted hair and a long beard.
Next to him is a girl with long blonde hair and pointed ears. Her skin is translucent.

'It's a lost ancient swordsmanship,' he said, 'I've seen it in literature. I've seen it in the literature. It's a sword that can shatter even swords, mixing bare-handed techniques with petrifying magic. That is the 'Petrified Bird (Cockatrice) School'. I'm not sure how he can use it, but he doesn't look that old.

Nevertheless, Masamune's age cannot be known, as he now hides his identity behind a mask.
This was roughly Brahms' rule of thumb.

''More importantly, this match is almost over...''

This Nit.... how big do you think he is?

Well it's a very difficult thing to do. This is not how you know. It's the other side. I'm sure you've never used your magic properly.

Brahms strokes his beard and looks at the game.
What exactly is he looking at with those glazed eyes?





　I have to admit, I'm getting tired of being so passive.

The audience's cheers have calmed down, haven't they?

'Huh ... huh ... huh ... huh ...'

Saeki shook his shoulders and repeated his rough breathing.

'I could have performed at least one magic trick, but I can't do it with this one.

"Flame Armor!

Then Saeki lights a fire in his right hand.
The fire is enough to cover his fist.

'Is it a magical armor........hahaha!　After all, it's not a trick.

'Ohhhh!'

Saeki just comes rushing in a straight line.

''Huh........''

I catch it with my left hand with a sigh.

'What! .... my flame ... with my bare hands.

'What's the surprise?　You don't think this stuff is going to work for me?

Saeki was just astonished.
Because I wasn't even burned while touching the fire.
And then he showed a puzzled, grim expression.

But then Saeki's expression changed.
The confusion disappeared, and for some reason Saeki smiled in anguish.

What do you mean by that?

What's funny?



What's so funny?

Have you been pushed too far into a corner and have you lost your mind?

'No, not really.　See?　What are you waiting for?　I can't beat you in the current state anyway.

Was that me?　That's not true. You can't win for the rest of your life, can you?

'Heh-heh-heh ... maybe?　But ... it doesn't matter.

What?

I'm not interested in you from the start. I knew from the start that you couldn't win. I just wanted to impress. I also wanted to see what an S-ranked, so-called hero is like. How good can I really be at fighting now?　Simply, that's all I wanted to know. But heh heh heh I'm the one who's disappointed. I'm disappointed, man.

What do you mean by that?

I didn't expect our hero to be so serious with a little punk like me. He'd be smiling and flattering the crowd, and I'd be the highlight of the show. I thought it would end up that boring. But it wasn't....

No? .....

'What?　Are you dumber than you think?　 I thought there was no way a hero could be serious. But now you're not. I do see it... for people like me, don't I?　I know those feelings very clearly, don't I?

Saeki smiled as if to show off.
He showed his teeth and raised the corners of his mouth hatefully.

My right hand, which was catching Saeki's hand, naturally tensed.
He clenched it just enough to lightly break the bone.

''Guh! .....see?　I reacted again. That's your thing - it's a personal vendetta. Obviously.

Sweat pouring from his forehead, Saeki shows it with a smiling face.
He's a guy who makes fun of people to no end.

'Is it that funny?　How can you lose to me?

I'm a strong man, I'll give you that. They're in this hall and they'll admit it, too.　But it's not what's inside. I'm sure you're not much different from us, huh?

I found myself smiling in my mask.

I was smiling naturally.

'Heh heh ... now underneath that mask is probably full of hatred for me, isn't it?　What is it?　Did you not like the declaration of war so much?　That's just an introduction to yourself, right?　How can a heroic person not be tolerant of such things?　That's a masterpiece, man.

This guy.....

I'll...

I'm not going to let you get away with this

Don't piss me off, okay? .....


----.





　--At that moment, there was a great shaking in the hall.

The audience gradually began to buzz.
But the next moment, it turned into a scream.

''Kyaaaaaaaaaah!''

A crack ran through the walls of the hall and the central field cracked wide open.
It appeared as if the earth cracked around Masamune, and Saeki was just stunned by the way it looked.

''Nah!　What?!

At that time, something like a red-black shadow began to leak out of Masamune's body.
It was visible to those around him.

It enveloped Masamune's surroundings and swallowed Saeki.

''Geez!''

Masamune lifts Saeki into the air without touching him.
From the mask, he can see a distinct red light and a weakly glowing red.

''What is it?'' ...those eyes.....

You think I'm slacking off?　What's wrong with you?

Masamune asked in a small and strong voice.

''Gu........''

I can kill you any time I want.

Then Masamune grabbed Saeki by the neck with his right hand and threw him vigorously far away.

''Gooooooooohhhh!

Saeki is sent flying as fast as a moment.
Saeki was not even given time to passive, he just slumped to the ground.

And when the tremors subsided, the audience was stunned by the situation.
But the reddish-black shadow still remains.

Masamune kicks at the lying Saeki while holding back his strength to the point of not dying.

''Hahahahahaha!''

Saeki managed to endure the situation while vomiting blood.

The hall was quieted by the scene.
Everyone was holding their breath.
Some looked away from the cruelty of the situation.
But Masamune does not stop.

The current "hero" could not see the situation around him.



　And the mysterious man, Brahms, wrinkled his brow grimly as he peeked at the situation.

Brahms-sama, what is that red-black thing? .....

'I don't know, I don't know, but it doesn't look like it's just a decoration. Witchcraft?　But I've never seen a wave of magic like that before. And although I've been curious about it for a while now, I can't feel any magic. And yet, what is this?　It's as if they're pricking my skin with a needle.

...I don't really like the feeling.

Me too. I don't know, but either way, this is no ordinary mage adventurer and who is this man?

Brahms's expression was a difficult one.
He peered and then pondered the identity of the shadow.

As long as he didn't know who this one was, he couldn't know what to think.
What in the world was this man thinking?





　Masamune paused.
There was Saeki, who managed to breathe and looked like he could barely maintain consciousness.
But he never lost consciousness.
Masamune would not let him faint so easily.

At that moment, the red-black shadows around him moved as if they were concentrating on Masamune's right hand.
And then it gradually stabilized and transformed into a dusky cage like object.

Sharp fingertips.
The sharp claw makes the image of cruelty to what is going to be done.
Most of those in the audience looked down at the scene and said, "I can't watch it anymore.
And the referees were wondering why they weren't stopping.

'They say there's a protective barrier here. So then, no matter how much damage they cause, they can't kill you. But.........

Then Masamune raised his basket arm on the spot.

''【Jutsu Style Destruction (Soul Break)!

At that time, a large magic circle appeared in the sky above, enough to envelop the entire hall.
A red-black light poured down. The light illuminated the hall.
And it destroyed the blessings that had been applied to the hall.

But most people are unaware of what Masamune has done.
The "guardianship ward" is invisible.

Then Masamune approached Saeki step by step, looking curiously at the basket in his right hand.

'I won't kill you. But a little ... hahahahahaha!

Masamune starts laughing like a madman.
The expression of everyone in the hall was twisted by that situation.
But the laughter itself does not sound so far away.
The voices are only faintly audible.
But what is going on there now?
That much I could tell from what I was seeing.

'Shall I break one of your arms?　Who's the smart one?　I'm going to disable your sword.

But Saeki didn't respond.

Huh.........are you shutting up?

At that moment, Masamune kicked the ground.
He then put his strength into his right hand and aimed at Saeki's arm, remembering the figure that was holding the sword earlier.

''This should make things a little easier for you.

That's enough!



----.



Then, the first thing I heard was a voice.

As soon as Masamune heard it, he stopped in his tracks.
Then he turned his crimson gaze to the old man who had appeared in front of him when he noticed it.

''........What?''

The game is over.

Oswald appeared there.

'What? .....

Masamune shot a question mark at Oswald, who suddenly appeared.

There was a magic circle at Oswald's feet, which gradually disappeared.

'Transition magic... what do you mean by that?　"Principal?"　We're in the middle of a game right now, okay?

It's over now don't you think it's over?

....

Masamune stared at Oswald with his red eyes and directed his killing intent at him.

But that was Oswald's will and decision.