'Well, well, well, isn't that Mr. Nil? How have you been doing?
...... It's been a while, Kevin.

　A man smiling and making room for himself, and a man greeting him with an awkward look on his face.

　The first match of the tournament to determine the challenger to the Eishou Tournament, Kevin vs. Nil Weissroy.

　Kevin is a one hundred and thirty year old elf who works as a teacher at the Royal School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His opponent, Nir, is one hundred and twenty-eight years old. Not much of an age difference. However, there was a big difference in their backgrounds.

　Kevin, who became an elf tribe mage and served at a young age, spent his youth as a young soldier, became a court mage of the Castal Kingdom in a roundabout way, and then was recruited and became a teacher at the prestigious Royal School of Magic.

　On the other hand, Nir was born into the Viceroy family, a great family of magicians, and was raised as a butterfly, a flower, and competed in the Battle of the Wise and Powerful Generals, only to be disastrously defeated by the man he was about to marry, disowned and left without a job.

　The light and the darkness were exactly opposite.

　The man who graduated from a junior high school and worked hard to get a job and got a promotion, and the man who graduated from a first-class university and went out into the world, but his pride was so great that he could not adjust.


How do you think it will be with Alpha?　I don't hear much good news about it.
It's nothing. I lost. You know that.
Hmm, I don't know.
...... He's still a crooked man with a crooked personality.
No, sir. This is a fight to win or lose. The game has already begun.
Shut up. I'm learning as much as I can.
You betcha. ......

　What has happened to Nil in the past six months?
　He doesn't say much, but Kevin realizes that it must have been hard to imagine, although he doesn't say much, but it must have been hard to imagine.

'Mutual courtesy!　Ready!

　The two men took their positions as the judges ordered.


　Silence dominated the scene.

　Kevin said. A title fight is a "win or lose kill," he said.
　Nil wholeheartedly agreed. He had a feeling that he, too, had learned his lesson. Yes, it was painful.

　Right before the time comes to kill each other, no one would be foolish enough to start blabbing away.


''--start!

　As the match begins, Nir only takes three steps closer and immediately chants the Fire Attribute, Ichino Type.
　It's a quick attack at the very edge of his range.

''I see.''

　With a single word, Kevin chanted 《Water Attribute, Ichino Type》 and activated it later to match Nil's activation.

''

　Immediately after, I huffed.

　Nil's Ichino type fell (...) in the middle.

　This is a technique called the drop (drop) in Mevion. By daring to shoot "fluffily", the magic has the effect of stalling and falling in the middle.

"I'm the first to go (...)

　A sudden declaration.
　At the same time, Nil ducked compactly by turning his upper body against Kevin's Ichinokata and chanted 《Wind Attribute, Ichinokata》 without taking a moment to do so.

　Kevin couldn't see the chanting formation for his next attack due to the Ichinokata that had spread to the ground due to Nil's drop.

''...... Heh.''

　It's not like Nir's unique fighting method, Kevin breathes a sigh of admiration.

　This is the hit-and-away strategy that Alpha showed at the Winter Eishou Battle - a strategy that places emphasis on dodging the opponent's attacks and attacking with only the Ichino model from the very edge of range. This is the strategy that the other Nill made fun of during the match, calling it "a disgusting strategy".


Maybe it was a good experience for you.

　Kevin couldn't help but whisper his true feelings in a whisper, feeling a definite growth.

　To tell the truth, he was looking down. A naive aristocratic lad trapped only by his title, that was his impression of the man called Nil Weissroy.

　He could understand this because he had risen from a muddy soldier to the elite of a prestigious school teacher, a former court magician. That Nil's disastrous defeat was a necessary experience in his life.

　Once he licked the mud, he was able to do this kind of muddy warfare.
　He was able to gain the strength to go out and win regardless of what he had to do.

　A title fight is a fight to kill, win or lose. Pride would be an obstacle to the title fight.
　In the past six months, Nir must have been able to realize that at last.


'Is that why?'

　Kevin thinks.

　You have to teach them, he says.

　...... what real muddiness (・・・・・・) is all about.


'Well,'

　Kevin avoided the Ichino type, which Nil fired continuously from the very edge of range, to the left and right, but he suddenly retreated and avoided it by going out of range.

　Naturally, Nil chased after Kevin to get within range again.

''

　Then, Nil suddenly realizes.

　Just like that, the fact that the first and second have been replaced.

　The fact that he hadn't had a training partner for six months affected him here.

　Kevin is already waiting for the Ichino type out of range, ready and waiting.
　If he continued to approach unguarded, this time he would receive a series of Ichino Kata shots from the other side.

''Have you noticed?　One strike away is the basis of magical warfare. There is no such thing as a deliberate maneuver to declare.

　Kevin explained in a provocative, teacher-like tone.

　It was really an out-of-character off-the-board tactic. Kevin is saying that the Alpha you lost to was only using the basics. The Alpha you lost to was only using the basics," Kevin said. Anybody can do those basics," he said. And you don't even know that, and now you're trying to fight with only the basics.

　...... The truth is that ordinary people are not able to "get the basics". It's a good idea to be thorough with the basics, and that's what the strategy is all about. If this were a school, Kevin would have added that.

　But this is a battle to be won or lost. The muddiness of picking up a win by any means necessary is what Kevin has in his arsenal, so he won't do anything to weaken the effectiveness of his mental attacks.

'There's no point in prolonging it, you know.
d*mn!

　Kevin showed the chanting of "Water Attribute, Sanno Type".

　The range of the Sanno type was longer than the Ichino type. Hence, Nir became impatient and hurriedly approached and began chanting the Ichino type in an attempt to crush the activation of the Sanno type.


''Oh dear, it seems you haven't grown up in any way.
Na......!

　Kevin had already cancelled the Sanno type after 0.3 seconds and started chanting 《Water Attribute, Ichino Type》.

''Guh!''

　As Nir approaches and begins chanting, the Ichino Kata stabs him without mercy.

　The Sanno kata was the last, deepest hand, a distraction - an exquisite fake, just as a man had advised a woman to do.

　Nil was caught, once again, in the same streak that the Alpha had played on him at the Winter Games.


'What have you been doing for the last six months?　Mr. Nil.

　Kevin fires a series of Ichino kata while saying to follow up. Nir's movements have slowed down after taking one hit, and he seems to have done his best to duck.

''If we lose again today, what in the world is going to happen to us?

　It makes him anxious and impatient.

　Kevin hunted down Nil while hitting the Ichino kata in rapid succession. His mind was filled with a single word.

　Make a mistake.

　Make a mistake, make a mistake, make a mistake, make a mistake, make a mistake.

　The only thing I can hope for is a mistake by my ...... opponent.

'If you keep going, I'll win the decision. Come on, come on, we have to do something.
............

　Kevin continued to shake it up.

　But Nil made no mistake.
　He sticks to the basics and just ducks. He only concentrates on ducking.

　If you try to escape out of range, Kevin will close the distance between you and him. If you try to cut back with the Ichino Kata, you won't have time to chant. If you try to chant, you can't avoid getting hit.

　Because he knows all of that, Nir continued to duck.

　I wish for only one thing. That Kevin will expose a momentary gap.


　Thus, they were both waiting for each other to make a mistake (・・・・).

　The choice was made because they wanted to win for sure.


　A man who keeps on shaking things up in every way, and a man who is just waiting for his chance.

　There is no beauty in this game.


　But ...... the fact that Nil Weissroy was doing it was inspiring to some.




'--That's it!　The winner, by unanimous decision, is Kevin!


　An hour passed and Nil was defeated.

　As soon as the signal for the end of the match was given, Nil, who had been breathing on his shoulder, threw out his limbs and lay on the ground.


'I looked at ...... differently. I'm surprised. You don't seem to be that (...) Nil guy I knew anymore.

　Kevin walked over and spoke to him.

　Nil took a deep breath to catch his breath, then snickered and said.


'There's no point in losing,'
It is,
'You're not much of a magician, are you?　I
............
'I know, I know. But I've only wanted to try ...... for the last six months. I just had to.


　Six months of trying. And that it ended in failure.

Bye.

　Nil stands up and turns his back to Kevin.


'Wait,'

　Kevin stopped Nil for a word and opened his mouth to deliver the last word.

　They were the words that would define the rest of Nil's life.


'Didn't ...... you once teach me magic a long time ago?'
'...... You were a kid. I was terrible at that one, I just wanted to show off to you.
'Yes, maybe. But,

　He smiled and clarified.

'I was happy!　That's all.



　　* * *



It's kind of like us, isn't it? The Elf who won.
Raz seems more cerebral, though.
'Oh, really?　I'm so happy for you!

　We were watching the game between Nil and Dr. Kevin, and after the game, we expressed our thoughts.

　Raz seemed to feel an affinity for Kevin-sensei's off-the-board tactics. No, no, no, I didn't say it, but you're several times more egregious than me.


'...... Lord Second. Do you think Lord Nil will stop being a sorcerer?

　With a smiling face and a good mood Raz beside her, Silvia said with a hard face.

　After listening to their conversation after the game, she must have somehow guessed.

''They'll stop,''
Of course.
You can't do something if you say you're not cut out for it. If you're not good at something, you'll have to find something else to do.
I hope you find it: ...... I think so.
Looks like someone's already giving you a hint.
...... ummm!

　It is difficult to realize what you are good at.

　Will you be lucky enough to find something you are good at? Or maybe you'll be lucky enough to meet someone.

　I'm the former and she's the latter. I'm not so sure about Nil: ......?



　　* * *



　The second match of the tournament to determine the challenger for the Eishin War, Zephyr vs. Cheri.
　It was a match between the leader of the First Court Magic Division and the members of the division.

　And the same goes for the two masters.
　The Great Magician Chesta. The former head of the court magicians who was feared as a flame witch, Cheri's great aunt, is the person himself.

"I never thought I'd see the day when I'd have to face him like this. ......

　Zephyr, the middle of the arena, a middle-aged man with red hair and a bald top, facing Cheri, said.

　A man who had decided to participate in the Eishou fight when Chesta retired. His opponent was a woman who was also competing for the first time. I've known her since she was a baby, a grandson like daughter and a valued subordinate. But I had a feeling that one day this day would come. A day when they would kill each other, win or lose. Zephyr was deeply moved by this odd fate.

''I will return the favor (...) Commander.

　In response to such an old-fashioned statement, Cheri said some sharp words that could be considered a provocation.

　'Repayment of kindness - that is, a child beating a parent.


'Cheri. I will teach you one thing, my sister-disciple.
What is it?
You think I'm weaker than that old woman?
!

　Calling Chesta an "old woman" and so on ...... Cheri was too scared to do it.

　With just that one word, Cheri realized that Zephyr was serious.


'Mutual courtesy!　Ready!

　Cheri takes a position of agitation.

　Zephyr is superior in every way - strength, experience and spirit. This was made clearer just before the game, of all days.

.............

　We can't win if we don't.

　Cheri is determined. When the curtain opens, she's ready to go to work.


Begin!

　The command by the judges.

　Immediately afterwards, Cheri began chanting the Water Attribute Sanno Type...


............ Yeah.


　Then I noticed.

　Zephyr was chanting the "Wind Attribute, Corporal Type".


''What......!

　I can't even get all the words "why" out of my mouth.

　I knew there was no time for that.

　Every possible thought ran through my brain in an instant.

　What if Zephyr had raised his HP like a second?　The answer is that a direct hit from a Sanno type does not take it down, unless the damage is enough to cut off 10% or more of its HP. The preliminary research conducted by the opposing counsel made this fact clear to Cheri.

　That's right, if you can't take a down, you'll allow the ...... corporal to activate the sanno kata. But if you can't take a down with a sambuco, the only way to stop it is to--


Huh. ......!

　-approach.


　It seems that the only countermeasure is to approach, just as Chesta did against Second in the Winter War of Eizou.

　It's not that he doesn't have as much HP as Second, or that he doesn't have enough HP to self-destruct, Cheli glanced at Zephyr's expression.



　...... Zephyr was laughing.


''!

　Don't be confused, Cheri rebukes herself.

　She struggles to rouse herself from her now certain fear.


'Don't fall down!'

　From close proximity, he chants and activates the "Water Attribute, Sanno Type".

　He moved smoothly and delivered a sharp blow to Zephyr's chest.



"--It's a lick.

!


　Down, I did not.

　The preparation of Zephyr's "Wind Attribute, Corporal Type" is completed.


'Why ......'
'Didn't I tell you?　Lately, I've been really into the art of shielding.
Oh, yeah?
In addition, I beat my not-so-cheap monthly salary to buy an MGR-raising armor. In addition, I learned a new wind-attribute Gono type. Do you know why?
...... power adjustment. It's probably to preserve your own HP even if you self-destruct. Perhaps you haven't raised it to the rank of dan.
You're the man. I'm going to make it to the finals.
I'm not that naive.
...... I know. But it's the least I can do.

　Graceful words. Zephyr said with a laugh.
　At the same time, Cheri laughed to mock herself.

　Immediately afterwards, a corporate-no-kata exploded between the two of them and ...... the winner was decided.


''--That's it!　Winner, Zephyr!



　　* * *



　Just as I predicted, Commander Zephyr won.

　Poor Cheri, poor girl. Good grief.

　But it can't be helped. For six months, Commander Zephyr must have been desperately trying to raise his HP, Vit and MGR just to make this suicide mission a success. The accuracy of his efforts was different from those of Cheri-chan, who had been working tirelessly for the Eishou Battle.


''Come to think of it, it's all about Second Lord's tactics.
Hmm?

　Silvia suddenly spoke up. What did she mean?

'The tactics employed by Nil-dono and Kevin-sensei were originally taught by Second-dono to Alpha-san, right?　And Zephyr-dono's self-destructive tactics. This was also used by Lord Second-dono against Master Chester.
Uh, ......, that's right, man.
Hm?　Did I say something weird?
No, no, I'm not saying that.

　But that expression "warfare". I can't help but feel a sense of discomfort.

　The reason being, I'm fighting with [magic] alone, and there's nothing to be done about it.

　That's nothing more than hit-and-away and self-destruction. It's natural for them to suffer from different fighting styles.

　To begin with, the Eishou Battle is not such a match.

　0k4NN made it clear in the first Eishou battle.

I see. So it's not about tactics, it's about strategy?
Well, sort of.
Uh-huh.

　Sylvia thinks she's hit the nail on the head and is good at it. It's kind of cute, so I'll let it go.


Let's see, the next one is Dr. Kevin and Muratti, and the winner of that one is Commander Zephyr or something like that: ......

Hey. Can I ask you what you think, Senpai?

　I'm not busy until the next game, so I'm looking at the matchup table and making predictions when Raz, who was sitting beside me, speaks to me with interest.

　Without giving it much thought, I reply.

　The name of the only one of these men who will be able to fight the War of the Eigenes.


Muratti Tricolori.