Chapter 68: Their Own Choices #5

Chapter 68: Their Own Choices #5

First, Mitchell and Wagner left the training ground together.

Next, Flora left.

“⋯.”

I was left alone in the dark and silent training ground.

I replayed Flora’s parting words over and over in my mind.

-I don’t want to be a burden to my colleagues anymore. I want to become a proud adventurer and meet you again, Estel-ssi, in the future.

I should have cheered her on, telling her how commendable she was.

Why did I spew out such harsh words?

I felt hurt.

It felt like a kitten I had raised since childhood had grown up and left for the world.

-If you want to go, then go. I have no right to stop you, Senior. I’m not your guardian, nor your parent.

-Estel-ssi, would you meet me here again tonight?

-Why?

-I want to show you how much I’ve grown. If you see it, you’ll admit it too, Estel-ssi. That I’m not the novice mage I used to be.

I accepted Flora’s proposal.

And so, tonight, another sparring match between our party members will take place.

Estel vs. Flora.

It’s quite a match-up of the century. For gamblers, the outcome is so obvious that the odds would be a mess.

However, unlike the match between Mitchell and Wagner, I have no intention of holding back.

I will make Flora keenly feel the difference in our levels.

How powerless Flora still is.

How far she still has to go.

Enough to make her change her mind and decide to stay with me a little longer.

‘Senior, don’t leave me arbitrarily.’

“Nine Stars” is no longer a game.

I’m the protagonist, and it’s not a theme park where the world revolves solely around me.

Flora thinks, acts, and decides according to her own beliefs.

‘I forgot. I was reincarnated into a game, but I’m not the game itself.’

It was my mistake.

It was Flora who decided whether to leave the party or not, not me.

I left the dark gymnasium alone.

The sun had already set, and the streets were deserted.

In a few hours, Flora and I will have a fight that will determine our future paths.

There’s no turning back now.

***

The odds are slim.

No, to be precise, there are none at all.

Flora knew that fact all too well.

‘Estel-ssi is a genius.’

The talent she possessed, surpassing anyone she had ever seen in her life.

A power so immense, it was almost miraculous.

Perhaps she would be like a small egg hitting a rock.

Still, she had to do it.

Because she had to reassure them.

‘Mitchell-ssi and Wagner-ssi also showed courage. So it’s my turn now.’

Flora sat cross-legged on the bed, trying to calm her mind.

“Meditation,” the beginning and end of a mage.

In the past, I didn’t really feel the need for meditation.

Even if I forced myself to close my eyes, my mind was filled with miscellaneous thoughts, and Flora especially lacked concentration.

Now I know.

The importance of a calm mind.

Sharpening the mind like a finely honed sword. And then focusing it to a single point.

Magic becomes a miracle that alters reality at that moment.

Skipping the metaphysical talk and speaking of practical effects, meditation increases mana recovery by 20%, magic attack power by 15%, and magic casting speed by 30% for the next six hours.

Of course, Flora, being an in-game resident, isn’t meditating with these specific stat boosts in mind.

Flora finished her preparations by meditating until the time of the match.

“Hoo.”

It was time.

Flora stood up from her seat.

The egg must now go to be broken.

Still, if thrown well, it might leave a small scratch on the rock.

It was a moonlit night.

Estel, who had arrived earlier, was visible.

Estel was sitting on a bench in front of the gymnasium, gazing at the cluster of stars spread across the night sky.

“Estel-ssi.”

“⋯.”

Estel didn’t say anything even when she saw Flora.

Estel silently walked into the gymnasium, leading the way.

Estel’s slender back seemed as large as a giant’s today.

In the same spot where Mitchell and Wagner stood facing each other a few hours ago, Flora and Estel now stood.

“Um, shall we begin?”

“⋯.”

Estel remained silent.

A face whose thoughts were impossible to discern.

‘Don’t be scared beforehand. Even if I lose, I have to show Estel-ssi. That I’m different from before.’

As soon as the match began, Flora circulated mana throughout her entire body with all her might.

First, the heart. Then, the dantian. Mana swirled through every blood vessel in her body.

Flora has quite a few cards she can use.

It’s different from the Garden days. She’s worlds apart from the novice who only relied on “Magic Arrow” and “Magic Shield.”

Therefore, she can do things like this.

“Here I go.”

Hoo- Flora took a deep breath.

A sphere of sky-blue mana gathered above Flora’s hand.

“Magic Vortex.”

It was a magic she had researched for days in the library, fueled by coffee.

ROOOAR-

The condensed sphere of mana flew towards Estel.

Estel’s eyes twitched faintly.

What is she thinking right now?

Does she think it’s pathetic? Or is she surprised by Flora’s progress?

I have no way of knowing since she doesn’t speak.

Estel, without using any magic, easily dodged the Magic Vortex with light steps.

‘Even as a mage, her footwork is superior to a trained warrior. Estel-ssi is truly amazing.’

I wish it had hit, but I didn’t have high expectations.

Flora didn’t get discouraged and immediately initiated the next attack.

The Magic Vortex, which missed, still had a follow-up. It was a combo that destabilized the mana sphere, causing it to sweep the surrounding area.

“Magic Vortex-Destabilization.”

KABOOM-!

The mana sphere exploded, and sharp winds raged in all directions.

Through the gaps in the storm, Flora saw Estel deploying a barrier.

‘She’s blocking it so effortlessly.’

For a moment, Flora almost applauded in admiration.

Still, it was an attack she was confident in its power. She was sure it surpassed the level of an E-rank adventurer.

But it seemed to have little effect on Estel.

FWOOSH-

SHUK-!

Before the storm even dissipated, a shimmering light shot through the air currents.

As soon as Flora saw the light, she immediately erected a defensive wall.

“Magic Shield.”

If you think about it and react, it’s already too late. Flora was well aware of the speed of that attack.

It was a simple dagger throw, enhanced with “Frost Edge.”

It was just a common dagger throw, an application of a basic mage spell, but the caster was Estel, an S-rank adventurer.

Estel’s Frost Edge had turned the dagger’s blade into a legendary sword, and Estel’s mana control made the dagger’s trajectory incredibly erratic.

A total of 16 daggers flew out in all directions. At this point, it was akin to the realm of sword mastery.

‘If even one hits, it’s over.’

Flora felt her chest sink heavily with a sense of crisis and desperately tracked the daggers’ trajectories.

The key was to intercept the captured daggers with the Magic Shield before they reached her, not wait for them to reach her.

‘Estel-ssi is really strong.’

Flora realized it anew.

Flora’s Magic Shield was pierced by the Frost Edge, like butter on a hot pan in midsummer.

It was barely a shield, but considering it was Estel, perhaps there was no need to be ashamed.

Fortunately, the daggers’ trajectories were disrupted as they broke through the shield.

Otherwise, Flora’s body would have already become a dagger rack.

‘If I drag this out, I’ll eventually be cornered. If I’m going to do something, it has to be now while I still have some strength.’

Estel’s absolute mana pool and sense were incomparable.

Flora decided to gather her strength and go all out.

The card Flora chose was…

‘This is it.’

“Magic Arrow.”

It was the first magic she learned, and the magic she used the most.

While blocking the daggers with her Magic Shield, Flora ran forward.

Flora held her other wrist with one hand and concentrated her mana.

Gather all mana to a single point.

With the sincerity that would reach Estel.

“Here I go!”

Flora shouted forcefully.

Mana condensed at the tip of her index finger.

It was a Magic Arrow, but not used in the ordinary way.

It was Flora’s secret technique, perfected through research and training.

A magic learned by watching her most admired junior.

“Magic Arrow-Estel Style Enhancement.”

“Senior, that magic-“

Estel spoke for the first time since the match began.

A look of admiration was visible on her face, reflecting the mana’s radiance.

Flora aimed at Estel with her index finger.

Mana compression complete.

Trajectory setting complete.

Power enhancement, recoil control, all complete.

And, she fires.

Just like Estel. Now, Flora can do it too.

ZZZT-!

A blinding flash spread out.

With a deafening sonic boom, an absolute zero laser shot from Flora’s fingertip.

It was the full power Flora could unleash.

“Huk, huk⋯. How was it, Estel-ssi?”

Flora leaned on her knees, gasping for breath.

There wasn’t a single drop of mana left. The backlash from using excessive mana in a short period left her head foggy and her legs wobbly.

She had done everything she could.

Just as she thought that, Estel emerged from the dissipating mana smoke.

“Ahaha, oh my goodness-“

Flora laughed emptily.

Estel was unbelievably unharmed.

A part of Flora had worried, “What if Estel gets hurt?”

But seeing her completely unscathed, that worry seemed absurd.

Her fighting spirit vanished upon seeing Estel completely unharmed.

“Is that all?”

Estel murmured coldly.

Her eyes were not those of someone who intended to fight Flora in the first place.

A gaze that evaluated from high above in the distant sky.

“Well, for an E-rank-“

Estel slowly walked towards Flora.

Soon, she would finish off the depleted Flora.

Would she strike with her mace?

Or with Frost Edge?

Flora waited for the attack to come. Still, she believed Estel wouldn’t injure her too badly.

And then.

“Uh, uh.”

Estel staggered.

Estel swayed unsteadily like a drunk person and then awkwardly fell to the ground.

“Tch, the impact is delayed⋯. You’re quite something, Senior⋯.”

Estel said, spitting out the words with a grimace.

Flora couldn’t help but laugh at her clumsy acting.