episode_0078
by fnovelpiaMagic is a discipline that deals with the realm of reason and logic.
The uses of magic vary greatly depending on the person using it, but this can be seen as a law of the world that protects the intelligent.
And now, here. A fantastic magic battle unfolds in the training hall of the branch school of the Chaldea Imperial Academy located in the port city of Brittany.
The students sitting in the audience blankly stared at the monitors relaying the situation of the duel. A white magic circle so bright it hurts the eyes flashed, and then a gray magic circle tried its best to swallow up the magic.
It was a truly overwhelming firepower battle. The splendor of the magic battle, which is not easily seen among the students of the combat department, was the best among the final matches held today.
However, behind that splendid story, there was an absurd back and forth that others did not know about.
“Deformation, compression, tectonic shift, absolute zero.”
Laura conjured a magic circle without batting an eyelash. Following the staff in her hand, pure white magic began to cut through the air.
Eventually, a magic circle was completed. Laura unfolded the perfectly linked magic circle without hesitation.
“Ice pillar (κολόνα πάγου).”
– Kwakwakwakwang!!
A pillar of ice as big as a house protruded from the ground, its sharp tip mercilessly threatening Chloe. Chloe gritted her teeth and quickly rolled to the side.
Immediately afterwards, where Chloe had been standing a moment ago, a sharp pillar of ice rose high above the ground. Chloe swallowed dryly without realizing it when she saw it.
‘T-This isn’t true…?’
The power of magic is determined by the sophistication of the magic circle. Chloe can use the magic that Laura uses, but even if she uses the same magic, it won’t have the same level of power as Laura.
To that extent, Laura’s magic was incredibly powerful. Just the ice pillar magic that rose a little while ago took only about 3 seconds from the magic circle’s formation to its deployment. The difference lies in the speed at which the magic circle is deployed.
It’s a disadvantageous situation in many ways. However, there is no time to give up.
Chloe, whose thoughts had been running wild for a short time while she was avoiding the ice pillars, immediately got up and moved her staff as soon as her feet touched the ground. The magical power that left an ashen trace along the tip of her staff soon began to coalesce into a large magic circle.
“Targeting, perception change, material transformation, compression… .”
– Crackle!
Chloe’s magic circle began to spin, sparking. The dirt floor designated as the target of the magic split open, then began to mix with the magic circle and slowly change its appearance.
Matter Manipulation Magic is a magic that takes a lot of time to develop into a magic circle. While waiting for the first magic circle to develop, Chloe immediately began to create a second magic circle.
“Liquid, Transformation, Absolute Zero, Compression… !”
Although it wasn’t as fast as Laura’s, Chloe’s magic circle also began to form quickly enough that it was hard to believe that it was just rolling around. The second magic circle formed along with the ash-colored magic, and it took about 5 seconds in total for the magic circle to be ready to unfold.
It’s almost twice as much as Laura.
“Freeze (πάγωμα)!”
With Chloe’s scream, ice crystals shot out from the deployed magic circle and shot at Laura. It was a deadly magic that would freeze the area if hit by the ice crystals. Even a simple brush would be fatal.
Laura’s expression remained unchanged. Without showing any change in expression, she calmly and quickly began to form a new magic circle.
“Liquid, transformation, absolute zero, tectonic shift, expansion, solidity.”
The magic circle is connected. The product of intellectuals who discuss reason and rationality, flaunting its near-perfect sophistication, takes Laura’s hand and rides the staff to command the air.
“Ice wall(τοίχος πάγου).”
As the magic circle unfolded, a wall of ice, scattering cold air everywhere, rose up through the floor in an instant. An ice wall that split the training ground vertically. It served as a shield to protect Laura.
– Kwajajajak!
It was only natural that Chloe’s ice crystals, which had collided with the solid and dense ice wall, would shatter into pieces, unable to withstand the force.
Laura let out a faint sigh. She knew that Chloe, like her, was primarily a cold magic user, and so she was secretly looking forward to it.
However, the wall of ice is as strong as a sturdy tree.
It was more like a wall, a solid fortress that cast a huge shadow over Laura and blocked any attacks directed at her.
The queen who rules the arena is still Laura von Adelheid, and the ice palace fortress where she resides is impervious to the shards of ice.
Any challenger who dares to attack the Queen will not be able to break through this wall.
Laura leisurely conjured the next magic circle. The time limit given for the finals was thirty minutes. This was three times longer than the time limit given in the numerous duels she had experienced so far, but Laura had no intention of toying with her opponent for thirty minutes… .
– Boom!
For a moment, the earth shook. Laura’s head turned.
Where her gaze met, a solid wall of ice stood, cold air flowing and ice chips scattering.
Laura shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. Perhaps Chloe had used cold magic again this time. It must have been the sound of the ice crystals flying in and hitting the ice wall. Laura thought as she tried to connect the magic circle.
‘… Wait. Crumbs?’
Suddenly, goosebumps appeared on the back of her neck. Laura scattered the magic circle she had created on the floor and urgently examined the ice wall.
– Kwung!
‘This is….’
It was as if something heavy and solid was continuously hitting her. The fortress of absolute zero surrounding Laura was shaking due to the huge waves.
– Kwung!
Laura began to hurriedly create a new magic circle. Her relaxed expression had long since disappeared. Following Laura’s urgent hand movements, pure white magic power remained in the air, transforming into the power of the intelligent.
“Targeting, expansion, solidity, solidity… !”
Her magic circle did not unfold as an independent magic, but melted into the magic circle of the ice wall that had already unfolded.
The restored magic circle spread out across the ice wall, emitting light, and soon the ice wall began to tighten even more. Her fortress became even stronger.
Yeah. Of course, that’s how it should be… .
– Drrr…! Kagak! Kagak!
So then, what on earth does this sound mean?
The ice citadel was still shaking. The falling ice fragments were noticeably more numerous than before, indicating that the fortress protecting Laura was spitting out its final words.
Laura quickly assessed the situation and quickly came to a conclusion. It was foolish to continue repairing the ice wall. She needed to create a new spell.
– Gulp… .
If I had to pick one variable, it would be that Laura’s judgment was quick enough, but the situation was already spinning out of control.
– Damn it… .
A fortress of solid ice. Large cracks have begun to form in it.
A look of embarrassment began to appear on Laura’s face.
Her ice wall boasts the strength of a solid rock, confident it can withstand any attack.
– Tsk tsk tsk… . Tsk tsk… .
Because it was screaming, with gold running all over the wall.
– Damn!
Eventually, the cracks that had been spreading out in all directions finally reached the edge of the ice wall.
– Kwarrrrung—!
An unbelievable sight unfolded before Laura’s eyes.
The ice wall shatters into pieces and falls helplessly. Amidst the ice shards crashing to the ground, a steel battering ram with a sharp tip gleams.
The ice fortress that protected Laura was finally destroyed.
No one expected Laura to look so shocked when she witnessed the steel ram smashing through the ice wall.
Where on earth did that ram come from? When did he cast that kind of magic?
“… No way.”
Before Laura could even build the ice wall, Chloe had already deployed her material manipulation magic in the air. Chloe’s magic, which was wasting time by shooting ice crystals, was actually forging a steel battering ram to destroy the ice wall.
So, that means.
‘I expected it!’
This meant that Chloe had anticipated that Laura would summon an ice wall.
* * * * *
“Wow, that’s amazing… Chloe did it!”
Professor Esther looked at the training ground with astonishment. The student standing where her gaze ended was not Laura von Adelheid, but Chloe.
Several magic students sitting in the audience suddenly stood up from their seats. Most of them had memories of being hit by Laura’s cold spell, and they all looked at the training ground with surprised eyes.
“… … .”
And, I was surprised as well. It was a surprise that came from simply having hit Laura. And as Professor Esther continued her explanation, my surprise grew even bigger.
“If the ice wall is deployed, it will be difficult for Adelheid to use other complex magic because he has to maintain the magic circle deployed on the ice wall.”
Laura’s ice wall, which she was confident would never be broken. Because of her arrogance, Laura began to build an ice wall to defend herself against Chloe’s simple attacks.
It is the arrogance and composure characteristic of the strong that is showing off their overwhelming gap.
And Chloe had predicted this. She knew that Laura would underestimate her and would go into a defensive stance with an ice wall.
So what would happen if the ice wall Laura had been focusing on maintaining was broken?
“Even if you are a student of Adelheid, it takes time to conjure up the next magic. Chloe has already conjugated another magic in the meantime.”
Beyond the debris of the collapsing ice wall, Laura saw Chloe biting her lip and aiming her wand.
The magic that was fused at the tip of Chloe’s wand soon began to glow and unfold.
A sharp spear of ice emerged from there and began to rush towards Laura.
Laura paid the price for her arrogance, Professor Esther muttered.
“Maybe, really… .”
I don’t know if Chloe will win.
But, the very next moment.
We had no choice but to erase that thought.
“Huh… ?”
Laura’s collapsing ice wall. Behind that ice wall, a large magic circle formed in an instant and spread out on the ground.
Laura von Adelheid. It was time to prove her arrogance.
* * * * *
Laura von Adelheid’s mouth was tightly shut.
I never dreamed that Chloe would prepare for a water fight to this extent.
However, Laura soon wiped the surprise from her expression. It was surprising that Chloe had predicted and destroyed Laura’s next move, but Laura had already achieved her goal of building the ice wall.
Beyond the completely collapsed ice wall, a large ice spear was rushing towards Laura.
Laura didn’t dodge. She just raised her cane and muttered softly.
“Blizzard(χιονοθύελλα).”
As Laura finished speaking, a pure white wind began to blow. The ice spear heading towards her was shattered by the force of the blizzard that violently swept across the entire area.
A harsh winter has arrived in the training ground.
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