episode_0105

“Hammon Yankoff.”

Hammon, who was sitting in the waiting room, turned his head at the voice calling his name.

The waiting room where the top student and second-place students were gathered. A second-year student who had just won a spar is seen on the screen cheering.

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the screen, but Hammon’s was not.

This was because the professor in charge of duels, who had slightly opened the waiting room door and entered, beckoned to him. Hammon understood the reason he was called and wore a wry smile.

“Yes.”

After a short reply, he grabbed the sword placed nearby and walked towards the professor. Only then did a few of those sitting in the waiting room notice Hammon’s movement and turn their heads.

Among them was Hammon’s fiancée. With light purple hair, she whispered softly to Hammon.

“H-hang in there.”

“Thank you.”

Hammon passed by her, stroked her head once, and left the waiting room. The professor, leaning against the door, looked down at him and spoke.

“The next spar is your turn. Are you ready?”

“Yes. I will head straight to the arena.”

“Alright.”

Their conversation ended there. There were no cheers or words of comfort. Instead, the professor patted his shoulder twice.

The professor was fond of Hammon, who was diligent and talented, but his opponent was simply too bad. Both of them knew well how the duel would end.

He was none other than the Archmage’s direct favorite disciple. A monstrous being from beyond the heavens, raised by a mage representing the sky, one so great he left deep scars on the sky.

Hammon, who ran around on the ground, could never reach Ashel, who flew in the sky. Both the professor and Hammon knew this fact down to their bones.

But Hammon was not discouraged.

To leave a deep wound on the bird soaring in the sky, he had sharpened his claws for the past few weeks.

Hammon was confident that merely not missing the opportunity when it arose would be enough.

‘It would be even better if I won, but…’

If things turned out as wished like that, why would there be effort? Hammon smiled wryly and stood straight at the entrance to the arena, which the professor had guided him to.

In Hammon’s line of sight, fixed straight ahead, he could see Ashel’s face standing far away, just like him. With an ice-cold expression, Ashel had countless spells deployed in the air, as if performing a final check of his formulas.

Magic with power so clear it felt chilling even from a distance.

The more he saw, the more amazing it was.

“You can enter as soon as the announcer calls your name. Until then, you can relax.”

“……”

“……Hammon?”

When the professor called Hammon’s name, Hammon, finally coming to his senses, bowed his head towards the professor.

“Ah, I apologize. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

“……Alright.”

The professor noticed that Hammon’s gaze had momentarily been focused on Ashel and wore a wry smile.

He patted Hammon’s shoulder one more time and then stepped out of the entrance.

“Good luck.”

“Thank you.”

Hammon replied formally and exhaled a long breath. He felt his pounding heart calm down somewhat. Not stopping there, he relaxed his grip on the sword-holding hand and chose to regulate his breathing with his eyes closed to find composure.

[First-year Faculty of Magic Top Student, Ashel.]

[Second-year Overall Top Student, Hammon Yankoff]

[Both sides, please enter.]

Not long after, the announcer called out the names of the two. Hammon opened his closed eyes, put on a serious expression, and stepped into the arena. At the same time, Ashel walked steadily out from opposite him.

“……”

Ashel felt Hammon’s gaze and slightly bowed his head. Hammon responded with a smile and then turned his head towards his family sitting in the audience.

Fortunately, all of his family members were in attendance. His fiancée’s family also held their seats nearby. Hammon showed them aristocratic etiquette and bowed at the waist.

Then, a thunderous cheer erupted. Taking advantage of the commotion, Ashel sent a small thunderbolt (雷花) towards Evelyne sitting in the audience.

A beautiful dark blue flower that was harmless to touch. It was the result of pure mana manipulation without the aid of a formula.

This caused a stir, centered around the people sitting around Evelyne. Evelyne herself, however, merely hugged the flower and smiled brightly.

[Both sides to your positions.]

Seeing the two people who had finished greeting the distinguished guests, the announcer spoke. Ashel and Hammon immediately stood at their designated positions and looked at each other’s faces.

An awkward silence hung around the two. After a moment, Hammon was the first to open his mouth with a smile.

“Please take care of me.”

“Please take care of me.”

Ashel also accepted his greeting with a smile.

Amidst the warm atmosphere of the arena, cheers erupted from the audience.

This was the battle of the top student against the top student. The faces of those who had been indifferent to the previous duels were now filled with anticipation and interest. However, no trace of pressure could be found on the faces of the two people who carried their expectations.

[Swordsman Hammon Yankoff is prohibited from using lethal techniques, and Mage Ashel is prohibited from using high-level magic. The victory or defeat of the duel is decided when the opponent is incapacitated, surrenders, or when I deem it excessive. Keep this in mind.]

After the announcer explained the rules of the duel, he held a gold coin between his fingers.

[Then, begin.]

And without hesitation, he immediately flipped it.

*Clink*!!

The gold coin, making a cheerful sound, rose into the air. The coin, unable to defy gravity, quickly plunged towards the ground.

It was a fleeting moment for the audience. But both Ashel and Hammon were superhumans capable of splitting a moment to observe the instant.

As the coin passed each other, the two prepared attacks they were capable of using.

The moment the coin touched the ground.

[Myeoljin Jatak]

[Noegung]

*Kwaaaaaang*!!!

Sword and lightning collided simultaneously, filling the arena with a roar.

The announcer’s face stiffened slightly, perhaps not expecting such a spectacle from the start, and even before the dense smoke cleared, it turned into a snake and moved towards Hammon.

[Musaokmyeol]

A snake made of smoke wrapped around Hammon’s body. Hammon grimaced fiercely and sliced apart the snake that was beginning to constrict his arm, killing it.

“Is that… smoke magic?”

“Didn’t they say he was the disciple of Gaebyeok? Why is he using Yeonri magic?”

“Surely that strict Irina didn’t teach magic to someone else’s disciple?”

Upon seeing Ashel use the mist formula, the faces of the mages sitting in the audience hardened. Only Ermina, who accurately knew his magical abilities, cackled and shouted resonantly.

“You rascal! Use the Saintly Rank Formula too! Show them everything you can!”

“Ah, Ermina!”

Angelica, who was sitting next to her, tried to stop the suddenly animated Ermina, but Ermina did not stop.

“This is a place of proof! Give a blow to those who have only known you by rumor until now!”

Her shouts reached Ashel’s ears clearly. He chuckled and did as Ermina wished.

[Saintly Rank Spell Formula Application]

“That’s right, you rascal!”

[Elemental Spell Formula Combination]

[Double Casting]

[Twin Stars]

“That’s…!”

“It’s quite similar to Ermina-kyung’s magic… Surely…!!”

The faces of the mages who sensed Ashel’s mana flow were filled with shock.

Lightning formula, smoke formula. Following that, the flow of mana leading to the Saintly Rank Formula was incredibly smooth.

A free transformation of formulas to the extent that it didn’t feel like different schools of magic.

He even combined Elemental Formulas with Saintly Rank Formulas. Mages who knew how absurd that was could no longer sit still and began to stand up to observe the duel. The surrounding audience complained, but they, in turn, yelled at the audience.

“You know nothing! What that boy is doing right there—”

The moment an elderly mage with gray hair uttered those words. He immediately turned his head and stared at the arena, sensing a chill running down his spine.

And he saw it.

“……Hoo.”

The small red and black Twin Stars crossing the sky.

[Black Flame Star Advance]

*Hwarururuk*!!!

The Twin Stars, possessing overwhelming heat, advanced towards Hammon, creating shimmering heatwaves as if distorting space. Hammon gritted his teeth and thrust his sword towards the center where the Twin Stars were maintained.

*Paang*!!

A massive shockwave erupted as a result of forcibly severing the spell formula’s connection points.

Hammon’s body was pushed straight back, and Ashel gathered the scattered mana, retrieving it.

Normally, it would have been impossible for Hammon to sever Ashel’s magic. How could Hammon break his formula that didn’t even care about the interference of Archmages?

However, thanks to Ashel adjusting the low point of the formula and intentionally making the connection points unstable so that they would react violently even to Hammon’s interference, Hammon was able to forcibly break his magic.

“He cut the magic…! A monster is born in the Yankoff family…!”

“But the shockwave is too intense. If he does that a few more times, his arm will break completely.”

“As much as the damage is significant for the caster whose formula is broken, there shouldn’t be a big problem.”

Young mages debated as they looked down at the duel.

The backlash from a spell formula being forcibly dismantled is severe enough to literally crush the caster’s internal organs. The stronger the power of the magic, the fiercer the backlash, so Ashel’s physical condition probably wasn’t perfect either.

“No. That won’t happen.”

But their master denied their words. He clicked his tongue, looking at Ashel who was standing perfectly fine despite his magic being broken.

“Before the aftermath of the broken magic could return to himself, he absorbed it all and made it his own power source. He lost only a portion of the mana that caused the shock, and recovered the rest perfectly.”

“Huh? Is that possible?”

“I don’t know either.”

The master glared at the arena with wide eyes.

“But it seems possible for a monster.”

[Najin]

*Pazzzizizik*!!

He immediately released the recovered mana again. The spiraling lightning surged forward with the force to completely annihilate Hammon, who was rolling on the ground.

Hammon gritted his teeth and, instead of running backward, slid across the ground and rushed towards Ashel.

A perilous maneuver utilizing the magic’s blind spot. The audience erupted in cheers, and Hammon swung his sword towards Ashel’s neck.

*Kadeuk*!

“……!”

As expected, the sword tip twisted, blocked by Ashel’s shield.

A transparent barrier. Hammon’s face distorted at the sword strike, which contained aura but couldn’t even break a single shield.

“This is driving me crazy!”

“It would be easier to fight at long range.”

Ashel spoke casually towards Hammon, who was cursing. The moment both Hammon and the audience fell silent at his 평이한 어조 (plain tone).

“Because many of my spells have been revised for point-blank bombardment.”

[Danroe]

*Pazijik*.

A short lightning bolt that bloomed from Ashel’s hand lightly touched Hammon’s body.

And then.

*Pazzzizizizizik*!!!

“Khaaaak!!”

Hammon’s body convulsed, wrapped in dark blue lightning. Ashel struck his unguarded abdomen with shock magic. He was forcibly pushed towards a corner of the arena.

Distance was created in an instant. Hammon, with trembling hands, somehow gripped his sword, got up, and glared at Ashel.

Ashel looked down at him and reached a hand into the air.

“This distance should be the best.”

[Yeomban Chuk Hwa]

*Hwarururuk*!!

A banner made of flames was grasped in Ashel’s hand. A space domination spell that was originally classified as high-level magic but forcibly revised to a mid-level magic standard.

He immediately planted the banner in the ground, radiating heat and flames around it.

Hammon stared at the flames that stopped precisely right in front of him and let out a hollow laugh.

“……The rumors were just rumors.”

“……”

“You’ve already surpassed the level of being someone’s disciple. Just, just how many schools of magic can you use?”

“I don’t know well.”

Ashel replied with an indifferent expression.

“I just do what I can.”

“……Ha!”

Hammon spat out a mouthful of blood, staggered to his feet, and ignited aura onto the blade. Not stopping there, he enveloped his whole body in force to resist Ashel’s magic.

“Good.”

He swung his sword with all his might towards the banner planted beside Ashel.

[Japyeon Geomhyang]

*Swaeeeaek*!

The purple aura split into dozens of sword qi strands, striking the flame banner. The banner, unable to withstand the attack, split apart as the flames disappeared, and a shockwave erupted simultaneously.

Hammon, who this time withstood the shock with aura instead of being blown away, pointed the tip of his sword at Ashel and spoke.

“Even if I lose, I won’t leave disgracefully. The word surrender no longer exists in my mind.”

“……”

“Here I come. Future Archmage.”

Purple light burst from Hammon’s entire body.

“Please grant me enlightenment.”

“……Hmm.”

Instead of replying immediately, Ashel ignited electricity on his fingertips and flung it towards the sky.

Then, the clouds passing above the arena instantly turned dark blue, and.

[Natural Resonance]

[Spell Formula Maximization]

[Roeun]

*Kwaaaaaang*!!!

Giant lightning bolts fell to Ashel’s left and right.

Ashel smiled as he felt the electricity that had begun to electrify all matter existing in space.