“Also, I want to match names with faces, so introduce yourselves with either your given name or family name before stepping onto the field. That’s the protocol from my side.”
“…Hazen.”
“…Kuner.”
“Hmm, Hazen Reyes, Kuner Harold, Gale Carlisle. Got it. Nice to meet you all.”
“……”
I bowed my head to the three brats.
Even if they were insolent kids, a mock battle was still a mock battle. Proper etiquette had to be observed.
…Or so I thought, but the three of them looked surprised, and the other students were staring blankly.
“Don’t tell me, is bowing before a mock battle no longer a thing?”
“…Yes, I heard that custom disappeared a while back,” Cyril answered my question.
“Seriously… Proper education should include things like this. Oh well, in my class, we’ll bow before mock battles. Come on, even if you find me annoying, manners like these are—”
“Lightning Bullet!”
One of the brats cut me off, thrusting his hands forward and constructing a spell.
Unlike the straight line of lightning from earlier, this time, tennis ball-sized spheres of lightning floated around him.
“Wha—!? The match hasn’t started yet, Gale!”
“Shut up! Die, you damn substitute teacher!”
What a piece of work this kid is…
That said, his aim wasn’t half-bad. He’s at least thinking somewhat.
Snap!
“What—!? What did you do!?”
The lightning bullets reached where I had been standing, but every single one missed their mark. I simply used a body enhancement spell with no incantation to dodge normally right before the lightning magic hit.
In spellcasting, there are three types: incantation, incantation-less casting, and spell name declaration. The order determines decreasing power and effectiveness. What he used was spell name declaration, skipping the incantation entirely. In real combat, spell name declaration and incantation-less casting are generally used.
As for me, I usually activate spells by snapping my fingers. While technically classified as incantation-less, the snap serves as a trigger, allowing me to construct spells almost as quickly as spell name declaration but with power close to incantation levels.
“What did I do? I just used a body enhancement spell to dodge.”
“I-impossible!”
…In battles between mages without tanks, body enhancement magic is essential. This brat didn’t use it, so he couldn’t follow my movements.
Hmm… Seems like even basic strategies have changed in the last ten years. They aren’t focusing on the fundamentals.
“Ambushing before the start isn’t acceptable, but choosing Lightning Bullet wasn’t a bad decision. Reflective magic like Reflection can’t handle multiple wide-area attacks at once. Plus, you chose your trajectory so that even if it bounced back, you wouldn’t hit yourself. At least I’m reassured you didn’t get into this academy without ability.”
“O-of course… Gah!”
With my enhanced body, I closed the distance in an instant and grabbed the brat by the throat.
“What a shame. I was just praising you, but now I’m deducting points. In a mock battle, you’re supposed to attack aggressively even when I’m explaining. But that aside…”
“Gahh!!”
“Don’t throw around words like ‘die’ or ‘kill,’ brat. You’ve never even been in a life-or-death situation. And don’t start learning to be sneaky at a young age. You have enough power—come at me head-on after you’ve mastered it.”
“Gale!”
Buzzzzzzz!
After landing a palm strike to the brat’s stomach, I sent him flying out of the field. Naturally, being out of bounds meant he was declared incapacitated, and the buzzer sounded as his light went out.
If kids learn to be sly too early, they’ll keep doing it as adults. Better to correct it now.
“Cough, cough!”
Though he seemed to be in pain, the damage dealt within the field was reduced to a tenth, so it wasn’t a big deal.
This isn’t corporal punishment, mind you. The defensive magic class teaches combat against monsters and other people. It’s like judo or kendo lessons in my old world—experiencing some pain helps them grow.
“G-Gale! Fire Lance!”
“Damn you, substitute teacher! Stone Bullet!”
Hazen and Kuner launched fire and earth spells at me from both sides.
Hmm, their spell construction is slower than Gale’s. So that was considered fast.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
“What!? Fire Lance!”
Hazen’s Fire Lance was reflected by my Reflection spell.
Honestly, even though Gale was taken out, they’re too flustered. They’re repeating the same mistakes.
“Urgh, aghhh!”
Hazen managed to dodge the reflected Fire Lance due to the distance, but my own weaker Fireball struck him where he dodged to.
“Guh! Gah!”
Meanwhile, the flying rocks Kuner launched were shattered by my Wind Bullet spell, one of which hit Kuner in the stomach.
Buzzzzzzz!
The buzzer sounded again as the remaining two lights went out, signaling their incapacitation.
“Hmm, so this level of damage counts as incapacitated.”
I wanted to see at least one more spell from each of them, but I miscalculated. For the next students, I’ll adjust the output and evaluate their responses more thoroughly, aiming to observe at least two spells each.
“Hazen, strong spells are easily countered by skilled opponents. Use smaller spells to disrupt and then land the decisive blow. Kuner, you had numbers, but each one was too weak. And for all three of you—move more. I intentionally stayed still as a target, but standing still just invites attacks.”
“Damn it!”
“Gale!”
With Gale leading, Hazen and Kuner ran out of the training grounds.
At least their injuries don’t seem serious. Their attitudes are still bratty, but for a start, this will do.
