“Then, let us begin the mock battle. Bow to each other.”
Inside the training field, Eliza and Gale face each other and bow. Eliza bows as usual, while Gale bows much deeper than he normally does when facing me.
Since this is the first mock battle between students, I decided to temporarily pause the Q&A session and take on the role of referee, allowing the other students to observe. Although I was slightly worried that the two might go overboard, both of them are exceptionally skilled in combat, so watching their fight will be a great learning experience for everyone.
Even without me saying anything, the other students seem quite interested in seeing how Eliza, an S-class student they rarely interact with, performs in battle.
“Then… Begin!”
“Physical Boost! Lightning Bullet!”
As soon as I gave the signal to start, Gale activated his physical enhancement magic while simultaneously forming his signature lightning magic. Moving at high speed to avoid giving Eliza a clear target, he launched a preemptive strike with his lightning bullets. It seems Gale has taken my advice to heart, as his magic formation speed has improved significantly, and he has clearly grown stronger since our earlier sessions.
On the other hand, Eliza hasn’t moved an inch from her starting position, nor has she used the basic physical enhancement magic.
Gale fires about five Lightning Bullets towards Eliza.
“………………”
“What the—!?”
Without saying a word, Eliza swings her right hand from left to right, and a translucent defensive magic barrier envelops her, blocking all of Gale’s Lightning Bullets.
“A crack has appeared… It seems there’s still a vast gap between me and you, Teacher Geek.”
…Well, true, the barrier did crack, but the fact that she managed to block Gale’s magic with that defensive spell alone is already remarkable.
Using magic without chanting and employing the method of snapping her fingers as a trigger for casting spells—something I usually do—Eliza has already mastered it well enough to use in actual combat. Her talent clearly sets her apart from others of her generation.
Of course, she has been diligently studying during our daily after-school sessions, but this level of skill is undoubtedly due to her innate talent.
Initially, she tried using finger snaps as her activation key, just like me, but she couldn’t snap her fingers properly. Even though sound isn’t necessary for triggering magic, it didn’t feel natural to her, so she decided to use a swing of her arm as the activation key instead.
“…Lightning Lance!”
Gale quickly switches tactics and forms a more powerful magic attack. With that kind of power, it would indeed be difficult for Eliza’s previous defensive magic to hold up.
As always, Gale’s combat instincts are impressive.
“…Stone Wall! Fire Storm!”
Realizing that her earlier defense wouldn’t be enough, Eliza cancels her chant and summons a shield made of earth magic to block Gale’s attack, then retaliates with a fire spell.
“Tch!”
Although the pillar of fire was massive, Gale, who had enhanced his physical abilities, manages to dodge it thanks to his increased speed.
“Wind Cutter! Water Ball!”
Eliza continues her assault with wind and water magic.
“Damn! What kind of magic is this!?”
Various elemental magics rain down on Gale one after another. As expected, Eliza’s magic is extraordinary…
When Eliza began participating in S-class practical exercises, I sparred with her myself. She can use all types of elemental magic evenly, and above all, I was astonished by the sheer amount of mana she possesses.
Magic requires mana to cast. Naturally, using multiple spells in quick succession or simultaneously consumes mana rapidly, but Eliza’s mana pool is simply outstanding. For an ordinary person, it would be nearly impossible to continuously cast spells of such power.
“Guh!”
Gale, who had been focusing on defense, starts getting hit by Eliza’s spells.
Even with his physical enhancement magic, it’s tough to keep dodging when being bombarded by so many different types of spells in rapid succession.
The other day, during the carriage ride, if we hadn’t been ambushed and instead fought head-on in an open area, even top-tier attackers might have struggled against Eliza.
BUZZZZZ!
“Damn it!”
Just as Gale gets hit by Eliza’s magic a few times, the buzzer signaling incapacitation rings. Though the pain is only a tenth of what it would be in a real battle, Gale’s expression shows more frustration than pain.
“That’s enough. Hmm, both of you performed admirably. Eliza, the speed and consecutive casting of various elemental magics were truly impressive.”
“Thank you, Teacher Geek. It’s an honor to hear that from you.”
“Gale, defending against those spells with only physical enhancement and minimal defensive magic was also commendable. There’s no need to feel disheartened.”
“………………Yes.”
Whether it’s because he lost to Eliza or because of the shock of losing in front of her, I don’t know, but Gale nods quietly to my words.
Perhaps it was also shocking for him that Eliza didn’t move a single step, but that’s her fighting style.
Rather than moving around to avoid being targeted, she prioritizes the speed and power of her spellcasting, leveraging her overwhelming mana reserves. Given that she has guards and Sophia to protect her, this strategy suits her well.
As for Gale, there’s absolutely no reason for him to feel discouraged. In fact, the bigger concern might be whether the other students who watched this mock battle will lose motivation after seeing such a high level of skill……
