326: The Great Horde, Part 2 (Carta’s Side)

Cecil had seen this coming.

She’d analyzed the unique properties of this wasteland and realized what this exam actually signified. It was a Calamity.

We’re currently fighting a simulated Calamity, I realized.

The Shrine was a high-value target to be protected, the teachers played the role of the Demon Race, and then there were the "unknown organisms"—the monsters. This was a life-or-death struggle on a massive scale, and in this vast, open land, there was no telling what would happen next.

A horrific battle was about to kick off. And yet, as inappropriate as it probably was, I felt a surge of pure excitement. This was my chance to see exactly how far I could push my own power.

I took a deep breath, hopped off the staff I’d been straddling, and simply hovered in place. Then, using my Mana, I stuck the staff firmly to my back.

I’ve been thinking about this for ages, I mused. Why on earth am I straddling a stick to fly through the air?

Sure, you need a staff to control your Mana—that was just Magic 101. But honestly, as long as the focus was touching my body, it shouldn't really matter where it was positioned. My brain understood the logic, but whenever my heart wavered or I felt that flicker of doubt, the mental image would blur and I’d lose my grip on the spell.

But it’s okay now. I can control it.

Everyone was getting so much stronger—Weiss-kun, Allen, even Cecil. But I’d worked just as hard. No, I could say with total pride that I’d put in more effort than anyone.

The moment the massive horde of monsters began their charge, I threw myself into a high-speed dive toward the ground.

Once upon a time, Lady Cynthia had snapped my staff like a twig. Back then, I’d been helpless, doing nothing but screaming as I plummeted through the air the second I lost control of my Mana.

But that wouldn't happen today.

Everyone was leveling up—learning new tricks, inventing techniques, and covering for their weaknesses. I wasn't about to be the one left behind. I wanted to take my favorite thing—my Flight Magic—and make it something even more free. To the point where, eventually, I wouldn't even need a staff at all.

"I'll take the lead and draw them in!" I shouted. "Olynn, move to the next Shrine as soon as you've finished the Subjugation!"

"—Got it! Whoa... that’s incredible..." Olynn stammered.

"Tura! I'm counting on you!"

"Leave it to me! You're really something, Carta!"

After calling out to Olynn, I zipped through the gaps in the Cyclops horde, firing off Mana Cannons as I went. I didn't actually need to kill them; I just needed to soften them up. If I could do that, Olynn could turn the survivors into allies, and Tura could mop up the rest.

Look at me, Weiss-kun.

I'm not a coward anymore. I'm right here at the very front.