094 Determination

I bolted from the spot, desperate to put some distance between us.

I wove through the trees at high speed, my heart hammering against my ribs—

Gooooooon!

Carta-san fired several Mana Cannons in my direction. I didn't panic, though; I knew it was just an intimidation tactic. There were no elemental attributes infused into her spells.

Flight Magic was non-attribute.

While its raw power was staggering, it lacked the secondary effects of elemental magic. Still, that lack of complexity made it terrifyingly efficient. When combined with her bottomless mana reserves, the results were devastating.

She was watching me from high above. She’s observing my every move through the canopy. Hiding is a waste of time.

I flooded the soles of my shoes with Ice Magic, coating them in a thick layer of mana. Every time my feet touched the forest floor, the ground froze instantly. It allowed me to skate across the terrain at several times my normal running speed.

The mana consumption is brutal, but God, I love how this feels.

In the distance, I spotted it: the boundary line for the next zone. I’d memorized the landmarks beforehand, so I knew that the towering giant tree marked the edge of safety.

I kicked into high gear, pushing my speed to the limit. I bet Carta-san is shaking right about now. She didn’t think I could move this fast!

But then—Carta-san fired again. Not once, but twice, then a third time, each blast more powerful than the last. The beams of light pouring from the heavens weren't meant to hit me; they were meant to pin me down. She was systematically—and violently—blocking my path.

As the dust settled, a crater even more massive than the first one gaped open before me. If I try to leap over that, she’ll swat me out of the air like a fly.

Even if I tried to fight her now, the Forbidden Area would swallow us both in seconds. I couldn't win. And even if I somehow pulled off a miracle, I’d lose all my points for being out of bounds.

All I could do was stand there and take whatever she threw at me.

I funneled mana into my eyes and stared up at the sky. Carta-san was looking right back at me. She leveled her palm in my direction, mana swirling around her hand. In a few seconds, she’d let loose another Mana Cannon.

But...

"Carta-san," I muttered, my voice steady despite the circumstances. "The real match starts now."

◆

Cynthia-san was staring up at me from the forest floor. I was sure she grasped the gravity of her situation.

I could have blocked her path from the start, but that would have given her too much time to think. I needed to back her into a corner where her only choice was to come at me.

I'm not underestimating her. Not for a second. There's always a chance her blade could reach me.

But I was out of time. I had to launch my attack from the safety of the sky, where she couldn't retaliate. This wasn't just a simple spell. This was a gamble—an attack that weighed the risk of expulsion against the hope of victory.

It’s a cowardly, dirty move... but I’m okay with that.

I would do whatever it took to win. That was the lesson I’d learned from Weiss-kun and Cecil-san.

The Forbidden Area was practically nipping at Cynthia-san’s heels. My magic was about to find its mark—

She wasn't moving. No, she couldn't move—

This is it. I've got her—

"Ice Shield!"

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Cynthia-san raised both palms, unleashing a staggering amount of mana to block my attack.

How?! Why?!

In a few dozen seconds, the Forbidden Area would touch her. I didn't understand. She shouldn't have had any moves left. Then, to my absolute shock, she fired back.

Accurately casting magic from such a long distance is a nightmare. Usually, your precision, focus, and power take a massive hit. But Cynthia-san’s Ice Magic was on another level. One touch from her attribute-heavy attacks would bypass almost any magic resistance.

I dodged the blast easily. Her aim is incredible, but at this distance, she’s lacking the speed to actually hit me.

Wait. She was just buying time.

Cynthia-san suddenly soared into the air. She was flying. She had sprouted Ice Wings.

What is going on?! She was moving at a terrifying speed. She had already burned so much mana on that defense. Between that, her offense, and her Flight Magic, she should have been running on fumes.

Why? Why challenge me to a fight you can't possibly win?!

Without a word, Cynthia-san readied Glacies. Absolute zero. If she even grazed me, I was finished. But as she moved, the wings on her back began to shatter, unable to sustain the mana output.

It made no sense. Even if she beat me, the Forbidden Area would strip her of every point she had.

Wait... could it be an Artifact? I’d never seen her use one. Maybe it was some kind of teleportation? Or a counter-ability?

She came straight for me. Her Ice Wings didn't flap; they were just a static image used to focus her intent. Magic is a world of imagery. She must have constructed them like that just to make flight possible. She’s a genius... but she’s slow. Way too slow.

I dodged her lunge and fired a Mana Cannon in the same breath. This time, it’s really over.

She blocked it again with another Ice Shield.

I don’t get it! I just don't get it!

There was no more time. If she refused to run, I’d just have to crush her with everything I had. I kneaded a massive amount of mana and unleashed a Mana Cannon directly at her. The air shrieked as the blast tore toward her.

I wanted to save my energy, but I don’t have a choice.

She couldn't block a blast this size with whatever mana she had left. Even if she dodged, she’d never have enough time to reach me afterward. And even if she did, I’d just fly away at full speed before her attack could connect.

If I did that, she’d be expelled for failing to exit the zone.

This is her last chance. She has to take the hit—

In that moment, Cynthia-san’s Ice Wings vanished. Did she deactivate them? Or was she finally out of mana? She didn't block. She didn't dodge. She just... fell.

"Why? Why, why, why?!"

If I bolted for the next area now, I’d be safe in less than two seconds. But she was plummeting. If she hit the ground and stayed in the zone, her points would be erased by the system, not awarded to me. If I fired more magic to finish her, it might mess with my own flight stability.

I have to leave. I have to go now!

But—

Finally, the Forbidden Area touched us.

[Forbidden Area. Please exit within 10 seconds. Points will be reset to zero.]

...No, I can still do this. I just had to dive, reach her, deliver one finishing blow, and get out. I’d get the points and a total victory.

I pulled out my dagger.

Don’t think. Just fly!

I moved faster than I ever had in my life. The sound of the wind slicing past my ears was deafening. I was shocked by my own speed. I can actually move like this?

I was going to make it. I reached Cynthia-san's side. One thrust to the heart and she’d be incapacitated instantly. I leveled my blade and struck—

Clang!

My heart nearly stopped. My dagger had been repelled. Her body felt like it was made of something far harder than human flesh.

Piki-piki.

Cracks spider-webbed across Cynthia-san's skin. The color drained from her, turning her body blue, then stark white, before she shattered into a thousand pieces.

"Mimicry Ice Magic!?"

In that split second, I lost my balance. No—it was broken. I spun around frantically and found her. The real Cynthia-san. She hadn't attacked me directly. She had destroyed my staff.

"I knew I could trust you, Carta-san," she said softly.

Flight Magic is a delicate art. I could fly without a staff, sure, but my speed would be pathetic.

"You are simply too strong, you see."

She placed her hand over my heart. In that moment, I finally understood what she was doing. My only option now was to trade blows and trigger a forced teleportation to get us out of the Forbidden Area.

In other words—a double knockout.

She must have given up on a standard win the moment I cornered her. Knowing she couldn't escape, she pivoted to minimizing her point loss. She never intended to run.

She’d moved the way she did just to keep me from thinking. She’d faked being exhausted to lure me in. She stalled me until the final seconds, diverted my attention, and trapped me here. Even if she lost, a mutual knockout was better than a total point forfeiture from the zone.

But wait... that’s insane. Even if she trusted my character, what if I had realized I wouldn't make it? If I’d been even a few seconds slower, I would have abandoned her and fled the zone at full speed.

She would have been expelled.

She’d actually factored that into her plan. Cynthia-san had plenty of points; losing this exam wouldn't ruin her life at the Academy. But the risk was still astronomical compared to the gain. No sane person would ever try this.

Unless... there’s one reason. One reason that explains why she’d gamble her entire future on a draw.

[Please exit within 7 seconds. Points will be reset to zero.]

The announcement blared through the area.

"That's so unfair, Cynthia-san," I sighed. "I can't beat someone who's willing to go that far."

"Fufufu, you realized? I believed in you, Carta-san. I knew you wouldn't leave me behind, and I knew you were talented enough to deliver a finishing blow even in the blink of an eye. I’m quite the coward for taking advantage of that, aren't I?"

My biggest fears for this exam had been Cynthia-san and her Ice Magic, and Allen-kun with his Flight Copy. They were the only ones who could challenge me in the air. I thought if I could just hold out until the final day, I could snipe whoever was left from the safety of the clouds. I was so sure I’d win.

Cynthia-san had seen right through me. She’d gambled everything... for Weiss-kun.

She wanted me out of the game so that Weiss-kun, who would undoubtedly be there at the end, would have an advantage. She risked expulsion just to give him a slightly better chance.

Hehe. Yeah, I definitely can't win against that.

"By the way," I asked, "your Artifact...?"

"You're curious, aren't you? My Artifact isn't for combat. It's purely for support."

"Let me guess... that’s for Weiss-kun’s sake too?"

"...In the end, I suppose I’m just not as greedy for victory as the rest of you. I told Weiss I wouldn't go easy on him, but the truth is, I’m prepared to die for the man I love. Besides, Carta-san, you were a worthy enough opponent to justify the sacrifice."

To risk expulsion for the sake of a single exam...

So that’s what it means to love someone. No wonder Weiss-kun acknowledges her—wait!

"C-Cynthia-san?! H-Hey! Stop rubbing them!"

"They’re so soft... If only I had this much..."

"Stop it! Not now!"

"Fufufu, you really are cute. I won't lose next time, Carta-san."

"Geez... Me neither."

[Please exit within 1 second. Points will be reset to zero.]

————

——

—

[Cynthia Violetta: Incapacitated. Points awarded to: Carta Wiore.]

[Carta Wiore: Incapacitated. Points awarded to: Cynthia Violetta.]

Both participants remained within the Forbidden Area. However, due to emergency teleportation triggered by mana depletion, no point forfeiture occurred.