On my day off from the Academy, I headed to the dungeon located on the school grounds.
It was the so-called "Beginner Dungeon," the same one that had been used for our previous practical exam. While you generally needed to have your skills officially recognized to enter, anyone could use it for personal training as long as they submitted an application.
Mr. Long-hair was the only teacher who knew the truth about my actual magical capacity, but he’d given me the green light on the condition that Yuka accompanied me. So, here we were.
Pathetic as it was, I’d take any advantage I could get. That was just my style.
"...Alright, let's do this."
"Please, do not push your—"
"I won't!"
I really wondered if Yuka’s overprotectiveness would ever be cured. No matter what I did, it was always "Don't push yourself" or "You mustn't." Give it a rest, Mom! (I was clearly in my rebellious phase.)
That aside, the reason I’d come here was obvious.
"F-Fireball!"
The magical power released from my palm sputtered into a faint ignition. I thought for a second it might actually reach the Small-person standing before me, but it followed a wobbly, pathetic trajectory and dropped like a stone before it even got close.
The fallen ball of fire let out a miserable little pop as it vanished against the floor.
The Small-person Type Monster tilted its head in genuine confusion.
Stop that. Don't look at me like you’re saying, "Wait, is that it?"
"...The wind was just against me that time! You’re lucky, you little brat!"
"Master Luka, we are currently inside a dungeon. There is no wind."
Could you please stop with the merciless, instant rebuttals?
The Small-person began charging toward me.
"Whoa, here it comes, here it comes!"
I reflexively scrambled backward. I stumbled. I nearly fell flat on my face. Crap, I messed up.
The monster’s club began its downward swing. However, a flash of silver slid into its path.
In an instant, Yuka was between us.
"Arte Rei."
The club was deflected, and the Small-person was sent flying into the wall. With a wet thud, blood splattered across the stone, and the creature went still.
...That was brutal. Honestly, it was a bit graphic. Where did she even learn an instant-kill spell like that?
A heavy silence filled the corridor. I remained sprawled on the ground, staring up at the ceiling.
"...Yuka, you didn't really have to save—"
"It was dangerous."
"But I said I’d do it alone, didn't I?"
"You were about to die."
I wouldn't have died from just that! Probably!
I stood up and brushed the dust off my clothes.
"That was just a test, Yuka. I was feeling things out."
"This is the third time, Master Luka. The third time you have nearly been injured."
Shush.
I let out a soft sigh. I knew it, deep down.
My magic was slow. It lacked power. It lacked accuracy.
With a magical repertoire that combined all three of those flaws, I had zero chance of winning a head-on exchange.
"Yuka."
"Yes?"
"Do you think I should be focusing on increasing my firepower right now?"
Yuka took a moment to consider.
"...No."
Well, I figured as much.
"Seeking destructive power with your current mana pool, Master Luka, would be inefficient."
Gah! That was a piercingly accurate piece of golden advice. It felt like a physical blow.
I leaned my back against the rough stone wall.
"I thought so..."
I let my gaze wander across our surroundings. The Beginner Dungeon was full of narrow passageways, poor visibility, and sharp corners.
"This kind of terrain... I can make use of this."
Yuka narrowed her eyes slightly.
"What are you thinking?"
"I just shouldn't try to shoot them from the front."
It was a commoner’s idea—the kind of thing anyone could think of—but depending on the situation, it could be incredibly effective.
"I just need to pin them down."
"...Restraint?"
"Exactly."
I held out my hand. My fire magic was actually more stable when I didn't try to turn it into a proper flame. Or rather, it was easier to maintain in an unstable form.
"Smoke."
A thin, grey haze billowed out softly. It wasn't thick enough to completely blind someone, but it was enough to make everything in the area blurry and indistinct.
"I can keep this stable."
It was a derivation of Fire Attribute magic—one that reproduced only the smoke generated by combustion. The mana consumption was light enough that I could maintain it for a significant amount of time, and there was no risk of it blowing up in my face.
"I’ll use the smoke to cut their line of sight. Then, I’ll lure them in."
Yuka listened to my explanation in silence.
"In a narrow space like this, it’ll be a playground for Elicia and Serena."
"And you?"
"I won't even step out."
I made a definitive declaration of my intent to stay hidden in the back.
"Yuka, I'm going to try it on another Small-person. You harvest it when I’m done."
"...Will that actually serve as training?"
"It will, it will. Just watch."
I peered down the passage again. This time, a pair of Small-people were loitering further in.
"Let's do this."
"Understood. I shall not interfere until the lure is complete."
I ducked behind a corner and took a deep breath. I flicked a tiny, flickering spark at one of them. It had no power, but it served its purpose. It got its attention.
The monster charged toward me in a rage. Perfect.
"Smoke."
The haze billowed out, obscuring its vision. I turned and ran into a narrow side passage, letting my footsteps ring out intentionally loud.
One of them followed... is the other one hesitating? At any rate, I’d succeeded in splitting them up.
As I reached the corner, I slid into the shadows. The Small-person came skidding around the bend, and at that exact moment, a quiet flash struck from behind.
The monster collapsed instantly. Yuka appeared from the gloom.
"That was wonderful, Master Luka."
"It's the ultimate 'weakling's way of fighting,' I suppose."
"That is perfectly fine for you, Master Luka. As for me, I simply do not want you pushing—"
While Yuka continued her lecture, I let out a slow, steady breath.
This was it. A style where I didn't have to stand at the front, where I wouldn't be targeted. I could be the decoy. I couldn't expect firepower from myself anyway, so I’d just focus on manipulating the board.
"One more time."
This time, I’d try it with three of them. I wiped the sweat from my brow.
I couldn't become strong. Not in the conventional sense. In that case, I just had to create a situation where my allies could do their jobs easily. I would carve out a role that only I could fill.
As I headed deeper into the dungeon, I murmured to myself.
"...Being a sore loser is a lot of work."
"...Yes, it is," Yuka replied instantly. "However, I will follow you wherever you go, Master Luka."
I smiled, just a little.
There wasn't much time left until the exam. I’d share this strategy with the other two and then we’d start the real training.
Finally, my time had come! I was finally going to play a part in this story!