“Hyahahaha! Burn! Burn!”
“Ugh! This power is...!”
Flames erupted from both of Burn’s hands as he hurled them at Claire like he was playing a twisted game of dodgeball.
Claire managed to intercept the strikes with her barrier magic, but her expression tightened. The sheer force behind the impacts was far beyond anything she had anticipated.
“I’m nowhere near done! Let’s see how much longer you can hold out!”
“—!”
Claire desperately held her ground against the relentless barrage.
It was glaringly obvious that Burn wasn't even trying yet. He was playing with her, incrementally ratcheting up the intensity of his flames just to see how much she could endure before she broke.
Now then, what’s the plan, princess? I know you’re up to something...!
Even as he maintained his assault, Burn’s mind remained cold and analytical, searching for Claire’s true objective.
The fact that she had chosen to stay behind meant she had to have some sliver of a chance at victory. A girl like Claire would never commit to such a reckless stand without a strategy.
The most likely scenario was that she was stalling for reinforcements—but that seemed impossible.
The only ones in the enemy ranks capable of matching his strength were Yugo and Ryuga. According to the reports, those two were still occupied on the front lines, locked in combat with Dogma’s Group.
If that was the case, she must have some other way to incapacitate him. The question was: how?
He didn't believe a defensive specialist like Claire could have mastered any high-level offensive magic or techniques, but he couldn't rule out a desperate trump card.
Still, Burn decided that overthinking was beneath him. A predatory smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth.
“You’re fighting hard, princess. Why don’t we show your gallant struggle to your little friends?”
With a flick of his wrist, a massive image began to manifest in the sky above the academy grounds where the battle raged, shimmering like a giant projection.
The broadcast displayed Claire being driven into a corner, the paralyzed Marcos and his companions, and Burn looming over them with sadistic glee. Flashing a grin toward the camera for Yugo and the others to see, he spoke.
“Yo! You watching? Too bad for you, but your little diversion was a total bust. After all, I’m right here.”
“—!”
A wave of palpable tension rippled through Yugo and his allies as they saw the footage and heard Burn’s mocking voice.
Though he couldn't actually see their faces, Burn chuckled with delight, imagining their despair. He turned back to the image to issue his ultimatum.
“So, what’s it going to be? Are you going to keep fighting and watch your precious lady and your friends die? Or will you be good little boys and surrender? Make your choice.”
The plan remained unchanged. Once Yugo had committed to the assault, they would use the hostages as leverage to force a total surrender. That was the script.
Burn smiled with supreme confidence, certain that this would shatter the enemy’s morale and sow the seeds of hesitation. However, Claire’s voice cut through the air, screaming past him to the comrades she knew were watching.
“Don’t give in to his threats! I’ll be fine! Even if you surrender to Dogma’s Group now, they’ll only kill you anyway... You have to fight to the very end!”
“Ho...? You’ve got quite the mouth on you. I guess you really are ready for this!”
Claire was right; surrendering now wouldn't change their fate. Their only hope for a future lay in fighting on.
But if she met a gruesome end right here, the blow to the coalition’s spirit would be catastrophic.
“Yugo-sama... I believe in you. I put my absolute faith in your choice and your answer.”
Is she finally making her move? Fine! Whatever you try is useless!!
Claire took a long, steadying breath. After a soft, determined smile, her magic power began to surge.
Seeing her staring him down, clearly preparing for a final act, Burn smirked inwardly. He was glad she had finally taken the bait.
“Hah...! Haaaaah!”
Light coalesced in both of Claire’s hands as she charged straight at Burn.
Burn watched her approach with a sneer. Enveloping his fist in a roaring shroud of fire, he swung with everything he had.
“Too slow! You really think someone like you can even lay a finger on me?!”
“Gah...!”
“CLAIRE!”
Burn’s merciless, flame-wreathed fist slammed into Claire’s defenseless midsection.
The resulting explosion sent her spiraling across the gymnasium floor. She tumbled through the dust, groaning in agony as she coughed up a spray of crimson blood.
“Gah... hah... haa... haa...!”
“Still breathing? You should’ve just died from that one hit. It would’ve spared you the pain of what comes next!”
Claire struggled to her feet, a shadow of her former self. Her usual refined grace was gone, replaced by a battered, wretched state.
Sections of her uniform were scorched to ash, and her abdomen, where the blow had landed, was a mess of horrific burns. Her face was twisted in a mask of pure suffering.
She could barely even stand, yet she forced herself up. Burn watched her with a mixture of pity and sadistic pleasure, certain of his triumph—until she spoke.
“Thank... you...! Because of you... my goal has finally been reached...!”
“What...?”
Burn’s expression faltered as he looked at Claire, who was smiling despite the blood dripping from her lips.
Wondering if she had managed to strike him in that split second, he checked his own body for damage, but Claire continued her cryptic explanation.
“You might act like a battle-crazed lunatic, but underneath that, you’re cold and calculating. If you had seen through my objective, you would have done everything in your power to stop me... I just needed to get close to this person. And I just needed to be able to cast this one spell... Both of those things were only possible because you punched me exactly where I needed to go. Truly... thank you.”
“No way—!”
Claire’s reckless charge had never been intended to hurt him. It was a calculated risk to use Burn’s own strength to propel her toward her real target.
She had reinforced her defenses just enough to survive and hoarded her remaining magic power for this singular moment. Reaching her destination, Claire’s smile widened as she threw her arms out.
“This is everything I have... the one thing I must do. Please, take this... Affection Revive!”