I charged.
Planting my feet firmly against the earth, I locked my gaze on his incoming assault.
By utilizing Quick Magic to fire off a relentless succession of Fireballs and Fire Pillars, he maintained a steady offensive. It was nothing short of a carpet bombing.
Perhaps he had already realized he was outmatched in cross-range combat, as he had opted for a strategy centered entirely on long-range magical bombardment.
"Oraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
I stared him down as he let out a savage war cry.
At that same moment, I sensed a shift in the air. It was a spell that fused Quick Magic with Chain Magic—a technique that required an immense volume of mana.
Mr. Alium was by no means weak. On the contrary, he was an excellent Sorcerer, a fact made clear by the exchange we’d had thus far. However, I could only qualify that praise by adding that he was excellent for a student.
His current Chain Magic offensive consisted of a sequence of roughly twenty codes.
A deluge of fire rained down upon the world. The training grounds had been transformed into a crimson purgatory. While the ground had not quite reached its melting point, it was scorched to a blackened crisp.
Of course, those flames would not burn forever.
He was aiming for a direct hit.
But as I was now, he could never reach me.
"..."
I silently wove through the onslaught, dodging each strike. Holding my sword low and parallel to the ground, I threaded through the successive waves of magic, sprinting forward.
A moment ago, I had removed a fraction of the limits I’d placed on myself. Having come this far, I could no longer afford to hold back completely.
While I had no intention of fully awakening as the Ice Sword Sorcerer, I was already beginning to show glimpses of that true power.
"What... is that?"
"What's going on?"
"Is that guy really an Ordinary?"
Voices drifted in from the sidelines.
But right now, I had no need for sound. My brain had already begun to filter out all extraneous information.
It was a unique sensation—the result of practical combat techniques I had polished and refined through Master’s teachings and my time in the Far East Campaign.
"Shit!! Shit!! Shit!! Shit!! Shit!! God dammit allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!! Just stay still alreadyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!"
He howled.
He had completely lost control of his emotions, and that instability manifested clearly in his magic.
The number of codes in the Chain Magic birthed from his hysteria likely rivaled fifty. A rain of fire poured down all at once. The waves overlapped repeatedly, the count climbing to a hundred, two hundred, and then three hundred. Catching a glimpse of the perimeter, I saw that the stray magic was reaching the spectating students, though they appeared to be managing a minimum level of self-defense. Mr. Alium, however, was completely out of control. Without any regard for his surroundings, he simply wove magic according to the dictates of his rage.
Magic is often influenced by personality traits; extraverted individuals tend to be proficient with the Fire Attribute, while those who are introverted favor the Ice Attribute. He was a textbook example of the former, and he clearly possessed immense confidence in this particular spell.
The scale of his layered attacks grew. The area was so dominated by crimson flames that not a single inch of the ground remained unburnt.
Yet, I continued to evade the strikes by utilizing a certain magic. It was not an Inside Code for Physical Reinforcement.
It was a feat possible only because I was activating this specific magic as the situation demanded.
To any other Sorcerer, it likely looked as though I were slipping through a rain of fire and wading through a sea of flames.
"Why!!? Why won't it hit youuuuuuuuuuuu!!!"
Magic triggered by raw emotion certainly has quantity, but its quality suffers. Stagnation occurs within the Code Theory because the logical processes begin to collapse. While the phenomenon of magic still manifested in the world, it vanished almost immediately after being cast. Although my footprints were left clearly in the scorched earth, it was impossible for him to deal me any actual damage.
"Your code construction formula is sloppy."
If Master were here, that is undoubtedly what she would have said.
"...Well then, I've seen enough."
I muttered to myself. I had already seen the bottom of his reservoir.
I had already predicted his most proficient magic. From my next move to his likely response, the mental imagery in my mind was complete.
In an instant, I kicked off the ground with a heavy thud and dashed in a straight line toward Mr. Alium. He had already discarded his sword, allocating all of his resources to magic construction.
Watching me close the distance while evading every single one of his attacks, there was only one move left for him.
He would undoubtedly play his trump card.
"Hehehe... I don't care anymore... I don't care what happens to youuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!"
Still screaming, Mr. Alium opted for Extensive Magic.
As the name implies, it refers to large-scale magic that requires writing an enormous magical formula into the Code Theory to manifest its power in reality.
"Febris Dracooooooooooooooo!!!!"
As he raised both hands toward the sky, a dragon of fire manifested.
It plummeted toward me, racing from the heavens to the earth. It was on a completely different level than anything he had cast previously. The dragon lunged at me, its size enough to envelop me entirely. Its magical codes were layered many times over; even a glance revealed the high level of skill involved. Mr. Alium was certainly not weak. But he was still green. I knew this because I had survived the Far East Campaign. That wasn't arrogance; it was pure fact.
The dragon opened its maw wide, intending to swallow me whole.
I knew this spell. I knew it all too well.
Febris Draco is a High-tier Magic belonging to the Extensive Magic category. It is a dragon of fire that captures the target's Prima Materia and tracks them relentlessly. Very few are capable of wielding it. For a student to use this was a sign of extraordinary talent.
However, if one becomes arrogant based on talent alone, a Sorcerer's limits soon become apparent. Even Master, who possessed far more talent than I, forced herself to endure an almost unthinkable level of effort. Talent is not enough. A Sorcerer achieves greatness only by intertwining multiple disciplines.
"...How nostalgic."
I whispered the words.
On the battlefield, magic of this scale was common. I had spent my life fighting in the middle of it.
That was why I had mastered the countermeasure long ago.
"Whew."
As I looked up at the looming threat, I incorporated a specific magic into my blade. The technique to weave magic into a physical object is known as Trans.
I transferred the magic into the metal.
Then, I simply swung my sword at the gargantuan dragon of fire. Without hesitation or fear, I executed the move as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Even though it was a crimson beast that threatened to incinerate me, the concept of hesitation did not exist in my mind. The heatwave threatened to mercilessly scorch my skin through sheer momentum, but it was a level of pain I could easily endure. I wasn't being directly burned.
To most people, the idea of facing such magic with a mere sword would be laughable—an impossibility. But as I was now, even the impossible was within reach. The Seven Grand Sorcerers are existences that transcend humanity. They could be described as monsters. If they weren't, they could never stand at the pinnacle of the world.
"...Is this all?"
With a sharp whistle of air, I swung my sword again, and the fire dragon was utterly dispersed.
I had literally sliced through an Extensive Magic spell—the High-tier Febris Draco. The path where the dragon had passed told the story of the spell's power. The ground was scorched, with several spots beginning to melt. Talent and effort. Only with both can one reach this domain. Even though he was driven by hate and rage, the fact that Mr. Alium had controlled such a spell was worthy of praise.
But now the Febris Draco was gone, and the flickering embers dancing in the air signaled his total defeat.
"Na... ah... ha...!!?"
Whether he was suffering from Deficiency due to the excessive mana drain or simple shock, he fell back, pressing his hands into the dirt. His eyes were filled with the terror of one who had witnessed something beyond comprehension. He looked at me as if I were a monster rather than a fellow human. Seeing that look, I felt nothing.
I had realized long ago that I was a monster.
"D... Don't come closer!! Don't come any closer!!"
I maintained a steady, leisurely pace. My boots crunched against the scorched earth, marking each step as I approached him—a living testament to the fact that I had crushed his magic.
The match was over. His spirit was broken, and the knowledge that he could never defeat me was now burned into his soul.
"Ray!! Look out!!!"
"Ray!!"
"Ray-kun...!!"
I heard the voices of my three friends. A student standing diagonally opposite the others had unleashed a spell at me. It was blatant interference by a third party. I hadn't exactly expected it, but I wasn't surprised. Aside from Amelia, Evi, and Elisa, the students here were nobles who despised me. I had considered the possibility of them resorting to such cowardice. From my perspective, however, their attempts were merely naive.
"...It's fine. Something of this level won't hurt me."
I spoke with calm composure. Without even turning to look at the spell, I swung my sword behind me. The air was currently thick with Prima Materia left behind by Mr. Alium's spells. Since he had used Fire Attribute codes, Fire Attribute magic was particularly easy to manifest in this space right now.
The student had fired a Fireball, but such a thing was useless against me. I dealt with it exactly as I had with the dragon—by slicing it in two with my broadsword.
"Wha...!?"
The voice likely belonged to the student who had cast the spell.
With my senses sharpened, I could perfectly grasp the flow of magic in the immediate area. More specifically, I could track the torrent of Prima Materia that served as the foundation for all magic.
Though I had not fully regained the strength of my prime, I was close enough. I arrived before him with detached, cold eyes.
The student who had interfered, along with the others, stood paralyzed in stunned disbelief.
"Hii...!"
I pointed the tip of my sword toward him.
"Mr. Alium," I said. "May I consider this my win?"
"Ah... I—I don't mind losing... is what you thought I'd sayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!"
In that split second, he activated a Fireball via Quick Magic. It took less than a second to manifest; he must have had it prepared the entire time. He had feigned terror to lure me in, waiting for the moment I let my guard down.
It was a rational and effective tactic. Even though he was dominated by emotion, he had thought carefully about how to take me down.
In truth, there were no clear rules in this fight. Cowardly methods were often the most effective in a real battle. However...
"Na... haah... it vanished... you say!!?"
As I slid my left hand—the one not holding the sword—to the side, the magic simply flickered out of existence. Just as before, the magic was wiped from the world.
"Magic neutralization...!!? I've never heard of such a technique!!"
"Strictly speaking, it is not neutralization."
"Then... is it decomposition!!?"
"No, it is not decomposition either. I told you, didn't I? I told you I would teach you how vast the world is. The world you see is not everything. And while I said I would teach you that vastness, I am also someone who is simply overwhelmed by it. We are both still only partway through our journeys."
"Why... you!! You're actually a noble, aren't you!!? An illegitimate child of the Three Great Noble Families!! Right!!?"
"No. I was undoubtedly born an Ordinary. But even an Ordinary can use magic, and I can fight... like this. Birth is important, but it is not everything. Forgive my insolence, Mr. Alium, but I believe you could grow much more if you understood that."
"...I... just what am I..."
He no longer had any will to resist.
Mr. Alium collapsed where he sat, the life seemingly drained out of him. Prostrate on the ground, he let out a wail of pure lamentation.
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"
The frustration must have been unbearable.
He had suffered an utter defeat at the hands of an Ordinary he had spent his life looking down upon. Because he was an excellent Sorcerer, he was able to understand the clear chasm that existed between us—a gap so wide he likely didn't know if he could ever close it.
But if he could recognize that gap, it was a start.
He could use that frustration as a springboard to fight again and to learn. This wasn't a battlefield where a single defeat meant death.
Shedding tears of lamentation was a necessary part of the process.
"Ray! Are you okay!?"
"You... you just sliced that fire dragon apart!!? How the hell did you do that!!?"
"Ray-kun... just who are you...?"
Amelia, Evi, and Elisa approached from the sidelines.
Since I had shown them this much, perhaps there was no longer any need for secrets. It was fine. I didn't care if they found out. I had been living my life while deceiving the three people I cared for most, but I had known all along that the deception was bound to fail. I had no intention of revealing my identity to the entire school, but to these comrades... I didn't mind if they knew everything. They had become that important to me.
Just as I was about to reveal my background...
"Wha!!?"
"Kyah!"
"Uoh!"
"...Eh!!?"
The sudden pressure was something no ordinary Sorcerer could endure. Instantly, everyone except me was slammed to the ground, forced prostrate. The noble students nearby had already lost consciousness, collapsing in heaps.
At this moment, only five of us—including Mr. Alium—remained conscious.
Then, from nowhere, as if stepping out of the shadows, a familiar voice reached my ears.
"Hahaha... wonderful. No, truly wonderful. A fine friendship. However, you all are about to become sacrifices. No, no need to look so glum. You are contributing to the great development of magic. Doesn't that make you proud? Isn't that right, Ray White?"
"You are...!!"
In this crushing atmosphere, I was the only one who could move.
I felt it. This was no longer normal. At the same time, I was struck by a wave of nostalgia. This was the same pressure I had felt on the battlefields of the Far East Campaign. This was the scent of death.
"Now then, now then. How shall I dispose of you... well, I suppose I have to do something about Ray White first. You seem to be able to move for some reason... fufu..."
She narrowed her eyes, and I knew instantly—she was far from normal. Her gaze was filled with a clear, focused murderous intent that far eclipsed Mr. Alium’s. I had seen those eyes many times before. They were the eyes of someone accustomed to slaughter.
"Instructor Gray... so it was you."
"Fufu. Doesn't your heart dance? Come, let us fight to our heart's content."
Instructor Gray. Her current form was worlds apart from the woman I saw in the classroom. The cold, bold smirk on her face made that very clear.
I have no choice. I have to release it.
The Ice Sword Sorcerer.
The time had come to demonstrate my true worth—my full power. My experience told me that if I didn't get serious, I would lose. And if I lost, the students here would be slaughtered. This place had already become a battlefield. I could tell that much from the air alone.
Master. I'm sorry. This is a situation where I have no choice. I cannot back down. To protect everyone here... I have to return to the man I was in my prime, just for a moment.
After apologizing to Master in my heart, I spoke the command.
"Chronos Lock, Release."
For the first time in three years, the Ice Sword Sorcerer manifested in this world.