"...Ice Sword. Is that all?"
"..."
I retreated, putting some distance between us.
Neither of us had landed a single blow yet.
However, from the exchange just now, I could roughly grasp his true strength. I understood it precisely because our abilities were so closely matched.
With how I was now, I couldn't reach him.
"Hey, now. This is a total letdown. The previous Ice Sword was much more dangerous."
I was under no obligation to respond, but it seemed he was seeking an answer from me regardless. He was the type of sorcerer who found joy in the clash of magic rather than the act of slaughter.
Without averting my gaze or letting my tension waver, I answered him.
"Do you know my Master?"
"Lydia Ainsworth, right? Of course I do. I fought her once... in the past."
"..."
"It was the first time I'd encountered a sorcerer I thought I couldn't defeat. She was a true Shura. I’ve spent years training just to reach that domain. I’ve fought just to make these tremors stop."
"..."
Looking closely, his fists were shaking. It wasn't just his fists—his powerful legs wouldn't stop trembling either.
I didn't know about Master's past before I met her. However, there was no doubt that she had once possessed strength akin to a Shura.
According to what I had heard from Abby-san and Carol, Master in her prime was truly a figure at the pinnacle of sorcery. Even when I met her, she was still in her prime, but they said she was truly at her strongest shortly before we met.
In other words, Paratrogo had encountered Master at her peak. She had engraved absolute terror into his very soul.
I remembered it, too.
Those eyes that looked as if they were peering into the Abyss.
Beyond them, there was nothing. A hollow void. Master’s cold, ruthless gaze from back then sent shivers down my spine even now.
"I heard that you've surpassed her. Surpassed Lydia Ainsworth. So, what's the truth of the matter...?"
Paratrogo shrugged and spread his arms wide as he asked.
"...I do not believe I have surpassed my Master."
"Hah. Is that so?"
"However, if we are talking about my potential capacity as a sorcerer... then I am likely superior."
"Hahahaha! You sure talk big! Hey! Hahahaha!!"
I spoke the truth, my expression taut. I certainly didn't think I stood above Master as a sorcerer yet.
However, there was one undeniable fact—a clear difference that existed between me and Master.
In that moment, I recalled my Master's words.
"Ray. You will surely become a sorcerer who surpasses me. You'll become an existence that my peak self couldn't even hope to reach."
Master had said that to me, her long golden hair swaying down to her waist.
"That... is not true."
I denied it. Me, surpassing Master? Such a thing seemed impossible.
"You've noticed it, haven't you? You are special. You are a vessel meant to stand at the top of all sorcerers."
"That is..."
I had noticed. The existence sleeping deep inside me.
"...Listen, Ray."
Master lowered her hips, bringing her eyes level with mine as she gave me heartfelt advice.
"Both you and I have talent. But talent cannot be drawn out without effort. And power can only truly be called power once you have mastered it."
"...Yes."
"You've seen them, haven't you? Those who drowned in their own talent and fell into ruin."
"...Yes."
"That's why, Ray. Possessing power comes with a corresponding responsibility. I'm sure the day will come when you understand that, too."
Master let out a sigh and gazed off into the distance, staring at the battlefield. What was she thinking on that battlefield, completely stained in red? I never truly understood the depths of my Master’s heart.
But her teachings remained engraved in my soul even now.
"I’m getting serious now... Don't let me down."
In an instant, the Prima Materia around Paratrogo converged. It was the magic that Ariane had used during the Magics Chevalier.
Ogrification.
Among the types of Origin Magic, it was one specifically specialized for physical attacks.
To be honest, since Ariane's version added an elemental affinity, it was hard to call hers completely specialized for physical combat. But Paratrogo's was different.
His limbs stained a dark reddish-black, completely changing color. The moment he smirked—his figure vanished into thin air.
"...Oops. Can you keep up with this?"
Without looking back, I caught his fist with my Ice Sword. I had significantly increased the durability of my weapon, yet from catching just a single punch, the Ice Sword cracked... and shattered into pieces.
"Make this fun for me, okay?"
From that point on, words were unnecessary. This was a battle in earnest—a fight to the death between sorcerers. It felt nostalgic to surrender myself to that sensation once more.
The battle with Instructor Gray and the battle with the Grim Reaper had both been life-or-death struggles. However, among them, this man was undoubtedly in a different league.
In the specific field of combat, he was likely a genius who ranked among the top in the world. That overwhelming massive build, that rare combat sense—and on top of all that, he had polished his magic specifically for combat.
I had seen many sorcerers during the Far East Campaign, but to think a sorcerer of this caliber still existed... The world was truly vast.
"..."
I continued to track the opponent's position using my Perception Field. If I relied on my vision, I would definitely be too slow.
"...Guh!"
Finally, I took a direct hit. I could perceive him, and I could track his position, but my body couldn't keep up. My physical reaction speed was failing to match my perception.
From then on, it was one-sided. I had my hands full just trying to defend, struggling to deflect blows from my vitals to ensure I wasn't killed in a single strike. As I was now, I possessed no means to completely block the attacks unleashed from those limbs.
"Ugh... cough... pant... pant... pant..."
Perhaps my internal organs were damaged; I coughed up blood. My ribs were broken, and I had fractures in my right arm and left leg. I was covered in wounds. No matter how many Ice Swords I had, they were meaningless if I lacked the skill to land a hit on my opponent.
"Is it over already?"
"..."
I stared at Paratrogo in silence. His face was a mask of disappointment.
"Phew... Even if you're the Ice Sword, I guess this is the limit for a brat."
"..."
Finally, I closed my eyes. What I heard then were the voices of Rebecca-senpai and Maria.
"Ray-san! Run!!"
"Ray!! That's enough! Run!!"
Their voices were trembling. The concentration of Prima Materia in this area was incredibly high—so high that an average sorcerer would have fainted. And yet, the two of them were worried about me instead of themselves.
I was sure they wanted to run away as soon as possible. Despite that, they whipped themselves up and desperately called out to me.
It's okay, both of you. Because this battle... was as good as over the moment it began.
"So you've given up."
He drew closer. As if he thought I had surrendered, Paratrogo approached slowly. However, his feet came to a sudden halt.
"Y-You bastard... what did you do?"
I opened my eyes. All the preparations were complete.
It seemed Paratrogo had realized it at the very last second, but it was already too late. If he was going to notice this, he should have done so the moment the battle started.
Codes had been steadily building up. From the moment the battle began, I had been using most of my Magic Area to construct a meticulous code.
Letting him cut my flesh to break his bones. I had faced Paratrogo while leaving just enough resources to ensure I didn't die.
This would have been meaningless if he had noticed. Magic that required this much time was limited to Extensive Magic or Extensive Chain Magic. In either case, the opponent would undoubtedly perceive it, because normally, it was impossible to suppress the overflowing Prima Materia.
But what if, hypothetically, one could control Extensive Magic or Extensive Chain Magic without letting any of it leak?
Based on that hypothesis, Master had created a new magic. I was simply putting that hypothesis into practice.
<<Prima Materia = Encoding = Material Code>> <<Material Code = Decoding>> <<Material Code = Processing = Deceleration = Lock = Compression>> <<Embodiment = Pycnogram = Material>>
"—Pandora."
In an instant, scarlet ice, stained in deep crimson, manifested within the world.