The first match concluded without a hitch.
Without a moment to savor the victory, the next match was already slated to begin. As we emerged from Kafka Forest, applause erupted from the crowd watching the broadcast on-site.
The cheers were primarily directed at Amelia and Ariane in praise of their performance. Meanwhile, our classmates let out a thunderous, unified roar of approval.
"White! You’re way too amazing!"
"Congratulations! That was an incredible match!"
"That was insane, White! Who even are you!?"
Bright, energetic voices called out from all around us. Hearing them, I offered a light wave with a faint smile.
"It seems everyone is finally starting to realize how incredible you are, Ray," Amelia said.
"Yes. It certainly seems so," Ariane agreed, both of them nodding.
For my part, I felt it was beneficial to have demonstrated a few things to the other teams in this match.
By making them wary of me, Ariane and Amelia would be granted more freedom to move as they pleased.
"Well then. I’m going to stay and watch the next match. You two should go ahead and shower."
"But it feels wrong to leave you here on your own..."
"Exactly! It would be quite improper!"
"I’m sure you’re bothered by the grime, though. It's only natural after a match. Don't worry about me. I'm heading straight to the Colosseum to catch the next bout."
"If Ray says so..."
"Let us take him up on his kind offer, then, Amelia."
I parted ways with the two of them there, with plans to regroup once they finished cleaning up. A significant number of matches from League A through League G were scheduled to take place today.
For the sake of our future strategy, I couldn't afford to miss a single one.
I made my way to the Colosseum on foot and headed toward the seats that had been prepared for us.
"Master. Carla-san. And Lise-san—it has been a while."
"Oh! Ray! You were quick!"
"The next match is starting soon, after all."
"That is a good attitude. Yes, quite right."
Indeed, we had secured seats near Master. Carla-san had arranged them for us so we could observe the upcoming matches, which was a tremendous help.
Once I took my seat, Master began to ask about the previous match.
"Ray. It seems the match went well for you."
"Yes. However, I must admit I didn't anticipate Emerald Garden."
"Ah. That would be the daughter of House Hartnett. I had heard she was skilled in sorcery, but to think she possessed Origin Magic. Still, that particular spell is not specialized for offense. It should have been easy to deal with, no?"
"I wouldn't call it easy per se, but it was relatively simple to counter. Besides, since I primarily use Inside Code, the fact that it didn't affect my environment much was a major factor."
As we reflected on the match, Lise-san joined the conversation.
"Ray White. I was watching as well. Congratulations on your victory."
She reached out to request a handshake, and I firmly grasped her slender hand.
"Thank you very much."
"Even so, you manage your matches quite skillfully. Was ceding the third capture point a strategy from the very beginning?"
"Yes. If we took the first and second points completely, the opponents would surely become impatient. My plan this time was to take the first, second, and fourth points to end the match early. There were unexpected developments like Emerald Garden, but for the most part, the match went according to plan."
If I were to be critical, I would have liked to settle the matter before Emerald Garden was cast. In the first place, I shouldn't have given them the time to activate it.
However, I was hindered by the Charlier sisters' magic, which allowed the activation to proceed.
Fortunately, it wasn't an offensive Origin Magic, so we managed to win, but this will be a point for future reflection.
I hadn't factored in the possibility of her using Origin Magic; that was a lapse in my own thoroughness.
"Fufu. Naturally, Ray is my disciple, after all! That much is to be expected!"
Master was in an unusually good mood. She had been smiling ever since we met and looked quite pleased.
However, her gaze quickly sharpened.
"But Ray. Regarding this match. You realize there are many points to reflect on, don't you?"
"Yes. Of course."
I understood the areas for improvement, and Master expanded on the topic.
"First, taking the points to end the match early is fine. However, giving them the breathing room to unleash Origin Magic was poor form."
"I have no excuse."
"Well, I'm sure you understand this well enough, but if you were to truly shut them out of that match, you should have sealed the activation of that Origin Magic then and there."
"It was my blunder. I underestimated the Charlier sisters' resolve. Furthermore, since she was a daughter of the upper nobility who excelled in magic, I should have considered the possibility of Origin Magic."
"Quite right."
From there, Master continued to pick apart the flaws in the match.
It felt nostalgic, reminding me of the old days. However, I had to take her words with the utmost seriousness.
As Master said, there were many points for reflection in that match.
Since I currently lack the Chronos Lock, I can use magic freely.
However, I must restrain myself to some degree. There is always the possibility that my Overheat could worsen at the slightest provocation.
Even taking that into account, if I wanted to execute that match perfectly, I should have spent more time analyzing the opponents.
Since I was also looking ahead to future matches, perhaps my focus wasn't fully on the fight at hand... I still have a long way to go.
It seems that distraction manifested in a poor way this time.
Once the critique session with Master concluded, Lise-san gave a gentle smile.
"I see. So this is what a master and disciple are like."
"Fufu. Ray and I have been together a long time, after all. Still, it's been a while since we've discussed tactics like this."
"It has. It felt as though I was remembering those days myself."
"However, regarding this tournament—I'm sure you realize that Lucas Forst will undoubtedly be your greatest obstacle."
"I am aware."
"How do you plan to handle it, Ray?"
I then shared my personal impressions.
If we were to face them, it would likely be during the Siege Battle in the Main Tournament. If it came down to a team battle there, how would it unfold?
I presented several predicted scenarios and explained how we should overcome them.
I spoke honestly about everything I was currently considering.
Upon hearing this, Master let out a faint smile.
"I see. We are of the same mind. The outcome will surely be decided there."
"Yes. However, we haven't even passed the Qualifiers yet. For now, I intend to focus strictly on the match in front of me."
"A good attitude to have."
As we were talking, the start time for the next match approached.
The monitor in front of us began showing the scene of the upcoming bout.
At the same time, Amelia and Ariane arrived.
"Excuse us."
Amelia gave a small bow and sat down next to me.
Since it was Ariane's first time meeting Master, she introduced herself on the spot.
"I am Ariane Algren. Eldest daughter of House Algren, one of the Three Great Noble Families."
"I am Lydia Ainsworth. I am Ray's Master. That previous match... it was well done."
"Th-thank you very much."
"Even so..."
Master stared intently at Ariane. It was a gaze that seemed to be investigating or probing something deep within her.
"Hmm. Well, very well."
As she broke eye contact, Ariane took a seat next to Amelia.
The next match began. We settled in, watching the screen with total concentration.
The Magics War had finally begun.
Our battle had only just started.
What exactly lies ahead? Whether or not we can achieve victory—that was something we did not yet know.
The tournament would march on.
However, the fact that we would tackle every single match with everything we had would never change.