The finals, final round.
To be blunt, we had been dancing in the palm of their hands the entire time. However, that was surely just a surprise tactic born from them being on maximum alert against us. They had undoubtedly prepared well in advance so that we would clash with everything we had at the very end.
There likely wouldn’t be any more big surprises from here on out. I could tell from the trio’s aura that they were going to meet us head-on.
Team Forst had already entered their preparation phase. I expected them to set up in the same spot we had used earlier. To defend perfectly and secure a safe win, the innermost room on the top floor was the best choice. We couldn't use the shortcut Lucas Forst had employed. Even if I wanted to try, they had likely already countered it.
There was no real strategy left to speak of. I had already told Amelia and Ariane that our only choice was a direct confrontation.
"Now then, the final round—begin!!"
Abby-san’s voice rang out, and we charged into the castle. As expected, the first-floor landing was empty.
"Keep moving up, you two!"
"Understood!!"
In an instant, I deployed an Anti-Material Field. Using my Restoration Field, I broke down the delay magic blocking our path, reducing it to Prima Materia. Fragments of the shimmering matter fluttered through the air like snow.
Clearing the path, we reached the third-floor landing. Lucas Forst stood there alone. Even from this distance, I could feel the pressure of the Prima Materia he wore. Standing there in silence, eyes closed, he projected an aura of cold serenity.
"—Faster than expected. It seems you truly do have a way to nullify magic."
He slowly opened his eyes.
He was draped in an overwhelming amount of Prima Materia, layered as if it were a physical garment. His construction of his Material Field was on a different level. Faced with this presence, the thought crossed my mind that I was the only one who could handle him.
But Lucas was certain to stand his ground to prevent Amelia and Ariane from passing. He wasn't looking for a duel with me in this final round. I knew that, yet I hesitated—could I really leave him to the two of them?
As I pondered this, I felt the sensation of soft hands on my shoulders.
"Ray, go. Ariane and I will handle things here."
"Indeed. That was the plan from the start, wasn't it?"
"But..."
The two of them fixed me with a gaze that saw through my concern.
"Trust us more. We'll be fine. After all, you’re the one who taught us."
"Yes, please go, Ray. Leave this to us."
"...I see. My apologies. Good luck to you both."
I turned to Lucas, and he stepped aside to open the way.
"Finished? Ray White. It seems a duel between us won't happen this tournament. I prefer to focus on the win."
"We’re the ones who are going to win."
"Heh. Well, it's the final battle. I have high expectations."
Like me, Lucas was thinking about the most efficient path to victory. He wouldn't let them pass if I tried to force a fight here, and he knew we'd do the same.
"Good luck," I muttered, then dashed up the stairs toward the top floor alone.
"...Ray. It looks like things turned out exactly as expected."
"Hehe. This moment has finally come."
Albert and Evi stood on the landing outside the innermost room on the top floor. Both were already in combat stances; the atmosphere they projected made that clear.
"Sorry, but I’m taking you both down. We're taking the win."
They tightened their expressions as I dropped into my own stance. In an instant, Evi, acting as the vanguard, accelerated into my range.
He was fast!
This was our first real head-on fight, and his agility surpassed my estimates. He used his massive muscle mass to force me into a brawl. We both pushed our Inside Codes to the limit, beginning a high-speed exchange.
Evi wasn't holding anything back—he clearly wasn't worried about stamina at this point. No feints, no tricks. Just raw power and the spirit to crush me. But it wasn't reckless; his form was grounded in solid basics. I knew how hard he’d worked, having been his roommate.
Still, he left openings. I timed a moment when his swing went wide and aimed a knife-hand at his solar plexus.
"Not going to happen!"
Albert cut in from behind. He’d been playing support until now, but here he was diving into cross-range combat from the start. I dodged his high kick by sheer instinct and ducked low, trying to slip between them.
But they were relentless, refusing to let me break away. I wanted to manifest my Ice Swords immediately, but their speed didn't give me a window. They’d clearly studied how to counter me. However, if I went all out, I didn't even need a second. I parried their strikes while simultaneously processing the sequence.
Prima Materia = Encoding = Material Code Material Code = Decoding Material Code = Processing = Deceleration = Lock Embodiment = Material
Once the Ice Swords formed in my hands, they realized they couldn't stop the manifestation and backed off, switching to magic. Evi stayed in the vanguard, wrapping his arms in thick Material Fields to deflect my blades. He fought in cross-range despite the risk of his skin being sliced.
Meanwhile, Albert moved to support, firing Quick Magic from my blind spots. Even with Evi in the fray, Albert’s accuracy was high enough to pressure me without hitting his partner. Their coordination was among the best in the tournament; they hadn't reached the finals for nothing.
I’d finally seen through their patterns. I felt I could break through without using everything I had. But then, thick Prima Materia began to swirl around Albert. He’d hidden it well with Delay Magic. In the blink of an eye, the space filled with energy.
There was no mistake. That sign was—Origin Magic. And it was a wide-range interference type.
"Whoops, you aren't going any further!"
Evi stood tall, blocking my path. I pushed my body to its maximum speed, weaving past Evi at the last moment to charge Albert.
My reaction was a split-second slow due to Evi’s interference and the hidden delay magic. Before I could reach him, Albert activated the spell. He had planned this, knowing a defender with preparation time could pull it off. I thought about using an Anti-Material Code, but the strain on my Magic Area would be too high to restore that much matter.
They had planned everything for these finals. From the moment they became the defenders, the activation of this Origin Magic had been unavoidable.
In an instant, a silver-white world manifested around Albert.
"—White Reverse."