Victor von Eldridge’s life had always been a tapestry of glory.
From his earliest years, he had carried the weight of his family's expectations alone, receiving a flawless education as the heir to the prestigious House Eldridge. Magic, swordsmanship, academics—excellence was demanded of him in all things, and he had never failed to deliver.
The pride of House Eldridge.
Those words were the very foundation of his being.
He had never wavered under the harsh demands of his father, the Duke. He was simply too talented to be broken by them.
I am handling this well, he would tell himself.
He had never doubted that self-assurance. Until now.
Now, Victor’s hands were shaking uncontrollably.
I cannot afford to lose…!
Albert von Kronstadt stood before him. That notorious man had withstood Victor’s most powerful offensive and now stood there, completely unscathed.
It was a sight Victor couldn't reconcile with reality.
My magic… it didn't even reach him?
He couldn't believe it. He refused to believe it.
Victor had never known the taste of defeat. In every mock battle and every exam, he had been the victor. He had lived under the absolute conviction that no one of his age in this Academy could possibly be his superior.
But that dream was being torn apart.
By a fool who lived a life of debauchery and constant trouble! By the pathetic son of the declining House Kronstadt! Victor of the glorious House Eldridge was being humiliated!
"Is your turn over, Victor? Then it's my turn."
Albert’s cold voice cut through the silence of the Training Ground. A small spark of electricity danced across his palm with a sharp crackle.
"I’ll ask one last time—you have no intention of surrendering, do you?"
The image of the obliterated target dummy was seared into Victor's mind. Even worse, he was facing an opponent who had taken a saturation attack from his own "genius-level" mana and hadn't even broken a sweat.
Albert was an existence far beyond Victor’s comprehension.
Under normal circumstances, one might expect a fellow student to show mercy and hold back, but Albert was a man of ill repute. There was every chance he would take a sadistic joy in firing at full strength.
If he did, Victor would die.
Death.
How much easier would it be to simply say, “Please, forgive me. I admit defeat”?
He wanted to say it. His very soul wanted to drop to its knees. His instincts screamed at him to give up.
But then, his father’s face surfaced in his mind.
I will not tolerate any act that brings shame to our name.
That strict, piercing gaze—a suffocating mixture of expectation and pressure. Victor wanted to run. He wanted to flee from this place, from this terror, from everything.
But he wasn't allowed to. That was the life he had been forced to lead as Victor von Eldridge.
Victor clenched his fists, forcing the trembling to stop.
I will not show such a pathetic display… not like this!
He thrust his hands forward and screamed.
"Spell: 'Iron Wall Multiple Shield'!"
As the words left his lips, a Magic Wall consisting of sixteen interlocking layers deployed in front of him. It was the absolute pinnacle of his defensive capability.
"Now, come at me!"
Yet, deep down, he couldn't ignore the voice in his heart.
It’s no use. There is no way this defense can stop that magic.
"I see," Albert said, his voice devoid of emotion as he extended his right hand. "Then don't blame me for what happens next."
He didn't hesitate.
"Spell: 'Lightning Bolt'."
A brilliant white flash seared Victor's retinas.
The destructive radiance surged toward him in an instant, slamming into his Magic Wall with a violent, bone-shaking impact.
The air filled with a grating, metallic shriek as half of the multi-layered shields shattered like glass.
"Nuuuuuuuuu!"
Victor desperately poured every ounce of mana he had back into the structure, trying to reinforce the crumbling barriers.
It was a futile effort.
No matter how much mana he funneled into the Magic Wall, it failed to act as a barrier. The layers were obliterated one after another, unable to offer even a second of resistance.
"Uoooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
He squeezed his mana reserves dry, but the result remained unchanged.
Four layers left. Three. Two.
The final shield shattered into dust.
S-So this is the end…!
With eyes clouded by despair, Victor watched the lightning that was about to incinerate him. His entire world was swallowed by a void of blinding white.
"A-A-A-Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Before he could even register the pain, his consciousness plunged into darkness.
Victor’s body was engulfed by the 'Thunder Emperor's Flash' I had unleashed.
Screams erupted from the surrounding students.
However, once the lightning dissipated, Victor was still standing. His arms hung limply at his sides and his head was bowed, making it impossible to see his expression.
He wasn't dead, though.
A blue, translucent barrier had manifested around him, shielding him from the brunt of the impact.
"A barrier? Who did that?"
It certainly wasn't Victor’s. The quality of the mana was entirely different—far more refined and indicative of a high-level caster.
"Ahahaha, sorry about that! I didn't mean to ruin the fun."
A woman walked briskly from the edge of the Training Ground toward the center. She looked to be in her late twenties, with striking features and long green hair that reached down to her waist.
It was Professor Karia, the Academy's resident expert in Barrier Magic.
"But I really had no choice," she said, stepping into the arena to stand beside Victor. "This is a school, after all. It’s my job to protect the lives of my students, isn't it?"
She turned her gaze toward me. A look of predatory delight—no, ecstasy—flashed across her beautiful face.
"Your mana is truly something else."
She hugged her own shoulders, a visible shiver running through her body.
"I felt it through the barrier. That wild, ferocious, feral quality… just thinking about it gives me chills. It’s wonderful. It’s been a long time since anyone made me feel quite like this."
What is this woman even talking about?
Great. It looks like I’ve attracted the attention of another eccentric.
Karia finally glanced at Victor. "You're a lucky boy, Victor. If I hadn't stepped in, you'd be a corpse right now."
She gave his shoulder a light pat.
Victor, whose head had been hanging low, swayed unsteadily before collapsing onto the floor. His eyes were rolled back in his head and he was drooling, completely dead to the world.
"Oh dear."
Karia knelt down and checked his pulse.
"Looks like he’s just fainted. Relief Squad! Over here!"
She stood up and fixed her eyes on me once more.
"We really should have a long, private chat later. I’ve become quite interested in you."
"I’m sure you have," I replied coldly. "But I have zero interest in you."
I turned on my heel and walked away.
With that final bout, the Practical Exam was officially over.
Setting aside that strange woman as a bizarre outlier, this display of power should have been enough. After seeing what I did to the top-ranked student, the others would likely be too terrified to come near me.
Farewell, Death Flags.
Now, I can finally get back to enjoying a quiet, peaceful academy life.