TN: Thank Nepper for the chapter.
TL/PR: Ruminas; ED: novicelily
In the end, Iria challenged Amelia to a duel as well. It was after suppressing all those who had badmouthed her, just as she had said.
The news of Iria’s rampage among the third-year students had spread far and wide, and now there was no one who didn’t know about it.
As a result, the spectator seats were even more crowded. There were far more spectators than when Iria dueled Sera.
“Who do you think will win?”
The two of them faced each other on the dueling grounds. Both were powerhouses incomparable to ordinary students.
In fact, it wouldn’t be strange no matter who won. Even though Iria was a first-year student, she has shown her strength up to now.
“Still, wouldn’t Iria win? She’s never lost a duel before.”
“No, she can’t win this time. This is already her 40th duel just today. How can she beat the top third-year in an exhausted state?”
“But she doesn’t seem very tired.”
“It’s not a matter of stamina, it’s the difference in mana.”
However, more people expected Amelia’s victory over Iria’s.
After dueling the third-year students, beating Amelia would be nearly impossible.
No, if I had to say, there was one person who had accomplished such a feat in the past.
Right now, Iria was doing the same thing as Ariel back then.
Just like when Ariel in his first year swept through the academy students in duels.
It wasn’t impossible since there was a precedent.
Then did that mean Iria was a powerhouse on par with Ariel?
That would be determined by the result of this duel.
But most likely, that wouldn’t be the case. It was only possible because Ariel was special.
“Iria can’t win. Even if Amelia lost to Sera, there are matchups in mage duels.”
“I feel bad for Iria. Amelia is known for her cruelty, you know. She shows no mercy, even to juniors. I heard last time she nearly killed someone.”
“Then it’s over. The rising first-year star will be brutally crushed by the top third-year. With Amelia as her opponent… She’ll probably be trampled so badly she won’t be able to show her face at the academy again.”
The students seemed to be watching this duel with interest.
The focus was, of course, on Iria.
Whether she would defeat Amelia and become the second Ariel, or suffer a miserable defeat and be thoroughly crushed.
One of the two was bound to happen.
***
The two people standing on the dueling grounds faced each other: Amelia with a confident expression and Iria with a blank one.
Iria’s condition didn’t look very good right now. Even if it was one-sided violence, the traces of the previous 39 duels were all over her body.
Her uniform was torn, her silver-white hair was slightly singed, and her mana was depleted.
It was a bit different from her usual relaxed appearance.
She was fine, but her outward appearance was like that.
Iria’s expression and gestures still had a leisurely air, but it wasn’t noticeable due to her disheveled state.
Even what little leaked out to Amelia seemed like nothing more than a bluff.
“I’m surprised, Iria. I didn’t know that’s what you meant by what you said before.”
“…”
“Going after each person who spread rumors and suppressing them all, that’s usually impossible, you know? It’s the kind of delusion a bullied outcast would have, but to think you actually did it.”
Amelia approached Iria with a leisurely smile.
Then she continued speaking.
“I didn’t expect you to make it this far, I’m honestly surprised. I mean it. You can take some pride in it? The fact that I, the top third-year, acknowledge a first-year like you…”
“…”
“Hey!! Are you even listening?!”
“Ah.”
Iria, who had been pretending not to hear, scratched her cheek. There was no hint of nervousness on her face.
After looking away and then turning her head back towards Amelia, Iria spoke briefly.
“You talk too much.”
“Wha…”
So this is what it’s like to be so shocked you can’t even speak properly.
Amelia was at a loss for words for a while. The sudden rush of emotion almost caused her to lose her composure.
“Ha, haha. Okay, that’s a novel provocation. So that’s how you want to play it?”
Amelia, who had barely suppressed her anger, laughed in disbelief.
In fact, the duel had already started. She had waited only because Amelia seemed to have a lot to say.
Amelia rapidly expelled the mana within her body.
The purple mana reacted intensely with Amelia at the center.
The unstable mana burned up on the dueling grounds. However, the mana surrounding her body was as stable as gentle waves.
Separating and spreading stable and unstable mana was Amelia’s specialty.
It was also a realm reached by the top third-year student, something only she could do at the academy.
“Oh, lightning.”
The purple mana passed through the spell Amelia cast and manifested as lightning.
The lightning covering the dueling grounds with a crackling sound spread through the air, revealing its presence.
Its output made one’s insides vibrate even from a distance.
“You seem to think you’re something just because you beat Sera, but you can’t beat me. Even if you were in perfect physical condition. You know why?”
Amelia shaped the lightning she had conjured up with both hands. And she drew it out in the form of a sword.
“You have the worst matchup against me.”
Lightning magic cannot be deflected by the wind. The lightning that cleaves through the air and stretches out is too fast to be parried by the wind.
Sword strikes that aren’t imbued with mana don’t work on Amelia. The lightning barrier surrounding Amelia’s body protects her.
If one attempted a physical attack, the lightning barrier bursting out in all directions would injure them.
Iria fights using wind magic or swordsmanship that utilizes exceptional physical abilities.
She doesn’t have the technique to wrap mana around her sword, nor can she use the power of other elemental magic.
She doesn’t know any high-level swordsmanship; she just has better raw strength than others.
So, at this point, there was no way for Iria to attack Amelia.
On the dueling grounds covered in purple lightning, Amelia smiled slightly.
“I’m a magic swordsman just like you. We’re a bit different, but it’s not wrong to say I’m your perfect superior version.”
Amelia is better at swordsmanship than Iria has more mana, and even has a higher level as a mage.
If this isn’t a superior version, then what is?
From the beginning, the outcome of this duel was determined.
The dueling grounds were covered in lightning.
***
The reason Iria defeated Sera was because Sera let her guard down against a first-year.
At least, that’s what Amelia thought. Sera had a style of sweeping everything away with overwhelming firepower.
She lost because she foolishly gave Iria the close-quarters combat advantageous to her, unable to let go of her aggressive personality.
But Amelia was different.
Amelia thoroughly fought only for victory, which is why she was the top student. It didn’t matter what underhanded methods she used as long as she could win.
Because that was reality. That was how one survived here at the academy, a competitive society.
She would defeat Iria. And this time, she would prove her reputation to the entire academy.
From the beginning, that was her intention.
That must have been the case.
“Tch!”
After the duel officially began, Amelia clicked her tongue and retreated backward.
She was raining down powerful lightning from a distance, but it wasn’t hitting Iria for some reason.
Iria was dodging everything with swift movements.
Lightning is the fastest of all elemental magic. It’s impossible for non-superhumans to react to and avoid the linear lightning with their bodies.
‘There’s no way she saw it and dodged, so she must have good eyes for sensing mana.’
But it’s not impossible to avoid if one roughly knows where the lightning will strike.
She must have applied that. She read the flow of mana and saw the trajectory of the lightning.
As expected of Iria. She had skills worthy of attention at the academy.
Amelia also didn’t think she could win easily from the start.
If she was reading the mana to dodge…
“You think you’re the first of your kind I’ve seen?! Try dodging this too!”
She would just take advantage of that and plant false trajectories.
Amelia twisted the surrounding mana flow with delicate mana manipulation. As a result, the actual position where the lightning extended and the trajectory of the mana differed, creating an optical illusion.
The five lightning bolts that extended from Amelia’s left hand curved in different directions just before reaching Iria.
She wouldn’t get hit if she stayed still, but if she tried to dodge, she would get hit no matter where she went.
The mana’s trajectory was still straight, so if she read the mana like before, she would fall into a trap instead.
Amelia was certain the lightning would hit.
-Crackle, crackle!
At that moment, the five lightning bolts ignited and stretched out…
Iria stood still in that spot without moving.
The lightning swiftly flying through the air merely curved around Iria, who had stopped moving.
Amelia couldn’t believe her eyes.
“What…?”
“…?”
Iria also tilted her head.
Contrary to Amelia’s expectations, Iria couldn’t read mana.
‘Where is she aiming?’
Iria thought Amelia’s accuracy was terrible.