Chapter 66
Crackle-!
Fiercely raging sparks.
Light flashed.
The high-voltage current dyed the vision white, then soon tangled among themselves and caused an explosion.
Intense light surged towards this side.
It was a scene like lightning striking.
"Oh my."
He barely avoided it by lowering his head.
The missed strike lodged into the innocent ground.
Following that, a deafening roar was heard.
Boom-!
Terrifying power shook the arena.
He had almost been caught up in the electric shock.
Though it might look like a light grazing hit, it was a voltage that could instantly knock out ordinary students.
Yuda calmly readjusted his posture.
"Indeed, not an easy opponent."
He muttered as if it was troublesome.
Before he knew it, 10 minutes had passed since entering combat.
The duel was showing an intense aspect.
As he was brushing off the soot remaining on his fingertips, suddenly someone walked out of the thick smoke.
It was a boy with a relaxed expression.
"You've been just running away since earlier. Your wriggling like a snake is quite impressive."
Provocation coming leisurely.
Ian was smiling.
Electricity flashed in both hands.
The boy who had been reloading magic soon pointed his finger this way and spoke.
It was clear mockery.
"You didn't expect to be pushed back this much, did you?"
"Huhu... I wonder."
Yuda shrugged his shoulders.
"I haven't particularly been pushed back."
"Isn't it obvious just by how you avoid direct confrontation? If you're confident, why don't you clash head-on instead of dodging?"
"Please think of it as my strategy."
"What strategy... You've only been desperately avoiding."
Perhaps it was due to the ill feelings built up so far?
He was pressing the opponent more than necessary.
It seemed he was quite enjoying this moment of having the initiative.
The boy put on airs needlessly.
"Though you're called a genius among new students, in the end you're just at the level of a greenhorn."
He didn't know how dumbfounded he had been when he first received the duel challenge.
To think a mere first-year greenhorn would look down on him.
He wanted to smash him right then and there.
But.
"I'm a person with excellent patience, you see."
He had endured for perfect revenge.
Originally, if you want to trample someone, it's basic to break them so they can never get up again.
Ian had thoroughly analyzed Yuda over the past few days.
"Yuda Snakers."
He was certainly a boy with outstanding talent.
Magic, swordsmanship, writing... Though he was maintaining top rank in all areas, there was one area where he particularly excelled.
It was illusion magic.
"But."
Ian had grasped the weak point.
"No matter how excellent your illusions are, what use are they if I don't fall for them?"
Magic and such can just be avoided.
Of course, avoiding mental magic isn't as easy as it sounds.
It was only possible because it was Ian.
He was fast enough to be counted on one hand in the academy.
Especially when he wrapped his whole body in electric current, he could become as fast as professors for a moment.
In short, it was the ultimate counter.
"Can you really keep up with my speed?"
An opponent with not only speed but also fierce explosive power.
It was nothing short of the worst for Yuda at least.
"......"
The golden snake kept silent.
The boy standing without even a trace of movement, as if lost in thought.
Ian thought he was frightened.
Lips dyed with arrogance spat out sneers without hesitation.
"Are you finally grasping the situation?"
Crackle-!
Ian leaped while emitting sparks.
A streak of lightning was shot.
"...!"
The snake who had been standing blankly belatedly moved his sword.
A blade forged from shadows.
It collided with the flashing light, then barely twisted the trajectory of the attack.
Though it was simply that, the teeth were chipped.
Clang-!
Finally leaving behind the shattered pitch black, Yuda drew a new sword.
Ian rushed in as if not to give any openings.
The two clashed with full force.
For a while, sharp bursting sounds rang inside the arena.
Clang! Crackle! Crack...!
It was a fierce battle.
Light and darkness that didn't give an inch fiercely bit at each other.
An exchange too fast for the eye to follow continued.
"Kuh...!"
However, the snake showed clear signs of fatigue.
Though he was holding out well against Ian's speed, he couldn't shake the feeling of being gradually dragged along.
He seemed overwhelmed just defending against the surging electric current.
"Haa, haa...!"
Like that.
The outcome seemed to be completely tilting.
Now it was time to drive in the final nail.
Ian who had briefly distanced himself soon chanted an incantation and launched his final attack.
Dark clouds gathered above the arena.
"Sky of rain."
He was finally bringing out his ultimate technique.
"Strike without leaving anything."
-Ian-style Lightning Magic Secret Technique-
'Thunderbolt'
Right after his lips moved.
Thousands of lightning bolts fell from between the dark clouds.
Crackle-!
Streams of light poured down like rain.
Through the cracks drawn one by one, pure white flashes burst and interfered with vision.
Everyone sitting in the spectator seats had to cover their eyes.
Beeeep-!
After the ringing sound passing blankly.
When they opened their eyes again, the children could discover the back of the snake kneeling on the ground.
The fierce duel had concluded.
"......"
The boy unable to even let out a single word, as if he had been properly hit.
Ian circled around such an opponent.
Words sneering with the thrill of finally trampling him popped out.
"I told you not to act cocky."
"......"
"It's no use regretting now. I intend to take your expulsion as the price for this duel. If you don't like that, kneel and beg all day."
"Pfft."
"...?"
Suddenly laughter was heard.
The snake was smiling.
"What are you laughing about?"
Had he gone crazy from the pain?
As he stood frowning, soon clearly enunciated sentences reached his ears.
It was a voice completely unshaken.
"It's funny. To think you didn't notice anything until the end."
How could he speak so calmly when he had just been seared by lightning?
Ian froze at the unexpected reaction.
"B-But it was a direct hit! How could you...!"
"Honestly, I'm disappointed."
"What are you saying since earlier!"
"I thought you would show signs of suspicion at least."
Yuda leisurely dusted off his knees and stood up.
Their gazes met.
Ian couldn't help but hold his breath without realizing.
"You said no matter how excellent illusion magic is, it's useless if you don't fall for it, right?"
"......"
"Then here's a question."
Eyelids that were usually closed were open.
White bleached pupils.
The boy asked while holding a brilliant light.
"Since when... did you think I wasn't using illusion magic?"
Crack, crackle-!
At the same time, cracks formed in the intact air.
As if a mirror was breaking.
The background surrounding the two shattered into pieces. An unbelievable scene.
Towards the boy who couldn't hide his shock, the snake recited.
"Shatter."
Snap-!
The flipped world returned.
***
Snap-!
When consciousness returned again, Ian was standing in the circular arena.
In the same place where they had first faced off.
He hadn't moved even a single step.
"...?"
The scene appearing in view was natural.
It felt like waking from a dream.
Though he racked his confused mind, it was difficult to understand the situation.
His consciousness kept dyeing blankly.
"What on earth is this...?"
It had all been illusion magic.
The fierce battle after the duel began, pressing the opponent with lightning, and finally achieving victory.
In fact, it had all happened in an illusion.
In short.
He had been played with.
"This can't be."
Nothing had actually happened in reality.
It was an incomprehensible point.
Though he tried to look around, his body that had stiffened on its own wouldn't move as he willed.
It felt like he had lost control.
"Why... can't I move my body."
As he was barely moving just his lips, suddenly someone spoke to him from the side.
Of course, it was the golden snake.
"My~ You've finally come to your senses?"
A broadly smiling expression.
He put his arm around Ian who was stiff as a statue, then soon spoke while holding an ominous smile.
He was giving answers to parts that would be curious.
"Senior, you're already in a hypnotized state."
"Hypnosis...?"
"It's another application of illusion magic. You won't be able to do anything until I release you."
"Damn it, from the start... you were playing with me!"
"I simply dealt with you moderately."
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Ian raged as if he couldn't accept it.
Perhaps it was due to the shock of being trampled so helplessly?
He looked like he had lost his mind.
Of course, it was still too early to lose his sanity.
"Please, don't raise your voice like that. Ian Ternado."
While the boy had been wandering in illusions, the snake too had been lost in deep contemplation.
How to trample the opponent before him.
How to most cruelly break that heart full of arrogance.
Yuda had just come up with a method.
"A stage awaits you."
"Wait. What on earth are you trying to...!"
The snake lightly flicked his finger.
Following that gesture, Ian's stopped body moved, then soon approached the center of the training ground one step at a time.
Before he knew it, he took a stance facing the spectator seats.
"Let's show everyone."
The students' gazes focusing on Ian.
Yuda was holding a meaningful smile, as if something was so good.
"Your passion."
It didn't take long to understand the meaning of those words.
***
"......"
The students sitting in the spectator seats were keeping silent.
No... rather than keeping silent, it would be more correct to say they were at a loss for words.
They all had stiff expressions.
<Uwaaaaah!!!>
They were staring somewhere with cold gazes.
It was none other than the center of the training ground.
<Stop!! Please!!!>
There was a boy screaming there.
A resonance full of despair.
It was Ian Ternado who had participated in this duel.
Originally it was a space where fierce fighting raged, but currently the boy on such a stage...
<I-I was wrong!!>
Was enthusiastically enjoying a dance party.
Vulgar dance moves unfolded.
The boy was shaking his hips uglily and giving a huge middle finger to the watching students.
He had been wiggling for an hour already.
<I'd rather surren... mmph!!>
Whenever he tried to express his intention to surrender, his lips stuck together on their own.
The students could only stare.
<Fuuuuuck!!!>
Ian Ternado.
The epitome of an elite praised as an obvious genius while having numerous followers.
Truly a crane reigning over the second year.
"......"
Honor is shattered in an instant.
Even while suffering social death, Ian didn't stop his passionate twerking.
A single tear rolled down.
"Huhu."
Only the troublemaker who had designed this whole scene was smiling amidst such chaos.
As if dopamine was exploding.