Chapter 54
It was no coincidence that Ena was given the epithet "Genesis".
Land, sea, and sky. Each domain was a gift from the supreme beings that had existed since the birth of humanity, and exploring them was the role of those who walked the path of magic.
That was what Glut, the first mage, said.
Therefore, following his will, epithets representing each domain could only exist one per era. Sometimes there were vacancies when talented individuals didn't exist, but fortunately, all three positions were currently filled.
The mages representing each position were as follows:
The noble earth mage representing the land, Terra Jade.
The pure water mage representing the sea, Azure Sea.
And the violent lightning mage representing the sky, Genesis.
Traditionally, mages representing the sky were always stellar mages. The starry sky moving according to their gestures and the explosions of stars blooming from their fingertips always gifted people with wonder. Even fellow mages couldn't help but admire that beautiful and violent feast of stars.
That was until it was all shattered by pure white lightning.
Few people now remembered that day.
A girl who walked the battlefield spraying pure white lightning with an expressionless face during the racial war that broke out just 10 years after the fall of the Magic Kingdom, the de facto ruler of the continent. A monster of heaven-defying power that tore the sky wherever she went, even piercing through the stars of those proud stellar mages and making them her own power source.
Even planets obscuring the sky were useless. From the start, no matter what the sky was like, that monster always brought clear skies.
That was why she was Genesis. Covered in blood, and by the time even that blood turned to ashes and disappeared. At some point, she came to be called that.
It was now a war history that remained only in literature. As a result, there weren't many people left who properly knew how heavy the name Genesis was, or why such a notorious reputation was attached to that mage.
But those who remained always said this when referring to Genesis:
Never, under any circumstances, turn her into an enemy.
It was the highest praise for a former adversary.
***
A sudden white lightning strike. Though there were no dark clouds in the sky, for some reason a sharp bolt of lightning fell from the clear sky. The vibration and noise strong enough to shake even the main building where classes were in session struck the windows, and the gazes of all Academy-related people, including current students, turned there.
"What's that suddenly?"
"Is it going to rain? But... the sky is clear?"
"Must be a sun shower."
"Does lightning strike during a sun shower?"
"Hey, be quiet. The professor's getting angry again."
The classroom where magic combat class was taking place was the same. But unlike other places, the commotion didn't spread much in this classroom. That was because Professor Firenze, who would flare up at the slightest sound during class, was firmly planted at the podium. Thanks to this, students couldn't look outside even if they wanted to.
Probably Professor Firenze would continue the class regardless of what was happening outside. They suppressed the sighs trying to escape and forcibly put more strength into their hands holding pens.
"...Ah."
But contrary to their expectations, Professor Firenze couldn't continue the class. Instead, as if captivated by something, he approached the window and stared beyond it. The students tilted their heads looking at his back, but he paid them no attention.
All his attention was focused on the pure white lightning now connecting sky and earth.
"Magnificent."
Lightning was originally just a momentary flash of light. Its instantaneous destructive power and light were not to be ignored, but its sustainability was particularly lacking compared to other natural phenomena. This characteristic was naturally reflected in lightning formulas as well.
But... that lightning wasn't disappearing. Rather, it was growing larger and adding radiance as if it would burn up the sky and earth entirely.
How is that possible? What kind of mental image and uniqueness must one possess to perform such a miracle?
Firenze immediately grasped who the owner of that lightning was. That was why he was even more excited.
The foundation of magic combat studies, his specialty, lied in war and subjugation. A great person who experienced that war history was right there. The reason for coming here and suddenly casting magic were irrelevant in the face of a mage's curiosity and fighting spirit.
He wanted to see it directly. He wanted to feel it with his body.
That greatness.
That power!
"Professor Firenze! It's an attack! A strange intruder has attacked the western mountain of the Academy!"
Just as Firenze was clenching his fist, the Academy supply manager appeared, opening the front door of the classroom and shouting like that.
At the word "attack," the students began to stir. Some of them stood up, wondering if they should run away or fight against the school's crisis. Meanwhile, Firenze remained silent. He opened his mouth while looking at the pure white radiance that was starting to grow larger.
"Professor Firenze!"
At that moment, the supply manager who had somehow approached Firenze's side grabbed his shoulder and shouted. He opened his mouth to yell that they needed to evacuate immediately.
But Firenze was faster.
Still looking out the window, he moved his lips.
"An archmage is there."
"...What did you say?"
"Perhaps a living monster containing the essence of all combat magic theories defined to date is right there."
"Professor Firenze. This isn't a training situation. I don't know what you're suddenly saying butㅡ"
"As a junior walking the same path of combat magic, how could I pretend not to see that?"
Firenze ignored the supply manager chattering beside him and flung the window wide open.
At that moment. A pure white radiance began to explode from the sky. Soon, the light split into lightning and fell towards the earth.
Boom!!!
The world ignited. Vision momentarily turned black from the light exceeding limits. The sense of bloodlust and current transmitted through the air expands all bodily sensations. Hands trembled just from the aftermath of the violent magical power felt.
All of it was nothing but delightful.
"'The sky where she walked was endlessly clear, but that earth was all ashes.'"
"What on earth are you sayingㅡ!?"
"I understand the meaning of that sentence now. Senior."
Firenze split his mouth corners wide and flung his body through the open window.
"I'm going to see you now."
Whoosh!
The wind bore his body.
***
Ena stood loftily in the sky, looking down at the earth. Pure white lightning dancing behind her writhed and burned and tore apart trees and land as her eyes moved. It was destruction achieved through pure magical power emission, without any formula manifestation.
This way, the amount of magical power consumed increased exponentially, but for Ena, who naturally overflowed with magical power, it wasn't a particularly burdensome level.
"...Phew."
The incoming wind was cold. Though it had gotten quite warm, the weather was still chilly. It seemed there was still quite some time before summer arrived. It had been quite a while since she became unaffected by seasons, but she still had preferred seasons.
When summer comes, maybe I'll go to the sea with Acel.
Ena thought and burst into laughter. Then, as if surprised at herself, she covered her mouth with one hand.
Again. Again, when she thought about Acel alone, laughter came out automatically. It had been like that before, but it felt like it had gotten worse recently. Moreover, for the past few days, it was hard to look at Acel's face directly, and if she had long conversations, her heart would tickle and it was hard to endure.
What could be the reason?
Ena pondered for a moment but couldn't come up with an answer. A deep sigh escaped her lips.
Well, never mind. It isn’t important right now, anyway.
Ena narrowed her eyes and glanced at the Academy professors gathered at the foot of the mountain. They looked like small dots from so far away, but she could clearly perceive them talking urgently about various things.
She could eavesdrop but deliberately didn't. Whatever they chattered about wouldn't change the situation anyway.
She was aware that this current situation was a play created by Fride and herself. So she wasn't raging excessively or engaging in destructive acts. She planned to rampage moderately, then talk about Acel-related matters and leave.
The conversation with the Alliance had already ended. The Alliance leader, who had been planning to directly invade the Academy to ascertain the truth of the incident, respected Ena's wishes for now. But he decided to step in himself after she finished her business here.
It was a good thing either way. Stopping Norieum was for the Academy side to do, not Ena's concern.
"..."
Honestly, if asked whether she wasn't really angry, that wasn't the case. Just not to the extent of losing reason and rampaging.
If Acel had died or remained unconscious for a long period, she would have erased the Academy itself from the map. Regardless of casualties, she would have undoubtedly burned all Academy-related people alive at the very least. Ena knew herself very well.
But now there was no need to do that. Acel seemed to want to return to the Academy too, and she had made a deal with Fride, so she couldn't engage in indiscriminate tearing and destroying.
Of course, if asked whether Fride was proud of the current situation, that wasn't the case. She just promised appropriate compensation for this, so Ena was holding back and joining hands for now.
She was only granted a reprieve. Her future course would be determined by what compensation was made later and how they dealt with it.
"...Phew."
The thoughts had been long. Ena exhaled deeply and slowly drew up magical power.
She planned to do just enough to vent her anger moderately.
First, I should close off this area.
Thinking this, Ena lowered her hand from above. Following that motion, magical power surged once, and the lightning that had been rampaging randomly formed a single shape beneath Ena's feet.
[Lightning Spear]
Rumble!!!
A huge lightning spear revealed its majesty. Magical power writhed enough to make even the chattering professors shudder, and Ena thrust it straight down towards the ground. With just that, the world flashed for a moment, and ears lost function from the bursting roar.
Professors who failed to protect themselves in time collapsed showing painful expressions, and through that gap, Firenze came flying at high speed riding the wind.
Without slowing down, he shouted while meeting Ena's blue glowing eyes looking at him, "One move!"
"..."
"Please!"
Formless wind needles shot out at high speed from beneath his feet. As it was magic used by a 7th rank high-level mage, its power was truly formidable.
But that was all. It fell far short of breaking through Ena's defense.
Crackle!!
Lightning gushing from Ena's entire body tore and swallowed the wind. Without any resistance, it disappeared instantly as if meeting a being that couldn't even dare to resist.
Firenze's attack returned to nothing so futilely. But his face was still full of smiles.
A mage's fighting spirit and curiosity constantly whipped him. It was just the first move. He had no intention of being satisfied with just this.
A fight where defeat was certain. So he would lose as miserably as possible, pouring everything out.
To learn even one more thing.
To feel even one more thing.
Even oneㅡ
"Your moves are obvious," Ena said, looking down at Firenze. "And I have no intention of playing along."
She extended her hand towards him.
[White Radiance Inviting Death]
Crackle!!!
An orb of pure white lightning explosively bloomed from her outstretched hand and shot towards Firenze.
It was too late to dodge. The firing speed was beyond imagination. So he constructed a defensive formula as quickly as possible and moved as far away as he could riding the wind from the lightning orb.
But the lightning was faster than him escaping the magic's range.
Crack!!
The shield made concentrating all his nerves disappeared without resistance. The wind he was riding decomposed as if reversed the moment it touched the orb's aftermath. The mobility unique to wind mages was sealed in an instant, and simultaneously, the lightning orb reached right in front of Firenze.
"...Ah."
A death cry burst from his lips and…
Crackle!!!
Firenze's flesh was enveloped in pure white radiance. He felt pain as if his entire body was being torn apart and fell.
The difference between one who researched combat magic and one who directly created it was that extreme.
Academic enthusiasm and fighting spirit were nothing.
"Lady Ena!"
A familiar voice was heard from beyond the bushes where the fallen Firenze was. When Ena cast her gaze there, Fernan came leaping towards her with his sword heavily coated in aura.
Before their eyes could even meet, he swung his sword down diagonally.
Clang!
Fernan's sword was pushed back in mid-air, blocked by Ena's magical power. But there wasn't a trace of regret on Fernan's face.
It was natural. He had no intention at all of harming Ena.
He just wanted to convey one message.
"A message from the Headmistress. Half of the personnel present here now support the Headmistress, and the other half are attached to the entrenched forces. I'm on the supporting side. Anyway, the forces on the Headmistress’ side, including me, are prepared to be half-killed by Lady Ena, so don't hesitate and attack us hard."
"Is he on your side too?"
"No. Professor Firenze isn't on either side. If anything, he should be called a scholar mad about magic."
"Is that so?"
That was the extent of her interest. Ena extinguished her interest in the mage falling from her magic and narrowed her eyes looking at Fernan.
"You said I could attack without hesitation."
"Yes. Please destroy this area as you please! I won't be paying the restoration costs, anyway!"
"You. You knocked out my disciple during the entrance exam, didn't you."
"...Pardon?"
Unexpected words burst from her mouth. The moment Fernan questioned, Ena grabbed Fernan's sword with her hand and manifested a formula right there.
"You should be knocked out today too."
[Lightning Fan]
Crackle!!
Lightning poured out in a fan shape and struck Fernan's upper body directly.