69novels Chapter 251: That’s Not How You Do It… (4)
Chapter 251: That’s Not How You Do It… (4)
Chapter 251: That’s Not How You Do It... (4)
Iona leaned in close, her soft lips almost brushing my ear as she whispered,
“I’ll let you play vampire hunter tonight.”
“So I just have to knock everyone out?”
Thus, the sudden decision for a Yandel Raid.
The students of the Knight Department seemed dissatisfied for some reason, frowning or glaring at us. Their displeasure was quite apparent.
After all, the students of Class A had strong pride. It was only natural since they had been revered as geniuses since childhood.
But at the academy, where only the continent’s top talents gathered, pride in being a genius was equally pointless.
By the second semester, everyone would know... but it still felt insulting that nearly thirty people would gang up on me.
Usually, the friends from the Magic Department prepare for duels without complaint, casting shields and various support spells on themselves.
It’s fresh to see magicians, typically more egotistical, nodding in agreement with this.
Eventually, one of the Knight Department students raised his hand and began to protest to Professor Jason.
“Professor Jason!”
“What is it, Alberto?”
“This is too much!”
“Explain exactly what is too much.”
Jason scratched his head in annoyance as Alberto became even more heated.
“The opponent is clearly stronger than us; I get that. But it’s hard to accept that everyone here needs to intervene.”
“Do you realize you’re talking about Yandel, who has reached the level of an intermediate magician?”
“Of course. It’s not that we’re underestimating Yandel. It just seems like you’re underestimating us too much.”
“No. To me, it seems like you are indeed underestimating him. An intermediate magician could vie for a tower master position in smaller magic towers. He would be at least a gold-ranked adventurer, and many of our academy’s professors are at or beyond that level.”
Jason looked momentarily downcast as he picked hair from his hand, then continued.
“Alberto, do you really think all of you together could beat a professor-level opponent?”
“That’s...”
“Ah, yes. Maybe you could beat a Crafting Department professor.”
His tone was calm, without a trace of mockery, but it seemed to prick the pride of the Knight Department students.
Though they didn’t say it, some students tightly pursed their lips and glared this way.
Hm. They are quite spirited.
Alberto nodded solemnly in a lowered voice.
“Understood. Then we will prove it ourselves.”
“Go ahead.”
Jason waved them off as if dismissing them. Alberto returned to his spot, nodding lightly at Jason as well.
Well, he’s not a bad guy. Just extremely prideful.
Though he appeared as a character in H&A, his polarizing personality, and delicate performance had led to a low hiring rate.
...Perhaps because some fervent fans stirred up trouble on strategy cafes, damaging his image.
I chuckled briefly, recalling the past, and then pulled out a staff from my inventory.
“Shall we start now?”
“Yep. Oh, do you need time to prepare? The other students have already cast their shields.”
“No, I’m fine as is.”
“Alright, alright!”
I canceled the spell I was about to cast and started forming a new image.
“Ember, I breathe life into you as a breath. This is both a birth and an end for many.”
My core pulsed wildly, boosting a massive amount of mana.
“Rise from the darkness. Ascend from the ashes.”
A sphere of bright flame flickered through the black smoke.
The Knight Department students, sensing something ominous, tried to rush in before the smoke cleared... but it was already too late.
The spell was nearly complete, with only the last line left.
“Awake, Fire Phoenix.”
The visible flame split to the sides. A fierce, hot wind swept through the gap.
Whoosh!
The smoke was blown far away by the wind.
In its place stood a giant phoenix, burning like the sun.
“Wh-what is this...? How...?”
Alberto stopped in his tracks, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.
With a majestic posture that seemed to set the sky aflame, merely existing, heated the ground intensely.
And above all, the eyes blazed with a clear hostility.
The intense pressure made it difficult for everyone involved in the duel to even breathe.
Even the professors, Iona and Jason, were startled, staring blankly in our direction.
The only calm ones were Carla and Elisha, who saw this magic yesterday.
But the Fire Phoenix they saw yesterday, and the one now were likely different spells.
I’d been contemplating how to use this impressive but power-wise ambiguous spell.
The greatest strength of the Fire Phoenix was its sustainability and maneuverability. The only way to make full use of it was to maintain the Phoenix while fighting my own battle. Eventually, it would be modified into an autonomous spell.
Of course, it wasn’t easy. I’d only thought about it in my head, never confirming whether it was actually feasible.
So, I was testing it now.
“Haa.”
After taking a light breath, I launched the Fire Phoenix at the bewildered Knight Department students.
“Go!”
The Phoenix, engulfed in flames, charged forward rapidly.
From its fiercely flapping wings, a stifling hot wind and burning feathers were shot towards the ground.
While the core spell was just intermediate magic, the derived attacks were, at most, the strength of a slightly powerful low-level magic.
But the actual power aside, the sight was quite majestic.
Enough to make some students turn their backs, overwhelmed by the spectacle.
“Run!”
“Such magic... I’ve never heard of it!”
“Is it really necessary to go this far in a duel?!”
Of course!
It’s one of the few chances I get to trouble Iona on my side; how could I hold back?!
I’ll smash through with full force!