In my school, magic duels are legal and openly encouraged. It is held during lunch break and has no set specific day to be held because it's a on the moment thing. You just tell the student council member responsible about the duel, and it will be arranged.
Today is exactly the day where I will have my first magic duel. My opponent will be Richard, the class bully.
"As you can see, this will be the duel for this week. On my left side, is someone who has maintaned her second place in exams since her entrance exam up until now!"
The crowd applauded.
"And besides that, most of you may already know her as the girl who was called out by the Magic God to the front of the stage, and has already once impressed everyone with her ability to use Magic Techniques. I welcome in the vice-monitor of class 2-A, the girl with blue eyes and red hair, Kyrielle Buffet!"
A Student Council member responsible for holding these magic duels is now announcing the our duel towards the entire school during school lunch. The first one who shall enter this duel is me.
The crowds cheered on as I entered the training field from the school building, wearing my sport uniform. I have also tied my twin tails into a single ponytail because twin tails actually get in the way of fighting, and I risk damaging my hair as well since I've grown my hair out.
As a girl, it is important for to maintain your hair especially when you grow them out. A girl who doesn't maintain her hair is easily tell apart by the hair being really weak and rough, unlike mine which is strong and smooth.
And in a lot of anime, those girls doesn't have a problem with blows glancing off their bangs, but I have a problem with that because I put a lot of effort into my hair, I wouldn't want them to be damaged!
"And up next is also a second grade student. He is from a rich family, but much of his background is rather unknown. Born as the child to the duke of this area, he was able to have a Saint ranked mage as his tutor as well."
The crowd applauded again.
"His reputation is rather notorious but also renowned at the same time in our school, as he was known as a troublemaker but also a person who stands up to bullies and protecting people who were bullied! "
He protects bully victims? That's the first time I have heard of this. No wonder he's so envious of me, since I have never did anything grand like that and yet my reputation has drowned out his, and that's besides the fact that he tried so hard to make people like him and yet no one does.
"While he has done some good deeds, he's still a troublemaker. He has even picked on the two of his class's monitors, that's how mischievous he is! I present to you all, Richard Boreal!"
At the entrance opposite to the one that I used, Richard walked in as well. And within the crowds I could hear a mix of cheers and boos. The fact that it wasn't entirely full of boos means that him protecting bully victims is true then.
He walked forth with confidence and then immediately headed towards my direction. He stopped just in front of me and then leaned his head forward in a provoking way.
"Remember our conditions, you must fulfill it once you lose!"
"Right. "
"Hmmpt. "
(1 week earlier)
"If you'll stop your bullying behavior once you lost, then I'll duel you. "
"Fine. But if you loses, I'll have you wear a sign that says 'I'm a loser and a fraud' and walk around the entire school. "
"That won't be a problem. The problem is whether your real abilities is as big as your ramblimg mouth. "
"Tsk, cheeky little midget. "
"Don't forget that you lost in a physical fight, 3 to 1. "
"You!... Whatever! "
He walked off with a pout after he failed to think of a come back.
"Kyrie... You know, you don't have to listen to him at all right? There's no rule that dictates the loser will have to do what the winner says. Besides, you don't even need accept this duel at all!"
"Well, I did promised him something. Whatever this duel is, it's not about our last fight at all, it's about our pride, he wants to prove that he still has something better than me. That's just how boys like him are, he won't just accept defeat and back down from a challenge."
"Heh, that sounds awfully a lot like you, Mike. "
"...don't lump me in with the likes of him...! But I swear I'll get him for that beating. "
"Hahaha, this hot headedness is exactly what we are talking about! You and him is a lot more alike than you think... I guess that goes for me as well.... "
"I guess... "
"Anyway Kyrie, do you have a plan for this? You seemed rather confident when you accepted his duel. " Mike asked me curiously.
"I don't know for sure what Richard can do, but I'm fairly certain that I can counter whatever spells he could pull off. "
"Oh? I guess I will look forward to that then. Besides, I'm not the one who will embarrass themselves if they lose the duel. "
"You don't have to worry about that, cause I'm not planning to lose. "
"Big mouth for a small girl like you, but I guess if it's coming from you then you must have something up your sleeves then. "
In reality, I don't. What I'm planning to do is to just counter whatever he throws at me and then hit him with a Mana Ball. If he shoots fire spell, I'll counter that with a water spell, if he uses Rock Sling I'll just dodge it, etc etc.
Problem arises if he starts to cast big spells from Adept rank or above, like a Fireball that explodes upon impact. While I don't think that he could do that, I'd be at a severely high risk if he moves first and he starts casting a really dangerous spell like that.
Well, I do know how to cast Fireball as well, even chantlessly. The problem is if just my Ember can reach Intermediate rank, that means if I used an Adept rank magic, that means with my magic power it'd be dangerous. This is the reason why I'm not planning to go all out since I don't know how strong I actually am.
(Back to the present)
Richard walked back to create distance, and he took his position about 10 meters away. As he did that, the student council member starts to talk again.
"I will now announce the rules of engagement. First off, the one who is disabled first via running out of mana, or being hit by the opponent's spell and activating the protection barrier will lose. And then, the two parties are allowed to use all magic below Master rank to engage each other. After that, the contestants are not allowed to use any kinds of physical attacks to win the fight, this includes throwing fists, kicks, grappling and anything that isn't magic. Finally, if both party is still standing after 3 minutes, the duel will count as a draw. "
"Now, if the two contestants are contend with these aforementioned rules, please nod your head. "
I nodded my head. Richard did so as well.
"Very well, then the condition for starting this duel is met. The fight hasn't begun yet, but upon my counting from 3 to 1, at the signal of me yelling 'begin', it will have begun. Please nod your head again if you are ready. "
Me and Richard nodded again.
"Very well. The count will start now... 3!"
Complete silence followed soon after the MC finished that sentence. Not a sound could be heard from the crowds as the field turns silent. The atmosphere feels intense, as not a sound was heard except the winds blowing, as if it was a Mexican standoff.
"...2!"
Immediately when the duel begins, I will cast an Earth Wall directly in front of him, so that if he plans to cast any big spells he will hit himself from it being recoiled off the wall.
If he doesn't plan to use any big spells then that means the wall will help distract him as I charge up a Mana Ball and tag him with that immediately as I dispel the wall. It's basically a one two combo.
I will only use fire magic when the fight goes South. But Combustion would not be suitable here, so that's out of the question...
"...1!"
"Huuuu... Haaaahh.... "
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm my nerves. My mental state like a storm, and then I imagined it calming down to a still lake, achieving a totally calm mind to help me visualize spells. Adrenaline starts kicking in again, and I could feel my blood boiling from excitement.
"...Begin!"
Immediately, Richard started chanting, and a magic crest appeared in front of his right arm.
"Upon this armored titan's co-"
He's plannig to cast Mud Puddle. A dirty trick huh, I see what you are trying to pull off. In that case...
Within these very lands hide an impenetrable wall...
"-mmand to kneel... "
Hmm, he didn't immediately cast it. So he's planning to do a simultaneous casting I see.
"Nature hides a bullet that-"
It's Rock Sling. This is a relatively basic spell to combo with Mud Puddle, and it's one that's also rather effective. I have used this combo in live combat and it works, that's why.
"shall pierce every living creature!"
I'll just counter attack at the moment he casts Rock Sling because that's the moment he's the most vulnerable. I have an idea in mind for this.
To dodge it, I'll feint right so that he will aim at the wrong direction, and then I'll dodge to the left instead.
"Mud Puddle!"
There, it's just in front of my right leg that I saw the ground started to become mushy and soft. I instead stepped to the left.
"Rock Sling!"
"Earth Wall!" I yelled out my spell even though I didn't have to.
A rock bullet fired out at a high speed. While it's fast, it's not so fast that I can't see it at all. I stepped to the right this time to dodge it. The rock bullet that was coming for my face barely scratched my cheek before it flies off. Some blood starts pouring out from the scratch wound.
As for what happened to Richard... I should feel apologetic but now all I'm feeling is happiness as I'm trying not to laugh my guts out from seeing Richard.
Why? Because I had an idea to use Earth Wall offensively and as he casted Rock Sling, I casted Earth Wall directly under the middle of his leg. And then the wall extended above with a lot of force and slammed right into his crotch before the wall dissipates into sand.
After receiving my dirty blow, he crouched down from pain and his face is full of agony.
"...Ky...rielle...! "
"Pfft hahahaha! I'm sorry! But I'm not sorry! Hahahaha! You should see your face right now!"
Since I used to be a boy, I can sort of feel his pain here, but now that I'm a girl I have no such weaknesses huhuhu! I don't have two fragile eggs and a banana there as weakness, but only a hole now! I don't have to worry about getting hit there anymore!
And my urge to laugh far overcame my feeling of empathy and remorse for him, since it's just so funny how he planned all that advanced combo and things but gets done in by a stupid Earth Wall to the crotch!
I guess now I'll be infamous for being the girl who aims for the balls. Will my reputation with boys drop because of this?
"And now, it seems that contestant Richard has lost the ability to continue fighting. As such, the winner now will be contestant Kyrielle! "
The crowd applauded as I did a bow. On the sidelines I could see our school's healer running forward to give healing to Richard.
"Richard used a spell combo that's rather effective. However, it seems that contestant Kyrielle has immediately saw through his basic combo, and then counter attack to his private part using Earth Wall! With the irony here being that Earth Wall is normally used defensively!"
The crowd laughed as well upon hearing his words.
"That was just so funny... But that whole exchange of spells isn't just a comedic timing, it was perfect! Moving with so minimal movement by feinting movement to the right so that the Mud Puddle will miss. Then, she immediately counter attacked by attacking him at his most vulnerable moment, which is when he is casting another spell. And then, only slightly leaning her head with minimal movement to dodge the Rock Sling itself is just the icing on top of the cake! She outplayed this whole duel!"
Once again, the crowd applauded even louder upon hearing the MC's explanation of my tactic used. Even though my tactic almost failed since the Rock Bullet might have actually hit my head and then activated the Barrier magic carved on the field's ground since it'd be considered as a death blow. But being showed all this praises feels nice so I'm not complaining.
"Alright, now that we have a winner, this duel is officially over. Thanks to all the audience for witnessing this duel, and I hope that everyone will be inspired by it to try out duels themselves. Hope you all have a nice day. "
"Hey there. Do you need healing as well?" The healer approached me after tending to Richard's wounds.
"Yes, I scratched my cheek here. "
"Oh graceful one, grant blessings upon those who have faith, Lesser Heal. "
Golden lights emitted from the crest in front of her hand and towards my scratch wound, it healed immediately.
"Alright, thank you miss healer. "
"I'm just doing my job. "
After that, I walked over to Richard who has just stood up, still recovering from his damage.
"You good?"
"...yeah I'm fine. But I was totally humiliated by you... How embarrassing...!"
"...don't let it get to your head. And don't forget our promise! "
"Yes yes I get it...! "
He walked away after hearing those. He must have suffered a tremendous defeat mentally. But this is a duel he challenged me to, so I have nothing to feel guilty about crushing his ego.
But he needs to have it this way to act as a lesson for the fact that there are people in this world who no matter how hard you train for, you won't be able to defeat. I'm well aware of this fact upon seeing that Magic God already, and also after sparring with Dad. He has won all of our spars so far and I haven't scored a hit on him at all, and that is when he's holding back.
"...sigh. I guess I should head back to class as well. "
(This entire fight lasted no more than 1 minutes. )
(Chapter 28 end)