– Aspiring swordsman student POV –
The fight between a new teacher who is in a range where aria wouldn't be able to catch up and the man who seems to be working as his assistant, began.
The reason I came to this guy's class was because Brait-sensei told me so I had no choice. I didn't have any intentions to come here again. In the first place, I am a swordsman that uses magic as support and since the time I heard that Raidou's lecture would be mostly about spells and arias, the direction it took was not fit to mine.
This is like a harassment from Brait-sensei. That sensei, whenever a practical skill teacher comes, he always sends a number of students that are from another expertize and pulls them away at once. That way he will use sweet words to draw in the teachers that are troubled getting students as protégé.
The temporary teachers that gather students in the first week without much effort normally get conceited after all. Later, they usually fail in gathering students. I think it is a low move, but it does show high effectiveness.
Brait-sensei is theoretical and teaches tactics as his main point, but he wants to have a higher position within the practical skill teachers so I think he is doing a lot of things. I don't think that with only writing things down and discussions it can become true ability, so I can't bring myself to like that sensei. I don't think strategy and planning is a complete waste of time though.
Of course, there aren't many decent practical skill teachers, so in the lectures that I have decided, there are some I want to take out or change. This is a place where rich and nobles gather, but it doesn't mean skill will gather as well.
Scholarship students like me who have been recognized by the academy and possess special characteristics and aptitudes, don't mind about being injured in classes as long as it increases my skills to the very limit. In this academy, those classes can be enumerated and because of popularity issues, they normally get closed down. I feel irritated by that.
That's why, a person who can't use his mouth and can't even tell apart if he is a demi-human by his childish face, there's no sense of expectation at all. Moreover, if there were such a genius of the same generation, the country would have already taken possession of him already. Well, he did pass the employment exam, so he must at least have the minimum requirements.
The man holding a staff, he said his name was Shiki-san. The moment he said he would go, he immediately made a dash onto Raidou and closed the distance in an instant.
Fast. He is probably faster than me at stepping in. I thought he was a magician as well but, could it be I was wrong?
Seeing his delicate features, he didn't give me an image of close-range combat though.
"Wa!"
I involuntarily leak out my voice. I can hear something from everyone's mouths, so it isn't just me that's surprised.
At the tip of Shiki-san's staff, a golden knife appeared. It looked like a spear. There was no aria.
Is that an ability of that staff? I can tell that it is an amazing article from the magic power it releases. Also that it is a rare item I wouldn't be able to even imagine its price.
There was no shred of hesitation. That edge was aiming directly at the chest of Raidou. He said himself that he was his master. What are his intentions?
The spear was heartlessly lunged. Fast. From the front, that is not a speed a magician would be able to follow with one's eye.
This is over. I was sure of it. Shiki-san wins.
But my prediction was easily overturned.
Because the spear stopped less than 10 cm before reaching Raidou by a hexagonal barrier.
"…."
Again, I couldn't feel an aria. What in the world is this?
It feels cold, like being poured with ice water.
Raidou is empty-handed. Not only does he not have a staff, he is not holding anything.
With no catalyst, he was able to create a barrier without aria in this short amount of time? Even for a joke, this is too far.
Without minding about being blocked, Shiki-san once again takes an offensive with his staff like a spear. The speed of the spear increases and his technique increases. Even my eyes can't catch up.
And yet, Raidou was able to completely block that barrage with a single small barrier that he moved around.
Thus…
Raidou who caught Shiki-san's spear with the edge of his barrier, used the barrier to slide the edge and ward it off. Before I noticed, the form of the barrier had changed from flat to a round shape.
The moment it was warded off, Raidou made an attack to the staff's side and crumbles the posture of Shiki-san. The right hand of him that was shining red was stretched out.
The palm that had gouged into Shiki-san's body shone magic power light and exploded. Shiki-san's body is blown several meters away and a cloud of dust rose… What an exchange of offensive and defensive.
Raidou has practically not moved from his initial position.
Incredible. Is this… really a fight between two magicians?
I can hear the sound of gulping breath. I was being fascinated by the battle unfolding in front of me.
Before the cloud of dust dispersed, I could only confirm their figures by their shadows, but when Shiki-san got up as soon as he dropped, he hit the ground with the staff's jewel.
In an instant, Raidou jumps back.
In the place where he was, at its circumference, numerous spears that would skewer its target projected out from the ground! Shiki-san is an earth element magician!
Raidou-sensei was able to predict this move. If it were me, there's no doubt the battle would end with that surprise attack. I unconsciously bite my lips.
The cloud of dust was forcefully dispersed by that magic attack.
A red flash.
Is it fire arrow? Raidou-sensei, while jumping to the back, he was forming the spell and shot it. When I look carefully, I could see a part of Shiki-san's earth spear was smashed.
However, I don't know if it hit Shiki-san or he evaded it. There was no explosion nor impact. It just passed through my field of vision and disappeared just like that.
The figure of Shiki-san that was now in the open, was laughing.
His clothes didn't have a single wound. I thought it was a magic with quite the power, but was he able to defend against that? It was to the point that a number of female students let out screams.
Looking again, this time, on Raidou-sensei's feet, earth began to swell up. A black shining ore was created. The tip is sharp and had the shape of a nut.
That was shot at Shiki-san. The speed was as fast as an arrow.
Shiki-san uses the tip of the staff that doesn't have the edge anymore to stop that black attack. When he does this, the black cluster that had become a dangerous weapon returns to being just earth and falls to the ground.
When sensei saw this, he creates two arrows at the same time one blue, one red and shoots them at Shiki-san.
Shiki-san takes them on with the tip of the staff again. The two lights are being swallowed. That staff… is absorbing magic power?!
"N-No way… Water, earth, fire. There is no way a person can use three elements at that high level of power"
"Parallel aria. This is the first time I have seen it"
That's right. That staff is incredible, but Raidou-sensei is also. He is without a doubt using three elements at a battle-able level.
Also, to form two spells at the same time, parallel aria.
[Even though I shot two arrows of different elements at practically the same time, it was splendidly blocked]
"I have been training as well" (Shiki)
Since the battle began, this is the first time they have conversed.
[But we have taken a lot of time]
"You are right. Let's end it with the next one" (Shiki)
After some frivolous talk, the two of them nod.
I was already completely fascinated by this fight. Since coming to this academy, I was sure this fight was levels above the ones I have seen until now.
From the mouth of both of them, arias were chanted for the first time. Both of them were languages I have never heard before.
Ancient language. This was clearly a different system of aria from the one we use.
Shiki-san points the staff's tip at Raidou-sensei. Several magical formations overlapped and rotated in place at the tip and spheres of intricate design were being formed.
Raidou-sensei, seeing Shiki-san, he moves half of his body; his left hand to the front and his right hand to the back. As if he were holding a bow. At the end of that right hand, a black darkness was forming spherically.
The moment both sides released their spell.
Shiki-san's white and Raidou-sensei's black that were released…
Both of them collided and the light that surged took away my field of vision completely. I was now unable to follow the direction this battle would take.
Inside that light, I heard the short scream of someone.
And then, the light in the surroundings began to fade.
After recovering my eyesight, what I saw was Shiki who had lost his posture and leaning on his knees and Raidou-sensei grabbing his neck.
"I have lost" (Shiki)
I heard the voice of Shiki-san affirming this scene.
I unconsciously let a sigh escape and a sense of exhaustion pervades my whole body. It seems it wasn't only me. Looks like the strength of everyone had left their body.
Raidou-sensei releases Shiki-san's neck and looks at us.
If it were before the mock battle, I would have been able to return that gaze, but the me right now felt awfully scared by it. The gaze that overlapped for a second, was averted by me.
[I will leave the decision of if you want to come next time. If you want to become strong no matter what, I will welcome you guys with open arms]
I was astonished that even the magic power of the writing was scaring me now. For such a person to exist…
The world is vast.
Raidou-sensei didn't turn back and leaves the field. But I have decided. There was no need to tell me. There's no doubt that the current me needs his teachings.
"In the end, it felt like we only made self-introductions, but with this, this time's lesson ends. I think you have now understood the effectiveness of being able to control multiple elements and to improve your arias… Oya? What's wrong?" (Shiki)
Shiki-san tells us about the end of the lesson on Raidou-sensei's stead. The tied up hair was already untied. Even though he was doing such an intense fight just now, Shiki-san smiled in a calm manner.
He is a magician, but this person possesses close-combat abilities that surpasses mine. Feelings of honest respect well up for Shiki-san. There's no doubt the two of them are incredible people though.
Lured by the words and gaze of Shiki-san, I look at a girl of the same year. She was holding her left elbow with her right hand. From below that right hand, red blood was drawing a line.
"No, it's nothing. Just a bit…"
"A splinter hit you in the mock battle just now huh" (Shiki)
Avoid something like that, is what I thought.
Ah, but… the scream that I heard at that last light. At that time it wouldn't be strange to not be able to evade the splinters. The field of vision was zero after all.
But to hide her wound in shame at Shiki-san's words must be because she thinks she is clumsy for not being able to evade it herself. She is also a person that is exempt from tuition, so her pride in her strength must be high.
"Uhm, it's really okay so… ah"
"That's something I will be deciding after looking at it. Even if I look like this, I have experience in healing after all" (Shiki)
Saying that, Shiki-san takes away her right hand and looks at the condition of her wound. Shiki-san naturally cleans the wound and the dirtied right hand with water. This person can also use water?
Also, experience in healing? It's so incredible I have no words.
"It seems to be a shallow cut. It won't turn into anything serious" (Shiki)
"Ah, yes. Thank you very much"
"At this level, there's no need to use magic. Let's see… Ah, here it is" (Shiki)
Shiki-san looks for something in his bag and shows it to her. A small bottle.
"It isn't to the level of deluxe, but it's a handmade medicine for wounds. If I smear the wound like this…" (Shiki)
"Hi~u!"
"Was it cold? Sorry, I forgot to tell you" (Shiki)
"Wa, yes. Ah, no, it's okay"
He takes out an ointment type of medicine from the small bottle and spreads it through all the wound.
"Ah"
"Wow!"
"Incredible!!"
The wound visibly closes and returns to normal. Without using magic… Isn't that quite the magic medication there?
N?
… Handmade?
Medicine manufacture… He is even in the alchemy area?!
Is he a superman?
"It isn't something to be surprised about. It's just a thing I slightly improved from basic wound medications" (Shiki)
Basic? This is?
If this is basic, then I might even believe his special ability can revive the dead.
"Now, with this you are fine. I am sorry for injuring you" (Shiki)
"N-No… Thank you very much. Uhm, about payment…"
"It's enough with your thanks. This level of medication can be commonly found lined in our store. Well then, later" (Shiki)
This isn't on a level that can be found even by mistake in pharmacies, Shiki-san.
But after Shiki-san brushed the earth that was on the clothes of the healed girl, he bowed and turned his back.
Brait-sensei, I… for the first time am grateful at you.
I truly thank you for introducing me to Raidou-sensei and Shiki-san.
Coming to this academy, I have finally met a person I want to call master.