Thanks to the spectacle of Neid and Sabina's fight, even more people had gathered than the previous week. Many expected an even fiercer battle this time, especially since if Iruki lost, the third duel would be canceled.
Even the teachers, who had claimed no interest in "children's fights," were awkwardly smiling and lingering around.
While Ethela, the referee, checked the rules, Shirone and Dante's group waited on the sidelines.
Sabina's expression was grim. The trauma from the beating she'd suffered in the forest still haunted her—no, it had only grown worse, tormenting her with nightmares every night.
As the match time approached, Closer warmed up. Performing stretches uncharacteristically complex for a mage, he loosened his muscles before jogging in place and glancing at Dante.
"I'll finish this. No need for you to step in, right?"
In team battles, the first side to secure two wins would end the match. But Dante knew that as long as Olivia was involved, that wouldn't happen.
"Even so, the duel won't be canceled."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Our teacher wants Shirone crushed. He's already applied for special observers from the faculty. The school won't want this event canceled either."
"I see. So even if I win, you and Shirone will still fight?"
"But the stakes will be different. If we take two wins, we can humiliate Shirone even more. That'd be the best outcome."
"Heh. Fine, I'll set the stage for you."
When Ethela signaled for the fighters to step forward, Iruki and Closer moved to the center. After the rules were explained, Closer loomed over Iruki, flaunting his height.
"Anti-magic makes my nose tingle. But fighting me isn't about anti-magic. Ever had your nose broken? By a fist, I mean."
Iruki didn't answer.
"It hurts like hell. Makes you cry like a baby. I'm gonna smash your nose like an orc's. Even if you beg me to stop, I won't. Cool with that?"
Closer's lips curled into a vicious grin.
"Cat got your tongue? Scared? Too bad. The match has started, and you're about to get wrecked. In ten minutes, you'll be screaming with blood pouring from your nose. A few teeth might break too. That ugly face of yours will get even uglier."
Ethela intervened.
"Refrain from unnecessary remarks before the match. Both of you, take your positions."
Closer shook a fist at Iruki before returning to his spot, formulating his strategy based on pre-match intel.
Iruki's specialties were quick-hit disengagement tactics and instantaneous firepoint explosions. Most importantly, as a high-tier servant, preemptive strikes were nearly impossible against him.
Closer, standing 60 meters away, wiggled his fingers, deciding on his opening move. Since his own strength lay in defense rather than offense, sticking to standard tactics would suffice.
"Begin!"
The moment Ethela's signal dropped, multiple explosions erupted around Closer. Covering his face with his arms, his eyes widened in shock. Instant detonations at the start? Disengagement-type spells weakened with distance, yet Iruki had launched a 60-meter attack without moving—proof of top-tier formula manipulation.
Shirone smiled bitterly. He'd sensed it during the speed gun test, but Iruki's formula-based explosions were formidable.
In fact, Iruki's speed gun score was the highest in the magic academy's history—excluding Shirone with Immortal Function active.
Students gaped as Closer's massive frame was swallowed by flames. Even at 50% sync, consecutive hits could be dangerous.
When the smoke cleared, Closer stood unharmed, earthen barriers crumbling around him as he smirked.
"Heh. That's it? Felt like mosquito bites."
His passive skill, Earthrise, reinforced his body, while Earth Skin shielded him. Minor explosions couldn't even scratch him.
Closing the gap in a flash, Closer forced the fight into close quarters—Iruki's weak point.
"Rock and Roll!"
Closer swept his hand upward, and the ground rippled before coiling like a rolled-up carpet.
A 3-meter-wide boulder crushed the spot where Iruki had stood.
Iruki teleported away, but the moment his feet touched the ground, it collapsed as if trapped.
"Heh! Game over!"
Sealing Iruki's movement with Earthquake, Closer chained it with Eruption Magic. Friction from compressed earth triggered another explosion, sending five tons of debris skyward from the pit Iruki was in.
Iruki shielded his face as he was blasted upward, his mind rapidly calculating detonation formulas.
The flaw of detonation magic was its unpredictability—casting time varied wildly based on explosive power.
A 1-kilobuster could obliterate a carriage, yet even a certified 10th-rank mage needed 21 seconds on average to cast it.
But Iruki, as a servant, finished the formula in three seconds. And now, he was channeling over 10 seconds for a 10-kilobuster.
Closer sensed danger—Iruki's silence meant this blast was no joke. Trying to block it entirely could be fatal.
Predicting the impact point, Closer concentrated Earth Skin on his left side. Soil piled up like time-lapse footage, forming a solid barrier.
Then, Iruki's Atomic Bomb detonated.
No knockback rule meant Closer didn't move, but his Earth Skin was obliterated without a trace.
"Phew!"
Closer exhaled roughly. He'd absorbed the shock, but the force was terrifying.
Iruki grew serious. He hadn't expected a 10-kilobuster to be blocked so perfectly. This mage was far tougher than anticipated.
'No choice now.'
Splitting his focus, Iruki activated a second Spirit Zone. The moment the dual zones synced, Closer's eyes bulged.
It felt like fighting two mages at once.
'Dammit! Isn't this cheating?!'
Closer couldn't enjoy this anymore. If two 10-kilobuster Atomic Bombs came at once, defense would be impossible.
"I'll end this first!"
Casting Heavy Stone, dirt condensed midair into a 1-ton boulder that plummeted toward Iruki.
Pure alchemy—creating matter from nothing—but with gravitational force, it could crush bones.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Wherever Iruki moved, another boulder followed.
Though slow to form and easy to dodge, the sheer terror of being pinned was unimaginable.
'I see. That's his plan.'
Iruki realized Closer's intent. The delay before impact allowed chained attacks.
Sure enough, Closer cast Heavy Stone across a wide area.
While multiple boulders formed, he seamlessly switched formulas—activating Slug Magic.
Pebbles levitated before firing like bullets.
"How about this?!"
Rocks rained from above while stone pellets scattered like shotgun spray.
"Tch! Didn't want to use this yet."
Iruki repurposed one Spirit Zone for defense, casting Barrier Magic.
Hundreds of 10-grambuster micro-bombs spread across the zone's surface, intercepting the stones in midair with tiny explosions.
Students stared dumbfounded as the battlefield lit up with countless chain reactions.
This was Bombulet Barrier—the hallmark of a detonation mage.
Hundreds of micro-bombs floating around the caster, annihilating anything before it could reach them. The key was how many one could deploy simultaneously.
By that standard, Iruki could manifest 387 micro-bombs at once—a pro-level feat.
Yet even with Bombulet Barrier, Iruki was pushed to the brink.
His disengagement focus was a double-edged sword. His high-tier skills relied on it, but Bombulet Barrier worked best with defensive Spirit Zones.
It was like a dual-wielding swordsman dropping one blade for a shield.
Only his dual Spirit Zones let him keep "one sword," but without both zones on offense, he couldn't break Closer's earth magic.
"Heh! Time to end this!"
Closer charged straight through the Bombulet Barrier, arms shielding his face. With Earth Skin's defense, he could afford it.
As he breached the bomb field, Iruki rapid-fired Atomic Bombs.
The barrage of 10-grambusters battered Closer's guard, twisting his face in pain. But instead of stopping, he pushed deeper. The moment Earth Skin shattered, his fist smashed into Iruki's face.
Crack!
Iruki's eyes rolled back as he crashed to the ground.
Silence.
No one expected a mage to throw punches in a magic duel.
"H-hey, is that allowed? He just punched him!"
"Dunno. No rule against physical attacks, right?"
All eyes turned to Ethela, who looked conflicted.
Checking the Master Bracelet's readings, the punch had been devastating.
Until now, Iruki's energy had dropped by 1% per minute—steady, efficient mana use.
But that punch halved his remaining energy in one blow. Mages were fragile to physical strikes.
Ethela stepped back, tacitly allowing it.
Earth magic's nature made physical force a valid tactic.
"Heh. Told you. Gave you a hint, but you didn't take it. So much for 'genius.'"
Closer kicked Iruki's side as he tried to rise, sending him sprawling.
Even the Mark of the Giant had fallen in one hit—dual Spirit Zones were now impossible.
Still, Closer approached cautiously, Earth Skin active.
"Let's start remodeling. Gotta toughen you up first."
He stomped on Iruki repeatedly. Iruki curled up, shielding his face.
"Hey, that hurt? Huh? Still hiding that ugly mug? What's there to protect?"
"That bastard…! I'll kill him."
Neid trembled with rage but held back—for Iruki's pride.
"Shirone, stay back. I'll handle this."
"If we fight, we fight together. But we won't need to. Iruki hasn't given up yet."
Neid studied Iruki closely. Behind his arms, he was smiling. With Bombulet Barrier gone, what could he possibly have left?
"Annoyingly stubborn. Hey, look at me."
Closer's kick rolled Iruki onto his back. Instead of fear, his face was calm.
"This brat's pissing me off. Let's break that nose for real."
Disgusted, Closer raised his foot, aiming to shatter Iruki's face.
"Kik! Kikikik!"
Iruki's eerie laugh echoed as he arched his back like a bow, propping himself up on his head to look at Shirone.
"Shirone, sorry. I was saving this for you."
The crowd froze. Iruki's madness was escalating again.
"You little—!"
As Closer's foot descended like lightning, Iruki's mouth stretched into a grotesque grin.
"Let me show you something fun, Shirone."
Thud! The kick hit empty ground.
Iruki rolled aside, lunging into Closer's guard—and punched.
Closer was baffled. With Earth Skin and Earthrise active, Iruki's fist should've shattered.
"Agh!"
Yet a heavy impact struck his gut, forcing out a gasp.
Closer's eyes shook. The power was mediocre, but all his defensive spells had vanished.
"H-how…?"
Iruki sprang up in a crane-style stance—then stabbed two fingers at Closer's eyes.
"Ack!"
"Gah! My eyes!"
Blinded, Closer frantically cast Earthrise. But again, the spell fizzled like time reversing.
Clatter.
An observer's pen dropped as they stared at Iruki.
"…Cancellation?"
Cancellation Magic.
A top-tier spell, separate from power—nullifying a mage's abilities.
Magic textbooks liken Cancellation to a shattered glass.
Can broken glass pieces reassemble themselves?
The answer is yes.
Yet no one's seen it because the probability is infinitesimal.
Since time began, the universe trends from order to chaos.
Thus, when glass shatters, infinite variables ensure it stays broken.
But among those infinite possibilities, one exists where the forces acting on the glass perfectly reverse—allowing it to reform.
At the atomic level, if every force is inverted, the glass can restore flawlessly.
Mages call this The Glass That Returned.
Iruki had infiltrated Closer's Spirit Zone with his own, analyzing the mental patterns behind his spells.
Then, he reversed the formula—achieving The Glass That Returned.
Only a servant's computational power could manage this. 72% of mages capable of Cancellation are servant-syndromes.
"Grr! Damn it!"
Closer flailed in frustration, abandoning defense to summon Heavy Stones. A dozen boulders formed midair.
Iruki poked each one, canceling them. The forming rocks unmade themselves, vanishing.
"Ack! Ack! Ack!"
Iruki relentlessly pressed his assault. To onlookers, it looked like mockery—but he was deadly serious.
A strike to Closer's nose drew twin streams of blood.
With no way to counter Cancellation, Closer was a civilian fighting a mage.
The teachers' stunned faces said it all. A student wielding Cancellation changed everything.
"Knew he was skilled, but this…?"
"Environment matters. His father is…"
**Mercodain Albino—**head of Yongrae.
A man whose true thoughts few in the kingdom could guess.
Servants have the highest potential in Anti-Magic and Cancellation. Of course, the legendary Albino would train his son in them from childhood.
Ethela: "Not every Servant has quick reflexes like Iruki. But if trained properly, they'll reach unparalleled heights someday."
Like clothes slowly soaked by drizzle, the countless blows from Iruki's fists left his bones throbbing.
Closer's face was a mess. His eyelids were swollen, blood trickled from his nose, and his split lips burned with every twitch.
Closer: "I won't let this slide! I don't care about rules anymore!"
Closer abandoned magic and lunged at Iruki. He thought he couldn't lose in a physical fight—but that arrogance proved he'd lost his sanity.
The moment Closer threw a punch, a 10-kilobuster explosion erupted. His mental gauge plummeted, and his knees slammed into the ground. At less than 50% sync rate, it would've been fatal.
Closer stared up at Iruki in a daze—only to take a straight punch to his nose. Even the slightest touch now brought excruciating pain. Tears pooled in Closer's eyes.
Closer: "GAAAH!"
Iruki (cracking his knuckles): "Shall I turn you into an orc now?"
Closer snapped to his senses and frantically raised his hands.
Closer: "W-wait! I admit defeat…!"
CRACK! Iruki's punch shattered Closer's nose, sending his heavy torso reeling backward until his skull smacked the ground. Iruki grimaced and shook out his hand.
Iruki: "Damn, my fist."
When Ethela declared Iruki the winner, the students erupted in cheers. Mark and Maria nearly jumped for joy—finally, the insufferable Closer had been crushed.
'Incredible… Even Shirone's friends are monsters,' Maria thought.
Though Iruki had always been skilled, she'd never respected him—just another Servant Syndrome genius born with biological privileges. But now? Watching him humiliate Closer, a Kingdom-recognized prodigy, forced her to acknowledge his true strength.
Despite his usual unpopularity, girls now flocked to Iruki.
Girl 1: "So cool, Iruki-senpai! You're the best!"
Girl 2: "Wow, he's gorgeous!"
Iruki shrugged, then stepped on Closer's cheek with his right foot, flashing a deadpan V-sign. The cheers died instantly. Stepping on a loser's head…? His eccentricity was incurable.
Seriel (gulping, to Amy): "Shirone and his friends… They're advancing next year, right?"
Amy: "Yeah, I think so."
Seriel: "Then I'm graduating this year no matter what. If they join the senior class, it'll be hell."
Even top-tier seniors watched warily—these were rivals who could block their graduation.
Shirone and Neid rushed to Iruki, stunned.
Shirone: "That was terrifying. I got chills."
Neid: "When did you even practice that?!"
Iruki: "First time using it today. Solved equations all break. Knew it'd work."
Normally, they'd mock his arrogance—but today, they couldn't.
As Sabina revived Closer, Dante approached—but ignored Shirone, addressing Iruki instead.
Dante: "Cancellation magic. Impressive."
Iruki: "Save your praise for Shirone."
Dante (smirking): "Talent like yours is wasted here."
Iruki: "Underestimate him, and you'll lose."
Dante (laughing): "To a country bumpkin? Never."
The crowd buzzed. Who's the second person Iruki mentioned?!
Student: "Maybe Amy-senpai?"
The awaited duel day arrived. Alpheas Magic Academy buzzed as Kilaine, a famed reporter, entered with Optiscura B crystals—recording devices 200x costlier than standard ones.
Maria (whispering): "Kilaine's prettier than I imagined!"
Mark (grumbling): "Still a Dante fanatic."
The arena gleamed—obsidian blocks polished to mirrors, torches casting dramatic shadows.
Neid (excited): "If Shirone wins, the whole Kingdom will know his name!"
Iruki (coolly): "They're here to record Dante's info magic."