[43] Limitless (2)
Shirone headed to the integrated training grounds early that morning. Since they were starting exam preparation today, the atmosphere in class was tenser than usual.
The exam subjects differed by class. Shirone's Class Five would take the targeting test, commonly called the Speed Gun.
"Ugh! From today on it's Speed Gun practice nonstop. This is the one I'm worst at. Those who specialize in targeting are lucky—huge advantage."
"Not really. Target types are good for small elite teams. The practical test overwhelms you with targets. Why not switch to offense and just blow up whatever comes at you?"
"You'll be the first to get tired doing that. Anyway, it'll be either offense or target. No one'll use the evasive type—how would you keep up with all that?"
"Come to think of it, what about Iruki? Isn't he going to use evasive again this time?"
"Ha! No way—he's not stupid. I'm more curious about Shirone. He's strong in real combat. But he's defense-specialized, so we'll see what he picks."
Iruki and Shirone's names came up in the students' chatter now and then. Some kids had better records, but the expectation that one of those two would show something decisive at the crucial moment made them stand out.
But Shirone wanted to cry. Far from being strong in real combat, he still hadn't succeeded in producing photon output. If he couldn't activate an active magic, the practical exam would inevitably be a zero.
'Ugh! What should I do? I'm really in trouble.'
While Shirone fretted, a dog barked loudly from the edge of the training ground. The girls looked first; the boys ran over.
"What is that? How'd it get in?"
"Probably a mountain dog. But why's it barking like that?"
As the children crowded around, the dog grew more alert. It bared its teeth and growled.
Normally dogs wag their tails at people, but an animal that showed aggression didn't feel like a dog at all—it was unsettling.
"Hey! Get lost! Don't come near!"
The kids from Class Seven started pelting it with stones. Even students from higher classes watched, but no one stopped them. They thought a dog that hated people was no different from a wild animal.
But Shirone was different. After listening to the barking for a while, he noticed something and ran forward.
"Wait! Don't throw stones."
Until recently he'd been a Class Seven peer, but now he was clearly a senior, and the kids froze in nervous obedience. Mark, leader of Class Seven, tried to tidy things up.
"Hey, hey! Cut it out! Shirone-senpai said to stop!"
Shirone stepped closer to get a better look, and Mark followed, startled.
"Senpai, it's dangerous. It's a wild dog."
"No matter how wild it grew up, a dog won't bite people. It'll run away instead."
"But it's barking like that."
"I think it's probably—"
Shirone approached without fear. The dog emitted a deep, ferocious growl, but it didn't actually charge.
He stared into the dog's eyes and pushed toward the forest. Sure enough, there was an undergrown puppy lying in the grass, whimpering.
"Its leg's injured. Poor thing."
"Whoa, it really is. Guys, there's a puppy here!"
"Don't call it over yet. Even a pup can flip out when it's in danger."
"Ah, right. Hey! Don't come closer!"
"Can someone who knows healing magic come? Seriel-senpai would be perfect, but just look among Class Five or below."
"No need—Maria can do it."
Maria, who'd attended the school since childhood, knew a variety of spells. Having met Sade, she'd become more relaxed and friendly with classmates, so when Mark called she ran over at once.
"Oh my, how did it get hurt like this?"
"Probably bit during a territory fight. Can you fix it?"
"Yes, senpai. This is easy."
Maria cast a healing spell and the puppy's wound knitted shut. Restored to health, it bounced through the grass as if nothing had happened. The mother finally stopped barking and took her pup back up into the mountain.
Saving a life always warmed the chest. Even the kids who had thrown stones stood looking at the forest for a long time, moved.
"Amazing, senpai. How did you know there was a pup?"
"Huh? Haha! I used to live in the mountains for a long time."
Shirone remembered an incident from when he was about eleven and went hunting with his father.
That day luck had smiled on them: a red bear, claws bared, had been trapped in a rope and was struggling. Given the bear's strength, it could have snapped the rope, so Vincent hastily aimed an arrow.
Shirone waited anxiously. If they caught the red bear, they wouldn't worry about food for a while.
But the arrow didn't fly. Shirone tilted his head in surprise as Vincent lowered his bow and prepared to leave.
"Man, you can have too much luck. Let's go home, Shirone."
"Huh? Why not catch it? Mom'd be so happy."
Vincent squatted and pointed to where the bear was trapped.
"Look there, Shirone."
Shirone peered carefully. Beside the trapped mother, a cub was whining.
"Hunters don't catch animals that have young. Even though they're animals, the love for offspring is the same as with humans."
"But then we miss out. That's a great catch right there."
Vincent ruffled Shirone's hair with warm eyes.
"As that bear has a cub, I have you. As a parent, how could I look away? Fighting to survive is the same for people and beasts. But you don't do it in front of your young. That's an unspoken rule that applies to all living things."
Shirone felt Vincent's affirmation that day. Maybe Vincent hadn't saved the bear so much as protected his child. The certainty that his father would always protect him warmed Shirone's heart.
The students were impressed by Shirone's story. They didn't know Vincent was his father, but the emotional impact carried through just the same.
"I see. Shirone's really admirable."
"Yeah. He's so kind."
Classmates began to see Shirone differently. He had seemed rigid and only interested in magic, but that warm heart was an unexpected charm.
"A foolish theory. Hunters don't spare animals for that reason."
The remark doused the warm mood, and the kids glared back. Iruki stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Shirone.
"Not killing an animal with young is to prevent the young from developing aggression toward humans later. In biology that's called imprinting. If animals learn to see humans as predators, their offspring inherit that nature. Hunting becomes difficult. But killing the young would wipe out the species. It's the wisdom of hunters who want to keep hunting within their own territory."
Shirone seethed. Of course Iruki didn't mean to insult his father, but the words were an affront to Vincent's principle.
"How can you say that? Sure, some hunters might be like that. But most really release the animal out of pity."
"Feelings, emotions—you can dress those up any way you like. I'm talking about reality. I won't lull people with foolish idealism like you."
"What the—are you done?"
Shirone sprang up and glared at Iruki. It was round two of the spat that had happened at the Supernatural Psychical Science Research Society.
The students were stunned. Shirone didn't pick fights, and Iruki didn't get along with anyone. Tension multiplied when those two collided.
"What's up with them? Did those two always fight?"
"They're competing. Either way, both of them are definitely candidates for the next promotion."
Shirone narrowed his eyes and stared. Iruki, seemingly uninterested in a fight, pretended to look elsewhere.
"Hey, hey! Why are you two at it again? It had been quiet for a while. Teacher's coming, so let's go back for now."
Thanks to Nade pulling them apart, it didn't escalate into a big fight, but Shirone still felt uneasy.
He couldn't understand Iruki's mindset. Researching equations that could level a city, looking down on animal life—he disliked everything about him.
'Ugh. I'll avoid him from now on.'
Class began and Etella climbed the hill. The students gaped at her changed appearance.
Because it was practical exam season? She wore a training uniform with short sleeves and shorts convenient for movement.
Most shocking of all was that she wasn't wearing glasses.
The boys were dumbstruck by the beautiful woman standing before them. Could a single pair of glasses change someone's impression so much?
"You know we're starting special training today, right? Due to the practical arena, Class Five's Speed Gun test will be held first. Starting tomorrow, class times will be split by group, so take note. Today's lesson will proceed after the assistant's demonstration. Samuel, over here."
A tall, blond young man stepped forward. He looked to be in his early twenties and unusually wore his hair down to his waist for a man.
"This assistant is Samuel from the graduating class. His major is language magic, and he's come specially to demonstrate. This ties into Spirit Zone enhancement training, so pay close attention."
Waaah!
The girls erupted in enthusiastic cheers for Samuel. After male students dominated the integrated classes, a handsome man appearing on stage sent them into a frenzy.
"Nice to meet you. It feels like just yesterday I was taking advanced classes, and yet so much time has passed. My skills aren't much to look at, but I'll do my best to help with instruction."
Shirone watched Samuel with interest.
This was his chance to see the skill of the graduating-class rival competing with Amy. He was especially curious about a major in language magic.
Samuel stepped into the Image Zone and deployed a Spirit Zone. The students murmured in admiration. A sphere forty-two meters in diameter—a size similar to Shirone's—enclosed him.
"Language magic is the strengthening of magical power through the force of words. First, I'll cast a tornado without invoking language. Tornado."
When Samuel raised both hands, a powerful whirlwind roared. There were students in the advanced class who could handle tornadoes, but he cast it as if it were a basic spell.
"Remember the power of that. Now I'll enhance the tornado with language magic. It literally uses the power of words. By savoring the will contained in the words, a mage's mental strength is fortified."
Samuel cleared his throat and began reciting a poem composed of eight stanzas.
"O land of exaltation, lend me your strength and caress my hand. The heavens look on and the history of praise is held in an instant. If the power of the void dwells within the palm—"
Before he finished the first stanza, the students' expressions went flat. The strange poem, barely making sense, bored them. Someone stifled a yawn, but Samuel didn't appear offended; he finished his recitation and raised his hands to cast again.
"Tornado."
Pwooooom!
With a deafening roar, a massive whirlwind shot into the sky, its gale powerful enough to steal the students' breath. The wind buffeted them so strongly Samuel's figure shimmered in it.
Samuel smiled. "This is the power of language. Words carry the mage's will. By savoring that will, you strengthen the spell. Speak, and reflect. That's the basic system of language magic. Now, let's begin in earnest."