[232] 4. Battle Simulation (2)
The moment the target entered the Spirit Zone, it trembled as if electrocuted.
Then, responding to shifts in its mind, it began to fling itself along unpredictable trajectories.
When it tried to leave the Spirit Zone, Dante deployed his Fourfold Pattern to secure the space around it.
At the instant of a mental pulse he concentrated and yanked it back.
Whenever the target returned to center, it lashed out again.
Each time, Dante deftly altered the shape of the Fourfold Pattern to keep it from escaping.
As time went on, the target's movements grew faster and its paths more absurd.
In some stretches it vibrated like it was trapped against a wall; in others it streaked out over ten meters with full force.
The students were tense just from watching.
When it flew so fast even the longest-range target form couldn't catch it, surprised noises escaped from the crowd.
"Wha—?"
At that moment Dante expanded the Spirit Zone in succession.
As the target form's reach stretched out, the target was trapped again. A mental pulse inevitably followed and drew it in.
Spectators were speechless at Dante's near-virtuosic handling of the Spirit Zone.
After a minute, Olivia called it off.
"That's enough. This demonstration should suffice."
Dante drew the target in, levitated it above his crown, and released the Spirit Zone.
The students watched in a daze.
Even if only briefly, the ability to move a target exactly where you wanted it was beyond ordinary mental power.
"This is the lifting test. If you're Class Four, you should be able to hold it for about a minute. Now, shall we have other students demonstrate? I hear there's someone named Shirone—"
Boil raised his hand.
"I'll go."
He meant to embarrass Shirone, but when an unexpected student volunteered Olivia looked flustered.
A full minute of lifting was well above the Class Four average.
Even Dante, who'd practiced as soon as the test was introduced, would have struggled to keep it up for two minutes.
"I'm first in Class Four. I'm confident."
Olivia's eyes brightened.
It was a shame it wasn't Shirone, but comparing the top of the advanced class would give Etella objective data to pressure.
"All right. Since it's your first time, treat it as learning the feel and give it a try."
Boil marched briskly into the Image Zone.
He glared at Dante as he climbed the steps, but Dante only shrugged and stepped aside.
With the students watching tensely, Boil began his lift.
The target fought back hard as soon as it entered the Spirit Zone.
It was much tougher than expected—like a rubber ball ricocheting inside a skull.
True to his talent as the advanced class's top student he managed to keep the lift, but the cycles of drawing it in with mental pulses shortened markedly.
In the end, the speed at which he could reconfigure the Fourfold Pattern couldn't keep up with the target, and it slipped out of the Spirit Zone.
"Huff, huff."
Boil exhaled repeatedly. For a first attempt he thought it was decent.
But the students' faces darkened.
His eyes widened in shock when he checked the scoreboard.
21 seconds.
Not even half of Dante's result.
Maybe practice could improve it, but sustaining a full minute looked unlikely.
"Damn! Damn it!"
Boil hung his head and returned to his seat.
He had no face to show Etella.
By failing, he'd essentially proven that Etella's pupil's basics were inferior to Olivia's pupil's.
Olivia didn't gloat, nor did she scold Etella.
Her motive had been petty at first, but as someone who'd spent her life teaching, she was sincere about the school's affairs.
"Boil did well. Twenty seconds on a first try is very respectable. I'm not one to dismiss basics. What I want to say is this: no matter how basic, you must have practical function. In an era when students across the country are specializing, if you cling only to orthodox methods you'll be left behind."
It was a fair point.
The teachers felt, perhaps for the first time, that they might be wrong.
Had they slipped into a rut without realizing it?
To keep up with changing times the school needed fresh stimulus.
Maybe that was exactly why Alpheas had gone out and brought Olivia here.
Olivia offered the students a smile.
Her cold features seemed to shine even more beautiful when she smiled.
"All right, I'm sure you all want to try. Today will be free practice for lifting. Since it's the first day, focus on getting the feel—try anything. Practice begins."
The students swarmed like children given a new toy.
Olivia stayed and watched their practice with obvious pleasure.
Feeling she wouldn't be needed today, Etella headed toward the teachers.
She slumped her shoulders as she approached Sade and Shiina.
"Sorry. It was like trying to crack a rock with an egg after all."
Sade comforted Etella.
"Ha! Don't be so hard on yourself. Still, it's a relief you made the point. And Dante is first in the kingdom. Boil's basics aren't lacking."
Shiina agreed.
Although there was a gap in level, if Boil had trained for lifting it could have been a good contest.
Considering summoner mages often only shine after their thirties, Boil's ascent to top of the advanced class at such a young age was rare.
"What worries me is what comes next. Since Dante won, the headmaster's influence will strengthen. If we're not careful, it could shake the school's foundation."
"Ah, surely not. The advanced class's scope is limited anyway."
You can't impose high-intensity training on advanced students when there are graduating classes to consider.
Besides, the curriculum wasn't sloppy.
Still, Shiina felt uneasy.
She suspected Olivia, with Dante at the fore, had some ulterior motive.
The three watched the students practicing lifting.
Once they adapted, most did well; Boil and Pandora showed the skill expected of the lead group.
Shiina pointed at Shirone's group.
"Huh? What are they doing?"
Shirone, Nade, and Iruki had teamed up around a single target.
The unusual idea made the younger students stop and stare.
One person would trap the target; when it popped out, another would catch it and lift again.
"Oh ho, this is fun."
Nade clumsily confined the target, and Iruki's Spirit Zone intruded and intercepted.
The next moment Shirone snatched the target and moved it to the rear.
The two without the target charged like beasts, and Shirone held out for a while before Nade took over again.
Now every student watched Shirone's group.
They'd been the troublemakers since Class Five, but seeing them enjoy themselves without the pressure of competition was enviable.
"By the way, has Shirone's Spirit Zone always been this big?"
"Hey, you're right. He's amped it up a lot."
Class Four students noticed Shirone's change immediately.
Special training over vacation was normal, so everyone showed some progress, but Shirone's growth was remarkable.
Dante's group couldn't help but notice the size of Shirone's Spirit Zone.
"Wow, that's huge. With that size he'd be within the top thirty at the Royal School of Magic."
"Tch! Still, he's about the same as Dante. He's doing that spinning trick because he can't beat Dante at lifting—typical loser mentality. Right, Dante?"
Dante didn't answer. He simply watched Shirone's group practice.
"Heh, kids. Shall we show them a demonstration?"
Closer led Sabina into the Image Zone and the students made room without being told.
Their lifting skill wasn't inferior to Dante's in the least.
Sabina in particular momentarily twisted mental space into a vortex technique. When the target that nearly slipped away snapped back in a dazzling spiral, the students broke into exclamations.
Thanks to them, the teachers could confirm the transfer students' abilities.
Olivia's pupils were truly impressive.
Even Sade, who'd been hardest on her, had to admit it.
"They're literally the kingdom's top talents. Etella, what do you think? As Jonar, how would you assess Dante's skill?"
"Hmm. You can't judge by lifting alone, but he definitely has a distinctive edge. Kids these days really do have exceptional magical sense."
Shiina said.
"But it's a pity in a way. They're talented but a bit shallow, perhaps. It feels like they treat magic as a tool to show off. Since magic's been part of life from childhood, that's natural. But the mage's spirit—passion—seems gone. They chase glamour and fame. In that sense, Shirone, Iruki, and Nade feel more classical, hoho."
Etella smiled at Shirone's group.
There was a time when magic was a child's dream. For kids around the capital, it had become an accessory to make themselves stand out.
You can't stop the tide of a changing era.
Still, it was nice to see Shirone and his friends retain a pure enthusiasm.
When their game of catch ended, Shirone panted as he stepped down from the Image Zone.
A good sweat left him feeling refreshed.
As Shirone wiped his face with a towel from a female junior, Dante approached.
No one announced it, but the students stopped practicing and fixed their gazes.
It was the moment the two finally faced each other.
Dante stared at Shirone's face.
Is this the kid Master told me to break?
Judging by looks alone, no one would think Shirone strong.
That was why Closer and Sabina hadn't tensed despite Olivia's order.
But you don't fight by looks.
Dante's undefeated legend at the Royal School of Magic rested on natural talent and an uncompromising habit of never letting his guard down.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Dante."
Dante extended his hand first.
The students were surprised by the shift from his lecture-hall demeanor. The one most pricked in his pride was Boil.
But Shirone, unaware, took it as friendliness and shook Dante's hand.
"I've heard a lot about you."
"Of course you have. I've heard about you, too. You're an Unlocker, right? Perfect for me to stomp on. Ah, not that I mean to belittle you."
"Haha! Sure. Let's get along."
Despite the provocative tone, Shirone didn't look offended.
Dante tried to analyze him but stopped—only complexity presented itself.
"Anyway, let's get along. If you're curious about anything, ask. Learning doesn't come only from teachers or friends. If you want, I'll teach you properly."
"Huh?"
Shirone cocked his head, and Dante's expression soured.
No matter how provincial someone might be, if a rival who could threaten his standing transferred in, keeping an eye on him was natural. Dante couldn't believe Shirone would be genuinely ignorant.
"Don't you get what I mean? You major in photon magic, right?"
"Yeah. My specialty's photon magic."
"Same here. My nickname's Shining Boy. Didn't you know?"
Only then did Shirone realize his mistake and stick out his tongue.
"Oh, sorry. I really didn't know. I don't read academic journals."
"You didn't know?"
Dante was the kingdom's top prospect in the photon field.
For any Magic Academy student to be unaware of that because they didn't read journals sounded like nothing but an excuse.
"You're bold with that provocation. You won't be a poor opponent."
"No, I really didn't know. I wasn't doing it on purpose. I'm really sorry."