CHAPTER 3 : Free-for-all (Part 2)

Oliver braced for more. Once she was a safe distance from him and Nanao, Ames glanced up at the fallen tower.

"Team Liebert was prepared for anything, yet you took them down in no time. An impressive feat."

"…All part of your grand plan? Including the part where you didn't make it here in time?"

There was a trace of spite in his query; Oliver was mostly trying to buy time for the dust to settle.

But a smile played on Ames's lips—then she sighed softly.

"Would that I could claim it was, but you give me too much credit. You remaining while the other teams drop out is the opposite of our intent."

Seeing no reason to conceal this, Ames allowed herself a moment of self-deprecation. They were not yet in any state to snatch victory from the embers. They had not delayed their rescue of Team Liebert—they had simply arrived too late. Ames had been moving out ahead and arrived as the tower fell, with no opportunity to interfere in the battle that came before.

"That said, Mr. Leik is out, and Ms. Hibiya has lost her left arm. Far from what we'd hoped, but not yet worth lamenting. Still, this is no time for idle chatter. As promised, I'm here for your head."

With that bit of bravado, Team Ames moved forward. As the dust thinned, Oliver and Nanao stood ready.

"Clypeus!"

"Gladio!"

Team Horn acted first. As the battle began, Oliver threw up a wall before them. Nanao leaped behind it, her severing spell aimed through the wall at their foes in a surprise attack based on the same principle that had allowed Team Liebert to torment them. Ames and one teammate heard the incantation and dodged, but the third member's thigh was gouged by the magic blade.

"Guh…!"

"Haaah!"

The ring on her ankle activated, numbing her right leg as badly as any real injury. Slowed by this, Nanao stepped in close. Ames jumped in and barely parried; Oliver had cast a spell at the same target, and the remaining teammate narrowly managed to cancel that. This at last got them off the ropes, and all members of Team Ames backed off.

"Sorry, Jaz…!"

"Fine," Ames whispered. "As I feared, three against two is still not enough."

A single exchange had been enough to prove their disadvantage. Oliver and Nanao were guarding each other's backs while realizing their full potential, but Ames had to cover for her teammates, which meant her own attacks lacked bite. With one down a leg, this would only get worse.

If the two teams kept fighting, her side would not last long. With that calm assessment, Ames switched plans—and laid the foundation for her next tactic.

"Then if you'd be so kind, Mr. Mistral—launch the final firework."

"Keh-heh…," Mistral laughed.

Behind a rock on the west end of the field, far from the flow of battle—with his leg gone, he couldn't reach the others if he tried. But that didn't mean he couldn't fight.

"Outta mana anyway. Might as well dump it all!"

The yell helped psych himself up. He squeezed the last power out of his brain to process the view—from the two splinters who'd just reached the collapsed tower.

Two figures flew out from behind a mound of rubble. Oliver and Nanao immediately sensed their approach from the south.

"Hrm—!"

"…Thought so!"

They weren't hard to spot. This was the only timing for the splinters to join in, and since constructing the collapse tower had absorbed all the spellstones in the area, the view was excellent. They'd been careful not to let Team Ames draw them into more obstructive terrain, watching for an attack from all directions. As long as they kept the upper hand in battle, this was a simple task.

"I'll watch the splinters! You keep pressing Team Ames!"

"Gladly!"

They were already moving. Both were far faster than the splinters, and it seemed safe to assume their sole means of attack was exploding in proximity. They could not easily approach while the two of them were forcing Team Ames to fight defensively, and if they tried anything while Team Ames was on the retreat, it was easy to swing back and take them out. And the situation afforded no opportunities for Mistral's tricks.

"Keh-heh!"

"Or so you'd think!"

The Mistral splinters smiled cryptically—and the game changed. Leaving their leader on the spot, Ames's backup duo turned and ran south. Oliver frowned at that.

"Splitting up? Joining forces with the splinters?"

They'd been struggling with all three, so dividing themselves still further didn't seem like a viable idea. His side could just pick them off, and even if they did join with the splinters, they were unlikely to work well together. And even getting that far seemed like a long shot. Without Ames nearby to back them up, Oliver's team could make short work of them both.

""It's fun time!""

Deeming it the natural choice, he and Nanao had turned toward Ames's backups. But out of the corner of their eyes, they saw both Mistral splinters explode. Oliver hadn't expected them to self-destruct here, but when he noticed how much smoke billowed out, he changed his mind.

"Smoke orbs…!"

Mistral had given the splinters magic tools, triggered by the self-destruct, and the winds of the blast spread the smoke far and wide. The Ames duo plunged right into the thick of it. Oliver quickly changed his mind. They could still catch them, but by then they'd be inside the smoke.

"Going into that's a bad idea. Start with Ames!"

"Indeed!"

He and Nanao swung back north, running toward Ames. The worst-case scenario here would be chasing the others into the smoke and exposing their backs to Ames's blade. In which case, they'd just have to take her out first. He'd yet to gauge the measure of her skills, but with Nanao by his side, he could not imagine they'd fail.

Nanao had been leading the charge to the south, so the moment they'd turned toward Ames, their positions were temporarily reversed. That left Nanao at Oliver's back, not all that far behind.

Ordinarily, this would have been no big deal—but a moment later, the ground shot up between the two of them.

"Wha—?!"

"Oliver!"

A wall, before Nanao's very eyes, right on Oliver's heels—no warning whatsoever. Unsure what to make of it, both stopped—and Ames didn't miss a beat. She lunged at Oliver, and their athame guards clashed.

She yelled at her distant companions: "Now's your chance!"

""Fortis Flamma!""

The Ames duo had turned back and had spells ready. Two doublecants—and Nanao was up against the wall. Even she had no choice but to dodge. Leaving the wall put even more distance between her and Oliver, and he gritted his teeth as he forced Ames's blade away.

"…Liebert's doing…?"

"You don't miss much."

A reluctant compliment.

Oliver himself was more impressed than shocked. Their opponents had devised all manner of schemes to take his team down.

"…He'll know what that means," Liebert muttered, lowering his wand.

He was in a crypt-like space underground, not far below the clashing duelers.

"And that's the last of my mana. Finish him, Ames."

His eyes were on the wall in front of him—on a magic map, like the ones they'd used during the fight with Team Horn. This time, however, it wasn't displaying the defenses around the fallen tower but a location to the east—exactly where they were fighting now. It had taken all three teams working together to lure Oliver's group to the site of this final battleground.

Team Liebert had readied several contingencies in case their tower was taken. The tower's self-destruct was the first of these—naturally, it was designed to take out their opponents with it. Second was this underground bunker—an escape route available only to the caster who knocked the tower down. That was how Liebert had wound up inside.

And the third contingency—a golem fortification sensor zone some distance from the tower and a magic map to display the targets within that range. This allowed him to follow the battle from down below. He wasn't buried that deep, and the spellstones in the ground were boosting certain types of magic, allowing him to cast down here and affect the surface. And the magic map to pinpoint the positions of the other teams. Liebert had spent several minutes watching the dots, figuring out which dots were which team and how the battle was flowing.

He wasn't sure what difference splitting up Team Horn would have on the battle's outcome. But however the chips fell, he'd done his part. That spell had taken the last of his mana, and he was no longer even capable of digging his way back to the surface. He would have to hope for Team Ames's victory and wait for the league staff to rescue him. With that thought in mind, he leaned back against the wall—

"…Um…?!"

Liebert felt a powerful vibration from below—and found himself floating.

The ground glowed and began shaking—and their bodies were pulled toward the ceiling. Oliver and Ames both acted swiftly.

"Hah—!"

"Tsk—!"

Their athames had been guard-locked, but they pushed against each other, using that force to open the gap between them—and start casting.

"Flamma—impetus—tonitrus!"

"Frigus—prohibere—tenebris!"

Freed from all contact with the ground, combat was no different from trading spells at a standstill. Spell after spell clashed in the air, canceling each other out. All the while, they fell toward the ceiling above. Even as they cast, both were flipping themselves upside down for the landing to come.

""Elletardus!""

Deceleration spells cast moments before landing. Each went immediately into a sideways roll to lessen the impact and were back on their feet, athame trained on their opponent. Boulders that had fallen in tandem landed like a meteor shower all around them. They faced each other once more, their respective handling of the situation so identical, it was like a mirror held up between them.

"Magnificent," Ames said. "I take it you were aware that was coming?"

"Yeah…thanks to all the sniping, I was forced to take a broad view of the field."

As he answered, Oliver kept an eye on their surroundings. After all that time on even rocks, this ceiling was almost entirely flat, a gently sloped dome. The result of large-scale reversal magic cast on the majority of the map.

The moment had arrived without warning, but not without any prior indications. If one understood that Kimberly loved this kind of big gimmick, careful observation of the map did provide some clues—chief among them being the distribution of the spellstones. It was well camouflaged, so you'd never see it from ground level, but viewed from above, the map's rocky outcroppings formed lines, and those lines formed a pattern. Specifically—a massive magic circle.

"I figured it would activate as the match drew to a close," said Ames. "But…probably because Mr. Liebert used so many spellstones to create that tower, a chunk of the circle was rendered inactive. I did not expect us to be divided by polarities."

"Oliver!"

"Jaz!"

Shouts from above, where Nanao and Ames's teammates still stood. The reversal spell had caught Oliver and Ames, but the others had been closer to the tower, and in the nonfunctional section of the circle. When the spell activated, they were left behind—yet Oliver could not afford to glance their way.

Eyes on his opponent, he called out, "Don't step into the reversal zone! You'll be picked off as you fall!"

"I require no assistance! The two of you keep Ms. Hibiya occupied!"

This way, everyone could focus on their own fights. Then—mixed in with the falling rocks, a student fell behind them: Liebert, yanked to the ceiling, shelter and all. The blow of the fall had activated his rings, and he was unconscious.

"Mr. Liebert," Oliver muttered, confirming that in his peripherals. "Not surprised he was out of mana—the wall that split us up must have used the last of it."

"It seems it did. He and Mr. Mistral both fought till they could fight no more."

Ames's praise made Oliver wonder about the latter opponent. Mistral had used a lot of mana on those splinters and was likely unconscious somewhere on the west end of the ceiling. Even if he'd avoided an outright knockout, Oliver was sure he wouldn't be rejoining the fray.

"And I must live up to their efforts. While my girls are holding fast, allow me to finish you off."

Ames changed her stance. Her edge grew far sharper, and Oliver felt a tingle on his skin. The four teams had fought their way down to the simplest of outcomes—whichever of them fell, the other would return to the surface and claim victory.

She looked ready to pounce, so Oliver adjusted his own center, shifting it forward.

"You've turned this into a proper duel. You've got the skills for it, then."

"They would have served me poorly against Ms. Hibiya. Fortunately, I am facing you."

A confident smile played on Ames's lips. Her manner suggested she believed he was beneath Nanao, but Oliver felt no anger. In fact, he smirked.

"Spare me the taunts, Ms. Ames. That's not your style."

His attitude sent a message—Nanao would never once consider buying time, waiting for the outcome above. Nor would he flee the duel, whether Ames resorted to words she never meant or not. When she caught his intent, the smile on her lips fell away.

"…Forgive the indiscretion. Pray forget I spoke at all."

As she said those words, a gust of wind caught her bangs. Her eyes contained the light of madness—and her lips curled into an uncanny arc.

"…!"

"In return, allow me to demonstrate—the Ames Spellblade."

The thin veneer of pretense gone, what stood before Oliver now was something he'd seen so many times in this hellscape. An arrogance that never once doubted her victory. The smile of a true mage.

"Gosh, the field's gimmick is live! A reversal spell on the whole field pulling our contestants to the ceiling! Chaos reigns over the finale!"

Glenda was at peak hype in the commentator's booth. But in the guest seat beside her, Whalley frowned at the view before him.

"That, I welcome, but the dust is rather intense. The fighters on the ceiling are completely obscured."

He spoke for the entire audience there. The feed provided by the surveillance golems showed nothing but the dust kicked up by the reversal spell's activation. The cloud covered every inch of the ceiling where Oliver and Ames were dueling. A chorus of boos went up from the stands, and Garland awkwardly scratched his head.

"That's on me," he admitted. "The reversal spell shouldn't have made line of sight this bad, but because Mr. Liebert drew ground from all around him, there was that much more rubble and loose earth than I anticipated. And it disabled a chunk of the circle, so…room for improvement."

As the sword arts instructor chalked it up to a planning failure, Miligan was scowling at the dirt cloud.

"Shame we can't see it. I imagine this duel will be over before the dust clears."

First—this would be no spellblade. As he faced Ames down, that was the first thought on Oliver's mind.

The reason for this was simple—if it was, he could not win. Fighting it with a spellblade of his own was naturally out of the question. That had to be saved for when there were no eyes on him and used on foes he had decided must be slain. This duel met neither condition.

His second thought—this was no mere bluff, either. The basis for that was none other than the fact that she had felled Yuri. That boy was made of instinct and inspiration, yet her blade had hit home—no matter what technique was employed, that was a formidable feat. Oliver himself had experienced it firsthand as they trained—Yuri could dodge moves he'd never seen like he was meant to. Even if caught entirely by surprise, his body would react via means the boy himself did not fully understand.

That wasn't flawless, of course. Oliver and Nanao had each landed hits several times during practice. But most of these were the result of a lengthy duel that wore him out, and it was very rare that either managed it in short order at the start of a fight. As long as Yuri's body could keep up with his mystery instincts, even an upperclassman would be astounded by how hard he was to put down. Yet Ames had managed it in the blink of an eye.

Oliver hadn't witnessed the entire fight. But the information he had proved it had been exceedingly brief. He found them together not long after the tower's collapse, without ever hearing a spell cast or the clash of blades. The fight had been over on the first hit—or at most a few extra swings. That was his best read on their encounter.

She had a way to take out Yuri in a handful of moves. Even if that was no spellblade, it was worthy of the utmost caution. In light of that, Oliver now had to consider the potential nature of her move.

"..."

" "

In the moments before either stepped in, he made observations. Ames was in the Rizett mid-stance, Lightning. A form he'd often seen close at hand, as Chela regularly employed it. Given the outcome of her match with Yuri, several points added up.

When he'd arrived, Yuri had been stabbed from the fore in the chest. In other words, she'd thrust her blade right at him, yet he'd been unable to parry or dodge. What stances would make that possible? The Rizett school was all about sharp thrusts and quick lunges, and Lightning stance was one of the fastest such moves. Whatever form she'd used to take Yuri out, it was only natural to assume speed had been a factor. From what he'd seen of her fighting style so far, Ames employed a mix of Lanoff and Rizett techniques, so this was consistent.

The logical conclusion was that his opponent's finisher was a snap thrust. There were hard limits on speeds that could be practically achieved, so it was likely a thrust that followed a series of high-level feints. Oliver knew the second spellblade by reputation alone, and that likely required no such thing—but in this case, he had decided to ignore that possibility from the get-go.

"…Whew…"

Lanoff style's mid-stance was all about balance and would not allow him to land a first strike against Lightning. Could he appropriately respond to the attack he was expecting? The accuracy of that reaction would determine his fate.

He had to parry the thrust in time, yet not get baited by the feints before it. Observe his opponent's breathing, center of gravity, even the direction of her gaze—every move she made. Miss no signs of the attack to come, read them all accurately—and then land a counter. A tightrope act with no margin for error, but his sole path to victory.

"…Ngh…"

Easy to say. But in actual practice, the daunting difficulty of it left him nauseous. He hated having only two eyes. No matter how wide he opened them, it hardly seemed enough to catch movements this skilled.

"See, that's a bad habit."

He focused so hard that his ears rang—and the echo of her voice came back to him. His chest tightened. It almost made him cry.

"Aw, don't look so sad. It's okay. We all have habits. You can't fix 'em that easy, and if you think you have, that's the most dangerous moment. Ed's still a disaster. Let's take our time here."

He remembered this. He wanted to do what she could, but he couldn't. And that was so frustrating, so depressing—he'd cried about it back then. The memories were so vivid now. Her hand mussing his hair, the warmth of her palm.

"But, Noll, remember this for me. When mages are really in trouble, it isn't their eyes they rely on but their own personal world."

His mother's voice gave him a push. His tension unspooled. He unstuck his eyes from what he could see and simply felt the world that was his, letting himself expand out into it.

He felt no fear. And thus, he could leave his eyes open yet put his vision out of mind.

"Ah—"

In his expanded self, he felt something hard and sharp on the move. It was not his eyes that caught it, nor the other four senses. He needed no sensory organs to know what happened within. What a mage called their "self" was the entirety of the space in their domain.

"So slow."

His error was clear at once. He moved to that feeling. His left hand touched her wrist and deflected the blade; his right leg moved him to her side—and raked her throat. It required no real speed. Just slightly more than she had.

The vision he'd pushed aside told him Ames was just now beginning her thrust. A chill ran down his spine. If he'd still had his eyes peeled, he'd have been staring right at that as her blade pierced his chest.

"…Magnificent…"

Her voice was a whisper right beside him; her body went limp and crumpled to the ground. Only then did his vision correct itself and show Oliver the girl he'd cut down.

"A terrifying art," he said solemnly. "This is a victory I'm proud of, Ms. Ames."

He held respect for her craft and gratitude for allowing him to hear his mother's voice again.

With Ames down, Oliver rejoined Nanao on the surface, and the battle from there proceeded without incident. Minus their leader, the girls had no means of resisting Team Horn, and they were both eliminated less than two minutes later. Mistral was left barely alive on the west side of the ceiling, but he held his wand backward and put up his hands, indicating surrender.

"The match is over! Three out of four teams eliminated, so the victory belongs to the survivors—Team Horn! Unfortunately, a big part of the climax was impossible to see, but we know all entrants fought hard! Truly a match worthy of launching the combat league!"

In high spirits, Glenda brought the event to a close.

"Indeed," Miligan chimed in. "Team Horn spent the entire battle thwarting their foes' plans, but that in no way diminished the plans themselves. Team Liebert's golem fortification upended the very lay of the land. Team Ames excelled at disruptive assaults and Team Mistral at use of splinters and transformations to delay. Including the early loss of Nanao's arm, we can say the flow of the match itself was consistently on their side."

"And yet Team Horn never succumbed to it," Garland said, folding his arms. "Largely because their precision responses and constant movement prevented the other teams from grouping up. Had the fight with Team Mistral or the shoot-out with Team Liebert been prolonged by even a minute, Team Ames would have joined the fray, and they'd have been in real trouble."

He glanced toward the guest seat, forcing Whalley to break his sullen silence.

"I'll acknowledge Team Horn's apt responses. But I can't shake the impression they regularly made things harder for themselves. Rather than walk a tightrope in a three-on-one, make a deal yourself to ensure it's at least two-on-two. I must insist it was conceit for them to neglect that."

"Hmm, I'm not sure I'd push for off-field scheming that hard," the Snake-Eyed Witch said from beside him. "The league is a festive occasion, and these things are allowed to slide, but if every league match was that obvious about it, they'd crack down hard. Striving to win is admirable, but let's not forget the true purpose of this contest is to compare your techniques in a spirit of sportsmanlike rivalry."

Whalley started to argue but then decided better of it. He realized anything he said here would sound like sour grapes. Miligan, well aware of this, fixed him with her best smile. She'd personally trained with the team that had weathered a tough battle and emerged triumphant—this outcome clearly bolstered her candidacy.

Rescue of the downed students proceeded apace, and thirty minutes after the match ended, all participants were back in the school building. As the campus buzzed with hot takes, Yuri awoke on a bed in the break room.

"…Mm? Where am I?"

"You have awakened, Yuri!"

He squinted at the ceiling, then turned to find his teammates awaiting his return to consciousness. Realizing what had happened, Yuri bolted upright.

"Oliver, Nanao, how'd it end?!"

"The other teams all wiped out, and we won. It was a tough fight the whole way."

Oliver heaved a long sigh. Yuri hoisted himself up on the bed, turning to face him.

"Oh, so you did win? Then, uh, did you see that thing Ms. Ames does? That's so neat! You can see her not moving, but she actually is moving, just really slowly!"

"You saw through her technique?"

"I am confounded."

Nanao blinked at them both, but Oliver's jaw was hanging open. Yuri had just blabbed the entire secret to Ames's finisher.

In simple terms, it was essentially an illusion. Show an enemy something not real to make them react wrong—classic stuff. But the artifice involved was something else.

Specifically, using spatial magic (sans incantation) wouldn't normally allow such detailed illusions. Even the shadow splinters Team Mistral employed required a singlecant, and if those appeared before you, the lack of detail would instantly prove them fake. Everyone knew that fooling your enemy with an illusion was incredibly complex, and thus it was almost never employed in the rapid-fire exchanges of sword arts combat. But Ames's finisher completely flipped that assumption. How did she do it?

Simple: She didn't create an illusion different from reality. She merely slowed the reality her opponent's eyes perceived, overriding the truth. More specifically, she slowed the speed of light evenly across the range of her own spatial magic. This left Ames's opponent piercing her movement on a one-second delay, and in that time she slowly moved forward to stab them. If she moved too fast, nonvisual senses would kick in—they'd hear her footsteps or the wind and figure out what she was actually doing. When Oliver said, "So slow," he meant it literally.

Nanao was pressing for an explanation, so Oliver summed this much up for her. She listened avidly, eyes sparkling, then hit the key concern.

"Fascinating, fascinating. How were you able to see through it, Oliver? From what you've told us, your eyes were fooled and saw not her true actions."

"Yeah, but I wasn't relying on my eyes. Every mage has a world of their own—an innate grasp of everything within the range of their spatial magic. I tracked her movements with that alone. Without the aid of your sense, you can just know those things. I'm sure you've both done it."

Oliver reached out his hands, indicating the range. This had come up before, but a mage's concept of self differed from that of an ordinary human. The most striking aspect is the personal "space" each of them possesses. This is equivalent to the range in which spatial magic can be used, and to a mage, everything within that range is a part of them.

Naturally, everyone is aware of what happens inside themselves. Carried to the logical extreme, you don't need any of your senses to tell you what happens in that range. The accuracy of this knowledge is somewhat dependent on the individual but can be improved with training; at the highest levels, you can count the raindrops falling behind you, like Oliver's mother could.

"The clever part of Ames's technique wasn't just the surprise factor in delaying light but that her stance and actions leading into it are suggestive, tricking her opponents into sharpening their eyes. If you see the Lightning stance, you expect a high-speed stab—and any mage will likely hyperfocus, trying to catch a tell before it comes. And that's the trap. Since her magic is slowing light itself, no matter how hard you look, you'll never actually see her move. By the time you notice, she's run you through."

And that concluded the lecture. Nanao grew all the more excited. She clearly wanted to pepper him with further questions about Ames and the fight, but he held up a hand, discouraging it.

"One moment, Nanao. Let's go back a bit," said Oliver. "It makes no sense, Leik. If you knew how Ms. Ames's move worked, why were you downed by it?"

"Uh, so…I was just so excited to find out what would happen that I totally forgot to dodge. Sorry!"

"You forgot?! And you think 'sorry' will cut it?! Do you have any idea how hard we had it without you?!"

Oliver was ready to give Yuri a piece of his mind, but someone burst through the door of the break room. Chela saw the three of them in the corner, and her face lit up.

"Nanao! Oliver! Mr. Leik! A brilliant victory!"

"Oh, Chela!"

"Whoa—"

Before they could even finish responding, Chela had them both in an embrace. She was even more enthusiastic than usual, and Yuri looked very jealous.

"Lucky! Chela, don't I get a hug?"

"Perhaps in two years I'll consider it," she replied, rubbing her cheeks with the friends within her clutches. It was nearly a minute before she was satisfied, and once she let go, she turned to Yuri. "That said, you did quite well. You've got my attention. What training lets you move like that?"

"Um, a few things, but…you know, eat well, play hard, lots of sleep!" Yuri shot her a thumbs-up.

"I'm not asking the secret to good health." Chela sighed.

It was impossible to tell if he was playing dumb or actually was dumb. Either way, she abandoned the idea of getting answers, turning back to her friends.

"If you're uninjured, let us return to the stands. The next match is about to begin."

"Yeah—Katie's team is in it, right?"

Oliver nodded. His match might be over, but their friends' was just beginning.

"…I-I'm getting nervous."

The time was ticking closer. In the waiting room, Katie had her hands clutched in front of her.

Guy patted her shoulders. "Loosen up! Let's just have fun. Like, everyone's stronger than us anyway."

"I'm not convinced," Pete snapped. He was looking over his magic tools. "Mages, teams, free-for-all—the kind of strength we're comparing isn't that simplistic."

"…Ha-ha, you've sure changed."

Guy started mussing his hair, and Pete pushed him away. Then the upperclassman by the door called out, waving them to the field.

The trio exchanged looks.

"Right," said Katie. "Time to go."

"Yep."

"All right! Let's kick some ass!"

They tapped their athames together and dove into the painting at the back of the room. A few seconds of darkness, then their feet landed on soft soil. They could smell moisture in the air, and all three opened their eyes, soaking in the sights. The ground was covered in tall shrubs and surrounded by water.

"It's…"

"Pretty pastoral!" Guy said.

But Katie ran straight to the water's edge, kneeling by it. Waves lapped gently. The water was clear and quite deep. She took a scoop of water and tasted it.

"…Fresh water."

"All teams are in the field, and it's time for the second match! This go-around, we've got the lake zone! They'll be fighting on a cluster of islands floating on a big body of water! As always, we've got Instructor Garland here to offer commentary. And our new guests are Ms. Ingwe and Ms. Albschuch!"

Where Miligan and Whalley had been during the first match sat two upperclassmen. Lesedi Ingwe narrowed her eyes, scowling at the field on the feed.

"…I dunno about this map. Second-years won't know Lake Walk yet; they're at a big disadvantage."

"Try not to furrow your brow, Lesedi. It undermines your dashing features."

This purr came from the seventh-year elf Khiirgi Albschuch, but all it earned her was a vise grip to the jaw.

"Silence. Do not speak again. Quit breathing and blinking, and don't even let your heart beat."

"We actually do want our guests talking!" Glenda wailed.

Lesedi snorted and removed her hand from Khiirgi's face. Garland chose to respond to the original claim.

"Ms. Ingwe's concern is a valid one but one we're aware of. We've provided something that should even the gap between the years."

With that, he waved his white wand, and his voice echoed across the battlefield.

"This is Garland coming to you from the commentator's booth. Can you hear me, contestants?"

Katie's team lent an ear to the voice from the sky. Garland paused a beat, then continued.

"As you can see, this is a lake-district stage. A huge advantage for third-year students—they've mastered Lake Walk and can move around on the surface of the water here. So how are we making up for that?" Garland answered his own question. "The waters around you are filled with magical creatures. They come in all shapes and sizes, and some varieties are inclined to attack people. But these dangerous beasts are, without exception, trained to attack only third-year students. They pose no threat to second-years."

Pete made a noise, stroking his chin. That was a pretty big handicap. It allowed the younger students to focus on fighting alone, while forcing the older students to constantly be on guard against rampaging fauna.

"Like every fighter here, the beasts have been enchanted with a dulling spell. But their training will be the only handicap in this match. Teams, bear that in mind as you determine your best path to victory. That's all from me; may the fights be glorious."

Garland's voice petered out, and silence settled over the field.

Swiftly hiding himself in the nearby underbrush, Guy whispered, "And we're off, huh? This sure is nothing like what Oliver's team dealt with."

"First, we've gotta know the lay of the land."

A classic opening action—Pete drew scout golems from his robe and released them into the sky above. Where Oliver's had resembled birds, Pete's looked more like locusts. They flew off, exploring the entire zone in mere minutes; Pete sketched a simple map in the air with his wand, giving his team an oral rundown.

"…We're on the northwest end. One of six islands on this lake. There's some mist, but not enough to limit our field of view. No signs of any opponents."

"If there's no one close, then there's no rush to move. Pete, can you look around in the water?" Katie asked, her eyes locked on the surface.

Pete grinned. "You know mine are amphibious!"

And at his command, two of the three scout golems changed trajectory, plunging into the water. As they did, they transformed, their wings replaced with fins, slicing through the water as fast as any fish. A specialized configuration Pete had developed as part of his magineering studies.

They couldn't see as well as in the air, but the water was clear and visibility was not half bad. As they explored, Pete held his white wand out to the girl beside him.

"Touch wands, Katie. I'll send you what they see."

"Okay."

She put her wand on his and let the two golems' sights flow into her. The multiple perspectives briefly made her head spin, but she'd been training for this. Katie briefly closed her eyes, focusing on the two new points of view.

"…Two-humped frog eggs…a school of spearfish…a forest of thorned kelp…and a six-eyed water snake within. Okay, okay, I'm seeing the pattern here…"

As she observed the ecosystem, Katie started nodding. Twenty seconds later, she opened her eyes and voiced her conclusion.

"…This is definitely Instructor Vanessa's handiwork. The whole design fits her tastes."

"Huh. You can tell that much?" Guy asked.

"We've been butting heads for two whole years now," Katie said, making a face. Then a beat later, that gave way to a cocky grin. "But it's paying off here. Let me tell you how this field'll work for us."

"Whoa…!"

While his teammates watched, Dean gingerly stepped onto the surface—and his feet sank right in, water splashing everywhere. He quickly retreated to land.

"…Enough," Teresa said. "I get the picture."

"W-wait! One more try—"

"Give it up, Dean. Not like I can do it, either," Rita said.

The vast majority of second-years had not yet mastered Lake Walking, and on this team, only Teresa could stay afloat. They wouldn't be able to move around like the older teams.

Rita folded her arms, thinking this through.

"If we can't walk on water, that makes this harder. Worse comes to worst, we can just have Teresa go off on her own…"

"That's fine with me. But you'll get taken out immediately if I do," Teresa told Dean with a snort.

This left Dean grimly staring at his soaking wet shoes, but a few seconds later, he spun around and dove back in.

"Dean?" Rita asked, blinking at him.

He surfaced again, in a cloud of bubbles, only his head above the water.

"If we can't walk on it, then we'll just have to swim. I know how to do that!"

Teresa and Rita exchanged glances. He had a point. That was one way to do things.

Meanwhile, Andrews, Rossi, and Albright had finished their survey and were already on the move.

"Clear 'em out clockwise. Any arguments?" Andrews said.

The simplest-possible plan. And his teammates both shrugged.

"Suit yourself. Either way's the same."

"I must object! Counterclockwise is inherently superior, no?"

Andrews led the way, ignoring Rossi's bullshit. Both teammates followed as if they were taking a stroll on a sunny day.

"No need for gimmicks," Andrews intoned. "Find them, beat them, done."

Seeing Team Andrews move out a bit ahead of the others, a stir ran through the audience.

"Whoa! Team Andrews is already on the move! The only team here that isn't in hiding. A bold tactic!"

"They're well aware they're the most powerful team on this field. With fighters like that, you expect a confident attitude."

"True! What do our guests make of it?" Glenda asked, turning their way.

Lesedi had her arms folded. "Agree with the master here. Only surprise is that Mr. Andrews is the team leader. I'd have thought that role would go to Mr. Albright."

"Ha-ha. Not so fast," Khiirgi breathed. "I like the look on his face today. Makes me want to lick his throat."

Barely resisting the urge to elbow the elf in the face, Lesedi settled for silently scooting her chair farther away.

A clockwise advance, taking out opponents as they found them—Team Andrews's bold approach did not go unnoticed by the other teams.

"…Yo, look at that."

The first team to make contact had this misfortune of starting closest to them—a third-year team led by one Marcus Bowles. He'd had scout golems out watching them advance, but spotting them with the naked eye really drove it home.

"Damn, Team Andrews already…"

"No need to hide, huh? Talk about cocky."

All three were hiding in the brush by the water's edge. Team Andrews passed by a hundred yards out, and they began to follow.

"Stay hidden and on their tails. When they start fighting the next team, we start slinging spells."

"Real painful ones. I wanna hear 'em scream."

"Don't be a dipshit. Before we waste time on that, we've gotta align elements or the oppo—"

But as Bowles scoffed at his teammate's cretinous behavior—Andrews drew his athame.

"Impetus."

He never even turned around, just fired the spell backhanded. A wind projectile with explosive force swiftly covered the hundred-yard gap, scoring a direct hit on the shrubs hiding Team Bowles.

"Gah—!"

"Huh?"

"No, wait…!"

It was all too easy. The sheer impact knocked the wind out of one team member—and he fell over, unconscious. While the other two were still gaping at that, a barrage of burst spells followed it up. The ground at their feet detonated, and their brains at last caught up with reality.

"Th-they spotted us!"

"Crap, run for it!"

"Whoa, what a fast match! Mr. Andrews's spell has already taken out Team Bowles's Mr. Quark! Looks like he didn't realize his team had been spotted, and he failed to dodge in time!"

"Mr. Andrews did a good job acting natural until the spell went off, but the real deal here is Mr. Albright's scouting," Garland said. "I hadn't seen that familiar before, but it's a doozy."

To illustrate his point, the footage of the spells chasing Team Bowles froze and zoomed in—on a tiny insect. A stir went up from the stands.

"Bees…and rather small ones."

"Lovely!" Khiirgi said. "They blend right in with the field's ecosystem. You can have two or three buzzing around you and never even notice."

"The smaller the familiar, the harder it is to spot," Garland added. "But at this size, the functionality of the sensors on board drops. Each of these little bees is gathering far less intel than the scout golems the other teams are using. Mr. Albright compensates for that by having dozens—hundreds—in flight at once, then collating all those data to locate his opposition."

"That is some transcendent scouting! He's not from a family of famous Gnostic Hunters for nothing! Sounds like the other teams will have a tough time hiding!"

The sound of Andrews's magic downing an opponent soon reached the ears of Katie's team. Pete was in charge of scouting, and when their eyes turned to him, he said, "That would be Mr. Andrews's team. They're strolling across the northeast island now."

"Like, out in the open? That's an opportunity. We should sneak in close."

"Don't you move!"

Guy had been about to push through the brush, but Katie's hiss stopped him. She had her eyes locked on the air in front of her.

"I just saw a bee fly from their direction. I might be overthinking things…"

"A bee?"

"Not native to this field, I take it?"

"Bees that small don't usually fly at that height. And look at what's growing around us—do you see any flowers they'd be gathering nectar from?"

Pete and Guy eyed their surroundings—and there definitely weren't many flowers. But they noticed that only because she'd pointed it out; left to their own devices, they'd never have noticed the bees at all. Based purely on his faith in Katie's ecosystem analysis, Pete put his mind to what these bees could be.

"Honeybee-size familiars are tricky to use—but I wouldn't put it past Albright. I know for a fact he's used a stinger bee before."

"Buuuut…we can't exactly hide forever, yeah? How do we move?"

"Bees don't have great vision, so we just have to move when they're not right on us. Be very cautious of your surroundings, and keep your mana in check."

All three nodded and began making careful movements. The whole time, Pete's scout golems were keeping tabs on the other teams, and he was relaying what they saw.

"…Team Andrews is across the island. Still fully exposed. Looks like they're making a clockwise circuit and planning to crush anyone they come across—sounds like them."

"Well, they can bring it on! We'll be ready."

"Don't let them bait you, Guy," Katie cautioned. "We need to ambush them. And from an advantageous position."

With all the elements at play, Katie considered their plan. Their own skills, their opposition, the lay of the land, the ecosystem—the world only she saw led to ideas only she could have.

"…Okay, I think I've got it. Listen up, boys."

Approximately five minutes later, Team Andrews stepped out onto the water, headed for the next island—and saw three figures waiting for them.

"Hmm."

They were still a long way out, but this trio was easily recognizable. Katie, Guy, and Pete—all clearly ready for a fight.

"Oh my!" Rossi whistled. "I 'ad expected them to 'ide."

"Hmph. Judging from the looks on their faces, this'll be a better fight than those nobodies."

Albright grinned. Chants rang out on the far cliff, and a moment later, the water beneath him burst.

Naturally, the commentator booth didn't miss the outbreak of hostilities.

"Team Aalto hits Team Andrews as they cross the water! What are their chances?"

"Not too shabby. The timing here is excellent; Team Andrews has to keep a portion of their mana diverted to Lake Walking. But since Team Aalto is onshore, they've got the firepower advantage. Team Andrews will be wanting to get back on land quickly, but Team Aalto knows that and is firing burst spells into the water nearby. The resulting waves make Lake Walking that much harder, both slowing them down and siphoning away their mana."

Garland was focusing on the basis for this attack—when fighting a superior opponent, it was crucial to start the fight on your own terms, with every advantage you could find.

"And once they're slowed, Team Aalto keeps the burst spells flying. They can try to use the oppositional, but with your foothold rocking, precision aiming is rough. And if they just dodge, then the water gets even choppier. Even Team Andrews won't easily escape this one."

"Team Aalto really used the terrain to their advantage! Perhaps Team Andrews's frontal assault was ill-advised!"

But despite the turbulent waters, Team Andrews was taking the barrage in stride.

"Going right."

"Then I will take the left!"

With that alone, they went their separate ways. Clumped together, the waves affected them all, so splitting up was the obvious choice. Naturally, Katie's team had predicted this.

"Three-way split!" Katie cried. "Albright went left; Rossi's coming onshore to the right!"

"Yeah, that's what I figured."

Guy grinned and started chanting. His spells struck two spots on the island—places where, given the landforms, their opposition was likely to come ashore. From those locations, trees grew—toolplants he'd placed there ahead of time, ready to quickly grow when the time came. Rossi and Albright found their advance blocked by thorny brambles.

"…Hrm."

"Whoops! They saw us coming!"

Neither looked terribly pleased about it. Going around or cutting through with spells would both take a chunk of time, and while they were struggling to get ashore, Katie's team could focus fire on Andrews. Alone on the rocking waves, he was a prime target.

But what Andrews did next, his opponents did not expect. He reached into his robe and pulled out a polished plank, half his height. Then he dropped it on the water and stepped aboard.

"Impetus!"

His spell activated, and his body shot across the lake's surface. The wind at his back, he skimmed across the water, moving far faster than before. All spells aimed his way hit far behind him, and the waves they generated only aided in his surge forward.

Team Aalto gaped.

"…?!"

"What in the…?! He's surfing?!"

"Don't let up! Keep attacking!" Pete roared.

But their barrage was to no avail. Andrews darted left and right, weaving through it all—and approaching the island.

"Wowwwww! Mr. Andrews abandons Lake Walking for lake surfing! Nimbly dodging through their barrage and heading to the shore!"

It certainly got the crowd hyped up. Garland was nodding, eyes on the screen.

"Aha, interesting. That approach really is better with choppy waters. But if you aren't a skilled hand with wind spells, you'd never pull it off."

"But Andrews's reputation precedes him! What now, Team Aalto?"

Not far from the island, Andrews started maintaining his distance, dodging spells. By this point, Katie's team had realized just how hard he was to hit.

"So fast…!"

"Even if we do hit, it won't down him."

"Drop back to the island's center! Hurry, before they come ashore!"

They abandoned the shoot-out and fled to the interior. The barricades flanking the island burst apart, and two figures strode through the remnants of Guy's trees.

"That was a nuisance."

"Ah, dry land feels so sweet!"

Through the obstruction at last, Albright and Rossi stepped ashore. Andrews reached the beach in front and stepped off his surfboard.

Rossi shot him a grin. "Hanging ten? You will 'ave to teach me 'ow."

"Not as versatile as it looks. Most times brooms are faster."

With that curt dismissal, Andrews moved on. Katie's team had taken new positions at the center, and he stopped a good fifty yards out.

"We've eliminated our disadvantage," he said. "I'm afraid this won't last long, Ms. Aalto."

"…I'm not so sure," she replied.

Andrews and Rossi raised their athames to attack—but pillars of water shot up from the lake behind, followed by heavy footsteps.

"…Hrm?"

"Eh? Is this a joke?!"

They swung around, yelping. Seven feet tall. Maws lined with fangs. Ten-plus beasts, like crocodiles walking on two legs—leaving the water behind.

"What's this?! Tallgators congregating onshore?! Team Andrews is now caught between them and Team Aalto! They never saw it coming!"

"Well done, Ms. Aalto. You read the terrain flawlessly."

Garland looked pleased and was quickly reevaluating Katie Aalto. She clearly understood the nature of this field better than anyone else in the match.

Gazing at the magifauna behind Team Andrews, Katie whispered, "If you pay attention in magical biology and study the environment around, you can tell—what the apex predator on this map is."

"Tch…"

"Progressio!"

The moment they moved to break through the center, Guy's spell hit the ground. Another wooden barricade sprouted up. Since they'd always planned on surrounding them, he'd seeded toolplants accordingly. From behind that brush, he yelled, "Tough luck, but we ain't about to get in a duel with you."

"This is how we fight. As far as it takes us."

Unable to advance or retreat, Team Andrews found themselves subject to another barrage of spells—even as the beasts charged in from the rear. They were forced to deal with both at once.

"Ha-ha! Not 'alf bad," Rossi cried, dodging a fearsome set of jaws. "You 'ave not spent that long in Oliver's or Nanao's company for your 'ealth."

Yet even as he spoke, he fired a spell into a gaping maw. Electricity coursed through the beast's body, and it fell over unconscious. Another beast vaulted over the top of it, but Rossi kicked its jaw upward with his heel, and he used the body as a shield against Guy's spell.

"…But we 'ave not exactly been slacking off ourselves. If you think a trifle like this gives you the advantage—it will not end well for you."

More than a trace of bravado there.

"I'll handle defense against the spells," Andrews said. "You two finish these animals."

"Just a pack of nothings. Won't take long."

Albright wasn't sweating this any more than Rossi, but then something small darted out of the pack. It went right for his throat, and he dodged by a hairbreadth. He turned for a better look, but it was already hidden inside the throng. He had just barely caught a glimpse of a diminutive girl.

"Tonitrus!"

A spell from an entirely new direction—not from Katie's team. He canceled it with the oppositional and snorted.

"More nobodies mixed in. A mild annoyance."

The audience could clearly see all three teams going at it.

"Team Carste has been underwater this whole time, but they came ashore with the tallgators and joined the fray! Really taking advantage of the second-years' beast immunity!"

"If they were going to jump in, this is the place to do it. I imagine Team Aalto was prepared for that possibility. It was vital they hit quickly before Team Andrews managed to down anyone. They're well positioned, too. Team Andrews is being pummeled from all sides."

Garland was full of admiration for Team Aalto's plan. But as he watched the battle unfold, his frown deepened. In the time since the pincer attack began, half the gators had been eliminated…

"And they haven't wobbled… All three of them are just that good."

Despite having them perfectly caught in their trap, Katie's team hadn't managed to reduce their opponents' numbers. Naturally, that was starting to get to Team Aalto, but the barricade's defenses provided some small comfort. That meant the first to find themselves in trouble were the second-years attacking with the tallgators.

"…Hah…hah…!"

More specifically—Rita. Staying hidden and doing hit-and-runs was pretty similar to Teresa's real fighting style, but it was definitely not Rita's. She was hanging on because Teresa was adroitly keeping their foe's attention off her, but alone, she'd have long since been spotted and taken out. And frankly, that time was not far off. As the beasts dwindled in number, there were fewer and fewer places for her to hide.

She was at her limit. And as she sensed that, Albright dodged Teresa's strike, lost his balance, and left his back wide open. Her teammate had given her the chance of a lifetime—and Rita had no choice but to take it.

"…Now…!"

The distance was right. She'd been using spells, but those had all been blocked—so Rita slipped out from between the gators, her blade aimed for Albright's back, certain she had him. But her athame came up short—alongside a heavy blow to her stomach from his counter.

"Gotcha," Albright hissed, his eyes flashing.

"Gah…?!"

A back kick, the motion hidden by the folds of his robe—the same move Oliver had once used on him. The Lanoff-style Hidden Tail. He'd intentionally left his back exposed to set up this move.

"Impediendum. Hmph, the big one… The smaller would have been easier to carry, but no matter."

The follow-up spell took Rita out of commission, and he hefted her with one hand, thrusting her at the beasts. They all flinched. Their inability to harm second-years was now Albright's shield—but that provoked an unexpected reaction.

"Wha—?! You son of a bitch! Get your hands off Rita!"

"Augh! Guy, don't—!"

Unable to bear it, Guy blew off his teammate's restraints and vaulted over the barricade, coming after Albright directly. Using a younger kid as a meat shield was beyond his tolerance. Especially Rita, whom he'd been looking after from the get-go.

"Hmph."

As Guy charged in, Albright lightly tossed Rita to him. Guy couldn't very well dodge that. He caught her with one arm—and something hit him in the back.

"That was very you, yes," Rossi whispered in his ear. "But also very bad. You are in combat, remember?"

"…Rossi, you asshole…"

Guy managed one last curse before falling unconscious, still clutching Rita in his arms.

"That was brutal! Mr. Albright turning a falling second-year into an anti-beast shield! Mr. Greenwood couldn't stand the sight of that and vaulted over the barricade, only to get himself mercilessly mowed down! He's outta the match!"

"The magical beasts can't attack second-years, so this doesn't violate the rule against reckless pain and suffering. Use whatever you can—it may seem heartless, but if this were a real fight, it would be the right call. Mr. Greenwood's attempt to defend his junior is commendable on a personal level—but given the situation, clearly ill-considered."

Stern words from Garland. And he saw a clear shift in the balance of battle, too.

"As numbers dwindle, so does the pressure. They're no longer really surrounded—Team Andrews will make it out."

Guy and Rita were down, and only a third of the gators remained. There was no longer any need for Team Andrews to fight in the middle.

"Enough. To the next island."

"Hmph."

"As you wish!"

Breaking through the lines, they darted northwest, over the bluff to the water below. But as they landed, two burst spells erupted from the water around them. Not from behind but from the island ahead where two figures stood upon the shore.

"Are they serious? There is no point joining in this late!"

"Cowardly nobodies."

Rossi and Albright were equally contemptuous. Team Bowles had lost a member in the initial fight and only just come back for more. But attacking after Team Andrews escaped the island trap was clearly a blown opportunity. The three of them stalked across the rocking waters, perceiving no threat at all.

"Hmm?!"

But then a hand reached up from the water and grabbed Albright's ankle. Between his raw leg strength and Lake Walk skills, he tried to resist—but the water was too choppy, and his struggle lasted only seconds. Long enough for the follow-up strikes to reach him.

""Fragor!""

Katie and Pete were leaning over the top of the bluff they'd just vacated, firing spells after them. Rossi and Andrews quickly evaded, but with one leg secured from below, Albright didn't have that option.

"Tch."

It didn't even take a second. He quit resisting and let them drag him under before the spells hit. Two pillars of water erupted; the churn left Rossi and Andrews struggling to stay balanced, and those on the bluff took that as their opening.

"Now—!"

Katie, Pete, and Teresa all used Wall Walk to run down the cliff face, going for broke. The burst spells had left the water bucking, but while very uneven, the cliff face wasn't moving. They had the stronger foothold. And they could aim spells as they ran—while the churning surf left Rossi and Andrews too unsteady to do the same. Theoretically, at least.

"…Impetus."

" ?!"

"Huh—?!"

" !"

Andrews's chant brought a gusts of wind that slammed the cliff runners in the back. He wasn't simply generating winds from the tip of his wand—he was summoning the atmospheric currents, generating gale-force winds from above the cliff itself. Katie did her level best to hunker down mid-cliff but was in no shape to aim a spell.

"Rahhhh!"

"Hah!"

Pete and Teresa took a different approach. They let the winds snatch them up, throwing themselves off the cliff and swinging right at Rossi and Andrews. The waves had Rossi off-balance and leaning backward, and Pete committed to a Rizett-style Hero's Charge—

"Whoop!"

—but just before his blade struck home, a sharp pain hit his belly. Rossi was bent way over backward, his palms on the water's surface; he'd gone into a handstand to kick Pete in the gut.

"Gah…!"

"So close, Pete. My old self might 'ave been done in."

Lake Walking on his hands on heaving surf, plus a bold kick to an airborne foe—both moves that required a lot of nerve and extraordinary talent. Pete was sent flying, landing on his back and sinking below the waves.

"Ngh…!"

"You're good… You must be the second-years' ace."

Teresa, meanwhile, had double feinted into a blow that Andrews still blocked. She backed off, looking for an opening, yet her foe remained impassive.

"But if your first strike fails, you've lost your shot at victory."

Even as his voice echoed, Teresa made to dart in—and a bolt struck her from behind.

"Guh…!"

She crumpled to the water's surface. The man who'd downed her was at her back, half out of the water.

"He actually dragged me under. That nobody's got guts, if nothing else," Albright grumbled, stepping back up to do a proper Lake Walk. Beside him bobbed another second-year—Dean, now unconscious. His attack from below had momentarily pulled Albright into the water, but that wasn't enough to even the odds.

"Pete!" Katie yelled, vaulting off the cliff. She ran to where Pete was floating, pulling him to the surface. They could have stopped her, but Team Andrews no longer saw the point. They waited until the survivors of Team Aalto were both upright, then aimed their athames.

"More fun than I expected. Retrain and come at me again, Pete."

"…Why…you…"

But Albright's challenge was also a good-bye. Three spells at once, no means of resisting—Katie and Pete went down together.

"Oh, Mr. Reston and Ms. Aalto are both out! They hung in there for dear life, but that takes care of Team Aalto and Team Carste!"

"They made their share of errors, but both teams clearly had a very strong showing. This one simply must be chalked up to Team Andrews's ability to weather the storm."

Garland was already summing up the match before it officially ended. As he spoke, Team Andrews was moving quickly to the next island, easily finishing off the Team Bowles stragglers. When the buzzer signaled the end of the match, Glenda made the results official.

"And the two survivors of the last team are out! Team Andrews wins without a single casualty!"

That evening, the Sword Roses gathered in their base. Each had endured a tough battle.

"Oliver, Nanao, Chela, congrats on making it to the finals! Shame our team lost, though. Damn it all!" Katie was clearly still extremely frustrated.

But with that, cider mugs clashed. The table might have been divided between the victors and the eliminated, but Chela had praise for each of them.

"All three of you should be proud. You fought well, and the match was a joy to witness. Garland was showering you with compliments."

"Chela speaks the truth. You all did good work. They were just stronger. Rossi and Albright go without saying, but Mr. Andrews—the way he fought was a real eye-opener."

Oliver meant every word, and Nanao was nodding the whole time.

"Indeed, he crackled with spirit from head to toe, moving with unbridled aplomb. A feat accomplished with the certitude obtained after reforging one's self to perfection. If you ask me, Andrews now has the air of a true warrior."

"Yes, Rick's amazing! Oh, I mean…well, Rick is amazing, but… Katie, Guy, Pete, this match showed the fruits of your training, and you were in no way inferior."

Torn between pride in her old friend's accomplishments and joy in her new friends' performance, Chela was starting to waffle. But little of this was reaching their ears. All three of them were agonizing over their loss.

"…It's my fault," Guy began. "If I hadn't jumped out like that…"

"…If I were stronger—if I'd downed Rossi at the end, we might still have had a chance…"

"…The whole plan was mine. Ugh, if only we could rewind time…! I'm sure I could come up with something better now…"

Each voice was tinged with lament. Oliver looked them over, then straightened up.

Clearly, not one of them was interested in comfort or praise.

"You want more than words of encouragement, then?" he asked. "Very well. Let's try the harsh version."

His gaze shifted to the tall boy.

"Guy, as you're well aware, rushing out to save Ms. Appleton was thoughtless. In a real fight, you'd have died with her. And you'd have put Katie's and Pete's lives at risk. Your life isn't just yours—it directly impacts the survival of your comrades."

"Urgh…"

Guy hung his head, gnashing his teeth.

Oliver turned to the bespectacled boy next.

"Pete, the regret you voiced is not what I'd point to. Committing to a Hero's Charge in the endgame is not a bad choice. Without reducing your foe's numbers, you had no shot at victory, and in those circumstances, risks must be taken. What you need to look at was the battle on the island earlier. You were too focused on landing your spells, and the result? They were far too easy to predict."

"…Rrgh…!"

Pete was on his knees, his fists shaking.

And Oliver turned to the last of them, the curly-haired girl.

"Katie, your plan to use the field's ecosystem was a good one. I doubt anyone else in our year could pull that off. But if I must point out a flaw—I can't say you fully took advantage of the ecosystem. Frankly, in that situation—I'd have been using doublecant spells, hitting my enemy and the beasts at once."

"…But then…!"

That was a cruel blow, and it made her voice quaver. Oliver knew only too well how it hit her, but he wasn't ready to let up.

"I know you thought of it and decided against it. Even if the lethality of your spells is limited, you would never want to harm a creature caught up in the thick of your battle. But like with Guy, imagine if that were a real fight. Your reluctance to harm an animal prevents you from eliminating your enemy, and as a result, your companions perish. Naturally, if you're certain you could make the hard choice in a real battle, I have nothing more to say. But are you really ready to make that call?"

Katie's face fell. Oliver glanced over all three of them, eyes narrowing.

"Today's matches proved one thing. As mages, all three of you are growing at a dizzying pace. Chela and I couldn't believe our eyes. But watching you convinced me of something else—in due time, in some way, each of you will act as mages do and put your life on the line… And when that time comes, I don't want you hesitating. No matter what you're fighting—or who."

There was a desperate entreaty in his voice. And all three felt the weight of it. For a long time, they were silent, mulling over Oliver's words.

At length, he let out a sigh and stood up.

"Enough pompous lectures. Time for my own regrets."

"…Huh?"

"Mm?"

"Oh?"

As his friends blinked, he pointed his white wand at the blackboard, furiously filling it with letters. Katie's jaw dropped. There was a downright obsessive degree of detail, and every word of it was about mistakes he'd made.

"Every one of these—every last one is a mistake I made in this match! Strings of little oversights that added up to horrific failures! You all watched the fight, and I'm sure you saw things! Go on, turn the tables. Treat me like your punching bag and pummel away! Do your worst!"

Oliver's words were a plea. He couldn't stomach laying into his friends after all they'd accomplished. And Chela was the first to sympathize with that. She smiled and kicked things off.

"…From start to finish, you were reliant on Nanao's and Mr. Leik's adaptability. Your faith in them is commendable, but can you really call that leadership?"

"Urgh…!"

Every bit as brutal as he'd asked for, but it still made him stagger. And after seeing that, Katie shot up her hand.

"…Th-then I've got one, too… Um…Mistral's splinters are totally not that hard to tell apart from the real one, you know? I spent the whole time confused by why you were struggling with that."

"?! Wait, Katie, what are you talking about?! You could tell the whole time?!"

"Y-yeah. I mean, the shadow splinters are just plain empty, but the more fleshed-out ones—the way the muscles move is all kinds of weird. Bipedal creatures' bodies are, like, far more complex."

Katie was clearly just speaking self-evident truths, unaware of how uncanny her observations were. Oliver couldn't keep his jaw closed.

Guy was grinning at that, and he fired another shot across the bow.

"For all your talk about real fights, you sure picked the fun option at the end. Did you actually need to fight Ms. Ames one-on-one? We couldn't see the fight itself, but I bet it would've been way easier if you'd regrouped with Nanao first."

"Gah…b-but they were watching for that! Moving back to the surface was risky! It was logically sound…!"

"If you ask me, after you dropped two from Team Mistral, forgetting about Team Ames and going after Team Liebert was highly questionable. You clearly underestimated the challenge of tackling that golem fortification," Pete added. "Or…no, you were freaking out about Ms. Asmus's sniping. But you knew full well only she could aim properly at that distance. You could have just left Leik on defense and been in no real danger."

"Aughhhh!"

Pete's words were a dagger to the heart and Oliver was left clutching his chest. Each of these points sparked debate and led to a detailed group analysis of both matches. Harsh criticisms flew like wildfire—but each one stemmed from touching kindness.