The Book Eating Magician Chapter 15:
Here comes the Mutiny #3
Battle magic was the most popular subject in the academy . Additionally, having achievements in battle magic was equivalent to being first when academy graduates were assessed for their value . There was even a competition for students of various academies to recruit the graduates .
It was the same with Bergen Academy, Therefore, the professor in charge was naturally the best magician in the academy, Vince . In fact, he had a distinguished career as a war magician and had received a noble title for it .
However, that was just annoying to Vince .
“Since ancient times, magicians have had a very close relationship with war . The reason for this is very simple . Magicians are extremely efficient soldiers . While a well-trained knight can cut down more than 10 people, a 4th Circle magician can burn 100 people . ”
Some of the students paled at the realism in his cold voice . For them, murder and war were overly heavy topics . The expression ‘efficient’ was simply too cold . However, not everyone responded that way .
Some students’ eyes shone at Vince’s words and became eager to try the magic right now . There was no other greater route to success than being a combat magician . Rather than refusing to kill, they were the type of people who wanted their abilities to be recognized . In any case, this type of personality was much better . At the very least, they wouldn’t throw up .
‘Either way, they are just young chicks . ’
Vince assessed the students’ reactions with a sober eye . According to his experiences, those who could fight in battle didn’t respond that way . Rather than being lighthearted, their emotions wouldn’t be exposed on the surface . For an ordinary person capable of becoming a separate person on the battlefield… That was the talent needed to be a war magician .
“This academy was once a facility to raise magicians who would be sent to the battlefield . It isn’t obligatory to enter the army now, but the battle magic course is left to develop a sense of real warfare . ”
There were a few references in the curriculum he used to teach the students . The one-on-one spar in the first class was a product of those days . Although a few steps had been erased, there was no better way to identity a student’s qualities .
Two students would alternate between the roles of attacker and defender, and the one who was superior would be decided as the winner . Even if it was a structured, this was a proven training method .
Vince started explaining the rules of the spar .
“Well, the rules are simple . I will keep watch, so don’t worry about getting injured . Just do the best that you can… However . ”
For a moment, magic power flashed in his eyes .
“If you commit a foul, such as disregarding the order of attack or an unexpected strike… I will use my name to get you expelled from the academy . Understood?”
“Yes!”
Professor Vince was famous for being strict and fair . Knowing that warning wasn’t a bluff, the students replied with stiff voices .
Vince then took out the attendance sheet and pointed to the first person who would do the spar .
“Then we will begin immediately . Number 1, Evans . Pick a person . ”
* * *
Bang!
A fireball exploded against a shield with a loud sound . Dozens of magic missiles then flew through the air, causing the shield to lose its shape . Lightning was shot into a curtain of water, and wind deflected an arrow .
At first, the students were nervous, but they now used the magic naturally . The presence of Professor Vince and the pleasure of using magic like this for the first time started to draw out the students’ potential .
The students watching the sparring students didn’t stay still . They watched the exchanges of magic closely and discussed areas to be fixed as well as their own assessments .
Some of the students gave harsh assessments .
‘What a mess . The vast majority don’t know about the details of the attributes, and the magic they use is too obvious . Why are they taking 10 seconds to use 2nd Circle magic? If the roles weren’t being alternated, they would have been attacked and finished already . ’
There was no end to the problems . Theo pressed against his temples as he tried not to sigh .
To be precise, Alfred’s memories were giving him a headache . In the eyes of the legendary magician who had spent his whole life on the battlefield, Alfred Bellontes saw all the flaws . Having absorbed his experiences, Theodore had the same opinion .
Some time passed by .
The remaining number of students left to fight each other decreased until the students who hadn’t yet dueled could be counted on both hands . Then Professor Vince called someone’s name, “Number 25, Garcia Carter . Choose your sparring opponent . ”
As soon as his name was called, the students suddenly became quiet . Garcia, the second son of the famous Carter family, got up from his spot . This caused the faces of the students, who had yet to fight, to harden .
Thanks to the support of Garcia’s family, his amount of magic power was close to the 4th Circle and he was a combat magician with high sensitivity . It was obvious that they couldn’t defeat such a person .
–Don’t choose me, not me…
–Stick to some other guy…
As if he knew the students were praying earnestly, Garcia looked around leisurely like a wild beast searching for his prey .
Then he noticed Theodore Miller who was looking at him with a calm expression . With neither fear nor curiosity, it was a gaze with no emotions .
Garcia opened his mouth and said the name impulsively, “Theodore Miller . ”
Professor Vince raised his eyebrows as he heard it . “…Um?”
Theodore casually got up and moved to the other side of Garcia . It meant he accepted the nomination .
Vince paused for a moment before stepping back . It was ridiculous to stop them when the other person had already accepted the nomination . Above all, Theo was a student who never acted without thinking .
‘No, I don’t know why but…’
Vince felt strangely like Theo would be the dominant one .
However, that was impossible . Theo, a dunce who was close to the 3rd Circle, was going against someone who was from a prominent family and was almost at the 4th Circle . The balance would clearly lean toward the latter .
Had his intuition become rusty after leaving the battlefield?
“…The both of you, start as soon as you are ready . ”
After the moment of hesitation, Vince stood between the two people and started the spar . Thanks to the coin toss, Garcia Carter was the first attacker . He was from a family of prestigious battle magicians, so he aimed for Theo without hesitation .
“Lightning Bolt!”
Blue lightning shot out from Garcia and flew toward Theo at a terrifying pace . Lightning was the best attribute to use in an actual fight against people . It was at a student’s level, but the general aim wasn’t shaken .
Indeed, it wasn’t bad . Theo created a wall of magic power .
“Shield . ”
The lightning blazed as it struck the translucent barrier before losing its momentum and fading away .
Lightning Bolt was a practical and brilliant magic, but its strength was limited to its speed and destructiveness . The output itself wasn’t very high and if the timing of the defense wasn’t too late, it could be blocked easily .
This time, it was Theo’s turn to attack .
“Fire Bolt . ”
A total of 12 fire arrows appeared in the air . It was the maximum number he could implement at one time as a 3rd Circle magician . However, Garcia’s defense was completed before Theo could shoot them .
“Shield!”
It was much thicker than a conventional shield and had a tight texture . Even if there were 24 fire arrows instead of just 12, its defense wouldn’t be shaken . Garcia was confident in his defense and smiled fiercely .
Theo smiled as well .
“Go . ”
The 12 fire arrows shot through the air .
The strength and disadvantage of bolt-based magic was that it poured out randomly within a certain range . It was good when dealing with a large number of people, but there wasn’t enough power to break through a tightly fixed defense .
Thus, Theo added some things to the magic formula .
Pepepepeng!
Instead of there being a time difference, they all focused on one point .
“Keuk…! What is this?!”
Garcia stepped back at the unexpected firepower . The perfectly raised shield became half-crumbled, and there was a shockwave which pushed his body back a few steps . Eyes filled with surprise and suspicion stared at Theo on the other side . That wasn’t the power of a mere Fire Bolt .
However, Garcia wasn’t able to see through it with his capabilities .
‘After adding to the rotation and acceleration, it is pretty usable . ’
Theodore’s Fire Bolt was upgraded to a level which was completely unrelated to the existing magic formula . The arrowheads rotated; they were concentrated on one spot and the speed was increased . The Fire Bolt, with these three supplementary magic, was already at a level which Garcia’s shield couldn’t handle .
“Then what about this?!”
The troubled Garcia couldn’t understand why he was inferior, and a ball of fire appeared on his palm . It was the 3rd Circle attack magic, Fireball . Since Garcia’s magic power was close to the 4th Circle, the scale was three or four times that of the other students .
‘I can’t stop it head on… A magician should also use their head . ’
A shield wouldn’t be able to take the full impact . For this situation, something more efficient and optimized was required .
In Theo’s mind, dozens of magic formulas mixed together until he created one which met those conditions .
“Shield . ”
A triangular shaped shield appeared in front of Theo . Simultaneously, the Fireball shot from Garcia’s hand with a frightening momentum . If there was a direct hit, then a three meter area would be damaged!
It was literally a collision of power and technique .
Peeeeeong!
The result was that technique obviously won .
“What?!”
The fireball struck the triangular shaped shield and lost its shape, scattering over the edges and creating scorch marks on the sides of the shield .
It was a perfect defense which even Vince marvelled at . If the creator of [The Application of Defense Magic] was here, he would praise the accomplishment with enthusiastic applause .
Theo then became the attacker, and a Fireball appeared in his hand .
“Fireball . ”
Compared to Garcia’s, the size was insignificant . However, its inherent power was comparable to Garcia’s larger Fireball . It was an improved Fireball which compressed the strength on the inside rather than the outside, greatly increasing the explosive power . It was difficult to block with the existing Shield, which was vulnerable to a one-point attack .
Therefore, it would be better to block it with a wall of dirt instead of Shield .
“S-Shield!”
The confused Garcia used Shield reflexively . Shortly after that, a gigantic wave of heat hit .
Kwaang!
“Kuaaaak!”
The shockwave shattered the shield and threw Garcia’s body back a few meters . If Professor Vince hadn’t reduced the impact using magic, then he might’ve been seriously wounded . This was proof that there was a clear difference in skills .
A member of the Carter family was defeated by the dunce!
The students, who witnessed the shocking sight, couldn’t help crying out .