Chapter 319 - Exchange Battle (2)
"Either one of you, step forward first."
Most reacted to the woman's voice.
The gazes of the candidates gathering from all directions.
Which of the two would be the first to boldly try to prove themselves, that was what everyone was deeply interested in.
Among them were Locke and Leira as well.
In short, there was expectation.
Verden, on the other hand, looked at the woman indifferently.
'For mages, the procedure follows three steps.'
First, measurement of magic power.
Second, demonstration of magic.
Third, the exchange battle with an opponent.
There was nothing unfamiliar about it.
Magic power and magic had always been part of Verden's very being, his core, and he had made active use of them to face many strong opponents until now.
The Demon King's clone, the Administrator.
The tower master of DarkWarton, the Necromancer.
It was against such mighty Transcendents that he had desperately fought, which was why he had reached this point.
Neither excessive power, nor an empty title.
Having seized victory from Leonil, who had achieved an incomplete transcendence through the Witch's Heart, he had already proven himself.
For Verden, the format of the exchange battle was nothing but familiar.
'The only thing that feels somewhat new is the magic power measurement.'
If he thought about it, there had only been two occasions.
The first was at the Bohemirn magic tower, when an aptitude test was conducted for workers.
It had already been well over ten years, but it was an unforgettable memory from when he was thirteen.
The day it was determined that he had no physical talent whatsoever for magic.
'The next was when I was fifteen, preparing to become a researcher at the magic tower.'
That one was no more than a formality of a magic power measurement.
And naturally, the result was unchanged at 1st-tier, hardly different from before.
Even so, it had not been too difficult to enter the magic tower.
Because from the age of eight, for about seven years, he had already proven his usefulness as a worker. On top of that, he had basic knowledge of magic.
In other words, he had been a suitable candidate to use as a drudge in the laboratory.
Of course, this was not a baseless assumption. He had overheard the mages' conversation by chance while cleaning the laboratory storage room.
'If I were to meet them now, what would I say.'
For a moment, he felt the urge to head to the Western Continent.
Well, anyway.
Whoever stepped forward first, the order of the exchange battle was not an important factor.
There was no advantage in it, and from the beginning it would only be either first or second.
Verden turned his head.
He happened to meet the gaze of a mage from the Academy who was glancing this way.
Eyes of yellow-green.
"Uh, if, if you wouldn't mind... would you, allow me to go first...?"
Along with his voice, his shoulders trembled slightly.
Perhaps he judged it better to go first rather than let his body tremble uncontrollably from nervousness.
There would be no problem.
Since he was still trying awkwardly to maintain that stilted speech, it was unlikely he would commit the ridiculous mistake of failing a magic calculation.
"If you want."
Thus the first turn went to summoning magic.
***
There are many ways to gauge the realm of a mage.
Among them, the most basic and universal method was the measurement of magic power. The main materials were specially processed magic stones, and mediums that could transmit magic power almost intact.
In the past, the apparatus had been quite crude.
Huge and delicate structures, so heavy there was no way to move them, installed only in specific places where they could be used.
Of course, by now much had changed.
In particular, the bracelets set with ten special magic stones processed with the unique technique of the Artison Magic Tower were one of the masterpieces of the tower.
A simple measuring tool that maximized convenience.
Despite appearances, it possessed durability strong enough not to break even when struck with a war hammer.
Naturally, it was inevitable that its performance would be somewhat degraded.
The amount of magic power it could handle was lower than the old ones, but the advantages far outweighed the drawbacks, so it was the method widely adopted.
Verden narrowed his eyes.
His gaze lingered on the bracelet in the woman's hand.
'So they use the same thing in the exchange battle.'
There was nothing odd about it.
Listeners had also used Noise, a magic item developed by the Artison Magic Tower, to prevent their voices from leaking out.
If it was used simply because it was useful, that much meant the standing of the Artison Magic Tower rose all the higher... but what was the reality?
'Perhaps there could even be a member of the Ark among them.'
So far, he had not uncovered much about the Ark.
With such thoughts, Verden looked down.
The mage who had been next to him until just moments ago stepped into the arena.
***
Step, step...
The mage who had come from the island slowly walked forward.
Being the center of attention at the Academy was part of daily life.
Not only learning and practicing magic during class, but also often presenting magic before classmates and professors as the representative of group assignments.
But here it was of an entirely different kind.
It was not the familiar gazes filled with admiration and jealousy.
Each one of them was trying to pierce not only what was visible, but even his very inner self.
The countless presences weighing on him from above were also difficult to endure.
'Calm down, Theodore...! Calm down, calm down...!'
The mage of the Academy, Theodore.
He repeatedly murmured his own name to suppress his trembling. Biting the inside of his cheek until it hurt a little seemed to chase away his distractions.
Meanwhile, he reached the woman's side.
"Then we shall begin with the measurement of magic power."
"Underst...."
At that moment, he met her eyes.
A cold, eerie pressure, as if he would be devoured.
"...st, stood."
Theodore's voice, frightened, returned to its natural tone.
He had tried to endure somehow, but it was impossible. He could not possibly act like a dignified mage right under her nose.
For even the one presiding over the exchange battle to be like this... everything was beyond imagination.
The woman handed him the bracelet.
"Wear the measuring device, and stand at the center."
Theodore nodded and followed her instructions.
When the woman then took a few steps back, Theodore alone remained at the center of the arena. With deep breaths, he exhaled the turmoil in his chest.
'Yes... just like usual, just like usual.'
The bracelet's form was all too familiar.
At the Academy, it was the same as the magic power measurements conducted each semester. And if a student wished, they could even measure every month.
The Artison Magic Tower was one of the great investors who gave the Academy its full support.
Theodore quietly closed his eyes.
Focusing his mind on the heart at the center of his upper body, he drew up his magic power. The mage's strength, flowing through the mana circuits, moved by will.
Immediately, light began to flicker within the bracelet.
One, two... and three.
Out of ten magic stones, only three.
Only those reacted to the mage's magic power and lit up. That was his limit, for now.
Though it looked humble at a glance, the reactions of the others were very positive.
One of the more fatigued-looking candidates' eyes lit up.
"2nd-tier... judging from how bright the third stone shines, it should be mid-2nd-tier."
Compared to past new candidates, the amount of magic power was low.
But not a single person treated it with ridicule.
Even among candidates, each naturally had different conditions.
A mage's realm mostly corresponds to their age.
And reaching a higher realm at a younger age is taken as the measure of talent. In that sense, Theodore's level was excellent.
Verden's thought was the same.
'Promising.'
In his mid-teens, and already at this stage.
The upper limit tier could not be known yet, but it was undoubtedly a growth worthy of attention.
Especially given his identity as a student of the Academy.
For a mage, realm alone cannot be everything.
Just because one reaches the 3rd-tier, does not mean everyone can naturally use
Magic is a very complex discipline.
The foundational realm is essential.
On top of that, one must understand and compute the magic in their mind, and at the same time, there must be the process of infusing magic power for the mystery to manifest.
The more familiar one becomes with that process, the faster the casting speed of magic.
And beyond that, Double Casting or even Triple Casting becomes possible. Of course, there are differences due to talent, but generally, this is the case.
That is why the Academy does not prioritize realm alone. That is why its graduates are valued.
Graduates who have systematically learned magic are, with their diploma alone, almost considered verified. Their potential for future growth also cannot be ignored.
It is clear that they are on a different level from mages who have learned magic recklessly.
"Phew...."
Theodore withdrew his magic.
As the light flickered and died, he removed the bracelet and handed it back to the woman.
Unlike with the other candidates, she did not show much sentiment. Only a faint increase of interest in her gaze compared to before.
"Next is magic demonstration. Of course, the choice is yours. If you do not wish it, you may skip it and proceed directly to the exchange battle."
"Then... would it be alright if I demonstrated magic and immediately began the exchange battle?"
"It does not matter."
He was granted permission.
Nodding, Theodore pulled a dispenser from within his robes.
A new type of magic, created in collaboration with one of the Academy professors. Today was to be the unofficial debut of summoning magic.
Don't make mistakes.
Just as usual, do your best.
Steeling his mind, his eyes flashed.
Faster than before, his mana circuits were fully activated.
Confirming that the magic power was flowing entirely into the magic item, Theodore's lips moved as he whispered in a low voice.
"Fangs and claws sharper than steel blades... crushing strength that shatters the earth... supple, tough gray hide... a low, threatening growl... four-white eyes that fix upon prey...."
He voiced the imagery directly, giving it concrete form.
Following his words, the magic power flowing into the dispenser wavered and began to condense. Magic power dense enough to be visible.
Soon, it took on the clear shape of a beast.
Theodore and the wolf looked at each other.
Though their consciousness was separate, as if by agreement, both nodded together.
Preparations were complete.
Placing the dispenser on his left palm, Theodore stretched out his right arm.
Crackle.
Two spaces opened.
A great rift in the arena floor, and a small rift within the dispenser.
Sensing the change, the wolf leapt without hesitation into the entrance, and immediately sprang out, emerging into the arena.
Thud!
A heavy weight.
From ground to shoulder, nearly two meters in height.
From the crown of its head to the tailbone, a length reaching fully eight meters. A massive body, completely opposite to the size it had inside the dispenser.
The giant wolf opened its jaws wide.
[KRROAAHHHHHH!]
The magical beast howled.
***
That unique howl that made the air vibrate.
Its fangs and claws gleamed with sharp menace, and its gray fur shone with luster. Savage eyes swept its surroundings, ears alert to threats.
Overall, it bore the shape of a wolf, a magical beast adventurers would find familiar.
One of the candidates, who had adventuring experience, blinked.
"That's... a Roar Wolf, isn't it?"
At first glance, yes.
But it was not the same as an ordinary Roar Wolf. The distinct silvery fur, and above all, that colossal size was beyond normal.
Leira, the mithril-rank adventurer, muttered.
"...a subspecies of the Roar Wolf."
A variant of the magical beast.
One rarely found, such that even with long adventuring experience, if luck was not on your side, you might never see one.
Naturally, its danger far surpassed that of its kind.
The threat level of a Roar Wolf was Gold-rank.
Then, this beast's level must be even higher.
And more than anything, for such a massive magical beast to be born by human hands... even seeing it directly, it was hard to believe.
"My word. Magic that summons a magical beast...."
Reactions of shock were mixed in.
At the murmurs from all around, Theodore could not suppress a smile.
The fact that even these extraordinary people were astonished, was proof of how great summoning magic was.
"Well done, Ulfred."
[Grrr....]
Theodore stroked the wolf.
The ferocious beast accepted the touch, closing its eyes in contentment.
A wondrous sight.
"Hoh...."
The woman tilted her head.
Her eyes, now glowing with clear heat, fixed on Ulfred and Theodore. A stark contrast to just before.
"Th-that...!!"
And the reactions were especially fierce from the mages deeply versed in magic.
Verden was among them.
Having watched the dispenser, the magical beast, and the space itself, he had grasped to some extent the principle of summoning magic. He spoke.
"Impressive."
It was beyond expectations.
It was Verden's own form of praise.
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