NOVEL WEB Chapter 97.1
Chapter 97.1. Looking Ahead
Thus, the battle situation became perfectly balanced.
Each student of Class B challenged a compatible opponent from Class A, with Nyna and Sara compensating for any shortfall in skill.
Meanwhile, Hermes held off Katia, the greatest threat from Class A, attacking relentlessly to prevent her from sending reinforcements elsewhere.
The result was a perfect stalemate.
From here on, it was truly an individual battle.
If any Class B student fell, the line would collapse, and if Hermes could no longer hold Katia, they would lose. Conversely, if Class B students defeated their Class A opponents, they would win.
This was the crucial moment to unleash all the power they had cultivated.
──For now.
“Hahaha! What’s wrong, Albert? Was your bravado only for the start!? Or have you finally realized that it’s futile to bridge the gap between us, no matter how hard you try!!”
“Guh──!”
Albert’s job was to defeat Neste von Langheim.
His long-standing rival──Albert von Jelk thought with clenched teeth.
“Come on──savor it to your heart’s content!”
With that joyous shout, Neste’s magic──blue flames attacked.
Albert countered with wind magic, but the result was the same as in the previous joint magic exercises: Albert’s magic was overpowered.
“Guh…”
Albert let out a short groan of pain as Neste’s laughter echoed loudly.
Neste’s magic, [Saint Elmo].
Blue flames──a strange magic that manipulated flames with mass.
Thus, physical defenses were burned by the flames.
Magical defenses──like Albert’s wind──were penetrated by the mass.
A magic that was extremely difficult to defend against, and even if hit directly, the flames clung and spread, boasting tremendous penetration and attack power.
To Albert, this was the magic that had made him despair in joint magic exercises since he enrolled.
“It’s all futile, everything is futile! Clyde told me, you’ve been making pathetic efforts for this battle!”
Perhaps feeling good about Albert’s overwhelming disadvantage, Neste’s mocking words accelerated.
“You’re absolutely incorrigible. I thought you would have learned by now! Or did that commoner transfer student incite you!?”
With that, Neste looked back with a smug expression and pointed.
“Look at him. He’s doing well for a commoner──but look! He’s powerless against Katia-sama!!”
As he said, there was Hermes, valiantly attacking Katia but unable to break through the ghost soldiers’ solid defense.
Looking at it with a sense of superiority, Neste directed the same look at Albert.
“Foolish, learn already. No matter how hard you try, you can’t bridge the gap between us chosen ones! For such a fool like you──I’ll make you learn with my magic again!!”
Albert wanted to shout, “Don’t be ridiculous.”
He knew that Hermes wasn’t showing his true power. Without that limitation, Hermes could probably surpass Katia, and even take on all of Class A except Katia.
And even without that──facing Katia von Trakia. A top-class mage who single-handedly pushed Class B into crisis. Just being able to fight against her was a great feat. Could you do that, he thought.
──But.
Even if he wanted to say it, it was true that he was overwhelmingly disadvantaged. It was an undeniable fact that he couldn’t do anything.
“Guh”
Again, Neste’s magic grazed Albert’s shoulder.
His body already had numerous burns from the blue flames. His situation was dire, to say the least.
Finally, seeing his condition, someone couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Albert!”
Sara, noticing his disadvantage, raised her voice and tried to activate [Ars Paulina]──
──But.
“Don’t interfere, Sara-sama!!”
In the loudest voice yet, Albert rejected her.
Shouting while fending off Neste’s magic, he told her.
“You must be at your limit already. Leave me, focus on covering others!”
“But…”
Her unspoken plea said she couldn’t stand watching.
That was understandable. Accepting her support was one way to secure victory──but.
“It may be selfish. But this, just this! If I rely on your power, I can’t take pride in myself!”
Albert shouted his feelings, recalling a previous conversation.
“I want to defeat this man alone! Otherwise, it means nothing──!!”
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“Please.”
Before the first day of the special training for Class B to defeat Class A.
Just like before, Albert bowed his head to Hermes.
“You said you would train us to specialize against specific Class A students. Then, I have a request.”
He said this and fixed Hermes with a sharp gaze.
“Let me face that man.──Let me fight Neste von Langheim……”
Bowing his head again. Ignoring his noble pride for something more important inside him.
The one who made him despair in joint magic exercises right after enrolling. He needed to settle that.
Hermes, after pondering for a while, finally said.
“……First, let me state a premise.”
He spoke carefully.
“You and the Marquis Langheim’s son are likely──a terrible match. Normally, I wouldn’t have you face him.”
“Ugh.”
“……But.”
Hermes showed a serious expression to Albert, who was breathless.
“To be honest, apart from Katia-sama, the most troublesome one in Class A is──Marquis’s son Langheim. His pure skill is top-tier except for Katia-sama, and his Bloodline Magic is extraordinary.”
Looking at his palm, he spoke with a slightly bitter expression.
“The rarity of ‘flames with mass.’ We’ve analyzed it somewhat, but reproducing it before the battle is unlikely. Simulating it with enhanced general magic is also impossible. Thus, he’s the hardest to simulate.”
In subsequent training, Hermes simulated individual opponents based on analysis results.
He explained that Neste was the only one who couldn’t be simulated.
“Therefore, facing him will be purely a test of skill without prior preparation. In that sense──Albert, the strongest attacker in Class B and my early trainee.…… You have the best chance of winning.”
“!”
Albert’s face showed a mix of tension and excitement, and Hermes looked straight at him again.
“I have training that can prepare you to face him.…… However, it will be extremely tough. Much more so than anything you’ve faced.”
Understanding the severity, Albert nodded, and Hermes finally said.
“If you endure it. If you walk a far harsher path than others──then I would ask of you.”
Now the roles are reversed. Hermes, in a pleading tone, said.
“For Class B’s victory.…… I want you to defeat one of their strongest.”
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