Fled Without Realizing I Had Prevented the Apocalypse

What is rank?
After the end of the mythical era, when numerous gods were placed in constellations beyond the sky under the name of constellations, it became known as a realm exclusive to humans.
Although it’s unknown who first established it, it’s a very clear method of classification based simply on the magic power handled within the body, regardless of the weapon one uses, be it magician, warrior, or archer.
However, unlike distinguishing realms by rank, the definition of rank itself is different for everyone.
Some might say it’s simply rings of magic power built up within the body, some might call it traces of life created over a lifetime, and others might say rank is a stairway leading to ascension.
Those called superhumans who have built up ranks all have their own views.
Therefore, explaining the definition of rank in one way isn’t very meaningful, but if I were to add an explanation…
“It’s the process of building a tower.”
I said to Beatrice as we ascended to the empty training ground.
“Although the definition of rank differs for everyone, if there’s something they commonly try to express. In the end, rank is the act of building something up. Scholars think of it as building a kind of tower.”
Beatrice nodded at my words.
As if she had just understood.
I inwardly heaved a deep sigh at this sight.
In fact, everything I just said is theory that anyone building up ranks should naturally understand.
Even if not a superhuman, it’s theory one naturally realizes as they raise their rank.
Of course, they might not know it as specifically as I just explained, but when hearing such an explanation, they should at least react as if they know that feeling.
But Beatrice showed such an innocent reaction as if she had never built up rank before, which meant she truly had no sense of building up at all.

‘Should I be happy about this or not…’
I grasped my throbbing head.
I couldn’t quite grasp whether it was an advantage or disadvantage that Beatrice, a 5th rank superhuman, had no sense of this aspect at all.
Looking at it positively, it means she has enough talent to reach 5th rank without even being aware of building up, and negatively, it means her senses are so dull that she can’t feel it despite reaching 5th rank.
Of course, considering Beatrice’s growth process and the special nature of the manipulation system, it probably isn’t the latter, but…
‘Why did I agree to tutor!’
After making a one-month preliminary contract for tutoring Beatrice, we left the south and headed to her guild’s main branch where she usually stays.
It was due to Beatrice’s suggestion that it would be convenient to conduct tutoring there without being exposed to the outside.
After arriving at the main branch, I immediately started Beatrice’s first tutoring session, but…
“What, you don’t know this either? How a magician deals with close combat against a warrior?”
“Shouldn’t a situation where a magician specialized in ranged attacks gets into close combat with a warrior not happen in the first place? The very occurrence of such a situation is already incomprehensible…”
“…Then, how about dealing with magic power depletion.”
“Hmm, drink a mana potion? Magic power shouldn’t be depleted in the first place.”
Towards Beatrice calmly listing her answers, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Beatrice.”
“Yes.”
“Didn’t you say you were receiving my tutoring to avoid life-threatening situations?”
“I did, didn’t I?”
“But you haven’t learned any of these?”

At my question, Beatrice seemed to ponder something for a moment, then.
“That’s right.”

She nodded as if it was nothing.
“In the first place, if a situation arises where a magician’s magic power is depleted and they end up in close combat, that’s already a point of failure. For a genius like me, such situations wouldn’t occur…”
As I listened to Beatrice’s explanation that followed, I repeatedly sighed inwardly.
It seems I’ve taken on the wrong tutoring student.
However, it wasn’t a sigh of resignation.
Like with Princess Arlea before, I wasn’t particularly fond of giving up.
Rather, I was closer to the type whose competitive spirit ignites when faced with such beings.
Regardless of who it was, I even felt pride in having a good influence as I watched them change their mindset and grow further.
…Although that led to normalization of destruction.
Anyway.
“You said such situations wouldn’t occur.”
“That’s riiiight?”
“Then, if such a situation occurs even once, you’d realize the importance of these countermeasures, right?”
At my question, Beatrice tilted her head for a moment, then slowly answered.
“Such situations won’t occur, but I suppose so. If they did occur, I could understand their practicality.”
“Good. Then…”
After hearing Beatrice’s answer, I glanced down at the training ground floor and took a stance.
The stone training ground cracks with a crunch under my feet filled with magic power.
Seeing Beatrice’s eyes widen in surprise at my sudden action, I quietly muttered.
“I’ll create both situations myself.”

“Haa, haa…”
“Phew.”
After the sparring that felt like real combat ended, Beatrice lay on the ground catching her breath, exhaling rough breaths unseen before.
“Such, a, barbaric, act…!”
“Sometimes, a direct approach is the simplest correct answer.”
Unlike Beatrice who seemed about to collapse from exhaustion, Kyle who had sparred with her was fine except for a small wound on his cheek.
Even considering the difference between a magician and a martial artist, this level of gap felt a bit too much.
Moreover, unlike Beatrice who used manipulation magic and depleted her magic power, Kyle’s internal magic power seemed not even half used.
A sparring that felt like a difference in class in many ways.
Therefore, Beatrice uttered the words most often said by Kyle’s enemies so far.
“This, is impossible…”
“Your skills weren’t bad either, better than I expected.”
Kyle approached Beatrice lying on the training ground floor, extended his hand brushing off dust, and said as he helped her up.
“When I first created this situation, there were only two things I wanted to confirm from you. How a magician deals when in close combat with a warrior, and what kind of improvisation they would take when magic power is almost depleted.”
“……”
“For someone who said such situations shouldn’t occur in the first place, you weren’t bad at all. Especially using manipulation magic to aim for my face at the last moment can be considered the best choice.”
While helping Beatrice up, Kyle recalled the sparring that had just taken place.
Basically, for manipulation-type magicians, their level differs depending on what substance they manipulate.
Although the manipulation-type characteristic itself is originally rare, if one remains without any growth, the limitations of manipulation are revealed, such as simply changing the shape of stones or soil.
However, high-rank manipulation-type magicians can sufficiently manipulate substances even if they’re not simply solid forms.
For example, like the body manipulation ability Beatrice showed just now.
A technique that goes beyond simply manipulating inanimate objects, allowing even actual living creatures to be controlled according to the magician’s will.
Although there’s a disadvantage of having to be connected to the target through invisible magic threads, the advantage of being able to control the opponent at will doesn’t fade.
“It seems likely that superhumans of the same rank would be susceptible to your manipulation technique.”
Kyle muttered while cutting off Beatrice’s magic threads one by one that had settled around his ankle.
Amethyst-colored magic threads, the same color as Beatrice’s eyes, flutter in the air as they’re cut off one by one.
Watching her magic threads being repelled, Beatrice glared at Kyle with an expression that seemed to say her teeth were chattering.
“In the first place, don’t you think being able to see magic threads is a cheat key?”
Magic threads originating from manipulation techniques, especially Beatrice’s amethyst-colored magic threads, are basically invisible even to superhuman eyes.
Therefore, even superhumans of around 5th rank can’t even glimpse the existence of these magic threads beyond their color.

Probably Beatrice also thought Kyle couldn’t see the magic threads and planted them in his legs.
From this perspective, Beatrice’s complaint was quite understandable, but.
“It’s nothing but an excuse.”
Kyle simply dismissed Beatrice’s complaint.
“Your magic threads work at best on 5th rank. Even superhumans around 5th rank would be able to feel them even if they can’t see them. Haven’t you ever seen a superhuman who avoids or blocks magic threads by reacting to them despite not being able to see them?”
“……”
It seems there are such cases.
Seeing Beatrice close her mouth, Kyle continued his explanation.
“A superhuman’s senses aren’t determined by sight alone. Of course, taking away sight can be considered an advantage, but if your technique is only used to disappear from sight, you’ll never win in fights between superhumans.”
“Then how should I utilize the magic threads?”

Beatrice puffed her cheeks at Kyle’s explanation.
Even though Beatrice isn’t interested in ranks, it’s not that she hasn’t thought about this.
She’s been constantly pondering this since the moment her magic threads were first blocked by superhuman senses, but she couldn’t find a more efficient method than this.
Therefore, demanding an answer from Kyle now was one of the reasons she requested tutoring.
Realizing this, Kyle slowly moved his fingers.
“If the basis of manipulation techniques lies in grabbing and moving something.”
Then, faint thread-like lines begin to emit from his fingers.
Though thin and faint, they were clearly magic threads that allow Beatrice to utilize manipulation techniques even from a distance.
“That manipulation doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to the concept of substance.”
The magic threads extending from Kyle’s fingers slowly flutter in the air and then begin to intertwine with each other.
The shape of the magic threads created by intertwining and extending formed an oval disc.
And in the center of that disc, a black hole drawn on pure white thread-lines.
When Kyle threw a fragment of the broken training ground into that hole, the fragment was instantly sucked in.
A hole in the air that sucks in matter.
To Kyle’s technique that seemed to manipulate the very concepts that form the basis of the world, beyond the simple category of techniques.
“…This is insane.”
Beatrice was momentarily at a loss for words.