Infinite Mage [Remake]

The impact of the posted notice was undeniable, but it was the chatterbox Seriel's exaggerated tale that truly shook the hearts of the female students.

Shirone had infiltrated enemy territory to rescue Amy.

Although the Black Magician had pressured him with Anti-Magic, he overcame it with the power of love and defeated them.

Rumor had it that the villainous leader, Jake, had been so overwhelmed by Shirone's gaze that he had tearfully begged for mercy.

The story ended with Shirone and Amy sharing a kiss under the moonlight in the mountains.

"Seriel! Do you want to die? What kind of nonsense are you spreading?"

"Hahaha! Why? It's mostly true."

"It's not even close to true! When did I ever kiss Shirone?"

"Oh, come on. Stop pretending. You're dating, so a kiss isn't a stretch, is it? To make the story more engaging, you need that kind of detail."

"What is this, a play? Why does immersion even matter?"

"Well, it worked out for you. Thanks to the rumor, all the annoying guys have stopped bothering you."

Even Amy had to admit that part was satisfying.

Not only was she rumored to be dating him, but they had supposedly even kissed. That was bound to be a shock.

"So, what are you going to do today? When are you meeting Shirone? Huh? Huh?"

"I've decided to focus on studying for now."

Amy's tone carried a hint of disappointment.

Even if the rumor was fake, it had spread throughout the school. Naturally, it would be on his mind—but Shirone remained completely unfazed, continuing his school life as usual.

'This is kind of a blow to my pride.'

She hadn't expected a big reaction, but she couldn't help feeling annoyed.

"Ugh, whatever! I won't care either! I have way too much to do to be distracted by this!"

"You're upset, aren't you? Shirone is really too much. If I were him, I'd stick to you all the time, classes or not."

Amy realized something from that statement.

'In a way, he's right.'

If she kept thinking about it, the whole purpose of their fake relationship would be meaningless.

"Hey! Amy, isn't that Jake?"

Jake, his face covered in bandages and carrying a backpack, was walking down the hill.

The disciplinary committee had sentenced the Black Magicians to expulsion, while Jake had received a two-year suspension, contingent on settling with the victims.

Depending on the outcome, returning to school might be impossible, but his expression wasn't particularly grim.

"It's been a while, Amy."

"You're still here? How pathetic."

"Haha, well, I did a lot of bad things. I have a long list of apologies to make."

"So, have you suddenly become a saint? Give me a break. People don't change that easily."

"True. But someone believes in me, so I can't go back to my old ways."

It was well-known that Sheena had fought hard to prevent the Black Magician's expulsion.

Amy let out a sharp breath.

"What are you going to do now? After two years, most of the people you know will have graduated. Think you can start over?"

"I don't know. First, I need to settle things. I doubt they'll forgive me, but I'm prepared for that. Once I've made things right, maybe I'll figure out what's next."

Amy held her tongue.

The odds of his return were slim, but there was no need to say it out loud.

"I should get going. I don't know if I'll get another chance, but I'll do my best. Sheena taught me a few things. And… I'm sorry. I'll come back to settle things properly, but for now, just forget about a guy like me."

"Hmph, settle things, my foot."

Jake let out a bitter chuckle and started walking away.

"Hey, Jake."

Amy called out to him.

"Two years will pass in no time. Don't give up."

"Haha! If you ever need help, just call me. I'll lend you money anytime."

Even in the end, he couldn't stop showing off his wealth. But in a way, that was just like him.

Honestly, if he had stood there bawling, she might have punched him.

Amy looked up at the sky.

"Two years… Yeah, it really is nothing."

Jake would be delayed by at least two years. But did that really matter?

In the world of magic, without skill, one could be stuck in place forever.

Amy turned to Seriel.

"Seriel, I've made my decision."

"Huh? You're going to see Shirone?"

"I'm applying for promotion to the graduation class."

"What? Already?"

Any student in Class Four was eligible for graduation class promotion.

However, failing the test meant they couldn't reapply for a whole year, making the competition fierce from the start of the semester.

Even if one passed, graduation was another challenge entirely.

The graduation class was the pinnacle of the magic academy, a battlefield where only the best survived.

Some criticized the extreme competition, but magic was a dangerous profession, whether in combat or research.

The academy's consensus was that harsh standards were necessary for the students' futures.

"Why don't you wait a little? The class still has plenty of room. You could analyze the trends first and apply later."

"No. I don't want to hesitate. Right now, I just want to move forward."

Seriel knew Amy was stubborn.

At the same time, she was curious to see how far Amy's genius would take her in the graduation class.

"Alright. I'll support you. You can do it."

"Thanks. I'll check out the class first. I wanted to go with you, though."

"Hehe, honestly, I'm a bit nervous, so I'll gather information first. Let's both do our best."

"Yeah. I'll help you too."

Amy looked up at the sun in the sky.

She couldn't reach it yet, but their dreams shone just as brightly, high above.

'I will become the greatest magician.'