Reincarnated as a Genius Mage

"Begin!"

Like a hungry tiger— I lunge toward him, conjured fire hovering on my palms as I head toward him.

He's standing still, calm eyes scanning me with a confident grin.

Let's see what you got.

I coat my palm with fire— and I direct a palm strike toward his face.

With great ease, he slightly shifts his head left. Dodging my strike. The fire from my palm blasts the air behind his head.

If he hadn't dodged, his face would've been charred.

In that instant, he crouches low. His head slightly below my chest level, and with agile momentum, he delivers a nasty blow to my ribs.

Crunch!

Huh? That didn't hurt?

It didn't hurt at all. It felt like I was hit by something... soft, but not too soft.

His facial expression changes as he notices that something's off, as I didn't shake or wince after his blow landed on me.

He leaps back into a retreat.

His confident demeanor shatters, and the anxiety he feels is visible on his face.

A smirk crawls on my lips.

In that same moment, he summons large amounts of flames that coat his two hands, from fist to elbow.

They form some sort of flame blade. And he starts dancing with it like a Martial artist.

What's that?

With a burst of speed, he lunges at me.

I can trace the direction of his gaze, I know where he plans to strike.

As I expected. He crouches low, delivering a strike at my left ankle with his flame-sworded right hand.

But just before the sword hits me— I jump up.

His flame sword sweeps the sand below, and before he could react to my sudden leap...

Slam!

My fist slams on his jaw.

Boom!

The force of my punch causes his head to crash hard on the ground— the sand ripples and the dust soars in the air.

The entire crowd of spectators gathered in the training grounds goes silent.

Richardson slowly lifts his head. The area on his head that impacted with the ground is burst open, bleeding slowly.

His legs are shaking, but he's still trying to force himself to stand up.

My brows furrow, and I frown. I don't really like hurting kids.

It seems like his vision is hazy as he's staggering. I think his jaw might be dislocated due to the force of my blow.

I'm standing over him, my eyes flashing with his pity as I stare down at him.

"Just accept def–"

A runish circle glowing with red hue— a sigil, forms on his right palm, and my eyes widen.

When did he chant? Was It when he fell?

He stands up immediately, holding his right arm with his left hand.

Shit.

I skid back, creating a distance between us, and I brace myself for his incoming spell.

Vwoom!

A first circle mage huh.

From his palms— a fire ball; the size of a pingpong, shoots like comet. Flying toward my shoulder. But I easily side step it.

As I lift my gaze up, I see dozens of fireballs raining on me.

"Quite a lot."

Fluidly— I slip through them all with skills, as I slowly head toward him.

"Y-you! Argh!"

His childish voice.. it reminds me again– he's only a kid.

I feel bad for what I'm about to do, but..

It doesn't matter if it's a kid or an old man, I'm winning this duel. It's my ticket out of here.

As I evade all the barrage of fireballs, I reach him. Grabbing the collar of his blue uniform with my left hand.

His legs kick the air, and he groans in pain as I raise him high in the air. His stomach my face level.

"A-ah! Put me down!"

The blood from his burst forehead slowly drops on my left hand.

I coat my right fist with fire, and I aim it at his jaw.

"Clench your teeth kid."

"K–kid?"

"Stop!"

Just before my fist is about to hit the kid's jaw— the acting referee stops me. Pulling my hand, and shaking his head.

"Winner of this duel... Charles Liam Flameworth!"

His voice— resolute and loud is the only sound that fills the entire training grounds as all the spectators are silent; watching the best student of the year get humiliated by a kid no older than the age of seven.

As my eyes peers into Richardson's eyes, I see it... terror.

My head shakes as a bitter smile forms on my lips.

He falls on the ground as I drop him.

"You're lucky kid." I tell him.

And I turn to walk off, adjusting the sleeves of my uniform.

"I– I– I'm older than you."

He's still talking?

Slightly— I turn my head over my shoulder and I give him one last look.

"And you should be ashamed of that."

I walk off.

____________

(Alexander POV)

As I thought, that kid isn't just a normal kid.

He completely overpowered a kid twice his age. A kid in his first circle at that. This is good. This is really good!

A grin tugs at my lips as I watch Charles exit the stage.

Yes, that's how it's supposed to be. The one who holds great power is supposed to be unyielding, unrelenting, and— brutal.

The boy is highly proficient In the martial arts of the Flameworths. I like that.

The other kid he fought with got overwhelmed by his physical prowess that left no gap for an attack, and he immediately switched to an anxious flurry of fireballs. Pathetic.

Slowly— I stand up from my seat.

My calm eyes glance at my smiling first wife Stilia, who's also watching Charles leave.

And I turn to my left— looking at my second wife Jina. The mother of James. She's glaring at Charles, biting her lips.

She'll probably try to cook up some nasty scheme against him.

"Jina."

She snaps back to reality with a jolt, as if she was in a deep trance.

"Do not harm my son. I know how you like filthy schemes, and I know very much what you're capable of."

She frowns, her brows furrowing, and her jaw tightening. But I continue my warning.

"Touching him is akin to going against me. And if you go against me..." A streak of blue flames coat my index finger, and I raise it to my lips, forming a 'shush' gesture.

"Then your death will be guaranteed."

Hearing that, she shuts her eyes and nods her head anxiously, and I walk out.

I can't wait to hear about his achievements in the Imperial Academy.

The boy has become my only source of amusement. The bitterness in my heart seems to dissipate any time I remember him.

His existence is like an Intoxicating alcohol that makes me forget about my sorrow.

I'm finding much pleasure in hearing news of great achievements from my son, the one born of my blood.

The bitterness I always feel gets drowned into nothingness anytime I remember him.

There are only two things that ease my heart these days:

News of good achievements from Charle.

And...

Anytime I'm drinking with my only friend, Kairo.

Ah, speaking of Kairo, it's been a while since I had a drink with him. I need to go to Ludia.

A crazy thought just flashed through my mind.

Why is it during the later years of my life that fate decided to show me signs of goodwill? Why didn't it do that during all my times of turmoil?

I shake my head.

Now isn't the time for such depressing thoughts.

I need to plan a way to make Kairo addicted to cakes like I am, and a way to convince Faleso, my secretary, that I'm going on a mission that the Emperor requested of me. That guy sees through all my lies, but I really need to go to Ludia.

And I need to start making arrangements for Charles's enrollment in the academy. Admission begins in two months time.

Ah– so many things to do.

With a satisfied smile on my face, I head back to my quarters.