The Book Eating Magician

Here comes the Mutiny #3

Battle magic was the most popular subject in the academy. Additionally, having achievements in battle magic was equivalent to being first when academy graduates were assessed for their value. There was even a competition for students of various academies to recruit the graduates.

It was the same with Bergen Academy, Therefore, the professor in charge was naturally the best magician in the academy, Vince. In fact, he had a distinguished career as a war magician and had received a noble title for it.

However, that was just annoying to Vince.

“Since ancient times, magicians have had a very close relationship with war. The reason for this is very simple. Magicians are extremely efficient soldiers. While a well-trained knight can cut down more than 10 people, a 4th Circle magician can burn 100 people.”

Some of the students paled at the realism in his cold voice. For them, murder and war were overly heavy topics. The expression ‘efficient’ was simply too cold. However, not everyone responded that way.

Some students’ eyes shone at Vince’s words and became eager to try the magic right now. There was no other greater route to success than being a combat magician. Rather than refusing to kill, they were the type of people who wanted their abilities to be recognized. In any case, this type of personality was much better. At the very least, they wouldn’t throw up.

‘Either way, they are just young chicks.’

Vince assessed the students’ reactions with a sober eye. According to his experiences, those who could fight in battle didn’t respond that way. Rather than being lighthearted, their emotions wouldn’t be exposed on the surface. For an ordinary person capable of becoming a separate person on the battlefield… That was the talent needed to be a war magician.

“This academy was once a facility to raise magicians who would be sent to the battlefield. It isn’t obligatory to enter the army now, but the battle magic course is left to develop a sense of real warfare.”

There were a few references in the curriculum he used to teach the students. The one-on-one spar in the first class was a product of those days. Although a few steps had been erased, there was no better way to identity a student’s qualities.

Two students would alternate between the roles of attacker and defender, and the one who was superior would be decided as the winner. Even if it was a structured, this was a proven training method.

Vince started explaining the rules of the spar.

“Well, the rules are simple. I will keep watch, so don’t worry about getting injured. Just do the best that you can… However.”

For a moment, magic power flashed in his eyes.

“If you commit a foul, such as disregarding the order of attack or an unexpected strike… I will use my name to get you expelled from the academy. Understood?”

“Yes!”

Professor Vince was famous for being strict and fair. Knowing that warning wasn’t a bluff, the students replied with stiff voices.

Vince then took out the attendance sheet and pointed to the first person who would do the spar.

“Then we will begin immediately. Number 1, Evans. Pick a person.”

* * *

Bang!

A fireball exploded against a shield with a loud sound. Dozens of magic missiles then flew through the air, causing the shield to lose its shape. Lightning was shot into a curtain of water, and wind deflected an arrow.

At first, the students were nervous, but they now used the magic naturally. The presence of Professor Vince and the pleasure of using magic like this for the first time started to draw out the students’ potential.

The students watching the sparring students didn’t stay still. They watched the exchanges of magic closely and discussed areas to be fixed as well as their own assessments.

Some of the students gave harsh assessments.

‘What a mess. The vast majority don’t know about the details of the attributes, and the magic they use is too obvious. Why are they taking 10 seconds to use 2nd Circle magic? If the roles weren’t being alternated, they would have been attacked and finished already.’

There was no end to the problems. Theo pressed against his temples as he tried not to sigh.

To be precise, Alfred’s memories were giving him a headache. In the eyes of the legendary magician who had spent his whole life on the battlefield, Alfred Bellontes saw all the flaws. Having absorbed his experiences, Theodore had the same opinion.

Some time passed by.

The remaining number of students left to fight each other decreased until the students who hadn’t yet dueled could be counted on both hands. Then Professor Vince called someone’s name, “Number 25, Garcia Carter. Choose your sparring opponent.”

As soon as his name was called, the students suddenly became quiet. Garcia, the second son of the famous Carter family, got up from his spot. This caused the faces of the students, who had yet to fight, to harden.

Thanks to the support of Garcia’s family, his amount of magic power was close to the 4th Circle and he was a combat magician with high sensitivity. It was obvious that they couldn’t defeat such a person.

–Don’t choose me, not me…

–Stick to some other guy…

As if he knew the students were praying earnestly, Garcia looked around leisurely like a wild beast searching for his prey.

Then he noticed Theodore Miller who was looking at him with a calm expression. With neither fear nor curiosity, it was a gaze with no emotions.

Garcia opened his mouth and said the name impulsively, “Theodore Miller.”

Professor Vince raised his eyebrows as he heard it. “…Um?”

Theodore casually got up and moved to the other side of Garcia. It meant he accepted the nomination.

Vince paused for a moment before stepping back. It was ridiculous to stop them when the other person had already accepted the nomination. Above all, Theo was a student who never acted without thinking.

‘No, I don’t know why but…’

Vince felt strangely like Theo would be the dominant one.

However, that was impossible. Theo, a dunce who was close to the 3rd Circle, was going against someone who was from a prominent family and was almost at the 4th Circle. The balance would clearly lean toward the latter.

Had his intuition become rusty after leaving the battlefield?

“…The both of you, start as soon as you are ready.”

After the moment of hesitation, Vince stood between the two people and started the spar. Thanks to the coin toss, Garcia Carter was the first attacker. He was from a family of prestigious battle magicians, so he aimed for Theo without hesitation.

“Lightning Bolt!”

Blue lightning shot out from Garcia and flew toward Theo at a terrifying pace. Lightning was the best attribute to use in an actual fight against people. It was at a student’s level, but the general aim wasn’t shaken.

Indeed, it wasn’t bad. Theo created a wall of magic power.

“Shield.”

The lightning blazed as it struck the translucent barrier before losing its momentum and fading away.

Lightning Bolt was a practical and brilliant magic, but its strength was limited to its speed and destructiveness. The output itself wasn’t very high and if the timing of the defense wasn’t too late, it could be blocked easily.

This time, it was Theo’s turn to attack.

“Fire Bolt.”

A total of 12 fire arrows appeared in the air. It was the maximum number he could implement at one time as a 3rd Circle magician. However, Garcia’s defense was completed before Theo could shoot them.

“Shield!”

It was much thicker than a conventional shield and had a tight texture. Even if there were 24 fire arrows instead of just 12, its defense wouldn’t be shaken. Garcia was confident in his defense and smiled fiercely.

Theo smiled as well.

“Go.”

The 12 fire arrows shot through the air.

The strength and disadvantage of bolt-based magic was that it poured out randomly within a certain range. It was good when dealing with a large number of people, but there wasn’t enough power to break through a tightly fixed defense.

Thus, Theo added some things to the magic formula.

Pepepepeng!

Instead of there being a time difference, they all focused on one point.

“Keuk…! What is this?!”

Garcia stepped back at the unexpected firepower. The perfectly raised shield became half-crumbled, and there was a shockwave which pushed his body back a few steps. Eyes filled with surprise and suspicion stared at Theo on the other side. That wasn’t the power of a mere Fire Bolt.

However, Garcia wasn’t able to see through it with his capabilities.

‘After adding to the rotation and acceleration, it is pretty usable.’

Theodore’s Fire Bolt was upgraded to a level which was completely unrelated to the existing magic formula. The arrowheads rotated; they were concentrated on one spot and the speed was increased. The Fire Bolt, with these three supplementary magic, was already at a level which Garcia’s shield couldn’t handle.

“Then what about this?!”

The troubled Garcia couldn’t understand why he was inferior, and a ball of fire appeared on his palm. It was the 3rd Circle attack magic, Fireball. Since Garcia’s magic power was close to the 4th Circle, the scale was three or four times that of the other students.

‘I can’t stop it head on… A magician should also use their head.’

A shield wouldn’t be able to take the full impact. For this situation, something more efficient and optimized was required.

In Theo’s mind, dozens of magic formulas mixed together until he created one which met those conditions.

“Shield.”

A triangular shaped shield appeared in front of Theo. Simultaneously, the Fireball shot from Garcia’s hand with a frightening momentum. If there was a direct hit, then a three meter area would be damaged!

It was literally a collision of power and technique.

Peeeeeong!

The result was that technique obviously won.

“What?!”

The fireball struck the triangular shaped shield and lost its shape, scattering over the edges and creating scorch marks on the sides of the shield.

It was a perfect defense which even Vince marvelled at. If the creator of [The Application of Defense Magic] was here, he would praise the accomplishment with enthusiastic applause.

Theo then became the attacker, and a Fireball appeared in his hand.

“Fireball.”

Compared to Garcia’s, the size was insignificant. However, its inherent power was comparable to Garcia’s larger Fireball. It was an improved Fireball which compressed the strength on the inside rather than the outside, greatly increasing the explosive power. It was difficult to block with the existing Shield, which was vulnerable to a one-point attack.

Therefore, it would be better to block it with a wall of dirt instead of Shield.

“S-Shield!”

The confused Garcia used Shield reflexively. Shortly after that, a gigantic wave of heat hit.

Kwaang!

“Kuaaaak!”

The shockwave shattered the shield and threw Garcia’s body back a few meters. If Professor Vince hadn’t reduced the impact using magic, then he might’ve been seriously wounded. This was proof that there was a clear difference in skills.

A member of the Carter family was defeated by the dunce!

The students, who witnessed the shocking sight, couldn’t help crying out.