Chapter 12

Episode 12: Mock Battle

In the fourth practice room of Crawford Magic Academy, the second-year Class C students, including Shion Kurosaki, were engaged in a mock battle.

During mock battles, students wear combat uniforms different from their usual school attire. These uniforms have anti-magic properties, essentially serving as protective gear against magic, reducing damage from direct magical hits.

The purpose of these mock battles in class isn’t to defeat the opponent but to hone the practical use of magic in real combat. Therefore, few students are overly concerned with winning or losing.

However, in Class C, there’s one boy who stands out for his obsession with the outcome—Shion Kurosaki himself. But it’s not winning he’s obsessed with; it’s losing. And not just any loss—he insists on using his full magical power, then deliberately taking hits he could easily avoid, making it seem like he held back and lost on purpose.

His creed is to genuinely improve his magic in the mock battle, then skillfully pretend to lose “on purpose.” While one might argue that focusing solely on improving magic would mean channeling all concentration into winning, Shion doesn’t see it that way.

Why? Because he wants to look cool. For Shion, who aims to appear as if he’s hiding his true strength, an ordinary victory in a mock battle is unacceptable. He wants to refine his magic and maintain his cool image, compromising on neither.

Currently, the fourth practice room used by Class C has eight 15×15 meter mock battle fields, separated by magical barriers. Inside these cube-like spaces, mock battles take place. Students not participating either test their magic on targets or watch the matches, waiting for their turn.

Shion is currently in a mock battle, exchanging spells with an opponent several meters away.

“Wind Blade!”

Simultaneously, Shion and his opponent unleashed greenish wind blades that collided midway, creating a gust that canceled each other out.

“Fireball!”

Before the opponent could cast the next spell, Shion struck first. Three fireballs shot out from the magic circle in front of him.

“Whoa! Flame Vortex Shield!”

The opponent hastily created a fiery barrier, deflecting Shion’s fireballs.

“Water Ball!”

Immediately after, Shion launched a 40-centimeter water sphere. The opponent maintained the Flame Vortex Shield, evaporating the water sphere with a loud hiss, filling the area with dense steam.

“Ugh, Gust!”

The opponent, unable to see through the steam, summoned a gust to clear it.

“!!”

As the steam cleared, Shion was already aiming both palms at the opponent. The opponent tried to counter, but noticed something odd—Shion’s palms had no magic circle.

“(Has he run out of magic? Now’s my chance—)”

Thinking this was the perfect moment, the opponent prepared to strike.

“!!”

But then, the opponent hesitated. A magic circle had appeared beneath Shion’s right foot.

“(Was the palm thing a bluff…?!)”

“Blue Lightning Surge!”

As Shion chanted, the magic circle at his foot glowed blue-white, sending a fierce lightning bolt racing toward the opponent.

“(Crap…! Earth Wall!)”

The opponent quickly knelt, placing their hands on the ground to create a wall of earth. The lightning struck the wall, dispersing with a blinding flash and a deafening roar.

As the lightning vanished, the earth wall cracked and crumbled into sand. Amid the dust, the opponent stood up to see Shion already launching four fireballs.

“Whoa! Water Vortex Storm!”

With little magic left, the opponent mustered all their strength to unleash a powerful spiral of water, extinguishing the fireballs and sending Shion flying into the wall.

Shion knelt, raising a hand in surrender, ending the mock battle in his defeat.

“Haah, haah… Thank you.”

The opponent, panting, approached Shion for a post-match greeting.

“Thank you too.”

Shion stood up calmly, but inside, he was utterly exhausted, barely able to stand.

“Haha, you look more composed than me, and I won.”

The opponent chuckled, but Shion replied honestly, “I’m completely drained. Standing is tough.”

“…Doesn’t look like it.”

“Just putting on a brave face.”

His words were sincere.

“Alright… If you say so.”

The opponent, still somewhat unconvinced, changed the subject. “By the way, Shion, right? Your magic is insanely good! That lightning sneak attack from your foot—I thought I was done for!”

“You countered it instantly with earth magic, which has the advantage. I couldn’t beat that.”

“Nah, if you’d cast even a second earlier, I’d have been toast.”

The opponent then asked seriously, “Speaking of which, your magic seemed a bit delayed. Were you holding back on purpose…?”

Shion cut in, “Not at all. Casting from my foot is tricky. It takes time.”

“…Makes sense. Casting from your foot is pretty advanced.”

“Yeah.”

While it’s true that casting from the foot is harder, Shion could have timed his spells to catch the opponent off guard. Instead, he deliberately waited, ensuring the opponent could defend.

In other words, the opponent’s suspicion was correct, but Shion skillfully dodged it with a plausible excuse.

The opponent, though not entirely convinced, seemed somewhat satisfied.

“Anyway, today’s match was a great learning experience. Let’s do it again sometime!”

“Likewise.”

They shook hands firmly and left the field.

◆

Afterward, students took turns in mock battles until class ended.

As Shion walked down the hallway toward the locker room, reflecting on the match, he overheard his opponent talking to a classmate.

“By the way, you fought that Kurosaki guy today, right? How was it?”

Shion subtly eavesdropped.

“Most of his spells weren’t that powerful, but his lightning magic and combat tactics were top-notch. He’s got high battle IQ.”

“…Really? Isn’t he from a merchant family? I doubt he has much magical talent.”

“Well, his magic felt weak, but he used it so cleverly. In a real fight, he might be the strongest in class.”

“What? So, if you beat him, what does that make you?”

“Hmm… He said otherwise, but I think he was holding back. He looked too composed after the match.”

“…You’re overestimating him. You were in Class B last year; no way you’re worse than a merchant’s kid.”

“Maybe… I hope so.”

Listening in, Shion was thrilled. His opponent’s reaction was exactly what he aimed for—suspicion that he was hiding his true strength.

Barely containing his excitement, Shion maintained his composure and continued toward the locker room, keeping a slight distance from the chatting pair.

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