"Look at me!!!" Hana screamed.
Another fire spear formed instantly.
She thrust her wand forward.
The spear screamed through the air.
"W— what?!" I dodged sideways, barely avoiding it as it tore past me and detonated against the barrier.
"Are you mocking me?!" she shouted, veins standing out on her neck. "How dare you look away while we're fighting!!"
"Hmmm." I replied casually, stepping aside as another fireball flew past me. "Because I am mocking you. Hehe."
"Fuck you!!"
I ignored her.
Because my mind was still stuck on one thing, who was that woman at the back of the class? I barely registered the danger until the familiar translucent window snapped open in front of my vision.
「Notification」
[Time Remaining: 5 minutes until quest completion.
Reward: 20 Mana will be immediately granted upon completion. ]
"…Five minutes?" I muttered.
I started running in a wide circle, feet skimming across the arena floor as fireballs exploded behind me one after another.
"What the fuck?!" Hana screamed.
"You don't even have mana! Then why are you so fast?!"
She growled, frustration twisting her face.
Then—
She raised her wand straight toward the ceiling, and I slowed down, and looked at her.
Hana began chanting.
Her clothes lifted slightly, her red hair floating as if an invisible wind surrounded her. The heat thickened, pressing down on my skin.
At the tip of her wand, a tiny spark appeared.
It hovered.
Then it grew.
Slowly.
Dengerously.
The spark expanded into a massive, pulsing sphere of fire, suspended above her— bright, violent, and unstable.
"Hahaha…" Hana laughed, eyes shining. "Rex Knox, you're dead!"
She pointed her wand toward me.
"There's no way you're dodging this."
"This spell will hit everything inside the barrier."
"…What?" My breath hitched.
"Then what about you?"
She smirked.
"Why do you care?"
The massive fireball continued to grow.
Heat slammed into me like. My skin burned just bh standing here.
"H-Hana! Stop this!" Professor Myra shouted, slamming her hands against the hexagonal barrier. "You'll kill him!"
"Shut up, Professor," Hana snapped.
"I'm just cleaning up."
The fire swelled even larger, filling the upper half of the arena.
The floor cracked from the heat.
"Goodbye, Rex."
Then—
The system appeared again.
「Quest Update」
Quest had been adjusted: Remaining Time: 30 seconds.
Additional Reward will be Granted: +3% Agility.
"…woah?" I blinked.
"Plus… three percent agility, and 30seconds?"
Wait…
I looked at Hana— still smirking.
I laughed.
Smiled.
"Oh," I muttered under my breath. "I've got an idea."
Hana slowly turned her wand toward me.
The massive fireball moved instantly.
The heat surged forward, mana screaming as the spell dragged the entire arena's air with it.
I dropped my stance.
Leaned forward.
And ran.
28.
My feet slammed against the floor, the agility boost screaming through my muscles.
27.
The pressure behind me intensified, my skin burned even without contact.
26.
Another step. Faster. Too fast for someone without mana.
25.
I was there.
Right in front of her.
Hana's eyes widened.
I reached out— grabbed her wrist, pulled her in, and wrapped my arms around her, forcing her body against mine just as the fireball slammed into the ground.
The explosion detonated.
The entire arena vanished in white-hot light.
I shut my eyes—
And braced.
Nothing hit me.
I opened them.
A barrier.
A transparent, hexagonal barrier had formed around us— tight, localized, humming violently as it absorbed the blast. Outside it, the arena was a sea of fire, flames raging and clawing at the shield, unable to breach it.
It worked.
My gamble worked.
"H— WHAT THE FUCK, REX?!" Hana screamed,
struggling in my grip.
"Hahaha," I laughed, breathing hard. "Caught you."
I pinned both of her arms upward with one hand, keeping it locked above her head— not hurting her, just stopping her from casting again.
"Wow," I added casually, glancing at the inferno outside the barrier. "Your spells are insane. How long does an explosion like this even last?"
"Shut up!" she snapped.
"Yeah, yeah," I replied, looking back at her.
Her face was somehow red.
Hmm… Definitely anger.
"I figured," I continued, still smirking, "there's no way you'd cast something like that without a self-protection measure. No noble mage is dumb enough to nuke themselves."
I tightened my grip just a little.
"So I gambled," I admitted. "That you'd have a safety barrier keyed to your position."
Hana was quiet.
"Hana?" I said. "Hello?"
She didn't answer.
Just glared at me, jaw tight, cheeks burning.
And outside the barrier, the fire continued to rage.
"Hello? Hana?" I called again.
No response.
Her cheeks were still red, eyes locked on me with pure murder.
"…Right," I muttered.
Then—
The System window slid open again.
「Quest Completed」
Reward Granted: +3% Agility
+20 Mana
"Wohoo!" I smirked widely. "Let's go—"
At the same time, the transparent barrier around us vanished.
The localized shield shattered into motes of light, the raging flames outside dissolving instantly as if they'd never existed. The hexagonal duel arena faded next.
Silence.
Then—
"REX!!!"
Luna came sprinting down the steps, eyes wide, voice cracking. "You're alive!!"
She skidded to a stop.
Mid-step.
Her mouth slowly fell open.
Professor Myra followed, clearly on the verge of tears— then froze as well, one hand halfway raised like she'd forgotten what she was about to do.
Aira, who'd been peeking from behind the desk, let out a tiny squeak and immediately covered her face with both hands.
"…What?" I asked.
Then I looked down.
Oh.
Right.
I was still holding Hana.
One arm pinning both her wrists above her head.
My other arm wrapped around her waist from pulling her, so I could survive.
Close.
Way too close.
Hana's face went from red to even redder.
The two girls at the back of the classroom erupted.
"O— OH MY GOD—" one of them yelled.
"THEY'RE—"
"IS THIS PART OF THE DUEL?! WHY IS HE HOLDING HER LIKE THAT?!"
Professor Myra looked like her soul had been taken away from her.
"R-R-Rex Knox!" she stammered, steam practically rising from her head. "UNHAND HANA EMBERLYN IMMEDIATELY!"
Luna's jaw dropped.
"…Rex," she said slowly. "Why are you… hugging her?"
"I— I'm not?!" I started.
Too late.
Hana finally snapped.
She shoved me back with both hands, stumbling away like she'd touched something cursed.
"YOU!" she screamed, pointing at me with a shaking finger. "YOU DISGUSTING, MANALESS, PIECE OF—!"
I blinked.
"…Quest's done though," I said weakly.
"Huh?!" Hana said.
That only made it worse.