Chapter 85: The Way of the Third-Rate, The Way of the First-Rate Come to think of it, this is the first time I've actually fought properly since coming to this world.
I've been in plenty of scraps, sure.
The suicide attack during the entrance exam, acting as a human punching bag for the Geukryu Society, and on the deserted island… wait, I didn't fight at all there. I just got pummeled by Takeo and swung my fists at thin air.
I did fight the Black Dragon team earlier in this match, but that followed the same pattern as when I faced Takeo.
Get thrashed, then use Counter Magic.
Honestly, it's hard to call that a proper fight.
But this time, there are many opponents to take down, and I have to fight alongside Shizuka.
I know well enough that a war of attrition is disadvantageous for the few.
My Mana Barrier isn't infinite; it'll eventually shatter if I keep taking hits, and I can't sweep everyone away with a single shot of Counter Magic.
Think, Seo Yeon-woo. Recall the experience Frey hammered into you.
No matter how strong I am, I'm not Akito.
Akito would win through sheer protagonist favoritism no matter how weak he was, but for me to survive a disadvantageous situation, I have to use every bit of my brain.
Watching the others slowly take their positions, I do the first thing on my list.
"Masayoshi."
"Sorry, but I won't be much help."
"I know. Safe travels."
Clang—!
"Aaaagh! Are you crazy?! What did I ever do to you?!"
Masayoshi screams and curses as the Etiquette Infuser slams into his skull.
"Ah… sorry."
I really am.
I thought you'd die in one hit.
How was I supposed to know my attack power was this pathetic?
Shizuka walks toward Masayoshi, who is rolling on the ground clutching his head.
"I see what you're thinking."
"W-Wait a second."
Despite Masayoshi's desperate plea, Shizuka mercilessly draws her blade across his throat.
Masayoshi's corpse vanishes instantly, and Shizuka turns her gaze to the remaining teammates.
The three surviving members of the Red Team lock eyes with Shizuka, give awkward smiles, and deactivate their Mana Barriers.
"Make it painless."
"Block them!!"
At Clyde's shout, the surrounding enemies charge. I become the shield while Shizuka becomes the sword, slaughtering our own teammates.
There's no need to protect them.
This isn't a defense mission; it's a rescue operation.
There's a rule that you respawn when you die, so why bother protecting them here? As long as they get out of this spot, the Red Team has a chance again.
After getting pelted by countless spells and rolling across the dirt, I look up to find Shizuka wiping blood from her blade, her eyes meeting mine.
"Do you not know how to parry?"
"My strength is my durability. I'll protect you, so go wild."
"…It's been a long time since I've heard someone say they'd protect—never mind. Match my movements."
"I'll do my best."
But seriously, you couldn't even offer me a hand up?
Shizuka looks down at me with cold eyes, then turns and sprints forward.
Hey, at least give me a heads-up before you bolt!
I scramble to my feet and run to keep up with Shizuka's high stats.
A barrage of magic flies our way, and through the chaos, the Black Dragon members and Park Yu-jeong's crew swing their weapons.
Boom—! Clang! Screeeech!
"Stop hitting me so hard, you bastards!"
Spells exploding relentlessly, enemies lunging through the scattered debris and dust, weapons aiming for my vitals—I'm learning exactly why being ganged up on is so terrifying.
The sheer amount of visual information hitting me at once is overwhelming, but I do my absolute best to intercept every attack headed for Shizuka.
I throw my body to block a bolt of lightning surging toward her head. Shizuka glances at me, ducks low to pass beneath me, cuts down an enemy, and retreats.
"Guh—!"
"This is no time to be lying down."
"I said I'd protect you, I didn't say I'd be your cushion."
It felt nice when our bodies touched, but Shizuka is really working me to the bone.
Just now, as soon as she cut the enemy, she threw herself backward, using me as a landing pad before springing off the ground to attack the people on the other side.
As expected of someone with talent rivaling Akito's, she's figured me out instantly and is utilizing me to the fullest.
She constantly positions me in the line of fire, using me as a mobile shield to dodge what needs dodging and ignore what can be ignored, all without letting the quality of her offense drop.
Thwack—!
"You done hitting me?"
I grab the sword that slammed into my shoulder and glare at the Black Dragon member who swung it.
I might be a shield, but that doesn't mean a shield can't hit back.
"Fall back! That guy has a powerful spell!"
Too late.
I gather the Mana Barrier fragments I've accumulated so far and take a stance.
The attack that spanned the city and shocked Takeo.
When I bragged about it, Frey looked at me with pathetic eyes and scolded me for making a fuss over something anyone could do.
According to her, my attack was just flashy—a "trash-clearing" spell with dispersed impact.
Well… it's true I couldn't control the mana properly, so I couldn't fire it right.
'Condense the accumulated power into a single point. Sharp, like an awl.'
Most mages use sharp weapons like swords or sabers.
To deal significant damage to a Mana Barrier, you have to concentrate power onto a sharp, small surface area.
The moment I heard that, I shouted "Critical hit!" only to get smacked by Frey before she continued her explanation.
'A combat mage who cannot compress their power into a narrow range is destined to be a third-rate hack forever.'
That's why Frey looked so disgusted when I pulled out the Etiquette Infuser.
There's no weapon less capable of concentrating power into a single point than a blunt instrument.
I'm not a third-rate mage.
Honestly, I'm a total novice hack. I've only been learning magic for half a year.
I probably know less about magic than a kid in elementary school.
There's no way someone who grew up with magic and someone who knew nothing could be on the same level.
Since then, under Frey's bone-breaking tutelage, I've managed to concentrate my power to some extent.
That's how I managed to win when I fought the Black Dragon team during the match.
But for now, let's be third-rate.
Spells pour toward me as I slowly take my stance, but they all become fuel for my Counter Magic as intense mana gathers in the Etiquette Infuser.
No need to concentrate the power. Just a swing that unleashes raw force.
Zaaaaaap—!
As I swing the mana-saturated Etiquette Infuser, a massive wave of power erupts in a cone shape from my position.
It devastates the environment within range, sweeping away the Black Dragon members who couldn't dodge in time.
As expected of a third-rate attack, the range is wide, but the potency isn't quite at Angelica's level. The people caught in my blast quickly right themselves in mid-air and prepare to counterattack.
But you guys weren't my target.
"Dammit…"
Clyde grimaces as he looks at the path my attack cleared.
There are plenty of defenseless people here with low Mana Barriers or who are unconscious, right? I'm talking about the Red Team members you captured.
The teammates who were held captive by tree roots while unconscious were killed by my attack, and their bodies vanished.
The respawn penalty is quite long, but more than half of them have escaped this spot.
With this, Clyde's plan is a failure.
"Was this your goal?"
"I told you, our objective is a rescue operation."
"…You never said that."
Ah, did I only think it?
You understood well enough to kill Masayoshi, so why point it out now?
Shizuka stares at me as if she has something to say, then turns away.
"Senior, are you going to keep fighting us like this?"
As the attacks momentarily cease, I grin at Clyde, who lets out a sigh.
"I've failed. Fighting you two now would only benefit the other teams."
Clyde raises his fist to shoulder height and rotates his wrist. His people begin to relax their stances and prepare to withdraw.
Is that a hand signal? But why act so cool when you failed?
"So, is it my turn now?"
Clyde stops mid-step and looks back at me.
His face is expressionless, but the slight twitch in his eye suggests he's fuming.
Where do you think you're going after doing that to our Goddess Chieri?
Most of the Red Team has escaped and will be working hard to find ingredients soon.
I'm going to cling to you and sabotage you to the end.
"It's not your turn. It's our turn."
"Our turn? I like the sound of that."
"…I'll correct myself. It's my turn."
Realizing how much stalling the Black Dragon team here would help our team, Shizuka declares her participation. Clyde flashes a bitter smile.
"In that case, it'll be better to take you down as quickly as possible."
He's got a lot of pride, but he keeps a cool head.
He's not attacking because he's pissed at me; his goal is to quickly deal with the nuisance that will stubbornly follow them.
It would be nice if he'd just attack recklessly out of emotion, but it won't be that easy.
Clyde's composure seems to rub off on his team, as the eyes of the Black Dragon members turn calm and focused.
"Um—can I sit this one out?"
"… …"
While the tension rises as we glare at each other, Park Yu-jeong, who had only been lobbing spells from the lake, asks with a bright face.
"It's only right to jump off a sinking ship, isn't it?"
"You guys are next after these two, so run as far as you can."
"Aww~ we've been comrades-in-arms until now. Don't be so cold."
"I don't consider someone who changes their attitude based on the situation a comrade."
"I'm not a 'guy,' I'm a 'girl.'"
Park Yu-jeong cracks a joke with a smirk, but seeing Clyde's serious face, she feigns weakness as if she can't win.
"Fine, fine. I'll help. How can I be a comrade if I'm this scared?"
The already-ruined Black Dragon team is going to help?
Did she bond with Clyde while I wasn't looking? That's definitely not something Park Yu-jeong would do.
Clyde doesn't seem to fully trust her either, as he doesn't lower his guard.
But there's no time for complex thoughts.
"Sorry, Yeon-woo. You'll have to die."
Starting with Park Yu-jeong's long-range attack, they begin to strike from all sides.
I have to move my limbs frantically to protect Shizuka and provide her with a platform to go wild.
Winning is impossible, but let's hold out as long as we can.
I have to make them pay for what they did to Goddess Chieri by being a persistent thorn in their side.
A little later.
A little later…? Honestly, I don't know how much time has passed.
It feels like a minute, but also like an hour.
If it had been an hour, the match would already be over, so it probably hasn't been as long as it feels.
"Are you… alive?"
"Phew—I told you, my strength is my durability."
At Shizuka's question, I force my trembling legs to stand.
Fighting a crowd isn't just a problem for defense; it's a problem for offense too.
No matter how strong Shizuka is, and no matter how much I protect her, it's not easy to land a decisive blow while dodging magic coming from every direction.
Without the time to strike hard or the distance to get in deep, the people Shizuka cut only suffered shallow wounds.
Since their numbers didn't decrease, their attacks kept coming, and as the shield, I took a monstrous beating.
"You really are durable…"
"Stubborn. So stubborn."
What did they say about the perversion of an M-leaning tank?
Is your mana going to run out first, or is my Mana Barrier?
I'm a mess, but the Black Dragon team looks exhausted too, having spent a lot of mana.
Though they're just a bit short of breath while I'm wheezing like a dying man.
Fortunately, because I fought—or rather, got hit—better than expected, Shizuka has very few injuries.
"I really should have recruited you back then."
Clyde expresses genuine admiration and regret at my struggle.
"I'll apologize for calling your name tacky, too."
"It's not tacky."
"You're stubborn."
If I fall, Shizuka, who has consumed a lot of stamina and mana, won't last long either.
Haven't we held out long enough?
My body is aching all over and I'm exhausted; I just want to lie down.
My manager used to say that successful people are those who take one more step in times like these.
Back then, I thought it was just old-man talk, but maybe because I'm easily swept up in the atmosphere, I don't want to give up here.
I've waited and waited to give them the ultimate middle finger.
"The time has come. 10 seconds."
Even in the chaotic heat of battle, Shizuka, who had been keeping track of the time at my request, speaks softly.
Are you sure?
At my look, Shizuka nods, and Clyde seems to notice something as he turns his gaze toward the lake.
Simultaneously, I activate the Counter Magic I've been saving up this whole time, never using it once since rescuing the Red Team.
I'm not being third-rate this time. Concentrate it into a single point.
'Don't treat the ground as an enemy. It's a reliable ally that supports your two legs.'
Recalling Frey's words, I twist my body so that the power starting from my toes can be concentrated into my fist.
As I gather mana, the enemies begin their assault, and Shizuka steps in to block them.
"It's my turn to protect you this time."
Looking at Shizuka's reliable back, I draw out my power.
Even she can't block every attack coming from all directions.
By nature, her style is to parry or dodge rather than block head-on.
But to protect me, Shizuka blocks from the front, sometimes throwing her body to intercept attacks just as I had done.
The power I've gathered with all my might is transferred to my fist, and I swing it toward the lake.
And exactly as Shizuka said, a new Seika spawns.
Pshhh—!
I haven't reached the level of a single point yet, but the Counter Magic, compressed down to the size of my fist, shoots out in a straight line and pierces the head of the poor, newborn Seika.
It was actually kind of cute for a monster.
And in my head, the ingredients for Effect #7 pop up.
"Pim, Theria, Retot's Tail, Under-Bell Petal!"
As I shout, Shizuka ignores both defense and offense, reverts her blade into a stick, and fires a signal into the sky.
She said it was a pre-arranged signal for the research team that didn't come to this spot.
It's a simple signal, so it can't convey detailed names, but just knowing which region and what type of ingredient it is significantly reduces gathering time.
With this, our role is over.
Shizuka, having disarmed during the battle, is brutally beaten and rolls across the ground. I, too, am blown away by a large explosion and collapse beside her.
"We lost."
Despite defeating us, Clyde wears a bitter smile.
It was a perfect victory.
Since I provided the answer, the Red Team will find the ingredients, to say nothing of the Black Dragon team who got bogged down here or the other teams who haven't gathered everything yet.
I stand up in my battered state and hold out a hand. Shizuka takes it naturally and stands up.
Mom, my waifu just held my hand.
The situation being what it is, I can't fully enjoy it, but I'm happy enough that she seems to have opened up to me.
Now, to taste the flavor of victory…
"The secret medicine has been completed. The match is now over."
On the screen floating in the sky, a teacher calmly announces the end of the match.
… …
Isn't that too fast?
It's barely been a minute since Shizuka sent the signal.
Even if they were lucky enough to find something right in front of them…
"The winner of this match is Blue Lagoon. Based on the number of effects identified, 2nd place is Red, 3rd place is White Rim, and 4th place is Black Dragon."
"… …"
At the teacher's words, everyone's gaze turns to Park Yu-jeong.
She, who had done nothing but fire long-range attacks from start to finish, smiles with a pristine appearance.
"Everyone seems to be forgetting that besides Yeon-woo, we have an amazing kid named Akito."
Right. There was Akito, covered in protagonist buffs.
That bastard would win through sheer plot armor even in a desperate situation.
He probably "coincidentally" found a bunch of ingredients with the right effects again.
I wondered why he was nowhere to be seen; he was just out gathering the whole time…
Park Yu-jeong turns her bright face toward the mess that is me.
"Thanks, Yeon-woo. For drawing everyone's attention instead of Akito."
The bear does the tricks, and someone else takes the coin—or whatever that saying is.
Dammit, this is why I hate competing with Park Yu-jeong.
And Park Yu-jeong with the cheat key Akito? That's terrifying.
Still, I guess it's a relief we made it this far.
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