A boy raised by a demon king and a dragon king seems to be peerless in his school life.

Volume 9 Chapter 25 Second round

Yuri stepped into the Sanctria Arena, followed by Ibuki and Sharo. The spectator seats were still packed with an enthusiastic crowd, and the excitement was even more palpable than during the first round.

“Here we go! The first match of the second round features the formidable Floyd Magic Academy, who breezed through the first round with overwhelming strength, against Grandill Noble Academy, who also effortlessly advanced through their initial match! Who will emerge victorious and advance to the third round? You can’t take your eyes off this!”

As the commentator Pezzo hyped up the crowd, the excitement and cheers enveloped the arena, surpassing the energy of the first round.

Yuri, accustomed to being in the public eye, was experiencing this level of enthusiasm for the first time. Even the cool-headed him was slightly overwhelmed by this surge of fervor.

“Heh, I can’t afford to have a lackluster battle. If I were to lose in a humiliating manner, it would tarnish the kingdom’s reputation.”

Yuri muttered with a serious expression. Hearing this, Ibuki and Sharo chimed in playfully.

“Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Even if the prince fumbles, Sharo and I will cover you properly.”

“Ibuki is right. So relax and come embarrass yourself. We’ll be here laughing our heads off.”

“…Even in this situation, I respect you both for being your usual selves.”

Yuri replied wearily, but he noticed that the tension he had a moment ago had eased.

Thanks to the two, Yuri, now resolute, shifted his attention to the three male students in front of him. Clad in distinctive, aristocratic-looking uniforms adorned with flashy embellishments, they looked at Yuri with smug grins.

“…It seems something really good happened. However, showing such a pathetic, relaxed face just before a serious competition is not befitting. Nobles should be exemplars of citizens,” Yuri said, addressing the students of the Noble Academy. They briefly displayed a surprised expression at Yuri’s remark, but quickly reverted to their disdainful smiles.

“Oh my, my apologies, Your Highness. We, mere nobles, couldn’t contain our delight at the thought of aligning our hands with your esteemed self, an exemplary noble. Please be gentle with us,” the student said, wearing a pasted-on smile.

Of course, what he had just said was far from his true sentiments. Most students from the Noble Academy were not fond of the presence of the magic academy, which didn’t favor the nobility. King Floyd prohibited the nobles from holding significant power and took strict action against corruption that was rampant before, earning the resentment of many nobles.

Children raised by such corrupt nobles naturally harbored resentment toward the prince, and their heads were filled with plans to torment Yuri and expose his disgrace to the public.

(Oh, we’re looking forward to it, Your Highness. Watching that composed face of yours tainted with humiliation will be such a delight…♪)

They suppressed their rising excitement while wielding their wands. On the other hand, Yuri stood with his arms crossed, not drawing his wand sheathed at his waist.

“…What are you intending, Your Highness?”

“I thought I’d let you have the first move. Displaying composure is also the duty of a superior,” Yuri replied calmly.

“That’s quite a splendid spirit… Well then, shall we indulge to our heart’s content?!!”

The student roared, veins popping on his forehead.

Being belittled to this extent was an unprecedented experience for him. Anger turned into magical energy, enveloping his body.

“Oh, look at that! The excitement is building up even before it begins! Well then, let’s start a little earlier than planned!”

Sensing the tense atmosphere, the commentator, Pezzo, decided to kick off the match a bit earlier than scheduled.

“The Grand School Festival’s second round, first match, begins now!”

With that declaration, the three from the Noble Academy activated their magic.

Their target, of course, was Yuri. They didn’t pay any attention to the other two.

“Intermediate Thunder Bolt!”

“Flame Magic Blade, Flame Edge!”

“Wide-range Rock Storm!”

Three different magic spells were launched and clashed with Yuri, causing intense sound and swirling dust. It didn’t seem like he had evaded or used defensive magic. The audience thought that one of them had been taken down so soon. However, as the dust settled, Yuri, standing unfazed, came into view.

Despite being hit directly by such powerful magic, his clothes were slightly dirty, but he didn’t seem to have sustained any injuries.

“T-This is…!?”

The students from the Noble Academy were left speechless, their mouths moving in disbelief.

Yuri, satisfied with their reaction, smiled and declared, “Well then, it’s my turn, isn’t it?”

◇

Volume 9 Chapter 26 The prince does his best

Yuri advanced slowly, step by step.

Every time he approached, the three students from the Noble Academy would let out pitiful cries.

“Why… why isn’t our magic affecting him!? Are you sure you charged your magic properly!?”

“Hey, are you doubting me!? You better not have held back yourself!”

“We’re bickering among ourselves at a time like this! He’s getting closer!”

While they were busy shifting blame onto each other, Yuri approached them swiftly.

Realizing this, the three of them raised their wands again, facing Yuri.

“What in the world did you do!? Do you have magical tools that neutralize magic!?”

“Well, it would be reassuring if there were such powerful magical tools in the royal capital. Unfortunately, the extensive magical tools that were supposed to be in the treasury were converted to money by the previous king and the nobles of that time, so grand items like that are no longer in the royal capital.”

“So how on earth did you block our magic!?”

“Even novices like you should know at least about ‘Magic Nullification,’ right? The magnitude of magical power directly translates to magical defense. In other words… with your level of magical power, you won’t be able to break through my magical defense and harm me.”

After explaining, Yuri emitted magic from his body, filling the surroundings.

While it wasn’t on the scale of magic power compared to individuals like Ruisha and Crest Awakeners, it was an enormous amount for someone of his age. Even though they were foolish, they realized the significant difference in magical power and gave up on fighting with magic.

One of the Grandill students took a dazzlingly decorated dagger from his pocket and aimed its tip at Yuri.

“No matter how much magical power you have, you can’t defend against a dagger… Surrender!”

A wicked blade thrust towards his chest. Even with a short-reach knife, if it struck the wrong place, there was a real risk of death. However, Yuri, understanding this, did not flinch and kept his eyes on the dagger.

“――――Now!”

He forcefully struck the hand holding the thrust dagger with the side of his right hand.

“Ouch!”

As if his wrist was struck with a hammer, the Grandill student involuntarily released the dagger.

Seizing the opportunity, Yuri swiftly delivered an uppercut-like palm strike with his left hand. The attack, flowing seamlessly from the side of his hand, accurately struck the opponent’s chin.

The student, who had just experienced Yuri’s direct combat technique, couldn’t even comprehend what had been done to him. He lost consciousness and crumpled to the ground.

“First one down. Now, who’s next? I don’t mind handling both of you at the same time.”

“G-Guh…!”

Yuri’s unexpected strength left the two Noble Academy students flustered.

They could comprehend that he was proficient in magic; it was generally understood that those with higher social standing had ancestors who excelled in magic, so the royalty tended to have individuals with high magical capabilities.

However, they had never heard of royalty excelling in hand-to-hand combat. It was only natural for them to be confused.

“Isn’t it fascinating? That I can fight barehanded.”

As if seeing through their question, Yuri responds.

Not understanding why they ask such a thing, they stare at Yuri in silence, sweat forming on their foreheads. Yuri takes it as affirmation and continues.

“It’s simple. I put in the effort. Since that day two months ago when I told Ruisha I wanted to train.”

(Even now, it revives when I close my eyes—the days of grueling training with Ruisha.)

“I want to be able to protect myself,” Yuri said, and Ruisha mercilessly trained him. Yuri meant it in the sense of being able to protect himself from the ‘town thugs,’ but Ruisha interpreted it as being able to protect oneself as a capable warrior.

As a result, Yuri was given a terrifying amount of training menus and diligently completed them even when Ruisha was not around.

As a result, his talent overflowed, and he grew rapidly, becoming much stronger in both magic and hand-to-hand combat than ordinary students.

“It was tough… It really was a tough daily struggle.”

Whispering to himself as he looks up at the sky, a tear falls from Yuri’s eyes. He wipes the tear with an expensive-looking handkerchief from his pocket and turns his gaze back to the others.

“I was able to face such a difficult training without running away because of all of you. Knowing that I could crush parasites like you, who greedily consume the country’s money and obstruct my father, and protect myself from scum like city thugs with these hands, I endured the hellish training!”

“Hiiiiii!!!”

Seeing Yuri’s terrifying smile, the two students felt as if their hearts had been grabbed by an eagle. Their blood ran cold, and goosebumps covered their bodies. The prince Yuri, known for his exemplary conduct, was nowhere to be seen.

Frightened by this, the two move towards Yuri. In response, one of them draws a dagger to defend, and Yuri releases a clean roundhouse kick, knocking the dagger away. Then, he delivers a roundhouse kick to the opponent’s temple with the other leg.

“!!”

The student, violently shaken by a powerful impact to the head, loses consciousness and falls to the ground.

At this rate, it’s over. The remaining student from the noble academy, convinced of this, turns away from Yuri and brandishes a dagger, aiming for him.

(An attack from the blind spot. He won’t be able to react to this…!)

Convinced of this, but Yuri had learned a technique from Ruisha.

It was ‘Magic Sense.’ While not yet capable of extensive detection, within about two meters, he could pinpoint the opponent’s position.

“You’re slow!”

Yuri avoids the attack without looking back, tripping the opponent, and wrests the dagger from their hand, pressing it against their neck.

“Now, what to do? If I pull this blade, blood will spurt out from your neck.”

“P-Please… forgive me…”

Pleading with teary eyes, but Yuri, still cold-eyed, doesn’t loosen his grip on the hand holding the dagger.

“You talk big, but didn’t you also bully those lower in status than yourself? Did you stop when they asked you to?”

“W-Well…”

The student stammers. It seems like they’re guilty.

Yuri sighs and puts more pressure on the hand holding the dagger.

“For the sake of my father, thoroughly dealing with these nobles seems to be the best course of action.”

Saying this, he raises the hand holding the dagger.

The tip of the blade is firmly directed towards the subdued student.

“Pl-Please stop—!!”

Despite the desperate plea, Yuri’s hand descends relentlessly, piercing into the student’s face.

“…”

Yuri, wordless, withdraws what had pierced into the student’s face—his own fist. He then walks away from the unconscious student, who had lost control of bodily functions.

“Even though you’re a citizen of the kingdom, I won’t kill. But if you continue to obstruct my father and the kingdom like this… I won’t show mercy then!”

Yuri spits out these words, then returns to Ibuki and Sharo, waiting for him.

Both of them greet Yuri with smiles, giving off a sense of “well done.”

“You did a great job. That was satisfying.”

“It was worth being torn to shreds and trained by Ruisha. Excellent work.”

Acknowledging each other’s victory, they applaud and clap hands. Yuri then bows to the audience.

At this, the spectators erupt into cheers, engulfing the arena. The hearts of the audience were gripped by the young prince’s performance.

“What, what a surprise! Prince Yuri has emerged victorious all on his own! What talent! What charisma! After the mysterious boy who fought in the first round, what’s happening at the Magic Academy this year!? We can’t take our eyes off the upcoming matches!!”

The commentator Pezzo exclaims, and the audience responds, chanting, “Yuri! Yuri!”

Hearing this, the main subject, wearing a cheerful smile, speaks softly.

“Hehe, with this, the kingdom’s reputation will skyrocket. We’ll get more tourists and supporters…!”

“My, you’ve truly become strong…”

Sharo mutters in astonishment, observing the now significantly stronger Yuri.