A C-Rank Magic Student Who Deludes Himself into Thinking He Is SSS-Rank - Chapter 12: Mock Battle

In the fourth practice room of Crawford Magic Academy, the students of Class 2-C, to which Shion Kurosaki belonged, were conducting a mock battle.

During mock battles, students wear combat attire different from their usual uniforms. These battle garments are equipped with anti-magic properties, essentially serving as protective gear against magic, reducing damage from direct magic hits.

The purpose of mock battles in class is not to defeat the opponent but to refine handling magic in real combat situations. Therefore, students usually do not overly focus on winning or losing.

However, one boy in Class 2-C is exceptionally concerned with winning and losing – none other than Shion Kurosaki.

But his concern isn’t about winning; it’s about losing, not just any loss. He deliberately loses, using his full magical power and then making it appear as if he’s holding back and intentionally getting hit by magic that he could have easily avoided.

Rather than superficially losing on purpose, his principle is to genuinely refine his magic in the mock battle and make it look like he lost on purpose.

If the sole focus was on honing magic, one might argue that he should devote all his concentration to handling magic and striving for victory instead of such theatrics.

However, Shion doesn’t do that because he wants to look cool. For him, who pretends to hide his true power, a mundane victory in a mock battle is unacceptable.

Shion Kurosaki is a man who compromises neither in honing his magic nor in maintaining his cool appearance.

Currently, the fourth practice room used by Class 2-C has eight mock battlefields, each measuring fifteen meters by fifteen meters, separated by barriers created by magic.

These battles take place within cube-like spaces enclosed by magical barriers. Students are not participating in fighting practice, shooting magic at targets within the room, or watching the fights, waiting for their turn.

Shion is now engaged in a mock battle, exchanging magic with his opponent several meters away.

“Wind Cutter!”

The verdant blades of wind unleashed simultaneously by Shion and his opponent collided mid-way, creating a gust that neutralized both attacks.

“Fireball!”

Before his opponent could cast the next spell, Shion launched his attack. With popping sounds, three balls of fire erupted from the magic circle before him.

“Flame Shield!”

Caught off guard, the opponent quickly conjured a flame barrier to nullify Shion’s fireballs.

“Water Ball!”

Immediately after, Shion launched a water sphere about forty centimeters in diameter at his opponent.

The opponent maintained the “Flame Shield,” evaporating the water ball with a hissing sound, creating a dense steam cloud that obscured their vision.

“Cyclone!”

Thinking it unwise to be blinded, the opponent summoned a wind to disperse the steam.

At this moment, they noticed Shion already aiming his palms at them.

As the opponent prepared to counter Shion’s next magic, a sudden realization struck them.

(The magic circle… it’s not there…?)

There was no magic circle in front of Shion’s palms aimed at the opponent.

(Is he out of magic? Now’s my chance—)

Seizing what they thought was an opportune moment, the opponent readied for a counterattack.

“!?”

However, the opponent immediately interrupted their casting of magic from the circle.

The reason was that a magic circle formed on the ground where Shion’s right foot touched.

“(So, the palms he was pointing at me were a bluff…!)”

“Lightning Strike from Azure Electricity!”

As Shion chanted, the magic circle around his right foot on the ground glowed a pale blue, and a powerful lightning bolt traveled toward his opponent.

“(Bad…!) Ground Wall!”

Facing the intense plasma sound of the approaching lightning, the opponent quickly crouched, touched their palm to the ground to form a magic circle, and created a wall of earth as tall as an adult.

The lightning struck the earthen wall, scattering in all directions with a blinding flash and a thunderous roar.

With a small crackling sound, the lightning vanished, and the earthen wall, now cracked all over, crumbled to the ground, turning into sand.

As dust swirled in the air, the opponent stood up and saw Shion had already unleashed four fireballs towards them.

“Water Vortex Storm!”

Facing the approaching fireballs, the opponent, running low on magic, immediately released a powerful water spiral with all their remaining might.

“Haahhhhh!”

Convinced this was their final strike, the opponent poured all their magic into the circle, launching a relentless attack.

The water vortex extinguished Shion’s fireballs and advanced towards him.

Before Shion could cast another spell, he was swept away by the intense water vortex slammed against the wall behind him.

Falling to one knee on the ground, Shion lightly raised a hand to indicate surrender, ending the mock battle in his defeat.

“Pant, pant… Thank you for the match,” Shion’s opponent said breathlessly, approaching him for the post-match courtesy.

“Thank you as well,” Shion replied, standing up smoothly and returning the greeting with a composed face.

But his calm demeanor was a façade, and he felt so exhausted that he wanted to lie and sleep on the spot.

“Haha, somehow, it looks like you’re more relaxed than me, even though I won,” the opponent said with a wry smile, striking up a conversation with Shion.

“Not at all. I’m utterly exhausted. It’s even hard to stand.”

In contrast to his opponent, who smiled bitterly as he spoke, Shion replied without a single lie.

“It doesn’t seem like it…”

“I’m just putting on a brave face.”

His words were his true feelings.

“Well, if you say so… I guess that’s how it is,” the opponent, still somewhat unconvinced, decided to accept his words and continued, “Anyway, you’re Shion, right? You’re incredibly skilled at using magic! When you ambushed me with that lightning from the ground, I thought I was done for!”

“I couldn’t stand a chance against you, who instantly countered with an advantageous earth attribute magic despite being completely surprised.”

“Had you unleashed your magic just a second earlier, I would have been defeated.”

After saying this, Shion’s opponent, with a serious expression, continued, “But something bothered me. Weren’t you a bit slow in casting your magic at that moment? Were you perhaps holding back intentionally?”

Before the opponent could finish their question, Shion interrupted.

“That’s not the case… Casting magic from my feet is difficult and time-consuming.”

“That makes sense. Forming a magic circle at your feet must be challenging, and it would take time.”

“Exactly.”

Indeed, it is generally easier for people to control magic using their hands or magical tools known as conduits. Forming a magic circle with one’s feet is more challenging.

Nevertheless, Shion could have launched his magic while the opponent’s vision was obscured by the steam. Still, he deliberately chose a moment when the opponent could defend, ensuring the battle did not end.

Thus, the opponent’s suspicion was correct, but Shion deftly evaded it with a plausible excuse.

The opponent wasn’t completely convinced but seemed somewhat satisfied.

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

“Likewise, thank you.”

With that, the two shook hands firmly and exited the mock battlefield.

◆

Afterward, in the practice room’s field, the students took turns engaging in mock battles until the class ended.

As Shion left the practice room, reflecting on the content of the mock battle, he walked down the corridor toward the changing room. Ahead, he noticed his recent opponent chatting with a classmate.

“So, you had a match with that Kurosaki guy today, right? How was it?”

Shion discreetly eavesdropped on their conversation.

“Most of his magic wasn’t very powerful, but his use of lightning magic and battle strategy was pretty impressive. He’s got a high combat IQ.

“Really? But isn’t he from a merchant family? He shouldn’t have any talent for magic.”

“Well, his magical power did feel weak, but he was clever with his magic, fighting smartly. He might be the strongest in our class in a real battle.”

“What’s that about? And if that’s true, what does that make you, beating him?”

“Hmm, he said otherwise, but maybe he was holding back. He seemed too composed after the match, definitely not all-out.”

“No way, that’s overestimating him. You were in Class B last year; no way a merchant’s kid is better than you.”

“Hmm… I hope that’s the case.”

Shion, overhearing this conversation, was internally thrilled. His opponent had reacted exactly as Shion had hoped, portraying him as someone who might be hiding his true strength.

Excited by this unexpected situation, Shion had to suppress the urge to dance on the spot. Maintaining his composure, he kept a little distance from the pair and continued towards the changing room.