A C-Rank Magic Student Who Deludes Himself into Thinking He Is SSS-Rank

In the fifth arena of Crawford Magic Academy stood two students: Shion Kurosaki of Class 2-C and Eliza Loredo, the third-ranked student of the second year.

After school hours, the fifth arena, usually open for students’ self-training, was the stage for their confrontation. Shion and Eliza were clad in their battle gear, similar to what they wore in mock battle classes.

Shion, yet to complete the errand assigned by his homeroom teacher Lestia, accepted Eliza’s challenge to duel, hoping to resolve the matter and appease her swiftly.

“How do we decide the winner?”

“Until one of us is rendered incapable of fighting or surrenders.”

“Just to be clear, what if I immediately surren—”

“I’ll kill you.”

“…Sorry, I couldn’t hear you very well.”

“I’ll brutally kill you.”

“…Okay, I heard you loud and clear.”

Thus, Shion was forced into a serious duel with Eliza.

However, Shion had no intention of losing as easily or as obviously as in the usual mock battles.

His opponent, Eliza, held the title “Second Year, Third Rank at Crawford Magic Academy,” a testament to her first-class abilities.

If Shion intentionally lost to Eliza’s moderate spells, it would be easily seen through.

If Eliza learned that Shion lost on purpose, she would feel insulted and even more furious, making the situation worse. With Lestia waiting, that was something Shion needed to avoid.

Moreover, Shion had another reason for not intending to lose easily in this duel.

This situation, “a duel with the third-ranked student in the school year,” was something Shion had fantasized about countless times.

“A C-class magic student like me overpowering a significantly superior opponent,” he had often dreamed of such a scenario.

──Shion Kurosaki, genuinely a C-class magic student in terms of abilities, had no hidden powers.

Yet, he envisioned a victory against Eliza Loredo, a top-level figure even among the A-class students of the academy.

“Okay, let’s begin.”

Eliza said, standing about twenty meters in front of Shion. The hall-like arena was empty except for them, and her voice echoed clearly to Shion.

Eliza prepared for a coin toss, placing a coin on her bent index finger, hooked by her thumb.

“Are you ready to face defeat?”

“Anytime.”

“…! This guy is…”

Eliza, pride wounded by the carefree attitude of a C-class student, clenched her jaw and flicked the coin.

“I won’t go easy on you just because you’re C-class…!”

With these words, she tossed the coin into the air. The moment it hit the ground was the signal to start the duel.

──The coin clinked on the ground, and at that instant, Eliza deployed a magic circle and quickly began chanting.

“Gehenna Flame Sphere!”

A massive magic circle, slightly covering Eliza’s upper body and emitting a crimson glow, created a gigantic ball of fire over a meter in diameter.

Immediately afterward, the advanced fire magic “Gehenna Flame Sphere” roared toward Shion with a blazing tumult.

The speed of deploying the magic circle, casting the spell, and its power was leagues beyond what Shion usually faced in mock battles with C-class students.

But the flame did not hit Shion. It only created a huge pillar of fire where he had just been standing.

Like Eliza, who cast her spell in a swift attack, Shion activated “Physical Enhancement Magic” the moment the coin hit the ground and dashed to the right, avoiding Eliza’s first strike.

In battles between magicians, the standard tactic is to launch magic head-on, defend against the opponent’s spells, create an advantageous situation, and then attack.

However, if Shion directly exchanged spells with Eliza, ranked third in the school year, he could not win.

Even if Shion deployed defensive magic with a favorable attribute, Eliza’s sheer magical power could easily obliterate it.

Moreover, even if Shion used his best thunder attribute offensive magic with all his might, Eliza could easily defend against it.

Furthermore, if Shion deployed a magic circle, Eliza could finish hers first, even if she started later, allowing her to attack unilaterally. In other words, Shion had no chance even to attack.

The gap in ability between Eliza, the third-ranked, and Shion, a C-class magic student, was truly absolute.

However, Shion’s strategy to bridge this gap was activating Physical Enhancement Magic and his immediate sprint to the right.

Instead of a head-on magic exchange, he continually dodged Eliza’s attacks while closing the distance.

A chance to strike would arise if Shion could get close to Eliza and reach her back. That was his plan.

Shion’s strategy might seem overly simplistic at first glance.

But, however…

“Running away from a magical duel, how pathetic!”

Eliza taunted Shion as she unleashed spell after spell at him.

Yet, contrary to her provocative words, Eliza felt a growing irritation and urgency. Despite her efforts, she couldn’t land a single spell on Shion, who was sprinting in large arcs around her.

Second-year students at Crawford Magic Academy were taught only conventional fighting methods in class and engaged primarily in formal magical duels. These lessons focused solely on head-to-head magical combat and defense.

For a second-year student, a strategy like Shion’s, which involved running and dodging without engaging in a magical duel, was unorthodox and simple yet highly effective.

Avoiding magic by physically moving out of the way is common in magic duels. Depending on the scale of the magic, one may have to leap back significantly.

However, what Shion was doing – continuously sprinting and turning around the field – was almost heretical compared to the theories second-year students were taught.

Avoiding a magical duel was almost an admission of inferior magical skill, an action that most magicians’ pride wouldn’t allow. That’s why many magicians focus on developing strong, direct magical attacks, and Eliza was no exception.

Therefore, she needed to be more accustomed to the irregular situation of having to aim spells at a fast-moving target.

Powerful spells that cause widespread destruction take time to cast, allowing Shion, constantly running, to dodge them easily.

Conversely, even if Eliza quickly deployed compact spells, Shion would have moved from the spot when the spells landed. Despite changing the types and timings of her spells, Shion had yet to be hit once out of the nearly twenty spells she cast since the duel began.

“This…!”

Eliza’s frustration was mounting.

While Shion’s strategy seemed simple, it was highly effective. It was almost the perfect solution against Eliza, who had an overwhelming advantage in magical power.

However, without closing the distance and finding a position to land his magic on Eliza, Shion had no chance to attack, and he hadn’t been able to close that distance yet.

While sprinting in large arcs, Shion could dodge Eliza’s attacks.

“──!”

But whenever he attempted to close the distance, Eliza would instantly thwart his effort.

As Shion sprinted around the field, trying to find an opening to advance on Eliza, the ground in front of him would burst explosively due to her spells, forcing him to retreat hastily.

The battle seemed like a repetitive stalemate of advance and retreat, but the tide gradually turned in Eliza’s favor.

“(You won’t be able to run from my attacks forever…!)”

“(…!)”

Eliza’s spells were starting to get dangerously close to Shion. The fireballs, which Shion had avoided easily, were now singeing the edges of his battle attire, narrowly missed by him.

Even if inexperienced, she was adapting and getting a feel for the situation.

That’s the ability of someone with overwhelming magical talent. That’s the power of Eliza Loredo, ranked third in her school year.

(…This might be my limit)

No matter how fast he ran, he understood that Eliza’s magic would hit him before he could close the distance.

(If I’m going to act, it has to be now)

Suddenly stopping, Shion decided to use his special reserved magic, standing about fifteen meters away from Eliza.

As Shion stopped about fifteen meters away, Eliza called out to him, feeling somewhat suspicious.

“Is the chase over already? So that you know, I won’t accept a surrender without any damage.”

“I’m not surrendering yet. It’s time to finish this once and for all.

“…What? What are you planning?”

Responding in a detached tone, Shion began to walk slowly and directly towards Eliza.

Confused by this unexpected action, Eliza hesitated to cast any spells. Shion, unfazed by her reaction, continued his steady approach.

“What are you thinking? This is a duel, you know. I won’t go easy on you just because you’re unguarded.”

Despite her words, Eliza was slightly hesitant. Launching a merciless attack on a lower-ranked opponent walking straight towards her didn’t seem fitting for someone of her stature. She warned him, permitting herself to attack if he continued.

Hoping that Shion would adopt a fighting stance.

But Shion didn’t respond, continuing his unwavering approach.

“Fine! Don’t blame me for what happens next!”

Frustrated by Shion’s refusal to stop, Eliza cast aside any hesitation.

As Eliza directed her palms towards Shion, preparing her magic circle, Shion began chanting his spell, “Limit Acceleration.”

Simultaneously with Eliza’s “Gehenna Flame Sphere chant,” a giant fireball was launched at Shion.

The fireball roared towards Shion, still walking directly towards Eliza, but it didn’t hit him. Instead, it exploded far behind him.

“How…?”

To Eliza, it seemed as if the fireball had passed right through Shion. She couldn’t believe that he had dodged it at an unseen speed.

Could someone move at a speed that not even she, a top-ranked student, could perceive?

Remembering Shion’s earlier words about finishing the duel, Eliza realized this was no bluff.

Raising her guard against this unknown power, Eliza’s initial intention of punishing Shion for a petty reason was replaced by genuine concern.

“(There’s no way I, a top-ranked student, can lose to a C-class…!)”

She couldn’t afford to underestimate him.

Excuses like being unprepared for an unknown magic wouldn’t suffice.

Determined to defeat Shion with her full strength, Eliza chanted her fastest spell, “Furious Piercing Wind Arrow.”

The spell, capable of pulverizing giant rocks and almost reaching the speed of sound, was her fastest and most powerful.

Even a blink would be slower than its impact.

But just like before, the spell missed Shion, only damaging the wall far behind him.

“(This man…!)”

Realizing that Shion dodged at high speed, Eliza caught a glimpse of his afterimage as he dodged her “Furious Piercing Wind Arrow.”

Eliza quickly changed tactics, chanting, “Annihilating Whirlwind Rain Shot.”

She unleashed numerous “Furious Piercing Wind Arrows” from a massive magic circle, raining down like a storm – her most powerful technique.

Yet, even this onslaught didn’t hit Shion. Walking calmly, he continued to close the distance without a scratch while Eliza’s spells tore apart the arena’s walls.

When the distance between them was just over two meters, Eliza ceased her attack and leaped backward.

But in the next moment…

Shion stood right before Eliza as she landed.

Speechless, Eliza faced Shion, who held out his right palm towards her face. Without triumph or glee, he simply stated,

“Checkmate.”