A C-Rank Magic Student Who Deludes Himself into Thinking He Is SSS-Rank - Chapter 31: Transzone

From the second-floor seats of the cafeteria, a staircase leads down to the first floor.

Shion, hiding behind the staircase railing, witnessed an unexpected scene.

He had thought that those engaged in fierce combat with Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise, on the lower floor were numerous talented magic students, adventurers, guards, and knights who had rushed to the scene after the commotion.

However, he now saw a single male student—Alphonse Freed—engaged in a fierce battle with the black dragon.

“Do you not plan to flee?”

“No, there are still injured people below who haven’t escaped…”

Having answered Shion’s earlier question, Alphonse headed back towards the dragon.

At present, there wasn’t a single injured person to be seen on the first floor of the cafeteria.

Although there were some bloodstains, there were no bodies or anything similar to be found.

It is recorded that Schwaldius never consumes the people it burns to death, so it’s unlikely any students were eaten.

This meant that he had protected them. Alone.

Despite being covered in wounds, he fought the Black Dragon of Demise alone and managed to help numerous students escape.

“…Impressive,” Shion muttered, witnessing the brave figure of someone his age achieving what could only be described as a great feat. Though seemingly condescending, his words were filled with the utmost respect for Alphonse.

What surprised Shion about Alphonse was not just that he “helped the students escape.”

Shion was most shocked to see Alphonse fighting the legendary dragon Schwaldius and engaging in what seemed to be an equal battle.

When Shion first arrived to observe, Alphonse was faintly glowing, but now, his body shimmered with a golden light flickering like burning flames.

As Alphonse’s power visibly increased, the intensity of his battle with the black dragon escalated.

His movements, leaving golden trails while engaged in an explosive fight, were like…

“…Siegfried…”

The scene from the stories he had read countless times as a child unfolded before his eyes.

Shion’s dynamic vision, enhanced by his “Limit Acceleration” training, was extraordinary, yet he could barely keep up with the fast and fierce battle.

Not limited to the ground, Alphonse leaped around walls, pillars, and even the ceiling, maneuvering three-dimensionally against the giant dragon.

The aftermath of their battle was devastating, with buildings exploding, shattering, and collapsing one after another.

The area around the staircase where Shion hid miraculously remained intact, but the second-floor seat where he had been dining was almost destroyed.

Yet, he did not falter with thoughts like, “What if I had continued eating leisurely?”

He was solely focused on the miraculous battle unfolding before him.

…And then, the moment arrived.

“Sparkle of Glory, Sparkle Aether!”

Amidst the fierce combat, Alphonse didn’t miss a slight opening in Schwaldius’s defenses and released a blade of light, larger than his height and dazzlingly bright.

A blinding flash and a tremendous shockwave spread across the area.

“Ah!”

Shion crouched behind the railing, protecting himself from the shockwave and flying debris.

Shion knew an S-ranked magician, equal in rank to Alphonse as a magic student. He had witnessed the tremendous magic of this S-rank acquaintance.

However, he believed Alphonse’s technique transcended the S-rank framework and was undoubtedly the most powerful he had ever seen.

The golden blade, shining brilliantly as if to slay a great evil, was like the legend of the great hero himself.

Perhaps Alphonse Freed had truly defeated Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise.

As the aftermath of “Sparkle of Glory” settled, Shion raised his head to confirm the outcome.

And what Shion saw was a scene reminiscent of a legend.

Though it was a scene from legend, it was not the sight of the defeated black dragon.

Indeed, the legend is not just about the great hero.

The black dragon, which obliterated people’s hopes, light, and prayers with its overwhelming violence, is also legendary.

Even after being struck directly by Alphonse Freed’s all-out attack, Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise, remained unscathed and seemed to grow larger, imbued with powerful magic. It looked like the embodiment of despair.

And in an instant, the black despair crushed all hope, defeating Alphonse with speed unseen even to Shion, who watched from a distance.

After a brief pause, Schwaldius prepared a mass of black flames aimed at the immobile Alphonse.

—Alphonse Freed was going to be killed. In the blink of an eye, mercilessly, brutally.

Realizing this, Shion had already moved without thought.

“Limit Acceleration!”

This was the highest grade of magic Shion could use, a high-tier magic that extremely accelerates the magician’s movements and senses, mastered by only a few in history.

Normally, Shion could use Limit Acceleration for only a dozen seconds, barely managing to walk.

But now, in a world seemingly frozen in time, with dust hanging in the air and debris suspended mid-collapse, he alone moved swiftly.

—In rare cases, human consciousness enters the “Transzone.”

This usually occurs in battle, and those who have experienced the “Transzone” describe it as if their opponent’s movements had stopped.

“Transzone” is a state where consciousness accelerates beyond compare when concentration peaks.

And now, with Shion’s intense desire to save Alphonse Freed and the activation of Limit Acceleration in a critical moment, his consciousness had entered this “Transzone.”

“(I can make it…!)”

Normally, higher concentration improves the precision of magic but rarely affects its power.

However, “Limit Acceleration” is different.

Requiring high concentration, Shion could not control the magic well during activation, but now, in the “Transzone,” its power exploded.

What was usually a strain for Shion became effortless, even while activating Limit Acceleration.

His well-honed magic and strong will to save Alphonse allowed him to rescue the descendant of a hero from the world’s strongest dragon.

Before the black flames engulfed Alphonse, Shion managed to rescue him from Schwaldius in the blink of an eye.

Laying Alphonse gently on the ground, Shion managed to save him from a dire situation.

But it wasn’t over yet.

The black dragon was still nearby.

Without the usual severe backlash from using Limit Acceleration, Shion retained some magic power.

But, of course, he was no match for Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise.

He couldn’t possibly protect Alphonse from the dragon’s overwhelming destructive power.

“(Then, there’s only one thing I can do…)”

Shion filled his eyes with magic power.

He met Alphonse’s gaze, who seemed almost unconscious.

Alphonse tried to speak but couldn’t form words.

To him, Shion gently said, “You fought well.”

—He truly did fight valiantly.

—Alone, he fought until he was battered to protect everyone.

—This man would surely save thousands in the future.

“So, leave the rest to me.”

—He couldn’t let him die here.

In this situation, the best Shion could do was buy time.

He might not even manage to distract Schwaldius for long.

Together, they could be killed instantly.

—But.

“(As long as I don’t give up this moment, hope will continue. I’ll do the best I can.)”

—To save Alphonse Freed, to buy even a second more time.

Shion didn’t falter in this hopeless situation.

He lacked the power to defeat Schwaldius or defend against its attacks.

Yet, he still had some magic power.

He had the strength and will to stand.

He could speak.

“(To buy time, this is enough.)”

—Shion chose to be a smooth talker.

But against the world’s strongest dragon, mere bravado wouldn’t work.

He needed to impersonate someone who would make Schwaldius falter.

No one in the world could defeat Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise.

But in history, there was one.

Four hundred years ago, Siegfried, the only person ever awarded the SSS rank, defeated Schwaldius.

To buy time against Schwaldius, Shion had to make the dragon believe he was Siegfried himself.

But as Shion, he was far too weak to impersonate Siegfried.

“Proving his power” would be necessary and likely lead to failure.

Moreover, Schwaldius, having encountered Siegfried before, would see the obvious difference in Shion’s appearance.

It would be incredibly difficult to convince Schwaldius he was Siegfried.

“(It’s not enough to act like a great hero.)”

“(It’s not enough to pretend to be Siegfried.)”

Any sign of bluff would be instantly detected.

“(Leave no room for doubt. Make them believe it’s the real deal.)”

“(Fully become him. Believe in your heart that you have the power of Siegfried.)”

—Convince yourself that you are an SSS-ranked being.

And so, Shion stood up and turned around.

He faced Schwaldius, who had been observing them and spoke in the dragon’s tongue with golden glowing eyes.

“It’s been a long time.”

“(Now, for the greatest gamble of my life.)”

People once named the black dragon “Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise,” with fear.

But only Siegfried, the only one in the world, casually referred to it as…

“Blackie.”