I Have been Reincarnated As a Lazy, Arrogant Noble, but When I Destroyed The Scenario Through Effort, I Became The Most Powerful With Extraordinary Magical Power - 94

Chapter 94 – Determination

I hurriedly moved away from that spot, weaving through the trees at high speed.

**BOOOOOOOM!**

Karta-san fired magical blasts towards me several times, but these were just intimidation tactics. Her magic had no specific attribute; it was non-attribute flight magic.

Although it lacked attribute-based additional damage, this non-attribute flight magic was incredibly efficient in terms of magical power consumption. Coupled with her abundant magical power, it could unleash tremendous force.

High in the sky, Karta-san watched me within the forest. Hiding was futile.

I let ice flow through the soles of my shoes and covered them with magic. Then, I froze the points where I touched the ground.

This allowed me to run several times faster than usual. While the magical power consumption was significant, it was highly practical.

I spotted the boundary line to the next area in my field of view. I recognized it as the towering giant tree I had memorized in advance.

In the next moment, I accelerated many times faster.

Karta-san must have been surprised by my speed, faster than she had anticipated.

However, Karta-san did not fire her magical blasts just once; she unleashed them twice, thrice, with tremendous force.

The light pouring down from the sky initially stopped me and the rest was intended to block the path completely. When the dust settled, another enormous hole appeared, even more massive than before.

If I tried to cross it, I would undoubtedly be pushed down.

Even if I challenged Karta-san to a fight right now, this area would soon become a prohibited zone. There was no doubt I couldn’t win. Even if I did, I would lose all my points.

What remained for me was to stand still here and deliberately take Karta-san’s attacks. I filled my eyes with magical power and looked up at the sky. Karta-san was gazing at me firmly.

I extended my hand, brimming with magical power.

In a few seconds, she would fire her magical blasts. But…

“Karta-san, the real battle starts now.”

◆

Cynthia-san looked up at me.

She must understand the current situation.

She could have blocked the path from the beginning, but that would have given me time to think. I would have no choice but to challenge her to a fight.

I didn’t underestimate Cynthia-san. Her blade might reach me.

But there was no more time to spare.

I attacked from the sky, out of her range, something more than just magic. It was an attack that balanced expulsion or defeat.

It was a deceitful tactic, but I didn’t mind.

I did everything I could do right now.

That’s what I learned from Weiss-kun and Cecil-san.

The prohibited area was closing in on Cynthia-san.

My magic would reach Cynthia-san.

Cynthia-san didn’t move, or rather, she couldn’t move.

This would be my…

“Defense Ice Wall – Ice Shield.”

However, Cynthia-san raised both her hands, using an incredible amount of magical power to block my attack.

Why? How?

In just a few tens of seconds, the prohibited area would touch Cynthia-san’s body.

It made no sense. There shouldn’t be a way for her to do this from where she stood.

Yet, Cynthia-san launched more magic attacks at me.

Firing magic accurately from a distance was extremely challenging. Accuracy, magical convergence, and power dropped significantly.

But Cynthia-san’s ice magic was extraordinary. Simply touching it would apply strong elemental damage, meaning I needed to increase my magic resistance significantly.

However, I easily avoided her magic. Just the fact that she could aim accurately was amazing. But it seemed to be too far, and the speed… was overwhelmingly insufficient.

However, that was just a delay tactic.

Cynthia-san ascended high into the sky, and she did it using ice wings.

I couldn’t comprehend it. Cynthia-san had moved at an incredibly fast speed. That should have consumed a tremendous amount of magical power. She must have almost nothing left for defense magic, attack magic, or flight magic.

Why then did she challenge an unwinnable fight? Why?

Furthermore, Cynthia-san remained silent as she held her ice sword, Glacies. It caused severe damage with absolute zero temperature with just a touch. But at the same time, her back wings disintegrated due to excessive magical power use.

It was incomprehensible. Even if she defeated me, she would lose all her points in the prohibited area.

But I had considered only one possibility.

I had never seen Cynthia-san use an Ancient Magical Tool Artifact. Perhaps she possessed an unimaginable power I was unaware of. It might be something related to teleportation or movement, or it could activate a countermeasure against me.

And Cynthia-san was coming straight towards me.

Her ice wings were just an illusion; they didn’t actually flap. Magic was a world of imagination, and she had intentionally constructed this for successful flight.

It was an incredible talent, but… too slow. Much too slow.

I dodged her attack and simultaneously fired a magical blast.

This should be it.

But Cynthia-san once again used ice defense to block my attack.

I didn’t understand. There was no more time. If Cynthia-san didn’t intend to escape, I should defeat her with all my might.

I molded a considerable amount of magical power and directed a magical blast at Cynthia-san.

The sound echoed, as if pushing back the air, heading straight for Cynthia-san.

I wanted to conserve as much magical power as possible, but there was no other choice. With the little magic remaining, I couldn’t afford to be lenient. Even if she dodged, there would be no time for Cynthia-san to come at me.

If she did come at me, I would escape from here at full speed before Cynthia-san’s attack reached me. In that case, Cynthia-san would be expelled. This was her last chance…

She was bound to attack me—.

At that moment, Cynthia-san… canceled her ice wings. No, had her magic run out?

“Receive it, evade it—neither. Just falling.

‘Why, why, how?’

I could reach the neighboring area in less than two seconds at full speed.

Cynthia-san was falling.

If things continued like this, my points would be all lost.

Firing magic to defeat her was out of the question now, as it would affect my flight.

So, I had to get away.

But—

And finally, the prohibited area touched our bodies.

‘Prohibited area. Please escape within the next ten seconds, or your points will be reduced to zero.’

…No, there was still time. I could reach Cynthia-san at full speed, deliver a direct attack, and then get away.

Gain points and achieve complete victory.

I drew my dagger.

…Don’t think—just fly—.

And maybe, I moved faster than I ever had with my flight magic.

The sound of cutting through the air echoed.

I was astonished at my own speed. I could easily make it in time with this.

And I reached Cynthia-san.

A thrust to the heart should make her fall in one hit.

I raised my dagger, ready to strike Cynthia-san—

—Kakin!

But to my surprise, my dagger was deflected.

The hardness was something beyond human understanding…

Cracks appeared on Cynthia-san’s body.

At the same time, her color vanished. Her body turned blue, then white, and shattered.

‘Illusion Ice Magic?’

At that moment, I lost my balance.

No, I was thrown off balance…

I quickly turned around, and there stood Cynthia-san.

She hadn’t been attacked; it was her staff that had been destroyed.

‘I believed in you, Karta-san.’

Flight magic required delicate skills. But I could fly even without my staff.

However, the speed would inevitably be slower.

‘You’re too strong.’

Cynthia-san placed her hand on my heart.

At that moment, I finally realized her intent.

I was left with only one option: exchange attacks and force a teleport from here. Escape from the prohibited area.

In other words, it was a mutual strike.

Probably, when I had pushed her into a corner, Cynthia-san had given up on winning.

Anticipating a low chance of escaping, she had shifted her goal to minimizing her points.

From the beginning, Cynthia-san didn’t intend to escape from the area.

Still, she had chosen to move, to leave me with no time to think.

Faking surrender and blocking my attacks were all part of it.

She had kept me occupied until the last moment, then distracted me to create this situation.

Even if she died, she couldn’t avoid losing all her points. That’s why she aimed for a mutual strike.

…But something’s strange.

Even if I believed that I wouldn’t abandon Cynthia-san, what if I had judged that I couldn’t physically make it in time…? In fact, if I had been even a few seconds late, I would have given up on delivering the finishing blow and fled from the area.

In that case—she would have been expelled.”

I had considered this all along.

Not factoring that in would be strange.

Cynthia-san had many points. Losing in this test wouldn’t affect her future academy life.

The disadvantages were too great compared to the benefits.

Ordinarily, no one would execute this plan.

—Except for one reason.

Why did she want to go head-to-head with me, risking expulsion? A reason significant enough to justify it.

“Please escape within the next seven seconds, or your points will be reduced to zero.”

“…Sneaky, Cynthia-san. If you go to such lengths, there’s no way I can win.”

“Hehehe, did you realize it? I believed in you, Karta-san. That you’d never abandon me, and that you had the ability to deliver the finishing blow in even the shortest time. Knowing that, it’s quite underhanded of me to aim for a mutual strike.”

The person I viewed as the most dangerous in this test was Cynthia-san with her ice magic and Alan-kun, who could mimic flight.

If I delayed until the final day, I would unquestionably face Alan-kun in a ground battle. If I could take down Cynthia-san here, I would watch over Alan-kun and Weiss-kun’s fight from high above in the sky and use my conserved magic cannon on the last remaining person.

I was absolutely confident that I could win.

Cynthia-san had thought that far as well.

That’s why she went head-to-head with me, even risking expulsion.

Everything was for Weiss-kun.

For the sake of Weiss-kun, who would undoubtedly be the last one remaining, she wanted to defeat me.

To give Weiss-kun a slight advantage, she bet her expulsion on it.

Heh, I can’t win that.

But come to think of it, ancient magic tools…

“One thing’s a mystery. My ancient magic tool isn’t for combat. It’s just for support.”

“…Could it be for Weiss-kun, too?”

“I can’t ultimately be as ruthless for victory as everyone else. I did say I wouldn’t hold back on Weiss, but I’m prepared to die for the one I love. And, Karta-san, you had that much value to me.”

Even if I had value to her, it was only for this one test.

To bet her expulsion just for one test…

No, that’s—what it means to love someone.

She’s truly a woman recognized by Weiss-kun, huh!?

“C-Cynthia-san, wait, s-stop, okay!?”

“It’s so soft… If I had this much…”

“H-Hey, wait a second!”

“Hehehe, you’re so cute… Karta-san, I won’t lose next time.”

“Jeez… but, I—”

“Please escape within the next one second, or your points will be reduced to zero.”

—

—

—

“Cynthia Violetta, incapacitated. Grants to Karta Violet.”

“Karta Violet, incapacitated. Grants to Cynthia Violetta.”

Both remain outside the prohibited area. However, due to forced teleportation from magic leakage, no points are lost.