Entering the Game with a Cheat Physique

Duel (2)

Duel (2)

The day before the duel.

The instructor’s office of Robert, the 2nd-year Knight Department instructor.

Currently, a student had been summoned and was visiting there.

“Have you prepared the item I requested?”

“Yes.”

Apollon, one of the duelists.

He saw the vial in Robert’s hand and twisted the corner of his mouth.

Inside the vial, an opaque liquid was faintly glowing.

A potion that looked suspicious just by its appearance.

“A ‘Mana Eater’ reagent… You’ve put your head to good use, Apollon.”

“It’s simply a preparation I conceived considering the opponent’s traits.”

Indeed, the potion Robert held in his hand contained the power of the ‘Mana Eater’.

The Mana Eater exhibits great power against pure mana.

Especially, the magic it has the strongest affinity with is Magic Shield.

Since Magic Shield, which a mage creates to protect themselves, is a ‘non-attribute’ magic.

And is in a pure mana state, it’s vulnerable to the Mana Eater.

That’s the point Apollon was aiming for.

“That b*stard’s skin, coated in a layer of magic. It’s irritating to think that a piece of trash like him wields that kind of power. But whatever, it’s probably just something akin to a magic shield.”

“So, you requested mana eater solution to target his magic layer, huh? Heh… You’re definitely top of the class.”

“That guy’s just a substitute who can’t use any other kind of magic. He can only manipulate simple magic, so this is guaranteed to work.”

Truth be told, even a small amount of mana eater is an extremely rare commodity on the market.

You’d have to spend a lot of gold just to buy a single drop.

That Apollon was able to acquire such a large quantity of the solution so easily was, of course, thanks to his family.

Apollon Simon.

The heir of Marquis Simon’s household.

He had personally contacted his family and acquired the solution, which then passed through Robert’s hands before reaching Apollon.

‘Now, I just need to sprinkle this on my weapons and armor.’

Apollon planned to apply it to his greatsword, the flamberge, as well as his clothing.

The flamberge, imbued with mana eater, would effectively tear apart the b*stard’s flesh, and similarly, his clothes would easily block any punches.

There was no information that Herak had ever used any other magic.

He only used simple, brute-force magic, so this would definitely secure Apollon’s victory.

He was fully prepared to face Herak.

“I trust you’ll make sure they don’t cry foul or raise any unjust claims.”

“Don’t worry. Who do you think I am? I’m famous for shutting down the nonsense of those intellectual types.”

“I’m glad you’ll be the one officiating, Instructor.”

“It’ll be a duel of honor, right? What’s unfair about an all-out fight? I’ll shut their mouths.”

The type of duel had yet to be decided, but Apollon was already set on steering it towards a duel of honor.

If he manipulated the situation so that the b*stard couldn’t back out, then he would surely accept a duel of honor out of shame.

After that, he would just have to defeat the b*stard and make him pay the price.

“I’ll be going now.”

Apollon took the vials from Robert and stood up.

The duel was just a day away, so he needed to manage his condition.

Not that he even thought he could lose.

“Apollon. By the way, what are you going to make that guy do if you defeat him? I’m rather curious.”

“Ah, the price, you mean?”

At Robert’s question, Apollon wore a deep smile.

Herak, who would be defeated in the duel, what kind of penalty would he impose on him?

There’s no reason to hesitate.

“I’ll expel the b*stard. Even better, I’ll make him my personal slave.”

“Heh heh heh… I knew you’d say that.”

Apollo dipped his head just enough and left the instructor’s office.

His eyes were already fixed on the distant future.

That miserable Herak groveling at his feet, wearing a look of humiliating defeat.

‘Just one more day.’

The preparations to crush him are complete.

*

Far away from Olympia Academy, somewhere in the world.

A woman strolled alone, engaged in conversation.

“That’s certainly interesting news. How could that child possibly be dueling?”

A tall woman with a roughly tied ponytail tossed behind her.

Her uniform was spotless, despite the wild, unpaved road.

A sword hung at her hip, and threads of magic danced around her.

It was Athena, the director of Olympia Academy.

“Can you explain what happened, Chiron?”

[…I must confess, I am also puzzled. I don’t know what triggered such an explosive change in Student Herak.]

“Hmm.”

The wind blowing was dry.

A parched wasteland, an untouched plain.

Only one person was there.

Athena held a communication crystal in her hand, continuing her conversation with the vice director.

“The child I know was magic-incapable. I admitted him, but I didn’t really expect him to achieve anything special.”

[That remains the same. I asked the instructors in the magic department; he still can’t use magic.]

“Oh my. Then that’s even stranger?”

Athena tilted her head.

Herak’s magic-incapability hadn’t been cured, so how could he challenge the top student in the knight division to a duel?

[He recently founded a new magical school called ‘Battle Mage.’ The exact reason is unknown… but he definitely has some secret.]

“That’s fascinating. When we brought him in, I didn’t have any expectations like this.”

In Athena’s memory, Herak wasn’t the figure he was now.

His face, etched with the helplessness from his innate magic-insensitivity, was vivid.

That’s why she’d brought him to the academy, even waiving his practical scores.

And above all, Herak, with his magic-insensitivity, was going to duel.

There was one particular thing Athena worried about.

“…That kid, he’s in no shape to duel, is he? He’d die just being left outside the academy. That’s why I brought him here, to a place with a magic stone.”

[Ah, this is a different topic from what we were discussing, but the magic stone that the Headmistress acquired hasn’t arrived yet. The magic stone in the central tower is likely to stop functioning around the date of the duel.]

“Ugh… Hearing you say that just makes me more worried, Chiron.”

The magic stone in the academy’s central tower.

The reason Headmistress Athena was currently away on business.

She’d managed to acquire it recently through a collaboration with a group called ‘Monsties’, but apparently it hadn’t yet arrived at the academy.

Of course, the temporary absence of the magic stone wouldn’t affect most students.

Even if the growth acceleration was temporarily gone, it wouldn’t cause any issues with their daily lives.

Except for one particular student.

“…I need to go back quickly. That kid Herak will die if he doesn’t have a magic stone.”

[Huh? This is the first time I’ve heard about that.]

“Of course. I kept it a secret on purpose.”

[…You should have at least told me.]

“Ahaha. Sorry, Chiron. There were circumstances.”

She laughed lightly, then looked around.

Her current location was precisely opposite Olympia.

It would take quite a while to get back from here.

‘This is a bit worrying.’

Herak couldn’t survive without the magic stone.

She didn’t think he’d just collapse immediately, though…

Still, she had brought him here, so she had to take responsibility.

“This won’t do. Chiron. I’m heading back.”

[Are you abandoning the search for the panacea? Wasn’t that also for the sake of student Herak?]

“Well, if I found the panacea, he wouldn’t need the magic stone… but if his life is in immediate danger, I have to go back first.”

The reason Athena was traveling through this harsh, foreign land was originally for Herak’s sake as well.

Their goal: find a mystic elixir to solve the problem caused by his magic insensitivity.

But if things are like this, even that’s impossible.

I need to get back to the Academy quickly and check on his condition.

“Just wait there, Chiron. I’ll hurry ba-… huh?”

Athena, mid-sentence, slightly furrows her brow.

Just like you’d expect from a region where monsters frequently appear, they’re already interrupting.

There are 3 monsters detected nearby.

*Click.*

Athena grips the hilt of her sword.

She gently draws it from its sheath.

Awooo…

Simultaneously, monsters reveal themselves from the surroundings.

Bipedal forms with coarse, bristled bodies and wolves’ faces.

Werewolves were targeting her.

“Hmm.”

Not even slightly shaken, Athena calmly observes them, thinking to herself.

‘Can my kids handle these?’

The 4th years would probably be fine.

Some of the 3rd years might not be able to.

The 2nd years… it’s hard to expect much, right?

“Could that kid possibly handle even these sorts of things?”

Judging by the rumors going around lately, it seems like they could.

Or is that too much hype?

“Well, I’ll find out when I get back.”

*Shing!*

Athena fully draws her sword.

At that very moment, *Awooo-* just as the werewolves were about to charge at her,

“Freeze.”

Ice crystals rapidly shoot up from the ground, binding the werewolves’ feet.

*Shhk!*

Swords flashed, a blur too fast to even see.

Thud…

Werewolf bodies split in two, collapsing.

“Farewell.”

Perfect warm-up, that was.

As Athena sheathed her blade, Chiron’s voice came through.

[…What’s going on? Did you engage in combat?]

“Just killing time. So, Chiron, any other news?”

[Well. Monstiz is sending all the instructors to a resort. What are your thoughts?]

“Let them go.”

[Are you sure about the academic schedule? It’s almost the end of the term, and there are still some things left to cover.]

“The instructors have worked hard. They deserve a break.”

Athena said this and started walking.

Her destination was her hometown, Olympia Academy.

She needed to go check on Herak’s condition.

And also.

‘I’m actually looking forward to it.’

How much had that kid changed? She really wanted to see it with her own two eyes.

*

────────────────

【Herak Leonhardt】

Gender: Male

Age: 21

Status: Olympia Academy, 2nd year

※ Status

Strength: 2.53

Stamina: 2.50

Agility: 2.51

Magic Capacity: 10

Magic Efficiency: 10

Magic Sensitivity: 0

※ Unique

【Ultimate Physique】

【Twelve Constellation Fist】

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I check my power through the status window.

My stats are maxed out, now entering the 2.5 range.

【Ultimate Physique】 and 【Twelve Constellation Fist】 continue to gain new power, too.

Even if my opponent is the top student, it doesn’t bother me much.

‘Alright.’

Finally, the day of the duel.

It’s time to fight Apollo.