Miss Witch Doesn’t Want to Become a Songstress

Autumn, in a sun-dappled forest.

The breeze flowed freely into the sleeves of his shirt, bringing a refreshing coolness to the beads of sweat on his forehead. A young boy stood on one side of a clearing, excitedly commanding his extraordinary creature.

“To the left! Dodge its attack and use Rock-Splitting Charge!”

In the forest, a white-furred monkey dodged the fiery spray from the Fire-Eyed Fox. Seizing the moment when its opponent paused to catch its breath, the monkey launched a sudden attack. Its broad palm, propelled by its powerful body, struck the fox like a slab of stone, sending it flying into a tree trunk. The fox collapsed unconscious, losing its ability to fight.

“Excellent! That was a strong, decisive attack. Qiu Shu made great use of the opponent’s opening, allowing his White Stone Monkey to defeat its adversary.” The teacher serving as referee praised the boy, sparking a wave of chatter among the students.

“Looks like we have our first quarterfinalist.”

“Qiu Shu really is impressive. He always comes up with unexpected strategies and takes bold risks.”

“Next up is Agnes. She also got a White Stone Monkey. I wonder what her commanding style will be like.”

Though some magical creatures were repeated, each student’s commanding style was distinct—some were calm and analytical, others bold and direct, while others excelled at adapting on the fly. Although they couldn’t participate directly, students used their strengths to assist their companions.

“Have you finished eating? The battle is about to start.”

On the other side of the forest, Agnes, the class president, gently stroked the small monkey in her arms and fed it pieces of apple. Afterward, she placed it on the ground and spread her hands. A breeze blew through the trees, wrapping around the White Stone Monkey. This was an ability tied to her pathway, granting beneficial effects to her companions.

Empowered by the wind’s blessing, the small monkey became noticeably more agile. Though it wasn’t as robust as Qiu Shu’s monkey, it was nimbler and more graceful.

“Next match: Agnes versus Doug.”

From one side of the forest, Doug stepped forward with his Thorn-Tail Crocodile, Black-Bellied Toad, and Rock-Weight Snake.

“Class President, don’t expect me to hold back. No complaints if you lose, alright? Heh.” Doug wiped his nose and prepared for battle.

“I’ll start with the Rock-Weight Snake.” At his command, the snake with dirt-yellow scales and a bulky, rock-like head slithered onto the field.

Unlike ordinary snakes, this one was covered in scales resembling stone. Its heavy body, especially its weighty head, earned it the name Rock-Weight Snake. It raised its head, flicked its tongue, and stared at the White Stone Monkey. Both creatures held their ground, neither making the first move. For someone like Agnes, who adapted her tactics to her opponent, this was an unusual situation. However, she wasn’t willing to wait longer—the blessing she gave the monkey wouldn’t last forever.

“Charge carefully and watch out for its attacks,” Agnes instructed with caution.

The White Stone Monkey dashed forward, prompting the Rock-Weight Snake to act.

“Heh, Agnes really isn’t great at taking the initiative,” Doug muttered under his breath. As the monkey closed in, he called out suddenly, “Use Sweeping Strike!”

The Rock-Weight Snake swung its tail with immense force, straight and rigid like a rock. The blow struck the charging monkey, dispersing the air currents around it with a sharp crack. The tail then coiled around the monkey.

Seizing the opportunity, the snake pressed its weight down, exposing its fangs and biting into the monkey. Moments later, the monkey lay motionless, defeated.

“First round: Doug wins.”

“Wow, that was fast,” one student exclaimed. “I thought we’d see a back-and-forth match.”

“Sometimes, that’s just how it goes—victory or defeat in the blink of an eye.”

The second round followed, pitting Doug’s Thorn-Tail Crocodile against Agnes’s Resin Hog. Both creatures were tough and resilient, resulting in a fierce struggle. The match ended with the Resin Hog pinning the crocodile beneath its weight, preventing it from moving.

“Agnes’s Resin Hog is as formidable as ever. With its resin-coated hide and bristly fur, it’s nearly impossible for the Thorn-Tail Crocodile to bite through. A huge disadvantage for the crocodile.”

“Now it’s the final round: Doug’s Black-Bellied Toad versus Agnes’s Flame Phantom Rat.”

“The Flame Phantom Rat is a Sequence 3 evolution of the Phantom Rat. In addition to its illusion abilities, it now wields fire-based powers, increasing its offensive potential. Its illusions even radiate heat, making them harder to distinguish.”

On her side of the field, Agnes stroked the large hamster-like creature and gave it some careful instructions before sending it into the fray. Doug, in contrast, simply had his Black-Bellied Toad leap into the arena.

At the referee’s signal, Agnes commanded the Flame Phantom Rat to launch its illusionary assault.

The mouse squeaked a few times before splitting into three identical copies. Each grew larger, flames swirling around their bodies, exuding an intimidating presence.

The three flaming mice charged at the Black-Bellied Toad from different directions, leaving it momentarily confused.

“Don’t just stand there! Jump and attack one of them!” Doug urged.

The black-and-blue-patterned toad leaped, spitting venom at one of the mice. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on its side—the chosen target passed through the venom unscathed, colliding with the toad in a burst of flames. The toad croaked in pain, only to be surrounded by the other two mirage mice. Overwhelmed by fire and bites, the toad was declared defeated.

“This is Agnes’s first time using the Flame Phantom Rat. It didn’t appear in her previous matches, but it’s certainly impressive.”

“Yeah, against creatures with strong attacks but weak defenses, it’s all about guessing the right target. A single mistake, and you’re overwhelmed.”

“Looks like we have our second quarterfinalist. Who will be next?”

As the students discussed among themselves, Hestia heard the teacher call her name. It was her turn to take the stage.

“Go for it, Hestia!” Mel cheered, holding her cat aloft to encourage the girl.

“Alright.” Hestia smiled before stepping onto the stage.

To be honest, she wasn’t entirely confident about winning. After all, being a commander in such battles left many factors beyond her control. However, in a competition like this, victory or defeat wasn’t the main focus—enjoying the experience was far more important. Among the students, discussions centered on their strategies and the unique characteristics of their magical beasts. There was no pressure to equate a student’s abilities with their performance in the matches.

Happiness mattered too, didn’t it?

“First round: Hestia’s Electric Wool Sheep versus Bessimo’s Red-Back Dog.”

Across from her, a girl in a light blue dress led a fierce-looking large dog forward. The Red-Back Dog had a glossy black coat with several striped patterns across its back. It was a breed of modified cattle dog, often employed on large ranches as a working dog.

“This is a tough matchup; Electric Wool Sheep doesn’t have much of an edge against the Red-Back Dog,” a student commented.

“Yeah, Red-Back Dogs are thick-skinned and tough. As large working dogs, they naturally intimidate livestock like sheep and cattle. That gives them a big advantage.”

Both sides didn’t hesitate to start the battle right away.

“Charge, attack!” Bessimo commanded straightforwardly.

“Arf-wooo!” The large dog howled energetically, driven by its love for its handler. It charged forward, its glossy coat rippling in the wind.

Hestia remained calm in the face of this offensive.

“Lower your head, start charging electricity.”

“Meh-meh~” The Electric Wool Sheep seemed a bit panicked, instinctively trying to avoid the charging dog. But under Hestia’s steady voice, it steadied itself, lowered its head, pawed at the ground, and began to gather sparks between its wool fibers.

In mere seconds, the Red-Back Dog reached the Electric Wool Sheep. Without any fancy maneuvers, it lunged straight at the sheep. The Electric Wool Sheep countered by raising its head sharply, throwing the dog upward. However, the dog didn’t get flung off—it clung onto the sheep’s horns with its weight, biting down on the sheep’s neck.

Unfortunately for the Red-Back Dog, the Electric Wool Sheep’s thick wool prevented it from landing a direct bite. Sparks erupted from the sheep’s wool, and the electric shock made the dog tremble.

Everyone thought the battle would end there, but the Red-Back Dog proved surprisingly tenacious. It didn’t collapse but instead latched onto the sheep’s back, continuing its assault. The Electric Wool Sheep, growing frantic, tried to shake the dog off and escape, but its electrical discharges grew weaker. After a struggle filled with flying tufts of wool, the Red-Back Dog finally bit into the sheep’s neck. At this point, the referee declared the Red-Back Dog the winner.

“Well, the result is acceptable. After all, Red-Back Dogs are known for their tough hides. You could hit them with rocks, and they’d barely feel it.” Unlike other magical animals that displayed special powers, the Red-Back Dog’s abilities were rooted in its plain but reliable defense and stamina. This made it less flashy but highly survivable in natural settings.

“I lost, huh?” Hestia wasn’t upset. When the Electric Wool Sheep returned, she comforted it with soothing words, sprayed medicine on its wounds, fed it oranges, and gave it some pats before setting it aside.

“Second match, begin.”

This time, her opponent was a Golden Lynx. Its luxurious golden fur gleamed like treasure, and its eyes sparkled like gemstones.

“Wow, a Golden Lynx! That’s a pretty rare pet. I didn’t expect the academy to use one in a battle.”

“Maybe it’s one they raised themselves. Perhaps they’re trying to train it or build its courage?” the students speculated.

Whatever the academy’s reasoning, the second match began. Hestia sent out a Wind Sea Snail, a creature with a shell wider than Hestia’s shoulders. Standing on the grass, its white shell reflected intricate patterns under the sunlight. While it would have had a clear advantage in water, the grassy field made its abilities harder to utilize.

“Go, Golden Lynx.” Just like before, Bessimo let the Golden Lynx act on its own without much interference. She believed the animals could perform better on their own than under her imperfect guidance.

The Golden Lynx’s fur bristled under the sunlight, standing upright like spines on a porcupine. Any creature attempting a direct attack would suffer for it. However, the Wind Sea Snail didn’t rely on close combat, so it remained unaffected.

A faint whooshing sound arose in the woods as the Wind Sea Snail manipulated airflow, swirling the leaves with soft rustling noises.

The Golden Lynx circled the Wind Sea Snail cautiously, looking for an opening. Then, the Wind Sea Snail launched a sudden downward air current, creating a brief vortex to attack the lynx.

The lynx easily leaped aside, dodging the strike. It countered by lunging forward and striking the Wind Sea Snail’s shell, sending it rolling away. The lynx prepared to bite at the exposed fleshy part of the Sea Snail’s underside.

However, the Wind Sea Snail’s defense proved formidable. It tightly sealed its underside, then used its airflow to spin and hover in mid-air.

“Now! Use Airflow Constraint!” Hestia commanded.

A concentrated current of air gathered along the ground, forming a downward vortex that hindered the lynx’s movement. Meanwhile, the Wind Sea Snail spun rapidly, its sharp tip aimed downward like a drill, and descended upon the trapped lynx.

In a flash, the Golden Lynx’s fur bristled defensively. Its gem-like eyes glinted as it accelerated, narrowly dodging the attack. The Wind Sea Snail drilled straight into the ground.

“This is bad,” Mel said, worried.

On the other side, Bessimo’s face lit up. The Golden Lynx truly lived up to its name—beautiful and powerful. Its bristle-like fur provided defense, while its sudden bursts of speed gave it unparalleled agility.

“It’s not over yet. Wind Sea Snail, break out and use Freeze Ray!” Hestia remained composed.

The Wind Sea Snail opened a small aperture on its underside, revealing tiny eyes. A pale blue beam shot out at the lynx from close range. The constrained lynx couldn’t dodge and took the hit directly.

The beam lasted three seconds before fading. The Wind Sea Snail, having exhausted its mana, retreated into its shell.

Meanwhile, the Golden Lynx stood frozen, its body coated in frost, and collapsed in place.

“Wind Sea Snail wins,” the referee declared. A few glowing moths flew out to heal the lynx and carry it to the nearby treatment room.

“That was close. But how did the Wind Sea Snail use Freeze Ray? Isn’t that an ability it gains after advancing to Tide Sequence 4: Maelstrom Sea Snail? At Sequence 3, it should only master wind and air currents.”

“Maybe Hestia bestowed it with some kind of blessing, like how Agnes gives her White Stone Monkey wind-based enhancements.”

“Breeders can use certain secret techniques to enhance magical beasts, strengthening weaker abilities or compensating for shortcomings.”

“This makes breeders capable of holding their own or even gaining an edge against transcendent beings of the same sequence.”

“So Hestia must specialize in ice and frost-related abilities. Considering she practices the Decay Sequence, that’s not surprising.”

“The so-called ‘bond’ is the key. It’s about the breeder and the magical beast working together to achieve greatness. Mere verbal commands wouldn’t earn the loyalty of such proud creatures.”

“And now, the third match begins.”

“Light Cotton Bird versus Shadow Claw Owl!”

A fluffy bird with soft feathers took flight from Hestia’s hand, while a black-and-purple owl soared skyward from the opposite side.

Specks of glowing dust shimmered around the Light Cotton Bird, while dark energy crackled around the Shadow Claw Owl’s talons. The two creatures charged at each other, and the battle began in earnest.

_______________

Author’s Note: Unknowingly, I ended up writing another lengthy chapter. It feels like Hestia is gradually walking the path of a Pokémon Master, even though I hadn’t planned for this originally.