Magical Explorer
CHAPTER-25: Gift Magic
"UUUOOO!"
I swung my wooden sword, but Claris-san gracefully stepped forward, effortlessly evading my strike. With a quick turn of her body, she gathered her magic power and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick, enhancing it with magic.
"Fu," I grunted as I blocked her kick with Third Hand.
The force behind her kick was impressive, and it sent me stumbling backward. I couldn't even stand my ground, and her kick left a noticeable mark on the ground as her foot slid through.
"Such power... despite her slender appearance."
This observation applied not only to Claris-san but also to Mizumori-sempai.
"Oh, spirit of the wind..."
Oh no.
As I heard Claris-san begin to chant, I immediately closed the distance between us.
However, I couldn't stop her in time.
"Wind Storm."
It felt as if I were hit by a super typhoon at maximum speed, and I was blown away.
"Uwaaaa, I'm flying... I'm flyinggggggggg!"
I hardened my Fourth Hand and struck the ground with it, managing to endure the wind's force to some extent. But the dust and debris kicked up by the wind obscured my vision.
I couldn't see a thing.
Which direction would she attack from next?
I used Fourth Hand to prevent myself from being blown away completely, which meant my Stole Shield could only expand to half its capacity. If she attacked from a blind spot now, I wouldn't be able to defend myself.
Unable to see in front of me, I decided to focus on defending my back. If an attack came from the front, I would use my sword to parry it.
I deployed the shield to my back and took a defensive stance with my sword.
Claris-san would surely attack before the dust settled.
"From the front... seriously...!"
With a swift motion, she knocked the sword I had placed in the middle stance out of my hand and proceeded to kick me again.
I tumbled across the ground, doing my best to minimize the damage by strengthening my body with magic. But the impact was still intense.
"Ahgf, Blargf..."
I groaned in pain as I looked up at Claris-san while lying on the ground. I felt like I might throw up.
"Is it over...?"
Claris-san quickly rushed over and patted my back.
"I had a feeling long-range magic was rather unfair."
I muttered, still trying to catch my breath. Claris-san managed a wry smile.
"From where I stand, it's that Stole that's truly unfair... An average swordsman would have been defeated after the first kick."
She commented while glancing at my Stole.
After a bit of time had passed, I summoned my magic power and used my Stole to push myself up from the ground.
"Actually, I might have won this time, but sparring with Takioto-sama made me realize how much I still have to learn."
Indeed, I did have a chance to win against her, but it was only around twenty percent. She was undoubtedly stronger than me.
"No, I still have a long way to go."
"I don't quite agree with that."
The one who interjected was Ludi, who had been watching nearby. She stepped away from the tree she had been leaning on and approached me.
"I've never managed to defeat Claris before, you know?"
Ludi explained as she walked towards me. I thought about Ludi's starting abilities, the magic and skills she possessed.
"Ludi... if you learn to shorten your casting time... you'll have many ways to win," I suggested.
As one of the main heroines, with proper training, Ludi should be able to grow stronger. She also had a unique skill that enhanced the power of her long-range magic. It was the complete opposite of me, who couldn't use most long-range magic (though I could throw things) and could only attack enemies right in front of me. In other words, if we worked together, we could complement each other's weaknesses perfectly.
"Chant Shortening, huh. I'd like to learn it, but... can I really learn it in my current state? Besides, there's no one around to teach me."
Ludi tilted her head, pondering her chances.
Chant Shortening and Chant Cancelling were crucial skills for a character focused on long-range magic like Ludi. Chant Cancelling could be learned from an item drop in high-rank dungeons or during an end-game event, regardless of the user's ability. However, Chant Shortening was different. In the game, it was a skill that could be learned by anyone, but I still couldn't learn Mind Eye. I wasn't sure if it was possible for me to acquire it.
"If you're looking for a teacher, they're right here—two of them," I said.
"Eh?"
Ludi tilted her head the other way.
With that, I bowed my head to Nee-san, who was sipping tea while looking at her documents. Ludi also lowered her head. I wondered if it was appropriate for royalty like her to bow, but it seemed fine in this context, perhaps because it was for her teacher.
"I can teach you for now... until school starts. But don't ask Kasama; she's very busy," Nee-san offered.
I left Ludi in Nee-san's capable hands and headed to the library with Claris-san.
"Claris-san, I'll be fine on my own, you know?"
Learning Cast Shortening wasn't necessary for me, as I was a frontline fighter. However, it was essential for Claris-san, who excelled in mid-range combat.
"No, I've tried to learn it a few times already, but the results haven't been great. What about Takioto-sama?"
Well, I mostly channeled magic into my Stole and modified it.
"I just channel magic into my Stole... That's it," I replied.
Recently, I had been continuously using it, essentially activating it for the entire day. I wondered what that had done to my magic power reserves.
"Then, what will Takioto-sama do at the library?"
I had some time before my training session under the waterfall with Sempai. I could have relaxed in my room, but...
"Well, I was thinking of looking for a magic book that I could use in the library."
Honestly, I just wanted to pass the time.
"I see," Claris-san replied.
However, something seemed to be on her mind, and she soon voiced her concern.
"Umm... I don't recall Ludivine-sama learning that kind of magic."
I slipped up. I had forgotten that this was still the beginning of the game, and Ludi could only use her starting spells.
"Ah, well... it's for the future, yes, for the future."
"Right, of course. I'm sure Ludivine-sama will be very suited for such magic."
The atmosphere had turned a bit awkward. To escape the awkwardness, I decided to focus on the books in the library. I noticed something and asked Claris-san.
"Could it be that you can use it, Claris-san?"
"Yes, would you like me to teach you?"
I chuckled nervously.
Perhaps I had already acquired a sort of cheat, something that had never appeared in the game before.
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