Chapitre 59: Chapter 57
"So, Sergio…?" I muttered, watching the Asian girl's moves.
She was acting completely contrary to my earlier predictions to Medea. Instead of going for Sergio directly, she sent her small summoned creatures to swarm the giant he had conjured. The beast swung its long arms with enthusiasm, using its narrow, clawless fingers to inflict serious, jagged wounds on the spirits, who, given their numbers, were almost always in range of a hit.
Miyoko tried firing some acidic spell at Sergio, but he managed to duck behind his monster, which shrugged off the spell like it was nothing. When Sergio briefly peeked out, he launched… well, a basic Stupefy at her. Judging by the crack in her crimson shield, which vaguely resembled Protego, it was a surprisingly powerful one. In battle, such forceful spells are not easily deflected; most would die trying before breaking through a shield like that, making it feel almost like the infamous Avada.
Alright, maybe the Japanese girl wasn't as clueless as I'd thought just seconds earlier.
As her shield absorbed the hit, she managed to command about half of her creatures to abandon their futile attack on the giant and focus on Sergio instead. Controlling summoned creatures is often harder than the actual summoning itself; their minds are too foreign for most wizards to give them any but the simplest, most straightforward orders.
So, getting them to stop attacking a prime target like that giant spirit — so rich in magic that even killing an average wizard would seem pointless in comparison — and redirecting them toward a less desirable, frustrating target like Sergio himself took some skill.
Sergio tried to surround himself with Protego Trio, but the semi-corporeal claws, fangs, and teeth of the spirits quickly shredded through his defense. It was the natural result of letting opponents get too close, an embarrassment for any serious wizard. The analogy is simple: like trying to wield a rifle at close range — sure, it can work, but why not use it at a distance where it's most effective?
But as a student of a great witch, Sergio clearly understood this. When his shield finally broke from a Japanese version of Bombarda — a large explosion that created several smaller blasts afterward — Sergio quickly propelled himself to the arena's edge using bursts of wind.
Clearly, it was an artifact, since Protego usually dissipates quickly without active support. Here, however, he had no chance to counterattack, as Miyoko's continuous assault with her creatures and spells gave him no respite.
But after leaping away, he saw his chance and retaliated with several slicing wind blades. Hmm…
Interesting. I had misinterpreted the purpose of Miyoko's seals; they weren't for enhancement but were small, single-use shields that successfully protected her. With her catalyst — something resembling the ornaments of Japanese priestesses, the miko — still free, Miyoko struck back.
…At the exact same moment, Sergio's summoned monster lunged at her from the side.
Both attacks happened nearly simultaneously. A thunderous slap from the spirit sent Miyoko flying across the arena, while bolts of lightning crackling above her head shot toward an unsuspecting, defenseless Sergio. The shock threw him backward, clearly knocking him unconscious. His monster let out its first sound of the fight — a bellow of distress — as it faded away.
In contrast, Miyoko's remaining summons were still intact as she struggled to stand.
"Well, I'd say the winner is clear, though the ending was a bit unexpected…" Semiramis's voice cut through the silence, her smile one of amused satisfaction. "Oh, and just a heads-up — victorious little ones may only heal with their own strength, dear mentors. Yes, I didn't mention it earlier, but test-takers should have thought twice before taking such risks," she continued, turning to a visibly annoyed dark-haired woman. "Yes, sweetheart, it's unfair since the others now know… but I don't care. Life is unfair. Next up: Siduri and Zakaria. Ladies, step up."
Siduri and Zakaria stepped onto the arena, each studying the other intently. Siduri's expression held a detached curiosity, while Zakaria's face was set in irritation — a common reaction among women when confronted with the charms of another skilled in enchantment magic. Charm magic, especially when it directly affects the mind rather than bodily reactions, can get tricky, too; it works even on those outside the "typical orientation" — unless, of course, the target is a skilled Occlumens.
"Well, ladies, have you had enough of staring at each other? Time to start clawing each other's eyes out and pulling hair," Semiramis mocked with a dramatic flair, leaning into the stereotype.
Zakaria, using her jewelry as a catalyst, launched a set of charm spells toward Siduri. The pinkish mist drifting toward her was unmistakably an intoxicating charm. Squinting, Siduri cast a few analyzing spells and seemed to relax, allowing the cloud to drift closer. Her cheeks took on a faint blush, but that was the full extent of the effect. Zakaria huffed, visibly annoyed, and quickly blocked an exotic sand-crafted spear that Siduri shot toward her using a golden dome.
Zakaria retaliated with a similar spell, creating a sand-formed saber that clashed against Siduri's conjured medieval shield. It might not have looked flashy, but the spells were wordless — a sign of mastery, similar to my own skill in transfiguring objects into steel. Family-based spells, fitting for these two. If it were me, I'd have opted for a steel spear or saber instead of sand.
The next exchange was more intense, with multiple spells flying as they tested each other's reaction speed. Yet, even so, there was something subdued about the fight. And I could see why. Neither of them were classic duelists like Yaroslav or me, both of us trained for head-to-head magical combat with plenty of pyrotechnics. Siduri seemed more like a scholar, while Zakaria came off as a politician, seductress, and schemer — traits aligning her closely with her mentor. Inanna hardly fit the image of a scholar and was more of a professional idler, though she was even regarded as a goddess in history.
Then again, I had my doubts about that, since gods here seemed to be real beings who had mysteriously disappeared. As for where they'd gone — Medea stayed silent, as guarded as a seasoned Belarusian partisan.
Meanwhile, Zakaria concentrated on controlling sand, expertly shaping it and summoning even more of it as she tried to overwhelm Siduri, who had gone into a deep defense. Judging by the sweat beading on her forehead, Zakaria was exerting herself.
Normally, I'd say this situation would end with the defender's defeat, but Siduri's look of frustration seemed too… theatrical. Perhaps Zakaria couldn't see her opponent's expression through all the sand, but I certainly caught the subtle cues. Siduri's feigned frustration was clear, even to me, and in spotting it, I'd count myself something of an expert, despite my age.
"Looks like Cleopatra saved combat training for last," Medea commented, crossing her arms. "A mistake. Battles can happen even when you try your hardest to avoid them."
"And Siduri's any better? She seems like a pure theorist," I replied, glancing at Medea while keeping my eyes on the match.
"For ritualists, that's not a problem."
"Yes, but she's not…" I stopped, noticing the slight movements of Siduri's fingers. Impressive. No wonder she was older than the rest of us. Silent casting — no, catalyzed casting of a ritual spell. This requires a sharp mind, and it's clear that Siduri has one.
"Noticed it, did you?" Medea remarked.
"Yes, though I don't get why she's revealing her trump card so early," I murmured thoughtfully. "Unless she has a better one in store… If that's the case, I'm starting to worry about my chances."
"Confident, aren't you?"
"Realistic. Honestly, I expected more from the students of the great witches."
"You thought they'd go all out to train someone? Hah. Not even rivalry would motivate most of them to work that hard." She shrugged slightly.
"Will you, Your Highness?"
"Of course. That's why I didn't take you as my apprentice. If I were like them, I would have. It would have been no burden then," Medea explained, leaving certain motives unspoken.
"Tactically wise," I noted as I returned my attention to the arena. The scene there had finally shifted from subtle to spectacular.
Siduri's hidden move came to fruition as her ritual spell transformed a substantial part of the arena into quicksand. Thanks to her careful setup during her defensive phase, Zakaria was caught off-guard. She managed to avoid sinking by activating a charm bracelet that crumbled to dust while creating a column of golden sand beneath her feet, which kept her afloat and prevented her from sinking.
But the sudden transformation gave Siduri the opening she needed. She cast a Pushing Charm, which hit Zakaria squarely as she hovered on the sand column, still stunned by the unexpected shift in terrain. Zakaria was launched backward, too shocked to react.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone