Chapter 17: Conclusion

14 Years Old Arc: The No-Staff of Magic Academy

Conclusion

A research facility located beneath the Baroslau factory of the Gotengram conglomerate.

There, Jonas Mengels, a bespectacled, average-sized, unremarkable man, nodded deeply with a satisfied expression, a smile creasing his face.

Before him stood a massive tank, over 15 meters tall, within which his masterpiece floated in a culture medium.

The bottom gleamed with a dull gray, from which numerous thick tubes extended to a rectangular machine.

He inwardly praised himself for creating such a remarkable product using the useless junk of Mittelland society.

"This country will become even stronger. Glory to Mittelland, to the Albanians!"

The man's shout echoed off the walls of the enormous room before fading away.

★★★

"Come on, come on, come on! What's wrong, descendant of a hero and genius magician?! You can't beat us by just running away!"

"As expected of the Useless Celica! You're running so well!"

As the siren signaling the start of the mock battle blared through the forest, flames poured down from the sky, burning the woods.

Max and I ran desperately through the forest, feeling the heat of the burning trees behind us.

Max had cast stealth magic on both of us, which had halved its concealment effect.

The students from the academy in the sky probably had a rough idea of ​​our location.

I dropped the magic staff I was holding. It was only getting in the way of my escape.　

"Bernstein! Just retire already and hand Celica over to us! We'll treat her gently and lovingly!"

"It's not fair to monopolize such a beautiful beast-woman! Beautiful things should be enjoyed by everyone!"

"....."

Anton, a well-built boy, Randolph, a tall boy with rectangular glasses, and... Albert Mergen were our three opponents.　

The three of them, while shifting positions in mid-air, scattered flamethrowers, cornering Max and me.

We ran desperately through the forest, almost tripping over tree roots.　

Eventually, a large wall of earth appeared before us.

It seemed we had reached the foot of a cliff.

Max and I stopped there.

I unleashed three healing spells simultaneously, directed into the air in front of me.

"The reaction's getting stronger! There are three! They're going to unleash magic! Randolph!"

"I know! Stop firing the inferno rounds! Load the lightning rounds!!"

Randolph, presumably the team leader, command echoed through the trees.

"We've cornered them! They're running away like rascals!"

"Now it's all over for them!"

The three of them stopped moving through the air and could be seen hovering through the gaps in the leaves.

After reloading, they simultaneously aimed their magic rifles at us.

"O unhindered light that illuminates all things—"

Max raised his staff in one hand and chanted, shielding me from the torrential rain by covering me with his body.

"Lightning rounds, all at once!"

"—Surround me in layers upon layers and protect me!"

In an instant, two roars rang out, and a net of lightning closed in, exploding and closing in us from all sides.

At the same time, multiple layers of faintly blue membranes surrounded us.

"Aargh!"

"Max!"

The shockwaves reached my body as well.

Explosions rang out, and lightning tore through the surrounding blue membranes one after another.

The crackling thunder stopped.

I supported Max from below as he was about to fall.

Max's original black robe and jacket were completely burnt to shreds, and painful black burn marks remained on his back.

"You've held out well, Bernstein! But this is the last one! ....Randolph! Give the order!"

"Reload the lightning rounds!"

Anton and Randolph aimed their rifles at us.

"Ready to fire! ...Wait! It's a trap!"

"Well, it's too late, boys."

The moment Randolph called out to stop, a weakened lightning strike descended from the sky, hitting the center of the three of them.

It was Chairman Felzer's lightning magic.

They must have mistakenly thought that all three of us, including Chairman Felzer, were here because I had used healing magic for three people.

While the attack was focused on us, the Chairman seemed to have finished chanting her magic.

Anton and Randolph must have been hit directly by the lightning magic; as they were falling, other Aerial Mages grabbed them and glided down. They were probably going to land somewhere safe.

Albert narrowly avoided a direct hit, but the lightning must have grazed him. He swerved and meandered as he lost altitude, falling slowly into an open area of ​​the forest.

In that open area, Max, shirtless, and Chairman Felzer were waiting, pointing their magic staffs at Albert as he soft-landed.

It was a perfect checkmate.

Seeing this, Albert raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.

It was our complete victory.

★

We returned to the square where we had first confirmed the rules, then I placed both hands over Max's hunched back, and began treating him.

The other student council members and students from the academy had also gathered here, each in their own groups.

Further out on the perimeter, members of the press surrounded us, rolling cameras and snapping photos.

Soon, Anton stepped out from the circle of Aerial Mages and, reaching the vice-president, extended his right hand.

"That Useless Celica really got us good. But you guys are pretty impressive too. I'm sorry for making fun of you all as chickens."

"No, we've been the ones who've looked down on you as fakers. The Aerial Mages' combat power was tremendous."

The vice-president shook his hand back.

The sound of camera shutters around us grew even louder.

The student council members watched the scene with relieved expressions.

Randolph, shrugging his shoulders, also watched the scene with a smile.

The students from the National School glanced at me for a moment, looking disappointed, but then resignedly shifted their gaze to Anton and the vice president.

A peaceful atmosphere filled the room... or so I thought.

"YOU IDIOT!! WHY DID YOU SLACK OFF?!"

Perhaps he had been preparing in the mansion's grand hall to declare victory.

From outside the press corps, Senior Gotengram, dressed in a suit, leaped out and, with that momentum, punched Albert Mergen... Al.

As Al and Gotengram fell to the ground, Gotengram crawled forward, straddled the fallen Al, and, with clenched fists, repeatedly punched Al in the cheeks.

"BECAUSE OF YOUR SLACKING! MY PLAN! WAS RUINED! GOTENGRAM'S! RIGHTFUL GLORY! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?!"

"AL!"

"Wait!"

Max grabbed my arm tightly, stopping me as I tried to stop Senior Gotengram.

Meanwhile, Al's cheeks swelled and turned red with each punch.

Then, Senior Gotengram raised his arm even higher, intending to deliver a powerful blow straight down to Al's face.

"I'm going to kill you..."

At that instant...

BOOM!!

A tremendous thunderclap shook the surrounding air.

★★★

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH IT HURTS IT HURTS, IT HURTS, IT HURTS, IT HURTS SO MUCH!!!!]

[I HATE I HATE I HATE, I HATE, I HATE, I HATE, I HATE, I HATE, I HATE!!]

[I HATE THE RICH! I HATE GOOD-LOOKING PEOPLE! I HATE HIGHLY CAPABLE PEOPLE! I HATE TALL PEOPLE! I HATE HIGHLY EDUCATED PEOPLE! I HATE INTELLIGENT PEOPLE! I HATE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOOD AT GETTING ALONG WITH OTHERS! I HATE ABLE-BODIED PEOPLE! I HATE PEOPLE BORN INTO FAMILIES WITH BOTH PARENTS!]

[I HATE THE HUMAN RACE! I HATE THE ALBANIANS! I HATE THOSE WHO HAVE HAD SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SURGERY! I HATE THE GOTENGRAM FAMILY!]

[AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!]

★★★

Suddenly bursting through the factory ceiling and appearing in the air, it boasted a colossal body of 10 meters in height.

It was clad in what appeared to be dull-colored orichalcum armor, with long, slender arms extending from either side.

Large wings, resembling enlarged prosthetic wings, sprouted from its triangular, jagged teeth, from which particles of light scattered.

And at the center of its body was a single large eye, from which a thick, red liquid flowed like tears.

"....an Angel.. "

A high-ranking being from the monotheistic religion of my previous life was residing above the ruined factory.

It flapped its wings particularly dramatically and glided towards us.

Then, it retracted its wings again and moved forward in a sudden swift motion.

A shockwave was generated, and a storm swept over us. We were blown away. 

"It's a monster!"

"Run!"

Some student council members and members of the press throw down their staff and equipment and begin to flee.

Half of the students from both academies are blown away, and the rest escape into the sky.

"Ouch ouch ouch..."

Blown backward and slammed to the ground, I somehow managed to stand up.

However, when I opened my eyes, which had been closed in pain, I saw the frightened Senior Gotengram running towards me.

"AAAAAAAH! WHAT'S THAT?! I WASN'T TOLD ANYTHING ABOUT THIS!"

Thud!

As we passed each other, Senior Gotengram's shoulder hit mine, and I was blown backward again.

Then I heard a loud sound like a bird flapping its wings.

When I opened my eyes again, an 'Angel' was gliding towards me.

Scary!

No good, my legs are giving out...

["Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"]

The 'angel' that was hovering in front of me let out something like a lament, then trembled and retreated into the space a little behind it.

BOOOM!!

The thunder of judgment rained down on me.