“Now… this is a surprise,” Professor Violet commented as she looked at the arena. “He’s like a completely different person every time he fights. First, Partial Resonance, now Fairy Magic? Just what kind of juice is this Dud drinking? I want some of that, too.”
“Although I taught him a bit about the tactics that Fairies use when those little critters fight, I never thought he would apply them in this duel as well,” Professor Njal, who was Ethan’s Professor in the study of Magical Beasts, narrowed his eyes. “Seriously, is he really a Dud?”
The other Professors of the Academy were also watching this duel with great surprise and interest. However, the most surprised of them all was none other than Professor Rinehart.
For he knew that Ethan’s arrival at the Magic Academy was completely by accident. The black bracelet on Ethan’s wrist was something that the Headmaster was familiar with.
It was a marker that his agents on the Brynhildr Express would give to the Ordinarius who, for some reason, managed to get past the tight security measures that were put in place.
All the Headmasters of Brynhildr Academy had read the note that Fortis Dud had left behind for those who would hold the highest authority in Brynhildr Academy.
“Many years from now, there will come a time, when an Ordinarius will stumble upon this place by accident. When this happens, make sure to conceal their identity and allow them to stay here in Brynhildr Academy.
“There is Magic in everyone’s hearts. So, until that student leaves of their own accord, let them see the world through our eyes, and perhaps, they too, will also believe in Magic.”
Professor Rinehart and the other previous Headmasters of the Academy had planted their own people on the Brynhildr Express to prepare for such a day.
He just didn’t expect that it would be during his era when someone like Ethan would truly appear at his doorstep.
‘The Gremory Family is known for exceptional wizards and witches,’ Professor Rinehart thought. ‘After the Clash of Manors is over I will pay a visit to Ethan’s family. Perhaps, I will know more about him once I talk to them.’
The Headmaster’s gaze was focused on the young man, who was flying all over the arena as he evaded the black fireballs that Langston was firing in his direction.
After making it past the firewall, Ethan was met with a barrage of spells that forced him to distance himself from the blonde-haired boy, who now had a serious expression on his face.
‘I can’t keep this up,’ Ethan thought as he evaded two more fireballs that were fired in his direction. ‘Although I can still fly for a few more minutes, my Magic is still being drained by the spell. At most, I can only last for five more minutes before all my magic reserves are gone. I need to think of a way to close the distance.’
Ethan gripped his wand, and his pitchfork firmly in his hands as he once again charged at Langston with the intention of fighting him in close combat.
However, after regaining his composure, the blonde-boy no longer took any chances and kept the pressure up.
What Ethan didn’t know was that Langston was secretly preparing an Ultimate Spell as he fired fireballs at him.
He had already learned from his past mistakes, so he made sure to learn the ability of Multicasting.
Very few First Years could do this, and Langston was one of those few.
Due to his high magical power, he was able to achieve this feat without too much effort.
The Fairies, who were watching the battle, were getting rowdy as they cheered Ethan with all their might.
Since the teenage boy had grown Fairy Wings on his back, all of them began shouting things like…
“For the Pride of Fairies, beat him!”
“If you beat him I’ll kiss you for free!’
“You can’t lose now! Our dignity is at stake!”
“Do whatever you have to! Just don’t lose!”
For some reason, Ethan could hear their words of encouragement, and to a certain extent, he could also feel that his magic power was being replenished a little.
However, it was not enough.
His Magical Circuits had been damaged since birth, so even if he was getting some magic from the outside, the fact remained that all of it was leaking because he couldn’t store it properly inside his body.
Suddenly, Langston did the unexpected as if predicting where Ethan would fire next and fired two fireballs at once.
‘Sh*t!’ Ethan, who was caught completely by surprise watched as the two fireballs, which almost gave him no time to react, approached him at great speeds.
Just as Ethan was desperately trying to think of a way on how to overcome his situation, a faint chuckle reached his ears. 𝒩𝔬𝑣𝒍xt.𝗰𝓞𝓂
Suddenly, time seemed to have stopped completely, allowing Ethan to see the Fireballs that were only several meters away from his body, frozen in place.
“For a brief moment, I felt the power of Faith that was being given to me by some of my kind, suddenly shift to another place,” a voice filled with amusement reached Ethan’s ears. “Although I don’t know who you are, these Fairies started to call you Oberon, which greatly amuses me.”
Suddenly, a Male Fairy clad in royal clothing, who was at least a meter tall stood in front of Ethan with a smile.
‘Young man, right now, you are using the magic of my kind,’ the Male Fairy commented. ‘So, if you lose, I will punish you for sullying my name, and my race.’
The young man could tell that even though the Male Fairy was smiling, there was a deadly glint in his eyes, which made him shudder in his heart.
‘I will now return time to its natural state,’ the Male Fairy stated. ‘Be warned. I will be closely watching you. Don’t you dare lose.’
The Male Fairy then held up his hand and was about to snap his finger.
Ethan took that as a sign that time would return to normal, so he made preparations in advance to dodge the two fireballs, which would have hit him if the Male Fairy didn’t stop time at that exact moment.
Just as soon as time returned to normal, Ethan shouted and forced himself to fly sideways to avoid the two fireballs that Langston had fired to burn his wings.
The two fireballs went past him, but they still burned a part of his clothes, making him wince in pain.
Langston, who thought that he had already managed to corner Ethan, clicked his tongue in annoyance as he prepared to unleash the ultimate spell that he was preparing.
The Male Fairy, who was in the arena, looked at this battle with his arms crossed over his chest. Currently, no one could see him because only those who wielded the power of his kin, and those whom he gave permission to view his figure, could gaze at him.
Seeing that the human was in a pinch, the Male Fairy smirked before saying something in a volume that reached Ethan’s ears.
‘Your opponent is about to end this battle,’ the Male Fairy said. ‘And even if you pour every bit of your magical power to resist his attack, it will be futile. Fortunately, you are not fighting alone. Right now, those girls are cheering for you. Listen well, Human. Fae Magic is a Magic of Nature. So, if you can’t win using your own power, you must use the power of others in order to win.’
As if something clicked inside Ethan’s head, the blue-haired boy pulled back his arm that was holding the pitchfork, in preparation of throwing it.
At that exact moment, all the Fairies within Brynhildr Academy looked in the direction of the arena.
They then subconsciously released their magical powers in that direction because they felt that their kind was in dire need of it.
The Fairies, who were already in the arena, who were subconsciously releasing their magic power earlier, released more of it until half of their magical reserves were drained.
‘That’s it,’ the Male Fairy nodded his head approvingly as he looked at Ethan, who had coated his Pitchfork with Fairy Fire. There were many ways to utilize Fae Magic, and Weapon Enchantment was only one of them.
“Draconis Halitus Tenebris!” Langston roared.
At the same time he casted his Ultimate Spell, a black dragon made up of dark flames that was several meters long materialized in front of him.
It then gave a resounding Draconic Roar before flying towards the handsome young man, whom its caster designated as its target.
In the past, he had used a black dragon made up of flames to beat Ethan in their first duel. However he failed to do so.
Because of this, he decided to refine this spell, increasing its destructive power threefold. he had spent countless hours in strengthening, and refining this Trump Card of his, so he was confident about its strong destructive power.
Langston believed that with this Ultimate Spell, he would repay the annoying Dud for the humiliation he suffered in the past, and reclaim the glory he once lost.
Facing such a threat in front of him, Ethan didn’t back away because he knew that it was futile.
Gathering all the magic in his body, and his surroundings, he planned to make an all-out-attack with everything he got.
Instead of chanting a spell, two words appeared inside his head. He didn’t know if these words came from the Male Fairy, who was watching him from a distance, or the shouts of Ruby and the other fairies in the arena.
But, one thing was clear.
These were the words that he needed to shout before throwing the burning spear in his hand that was clad in Fairy Fire.
“Oberon’s…,” Ethan roared before throwing the Pitchfork in his hand. “Descent!”
As if by magic, the Pitchfork that he had thrown transformed into the image of the Male Fairy, who had talked to him earlier.
However, unlike the one that had his arms crossed over his chest, the Fairy clad in Fairy Fire held a spear in his hand, thrusting forward.
The Black Dragon and the King of Fairies then collided mid-air, causing sparks to fly in every direction.
Langston intensified his magic output, while holding his wand with both hands forcing the Black Dragon to overpower the Flaming Fairy King, who dared to challenge his Ultimate Spell.
Ethan, on the other hand, also held his wand and pointed forward.
Although he knew that he might fall off from the sky at any second, he still decided to give everything he got in order to win.
The Black Dragon and the Fairy King pushed each other as they fought for supremacy.
It was at that moment when the audience noticed that the flames of the Fairy that Ethan had summoned became stronger and more intense.
“Get him, Oberon!”
“That’s our Fairy King! No one can beat him!”
“Our King will not lose to a Dragon! Even if the Dragon King is here, we will still not lose!”
“Fairies are the strongest! We are the strongest!”
“Damn it, sisters, don’t stop me! I’ll fight that dragon, too!”
“Everyone, all together! We will not lose to that dragon!”
“““Eyah!”””
All the Fairies pressed their hands together, and prayed to their King to win the battle.
The real Oberon, who was watching this from the side, smirked, but he didn’t do anything.
Because he didn’t have to.
The power of Faith that the Fairies were pouring towards his avatar was more than enough to empower it, allowing it to slowly, but surely, push the Dragon back as the Fairy Flames on its body intensified.
“““Oberon’s Descent!”””
Ethan, and all the Fairies shouted once more at the same time, making the spear of the Fairy King pierce through the Black Dragon like a hot knife cutting through butter.
A second later, a powerful explosion rocked the Magical Arena where the first duel of the Clash of the Manors was being held, which made even Professor Rinehart wonder if Ethan was really a Dud or not.