Chapter 205 — Sports Festival Destruction Villain

1

The group event pillar dodging ended with Manus’s overwhelming performance.

For first years, Melanie was the final survivor giving Snake Class victory.

Second years also saw Snake Class win due to Manus’s rampage.

Third years had Eagle Class win thanks to Santoreo’s performance.

Fourth years didn’t participate in the sports festival, so round one was a perfect victory for mages.

This year definitely seemed to highlight mage talent.

You could say talented individuals were concentrated there.

[Next is Death Ball! It’s class versus class, so do your best!]

Death Ball.

Death dodgeball.

In the actual game, it was run as a simple mini-game.

Like a rhythm game where you press buttons in time to catch incoming balls and press a moving bar to throw.

It was quite fun as a kind of rhythm game.

What would real dodgeball be like?

Manus recalled the rules while watching the first years’ match.

‘All three classes played at once. It was pretty complicated.’

If Snake Class attacks, either Eagle Class or Deer Class receives the ball.

After that, they can’t attack Snake Class for one turn.

It was a system where teams rotated attack and defense.

So you had to choose your targets well to be able to receive returning balls.

The game flowed quite excitingly.

Just having mana made for spectacular scenes.

“Take this-!”

“Think you can break through my defense!?”

“Here I go, spinning whirlwind-!”

It was complete chaos.

Manus watched the game with interest, letting out a chuckle.

While Deer Class and Eagle Class with their generally good physicals had many survivors, Snake Class lost one or two people whenever a ball came.

But getting out wasn’t entirely bad.

In dodgeball, defense was just as important as offense.

Attacking from a safe position.

It was much better conditions for mages than attacking while dodging.

Interesting situations kept unfolding.

And at the end stood Melanie, of course.

“Isn’t that completely unfair?”

“A spirit user, right? She’s really doing everything alone.”

“Phew… here I go.”

Melanie showed perfect defense actively using spirit power.

With spirits, she could catch attacks even from blind spots.

And what about her offense?

Her attacks wrapping balls in whirlwinds were impossible for students of the same level to catch.

A true ace!

Using fire and wind spirits aggressively for attacks, she was like a goddess of dodgeball.

In events like this, Melanie with her martial arts training clearly showed better performance than Kael or Anais.

‘Martial arts is definitely worth learning.’

Manus felt it too when destroying the pillar.

Along with elemental studies, assuming you took it to the end, it was a field that guaranteed tremendous power.

That thrilling sensation couldn’t be forgotten.

If he hadn’t had talent in elemental studies, it was attractive enough that he might have chosen martial arts as his path.

“Manus. What are we going to do?”

“Well. I’m just planning to enjoy it.”

“Unexpected. I thought you wouldn’t enjoy it.”

Alano came over and plopped down beside him.

Sports festival.

Last year Manus spent the time doing nothing.

He didn’t even attend, so people just thought he hated sports festivals.

But surprisingly.

Once participating, Manus engaged more enthusiastically than anyone.

Not only that, he even went as far as destroying the game.

“I enjoy what’s worth enjoying.”

“Yeah. I thought wrong.”

“I wonder how everyone thinks of me.”

“Well…”

Alano started speaking then just smiled softly.

If he told Manus what he was thinking now, he’d probably see quite an angry expression.

Seeing his grinning expression, Manus chuckled.

Just his expression was answer enough.

“I can guess what they think.”

“Maybe… a bit unsociable?”

“I’m someone who wants to enjoy what’s enjoyable too.”

Alano nodded and looked ahead.

The game was almost over.

Now it was their turn, so they should prepare.

“They say Castro entered as a second year? Should be fun.”

“Need to show him he’s overreaching.”

You’re not ready yet.

To show that fact, the two stood from their seats.

2

Second year Death Ball.

It was a scene of slaughter.

The balls Manus threw were pure destruction.

Students from both Deer and Eagle Class fell like leaves.

When he caught a ball, you could count on casualties.

And what about defense?

Having learned martial arts, he could catch any attack.

“What is that!”

“We have to take down Manus first! No matter what!”

He caught every ball that came flying.

He even showed the prowess to catch balls heading for other students.

To the point other students had nothing to do.

Only Guillermo and Castro could catch his throws.

The two felt a perfect wall in Death Ball.

If he’s a mage, he should quietly shoot magic, why was he jumping around?

“What can we do about this.”

“Guillermo. Don’t you have anything to show?”

“That one’s a monster. Better to give up.”

Even the great Guillermo thought it better to give up.

Pure physical games might be different, but games involving throwing and catching balls were definitely disadvantageous.

Above all, guardians specialized in blocking, not catching.

The same was true for Castro.

Though he and Dave somehow worked together to block Manus’s offense, everyone else was helpless.

Like that, they all got eliminated, unable to overcome attacking Manus and defending Alano.

[Oh, Snake Class is sweeping this sports festival! Deer Class! Try harder! Eagle Class step it up too!]

The announcer’s words brought mixed reactions.

Eagle and Deer Class burned with fighting spirit while Snake Class worked to maintain their current performance.

There were still many events left.

There were also many events Manus wasn’t participating in, so there were plenty of chances to perform well.

Like that, half the sports festival passed.

3

Under Manus’s overwhelming performance, Snake Class was riding high.

But as soon as Manus and Alano were out, they got completely devoured by other classes, showing just how amazing those two’s power was.

After finishing the group events, finally the anticipated individual events.

The individual events were simple.

Like in [X-ing Team Go!], you had to pass through a giant artificial stage.

The person who completes it in the fastest time wins the prize.

[Kieeeeek-!]

[Kyaaak!]

Strange sounds echoed from inside the stage.

You could tell something unusual was waiting just by looking.

What were the professors thinking making such a stage?

A towering spire.

A massive labyrinth-like structure.

What kind of hell had they implemented inside?

[The anticipated individual event! This time the rules are different from last year!]

Whoever enters and comes out first is the winner.

A match decided in one round.

There were six participants total.

Manus, Guillermo, and Castro were the main characters while the other three participated for fun.

[Well, rule explanation over! Go survive! And seize victory!]

The rules were simple.

Just overcome all traps, monsters, and competitors to reach the end.

A stage incorporating all the professors’ imagination.

The highlight of the sports festival began.

[Choosing an entrance will lead to stages with different themes.]

[Which theme appears is random! But none of the stages are easy!]

Everyone took their positions waiting for the start.

Manus stood in position quietly waiting for the signal.

Though curious what difficulties each would face, he would be the first one out.

[Then, start-!]

The stage doors opened.

An extraordinary stage created by combining space utilization magic and various magic circles.

Even time felt different inside compared to outside.

It was a stage made touching even the edges of time magic, one of the forbidden magics.

Manus looked ahead while passing through the alien curtain.

There, abnormally moving platforms awaited him.

Stage 1.

He had to step on platforms moving with time differences in order to advance to the next area.

Below, writhing flames flickered.

[The first stage tests judgment, memory, and agility!]

“A dungeon would be better.”

There were safety measures and the stage itself was an extremely realistic illusion so there was no fear of death.

The chilling pit of flames visible below.

What were the others doing?

Manus looked ahead while having idle thoughts.

Dizzying formulas entered his eyes.

Manus could see and understand all magical knowledge.

Though unfair to others, he could tell ‘when’ and ‘where’ platforms would appear just by looking once.

“Shall we go.”

[Ooh, Manus! Setting out!]

Pajijik-!

He evenly distributed power to his legs, arms, and torso wrapping them in mana.

Running quickly.

Balance spread throughout the body was essential for parkour-like movements.

Pat!

Manus kicked off the solid stone.

And began showing an unbelievable sight.

He kicked off platforms right before they disappeared to float in midair.

When trying to land where there was nothing, platforms appeared like magic.

Running straight ahead then jumping at the edge.

He just skipped complicated sections by running along the side walls.

“…What is that.”

“Isn’t this too much!”

“Wow… really a monster. Why even be a mage?”

“Right. Just from a mage family, but actually all-capable.”

Watching students nodded.

Yeah, that’s right.

Alano watching from the side nodded too.

Ooooh-!

Cheers erupted.

Students not participating in individual events and those still waiting for their turn all focused on Manus’s screen.

“Heup-!”

Kwaaang-!

Finally, the last part with two giant panels opening and closing like automatic doors.

Also the last part of the first gate.

Manus took a powerful running start then flew toward the doors.

But the timing wasn’t good.

“Eh!?”

“Ah, why there!”

“Should have waited a bit more!”

Manus arrived right in front as the doors were closing.

Normal people would have hit the panels and fallen there.

But Manus wasn’t normal.

[Martial Art: Confectio]

[Insert: Ignio]

Hwururururuk-!

A giant flaming fist appeared in midair.

The panel blocking his way was sufficiently, no, excessively solid.

But Manus could control destructive power just enough to barely break through.

[Caesar’s Mindset]

That was enough to make Manus a monster.

Kwaaaa-!

[Th-th-that brute-!]

For a guardian to call a mage brutish.

That itself was truly a rare sight.

Flying dirt and dust.

The aftermath of destruction filling the video view momentarily.

Manus escaped through the middle leaving a long dust trail, safely landing at the stage’s end.

Waaaaaah-!

Cheers poured out.

Yes, this performance!

This is why we watch sports festivals!

“Well, I didn’t teach martial arts for this purpose, hmm.”

“This year’s field trip is going to be a trip to hell, isn’t it.”

Only those who knew understood that the more Manus showed off, the greater the pain awaiting in the future.

–TL Notes–
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