Mightiest Melee Magician

Chapter 101

The next day.

The 114 magicians of the Academy and the 48 trainee knights of the Poldren Training Center gathered in one place.

Maybe because of the incident that happened when they first met yesterday,

This Everyones a bit awkward

Rather than a sense of curiosity, there was a sense of hostility between the people gathered here.

Competitiveness rather than intrigue was heavy in the atmosphere.

As this intense mood dominated the sparring grounds

Alright! Attention!

The two professors who would oversee the main lesson stepped up.

Since it was a joint lesson between the magicians and the knights, there were naturally two professors.

Professor Hydel, the battle magic professor, and Sir Coulter Pirante, the captain of the Poldren knights.

The class officially started.

Right. Before we start the proper lesson, choose your partner. You shouldve all heard, but there are 114 magicians and 48 knights. So well split the total 162 into two major groups and then create 54 three member sub groups.

The first part of the lesson was the creation of the two teams and the three-member groups.

The two major teams were for the team competition later, and the three-member groups were for the different sparring and training purposes.

So first, well need to create the teams The graduate representative Jakil Galehill and the student representative Ruin Ardell will become the two team captains. Everyone, move to the group you want to join.

As Jakil Galehill and I moved to the front, the students split themselves into the team they wanted to join.

Two teams of 81 people.

The academy who had been debating whos better and whos stronger actually ended up splitting perfectly in two.

This will conclude the team distribution, and next is group formation. You will form 54 groups with two magicians per one knight. When a trainee knight steps forward, the students who wish to group with them will raise their hands.

Next was the group formation.

Two magicians and one knight.

54 groups of three people.

It was supposed to be two magicians who would go and support a trainee knight, but the boasting of connections by Jakil and Maltive officially started from here.

Bro, I really didnt want to come here. What joint lesson with magicians I have nothing I can learn from them. I came here pointlessly and just ended up getting told off by the knight captain.

Me too. Its been so long since Ive graduated I really dont know why I must be here with my juniors. This is far too boring for me.

Kekek. I would be bored too if I was you, bro. So how about we partner up now? Lets just end this quickly.

Oh, sure we can. Lets get Michael as well and be a group with us three.

Alright.

The Galehill brothers and Maltive Kegen.

These three decided to form a group for these lessons.

Of course, this was honestly better for me, since I had relations with all three of them.

Then, Jason asked me,

Ruin, who are you teaming up with? Do you have a trainee knight youve already picked out?

Yeah.

Oh, really? Who?

Hell be here soon.

Just as I finished speaking, it became Hansens turn.

Next! Hansen!

Y-yes!

Hansen looked to be quite nervous as he walked forward with shaky eyes.

I-Im Trainee Knight Hansen of Poldren Training Center. If someone wants to be in a group with me P-please raise your

It was then.

Pft! Isnt that our commoner Hansen, last place of the training center?

If you go in the same group as him, I dont even have to wait to see your grade.

Yeah. One. Hundred. Percent. Last. Place. Kekekek.

Everyone, quiet!

The trainee knights that looked to be Maltive Kegens lackeys started to insult Hansen openly, and the mood became quite cold because of that.

It was an act of bullying no matter how you saw it.

Who would want to form a group with Hansen in a situation like this?

Naturally, none of the magicians lifted their hand and Hansens shaky eyes lost their light.

But then, I lifted my hand.

Me. Ill do it.

Ruin?

The students who didnt see the incident yesterday reacted like my choice was unexpected,

And even Jason, who was sitting next to me, grabbed my arm and asked,

What? They say hes last place at the training center. Are you really going to be in the same group as him?

Yeah. Hes my friend.

Friend?

Yeah. I wont ask you to make the same choice as me, Jason. So you can do what you want now.

Hey, Im disappointed that you think that If hes your friend, hes my friend too.

Jason quickly also stood up and raised his hand.

Me! Ill group as well!

Alright. Ruin Ardell, Jason Damon, Hasen, you three are Group 31.

Yes.

After Jason and I chose him, the light in Hansens eyes came back a little.

Then, he bowed his hand to the both of us.

Thank you for ch-choosing me, Ruin Thank you.

Its nothing. I did it because I wanted to.

My name is Jason. If youre Ruins friend, youre my friend too, so lets talk comfortably with each other, alright?

Yes? Ah, yeah.

The reason I chose Hansen to be in the same group as me wasnt just simply because of friendship.

I wont deny that there was a sense of kinship and sympathy from seeing my past self in him

But the real reason was because I trusted in Hansens great potential currently dormant inside him.

The feeling I got when I first met Hansen wasnt wrong.

Hansen had the highest potential amongst the trainee knights.

If we could fix his weak personality, his skills would definitely flourish.

If possible, I wanted to attach those wings onto him myself, because we had a common  enemy we must defeat.

Also, I kinda enjoyed the bland meal I received from his older sister.

Our goal isnt simply getting a good grade.

Then?

Well crush Group 1.

Group 1.

Jakil, Michael, Maltive.

The group that looked to be top dog by being made from these three powerful individuals.

Jason found these words funny and clapped like a seal.

Oh! I like that!

Hansen, are you confident?

Eh?

After going into a daze for a second from hearing that we would crush Group 1, Hansen regained the strength in his eyes.

I-Ill try my best.

Dont lose your wits. I wasnt bluffing when I said you are stronger than Maltive.

Really?

Yeah.

Ruins eye for people is pretty good. Hes already proven it before by pulling our team, who was always last place, up to 4th place in the Grand Festival. So, Hansen. You can believe whatever Ruin says, even if it doesnt make sense.

O-ok.

Alright. With this, our Group 31 was pretty set now.

So what was next?

Paying attention in class.

* * *

* * *

The first class was battle training.

Sir Coulter showed how to aim for the critical time of a magicians casting to suppress them, and Professor Hydel showed how to predict the movement of knights to effectively move out of their attack range.

Alright, nows your turn.

The separate groups took this lesson and started to train in the same methods.

The magicians naturally couldnt use lethal magic, and only used nonlethal magic to defend themselves, and the knights used wooden swords rather than real ones.

But for these guys who couldnt even control their own strengths, how could a magician and knight understand their own positions and train together?

W-wait! Ouch! I got hit.

Again. Ill try attacking again.

Rabble like this couldnt be seen anywhere else in the world.

This wasnt too different for our Group 31.

Can I really attack you?

Of course. Isnt this a class? Attack like you normally would. Ill dodge all of them.

A-alright. Then, Im starting.

Hansen attacked and Jason defended.

However, Jasons understanding of a knights movement was far too lacking, and Hansen was too timid to make a proper attack.

Ouch! Aaaooo That hurt.

S-sorry! Are you ok?

I started to tune the movements of Jason and Hansen.

Jason. If you try to move after confirming a knight is coming at you, then its too late. You need to predict their movement by observing their shoulders and feet.

Like this?

Thats much better. Hansen! You can never give him an opening. Its a wooden sword anyways, so dont hold back too much.

Ok!

Although it was really little by little, Jasons defensive form started to take shape.

Hansen also seemed to be less nervous, and his true skills started to shine.

About 10 minutes had passed, and among the 54 groups, only our group showed a decent level of attacking and defending.

Haah, haah Ruin. Its your turn now.

I switched in with Jason and faced Hansen.

Are you sure you dont need to rest?

Yeah. I feel a little warmed up now.

Really? Alright. Lets go.

I faced Hansen and took the casting position.

A spar against a knight with a wooden sword. Hadnt I already done this a lot before?

Against a knight stronger than Sir Bengrass Kegen, the sole 7th-rank knight of the kingdom.

The secret best knight, the Tiger of Ardell, Sir Bolvar.

Using what I learnt in my experience against him, I could calmly dodge Hasnens sword strikes.

Hansen, move faster!

Ught!

Too slow. If you were aiming for my lower body, your movements were too big. You need to fool me.

I could see it.

If I was to exaggerate a little, it even felt a little too slow.

I wasnt saying this because Hansens current level was too low.

Hansen showed a learned movement unlike his title of the worst of the training center, and he was participating in the lesson quite well.

It was just that, because I had sparred against Sir Bolvar a lot before, everything else felt slow.

He was truly oppressive in his movement.

Hansen finally looked to be getting used to the training, and his nervousness seemed to have dissipated. He even smiled with joy.

Ruin, I feel like youre messing with me Should I go all out?

Of course.

Vwoong

Hansens sword became fiercer.

But naturally, he still had a long way to go.

* * *

Group 1.

Jakil, Michael, and Maltive.

These three were apathetic about the class since the lesson started.

Im so bored

Lets just not do this. Havent we learnt this before anyways?

Sure.

They decided to not train at all and started to take a rest on the ground.

There was also another reason for this.

But why isnt Sir Jakil training?

Are you stupid? Why would he need to train in something like this? Hes someone whos already experienced all this in real battles.

Ah, yeah. Thats right.

And it was that far too many people were observing them.

Dammit. Am I an exhibit? Why is everyone so keen on watching me?

The title of the youngest court magician he had obtained through the name of Galehill.

If he was to display his true skills which were far too lacking for what his position entailed, their faith in the name of Galehill would crumble.

That was why Jakil chose to not train at all.

And as these guys took their rest

Oh, look over there!

?

The movements of Ruin caught their eyes.