Genius 41

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Chapter 41. Learning

"Huh!"

With a breath, magic gets unleashed.

Enhanced general-purpose magic. Improved using [Emerald Tablet]'s application, elevating its effectiveness to the level approaching Bloodline Magic.

Hence, even heavily fortified soldiers should be incapacitated upon direct hit— or so it was thought.

"There...!"

Right before hitting the soldiers, something like a cage of light unfolds with her shout. It perfectly blocks his magic. Not even a breeze of the aftermath reaches the soldiers, and the cage of light remains unscathed.

Bloodline Magic, [Theur Gy].

A strong barrier that can even withstand a blow from a quasi-dragon class monster.

One of the reasons why not a single soldier has been taken down since the battle began.

And one more reason.

Even she can't completely block all of Hermes's magic, and some parts manage to graze the soldiers, steadily inflicting damage.

"...Here. You should be able to move now."

"T-Thank you..."

"It's better not to let your guard down. Hermes-san is strong."

"R-Right, got it!"

Despite Sara's words, the soldiers reluctantly rise, and return to the battlefield.

Not a scratch on their bodies. Even the leg injured by the magic he just cast is completely healed.

It's Bloodline Magic, [Ars Paulina].

While she knew it could heal wounds, judging from what she just saw, it seems it can also somewhat restore fatigue.

It's been the same cycle since earlier.

His magic gets blocked, and even if it inflicted some injuries, they're instantly healed, preventing any damage accumulation.

While this is happening, the soldiers' swords and magic relentlessly assault Hermes. He's managing to handle it all for now, but their numbers are overwhelming. It's only a matter of time before he gets hit.

This is Sara von Hartmann.

While people around her worship her as a saint or something... Hermes's impression is not as trivial.

In battle, that girl transforms any ally into an incredibly troublesome presence with unparalleled endurance and infinite recovery power.

She's the creator god of the battlefield, embodying the ideal of 'an endless supply of troops' as long as magic lasts.

(Truly a 'dual aptitude' holder. This is tougher than I anticipated.)

It feels like battling an invincible army.

It's pointless unless we reduce their forces over there. But that's extremely difficult.

Ordinary magic is all blocked by [Theur Gy]. To penetrate that barrier and prevent recovery, you'd need magic with the power to defeat them in one blow— but naturally, such powerful spells are limited to Bloodline Magic, requiring preparation including chanting. The soldiers won't allow such a big opening.

If I focus solely on this situation, I'm basically stuck. But...

(...)

We've found a breakthrough.

Not just one. There are already several magical options that seem capable of breaking this situation.

So what I'm thinking about now is which one to use.

I need something that can defeat them. I need something that can defeat them quickly. Something that won't exhaust me. Something I can defeat without revealing too much of my hand.

He discards those options immediately.

"...Alright."

And what he chooses is the most uncertain and unstable option. It'll likely consume energy and have a high chance of failure.

Yet, the reason he chose it is.

"Because she said, 'I want to see what feelings you put into your magic'."

He remembered Sara's words before the battle began.

It's his principle to respond to someone's feelings, especially if they admire him. In that sense, this magic and what he's about to do are perfect for showcasing.

Therefore, he first creates an opening with enhanced general-purpose magic.

Then, he takes a step back and starts chanting.

(Here it comes!)

Sensing the signs of a big move from Hermes's actions, Sarah focuses on her Bloodline Magic and his movements.

In the midst of that, what he chants is.

"'Six are the holy bows, one is the magic bullet, their strings are the weapons of false gods.'"

(! That incantation— [Mistle Teinn]?)

It's a well-known Bloodline Magic. After all, Chris, Aster's subordinate, used it often, almost flauntingly.

Indeed, it's a powerful mid-range Bloodline Magic— but it won't penetrate her [Theur Gy].

Rather, it was somewhat anticlimactic since she was on guard, expecting such magic.

However, without letting her guard down, she tries to block his magic with her barrier, observing his magic's flow.

Just before her eyes.

Hermes creates a magic bullet and inhales it into his own foot.

"!?"

Before they could react to this unexpected action.

With a tremendous explosion, Hermes, who had accelerated abruptly, charges at one of the soldiers. With his momentum, he easily blows away several people.

"What—!?"

The soldiers cry out in astonishment.

Sara quickly checks the soldier blown away— he's fine, not unconscious. So, if she treats him with [Ars Paulina], he can return to the frontline. But...

"You fool, what was that just now!?"

"Is it reinforcement magic!? No, it's too fast for that! How are we supposed to deal with something like this—"

The soldiers witnessing the recent attack are in disarray.

It's understandable. This is a situation completely out of their expectations.

It was known that Hermes excelled not only in magic but also in hand-to-hand combat. So switching to close combat after judging that he couldn't break through Sara's [Theur Gy] was expected. That, they were prepared for.

But, they assume he would use [Lunad Saraka], a pure enhancement-type Bloodline Magic. These soldiers experienced it once in prison and were confident they could handle its speed and strength— but...

"Guuaah!"

"I-It's almost impossible to see!? What are we supposed to do with this!?"

His current speed and the power generated by it far surpass their expectations.

In the face of such a situation, an atmosphere of giving up starts to pervade, at that moment.

"P-Please, calm down!"

Sarah shouts at the top of her lungs, surprising everyone around her.

"T-That was certainly powerful. But— there must be some constraint! Right now, he's only charging at us!"

Based on that information, she speculates. What just happened was certainly caused by [Mistral Tina]. So, it's likely that. Though it's a guess, she thinks he's converting the propulsive force of the magic bullet into his charging force.

She had no idea how he was doing it, but the speculation was almost correct.

And once you understand what's happening, the countermeasures naturally come to mind.

"If his attacks are only in a straight line, we can deal with them by calmly determining their trajectory! There should be a big opening, so aim for that! Also— he probably isn't used to this attack method!"

Otherwise, there's no way he couldn't take down a single person with his most predictable initial attack.

Based on such a kind of trust, she delivered her conclusion.

"Harden yourselves and prioritize not getting hit! If it's not a single blow, I'll heal you! Then there will definitely be an opportunity!"

"—Impressive."

The first to respond to her words wasn't the soldiers but Hermes, who was supposed to be fighting.

He gazes at her with surprise and utmost respect in his eyes.

"Your guesses were all spot-on. Where did you learn that level of observation and analysis?"

"W-Well, it's self-taught, and I learned a bit from Katia-sama."

"That's it? That's amazing. You might have more talent than me."

"!"

Unmistakably, words of praise spilled from his mouth.

To receive acknowledgment for something she did from such a formidable magician. The excitement she felt at that fact made her momentarily forget that she was in the midst of a battle.

Perhaps to cut off such emotions, or simply because he thought Hermes was vulnerable now, several soldiers launched attacks at him.

He effortlessly dodges them, and the battle resumes.

However, the soldiers change their tactics following Sara's advice. It works remarkably well, steadily aiming at Hermes's vulnerabilities without the previous confusion, as they gradually adapt to his attacks.

With Hermes's increasing attack power, casualties will inevitably be if they make a wrong move. However, at the same time, they begin to catch Hermes off guard by targeting moments of vulnerability or when his control gets disrupted, gradually turning the tide into a back-and-forth struggle.

Their offense and defense are evenly matched.

So, with the substantial means of recovery, they have the advantage. All they need to do is press on steadily, and victory is within reach—

—That prediction would have been accurate if he weren't their opponent.

"H-He?"

They couldn't believe their eyes.

Gradually. Slowly but surely.

The once evenly matched battle gradually shifted in Hermes's favor.

Are the soldiers slowing down? No, that's not it. Their morale is high, and given Sarah's magical reserves, they can't tire out.

So, the cause lies elsewhere.

Hermes's movements are becoming more refined, gradually.

And it's not just adaptation.

Simple movements become complex. Linear movements become multi-dimensional.

Generating a new magic bullet in the middle of a charge, abruptly stopping by applying the opposite propulsive force. Executing multi-directional propulsion by lodging magic bullets in multiple places and adjusting the power at one point to create a curved trajectory. In addition, an increase in control ability to flawlessly execute these complex maneuvers.

The weaknesses Sarah pointed out at first— 'simple movements', 'not accustomed'— had long been overcome in the heat of battle.

His resulting movements are precise and unpredictable. The soldiers are now at Hermes's mercy, and their numbers are dwindling rapidly.

(Ah, I see.)

Sarah understands. This is his magic.

Understanding his shortcomings, devising improvement strategies, incorporating new techniques and ideas, and honing his skills in battle.

He always wants more from what he's given, always trying everything and aiming for higher ground.

Learning and evolving.

This element, which cannot exist for those satisfied with Bloodline Magic predetermined since birth, must be one of his essential qualities. One of the forms of his feelings, perhaps.

Therefore, the evaluations he receives, unlike those given to other magicians, don't apply to him. They are merely evaluations of him at the present moment and useless to him in the aftermath of battle or the next moment.

Failing to see that was probably her downfall.

(That's amazing.)

She thought enviously.

Watching him wield magic so freely and joyfully.

Compared to them, who have bloodline magic envied by everyone— it feels like they're bound, restricted beings.

Lost in such thoughts, he finally incapacitates the last soldier.

"...Now."

He approaches Sara while catching his breath and says this.

"This is my magic. What did you think?"

"Yes. We can't win against this."

That's what she genuinely thought.

Not in terms of power. There's something much bigger at play.

Nobody can beat him, probably.

Still, if she could become like him, it would be something to be truly happy about.

At that moment, her heart also leaned in one direction. That was the signal for the conclusion.