The Olympius Ruins expedition tournament started.
I’m juggling between commentating on Char and the gang’s adventure, steering the monsters through the labyrinth’s control device, keeping an eye out for any emergencies, and playing support for Char’s team from the sidelines. Yeah, I’m busy!
That might be why the first monsters the contestants encounter are the Flame Mummies, an advanced species of the undead that normally doesn’t spawn so close to the surface.
They looked so wimpy. I figured they’d make a good appetizer.
But it’s cool. I’m confident Char and her crew can beat these guys!
Team Numbers is in the lead. I turn to one of the split screens where they’re just about to encounter the mummies. Let’s observe how they handle their foe.
“Wow, this is terrible…”
The battle is so shambolic, Professor Tear immediately loses the oomph in her voiceover.
‘Huurgh!’ Number 4─a beefy dude who looks like he’d never get carded for alcohol─swings his fists and pummels the mummies in the face and torso.
‘Hyahahaha! I’ll slice you to shreds!’ A pretty girl with crazy eyes is literally tearing through the undead with a whip. She’s got a trashy sense of style but her weapon’s cool. She’s Number 12.
“Impressive! As expected from the school’s top performers in practical magic,” Theresia says.
“Yeah, but it’s not exactly a pretty picture.”
“Nor is it a clean sweep.”
Number 4’s been getting slammed and fire-blasted every now and then. His face scrunches in pain.
And the Number 12 girl is, uh…getting in the way. Her teammates are having a hard time launching attacks without accidentally hitting her.
Among all that, one young man stands out in the mix.
‘Dark Storm!’
Mr. Handsome unleashes a barrage of pitch-black missiles, blasting away mummy after mummy.
On another screen, the student spectators are cheering.
‘Did you see that? He can accurately maneuver his magic shots!’
‘Incredible…’
‘Kyaaa! Oh, Alexei!’
Ugh. I hate it when the hotshot shows off.
Watching him is starting to piss me off. I turn my attention to Char’s team instead. They’re just about to approach the mob of mummies.
“Enter Prince Laius, the top student in his grade and the future king of the coming era!” The zest in the sportscaster’s voice comes back.
“Is it just me or is your commentary for this team much more enthusiastic than for Guberg’s?” the headmistress mutters.
It’s (not) just you.
Laius pushes Iris out of the way and leaps out in front of the monsters.
‘Fire Storm!’
He unleashes a Fire magic attack. A beam of embers blasts like a flamethrower and catch onto the mummies, but…
‘What?! It didn’t even faze them?!’
Char, flying in the air, hovers down towards Laius and tells him, ‘Those monsters are flame-resistant.’
‘Why didn’t you say so?!’
Pfft, look at him getting beet red, I snicker to myself.
‘Laius, step back, please,’ instructs Marianne.
‘I’ll handle this!’ shouts Iris.
Laius looks peeved but he steps aside as Iris smashes into the front-line mummies with her fists. Princess Marianne supports from behind with Water magic attacks.
Meanwhile, Char floats in the air and waves her magic wand.
Wings made of light sprout from her back and spread open. With a wistful expression, Char incants, ‘Pure Reinigung…’
Dazzling, almost divine, beams of light flows out of Char and gently veil the mummies.
“Look at that!” shouts Tear. “Char’s mysterious sacred magic seems to be dissipating the mummies!”
“She’s an angel…” I utter. And I honestly think so.
Whereas…
“No, that’s an intermediate purification spell. It’s astonishing to see it wielded by a girl of her age, but there’s no need to give it a new name. However, the amount of light emitting from her seems excessive…” The headmistress elucidates with a sigh of disdain.
Yep. Char’s magical girl costume is designed to light up in different colors depending on the element her magic spell wields. The wings on her back are similar─they’re both basically just for show.
But the production value seems to be hitting its mark. The student audience is transfixed.
‘Incredible! Did you see how many she wiped out in one sweep?’
‘What is she, an angel?’
‘Charlotte’s so adorable!’
‘I wish she were my little sister!’
That’s my little sister. Jealous?
‘Dang it! I’ve got this too! Lightning Arrow!’
Laius shoots off a bombardment of bolts from behind Char. They pierce through the chests and heads of the remaining mummies. Chunks of dry flesh streak in all directions.
“Not exactly picturesque,” comments Professor Tear.
“By contrast, Charlotte chose a humane method to eliminate the monsters. What an angel… Nay, the Holy Mother!” I praise.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Your remarks seem biased even among members of the same team,” says Theresia.
No, we’re just being honest.
Eventually, both teams make it past the first batch of monsters.
After that, it’s smooth sailing (now that I’m being careful by sending only weak monsters) and both teams clear the temple zone at pretty much the same pace.