The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 49

The first magic wizards learn, the fundamental mana manipulation spell, is Magic Missile.

As the name suggests, it’s not particularly impressive. Its power is roughly equivalent to an adult man’s punch, and its range is similar. Its main advantage lies in its simplicity and low mana cost, making it easy to cast repeatedly and overwhelm opponents with sheer numbers.

Of course, it’s ineffective against even moderate defenses, and as a wizard’s Circle [level of magical proficiency] increases, more powerful spells become easier to use, rendering Magic Missile obsolete. However, at the Terra Barrier [a fortified location or defensive line], it’s considered quite useful, second only to Greece [likely a reference to a specific combat tactic or magical technique, needs further context].

Its ease of use and decent physical impact make it ideal for knocking down monsters struggling to climb the barrier, disrupting their advance.

Crack- Crack- Crack-

Renil fired Magic Missiles. As if in response, or perhaps according to a pre-arranged plan, Willand also launched Magic Missiles. However, the outcome was so lopsided that it was clear they weren’t the same spell.

“?!”

“Why?”

If identical spells collided, they should have neutralized each other. The fact that one persisted while the other dissipated, consistently, pointed to a clear difference: they weren’t the same. And indeed, they weren’t.

‘Who would think to modify Magic Missile?’ Renil wondered.

Someone might have. Even though wizards were rare, surely someone had considered it. Even though it was a spell rarely used by advanced mages, wouldn’t at least one person have tried to improve it? Perhaps not just one, but dozens or hundreds. Yet, those around him were astonished, as if they’d never anticipated such a thing.

The reason was simple. The label ‘wizard’ fostered isolation, leading to individual research and a reluctance to share findings. They were unwilling to disseminate the fruits of their labor.

However, the wizards of the Terra Barrier were different. They boldly broke down the barriers between them and collaborated. They recognized the need to improve Magic Missile and pooled their knowledge. Consequently, they identified problems and found solutions far more efficiently than they would have alone. The results were shared, and any shortcomings were promptly addressed.

Thwack thwack thwack thwack-

Just as everyone except Renil was surprised, Willand hadn’t foreseen this outcome either. He expected the Magic Missiles to collide and vanish, based on established theory, common sense, and his own experience. This unexpected result didn’t inflict physical harm, but it shook the very foundation of his understanding.

Willand shook his head.

‘It’s just a feint. He’s trying to unnerve me. It’s just Magic Missile, no matter how strong it gets.’

Indeed, it ultimately failed to penetrate his shield. However, a fleeting, unsettling thought crossed Willand’s mind.

‘What if other spells are like this?’

#

He continued his attacks, but couldn’t breach Willand’s defenses. Through modifications that enhanced the spell’s power, durability, and speed at the cost of mana, it was still fundamentally Magic Missile and couldn’t overcome its inherent limitations. In the meantime, Willand regained his composure and attempted a counterattack.

Projectiles hurtled towards Renil: fire arrows, ice spheres, and translucent Magic Missiles. He had two options: block or evade. Blocking was the simplest and safest choice. He was confident he could block Willand’s attacks even more effectively than Willand had blocked his. But that wasn’t enough.

‘Even if I win that way, they’ll just see it as expected.’

He was of a higher Circle than Willand, meaning his overall capabilities, from mana reserves to raw power, were generally superior. If the duel devolved into a simple exchange of attacks and blocks, people would attribute his victory to his higher rank, which wasn’t the impression he wanted to create.

“Should I treat this as practice?”

After all, simply increasing his magic’s power wouldn’t be enough to defeat him. Wasn’t that what he had anticipated? Compared to that monster’s claws and teeth, the projectiles flying at him were like mere dust.

Swish- Swish- Swoosh-

With enhancement magic bolstering his body, he moved. There was no magic he couldn’t evade. The projectiles were slow and too few to form a barrage. The distance between him and Willand rapidly closed. Willand’s expression betrayed his panic; he hadn’t expected Renil to charge without a shield, and he frantically increased his spellcasting.

He hadn’t studied wizard duels extensively, but they certainly didn’t involve exchanging punches like this.

“Idiot!”

It was a reasonable choice to focus on one’s strengths. A wizard’s frail body would be vulnerable to incoming magic before they could even get close. Despite the closing distance, Willand didn’t evade. Instead, he reinforced his defense.

Not a bad choice. Renil hadn’t neglected his physical training, but he was still a wizard. He couldn’t break the shield with his bare hands. But that predictability made it easy to counter.

Crack-

With a simple gesture, plant stems erupted from the dueling arena floor. Entangle. Originally, it would have created a small snare to trip someone or grab their ankles, but now the Entangle was nearly 2 meters tall. The plant stems wrapped around Willand’s arms and lifted him, throwing him towards Renil.

Willand was completely caught off guard, his expression a mask of confusion. Of course, Renil had no intention of showing mercy.

Thud-

Unlike the sounds heard so far, a clean sound of flesh impacting flesh echoed through the dueling arena.

#

Willand lay collapsed, his face bruised and swollen. Judging by his appearance, he would need immediate treatment for the unseen injuries beneath his clothes. In contrast, not even a trace of battle marred Renil’s flowing robes.

He had thoroughly dominated Willand. He had stepped over the shield to attack from behind, and he had used various magics in unexpected ways to torment him, ensuring no one could claim he had simply won with physical strength. He had even clashed magic against magic, as he had intended. But regardless of Willand’s response, the result was always one-sided.

“It seems to be over. If you’re not going to stop it…”

“I, I…”

The audience and the wizard acting as the mediator stared blankly at Renil and Willand. It was a novel sight for those who had only learned to use magic in a prescribed manner, their minds rigidly confined by formulas. This duel demonstrated application, a concept foreign to those who only solved problems according to the book.

As Renil felt it was pointless to continue, he looked at the mediator to signal the end, but Willand, lying in a miserable state, spoke in a barely audible voice.

“If I had just a little more time… the result would have been different. If I had only reached the 4th Circle…”

“Well, if we could add ‘what if’ to a match, no one would ever experience defeat. Besides, even if you were in the 4th Circle… would the result have changed? The attacks would have been a little more numerous and faster. The power would have been higher, and the shield would have been stronger. The casting would have been faster too. But was the gap between us so narrow that just that would have changed the result?”

Renil didn’t think so. Even if he had only been in the 3rd Circle, the result wouldn’t have been different. The only difference would have been that he would have been somewhat exhausted when the match ended. That was all.

“Stop whining. Any more than that, and you’ll just look pathetic, even if you are a kid.”

With those words, the duel ended. The judge who had acted as the mediator loudly called out Renil’s name, but there was no response. Whether it was because they resented an outsider overwhelming Willand, or because they were still in shock from the duel’s unconventional nature, Renil didn’t know.

“Ah, right.”

There was one last thing he wanted to say to Willand. No, it was something he wanted to say to everyone watching. He hadn’t originally intended to reveal it, but he thought he could use it to his advantage. And a suitable stage had been set.

“If, just if, you were in the 4th Circle and I fought you in the same way, I would have won a hundred times out of a hundred. You know why?”

Willand was still lying on the dueling arena with his eyes closed. But soon, the unusual movement of mana and the murmuring of the surrounding audience made him open his eyes and look at Renil. And his eyes widened in disbelief, as if he had witnessed something impossible.

“Because I’ll always be at least two steps ahead of you.”

#

The news that Renil, a disciple of the Magic Tower Lord, had reached the 5th Circle spread quickly. It was unknown when he had crossed that threshold, but even if it was relatively recent, it was a story that was enough to electrify the entire empire.

Even Gadel, the current Magic Tower Lord, had only reached that level in his mid-twenties, so how brilliant would Renil’s future be, having achieved it at just twenty-one?

This news also spurred those who had been hesitant to act into motion. If Renil had been an asset worth calculating the gains and losses, he was now an asset that had to be acquired at any cost. However, not everyone found this news welcome.

Clang-

A teacup thrown by someone collided with Willand’s head. The teacup shattered on the ground with a loud noise, and a stream of blood trickled down Willand’s head.

“You stupid bastard! What did you do to make things like that!”