How to Survive at the Academy
chapter-217

TL: TangSanFan

ED/PR: Tanthus

The King of Fools (5)

“Why won’t you surrender?”

Tyke Elfellan’s body was no longer moving.

Watching the black-haired boy lying on the cold floor of the sparring arena, Veros, the former student president who had graduated, lowered his sword.

It was a memory from when Tyke, who had just become a sophomore, was faced with a duel against Veros, a renowned senior swordsman in his junior year.

After enduring the pitch-black days of his freshman year, now as a sophomore, he could finally keep up with the proper pace of the lessons.

An ordinary student would have already been carried out due to overwork, yet he was still not meeting expectations.

Such an extreme fool had no chance of defeating student president Veros.

Despite knowing this, Tyke, covered in blood and sweat, was trying to push himself up off the ground with his fists.

His teeth clenched with a grinding noise. Blood streamed down from his forehead, and in between, Tyke’s eyes were shining. The heavy breathing sounded more beastly than human.

“Is defeat shameful to you?”

By the time Veros had laid down his sword, he already had an inkling. Tyke could no longer move his body.

“There is no need to be ashamed. All the students watching here know how much your efforts shine. No one will blame you.”

“Do you fight duels because you fear being scorned, senior Veros?”

“What…?”

Contrary to Veros’s expectation, Tyke somehow managed to get up again.

“If one is content with fruitless effort… then that’s as far as they go.”

At the time of this duel, Tyke’s fighting record was 2 wins and 89 losses.

Even with countless defeats, Tyke Elfellan never took loss for granted.

He would push forward with all his might, even in situations where defeat was certain.

“You asked why I don’t surrender?”

At Tyke’s response, Veros opened his eyes wide in surprise and then, after a moment, let out a snicker.

To face this man, the greatest courtesy was to meet him with all one’s might. Accepting this fact, Veros picked up his sword again.

It goes without saying, Tyke lost consciousness from Veros’s next sword strike and was defeated.

* * *

“That must be Ed young master…!”

“Uh, yeah…”

Exiting the waiting room and heading to the center of the sparring arena, Ed Rothtaylor looked quite different than what the Faelover couple had imagined.

The blond man stood with his academy uniform coat off and his shirt sleeves rolled up. His impression was sharper than expected.

On his forearms glistened slight muscles born from practical living. His body bore many fresh wounds covered in layers of bandages.

He appeared sharp and full of vitality, hardly resembling a nobleman’s son.

Unlike Tyke, who brought only a pair of knuckles, Ed came with all sorts of combat equipment. A staff was strapped to his back, and a self-crafted bow was attached to his waist. Additionally, he even brought alchemical aids.

In Sylvania Academy, duels were as close to real combat as one could get. The essence was to claim victory using all available means and magical knowledge.

As long as it wasn’t trickery or vile cheating, all outputs of one’s knowledge and skills were accepted as valid means in a duel. This policy allowed students from the alchemy department to bring concoctions and magical devices.

Ed Rothtaylor would exploit such rules to the extreme.

He did not care for pride or facade. His attitude was clear and unabashed.

Excited cheers flowed from the stands. Despite the spaciousness of the arena, it was packed with onlookers, many of whom had to stand due to lack of space.

To external spectators, such a fight was a rare sight.

The top students from each year in Sylvania were effectively the future leaders of the academy. Their duels were the epitome of Sylvania Academy’s essence.

Those who aspired to join Sylvania Academy could not afford to miss such duels.

– Freshman class Valedictorian, wade Callamore.

– Sophomore class Valedictorian, Lucy Mayrill.

– Junior class Valedictorian, Ed Rothtaylor.

And Tyke Elfellan, who stood on par with them, seated as the Senior class Valedictorian.

Tyke’s appearance in the arena stood in stark contrast to Ed Rothtaylor’s.

Ed looked sleek and sharp, while Tyke was the embodiment of a human weapon.

While Ed wasn’t small, Tyke’s physique was on a different level altogether.

As the two faced off at a distance, the cheers peaked as if piercing the sky.

But that was only momentary.

– Squeak

The outer doors of the arena opened, and an old man accompanied by attendants entered, followed by a girl with a sharp countenance.

With elegant clothing and a dignified aura, his presence alone was enough to subdue the room.

This was the great ruler who had brought peace to the Clorel Empire, Emperor Clorel. With his entrance, a hush fell over the crowd.

Nobody needed to command silence. His mere presence was an overwhelming force.

When Princess Sella’s face became clear to the audience, they instinctively understood that silence was a must.

The figures at the pinnacle of the empire were present to watch the duel.

The emperor crossed through the divide made by the guards and sat down in the seat prepared for him. Princess Sella sat demurely beside him, engaging in conversation with the emperor.

No one dared to speak out of turn.

* * *

“Got any beer?”

“You must return to the academy’s main office after the duel… It’s not the time to look for alcohol…”

Assistant Professor Claire, who chided Professor Kalerid, soon sighed deeply.

She had come out to see the much-anticipated duel of the valedictorians, but without a place to sit, she was forced to stand and watch, which was quite disheartening.

As if it wasn’t bad enough that Anis, the chief teaching assistant, had taken on more responsibilities with the student council, the guidance professor was still showing no signs of doing his job properly.

After all she’s gone through, her respect for her superior had vanished.

While employed by Professor Glast, she held some semblance of respect for him, but now, looking at this veteran hero of war casually picking his nose, not even a shred of admiration could be mustered.

Recently, her only simple wish was that he would just shave.

With eyes unfocused, Professor Kalerid scanned the arena and laughed dryly upon sensing the flow of magic through Ed’s body.

“I’m not quite right in the head either, but that kid is seriously twisted. Got beaten by Lucy Mayrill, I’d wager.”

“Who? Ed?”

“The number of bandages wrapped around him has increased significantly. The flow of magic along his body also feels denser with elemental energy. Not something you can achieve in a short period.”

Kalerid cast a glance at the student section. Most students with aspirations were gathered there.

The royal guests were present too, signifying that showcasing one’s abilities here could immensely boost their reputation.

However, Ed Rothtaylor seemed indifferent to the larger stakes of the stage.

His focus was entirely on the duel in front of him.

“That reminds me, how many students in the academy can use high-level magic?” asked Kalerid.

“I’m not sure. As far as I know, only two: Tresciana Bloomriver and Lucy Mayrill.”

“Now there are three.”

“What?”

– The duel begins!

At that announcement, a tremendous explosion of light and sound swept through the arena.

The wind generated by the explosion at its epicenter made the audience gasp. Hair and clothes fluttered as people squinted and lowered their postures.

– Boom!

The high-level explosive magic ‘Ruin’.

Developed from the mid-class explosive spell ‘Focused Explosion’, it gathered mana at a similar pace but the outcome was on a different scale entirely.

The spell was manifested too quickly to react to, while ‘Focused Explosion’, for a mid-class spell, had the disadvantage of ambivalent firepower.

‘Ruin’, however, was a spell that overcame those shortcomings—a veritable epitome of explosive magic.

The grand blast radiated from the center of the arena, and as the dust settled, Ed could be seen pivoting his wrist.

Opposite him was Tyke, who had defended against the otherwise indefensible speed of the attack by rapidly raising his guard, minimizing the impact of the explosion.

Still, Tyke was thrown against the outer wall, his body bearing the brand of scorched wounds, and the wall itself partially crumbled.

A regular warrior would have been knocked unconscious and defeated on the spot. Yet, Tyke stood up without regard for the consequences.

Shaking off the dust and firmly gripping his knuckles, he readied his guard again.

Despite the undoubtedly severe pain from his injuries, Tyke’s eyes were still full of life.

* * *

The battle began with a blast of high-level magic.

The sight shocked not only the audience but also…

Even the academy students watching couldn’t help but click their tongues in amazement.

They expected a high-level fight, but never imagined a high-tier spell would burst forth the moment it began.

In a typical duel, the battle would be deemed over once a warrior actually managed to withstand such a spell with his bare body.

However, Tyke Elfellan, whose mental fortitude was unrivaled, stood up, taking deep breaths.

He raised his guard, burying his face in his forearm as he breathed in and out deeply.

Huff—

Haa—

Once that brief moment of breath finished, Tyke Elfellan disappeared from sight.

“…!”

The audience gasped as the towering man moved at speeds difficult to follow with the naked eye.

Tyke appeared behind Ed.

One might mistake him for using brute force befitting his large build, but such assumptions would be folly.

Tyke was top among his peers at the battle faculty, having secured his position through countless victories.

His journey was stained with blood and sweat, not merely from overwhelming others with innate talent but from persevering through precarious battles, clinching victories with sheer willpower.

Fundamentally, Tyke could execute anything his fellow combat students could—and much more.

Assuming his combat style could be stereotyped would lead one directly to defeat.

– Bang!

He stomped the ground, and even the dusty arena floor resonated with the impact.

It was nothing more than a launch for his next attack. Gathering strength from the earth, he twisted his axis of power, unleashing a devastating punch.

That single strike—worthy of the title ‘King of Fists’—could shatter even buildings.

– Boom!

No magic accompanied this strike, nor did he rely on specialized magic equipment or potions.

A solitary punch, purely from his physical prowess, caused the air to tremble and dust to rise.

The energy surrounding his fist spread out, striking faster than any spell, heading straight for Ed Rothtaylor’s unknowing head.

A cannonball shot from a fist—that metaphor falls short for Tyke’s punch.

– Roar!

But Tyke’s fist never reached Ed.

A sudden gust of wind enveloped Ed and repelled Tyke’s massive form.

– Crash!

It was only then that Ed Rothtaylor turned to look.

He hadn’t failed to react, he chose not to, using the spirit’s blessing ‘Blessing of the Windstorm’ offensively.

“Ugh…!”

Tyke, caught by the wind without knowing why, tumbled across the ground.

It was a force he couldn’t resist. To widen the gap between himself and a mage signified an impending subsequent strike.

Ed’s attack began. With a resolved gaze, Tyke raised his guard, staring down the blond nobleman through the opening.

As the boy raised his arm, flames wrapped around the arena.

『 Scream! 』

The chilling roar was accompanied by the audience’s gasps as a giant bat, nearly the size of a person, wrapped around the boy.

The bat spread its fiery wings, the resulting wind twisting through the arena again.

A column of fire rose and swirled before charging towards Tyke.

Magic must be countered with magic.

Tyke was astoundingly deficient in magical talent, but had trained himself to at least deflect an opponent’s spells.

His magic sensitivity and efficiency were worse than a novice magician, yet Tyke managed to forcefully gather all his bodily magic to his feet and stomp the ground.

– Bang!

‘Anti-Magic Step.’

A spell that countered enemy mana by shattering it with one’s own. However, the spell was terribly inefficient and given Tyke’s poor fundamentals in magic, it was not practical.

Still, Tyke stubbornly used this impractical spell in real battles, the only way he could counteract magic.

Despite sweating profusely, he succeeded in breaking apart the fiery pillar.

But it could only work once. If he had to expend all his energy to block a simple jab, defeat was inevitable.

So it had to be quick and decisive.

Tyke took a deep breath once more, preparing to make a move.

Huff—

Haa—

He centered himself, holding a steady breath, then launched forward toward Ed Rothtaylor.

Beastly like an elephant, yet agile as a panther, his movements left even his fellow combat students in awe.

Fast, yet powerful—a single punch allowed would mean a one-way ticket to the afterlife.

His approach to Ed was devoid of superfluous techniques.

A lifetime of refined training showed; inborn talents couldn’t rival his acquired combat knowledge.

The ‘king of dullards’ earned an instinctive ‘body sense’ wrought from incessant repetition.

Kicking away the newly emerged medium water spirit ‘Leshia’ was due to this ingrained sense.

– Bang!

His foot reached out reflexively.

『 Scream! 』

Leshia dissipated into nothing. Then Tyke realized; Ed Rothtaylor used ‘Manifestation of the Source’ to prepare a trap against Tyke’s advance.

But Tyke reacted purely on reflex, unaware of the trap.

Though his stance faltered, he quickly spun around to face Ed—holding a dagger in a reverse grip.

– Clang!

Tyke countered with his knuckles, but the dagger began emitting a different magical power.

Spirit Formula – Explosive Array.

An inscription on the dagger initiated another explosion.

Ed got caught in the blast though the ‘Blessing of Fire Repentance’ he wore ensured his safety from the explosion’s impact.

“This… Watch…”

– Boom!

Tyke’s mirthless laughter accompanied another explosion.

Withstanding even high-level explosive magic, such an explosion wouldn’t knock him out instantly.

But being caught off-guard by a surprise blast meant he couldn’t defend properly.

It should at least widen the gap once more.

Contrary to Ed Rothtaylor’s expectation, Tyke’s face appeared before him through the smoke.

His breathing was like that of a giant bear at close range—an illusion so complete.

Had he dispersed his magic in that fleeting moment? No.

Did he, like Ed, train a different way to resist explosions? No.

Had the efficiency of the spirit formula reduced due to outside factors? No.

Tyke Elfellan had simply withstood.

With a surge of ki and sheer willpower, he endured.

“You’re insane…”

“That would be my line, Ed Rothtaylor.”

Expending all his strength, Tyke swept away the dagger with his knuckle.

There was no preparatory stance, no gathering of force. The mere push caused Ed Rothtaylor’s body to significantly reel back.

– Crash!!

Ed gritted his teeth, rolled a few times, then managed to get back up and took a combat stance.

As he prepared another spell, the fire magic circled the arena again.

Tyke Elfellan’s ability to counteract magic was almost none. He bit down and relied on his will to endure or occasionally manifested his awful anti-magic capabilities.

It was a poor matchup, he was aware.

Yet Tyke Elfellan’s responses were always unwavering.

With a bound, he grabbed hold of the floating firebat Muk’s scruff.

『 Scream! Scream! 』

Even presumed to be just a bat, this creature was as large as a human’s upper body.

Still, Tyke slammed Muk down and then sat atop, crushing it without a care for the blood streaming from his wounds—Muk was promptly neutralized.

Ed Rothtaylor’s brow furrowed, as he took his stance once again.

And Tyke… raised his guard once more.

Then he breathed—

Huff—

Haa—

Covered in blood with multiple abrasions, he stood unfazed by the countless explosions he’d faced, blood dripping from his scalp, but his breathing never faltered.

Those facing him felt as if they were punching a stone wall. The sheer force of his presence threatened to crush his opponents.

In front of a poised Tyke, Ed now retrieved the ‘Thunderstruck Thousand-Year-Old Staff.’

He was not an opponent to be taken lightly.

That fact… had been clear from the very start.