Rena drank all the potions she had saved before her last duel.

She grimaced at the terrible taste that never became familiar no matter how many times she drank it, but she endured.

It was an opponent she couldn’t win against unless she was in perfect condition.

No, even in perfect condition, she couldn’t guarantee victory.

-Is it fun to just criticize others behind their backs?

Rena recalled what had happened just a short while ago.

She might have unnecessarily provoked her last duel opponent.

It might have reignited a fire in a relationship that had already cooled and grown tired of each other, or it could have been ignored.

But.

-Why is she throwing away all those precious potions?

-I guess she thinks she’s something special because she’s the top student.

It clearly wasn’t her business, but why did it make her feel so bad to hear it?

Thinking that the person who said those words was once her friend made it even harder to ignore.

Rena briefly recalled the past, then frowned.

It wasn’t a memory she particularly wanted to remember.

-This burn scar is because of you, Rena. Do you still feel nothing?

-They say it will probably remain as a permanent scar. Your flames did this to me.

Rena buried the rising idle thoughts and stood up.

It was about time.

Now, it was time to face the illusion of the past.

***

Wendy was like a mirror image of Rena.

Their skills, backgrounds, and personalities were similar, so it was natural for them to become closer.

They ranked first and second at the same magic high school.

It was possible because it wasn’t as large as the Imperial Academy.

Until they realized the vastness of the world through experience, they thought this pattern would continue.

Success experienced at a young age makes humans arrogant.

The two were the same.

There was no one at their level in that small school.

The only one at Rena’s level was Wendy, and the only one who could duel at Wendy’s level was Rena.

They thought this daily life `of alternately taking first and second place would continue.

It was like that until a transfer student came who was superior to them in every aspect.

The top spot they had been sharing became entirely someone else’s, and all the attention and interest directed at them was taken away.

Rena asked Wendy.

“Hey, don’t you think that guy is really annoying?”

“You think so too?”

Wendy, who got along well with her as expected, agreed with Rena’s opinion.

Thinking back now, that seems to have been the start of all the tragedy.

***

Rena stood on the dueling ground.

There was already someone in the arena she stepped into.

Blue hair fluttered in the wind.

A familiar face and a familiar scenario.

This isn’t the first time Rena is dueling Wendy.

The number of duels they had was uncountable.

So it overlapped with the image of her she had seen in the past.

“……”

But it was different indeed.

Wendy’s impression was sharper than Rena remembered. She had grown in many ways.

Was she the only one who had stagnated after all?

Rena stood opposite Wendy with a bitter smile. Wendy sneered and whispered.

“If you don’t want to see blood, why don’t you forfeit now? You know my personality.”

Wendy was famous for not being considerate of her opponents in duels.

If they don’t give up, she’ll pour out merciless attacks until they do, making them bloody.

Of course, Rena knows this, too.

How could she not?

Wendy resembled her.

She was like her alter ego.

The difference was that Rena had changed, and Wendy hadn’t.

Rather, she had fallen to a worse side than before.

It was the result of two people who were in the same place heading in different directions.

Rena took a step forward without saying anything.

It meant she accepted the duel.

Wendy frowned and said.

“You really have changed.”

Rena answered her words while igniting flames in her hand.

“You should change a bit.”

With those words, the sound signaling the start of the duel was heard.

Rena extended her flames, and Wendy immediately created an ice sword and leaped.

Wendy was strong both in close combat and at a distance.

That was why her win rate was high.

Against swordsmen, she keeps her distance and intercepts; against mages, she closes in and targets their weaknesses.

Of course, Wendy, who excels in both, has no weaknesses.

She was also the most difficult type to deal with in one-on-one combat.

Wendy, who avoided the flames, swung her sword towards Rena.

“Ugh?!”

Most mages can’t exert strength in close combat.

Not only is there not enough time to draw spells, but they might also get caught up in their own attacks.

Rena was the same.

The ice sword grazed Rena’s skin.

It wasn’t a dull pain like being hit with a wooden sword.

Rena retreated at the sharp pain.

Blood from the wound stained the arena floor.

The wound is cold.

That was what Wendy’s chilling could do.

But there was no time for Rena to rest.

Sharp ice needles flew towards her as she retreated.

“Bloom.”

Rena burned the mana in her body and ignited strong flames.

Rena had the advantage in firepower.

The ice fragments flying through the air melted and disappeared before reaching her.

Of course, the sword Wendy held also melted, so she had to retreat.

Wendy smiled after getting out of the range of the flames.

In her hand was an ice sword she had recreated.

“Yes, I thought you’d come out like that. How long can you hold out?”

Rena exhaled heavily.

She had been induced to use a big technique on purpose.

Rena’s instantaneous firepower was threatening even to Wendy, so she was baiting Rena to consume mana.

On the other hand, she pressured Rena using only a minimal amount of mana.

Wendy extends her left hand towards Rena.

“Pierce.”

A mana-efficient spell for the lethality if it hits.

It’s a magic that Wendy has carved into her own form to maximize efficiency even further.

She has triumphed many mages with this spell.

It’s too threatening to leave alone, but the mana loss is too great to block.

Barrier magic consumes a lot of mana, and it’s impossible to respond with less mana than Wendy’s ice needles.

Like this, when facing mages, she gains a considerable mana advantage.

She endlessly depletes mana, which is like life for mages.

She has brought down more than dozens of mages like this.

How long can Rena hold out?

She already has no chance of winning.

Wendy’s tactics are optimized for attrition warfare, and her mana quantity is higher than Rena’s.

As Rena’s flames covered the arena, Wendy, unable to approach, retreated and set up sharp needles.

When she lightly flicked her fingers, the air was densely filled with blue needles.

There are countless needles, too many to even count.

Wendy created that amount with less than half of Rena’s mana.

“Why are you trying to keep your distance? Did you think you’d have an advantage at long range?”

Although she’s sometimes misunderstood because she’s capable of close combat, Wendy is also a mage.

Rather, most of Wendy’s capabilities come from intercepting after creating distance.

She was like the essence and standard of the Combat Magic department.

And.

“…No.”

There’s someone who knows Wendy’s tactics best.

It was Rena.

Wendy is the natural enemy of mages. She’s good at attrition warfare and strong regardless of distance.

And,

She knows that creating distance against her isn’t such a good choice.

“That’s why I’m going.”

Keeping distance from Wendy was to buy time.

She just needed time to layer spells upon spells and preheat the flames.

Rena raised the firepower of her flames, ignoring the ice needles surrounding her from all directions.

A huge flame flickered greatly, blazing around her.

Wendy’s ice melted from the greatly emitted heat, and mana drained from Rena’s body at a terrifying speed.

Burning mana might have been foolish if it were against someone else, but it was different if the opponent was Wendy.

There was no point in saving mana because the longer it took, the more advantageous it became for Wendy.

If time was on Wendy’s side, Rena judged that she shouldn’t give her any more of it.

“Bloom.”

A huge flame enveloped Rena’s right hand.

Flames follow her steps.

Hell instantaneously fell upon the arena.

Although she falls somewhat behind people like Iria or Lucia, Rena was once considered a strong candidate for the top spot in the entrance exam.

What she lacked in endurance was made up for by absolute firepower.

It wasn’t for nothing that she was evaluated highly by the academy staff.

Rena, holding flames that overwhelm everything, stood before Wendy.

Wendy swallowed dry saliva, watching Rena slowly approach her.

“… You’re crazier than you look, huh?”

The composure disappeared from Wendy’s expression.