Chapter 15: Strongest Level 1

“Did you understand? Just 30% would be fine. Please, do not use all your powers at all cost. If you give it your all, this training hall will be destroyed.”

Tina kept on reminding me.

Training hall will be destroyed…Nah, that will never happen.

I always pour out everything when I’m training at our mansion’s hall, but I’ve never destroyed the wall or anything.

“Wait, didn’t you tell us to max out our powers before? Does that mean Halt’s magic is wa-y over the top?”

“The ultimate magic was also released using every ounce of your power, but since Teacher Tina didn’t give him the go signal, maybe he has a really intimidating magical prowess.”

Ryuushin and Luke’s faces mirrored each other, with both of them looking so shocked.

…….But all I’m gonna shoot is that same old [Fire Lance], you know.

Ah, but I had an epiphany!

Tina might have tweaked that target so that it’ll be easily destroyed just by using low level magic- all while retaining its appearance. It's the same with the earlier ones. I know she’ll do that for me. Tina knows about the fact that I can’t use any magic except those that are of the lowest level.

Since my comrades' advanced, destructive powers and cheat-like abilities had been exposed, Tina might be worried whether I lost my confidence or something like that after all.

But if I demolish the weak target “prepared” by Tina, my classmates will think something along these lines:

‘Halt obliterated the target that required our full strength with JUST 30% of his power!!? AWESOME!!!’

…Yeah.

Moreover, because they already thought I have monstrous powers, I can exaggerate it a little bit more and tell them that what I’m usually using is just the lowest level of magic.

In other words, what I have to do right now is to destroy the target as ostentatiously as possible.

“Professor Tina, I understand. I can’t make very small adjustments, but I think I can do it with 30% of my power.”

“Yes, please do.”

Tina then reinforced the protective barrier. Wow, her acting’s really detailed.

She gave the impression that my power is much more destructive by further strengthening the defensive spell that completely prevented the aftermath of Luke's ultimate magic previously.

Alright, let’s get it on!

I won’t waste Tina’s dedication.

I faced the target that Tina 'prepared again'.

I’m pretty sure this one's fragile.

So I decided to have confidence in Tina.

“Here I go!!!”

First, I raised my right hand high up in the air and started to form a mass of magic. If this is a normal practice session, I’ll infuse fire magic in it then form its shape and release it as [Fire Lance].

But that’s not showy enough.

That’s why I cast multiple clumps of magic instead.

I was cursed by the evil god, so my stats will never change.

My magic power will forever be “10/10 –_ Fixed_”

So I released multiple clusters of magic, with each ball consuming less than ten points.

Total number: approximately 100,000.

In the past, I used to take a long time in releasing a number of magic clusters. But now, if it’s just 100,000, it’ll only take around 5 seconds to release them all.

Then, a voice from behind me called--------------

“Ha, Halt-_sama, _w, we agreed on th, thirty percent right!? Are you still okay??”

I heard Tina’s voice.

Because Tina’s in a panic, Leaffa, Ryuushin and the rest began to murmur uneasily.

Yup, Tina’s really doing our little skit quite well.

I started to infuse fire magic to the clusters hovering in the air. Then I started to mold them into a flame.

It started to take the shape of a javelin.

A 3 meter-thick, 20 meter-long giant partisan appeared.

Well, it would be fine to throw this as is, but where’s the excitement in that – it’ll just hit the target and damage it like usual.

And since we’re talking about flamboyant attacks, it_ _could only mean one thing – an explosion.

That’s why I coated the tip of the partisan with high intensity elemental magic of darkness and thunder because they have dynamic powers.

Of course, their magic also consumes little energy, so each shot will only release a low amount of power.

That’s why I piled up thousands of layers. With this, I’m sure I’ll be able to pierce through the target when the spear blows it up.

Prep’s done.

All I have to do now is to release this with all my might!

“Fire Lance!!”

I swung my arm forcefully, and the partisan above my head shot in an unbelievably intense ultra-high speed towards the target.

A COLOSSAL explosion occurred.

Thousands of layers of darkness and thunder magic combined together and caused a chain of explosions. Shock waves surged all around.

Pretty cool, huh.

But not so powerful, I think.

Hopefully I’ll succeed in impaling the target…

The outbursts settled down.

“Ehhh!?”

My jaw dropped at the scene before me. All thoughts stopped.

The target disappeared along with the pedestal.

There was an enormous gaping hole behind its place, and beyond that academy central’s high protective walls is in plain sight.

In front of the gates, Tina -who was supposed to be behind me- stood with both of her arms outstretched towards me.

What the heck happened?

And how did Tina go there?

While my thoughts were swirling, Tina strode towards me and entered from the hole in the wall.

“Ha, Halt-sama, I did say ‘use 30% ‘right?”

Tina’s voice shook, and she looked like she’s about to cry.

And she’s using honorifics. She was so flustered and trembling to the point that she forgot her emphasis of being the instructor.

“Tina, are you alright? Wha, what happened?”

“I barely managed to parry Halt-sama’s magic somehow! Otherwise, the academy’s central area would have suffered enormous damage!!”

“Eh, but– I just used my usual magic-- I didn’t…”

“Do not treat the academy as the same with the mansion! I spent a lot of time reinforcing, strengthening and increasing the amount of the protective barriers over there, that’s why it was able to withstand your magic!”

Apparently, the partisan I released obliterated the target, destroyed part of the wall, and continued flying towards the central area without declining in power.

Tina flew like an arrow and casted a protective barrier spell around the training hall and along the central area’s walls seconds before I threw the magic spear.

Due to her foresight, the center’s devastation was hastily prevented. Unfortunately, because of the magnitude of the attack, Tina wasn’t able to stop it. She could only deflect the blast towards the sky.

“Didn’t know Halt was such a strong guy..”

“Destroying a wall that’s ten times stronger than that target - you’re a monster, dude.”

“U, unbelievable.. That famous heroine Tina Harivell-sama can’t even stop it… what kind of magic was that!?”

“He didn’t even use auxiliary magic; I don’t think that’s normal.”

My classmates slowly backed away from me step by step.

“Because I need to deal with the aftermath, our class for today ends here. I will contact you later, so could you please return to your dormitories?”

“U, understood, Professor.”

Leaffa pulled everyone out of the training hall.

I tried to follow them.

“Please remain here, Halt-kun.”

“… Yes.”

Right.

───＊＊＊───

Tina and I headed towards the training hall’s annex lounge.

“Tina, I’m very sorry.”

“Didn’t I already say not to push to the limit?”

“Yes, that is right.”

I wanted to say I didn’t know the extent of my magic, but Tina doesn’t look like she’s in the mood to allow that.

“I thought I was going to die.”

“Eh?”

“No, I knew if I didn’t have this, without a doubt I am done for.”

Tina took out a golden pendant out of her chest. At its center there was a red gem that was cracked in half.

“Is that a magical tool?”

“Yes. If the person in possession of this pendant falls into grave danger, a very powerful, absolute defense magic – a magic that is at par with what the heroes from other worlds possess – will be activated…it’s that kind of tool.”

Large teardrops overflowed from Tina’s eyes as she stared at the broken pendant.

“I received this from a very important person.”

It was the first time I saw Tina cry.

It’s my fault- because I misunderstood.

It’s my fault that I underestimated my power.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do, but I’ll do anything. So please, do not cry.”

“…….Anything?”

“Y, yes.”

“----------please.”

“Eh?”

“J, just like in the past, please, sleep together with me!”