Mage Battle

"Crush him, boss!"

"Show those Blackwater District paupers what you're made of!"

Having retreated to the top of the garbage hill to watch, the two lackeys took on the role of cheerleaders.

In the basketball-court-sized clearing, green light flashed across both boys' bodies for an instant. Then, to Rosaline's astonishment, the two Initiate Mages immediately began grappling, kicking each other in the stomach and punching each other in the forehead. They did not look magical in the slightest.

Rosaline was dumbfounded. This was nothing like the mage battle she had expected; it was no different from an ordinary fight between brats!

The only possible difference was that Rune Rings occasionally appeared on their skin during the fight. That meant they had likely both used some kind of body-enhancement magic, either to improve their physical abilities or increase their stamina or recovery.

How was she supposed to use this as a learning reference...? But they were both Elite students from Black Tower Middle School. Could this be the actual level of people her age? And since she had been taught by her teacher, who was a reclusive master, it was only natural that she was stronger than them...

Thinking that, Rosaline suddenly realized something extremely important that she had previously overlooked. In this world, paid knowledge was enforced thoroughly. Any magical formula had to be purchased through legitimate channels, or one risked imprisonment if reported.

That meant that, as Initiate Mages, neither Hans nor Briel could have many formulas available to them.

But she was different. Her teacher was unfathomable. Even in dreams, he was still a top-tier expert who freely gave her many super formulas with "S"-rank performance. Wasn't it only natural for her to be powerful?

It was not that she was exceptionally gifted by nature. Her teacher's formulas were simply too powerful! Even if it had been someone else, anyone who obtained those formulas would have become strong!

With that thought, Rosaline reined in some of her pride and continued observing. The battle below was also nearing its conclusion—Hans had apparently learned some grappling techniques somewhere and was tightly locking Briel's neck, veins bulging in his arms as he exerted every ounce of strength.

"Nice one, big brother!"

Mary pumped her fist hard.

But at that moment, the entire garbage hill suddenly shook violently. A pillar of fire rising two hundred meters away dyed half the sky orange-red, while metal fragments flung up by the shockwave rained down around them.

"What's going on?" Hans asked without releasing his hold.

Briel also became alert and told the two lackeys, "Go see what happened!"

A minute later, the two lackeys returned on their boards, their faces filled with terror. "Boss, it's a gang! Gangs are fighting here! We need to leave!"

"A gang?!" At the mention of that word, Hans immediately let go, allowing Briel to escape his restraint. Briel did nothing further either. After catching his breath, he said, "This one doesn't count... Let's get out of here!"

"It doesn't count? Weren't you about to lose?" Mary's attention remained fixed on their arranged fight. She thought Briel was just trying to use the opportunity to weasel out of crawling and barking like a dog.

Briel ignored Mary's mockery and stepped directly onto his Hoverboard, preparing to leave ahead of the others with his lackeys and bodyguard golem.

However, the next second, accompanied by a strange sound, a scorching Flame Spell Bullet landed directly in front of Briel and the other two. Unable to brake in time, all three crashed into one another.

Rosaline and the others looked up and saw a bare-chested gang member grinning down at the boys and girls through the smoke. He held a Rune Firearms weapon in his hands. No one knew its grade, but no one doubted that he could kill every child present with a single shot.

"I was only planning to ambush the Gutter Gang. Didn't expect to find such an unexpected bonus, hahaha." The gangster laughed. He looked utterly ordinary, but his attire was peculiar. Beneath his jacket was a layer of pitch-black bone-like material, making him look as though he wore demonic armor.

Rosaline studied his armor. Based on the knowledge she had picked up over this period, it should be an Exosymbiotic Prosthesis from either a Scale Shedding Organism or Spirit Vine Company. They were essentially magical organisms that could coexist symbiotically with their hosts, surviving on nutrients and magical power supplied by them while providing protection in various forms, such as external armor or increased strength.

"W-We were just passing by! You fight your fight, don't drag us into it!"

As a local, Hans looked far calmer. "My father is Doctor Hoffman from Acid Street! He's treated you before!"

"Acid Street? That's fucking Skeleton Brotherhood territory! What does that have to do with our Vicious Dog Gang?" The gangster spat.

"...So you're not from them." Hans looked a little awkward.

"Ironhide, what the hell are you doing? The Gutter Gang people have all run off! Get over here and help!" Before long, another gangster appeared.

Unlike the "Ironhide" he had called out to, this gangster's right hand was covered in a thin layer of green, plant-vein-like skin. White light flowed amid the emerald green, outlining countless fine Rune Rings that flickered like breathing lights. It looked like some sort of plant-based Exosymbiotic Prosthesis.

"What does the Gutter Gang matter, Luville? Look at these kids. They've got Flying Boards and bodyguard golems. Their families must be rich. Aren't they far more important than the Gutter Gang?" Ironhide said with a grin. "Make their parents bring money over. We can get at least a million from each one! We'll strike it rich!"

"Oh! You're right!" Saying that, Ironhide and Luville immediately began calling for reinforcements over the channel, preparing to kidnap them.

Hans, Mary, Briel, and the others looked utterly panicked. Being caught up in a gang battle was completely beyond anything they could have anticipated, and resistance was even more impossible.

"My father is the operations director of Black Tower Pharmaceuticals. Y-you can't do this to me..." As more and more gangsters approached, Briel shouted, his face pale as a sheet.

But...

"Fuck, Black Tower Pharmaceuticals? I hate corporate dogs most in my life, especially dogs from pharmaceutical companies!"

Upon hearing Briel's words, Ironhide's grin became even more savage. He snarled, "Do you know how much I paid for Black Tower medical services once? I just asked about a stomachache online. It took three minutes total, and they billed me eight thousand!"

He then raised his gun and aimed the firing port of the Rune Firearms weapon at Briel, who was nearly scared unconscious. "And you still dare use Black Tower to scare me? I'll kill you right now!"

"Ah—" Briel screamed instinctively, as though he could already see the Flame Spell Bullet melting through his body.

But at that moment, a fierce wind suddenly erupted through the garbage dump! It came from nowhere, yet swept up metal fragments into a barrier that blocked their vision while blowing many ordinary gang members off their feet.

Then, seizing the opportunity, Rosaline grabbed Hans and Mary and spat a single word at the stunned Briel and his two companions: "Run!" She immediately picked up Briel's Hoverboard and prepared to flee with the two of them.

Naturally, the gangsters were unwilling to let them go. But just as the gale ended, they were intercepted by the bodyguard golem. At the same time, two crimson Rune Rings appeared in midair and sprayed flames at the gangsters.

—As a youth version of Flame Dance, its power was nowhere near what Ivette could cast herself. But Rosaline's main purpose now was to cover their retreat, and even using it merely to obstruct vision was enough.

At the same time, Rosaline did not stop maintaining Wind Control. Instead, she redirected the gale to empower the Hoverboard and forcibly accelerate it. In an instant, it burst forward so fast that even the spell bullets fired by Rune Firearms could not catch it. Carrying Briel and his two companions, who looked utterly bewildered but still fled for their lives behind her, it became a streak of green light, shot behind another garbage hill, and vanished without a trace.