Saint-rank magician

Paul lifted Radeus and Rudeus onto the horse. Radeus sat in front of Roxy, and Rudeus sat behind her.

Even with Roxy there, Radeus was still a little nervous. After all, he had never ridden a horse before. At most, he had heard the song "The Horse-Wrangling Man."

Hmm! Did that make me an armchair rider?

"Are you nervous, Rad?" Roxy asked Radeus, who was leaning against her.

"A-a little!" Radeus was very honest.

"Haha, I never thought you had such a childlike side to you, Radeus," Roxy said with a smile.

"What do you mean, childlike? I am a child! And I'm only five, the same age as that potato kid!" Radeus retorted.

"I don't know what this potato kid you're talking about is, Rad, but as your teacher, I'm happy to see this side of you."

Radeus looked up at Roxy. Her smile was beautiful, surpassing everything in the world.

Everyone they passed along the way greeted Roxy, and she responded together with Radeus and Rudeus.

Before long, the three arrived at an open stretch of grassland. Aside from a single tree, there was nothing but endless fields.

"This spot will do!" Roxy lifted the two off the horse.

"This feels great!"

Rudeus wildly gulped down the air of the grassland, like someone who had gone without water for ages drinking to make up for it.

"Yeah, it's beautiful!" Radeus nodded.

"All right, you two!"

"I'm going to cast Water Saint Rank water magic now. Watch carefully, both of you. Your teacher can only cast it once," Roxy told them.

"Got it!" they answered in unison.

"Oh, Master Roxy, did we come here because Saint-rank magic is a secret art?" Rudeus asked.

"No, it's because it's so powerful that it could easily affect the village!"

I-is Water Saint Rank water magic really that powerful?

Roxy raised her staff, took a deep breath, and began chanting.

"Great spirit of water, prince of the thunder emperor who strides across the firmament! Grant my prayer, bring forth your savage blessing, and show these insignificant beings your power!"

As she recited those words, Radeus and Rudeus distinctly felt an enormous flow of mana. The weather began to change unnaturally. The clear sky instantly filled with dark clouds, as though some being was about to descend.

The tremendous force startled them both, but the chant continued.

"Strike the anvil with the hammer of the gods and reveal your glory, flooding the earth! Ah, rain! Wash away everything and drive all things from this world! Thundercloud Layer!"

The instant Roxy finished her incantation, torrential rain began pouring from the sky. Fierce winds swept between heaven and earth, lightning snaked through the clouds, and thunder boomed like war drums.

Under the force of the gale, Rudeus's physique as an invincible Advanced Swordsman could no longer hold out. Just as he was about to be blown away, he grabbed Radeus.

As an Advanced Swordsman, Radeus naturally would not be blown away like the invincible Beginner Swordsman. He stood firmly in place without moving an inch, as steady as a mountain.

He did, however, give Rudeus a mocking look.

If you suck, practice more!

Rudeus really wanted to give Radeus a piece of his mind, but since he still had to rely on him to keep from being blown away, he could only hold it in.

With his psychological scars gone, Rudeus's relationship with Radeus had grown closer. Rather than brothers, the two were now more like a pair of friends who constantly ribbed each other.

If a comparison had to be made, their relationship was now closer to that of Iori and Kohei in Grand Blue.

When the spell's force reached its peak, a bolt of lightning descended from the clouds with a momentum that threatened to destroy everything. The two saw its shape first, and only afterward did the tremendous sound slowly reach them.

Boom!

"Ne-e-eigh!"

Caravaggio, who was tied beneath the tree, had the good fortune to take that strike. His white coat had turned black, and he was twitching, looking as though he was about to die!

"Caravaggio!!!" Rudeus shouted.

He had never imagined that his first ride on him would also be his last. He had only just felt like he was starting to build a friendship with Caravaggio!

Roxy noticed too and stopped the spell, her face filled with panic.

"What do we do? What do we do?"

"It's all right. I'll cast Healing Spell!" Radeus volunteered.

After all, he and Caravaggio also shared a deep friendship. He absolutely wasn't healing him because they would have to walk home without him!

Absolutely not!

Under Radeus's Healing Spell, Caravaggio returned to his original condition. His body was still trembling, though, apparently still somewhat traumatized.

After confirming that Caravaggio was all right, Roxy addressed the two.

"Now you two give it a try! I'll protect Caravaggio!"

Radeus and Rudeus nodded.

"Who goes first?"

"Let's decide with rock-paper-scissors!" Radeus suggested.

"Okay!"

"Rock, paper, scissors!"

Without a doubt, Radeus won.

What a fool. Under the gaze of my Six Eyes, I even know what kind of fart you're going to let out! Hahaha!

Radeus was immensely pleased with himself. What he had not expected was that telepathy would activate passively, letting Rudeus hear every word of his thoughts.

"You dirty bastard! You animal! You cheated!"

Rudeus was furious, vehemently condemning Radeus's behavior.

"Hmph, this is part of my strength too. Give it up. You agreed to the bet, so accept your loss!"

Radeus felt no guilt whatsoever. Instead, he was quite proud.

"These two idiots!" Roxy remarked from the side.

With no other choice, Rudeus had to go first.

Rudeus waved his staff and began chanting.

Radeus walked over to Roxy and spoke to her.

"Master Roxy, increase your mana output, or you might not be able to block it!"

Roxy froze for a moment but did as he said. Radeus knew full well how much of a freak Rudeus was. If this guy cast the spell, it would definitely be more powerful than before.

Sure enough, as the chant progressed, the sky grew even darker than before, covering an even wider area. The falling raindrops were already as big as peas, and the thunder was much louder too.

Finally, a lightning bolt several times thicker than the previous one struck down, hitting beneath the tree once again. Fortunately, with Roxy there, Caravaggio escaped death a second time.

"How was that?"

After finishing, Rudeus addressed Radeus.

"Hmph, nothing special!"

"Tsundere!"

"Who the heck are you calling a tsundere?!"

After a round of roughhousing, it was Radeus's turn. With the same incantation, his spell's power and range were somewhat smaller than Rudeus's, but it was still far more powerful than Roxy's.

"Really, you're both so impressive!" Roxy marveled from the side.

"Congratulations. From now on, you're Water Saint Rank magicians. Now I really have nothing left to teach you!"

Looking at Roxy's smile, both felt as though something was about to spill from their eyes. But faced with her smile, they knew that this was a time to smile, not cry.

Neither answered. They simply smiled along with Roxy.