The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 218

“Is it really fine for you not to watch the duel?”

When the news that Emperor Kroel and Princess Selah had arrived on Acken Island reached them, the servants of the royal residence became busy with preparations.

In order to welcome Emperor Kroel and Princess Selah, who would later meet with Princess Penia, they had to prepare a tea party in the garden as well as dinner. They also needed to organize the servants’ business reports once again.

With the royal residence in a state of constant activity, Claire cautiously asked Princess Penia—who was walking down the hallway while gazing out at the garden—about the duel.

Princess Penia brushed her hair back and looked toward Silvenia Academy’s distant spire as she replied, “…It’s alright.”

She hesitated briefly before speaking again, this time with more confidence.

“It’ll be fine. Since it’s him, I’m sure things will go as planned.”

***

Deep breathing.

Daike, the King of Power, maintained his composure through steady, deliberate breaths.

Raising both of his massive arms into a guard, he stared straight at his opponent while carefully considering his next move.

After drawing in a deep breath… his heavy body lunged forward as swiftly as a hummingbird.

The audience held their breath.

All of the combat department students watching from their section were unable to look away.

The first- and second-year students, in particular, were completely absorbed.

The third- and fourth-years, having been classmates with both fighters, knew just how rapidly the two had grown over such a short period.

However, the newer students had only just begun to grasp the difference between themselves and the upperclassmen—without yet realizing that the two fighting in the arena were special cases even among them.

Ed Rothstaylor unwrapped the cloth, revealing a large wand. Holding it, he watched Daike as the latter took another deep breath.

Despite his massive build, Daike moved with astonishing speed—nimble like a thief—and left no openings.

With a wand in one hand and a dagger in the other, Ed found himself backed against the wall with nowhere to retreat. From the center of the arena, Daike charged straight at him.

If someone didn’t know better, they might have thought Daike was using spatial-type magic.

His movements were that fast.

In the blink of an eye, Daike was already in front of him, fist clenched. Ed barely had time to react.

Whooooosh!

“Huff!”

With a sharp grunt and a thunderous impact, Daike’s foot slammed into the ground.

Dodging with near animal instincts, Ed narrowly avoided the blow as Daike’s fist pierced through the wall where he had been standing.

Craaaaaaaash!

With a single punch, the wall collapsed, filling the arena with dust.

Just as Ziggs had warned—one direct hit from Daike’s fists would end the match.

Ed Rothstaylor rolled across the dirt floor in an ungraceful tumble, retreating toward the center of the arena. Before Daike could turn to face him, Ed gathered magic power at the tip of his wand.

Aside from the advanced spell he had cast at the start, he had yet to use techniques that demanded an excessive amount of magic power.

However, Ed Rothstaylor had reached a point where magic consumption was no longer a concern.

The audience swallowed nervously.

They could feel that the flow of magic surrounding Ed was abnormal.

Even spectators with no knowledge of magic could tell that the atmosphere of the arena itself was changing.

A high-ranking spirit had arrived.

An elementalist capable of commanding high-ranking spirits. A magician capable of advanced elemental magic.

Possessing either one of those abilities alone was enough to be considered exceptional at Silvenia.

Yet Ed Rothstaylor possessed both.

A powerful wind began to swirl throughout the arena.

Students from the magic department stared in disbelief. Even the professors felt the same shock.

Anyone who had practiced magic even once understood what it meant to reach such heights at Ed Rothstaylor’s age.

The dust stirred up by Daike’s attack was swept away by the wind.

As visibility returned, Daike could be seen standing firm.

However… standing before him was a wolf larger than a house.

The audience erupted into shocked cheers.

Most students had never seen Ed summon Merilda before, and witnessing it firsthand left them in awe.

To them, the high-ranking wind spirit Merilda was a spectacle in itself. Merely gazing upon her majestic form was enough to inspire reverence.

But for Daike Elpelan, that high-ranking spirit was a trial he had to overcome.

A monster capable of blowing dozens of people away with a single kick and leveling buildings with magic. And he had to face it with nothing but knuckle dusters.

There was no option to retreat.

Daike raised his guard and took a deep breath.

Inhale…

Exhale…

His heart steadied itself once more.

Even amid the raging wind and swirling dust, Daike stared directly at Merilda with cold eyes.

Awooooooo!

The wolf’s howl echoed throughout the vast arena.

With a swing of its forelimbs—thicker than a building’s support pillars—a massive gust of wind surged toward Daike.

Boooooooooom!

Rock Skin.

Daike used his weak magic power to cast a body-enhancement spell. Though his magic would normally barely protect him from a scratch, he managed to withstand Merilda’s attack.

Thud!

The impact drove his feet into the ground as if they were buried. His arm muscles screamed in agony, and the overwhelming pressure threatened to break his sanity.

Even so, Daike endured through sheer willpower.

“Huff…”

Clang!

After deflecting Merilda’s forelimbs, he leapt upward toward the wolf’s lower jaw, fist clenched.

It was a simple punch, yet it moved with such overwhelming speed that evasion was impossible.

Clash!

His fist slammed into Merilda’s lower jaw with all his strength, snapping her head to the side.

A single blow wasn’t enough to defeat a high-ranking spirit. However, as Daike prepared to follow up—

Swoosh! Thud!

He was fortunate to have cast Rock Skin beforehand.

While airborne, an arrow struck his lower abdomen. It failed to pierce his skin, but the impact sent pain through his body.

“Keukkk!”

Looking down, Daike saw Ed Rothstaylor lowering his bow, having switched from his wand to fire.

Out of habit, Daike had assumed he was facing a typical elementalist.

Usually, such battles revolved around defeating the summoned spirits, as elementalists themselves lacked close-combat ability.

Once the spirit fell, the elementalist followed.

But Ed Rothstaylor fought personally, using high-ranking spirits as merely one tool among many.

In a one-on-one duel, he was a stubborn and unfair opponent.

As Daike’s posture faltered, he looked back up into Merilda’s eerie eyes.

Bang!

The next blow sent him flying into the wall.

Dust filled the arena once more as Daike slumped forward against it.

Merilda’s attack was decisive—something no human should have been able to endure.

For a moment, the arena fell silent.

As Ed lowered his bow… cheers erupted.

“Wow!”

“Amazing! A high-ranking elementalist who can also use advanced elemental magic… Is this really Silvenia’s level now?!”

Princess Selah stared wide-eyed. Emperor Kroel stroked his chin as he observed. Even among those personally nurtured by the imperial family, few possessed such promise.

Silvenia truly was a profound institution.

As Ed Rothstaylor prepared to put away his bow and cancel Merilda’s manifestation to end the duel—

Thud.

Daike Elpelan stood up amidst the rubble.

Even after being struck head-on by a high-ranking spirit, he rose as though he didn’t care.

Blood streamed down from his forehead. His body was covered in cuts and wounds.

Yet the King of Power raised his guard once more.

He inhaled deeply.

Inhale…

Exhale…

The audience stared in disbelief. Everyone agreed—Merilda’s attack was something no human should survive.

“It’s not over yet.”

“There’s no point in continuing.”

“That’s not for you to decide.”

To Daike, that much wasn’t even a wound.

He spoke calmly as he looked up at Merilda’s towering form.

High-ranking spirits weren’t meant to be fought alone. They required preparation, strategy, and careful exploitation of weaknesses.

Daike knew that.

Yet he never retreated.

“At your age, you can command high-ranking spirits, use advanced elemental magic, fight competently, and wield a bow. You deserve the title ‘Genius of the Third Year Magic Department.’”

“……”

“But how many geniuses do you think I’ve fought so far?”

Blood dripped down from his buzz cut, yet to him it didn’t even qualify as an injury.

Daike Elpelan had always pushed his body to its limits when facing geniuses.

“Some crushed me easily. Others I managed to drag down by clinging to their ankles.”

“…Daike.”

“I’m not someone who can be defeated easily.”

He entered Silvenia in Class F and spent half a year training without sleep just to reach Class E. Even then, he remained in the middle-to-lower ranks for another year.

Countless geniuses trampled over him during that time. At first, he counted them. Eventually, the number lost meaning.

Geniuses climbed ranks in leaps. Daike Elpelan climbed one step at a time—until he reached the top.

That difference in strength wasn’t merely an ordeal.

It was his entire life.

Daike kicked off the ground.

Aiming for Ed Rothstaylor, he bent low and leapt forward, rapidly closing the distance.

Merilda moved to intercept, unleashing wind to stop him. Daike dug his feet into the dirt, endured the gale, shoved Merilda’s paw aside with his knuckle dusters, and forced his way through.

His muscles screamed. Blood poured freely. Yet he reached Ed.

But Ed had anticipated this. At some point, he had embedded his dagger—engraved with Explosion—into the ground.

Boom!

The explosion rang out as Ed kicked his wand into the air and caught it.

Focusing his magic, he cast the advanced spell Eye of the Typhoon. A slicing wind suppressed Daike’s movements.

Merilda struck again, smashing Daike into the ground.

Crash!

Struck twice by devastating attacks, Daike leaned against the wall, bleeding heavily, and took a breath.

The spectators swallowed nervously.

Combat department students clenched their fists. To them, Daike was a pathfinder.

Wade Callamore closed his eyes tightly.

Ziggs, leaning against the wall, sighed quietly.

He knew what would happen next.

Before anyone could worry, Daike stood again. Spitting blood, he raised his guard and breathed.

Inhale…

Exhale…

Ed Rothstaylor couldn’t be treated like a standard elementalist.

Even after closing the distance, Daike had to fight him like a close-combat specialist.

Daike charged again—this time toward Merilda.

She invoked Northeastern Wind.

Daike’s body lifted helplessly before being smashed aside once more.

He rolled across the dirt—then stood up again.

This time, he aimed for Ed.

Enduring Merilda’s attacks through sheer willpower, his body breaking apart, Daike advanced.

Bang!

He was suddenly right in front of Ed.

His speed exceeded normal limits.

Yet Ed’s eyes remained calm.

Unless Daike struck with full power, he wouldn’t land a hit.

As Daike drew back his fist, Ed prepared another spell.

The punch extended—

Then withdrew.

A feint.

Ed froze.

His plan to counter with Explosion failed.

Forced to bend low, he tried to evade.

Daike followed through.

Boom!

His fist sank into Ed Rothstaylor’s side.

The first clean hit of the duel.

Though restrained, the blow still sent Ed flying.

Booom!!!!

Ed slammed into the wall.

Yet Daike felt no satisfaction.

It was like punching stone.

Ed had cast a defensive spell at the last moment.

He’s still fine…!

Before Daike could react, Merilda recovered.

Her growl was terrifying.

Dark red magic filled the arena.

Celestial Magic Power.

The magic professors gasped.

Only Cleoh and Kaleid remained calm.

Daike turned toward Ed—but it was too late.

Forced Collection.

An unreasonable spell.

Celestial magic warped space itself.

In an instant, Daike’s position changed.

He found himself before Ed’s open palm.

Ed seized his face and slammed him into the ground.

Thud!

“Keuk!”

Ed stomped on his chest, dagger poised.

Disoriented, Daike swung blindly.

Clang!

Ed dodged and pressed the blade to his neck.

Silence fell.

“Surrender.”

It was neither threat nor arrogance.

Just advice.

Daike smirked.

“I’ve never surrendered.”

“You’ll be seriously injured.”

“I already have been. Cough…”

Daike gathered what little energy remained.

Fa Jin.

An inefficient magic—yet he used it anyway.

Whoosh!

Ed was forced back.

The battle reignited.

Daike stood again, bleeding, one knuckle duster gone.

Inhale…

Exhale…

His breathing never wavered.

***

Clevius shut his eyes tightly as Elvira skimmed her book.

Wade clenched his fists.

Ziggs watched silently.

All departments stared in shock.

“He never gives up until he collapses.”

“That boy…”

Saila Palerover looked worried.

“Isn’t this too cruel?”

“It’s not, Mom.”

Yennekar understood.

Ed could never go easy on Daike.

That was respect.

***

“Do you know why I never surrender?”

Daike spoke calmly.

“Because you don’t want to lose?”

“Close.”

“Because it’s embarrassing.”

He explained simply.

Others gave it meaning.

Expectations piled up.

He couldn’t drop the white flag.

Ed straightened his back.

“Come.”

But Ed knew.

Daike was mistaken.

Ed’s injuries were visible now.

Evidence of his own struggle.

They were the same.

Daike laughed.

“Hahaha…!”

Blood-covered, smiling.

The duel was ending.