The favorites of the Kiryu also have ranks.
For example, if you are a designer in service of the government, an official merchant, or a bureaucrat involved with the management of the territory, the Kiryu can hand you a medal.
The lower ranks use medals as their identification and are made of ordinary materials, while higher ranks have materials that absorb mana, like magic iron.
When a Kiryu puts their magic into the higher ranks, they let the other Kiryu know “This one’s under my protection, do not touch them”
Unlike the medals, the act of Kiryu giving a magic matter created by their own mana to another person is an act of showing further favor.
In the first place, magic matter don’t exist permanently. If left alone, the magic will dissolve and disappear over time.
It’s not hard to hold onto magic that’s about to dissolve. It doesn’t require direct contact, nor much effort in magic. You just need to be conscious of keeping the magic from loosening.
On the other hand, magic matter that’s not consciously fastened will always return to mana. For example, objects exchanged with each other as a sign of friendship will disappear if they lose interest and their friendship is over.
So, when they gift clothing using mana matter, they’ll remain conscious of it the entire time.
–How can a boy wear a gift from the girls who the boys are looking at but they never show interest in the opposite sex.
Not only does he have clothes from his childhood friend, Lina, but also gifts from Nasha, what does he feel?
There’s no need for an explanation.
■■■
Aaron’s burning in anger.
Aaron never had a proper conversation with Lina, and yet, that boy seems to be having a fun conversation with her, with their shoulders touching.
Aaron didn’t like the fact that Lina gave him a cold look, but was always looking at that boy.
He hated the boy who had Lina’s smile all to himself.
So, he planned to beat the boy in games, humiliate him, and have him invite Lina to play with him, but he couldn’t because he always gets beaten up
He’s just a Zatsuryu.
He’s just a small fry who’s not even a footnote for Aaron, along with the elderly henchmen in his home village.
Furthermore, he’s not just close with Lina, but also with the girl named Anastasia, who suddenly became more beautiful after becoming absent for a while.
This has made him intensely irritated. The boy was irritating Aaron even more today.
「 Hey, you! Fight me! 」
While Nasha and Lina were having a furious bout and they were away from the boy, Aaron picked a fight with him.
This isn’t a duel. There’s no chance a Zatsuryu can fight a Kiryu and Junkiryu. This is just a punishment.
It’s a one-sided execution to make the disgusting Zatsuryu approach women that Aaron is interested in and makes him understand the difference in status.
Lina may get angry that he kills him, but there’s no way a Zatsuryu can withstand Aaron’s flames. If he dies, then he dies. The boy deserved Aaron’s wrath.
「 Burn! Zatsuryu! Fireball! 」
Using techniques he learned in mock battles with his classmates, he produced a lot of fireballs at once.
One shot hits, and he launches more fireballs one after another, turning the Zatsuryu into a firecracker. It landed on the Zatsuryu and the exploding flame spreads grandly. The stage is engulfed in flames.
「 Ahahahahaha! Serves you right!! Did you realize it now!!! Huh? 」
Aaron was laughing loudly as he had charred the boy, but then a figure burst through the flames and plunged into him.
The boy, a Zatsuryu who should’ve been burned by Aaron’s fireball, had put on a jacket made of magic mana that Lina gave him and dove through the flames.
(–Why can’t my magic burn down that jacket?)
Lina’s magic is much stronger than Aaron’s. And the jacket Lina gave the boy is filled with Lina’s mana. So, no matter how many fireballs Aaron lands, not a single scorch mark is left.
Aaron noticed it in a blink of an eye, but that’s all.
「 N-No wa–brghh 」
When the boy hits Aaron, he is caught off guard, he falls back and hits his head on the ground.
It’s not an ordinary ground, it’s the floor magically enhanced by Buono-sensei’s earth magic. Aaron easily gave up his consciousness from a single blow from the most powerful weapon available.
「 That’s it! Winner… 」
■■■
「 I knew Junkiryu’s amount to this much. What an embarrassment. 」
To think that he would lose to a Zatsuryu.
Leonard’s face contort in disappointment at Aaron’s fight earlier.
Those were clothes Lina gifted him. Aaron was careless. There was also Buono’s magic-enhanced ground.
–No matter the reason, we can’t allow a Zatsuryu to beat us.
After all, Kiryu is at a higher level of existence than the Zatsuryu. Even if you’re a Junkiryu, who’s equivalent to the Kiryu, you’ll still be looked down on if you lose to a Zatsuryu.
A Kiryu is only a Kiryu thanks to their overwhelming power, which is suitable for the rulers of the world.
「 I’ll have to clean up this mess 」
I went up to the dueling area and thought about how to destroy the Zatsuryu.
Both humans without mana and Zatsuryu with inferior magic should fear and respect the Kiryu.
It’s too much of a disrespect to stare at Leonard, a noble Kiryu.
(The defensive power of those clothes is high. Then, it has to be this)
「 You’ll pay with your life, shining blade! 」
Leonard used to wield a light sword with the size of a building, but after reflecting on the fact that he was helpless against Anastasia’s ice wall, he successfully compressed his magic in search of more offensive power.
He swings the sword of light, which he shrunk to the size of an ordinary long sword with an exaggerated swing. He believed that his blade would be able to cut through the garment.
Pashi!!
「 Huh? 」
The boy stepped forward and held Leonard’s arm as he tried to swing his sword.
Leonard’s body froze from the unexpected response.
Gui.
「 Ah—grbbbgh 」
The boy grabbed his arm, coiled around his body, and threw him over his shoulder.
Just like Aaron earlier, Leonard’s head landed on the ground and took his consciousness away.
「 That’s enough! Winner… 」
■■■
The defensive properties of the clothes Lina gifted her, and his skills in close combat aren’t related to attribute magic.
He’s a Zatsuryu but never underestimated, the boy showed his strength.
「 Wow… 」
The blonde girl, who knew about the boy’s true ability, couldn’t help but admire him.
Even if he was hit by the firewall or that sword of light, he wouldn’t suffer a single injury due to the difference in magic.
And yet, he went out of his way to play with the boys using wisdom, ingenuity, skill, and reading his opponents to win the game.
He’s not just a man with high magic, but a true strong man with both power and skill.
「 To think that he’s this strong… 」
The twin amber-colored eyes gaze at the boy.