The S-Class Mage is a Gyaru!?-Chapter 38: Arcane Symposium, Part Eighteen

Chapter 38: Arcane Symposium, Part Eighteen
{Reina}
[Right. Time to get this over with.]
I step onto the platform, trying to channel the same energy my Demonias give me when I stomp down school hallways. The crowd’s still buzzing about Takeshi’s fight, but their attention shifts as I take my position.
Lily, Lily Amano if I remember correctly, stands opposite me, still playing that innocent schoolgirl act. Yeah, it’s as obvious to me as it is to Akari and as it is, I imagine, to literally everyone else.
She smugly looks in my direction and, man, I swear, just having her gaze on me is enough to make me roll my eyes.
[She wasn’t even in Class 1 originally. This should be quick.]
I catch sight of Akari and Haruka, with Akari hugging her from behind. They simultaneously throw up peace signs at me the moment they notice my glance and I hold back a smile. Gotta look serious before I go into war, and all that.
Professor Sato doesn’t give as much of a preamble.
"Same rules. Any questions?" He asks.
I shake my head.
Lily shakes her head.
"Begin!"
Immediately, I launch a standard Second Circle attack spell. Nothing fancy, just trying to end this quickly. The distance between a Class 2 and a Class 1 mage isn’t something to be underestimated. This should be simple.
The magic flows from my fingers in a dark purple stream, aiming straight for her perfect little face. It’s the kind of spell that should at least mess up her makeup.
She dodges.
[Wait, what?]
Not just dodges - she moves with a speed that definitely wasn’t there during practice sessions.
Her counter-spell comes so fast I barely get my barriers up, and something about it feels... wrong.
[This isn’t right. She shouldn’t be this strong...]
The impact hits harder than it should, making my tail bristle. But it’s not just the force - there’s something off about her magic. Like it’s not quite... hers. Like someone else is casting through her.
"What’s wrong, princess?" Lily’s smile doesn’t reach her eyes. "Tired already? Or is daddy’s little girl not as special as everyone thinks?"
[Oh, you cunt.]
I throw another spell, this time paying closer attention. The magic flowing from her hands unleashes with a strength I absolutely would have remembered seeing in class.
And that necklace keeps catching my eye, glinting with each movement.
The crowd’s starting to notice too:
"Is that really Lily?"
"Since when could she cast like that?"
"Wow, she’s gotten stronger."
[Something’s not right.]
Unfortunately, though, I don’t have much of an opportunity to investigate with her flinging so many spells my way.
The worst part is, her attack patterns don’t make sense. It really is like she’s just launching spells at random, so if someone told me "oh, well maybe she trained all day yesterday", it wouldn’t make any sense.
It’s enhanced, but too... loose. Each spell is precise but almost looks like her own strength is surprising her.
My tail whips behind me anxiously as I dodge.
That necklace flashes again.
[Wait a second...]
As I disperse one of her spells, I see it. That damn thing is glowing. Faintly, but still, glowing.
[How did I not see it before?]
The realization hits me just as her spell does, sending me staggering backward. That’s not regular jewelry at her throat.
[Oh. OH.]
This bitch is using an amplifier.
---
{Akari}
[Oh, you sneaky little bitch.]
"Baby," I squeeze Haruka closer against me. "See that necklace?"
"Yeah, yeah, she’s got one on today."
"Like the one she used for her Silence," I finish for her, remembering how that basic bitch tried to sabotage our Resonance Trial. "She’s probably trying some fuckery again."
"Ohhhhh that bitch!"
[Couldn’t have said it better,] I scowl. [This crusty ho really thinks she’s slick.]
On the platform, Reina barely dodges another enhanced blast.
Her tail’s all puffed up like she stuck it in an electrical socket, but damn if she isn’t trying her heart out. She moves around, bouncing from one spot of the stage to another like an actual cat as Lily casually shoots her with magical pellets.
"So she’s cheating? Should we tell someone?"
I sigh.
"Who, Sato?" I snort, watching that crusty old man’s face carefully. "Pretty sure he’s in on it, babe. Remember how quick he was to shut down Takeshi? This whole thing reeks of sus."
[Speaking of which...]
Reina takes a hit that would normally fold someone in half, but homegirl just rolls with it and comes up casting.
"COME ON, QUEEN!" I shout, not caring who hears. "SHOW THAT BASIC BITCH WHAT’S UP!"
Reina’s ear twitches in our direction, but she keeps her focus on dodging Lily’s enhanced spells. She’s actually doing pretty well, considering she’s fighting against basically magical steroids.
"Look at her go," Haruka breathes, actually bouncing with excitement. "Maybe she can-"
[Maybe she actually has a chance-]
But, just as we’re getting our hopes up, just as we’re thinking Reina can pull it off... then it happens.
One misstep. One tiny slip of those perfectly polished platforms.
Lily’s spell catches Reina dead center, sending her flying back. She hits the ground hard enough to make my tits ache in sympathy.
[Ouch.]
Still, it’s not the kind of hit that I think would put Reina out of commission.
Sato disagrees with me, though.
"Stop!" Sato’s voice cuts through the arena before Reina can even try to get up. "Victory goes to Lily Amano!"
And, that’s that.
[You crusty old FUCK.]
Reina struggles to her feet, those ice-blue eyes blazing with fury. Her tail’s lashing behind her like a whip, and I swear I can feel her magic crackling from here.
"I can still fight-" she starts, but Sato’s already turning away.
"The match is over." His tone could freeze hell itself. "Please exit the arena."
Lily’s already doing her victory lap, playing up that innocent schoolgirl act for the cameras. But I catch her smirk when she thinks no one’s looking.
[Oh, it’s like that?]
My fingers curl into fists as I watch Reina storm off, her platforms clicking against the marble like angry punctuation marks. First they try to silence me, now they’re pulling this amplifier bullshit?
[It’s not fair, is it?] I cross my arms. [It really just ain’t fair.]