I Become a Mafia in the Academy

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

[Mana Silencer: Creates a silencer using mana. When the Mana Silencer is used, the sound of [Capone's Tommy] is greatly reduced, and the mana ripple generated upon firing is also significantly decreased.]

A silencer, not a bad reward at all.

The advantage of reduced sound was nice, but what pleased me most was the part about 'greatly reducing the mana ripple.'

In this world, the existence of mana ripples is practically an essential element for 'tracking.'

After all, it's a basic setting of this world that even the police carry mana ripple detection devices as standard equipment to maintain public order.

However, with the silencer I received as a reward this time, things were different.

It was practically the same as being able to use a weapon without being detected by basic scans.

Above all, equipment that reduces mana ripples was extremely rare in this world.

The government, considering equipment that hides mana ripples to be a significant threat to maintaining public order, strictly regulated devices that conceal 'mana ripples.'

And to obtain such equipment early on?

With this, not only would I be able to engage in combat using mana while hiding it, but it would also be extremely useful for handling organization matters. It was truly a reward worthy of overachievement.

Truly, an ability with limitless applications. I was about to press the [Accept Reward] button when I noticed the gazes of a few students directed at me and quickly put my smartphone back in my pocket.

Ji Soohyun's cold glare was particularly noticeable from ahead.

Could it be that she's like this because I was looking at my smartphone during class?

Fortunately, as soon as I put the smartphone back in my pocket, her demeanor returned to normal.

...... She's sensitive about things like this. I'll have to keep that in mind.

"Although the first sparring session ended quicker than expected... you guys didn't gain anything from it, so we'll move on to the next match immediately. Everyone, focus. Now, are there any students who want to spar next?"

After my match with Jinwoo ended, Ji Soohyun, after a few movements of her hand over the control panel, tidied up the sparring ground and turned to ask the other students.

Then, a hand shot up from among the students.

"Hmm? You're not raising your hand to ask another question, are you, Kim Youngje?"

"Yes, I'd like to have the next match."

Having just watched my match with Jinwoo, Kim Youngje's eyes were filled with fighting spirit.

"Hmm. Alright. Your Unique Armament is... that fountain pen, right?"

Ji Soohyun looked intrigued by the appearance of another unique weapon.

"That's correct."

"Well, you must have your reasons for bringing it, so I won't say anything about it. Then, do you have anyone specific you want to challenge? Or is there anyone who wants to spar with Kim Youngje?"

Ji Soohyun asked, looking over the eleven students, including me. In response, someone next to Kim Youngje raised their hand.

"Yes! I want to go!"

Looking toward the raised hand, we could see Kim Seah with a determined gaze.

"Kim Seah, is it? Alright. Both of you, step into the field."

Following the instructor's words, the two of them entered the sparring ground.

Recalling what happened on the uninhabited island, Kim Seah was a mage who specialized in spatial magic.

Since Kim Youngje mainly used elemental magic in the game, this sparring session would surely be of great help to Kim Seah, who utilized spatial magic.

I had been thinking that having a spatial mage in the organization would be beneficial, so let's see what level she's at.

"When the field activates, you'll feel a slight increase in air pressure. It's a normal phenomenon, so don't be too surprised."

Ji Soohyun approached the control panel outside the field and pulled down the largest lever.

At the same moment, the two of them flinched slightly.

It was likely due to the phenomenon Ji Soohyun had just mentioned.

"Do you feel it activating?"

In response to Ji Soohyun's words, the two inside the field nodded.

"Good. Then... let's see you two go wild. Rookies."

The two moved almost simultaneously.

Both raised their Unique Armaments—a fountain pen and a glove on the right hand—and aimed them at each other.

Among them, Kim Youngje was the first to launch an attack.

"Appassionato."

The word that suddenly burst from Kim Youngje's lips was Italian.

Kim Youngje's unique magic, which imbued meaning and mana into words, began to unfold from his lips and the tip of his fountain pen.

"Just as the description said in the game."

As he chanted, the letters he scribbled in the air with his fountain pen transformed into flames and began flying toward Kim Seah.

The musical term meaning 'passionately,' the magic he activated burned fiercely as it flew toward Kim Seah.

Kim Seah raised her left arm and twisted her left wrist as if to deflect something.

The path of the dancing flames bent, and the flames, now redirected toward their original owner, Kim Youngje, began to fly back.

It was Kim Seah, who specialized in spatial magic, altering the trajectory of the magic.

"Adagio!"

This time, the word she shouted meant 'calmly, slowly.'

Simultaneously, white frost began to bloom from the tip of her hand in the air, colliding with the flames flying toward her.

The collision of two extreme magics.

The enormous amount of steam generated by the collision exploded outward, turning the surroundings completely white.

We outside the field were unable to see the situation inside.

However, not long after, the monitors displaying the two of them switched to thermal imaging, revealing their figures.

"Damn, the steam...!"

Kim Youngje was startled by the suddenly limited visibility, but his opponent was Kim Seah, who specialized in spatial magic.

Judging by her crouched position with her hand on the ground, she was using her magic to detect Kim Youngje's location.

I didn't know what abilities her 'Unique Armament,' the glove she was wearing, possessed, but from the way she was rising, it seemed she had successfully pinpointed Kim Youngje's location.

Slowly turning her body toward Kim Youngje, Kim Seah raised her left hand toward him and began chanting a spell.

"Fireball!"

A basic magic spell that any mage could use unfolded above Kim Seah's hand.

Although she hadn't pinpointed Kim Seah's location, catching the sound of her voice, Kim Youngje, predicting a spell would fly toward him, began running to his right.

"Allegretto!"

A word meaning 'slightly faster.'

It appeared to be a buff spell, as he rolled his body to the side at an incredible speed, narrowly avoiding Kim Seah's attack.

Then, as he rose to his feet, he quickly manipulated his fountain pen and shouted:

"Tempestoso!"

A word meaning 'stormy,' used as a musical term to mean 'violently.'

As Youngje chanted, a fierce wind began to swirl violently inside the field, starting to blow away the steam.

With this, Kim Youngje had now used a total of four elemental magics. It was a feat that an ordinary mage wouldn't even attempt.

Fire, ice, physical enhancement, and now wind. Could he have been at this level since his first year...?

Normally, in the first year, Kim Youngje should have been able to handle at most two elemental magics.

That was the statistic I had gathered from playing the game until now.

But to be using four elements from the start?

It made me think that there were probably two reasons for this.

Either he had obtained some incredible opportunity to grow stronger.

Or he had been hiding his true strength until something triggered him to reveal it.

While I was thinking about this, the steam that had filled the sparring ground began to gradually thin out.

It was because Kim Youngje's magic had pushed all the steam away. Finally able to see each other, the two of them.

At the moment Kim Youngje opened his mouth to chant another spell, preparing to attack again with his fountain pen.

Kim Seah, who had been extending her left hand, suddenly sighed and raised both hands.

"......I surrender."

Kim Seah had declared her surrender.

After seeing Kim Youngje use four elemental magics, she must have judged further resistance to be meaningless.

It seemed she thought it was still difficult to win with her current strength.

"......What a shame."

Even though Kim Youngje could use four elemental magics, it didn't mean he could handle every situation.

If she had used spatial magic to counter him or engaged in close combat, she might have gained a slight advantage.

Considering Ji Soohyun's personality, Kim Seah's actions probably didn't sit well with her.

As the sparring ended, the field's door opened, and the two emerged, breathing heavily.

Instructor Ji Soohyun, watching the two of them, smiled.

"Both of you did well. Let me give each of you feedback on your sparring. First... Kim Youngje. To be able to cast that level of magic at your age. Honestly, I'm quite surprised. I didn't expect you to handle multiple elements so easily."

"Thank you."

"If you develop further applications for the magics you can use, it will be a great help. Developing your physical abilities is also a good idea. A mage like you, who can handle multiple elements, will be extremely troublesome if you also have the physical ability to sustain combat."

As she said, there was nothing as troublesome as a magician who could handle multiple elements and also had physical prowess.

They could respond to any attack, and on top of that, they were persistent? Just thinking about how annoying such characters had been in games still made her tremble.

"And Kim Seah. It would've been better if you hadn't given up there and had struggled a bit more. Personally, I find it a little regrettable."

"......I'm sorry."

"However, I did appreciate your skill in using spatial magic to target an unseen enemy and altering the trajectory of your spells. Normally, when thinking of spatial mages, people tend to imagine those who specialize in detection rather than combat. But."

With a smile, Ji Soohyun patted the thoroughly disheartened Kim Seah on the head.

"Personally, I like how you employed spatial magic in such an offensive manner. If you further develop that ability, you could become a fully capable spatial mage."

"Yes......! Thank you!"

Perhaps because Kim Seah also used spatial magic like her, she felt a sense of pride in Ji Soohyun's advice.

However, why couldn't I remember seeing someone like her in the game?

Both on the uninhabited island and up until now, her actions had been quite impressive.

If a first-year student possessed such skills, they would surely become a renowned hero after graduation.

But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't recall ever hearing the name 'Kim Seah' while playing the game.

......Could something happen later on?

With such thoughts, I clapped for Seah and Youngje approaching, just like the other kids.

The two of them came toward the audience with satisfied expressions after finishing their sparring.

Thanks to the field's influence, despite their intense battle, not a single scratch remained on them.

Even after such a fierce match, they were in this condition. But what about Jinwoo, who had collapsed?

Thinking about Jinwoo, still lying in the infirmary, I began to feel a little guilty.

'Hmm.......'

Suddenly, I felt a bitter taste in my mouth.